Sweyn Forkbeard: First Danish King of England and the Alliance that Forged the North Sea Empire, 986-1014AD (Part I)
Sweyn Forkbeard (963-1014) – the ambitious son of King Harald Bluetooth – made an alliance with the Jomsvikings – a mercenary legion of warriors who lived on the southern shore of the Baltic coast. Legend has it the Jomsvikings – often called the Jomsborg Vikings – lived by a strict martial code that forbade capture in battle.
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The Harmony of Art and Beauty: Long Tradition of European Gazebos
Enjoying the small things is often priceless. There is no greater luxury but to enjoy the peace and quiet of nature, throw a rock across the lake and watch in delight how it ripples while you breath in the fresh spring breeze. It seems that the European architects of the 18th and 19th century really appreciated these things, so they created spaces pleasant for all the senses. Building pavilions hidden in the greenery and gazebos- relaxation sanctuaries were a must. Today, these little architectural gems are true decorations to European parks, woods and coasts. The story about them takes the reader down a real history avenue…
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‘Anti-Machiavel’: 18th Century Government – Absolute Power in the Citizens’ Service
“Anti-Machiavel” is an 18th century political essay, one of the most famous works of enlightened absolutism.
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“Beyond the Volok”: The Medieval Frontier and Chronicle of Novgorod, 1016-1471 (Part Two)
Established as a republic in 1136, much of the history of Novgorod was written in the Old Russian Chronicle of Novgorod.
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“Beyond the Volok”: The Medieval Frontier and Chronicle of Novgorod, 1016-1471 (Part One)
In the centuries prior to Tsarist Russia’s rise to power the two principal centers connecting the Viking and Byzantine worlds were Novgorod and Kiev. Generally referred to as the Kievan Rus’ – the ascendancy of Novgorod within this loosely connected riverine federation stretching between the Dnieper River and Lake Ladoga’s tributaries to the Baltic Sea began during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise (c. 978-1054) – who became Grand Prince of Kiev in 1019 after ruling Novgorod and forming alliances with Scandinavian Vikings (Varangians).
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