Let's think back a bit...WAY back!
Do you have a favorite period of history? Why do you like it so?
I'm kinda fond of English history circa the beginning of the 13th century. Think "Evil King John" of the Robin Hood legends. He's kinda a fascinating guy. He was actually a better king in many ways than Richard (the Lionhearted). Richard grew up in France and could have cared less about England. His only interest in it was how much money could be wrung from it to finance his great Crusades. He was utterly contemptuous of the English lords. If not for his mother, Alinor of Aquitaine, I think the English might have risen against him. But for all of that, Richard was an honorable and chivalrous man. Thus, he is seen as a hero in the light of the times. John, now, John had none of Richard's charm. He had no ethics, fewer morals, and thought honor was for fools. It is also very possible that he was bipolar, and fairly severely so. Writers of the time describe how he would be wildly busy for a period of time, riding all over the country, hearing court cases, giving justice, rewriting laws (and doing a pretty good job of it)...but then, he would change. He would stay in, apparently seeing an incredible number of mistresses, but finally not doing much but sitting and staring at his wife's face (she was one of the great beauties of the day). Later, he was so sunk in depravity that the Lords of the land were driven to drafting the Magna Carta and forcing John to sign it. THIS is a real high point in history. Until that time, with the exception of the Roman Republic (about 500 BC to about 30 BC) and the Athenian Democracy (even shorter, around 500 BC to about 320 BC), the Divine Right of Kings, or the Right of Conquest was pretty much a given world-wide. Kings did not even need to make laws, only to issue decrees. For the first time since the year 1AD, a King was held accountable, and both King and Lords were bound by certain obligations. No longer was it a one-way street. In a very real way, this was what made the concept of America even possible.
So yeah. That's mine. Wish I knew a lot more about it. I need to study.
Do you have a favorite period of history? Why do you like it so?
I'm kinda fond of English history circa the beginning of the 13th century. Think "Evil King John" of the Robin Hood legends. He's kinda a fascinating guy. He was actually a better king in many ways than Richard (the Lionhearted). Richard grew up in France and could have cared less about England. His only interest in it was how much money could be wrung from it to finance his great Crusades. He was utterly contemptuous of the English lords. If not for his mother, Alinor of Aquitaine, I think the English might have risen against him. But for all of that, Richard was an honorable and chivalrous man. Thus, he is seen as a hero in the light of the times. John, now, John had none of Richard's charm. He had no ethics, fewer morals, and thought honor was for fools. It is also very possible that he was bipolar, and fairly severely so. Writers of the time describe how he would be wildly busy for a period of time, riding all over the country, hearing court cases, giving justice, rewriting laws (and doing a pretty good job of it)...but then, he would change. He would stay in, apparently seeing an incredible number of mistresses, but finally not doing much but sitting and staring at his wife's face (she was one of the great beauties of the day). Later, he was so sunk in depravity that the Lords of the land were driven to drafting the Magna Carta and forcing John to sign it. THIS is a real high point in history. Until that time, with the exception of the Roman Republic (about 500 BC to about 30 BC) and the Athenian Democracy (even shorter, around 500 BC to about 320 BC), the Divine Right of Kings, or the Right of Conquest was pretty much a given world-wide. Kings did not even need to make laws, only to issue decrees. For the first time since the year 1AD, a King was held accountable, and both King and Lords were bound by certain obligations. No longer was it a one-way street. In a very real way, this was what made the concept of America even possible.
So yeah. That's mine. Wish I knew a lot more about it. I need to study.