Today I learned...

[Rath Darkblade]

Thank you, Catriona. (Yes, I read the whole article). I knew the story vaguely before, but this article told me much more. Thanks!

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Welcome. You now officially know more than I know about it because three-quarters of that information has already escaped my aging brain.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Today I learned about Jan Žižka, a famous knight and military leader in Bohemia (now Czech Republic). He was a follower of Jan Hus (an early reformer of the Catholic Church), and a prominent Hussite who led the Taborite faction during the Hussite Wars (1419-1434). Renowned for his exceptional military skill, Žižka led the Hussite forces in battles against three crusades - defending Bohemia from the Papacy, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Holy Roman Empire - and remained undefeated. He is now celebrated as a Czech national hero.

What makes him especially remarkable is the fact that he was half-blind (Žižka means “one-eyed”, a nickname derived from his early loss of an eye). He lost his first eye during his youth, with the exact cause unknown but possibly a childhood injury or a fight. He later lost his remaining eye in June 1421, when an arrow struck him during a battle near Bor. Even when blind, he continued to lead the Taborite soldiers to victory.

He died from the plague in October 1424, shortly after his last military victory at the Battle of Nová Paka. It was by no means the end of the fighting in central and eastern Europe, as the Hussite ideas led to more wars. Only the religious peace of Kutná Hora (1485) put a definite end to the Hussite Wars. Nevertheless, the Hussite ideas eventually led to John Calvin, Martin Luther, and the Protestant Reformation.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

Today I learned about Jan Žižka, a famous knight and military leader in Bohemia (now Czech Republic). He was a follower of Jan Hus (an early reformer of the Catholic Church), and a prominent Hussite who led the Taborite faction during the Hussite Wars (1419-1434). Renowned for his exceptional military skill, Žižka led the Hussite forces in battles against three crusades - defending Bohemia from the Papacy, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Holy Roman Empire - and remained undefeated. He is now celebrated as a Czech national hero.

What makes him especially remarkable is the fact that he was half-blind (Žižka means “one-eyed”, a nickname derived from his early loss of an eye). He lost his first eye during his youth, with the exact cause unknown but possibly a childhood injury or a fight. He later lost his remaining eye in June 1421, when an arrow struck him during a battle near Bor. Even when blind, he continued to lead the Taborite soldiers to victory.

He died from the plague in October 1424, shortly after his last military victory at the Battle of Nová Paka. It was by no means the end of the fighting in central and eastern Europe, as the Hussite ideas led to more wars. Only the religious peace of Kutná Hora (1485) put a definite end to the Hussite Wars. Nevertheless, the Hussite ideas eventually led to John Calvin, Martin Luther, and the Protestant Reformation.

Three loud cheers!

I've got ancestors from the Kutná Hora district of Czechia. They were all loyal Roman Catholics, but with all due honor and deference to them, I'm with the Hussites all the way.

Just for fun, I looked up the pronunciation of Žižka in my jolly little Czech-English dictionary. It's Zhizhka. That should help those who, like me, hear words in their heads as they read them.

Have you ever heard of William Marshal (or William the Marshall), the Earl of Pembroke from the 1200s in England and Wales? He was quite the mensch as well. For awhile, going by what a distant cousin of mine posted on his genealogical site, I believed that William was my 25th great-grandfather. But the cousin got two men of the same name in 18th century Tidewater Virginia mixed up and I had to relinquish my connection to The Most Perfect Knight.

Never mind. His life and career make wonderful and inspiring reading.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

Yeah. Most folks just sob into a beer. This mad lad decided to go amputate legs in a foreign war.

Victorians. They never did anything half-measured, or sane.

Oh, I dunno. That's a much more productive response to being dumped than stalking your ex or posting their old nudes on social media. People these days should emulate it.

(The going and doing something productive, not necessarily fighting in a war.}

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Three loud cheers!

I've got ancestors from the Kutná Hora district of Czechia. They were all loyal Roman Catholics, but with all due honor and deference to them, I'm with the Hussites all the way.

Just for fun, I looked up the pronunciation of Žižka in my jolly little Czech-English dictionary. It's Zhizhka. That should help those who, like me, hear words in their heads as they read them.

Have you ever heard of William Marshal (or William the Marshall), the Earl of Pembroke from the 1200s in England and Wales? He was quite the mensch as well. For awhile, going by what a distant cousin of mine posted on his genealogical site, I believed that William was my 25th great-grandfather. But the cousin got two men of the same name in 18th century Tidewater Virginia mixed up and I had to relinquish my connection to The Most Perfect Knight.

Never mind. His life and career make wonderful and inspiring reading.

I read that Jan Žižka's last wish, when he was dying of the plague, was that his body should be skinned and that the skin be made to use drums. That way, when the Hussites were marching to war, their enemies could hear the drums and quake in fear, that the supposedly-dead Jan Žižka was still leading the Hussites from beyond the grave. Wow. That's commitment.

And yes, I've heard of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. His greatest deeds include:

- Undefeated tournament champion;
- In 1189, he unhorsed the future Richard the Lionheart in a skirmish, but spared his life (showing his skill and character). When Richard became king, he welcomed William to his court as an honoured guest;
- Became the Protector of England for the young Henry III;
- In 1217, at the age of 70, he led English forces to victory at the Battle of Lincoln, stopping a French invasion; and
- Also in 1217, he reissued Magna Carta, which ensured its survival.

Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, considered William the "greatest knight that ever lived". He was widely admired and respected throughout Europe.

Then again, almost everyone related to Henry I is remarkable, especially Eleanor of Aquitaine.

 

[Naomasa298]

Hmm. Would the Encyclopedia Britannica be a better online source, then?

No. Brittanica has significantly dropped in quality. I have found at least one article written by the author of a book on the subject that uses his own work as a source, which is not corroborated by any other sourrce.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Today I learned about the connections in sensibilities between Jane Austen and Charles Darwin in a fascinating article on Aeon entitled Is Beauty Natural? The article mostly focused on how they were cut from the same cloth – both naturalists in the 19th century definition of the term.

Darwin was captivated by Austen’s writing:

His correspondence is dotted with Austen references in a way that conveys a genuine fluency with her work. ‘Lydiaish’ means flirtatious, ‘like Mrs Bates’ is code for overly doting, ‘like Lady Cath. de Burgh’ stands in for stern, and ‘a Captain Wentworth’ was his cousin’s term of endearment for Captain FitzRoy. His private notebooks likewise reference numerous Austen characters, and three of Austen’s novels figure on his 1838-1840 reading list.

Like Darwin, Austen was obsessed with the natural:

A keyword search yields that she uses some variant of the word ‘natural’ more than 500 times in her six novels. In Northanger Abbey (1817), Catherine reaps the blessings of ‘natural folly in a beautiful girl’ and is possessed by ‘feelings rather natural than heroic’. In Pride and Prejudice (1813), there is Lydia’s ‘high animal spirits’ and ‘natural self-consequence’, and in Sense and Sensibility (1811), Edward’s ‘natural shyness’ obscures his (‘by no means deficient’) ‘natural taste’. In Mansfield Park (1814), we see ‘natural claims’ and ‘natural powers’, and in Emma (1816), Harriet’s ‘natural graces’ run up against artificial class boundaries. In Austen’s final novel, and perhaps Darwin’s favourite, Persuasion (1818), Anne reasons with herself, insisting ‘how natural’ is the ‘oblivion of the past’ as she attempts to forget Frederick and his ‘natural sensation of curiosity’.

Is beauty natural? Austen and Darwin would say so.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Perhaps it depends upon one's definition of beauty.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Today I learned about the connections in sensibilities between Jane Austen and Charles Darwin

If it had been about connections in senses and senibilities, then that would have been something.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Perhaps it depends upon one's definition of beauty.

Both Darwin and Austen were fascinated by "extravagant ornament" - Darwin in nature, and Austen in culture.

They both wondered what purpose it had. What is the utility of the peacock's feathers?

 

[Rigor Mortis]

What is the utility of the peacock's feathers?

Not to suggest there's any obvious or simple answer, the first thing that occurs is demonstration of vitality, good genes.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Not to suggest there's any obvious or simple answer, the first thing that occurs is demonstration of vitality, good genes.

Yeah, Darwin went on to give his theory of sexual selection.

But, you know, that still doesn't explain why the peahen so liked the extravagant feathers...

 

[Rigor Mortis]

But, you know, that still doesn't explain why the peahen so liked the extravagant feathers...

I'd have thought it kinda does. It maybe doesn't explain why some species demonstrate their breeding potential through beauty pageantry over tests of strength or other forms of selection, but some species aren't equipped to safely butt heads like stags or trial by combat like lions. The peacocks and peahens long ago agreed that their species would quickly become extinct if they went on with that macho head-butting nonsnese given their delicate little hollow bones.

I do recall reading Desmond Morris's books very many years ago that drew clear links between genetic selection and many of the behaviours, mannerisms, customs and traditions of human and animal societies. I'm sure his work has been supplanted and developed since his pioneering efforts, but the links can still be drawn.

Edit: We had a Joycean scholar, leading gay rights campaigner and onetime presidential candidate named David Norris. His name frequently pushes that of Desmond Morris aside and I have to think which is which and frequently choose incorrectly. I've adjust the text above in case anyone should want to check out Desmond Morris, something well worth the effort for aspiring writers.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

What is the utility of the peacock's feathers?

Not to suggest there's any obvious or simple answer, the first thing that occurs is demonstration of vitality, good genes.

I've heard that it was to attract a peahen mate. It makes sense.

But, you know, that still doesn't explain why the peahen so liked the extravagant feathers...

We also don't know why some humans over the generations are or were attracted to various things (mohawk haircuts, bell-bottom trousers, husky voices brought on by years of smoking, etc. etc.), but here we are.

Not everything has to have a reason. *G*

Some people find a husky voice sexy. I can't comment; I don't smoke, but 20 years of singing baritone-bass has left my voice extremely husky (and singing occasional tenor-two also meant I can have a high lilt ... but obviously not at the same time!) *L*

But Maybe husky voices remind people of this beautiful guy? *says he, with his tongue firmly in his cheek* ;-P

 

[Louanne Learning]

Not everything has to have a reason.

I dunno. I think everything about us provided some kind of evolutionary advantage during our evolution and that it why it persisted.

 

[Homer Potvin]

A woman with a husky voice? Yes, please.

 

[Louanne Learning]

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow"

 

[Rath Darkblade]

A woman with a husky voice? Yes, please.

*points to all the altos in all the world* There you go!

 

[Louanne Learning]

Today I learned that Benjamin Franklin was the fifteenth child of a candle and soap maker in Puritan colonial Boston.