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247 lines
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<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><title>Attention Span History</title><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/" rel="alternate"></link><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/feeds/all.atom.xml" rel="self"></link><id>https://blog.trentpalmer.org/</id><updated>2021-08-07T00:00:00-07:00</updated><entry><title>Veneti</title><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/veneti.html" rel="alternate"></link><published>2021-08-07T00:00:00-07:00</published><updated>2021-08-07T00:00:00-07:00</updated><author><name>Trent Palmer</name></author><id>tag:blog.trentpalmer.org,2021-08-07:/veneti.html</id><summary type="html"><p>Who were the Veneti? This is not an easy question to answer.</p>
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<h3>Baltic Veneti</h3>
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<p>The <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Veneti" target="_blank">Vistula Veneti</a></em>
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were called <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wends" target="_blank">Wends</a></em>,
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by German-speaking people. But another theory is that <em>Veneti</em> is a diminutization
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of <em>venus</em>, as per Latin origins. And for further confusion, Slavs living
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near Germanic settlements were also called …</p></summary><content type="html"><p>Who were the Veneti? This is not an easy question to answer.</p>
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<h3>Baltic Veneti</h3>
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<p>The <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vistula_Veneti" target="_blank">Vistula Veneti</a></em>
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were called <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wends" target="_blank">Wends</a></em>,
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by German-speaking people. But another theory is that <em>Veneti</em> is a diminutization
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of <em>venus</em>, as per Latin origins. And for further confusion, Slavs living
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near Germanic settlements were also called <em>Wends</em>.</p>
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<p>The <em>Vistula Veneti</em> hailed from Eastern Poland.</p>
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<h3>Adriatic Veneti</h3>
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<p>The <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Veneti" target="_blank">Adriatic Veneti</a></em>
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lived in a region that we now identify as "the area around Venice".
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Indeed, this area is known by the name
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<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneto" target="_blank">Veneto</a></em>,
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or <em>Venetia</em>.</p>
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<p>Strabo, the Greek historian, conjectures that the <em>Adriatic Veneti</em> are
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related to the Veneti of Brittany.</p>
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<h3>Breton Veneti</h3>
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<p>The <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneti_(Gaul)" target="_blank">Veneti</a></em>
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of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany" target="_blank">Breton Peninsula</a>,
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were a tribe of Gauls which were defeated by
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimus_Junius_Brutus_Albinus" target="_blank">Julius Brunus Albinus</a>,
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in a
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimus_Junius_Brutus_Albinus#During_the_Wars" target="_blank">naval battle in 56 BC</a>,
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as part of Julius
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Caesar's campaign to pacify Gaul.</p>
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<p>Part of the drama here was that the
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Veneti were experienced in operating on the ocean, whereas the Romans
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would have only ever known the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
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In particular, ships sailed by the Veneti were faster than the Roman ships.</p>
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<h3>Recommended</h3>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://play.acast.com/s/historyofgermany/040-wends-sorbs-andotherslavs" target="_blank">Wends, Sorbs, and Other Slavs - History of Germany Podcast 40</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-60-the-celtic-holocaust/" target="_blank">The Celtic Holocaust - Hardcore History 60</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10657" target="_blank">"De Bello Gallico" and Other Commentaries by Julius Caesar</a></li>
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</ul></content><category term="Wends"></category><category term="Veneti"></category><category term="Brittany"></category><category term="Italy"></category></entry><entry><title>Guideschi You Guys</title><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/guideschi-you-guys.html" rel="alternate"></link><published>2021-08-06T00:00:00-07:00</published><updated>2021-08-06T00:00:00-07:00</updated><author><name>Trent Palmer</name></author><id>tag:blog.trentpalmer.org,2021-08-06:/guideschi-you-guys.html</id><summary type="html"><p>"You Guys!" was an insult. But this expression was transformed into a term
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of endearment, in America, by the working class. Because that is what the
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working class do.</p>
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<h3>Gunpowder Plot</h3>
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<p>You are probably familiar with the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot" target="_blank">Gunpowder Plot</a>,
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in which <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes" target="_blank">Guy Fawkes</a>,
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attempted to blow up Parliament on 5 …</p></summary><content type="html"><p>"You Guys!" was an insult. But this expression was transformed into a term
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of endearment, in America, by the working class. Because that is what the
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working class do.</p>
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<h3>Gunpowder Plot</h3>
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<p>You are probably familiar with the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot" target="_blank">Gunpowder Plot</a>,
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in which <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes" target="_blank">Guy Fawkes</a>,
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attempted to blow up Parliament on 5 November 1605.</p>
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<p>And thus, because Guy Fawkes was reviled for his crime, the expression "You Guys" emerged
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as an insult.</p>
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<h3>Norman Conquest</h3>
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<p>But how did an Englishman come by the names "Guy", and "Fawkes"?
