The Sherpa: victims of their own success?

Today I would like to provide you with some details about the Sherpa, one of the ethnic minorities living in republican China- around 2600 live in the People’s Republic of China, and there is a total of approximately 180.000 Sherpa in the world. The word Sherpa means people from the East, which makes reference to the area they live in. Most of the Sherpa live in the Himalayas, although they are starting to suffer the effects of migration attempting to obtain a better life. The Sherpas are presumed to have originally been a nomadic culture. It seems likely that the left their home lands in the Khan region in the 16th century for the Nepalese area due to warfare, hence why their language, despite being Tibetan, is not like that of the rest of the Nepalese society. The 18th century presence of the British in Daarjelin attracted the attention of many Sherpa, who offered their services to the Empire for seasonal employment and a chance of better income into their households. This was a very important factor in the development of what nowadays is the Sherpas best known activity: professional mountaineering.

In fact some of the most famous Sherpa owe their renown to mountaineering. Such is the case of Tenzing Norgay, who climbed the Everest in 1953 with the expedition of Sir Edmund Hillary. Many other Sherpa have got to the top of this mountain and many others. This is a result of their live in high altitudes. As that is a common feature of their everyday life, they are well prepared and knowledgeable of the skills required in hiking, climbing, examining the landscape and weather conditions for the purpose of professional mountaineering…This is in fact the job of many in current times. They play a crucial role in the expeditions to the highest mountains in the world.

We know some other details about their culture, such as their clothing and religious believe. Male Sherpa tend to wear something called chhuba (long-sleeved robes) on top of a raatuk (shirt), as well as a piece called kanam (trousers) and a type of jacket named tetung. The women wear very long dresses known as tongkok, and aprons; metil and gewe for the front and the back, hold together with silver buckles called kyetig. Their religious belief is quite interesting. Most Sherpa practice Buddhism, particularly a Tibetan sect known with the name of “The Red Hat Sect”. This sect was founded in the 8th century and borrows many elements from the local pre-Buddhist traditions, deities and shamanistic rituals. For reasons that will now seem obvious, it has a deep connection with their environment, especially mountains (mountains are supposed to bring you closer to enlightenment, so we can understand that the altitude at which these people live is quite important not only for their economy, but for their culture in general). This also explain why their approach to climbing and mountain expeditions is different from the Western ideas, as to reach Nirvana you require to do actions for others in a very altruistic fashion. Apart from that, we know that some Sherpa worship other cults, but these can be considered minority religions amongst them. The other two main cults that have Sherpa followers are Catholicism and Hinduism.

Nonetheless, and despite how lovely and peaceful this life in the mountains may seem to accomodated people of the West like us, it is not all good and “gravy”. Tourism to the Nepal areas has had a huge impact in the lifestyle of these people in last half of the 20th century and the 21st. On top of that, there is the ongoing tension between China and Nepal (especially now that the Chinese government has announced their desire to create what I like to call “Buddha-land”). These people are effectively caught in the middle of disguised communism and aggressive capitalism, different cultures, and pressures. Moreover, accidents within the sphere of professional mountaineering make their prestige crumble. In 2010 the team of the Spanish mountaineer Tolo Calafat, suffered a terrible incident when climbing the Annapurna. As a result he died, and many of his companions, several Sherpa included suffered his very same fate. Much controversy was arose about the fact of how much are worth the lives of Sherpa, or how easy they are to bribe to go to places they otherwise won’t, if it wasn’t for the non-sensical desire of their patrons. They are victims of their own success and their own circumstances. They live between to opposite worlds that pull the strings in different directions, leaving them exposed to the cruel reality: the life of a minority group, of any kind, is tough.

 

INTERVIEW WITH DR.ELENA WOODACRE, UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER, MARCH 2013

OUR LATEST INTERVIEW HAS BEEN WITH DR. ELENA WOODACRE, ONE OF OUR LECTURERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER!

She is devoted to the study of medieval queens, especially within the kingdom of Navarre, so we decided to ask her some questions about her research and her interests!

Here we leave you the link to our podcast in out You Tube Channel, we hope you like it!

We would like to thank Ellie for spending some time with us and having such a lovely conversation!

<W.U Hstry Team>

MA DAY CONFERENCE, 6th April 2013, University of Winchester (King Alfred Campus)

As you may have heard us saying over Twitter, the History department of the University of Winchester is organising a day conference where the MA students submitting their research in September will be giving a talk about their projects. This is ought to be a very interesting day, with a huge variety of topics, on top of a special guest talk: Professor Penny Corfield.

