Najnovšie - Encyklopédie populárno-náučné strana 79 z 152
História 
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Vesmír, veda a technika 
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Encyklopédie - ostatné
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Killing Monarchs
Rulers (and would-be rulers) have always faced the possibility of a violent death. Between the seventh and eighteenth centuries over 20% of all British and European monarchs suffered such a fate. Some died in battle or in accidents but most of them were murdered or executed.During the time of the Tudors and Stuarts some monarchs were the victims of lone assassins, some were killed after palace coups led by relatives or royal officials, and others after being defeated in a civil war. Their manner of death included public beheading, internal injury as a result of a knife attack, being hacked down by a group of noblemen, and ritual strangulation with a silk cord.Killing Monarchs takes us on a journey across Europe. Starting in England and Scotland (Lady Jane Grey and Mary Queen of Scots), it moves to France (Kings Henry III and Henry IV), and then further east to Russia (Tsar Feodor II and various pretenders to the throne) and the Ottoman Empire (Sultans Osman II and Ibrahim I). It then returns to Britain to consider why Charles I was executed.It provides a clear picture of the various forces that existed in society at the time and these are reflected in the motives of the regicides - the killers of monarchs – even though many were not honest about them. The lust for power, the desire for a more effective leader, religious differences, and occasionally the wish to do away with monarchy altogether, all played a significant role.
Life Before the War
In northern Britain and parts of Wales and Scotland, your life might well be dominated throughout the 1930s by unemployment, low wages, poor nutrition, ill health, and slum housing. But if you lived in the Midlands, London or the South-East, by the latter 1930s you would probably be enjoying a far better life, as you benefited from the spread of electric power, new factories and products, a greater variety of food, a huge private and public house-building programme and expansion of all sorts, much of it created by the sums spent on rearmament.For people living in prosperous areas, real wages rose substantially between 1936 and 1939, as was shown by their increased consumption of food and clothes. The latter 1930s were years of ever more widespread leisure pursuits, among them near-universal cinema-going, newspaper reading and, for many millions, holiday-making. A well-paid working man or office worker might even be able to buy a car. Even so, most working-class wages, especially for women, remained below those of the middle classes, and class differences were still clearly marked in housing, food, clothing, education, medical treatment, and purchasing power in general. Your views on religion, marriage, sex, and behaviour in general remained sharply defined and changed slowly, and only at the end of the decade could the beginnings of change be seen.At the same time the Second World War, which began on 3 September 1939, was the climax of a long period of increasing anxiety, during which the press, the wireless and the cinema newsreel brought foreign affairs more and more into your daily life.Using varied sources, including personal memories and daily life as pictured in newspapers and novels, Michael Alpert presents a broad picture of life for ordinary people in Britain nearly a century ago.
The Coming of the Saxons
Around the mid-fifth century three Saxon keels cut through the waves towards the southern coast of Britain. They were not the first Germanic warriors or migrants to arrive since direct Roman authority had ended in the early fifth century and would not be the last. Yet the arrival of these particular warriors would prove to be a turning point in the history of these islands.The literary sources that survive point to the arrival of these mercenaries and their subsequent revolt as the pivotal event rather any invasion or mass migration. There have been many books on the Anglo-Saxons. Those that touch on the first arrivals deal only briefly with the fifth and sixth centuries due to the lack of historical records.This book is unique in focusing on the events mentioned by the sources such as Gildas and Bede. It will show that the former Roman Diocese limped on outside direct Roman rule for a generation, beset by constant raiding from Picts and Scots in the north and Saxons and other Germanic pirates in the south.It will look at Roman practices of hiring and settling mercenaries and Germanic groups across the empire. A comparison with these will provide important clues, as well as understanding how and why the diocese and provincial structure fell apart, allowing petty kingdoms to emerge in the sixth century.The subsequent centuries have been termed the Anglo-Saxon period. This book goes back to the very beginning, the adventus Saxonum: The Coming of the Saxons.
Titanic: The Searches and the Dives
The story of the Titanic has been told countless times, but very few books talk in detail about the numerous expeditions that have visited the wreck; even less will talk about the personal stories associated with these underwater trips. Now, for the first time, details are given of some of the less well-known deep diving expeditions to the world’s most famous shipwreck, focusing on the people who lead them, the equipment being used and the background stories of the research vessels that have carried these teams out to the cold, dark Atlantic swells.From the failed expeditions in the early 1980s to the tragic loss of a submersible four decades later, this is the story of the searches and the dives to the wreck of a ship which has become synonymous with disaster. Using interviews with people who were there at different times, we rediscover a shipwreck that has captivated the imagination of people from around the world to the point where they are willing to risk their lives just to have a glimpse.But it is this glimpse of the Titanic that has cost so much money and affected so many lives.