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According to Wikipedia,
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawkes" target="_blank">Fawkes is a name of Norman-French origin</a>.</p>
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<p>Well now. It just so happens that the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Conquest" target="_blank">Normans invaded and conquered England in 1066</a>,
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an event from which the history of English Nobility ever since can be traced.</p>
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<h3>Guy of Nantes</h3>
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<p>And yet more than a half century before the Normans even
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy#Viking_period" target="_blank">settled in Normandy</a>,
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which they would not do until the middle of the 9th Century,
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(from where they would later sail across the English Channel and conquer England),
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_of_Nantes" target="_blank">Guy of Nantes</a>
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was Count of Nantes, as of 778, which was of course the late 8th Century,
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the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Nantes" target="_blank">County of Nantes</a>
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being located next door to what was not yet Normandy nor inhabited by Normans,
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and Guy (of the Guideschi Family), not being Norman but Frankish of descent.</p>
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<p>Well, that was awkward.</p>
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<h3>Breton Peninsula Geography</h3>
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<p>So who was Guy, who were the Guideschi, and why were they occupying a small principality
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in between what are today Normandy and Brittany in the NorthWest corner of France?</p>
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<p>If you will recall that Charlemagne became King of the Franks in 768, but he was never able
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to conquer the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany" target="_blank">Breton Peninsula</a>,
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because the terrain was too rough. Thus he appointed
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Guy's father <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland" target="_blank">Roland</a> as
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Count of Nantes, intending for the County of Nantes to be a buffer zone of containment
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protecting the Carolingian Empire from the inhabitants of the Breton Peninsula, (who
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could not be conquered on account of the rough terrain).</p>
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<h3>Excile to Italy</h3>
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<p>Anyway, one thing led to another. Guy's son
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_I_of_Nantes" target="_blank">Lambert</a>
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had a falling-out with Charlemagne's son
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_the_Pious" target="_blank">Louis the Pious</a>,
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which resulted in the Guideschi Family being exciled to Italy.</p>
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<p>And then in 834 Lambert was given the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchy_of_Spoleto" target="_blank">Duchy of Spoleto</a>,
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even though he was exciled, and the Guideschis firmly ensconsed themselves in the
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chaos and intrigue of what at that time passed for statecraft in Italy.</p>
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<h3>Conclusion</h3>
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<p>In conclusion I really have no idea where I was going with all this, but
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thanks for reading all the way to the end, you guys!</p>
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<p>Here's a
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<a href="https://wittenbergtowestphaliapodcast.weebly.com/blog/episode-16-hey-guy" target="_blank">podcast about the Guideshi</a>.</p></content><category term="Insults"></category><category term="Guideschi"></category><category term="Brittany"></category><category term="Italy"></category></entry><entry><title>Lohengrin</title><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/lohengrin.html" rel="alternate"></link><published>2021-07-29T00:00:00-07:00</published><updated>2021-07-29T00:00:00-07:00</updated><author><name>Trent Palmer</name></author><id>tag:blog.trentpalmer.org,2021-07-29:/lohengrin.html</id><summary type="html"><p>Have you heard of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3NtcDdgDLlnptu72CWBxWM" target="_blank">Lohengrin</a>?
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It is a German Opera written and composed by
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner" target="_blank">Richard Wagner</a>
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in 1850. I happen to think that German Opera is more
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entertaining than Italian Opera, but enough about me.</p>
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<h3>King Ludwig II</h3>
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<p>Which brings me to
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II_of_Bavaria" target="_blank">King Ludwig II of Bavaria</a>.
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If I understand …</p></summary><content type="html"><p>Have you heard of <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3NtcDdgDLlnptu72CWBxWM" target="_blank">Lohengrin</a>?
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It is a German Opera written and composed by
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Wagner" target="_blank">Richard Wagner</a>
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in 1850. I happen to think that German Opera is more
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entertaining than Italian Opera, but enough about me.</p>
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<h3>King Ludwig II</h3>
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<p>Which brings me to
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II_of_Bavaria" target="_blank">King Ludwig II of Bavaria</a>.
