Military Leaders
- George Armstrong Custer | Quotes, Indian Wars, Facts & Death
George Armstrong Custer Summary
General George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876, sat atop his horse on a hill overlooking the banks of the Little Big Horn River in present-day Montana.
The Civil War hero, renowned for his bravery and good fortune, was plotting an ambush on the plains’ most prominent Indian encampment ever assembled. Little did he know that this would be his Last Stand and the day when “Custer’s Luck” would finally run out after a career full of daring risks and near misses.
George Armstrong Custer Facts
Rare Colour Image of George Armstrong Custer Born: 5 December 1839, (Ohio, New Romley, U.S) Death: June 25, 1876 (Aged 36) Cause of Death: Two Bullet Wounds Parents: Emanuel Henry Custer > Maria Ward Kirkpatrick Wife Elizabeth Bacon Custer Custer’s Luck
George Custer was a man full of contradictions and controversy, remembered by some as a gallant hero and by others as a bloodthirsty villain. He was both a lover and a fighter, a brave but reckless warrior, and a glory-hungry but disobedient soldier. Who exactly was General Custer, and why is he such a controversial figure?
George Armstrong Custer Early Life
George Armstrong Custer was born in Ohio on 5 December 1839. The youngest of 5 children, young as called him “Auntie” because he couldn’t pronounce his middle name, was sent to live with his older sister in Michigan at an early age. General Custer earned his teaching certificate in 1856, but they had bigger dreams for himself than teaching at grammar school.
He entered West Point Military Academy in 1857, where he was known for spending more time on pranks than his studies. He was routinely reprimanded and constantly received demerits, often earning himself extra weekend guard duties. If would foreshadow future issues in his career, he was once even court-martialed for failing to stop a fight between two cadets. With all these extracurricular activities, it’s not surprising that he graduated last in his class in 1861.
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Download Now (1978 KB)General Custer graduated from West Point into a country in chaos – the Civil War had just broken out in April of 1861, and Custer saw his opportunity for glory. He joined the Union Cavalry, where he attracted the attention of his superiors for his bold leadership style, daring cavalry charges, and tactical brilliance. In June 1863, he became the youngest Brigadier General in the Union Army at 23.
The Boy General
A told by his wife Elizabeth Custer As “Boy General” called him, George Armstrong Custer got his first taste of leadership in battle just a few days later during the infamous Battle of Gettysburg. On the third and final day of the bloody conflict, Confederate General J. E. B. Stuart’s cavalry divisions attempted to take the Union Army’s rear by surprise when Custer’sforces cut him off.
After a ferocious battle between thousands of horse riders, Custer’s men succeeded in driving off the Confederate cavalry, playing a decisive role in the Union’s victory in this critical battle. By the end of the Civil War, Custer’s daring and bravery had earned him a promotion to Major General in charge of a whole cavalry division. Highly unusual for an officer at the time, Custer was known for leading his men from the front rather than from the rear, and he was often the first to charge into battle. The nickname “Custer’s Luck” was created to describe General Custer’s fantastic good luck.
He avoided severe injuries during his career despite participating in multiple significant battles and having 11 horses shot out from beneath him. General Custer was involved in some of the most defining moments of the Civil War. His cavalry forces blocked Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s final retreat, and General Custer was the one to receive General Lee’s white flag, signifying his wish to surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Custer was also present for signing the terms of surrender between Generals Lee and Grant on April 9, 1865.
Custer was so central to the Union’s Civil War victory that General Philip Sheridan purchased the table used to sign the terms of surrender and gave it to Custer’s wife in gratitude for her husband’s service. Before the Civil War ended, Custer married Elizabeth “Libbie” Bacon in February 1864. Her father, a judge, was not supportive of the match, as he considered Custer to be “beneath” her. After initially rejecting him, he eventually won her over, and they began an intense courtship and a passionate letter-writing habit that would persist throughout their marriage.
General Custer’s Famous Quotes
Custer is famously quoted as saying, “I would be willing, yes glad, to see a battle every day during my life.” His life’s ambition was to gain fame and glory for his battlefield exploits. Libbie was his devoted partner in this endeavor, happily playing the part of the faithful lady to his daring warrior.
Custer was also very luxurious; he paid close attention to his looks, especially his long, golden hair, which was perfumed with cinnamon oil. He always dressed in silk outfits with gold lace accents and big cowboy hats, which were the height of late 17th-century fashion.
Indian Wars
Battle of Little Big Horn Custer’s Last Land (Rare Colour Image) In 1866 Genral Custer was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and he and Libbie headed to Kansas to help deal with the “Indian Problem.” After the Civil War had ended, he needed more land to accommodate American settlers, and as they expanded westward, they inevitably clashed with the local Indian tribes. By the 1860s, most of the local Indians had been ruthlessly forced onto reservations or killed, but the Great Plains were the last Indianholdout, and the Plains Indians vowed to avoid a similar fate.
George Armstrong Custer participated in some raids and battles with the Sioux (pronounced “Soo”) and Cheyenne Indians over control of the western territories. General Custer faced two legendary Indian warriors, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, for the first time in 1873 when his unit was protecting a Northern Pacific Railroad Survey at Yellowstone.
The government had been encouraging trains to stop so passengers could hunt the Buffalo for sport. The Indians relied on Buffalo for food, and the needless slaughter escalated tensions. Although he succeeded in driving them off this time, little did Custer know that he had just faced the warriors who would bring about his downfall years later. During this time, Custer once again demonstrated his disregard for authority when he left his regiment without permission to visit his wife, Libbie.
He was again court-martialed for this exploit and stripped of his rank and pay for a year. His punishment only lasted10 months before General Sheridan reinstated him to lead a campaign against Cheyenne Indians. Custer was learning that fighting Indians was much different than fighting Confederate soldiers.
The Indians had the advantage of being much more familiar with the terrain, and since they were fighting to preserve their way of life, they were much more motivated to fight to the bitter end than Custer’s career soldiers. By 1876, the Plains Indian Wars had reached a stalemate. In 1868 South Dakota’s BlackHills had been set aside for the Great Sioux Reservation; however, once gold was discovered in the hills just a few years later, the government quickly reneged on their deal and took over the land.
General Custer was tasked with relocating the Indians to their new reservation, but things didn’t exactly go as planned. Rather than go quietly, most of the Indians traveled to the banks of the Little Big Horn River in present-day Montana to join Custer’sold adversaries Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse to fight for their freedom.
On June 25, 1876, George Armstrong Custer was one of the first to arrive at the meeting point near the encampment, where he and the other generals planned to gather before finding the Indians and forcing them to surrender to the reservations. While waiting for the other generals to arrive, he decided that General Custer and his men would move in and surround the Indians, then wait for reinforcements.
Once they had located the Indian’s camp, however, Custer decided to launch a surprise attack rather than wait for reinforcements. No one is quite sure why he thought this would be a good idea, but based on what we know about him, we can assume that arrogance and glory-seeking played a significant role in his leading his men to certain death. The battle famously came to be called “Custer’s Last Stand,” but in reality, he never even had a chance against such a mighty force of Indian warriors.
Death of General Custer
General Custer Burial in West Point Cemetery, New York, United States George Armstrong Custer divided his 600 men into four groups – one group was to stay with the supplies, two groups were to attack the Indians from the south, and Custer’s group was to attack from the North. The south group was the first to attack, but they retreated almost immediately once it became apparent that they were outnumbered and outgunned. With more than 2,000 warriors, this was the largest gathering of Indians ever seen on the Great Plains.
The Indians also had superior repeating rifles, bows, and arrows, while the Cavalryhad only single-shot rifles and .45 (pronounced “forty-five””) caliber revolvers. Not knowing that their comrades had retreated, General Custer and his men launched their attack on the North.
Overwhelmed by the ‘Indians’ superior numbers and firepower, General Custer’scommand collapsed utterly, quickly becoming every man for himself. Within an hour, the Indians had massacred every one of General Custer’s 210 men, except for one lucky soul who General Custer had sent to send a message to the southern forces asking for reinforcements. Sadly, he ignored his message.
George Armstrong Custer’s subordinates, Benteen and Reno, hated him and hated each other and had just narrowly escaped a similar fate. Whether it was cowardice, malice, or even drunkenness, we don’tdon’t know – all we know is that they did not come to Custer’s aid when he sent the message to “come quick.
In keeping with his image as a daring leader, General Custer was found dead alongside 40 of his men, including his brother and nephew, with two bullet wounds – one near his heart and one in his head. To further add to the horrors of this massacre, the Indians ritualistically stripped and mutilated the bodies of the dead, possibly because they believed that the souls of disfigured bodies would be doomed to walk the earth forever.
Upon seeing the naked bodies of his dead compatriots, a junior military officer famously exclaimed: “Oh, how white they look! How white!” he once believed that Custer had been spared this indignity, but he later revealed that his body had also been mutilated, but the details hushed up to protect his wife, Libbie. According to legend, some Cheyenne women pierced Custer’s eardrums so that he could learn to listen better, and they even put a stick up his ahem manhood. Custer was hastily buried where he fell with the rest of his men, but he was later disinterred and reburied with a grand ceremony at West Point.
A memorial to him was erected in 1881 at the site of the battle. The Battle of Little Big Horn was the U.S.’s most significant defeat in the Plains Indian Wars. The Indians victory was short-lived, however. The American public demanded retribution for the death of General Custer, a decorated Civil War General and American folk hero.
The army intensified their efforts to hunt down Indians and either relocate them or wipe them out completely. Facing unprecedented violence against his people, Crazy Horse finally surrendered in 1877, bringing the Plains Indian Wars to a close. We have his devoted wife, Libbie, to thank for the enduring power of General Custer’s controversial legacy. She lived another 57 years after his death and spent the rest of her life writing books and lectures about his heroism and gallantry.
She was helped in her efforts by William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, a one-time scout for General Custer who went on to create his famous traveling Wild West show, a highlight of which was a reenactment of Custer’s last stand featuring real Native American warriors who had fought at Little Big Horn. Custer was even immortalized on the silver screen when future president Ronald Regan played him in the film Sante Fe Trail.
General Custer himself had written his autobiography shortly before his death, and “My Life on the Plains” went on to become a bestseller. After Libbie’s death in 1933, the American public began to acknowledge that perhaps Custer wasn’t the flawless hero he had been made to be. At the height of his fame during the Plains Indians Wars, the New York Tribune wrote: “Future writers of fiction will find in General Custer most of the qualities which go to make up a first-class hero.” While his heroism may be up for debate in modern times, his legend certainly lives on even today. We suspect that the flamboyantly-monger wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Peoples Also Ask?
Why is Custer so famous?
George Custer was a man full of contradictions and controversy, remembered by some as a gallant hero and by others as a bloodthirsty villain. He was both a lover and a fighter, a brave but reckless warrior, and a glory-hungry but disobedient soldier. Who exactly was General Custer, and why is he such a controversial figure?
Why did General Custer fail?
In 1866 General Custer was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and he and Libbie headed to Kansas to help deal with the “Indian Problem.” After the Civil War had ended, he needed more land to accommodate American settlers, and as they expanded westward, they inevitably clashed with the local Indian tribes. By the 1860s, most of the local Indians had been ruthlessly forced onto reservations or killed, but the Great Plains were the last Indianholdout, and the Plains Indians vowed to avoid a similar fate.
Why did Custer lose the Battle of Little Bighorn?
Once they had located the Indian’s camp, however, Custer decided to launch a surprise attack rather than wait for reinforcements. No one is quite sure why he thought this would be a good idea, but based on what we know about him, we can assume that arrogance and glory-seeking played a significant role in his leading his men to certain death. The battle famously came to be called “Custer’s Last Stand,” but in reality, he never even had a chance against such a mighty force of Indian warriors.
Who was General Custer and what happened to him?
George Custer was a man full of contradictions and controversy, remembered by some as a gallant hero and by others as a bloodthirsty villain. He was both a lover and a fighter, a brave but reckless warrior, and a glory-hungry but disobedient soldier. Who exactly was General Custer, and why is he such a controversial figure?
- Douglas MacArthur | History, WWII, Korean War & Death
Douglas MacArthur Summary
Douglas MacArthur was the flamboyant, controversial symbol of America’s dogged resolve during World War 2. He is among the most well-known war heroes with his trademark corn cobb pipe and his love of self-publicity. Though he often disregarded authority, Douglas MacArthur praised him for his bold, imaginative military strategy.
Douglas MacArthur Facts
American Military leader Born: 26 January 1880 (Little Rock, Arkansas U.S) Death: 5 April 1964 (84 Age), Washington D.C, U.S Cause of Death: kidney and liver failure Parents:Wives: Arthur MacArthur Jr., Mary Pinkney Hardy MacArthur Wives: Louise Cromwell Brooks, Jean Faircloth Children: Arthur Place of burial: MacArthur Memorial Douglas MacArthur Early life
Douglas MacArthur was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on January 26, 1880. He was the last of three sons born to Arthur and Mary MacArthur.
His father was a civil war veteran who had fought with distinction in such battles as Chickamauga and Murfreesboro, along with Sherman’s final push on Atlanta. He won the medal of honor for his bravery, setting a very high bar for his boys. Despite his father having been the state governor of Wisconsin, Arthur fell for a southern belle.
Tensions were so high between the states that Mary’s brothers refused to attend the wedding. His father’s military career heavily influenced young Douglas.
