Genghis Khan
(1165-1227)
Although Genghis Khan (more properly known as Chinggis Khan), is mainly thought of in
negative terms in the West, he is one of history's more charismatic and dynamic leaders.
During his lifetime, he conquered more territory than any other conqueror, and his
successors established the largest contiguous empire in history. Even today his legacy
continues in Asia, for without Genghis Khan there would not be a Mongolia.
The fact that Genghis Khan was able to command a place in history is perhaps more
amazing than the deeds that earned him fame as much of his life prior to 1200 was
fraught with hardship. Born to the noble family of Yesugei and Ho'elun, Genghis Khan
was first called Temuchin. At an early age, he was betrothed to Borte who belonged to
another tribe. After leaving Temuchin with Borte's family, Yesugei was returning to his
own camp when he was poisoned by Tatars. After his father died, Temuchin returned to
his family, still a boy. According to the primary source of information on Temuchin's life,
The Secret History of the Mongols, he endured many hardships, including the
kidnapping of his wife Borte, but slowly recruited supporters and assumed a mantle of
leadership among the Mongols.
After rising to power in 1185, Temuchin experienced numerous setbacks and, eventually,
victories. A key to his success was an alliance with his father's and a or blood brother,
Toghril Ong-Khan, Khan or King of the Keraits, which were another tribe. With Toghril's
support, Temuchin regained Borte and slowly became the paramount power in the
steppe. Eventually, relations between Temuchin and Toghril soured and led to a war that
left Temuchin victorious. By 1206 Temuchin dominated Mongolia and received the title
Genghis Khan (thought to mean Oceanic Ruler or Firm, Resolute Ruler). The years
between 1185 and 1206 were, without doubt, the most difficult years for this feared and
respected man.
Although Genghis Khan now ruled Mongolia and had united the various tribes into one
tribe (the Mongols), he was not content to remain there. Scholars have proposed several
reasons why Genghis Khan embarked on a career of conquest, including the demand for
booty, revenge for past offenses and megalomaniacal greed for territory and riches.
However, as with most wars, there was never a single reason; and, certainly, a variety
of factors came into play.
In 1207, the Mongols began operations against Xi-Xia, which comprised much of
northwestern China and parts of Tibet. This campaign lasted until 1210 with the Xi-Xia
ruler submitting to Genghis Khan. During this period, the Uighurs also submitted
peacefully to the Mongols and became valued administrators throughout the empire.
Peace did not last long. In 1211, after a great quriltai or meeting, Genghis Khan led his
armies against the Chin Dynasty that ruled northern China. War continued against the
Chin until 1234, well after Genghis Khan's death. Perhaps he would have succeeded
against them, but he was pulled away from the campaign because of an incident in
central Asia. In 1219 a caravan under the protection of Genghis Khan had been
massacred in Otrar, a city of the Khwarazm Empire, which consisted of all or parts of
modern Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.
With his armies engaged in China, Genghis Khan attempted to find a peaceful solution,
but Muhammad Khwarazmshah, the ruler of the Khwarazm Empire, forced the issue,
unaware of the might of Genghis Khan. After the execution and humiliation of his
envoys, Genghis Khan left a trusted general, Muqali, to battle the Chin while he led an
army to central Asia. Mongol armies had clashed with those of Khwarazm earlier in 1218
when Genghis Khan's son Jochi and a general (Jebe) completed the conquest of QaraKitai, which was to the northeast of Khwarazm.
From 1219 to 1222, the Mongols waged a war in central Asia and destroyed the
Khwarazmian Empire. Striking from several directions, Genghis Khan-accompanied by
his four sons: Jochi, Ogodei, Chaghatai, and Tolui-carried out a campaign that remains
strategically remarkable. Though a few Khwarazmian princes escaped, the defeat was
complete; but Genghis Khan still had a matter of revenge to settle.
The ruler of Xi-Xia, who had submitted in 1210, had not provided troops for the
campaign. Although this act of rebellion gravely insulted Genghis Khan, for the time
being the defeat of Muhammad Khwarazmshah was much more important. After the
conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire, however, Genghis Khan turned his armies once
again against Xi Xia.
In 1226, his armies invaded Xi-Xia. During the campaign, Genghis Khan fell from his
horse when it startled while the emperor hunted. Although he eventually died from
internal injuries as a result of the fall, he did not allow his followers to halt the campaign.
They continued the siege of the capital of Xi-Xia even after his death. When the conquest
was complete, Genghis Khan was buried in a secret location that remains a mystery
although several modern expeditions have attempted to find it.
Even today the legacy of Genghis Khan remains impressive. His wars were often a
matter of retaliation as well as bids for territory or riches. As an organizational and
strategic genius, Genghis Khan created one of the most highly-disciplined and effective
armies in history; this same genius also gave birth to the core administration that ruled
it. Even after he died on campaign in 1227, the Mongol armies dominated the battlefield
until the empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Adriatic Sea.