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If I understand correctly,
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King Ludwig was very fond of Lohengrin, and built
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuschwanstein_Castle" target="_blank">Neuschwanstein Castle</a>
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as a private world for himself where he could live alone in a fantasy
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inspired by the
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<em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_of_the_Swan" target="_blank">Knight of the Swan Legend</a></em>,
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on which Lohengrin is based.</p>
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<p>But don't judge King Ludwig II too harshly: he was after all a cigar connoisseur,
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drove a smoking-hot golden carriage, and Neuschwanstein Castle is
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an excellent place to take selfies. You really should visit the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marstallmuseum" target="_blank">Marstallmuseum</a>
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at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphenburg_Palace" target="_blank">Nymphenburg Palace in Munich</a> and see the
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<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Dress_Coach_of_King_Ludwig_II.jpg" target="_blank">golden carriage</a>.</p>
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<p>Needless to say, Lohengrin is quite different from the
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<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2g12QZ0wXFoyOyDo8nUUsM" target="_blank">Strauss Operas</a>
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that your great-great-great Grandmother used to listen to on
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her smartphone in the bathtub.</p>
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<h3>Lohengrin</h3>
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<p>So what happens in Lohengrin?
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_the_Fowler" target="_blank">King Henry the Fowler</a>
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fights the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarians" target="_blank">Magyars</a>.
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This means we have to talk about the Magyars, King Henry's Son
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" target="_blank">King Otto I</a>,
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the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lechfeld" target="_blank">Battle of Augsburg</a>
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which is sometimes called the Battle of Lechfeld,
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and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongols" target="_blank">Mongols</a>!</p>
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<h3>Magyars</h3>
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<p>Ok, the Magyars are descended from a nomadic-steppe-people who settled on
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the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Hungarian_Plain" target="_blank">Hungarian Plain</a>,
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which is sometimes called the Carpathian Plain.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately for them, the Hungarian Plain was not quite vast
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enough to support a prosperous nomadic lifestyle. And so for some hundreds
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of years, the Magyars raided and pillaged all over Europe. It should be noted that
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Hungary considers 1896 to be the 1000th anniversary of the Magyars entering the Carpathian Plain,
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and in that year many memorials, monuments, and museums were
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Budapest#19th_century" target="_blank">built in Budapest</a>.</p>
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<p>As stated above, the Magyars came into conflict with King Henry the Fowler
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who was the King of
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Francia" target="_blank">East Frankia</a>.
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East Frankia evolved from the Eastern Parts of the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolingian_Empire">Carolingian Empire</a>
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that was originally put together by
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne" target="_blank">Charlemagne</a>.
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Indeed, there is today a region of Bavaria called
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconia" target="_blank">Franconia</a>, which has
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<a href="https://www.vgn.de/en/tickets/all-day-ticket-plus/" target="_blank">excellent regional passenger trains</a>
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connecting innumerable picturesque little cities and towns
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which are perfect for taking <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/odqMdaJvpB528WaQ8" target="_blank">selfies</a>
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and <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/vLCGa7c8xAqEJ15D8" target="_blank">drinking the local bier</a>.
