tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814131160723184382024-03-13T05:11:08.599-07:00Patrick von Stutenzee's History BlogI like history. If it is sometimes weird and wonderful, so much the better.stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-62517302486475618602021-01-10T08:10:00.000-08:002021-01-10T08:10:00.478-08:00Spanish Flu And Covid-19<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The reason why we are able to deal with Covid-19 at all is the Spanish flu epidemy of 1918 to 1920. The epidemy then resulted in certain measures and mechanisms that are being used to deal with any kind of virulent epidemic or pandemic. People forget, and what we get today are people who think that a pandemic is a hoax. It isn't.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0NmdjPwQRo/X_slTPiDdoI/AAAAAAABayw/ll8xYl8-N08P-bRJor_cZqLvu9qJt5mxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/police-masks-spanish-flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1433" data-original-width="2048" height="140" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0NmdjPwQRo/X_slTPiDdoI/AAAAAAABayw/ll8xYl8-N08P-bRJor_cZqLvu9qJt5mxQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h140/police-masks-spanish-flu.jpg" width="200" /></a><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">History is the greatest teacher of all. The Spanish flu was the first pandemic humanity encountered after the invention of systematic science. It did help a bit with the virus then, but all other disciplines were still in their infancy. The death toll in the three waves of 1918 to 1920 is estimated to have been between 20 and 100 million people mainly aged between 20 and 40.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Calt8wDkqpY/X_slTpns6yI/AAAAAAABay0/DYkPAQz75borT8e-JFZ3iYgALx0D5vv2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/spanish-flu-outside-ward-lack-of%2Bspace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1024" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Calt8wDkqpY/X_slTpns6yI/AAAAAAABay0/DYkPAQz75borT8e-JFZ3iYgALx0D5vv2gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h196/spanish-flu-outside-ward-lack-of%2Bspace.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Why is there such a great span for the estimate? For one, the Spanish flu only got that name because Spain was neutral in World War I and didn't censor the fact that people were dying at an alarming rate. The world public took note when Spain's King Alfonso XIII got infected. The warring nations pretended that the virus was a Spanish problem and that they had no infection. General consensus today is that the virus originated in the USA. This gives us reason one for the span, most nations just ignored and suppressed data. Today's China syndrome was everywhere.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q98S9OBOj1g/X_slRD6QmLI/AAAAAAABayo/Gu56fcNDI_gKFGZMwSBX_6N_75TgvTb5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/masked-nurses-spanish-flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1024" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q98S9OBOj1g/X_slRD6QmLI/AAAAAAABayo/Gu56fcNDI_gKFGZMwSBX_6N_75TgvTb5wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h196/masked-nurses-spanish-flu.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The definition when death is attributed to the virus itself varied from country to country. Like today, you can't compare any data from one country to another because the definition of the cause of death is different. Add to this the agenda of each government and political party in power. Winning the war against the virus is second to being acclaimed as the hero of the pandemic. No matter where you live, your politicians are incompetent and fraudulent.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pnyml3vPeC4/X_slQWYLYaI/AAAAAAABayg/6_pkyjF6RZskciCbsNHkBhFEB7JTbAD7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/improvised-hospital-ward-spanish-flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1024" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pnyml3vPeC4/X_slQWYLYaI/AAAAAAABayg/6_pkyjF6RZskciCbsNHkBhFEB7JTbAD7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h196/improvised-hospital-ward-spanish-flu.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Spanish flu had less virulent predecessors in China in 1910 and 1916. In 1918, China contributed working men to the allied cause that were recruited in the provinces that had suffered the 1916 outbreak. They were transported to Canada and the USA. I'll leave the speculation to you. There is no virologic proof, as that science was only just starting to define itself. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OdU-nn2zm3Y/X_slTla3ARI/AAAAAAABay4/vhcODwm6msoOCZ1IbD7k14rpK6s7OO0dACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/orderly-ward-spanish-flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="2048" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OdU-nn2zm3Y/X_slTla3ARI/AAAAAAABay4/vhcODwm6msoOCZ1IbD7k14rpK6s7OO0dACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h112/orderly-ward-spanish-flu.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In 1918, the US continued to send large contingents of soldiers to Europe on overfilled transport ships. The workings of epidemics were not fully understood by scientists, and science is the last thing that enters a military mind. Instead of collecting men who had recovered from the flu and sending them overseas, the military insisted on sending platoons as was; recovered, sick, and healthy. It probably cost several hundred thousand American soldiers their life.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0YtviM_dK-U/X_slSc9a0NI/AAAAAAABays/ElP9L0UTiJ46AS1g8bmzpxxX1XP-_Xc7wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/spanish-flu-masked-emergency-units.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1024" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0YtviM_dK-U/X_slSc9a0NI/AAAAAAABays/ElP9L0UTiJ46AS1g8bmzpxxX1XP-_Xc7wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h196/spanish-flu-masked-emergency-units.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">And now, as we battle Covid-19, we have come full circle. The excuses of not knowing after 100 years of research and study do not hold water. Deniers of the fact of a pandemic are either too stupid to live or downright evil. Take your pick. That both pandemics have a link to China must lead to further research of Chines fauna and the virus collections they carry and Chinese eating habits. Eating the nests of swallows is a typical Chinese thing and might be an indicator where study groups should take a look. I am not saying that this will lead to any results, just that it might.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s7-lxeXhP1M/X_slQaPrY4I/AAAAAAABayc/6jprecpJGBwvr2yh-HLaYRX6rKxr6CXWACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/emergency-wards-improvisation-spanish-flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s7-lxeXhP1M/X_slQaPrY4I/AAAAAAABayc/6jprecpJGBwvr2yh-HLaYRX6rKxr6CXWACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h113/emergency-wards-improvisation-spanish-flu.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">To give a short overview, let's just collect the relevant information. Pandemics happen, they are not hoaxes. Information about epidemics that might lead to a pandemic are suppressed on purpose by governments of all colors to keep up the illusion of competence. The free flow of scientific information will remain a myth for as long as the pharmaceutical industry can make a killing in sales. Ongoing information about a pandemic reflects governments policies, not real life.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn2Lp-fvJsI/X_slUIriGDI/AAAAAAABay8/Pi7TKvfKaxga3dHyWuS9f8P_zM5yu4SkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s768/spanish-flu-overfilled-ward-emergency-stop-gap-nightingale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn2Lp-fvJsI/X_slUIriGDI/AAAAAAABay8/Pi7TKvfKaxga3dHyWuS9f8P_zM5yu4SkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h113/spanish-flu-overfilled-ward-emergency-stop-gap-nightingale.png" width="200" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading<br /><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/robert-koch.html" target="_blank">Robert Koch: With System Against Disease</a><br /><a href="https://stutenzeecandyblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-pharmaceutical-industry-doesnt.html" target="_blank">What The Pharmaceutical Industry Doesn't Tell You<br /></a><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2020/11/fugitives-on-long-march.html" target="_blank">China Propaganda: The Long March</a></span></p>stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-22453037717440340782021-01-04T18:29:00.000-08:002021-01-04T18:29:06.983-08:00Hypatia of Alexandria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hypatia
of Alexandria was an eminent scientist in Roman Alexandria at the turn of the
4th century AD. This accolade was accorded to her by contemporaries; remarkable
for any scientist, it was exceptional for a woman. As a teacher, she drew
pupils from across the empire to her lessons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_laY0TSznhc/X_PN_2hUpuI/AAAAAAABavM/FhDEGz_imrQpf-4h-OzYq_UP5YAi29xTACLcBGAsYHQ/s300/hypatia-of-alexandria-philosopher-author-commentator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="300" height="198" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_laY0TSznhc/X_PN_2hUpuI/AAAAAAABavM/FhDEGz_imrQpf-4h-OzYq_UP5YAi29xTACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h198/hypatia-of-alexandria-philosopher-author-commentator.jpg" width="200" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The date
of birth for Hypatia is not known. Historians place it anywhere between 350 and 370 AD;
currently most historians are agreed on 355 as the most probable date. As with everything in history, that may change without further notice. Hypatia
was the daughter of Theon of Alexandria, a mathematician and philosopher who
was head of the Museion School founded by Pharaoh Ptolemy I. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rvq9S_LxxE/X_POCVqvn7I/AAAAAAABavw/qNc26ZlIalYcq101MccPXEYr_RgRnqtawCLcBGAsYHQ/s850/roman-sculpture-the-philosophers-theon-of-alexandria-museion-school.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="629" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6rvq9S_LxxE/X_POCVqvn7I/AAAAAAABavw/qNc26ZlIalYcq101MccPXEYr_RgRnqtawCLcBGAsYHQ/w148-h200/roman-sculpture-the-philosophers-theon-of-alexandria-museion-school.jpg" width="148" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Theon was a philosopher of the school of
Plato and Plotinus believing that women had a brain and a mind. This in stark opposition to
the teachings of Aristotle and the Christians. The Christian superstition of women without brains is still rampant today, just look at any Conservative Christian political party in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n-cEmNk3BGE/X_PN_1BArFI/AAAAAAABavI/E_RkVg1DFboP3rwKAY5Cf1CllXiGpnI5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s317/hypatia-of-alexandria-portrait-roman-woman-greek-descent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="217" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n-cEmNk3BGE/X_PN_1BArFI/AAAAAAABavI/E_RkVg1DFboP3rwKAY5Cf1CllXiGpnI5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w137-h200/hypatia-of-alexandria-portrait-roman-woman-greek-descent.jpg" width="137" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">Theon instructed his daughter in mathematics and philosophy and sent her to Athens to
study with other eminent scientists of the time. She returned from her studies
with an impressive array of knowledge in philosophy, mathematics, and </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">astronomy</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">. Returning from Athens, she started
working and researching with her father. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSp8Us3wWoQ/X_POApmX3bI/AAAAAAABavY/BAhw9CS1DJUEGTGhnm_-TkZpcc-HW1B2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s442/hypatia-of-alexandria-statue-scientist-mathematician-philosopher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="165" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QSp8Us3wWoQ/X_POApmX3bI/AAAAAAABavY/BAhw9CS1DJUEGTGhnm_-TkZpcc-HW1B2QCLcBGAsYHQ/w74-h200/hypatia-of-alexandria-statue-scientist-mathematician-philosopher.jpg" width="74" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A result of this collaboration was a commentary on Euclid’s Elements. This commentary is
the most complete edition of Euclid’s writing to this day and it contains his
statement of the principle of hypothesis, theory, and definition. Further
commentaries include the Arithmetica of Diophantus and the Conica of
Apollonius. She edited the Almagest of Ptolemy which was later commented on by
Theon.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5NrdPQSoeo/X_POAWZycmI/AAAAAAABavQ/r6DSHqoqwqUn7UWDsMds8yW1AaGkR2G9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1172/book-bench-library-of-alexandria-egypt.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1172" height="108" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n5NrdPQSoeo/X_POAWZycmI/AAAAAAABavQ/r6DSHqoqwqUn7UWDsMds8yW1AaGkR2G9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h108/book-bench-library-of-alexandria-egypt.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">She was
credited with the invention of the hydrometer (a device used to determine the
relative density and gravity of liquids). In a contemporary letter, Bishop
Synesius of Cyrene defended her as the inventor of the astrolabe. Given that
astrolabes had been in use at the time for a hundred years, this seems like
arrant nonsense. But I suppose the bishop was not writing for history, he was
writing to a contemporary. What he probably meant was not the astrolabe but
‘The Astrolabe’, i.e. the one that everybody was using because it was so much
better than the old ones. (I have nothing to prove it except that I don’t write
letters for history either and would expect my recipient to know what I was
talking about when I say Kindle.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iujY4mbf-AI/X_POBVwVh2I/AAAAAAABavg/oGASdI7c1wQ3-1Y_rbNEhd4pZtSqkZi_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s695/library-of-alexandria-egypt-entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="695" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iujY4mbf-AI/X_POBVwVh2I/AAAAAAABavg/oGASdI7c1wQ3-1Y_rbNEhd4pZtSqkZi_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h134/library-of-alexandria-egypt-entrance.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">She was
called to a teaching position by her father where she read philosophy. To
understand this correctly, philosophy at the time included mathematics,
mechanics, and astronomy. Her pupils included the later bishop of Cyrene,
Synesius, as well as the later prefect of Alexandria, Orestes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRXOefhljC8/X_POCCI0A2I/AAAAAAABavs/Q78eKgV5o0MWpfh2Q4rKcX39MissapMXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1568/library-of-alexandria-egypt-view-from-above.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1145" data-original-width="1568" height="146" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRXOefhljC8/X_POCCI0A2I/AAAAAAABavs/Q78eKgV5o0MWpfh2Q4rKcX39MissapMXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h146/library-of-alexandria-egypt-view-from-above.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hypatia
belonged to the 'aristocracy', the elect few who could afford to learn reading
and writing and indulge in science and research. As a member of this preferred
class of people, it was no wonder she hobnobbed with the political and social
elite of Alexandria. It was also no wonder that she got involved in the ongoing
power struggle between church and state. While Emperor Constantine may have
been enthralled by the Christian ideal of 'one god in heaven and me on earth',
the same idea was percolating in the 'saintly' heads of Christian bishops (and 'me' is so conveniently applied to one self).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GaMKmUfzt_U/X_POCF7PD7I/AAAAAAABavo/XjVWLsur5dIFmmMvlJym_cIV5AukPjYBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/library-of-alexandria-egypt-water-gardens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="900" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GaMKmUfzt_U/X_POCF7PD7I/AAAAAAABavo/XjVWLsur5dIFmmMvlJym_cIV5AukPjYBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/library-of-alexandria-egypt-water-gardens.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span>Hypatia
was publicly murdered in 415 AD by a most Christian lynch mob. The contemporary
historian Socrates Scholasticus used no uncertain terms in condemning the
murder even while compiling a work of church history. Modern historians dither
in accusing Bishop 'Saint' Cyril of Alexandria with the murder. Church
historians refute any idea in that direction; atheists cite any kind of slander
they might find against Cyril. I give the word to the attorney of the defense, Bishop
John of Nikiu who wrote in the 7th century: '[After Hypatia's death] all the
people surrounded the patriarch Cyril and named him 'the new Theophilus'; for
he had destroyed the last remains of idolatry in the city.' With such a
defense, who needs an accuser?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMA4p4wf23Y/X_POBuOO7GI/AAAAAAABavk/vGsS8HBxNAEj1dlWCf0zzHqrsr8EgTgJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/library-of-alexandria-egypt-interior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="960" height="127" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xMA4p4wf23Y/X_POBuOO7GI/AAAAAAABavk/vGsS8HBxNAEj1dlWCf0zzHqrsr8EgTgJgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h127/library-of-alexandria-egypt-interior.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/saint-valentine-and-goddess-juno.html" target="_blank">Saint Valentine and the Goddess Juno</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/saint-helena-empress-of-rome.html" target="_blank">Saint Helena, Empress of Rome</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/cleopatra-and-2000-years-of-slander.html" target="_blank">Cleopatra and 2,000 Years of Slander</a></span></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-50841829353385019212021-01-04T16:18:00.001-08:002021-01-04T16:22:45.792-08:00German Castle Paid for by British Tax Payers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer was instrumental in paving the way for his master the way to Great Britain and Ireland's throne. T</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he Elector of Hanover showed his gratitude with largesse a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">nd the count built one of the most beautiful castles in northern Europe. After extensive restoration by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, it can now be admired in its baroque beauty. The money to build a palace in Germany, by the way, didn't come from Hanover.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQxmhDrrdvg/X_Osn9xV7nI/AAAAAAABat8/_RJRwIkpgWkt1JD6sqT0ebv5r64gRoVNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1512/bothmer-palace-view-of-the-whole-layout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1512" height="101" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQxmhDrrdvg/X_Osn9xV7nI/AAAAAAABat8/_RJRwIkpgWkt1JD6sqT0ebv5r64gRoVNACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h101/bothmer-palace-view-of-the-whole-layout.jpg" width="200" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />They were established aristocrats, the Bothmer family line. They were first mentioned in documents and certified in the 12th century in Bothmer in Schwarmstedt in Lower Saxony. They held many estates in northern Germany and gave the Holy Roman Empire generals, politicians, scientists, clergymen, musicians and diplomats. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfCSAw7GTUs/X_OsnJov-II/AAAAAAABatw/kK_SBlGOSwQwphDqRmBfiGiZPAHTw6ZPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/bothmer-palace-period-costume-recreation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1600" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DfCSAw7GTUs/X_OsnJov-II/AAAAAAABatw/kK_SBlGOSwQwphDqRmBfiGiZPAHTw6ZPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h148/bothmer-palace-period-costume-recreation.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">West of the city of Mecklenburg, in the fertile angle halfway between Lübeck and Wismar called </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Klützer</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, an architectural jewels was left to posterity. Bothmer Palace, one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in the North of Europe that is hard to surpass</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. After a long and costly restoration, it is now open to the public showing off its former glory.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUx5TsBdoAQ/X_OsnrGMLuI/AAAAAAABat0/T_q5u_KEGjEqPBZNeKLyNBhSo4bijgpCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1520/bothmer-palace-symmetrical-layout-viewed-from-above.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1520" height="99" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUx5TsBdoAQ/X_OsnrGMLuI/AAAAAAABat0/T_q5u_KEGjEqPBZNeKLyNBhSo4bijgpCgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h99/bothmer-palace-symmetrical-layout-viewed-from-above.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The palace is a unique ensemble, it's at the same time outrageously elegant and grounded with showing off its red bricks. The main building with its two levels is connected to the two cavalier houses by sweeping baroque galleries not seen in Germany before. Lower economic tracts and four higher cavalier houses at an angle bring the palace to a symmetrical end while framing the two hundred meter (656 ft.) wide courtyard. The construction of the palace was begun in 1721 and completed in 1732. Bothmer himself never saw it.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOtiWRQnHRE/X_Osm4BC6XI/AAAAAAABats/gZ1QgOthCkQ-a5C2zAd2qF_P_Q6raNnAACLcBGAsYHQ/s1005/bothmer-palace-main-building-living-quarters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="1005" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOtiWRQnHRE/X_Osm4BC6XI/AAAAAAABats/gZ1QgOthCkQ-a5C2zAd2qF_P_Q6raNnAACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h148/bothmer-palace-main-building-living-quarters.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer wrote and left us his biography. The Bothmer Vita became as memorable and was as unusual as the palace. His name is closely associated with the European history of the 18th century. European rulers were familiar to him. He was the one who made any bumps disappear that threatened the way of George I to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1714, German George was crowned as George I in London's Westminster Abbey. Little later, Bothmer </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">moved</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">as a Minister into 10 Downing Street.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-snNX5yymeBE/X_OsoLkaCeI/AAAAAAABauA/Qi6mpuJl2wMCDCLxkDtf9po6g-IvHXb1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s332/count-hans-caspar-von-bothmer-1656-1732-first-minister-for-german-affairs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-snNX5yymeBE/X_OsoLkaCeI/AAAAAAABauA/Qi6mpuJl2wMCDCLxkDtf9po6g-IvHXb1wCLcBGAsYHQ/w121-h200/count-hans-caspar-von-bothmer-1656-1732-first-minister-for-german-affairs.jpg" width="121" /></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Bothmer became a man of the world moving between Copenhagen, Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna, The Hague, Paris and London. But his career began in</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lüneburg. At the Academy of St. Michael, he was educated in German, Latin, law, theology, history, mathematics, military defense buildings, natural science and civic education. The education included riding, fencing, and dancing, too. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzRxSessn78/X_OspBhMNJI/AAAAAAABauI/CZdPAtZsyzIgVwMHXv5HZRhZm6pxu8cfACLcBGAsYHQ/s725/downing-street-london.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="725" height="151" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzRxSessn78/X_OspBhMNJI/AAAAAAABauI/CZdPAtZsyzIgVwMHXv5HZRhZm6pxu8cfACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h151/downing-street-london.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />After the Academy, he made his way to the university in Geneva, but in Celle he </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">met</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">envoys traveling to peace negotiations in Nijmegen in Holland. He was able to tag along and got his first insight</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> into the diplomatic milieu. Instead of getting bored at university, he went on the</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> grand tour through Holland and France. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJS3UmJRw3g/X_Osl9OeYzI/AAAAAAABatc/eb36tu7d9dcIjGkq-tkoUAJvT_tgSjRSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1129/10-downing-street-london-interior-withdrawing-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1129" height="132" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uJS3UmJRw3g/X_Osl9OeYzI/AAAAAAABatc/eb36tu7d9dcIjGkq-tkoUAJvT_tgSjRSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h132/10-downing-street-london-interior-withdrawing-room.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />At the court of the Electoral Princess Sophie Dorothea von Braunschweig-Lueneburg in Celle, he became a gentleman of the bedchamber. This position at any court was the preparation for a military or diplomatic career. In 1682, he experienced the evil trade off for the marriage of his chatelaine with her cousin Georg Ludwig of Hannover. The match was made in view of a territorial rounding out of the Hanover estates. The marriage ended twelve years later in an unprecedented scandal. The Elector accused his wife of adultery with the fiery Count of Königsmarck who shortly afterwards disappeared without a trace within the Hanoverian castle; most likely, he was the victim of an assassination. Sophie Dorothea was exiled to an old castle in Ahlden an der Aller, where she remained until the day she died in 1726.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kd39Gduu1w/X_Osl4DhGfI/AAAAAAABatY/1P2JSx19jm07Tb3hjkeQnv0L9jM14XwVACLcBGAsYHQ/s1841/10-downing-street-london-interior-witches-room-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead-and-hanging-on-the-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1841" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0kd39Gduu1w/X_Osl4DhGfI/AAAAAAABatY/1P2JSx19jm07Tb3hjkeQnv0L9jM14XwVACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/10-downing-street-london-interior-witches-room-ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead-and-hanging-on-the-wall.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />In 1683, the 27-year-old took on </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">his first mission to represent Hanover in Copenhagen and Stockholm. He then went for five years to Berlin as Envoy Extraordinary of the entire House of Brunswick-Lüneburg to the court of the Elector of Brandenburg.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oWad3ZZo6Sg/X_Ov2BUpw-I/AAAAAAABau4/eRD4FFqGf2sUrrb-JJFVhzqUQjyzglsiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1142/10-downing-street-london-interior-guest-office-space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1142" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oWad3ZZo6Sg/X_Ov2BUpw-I/AAAAAAABau4/eRD4FFqGf2sUrrb-JJFVhzqUQjyzglsiQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h128/10-downing-street-london-interior-guest-office-space.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span>Then it was time for holy matrimony: In 1684, he married the 16-year-old Sophie von der Asseburg whom he loved and for whom he rejected a 40,000 Taler dowry of another bride who was actually intended for him. But Sophie died after only four years, and their two children did not survive into adulthood.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W05fTfc8mKA/X_Ov1weL5EI/AAAAAAABau0/gjSq2BuMgDYsEvHBv5dxSolw7TVDiTXuACLcBGAsYHQ/s1170/10-downing-street-london-interior-hallway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1170" height="124" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W05fTfc8mKA/X_Ov1weL5EI/AAAAAAABau0/gjSq2BuMgDYsEvHBv5dxSolw7TVDiTXuACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h124/10-downing-street-london-interior-hallway.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />In 1690, two years after his wife's death, he moved to Vienna. As Secret Privy Counsellor, he improved the relations between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Elector of Hanover, which included an election promise to the Habsburg family. At this time, his colleagues already thought of him as an outstanding diplomat.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOAKWjTs7j4/X_OsoS5E1AI/AAAAAAABauE/WL_RSMvyIiAKhMyjICPRGjfByxgPQ05xwCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/count-hans-caspar-von-bothmer-london-whig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="576" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOAKWjTs7j4/X_OsoS5E1AI/AAAAAAABauE/WL_RSMvyIiAKhMyjICPRGjfByxgPQ05xwCLcBGAsYHQ/w144-h200/count-hans-caspar-von-bothmer-london-whig.jpg" width="144" /></span></a></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />In 1701, London's Parliament passed the Act of Settlement, which allowed only Protestants to succeed to the British throne. William of Orange, in personal union governor of the Netherlands and King of England, and Mary remained childless. After them, Queen Anne remained without issue, too. Elector George in Hannover was the grandson of Elizabeth Stuart and a pretender to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. Anne's Catholic half-brother James was no longer in the line of succession together with 50 odd Catholics in line before German George.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zj-5DsPunQ/X_Osk0sOz0I/AAAAAAABatQ/m-AKqSlZ_xA-hrxTOyR0vRWunEp3mT6jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s584/10-downing-street-london-interior-large-sitting-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="584" height="120" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Zj-5DsPunQ/X_Osk0sOz0I/AAAAAAABatQ/m-AKqSlZ_xA-hrxTOyR0vRWunEp3mT6jgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h120/10-downing-street-london-interior-large-sitting-room.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />What a chance for the Elector! Bothmer ran with it. In 1711, he moved to London. He cultivated the connections to the liberal Whigs who were in favor of calling the Elector of Hanover to succeed Anne. And he bet on the right card. Immediately after Anne's death in 1714, he was able to secure George the British crown.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2nstft50jc/X_OskVal9QI/AAAAAAABatE/VtDz4FNKW4McFd3JFa7qy7zKz8XiNqVVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/10-downing-street-london-interior-grand-entrance.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="640" height="124" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2nstft50jc/X_OskVal9QI/AAAAAAABatE/VtDz4FNKW4McFd3JFa7qy7zKz8XiNqVVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h124/10-downing-street-london-interior-grand-entrance.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />Bothmer's star was on the rise. German George on the other hand was getting increasingly surly. He was kept in London, sunk from being an independent prince to playing a royal beggar. In Hanover, he was an absolute sovereign; he now had to live with a parliament and with sullen ministers who insinuated he should take care of Hanover and leave British politics to them. A caustic press mocked him for his mistresses and his ignorance of English.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG35ZII88FA/X_Osmcn9erI/AAAAAAABatk/TvHuuPpQw44dFTX8M8DNgYEpNvHAXBp_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s452/10-downing-street-london-stamp-first-class-why.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="452" height="188" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZG35ZII88FA/X_Osmcn9erI/AAAAAAABatk/TvHuuPpQw44dFTX8M8DNgYEpNvHAXBp_QCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h188/10-downing-street-london-stamp-first-class-why.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />As 'First Minister of German Affairs' Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer resided in an old grace and favor house in London's political center. The address was 10 Downing Street. Today, it is the seat of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is sometimes still called 'Bothmer House'.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjPdQO5yFBs/X_OsmOh5BiI/AAAAAAABatg/qNdzfBs-n5UrPz1RpXE_onBa04AaCfpnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s654/10-downing-street-london-police-surveillance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="654" height="143" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zjPdQO5yFBs/X_OsmOh5BiI/AAAAAAABatg/qNdzfBs-n5UrPz1RpXE_onBa04AaCfpnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h143/10-downing-street-london-police-surveillance.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />In 1696, he married a second time. This marriage was less fortunate, and the wife remained in Germany. In London, he had a mistress and enjoyed the finer things in life. His lavish lifestyle wasn't covered by his annual ministerial salary. He knew how to help himself to much needed cash. London was soon aware that the Count wasn't averse to accepting cash donations for political favors; he invested in high risk ventures; and he ran a race horse breeding stud catering to the high nobility.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYi1vUwxgLs/X_OsldnsULI/AAAAAAABatU/RnBgVnKnIlkxtqn7fBV3BkKZkNsqsp0LwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/10-downing-street-london-interior-small-sitting-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1920" height="112" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYi1vUwxgLs/X_OsldnsULI/AAAAAAABatU/RnBgVnKnIlkxtqn7fBV3BkKZkNsqsp0LwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h112/10-downing-street-london-interior-small-sitting-room.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><br />In Germany, Bothmer was rich. In the decade from 1721 to 1731, he bought a number of farms in western Mecklenburg for the huge sum of 314,000 Taler. He </span>acquired most of it in the Klützer landscape from a local noble family. The Plessen family was at that time in a financial meltdown. The real estate transactions resulted in a large and rounded out estate.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHNlK7UFxbs/X_OskfL4viI/AAAAAAABatM/tuFHwBIq0EUSBcu-ei4lU6RKWZyeDIluQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1170/10-downing-street-london-interior-cabinet-meeting-room-u-turn-conservatives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1170" height="125" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MHNlK7UFxbs/X_OskfL4viI/AAAAAAABatM/tuFHwBIq0EUSBcu-ei4lU6RKWZyeDIluQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h125/10-downing-street-london-interior-cabinet-meeting-room-u-turn-conservatives.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />He then engaged the architect Johann Friedrich Künnecke. Little is known about his origins, but he probably came from Hanover. The architect got detailed instructions from 10 Downing Street as to how the palace should represent the Bothmer family. The influx of Italian workmen, plasterers, crafters, and artists upsets the local country idyll. Sundays got rowdy, and the number of unmarried women giving birth was unprecedented as the registry in the local church shows.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BKKJOkhJSg/X_Osnns0xRI/AAAAAAABat4/j7UAGR9EoXo4cBG67YMxGuuJZ7j2URLhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/bothmer-palace-view-from-above-with-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="600" height="136" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9BKKJOkhJSg/X_Osnns0xRI/AAAAAAABat4/j7UAGR9EoXo4cBG67YMxGuuJZ7j2URLhgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h136/bothmer-palace-view-from-above-with-park.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />When King George I died during a trip to Hanover on June 22, 1727, from a stroke, his son George II followed on the throne of both Hanover and the United Kingdom. Against expectations, the new monarch held with the counselors of his father. The fact is attributed to the advice of his wife, the wise and politically astute Queen Caroline, a Princess of Brandenburg-Ansbach. Walpole remained in office, and so did the first Minister for German Affairs, Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer. Until his death on February 6, 1732, he remained at 10 Downing Street.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f35ZN-Sl5QA/X_OspbaA-7I/AAAAAAABauQ/bvzzVirGh_0wRJgj9mpuzhfwoTrHK4IywCLcBGAsYHQ/s1988/downing-street-london-blocked-off-for-political-shenanigans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="1988" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f35ZN-Sl5QA/X_OspbaA-7I/AAAAAAABauQ/bvzzVirGh_0wRJgj9mpuzhfwoTrHK4IywCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h134/downing-street-london-blocked-off-for-political-shenanigans.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />It was his nephew Count Hans Caspar Gottfried von Bothmer and his wife who moved into Klützer Palace. They were not welcomed by the local gentry as being nouveau riche and liberals. Both aspersions can't be refuted easily, the palace was paid for mainly by the British tax payers, and the Whig connection was a liberal one.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QvUakBxWuHo/X_OskbDx8cI/AAAAAAABatI/if6a430KDeUPtHeNov0YyJdQlvVWeKwJACLcBGAsYHQ/s742/10-downing-street-london-interior-large-living-room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="742" height="114" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QvUakBxWuHo/X_OskbDx8cI/AAAAAAABatI/if6a430KDeUPtHeNov0YyJdQlvVWeKwJACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h114/10-downing-street-london-interior-large-living-room.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />While the family sat on 8,000 acres of prime farm land at the beginning of the 20th century, they were cash strapped after World War I. Large parts of their possessions and estates were auctioned off. The highest bidder was the Free State of Mecklenburg. Within four years, the family had gone from the high peerage to citizens of the newly formed Republic of Germany. This was the norm in Germany at the time; most lost their fortunes and all their titles with the end of the Empire. Years later, Adolf Hitler still feared those old aristocratic families. With his Princes' Edict, he robbed them of most of their civilian rights to keep them under control.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UwtFXGHXRQU/X_Osmt72kLI/AAAAAAABato/s0nC7w6Wm20Rt3TCWH7cJdhO-724qumsACLcBGAsYHQ/s745/bothmer-palace-during-restoration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="745" height="102" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UwtFXGHXRQU/X_Osmt72kLI/AAAAAAABato/s0nC7w6Wm20Rt3TCWH7cJdhO-724qumsACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h102/bothmer-palace-during-restoration.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The Nazis expropriated the family's palace and converted it into a hospital. After World War II, the communists used it as a vocational school and a home for the elderly was built in the park as well as a sport field for the young. None of the Nazis or communists invested a single cent into the upkeep of the historical buildings. Which lets Mecklenburg-Vorpommern pick up the bill in the 21st century.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWKco4swyRE/X_OspkehPaI/AAAAAAABauM/jAbg7_7DaHk54arVpShfJRZ07yClApeOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1014/larry-the-cat-10-downing-street-london.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1014" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VWKco4swyRE/X_OspkehPaI/AAAAAAABauM/jAbg7_7DaHk54arVpShfJRZ07yClApeOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h135/larry-the-cat-10-downing-street-london.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Further reading</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-house-became-home-in-georgian-london.html" target="_blank">How a House Became a Home in Georgian London</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-sex-workers-of-georgian-london.html" target="_blank">The Sex Workers of Georgian London</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/royal-correspondence-in-curiosity.html" target="_blank">Royal Correspondence in the Curiosity Cabinet</a></span></div>
stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-22320767614319954322021-01-02T15:22:00.000-08:002021-01-02T15:22:28.508-08:00The Man Who Bought Louisiana<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Coming from Geneva in Switzerland, the aristocrat Albert de Gallatin launched his unusual im</span></span>migrant<span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"> career </span></span>235 years ago in America. Albert de Gallatin was part of the American government under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Yet he is practically forgotten, both in America and in Switzerland. A few measly parks and schools bear his name, but look outside the library of the Senate, and no one knows a thing.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-juOiTjPRjSk/X_D_Qb6ByRI/AAAAAAABasQ/fMNiiLizmG0-MtF0_ucCv_MpnFdLH4OOQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/US-treasury-building-albert-gallatin-bronze-statue-washington-dc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="1920" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-juOiTjPRjSk/X_D_Qb6ByRI/AAAAAAABasQ/fMNiiLizmG0-MtF0_ucCv_MpnFdLH4OOQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h148/US-treasury-building-albert-gallatin-bronze-statue-washington-dc.jpg" width="200" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Albert de Gallatin came from a very rich and powerful Geneva family. This was the time before Switzerland existed, and he was local high aristocracy. Despite being assured of influence and power at home, he decided to emigrate to Massachusetts. From there he moved to Pennsylvania where he was elected to the Senate but was unacceptable for not having American citizenship for 9 years. He returned to Washington two years later as a member of the House of Representatives.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwpJwm_f39g/X_D_RPDz4YI/AAAAAAABasY/W3ZHzBMLSBIBA61byLp1zXJqdZzKsZOdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1815/albert-gallatin-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="1419" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwpJwm_f39g/X_D_RPDz4YI/AAAAAAABasY/W3ZHzBMLSBIBA61byLp1zXJqdZzKsZOdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w156-h200/albert-gallatin-portrait.jpg" width="156" /></a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Almost as soon as he arrived on US soil, he became influential and powerful in politics; his business acumen was less good. Finance Minister, diplomat, ethnologist and bank president: The career of the Geneva aristocrats was colorful and exceptional. But the humble man preferred life in the shadow of the high and mighty residing in the White House. Today, a bronze statue of Albert de Gallatin stands in front of the Department of Finance in Washington DC. The Ministry is right next to the official residence of the US president. But tourists only want to see the White House. None of them have heard of Albert Gallatin as he had Americanized his name.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYLJQ_6DoE/X_D_RReD5nI/AAAAAAABasc/csCppw-380kQOGrTtECKBX5KUJ15R6W9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s900/albert-gallatin-post-stamp-US-postal-service.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="769" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYLJQ_6DoE/X_D_RReD5nI/AAAAAAABasc/csCppw-380kQOGrTtECKBX5KUJ15R6W9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w171-h200/albert-gallatin-post-stamp-US-postal-service.jpg" width="171" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The career of Swiss emigrant Albert Gallatin was different from typical emigrant stories. He was not stranded and destitute; he did not rely on the help of the United States immigration bureau. On the contrary: He arrived as a rich and well educated individual with a natural flair for power, power broking, and influence peddling.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_365zi1huw4/X_D_R-sRBaI/AAAAAAABasg/kNGuvwN4NRMMwhTxemmvK1of6nxkB1cygCLcBGAsYHQ/s296/stock-transfer-stamp-albert-gallatin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="269" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_365zi1huw4/X_D_R-sRBaI/AAAAAAABasg/kNGuvwN4NRMMwhTxemmvK1of6nxkB1cygCLcBGAsYHQ/w182-h200/stock-transfer-stamp-albert-gallatin.jpg" width="182" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Albert Gallatin lost his parents early; </span></span>thanks to his noble birth and vast family fortune, the orphaned boy enjoyed but a first-class education. The set views of the European aristocracy and the conservative mindset in his social circle were contrary to the adolescent young man's liberalism. At the age of 19, he crossed the Atlantic with the aim to help build the young nation USA.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0gGxiAKuVBw/X_D_QdvI06I/AAAAAAABasM/A3Wjykh2KdoiOW_QZmYWrqSXQ4BxkacYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/albert-gallatin-bank-note-1862-US-treasury.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="500" height="85" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0gGxiAKuVBw/X_D_QdvI06I/AAAAAAABasM/A3Wjykh2KdoiOW_QZmYWrqSXQ4BxkacYQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h85/albert-gallatin-bank-note-1862-US-treasury.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">After a detour through Massachusetts, he settled in Pennsylvania. Local politics became his daily bread. The young man with the strong French accent and the many novel ideas soon made his mark. Voted into the Senate but refused for not being an American citizen for long enough, he made the Congress two years later. From there, Thomas Jefferson called him to become the fourth Finance Minister of the US. From 1801 to 1814 under first President Jefferson and then Madison he was in that office. To date, he is the longest sitting Finance Minister of the US.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUwopYcLQsk/X_D_QB7xU0I/AAAAAAABasI/224ECtfjdcUVP1eb1NbRoCEtNDyaKo7oQCLcBGAsYHQ/s610/albert-gallatin-national-forest-camp-ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="610" height="153" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tUwopYcLQsk/X_D_QB7xU0I/AAAAAAABasI/224ECtfjdcUVP1eb1NbRoCEtNDyaKo7oQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h153/albert-gallatin-national-forest-camp-ground.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">He may have bought into the American way of life, got his US citizenship, and joined the classe politique in Washington DC. The bald Swiss brought something with him from home. He taught the Americans saving; his budget was balanced and he managed to repay outstanding debts. He was against war, mainly for cost reasons. Albert Gallatin managed to procure the necessary money to buy Louisiana from the French. The addition of Louisiana </span></span>more than doubled the US territory. It made him one of the most important officials of the young Republic. The magic of it all was that he managed this without raising taxes.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsXTK0iOgNQ/X_D_Q2LUHyI/AAAAAAABasU/ieZOmNLLcm0c-62uwjgx-E5MCqvtAvBeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s792/albert-gallatin-petrified-forest-range-mountains-nature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="792" height="121" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsXTK0iOgNQ/X_D_Q2LUHyI/AAAAAAABasU/ieZOmNLLcm0c-62uwjgx-E5MCqvtAvBeQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h121/albert-gallatin-petrified-forest-range-mountains-nature.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In 1814, Albert Gallatin </span></span>negotiated the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the 1812 war between the USA and the United Kingdom. That was possibly an even greater historical achievement. After that, Albert Gallatin was sent as ambassador to France during the eventful but annoying period of Restoration of the Bourbon Louis XVIII. He was then sent to London before returning and settling in New York City. In New York, he founded the New York University NYU, the American Ethnological Society, and the second US bank.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpAGzSY0uZY/X_D_R03RteI/AAAAAAABask/ST3b8AIq7cIxacp4K7O1vwtP-JoHKIXqACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ken-takata-fall-gallatin-river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2048" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kpAGzSY0uZY/X_D_R03RteI/AAAAAAABask/ST3b8AIq7cIxacp4K7O1vwtP-JoHKIXqACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h134/ken-takata-fall-gallatin-river.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Albert Gallatin's last resting place is in the courtyard of Trinity Church in Manhattan right next to the financial district, the famous Wall Street. The Master of Finance should feel in heaven. And having said at the beginning that there are a few measly parks and schools named after him, there are a few counties, a river, and a mountain range, too. Not that anyone knows why they have that name. Just look at the state of the Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge and you know how many people know or care about him.</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmKrfx_KLIA/X_D_SGJlF_I/AAAAAAABaso/CVm0xzOf9NoJcbe5WDcqN_KBIzf2MLFSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1191/west-tower-albert-gallatin-memorial-bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1191" height="151" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmKrfx_KLIA/X_D_SGJlF_I/AAAAAAABaso/CVm0xzOf9NoJcbe5WDcqN_KBIzf2MLFSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h151/west-tower-albert-gallatin-memorial-bridge.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Further reading</span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-presidents-slaves.html" target="_blank">Thomas Jefferson's Slaves</a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/united-nations-world-capital-geneva.html" target="_blank">Geneva</a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-money-came-to-dominate-our-lives.html" target="_blank">How Money Came to Dominate Our Lives</a></span></span></div>
stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-81176154673372447112021-01-02T13:17:00.002-08:002021-01-02T13:21:04.044-08:00Donate a Spitfire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In 1939, the Minister for Aircraft Production in the United Kingdom had a bright idea. He promoted the possibility for individuals, companies, and clubs to donate a fighting aircraft towards the war effort. In return for their largess, the name of their choice was painted in 4in-high yellow characters on the fuselage in front of the cockpit. In your teeth, Krauts.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HE2NF_eeUiA/UoqlI92bfLI/AAAAAAAActw/OfqDULPAkU0/s1600/supermarine-spitfire-fighter-plane-wwii.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HE2NF_eeUiA/UoqlI92bfLI/AAAAAAAActw/OfqDULPAkU0/s200/supermarine-spitfire-fighter-plane-wwii.JPG" width="143" /></span></a></div>
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</span><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The idea took flight. Newspapers started funds for their readers in a race to be the first to donate their Spitfire. Communities and clubs started collections. In the time between 1939 and 1942, about 1,000 Spitfires were donated towards the war effort. Total production was just short of 10,000 in the same period of time. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JcMiPYLf4I/UoqlGgYRzUI/AAAAAAAActQ/nQNn4OpV_oI/s1600/Avro-Lancaster-B-I-wwii-plane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JcMiPYLf4I/UoqlGgYRzUI/AAAAAAAActQ/nQNn4OpV_oI/s200/Avro-Lancaster-B-I-wwii-plane.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">A donation price list was published that asked for £5,000 for a single engine aircraft, £20,000 for a twin engine, and £40,000 for a four-engine craft. The actual cost of a Spitfire was almost £10,000, but prices were cited in view of attracting the public with a viable goal to reach. Spitfires were the most popular gift by far. Donations didn't come exclusively from the United Kingdom, either. Money poured in from Zanzibar, New Zealand, Iceland and you name any country.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRBrWPPR6MM/UoqlHDtywmI/AAAAAAAActU/YvJQIvU2cLY/s1600/brewster-buffalo-MkI-RAAF-Singapore-October-1941-wwii.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="118" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GRBrWPPR6MM/UoqlHDtywmI/AAAAAAAActU/YvJQIvU2cLY/s200/brewster-buffalo-MkI-RAAF-Singapore-October-1941-wwii.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Most donations were for a single aircraft, but there were people who donated more. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands donated £215,000 family money to purchase a full squadron of 43 Spitfires. Each of her aircraft was named after Dutch locations or possessions. Of all the donated Spitfires, there is only one still in existence. The Soebang (a railway head on Java under Dutch control until taken by the Japanese in 1942) was one of Queen Wilhelmina's plains and is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGSUDs3Rflg/UoqlH4DuThI/AAAAAAAActo/_qeBgo-aP4k/s1600/hawker-hurricane-fighter-plane-wwii.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGSUDs3Rflg/UoqlH4DuThI/AAAAAAAActo/_qeBgo-aP4k/s200/hawker-hurricane-fighter-plane-wwii.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Even cash strapped individuals were able to donate. The Nizam of Hydarabad, the richest man in the world in 1939, donated a bucket full of rubies and emeralds to pay for the purchase of 12 Spitfires. His donation was the first for 152 (Hyderabad) Squadron. The pilots of this squadron received special badges made in Hyderabad as part of their uniform.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPvZ1aFKlJo/UoqlHrtN2RI/AAAAAAAActs/_r2dCKKz6BI/s1600/de-havilland-dominie-planes-wwii.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IPvZ1aFKlJo/UoqlHrtN2RI/AAAAAAAActs/_r2dCKKz6BI/s200/de-havilland-dominie-planes-wwii.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The collection efforts were as inventive as the names ending up on the planes. A manager of a London cinema collected during air raids; the total donations resulted in four Spitfires named MISS A.B.C. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The British Community in Brazil gave the Botafago (translates to Spitfire) named after a fort overlooking the bay of Rio de Janeiro. A Mr. Latham donated the Mah Tal in reversion of his name (I have no clue if he is related to flying ace <a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-race-for-first-flight-over-channel.html" target="_blank">Hubert Latham</a>, maybe someone could investigate).</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sy46xMUOj-c/UoqlHSr4M-I/AAAAAAAAct4/LZuzZlXRvdo/s1600/de-havilland-98-mosquito-twin-engine-plane-wwii.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sy46xMUOj-c/UoqlHSr4M-I/AAAAAAAAct4/LZuzZlXRvdo/s200/de-havilland-98-mosquito-twin-engine-plane-wwii.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Nix Six Primus and Nix Six Secundus were a gift from Woolworths (playing on their price policy of not selling anything at more than six pence); a Mr Urie donated the Sans Tache after losing a bet and his moustache; the Skysweeper came from Hoover and the Marksman from Marks & Spencer. The Crispin of Leicester came from the shoe and boot makers there; the Dog Fighter came from the Kennel Club; the Nippy was a donation by the waitresses of the Lyons Corner House. The last Spitfire was donated in 1945 and was named the Winston Churchill.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QW0lCjdIEHA/UoqlGxvRGnI/AAAAAAAActY/Hh6Nd2ZlQqo/s1600/Consolidated-Catalina-Mk-II-240-Squadron-RAF-Stranraer-Scotland-March-1941-wwii-plane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QW0lCjdIEHA/UoqlGxvRGnI/AAAAAAAActY/Hh6Nd2ZlQqo/s200/Consolidated-Catalina-Mk-II-240-Squadron-RAF-Stranraer-Scotland-March-1941-wwii-plane.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Further reading</span><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-first-flying-permits-of-1909.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The First Flying Permits of 1909</span></a><br />
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/antoine-de-saint-exupery-and-lost-prince.html" target="_blank">Antoine de Saint Exupery and The Lost Prince</a></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/naga-queen.html" target="_blank">Jungle Queen of Burma</a><br /></span></div>
stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-42753206179172118022020-12-24T11:50:00.000-08:002020-12-24T11:50:18.911-08:00History Of 12 Days Of Christmas<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A short time after the divorce of Henry VIII from Queen Catherine, living as a Catholic in England became a bit of a bother. The inconvenience was losing your estates, your properties, or your head, or all of the above. As Catholics were repressed, their teachings went underground. One way of doing that was with teaching songs. One of these teaching songs was 12 Days Of Christmas.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VlF6pCUEzIA/X-TupOHO7CI/AAAAAAABah8/ia9tfPpwXh8iDvwvxizklpHo68-jBMQGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s680/xmas-elf-pretty-teen-dressed-christmas-costume-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="455" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VlF6pCUEzIA/X-TupOHO7CI/AAAAAAABah8/ia9tfPpwXh8iDvwvxizklpHo68-jBMQGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w134-h200/xmas-elf-pretty-teen-dressed-christmas-costume-green.jpg" width="134" /></a><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">You don't have to use up all of your common sense in guessing that birds, rings and a lot of weird people weren't the subject of the teaching song. They stood there symbolically, but what did they symbolize? For Catholic children at the time, the song helped remember the content. Having a catchy tune, the song spilled out and became a Christmas carol. And most people have no clue what they are singing about. Let's have a look, starting with the first day of Christmas, or the 25th of December.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZghg86dPTE/X-TunFsYDiI/AAAAAAABahY/mF_YnhqJFeIKwYKRiq-L7nIM2Kt4F5DkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s401/lynn-bywaters-a-partridge-in-a-pear-tree-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="339" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZghg86dPTE/X-TunFsYDiI/AAAAAAABahY/mF_YnhqJFeIKwYKRiq-L7nIM2Kt4F5DkwCLcBGAsYHQ/w169-h200/lynn-bywaters-a-partridge-in-a-pear-tree-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="169" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A partridge in a pear tree is offered for Christmas; the partridge is supposedly the only bird that will rather die than give up its young ones; the pear tree is a symbol of motherhood, while the pear stands for eternal life. Together, all these symbols represent Jesus Christ being born to give up his life for humanity.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KsXgN4qgtk/X-TuoxTn7xI/AAAAAAABah0/xsPM8_weftw0mKeYS3OgR3_6YUpijmfDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s760/two-turtle-doves-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="760" height="83" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KsXgN4qgtk/X-TuoxTn7xI/AAAAAAABah0/xsPM8_weftw0mKeYS3OgR3_6YUpijmfDQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h83/two-turtle-doves-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Two turtledoves are the next offering for <a href="https://stutenzeecandyblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/now-boxing-day-is-over.html" target="_blank">Boxing Day</a> or the day of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. Harking back to Leviticus 12:8 where two of them replaced a lamb for offering, they are also the sacrifice Mary and Joseph offer in Jerusalem for Jesus's birth. In the teaching song, they symbolize the Old and the New Testament as the foundation of the Christian faith. There is no mention of any stipulation that allows so called Christians to cherry pick what they like and what to ignore. This would men that the whole Bible is meant including the parts that were edited out and are now called apocryphal.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5ivHqfEzQ4/X-TuoHWwi0I/AAAAAAABahs/BsTIaFYcO54FEuYNQnTVDyfLb36BUoIdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/three-french-hens-by-doxycide-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="900" height="155" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5ivHqfEzQ4/X-TuoHWwi0I/AAAAAAABahs/BsTIaFYcO54FEuYNQnTVDyfLb36BUoIdwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h155/three-french-hens-by-doxycide-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Three French hens come as presents on the day of Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Apostle. The three birds help to memorize faith, hope, and love as explained in 1 Corinthians 13.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtTAqArsXuc/X-Tum75_drI/AAAAAAABahQ/aW75DdJlB3cpAAURwTaPlrp-YJnckuYpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/four-calling-birds-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtTAqArsXuc/X-Tum75_drI/AAAAAAABahQ/aW75DdJlB3cpAAURwTaPlrp-YJnckuYpwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h134/four-calling-birds-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Four calling birds are gifted on the day of Saint Anthony the Hermit; the stand in for the four 'official' gospels that made it into the Bible story collection, attributed to John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IdJVTZca17A/X-TumOtjcdI/AAAAAAABahM/vX6vI5YA8l4HekE4vr5vrvSgUzjuS_47gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1947/five-gold-rings-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="1947" height="86" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IdJVTZca17A/X-TumOtjcdI/AAAAAAABahM/vX6vI5YA8l4HekE4vr5vrvSgUzjuS_47gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h86/five-gold-rings-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Five gold rings are given on the day of Saint Thomas Becket. They symbolize the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. The five books are reputedly written by Moses.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dh8uVQYaW3M/X-Tun5Ft1BI/AAAAAAABahk/EZb0HeN8pooU-KsDLy84gQwKottkfFL9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/six-geese-a-laying-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dh8uVQYaW3M/X-Tun5Ft1BI/AAAAAAABahk/EZb0HeN8pooU-KsDLy84gQwKottkfFL9wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h150/six-geese-a-laying-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Six geese laying eggs are given away on the day of Saint Sabinus. They represent the six days God did some actual work creating the world. It doesn't answer the chicken or egg first question, though.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWGfLOC3hNM/X-TunqW5G-I/AAAAAAABahg/vv_cB5FkWeUnmRMr7Gkr-7yc_cwhW-8SQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/seven-swans-a-swimming-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWGfLOC3hNM/X-TunqW5G-I/AAAAAAABahg/vv_cB5FkWeUnmRMr7Gkr-7yc_cwhW-8SQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h133/seven-swans-a-swimming-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seven swimming </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">swans</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">are the gift for the day of Saint Sylvester or New Years Eve. They represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord. That the swans belong to the monarch is a nice irony to be treasured.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AInQpaLld5c/X-Tul0zCk_I/AAAAAAABahE/fiMCMH07R9skhF4KLoic5GTl1-d77mZUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/eight-maids-a-milking-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1600" height="171" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AInQpaLld5c/X-Tul0zCk_I/AAAAAAABahE/fiMCMH07R9skhF4KLoic5GTl1-d77mZUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h171/eight-maids-a-milking-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Eight maids milking cows or something stand in for the eight blessings Jesus preached on the mountain. They come as a gift on the day of Saint Mary the Virgin or New Year. the blessings or beatitudes are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those that hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure at heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pikNPPg4j-k/X-TunevMy-I/AAAAAAABahc/vysGYuoroEAUYRyweoMk_DE_JVgZwUETACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/nine-ladies-dancing-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pikNPPg4j-k/X-TunevMy-I/AAAAAAABahc/vysGYuoroEAUYRyweoMk_DE_JVgZwUETACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h134/nine-ladies-dancing-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Nine dancing ladies skip in on the day of <a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/good-queen-berta-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank">Saint Berta</a>. They represent the fruit of the Spirit (that is not the one from the corner shop): Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8FYJgm6QVE/X-TuoIhbXKI/AAAAAAABaho/d_qy6UBWuvcs92oeJ3xpeuDDHB7iNZdkACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/ten-lords-a-leaping-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="600" height="111" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8FYJgm6QVE/X-TuoIhbXKI/AAAAAAABaho/d_qy6UBWuvcs92oeJ3xpeuDDHB7iNZdkACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h111/ten-lords-a-leaping-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Ten lords follow the ladies on the day of Saint Genevieve. Lords were not only laying the law, they were also judging it. If ten brings to mind the ten commandments, and that is what it is, then logic wins out. I'm following Saint Augustine in this one, as his ideas have superseded any earlier ones and would have been the ones the Tudors thought were relevant: One God and no other, no swearing, Sunday is off, be nice to mom and dad, no killing, no adultery, no stealing, no fake news, no ogling your neighbors, no envy for what they have.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUA1k-2IGes/X-TulxwnFNI/AAAAAAABahI/kFEgOk2qvq0se2vsTnl0wieb9e3HvxfWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/eleven-pipers-piping-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" height="141" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TUA1k-2IGes/X-TulxwnFNI/AAAAAAABahI/kFEgOk2qvq0se2vsTnl0wieb9e3HvxfWgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h141/eleven-pipers-piping-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Eleven pipers making noise come in on the day of Saint Abraham. This again is against Jesus wishes, but only eleven Apostles are counted, Andrew, Bartholomew, the two James, John, Jude, Matthew, Matthias, Philip, the two Simon, and Thomas; Judas is excluded, despite the fact that without him, nothing would have happened as it should. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxq5-Hr64W8/X-Tuoo3tamI/AAAAAAABahw/ZlXEXXpOqC47cvK-_ml8rbM0zp-j66x4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/twelve-drummers-drumming-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="1200" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxq5-Hr64W8/X-Tuoo3tamI/AAAAAAABahw/ZlXEXXpOqC47cvK-_ml8rbM0zp-j66x4QCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h106/twelve-drummers-drumming-true-meaning-revealed.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Twelve drummers drumming up a racket arrive on the day of the Martyrs of Egypt. They represent the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed: God Father, Jesus Christ, Virgin Birth, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, Judgement Day, Holy Spirit, Catholic Church and Communion of Saints, Forgiveness of Sins, Resurrection of the Body, Life Everlasting. If you think it squeaks, it does, but twelve is such a nice number.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdTqsf-7Ec8/X-TumzSPEDI/AAAAAAABahU/E1y6BAPBYvEF13NIxjsfwZX3Ad_LpR27wCLcBGAsYHQ/s431/january-6-epiphany-holy-kings-three-magi-shirtless-twink-hunk-crowned-bling-hairy-pits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="431" height="183" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HdTqsf-7Ec8/X-TumzSPEDI/AAAAAAABahU/E1y6BAPBYvEF13NIxjsfwZX3Ad_LpR27wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h183/january-6-epiphany-holy-kings-three-magi-shirtless-twink-hunk-crowned-bling-hairy-pits.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Having brought the twelve days of Christmas behind us, the next day is Epiphany, the day of the three Magi, or of three Holy Kings Balthasar, Caspar, and Melchior. Learning and repeating all the stuff in the song was a preparation for this very holy day; before bakers started making money from it.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5PpRFbZHBF8/X-Tuo6W-_2I/AAAAAAABah4/YCGcCBY08XURN5frefr_UmwrP1EWzKi8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s950/xmas-boy-shirtless-christmas-teenager-santas-grotto-sixpack-slim-fit-body-hairless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5PpRFbZHBF8/X-Tuo6W-_2I/AAAAAAABah4/YCGcCBY08XURN5frefr_UmwrP1EWzKi8gCLcBGAsYHQ/w135-h200/xmas-boy-shirtless-christmas-teenager-santas-grotto-sixpack-slim-fit-body-hairless.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Further reading<br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-feast-of-epiphany-and-three-magi.html" target="_blank">Epiphany and the three Magi</a><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/saint-befanas-day-gifts-from-witch.html" target="_blank">Saint Befana the Witch</a><br /><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/cologne-cathedral-shrine-of-magi.html" target="_blank">The Shrine of the Magi</a></span></span></p>stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-72805503505498663152020-11-24T16:38:00.000-08:002020-11-24T16:38:13.783-08:00Fugitives on The Long March<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It has meanwhile passed into Chinese folklore as The Long March; in reality it was a long
flight. If I say folklore then that is incorrect; folklore is made by the people. The myth of the long march was invented by Mao Zedong to glorify the communist cause, but more himself. Always thinking of himself</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">first</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, like any good communist he not only caused unmeasured suffering but sold it as a triumph.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu5ALZYxLqQ/X72lwmzSevI/AAAAAAABZhs/F_xxqH05viQvJ4AdAaA7rw4LjNV5SAFbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s480/mao-zedong-communist-leader-de-facto-emperor-of-china-mass-murderer-genocide-war-criminal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="422" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eu5ALZYxLqQ/X72lwmzSevI/AAAAAAABZhs/F_xxqH05viQvJ4AdAaA7rw4LjNV5SAFbwCLcBGAsYHQ/w176-h200/mao-zedong-communist-leader-de-facto-emperor-of-china-mass-murderer-genocide-war-criminal.jpg" width="176" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Sun Yat-Sen</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> set up the Chinese Republic by abolishing the Empire through the child emperor's abdication. Republic as far as he was concerned was an Empire without an emperor and with a Sun Yat-Sen instead. N</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">obody mentioned anything about democracy, a concept completely alien to the Chinese mind just emerging from a 2,000 year old empire.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yp7Zxt4Nqcw/X72lyBaTzwI/AAAAAAABZh8/_GkS2roeHfs1JtAZk9mVKOXfMqTwt90mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1027/village-and-bridge-over-little-river-water-buffalo-province-jianxi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1027" height="148" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yp7Zxt4Nqcw/X72lyBaTzwI/AAAAAAABZh8/_GkS2roeHfs1JtAZk9mVKOXfMqTwt90mgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h148/village-and-bridge-over-little-river-water-buffalo-province-jianxi.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;">Sun Yat-Sen had two chief-lieutenants or henchmen, </span><span lang="DE-CH" style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB">Mao</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;"> Zedong and </span><span lang="DE-CH" style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB">Chiang Kai-shek</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;">. Upon his death these two
power-crazed monsters immediately opened hostilities upon each other to get the
whole cake for themselves. One chose the mantle of nationalism for himself, the other invented his kind of communism. So far the story resembles any other story we know from
history since Alexander the Great died.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Dnml3EJzRg/X72lxZtW-kI/AAAAAAABZhw/fpXF0jqU-KQ8kELk5PtCiJyskQtH41miACLcBGAsYHQ/s952/the-long-march-mao-zedong-horse-foot-hoi-polloi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="952" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Dnml3EJzRg/X72lxZtW-kI/AAAAAAABZhw/fpXF0jqU-KQ8kELk5PtCiJyskQtH41miACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h113/the-long-march-mao-zedong-horse-foot-hoi-polloi.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">With a
lot of help from the United States, nationalist Chiang Kai-shek pressed heavily
on Mao’s followers. He reputedly killed off four-fifth of the communist
leadership after a failed coup by Mao to seize power. In his plight, Mao dared
the unthinkable and offered women membership in the communist party as comrades and equals. This move was taking women out of their traditional slavery (called caring for your parents,
marriage, and motherhood in the West) and 2,000 years of cultural stagnation.
Women flocked to the opening offered, obviously, and were let down and betrayed almost
immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf8viyH2KQ4/X72lwuuejdI/AAAAAAABZho/hUdlCgDBboomSEwMYaCE0W74FZGgVCN7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1016/chinese-village-in-jianxi-province-china-with-children-playing-on-the-canal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1016" height="122" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf8viyH2KQ4/X72lwuuejdI/AAAAAAABZho/hUdlCgDBboomSEwMYaCE0W74FZGgVCN7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h122/chinese-village-in-jianxi-province-china-with-children-playing-on-the-canal.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Surrounded
by a million strong army, Mao decided to flee his stronghold of Jiangxi. With him he took all fighting men
and 30 handpicked women. In Jianxi he left behind the women, children, and the old to face the enemy.