He once commented that his first memory was the sound of bugles, and he loved the pomp and ceremony of the army. Arthur had been stationed at a series of remote western military posts when Douglas came along. When their youngest son was nine, the family relocated to Washing ton d.c
Washington D.C
For the next four years, Douglas attended the Force Public School.
Force Public School
In 1893, Arthur was posted to San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio, Texas
There Douglas was enrolled at the West Texas Military academy.
West Texas Military Academy
He excelled academically and on the sports field, being named class valedictorian during his final year. Douglas MacArthur now set his sights on West Point Military Academy.
West Point Military Academy
His father tried to use his influence to secure a Presidential appointment for his son to the academy, but this was rejected by two Presidents, Cleveland and McKinley.This meant he would have to gain entry the old-fashioned way – by passing the entrance exam. Arthur hired a tutor to help Douglas MacArthur prepare for the exam.
His diligence paid off, and he attained a 93.3 out of hundred. MacArthur later commented on his preparation for the exam. It was a lesson I never forgot. Preparedness is the key to success and victory.
Douglas MacArthur mother instilled in him a firm belief that he was destined for greatness. By the time he entered West Point, Douglas had developed enough qualities to reinforce her belief.
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Download Now (3.1 MB)He was strong, both mentally and physically. From his earliest days in military outposts in the west, he had become adept at horse riding and rifle shooting. In remembering that time in his life, he said. I learned to read and shoot even before I could read or write – almost before walking and talking.
The teenage Douglas MacArthur was tall and handsome, and he projected an air of self-confidence that turned heads when he walked into a room. West Point Douglas’ first year at West Point was a challenging time for him. As the son of a senior officer and with a mother who stayed close by in a hotel to keep an eye on her beloved boy, he was subjected to more than the usual hazing that all first years have to endure. Still, he endured it with a stoic resolve that impressed senior students.
While other first-year students were broken by the less intense hazing they experienced, Douglas maintained an air of composure, even cheerfulness, throughout the ordeal.
Douglas proved to be an excellent student in all respects. He stood first in his class in 1903 with an overall score of 98 percent. It seemed as if he was on the right track in anticipation of his mother’s greatness. As a top graduate from West Point, Douglas was now allowed to choose which branch of the armed services he entered.
Engineering Corps
He decided on the Engineering Corps, entering the service with the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Philippines
His first posting was to the Philippines, which had been an American colony for five years.
His father, Arthur, had served there three years earlier, and he had warned his son and whoever else would listen that an insurrection was on the horizon on the island.
Douglas was placed in charge of strengthening the military infrastructure on the island. Yet he had barely been there a month when he was attacked by a pair of bandits while traveling alone in the countryside.
He beat off both attackers and then shot them dead. It was an early example of the fierce courage which would be his trademark.
Malaria
This first assignment was cut short after less than a year when Douglas MacArthur contracted malaria. Once he had recovered, his father pulled some strings to have Douglas accompany him as a military aide on a tour of Asia.
The two years he spent in China, Japan, and India developed MacArthur’s ideas about Asia that went against the grain of mainstream political thought. He considered Asian people to be equal to Americans.
MacArthur, in itself, undercut the subtle racism underpinning U.S. policy toward the region. Furthermore, he was of the firm opinion that America’s future lay with the Far East and not, as the majority contended, with Europe.
This set him at odds with the European-centric views of his superiors, which would persist throughout his lifetime. After his return from Asia, Douglas spent some years building up his experience and qualifications in the engineering corps.
He attended engineering school in Washington, after which he was posted to Milwaukee and Kansas. By then, he had been promoted to captain.
In January 1912, McArthur was posted to Panama. It would be a short excursion. He returned the following month to attend the funeral of his father. He was concerned about his mother’s mental health and requested a reposting to Washington, D.C., to be close to her.
War Department
Veracruz In 1914 with gun Veracruz In 1914, Douglas MacArthur was assigned to the War Department to serve on the Veracruz Expedition in Mexico. Relations between the U.S. and Mexico had been deteriorating for some time.
Tampico Affair
An incident known as the Tampico Affair brought matters to a head. Nine American sailors were taken into custody by the Mexican government for entering off-limits areas of the city of Tampico in the state of Tamaulipas.
Tampico released the sailors, but the Mexicans refused to provide the 21-gun salute demanded by the American government.
Woodrow Wilson
Rare Colour image of Woodrow Wilson An outraged President, Woodrow Wilson ordered the invasion of the port of Veracruz by the U.S. Navy. Douglas MacArthur was sent to Veracruz as a military advisor. However, he soon went beyond his job description when he recruited some local railroad engineers and headed out to hijack several trains that Veracruz believed to be sitting several miles down the line. To get there, he and his small group used a handcar.
The group was able to command a total of five engines. On the way back to headquarters, they came under attack from rebels on horseback.
Douglas MacArthur shot at least three of the attackers. When he returned, he noticed that there were three bullet holes in his clothing, yet he remained unscathed.
MacArthur’s commanding officer was greatly impressed by his daring ingenuity. He recommended Douglas MacArthur for a Medal of Honor. However, the honors board questioned the Advisability of this enterprise, having been undertaken without the knowledge of the commanding general on the ground.
By 1915, Douglas MacArthur was back in Washington, D.C., where he immersed himself in his work at the War Department. In 1915 he was promoted to major.
Bureau of Information
A short time later, he was made the army’s first chief of the Bureau of Information, which was essentially a military press office. His experience taught him valuable lessons about the power of the press and the need to cultivate a solid public persona.
The Great War The United States entered World War I in April 1917. Douglas MacArthur wanted the National Guard to be sent to Europe to play its part in the war effort. He came up with the idea of a ‘rainbow’ national guard force made up of guardsmen from every state. This avoided any inter-state rivalry.
42nd Rainbow division
As a result, he became the Chief of Staff of the 42nd Rainbow Division. It left for France in October 1917. The 42nd Rainbow division was posted behind the front lines to complete their training. MacArthur’s duties were primarily administrative, which was a source of frustration for him.
He longed to get in on the action, going so far as to volunteer for trench raids with a neighboring French division DouglaMacArthur found himself under gas attack on one such raid, yet he still managed to make it to safety.
The French were highly impressed with his actions, awarding him the Croix de Guerre. As well as volunteering to help on French raids, he eventually led some American ones. Every time he was the first man over the top. His bravery didn’t go unnoticed.
June 1917
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and promoted to Brigadier General in June 1917. He won two more Distinguished Service Crosses, leading his men in a defensive mission during the Kaiser’s Offensive in the Summer of 1918.
The horrors he witnessed during that offensive prompted him to make the quip. Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword never encountered automatic weapons. Yet, Douglas MacArthur excelled in the thick of battle.
July 1918
By July 1918, he had earned 4 Silver Stars, two Croix de Guerre, and the French Legion of Honor. Still, he wasn’t done.
October 1918
During the tremendous American offensive of October 1918, he won two more silver stars and, despite being gassed, refused to stay out of the thick of the action.
George Patton
He came into contact with Future General George Patton, who called MacArthur ‘the bravest man I have ever met. The climax of MacArthur’s World War One experience was the taking of the French city of Chatillon. After spotting a weakness in the German defenses, he led an attack that overran the town.
The capture of Chatillon was a crucial victory in the war’s final weeks. It won him yet another Distinguished Service Medal. Between the Wars Returning to the United States as a celebrated
Camp Meade, Maryland
War hero Douglas MacArthur was assigned to Camp Meade, Maryland, for a time before returning to Washington, D.C. He was involved in preparing a manual on the best use of the new weapon of warfare, the tank. After studying the subject, he became convinced that tanks should be used for more than just infantry support; they should constitute a separate fighting force of their own.
Louise Brooks Cromwell
In 1922, Douglas MacArthur married Louise Brooks Cromwell, described by the New York Times as ‘one of Washington’s most beautiful and attractive young women.’ She was also one of the richest, coming from a wealthy dynasty. Louise, who brought two young children to the marriage, had previously courted Douglas MacArthur‘s superior, General Pershing.
The older man was unhappy with the situation, threatening to send Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines if he went ahead with the marriage. In less than a year, MacArthur was sent to the Philippines as a brigade commander in the Philippine Division.
During this posting, he established close ties to the Philippine ruling powers. He also witnessed the poor treatment of the indigenous people, becoming a champion.
IV Corps in Georgia
In 1925, Douglas MacArthur was promoted to Major General and returned to the United States as commander of the IV Corps in Georgia. Lingering Civil War tensions made his command untenable, and he was transferred to the III Corps in Maryland.
By 1927, MacArthur’s marriage was in trouble. He and Louise were just too different, and though he was devoted to her two children, they separated at the end of that year and were officially divorced two years later, in 1929. Douglas MacArthur then threw himself into a new role.
America’s Olympic Committee
Rare Colour Image of America’s Olympic Committee for the 1928 Games in Amsterdam He was given the role of President of America’s Olympic Committee for the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. In one famous incident during the Games when the U.S. boxing coach threatened to withdraw the team due to perceived bias on the judging panel, Douglas MacArthur pulled him aside and told him . . . Americans don’t quit.
Following the Olympics, McArthur was sent back to the Philippines. Then, in 1930, he was appointed U.S. Army chief of staff, the youngest man at the time to hold the position.
He made critical administrative changes during the difficult Depression years. Yet the most noteworthy episode during his tenure as Chief of staff came in 1932 when he oversaw the army’s response to a protest by war veterans in Washington. During the confrontation, soldiers fired on the veterans, with several of them being killed.
The backlash fell squarely on Douglas MacArthur‘s shoulders, and his reputation suffered a setback. With the election of Franklin Roosevelt to the presidency, tensions between the Commander in Chief and his Chief of staff reached an all-time high.
When Roosevelt refused to increase the military budget, Douglas MacArthur made the following caustic comment When we lose the next war, and an American boy lying in the mud with an enemy bayonet through his belly and an enemy foot on his dying throat spits out his last curse, I wanted the name not be MacArthur but Roosevelt.
Despite their differences, Roosevelt and MacArthur had mutual respect for one another. The President extended the four-year chief of staff post by a year. In 1935, Douglas MacArthur once more went to the Philippines.
Manuel Quezon
Rare Colour Image of Manuel Quezon This time he came at the personal invitation of President Manuel Quezon to act as a military adviser to create a defense force on the island. He retired from active service in the U.S. Army to take up the role.
July 1941
World War Two In July 1941, Roosevelt brought Douglas MacArthur back. He appointed him commander of the U.S. forces in the Far East. The immediate focus, naturally, was to build up U.S. forces in the Philippines.
Pearl Harbor
Five months later, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the war. It seemed clear to Douglas MacArthur that the Philippines would be the next Japanese target.
That attack came within two weeks. Douglas MacArthur had neither the workforce nor the time to prepare harbor, wiped out a proper defense and half of his air force.
December 22, 1941
On December 22, 1941, the Japanese advanced on Manilla. Acting on his initiative, Douglas MacArthur pulled his forces back to the Bataan peninsula.
Corregidor
He set up his headquarters on the island fortress of Corregidor. Her personal press corps with him allowed him to publicize his valiant defense against the Japanese. However, his forces and supplies were too few, and his situation was hopeless.
Bataan
President Roosevelt gave the command for him to evacuate Bataan. At first, he refused, only complying when Roosevelt promised to give him his theatre of operations in the Pacific. Douglas MacArthur then escaped from Bataan, making a daring getaway by the sea. However, his forces stayed on the island.
April 1942
The Japanese overtook them in April 1942, with many dying on the next Bataan death march. Douglas MacArthur now set up his base of operations in Australia.
From there, he made his famous promise I said to the people of the Philippines, whence I came, and I shall return. For two years, he worked indefatigably to make that promise a reality. Roosevelt appointed him as the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area.
Charles Nimitz
He worked closely with the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Navy, Admiral Charles Nimitz. Together they devised a plan to attack the Japanese through the central Pacific Islands, which was Nimitz’s focus, and oust them from the Philippines, which Douglas MacArthur was committed to what they called Operation Cartwheel.
Solomon Islands
Nimitz advanced his naval forces through the Solomon Islands while Douglas MacArthur advanced along.
New Guinea
New Guinea coast of the northeast. He used an island-hopping strategy to bypass the main areas of Japanese strength. During this time, MacArthur’s reputation among the American public had achieved hero status. By the end of 1944, he was poised to invade the Philippines.
However, the authority for the invasion was denied by both Admiral Nimitz and the President. With his well-tuned publicity machine, he managed to pressure a change of mind, and Nimitz gave the go-ahead for the invasion.
October 19, 1944
On October 19, 1944, Douglas MacArthur landed at Leyte Gulf.
Leyte Gulf
Over the next few months, he pushed on to fully liberate the Philippines.
Central Plain
His men finally crossed the Central Plain to take control of the capital at Manila in March 1945. During the Post War Years, Douglas MacArthur received the Japanese surrender.
September 2, 1945
At Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. Following the war, he was placed in command of the occupation of the Allied occupation of Japan. He was charged with rebuilding the Japanese economy and demobilizing its military.
Korean War – H5
In 1950, Douglas MacArthur served as the United Nations forces commander in the Korean War.
Harry S.Truman
His tenure came to an abrupt end the following year when ongoing tensions with President Truman on the approach toward the Chinese led to his dismissal as U.N. Commander in Chief.
