In the preface to his 1922 book The Worst Journey in the World, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, one of Scott's team on the Terra Nova Expedition, wrote: "For a joint scientific and geographical piece of organisation, give me Scott; for a Winter Journey, Wilson; for a dash to the Pole and nothing else, Amundsen: and if I am in the devil of a hole and want to get out of it, give me Shackleton every time".
From National Geographic Creative: "Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew took bitter defeat and turned it into heroic survival. Early last century, members of the imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition watched as their ship, the Endurance was crushed by the frozen sea. They were left with no radio and no hope of rescue. For more than a year, they drifted on packed ice, surviving on seal, penguin, and eventually dog meat, while battling freezing temperatures and mind-numbing boredom. When Shackleton, along with all 28 members of the expedition, emerged at Stromness whaling station in May, 1916, almost two years after their departure, the world was shocked."
Video:
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton died of hear attack at age 47 during his last expedition. Robert Falcon Scott died at age 43 from hypothermia during his last expedition. Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen died at age 55, he disappeared while on a plane taking part in a rescue mission.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ernest_Shackleton
https://bigthink.com/experts-corner/how-leadership-is-like-antarctic-exploration
http://shackleton100.com/ernest-shackleton/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Falcon_Scott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Amundsen
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Erasmus Darwin - BBC Great Lives
From Wikipedia:
Erasmus Darwin (12 December 1731 – 18 April 1802) was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King.
One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, abolitionist, inventor and poet.
His poems included much natural history, including a statement of evolution and the relatedness of all forms of life.
He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family, which includes his grandsons Charles Darwin and Francis Galton.
Darwin was also a founding member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, a discussion group of pioneering industrialists and natural philosophers.
The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a dinner club and informal learned society of prominent figures in the Midlands Enlightenment, who met regularly between 1765 and 1813 in Birmingham, England. At first called the Lunar Circle, "Lunar Society" became the formal name by 1775. The name arose because the society would meet during the full moon, as the extra light made the journey home easier and safer in the absence of street lighting.
His parents' choice of name, Erasmus, is an unusual one; the most historically significant person of that name was Desiderius Erasmus, the great humanist.
He obtained his medical education at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
Darwin settled in 1756 as a physician at Nottingham, but met with little success and so moved the following year to Lichfield to try to establish a practice there. A few weeks after his arrival, using a novel course of treatment, he restored the health of a young man whose death seemed inevitable. This ensured his success in the new locale. Darwin was a highly successful physician for more than fifty years in the Midlands.
Darwin was a large man who gave up weighing himself when he reached 336 pounds (24 stones, about 153 kg). He would have his driver, also a very large man, walk through the patient's house in front of him to ensure that the floor would hold him.
Evidence of the time reveal Erasmus to have been a bit of a maverick who, according to his friend James Keir, 'paid little regard to authority.'
He was described by many as a friendly and generous fellow with a sharp wit who loved to tease. Married twice - both times to women he adored - he also had an in-between mistress and fourteen children.
Darwin married twice and had 14 children, including two illegitimate daughters by an employee, and, possibly, at least one further illegitimate daughter.
Darwin died suddenly on the 18 April 1802, weeks after having moved to Breadsall Priory.
Darwin formed the Lichfield Botanical Society in order to translate the works of the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus from Latin into English. This took seven years.
Darwin's most important scientific work is Zoönomia.
Darwin was the inventor of several devices, though he did not patent any. He believed this would damage his reputation as a doctor, and encouraged his friends to patent their own modifications of his designs.
In notes dating to 1779, Darwin made a sketch of a simple hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine, with gas tanks connected by plumbing and pumps to an elongated combustion chamber and expansion nozzle, a concept not to be seen again until one century later.
Perhaps we should not be surprised then to learn that he was already working on a theory of evolution - that is, the theory that Man is descended from a single microscopic ancestor - well before his grandson Charles took up the debate.
References:
Wikipedia
Great Lives and Wikipedia
BBC
Erasmus Darwin's Microscope
Related:
Erasmus Darwin (12 December 1731 – 18 April 1802) was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King.
One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, abolitionist, inventor and poet.
His poems included much natural history, including a statement of evolution and the relatedness of all forms of life.
He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family, which includes his grandsons Charles Darwin and Francis Galton.
Darwin was also a founding member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, a discussion group of pioneering industrialists and natural philosophers.
The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a dinner club and informal learned society of prominent figures in the Midlands Enlightenment, who met regularly between 1765 and 1813 in Birmingham, England. At first called the Lunar Circle, "Lunar Society" became the formal name by 1775. The name arose because the society would meet during the full moon, as the extra light made the journey home easier and safer in the absence of street lighting.
His parents' choice of name, Erasmus, is an unusual one; the most historically significant person of that name was Desiderius Erasmus, the great humanist.
He obtained his medical education at the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
Darwin settled in 1756 as a physician at Nottingham, but met with little success and so moved the following year to Lichfield to try to establish a practice there. A few weeks after his arrival, using a novel course of treatment, he restored the health of a young man whose death seemed inevitable. This ensured his success in the new locale. Darwin was a highly successful physician for more than fifty years in the Midlands.
Darwin was a large man who gave up weighing himself when he reached 336 pounds (24 stones, about 153 kg). He would have his driver, also a very large man, walk through the patient's house in front of him to ensure that the floor would hold him.
Evidence of the time reveal Erasmus to have been a bit of a maverick who, according to his friend James Keir, 'paid little regard to authority.'
He was described by many as a friendly and generous fellow with a sharp wit who loved to tease. Married twice - both times to women he adored - he also had an in-between mistress and fourteen children.
Darwin married twice and had 14 children, including two illegitimate daughters by an employee, and, possibly, at least one further illegitimate daughter.
Darwin died suddenly on the 18 April 1802, weeks after having moved to Breadsall Priory.