What a heroic start. Planning for the flight was meticulous. Every aspect of a
putative future government, the only goal of Mao’s bid for total power for himself,
was carried along. This included a printing press and tons of gold among other useful things. It did not include unnecessary things such as food and water bottles.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZuL-ouMUiA/X72lxbXSNNI/AAAAAAABZh0/ZYyeqbKEDaYcVuqDWyRID45y_EVYEIyfACLcBGAsYHQ/s256/the-long-march-no-women-no-children-no-food-no-water.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="256" height="130" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DZuL-ouMUiA/X72lxbXSNNI/AAAAAAABZh0/ZYyeqbKEDaYcVuqDWyRID45y_EVYEIyfACLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h130/the-long-march-no-women-no-children-no-food-no-water.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;">Mao
later claimed that the fugitives covered 6,000 miles; it was little more than
half of that. People tend to become all mushy over the deprivation of the
heroes on the marsh. Maybe a less brainless planning would have seen more
survivors. It is hard to cook soup from a printing press and to get warm
covering yourself in gold. As good communists, they shared everything together
as equals. None of the
leadership died of either hunger or cold, while thousands on the march did. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It appears that the leadership was more equal than the rest and therefore always well fed while hoi-polloi suffered.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NgJSNPzORk0/X72lyYf2Z9I/AAAAAAABZiE/zWT3PyU_8Lkjx6iY-mxurW_wx_Oqu3OOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s598/wuyuan-village-jianxi-province-white-houses-and-fields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="598" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NgJSNPzORk0/X72lyYf2Z9I/AAAAAAABZiE/zWT3PyU_8Lkjx6iY-mxurW_wx_Oqu3OOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h135/wuyuan-village-jianxi-province-white-houses-and-fields.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">With the
invasion of the Japanese, Mao received the order from Moscow to side with
Chiang Kai-shek and repel the Japanese army. He duly did so. Just as soon as
the Japanese capitulated, the two leaders went back to their main concern of
securing absolute power for themselves. As the Americans had lost interest in
China, the heavy arms supplies from Russia carried the day and Mao could seize
power, while Chiang Kai-shek had to retreat to </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Taiwan</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKoWnqHwRP0/X72lxi0AJKI/AAAAAAABZh4/ORoYtcJq0Y4veBJTD-Yb1a8QnKiwe3apwCLcBGAsYHQ/s553/the-long-march-rally-to-leave-women-and-children-at-the-merci-of-the-enemy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="553" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YKoWnqHwRP0/X72lxi0AJKI/AAAAAAABZh4/ORoYtcJq0Y4veBJTD-Yb1a8QnKiwe3apwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h106/the-long-march-rally-to-leave-women-and-children-at-the-merci-of-the-enemy.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="EN-GB">This part I got out of the book 'Unbound' (referring to the bound feet of Chinese women, one of the many Bronze Age culture aspects of Chinese life) written by Dean King and published by Little, Brown. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">American author Dean King tries to bring some understanding of the Chinese into the West, but left me</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">still</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> baffled. Even failing on his main objective with me, his book was most revealing on a secondary level.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_I4ewbf5BHM/X72lydMKNsI/AAAAAAABZiA/CZjVdXJPjbQ2jI7N8KBSkg1rQ0bf3HQAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1018/wuyuan-village-island-fields-of-flowers-jianxi-province.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1018" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_I4ewbf5BHM/X72lydMKNsI/AAAAAAABZiA/CZjVdXJPjbQ2jI7N8KBSkg1rQ0bf3HQAgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h113/wuyuan-village-island-fields-of-flowers-jianxi-province.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana;">The book
is set up to follow the 30 women on The Long March, trying to make</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">them</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> heroines. They emerge in my eyes as traitors to their fellow women. Later, they get betrayed
themselves by the Gang Of Four. Mao and Chiang Kai-shek both behaved as the first
Emperor did by treating the people as little more than slaves.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jphW8u2O9Wc/X72lwrn2gkI/AAAAAAABZhk/faL8E8K1v-I0X_XJE9BYFgnQpSCzaIM-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s799/province-jiangxi-city-nanchang-greenland-central-plaza-development.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="799" height="194" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jphW8u2O9Wc/X72lwrn2gkI/AAAAAAABZhk/faL8E8K1v-I0X_XJE9BYFgnQpSCzaIM-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h194/province-jiangxi-city-nanchang-greenland-central-plaza-development.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/evacuation-from-yalta-1919.html" target="_blank">Evacuation from Yalta 1919</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/how-to-dress-your-concubine-for-dinner.html" target="_blank">Emperor Shi Hu Jilong</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/royal-correspondence-in-curiosity.html" target="_blank">Golden Letter</a></span></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-60988237872973523652015-08-06T13:18:00.001-07:002020-10-13T07:38:51.585-07:00Geneva Landmark Jet d'Eau is a Reminder of Industrialization<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Jet d'Eau is the tourist attraction best known in Geneva, Switzerland. The majestic water fountain in Lake Geneva is one of the largest fountains in the world. What many don't know: The impressive waterspout is actually a leftover from the industrial development of the city in the 19th century.</span><div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MpZMzXlLsU/VcPALB0Rq-I/AAAAAAABMi4/BmBSin78JcU/s1600/fountain-lake-geneva-switzerland-france-europe-rainbow-city-harbour-boats-ships-destination-mooring-waterspout.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3MpZMzXlLsU/VcPALB0Rq-I/AAAAAAABMi4/BmBSin78JcU/s200/fountain-lake-geneva-switzerland-france-europe-rainbow-city-harbour-boats-ships-destination-mooring-waterspout.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In 1886, a novel power network was opened linking the various factories with water pipes carrying water from the River Rhone. The water was used to power the various mills wheels. Power had become a transportable commodity. But when the factories closed down in the evening, the power of all that water produced excess pressure dangerous to the pipe system.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sUKqeiOQbgI/VcPALuAgyiI/AAAAAAABMi8/GMneP9YG5gI/s1600/jet-deau-nighttime-illumination-panorama-switzerland-city-lake-geneva-waterfront-fountain-son-et-lumiere.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="75" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sUKqeiOQbgI/VcPALuAgyiI/AAAAAAABMi8/GMneP9YG5gI/s200/jet-deau-nighttime-illumination-panorama-switzerland-city-lake-geneva-waterfront-fountain-son-et-lumiere.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">To relieve that pressure during the night, a valve was built ending in Lake Geneva. It was situated more down river than today's location and sent water up 30 meters. It became an attraction for locals and travelers almost immediately.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHTpF5bgokA/VcPALJKlceI/AAAAAAABMjM/fp7t2eFLdUY/s1600/geneva-city-jet-deau-rainbow-lake-mole-pier-switzerland-tourist-destination-attraction-travelers-wind.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XHTpF5bgokA/VcPALJKlceI/AAAAAAABMjM/fp7t2eFLdUY/s200/geneva-city-jet-deau-rainbow-lake-mole-pier-switzerland-tourist-destination-attraction-travelers-wind.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">For the 600 year jubilee of the Swiss Federation in 1891, it was moved upriver and enlarged to send water up 90 meters. It was enlarged again to its present power to send water 140 meters into the sky. An enormous amount of electricity is used to keep 7,000 liters of water in the air at all times during the day. Ironic, considering it had been devised to do the opposite at its inception.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xfNz2WqXYq8/VcPALodvmNI/AAAAAAABMjQ/bQ6aNPVogIM/s1600/rainbow-fountain-geneva-lake-waterspout-daytime-attraction-travellers-locals-skyline-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xfNz2WqXYq8/VcPALodvmNI/AAAAAAABMjQ/bQ6aNPVogIM/s200/rainbow-fountain-geneva-lake-waterspout-daytime-attraction-travellers-locals-skyline-switzerland.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The power supply made up of 20 pumps and the pipe system linking bakers' mills, printing presses and watchmakers' hammers is not in use anymore. When these factories closed down, the water would rise during the night until needed again in the morning. Today, the fountain works during daylight and is large enough to be seen from an airplane travelling over Geneva at an altitude of 10,000 meters.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ4IOvN-ePA/VcPALPm8HXI/AAAAAAABMi0/WNyG0nmGDmA/s1600/geneva-switzerland-water-fountain-jetdeau-waterspout-tourist-attraction-lake-rhone-river-pumps-visible-from-air.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ4IOvN-ePA/VcPALPm8HXI/AAAAAAABMi0/WNyG0nmGDmA/s200/geneva-switzerland-water-fountain-jetdeau-waterspout-tourist-attraction-lake-rhone-river-pumps-visible-from-air.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Further reading</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/united-nations-world-capital-geneva.html" target="_blank">United Nations World Capital Geneva</a></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/iconic-design-swiss-army-knife.html" target="_blank">Iconic Design: Swiss Army Knife</a></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/nonexistent-switzerland.html" target="_blank">Nonexistent Switzerland</a></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-15839423806304762532015-03-31T16:59:00.001-07:002020-10-13T07:35:23.305-07:00Tambora, The Volcano That Changed History<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">200 years ago, the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Tambora set off a series of events that would change world history. This is often overlooked for various reasons. The same year, 1815, is better remembered for the Battle of Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna. And the eruption of Krakatoa looms much larger in our memories, though it was a fraction of the one of Tambora; but the telegraph blew up the Krakatoa incident, much as the internet does with stories today.</span><br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="101" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gUQvgxyMCc4/VRs0DH85o3I/AAAAAAABMIs/ShJ4mXZtXhw/s1600/mount-tambora-volcano-indonesia-sumbawa-eruption-1815-peak-today-crater.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Mount Tambora</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">It's a sunny afternoon in Stuttgart in 2014. The Stuttgart Beer Festival, the second largest beer festival in the world runs parallel to its better known cousin Oktoberfest in Munich. Groups of visitors stroll through the streets between stalls, bumper cars and brightly lit high-tech carousels. It smells of grilled sausages and roasted almonds. Nothing suggests that this light-hearted entertaining spectacle was the result of one of the worst natural disasters in recorded human history. A disaster that struck Indonesia 200 years ago.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">April 5, 1815. On the Indonesian island of Celebes (what is today Sulawesi), a heavily armed sailing ship of the British East India Company was lying to port. Towards evening, the crew heard a mighty roar reminiscent of heavy artillery fire interspersed with gunfire. The captain immediately ordered a detachment of sailors aboard and sailed clear for action on the tropical sea expecting to encounter pirates out on the prowl - without success, the waters were empty of ships.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">It must have been about three quarters of an hour later in Batavia (modern day Jakarta) which was then the largest port in the island of Java. Located about 1,500 kilometers east of Celebes (Sulawesi), a low rumble could be heard. Because it sounded like thunder of cannons, the Vice Governor of the British colony Sir Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) suspected a ship in distress. He sent a sweeping search into the ocean waters - but no trace of castaways or ship could be found.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In Batavia (Jakarta), the next morning started with a warm rain of ashes. A volcano had erupted - and judging by the volume of his thundering he had to be located in close proximity to the port city. The residents were expecting earthquakes as they had always accompanied the volcanic eruptions of the past. But for five anxious days nothing happened. </span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Starting the evening of April 10, 1815, and continuing the next day, a series of violent explosions shook the entire 4,000 km long Indonesian archipelago. In the book "Volcanoes" by Time-Life-Publishing the following days are described: "In Gresik, on the coast of Java, which was about 500 miles from the center of the explosions, a correspondent of Raffles' awoke from a particularly long sleep on the morning of April 12. Outside, it was still dark but when he held his clock to light a lamp, the bewildered man found that it was already half past eight and half an hour after sunrise. At 9 o'clock it still wasn't bright. 'At 10 clock,' he wrote to Raffles later, 'I could see a faint glimmer of light in the sky, and an hour later, the birds began to chirp as usual at dawn.' While the roar of distant explosions continued, the writer sat down to a candlelit breakfast.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">For three days, the skies over much of Indonesia remained dark. The British colonial administration in Batavia received reports that the island of Sumbawa, a thousand miles away, was the center of the disaster. There, the 4000 meter high volcano Tambora had silently towered over the rain-forest since time immemorial. But three years previously, the giant had awoken. Accompanied by earthquakes, it had begun to expel clouds of steam and ash.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">A few days after the titanic explosions, Raffles sent a boatload of rice to the disaster area. When the sailors approached Sumbawa, they had difficulty recognizing the island. Of the former conical summit of Mount Tambora only a broad, torn plateau remained. Thousands of uprooted trees and strange formations of pumice were floating on the sea and effectively barred the way to the coast. When the ship was finally able to land, the captain of the sailing ship, Lieutenant Owen Phillips, beheld an apocalyptic image. In the streets of ruined villages lay thousands of dead bodies. The majority of the island was covered by a 60-cm-thick layer of mud and ash that had destroyed the crops. Among the survivors, many of whom had been turned deaf by the mighty thunder, cholera was endemic. Those who could still walk had fled inland in search of edible plants. The local Raja under shock told the British officer what had happened. This gave rise to the description that on April 10 at 7 o'clock in the evening three separate columns of fire erupted near the peak of Mount Tambora appearing to come from inside the crater. At great height, their upper ends joined together in the air to form a wild tangled, irregular spiral. After a short time, the whole mountain was like a mass of liquid fire that spread in all directions.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Geologists today talk of pyroclastic flow; the phenomenon is the same that surprised the inhabitants in the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in their sleep. It's a mixture of red-hot ash and gas that can be more than 800 degrees Celsius hot and spread like an avalanche. Pyroclastic flows race faster than Formula 1 cars. They burn, choke or poison anything in their way.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The Indonesian archipelago is part of the so-called Ring of Fire, a chain of volcanoes that encompasses the entire Pacific from Antarctica on the West Coast of South and North America to Alaska, across Siberia, Japan and the Philippines to New Zealand. The volcanoes forming part of the ring are among the most dangerous in the world. Where the Pacific Ocean meets land, oceanic and continental tectonic plates meet. Oceanic plates consist mainly of light basaltic rocks. Volcanoes that rise from the ocean floor are comparatively good-natured like the large composite volcanoes of Hawaii. Their lava and is poor in gas and has a low viscosity. Lava from Hawaii's volcanoes seems to be rippling like a mountain stream in the Alps - an eerily beautiful and rather harmless spectacle.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In contrast, continental plates consist mostly of granitic rocks rich in quartz or, to use a chemical term, silica. Along the Ring of Fire, oceanic plates are pushed underneath continental plates. On the surfaces friction heat is generated which can reach 700 kilometers down. On these friction surfaces , magma accumulates and is pressed upwards. On the way to the surface, it gets mixed with liquefied surrounding rock. If this material is siliceous as in the continental crust it becomes a viscous magma that doesn't flow as easily as the one in Hawaii. It clogs the volcanic vent. The magma builds pressure on the lava dome that can make it grow several meters per month. In time, the mountain can't withstand the forces any longer and explodes.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">On Sumbawa and its neighboring islands, about 10 000 people were choked, burned by lava or hot ashes or drowned in the powerful tsunami triggered by the quake that followed the eruption. Another 80,000 to 100,000 people died in the following weeks, starving because their fields were buried under masses of ash or struck down by epidemics.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The eruption of Mount Tambora is considered the most devastating volcanic eruption in recorded history. It was way stronger than the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. The latter only looms large in our history books because it signaled the beginning of the media age; telegraph lines carried the news all over the globe in 1883 and by printed press into every living room in Europe and America. The energy released by the Tambora eruption equaled six and a half million Hiroshima bombs. Calculations arrive at 150 cubic kilometers of pulverized rock having been catapulted into the atmosphere; that is as much ash as Lake Tahoe contains water. The ash rain fell on an area of two and a half million square kilometers - about one third of Australia. Winds spread fine particles through the atmosphere all around the globe.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The European spring of 1816 was a kaleidoscope of disastrous weather conditions. In Hungary, severe thunderstorms produce reddish brown snow. Southern Italy was covered with yellow flakes. The fields of southern Germany were flooded by torrential rain. Persistent cold kept farmers from plowing and planting their fields to the end of April. April was followed by winter-like cold that made fountains freeze. By the end of June, the growth of crops was barely ankle high. On July 10, severe hailstorms ravaged the sparsely sprouting crops, and on July 31, it snowed.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The crop failure affected people at a particularly inopportune time. Europe had been devastated by the Napoleonic Wars. Agriculture was ailing for lack of manpower, the warehouses were exhausted. The crippled and the unemployed roamed the countryside; they begged or stole to survive. The rural population was additionally burdened by statute labor and taxes to pay for the wars.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">All that in turn led to a significant rise in food prices. Statistics show that the prices for bread, meat, wine and many more victuals increased within a few months by a factor three or even four. Many could no longer afford to buy food. From Sicily to Scotland, tens of thousands of starving people were begging for bread. In desperation, they slaughtered horses, dogs and cats, fried rats and consumed carrion. Starving people tried to live off the forest, by gathering and eating grass, clover, moss, roots, overcooked nettles and rowan berries. Educational pamphlets were distributed to help to distinguish edible wild plants from toxic ones. In order to get at least something into their stomachs, people stretched bread dough with hay flowers, ground straw and ground tree bark. The Museum of Bread Culture in Ulm in Germany holds a small booklet from 1834 written by a man named Authenried containing thorough instructions for making bread from wood.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">According to estimates of a nutritionist at Tufts University in Massachusetts, hundreds of thousands of people died in Europe alone. Exact numbers will never be known. Malnutrition is rarely reported in historical sources as a cause of death. Hungry people are so weakened that they finally die of infections. Statistics of the Kingdom of Württemberg show that mortality rose steeply and the number of births declined significantly. Diarrhea, wasting sickness, fever, scurvy , and dozens of other diseases killed the starving and emaciated population. Many more died years later of tuberculosis, which had taken root in their weakened bodies.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">"Our Father, who art in heaven, give us our daily bread ..." Some suspected a divine punishment: When the need was worst in winter 1816/17, the bells were rung daily at many places. Apparently, too many people had led an ungodly life. The real reason, the volcanic eruption on the other side of the world, no one suspected.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Not even the natural scientists of the time understood the cause. Some blamed the cold, wet summer on sun spots or on the advance of Arctic ice in the North Atlantic which had been reported by sailors. Others said Benjamin Franklin, the versatile co-author of the American Declaration of Independence, was to blame for everything. Through his invention of the lightning rod, the earth core had been heated electrically disturbing its natural balance. It is ironic that the maligned Franklin would probably have come up with the correct solution. Decades earlier, he had linked the unusually harsh winter of 1784/85 to a "dry fog" triggered by outbreaks of a Japanese and an Icelandic volcano.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">200 years later, we still don't fully understand all the correlations of how volcanic eruptions affect the weather. The titanic explosion of Mount Tambora ejected huge amounts of sulfurous gases to a height of about 70 kilometers. There they formed together with a steam fog tiny droplets of sulfuric acid. These so-called aerosols spread with the winds around the earth. The droplets refracted solar radiation that could no longer pass through the atmosphere. As a result, surface temperatures dropped.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The aerosol veil conjured by Tambora pushed the average global temperatures to drop by one to two degrees Celsius - in some regions by up to five degrees. Some researchers speculate that volcanic eruptions of this magnitude also trigger El Niño - irregularities in the distribution of warm and cold currents in the Pacific. El Niño turns the weather in many regions of the world on its head; it can, for example, trigger droughts in Australia and Indonesia, typhoons in Tahiti or torrential rains in the deserts of Chile and Peru.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">About 350 active volcanoes are currently counted on Earth. Every year about 50 of them erupt. At least half a billion people are threatened directly or indirectly by volcanic eruptions, which is mainly due to the rapidly increasing world population and the ever-growing mega-cities constantly growing along the Ring of Fire.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In 1816, the whole world was affected, not only Europe: Along the east coast of Canada and the young United States, there was virtually no spring. Right in the middle of summer, cold, frost and snow destroyed the crops. Freshly shorn sheep froze to death in the protection of stables, and birds fell dead from the trees. Hunger and poverty among the farmers, artisans and laborers of North America were great; some historians assume that the hunger years of 1816-17 were one of the triggers for settlers to cross the Appalachian Mountains into the Midwest.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">At the same time, China was hit by devastating floods. Thousands of people died. In India, the monsoon rains didn't fall leaving large regions with parched fields while countless people left their homes. Some researchers suggest that a worldwide cholera epidemic was caused by this migration the north of India. The disease had been limited to the Hindu pilgrimage routes along the Ganges. Now, migrants displaced by famine carried the pathogen to the rain rich Bay of Bengal. From there, the bacterium Vibrio cholera reached British troops and with them entered Nepal and Afghanistan. It thereby reached the silk route and over it the Caspian Sea from where it spread up the Volga to the Baltic states; in the other direction it used Muslim pilgrimage routes to Mecca and the Middle East. When the first wave of cholera hit New York in the summer of 1832, the inhabitants of the city fled in panic into the countryside. No one suspected that this epidemic was an indirect consequence of the volcanic eruption in distant Indonesia.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Many European sovereigns - displaying the arrogance of absolutist power - accepted the catastrophe as an unalterable fact. The Swiss-French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) had even argued that it is in the interest of population control, if a larger number of people die every now and then. King Frederick I of Württemberg ignored hunger and misery in his kingdom for months. Instead he indulged his passion for hunting. Fortunately for his subjects, the monarch died in late October 1816. His son and heir William I and his wife, the Russian Grand Duchess Catherine, reacted a few days after his accession to the throne. He passed a law that forbade the export of grain and imported grain from Russia. In addition, they had the supplies from the magisterial warehouses distributed to the people. And that was just covering the bare necessities. In 1818, William I had set up an agricultural academy in Hohenheim Castle, to teach farmers how to do business in order to avoid as far as possible the repeat of a devastating famine.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">According to a study from Tufts University, the foundations of modern disaster relief were actually created in the famine years of 1816/17. The insight that the common man deserves help in times of need, that governments can deal with natural disasters, and that the right to food is a fundamental right began to evolve. However, this was by no means out of compassion: The ruling class also attended their hungry and desperate subjects out of fear that they could band together and plan uprisings. The French Revolution of 1789 was a stark reminder.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The price of oats had also risen to unprecedented heights. Keeping horses became a drain on the finances of even the well-heeled. This led to the invention of the velocipede, the predecessor of the bicycle. Baron Karl von Drais showed that with his invention he could half the travelling time for pedestrians over long distances, as the local German newspapers related in autumn 1817.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Summer on the British isles was even more dreary than usual. Percy and Mary Shelley decide therefore to spend their summer holidays at Lord Byron's on lake Geneva in the hope for more clement weather there. As we now know, there was no summer that year, and the company kept busy inventing ghost stories. Prometheus Unbound and Frankenstein are products of the volcano Tambora, you wouldn't have guessed that, would you?</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">A sunny afternoon at the Stuttgart Beer Festival, the second largest beer festival in the world: No one remembers that this serene spectacle has its origins in the most devastating volcanic eruption in history on the distant island of Sumbawa. And yet, the fair was launched in 1818 as a direct response to the famine. After starvation, the first heavily laden harvest wagons had rolled into town in autumn 1817 and were welcomed by crying, cheering people. The fair was an exhibition and agricultural fair intended to encourage the farmers of the Kingdom to use modern methods in agriculture and animal husbandry. It should help to prevent future catastrophes.