In the following lines you can find the general timetable of the day and the themes that would be covered, where and when.

If you are interested to attend the conference, please get in touch with Dr. Elena Woodacre (Ellie.Woodacre@winchester.ac.uk) as soon as possible.

DAY CONFERENCE:

Session One: 9-10 am

Death and Violence in the Twentieth Century (Stripe Studio 1)

Ralph Mattila-Gilbert, Holocaust topic

Michael Smalldridge – ‘Assassins: CIA and its use of assassination across the globe during the early 1960s’

The Impact of the Early Middle Ages (Stripe Studio 2)

Lillian Cespedes GonzaleZ – From ‘Vicious Vikings to Northlanders’: changing representations of the Vikings in comics and bande dessinee and its impact in public history

Ross Dunworth, ‘From Folkland to Hundred? The development of late Anglo-Saxon territorial organisation along the Hants./ Wilts. Border, c500-1086’

Session Two: 10:15-11:15am

Sport and the City (Stripe Studio 1)

Michael Nelles, ‘Urban Modernity in a historic setting: Reconciling the Present with the Past in Winchester City Centre, 1930-1975’

Ian Denness, ‘A Game of Two Halves: Social Exclusivity in Late Victorian Sport’

Continuity and Change in the New Forest (Stripe Studio 2)

Maddie Andres, ‘Expansion or Decline? An investigation of settlement and land-use patterns in Hyde, New Forest, 1740-1840’

Sylvia Crocker, ‘Living on the Edge: A Study of Peripheral Encroachments on the New Forest in the Eigthteenth Century’

Session Three: 11:30am-12:30pm

Civil War in Britain and America (Stripe Studio 1)

Louise White, ‘Richmond during the American civil war: an examination of such themes as morale, attitudes towards the Union and espionage’

Wesley Leonard – ‘Religion and revolt: the wars of the three kingdoms’

The development of villages and parishes (Stripe Studio 2)

Elfreda Gibson-Poole, ‘Milton Abbas: An example of the archetypal village or an afterthought of historical desire’

Janet Hird, ‘Going with the grain: a study of economic and social change in a Hants parish between 1750 and 1850’

12:30-2:15 LUNCH

2:30-3:45 External Speaker: Professor Penny Corfield (Royal Holloway, Emerita) (SLR)

Any changes will be announced on the day.

We hope to see you there!

<<W.U Hstry Team>>

Intrview with Dr. Chris Aldous, Reader in Modern International History (University of Winchester)

SO! Ali and I ventured out to ask Chris Aldous about his life and career. Chris is a very interesting person. As a historian he specialises in eastern history, mainly Japan, and apparently there are not many historians in the UK that study such thing!

So we asked him plenty of questions about this (Ali is very interested in the subject as she studies Modern China, so she came up with all the clever work! ) as well as some other general things related to history as an academic discipline, the students, changes and future.

Here is the result! Please listen to our video on You Tube or here:

Note: the recorder run out of battery right at the end of the interview. However, Ali has typed up a summarised answer to our time machine question. And here is it:

In response to our traditional time machine question, Chris said he would like to travel back to the moment that the Japanese emperor Hirohito publicly announced the Japanese surrender on August 15th 1945. Chris said he would be interested in being amongst the average Japanese civilians to hear their responses to the announcement, as the topic has long interested him in his career.

Anyway, we hope you like it! We will have more soon!

<<W.U Hstry Team>>

Winchester Seminars on Comparative Medieval Cultures with Dr. Phil Cardew and Prof. Tom Shippey.

Just like with the previous entry on this topic, here are some notes of the latest Winchester Seminars on Comparative Medieval Cultures. The two talks given were by Dr Phil Cardew  and Prof. Tom Shippey.

Blogs, tweets and sagas: the subversion of authoritative discourse in medieval Iceland.

-There are social media and communication issues related to the culture of our time.

-There have been different approaches and out takes of texts all the way through history. In the 18th and 19th centuries there was passion for Danish epics about Nordic heroes. In the 20th century Iceland was trying to make a great image of their nation; here is were the sagas come in.

-There was a lot of copying and borrowing between the different versions of these texts. it also depended where the text was being produced-regional changes. Some of these were very popular, but all by sudden their popularity decreased until the 90s were a change in perceptions made them be re-evaluated.