Darwin formed the Lichfield Botanical Society in order to translate the works of the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus from Latin into English. This took seven years.
Darwin's most important scientific work is Zoönomia.
Darwin was the inventor of several devices, though he did not patent any. He believed this would damage his reputation as a doctor, and encouraged his friends to patent their own modifications of his designs.
In notes dating to 1779, Darwin made a sketch of a simple hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine, with gas tanks connected by plumbing and pumps to an elongated combustion chamber and expansion nozzle, a concept not to be seen again until one century later.
Perhaps we should not be surprised then to learn that he was already working on a theory of evolution - that is, the theory that Man is descended from a single microscopic ancestor - well before his grandson Charles took up the debate.
References:
Wikipedia
Great Lives and Wikipedia
BBC
Erasmus Darwin's Microscope
Related:
NGC Presents: Secrets of the Sphinx (45-minute video)
NationalGeographic — Sep 28, 2009 — Season 2 Ep. 10 — (Rated: TV-PG) Can renewed investigations allow archaeologists to finally solve the riddle of the Sphinx: who made it and who does it represent? Secrets of the Sphinx.
Hadrian in Judea - BBC Video
BBCWorldwide — June 11, 2010 — In this BBC documentary, historian Dan Snow explains how the Jewish people attempted to rise against Roman Emperor Hadrian, with bloody battles following. Watch more videos on the new BBC Worldwide YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/bbcworldwide
Hadrian's North African Walls - Hadrian - BBC.
Hadrian's Mausoleum - Hadrian - BBC. Hadrian died in 138 on the 10th of July, in his villa at Baiae at age 62. The cause of death is believed to have been heart failure. Dio Cassius and the Historia Augusta record details of his failing health, and a study published in 1980 drew attention to classical sculptures of Hadrian that show he had diagonal earlobe creases – a characteristic associated with coronary heart disease: Diagonal Earlobe Creases, Type A Behavior and the Death of Emperor Hadrian. Nicholas L. Petrakis, MD. West J Med. 1980 January; 132(1): 87–91.
Books:
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great - Netflix Streaming
In this BBC production, documentary filmmaker and historian Michael Wood retraces the footsteps of the legendary Alexander the Great (also known as Alexander of Macedonia) as he traveled from Greece to India on a quest for glory. He found it in spades as went on to become king of Macedonia, pharaoh of Egypt and conqueror of the Persian Empire. In the end, though, he was as vulnerable as any human, falling victim to deadly poisoning. The documentary series retraced the journey of Alexander the Great across 16 countries (1998, 4 episodes).
Michael David Wood (born 23 July 1948) is an English historian and broadcaster. He has presented numerous television documentary series, has made over 80 documentary films, most notably, Great Railway Journeys (1980), Art of the Western World, Legacy, In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, Conquistadors, In Search of Myths and Heroes, and The Story of India (2007).
References:
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great. Netflix.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wood_(historian)
Michael David Wood (born 23 July 1948) is an English historian and broadcaster. He has presented numerous television documentary series, has made over 80 documentary films, most notably, Great Railway Journeys (1980), Art of the Western World, Legacy, In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, Conquistadors, In Search of Myths and Heroes, and The Story of India (2007).
References:
In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great. Netflix.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wood_(historian)
Visualizing maritime empires decline
Visualizing empires decline from Pedro M Cruz on Vimeo.
Video: The data refers to the evolution of the top 4 maritime empires of the XIX and XX centuries by extent.It is best viewed from the Vimeo site in full screen and HD.
From the animation author: "I chose the maritime empires because of their more abrupt and obtuse evolution as the visual emphasis is on their decline. The first idea to represent a territory independence was a mitosis like split. The split of a territory is often the result of an extent process and it had to be visualized on a specific year."
References:
Visualizing empires decline. Information visualization et al. Pedro M Cruz's master thesis.
Bulgarian Kings: Kardam (Bulgarian: Кардам)
From Wikipedia:
Kardam (Bulgarian: Кардам) was the ruler of Bulgaria 777–803. The name of Kardam is first encountered in the Byzantine sources in 791, when Emperor Constantine VI embarked on an expedition against Bulgaria, in retaliation for Bulgarian incursions in the Struma valley since 789. Kardam pre-empted the Byzantine invasion and met the enemy near Adrianople in Thrace. The Byzantine army was defeated and turned to flight.
In 792 Constantine VI led another army against the Bulgarians and encamped at Marcellae (near Karnobat), which he proceeded to fortify. Kardam arrived with his army and occupied the neighboring heights. Constantine VI ordered an attack but the Byzantine forces lost formation and were defeated and turned to flight, while Kardam captured the imperial tent and the emperor's servants. After his return to Constantinople, Constantine VI signed a peace treaty and undertook to pay an annual tribute to Bulgaria.
By 796 the imperial government was recalcitrant and Kardam found it necessary to demand the tribute while threatening to devastate Thrace if it were not paid. Constantine VI mocked the demand by having dung sent instead of gold as "fitting tribute" and promising to lead a new army against the elderly Kardam. Once again the emperor headed north, and he encountered Kardam in the vicinity of Adrianople. The armies faced each other for 17 days without entering into battle, while the two monarchs probably engaged in negotiations. In the end, conflict was averted and the peace resumed on the same terms as in 792.
The reign of Kardam represents the restoration of order in Bulgaria, which had suffered from a rapid turnover of rulers and had been repeatedly defeated by the Byzantines in the third quarter of the 8th century. Kardam not only stood his ground against Constantine VI (who was trying to emulate his much more successful grandfather and namesake Constantine V), but he may have succeeded in precipitating a crisis at the Byzantine court, where Constantine VI's repeated failures undermined the emperor's position and he was dethroned by his mother Irene in 797. Kardam probably did not long survive his opponent, as he is not heard of after 796 and was already dead in 803.