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Further reading</span><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/1000-years-of-fun-at-fair.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">1,000 Years Fun at the Fair</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/robert-koch.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Robert Koch: With System Against Disease</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/royal-connections-can-be-deceiving.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Royal connections Can Be Deceiving</span></a></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-54475607809521949332014-03-16T14:50:00.004-07:002020-10-13T07:16:43.820-07:00Anna Goeldi, Last Witch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Anna Göldi was one of the last victims of the superstitious belief in witches in Europe. The trial took place in Glarus, today in Switzerland. The conservative Republic of Glarus had been very reticent on holding witch trials throughout the entire crazy period. Historians had been puzzled for a long time why a witch trial should have been held as late as 1782 in a place with almost no witch trials taking place previously. In 2007, they discovered proof that there had been two connected trials going on at the same time.</span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anna Göldi was born in 1734 in the village of Sennwald. At that time, it belonged to the Republic of Zurich as a subject village. Subject means that the village or region was governed and taxed by the Republic of Zurich (like it would be taxed by a duke or a baron), but its inhabitants had no legal rights under the laws of the republic. Most people there were serfs of a city instead of a nobleman. Though not a serf herself, Anna Göldi was born into a poor family. She took up the only career option open to her and became a maid in the household of a wealthy family.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXAlt8kfxDE/UyYYkvdehGI/AAAAAAAAyAI/1egjxH0jPK4/s1600/official-wanted-advert-neue-z%C3%BCrcher-zeitung-zurich-switzerland-witch-trial-glarus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OXAlt8kfxDE/UyYYkvdehGI/AAAAAAAAyAI/1egjxH0jPK4/s1600/official-wanted-advert-neue-z%C3%BCrcher-zeitung-zurich-switzerland-witch-trial-glarus.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="178" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Being a good worker, she moved from rich family to rich family. She finally started to serve several of the ruling patrician families of the Republic of Glarus. As in all good republics (American readers know how that works), democracy was only a nominal affair. All government post, parliament, law courts positions, and church sees were held by the same few families. The same person would often serve in several capacities like member of parliament and minister of government (a ridiculous situation well known to British readers). Anna Göldi’s last employment was with the influential Tschudi family. The head of her household was a judge and a member of parliament.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_HMdhOA1AcA/UyYYn5cW0pI/AAAAAAAAyAs/cFUyl5XQhgg/s1600/witch-pamphlet-inciting-prosecution-germany-switzerland-austria.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_HMdhOA1AcA/UyYYn5cW0pI/AAAAAAAAyAs/cFUyl5XQhgg/s1600/witch-pamphlet-inciting-prosecution-germany-switzerland-austria.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />While she was serving there, a child of the Tschudi’s fell sick, and Anna Göldi was accused of poisoning her. To be exact, she was accused of having committed acts to make the child grow needles in its stomach and vomiting them. She was subsequently charged with and condemned as a poisoner and executed by the sword, after she had admitted under torture to have been incited by the devil. Glarus held a rigid censorship of the press at the time, and therefore neither the outcome of the trial (today called an injunction in Britain) nor the proceeding itself nor the injunction on the proceeding (today called superinjunction in Britain) should have become public.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3p-z0STJ04/UyYYjLZLbqI/AAAAAAAAx_8/GdXU-DaQYMY/s1600/anna-g%C3%B6ldi-museum-mollis-switzerland-cell-reconstruction-witch-trial.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t3p-z0STJ04/UyYYjLZLbqI/AAAAAAAAx_8/GdXU-DaQYMY/s1600/anna-g%C3%B6ldi-museum-mollis-switzerland-cell-reconstruction-witch-trial.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />All the same, the German press got wind of it and attacked the Glarus authorities with vigor over what they called already then a witch process. The process was rightly ridiculed as the sickness of the child was diagnosed by a veterinary surgeon, and its description met with incredulity, not only with the press, but even with the called and paid for ‘witnesses’ of the prosecution. It was this process that led to the coining of the German word Justizmord (murder by trial) still in use today.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJ4Iins-gYI/UyYYlVfuJsI/AAAAAAAAyAY/YTno1Juv8Ws/s1600/spielhof-glaurs-switzerland-tschudi-house-anna-g%C3%B6ldi-work-place-lost-1861-great-fire.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kJ4Iins-gYI/UyYYlVfuJsI/AAAAAAAAyAY/YTno1Juv8Ws/s1600/spielhof-glaurs-switzerland-tschudi-house-anna-g%C3%B6ldi-work-place-lost-1861-great-fire.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />It took until 2007 to uncover that there had been a second trial going on at the same time. This trial wasn't held in the law courts of the Republic of Glarus, but in the ecclesiastical law courts of the Reformed Church of Glarus. It was the law suit of Anna Göldi against her employer for sexual harassment and rape. The process ended in a complete clearing for the employer by his brother, oops, the ecclesiastical judge, and justice was free to operate once again to protect the poor and underprivileged as it does today, too.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wov6_rdKgH0/UyYYoLsE9ZI/AAAAAAAAyAw/q6WrIABEibs/s1600/zwicky-house-mollis-anna-g%C3%B6ldi-former-work-place-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wov6_rdKgH0/UyYYoLsE9ZI/AAAAAAAAyAw/q6WrIABEibs/s1600/zwicky-house-mollis-anna-g%C3%B6ldi-former-work-place-switzerland.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Anna Göldi has meanwhile been rehabilitated by an act of parliament. As her belongings had been confiscated by the state at the time of the trial, the worth in modern terms of these belongings was established and the money has been placed into a charity in her name. The <a href="http://www.annagoeldin.ch/" target="_blank">Anna Göldi charity</a> promotes human rights with special regards to the rights of women.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LxhDd0SqMI4/UyYYko2b1WI/AAAAAAAAyAQ/uLCPUNpJ1Xc/s1600/anna-g%C3%B6ldi-museum-mollis-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LxhDd0SqMI4/UyYYko2b1WI/AAAAAAAAyAQ/uLCPUNpJ1Xc/s1600/anna-g%C3%B6ldi-museum-mollis-switzerland.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Parallels with today's 'legal' systems (I love euphemisms; don't you?) and 'democracies' are purely coincidental.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/zurich-is-more-than-banks.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Zurich: More Than Banks</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/christina-female-king-of-sweden.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Christina, Female King of Sweden</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/saint-befanas-day-gifts-from-witch.html" target="_blank">Saint Befana's Day: Gifts From the Witch</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-4591689220061994962014-03-05T10:44:00.001-08:002020-10-13T07:12:50.758-07:00Neuchatel: The Anachronistic City in Switzerland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Neuchatel
is a beautiful little town in Switzerland situated on Lake Neuchatel, but it is a city. It
was an anachronistic holdover from the middle ages well into the 19th
century. It's feudal past almost brought newly founded Switzerland and the Kingdom of Prussia to declare war on
each other in the middle of the 19th century. Today, it has a university and is a center for tourists visiting
the beautiful lakeside countryside and the Jura Mountains.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">The city
of Neuchatel (translates into Newcastle) was first mentioned in 1011 in a deed of gift by King Rudolf III of Burgundy to his wife Queen Irmengard. In all probability, it
wasn't much more than a moat guarded by a garrison. The new Royal connotation and the Queen's personal interest started the build up of a community around the fortifications. King Rudolf and Queen Irmengard died childless. By deed of will, the Kingdom of Burgundy passed to Conrad II, Emperor of the
Holy Roman Empire of German Nations in 1033. </span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">The will had been drawn up to keep the kingdom out of a war of succession, as too many equally valid claims on the throne were held by too many powerful families scattered all over Europe. It stipulate the emperor as recipient, not the person or ruling family; and it was under the proviso that the kingdom would remain independent of the empire. Emperor Conrad duly traveled to Solothurn to be crowned as King of Burgundy; at about the same time, the Counts of
Neuchatel were created. They would rule the city and surrounding countryside until the late 14th
century.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">The
counts must have been an extraordinary set of rulers, one after the other. They
are commemorated to this day by the prominent Cenotaph in the La Collégiale church in the city. In
every tract on history, legend, myth or story referring to the counts of Neuchatel, they are summarily called ‘the good counts of Neuchatel’. Ruling the county for 400 years, this must be a track record for goodness. The last countess died childless in 1395,
and left title and lands to her nephew in Freiburg</span><span lang="EN-GB">. Over 600 years later, a service of remembrance is still held every year for the counts with the government and the people attending. Most days, you will find that someone left fresh flowers at the cenotaph.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">What
started out with a deed of gift to a queen continued as a story of inheritances.
The county of Neuchatel passed from the Counts of Freiburg, to the
Margraves of Baden, the Royal House of Orleans, and finally to the
Prince-Electors of Brandenburg and Kings in Prussia. The county was made a
principality under the Orleans family. As the last transfer to the Prussians
was done under pressure from the Swiss Confederation against 14 other
contenders for the inheritance, Neuchatel was declared an independent
principality (i.e. not part of Prussia) on the insistence of Louis XIV of
France.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qv95lDRwWhs/UxdteBPjUXI/AAAAAAAAvts/Hy59Jw1uQvU/s1600/neuchatel-castle-counts-princes-rulers-city-switzerland-prussia-burgundy-france.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qv95lDRwWhs/UxdteBPjUXI/AAAAAAAAvts/Hy59Jw1uQvU/s1600/neuchatel-castle-counts-princes-rulers-city-switzerland-prussia-burgundy-france.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">As the
Counts of Neuchatel had been gifted in administering the county, all families
following them into the administration shared one common policy; they just
confirmed the existing laws and administration and didn’t bother too much about
any details. The Counts of Chalon concluded a treaty with the Swiss
Confederation in 1306, leading to Neuchatel becoming a de facto part of the
Swiss Confederation without being a member of it. This finally led to the
curious situation of Neuchatel becoming a member of democratic Switzerland in
1848 while still being governed by the Prussian Kings as Princes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLSRwaJEWDM/UxdttkLMNoI/AAAAAAAAvuc/t_imKYwFXgs/s1600/neuchatel-city-switzerland-town-principaility-burgundy-prussia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLSRwaJEWDM/UxdttkLMNoI/AAAAAAAAvuc/t_imKYwFXgs/s1600/neuchatel-city-switzerland-town-principaility-burgundy-prussia.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">To this
day, a Swiss citizen is not addressed as citizen, but as ‘Miteidgenosse’
(translates to ‘fellow oath taker’). After the Prussians took over, the King of
Prussia was forthwith addressed as ‘our fellow oath taker’ up to his formal abdication
as Prince in 1857. But it needed the good services of Emperor Napoleon III of
France to bring that about without Switzerland and Prussia going to war. Things
came to a head as Neuchatel’s citizens had passed a Republican constitution on
becoming part of Switzerland, but Royalist elements had tried to overthrow the
new government and declare Neuchatel independent.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Vj27VSKYRc/UxdtvEexJfI/AAAAAAAAvuo/Ie5CqfBw6aQ/s1600/switzerland-neuchatel-city-shopping-medieval-center.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Vj27VSKYRc/UxdtvEexJfI/AAAAAAAAvuo/Ie5CqfBw6aQ/s1600/switzerland-neuchatel-city-shopping-medieval-center.jpg" width="149" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">The
Principality became part of France in 1795 for a short time as the Prussian
ceded their rights to it to Napoleon. But the Vienna Congress of 1815
compounded the anachronism (and made things worse) by designating it ‘a Canton of Switzerland and
Prussian Principality’. When the Swiss Republics subsequently joined into the
United States of Switzerland, the situation became nothing short of ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mWOaehMVxPQ/UxdtlqKIhsI/AAAAAAAAvuA/ScGlhP-Vy7A/s1600/neuchatel-city-center-holiday-toourist-attraction-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mWOaehMVxPQ/UxdtlqKIhsI/AAAAAAAAvuA/ScGlhP-Vy7A/s1600/neuchatel-city-center-holiday-toourist-attraction-switzerland.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">Neuchatel
is a French speaking town. By general consent, it is The French Speaking City,
actually. Anybody who intends to learn properly spoken French in all its beauty
is sent to Neuchatel to do so, as they speak it without a hint of accent, as
opposed to French cities that all have their peculiarities and accents. Famous
people associated with Neuchatel are writer Friedrich Durrenmatt, Prussian
General Bernard de Gelieu, failed Hitler assassin </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Maurice Bavaud</span></span><span lang="EN-GB">, and musician Robert Miles.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3ow8fiwCPw/UxdtZJ2PrnI/AAAAAAAAvtk/BML9nsZSSDA/s1600/neuchatel-castle-city-defense-switzerland-france-prussia-burgundy-county-principality.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3ow8fiwCPw/UxdtZJ2PrnI/AAAAAAAAvtk/BML9nsZSSDA/s1600/neuchatel-castle-city-defense-switzerland-france-prussia-burgundy-county-principality.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN-GB">For
further information on the city of Neuchatel you may want to go to the official
homepage of the city government </span><span lang="DE-CH"><a href="http://www.neuchatelville.ch/"><span lang="EN-GB">neuchatelville.ch</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNQ-qieW0mM/Uxdton7LaTI/AAAAAAAAvuI/9X-lyNywSrw/s1600/neuchatel-city-lake-panorama-view-medieval-layout-cener-switzerland-holiday-destination.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNQ-qieW0mM/Uxdton7LaTI/AAAAAAAAvuI/9X-lyNywSrw/s1600/neuchatel-city-lake-panorama-view-medieval-layout-cener-switzerland-holiday-destination.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Further reading</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/11/solothurn-switzerlands-baroque-jewel.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Solothurn, Switzerland's Baroque Jewel</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/good-queen-berta-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Good Queen Bertha in Switzerland</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/count-welf-and-his-descendents.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Count Welf and His Descendants</span></a></span><br /></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-37876849515602441532014-02-09T15:46:00.004-08:002020-10-13T07:11:56.401-07:00William Tell and the Apple: National Treasures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Swiss national hero William (Wilhelm) Tell might be one of the best known national heroes in the world. His famous shot at an apple placed on his son’s head inspired writers and composers from different countries. Operas, poems, dramas, books, and comics have been produced in several languages. It's Batman and Robin with crossbow and arrow.</span><div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Swiss legend tells how Wilhelm Tell was forced by his evil overlord to shoot at an apple placed on the head of his son. He prepared two arrow when making ready. One was for the apple and the other for the tyrant should he miss the first shot. The legend of William Tell inspired German literary heavyweight Friedrich von Schiller to write his drama Wilhelm Tell. This drama in turn served as an inspiration to Gioacchino Rossini for his opera Guglielmo Tell for the French libretto Guillaume Tell.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />In 1891, Switzerland was looking for national unity. Nationality was an invention of the 19th century, and Switzerland didn't have one. It was the political union of 26 independent states speaking four languages. William Tell was therefore adopted and promoted as the Swiss hero of independence. All historical questions were prudently shelved and forgotten; as early as 1760, historians had relegated the hero to the realm of fantasy and fairy tales. Rewriting tradition, his famous shot at the apple was moved from its former date in 1307 to 1291. It now coincided with the date on the ‘Bundesbrief’ (Federal Charter). The tinkering annoyed the cantons of Central Switzerland so much, they unveiled a monumental statue to the hero in 1895. It shows the date of 1307 very prominently.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The story of the shot at the apple forms a central part in the legend of William Tell. The story isn't Swiss in origin. It is much older than that. There are several versions of the story in the legends and myths of other countries. The oldest version known originates from Persia; the Sun god shot an apple representing evil. Interestingly enough, the god had a second arrow ready to shoot the demon involved.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Apple trees are native to the Himalaya Mountains and were introduced from there to Persia where the Greeks picked them up and brought them to Europe. The Romans adopted apples along with many Greek ideas, inventions, and customs. As with almost anything the Romans copied or imported, they improved on the original. In the case of apple trees, they started grafting them to get sweeter fruits from hardy trees. The Romans were responsible for the distribution of apple trees all over Europe.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />It is conceivable that the story traveled with the apple trees. We know that the evil aspect of it has entered a famous story collection called the Bible (it might be argued, though, that the apple of Christian Bibles is a mistake in translation; a valid objection). On the other hand, it is conceivable that the Germanic tribes were inspired by the new fruit and invented the story on their own. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Through the ages and as late as the 19th century, apples were a luxury good. For the medieval Celts it symbolized death and reincarnation and therefore formed part of the yearly festival of Samhain on October 31. The Germanic tribes invested their goddess Iduna with golden apples that would grant immortality. And part of the insignia of the Holy Roman Empire was the Imperial orb which in German is called the Imperial apple. Saint Nicolas in turn brings apples according to the legend, not toys; toys and oranges are later replacements.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The story of the shot at the apple is considered to have been a generally known Germanic myth, as it appears in Danish and Norwegian stories, and is recorded in both the Icelandic Edda and the Old Norse Thidrekssaga. Some even claim it was directly plagiarized from Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum written around 1200.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />It has to be noted that most of the persons mentioned in William Tell’s story acquired their first names only through the inventive genius of Friedrich von Schiller, before that the participants were only known by their generics. The evil overlord of the story is named as one Gessler, but in the first versions of the legend he had no name. The records of the Gessler family as well as those of the Habsburg family don’t show up any Gessler family member in a position of power representing the Habsburg in the 13th or 14th century. And Tell, originally written as Thall, is a name or generic completely unknown to Switzerland.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/according-to-swiss-history-writing.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Knights Templar in Switzerland</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/good-queen-berta-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Good Queen Berta in Switzerland</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/saint-helena-empress-of-rome.html" target="_blank">Saint Helena, Empress of Rome</a></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-3791247791182254142014-01-19T07:30:00.001-08:002020-10-13T07:10:44.834-07:00Saint Valentine and the Goddess Juno<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">On February 14 each year, Valentine's Day sends business soaring. Flowers, chocolates, and jewelry are on this day's most wanted gift lists to be exchanged between lovers. But how did Saint Valentine came to flowers, jewels, and chocolates? Or is he actually even the patron saint of lovers? For none of this has he done any work; it all involves an unusual inheritance that fell to him late in death.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">First it must be said that there are at least three saints by the name of Valentine that were sainted by the Church. The wording 'at least' already suggests that there isn't much history but that lots of legends are on offer. A first Saint Valentine is said to have died in 304 in Viterbo as a martyr by beheading. This was the second attempt as in the first round he should have been drowned in the Tiber. As if by magic, he swam on the water unharmed. The historical content to this story is zero, but a thousand years later he would have been burned as a witch. His name day is on November 3. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />There is a Saint Valentine of Trier, who was bishop there and whose name day is celebrated on July 16. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Another Saint Valentine was Bishop of Raetia (which is a large area with the city of Chur roughly in the middle). His mission was to convert the people to the true faith, as there were many Arians and apostates living in the area. In this he was a complete failure. He was expelled from the city of Passau and died as an itinerant preacher in Merano. He is the patron saint of the diocese of Passau and protector from epilepsy, convulsions, gout, and animal diseases. His name day is January 7; he shares that day with Saint Valentine II of Terni. He is represented with the crosier and a child at his feet. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />February 14 is the name day of Saint Valentine (I) of Terni and Saint Valentine of Rome. Maybe they were one and the same, nobody knows for sure. They both died supposedly at the hands of some Roman emperor of other. Both are said to have been executed by beheading on February 14. Saint Valentine of Rome is the patron saint of lovers, betrothals, and beekeepers. Saint Valentine of Terni is the patron saint of Terni, youth, travelers, and beekeepers and protector from fainting spells, epilepsy, plague, madness, gout and uterine diseases. Both should be shown with sword and cock, but are usually shown with crosier and child. Duplicate mentions are purely coincidental and are not, therefore, caused by the fact that all these stories were later inventions. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Flowers, jewelry and chocolates are somehow missing in the list. These come under the exclusive jurisdictions of Saint Honoratus of Amiens, Saint Louis of France (King Louis IX) and Saint Lawrence of Rome respectively. Saint Valentine of Rome may show lovers in his jurisdiction, but that particular expertise was acquired over many centuries because his name day happened to be on the day people gave each other flower gifts.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The gifting of flowers on February 14 has nothing to do with any saints. On February 14 and 15, the Romans held a festival in the honor of Juno, wife of Jupiter. It was customary on that day to make a gift of flowers to wives and beloved women. Juno took over that festival herself; it had been known as the Luparia and was probably an Etruscan import into Rome. The Luparia was a festival of transition for girls turning into women, a rite of passage. This was the festival inherited by Saint Valentine. As an early Christian, he would have found that process entirely normal. Christians had already diligently plundered other religions' imagery, symbolism, symbols, festival dates, and even saints were eagerly acquired and made to fit.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If you want to visit Saint Valentine, you have many possibilities to do so. Saint Valentine of Viterbo can be found in that city, or so I am told. Saint Valentine of Raetia returned from Merano in Italy to Passau in Germany. Saint Valentine II of Terni can be visited there. Saint Valentine of Rome is said to lie in Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome, Italy. A Saint Valentine can also be found in Hiltensweiler in Germany very nicely dressed up and ready for a chat. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Saint Valentine of Terni has been scattered all over Europe (and maybe there are so many pieces that it needs more than two saints to account for them). Claims of having a piece of Valentine magic are made by Kiedrich on the Rhine, Worms, Mainz, Welschbillig near Bitburg, Krumbach, Heuchelheim, Olpe, Ockfen, Fulda (all in Germany), Vienna (Austria), Rouffach, Jumieges near Rouen (both in France), Ernen (Switzerland), Rome (Italy), Prague (Czech Republic), Wroclaw (Poland), Dublin (Ireland), and Glasgow (Scotland).</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/the-feast-of-epiphany-and-three-magi.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Feast of Epiphany and the Three Magi</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/santa-claus-travel-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Santa Claus: Travel in Switzerland</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/st-georges-day-april-23.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Saint George's Day: April 23</span></a></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-17195011112903847322014-01-16T17:34:00.001-08:002020-10-13T07:09:54.835-07:00Lugano, Visit Italy in Switzerland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The city of Lugano is the warm spot of Switzerland. It is situated in the southern Republic and Canton of Ticino on Lake Lugano. The local climate is warm enough for palms and other southern plants to thrive. Nestled in between lake and mountains, breathtaking views are on offer wherever you go.</span><div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a name='more'></a><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Lugano was first mentioned as a city in 875. The name first appeared in an act of deed in 724 when King Luitprand of Lombardy donated it to the church of Saint Carpoforo in Como. In 1061, Pope Alexander II confirmed and extended these donations. The rest of the middle ages until 1513, Lugano was mostly a play-ball between the authorities of Como and the Dukes of Milan. At the end of the 14th century, having been part of the Duchy of Milan under the Visconti family for quite a long time, Lugano was conquered by the French General Mondragon acting on behalf of King Louis XII of France.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />This proved to be a severe interruption of trade routes between the Swiss Confederation in the North and the Italian states in the South. The Swiss took this as a personal affront from the king of France and stepped in. They drove the French out of all the cities between the Alps and Milan and annexed the lands as a dependency of all Swiss Confederate states in 1513 in a joint-venture manner. In a singularly arrogant gesture, they razed the castle in Lugano to the ground on grounds of being too expensive to run. Having the most feared and best organized army at that time, the Swiss reputation was enough to keep Lugano safe for over 200 years.