Truman was attempting to pursue a peaceful negotiation with the Chinese, while Truman was a vocal advocate for military intervention. The situation became untenable when he wrote a letter to a Republican senator calling for a military invasion of China.
Douglas MacArthur read the letter aloud in Congress. henry gave Truman the excuse to get rid of the trouble-making general. Douglas MacArthurlearned about his firing through a radio report.
Douglas MacArthur was still very popular with the public, and his firing by Truman created a backlash that led many to call for the President’s impeachment. With his typical caustic style, Truman addressed the situation with the following fired him because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the President.
That’s the answer to that. I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch; although he was, that’s not against the law for generals. If it were half to three-quarters of them would be in jail. Fading Away His firing by Truman had made Douglas MacArthureven more popular than ever.
Upon his return to the U.S., he was given a ticker tape parade through the streets of New York, the largest the city had ever seen. He was invited to give a farewell address to Congress, in which he delivered the famous line Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
Waldorf Astoria
He moved into the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, where he remained for the rest of his days. Douglas Douglas MacArthur spent his retirement years in quiet seclusion. However, in 1961 he was contacted by President Kennedy and asked for advice on the Asian situation. MacArthur told him to stay out of Vietnam.
In 1961, Douglas MacArthur made his final trip to the Philippines, where he met with old friends. On his return to the States, he began working on his autobiography.
April 5, 1964
The end came on April 5, 1964, due to liver disease. He was honored with a full state funeral. More than 150,000 people paid their respects to one of America’s great war titans.
Douglas MacArthur Death
Rare Colour Image of Douglas MacArthur’s last salute On March 2, 1964, General Douglas MacArthur was admitted to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He had sought care for abdominal pain and had to have his gallbladder removed. But the gallstones had already caused inflammation in his liver.
A cascade of health issues followed. Following surgery for hemorrhaging in his esophagus, he had to have his spleen removed, and then his kidneys began to fail. He underwent a massive blood transfusion, but it wasn’t enough.
Douglas MacArthur fell into a coma when his liver and kidneys failed later that month. He died at 84 years old on April 5, 1964. MacArthur was survived by his wife, Jean, and his son, Arthur. But his lasting legacy is a complex one. Some praise him as a hero who stood up to Communist expansion.
In contrast, others see him as an egotist who sacrificed his men and risked the future of America itself for personal political gain. They say history will be the judge. However, for Douglas MacArthur, the verdict is still out.
People Also Ask?
How did Douglas MacArthur die?
Douglas MacArthur fell into a coma when his liver and kidneys failed later that month. He died at 84 years old on April 5, 1964.
What did Douglas MacArthur do in WW2?
World War Two In July 1941, Roosevelt brought Douglas MacArthur back. He appointed him commander of the U.S. forces in the Far East. The immediate focus, naturally, was to build up U.S. forces in the Philippines.
When did Douglas MacArthur die?
In contrast, others see him as an egotist who sacrificed his men and risked the future of America itself for personal political gain. They say history will be the judge. However, for Douglas MacArthur, the verdict is still out.
- Blackbeard | Biography, Legend, Death & Facts
Summary of Blackbeard
No other pirate in history ever reached the level of infamy achieved by Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard. Despite being dead for over three hundred years,
The memory of Edward Teach is still very much alive in modern popular culture. But what about the man behind the beard? It is generally thought that Edward was born around 1680, somewhere around Bristol, England. As was customary for pirates, Edward Teach may have been an assumed name, and many surname variations are recorded, including Thack, Tack, and Teach.
Historian Colin Woodward is adamant that he went by Thatch and that an error by a newspaper report in the Boston News-Letter started the misnomer that he was known as Teach. When researching Blackbeard, Woodward found that accounts in which he was referred to as Edward Thatch came from those who knew him. Spelling had yet to be standardized, and people’s names were often spelled phonetically.
This inconsistency – coupled with the variety of accents at the time – could explain the assortment of surnames attributed to the famous pirate. This confusion adds to the mystique and makes it impossible to find any record of Blackbeard’s alter ego.
Facts about Blackbeard
Edward Teach (Blackbeard) English Pirate Real Name: Edward Teach Nickname: Blackbeard Born: c. 1680, Bristal, England Died: 22 November 1718 (aged 35–40), Ocracoke, Province of North Carolina Cause of Death: killed in action (stab wounds and gunshot wounds) Rank: Captain The base of operations: Atlantic West Indies Blackbeard Early Life
The names Thatch do appear in Bristolian census rolls in the early 18th century. According to Robert Earl Lee, the author of Blackbeard, the Pirate, Teach – or Thatch – was born into an intelligent and well-to-do family, making it more likely that his name was an alias. Lee was also the person to pinpoint Blackbeard’s approximate date of birth, as he deduced that Black beard would have been between thirty-five to forty when he died.
In truth, not much is known about Edward’s youth, other than that he went to sea at a young age. By the time he was in his early twenties, he was a privateer in the West Indies.
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Download Now (2.1 MB)He possibly arrived on a merchant vessel or slave ship, and by 1706, he was based in Jamaica. Genealogist and historian Baylus Brooks found compelling evidence suggesting Edward might have had family living in Jamaica.
He found a record of Edward and Lucretia Teach and their son, Cox Teach, in the Jamaican settlement of Spanish Town in 1700. Brooks believes that Teach and Teach were interchangeable names and common variants of Teach. As there had been a 1739 report that an English visitor to Jamaica had met members of the late Blackbeard, Brooks concluded that Edward Teach was the father of the famed buccaneer.
Edward Teach was a captain and a man of status who had been wed twice before marrying Lucretia. Brooks also discovered a document from 1706 written on a Royal Navy ship by Edward Teach’s son, also named Edward Teach. In the text, Teach the younger relinquishes any right to his dead father’s Jamaican estate, leaving it to his stepmother for the “love and affection I have for and bear towards my brother and sister Thomas Teach and Rachel Teach.”
Brooks theorizes that Thomas and Rachel were Edward’s half-siblings. While there is no solid proof that Brook’s findings relate to Blackbeard, the evidence is captivating. During the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1714, privateers were employed by many European powers. Privateers were essentially pirates who had the backing of their monarch. They were free to plunder the ships and settlements of rival countries without the fear of reprimand from their native governments. Privateering was a profitable yet shady business.
Privateers and Pirates of the West Indies
The privateers sailed in privately owned armed ships and were indistinguishable from other pirates. The privateers sailed in privately owned armed ships and were indistinguishable from other pirates. After the war ended in 1714, many privateers continued their business under the moniker “pirate.” The man who would become Blackbeard was among this number.
The first time Blackbeard came onto the scene as a fully blown pirate was serving under Benjamin Hornigold. Hornigold was another ex-privateer and apprenticed Edward in piratical ways. These men, amongst many others, were drawn into piracy when a fleet of Spanish ships was wrecked in a hurricane on Florida’s Atlantic coast in 1715.
The ships were loaded with treasure, causing many seafarers to descend on the area. Seeing potential in Edward, Hornigold soon elevated him to captain and gave him his own vessel and a small crew.
The Gentleman Pirate
In 1717, they sailed together across the Caribbean Sea and plundered any ships they came across. During this time, they came across Stede Bonnet, the “Gentleman Pirate,” A plantation owner from Barbados. Bonnet’s crew was unhappy with their command, so Blackbeard took over Bonnet’s ship, the Revenge, for a short time. Off the coast of the Island of Martinique, Hornigold, Blackbeard, and Bonnet captured a French Dutch Flute called La Concorde.
This acquisition would be the biggest of Hornigold’s career as a pirate, and he equipped Blackbeard with the vessel that would become almost as famous as the man himself. La Concorde was a slave ship that was sailing to the Americas from Africa.
The size and speed of the slave ships made them the perfect vessels for piracy, which may have been the reason Blackbeard and Hornigold targeted it. On its last fateful voyage as a slave ship, Captain Pierre Dosset reported that there were 516 enslaved people aboard when they left Juda, but sixty-one died during the crossing. They were headed to Martinique but were intercepted by the pirates and captured just before reaching their destination.
The crew had also suffered fatalities and illness, and it took only two volleys from the pirate’s cannons for Captain Dosset to surrender. La Concorde, plus her crew and hostages, were then taken to the island of Bequia, where the cabin boy, Louis Art – along with three or four of his crewmates – voluntarily joined the pirates.
Blackbeard then commandeered the captured vessel and forced ten more French crew members to stay aboard. Included in this number were three surgeons, two carpenters, and the ship’s cook. Some theorize that Blackbeard gave the enslaved people the chance to join, but most of them were left as captives of the remaining French sailors.
Blackbeard then provided the French crew who had not joined the pirates with a forty-ton Bermuda sloop to transport the enslaved Africans to their designated destination.
The Queen Annes Revenge
The French sailors called their new ship Mauvaise Recontre, aptly meaning “bad encounter.” Blackbeard added cannons to his newly acquired ship and gave her a new name: The Queen Annes Revenge. It is unknown why Blackbeard chose this name for his ship, but it is thought that it displayed his loyalty to the House of Stuart, of which Queen Anne was the last monarch. Shortly after this event, Blackbeard and Hornigold parted ways.
Blackbeard continued to engage in piracy, while Hornigold decided to take advantage of the offer of a king’s pardon that was extended to all British pirates. Around this time, Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet also parted ways, although the two would meet up again in March 1718. Bonnet failed to capture a ship, and his crew left to join Blackbeard. He became Blackbeard’s prisoner, although he was treated well. Eventually, Bonnet would take up command later that summer.
In late 1717, though, Blackbeard and his crew sailed north, plundering ships near St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Nevis, and Antigua, arriving in Puerto Rico by December. In a few months, by early 1718, Blackbeard had amassed a crew of 300-400 sailors. He had cultivated his signature look of long black hair and a huge black beard tied with ribbons by this time.
This fearsome-looking man’s reputation soon grew, probably due to his theatrical flair of adding fuses to his wild hair and lighting them before an attack so thick smoke encircled his face. The version of the Jolly Roger attributed to Blackbeard was probably the least jolly of all the variations.
Blackbeard’s flag depicted a skeleton with horns, holding an hourglass in one hand while the other held a spear pointed at a bleeding heart. Supposedly this signaled to Blackbeard’s victims that their time was running out, and death awaited any who resisted. However, the first appearance of this design is in an article published in 1912 and was only associated with Blackbeard much later, so it is impossible to verify whether this was actually the flag he flew.
We also now know that Edward did not really like using violence and, despite his heavily armed ship, most of his success came from the fear he inspired. His reputation and dramatic appearance allowed him to take many vessels with little to no bloodshed. Of course, the articles and rumors that circulated about him at the time painted him as a cruel and murderous villain.
By April 1718, Blackbeard’s crew were in the Bay of Honduras, where they captured a sloop named Adventure and forced the captain – David Herriot – to join them. They then sailed east, passing near the Cayman Islands, and off the coast of Cuba, they added a Spanish sloop to their fleet. The following month, Blackbeard made the most brazen attack of his piratical career.
Blackbeard’s blockade of Charleston
In May 1718, Blackbeard’s fleet blocked the port of Charleston, South Carolina, for nearly a week. The pirates seized ships arriving or attempting to leave, and they captured the crew and passengers of one boat, holding them hostage. You may think gold and jewels would be the pirate’s motivation for this audacious attack. However, the ransom that Blackbeard demanded in exchange for the return of the hostages was a chest of medicine.
Once the medication had been delivered, the pirates released all the captives and continued up the coast. It seems that disease was more of a threat to the pirates than the law. Archaeologists excavating the wreck of the Queen Anne’s Revenge – which was discovered in 1996 – found a urethral syringe containing traces of mercury, which was used to treat syphilis.
Imagine trying to use that on a swaying ship! After leaving Charleston, the Queen Anne’s Revenge and the Adventure were both grounded on a sandbar in North Carolina and abandoned. Herriot later stated in a deposition, “the said Thatch’s ship Queen Anne’s Revenge run aground off of the Bar of Topsail-Inlet” and that the Adventure had “run aground likewise about a Gun-shot from the said Thatch.” During this deposition, Herriot claimed that Blackbeard had intentionally grounded the ships to break up the company, which may have become increasingly unmanageable, and demanded their share of the loot.
Blackbeard left some pirates stranded and absconded with a smaller handpicked crew and the most valuable plunder. Blackbeard and his select crew sailed to Bath to meet with Governor Charles Eden. The relationship between Eden and Blackbeard has been much speculated, with some thinking they were close friends and others believing they merely had a working relationship. Eden granted the king’s pardon to Blackbeard and his crew, doubling the population of Bath and adding citizens that had valuable combat experience to the populous.
The fact that these newcomers also brought considerable wealth probably helped ingratiate them into the community. It seemed that Edward’s piratical career was over. He married a local girl and set up a home on Ocracoke Island, becoming a model citizen … for about a minute! Soon, Blackbeard was back at sea. He returned to Bath with a ship he claimed to have found deserted and floating in the ocean. Whether anyone believed this was a moot point, as Blackbeard was granted salvage rights of the vessel and legally allowed to keep the ship’s cargo of sugar and cocoa.
This allowance was most likely aided by some barrels of sugar being given as bribes to the authorities. However, Blackbeard’s salvation lasted just about as long as his civilized life. Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia was less amicable to the pirates, as were many powerful traders who saw piracy as undermining their legitimate business. Spotswood dispatched Lieutenant Robert Maynard and a British naval force to deal with Blackbeard and his crew, offering one hundred pounds for the capture of Edward, dead or alive. Blackbeard had less than thirty men at his command when he boarded his sloop to face the British force.