His successor Korym (i.e., Krum) was probably his nephew. Kardam's accession signifies the final restoration of the Dulo clan, which would have retained the throne until the death of Roman in 997.
Video: The Bulgarian Rulers (for illustrative purposes only, the accuracy can be disputed).
References:
Kardam of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Kardam (Bulgarian: Кардам) was the ruler of Bulgaria 777–803. The name of Kardam is first encountered in the Byzantine sources in 791, when Emperor Constantine VI embarked on an expedition against Bulgaria, in retaliation for Bulgarian incursions in the Struma valley since 789. Kardam pre-empted the Byzantine invasion and met the enemy near Adrianople in Thrace. The Byzantine army was defeated and turned to flight.
In 792 Constantine VI led another army against the Bulgarians and encamped at Marcellae (near Karnobat), which he proceeded to fortify. Kardam arrived with his army and occupied the neighboring heights. Constantine VI ordered an attack but the Byzantine forces lost formation and were defeated and turned to flight, while Kardam captured the imperial tent and the emperor's servants. After his return to Constantinople, Constantine VI signed a peace treaty and undertook to pay an annual tribute to Bulgaria.
By 796 the imperial government was recalcitrant and Kardam found it necessary to demand the tribute while threatening to devastate Thrace if it were not paid. Constantine VI mocked the demand by having dung sent instead of gold as "fitting tribute" and promising to lead a new army against the elderly Kardam. Once again the emperor headed north, and he encountered Kardam in the vicinity of Adrianople. The armies faced each other for 17 days without entering into battle, while the two monarchs probably engaged in negotiations. In the end, conflict was averted and the peace resumed on the same terms as in 792.
The reign of Kardam represents the restoration of order in Bulgaria, which had suffered from a rapid turnover of rulers and had been repeatedly defeated by the Byzantines in the third quarter of the 8th century. Kardam not only stood his ground against Constantine VI (who was trying to emulate his much more successful grandfather and namesake Constantine V), but he may have succeeded in precipitating a crisis at the Byzantine court, where Constantine VI's repeated failures undermined the emperor's position and he was dethroned by his mother Irene in 797. Kardam probably did not long survive his opponent, as he is not heard of after 796 and was already dead in 803.
His successor Korym (i.e., Krum) was probably his nephew. Kardam's accession signifies the final restoration of the Dulo clan, which would have retained the throne until the death of Roman in 997.
Video: The Bulgarian Rulers (for illustrative purposes only, the accuracy can be disputed).
References:
Kardam of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Bulgarian Kings: Telerig (Bulgarian: Телериг)
From Wikipedia:
Telerig (Bulgarian: Телериг) was the ruler of Bulgaria 768–777. He was the immediate successor of Pagan, who was murdered in 768. In May 774, the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos embarked on a major expedition against Bulgaria, leading his field army on land, and dispatching a fleet of 2,000 ships carrying horsemen towards the Danube delta. The fleet dismebarked in the vicinity of Varna, but the emperor inexplicably retreated.
Shortly afterwards the two sides signed a truce promising the cessation of hostilities. However, in October 774 Telerig sent an army of 12,000 men to raid Berzitia, Macedonia and to transfer its population to Bulgaria. Collecting a large army of 80,000 troops, Constantine V surprised the Bulgarians and won a resounding victory. The subsequent attack on Bulgaria failed, because the imperial fleet encountered contrary winds in the Black Sea.
At this point Telerig sent a secret emissary to Constantine V, indicating his intention to flee Bulgaria and seek refuge with the emperor, and seeking assurances of hospitality. Telerig succeeded in having the emperor betray his own agents in Bulgaria, who were duly rounded up and executed. The expected Byzantine retaliation failed to materialize as Constantine V died in 775. In spite of his apparent success, Telerig found it necessary to flee to the new Byzantine emperor, Leo IV the Khazar in 777. The Byzantine government gave Telerig asylum and the title of patrikios. Telerig converted to Christianity under the name of Theophylaktos and married a cousin of the Empress Eirene.
References:
Telerig. Wikipedia.
Related books:
Telerig (Bulgarian: Телериг) was the ruler of Bulgaria 768–777. He was the immediate successor of Pagan, who was murdered in 768. In May 774, the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos embarked on a major expedition against Bulgaria, leading his field army on land, and dispatching a fleet of 2,000 ships carrying horsemen towards the Danube delta. The fleet dismebarked in the vicinity of Varna, but the emperor inexplicably retreated.
Shortly afterwards the two sides signed a truce promising the cessation of hostilities. However, in October 774 Telerig sent an army of 12,000 men to raid Berzitia, Macedonia and to transfer its population to Bulgaria. Collecting a large army of 80,000 troops, Constantine V surprised the Bulgarians and won a resounding victory. The subsequent attack on Bulgaria failed, because the imperial fleet encountered contrary winds in the Black Sea.
At this point Telerig sent a secret emissary to Constantine V, indicating his intention to flee Bulgaria and seek refuge with the emperor, and seeking assurances of hospitality. Telerig succeeded in having the emperor betray his own agents in Bulgaria, who were duly rounded up and executed. The expected Byzantine retaliation failed to materialize as Constantine V died in 775. In spite of his apparent success, Telerig found it necessary to flee to the new Byzantine emperor, Leo IV the Khazar in 777. The Byzantine government gave Telerig asylum and the title of patrikios. Telerig converted to Christianity under the name of Theophylaktos and married a cousin of the Empress Eirene.
References:
Telerig. Wikipedia.
Related books:
Bulgarian Kings: Tervel (Bulgarian: Тервел)
From Wikipedia:Tervel (Bulgarian: Тервел) was the ruler of the Bulgarians at the beginning of the 8th century. In 705 he received the title Caesar by the Byzantine emperor which was a precedent in history. He was probably a Christian like his grandfather Khan Kubrat. After the Bulgarian army crushed the Arabs during the siege of Constantinople (718) Tervel was called by contemporaries the Saviour of Europe.
The Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans states that Tervel belonged to the Dulo clan and reigned for 21 years (695–715). Tervel was likely the son and heir of his predecessor Asparukh, who had died in battle against the Khazars.
Alliance with Justinian II and becoming a Caesar
Tervel is first mentioned in the Byzantine sources in 704, when he was approached by the deposed and exiled Byzantine emperor Justinian II. Justinian acquired Tervel's support for an attempted restoration to the Byzantine throne in exchange for friendship, gifts, and his daughter in marriage. With an army of 15,000 horsemen provided by Tervel, Justinian suddenly advanced on Constantinople and managed to gain entrance into the city in 705.
The war with the Arabs in 717-718 or Siege of Constantinople (718), "Savior of Europe"
During the summer of 717 the Arabs led by Maslama crossed the Dardanelles and besieged Constantinople with 200,000 men. According to Arab sources, his fleet consisted of 2,500 ships.
Leo III plead to Tervel for help relying on the treaty of 716 and Tervel agreed. The first clash between the Bulgarians and the Arabs ended with a Bulgarian victory. During the very first stages of the siege the Bulgarians appeared in the Muslim rear and large part of their army was destroyed and the rest were trapped. The Arabs built two trenches around their camp facing the Bulgarian army and the walls of the city. They persisted with the siege despite the severe winter with 100 days of snowfall. In the summer of 718 the Arabs engaged the Bulgarians in a decisive battle but suffered a crushing defeat and had to abandon the siege. According to Theophanes, the Bulgarians slaughtered some 22,000 Arabs in the battle. The Bulgarian victory of 718 and the victory of the Frankish king Charles Martel in the battle of Tours stopped the Muslim invasion in the interior of Europe. Khan Tervel was called the Saviour of Europe by his contemporaries.
The Madara Rider monument
The basrelief of Madara Rider - a Bulgarian national symbol. Image source: Wikipedia, Svik, GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.
During the time of Tervel, the famous rock relief the Madara Rider was created as a memorial to the Bulgar god Tangra, the victories over the Byzantines, to honour his father Asparukh and as an expression of the glory of the Bulgarian state.
Bulgarian rulers after Tervel (source: Wikipedia)
Ajjar (715) was the brother and successor of Tervel, and the uncle and predecessor of Kermes (Kormesiy).
Kormesiy (Bulgarian: Кормесий) was a ruler of Danubian Bulgaria who is sometimes considered the direct successor of Tervel. Kormesiy was a descendant of the royal Dulo clan and would have reigned 715–721 (or 738).
The name of Kormesiy is also found in the inscriptions around the Madara Rider monument. The surviving part of the text speaks of an annual gold tribute that Kormesiy received from the Byzantine Emperor - it seems as if the peace treaty was re-established during his rule. The end of the inscription mentions a worsening of Bulgarian relations with the Byzantine Empire. However, this inscription could possibly be referring to the later Bulgarian rulers Kormisoš or Krum.
Kormesiy (Kermes) was deposed by the nobility and replaced on the throne by his son Sevar.
Sevar (Bulgarian: Севар) belonged to the royal Dulo clan and ruled for 15 years (approx. 721–737 or 738–754). It is possible that his reign was peaceful, because the Byzantine chronicles do not report any events on the Empire’s northern borders from that period (same as with Kermes).
Kormisosh (Bulgarian: Кормисош) belonged to the Ukil (or Vokil) clan and ruled for 17 years (approx. 737–754 or 753–756). Kormisosh represents a change of dynasty, but it remains unclear whether that was done through violence. The reign of Kormisosh inaugurated a prolonged period of war with the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos had begun to fortify the frontier and started settling Armenians and Syrians in Byzantine Thrace. In response Kormisosh demanded the payment of tribute, perhaps constituting an increase in the traditional payments. Rebuffed, Kormisosh raided into Thrace, reaching the Anastasian Wall stretching between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara 40 km in front of Constantinople. Constantine V marched out with his army, defeated the Bulgarians and turned them to flight.
Kormisosh (Bulgarian: Кормисош) belonged to the Ukil (or Vokil) clan and ruled for 17 years (approx. 737–754 or 753–756). Kormisosh represents a change of dynasty, but it remains unclear whether that was done through violence. The reign of Kormisosh inaugurated a prolonged period of war with the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos had begun to fortify the frontier and started settling Armenians and Syrians in Byzantine Thrace. In response Kormisosh demanded the payment of tribute, perhaps constituting an increase in the traditional payments. Rebuffed, Kormisosh raided into Thrace, reaching the Anastasian Wall stretching between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara 40 km in front of Constantinople. Constantine V marched out with his army, defeated the Bulgarians and turned them to flight.
Vinekh (also spelled Vineh; Bulgarian: Винех) reigned for 7 years and was a member of the Ukil clan (approx. 754–762 or 756–762).
Vinekh ascended the throne after the defeat of his predecessor Kormisosh by the Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos, which has led some scholars to assume that he was an usurper. In c. 756 Constantine V campaigned against Bulgaria by land and sea, and defeated the Bulgarian army led by Vinekh at Karnobat. The defeated monarch senr his own children as hostages. In 759 Constantine V invaded Bulgaria again, but this time his army was ambushed in the mountain passes of the Stara Planina (battle of the Rishki Pass). Vinekh did not follow up his victory and sought to re-establish the peace. This won him the opposition of the Bulgarian nobility, which had him massacred together with his family.
Telets (Bulgarian: Телец) reigned for 3 years (762–765) and was a member of the Ugain clan. Byzantine sources indicate that Telets replaced the legitimate rulers of Bulgaria and was a brave and energetic man in his prime (about 30 years old). Telets may have belonged to an anti-Slavic faction of the Bulgarian nobility.