Charles Dickens' Secret Lovechild
For nearly a century, the relationship between Charles Dickens and Ellen Ternan has been viewed through the lens of scandal, defined by rumours of a hidden love affair. But what if history’s assumptions are wrong? This groundbreaking analysis dares to ask a question that no biographer has ventured to explore: could Ellen Ternan have been Dickens’ daughte? xamining Dickens''s letters and his works from Oliver Twist through to Edwin Drood, this book provides the first comprehensive look at the possibility of a filial bond between the two. Unlike previous biographers, who have focused on the years after 1857, Brian Ruck traces Ellen’s potential impact on Dickens’ life and relationships from her earliest days, casting new light on his increasingly strained marriage to Catherine Dickens. Through careful reinterpretation of existing material, the author uncovers a plausible and previously unexplored explanation that challenges the prevailing narrative.This thought-provoking work does not claim new evidence but offers a rigorous alternative interpretation of Dickens'' life, one that weighs the probabilities and presents a fresh hypothesis grounded in literary analysis.
Renaissance Monarchs at War
The Battle of Pavia took place in northern Italy on 24 February 1525. Its outcome profoundly affected the course of European international relations for the rest of the sixteenth century. King Francis I of France led his forces at the battle and was captured amidst the greatest slaughter of French nobles in war since Agincourt. This book examines the early reigns of Francis, of his great rival Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, and a number of their contemporaries. It shows why warfare was such an important aspect of kingship in the period, and how it interacted with diplomacy.The book then looks at how Francis''s siege of the city of Pavia turned into an open battle, why the king of France fought in person, and the main events of the encounter. It reviews Francis’s time as a prisoner in Spain and traces the complexity of international relations that provoked yet more war in the following decades, which drew in kingdoms as varied as Scotland, Tunisia, Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. The book shows why the Battle of Pavia was one of the most important military encounters in the history of the European Renaissance.
History's Greatest Philosophers
What does it mean to be a philosopher? Being a deep thinker? Taking a stand against the norms of society? Being really good at winning an argument? The beauty of philosophy is that there is no one answer and that it’s worth asking that question across every aspect of the human condition.In History’s Greatest Philosophers: Classical Wisdom for Modern Times, Jamie Ryder journeys through the lives of some of the world’s most radical thinkers, leaders, politicians and creatives to uncover the truth of philosophy and different wisdom traditions.From the political arenas of Cicero and Niccolo Machiavelli to the everyday living of Mary Wollstonecraft and Sojourner Truth, get a bird’s eye view into what it means to live and die by what you believe in. Discover ageless truths about the nature of the world and human relationships. Learn how to practice philosophy and not just talk about it.
Titanic: Freak Accident or Farce?
There has been speculation over the loss of the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) Titanic ever since the tragic event of her sinking, which occurred during the night of Sunday 14 to Monday 15 April 1912. Could it have been the fault of her captain, Edward J. Smit? itherto, no one has managed to explain the mindset of Titanic’s captain, Edward Smith, and thereby comprehend why, on a pitch-black night in April 1912, he drove his ship full tilt into an ice field, when he knew that there were icebergs present? Was the captain mentally ill? No, not in the sense of having one of the traditional major psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, etcetera, because this would have manifested itself earlier on in his lifetime. Captain Smith was aged 62 at the time of the disaster. Was he suffering from dementia? There is no evidence that this was the case.In fact, Captain Smith’s state of mind provides a classic example of what was described by the ancient Greeks more than 2,000 years ago, As the reader will shortly discover!This book contains hitherto unpublished photographs, for example of Laura May Cribb, from the author''s hometown of Poole in Dorset, who survived the sinking, and of her father John Hatfield Cribb, who perished.
The Epic History of the American West
The American West evokes powerful imagery—warriors on horseback, cowboys in saloons, and pioneers in wagons heading westward. It symbolizes freedom, reinvention, and the American Dream. However, this idealized image obscures the complex, often violent history of the West, which is as unjust as it is inspiring.Historians debate the boundaries of the American West, but it''s clear that it’s a dynamic concept—both a place and an idea, evolving over time. For three centuries, the frontier and western history overlapped until the frontier disappeared in 1890. Early narratives celebrated explorers, settlers, and entrepreneurs who developed the West, portraying them as heroic figures.However, modern historians criticize this "triumphant" view, highlighting the exploitation, racism, and ecological damage caused by Western expansion. They focus on marginalized groups—racial minorities, women, and workers—while critiquing the often-overlooked injustices faced by Indigenous peoples and others. This revisionist perspective emphasizes the darker aspects of Western history, challenging previous glorifications of development and heroism.The Epic History of the American West bridges traditional and revisionist views, exploring the region’s complex legacy, from violent struggles to ongoing cultural and ideological conflicts. It reflects the West’s enduring significance, blending history and mythology to reveal its multifaceted nature.