Death of Blackbeard
On November 22, 1718, the British ships ran aground on a sandbank, and Blackbeard fired his cannons at the stranded vessels. One of the ships, commanded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard, drifted towards Blackbeard’s ship. The pirates boarded the boat, and a bloody battle broke out.
This battle would be the deadliest of Blackbeard’s career and one that he would not survive. It was recorded that Blackbeard “stood his ground and fought with great fury, till he received five and twenty wounds and five of them by shot. At length, as he was cocking another pistol, having fired several before, he fell down dead.” About a year after Blackbeard began his solo piratical career, he was dead, and his head hanging from the bowsprit of Maynard’s sloop.
The stories and legends relating to Blackbeard make it impossible to know the truth behind the man and his time as the most feared pirate that sailed the seven seas. Some say he was a heartless cutthroat who routinely tortured those aboard any ship he targeted. Others think he was an intelligent and well-educated man who didn’t kill anyone until his final battle. Regardless of the long-obscured reality, the myth of Blackbeard endures and continues to fascinate to this day.
People Also Ask?
Was Blackbeard a real person?
Historian Colin Woodward is adamant that he went by Thatch and that an error by a newspaper report in the Boston News-Letter started the misnomer that he was known as Teach. When researching Blackbeard, Woodward found that accounts in which he was referred to as Edward Thatch came from those who knew him. Spelling had yet to be standardized, and people’s names were often spelled phonetically.
Who is the most famous pirate?
No other pirate in history ever reached the level of infamy achieved by Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard. Despite being dead for over three hundred years,
How did Blackbeard die?
On November 22, 1718, the British ships ran aground on a sandbank, and Blackbeard fired his cannons at the stranded vessels. he would not survive. It was recorded that Blackbeard “stood his ground and fought with great fury, till he received five and twenty wounds and five of them by shot.
- Last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah II
Summary
A bad omen is not picky when it falls on anyone beating a wealthy or a poor family and likewise, there are some families whose descendants have lost their glorious days to begging such as the Abbasid empire who lost everything and baked in the streets of Baghdad. the miserable family of the nawabs of Bengal and the golden royal lineage of the Mughal emperors of India.
Today we are talking about the last Mughal emperor of India Bahadur Shah II with whom the last son of the Mughal Empire sang his poems came down to us and one can glean from them. Bahadur Shah Zafar was an emotional and thoughtful man who believed in the oneness of all he was also a man who believed in all religions.
Bahadur Shah Zafar History
Bahadur Shah II also know as Bahadur Shah II was born on 24 October 1775, in Shahjahanabad, Mughal Empire (Present-day Old Delhi, India). After the death of his father in 1837, he ascended the throne. However, it’s important to note that by the time Bahadur Shah 2 became emperor, the Mughal Empire had significantly weakened and shrunk to a small area, which is now known as Old Delhi.
In addition to being a king, Bahadur Shah Zafar was a renowned and successful poet of the Urdu language. His talent in poetry is still appreciated today, as his works continue to be read with great interest in the Urdu literary world.
By 1857, the British East India Company had taken control of most of India, which led to growing resentment among the Indian population. The people were fed up with the brutalities inflicted by the British rulers.
Moreover, Indian soldiers serving in the British army were issued cartridges that were reportedly greased with cow and pig fat. These cartridges had to be bitten off before use in rifles. The British deliberately used such materials to provoke division among the Indian soldiers, as pigs are considered Haram in Islam and cows are sacred in Hinduism. As a result, many Indian soldiers refused to use these cartridges, leading to their dismissal from the army.
Bahadur Shah 2 Facts
Portrait of Bahadur Shah II, c. 1850 Mughal Emperor of India, King of Delhi, 20th Mughal Emperor Full Name: Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar II Born: 24 October 1775, Shahjahanabad, Mughal Empire (Present-day Old Delhi, India) Died: 7 November 1862 (aged 87) Burial: Rangoon, Burma Spouse: Taj Mahal, Zinat Mahal, Sharaful-Mahal, Akhtar Mahal, Rahim Bakhsh Bai, Hanwa Descendants: Mirza Dara Bakht, Mirza Mughal, Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk Bahadur, Mirza Khizr Sultan, Mirza Jawan Bakht, Mirza Shah Abbas, Mirza Abu Bakr Parents: Akbar Shah II, Lal Bai Dynasty: Mughal Empire Rebellion of 1857
On March 29, 1857, an ordinary soldier named Mangal Pandey in Meerut refused to use the cartridges and attacked the British officers. This marked the beginning of a rebellion 1857 that the British called a mutiny or insurrection. However, this event is remembered in India as the First War of Independence.
The rebellion in Meerut soon spread across India, and soldiers from different regions began to rise against the British. Many powerful kings and local leaders declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as their emperor and decided to fight the war for independence under his leadership.
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Download Now (1292 KB)As the armies from various parts of India marched toward Delhi, the Mughal forces also sprang into action and declared war against the British. What began as a small spark quickly turned into a full-fledged war. However, the Indian forces were no match for the British army, which was equipped with advanced weapons of the time.
After four months of fierce fighting, the British forces succeeded in breaking through the Kashmiri Gate in Delhi. They entered the city, captured Bahadur Shah Zafar, and began a massacre. The British held a trial for Bahadur Shah Zafar in their court, declared him guilty, and ordered his exile from the country.
Death of Bahadur Shah Zafar
The frail old king knew that there was no point in proving his point to the British court as they had already made up their mind to punish him his only wish was to remain in Delhi to stay closer to his country but the east India Company did not grant his wish he and his whole family were imprisoned and sent to Rangoon in Burma for a life.
Tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar
Bahadur Shah Zafar Grave in Rangoon, Burma Sentence: His lines reflect the pain he writes. Alas, what a revolution! Due to the cruelty of the age, Delhi slipped out of Zafar’s hand in the moment Captain H Nelson Davis recalls the last sight of the emperor, who was no less than a beggar. He lived in prison for four years and wrote his last wishes on the walls.
how unfortunate for Zafar’s funeral not even two yards of land was found my friend The empathy moved Nelson as he saw the frail emperor dead without a prayer or an open window of freedom thus the last king of India crossed the line of life as his plane funeral was taking its force these lines resonated in captain nelson’s ears when the time came for the tomb there was no land available for the last crown prince of India.
In the whole of Rangoon, the captain writes that he saluted the king for the last time and left if we ever go to Rangoon you will still find his grave and the citizens of Myanmar have built a holy relationship with him that Bahadur Shah Zafar may have been the emperor of Hindustan but he was greater than that they call him baba because he was so learned he knew everything.
Bahadur Shah Zafar famous poetry
Bahadur Shah Zafar famous poetry in Hinglish
Lagta nahin hai dil mera ujde dayar mein
Kis ki bani hai aalam-e-naapaidaar meinDil hi toh hai na sang-o-khisht, dard se bhar na aaye kyon
Royenge hum hazaar baar, koi humein sataaye kyonUmr-e-daraaz maang ke laaye the chaar din
Do aarzu mein kat gaye, do intezaar meinKitna hai badnaseeb Zafar, dafn ke liye
Do gaz zameen bhi na mili, koo-e-yaar meinBahadur Shah Zafar famous poetry in Urdu
لگتا نہیں ہے دل میرا اُجڑے دیار میں
کس کی بنی ہے عالمِ ناپائیدار میںدل ہی تو ہے نہ سنگ و خشت، درد سے بھر نہ آئے کیوں
روئیں گے ہم ہزار بار، کوئی ہمیں ستائے کیوںعمرِ دراز مانگ کے لائے تھے چار دن
دو آرزو میں کٹ گئے، دو انتظار میںکتنا ہے بدنصیب ظفر دفن کے لیے
دو گز زمین بھی نہ ملی کوئے یار میںBahadur Shah Zafar’s famous poetry in English
My heart no longer finds peace in this ruined land
Who has ever found happiness in this ephemeral world?
It’s just a heart, not brick and stone, why shouldn’t it fill with pain?
We will cry a thousand times, why should anyone torment us?
I had begged for a long life of four days,
Two passed in longing, two in waiting.
How unfortunate is Zafar, that even for burial,
He couldn’t find two yards of land in his beloved’s lane.People Also Ask?
Who was bahadur shah ii?
Bahadur Shah II was the last Mughal emperor.How Bahadur Shah Zafar die?
Unfortunately for Zafar’s funeral not even two yards of land was found my friend The empathy moved Nelson as he saw the frail emperor dead without a prayer or an open window of freedom thus the last king of India crossed the line of life as his plane funeral was taking its force these lines resonated in captain nelson’s ears when the time came for the tomb there was no land available for the last crown prince of IndiaWhose son was Bahadur Shah 2?
Bahadur Shah 2 was the son of Akbar Shah II. - Napoleon I | Biography, Achievements, & Facts
Napoleon Bonaparte (Emperor of France) Reign: 17 May 1804– 6 April 1814, 20March 1815 – 22 June 1815 Coronation: 2 December 1804 Predecessor: First Consul himself Successor: Louis XVIII of France(King of Italy) Full name: Napoleon Bonaparte Born: Napoleon Bonaparte 15 August 1769, Azacio Died: 5 May 1821 (age 51), Longwood,St. Helena Mausoleum: Les Invalides Spouses: Josephine Buhnens and Mary Lewis Children: Napoleon II Parents: Carlo Bonaparte, Lie down Ramolino Religion: Roman Catholicism Napoleon Bonaparte was Undoubtedly one of the best military strategists of all time, this man conquered much of Europe before being exiled, only to return to France and start another war before permanently being exiled to a tiny island quite literally in the middle of nowhere, where he died.
Napoleon Bonaparte Early Life
Napoleon was born Napoleone di Bonaparte on August 15, 1769 in Corsica, to Italian parents. His father, Carlo Buonaparte, was Corsica’s representative to the French Royal Court from 1777 until he died in 1785. As a child, Napoleon spoke French with a Corsican accent, and as a result, other children would bully him. He turned to books and was, quote, “distinguished for his application in mathematics. He [was] fairly well acquainted with history and geography.
Napoleon Bonaparte turned 9, he traveled to France to attend a military academy, and when he completed his studies there, he attended the “École Militaire”, training to become an artillery officer. Immediately after graduation, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 1st Artillery regiment. During this time, and during the French Revolution, he became a supporter of Robespierre, who was famous for decapitating people and eventually decapitated himself. Also during this time, he was quickly promoted, reaching the rank of Brigadier General in 1793, when he was just 24 years old. It was here that he embarked on his first-ever military campaign.
In 1796, he became the commander of the French Army in Italy, winning a whole lot of battles, and becoming a hero in France. Then, in 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte went to Egypt, to try and protect French trading interests, and to join up with the ruler of Mysore to try and kick the British out of India. This was during the War of the Second Coalition; there would be many, many wars to come in the future.
Napoleon’s expedition failed, but in 1799, the French Revolution ended, and since Napoleon Bonaparte was a famous military leader, he became the new leader of France. He was called the First Consul. A year later, in 1800, Napoleon won his first significant victory as the head of his country. At the battle of Marengo, his French forces fought and defeated Austrian forces, taking 8,000 men captive, while the Austrians only captured 900.
This victory gave Napoleon Bonaparte further power in France — up to this point, his campaign against the Austrians wasn’t going so well, and this battle changed it. Napoleon turned this battle into a propaganda weapon; he named his horse Marengo, as well as several ships. His power escalated quickly, in 1804, he declared himself Emperor of France and basically became King of France. Europe was by then in war (multiple wars, actually).
Napoleonic Wars
One war was fought from 1803-to 1806, another from 1806 to 1807, another in 1809, yet another one from 1812 to 1814, and finally another one in 1815. These wars were the beginning of what would be known as the Napoleonic Wars. The War that went from 1803 to 1806 was called the War of the Third Coalition.
In this war, France, Spain, and a couple of other minor countries fought against the Holy Roman Empire, Britain, Russia, Sweden, and a couple of other countries. It was during this war that the famous Battle of Austerlitz took place — often heralded as Napoleon’s greatest victory, his French Grandée Armée won against Austrian and Russian forces that were 50% larger than his own. As a result of this war, Napoleon’s new “French Empire” was recognized, France gained a whole lot of land, and the Holy Roman Empire, an empire that lasted for almost a thousand years, dissolved.
The next war fought between 1806 and 1807 was the War of the Fourth Coalition. During this war, Napoleon’s French forces (along with his Spanish allies) fought against Prussia (a part of Germany, basically), Russia, and Britain. Napoleon won again, and Prussia lost over half of its land. In 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Spain and made his brother King of Spain, in what would be known as the Peninsular War.
The war after that (so many wars) was fought in 1809, and was known as the War of the Fifth Coalition. It was fought between France and Britain and a newly-formed Austria. France won, it gained land, and so did a couple of its puppet states. As a result of all these wars, Napoleon controlled much of Europe.
In 1812, however, Napoleon Bonaparte met his first major defeat. He invaded Russia. And he lost in much the same way that Hitler would over a century later. He lost due to the Russian winter. About 75% of Napoleon’s army either perished or were injured in some way. Then, a year later, in 1813, another war broke out. This war was known as the War of the Sixth Coalition. France and its allies were attacked by Russia, Prussia, and the United Kingdom. It was during this war that the famous Battle of Leipzig was fought.