After his accession, Telets led a well-trained and well-armed army against the Byzantine Empire and devastated the Empire's frontier zone, inviting the emperor to a contest of strength. Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos marched north in 763, while another army was carried by a fleet of 800 ships.
Telets at first fortified the mountain passes with his troops and some twenty thousand Slavic auxiliaries. Later he changes his mind and led out his troops to the plain of Anchialos (Pomorie). The bloody battle began at mid-morning, and lasted until dusk. At the end Telets was abandoned by his Slavic auxiliaries, who deserted to the emperor, who won the field, but chose to return home in triumph. According to the Byzantine sources, Constantine V brought home a throng of Bulgarian prisoners in wooden restraints, for the entertainment of Constantinople's populace.
The military defeat sealed the fate of Telets, who was lynched together with his supporters by his rebellious subjects.
Sabin (Bulgarian: Сабин) was the ruler of Bulgaria 765–766. He was a Slav related by marriage to Kormisosh, who was either a father-in-law or a brother-in-law of Sabin.
Sabin rose to the throne after the murder of Telets in 765 and represented that part of the Bulgarian nobility, which was seeking a policy of accommodation with the Byzantine Empire. He swiftly dispatched secret emissaries to Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos, who had recently defeated Sabin's predecessor Telets, seeking to re-establish peace. When the negotiations were discovered, the Bulgarians rebelled and held an assembly, in which they accused Sabin of causing Bulgaria's enslavement by the Byzantines.
Deserted by his supporters, Sabin fled to Byzantine Mesembria (Nesebăr) in 766, from where he went to Constantinople. There he was received by the emperor, who arranged for the transfer of Sabin's family from Bulgaria. In 768 Sabin attended Constantine V's negotiations with a new Bulgarian ruler, Pagan, but the emperor's words on behalf of the former monarch made little impression. Sabin passed the remainder of his life in exile.
Umor (Bulgarian: Умор) reigned for only 40 days in 766 and belonged to the Ukil clan, which makes him a relative of Vinekh and possibly Kormisosh.
Toktu (Bulgarian: Токту) was the ruler of Bulgaria 766–767 who was a member of that fraction of the Bulgarian nobility, which advocated a hostile policy towards the Byzantine Empire. He was soon faced with a rebellion and attempted to flee the country. Unlike his predecessor Sabin, Toktu tried to flee northwards, but was caught and killed together with his brother Bayan and their supporters near the Danube.
Pagan (Bulgarian: Паган) was the ruler of Bulgaria 767–768 was a member of that faction of the Bulgarian aristocracy which sought to establish peaceful relations with the Byzantine Empire. After ascending the throne following the murder of his predecessor Toktu, Pagan set out together with his court to attend negotiations with Emperor Constantine V Kopronymos in Thrace. In the heated talks, the emperor represented himself as intent on keeping the peace in Bulgaria and upbraided the Bulgarians for their anarchy, and for deposing their former ruler Sabin, who lived as a refugee at the imperial court. The emperor nevertheless agreed to make peace, and Pagan returned home.
At this point, Constantine V suddenly invaded Bulgaria and managed to penetrate across the mountains into the core area of the Bulgarian state, setting afire settlements around the Bulgarian capital Pliska. Although Constantine V did not follow up his relatively successful invasion and returned home, Pagan faced the wrath of his subjects who accused him of credulity and inability to oppose the enemy. The monarch fled in the direction of Varna, but was murdered by his servants.
References:
Tervel of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Image source: Seal of kaisar Terbellis (Tervel) of Bulgaria, ca. 705 A.D. Wikipedia, public domain.
И този брой на списание National Geographic България е с българска корица! Водещата статия в брой юли 2013 е посветена на хан Тервел - Спасителят на Европа. http://on.fb.me/16bkaa4 -- http://bit.ly/16bkcyV --Древните българи | National Geographic България http://bit.ly/16bkg1H
Related:
Bulgarian Kings
Click below to read the relevant posts from this website:Asparukh
Tervel
Telerig (Bulgarian: Телериг)
More names will be added later as the article series expands.
Most of the text in these articles is based on Wikipedia and has been reviewed for accuracy by the author of the blog posts.
References:
Загадъчната смърт на българските владетели. National Geographic in Bulgarian, 2011. See the gallery.
Image source: Asparukh of Bulgaria, Monument in Dobrich, Bulgaria, Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.
Tervel
Telerig (Bulgarian: Телериг)
More names will be added later as the article series expands.
Most of the text in these articles is based on Wikipedia and has been reviewed for accuracy by the author of the blog posts.
References:
Загадъчната смърт на българските владетели. National Geographic in Bulgarian, 2011. See the gallery.
Image source: Asparukh of Bulgaria, Monument in Dobrich, Bulgaria, Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.
Related books:
Bulgarian Kings: Asparukh (Asparuh, Bulgarian: Аспарух or Исперих)
From Wikipedia:Asparuh or Isperih (Bulgarian: Аспарух or Исперих) was ruler of a Bulgar tribe from 668 to 700 and is credited with the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 681.
Early life
Asparuh belonged to the Dulo clan and reigned for 61 years. This long period cannot be accepted as accurate due to chronological constraints, and may indicate the length of Asparuh's life. Asparuh was as a younger son of Kubrat, who had established a spacious state ("Great Bulgaria") in the steppes of modern Ukraine. Asparuh may have gained experience in politics and statesmanship during the long reign of his father, who probably died in 665. After his father's death, Asparuh acknowledged the rule of his older brother Bat Bayan, but the state disintegrated under Khazar attack in 668, and he and his brothers parted ways, leading their people to seek a more secure home in other lands.
Establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire
Asparuh was followed by 20,000-120,00 Bulgars. He crossed the Danube River delta and while the Byzantine capital Constantinople was besieged by Muawiyah I, Caliph of the Arabs (674–678), he and his people settled in the so-called Ongul area in northern Dobrudža. After the Arab siege of Constantinople ended, the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IV marched against the Bulgars and their Slav allies in 680 and forced his opponents to seek shelter in a fortified encampment. Forced to abandon the leadership of his army in order to seek medical treatment for his ailments, the emperor sabotaged the morale of his troops, who gave in to rumours that their emperor had fled. With segments of the Byzantine army starting to desert, the Bulgars and their allies broke through the blockade and routed the enemy troops at the battle of Ongala in 680. He then swiftly moved from the Danubian delta down to the Balkan range.
Reign
Asparuh established an alliance between the Bulgars and the local Slavic groups (described as the Severi and Seven Slavic tribes). As Asparuh commenced to raid across the mountains into Byzantine Thrace in 681, Constantine IV decided to cut his losses and conclude a treaty, whereby the Byzantine Empire paid the Bulgars an annual tribute as protection money.
Asparuh is credited with building the major centers of Pliska and Drăstăr. Asparuh died fighting the Khazars on the Danube.
References:
Asparukh of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Image source: Asparukh of Bulgaria, Monument in Dobrich, Bulgaria, Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.
И този брой на списание National Geographic България е с българска корица! Водещата статия в брой юли 2013 е посветена на хан Тервел - Спасителят на Европа. http://on.fb.me/16bkaa4 -- http://bit.ly/16bkcyV --Древните българи | National Geographic България http://bit.ly/16bkg1H
Bulgarian Kings: Kubrat
Prior to Kubrat:
Attila the Hun. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Dengizich (died 468 or 469) (Hunnic Ruler) was a son of Attila the Hun. Some time during his reign, the Unogurs (Onogurs) first crossed the river Volga.
Ernakh or Ernac was the 3rd son of Attila. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons. Ernakh succeeded Dengizich and reigned from 469 AD to 503 AD over the Huns who roamed a substantial part of the former empire and inhabited the lands of modern Ukraine. Ernakh managed to assert himself as ruler of also the Bulgar Onogurs who had come upon the Acatzir Huns in 463 during the preceeding reign of his brother Dengizich. According to the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans, a ruler named Irnik was a leader of the Bulgars for 150 years and his reign began approximately in 453 AD. Some historians consider Ernakh and Irnik to have been the same person.
Utigur (ruled 503-520) was one of two sons of Ernakh whose name certain Bulgars adopted.
Grod (c. 520-528) visited Constantinople, converted to Christianity and began to suppress the native cults. Grod's nobles overthrew and murdered him and replaced him with his brother Mugel.
Mugel was the successor of Grod (or Grodas), a Hunnic ruler, whose reign lasted only 2 years, from AD 528 to 530.
Sandilch, 555, was promoted as Khan of the Utigur Bulgars in Patria Onoguria and an ally to the Byzantines.
Houdbaad (c. 584-c. 600). After his death Organa became regent of until Kubrat was old enough to lead them.
Organa (Bu-Yurgan) was Kubrat's maternal uncle of the Ermy clan. He was regent over the tribe of the Onogur Bulgars from 617 to 630 in place of his nephew, Kubrat, for the time Kubrat was growing up as a hostage in the Byzantine Empire.
Gostun was a regent over the Bulgars for 2 years. It is possible that Gostun is an alternative name of Organa, who was a regent over the Bulgars until Kubrat's return from Constantinople.
Kubrat
Kubrat or Kurt ("Rebel-father"; Bulgarian: Кубрат) was a Bulgar ruler credited with establishing the confederation of Old Great Bulgaria in 632. He is said to have achieved this by conquering the Avars and uniting all the Bulgar tribes under one rule.
Kubrat spent time at the Byzantine court, either as a hostage or for protection from a dynastic war.
Whether he was a child or an adult during his time in Constantinople is unclear, as the year of his birth is unknown. The exact time of this event is also unknown but probably coincided with the reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-641). If the above text really applies to Kubrat then it becomes clear that during his stay in Constantinople he was educated and baptized. Probably at the same time he was given the title Patrician, which was inscribed on his ring.
Upon return, Kubrat took power over his tribe, the Utigur Bulgars, from Organa who had acted as regent until then. Kubrat expelled the Avar troops from his lands and ruled singlehandedly over the united Bulgars thus creating the Great Bulgaria. Under his rule the Old Great Bulgaria grew to stretch from the Danube delta to the Volga river, and was recognized by an international treaty signed with Byzantium in 635. Kubrat ruled in peace with the Byzantine Empire, a result of his close friendship with the Byzantine emperor and of his appreciation of Byzantine culture.
In 1912, Ukrainian peasants in the vicinity of Poltava stumbled over a gravesite replete with magnificent gold and silver objects of total weight of 75 kg, including a ring which eventually allowed identification of the grave as that belonging to Khan Kubrat.
Offspring: Batbayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Altsek, Kuber (possibly).
Batbayan (died 690) (also known as Bayan or Boyan, Bezmer) was the eldest son of Khagan Kubrat. In 668, Batbayan engaged in a war with his relative Cozrig and eventually Batbayan and his sister Huba were taken prisoners. Western Bulgar warriors adopted the practice of wearing Martenitsas in battle to remind them of the sacrifice of their ancestral relatives Batbayan and Huba.
Rulers of Danube Bulgaria of the Dulo dynasty:
Asparuh
Tervel
Kormesiy
Sevar
Krum
Omurtag
Malamir
Presian
Boris I
Simeon I the Great
Peter I
Boris II
Roman I
References:
Kubrat. Wikipedia.
Batbayan of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Dulo clan. Wikipedia.
Attila the Hun. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Dengizich (died 468 or 469) (Hunnic Ruler) was a son of Attila the Hun. Some time during his reign, the Unogurs (Onogurs) first crossed the river Volga.