The English Bowman in the Hundred Years War
They were often half-starved, marching through an alien land with few signposts and no maps. They were often suffering from dysentery, their legwear rolled down and they sometimes fought naked from the waist down. They were paid 6d a day – the same as a civilian craftsman – and they swore like the troopers they were. That was why the French called them the Goddamns and king and peasant alike were terrified of them. With their yew wood bows and ash arrows a clothyard long, they were the victors in countless clashes during the Hundred Years War and in the three great battles of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt.They robbed, pillaged, raped and murdered, often in their king’s name. Yet they won battles and it is no exaggeration to say that England became a powerful nation state because of them. If they were caught in action by the enemy, they would have their bow fingers cut off and their throats slit. We know the names of very few of them. They were not worthy of ransom, unlike the knights they fought for. Most of them ended up in mass burial pits or some unmarked plot beside a French road. The vast majority was illiterate, so we have no firsthand accounts of their campaigns from the bowmen themselves. For all they won battles and renown, for all they helped indirectly to increase the power of the common man, they are like ghosts drifting over the battlefield.They were the bowmen.
For King and Country at Loos
‘Deeply regret to inform you that 2/Lt C F B Hodgins 2/Wiltshire Regt is reported killed Sept 25/26. Lord Kitchener desires to express his sympathy. Secretary War Office.’ – Telegram from the War Office dated 29 September 1915This is the true and previously untold story of one man’s war on the Western Front during the First World War. As a young man, still in his teens, Charles Francis Burgoyne Hodgins, known as Charlie, answered the call to ‘do his bit’ for King and Country. Like so many others, he was never to return. He was killed on 25 September 1915, on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, and is one of many thousands who now lie in cemeteries near the former battlefields of northern France. According to an officer in his battalion, he died ''leading his men with great gallantry, and even when wounded, tried to rise and take them on''.Drawing on the many letters, photographs and telegrams Charlie sent home, along with newspaper articles, war archives and other personal accounts, historian Peter Jacobs has pieced together the final moments of Charlie’s short life. This is a compelling and poignant tale of personal courage and one family’s loss. But it also tells of the tragedy and suffering experienced by a generation of men during the First World War.
The Supersonic BONE
When the B-52 Stratofortress entered operational service with the US Air Force in 1955, work was already underway on de?ning its successor. The B-70 Valkyrie, a Mach 3 jet bomber, was one option. Although two XB-70A prototypes ?ew, the B-70 never went into production. Out of the subsequent Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft program came the B-1A bomber, which ?ew at high speed and low altitude to evade enemy air defenses. The B-1A was cancelled in favour of ?tting the B-52 with cruise missiles. The B-1, known as the BONE, was revived in 1981 as the improved B-1B to boost American military power and be a symbol of American strength at the peak of Cold War tensions. The B-1B entered service in 1986 with several de?ciencies. The resolution of most of these issues coincided with the end of the Cold War.After the Cold War, the B-1B lost its primary nuclear mission but remained relevant by transforming into a high-speed, long-range, high-payload delivery platform for conventional precision-guided munitions. The ?rst combat use of the B-1B was in 1998 in Iraq. The BONE has proved a highly effective combat aircraft in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and the former Yugoslavia.This superbly researched and illustrated book traces the BONE’s long development and operational history in fascinating detail.
Hermann Balck, Hitler's Forgotten General
Though less famous than Rommel or von Manstein, Hermann Balck was considered by peers and enemies to be among the most talented German commanders of the Second World War. He was a veteran of the First World War, in which he served as a junior officer on the Western, Eastern, Italian and Balkan fronts and was wounded seven times. In 1940 he led the successful crossing of the River Meuse with dramatic consequences.Balck led from the front in the new and very dynamic and aggressive command style of Auftragstaktik- continuously touring forward HQs to brief officers personally, regardless of personal risk. He refused two offers to join the General Staff preferring to remain in combat roles. Balck was a pivotal moving force behind the growth of the Panzer forces. In 1942 he commanded a depleted division against massive odds, virtually destroying Soviet 5th Tank Army. He was rewarded with the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (one of only 27 recipients) He briefly commanded Grossdeutschland Panzergrenadier Division and suggested Hitler was wrong in how the Waffen-SS was constructed. Philip Kay-Bujak argues that, had Hitler ignored Balck''s criticisms of the Waffen-SS and promoted him Field Marshal, Balck might have changed the course of the war on the Eastern Front. It was also Balck that nearly defeated the Americans at Salerno in 1943.Commanding Army Group G, in 1944 he came up against General Patton but could not halt his advance in Alsace. First sacked then reinstated by Hitler, he fought on until surrendering to US forces on 8 May 1944 to avoid capture by the Soviets. Post-war, as a convicted war criminal, Balck chose obscurity and refused to take part in US interviews but by the 1980''s he changed his mind on both and advised NATO on how to win a land war against Russia - his tactics are still relevant today.