This battle, also known as the Battle of Nations, was fought between Russia, Prussia, and Austria, and was the largest battle in Europe until World War 1.
Napoleon Bonaparte lost this battle, as well as the war, and was forced to abdicate and surrender. France lost a whole lot of land, and Louis XVIII became the king of France. Louis the eighteenth was the brother of Louis the sixteenth, who was guillotined (or decapitated) during the French Revolution). Napoleon was then exiled to Elba, but he couldn’t stay still.
Napoleon Bonaparte Death
The Death of Napoleon’ captures the general’s final moments In 1815, he snuck out of Elba, returned to France, and declared himself Emperor again. This wouldn’t normally be so easy; however, most of the French Army was still loyal to Napoleon, giving him legitimacy. The other countries (namely Britain, Russia, and Germany) didn’t like the fact that Napoleon returned. They said that Napoleon was an outlaw, and started another war to overthrow him.
This war was known as the Hundred Days War, and also as the War of the Seventh Coalition. This war was Napoleon’s final war; he was finally defeated at Waterloo and was exiled. This time, he was exiled somewhere more remote — Saint Helena, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. He would die there six years later, in 1821, at the age of 51, due to what was probably stomach cancer.
- Julius Caesar | Biography, Conquests, Facts, & Death
The Tusculum portrait, is likely the sole surviving Caesar sculpture during his lifetime. Turin, Italy’s Archaeological Museum. Born: 12 July 100 BC Rome, Italy Died: 15 March 44 BC (aged 55) Rome, Italy Cause of death: Assassination (stab wounds) Parents: Gaius Julius Caesar, Aurelia Spouse: : Cossutia (disputed), Cornelia (m. 84 BC; d. 69 BC), Pompeia (m. 67 BC; div. 61 BC), Calpurnia (m. 59 BC Children: Julia, Caesarion, Augustus (adoptive) Resting place: Temple of Caesar, Rome Occupation: T Temple of Caesar, Rome Notable work: PoliticiansoldierBellum Gallicum, Bellum Civile Office: Consul (59, 48, 46–45, 44 BC), Dictator (49–44 BC) Julius Caesar Roman ruler
Gaius Julius Caesar Renowned military general, statesman, author, and historian, you probably don’t know much about him, except that he was the dictator of the Roman Republic, and supposedly said, “Et Tu, Brute?” before being stabbed to death.
Julius Caesar’s Early Life
Gaius Julius Caesar was born on July 12th, 100 BCE in Rome. His parents were both highly influential families, his father being a praetor, governing a province near modern-day Istanbul, and his mother’s family producing many census or modern-day presidents. Nobody knows what else Caesar did in his childhood; the two famous biographies of him written by Suetonius and Plutarch (two famous historians) only begin when he was a teenager. Then, when Caesar was about 15, in 85 BCE, his father died, and Caesar became head of his family. Caesar then got married, but Caesar’s uncle, Gaius Marius, was fighting a war, and lost, so he was exiled.
The person who won the war, Sulla, targeted Caesar since he was related to the guy who lost and stripped Caesar of his inheritance. Caesar was forced to go into hiding, but his mother’s family, who were supporters of Sulla, the guy who won, persuaded Sulla to pardon Caesar. Caesar, however, thought that Sulla might still come after him, so he left Rome and joined the Roman Army, winning the Civic Crown (the high award in the Roman Army) for his part in the Siege of Mytilene, which was basically suppressing a rebellion. Then, in 79 BCE, Sulla voluntarily stepped down from the post of dictator and died a year later.
In Rome, he became a lawyer and made a name for himself as a good orator. Then, Caesar was kidnapped by pirates, and the pirates asked for 20 talents of gold as ransom. Caesar said “no, I’m not worth 20 talents, I’m worth fifty! Ask for fifty talents as ransom! Now!”
The pirates did so, the ransom was paid, and then Caesar hunted down the pirates and killed them all. In 73 BCE, he became a pontifex or Roman priest. Then, Caesar was elected a military tribune, the bottom ring on the ladder of Roman politics. In 63 BCE, he ran for Pontifex Maximus (or head priest of the Roman Empire) and won. Next year, in 62 BCE, he became a praetor, and the year after that, he became governor of Hispania Ulterior or southern Spain.
The year after that, in 60 BCE, Caesar ran for the post of consul and won. Here, he joined in an alliance — not official— between himself and two other guys, Pompey and Crassus. The alliance was called the first triumvirate, or rule of three men. Since consulships only lasted a year, Caesar was then assigned a governorship, but he wasn’t content with that. Since he was governor, he had control over four legions or about 20,000 soldiers. Over the next eight years, from 58 to 50 BCE,
Caesar conquered Gaul or modern-day France. In 50 BCE, the Roman Senate ordered Caesar to return to Rome and disband his army. Caesar said no, and prepared for war. The next year, in 49 BCE, Caesar crossed the Rubicon (the boundary where no army was to cross), and famously said, “the die is cast”. For the next four years, Rome was in a civil war, with Caesar coming out on top. The next year, a month before he was assassinated, Caesar proclaimed himself dictator in perpetuity. A lot of people didn’t like this, and a plot to assassinate Caesar was hatched. About a month or two later (exact figures are disputed).
Julius Caesar’s Death
Last words of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BCE, Caesar walked into the Senate. As he was about to take his seat, a crowd of Senators surrounded him. They pulled off his toga and started stabbing him. He was stabbed 23 times. Interestingly enough, there’s no evidence or proof that he did say, “Et tu, Brute?” Most evidence points to him saying nothing while he was being stabbed. After Caesar was assassinated, the Roman Republic collapsed, and, in 27 BCE, Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, became head of the new Roman Empire. So, that’s the life of Gaius Julius Caesar,
- Gunduz Bey | Biography, Death & Facts
Gunduz Bey Summary
Gunduz Bey was the Eldest Son of Ertugrul Ghazi and elder brother of Osman Ghazi I some Historians believed that Gunduz Alp was the name of the father of Ertugrul Ghazi, But most historians mentioned in their books the name of Ertugrul Ghazi’s father as Suleiman Shah.
Facts about Gunduz Bey
Gunduz Bey, Son of Ertugrul Ghazi Full Name: Gündüz Bey Born: 1245, Sogut, Kayı Tribe (now Sogut, Turkey) Death: 1299, Inegol, Ottoman State (now Inegol, Turkey) Cause of Death: Martyr Children: Aydoğdu Bey, Aktimur Bey Parents: Ertuğrul, Halime Hatun Gunduz Bey Early Life
Gunduz Bey was born in 1245, in Sogut, Kayı Tribe (now Sogut, Turkey). Gunduz Bey was the first son of Ertugrul Ghazi and Halima Sultan. Gunduz Bey was fearless and brave since childhood. He fought many battles in his life with bravery.
Recently, three Osman I coins were found in Yenişehir, Bursa Which is from the Ottoman period on which is written Osman S/O Ertugrul S/O Gunduz Alp So that’s why historians believe that Ertugrul Ghazi’s father’s name was Gunduz Alp. So Ertugrul Ghazi’s son was named after his grandfather name Gunduz Alp.
The year 1245 C.E is also said to be the year of birth of Gunduz Bey When Osman was born, Gunduz was 10 years old Some historians have also mentioned the differences between ‘Osman and Gunduz, in which the discipline of the tribe, and regard to the relationship with the neighbors, I have mentioned a little bit of disagreement on these things. and Gunduz Alp was interested in the leadership of Tribe But the Ottoman authoritative writer’s Ashiq Pashazad and Ibn Bibi rejected this historical view and wrote that Gunduz Alp was extremely in love with his younger brother Osman.
Osman Ghazi had certain qualities that Gunduz Alp made him the ruler of the Tribe by himself, And Gunduz had taken part in every war against neighbors, but especially against the Byzantine Christians. He stood by his younger brother for the establishment of the Ottoman Empire.
Christian historians also mentioned the differences between Osman Ghazi and his uncle Dundar Bey, And it is said that ‘Osman killed his uncle as a benefactor of the Byzantines But neutral historians have imagined the story of Dundar Bey’s murder as a fabrication.
These historians believe that Christian historians and anti-Osman people in Turkey blamed Osman Ghazi for the assassination was used to defame Osman Ghazi To prove his personality suspicious because there was no written history at that time A fabricated story has been told to prove Osman Ghazi a tyrant if you look at the ground reality, Dundar Bay was 92 or 94 years old at that time. And was killed for opposing the attack on a fort So this just seems to contradict reality for such a frail person. And that can’t be a valid reason for such an elderly person. However, Osman Ghazi had a lot of respect for him because of his father Initially, there was some disagreement between Osman Bey and Dundar Bey over the seat, but later it ended.
Gündüz Bey Death
Gündüz Bey, who later became known as Ghazi, was a very brave and combatant person. Your fight against the Byzantine Empire was a supreme example of courage and bravery. When Osman Ghazi founded his own separate government, he was appointed chief of a region. Gunduz Bey in 1303 C.E against the Byzantines Army in İnegöl which is located in Bursa province, Martyred in the battle, you are buried in August. Gunduz Alp’s character has been seen in two drama serials. In Dirilis Ertugrul, 2 Actors played his character.
Burial: Turgutalp (Genci) village, İnegöl, The childhood character was very well played by Yaman Tümen. Yaman was born in 2010 in Istanbul. The youthful role of Gunduz Alp was played by Arif Diren also in Dirilis Ertugrul. He was born in Istanbul in 1991. Arif had previously worked in films and various commercials But working in Dirilis Ertugrul’s drama, he managed to gain worldwide acclaim. The last part of Gunduz alp’s life is seen in another drama Kurulus Osman, the Character played by Emre Basalak. He was born in 1989 in Istanbul. He worked in so many films and dramas, but he became famous due to Gunduz’s character.
- Queen of Sheba | Legend, History, & Bible
Queen of Sheba: The Ancient Middle East and the Arab World were famous for their folktales and storytelling abilities. This tendency existed across the entire religious spectrum, including but not restricted to the jews. Merchants and traders passed these stories around the region, which makes historians question the veracity of these tales. Some tales have multiple versions, others are soaked with supernatural intent that is simply impossible to verify, and some tales have no physical and historical evidence to back them up, yet. This tradition of storytelling has presented scholars with question marks on every turn.
Some stories have suitable archaeological evidence to back them up, while others do not. In the case of the latter, it is quite easy to call their validity into question. One such tale is the tale of the Queen of Sheba. The major trouble with this story is the existence of various versions; still, historians are divided about whether such a figure even existed in the first place! The different versions could easily have been the consequence of the local storytelling fervor. Whether myth or history, the Queen of Sheba is a beacon of female empowerment, a woman who inspires us with her guiding wisdom, selflessness, and bold demeanor. Three major religions recall the story, in varying scope: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
Who Was Queen of Sheba
Queen of Sheba Queen of Sheba: The Ethiopian national epic, Kebra Nagast, translated as “the Glory of the Kings,” also speaks of the Queen of Sheba. Kebra Nagast, as well as the Quran, the Hebrew Bible’s Books of the Chronicle, the Bible, and the Jewish Antiquities, all mention a single radical event of the queen’s life: her visit to meet King Solomon of Israel. If we stick with the Hebrew version, the queen visited Solomon sometime around 950 B.C. The trouble with that particular chronology, as with several other chronologies, is that historians find it hard to trace her exact origins. Some people think she came from Yemen, some say southern Arabia, and others claim Africa. Archaeological results show that Ethiopia was home to some of the earliest civilizations on the planet.
Egyptian hieroglyphs associate the land with an abundance of trade, especially in gold. The first known kingdom of Ethiopia, formed between 1000 and 700 BCE, D’mt, depicts its fair share of ruins today and might have been a neighboring kingdom or under the direct rule Queen of Sheba. General estimations describe the Kingdom of Sheba, wherever it may have been, as a lucrative land – unsurprising as it probably had access to both Egypt and Israel.
All this speculation puts Ethiopia as a serious contender for the queen’s home. In the Ethiopian tradition, the queen is remembered as Makeda. The Quran mentions that she averted her people away from the worship of the sun and turned them into monotheistic believers. Makeda was faithful to her followers and was a determined figure of authority.
Queen of Sheba and Her Mighty Throne
Queen of Sheba: However, in ancient times, queens rarely ruled without a king at the helm. When the king of Sheba died or was unexpectedly removed from the throne, Makeda rose to prevent chaos from prevailing. As details of the exact region are murky, some think that Makeda ruled the Kingdom of Aksum, whereas others believe that the Sabaean migration, which brought about the Kingdom of Aksum, took place a few centuries later. Whatever the case may be, Makeda stepped into the role of the ruler and restored security and stability to her land. The problem arose when she realized that she had not been groomed for the role like most male heirs usually were.
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Download Now (1365 KB)As such, she lacked the necessary education required to rule such a vast kingdom. She was in desperate need of a mentor, and her yearning for guidance gained ground every day. As destiny would have it, just 2000 miles away sat the son of David, the mighty King Solomon of Israel.