His non-military achievements include the introduction of a writing system based on the
Uighur script (still used in Inner Mongolia today), the idea of religious tolerance
throughout the empire, and the achievement of tribal unity among the Mongols. Genghis
Khan's greatest accomplishments, however, cannot be counted in terms of territory or
victories, but in the presence of a Mongol nation and culture. Mongols today venerate
him as the founding father of Mongolia.
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John The Baptist
St. John the Baptist
Mary, the mother of Jesus was a relative of Elizabeth, the
mother of John. After the angel appeared to Mary telling
her of the coming of Jesus, she went to see Elizabeth and
learned that she, too, was expecting a child.
Now Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were advanced
in years and their child was a very special child. He had
been chosen by God for a special mission. That mission
was to prepare the hearts of the people for the coming
Messiah.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of John as "the voice of one
crying in the wilderness" telling the people to get ready for
the coming of Jesus. John told them that Jesus would be
greater and mightier than he, and that he was not worthy
to loosen the straps or even carry the sandals of the Lord.
He was dressed in clothes made of camel's hair and had a
leather belt around his waist. He lived in the desert and
ate locusts and wild honey.
He went through all the country around the Jordan
preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of
sins. Crowds of people came confessing their sins and he
baptized them in the Jordan River.
He told them that they must live right. They asked him
what they should do. He said that if they had two coats,
they should share with a person who did not have a coat,
and if they had food, they should share with those who did
not.
The tax collectors asked what they should do, and he told
them to be honest in their collection of taxes and to not
collect more than they were required to.
The soldiers asked what they should do, and he told them
to not take money from people illegally, to always tell the
truth and not falsely accuse people. They were to be
content with their pay and not grumble about it.
John always spoke the truth, even when people didn't
want to hear it. He fearlessly confronted King Herod with
the evil things he had done. Eventually, this stand for the
truth cost John his life.
John's purpose was to prepare the people to accept Jesus.
Could you help someone to accept Jesus when they see His
love living in You?
John told the people to be generous with the things they
owned. Do you have something you could share? Do you
have clothes that you could give to a child who needs
clothes? Maybe you and your family could even buy new
clothes for those who need them.
Does your church or school sometimes ask you to bring
canned food for the poor? Go with your parents to the
store to buy food for them. You will be blessed if you do,
and it will give you great happiness.
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King Arthur - The Legend
Arthur was the first born son of King Uther Pendragon and heir to the throne. However these
were very troubled times and Merlin, a wise magician, advised that the baby Arthur should
be raised in a secret place and that none should know his true identity.
As Merlin feared, when King Uther died there was great conflict over who should be the next
king. Merlin used his magic to set a sword in a stone. Written on the sword, in letters of
gold, were these words: "Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone is the rightwise born
king of all England." Of course all the contenders for the throne took their turn at trying to
draw the sword, but none could succeed. Arthur, quite by chance, withdrew the sword for
another to use in a tournament. Following this he became King.
He gathered Knights around him and fought back against the Saxons who, since the
Romans left Britain, were slowly but surely taking the country over. After many great battles
and a huge victory at Mount Badon the Saxons' advance was halted.
Arthur's base was at a place called Camelot. Here he built a strong castle. His knights met at
a Round Table. They carried out acts of chivalry such as rescuing damsels in distress and
fought against strange beasts. They also searched for a lost treasure, which they believed
would cure all ills - this was the 'Quest for the Holy Grail'.
Under the guidance of Merlin, Arthur had obtained a magical sword from The Lady Of The
Lake. This sword was called 'Excalibur" and with this weapon he vanquished many foes.
Queen Guinevere, Arthur's beautiful wife brought romance to the story while his equally
beautiful half sister Morgan le Fay added a dark side.
Unfortunately, as peace settled over the country things turned sour within the court of
Camelot and civil war broke out. In the final battle at Camlan both Arthur and Mordred,
Arthur's traitorous nephew, were mortally wounded. Arthur was set upon a boat and floated
down river to the isle of Avalon. Here his wounds were treated by three mysterious maidens.
His body was never found and many say that he rests under a hill with all his knights - ready
to ride forth and save the country again.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
The famous story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table is well known.
King Arthur is the figure at the heart of the Arthurian legends but the Knights of the
Round Table play an important part in the story and legend of King Arthur. The
Arthurian legend revolves around the Code of Chivalry followed by King Arthur and
the Knights of the Round Table. The basis for the code of Chivalry followed by King
Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were Honour, Honesty, Valour and
Loyalty. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were ' Brothers in Arms'.