The Last Titans: Churchill and de Gaulle
''Deeply researched yet highly readable, with fresh and often provocative insights'' DAVID REYNOLDS''A vivid and shrewd reckoning ... setting its assessment in the perspective of today''s troubled world'' PETER CLARKEA compelling dual biography of Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle that shines new light on two of the greatest figures of the twentieth century.Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle were thrown together by war. They incarnated the resistance of Britain and France to the existential threat from Nazi Germany, and their ultimate victory over Hitler has ensured their achievements will never be forgotten. But, as The Last Titans: Churchill and de Gaulle shows, that is only a part of a complex story. Both men influenced their countries, and the world around them, long after the war was won.There was a paradox in the parallel and intertwined lives of these extraordinary men. De Gaulle – tall, gauche and incorruptible – exhibited qualities often associated with the English. Churchill – short, charming, witty and a bon vivant – resembled the quintessential politician of the French Third Republic. Their working relationship was rarely smooth, but they appreciated each other’s stature: de Gaulle said Churchill was ‘the great artist of a great history’, while Churchill recognised de Gaulle as ‘l’homme du destin’.Wolfson Prize-winning historian Richard Vinen explores what made these men exceptional and how profoundly they were influenced by their national cultures. Beyond personal intrigue, the book makes a wider point that Britain and France are both haunted by perceptions of past greatness. Vinen retraces the paths of two leaders who once helmed superpowers but lived to see their nations weakened by two world wars and the loss of empires.Written with extraordinary narrative verve, The Last Titans: Churchill and de Gaulle offers a fresh exploration into the lives of de Gaulle and Churchill. By bringing their two stories into one, each man is seen afresh and we gain new insights into their achievements and their legacy today.
A Short History of the Gaza Strip
The world’s eyes are on the Gaza Strip. After more than a year of Israeli military bombardment, it is the scene of unimaginable destruction. It is also one of the most politically significant territories on the planet. Yet how many of us know anything of its history?In this vital book, Anne Irfan, a leading historian of Palestine-Israel, examines six key moments that bring us to the present day. She begins with Israel’s expulsion of the Palestinian people in 1948, when Israel was established and the Gaza region was truncated to a tiny territory of just 141 square miles. Going on to detail Israel’s occupations of Gaza, the Palestinian national struggle and formation of the PLO, the first intifada, the creation of the Palestinian Authority and the rise of Hamas, Irfan argues that, collectively, these events help explain how we have arrived at the catastrophe of the 2020s and the genocidal violence unleashed by Israel in Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7.Written with remarkable clarity, A Short History of the Gaza Strip draws on a decade of meticulous research, weaving in the voices and stories of Palestinians from farmers and teachers to poets and activists. It is an indispensable read for anyone seeking to deepen their knowledge of Palestine and the wider region. In Irfan’s words, ‘History matters, especially in Palestine’ – and never more so than today.