David had slain Goliath as a youngster and had earned a name for himself long before becoming king. Understandably, Solomon had big shoes to fill. Solomon was David’s illegitimate son with Bathsheba. It is said that God asked Solomon for his ultimate desire. Instead of opting for wealth, glory, or fame, Solomon decided to choose wisdom, and thus, wisdom was granted unto him. His wisdom soon became the talk of ancient times, and it helped him and his kingdom grow rich. He set out to construct a magnificent and colossal temple in honor of his God.
Such an undertaking would inspire him to search far-off lands for priceless fabrics and tempting metals, leading him through Israel and into Egypt and Assyria – even across the Mediterranean. In his attempt to build the largest temple the world had ever seen, Solomon sent out a request throughout the land, asking the people for the finest building materials. Tamrin, a well-known merchant who resided in the Kingdom of Sheba, had seen the majestic pyramids and the riches of the pharaohs. He had even walked the Silk Road to China. When the opportunity arose, he decided to set his sail for Israel.
Upon reaching Jerusalem, Tamrin was in complete awe of the wealth and culture of Israel. The gleaming armors of the soldiers, the bronze ingots, the luxurious fabrics, the laden merchants, the music in the streets, and the palace decorations were a remarkable sight. Finally, he was awarded the company with King Solomon and approached the throne. He was surprised by the ways of the humble king.
For someone who ruled as wealthy and glamorous a kingdom, his personality exuded a certain earthiness. Impressed by the king’s wisdom – and fully aware of Queen Makeda’s search for a mentor – he returned to Sheba with a purpose. When Tamrin started regaling the tales of Solomon in front of Makeda, she was instantly taken by the king’s disposition and love for pensive contemplation. She could see that the Israeli king had genuinely impressed Tamrin – and Tamrin had seen quite a lot of the world, so much admiration was quite unusual.
Enamored by the tales of Solomon, she would summon Tamrin every day and learn about his sayings and habits. Makeda had a strong desire to rule her kingdom in the same vein as Solomon ruled his. She decided to travel to Israel to meet him. With her kingdom safe and sound and her people fond of her policies, she set off. To ward off hostile gestures and convey a sense of camaraderie between the two kingdoms, Makeda prepared a gift for Solomon. It took almost 800 camels and a few mules and donkeys to carry the stones and gold to Israel.
Soloman’s Temple
Soloman’s Temple Solomon had completed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and now had a lot of time on his hands. There were no overwhelming foes in the land, nor were there any grievances among the people. All was well, yet he could not shake off a thirst for something more: something that was missing from his wealth, his nation’s prosperity, and his God-gifted wisdom. He kept thinking back to Tamrin, the merchant who was cynical towards everyone but highly praised his queen. Solomon was getting impatient, but the day finally arrived when Makeda reached Israel. Solomon stood and saw as the hordes of camels made their way to his city. As she entered the room, her tall and slender body, dark skin, and flamboyant yet fearless attitude immediately attracted the king of Israel.
In the Islamic and Christian versions of the tale, the queen stepped over a glass floor, thinking it was a stream of water. According to the Muslim accounts, the glass floor was constructed to reveal the queen’s legs as demons had warned Solomon of her hairy and unnatural limbs. The Ethiopian accounts do not mention the floors at all. Despite the difference in details, the intention of the visit is consistent across all accounts. Makeda had left her home, traveled a long distance, and arrived in Solomon’s court to test his wisdom. She had prepared some tough questions and wanted to test the limits of the king’s intellect. Solomon had shown the utmost hospitality to the queen, bestowing her with the most lavish guest quarters, the finest food, and the most desirable entertainers. Makeda had seen luxury all her life, but this was beyond even her comprehension.
One day, she requested an audience with the king, which she was immediately granted. This time, the air of awkwardness had been lifted as they both exhumed their usual royal gaits and mannerisms. Makeda had prepared a set of riddles to test Solomon. In ancient stories, solving complex riddles was often treated as the epitome of an individual’s intellectual ability. She started with different puzzles, asked him difficult questions, and tried to beguile him with complicated dilemmas. Solomon had been expecting all this and was more than up to the task. He answered her initial riddles easily, but Makeda had several more ready to go. The visits continued over the days, and every day she would visit Solomon to ask him difficult questions. The daily interactions worked as a catalyst for their physical attraction to each other.
Makeda knew she had traveled the land to learn from the king, and falling in love with him would hinder that objective. At the same time, she knew that Solomon had developed reciprocal feelings for her. Solomon was a monotheist man, and Makeda was a worshipper of the sun and moon at that point in her life. She was taken by Solomon’s humility and his trust in one God. She admired his knowledge so much that she converted to his faith. As the two of them got closer and closer, their temptations gave into the moment, and one night, Solomon had a chamber prepared for the two of them. It was time for Makeda to leave for home, but the nostalgia of their night beckoned her back to Solomon. She had gained the wisdom she had sought so much, and there was no professional reason to stay in Israel for long. As they parted, Solomon gave her a ring, telling her to remember him by it.
He further said that if she should bear him a son, the ring would be a sign for him and that she should send him to Solomon. They both knew it was goodbye; to stay any longer would be unwise and unfaithful to their respective kingdoms. So, they said their final greetings, and Makeda started her journey back home. Solomon had awarded her with luxurious gifts for her kingdom. Six thousand camels hauled the embroidered garments, the precious gemstones, and the rest of the lavish items. On her way back, the journey became arduous by the day as Makeda realized that she was pregnant.
The traveling party had to halt at different points due to scheduling conflicts or administrative issues. She knew that she could not give birth to her child in Sheba. Nine months and five days after their departure from Jerusalem, she gave birth to a baby boy. Her people welcomed her and her son with open arms. The kingdom rejoiced in the news of a male heir, and the arrival of the gifts meant that they were even richer than before.
Menelik The son, Menelik, was around twelve years old when he started to get curious about his biological father. He pestered his mother, and she had to tell him that his father was far away, and the journey was long. But Makeda’s tactics did not work for long, and the little boy stayed adamant in his desire to travel to Jerusalem.
With his mother’s blessing, he left Sheba and headed for Israel. The boy had promised her mother that he would return, so after he met with Solomon, Solomon crowned him the King of Sheba and set him off with pomp. When he returned, Sheba had gained something it had been missing for a long time: a male ruler.
As Makeda watched her son, the spitting image of Solomon, take the reins of the kingdom, she rested easily and faded from the spotlight. Not much is known about Makeda after her son took the throne. What is remembered and cherished about the queen of Sheba is her desire for wisdom and knowledge and her courage to undertake the most difficult journey for the sake of her kingdom and its prosperity.
- Genghis Khan | Biography, Conquests, Achievements, & Facts
Rise of Genghis Khan
The Famous Genghis Khan—innovative leader, military genius, or violent warmonger? As the first great emperor of the Mongol Empire, attributed with founding the largest contiguous empire in history and slaughtering thousands of people in the process, Genghis Khan was a man of many talents. Born into the brutality of life on the Mongolian Steppe in 1162, he faced many hardships as a boy. Enemy Tartars killed his father when he was young, and his family of seven children and a single mother struggled to survive. Life was so brutal for young Khan; he allegedly killed his own brother in a fight over dominance and food. But in keeping with his formidable reputation, Khan essentially freed himself from poverty to become a capable warrior and military strategist at the age of 20.
By 1206, he had managed to garner many supporters, who helped him form alliances with the leaders of other important tribes. And once Khan had successfully established several confederations under his name, he turned his eye to conquest. To understand how Genghis Khan came to be the giant historical figure he is today, it is important to become familiar with the Mongol people and their origins. For many, many centuries, they inhabited the vast lands of modern-day Mongolia and northern China, stretching from forests of Siberia to the dry sands of the Gobi Desert. But life in the Mongol steppe was not easy.
Harsh weather and permafrost made mining and construction extremely difficult, as well as simply living. Arid land and poor soil plagued agricultural efforts and made farming nearly impossible for the Mongols, who had to squeeze out lifeblood from a vast sea of grasslands and deserts. With only small pockets of the forest here and there, and massive expanses of open land, navigating the Mongol landscape was forbidding and arduous—that is, until the domestication of the horse around 3500 BCE. Once the Mongols established their livelihood through a form of equine nomadism, things improved significantly for their way of life. Along with metalworking innovation, the steppe society and culture advanced enough to form several initial empires, such as
the Tartar and Khamag confederacies. These early dynasties served as models for the later unification of the steppes under the rule of Genghis Khan, who would finally rise to power in the realm around 1186. But Khan’s first year as ruler was also not easy. As Khan worked to gather more and more warriors to form alliances and build strength, his childhood friend, Jamukha, became threatened and decided to attack him. Khan had to flee for his life, but in the end, he came out on top through the steadfast respect of all those who approached him. Compared to Jamukha’s cruelty and dishonesty, Khan’s reliable reputation grew more popular in the region, causing many unattached tribes to swear their fealty to him.
Facts about Genghis khan
Genghis Khan Born: Temujin, c 1162, near Lake Baikal Died: August 18, 1227, (aged 65) Spouse: Borte, Yisui, Juerbiesu, Khulan Khatun, Yesulun Khatun, Yesugen Khatun, Moge Khatun, Ibaqa Khatun Issue: Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedei, Alakhai Bekhi, Tolui, others Empire: Mongol Empire Rise and fall of Mongol Empire
Rise of Mongol Empire One of Genghis Khan’s most remarkable traits was his patience and long-term vision. He knew the confederacies around him shifted their alliances quickly and without reason, which meant the vicious cycles of warring and revenge would never really cease; they would only continue to present new enemies. So, instead of taking immediate revenge on his traitorous old friend, Jamukha, Khan tallied the characteristics of his various opponents and carefully plotted how to demolish each one in the most effective way.
Trust no one, defeat everyone became his general approach. Because Khan’s first order of business was to crush the Tartars who killed his father (the richest of all the nomadic confederacies), he reached out to the Jurkin clan for help. But when they failed to show up and even raided the camp in his absence, Khan accused their leaders of treason and executed them. Even so, Khan left the remaining clansmen alive to assimilate as free men, taking away their desire for revenge. By 1202, the steppes were slowly unifying, and Khan was finally able to attack the Tartars. As he did with previous enemies, Khan killed the Tartar men and integrated the remaining women and children into his own tribe. He even took a few Tartar brides. In this way, Khan was responsible for essentially merging Tartar and Mongol cultures into one.
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Download Now (1301 KB)And when he was not focusing on wars and conquests, Khan created a Mongolian code of law with a judicial branch and a growing state administration. Khan was just as dedicated to loyalty as he was to violence. So, when some followers of his old friend, Jamukha, turned the traitor into Khan, they were the ones to die. And when Jamukha refused to join Khan’s followers, he was executed like a noble, with no blood spilled and an honorary burial. After this incident in 1206, Khan became the undisputed ruler of the area, with no real opponents left in the steppes.
At this point in his rule, Khan was about 44 years old. He sat at the head of a warmongering horde of soldiers, all of whom were eager to rove around Asia, looking for more conquests to unite the realm into a single empire. And Khan was more than happy to lead them in this effort, beginning his expansion the very next year, in 1207.
Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty
Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty – TS HISTORICAL Khan and his Mongol army went north and quickly conquered the “Siberian Forest people,” essentially bringing two key regions under his control. Once this easy conquest was under his belt, he turned his ambitious gaze south towards China and the Xi Xia state, where control of access to the Silk Road could be taken. This conquest was important for a few reasons. Even if Khan had wanted to back off a bit from his relentless attacks on nearby people, he ultimately had no choice but to facilitate these military campaigns. Controlling an army of anywhere from 30,000 to 200,000 warriors at any given time was a lot like holding a vicious Pitbull on a short leash.
It had to be taken care of and fed with more and more riches. Without their share of loot and plunder, the loyalty of Khan’s Mongol army was fleeting at best. And so, in the spring of 1209, after two reconnaissance raids to gather intelligence and loot, Khan’s army marched into the Xi Xia region to fight their first battle with an organized state.
Suffice it to say, Khan and his men marched in undetected and annihilated the Xia army. Even though his army had no siege warfare strategies in place to penetrate the fortress guarding the mountain pass—a shortcoming that delayed his victory by almost a year—Khan eventually destroyed the Xi Xia forces and compelled them to surrender. After receiving an immense tribute of camels, woolen cloth, trained falcons, and carts of silk – not to mention the daughter of the Xi Xia ruler—Khan removed his forces from the realm and returned home to the steppes, only to find more enemies at his doorstep. As Khan and his men made their way back to their own territory, another rival force known as the Jin dynasty approached with a large envoy.
Married to the traditional belief that all people of the steppes should bow to them in submission, Jin demanded Khan kneel in the direction of their capital to demonstrate his inferior position. But Khan being Khan chose to spit at their feet and continue his progression north, confident he had just instigated a future conflict with Jin. And by spring of the following year, 1211.
Mongol Empire Dissolved The Mongol army of some 100,000 men marched on the Jin Empire, only to find they were outnumbered by about 200,000 warriors. Even so, the Mongols defeated Jin in early 1215 with some exceptional cavalry fighting, going on to burn, plunder and rape their way through the capital. And Jin became another casualty of Khan’s conquest in China. The Mongols went on to fight the Persians. They then pledged peace, only to renew the conflict again until 1221, when Khan realized that he had brought the entirety of modern-day Central Asia and parts of northeastern Iran under control of the Mongol Empire. And so, he headed home.
