Pingyang was born in 600 to Li Yuan, a peasant who had risen through the army to become a commander. She was the only daughter to him and his second wife Duchess Dou. She did have two older sisters from Li Yuan’s first marriage, however, Pingyang spent more time with her four brothers. As was […]
Category: Rest of the World
Jalal al-Din Rumi
Written on July 18, 2017 by ER at 2:39 PM | 0
Central Asia, ER, Fertile Crescent, Rest of the World, Turkey
Central Asia, ER, Fertile Crescent, Rest of the World, Turkey
The latest news is that Beyoncé named one of her new babies after a Persian poet. Everyone is abuzz with discussions of who this man was and what exactly this means. Although the poetry was written in the 13th century, it has gathered popularity in the west beginning in the early 21st century. So who […]
Tamar of Georgia- Queen of Kings
Despite the name, I am not talking about the state in the Southern United States. There is a whole other country coincidentally called Georgia located on the Black Sea near Turkey. The name “Georgia” is probably a corruption of the Persian name for the people there, gurğān. There is also a theory put out there […]
Prester John
Written on June 28, 2017 by ER at 3:47 PM | 0
Africa, ER, France, Germany, Italy, Northern Europe, Rest of the World, Southern Europe, Turkey
Africa, ER, France, Germany, Italy, Northern Europe, Rest of the World, Southern Europe, Turkey
In the time of the crusades, Europeans were looking for any allies in their battles against the Muslims for the Holy Land. Medieval writings often feature a fabulously wealthy Christian king in the East. This was Prester John. He was believed to be a member of the Nestorian Church, which was an independent Eastern […]
The Lost Roman Legion of Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus was one of the richest men in the Roman World and part of the First Triumvirate with notables such as Pompeius Magnus and Julius Caesar. He had made his money through picking up the property of those killed in Sulla’s proscriptions at firesale prices. Indeed, he was accused of adding the name […]