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />In 1796, it was clear that the Swiss Confederation would inevitably fall to Napoleon. The Confederation handed the inhabitants South of the Alps their freedom, erected an independent Republic and accepted them into the confederation as a partner of equal rights at the same time. This move swayed Napoleon from integrating the lands into Italy and instead it became part of his Helvetic Republic. After Napoleon's defeat, the Italian speaking Republic of Ticino followed the other Swiss republics into independence from the Holy Roman Empire. They joined the new Swiss Confederation, and in 1848 became part of the United States of Switzerland.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />During the 19th century, Lugano was a hot spot for members of the Italian Risorgimento. The members of this movement regularly used Lugano as their domicile in exile when things were getting too hot to handle at home. While Italy was trying to unify, there was a constant stream of Italian expatriates into the city. This led to the city developing its main industry, tourism. Exploiting its extraordinary combination of beauty spots and warm climate, tourism is still the mainstay of the local economy, apart from the usual Swiss vice of banking.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2oWzZJVJ3B8/UtiF7eDpZoI/AAAAAAAAmqY/nWK8T3UCww4/s1600/Lugano-switzerland-lake-monte-san-salvatore-mount-saint-saviour-ticino.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2oWzZJVJ3B8/UtiF7eDpZoI/AAAAAAAAmqY/nWK8T3UCww4/s1600/Lugano-switzerland-lake-monte-san-salvatore-mount-saint-saviour-ticino.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The coat of arms of Lugano shows a simple white cross on red ground with four letters in the quadrants: LVGA. While these letters quite obviously constitute the first four letters of the city's name (V being the Roman way of writing the modern U), some extraordinary theories have sprung up in this connection. One theory links the letters to Legio V Gallia Alpina, thereby giving the city a Roman historical link. The only source linking the fifth legion to Lugano I could find is in fact the reverse argument based on these selfsame letters in the coat of arms. Sort of the cat that bites its tail.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEBHyFwDJtk/UtiF_NZ_jUI/AAAAAAAAmqk/cHgAcfP-Tlc/s1600/lugano-church-santa-maria-degli-aneli-1490-minorites-monastery-bernardino-luini-fresco-1529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TEBHyFwDJtk/UtiF_NZ_jUI/AAAAAAAAmqk/cHgAcfP-Tlc/s1600/lugano-church-santa-maria-degli-aneli-1490-minorites-monastery-bernardino-luini-fresco-1529.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The city is dominated by mountains, the Bré Mountain (a tautonym, as Bre derives from the Celtic word for mountain), Mount San Salvatore (Saint Saviour Mountain) and the Verità Mountain (the mountain of Truth). On the other side you find the Lake of Lugano, a lake shared between Switzerland and Italy. Ferry services connect all the major towns on the lake in Switzerland and Italy; it's a must to enjoy the full voyage around Lake Lugano.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJuF8Jxp590/UtiGDTu6xVI/AAAAAAAAmrM/L27L_gK-3XM/s1600/Lugano-paradise-in-switzerland-Paradiso-railway-station-ticino.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lJuF8Jxp590/UtiGDTu6xVI/AAAAAAAAmrM/L27L_gK-3XM/s1600/Lugano-paradise-in-switzerland-Paradiso-railway-station-ticino.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The language spoken in town (as opposed to what I put in the title) is Lombardic (the Lombard tribes were part of the same movement as the Alemannic and German tribes after the downfall of the Roman Empire), but the official and written language is Italian. Famous people connected with the city include German writer Hermann Hesse, UN chief attorney Carla Del Ponte, human rights specialist Dick Marty, and the complete who is who of the Italian Risorgimento. The people of Lugano are never subjected to fun by the other Swiss as everybody is just glad to get there into the sun.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cl3E6T9zrmA/UtiGAq65dFI/AAAAAAAAmqw/PoOyV55j3iQ/s1600/lugano-lake-view-switzerland-canton-ticino-south-warm-weather-ticino-history.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cl3E6T9zrmA/UtiGAq65dFI/AAAAAAAAmqw/PoOyV55j3iQ/s1600/lugano-lake-view-switzerland-canton-ticino-south-warm-weather-ticino-history.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />For further information on the city of Lugano you may want to go to the official homepage of the city government <a href="http://www.lugano.ch/">lugano.ch</a>.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmRjQMTugkw/UtiGBL6ua0I/AAAAAAAAmq4/lEqOY5uuP0g/s1600/lugano-city-center-shopping-street-arcades-ticino-lake-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmRjQMTugkw/UtiGBL6ua0I/AAAAAAAAmq4/lEqOY5uuP0g/s1600/lugano-city-center-shopping-street-arcades-ticino-lake-switzerland.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Further reading</span><div>
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/saint-befanas-day-gifts-from-witch.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Saint Befana's Day: Gifts From the Witch</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-town-of-baden-in-baden.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Town of Baden in Baden</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-swiss-city-of-lausanne-is-best.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Lausanne, World Capital of Sports</span></a></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-34697217000691899132014-01-10T11:45:00.003-08:002020-11-15T16:40:57.472-08:00LGBT History in The British Museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The British Museum is better known for its pretty little gift books that devote themselves to topics like flowers and cats (always a seller). That the same museum has published an identical catalog on LGBT related museum objects is one of the wonders of 2013. Coming from the British Museum, you may expect quality in research and content; you won't be disappointed.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ff-HwjboTM/UtBLE4AXtwI/AAAAAAAAlgc/1NPC_IroUWg/s1600/naked-gay-greek-style-warrior-pouch-white-spear-throwing-olympian-pubes-hairless-smooth-chest-teen-boy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ff-HwjboTM/UtBLE4AXtwI/AAAAAAAAlgc/1NPC_IroUWg/s1600/naked-gay-greek-style-warrior-pouch-white-spear-throwing-olympian-pubes-hairless-smooth-chest-teen-boy.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Little Gay History: Desire and Diversity Across the World was edited by Professor Richard B. Parkinson and published by Thames & Hudson. The handy little book is a perfect gift format packed with LGBT related history. It presents 41 historical objects that can be found in the collection of the British Museum.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sf6wawIgi6Y/UtBLHDUlr2I/AAAAAAAAlgw/vpOlOp-2j-M/s1600/leather-skirt-bulge-erection-shirtless-slave-hunk-hairles-smooth-gay-twink-body-builder-burning-torch-bonds-boots-cage-muscle-tan.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sf6wawIgi6Y/UtBLHDUlr2I/AAAAAAAAlgw/vpOlOp-2j-M/s1600/leather-skirt-bulge-erection-shirtless-slave-hunk-hairles-smooth-gay-twink-body-builder-burning-torch-bonds-boots-cage-muscle-tan.png" width="140" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The historical timeline starts out with a 12,000 year old figurine found in Ain Sakhri in the desert of Judea depicting lovers in an intimate embrace. It is the oldest surviving sculpture of a human sexual act found to date. The figurine is not only old, it is also exceedingly clever. The artist conceived it in a way that no matter how you hold it, it always represents a male phallus. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2SN_rLG0H9U/UtBLIVkOCOI/AAAAAAAAlg8/1GtiHqTGW30/s1600/shirtless-gay-warrier-leather-skirt-bonds-twink-actor-muscle-hunk-unshaved-broad-chest-axe-hairy-pit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2SN_rLG0H9U/UtBLIVkOCOI/AAAAAAAAlg8/1GtiHqTGW30/s1600/shirtless-gay-warrier-leather-skirt-bonds-twink-actor-muscle-hunk-unshaved-broad-chest-axe-hairy-pit.jpg" width="144" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">From there, the timeline takes readers through the millennia. From transgender Mesopotamian goddesses or gods, by way of the first recorded gay kiss in history that happened in ancient Egypt, to the greatest love-story of all times between Roman Emperor Hadrian and Antinous (who became both a Roman and an Egyptian god), and over Shakespeare, it takes readers into modern times.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPZCMu0Ev9c/UtBLKcXXezI/AAAAAAAAlhY/jBaLeU_GcMM/s1600/shirtless-roman-boy-emperor-crown-wreath-smooth-kissing-lips-antinous-hadrian-love-story-gay-teen-actor-model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPZCMu0Ev9c/UtBLKcXXezI/AAAAAAAAlhY/jBaLeU_GcMM/s1600/shirtless-roman-boy-emperor-crown-wreath-smooth-kissing-lips-antinous-hadrian-love-story-gay-teen-actor-model.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The beauty of the book lies in the detail. Every object was carefully scrutinized for its LGBT relevant context. Caution is concept. The British Museum is not one of the world's most renowned institutions for making wild guesses. No one should be offended by radical interpretations. Even opponents of homosexuality will have to bow to the force of this academic work. The book contains only properly researched and objectively presented facts. There are no tenable counter-arguments against the arguments presented here for LGBT interpretation of individual objects. Whoever is tempted to do that descends into what this catalog so cleverly avoids: Wild guesses.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IeQzRU2tH10/UtBLISLcDcI/AAAAAAAAlhE/ezEYh_WAw1E/s1600/transvestite-muscle-hunks-gay-dress-shirtless-bulge-erection-sneakers-net-stockings-corsage-long-hair-bra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IeQzRU2tH10/UtBLISLcDcI/AAAAAAAAlhE/ezEYh_WAw1E/s1600/transvestite-muscle-hunks-gay-dress-shirtless-bulge-erection-sneakers-net-stockings-corsage-long-hair-bra.jpg" width="141" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The academic power makes this book as explosive as a bombshell. It was published by the British Museum itself. Such an official stamp of approval by the prestigious institution gives the catalog a leading position within LGBT related history and within publications issued by museums the world over. Of course, similar historical objects can be found in other museum collections but other museums lacked the political will and the daring for such a concentrated publication so far. </span><br />
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</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onNZtfXyClQ/X7HKQUIZVII/AAAAAAABXJo/PkESHXcpy6ITAJOHYIYKAhoFACNNDz7CACLcBGAsYHQ/s591/young-slim-teen-boy-playing-red-indian-dance-game-hairless-shirtless-bare-feet-head-dres-naked-pouches-skirts-bands-bonds-feathers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="393" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onNZtfXyClQ/X7HKQUIZVII/AAAAAAABXJo/PkESHXcpy6ITAJOHYIYKAhoFACNNDz7CACLcBGAsYHQ/w133-h200/young-slim-teen-boy-playing-red-indian-dance-game-hairless-shirtless-bare-feet-head-dres-naked-pouches-skirts-bands-bonds-feathers.jpg" width="133" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Because the book is a modern book, the term homosexuality is not limited to same-sex relationships but is used all encompassing. It contains examples of gay and lesbian love, of transgender deities from Asia and India, of cross-dressing in France in the 18th Century (the spy story of the Chevalier d'Eon de Beaumont), and of tolerance of homoerotic love in antiquity, in the Pacific, with the North American Indians, etc. The sympathetic formulated introduction by Egyptology Professor Richard B. Parkinson could be read as a LGBT manifesto. He says that there exists a sufficiently large corpus of history books on homosexuality. But none of the publications can call on the standing and quality of this small book. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jz-zhYxjOZw/UtBLGaKmEmI/AAAAAAAAlg0/J1IkKjvODhk/s1600/shirtless-musketeer-athlete-gay-twink-actor-model-musce-hunk-white-stretch-trousers-bulge-naked-sword-boots-hairless-french-beauty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jz-zhYxjOZw/UtBLGaKmEmI/AAAAAAAAlg0/J1IkKjvODhk/s1600/shirtless-musketeer-athlete-gay-twink-actor-model-musce-hunk-white-stretch-trousers-bulge-naked-sword-boots-hairless-french-beauty.jpg" width="135" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The book was intended for teenagers on their way to their coming-out to read it for themselves and to be able to give a copy to their parents. The catalog is equally interesting if you are well past being a teenager or have no gay children to catch up with. The attention the researchers gave to every object in this publication is of general academic interest.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7NKjJlSw5I/UtBLDwGCTpI/AAAAAAAAlgU/HbQwan-pnNA/s1600/fantasy-warrior-gay-shirtless-muscle-hunk-body-builder-twink-boy-sword-costume-nude-hairless-chest-kellan-lutz-hercules.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7NKjJlSw5I/UtBLDwGCTpI/AAAAAAAAlgU/HbQwan-pnNA/s1600/fantasy-warrior-gay-shirtless-muscle-hunk-body-builder-twink-boy-sword-costume-nude-hairless-chest-kellan-lutz-hercules.jpg" width="158" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Richard B. Parkinson wrote in the introduction that every museum in the world has objects in its collection that have something to do with LGBT history. It is important to show them with the same ease and to comment on them as on all other objects. The changing attitude in the handling of the matter is exemplified with the case of the Warren Cup. What was unacceptable as a purchase in 1950 became a special exhibition in 2006.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3Ld1blHfDU/UtBLD9T3dwI/AAAAAAAAlgQ/nDVYW3PnA_o/s1600/henry-cavill-gay-shirtless-warrior-spear-sweat-muscle-hunk-boy-twink-sleek-smooth-hairless-nude-chest-wet-roman-warrior.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q3Ld1blHfDU/UtBLD9T3dwI/AAAAAAAAlgQ/nDVYW3PnA_o/s1600/henry-cavill-gay-shirtless-warrior-spear-sweat-muscle-hunk-boy-twink-sleek-smooth-hairless-nude-chest-wet-roman-warrior.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">The British Museum has omitted all objects pertaining to China. This was for purely political reasons; they didn't want to offend the dictatorial regime clinging to power and thereby antagonize their own sponsors dependent on the indecent trade with that self-same country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/christina-female-king-of-sweden.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Christina, the Female King of Sweden</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/prince-valdemar-of-denmark-and-too-many.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Prince Valdemar of Denmark and Too Many Thrones</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-sex-workers-of-georgian-london.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Sex Workers of Georgian London</span></a></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-62286927318560252922013-12-24T11:26:00.001-08:002020-10-13T07:05:19.381-07:00The Devil's Christmas Song<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Church has been responsible for the most inspiring Christmas music. They had the message to promote, the venues for the party, and the necessary cash to pay for it. Christmas music is terribly predictable; Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and angels are standard fare. How refreshing if you get an oratorio with a role for the devil.</span><div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFkkMknpA_o/UrnaGHnHWqI/AAAAAAAAixY/QMSO-_5clXg/s1600/devil-lucifer-belzebub-hairless-topless-shirtless-model-tail-claws-lycra-gay-latex-bulge-muscle-male-model-twink-hunk-boy-sexy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFkkMknpA_o/UrnaGHnHWqI/AAAAAAAAixY/QMSO-_5clXg/s200/devil-lucifer-belzebub-hairless-topless-shirtless-model-tail-claws-lycra-gay-latex-bulge-muscle-male-model-twink-hunk-boy-sexy.jpg" width="132" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">For 300 years, the Christmas Oratorio by Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier was lost in the catacombs of the Vatican Library. Played once, it went to sleep like Sleeping Beauty for 300 years. But this music shouldn't be sleepy; it was done on the grand scale and is characterized more by Italian drama than by Christian contemplation.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Arcangelo Corelli</span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />In 1698, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni desperately needed appropriately festive music for the coming Christmas. He commissioned a work in the style called "componimento sacro" (holy composition). He handed out such commissions on a yearly basis. As one of the most important music patrons in Italy in the 17th century that is hardly surprising. He demanded an "oratorio con concertino e concerto grosso all'usanza di Roma"; it should be an oratorio with an orchestral score based on the fashionable Roman Concerto Grosso. Such a commission had a natural recipient in Arcangelo Corelli. He was the grand master of the concerto grosso and a personal friend and music director of Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni</span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Why the contract that year didn't go to Arcangelo Corelli but to his colleague Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier no one knows for sure. Whatever happened, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni didn't repent of because he didn't spare any money having the resulting "componimento sacro per la nascita del Redentore" (holy composition for the birth of the Redeemer) played and sung to the faithful: He hired "120 tra musici e suonatori" (120 musicians and singers) including the leading instrumentalists and soloists of the city. In all reckoning, this amounted to a monumental cast.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Arcangelo Corelli</span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The original score of the oratorio seems to be a cooperation between Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier and Arcangelo Corelli. Musical historians think it a certainty that in between the arias by Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier instrumental recitatives and choral bodies in the style of the Concerto Grosso were placed that were written by Arcangelo Corelli. And it was Arcangelo Corelli who directed the performances.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni</span></td></tr>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The work was only performed one year and then lay forgotten between dusty tomes in the cellar of the Vatican Library. In 2012, the work was performed for the first time in 300 years in Vienna, Austria. This year, the oratorio was staged in the Brixen, South Tirol, Italy, with the same cast as in Vienna. Another performance was produced in Basel, Switzerland, under the direction of Baroque specialist Rinaldo Alessandrini. It seems, the work will not fall prey to dust again.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zzpp1wRX0MQ/UrnaGsUXF4I/AAAAAAAAixs/Cf57c6qyGcI/s1600/speedo-angel-boy-stage-catwalk-white-wings-gay-svarovski-crystal-slim-shirtless-teenager-nude-chest-show-bulge.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zzpp1wRX0MQ/UrnaGsUXF4I/AAAAAAAAixs/Cf57c6qyGcI/s200/speedo-angel-boy-stage-catwalk-white-wings-gay-svarovski-crystal-slim-shirtless-teenager-nude-chest-show-bulge.jpg" width="140" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The story behind Giovanni Lorenzo Lulier's oratorio regarding its composition and rediscovery make an interesting story. But the work has some other remarkable peculiarities. In addition to the usual and well-known roles like Mary, Joseph, a shepherd and an angel, it has another prominent and unexpected player: Lucifer, the Devil incarnate. His role is to remind people and nobility of ever-threatening heresy. The libretto is a church political statement written by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Evil lurks everywhere and the devil is ready to do anything. This is the message with little Christmas cheer to our ears. Lucifer incites child murderer Herod to the massacre of the infants. This of course doesn't escape the angel present at the oratorio. This situation leads to an impressive vocal showdown between angel and devil in a double aria. This music is more battle scene than sleeping child in a crib.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjSgfl_4iwQ/UrnaHOep5lI/AAAAAAAAixo/1zHHB3SnvdI/s1600/tattoo-gay-angel-boy-white-drawers-wings-climbing-muscle-model-shirtless-twink-hunk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MjSgfl_4iwQ/UrnaHOep5lI/AAAAAAAAixo/1zHHB3SnvdI/s200/tattoo-gay-angel-boy-white-drawers-wings-climbing-muscle-model-shirtless-twink-hunk.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://cardinal%20pietro%20ottoboni/" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Johann Sebastian Bach Plagiarized</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/stirling-castle-with-music-in-ceiling.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Stirling Castle With Music in The Ceiling</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-small-village-with-cathedral.html" target="_blank">A Small Village With a Cathedral: Arlesheim Near Basel</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-23397568796650465042013-12-15T10:12:00.002-08:002020-11-15T17:00:25.690-08:00The Feast of Epiphany and The Three Magi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Epiphany means the revelation of a man as God. The Christian feast is commemorated on the 6th
of January (by Gregorian calendar). The Magi, or in European Continental standard the Three
Holy Kings, form part of that legend. They gripped peoples’ imagination much
more than the abstract revelation.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T7ppseFQQ_U/Uq3vTGxTFWI/AAAAAAAAhdk/cU6fU-HBWo0/s1600/gay-shirtless-boy-king-crown-cross-diamonds-pubes-jacket-teenage-model-sexy-male-chest-hairless.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T7ppseFQQ_U/Uq3vTGxTFWI/AAAAAAAAhdk/cU6fU-HBWo0/s200/gay-shirtless-boy-king-crown-cross-diamonds-pubes-jacket-teenage-model-sexy-male-chest-hairless.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">In Greek
dominated Egypt under the Ptolemaic dynasty (it ended with the death of Cleopatra VII Philopator in 30 BC), the night between the 5th and the 6th
of January was the feast of the sun god Aion's birth to his virgin mother Kore. During the following day, people would get water from the Nile
which was reputed to be healing water for that day only. Any similarities to any later legends in other religions are obviously purely coincidental.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">In Rome,
the word Epiphany came to mean the moment when the Emperor became a God, starting
with Julius Caesar on January 10th when he crossed the Rubicon. In time, it
became synonymous with Advent, the arrival of an emperor in a city of the
realm. The Eastern Church usurped the ideas, the names, and the feasts, and later
exported it into the Western Church. Which proves that there is obviously only one true church of god.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">Saint
Matthew’s is the only Evangelist mentioning the </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Magi</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> at all. He doesn't tell us how many there were, much less their names. In time, three (one for each gift) were sent on the way by story tellers, and they
started more than one adventurous journey. One journey brought them from somewhere East to possibly Bethlehem. Another journey was undertaken by their dead
bodies, but that is another story linked to Saint Helena. A journey in fiction writing is their evolution from Magi
to Kings. This evolution started in the 3rd century with a sideline by a commentator of
the bible who supposed them to be dressed like kings.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6h9fx4l3_0/Uq3vU5785-I/AAAAAAAAhd8/pfoCdbutfzo/s1600/shirtless-magus-magi-cape-smooth-naked-chest-pecs-abs-chain-gold-hammer-pouch-head-dress-fantasy-gay-dream.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q6h9fx4l3_0/Uq3vU5785-I/AAAAAAAAhd8/pfoCdbutfzo/s200/shirtless-magus-magi-cape-smooth-naked-chest-pecs-abs-chain-gold-hammer-pouch-head-dress-fantasy-gay-dream.jpg" width="131" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">From
there, it was a short step for the Magi to become Kings. In one story, they
became the metaphor for man’s ages, with an old, a middle aged, and a youthful
king. In the medieval world, they came to represent the three (known)
continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. And they acquired names: Caspar, Melchior,
and Balthazar. At some point or other, they were made saints as well.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4D8Lt0TVUic/Uq3vXgVtnJI/AAAAAAAAheY/c0Ae1zIsBPo/s1600/gay-muscle-twink-egyptian-slave-hunk-chain-large-nipples-smooth-hairless-nude-pecs-makeup-mascara-model-actor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4D8Lt0TVUic/Uq3vXgVtnJI/AAAAAAAAheY/c0Ae1zIsBPo/s200/gay-muscle-twink-egyptian-slave-hunk-chain-large-nipples-smooth-hairless-nude-pecs-makeup-mascara-model-actor.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">The name
Epiphany got all but lost in Continental Europe as it was renamed the Day of
the Three Kings. The kings ride into the towns of Italy and Southern Switzerland
on the evening of the 5th of January every year together with the witch Befana. In the village of Bigorio in the
Capriasca Valley, the children await the arrival of the cavalcade to lead them
to the nearby monastery of the Capuchin monks. There, the villagers and the
children are treated with food and hot drinks before a late mass is being read
in the little chapel.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g7aEJC_JT1I/Uq3vV6gHbOI/AAAAAAAAheU/T-XockUewXM/s1600/shirtless-smooth-teen-king-boy-blue-undies-golden-throne-cape-muscle-crown-fantasy-prince-teenage-gay-kid-model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g7aEJC_JT1I/Uq3vV6gHbOI/AAAAAAAAheU/T-XockUewXM/s200/shirtless-smooth-teen-king-boy-blue-undies-golden-throne-cape-muscle-crown-fantasy-prince-teenage-gay-kid-model.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">North of
the Alps that day, people start the day on the 6th of January eating a Three Kings’ Cake. The cake is made of sweet bread
formed into a crown with a plastic figure or a coin hidden in one of the pieces. The
person finding the hidden plastic in his piece is crowned king for the day. This
tradition is quite recent, starting only after World War II. What </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Saint Nicolas</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> and </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Saint Befana</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> could do for the toy and sweets industry, the
three saintly kings could do for the bakers, obviously, not to mention the awesome power of Saint Valentine.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OSAL0uy9BQ/Uq3vS4NRgJI/AAAAAAAAhdg/Ei9uVJgYyd4/s1600/carpe-diem-shirtless-prince-king-hairless-teenage-boy-gay-slim-body-tattoo-crown-male-model-sexy-pose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4OSAL0uy9BQ/Uq3vS4NRgJI/AAAAAAAAhdg/Ei9uVJgYyd4/s200/carpe-diem-shirtless-prince-king-hairless-teenage-boy-gay-slim-body-tattoo-crown-male-model-sexy-pose.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">The cake
tradition has spread to other countries, like Spain and Mexico. The Spanish
bakers have added a further feature to the cake; beside the plastic figure
there is also a bean hidden in the cake. The person who gets the bean has to
pay for the cake.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgAnsMYMlU/Uq3vWdMrKyI/AAAAAAAAheQ/6N3k7eLchKo/s1600/shirtless-twink-boy-fantasy-gay-king-prince-pubes-re-speedo-bulge-boner-erection-hairy-pits-male-model-hunk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgAnsMYMlU/Uq3vWdMrKyI/AAAAAAAAheQ/6N3k7eLchKo/s200/shirtless-twink-boy-fantasy-gay-king-prince-pubes-re-speedo-bulge-boner-erection-hairy-pits-male-model-hunk.jpg" width="144" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">In the
German speaking parts of Europe, the Star Singers are also out and about on this
day. Usually dressed as kings, the singers go from house to house carrying a
star formed lantern. In houses where they are let in, they sing or pray and
mark the entrance with the three letters CMB (Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar;
reads as ‘Christus Mansionem Benedicat’ may Christ bless this house, too).