Charles III
The instant No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, updated with exclusive new material on the tests and triumphs of 2025'Scoops aplenty are here . . . An irresistible insider account of momentous royal events' – Melanie Reid, The Times'Fascinating . . . the book everyone is talking about' – Daily MailBy the acclaimed royal biographer and commentator Robert Hardman, Charles III is an intimate portrait of the monarch that draws on unrivalled access to the Royal Family, their close friends and staff, plus previously unseen papers from the Royal Archives. With damaging headlines unleashed by the Sussexes, political crises and questions about the future of the monarchy, Charles III had no shortage of challenges when he came to the throne. The Royal Family then faced a double blow in early 2024 when the King and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, were diagnosed with cancer. By the end of the year, the King had returned to regular duties, dealing with a new government at home and diplomatic turmoil abroad. As head of state of fifteen nations, he would soon find himself caught up in the new and uncertain world order taking shape following the election of President Trump. The dramatic story is uncovered here, along with the vital role played by Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal and others. From the emotional days following the death of Elizabeth II and the truth about the King’s relationship with Prince William and Prince Harry to his handling of Prince Andrew, Hardman takes us behind the pomp and ceremony to reveal Charles the man as well as the monarch. Authoritative and richly insightful, Charles III is the definitive account of a king determined to maximize ‘the time God grants me’ – and enjoy it. 'This glorious book reveals the real Charles III. Hardman’s magisterial biography, full of detail about the King, the Queen and the Sussexes alike, will become a historical document' – Simon Heffer, The Telegraph
Something Wicked
<p>The autumn must read: <i>Something Wicked </i>this way comes...<br><b><br>Accused. Condemned. Redefined.</b><br><br>On 20 August 1612, ten people from Pendle were executed before a vast crowd at Lancaster's Gallows Hill. The condemned and their associates had endured six months of accusations, imprisonment and torture; their treatment was such that one of the group died in Lancaster Castle's dungeons, while awaiting trial.<br><br> Today, a thriving tourism industry exists in and around Pendle, the former home of the so-called witches, yet virtually everything we know about the case originates from a single source: Thomas Potts' <i>Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches</i>, hurriedly published in 1613 and distinctly skewed in favour of the prosecution. Until now...<br><br><i>Sunday Times </i>bestselling author Carol Ann Lee brings an entirely fresh perspective to the story by approaching it as true crime. Having worked in the genre for more than a decade, her research leads to revelatory discoveries, transforming our knowledge of those shadowy figures behind ill-famed names, and the terrible events that befell them.<br><br> After four centuries of superstition and surmise, the two central, warring families - each headed by a fiercely independent widow working as 'cunning women' - emerge fully formed, as the book uncovers the reality of their lives and their alleged crimes before exploring the trial and executions.<br><br> Along the way, we uncover the truth behind some of the story's most enduring mysteries: the legend of Malkin Tower and the final resting place of the Pendle witches. <br><br>This is a ground-breaking book that will take the reader on a spellbinding journey into the dark heart of England's largest and most notorious witch trial.</p>
M18 Hellcat vs Panther
This fully illustrated study examines the bloody battle between the US Army''s M18 tank destroyer and Germany''s formidable Panther tank at Arracourt in September 1944.In response to Germany’s Blitzkrieg victories of 1939–41, the US Army created a dedicated tank-destroyer force intended to encircle and destroy the massed attacking armored divisions. Fast, relatively well-armed, but weakly armored, the M18 was designed from the start as a tank destroyer, unlike the M10 and M36. By September 1944, the German Army’s armored divisions fielded the Panther tank alongside the PzKpfw IV. In this book, William Hiestand notes that the Panther’s combination of long-range firepower, impressive armour, and good mobility won it a fearsome reputation, but shows how the M18 proved to be a very able opponent when the two types clashed on a foggy September morning during the battle of Arracourt. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork and mapping alongside archive photographs, this lively study examines the origins, development, strengths, and limitations of the two AFVs as well as their crews’ training, doctrine, and combat effectiveness. It also provides a detailed account of the momentous battle between the US 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion and the German Panzer-Brigade 113 at Arracourt, where the two types clashed in a surprising encounter that challenges our preconceptions about armored warfare in World War II.
These Divided Isles
A vital history from the award-winning Financial Times journalist Philip Stephens on the dramatic century since the Anglo-Irish Treaty and partition.These Divided Isles tells the story from both sides of the Irish Sea. Cutting through the layers of grievance and prejudice it explores the emotional intimacy and enmity of a relationship shaped by close familial ties and clashing national identities. It’s a story written by big political leaders – David Lloyd George, Michael Collins, Winston Churchill and Eamon de Valera – and the millions of Irish emigrants who crossed from Ireland to Britain to begin new lives.Today demography, Brexit and political logic have brought the possibility of Irish unity into view. Grounded in decades of personal contact and interviews with key policymakers across Britain and Europe, Stephens maps this complex relationship and asks how Ireland might deploy its history to inform its future rather than hold it in place.
V kategórii populárno - náučné encyklopédie nájdete široký výber kníh, ktoré vám poskytnú poznatky z rôznych oblastí zaujímavým a zrozumiteľným spôsobom. Encyklopédie vám pomôžu získať komplexný prehľad o rôznych témach, ako ľudské telo a človek, príroda, vesmír, veda a technika a história.
Naša ponuka encyklopédií populárno-náučného charakteru vám umožní objaviť fascinujúci svet poznania a rozšíriť svoje vedomosti o rôznych témach.