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But I digress.</p>
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<h3>Battle of Lechfeld</h3>
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<p>The Magyars were finally defeated by King Henry the Fowler's son King Otto I
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near Augsburg in 955, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augsburg" target="_blank">Augsburg</a>
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being an ancient city in Bavaria that goes all
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the way back to the Roman Empire.</p>
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<p>King Otto I of East Frankia was the greatest King since Charlemagne, and the
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Battle of Lechfeld was equal in importance to the
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings" target="_blank">Battle of Hastings in 1066</a>,
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in the context of European History, but deeper analysis of that is above my
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pay grade. (This is a free blog post)</p>
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<h3>Recommended</h3>
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<p>Anyway, the Magyars gave up their raiding, became Christianized, and adopted
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a more agrarian lifestyle on the Hungarian Plain where they founded the Nation
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of Hungary around the year 1000. In the 13th Century, the Mongols invaded Hungary,
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Mongol_invasion_of_Hungary" target="_blank">but were never able to advance beyond Hungary into Western Europe</a>.</p>
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<p>For more riveting entertainment about the Mongols, I recommend Dan Carlin's Hardcore
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History Podcast, in particular the subseries <em>Wrath of The Khans</em>.</p>
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<p>Thanks for reading, I'm fresh out of cigars.</p></content><category term="Opera"></category><category term="Franks"></category><category term="Magyars"></category><category term="Mongols"></category></entry><entry><title>Battle In The Middle Ages</title><link href="https://blog.trentpalmer.org/battle-in-the-middle-ages.html" rel="alternate"></link><published>2021-07-27T00:00:00-07:00</published><updated>2021-07-27T00:00:00-07:00</updated><author><name>Trent Palmer</name></author><id>tag:blog.trentpalmer.org,2021-07-27:/battle-in-the-middle-ages.html</id><summary type="html"><p>There were three type of battles in Europe in the Middle Ages:</p>
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<ol>
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<li><a href="#raids">Raids</a></li>
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<li><a href="#sieges">Sieges</a></li>
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<li><a href="#field-battles">Field-Battles</a></li>
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</ol>
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<p>There were two types of soldiers in Europe in the Middle Ages:</p>
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<ol>
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<li>cavalry</li>
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<li>and infantry.</li>
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</ol>
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<h3 id="raids">Raids</h3>
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<p>Infantry tended to not be used in raids, because horses had
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the advantage in speed and mobility.</p>
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<h3 id="sieges">Sieges</h3>
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<p>Cavalry …</p></summary><content type="html"><p>There were three type of battles in Europe in the Middle Ages:</p>
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<ol>
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<li><a href="#raids">Raids</a></li>
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<li><a href="#sieges">Sieges</a></li>
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<li><a href="#field-battles">Field-Battles</a></li>
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</ol>
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<p>There were two types of soldiers in Europe in the Middle Ages:</p>
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<ol>
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<li>cavalry</li>
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<li>and infantry.</li>
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</ol>
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<h3 id="raids">Raids</h3>
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<p>Infantry tended to not be used in raids, because horses had
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the advantage in speed and mobility.</p>
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<h3 id="sieges">Sieges</h3>
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<p>Cavalry were not much use in sieges, but when infantry were not
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available, the cavalry could obviously dismount.</p>
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<p>Later in the Middle Ages, infantry began using CrossBows, which
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were easy to use, and effective in sieges. And so, when infantry
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were available for sieges, they would often use CrossBows, and
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would often be Mercenaries.</p>
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<h3 id="field-battles">Field-Battles</h3>
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<p>In set-piece battles, cavalry and infantry could work together.</p>
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<p>For instance cavalry could not charge infantry that were in tight formation
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with spears. But cavalry were useful for attacking the enemy's flanks,
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and for pursuit in the case of a rout. However, for economic reasons,
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most field battles were fought between cavalry because it was too
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expensive to muster both cavalry and infantry most of the time.</p>
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<h3>Crusades</h3>
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<p>The Crusades demonstrate that although most field battles in
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Europe during the Middle Ages were fought between Cavalry, the warriors
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of that age were capable of more sophisticated tactics.</p>
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<p>Here it should be noted, that because lands to the East tended to
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be more arid, the opponents fighting against the European Crusaders
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were more skilled on horseback and with the bow and arrow. Eastern-style
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fighting was much more cavalry-oriented.</p>
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<p>What tipped the scale in favour of the Crusaders in certain battles
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that they won, was the fact that the CrossBow could outrange the bow-and-arrow.</p>
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<p>So, the Crusaders would line up infantry with edged-weapons in front,
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behind them would be CrossBow Infantry, with Cavalry protecting the flanks.
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The edged-weapon infantry would protect the CrossBowMen, who would shoot
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over the top and protect the edged-weapon infantry from enemy harrassment.</p>
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<h3>Recommended</h3>
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<p>This blog post is inspired by
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<a href="https://wittenbergtowestphaliapodcast.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Wittenberg To Westphalia Podcast</a>, specifically
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<a href="https://wittenbergtowestphaliapodcast.weebly.com/blog/episode-38-warfare-in-the-middle-ages-part-1" target="_blank">Episode 38</a>,
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<a href="https://wittenbergtowestphaliapodcast.weebly.com/blog/episode-39-what-is-war-baby-dont-hurt-me" target="_blank">Episode 39</a>, and
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<a href="https://wittenbergtowestphaliapodcast.weebly.com/blog/episode-40-the-actual-war-bits" target="_blank">Episode 40</a>.</p></content><category term="Battle"></category><category term="CrossBow"></category><category term="Sieges"></category><category term="Raids"></category></entry></feed> |