For their trouble, they receive gifts of money which is collected for the poor of the
parish.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rioCdJDSq1o/Uq3vVRhB4oI/AAAAAAAAheA/IeuYh1x9Pz8/s1600/shirtless-skateboard-kings-slim-young-gay-teen-kids-sneaker-stripe-trouser-bulges-gay-actors-models.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rioCdJDSq1o/Uq3vVRhB4oI/AAAAAAAAheA/IeuYh1x9Pz8/s200/shirtless-skateboard-kings-slim-young-gay-teen-kids-sneaker-stripe-trouser-bulges-gay-actors-models.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">Further reading</span><br />
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/cologne-cathedral-shrine-of-magi.html" target="_blank">Cologne Cathedral: The Shrine of The Magi</a></span><br />
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/saint-befanas-day-gifts-from-witch.html" target="_blank">Saint Befana's Day: Gifts From The Witch</a></span><br />
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/saint-helena-empress-of-rome.html" target="_blank">Saint Helena, Empress of Rome</a></span></span></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-15898628036102273912013-12-12T10:05:00.003-08:002021-01-07T05:01:58.420-08:00A Small Village with a Cathedral: Arlesheim Near Basel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">The small village of Arlesheim is situated on the outskirts of the city of </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Basel</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> in Switzerland. Mainly a farming
community, it contains a cathedral and a town center built in the 17th century, two castles, and a large English garden. Arlesheim is worth a visit
for its sights alone, but a must for music lovers to hear the world-famous Silbermann organ
in the cathedral.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8lh7jJfjRGA/Uqn5DAJ5SeI/AAAAAAAAg_M/WR-6ZtcYW5Q/s1600/switzerland-basel-arlesheim-village-view-baroque-center-cathedral-administration-bishop-church.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8lh7jJfjRGA/Uqn5DAJ5SeI/AAAAAAAAg_M/WR-6ZtcYW5Q/s200/switzerland-basel-arlesheim-village-view-baroque-center-cathedral-administration-bishop-church.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">As with
many small villages, historical documents are sketchy and early history is shrouded in legend rather than fact. The name
Arlesheim is a unsolved riddle, and it is doubtful that it was ever meant to contain the
part ‘heim’ (meaning home) at all. The name may be nothing more than a transliteration of how it was heard in spoken Alemannic. Arlesheim became part of the princely domain of the Prince-Bishop of Basel in
1239. In 1679, it was designated as the new seat for the Domkapitel, the board of
advisers of the Bishop of Basel living in exile in Porrentruy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LfTTsDJEa94/Uqn4-lF8WkI/AAAAAAAAg-k/funRqMRgLcc/s1600/Arlesheim-cathedral-switzerland-basel-baroque-building-architecture-central-plaza-bishop-see.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LfTTsDJEa94/Uqn4-lF8WkI/AAAAAAAAg-k/funRqMRgLcc/s200/Arlesheim-cathedral-switzerland-basel-baroque-building-architecture-central-plaza-bishop-see.jpg" width="171" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">In a
record two years, the bishop had not only a complete cathedral built, but also
a complete town center with houses for the advisers and the administration of
the See to go with it. Compared to today’s technological standards, this would mean building
the </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Twin</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> Towers in six months or the Shard in three while
filling them with a lifetime of artwork by Andy Warhol at the same time; that is on the spot new art, not pre-produced pictures. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDqJMIkVxAE/Uqn5FBXEp9I/AAAAAAAAg_U/Rss8MlV7DBg/s1600/interior-cathedral-Arlesheim-basel-switzerland-baroque-rebuild-1759.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iDqJMIkVxAE/Uqn5FBXEp9I/AAAAAAAAg_U/Rss8MlV7DBg/s200/interior-cathedral-Arlesheim-basel-switzerland-baroque-rebuild-1759.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">In the
total refurbishment and enlargement of the cathedral in 1759, an organ built by
Johann Andreas Silbermann was added. Silbermann organs (built by one of the
brothers Gottfried and Andreas or the latter’s son Johann Andreas) are known
for their superior sound. As Silbermann was included in the planning of the
rebuild from the start, the cathedral’s architecture was based on acoustics to compliment the organ's sound. It is for its acoustic value that the cathedral’s organ is often used
for recordings of classical organ works.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tzbsEXY11sg/Uqn5AUMnD4I/AAAAAAAAg-8/hJoJ96L26-w/s1600/cathedral-Arlesheim-organ-silbermann-interior-rebuild-1759-acoustic-architecture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tzbsEXY11sg/Uqn5AUMnD4I/AAAAAAAAg-8/hJoJ96L26-w/s200/cathedral-Arlesheim-organ-silbermann-interior-rebuild-1759-acoustic-architecture.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">In 1785, Princess Balbina of Andlau, a friend of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's, started building the
Eremitage, a large English garden inspired by the new interest in nature as
proposed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Inspired by local legends of hermits living in the hills near Arlesheim, she included lakes, follies, and a hermitage
in her design. During the French revolution, the garden was completely
destroyed by French troops. During the Restoration in Switzerland, it was rebuilt by her son. What can be viewed today
is the rebuild of 1812.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRe7qBzMCDI/Uqn4-tp_IsI/AAAAAAAAg-g/Mj-sXWg8lac/s1600/Arlesheim-Eremitage-natural-gardens-park-rebuild-1812-jean-jacques-rousseau-princess-balbina-andlau-prince-conrad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRe7qBzMCDI/Uqn4-tp_IsI/AAAAAAAAg-g/Mj-sXWg8lac/s200/Arlesheim-Eremitage-natural-gardens-park-rebuild-1812-jean-jacques-rousseau-princess-balbina-andlau-prince-conrad.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">One of
the mythical hermits that inspired Princess Balbina of Andlau was Saint Odilia, Princess of Burgundy,
who is said to have lived her whole adult life in the hills near Arlesheim. Saint Odilia is the
patron saint of the village. She has her own altar in the cathedral and a statue dating from the earliest village church is kept there on display. The
Andlau family had a manor house in the village which is still a private
residence and not open to the public but you are allowed to walk into the driveway.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwUThpOUIhc/Uqn4_JE_CEI/AAAAAAAAg-s/0Xw4Poo4oFQ/s1600/Arlesheim-main-altar-cathedral-rebuild-1759-baroque-interior-design-paintings-architecture-Catholic-bishop-church-basel-switzerland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wwUThpOUIhc/Uqn4_JE_CEI/AAAAAAAAg-s/0Xw4Poo4oFQ/s200/Arlesheim-main-altar-cathedral-rebuild-1759-baroque-interior-design-paintings-architecture-Catholic-bishop-church-basel-switzerland.jpg" width="130" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" lang="EN-GB">Above
the village and the Eremitage, the ruins of Birseck Castle can be seen. This
castle had been part of the defenses of Basel and one of the summer residences of the
bishop. It was largely destroyed in the earthquake of 1356 but was rebuilt
shortly later. During the French Revolution, the castle was again destroyed.
With the Eremitage, Prince Conrad of Andlau also rebuilt the castle as a ruin on a romantic
scale with no historical connection to previous builds.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMXXduGRTGw/Uqn4-hYHJmI/AAAAAAAAg-c/MdVrAh2yLw8/s1600/Arlesheim-Birseck-castle-bishop-basel-switzerland-eremitag-park-natural-gardens-rebuild-1812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMXXduGRTGw/Uqn4-hYHJmI/AAAAAAAAg-c/MdVrAh2yLw8/s200/Arlesheim-Birseck-castle-bishop-basel-switzerland-eremitag-park-natural-gardens-rebuild-1812.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">On
another hill, the small castle of Reichenstein can be seen. This castle was
completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1356, too, and fancifully rebuilt in
1933 by a local merchant family. Arlesheim has become a suburb of the City of Basel
during the 20th century and is linked to the city center by tram, bus, and rail
services. Useful links for visitors include </span><span lang="DE-CH"><a href="http://www.arlesheim.ch/"><span lang="EN-GB">arlesheim.ch</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB"> and </span><span lang="DE-CH"><a href="http://www.arlesheim-dom.org/"><span lang="EN-GB">arlesheim-dom.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-GB">.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KlCVVEndN40/Uqn5AjllzwI/AAAAAAAAg_A/t4bK9owXXbw/s1600/castle-Reichenstein-arlesheim-basel-switzerland-rebuild-1933.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KlCVVEndN40/Uqn5AjllzwI/AAAAAAAAg_A/t4bK9owXXbw/s200/castle-Reichenstein-arlesheim-basel-switzerland-rebuild-1933.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><span lang="EN-GB">Since
1921, Arlesheim has the world’s first clinic for anthroposophist medicine. You
might know about the village already without knowing it, if you ever noticed products
by </span><span lang="DE-CH"><span lang="EN-GB">Weleda</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"> in your local pharmacy or drug
store. Weleda products are produced on anthroposophist principles and are
therefore completely natural and contain no artificial components either for
treatment or for conservation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dww7Y5tOZdw/Uqn5F3yM5TI/AAAAAAAAg_Y/euz-0RfntjU/s1600/arlesheim-village-market-place-basel-switzerland-farming-community.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="88" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dww7Y5tOZdw/Uqn5F3yM5TI/AAAAAAAAg_Y/euz-0RfntjU/s200/arlesheim-village-market-place-basel-switzerland-farming-community.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Further reading</span><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/museum-city-basel.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Museum City: Basel</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/the-ocean-liner-britannic-was-latest.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Lost and Found: Britannic's Organ</span></a><br />
<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/solothurn-switzerlands-baroque-jewel.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Solothurn, Switzerland's Baroque Jewel</span></a></span><br /></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-41388742870508682922013-12-09T16:59:00.001-08:002020-10-13T06:39:44.473-07:00Palmanova: Italy's Star City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">Towns are founded to succeed. Some do and grow out of all recognition. Some fail and disappear into the ground. Some few fall into a vegetative state and keep going without growing. They are the ones to visit like Palmanova in Italy. Like a time capsule, the town remains almost unchanged since the time of Napoleon. It was founded by the Republic of Venice as the ideal Renaissance town.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Uedzpq0hNA/UqZlpzZitSI/AAAAAAAAgV8/QUAm1XRSpyA/s1600/palmanova-italy-udine-friuli-star-city-venice-defence-napoleon-artillery-cannons.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Uedzpq0hNA/UqZlpzZitSI/AAAAAAAAgV8/QUAm1XRSpyA/s200/palmanova-italy-udine-friuli-star-city-venice-defence-napoleon-artillery-cannons.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On 7 October 1593, the grandees of Venice decided in a vote to build a new town from scratch planned to incorporate the newest defense installations military science could devise. The date of the vote was chosen with care: On that day in 1571, the Ottomans had been defeated by a European alliance in the sea-battle of Lepanto. The Catholic church calendar shows this date as Saint Justin’s Day. He was made patron saint of the new town to be called Palma. The town was intended to keep Ottomans and Austrians out of the Venetian Friuli.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BVDQgLmF80k/UqZlpRY9PnI/AAAAAAAAgVw/vWGBNCI-v4w/s1600/Palmanova-cathedral-saint-justin-town-center-italy-architecture-military-strategy-short-tower-friuli-udine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BVDQgLmF80k/UqZlpRY9PnI/AAAAAAAAgVw/vWGBNCI-v4w/s200/Palmanova-cathedral-saint-justin-town-center-italy-architecture-military-strategy-short-tower-friuli-udine.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Palma was designed in the form of a nine-pointed star with broad roads running from a central plaza straight to the battlements. This allowed for fast troop movement to any required point in case of an attack. The design reflected the realization that the square defending walls of existing towns were too weak for modern bombardment with cannons. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rLw5X9boqms/UqZlotBEyXI/AAAAAAAAgVs/o8_L2Wwf7L0/s1600/original-city-map-palmanova-friuli-udine-italy-venice-france-austria-ottoman-defense.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rLw5X9boqms/UqZlotBEyXI/AAAAAAAAgVs/o8_L2Wwf7L0/s200/original-city-map-palmanova-friuli-udine-italy-venice-france-austria-ottoman-defense.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Palma was intended to house 20,000 inhabitants but never even reached 6,000. Its sterile layout and uniform buildings made it highly unpopular for Venetians to move there. The Doge had to recruit criminals; not even freedom was enough to move them there and he had to add further inducements to get them out of prison. For members of the Venetian army, being sent to Palma meant that your career had just ended. Either you had antagonized your superior or botched your job prior to your move.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuYQ-A_SNh8/UqZloTyyE-I/AAAAAAAAgVo/VGMEfKX1Cdc/s1600/Italy-Palmanova-city-defence-wall-ditch-rampart-venice-france-friuli-udine-military-architecture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuYQ-A_SNh8/UqZloTyyE-I/AAAAAAAAgVo/VGMEfKX1Cdc/s200/Italy-Palmanova-city-defence-wall-ditch-rampart-venice-france-friuli-udine-military-architecture.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Ironically, Palma never saw a single siege or war in any form. The only time it was directly involved in a war was when the formal surrender of the Republic of Venice was signed there in 1797. Napoleon ceded Palma to the Austrians almost immediately. He took it back later and integrated it in the new Italian Kingdom of 1805. The town became his war headquarters and was renamed Palmanova. He added modern military buildings and a further star formed wall even further out from town to keep bombardments of modern artillery out of the town center. He also tore down and completely leveled three villages situated in the surrounding plain to prevent sneak attacks.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3xG5TsPnkNc/UqZlpeSj7TI/AAAAAAAAgWY/H1D9Z15hxiU/s1600/palmanova-architecture-town-house-building-italy-friuli-udine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3xG5TsPnkNc/UqZlpeSj7TI/AAAAAAAAgWY/H1D9Z15hxiU/s200/palmanova-architecture-town-house-building-italy-friuli-udine.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />After the dissolution of the (French) Italian Kingdom, the town fell back to the Austrian Empire until it was annexed by the modern Kingdom of Italy in 1866. After Napoleon, the town lost all strategic importance and went back to sleep. It became a major staging area for the Italian army during the Great War. As no investments in its infrastructure were made in 1914, it remained a time capsule. Palmanova was designated a historic site of major importance by the Italian government in 1960.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Palmanova is situated only 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Udine near the Italian border with Slovenia. The town is worth a visit to get a feeling for what life was like in the past centuries. Besides its overall completeness, it has several beautiful buildings like the cathedral of Saint Justin with its enormous colored glass window showing the lion of Saint Mark (as a political statement, not a sign of piety). The cathedral has an extremely low tower, a further sign of the military character of the town. The design was chosen so as not to give away the town center to the enemy. There are several Venetian style palaces from the time of its founding in 1593, too.</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-battle-of-lepanto-and-its-influence.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Battle of Lepanto and Its Influence on English History</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/san-marino-worlds-oldest-republic.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">San Marino: The World's Oldest Republic</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/galileo-galilei-master-of-science-and.html" target="_blank">Galileo Galilei: Master of Science and Self-Promotion</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-4054405084388465422013-12-06T11:03:00.001-08:002020-10-13T06:36:09.120-07:00Saint Befana’s Day: Gifts From the Witch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">In Italy and Southern Switzerland, January 5th is Befana’s Day. In the night before Epiphany, the witch Befana brings presents and sweets to children. If this reminds you of Saint Nicolas, Santa Claus, and Old Man Frost, then that’s no coincidence.</span><br />
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</span><a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">According to the legend, Befana got embroiled in all that Christian hullaballoo by mere chance; she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When the three magi lost their way on a cloudy day, they asked an old woman they met on the road for directions: Which road should they follow to find the child of God? The old woman was the witch Befana. Getting the full inside story, she speedily went home and collected gifts for the wondrous child she had been told about. But being a good housekeeper, she wouldn't leave the house all dirty. She cleaned the rooms and the kitchen, dried the dishes, and put them into the cupboard before locking up.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />By the time she made it back to the road, the magi had vanished from sight. She followed them but never managed to catch up. When she finally came to Bethlehem, she didn't see the star and couldn't find the child. Since then, she visits children all over the world on her special day, entering the houses by way of the chimneys. She puts gifts into the stockings of good children, but into those of bad children she puts nothing but coal. The coal she leaves in the stockings of bad children is not real coal, though, but a black candy.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />If the last part of the story reminds you of St. Nicolas, then that is intentional. Until quite recently, the South of Switzerland and Italy had their gifts orgies on the eve of January 6th, and not on Christmas Eve. But Befana is much older than Christianity, even though she is referred to as Saint Befana. In all probability, she took her name from the word Epiphany. In reality, she is the Sabine Goddess Strenia. Strenia and the God Janus were the ones responsible for the exchanging of gifts in pre-Christian Rome on New Year.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />As Saint Befana wandered north over the centuries, she took on some Celtic characteristics. They account for her being represented as a witch or old woman. The Celtic old year was represented as an old woman (appearing on New Year's Eve), whereas the New Year was a young girl. As a witch, she rides a broom, with which she cleans up in the house after descending through the chimney. Arriving in the lands of the Langobard in Northern Italy and the South of Switzerland, she also took on some characteristics from Berchta, a Germanic nature goddess.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />During the tenure of the Fascist regime under Benito Mussolini, Saint Befana was misappropriated by them as part of their humdrum ideology. She was intended to represent as a truly Roman tradition, but funnily enough kept her guise of Celtic old witch rather than young Roman goddess. The fascist ideologists even went to the trouble of tampering with the traditional Befana song which went: The Befana comes by night / in her rotten shoes / in her patched skirt / long live the Befana. The ideologists supplanted the third line with: in her Roman skirt. I don't know about you, but I find it troubling that this fascist propaganda piece is cited as the original in English Wikipedia. Wikipedia is always wrong, but it usually isn't fascist.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Traditionally, the Nodada della Befana (swimming in honor of Befana) is held on January 5th in the Lago Maggiore in Brissago, Switzerland. With the air temperature just over 0 Celsius and the water at a sizzling hot 6 Celsius, you need to be hardy to venture it. The organizers, by the way, have a team of medics on site that check your health status before you are allowed to attempt the plunge.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/santa-claus-travel-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Santa Claus: Travel in Switzerland</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-origins-of-santa-claus.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Origins of Santa Claus</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/saint-helena-empress-of-rome.html" target="_blank">Saint Helena, Empress of Rome</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-21614735374640962632013-12-03T08:17:00.001-08:002020-10-13T06:34:49.812-07:00Royal Connections Can Be Deceiving<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Royal families always seem quite remote and completely above board. Royal connections, though, can come in funny places. Titles can be deceiving, too, and are not always as high flying as they sound. Previous history might prove to be not so Royal after all. This is the story of the parents of Queen Mary of the United Kingdom.</span><div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It is a widely known secret that Queen Elizabeth II had to bailout her mother Elizabeth the Queen Mother on several occasions. It is also firmly established in the minds of many, at least of the older generation, that Queen Mary was a most Royal Queen and strict to boot. Apart from other minor hiccups, there was a bankruptcy on her family’s way to present her as Her Serene Highness, Princess Mary of Teck, and fiancee of the future King of England.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Queen Mary’s father Francis was born in 1837 as the son of Duke Alexander of Württemberg and his wife Countess Claudine Rhédey of Kis-Rhéde. As Hungarian-born Claudine was not descended from a ruling family, the marriage of the two was considered morganatic. This meant that Claudine did not become a Duchess with her marriage and that their children were excluded from their father’s titles as well as from their rights of succession to the throne in the Kingdom of Württemberg.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Under these circumstances, the children would have been born untitled commoners as their mother's title could not be handed on. Emperor Ferdinand of Austria (and King of Hungary) came to the rescue and accorded Claudine the title of Countess of Hohenstein (in her own right). Francis was therefore born a Count of Hohenstein. Claudine died in a freak accident in 1841. Alexander descended into depression and eventually madness as a reaction to the tragedy. In a late move at redress, King William of Württemberg accorded the titles of Prince and Princess of Teck to Francis and his two sisters in 1863. The title was an invention inspired by Castle Teck above the town of Kirchheim Under Teck. The Württemberg Royal family had a residence there.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />In 1866, Queen Victoria was faced with the dilemma of finding a husband for her cousin Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (known as Fat Mary). She found the perfect bridegroom in Francis, now Prince of Teck, with the necessary if barely adequate Royal pedigree and penniless due to his morganatic descent. Fat Mary at 33 was not in a position to be choosy and accepted the marriage proposal. Her request to accord her husband the title of Royal Highness was not granted by the Queen, though.