Ernakh or Ernac was the 3rd son of Attila. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons. Ernakh succeeded Dengizich and reigned from 469 AD to 503 AD over the Huns who roamed a substantial part of the former empire and inhabited the lands of modern Ukraine. Ernakh managed to assert himself as ruler of also the Bulgar Onogurs who had come upon the Acatzir Huns in 463 during the preceeding reign of his brother Dengizich. According to the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans, a ruler named Irnik was a leader of the Bulgars for 150 years and his reign began approximately in 453 AD. Some historians consider Ernakh and Irnik to have been the same person.
Utigur (ruled 503-520) was one of two sons of Ernakh whose name certain Bulgars adopted.
Grod (c. 520-528) visited Constantinople, converted to Christianity and began to suppress the native cults. Grod's nobles overthrew and murdered him and replaced him with his brother Mugel.
Mugel was the successor of Grod (or Grodas), a Hunnic ruler, whose reign lasted only 2 years, from AD 528 to 530.
Sandilch, 555, was promoted as Khan of the Utigur Bulgars in Patria Onoguria and an ally to the Byzantines.
Houdbaad (c. 584-c. 600). After his death Organa became regent of until Kubrat was old enough to lead them.
Organa (Bu-Yurgan) was Kubrat's maternal uncle of the Ermy clan. He was regent over the tribe of the Onogur Bulgars from 617 to 630 in place of his nephew, Kubrat, for the time Kubrat was growing up as a hostage in the Byzantine Empire.
Gostun was a regent over the Bulgars for 2 years. It is possible that Gostun is an alternative name of Organa, who was a regent over the Bulgars until Kubrat's return from Constantinople.
Kubrat
Kubrat or Kurt ("Rebel-father"; Bulgarian: Кубрат) was a Bulgar ruler credited with establishing the confederation of Old Great Bulgaria in 632. He is said to have achieved this by conquering the Avars and uniting all the Bulgar tribes under one rule.
Kubrat spent time at the Byzantine court, either as a hostage or for protection from a dynastic war.
Whether he was a child or an adult during his time in Constantinople is unclear, as the year of his birth is unknown. The exact time of this event is also unknown but probably coincided with the reign of Emperor Heraclius (610-641). If the above text really applies to Kubrat then it becomes clear that during his stay in Constantinople he was educated and baptized. Probably at the same time he was given the title Patrician, which was inscribed on his ring.
Upon return, Kubrat took power over his tribe, the Utigur Bulgars, from Organa who had acted as regent until then. Kubrat expelled the Avar troops from his lands and ruled singlehandedly over the united Bulgars thus creating the Great Bulgaria. Under his rule the Old Great Bulgaria grew to stretch from the Danube delta to the Volga river, and was recognized by an international treaty signed with Byzantium in 635. Kubrat ruled in peace with the Byzantine Empire, a result of his close friendship with the Byzantine emperor and of his appreciation of Byzantine culture.
In 1912, Ukrainian peasants in the vicinity of Poltava stumbled over a gravesite replete with magnificent gold and silver objects of total weight of 75 kg, including a ring which eventually allowed identification of the grave as that belonging to Khan Kubrat.
Offspring: Batbayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Altsek, Kuber (possibly).
Batbayan (died 690) (also known as Bayan or Boyan, Bezmer) was the eldest son of Khagan Kubrat. In 668, Batbayan engaged in a war with his relative Cozrig and eventually Batbayan and his sister Huba were taken prisoners. Western Bulgar warriors adopted the practice of wearing Martenitsas in battle to remind them of the sacrifice of their ancestral relatives Batbayan and Huba.
Rulers of Danube Bulgaria of the Dulo dynasty:
Asparuh
Tervel
Kormesiy
Sevar
Krum
Omurtag
Malamir
Presian
Boris I
Simeon I the Great
Peter I
Boris II
Roman I
References:
Kubrat. Wikipedia.
Batbayan of Bulgaria. Wikipedia.
Dulo clan. Wikipedia.
Poem: First they came...
"First they came…" is a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group
First they came... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;References:
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then... they came for me... And by that time there was no one left to speak up."
First they came... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Spanish painter Diego Velázquez
From Wikipedia:
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (June 6, 1599 – August 6, 1660) was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary baroque period, important as a portrait artist. In addition to numerous renditions of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he painted scores of portraits of the Spanish royal family, other notable European figures, and commoners, culminating in the production of his masterpiece Las Meninas (1656).
My favorite painting by Diego Velázquez is The Waterseller of Seville:
The Waterseller of Seville, 1618-1622, Oil on canvas. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Wikipedia has detailed reviews of most of his more popular paintings in Selected works.
From WebMuseum:
Related:
Diego Velázquez. Olga's Gallery.
Velázquez (or Velásquez), Diego. WebMuseum.
Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (June 6, 1599 – August 6, 1660) was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary baroque period, important as a portrait artist. In addition to numerous renditions of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he painted scores of portraits of the Spanish royal family, other notable European figures, and commoners, culminating in the production of his masterpiece Las Meninas (1656).
My favorite painting by Diego Velázquez is The Waterseller of Seville:
The Waterseller of Seville, 1618-1622, Oil on canvas. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Wikipedia has detailed reviews of most of his more popular paintings in Selected works.
From WebMuseum:
Spain's greatest painter was also one of the supreme artists of all time. A master of technique, highly individual in style, Diego Velasquez may have had a greater influence on European art than any other painter.
When he was 24 he painted a portrait of Philip IV, who became his patron.
The artist made two visits to Italy. On his first, in 1629, he copied masterpieces in Venice and Rome. He returned to Italy 20 years later and bought many paintings--by Titian, Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese--and statuary for the king's collection.
Except for these journeys Velasquez lived in Madrid as court painter.
Duties of Velasquez' royal offices also occupied his time. He was eventually made marshal of the royal household, and as such he was responsible for the royal quarters and for planning ceremonies.
In 1660 Velasquez had charge of his last and greatest ceremony--the wedding of the Infanta Maria Theresa to Louis XIV of France. This was a most elaborate affair. Worn out from these labors, Velasquez contracted a fever from which he died on August 6.