\Eventually, his feud with Xi Xia picked up a few years later, in 1227, giving the Mongol army a new campaign to wage. But Khan—ruler and military god—fell ill around that time and died, leaving his four sons with their own mini kingdoms to rule. Khan’s son Ögödei led the empire, which now stretches from China to the Caspian Sea, the most continuous stretch of territory for an empire outside of the British.
The famous Mongol Empire finally dissolved in 1368 after a significant number of campaigns and expansions—and some failures. When the Mongols failed to conquer Egypt in 1260, the dynasty fragmented and suffered from fights over succession. This military loss also weakened the central government in China and contributed to the eventual fall of the dynasty. While the epic story of the Mongol Empire and its relentless conquest may have ended, the memory of legendary Genghis Khan most certainly will not.
- Alexander the Great | Biography, Empire, Death, & Facts
Alexander the Great King Summary
Alexander The Great king It is said that he himself was born from Zeus, a semi-deity in the flesh. He tames an unbroken wild horse who feared approaching full-grown men at the age of 12, and that horse would lead him to military victory after military victory until his untimely death at age 32.
He was taught by one of the ancient great thinkers of the world. Alexander the Great‘s name says it all. But how much is true of Alexander, and what is fiction? And finally, with a whopping zero Instagram followers, can we really say he was that great? Haters and historians alike will tell you.
Alexander the great Facts
Born: 1 July 356 BC2, Pella, Macedon, Ancient Greece21 July 356 BC Died: 13 June 323 BC (aged 32), Babylon, Mesopotamia Father: Philip II of Macedon Mother: Olympias of Epirus Spouse: Roxana of Bactria, Stateira II of Persia, Parysatis II of Persia Dynasty: Argead Religion: Greek polytheism Issue: Alexander IV, Heracles (alleged illegitimate son) Role In: Battle of Gaugamela, Battle of Granicus, Battle of Issus, Siege of Aornos, Battle of the Hydaspes Who was Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great was born in (356 BC) to King Philip II of Macedonia and his wife Olympias. A true Greek, on the other hand, understands that Alexander was Zeus’ love child, who had a nasty habit of descending to Earth and taking the form of various animals in order to seduce women. Zeus was the original frat boy in many ways. Alexander’s father was already an influential figure – both a brilliant military leader and a politician.
He transformed Macedonia into a military and cultural powerhouse via force of arms and political intrigue, which was a remarkable achievement considering Macedonia’s status in the ancient world.
The backwoods of Greece. Phillips’s goals, however, were not restricted to the strengthening of Macedonia; he had a dream, which he would pass down to his son, Alexander, of conquering Persians’ powerful kingdom. To date, Persia had been a world superpower, premier in many fields of science and philosophy, it was backed by a formidable military that tried again and again to destroy the stubborn, and defiant, Greeks. To say the least, conquering this enormous nation was a highly optimistic dream.
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Download Now (1054 KB)At the age of 13, Alexander was personally tutored by Aristotle, a man so famous that even if you know nothing about his teachings, you definitely recognize the name. Aristotle, one of the greatest minds of the ancient world, piqued the young prince’s interest and honed his already strong intellect. Aristotle taught Alexander philosophy, medicine, politics, and art, as well as the importance of treating non-Greeks as slaves.
Alexander’s Attack on India
Alexander The Great in order to secure his hold on Persia, Alexander granted large amounts of freedom to Persian territories, even allowing them to govern themselves in exchange for loyalty to him. He did not force conversions of Persian culture or religion, the way most rulers did back in his day, and instead actually adopted many Persian customs for himself.
This made him very popular with the Persians, although it made him just as unpopular with his own Macedonian troops. Alexander killed one of his generals and personal friends after he drunkenly ridiculed Alexander’s adoption of Persian culture.
This proved to further drive a wedge between him and his native Macedonians. Feeling that further conquests would help stabilize his political situation, and further feed his appetite for glory, Alexander rallied his forces once more and marched on India. the unity that his conquests had brought to two of the greatest people of the ancient world would spur the Hellenistic age, and Alexander founded many of the ancient world’s most important centers of cultural and scientific development.
The establishment of a silver standard for currency, which eased trade across his former realm, was one of his great achievements. His liberating of huge amounts of wealth from the former Persian empire’s treasury also greatly boosted trade and wealth across the Mediterranean, and a period of prosperity settled over the region.
Alexander the Great death
Alexander’s reign was short-lived, however, since he died mysteriously at the age of 32, making him one of history’s shortest-lived monarchs. Some believe he was poisoned by a political foe, of which he had a plethora on both the Greek and Persian sides. Others though believe that he died due to malaria which he contracted during his travels in India.
Whatever the cause of his death, Alexander proved to be the only thing holding the fragile empire he had created together, and following his passing, it immediately began to fall apart at the seams. His generals began to war amongst themselves in a bid to become the new supreme ruler. Ultimately it’s unknown if Alexander could have really held his empire together even if he had lived. His conquests had brought together many disparate peoples under one banner, most of them who did not share a common culture.
Even while alive his empire strained and groaned under the pressure of revolution, and it was only his political shrewdness along with savagery against his political enemies that kept it together alive. How long this could have lasted though remains in doubt, and ultimately it’s likely even if he had not died from disease or poison.
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In 334 BC, Alexander the Great launched an invasion of the Persian Empire, starting a series of military campaigns that went on for 10 years.How alexander the great looked like?
Alexander was said to have a pale complexion, which would often flush with a reddish hue, especially on his face and chest.How alexander the great died?
Poisoning, assassination, and a range of infectious diseases have all been considered as possible causes of death. - Abdurrahman Gazi | Biography, History
Abdurrahman Gazi History
If you have also seen the Ertugrul Ghazi serial then I can say with the hope that this character must have made an important place in your heart and mind, I am talking about Abdur Rahman Gazi, today’s article we are going to talk about Abdurrahman Gazi. What is the real history of How did his life go and at which places did he study and from where to where did his age go, that is, how old did he get he will also talk about his love.
Facts about Abdurrahman Gazi
Abdurrahman Ghazi Friend of Ertugrul Ghazi Full Name: Rasool Hazrat Abdurrahman bin off Born: 12th century, place of birth is unknown Died: Buried Allegiance: Ottoman Empire, Kayi Tribe Rank: Military Commander Nationality: Oghuz Turkish Religion: Islam Buried: Samandıra, Istanbul, Turkey Who Was Abdurrahman Gazi ?
bdurrahman Gazi belonged to the Kayi Tribe and his full name is Mansukh by the name of the famous Sahabey Rasool Hazrat Abdurr ahman bin Off. Even in Urdu date, you have been called by Abdurrahman, Abdurrahman was a very brave and brave soldier and a very special friend of Hazrat Ertugrul Ghazi, when the foundation of Khilafat-e-Osmania was laid, at that time Hazrat Abdurrahman Gazi was very important Because Abdurrahman Gazi was such a soldier who found the era of Suleiman Shah also found the era of his son Ertugrul Ghazi and also found the era of his son.
Abdurrahman Gazi fought many wars with the Ottoman army and won many places. It was famous about Abdurrahman Gazi Ghazi that Abdurrahman Gazi never sleeps at night without shooting arrows at the enemy. And never come down on horseback without wielding a sword during the day. Hazrat Abdurrahman Gazi fought a lot of wars and conquered big forts, many of which belonged to the Byzantine army. Told that Fateh belongs only and only to the right.
Hazrat Abdurrahman Gazi was a very brave and warlike soldier. He was very loyal to his master and religion. His stature was long and the beard was very thick, he was as soft as he was hard to see from inside. It is said about Abdul Rehman Ghazi that due to your views and views, many people in Byzantine areas had converted to Islam.
Abdurrahman Gazi also fought for a long time with Osman Ghazi, son of Ertugrul Ghazi, and during the era of Hazrat Osman Ghazi, he also mentored Fozio many times and tell you when Usman killed his uncle because his uncle had betrayed him, then at that time also Hazrat Abdurrahman Gazi was also present with Hazrat Usman Ghazi. Abdurrahman Gazi, the grandfather of Suleiman Shah i.e. Ertugrul i.e. Osman Ghazi, even in his last days, his service was carried out by Abdurrahman Gazi.
One of the most important feats of Abdur Rahman Gazi was to conquer a strong and famous fort-like Aydos, which was a very difficult task because that fort was the strongest and most important fort of the Byzantine army. The story of this fort near Baz Morrakhin is associated with a love affair.
The story is like this. The girl of the landlord of the palace had seen in a dream that a person had saved her from falling in the pit, so that person was very beautiful, due to which she had fallen in love with that person so in real life that girl when Abdul When Rahman saw the face of Ghazi in the army of his enemy, he immediately recognized it and she came to know that this is the person of my dream.
So she threw a stone towards a soldier on which it was written that I will give you this sultanate, if you come again at night to raid this fort, then I will enter you inside this palace. Abdul Rehman Ghazi did the same and therefore made it appear as if they wanted to go back to the end of the fort and they realized their failure and they returned after chasing their army.
The army, reached that fort to raid and with the help of that girl, Abdul Rehman Ghazi entered that fort with some of his soldiers, due to which the fort became Fateh. And after that Abdurrahman Gazi married that girl, after which Allah also blessed him with a child from that girl. Abdurrahman Gazi is the person who is also known by the name of doing Aydos Castle Victory.
Abdurrahman Gazi Tomb
Tomb of Abdurrahman Ghazi He died in 1329 CE during the reign of Orhan Gazi. He was buried in a village in Erzurum Turkey. His grave is an honorary grave outside Ertugrul Gazi’s mausoleum.
- Turgut alp | History, Axe, Tomb & Facts
Turgut Alp History
Turgut Alp i.e. Nurgul was a true friend of Hazrat Ertugrul Ghazi and he is included in Sultanate-e-Osmania basic Janisaro; When Osman Ghazi also died, his son i.e. Hazrat Ertugrul Ghazi’s grandson also gave his blessings because apparently he had attained a long life of 125 years and he kept fighting and fighting in Maidan-e-Jung till the end. Fighting was martyred in his childhood, his wife was martyred by the Mongols in front of her eyes and later her wife was also burnt alive by the Mongols,
So that is why she was brought up by Ertugrul’s mother i.e. Haima Hanum. and he was a childhood friend of Ertugrul Ghazi and was brought up with him. His weapon was his famous axe.
Turgut Alp Real Image Name: Turgut, Nurgul
Born: Turkey Kayi tribe, c. 1200
Died: 1324/25
Burial: Turgutalp (Genci) village, Inegol, Turkey
Allegiance: Ottoman Empire
Rank: Military Commander
Turgut Alp Axe
Turgut Alp Axe Turgut Alp was the first such soldier of date and the first such Jabaz of Islamic date to shoot arrows and swords. Made his weapon 1 ax. When this wonderful man Mujahid of the Turgut world used to turn his ax by saying Ya Allah, the senses of all the enemies who came in his jade were blown away and after getting this ax, the last destination and the next destination used to be only and only hell. The special thing about his ax is that his ax is 92cm long and the weight of his ax is 1kg 650g.
If we talk about history, he had the strongest ax in history so far and he is such a person who kept fighting with that ax all his life after that, in 1325AD he fought against Kuffar i.e. at the age of 125, he jammed-e-Shahadat Nosh said When this zealous Marde Mujahid said martyrdom and said goodbye to this world, then behind this ie this person’s legacy was only and only its axe, you will be surprised to know that Hazrat Nurgul is the person who has the longest time.
Till now he has done jihad on the battlefield because he attained the age of 125 years and spent his whole life in jihad and fighting for Islam in Maidan-e-Jung. This is the reason why the record of doing Jihad for the longest time in Islamic dating is in the name of this personality.
His weapon was his Azeem Axe, which is still present in this world and is kept in the Turk’s museum and is increasing its glory. A lot of people go to see that ax and apparently after the arrival of the Ertugrul Ghazi serial when common people also recognized him, more and more people started queuing to see his axe.
Turgut Alp Tomb, Türbesi, Turkey Turgut Alp Tomb
Turgut Alp tomb is present in 1 cemetery of Turgut Alp village Turkey and let us tell you that 1 Mazar near Ertugrul Ghazi’s Mazar has been built after his name, although it is not his real tomb it is only and only for his realization. His real Mazar is Turgut Alp village, which has been named after him and is present in his cemetery.
- Salahuddin Ayyubi- History, Crusades & Facts
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb Full name : Salāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb
Born: 1137 AD Iraq, Tikrit, Upper Mesopotamia, Abbasid Caliphate
Died: 4 March 1193 AD (age 55-56) Damascus, Ayyubi Sultanate of Syria
Empire: Ayyubi Sultanate (Founder)
Parents: Sit Khatoon, Najm al-Dan Ayyub
Tomb: Damascus, Umayyad Mosque
Wife: Ismat ad-din Khatoon
Investiture: Cairo, 1174
Children: Al-Afdl ibn Salah ad-Din, Az-Zahir Ghazi, Al-Aziz Usman
Who was Salahuddin Ayyubi?
Salahuddin Ayyubi is a brilliant hero in Islamic history who is respected by Muslims and Christians alike for his justice and kindness. This is about 1137 AD. In the Iraqi city of Tikrit, in the house of Amir Najmuddin Ayyub of a Zengid dynasty, a boy was born, who was named Yusuf, and today the whole world knows the name of Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi.