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />This new Royal connection impressed Francis' cousin King Charles of Württemberg enough to rifle his desk for a more appropriate title than the trumped up Prince of Teck. He found it at the bottom of his drawers covered in dust, probably. He created Francis Duke of Teck in 1871. The title of Duke of Teck had been given to the Counts of Württemberg in 1495 by Emperor Maximilian of the Holy Roman Empire at the same time he elevated them to Dukes of Württemberg. The Teck title is actually older and historically more important than the Württemberg title, being first used in 1197 by a junior branch of the Dukes of Zähringen.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Prince and Princess of Teck had to live of £5,000 Parliamentary annuity granted to Mary. Francis was not entitled to any annuity from Württemberg as he was legally not part of the Royal family there. The pair was accorded an apartment in Kensington Palace and White Lodge in Richmond Park by Queen Victoria as well. They still amassed huge debts living the high life and had to flee England for the Continent to escape their creditors in 1883. The recipe for living off your relatives on the Continent with an added time on low profile in Florence worked wonders for their finances and they returned from their self imposed exile in 1885. In 1887, Francis was accorded the title Highness by Victoria in preparation for her Jubilee. Mary Adelaide changed her ways in later life from profligate spender to become one of the first members of the Royal family to extensively support a bevy of charities.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />But Francis and Mary Adelaide are probably better remembered as the parents of Queen Mary, consort to King George V, as well as Adolphus Marquess of Cambridge and Alexander Earl of Athlone. All members of the Teck family adopted the family name Cambridge after the Letters Patent by George V in 1917.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />This story was instigated by a curious question posed by a reader in the Daily Mail about an inscription found on Roaches Rock in Staffordshire, which reads: ‘Visited by the Prince and Princess of Teck, August 23, 1872.’ Looking at the dates above, you’ll see that the inscription is wrong; it should refer to the Duke and Duchess of Teck. I was intrigued enough to dig the archives and send the answer to the Daily Mail for publication.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As to the titles, they are always given wrong in English, Wikipedia is awash with mistakes concerning that family. Correctly, Francis was His Illustrious Highness Count Francis of Hohenstein from 1837 to 1863 (no prince at all). From 1863 to 1871, he was His Serene Highness Francis Prince of Teck (this prince is not a Royal prince like William or Harry, but a prince of the peerage like Albert of Monaco and in rank equal to a Baron in England). From 1871 to 1887, he was His Most Serene Highness Francis Duke of Teck (the prince as a lesser title of the peerage disappears). After 1887, he was His Highness Francis Duke of Teck. This is where English speakers always go wrong, they title him Prince Francis Duke of Teck which is just plain wrong. The Royal family in London, though, was quite happy for this misrepresentation and promoted the wrong assumptions as best they could.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/prince-george-of-hanover-duke-of.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Prince George of Hanover, Duke of Cambridge</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/william-and-kate-title-history.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">William and Kate: Title History</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/princes-not-all-that-glitters.html" target="_blank">Princes: Not All That Glitters</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-79772764964064008512013-11-30T08:11:00.001-08:002020-10-13T06:33:42.689-07:00History in The Alps: Forcellina and Lunghin Passes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Forcellina and Lunghin Passes together build a crossroad with the Septimer Pass. The Forcellina Pass starts in the Avers Valley to end north of the culmination point of the Septimer Pass; the Lunghin Pass starts in the Engadin to reach a point slightly more to the north on the same pass. Like the Septimer Pass, they are a paradise for hikers and mountain-bikers.</span><div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Forcellina Pass starts in Juf in the Avers Valley at 2126 m (7000 ft.). Juf is one of the highest permanently occupied villages in Europe. Since the Bronze Age and into the late 19th century, the pass was the main route into and out of the Avers Valley. This isolation kept the valley out of all wars ravaging Europe since the 16th century preserving many buildings from earlier centuries. A visit there is like going into a time capsule of the 14th century.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Ascending through the alpine meadows of the Avers, the pass culminates at 2672 m (8750 ft.) near Piz (pike) Forcellina which may be reached in an extra 30 minutes hike. From there, the pass descends to join the Septimer Pass a bit north of its culmination point. To continue from here, the choices are to follow the Septimer Pass south to the Bregaglia Valley or north to Bivio. On the way to Bivio, the Lunghin Pass will go off east towards the Engadin as well.<br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The Lunghin Pass ascends from the Septimer Pass to its culmination at 2645 m (8700 ft.) marked by Lake Lunghin. The lake sheds its water in three rivulets; one of them is the start of the Inn River that will later join the Danube and the water will eventually end up in the Black Sea; one will later join the Rhine River and its water will end up in the North Sea; and the last one runs off south towards lake Como and the Po River to end up in the Mediterranean. The lake is unique in the Alps as the only three way water divide.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />From the lake, the pass descends through Alpine meadows to Maloja at 1815 m (6000 ft.). Though being a village the high plateau called the Engadin, Maloja forms part of Bregaglia and its population speaks Italian, not Romansh like the rest of the Engadin Valley. It is also the starting point of the Maloja Pass down into the Bregaglia Valley.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The road system of Lunghin, Forcellina, and Septimer Passes is well suited for hikers and mountain-bikers. The paths are well built and well kept and anybody who will manage a steep incline or two is able to enjoy the walks. There are some essentials a hiker has to think of taking along: excellent walking boots, warm clothing, food, and a water flask.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />There are no hospices, kiosks, or shops along the passes; food for lunch is therefore essential. Water on the other hand is in ample supply and the water bottle may be replenished with the cleanest and best water all the time. The passes are so easy to walk that dogs can be taken along without a problem; they should be kept on leash in September, though, as the hunting season begins at that time.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Before starting, check the weather forecasts; in bad weather, temperatures may descend to freezing point even in summer. And don’t be afraid of having trouble finding help should you meet with a mishap or even accident, the walks are very popular and you’ll see people every few minutes. And as to etiquette on the paths: people greet each other; and as there are already three languages used locally, the language used is of no importance.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">All the passes mentioned have been widely in use since at least the Bronze Age but probably longer. They were of importance to the Romans as main routes to the North of the Alps. Sometimes, Roman or earlier remains can be seen on and besides the current paths marking the passes. If you like walking with history, this is one of the must dos.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/history-in-alps-bernina-pass.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">History in The Alps: Bernina Pass</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/history-in-alps-fluela-pass.html" target="_blank">History in The Alps: Flüela Pass</a><br /><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/how-migrants-save-dying-language.html" target="_blank">How Migrants Save a Dying Language</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-84211826226540618442013-11-27T10:41:00.002-08:002020-10-13T06:27:47.201-07:00Santa Claus: Travel in Switzerland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif">This is the legend of Saint Nicolas (or Santa Claus) as it is told in Switzerland. The legend probably dates from the 11th century, sometime after the worship of Saint Nicolas was introduced into the Holy Roman Empire by Empress Theophanu. She had brought the saint's story and his worship with her from her native Constantinople.</span><br />
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</span><a name='more'></a><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A long time ago, a holy old man lived in Southern Italy called Nicolas Bishop of Myra. On a white horse he used to ride through the town and make presents of oranges and toys to the children living there. He looked after the sick, helped the poor, and took time for the lonely. Soon, people were calling him a saint. He loved travelling and stories from travelers enchanted him.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />One traveler told him about a land on the other side of the Alps. Saint Nicolas was entranced by the description of happy people, healthy children, high mountains, and small lakes. He decided that he wanted to see this country. He called his dark skinned servant and they loaded an ass with oranges, tangerines, sweetmeats, nuts, and toys. They crossed the high, cold mountain passes over the Alps to come down out of eternal snow into the land of the Switzers or Swiss.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />From near and from far, people gathered to see the traveler and to admire his outlandish finery. They prepared a feast for him and his companion to welcome him to their homes. There was much food, drink, music, singing and dancing. Nicolas asked parents about their children. If the parents told him that they were good children, he would hand them fruits and nuts, but when parents told him that they were disobedient, they received a slap on their wrists from his companion.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />After the feast and during that night, Saint Nicolas went from house to house. He was filling the shoes of children with presents and left gold coins in the dwellings of the poor. But at one hut he couldn’t leave his presents. The people were so poor, their little house had no windows, and the door was locked to keep their single goat safely in. Nicolas decided to throw gold coins through the chimney. They landed in socks hanging by the fireside for drying.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The next morning, the family found the gold and thought that they had received a gift from God. But their neighbors told them about the holy man from Italy who had distributed gifts to everybody during the night. They hurried to the farm where saint Nicolas had stabled his ass, but they found the stable empty and the travelers gone.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The day Saint Nicolas had arrived in Switzerland had been the 6th of December. People named him Samichlaus (Santa Claus) and the story goes that he returns every year on that day together with his companion and an ass laden with gifts. It is one of the most important days of the year for Swiss children.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/the-origins-of-santa-claus.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Origins of Santa Claus</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/the-city-of-fribourg-is-located-only-20.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Fribourg: City on The Language Divide</span></a></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/imperial-wedding-document-for-princess.html" target="_blank">Imperial Wedding Document for Princess Theophanu of Byzantium</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-88407337456162407492013-11-23T07:59:00.002-08:002020-10-13T06:22:21.276-07:00Solothurn, Switzerland's Baroque Jewel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Everybody knows London, where the kings and queens of England were crowned and where the United Kingdom crowns kings and queens to this day. We know Rome where emperors were crowned for a thousand years. Most might know Aachen as the place where the kings of the Eastern Franks were crowned. But do you know Solothurn, where the kings of Burgundy were crowned for over 500 years?</span><div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Solothurn is a small city off the beaten track of tourists traveling through Switzerland. The main motorway connecting Basel and Zurich with Bern and Geneva bypasses it which is why it is easily overlooked by tourists. For several reasons, Switzerland visitors should take the opportunity to see it. It is one of those places where history was made. Due to its dwindling importance after the French Revolution, it is a time capsule of baroque architecture. Most of the buildings that can be seen in the city center date from the 16th to the 18th century.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Solothurn started out as a Roman fort guarding a bridge over the Aar River. It became an important staging station for messengers when travelling from Geneva in the South to Vindonissa (Windisch) and Augusta Raurica (Augst) in the North. Later, it formed part of the kingdom of the Franks and eventually fell to the kings of Burgundy. In 932, Queen Berta of Burgundy founded the monastery of St Ursus in the city. Emperor Conrad II of the Holy Roman Empire inherited the kingdom of Burgundy in 1032 from the last childless king. He started to use Solothurn as a convenient place at the northern edge of the kingdom of Burgundy for coronations and meetings. From 1038 into the 16th century, Holy Roman Emperors would travel to Solothurn after their Imperial coronation to be crowned as kings of Burgundy. By inheritance treaty, Burgundy was not a part of the Holy Roman Empire but was ruled in personal union by the reigning Emperor.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Central to the city’s life and self-esteem is the cathedral of St Ursus. It is the cathedral of the Bishop of Basel who has his seat in the city. It forms the eye-catching center piece of one of the most complete baroque cities to be found north of the Alps. Besides the cathedral, there are numerous period buildings all clustered together. They can be reached with an easy walk. Main features are the Jesuit church and the clock tower, while the Basel Gate gives an idea of the city’s impressive wall enclosure. The historic city center will give visitors an idea of how small capital cities were in the pre-industrial era.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />A walk through Solothurn is a relaxing affair. There are beautiful shops, cafes and public spaces inviting you to take a rest. Amuse your children with the search for the city’s famous number 11; there are 11 historical churches and chapels, 11 fountains, and 11 museums to be found in the city. Solothurn boasts the only clock tower in the world with a clock showing only 11 hours. If you are up for more things to do with the number 11, try the local beer by that name. The cathedral’s façade is three times 11 meters wide and the tower rises to six times 11 meters. It was also built in 11 years, from 1762 to 1773.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Solothurn can be reached by train from the airports in Basel, Zurich, and Geneva. Driving by car, you would use the main motorway linking Basel and Zurich with Bern and Geneva to get you there; the city is only a few kilometers from the motorway. If you prefer a more leisurely approach, you can travel by boat from Lake Biel/Bienne up the Aar River.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/good-queen-berta-in-switzerland.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Good Queen Berta in Switzerland</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/museum-city-basel.html" target="_blank"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Museum City: Basel</span></a></div>
<div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/bern-seat-of-swiss-federal-government.html" target="_blank">Bern: Seat of The Swiss Federal Government</a></span></div></div>
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stutenzeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00255422382031697195noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2681413116072318438.post-33131460207438293712013-11-20T14:03:00.005-08:002020-12-20T13:31:10.999-08:00The Athenian Navy Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Good stories bear repeating; Athenian naval history during the Persian and Peloponnese Wars is such a story. John R. Hale is a maritime archaeologist. In his book, he manages to present encyclopedic knowledge in a riveting ongoing storyline. History doesn't need to be dry and dusty.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The Persians already owned all Greek cities east of the Bosporus when they decided to add mainland Greece to their already enormous Empire at the beginning of the fifth century BC. The Greek city states objected violently. They formed an alliance under the joint leadership of Sparta and Athens. The Spartans led operations on land while Athens did took responsibility on sea.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7g9rzTq2xE/X9_CPoNwCiI/AAAAAAABaZs/YoLrFvXX6sIfnHTOCiXV5pQk4j7FBIaswCLcBGAsYHQ/s582/young-sailor-boy-gay-uniform-pretty-face-white-shirt-trousers-bulge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="479" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j7g9rzTq2xE/X9_CPoNwCiI/AAAAAAABaZs/YoLrFvXX6sIfnHTOCiXV5pQk4j7FBIaswCLcBGAsYHQ/w164-h200/young-sailor-boy-gay-uniform-pretty-face-white-shirt-trousers-bulge.jpg" width="164" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />John R. Hale as a maritime archaeologist was destined to tell the Athens’ navy history. In his book Lords Of The Seas published by Gibson Square, he vividly brings to life the time, the docks, and the sailors on board. His retelling of the old story is masterly. The book makes you live, see, and smell the sea. Part of his job included sailing the historical waters he describes and he made use of his experiences to take his readers along for the ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />While the Persians and Greeks bashed in each others' heads, Herodotus wrote down the deeds of the Athenians and Spartans, making sure that Themistocles and Leonidas would remain in people’s memory. Themistocles had pounded Athenian heads until they built the navy that would defeat the Persians at Salamis under his command; King Leonidas of Sparta held the passes at Thermopylae for long enough to allow the Greek cities to organize their armies.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZ6bCbyv3fw/X9_CPSwyZnI/AAAAAAABaZo/QZz7OFNJv_MP0B28IJ7EuGWZ1ApwP554QCLcBGAsYHQ/s420/speedo-sailor-rope-nude-gay-hairless-young-boy-muscle-teen-hat-ships-kitchen-bulge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="420" height="189" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GZ6bCbyv3fw/X9_CPSwyZnI/AAAAAAABaZo/QZz7OFNJv_MP0B28IJ7EuGWZ1ApwP554QCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h189/speedo-sailor-rope-nude-gay-hairless-young-boy-muscle-teen-hat-ships-kitchen-bulge.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />John R. Hale’s writing is highly biased in favor of the Athenians while he takes you through the Persian invasion and through the following war between Sparta and Athens for hegemony in Greece. I found myself disagreeing with many of his conclusions, but it is his bias that makes the book interesting and riveting. In fact, it is more entertaining than many a historical novel and, as he has all the right information at his fingertips, vastly more instructive.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7zKCkWa-fGc/X9_COuD0qSI/AAAAAAABaZc/OUQLWZqLPmEVq8fuRjwqo59_XWyjgJjpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s648/sailor-boy-strip-gay-hunk-twink-escort-model-white-trousers-bulge-hat-chain-jacket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7zKCkWa-fGc/X9_COuD0qSI/AAAAAAABaZc/OUQLWZqLPmEVq8fuRjwqo59_XWyjgJjpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w198-h200/sailor-boy-strip-gay-hunk-twink-escort-model-white-trousers-bulge-hat-chain-jacket.jpg" width="198" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">John R. Hale’s bias induces him to claim that the sea battle of Salamis was the turning point in the Persian war. Others might make the same claim for the victory on land in Plataea. He subscribes unreservedly to the Athenian view that culture and knowledge were invented by Athenians, while most inventors were living in Greek cities under Persian rule. While, as I said, I disagree with his views, his bias makes old history more actual and present than a dry recounting of facts.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJqBgFmooeQ/X9_COsbyvaI/AAAAAAABaZY/pPkM84B9bq4c9IAU9CSvuFFMcYXP4NY4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/sailor-boy-teen-bulge-shorts-naked-chest-ship-hat-beautiful-mile-hunk-chest-hairless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="500" height="194" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJqBgFmooeQ/X9_COsbyvaI/AAAAAAABaZY/pPkM84B9bq4c9IAU9CSvuFFMcYXP4NY4gCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h194/sailor-boy-teen-bulge-shorts-naked-chest-ship-hat-beautiful-mile-hunk-chest-hairless.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />While his main theme is the naval history of Athens, he follows Athenian politics as a sideline. This part of his retelling shows that democracy wasn't an invention of the Athenians (an invention takes thought); it was something that evolved out of the situation while Athens reeled from crisis to crisis like a drunken sailor. The combination of external threats with internal social upheaval brought forth this unique form of government. At the same time, it was showing up the shortcomings of the system in the likes of Pericles and Demosthenes.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLMRrW5YbvQ/X9_COrBhkSI/AAAAAAABaZg/w18mAJlAF-MDGk3xqLYY8N16vkwBb4qMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s500/sailor-white-trousers-bulge-open-shirt-hunk-muscle-twink-folded-sail-unshaven-model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="500" height="165" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLMRrW5YbvQ/X9_COrBhkSI/AAAAAAABaZg/w18mAJlAF-MDGk3xqLYY8N16vkwBb4qMgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h165/sailor-white-trousers-bulge-open-shirt-hunk-muscle-twink-folded-sail-unshaven-model.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If you like reading historical fiction, then this book will hold you captivated from beginning to end as well as any invented novel. Historical fiction can be annoying when authors show a weakness in their knowledge of historical facts (knowledge that is too often quite abysmally bad). This book is all about historical facts made into an interesting story.</span></div>
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I71SsUmViTE/X9_CPKQAutI/AAAAAAABaZk/Mioj47Olv68uhpXw06iQ-gkUbqQcRvvNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s452/shirtless-gay-sailor-commander-hairless-muscle-chest-tattoo-beauty-twink-hunk-hat-white-trousers-bulge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="452" height="193" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I71SsUmViTE/X9_CPKQAutI/AAAAAAABaZk/Mioj47Olv68uhpXw06iQ-gkUbqQcRvvNgCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h193/shirtless-gay-sailor-commander-hairless-muscle-chest-tattoo-beauty-twink-hunk-hat-white-trousers-bulge.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Further reading</span></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/naval-arms-race-in-mediterranean.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Naval Arms Race in The Mediterranean</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/blowing-up-acropolis.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Blowing up the Acropolis</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stutenzeehistoryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/palimpsest-ancient-recycling-method.html" target="_blank">Palimpsest: Ancient Recycling Method</a></span></div></div>
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