King Arthur
The Legend of King Arthur
The Real King Arthur
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - the concept of Equality
The significance of the Round Table was that no one person, not even King Arthur,
would be able to sit at the head of such a table. A round table enforced the concept of
equality. The legend states that King Arthur ordered the Round Table to be built in
order to resolve a conflict among his knights concerning who should have precedence.
The Round Table was therefore built to ensure that all the Knights of the Round Table
were deemed equal and each of the seats at the Round Table were highly favoured
places.
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Uncle Sam
This article is about the national personification of the USA.
J. M. Flagg's 1917 poster, based on the original British Lord Kitchener poster of three years earlier,
was used to recruit soldiers for both World War I and World War II. Flagg used a modified version of
his own face for Uncle Sam, and veteran Walter Botts provided the pose. The face also bears
resemblance to the real Samuel Wilson.[1]
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally
used during the War of 1812.[citation needed] He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair
and a goatee beard. Typically he is dressed in clothing that recalls the design elements of the
flag of the United States—for example, a top hat with red and white stripes and white stars on
a blue band, and red and white striped trousers. The name aspect being is purportedly
attributed to a meat inspector named Samuel Wilson from Troy, New York.[2] The first use of
Uncle Sam in literature was in the 1816 allegorical book The Adventures of Uncle Sam in
Search After His Lost Honor by Frederick Augustus Fidfaddy, Esq.
Earlier representative figures of the United States included such beings as "Brother
Jonathan," used by Punch magazine. These were overtaken by Uncle Sam somewhere around
the time of the Civil War. The female personification "Columbia" has seldom been seen since
the 1920s. The well-known "recruitment" image of Uncle Sam was created by James
Montgomery Flagg, an illustrator and portrait artist best known for commercial art. The
image of Uncle Sam was shown publicly for the first time, according to some, in a picture by
Flagg on the cover of the magazine Leslie's Weekly, on July 6, 1916, with the caption "What
Are You Doing for Preparedness?"[1][3] More than four million copies of this image were
printed between 1917 and 1918. The image also was used extensively during World War II.
During this time America was codenamed 'Samland' by the German intelligence agency
Abwehr.[4]
There are two memorials to Uncle Sam, both of which commemorate the life of Samuel
Wilson: the Uncle Sam Memorial Statue in Arlington, Massachusetts, his birthplace; and a
memorial near his long-term residence in Riverfront Park, Troy, New York.
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Daniel Pearl (October 10, 1963 – February 1, 2002) was an American journalist who was
kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.
At the time of his kidnapping, Pearl served as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street
Journal, and was based in Mumbai, India. He went to Pakistan as part of an investigation into
the alleged links between Richard Reid (the "shoe bomber") and Al-Qaeda. He was
subsequently beheaded by his captors.[1][2]
In July 2002, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a British national of Pakistani origin, was
sentenced to death by hanging for Pearl's abduction and murder.[3][4]
Daniel Pearl
Pablo Neruda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pablo Neruda
Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto
Born
July 12, 1904
Parral, Chile
Died
Occupation
Notable award(s)
September 23, 1973 (aged 69)
Santiago, Chile
Poet, Diplomat
Nobel Prize in Literature
1971
Signature
Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) was the pen name and, later, legal name
of the Chilean poet and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name
after Czech poet Jan Neruda.
Neruda wrote in a variety of styles such as erotically charged love poems as in his collection
Twenty Poems of Love and a Song of Despair, surrealist poems, historical epics, and overtly
political manifestos. In 1971 Neruda won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Colombian novelist
Gabriel García Márquez once called him "the greatest poet of the 20th century in any
language."[1] Neruda always wrote in green ink as it was his personal color of hope.
On July 15, 1945, at Pacaembu Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, he read to 100,000 people in
honor of Communist revolutionary leader Luís Carlos Prestes.[2] During his lifetime, Neruda
occupied many diplomatic positions and served a stint as a senator for the Chilean
Communist Party. When Conservative Chilean President González Videla outlawed
communism in Chile in 1948, a warrant was issued for Neruda's arrest. Friends hid him for
months in a house basement in the Chilean port of Valparaíso. Later, Neruda escaped into
exile through a mountain pass near Maihue Lake into Argentina. Years later, Neruda was a
close collaborator to socialist President Salvador Allende. When Neruda returned to Chile
after his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Allende invited him to read at the Estadio Nacional
before 70,000 people.[3]
Neruda was hospitalized with cancer at the time of the Chilean coup d'état led by Augusto
Pinochet. Three days after being hospitalized, Neruda died of heart failure. Already a legend
in life, Neruda's death reverberated around the world. Pinochet had denied permission to
transform Neruda's funeral into a public event. However, thousands of grieving Chileans
disobeyed the curfew and crowded the streets.
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