Salahuddin Ayyubi’s full name was Salāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb. Salahuddin Ayyubi was raised by his uncle Shirkuh, who according to history was a commander in the Zengid dynasty, He used to accompany Salahuddin Ayubi in training in combat techniques and in combat activities. And used to give them war information.
Rise of the Ayyubi Empire
Salahuddin Ayyubi rose rapidly through the ranks of the Jangi Sultanate due to his intelligence and aggression. After the invasion of Egypt in 1169, he was appointed governor of Egypt. After the death of Nuruddin Jangi, his successors could not take over the empire.
In 1171 AD Salahuddin Ayyubi laid the foundation of the Ayyubi kingdom. And by 1182 AD, he had conquered Syria, Egypt, and Aleppo and incorporated them into his kingdom. Saladin’s greatest ambition was to take Jerusalem. During the reign of Hazrat Umar Farooq, the first Muslim Qibla, Jerusalem was conquered. Due to the internal turmoil of the Muslims after the First Crusade, Jerusalem was conquered by the Crusaders.
In 1177 AD, Salah-ud-din Ayubi launched his first invasion of Jerusalem. And he failed to succeed. Salahuddin Ayyubi made his second attack two years later in 1179 AD, in which the king of Jerusalem was defeated but managed to escape. The King of Jerusalem and Salahuddin signed a peace contract in 1180 AD. But the agreement did not last long. Kirk Fort Governor Raynald was an ardent Christian who attacked and killed pilgrims on their way to Hajj.
Sultan-Salahuddin-Ayubi persuades the King of Jerusalem to punish Ronald, but the King of Jerusalem does not. As a result, Raynald gains even greater strength and sends an army to attack the Muslim holy city of Mecca. Is. On the way, Salahuddin Ayyubi’s army defeated Raynald’s army. After the untimely death of the king of Jerusalem, Raynald continued to attack and kill Muslims. Saladin vows to kill Raynald with his own hands upon learning of the incident.
Battle of Hattin
Battle of Hattin Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi had always aspired to conquer Baitul Muqaddas. When Nooruddin Jangi was killed, there was no such capable person present who could sit on the throne after him. So all the people consulted and put the entire Sultanate of Nooruddin Jangi in the hands of Salahuddin Ayyubi. And when Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi was placed on the throne, he was only 21 years old.
Now Salahuddin Ayyubi got the opportunity to conquer Betul Muqaddas, which he was always looking for. Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi had made the goal of his life to conquer Betul Muqaddas as soon as he sat on the throne of Egypt. When Salahuddin Ayyubi got rid of all the difficulties in Egypt and strengthened his sultanate very much in Egypt. So they decided to set out on the way to Betul Muqaddas and Salahuddin Ayyubi with his army set out towards Jerusalem to conquer Betul Muqaddas.
Salahuddin-din-Ayyubi marched towards Jerusalem with a large army. During this (Battle of Hattin) the battle of Hattin took place. The Crusaders were badly defeated in this battle, about 30,000 of their warriors were killed and thousands of soldiers were captured. During that battle, Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi captured Raynald and killed him. After this battle, Sultan Salahuddin besieged Jerusalem and a week later Jerusalem was conquered. After a hundred years, the Muslims recaptured Jerusalem. Salahuddin was a courageous man. Who, during the Crusades, treated the Crusaders so well that Christians still respect them greatly.
History of Baitul Muqaddas
Masjid-e-Aqsa in Jerusalem, Palestine, which we know as Baitul Muqaddas, is the only place in the world where people of three religions claim their rights. That is, Masjid-e-Aqsa is such a place which has a lot of importance in Christianity too and Jews also give it a lot of importance and on the third-hand people who believe in Islam also give a lot of importance to Baitul Muqaddas and Betul Muqaddas to Islam.
Because Baitul Muqaddas is Qibla-e-Awal of Islam, that is, before Kaaba-e-Sharif, prayers were offered to face Qibla-e-Awal and this is the reason why Baitul Muqaddas has so much importance in Islam. It has been given that after Kaaba-e-Sharif in Islam, if a building is considered to be the biggest time, then it is Baitul Muqaddas. Due to the association of three religions with Baitul Muqaddas, there has always been a war between Muslims, Jews, and Christians to assert their right over Qibla-e-Awal.
Death of Sultan-Salahuddin-Ayyubi
Tomb of Salahuddin Ayyubi Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi died on 4 March 1193 due to a high fever. Sultan-Salahuddin-Ayyubi donated all his property. In his lifetime, he fought more than a hundred wars and ruled for twenty years. His life was very simple; He never built a palace for himself. And he spent much of his life on the conquest of Jerusalem. He spent his whole life in a tent or on the battlefield with his soldiers. Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi was buried in Damascus, Syria.
- Humayun | Second Mughal Emperor, Facts, Tomb & Death
Summary
Humayun, also known as Nasir ud-din Muhammad, was the second Mughal king of India who was more courageous than the consolidator of his empire. Humayun was the child of the Founder of the Mughal Empire ”Jahiruddin Muhammad Babur” and the father of the 3rd Mughal Emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar.
Facts About Humayun
Mirza Nasir ud-din Baig Muhammad Khan Humayun Born March 6, 1508, Kabul, Afghanistan Died January 15, 1556, Delhi, India Spouse Hamida Banu Begam > Mah Chuchak Begum > Bega Begum Parents Babur > Meham Begum The early life of Humayun
Nasir Ud-Din Humayun was born on 6 March 1508 in Kabul where his father Zahir ad-Din Babur was planning an invasion of India. He had led small forces for his father and had been fairly capable. However, when he became Padishah of the Mughal Empire at the age of 22, he wasn’t the only ruler of the Empire. His brothers were given portions of the empire to rule while remaining under the command of Humayun.
This succession plan actually comes from the Turko-Mongol tradition that Babur descended from. Genghis Khan himself had divided his realm among his four sons. This idea of collective sovereignty, where all sons of the king had equal claim to the throne, was inherited from the Mongols by the Timurids and that’s what Babur himself did.
Kamran Mirza was given Kabul and Kandahar. Askari Mirza was given Multan and Hindal Mirza was given Malwa. Almost as soon as Humayun came to power, the brothers started plotting to take the throne from him.
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Download Now (2.2 KB)Kamran marched from Kabul to Lahore to secure the allegiance of men loyal to his father. Also taking advantage of Babur’s death, the Afghan tribes of the east, who had previously been in power before the Mughals, began raiding Mughal territory. Humayun led his army east to deal with the Afghans where Mahmud Lodi, the brother of the last Lodi Sultan, had declared himself Sultan of Hindustan.
Humayun faced and defeated his army at Lakhnau. Almost immediately after doing that, he got the news that the Sultan of Gujarat was planning to attack the Mughals with the help of the Portuguese who had sent up trading posts on the Gujarati shore.
Humayun Attack on Gujrat
Humayun Attack on Gujrat In 1535, Humayun attacked and defeated the Sultan of Gujarat and even took some strategic forts but he failed to end the Sultan and annex Gujarat in its entirety. That was because the Afghans were back. This time they had united behind an extraordinarily capable commander named Sher Khan Suri. He was really no match for Sher Khan and his army. The Afghans used guerrilla tactics in the eastern forests against Humayun who was famous for his addiction to wine and opium.
Sher Khan, on the other hand, was disciplined and collected. He was born Farid Khan in 1486 in Haryana. Because of his talent and valor, he was given the name of Sher Khan, meaning the Lion Khan or more accurately, the Lion King.
In the 1510s, he had become a freelance soldier or as we call them, mercenaries. Mercenaries were in high demand in India due to the absence of central authority before the Mughals. Various groups militarized to protect themselves and then started selling their services.
When Babur defeated the Afghan Lodi dynasty, their former soldiers, who were now out of work, united behind Sher Khan. Sher Khan was managing to pay them because he was protecting a wealthy widow from the Lodi establishment. Her money and his leadership created a formidable force. Initially, he paid off the Mughal governors with a tribute to keep himself safe from them while he built power.
By 1537, he was powerful enough to invade Bengal and end the ruling dynasty. He crowned himself Sultan there, changing his name to Sher Shah Suri. By this time, he was aware of the threat he posed and so, Humayun attacked Bengal. Sher Shah’s forces melted into the interior and used guerrilla tactics.
In 1538, his other younger brother, Hindal attacked Agra, the Mughal capital, and seized the throne for himself. Kamran also marched towards Agra to strike a deal with Hindal and divide the empire among themselves. When Humayun heard of this news, he rushed back but the Monsoon hindered his ability to maneuver his army.
Sher Shah took advantage of this and attacked Humayun, badly defeating him. He was barely able to get away with his life. He was able to regroup in Agra where he pardoned his brothers and tried to present a united front against the Afghan threat. However, his brothers refused to cooperate. Kamran even withdrew to Lahore and raised his banners for independence.
In May 1540, the Mughal and Afghan forces met at Kanauj where the Mughal army was defeated. Humayun withdrew to Lahore but Sher Shah pressed on until Lahore too belonged to him. Humayun and his brother Hindal were left without land to rule. Kamran and Askari still held some holdings in Afghanistan.
Second Mughal Emperor
Sher Shah Suri established himself in Delhi and Agra and started to rule his new Suri Empire. He was as great a ruler as a commander by all reasonable measures. He reminds me of another great ruler of India, Ala ad-Din Khalji, a man Sher Shah himself looked up to. He reorganized noblemen and held the way land. He introduced a trimetallic currency with the Gold Mohur, the Silver Rupiya and the Copper Dam.
Additionally, he understood the need for Central Asian goods, especially war horses, so he built a great road known as the Grand Trunk Road, which runs from Afghanistan to Bengal, connecting all of North India. Previously, this route was covered by many roads which weren’t always in great condition. Meanwhile, Humayun and his brother Hindal were wandering homeless across Western India looking for allies.
While they didn’t find many of them, Humayun did find a wife from an Indian nobleman’s family. She soon gave birth to Humayun‘s first son, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad. He finally got some hope from the Safavid Shah Tahmasp. He visited him in Herat first and then in the Safavid capital of Qazvin. Tahmasp, as his father had done to Babur, offered him support if he converted to Shi’ism. Humayun agreed.
He was given an army with which he first attacked Kabul and Kandahar. Both brothers evaded capture, but he took both cities and started planning his invasion of India from Kabul, as his father had some twenty years earlier. The same year, 1545, Sher Shah died in a cannon accident. The road to India was becoming more open as He invited supporters from all over India to help him in his invasion.
While Humayun did that, Kamran also raised an army. Humayun finally defeated his brother in 1553, but he couldn’t bring himself to execute him. After all, it’s said that Babur had told Humayun, on his deathbed, not to hurt his brothers no matter how much they deserved it. Kamran was blinded and exiled to Mecca. With the Safavids on his side and the issues with his brothers resolved, he invaded India. The Suri Empire had weakened by this time due to internal problems. With his loyal general Bairam Khan on his side, Humayun swept across India and finally entered Delhi in 1555 after 15 years in exile.
The Mughal Empire was back. Humayun would rule for only six months as the Padishah of Hindustan, but these six months made Mughal Empire what it would be for centuries to come. Unlike his father, Humayun seems to have liked India, given that he married an Indian Muslim woman and urged his officials to take Indian wives.
He didn’t consider himself first among equals as his father did. He created a centralized government with him in the centre. He also greeted the sun every morning, which is quintessentially Indian tradition. Also, he reorganized the land and put as much of it as possible directly under the Mughal crown instead of noblemen. He was wise enough to see the good policies of his rival, Sher Shah Suri and kept the good ones, such as his monetary reforms. All these things started making the Mughal Empire a truly Indian Empire. His successor would bring this Indianization to completion.
Humayun’s Tomb
Humayun’s Tomb In January 1556, he fell from the stairs of his library in Purana Qila, Delhi. His young son, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad, only 13 years of age was put on the throne. Immediately, powers from around the Mughal court began competing for influence over the boy king. However, Jalal ad-Din would be no one’s puppet. Instead, he would be the great Shahanshah Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Akbar.
Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560s under the patronage of the great emperor Humayun’s son Akbar The garden-mausoleum was built in collaboration by Persian and Indian artisans and was far superior to any other tomb built in the Islamic world. Humayun’s garden tomb is a char bagh (a four-quadrant garden depicting the four rivers of paradise in the Qur’an), with lakes connected by channels. The garden can be accessed from the south and west through high gates, with pavilions in the center of the east and north walls.
Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi was the first magnificent royal mausoleum associated with Mughal architecture, reaching its pinnacle 80 years later at the Taj Mahal. Humayun’s Tomb is part of a 27.04-hectare complex that includes Nila Gumbad, Isa Khan, Bu Halima, and Afsarwala, all 16th-century Mughal garden tombs. Baber’s Tomb and Arab Sarai, where artisans live. Humayun‘s tomb is being built.
People Also Ask?
What was Humayun famous for?
The Safavids on his side and the issues with his brothers resolved, he invaded India. The Suri Empire had weakened by this time due to internal problems. With his loyal general Bairam Khan on his side, Humayun swept across India and finally entered Delhi in 1555 after 15 years in exile.How did Humayun died?
In January 1556, he fell from the stairs of his library in Purana Qila, Delhi.Who was Humayun defeated by?
In 1535, Humayun attacked and defeated the Sultan of Gujarat and even took some strategic forts but he failed to end the Sultan and annex Gujarat in its entirety. That was because the Afghans were back. This time they had united behind an extraordinarily capable commander named Sher Khan Suri.