Velasquez was called the "noblest and most commanding man among the artists of his country." He was a master realist, and no painter has surpassed him in the ability to seize essential features and fix them on canvas with a few broad, sure strokes. "His men and women seem to breathe," it has been said; "his horses are full of action and his dogs of life."
Because of Velasquez' great skill in merging color, light, space, rhythm of line, and mass in such a way that all have equal value, he was known as "the painter's painter."
Related:
Diego Velázquez. Olga's Gallery.
Velázquez (or Velásquez), Diego. WebMuseum.
BBC Terry Jones' Medieval Lives on the newly launched YouTube Shows
Terry Jones' Medieval Lives is a 2004 Emmy award nominated television documentary series produced for the BBC. Written and hosted by Terry Jones, each half-hour episode examines a particular Medieval personality, with the intent of separating myth from reality.
All episodes are now available on the newly launched YouTube Shows:
http://www.youtube.com/show?p=s-Gqsjg9y-8
References:
Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
All episodes are now available on the newly launched YouTube Shows:
http://www.youtube.com/show?p=s-Gqsjg9y-8
References:
Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Medieval Fortress Bojenishki Urvich in Bojenitsa, Bulgaria
From Bulgarian and Botevgrad.com:
Крепостта "Боженишки Урвич" става известна сред научните среди през зимата на 1918 – 1919 година, когато под корените на вековния явор се разкрива уникален средновековен писмен паметник на културата, който гласи: „Аз Драгомир писах. Аз севаст Огнян бях при цар Шишман кефалия и много зло патих. В това време турците воюваха. Аз поддържах вярата на Шишмана царя”.
Каменният надпис е открит случайно от дядо Недялко Уменковски, който си пасял козите в местността „Градището”, както я наричат жителите на Боженица. Той съобщава на кмета на селото. От своя страна кметът уведомява Българска академия на науките. На място е изпратен проф. Петър Мутафчиев, който е и първият популяризатор на крепостта.
Medieval Fortress Bojenishki Urvich in Bojenitsa, Bulgaria
Разкрита е югозападна ъглова кула. Над нея има скален масив, от който се вижда Ботевград. От този скален масив се е поддържала връзка и се е извършвало наблюдение с крепостта „Паница кале” над село Липница, с крепостта „Вълчиград” над Литаково, с крепостта „Чешковград” над Врачешкия манастир и крепостта „Бодиловград”, която се намира вдясно от Витиня. През дена е имало флагова връзка, а през нощта тя се осъществявала с факли.
References:
Павел Дишев посвещава 30 години на крепостта „Боженишки Урвич” - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/cmu23
Related reading:
More photos: Bozenishki Urvich - Spring and Winter.
King Shishman's Treasure Discovered near Urvich. StandartNews.
Rick Steves podcast about Bulgaria: "Travelers to Bulgaris can expect Ancient Byzantine and Ottoman influences and experience Mummers and midwives keeping traditions dating back to the ancient Thracians and Romans times alive."
Click here to download the podcast MP3 file.
Кой откри Боженишкия каменен надпис - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/Eae5D - Related news from the same source.
Звънецът на килийното училище в Боженица оповести края на учебната година за четвъртокласниците от ОУ „Н.Й.Вапцаров” - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/iZqFi
Стотици жители и гости на общината се събраха в събота на традиционния събор Боженишки урвич - 2012 http://goo.gl/ab0Xg
Най-старият действащ храм в общината се намира в Боженица - Botevgrad.com, 10/2014 http://buff.ly/1psc7R0
Крепостта "Боженишки Урвич" става известна сред научните среди през зимата на 1918 – 1919 година, когато под корените на вековния явор се разкрива уникален средновековен писмен паметник на културата, който гласи: „Аз Драгомир писах. Аз севаст Огнян бях при цар Шишман кефалия и много зло патих. В това време турците воюваха. Аз поддържах вярата на Шишмана царя”.
Каменният надпис е открит случайно от дядо Недялко Уменковски, който си пасял козите в местността „Градището”, както я наричат жителите на Боженица. Той съобщава на кмета на селото. От своя страна кметът уведомява Българска академия на науките. На място е изпратен проф. Петър Мутафчиев, който е и първият популяризатор на крепостта.
Medieval Fortress Bojenishki Urvich in Bojenitsa, Bulgaria
Разкрита е югозападна ъглова кула. Над нея има скален масив, от който се вижда Ботевград. От този скален масив се е поддържала връзка и се е извършвало наблюдение с крепостта „Паница кале” над село Липница, с крепостта „Вълчиград” над Литаково, с крепостта „Чешковград” над Врачешкия манастир и крепостта „Бодиловград”, която се намира вдясно от Витиня. През дена е имало флагова връзка, а през нощта тя се осъществявала с факли.
References:
Павел Дишев посвещава 30 години на крепостта „Боженишки Урвич” - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/cmu23
Related reading:
More photos: Bozenishki Urvich - Spring and Winter.
King Shishman's Treasure Discovered near Urvich. StandartNews.
Rick Steves podcast about Bulgaria: "Travelers to Bulgaris can expect Ancient Byzantine and Ottoman influences and experience Mummers and midwives keeping traditions dating back to the ancient Thracians and Romans times alive."
Click here to download the podcast MP3 file.
Кой откри Боженишкия каменен надпис - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/Eae5D - Related news from the same source.
Звънецът на килийното училище в Боженица оповести края на учебната година за четвъртокласниците от ОУ „Н.Й.Вапцаров” - Botevgrad.com http://goo.gl/iZqFi
Стотици жители и гости на общината се събраха в събота на традиционния събор Боженишки урвич - 2012 http://goo.gl/ab0Xg
Най-старият действащ храм в общината се намира в Боженица - Botevgrad.com, 10/2014 http://buff.ly/1psc7R0
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