-Comments on how the topic demonstrates a way of controlling the popular mind through literature and how the common consciousness can be affected. Also, he highlights the importance of tension between cultural artefacts and literary work. This ties in with the idea of tweeting and retweeting, and how part of the information is somewhat lost in translation- stuff is missed.

-Genres go through different stages- they are difficult to pin down, and adopted in too many different ways. This is what makes them so unique for the people who enjoy them. It is also very important regarding what they mean on their own and for the people.

-Final comment on tweeting- reinforce the concept of how ideas are manipulated through authoritative discourse and re-asserting said authority.

*************************************************************************************************************

The creation of an enduring image: last stands of the Vikings

-The power of popular images: the viking cliché represent by Erik the Viking. Also consider the idea of dying with the sword in hand to go to Valhalla, like represented in many movies. Ragnarok images in very Hollywood fashion have a reason to exist: many derived from Snorri Sturluson’s work- The poetic edda and the Heimskringla.

-The importance of Thomas Barthulinos antiquities.

-The Vikings charm of novelty: what was different? They jokes and humour, the vulgarity and their very ordinary loud laughter, the bloody mindnedness, immunity to persuasion. impassivity: a hero shows true quality in defeat.Death of heroes: either fatal miscalculation or due to a traitor. Very well symbolised by Longfellow.

-The Battle of Svold-exalted commentary on the accounts given by Snorri.

-Several last stances in the sagas: Kjartan, Egil, Gretir and Gisli.

-Image of the Vikings in the literature preserved is not actually very different from that in the movies!

************************************************************************************************************

Questions discussed:

-Academia sometimes obscures certain things and hide them away, but this very same repression makes them fashionable again.

-Nibelungen similarity with Volsunga Saga, something apparently not everyone is able to appreciate or evaluate.

-Modern image of the Anglo-Saxons-issue because unlike the Vikings they did not have something like the sagas? There does not seem to be much interest on the subject.

-There are discrepancies between these public images

-About the sagas: valid approach through theme but not good to force them into a particular genre theory.

INTERVIEW WITH PETER AND SANDRA FROM MEDIEVALISTS.NET!

ANOTHER INTERVIEW! Today we are bringing forward for you the most amazing pair of the medievalverse in the net! You all know them! HERE WE HAVE THE TEAM OF MEDIEVALISTS.NET!

Please say hi to Peter and Sandra, who are a wonderful source of inspiration and have always been really supportive and nice to W.U Hstry!Here are some of the questions we asked them and what they replied!
 

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!

Could you explain to us how did the medievalists.net initiative originated and how it was developed since. What were your aims/goals? have they change? what do you expect the project to evolve into?

 

Peter: The idea behind Medievalists.net originated out a another academic site called De Re Militari. This site had articles and primary sources about medieval warfare. I thought it would be a good idea to create a website that covered all topics related to the Middle Ages. At the time, no active website existed that offered a one-stop place for medievalists to gather.

 

Sandra: Peter approached me in the summer of 2008 and asked if I would be interested in working on a website for all things medieval. We both worked dreary day jobs and jumped at the chance to do something we loved in our spare time. In September 2008, Medievalists.net was born. 

 

Peter: The aim originally was to have some part time side work, to be able to go to conferences and remain active in the academic community. Since then, the site exploded in popularity and we are trying to make this our full time career. We’ve added four more history sites: Historyoftheancientworld.com, Earlymodernengland.com, Americancivilwar.ca, Thewarof1812.net.

 

Sandra: I don’t think we initially expected it to take off the way it did. We continue to be blown away by the support we have from our readers across the globe. We’re honoured to have such wonderful fans.  

What is the medieval/historical interest of each of you? (specialism if you prefer) or favourite topic/landmark?

 

Peter: I’m interested in medieval military history, the Crusades, London and daily life.

 

Sandra: My interests lie in Medieval England and religious orders. I am also interested in daily life and Queer studies of the Middle Ages.

What sort of people are attracted by medievalists.net? 

 

Peter: Our site is geared to both academic audiences and general interest. 

 

Sandra: We have a wide range of people who visit the site – it’s not just academics and serious scholars. We have many younger students, re-enactors, movie and television show fans who follow us because we also review medieval pop culture in television, movies and books. 

How big, creative and up to date is the medieval sphere in the North America?

Peter: The Middle Ages remains very popular in North America – it seems people can’t get enough of history. We see a lot of television shows and movies set in the medieval period, and one can find a medieval/Renaissance fair taking place somewhere in the US or Canada every week. In university classrooms, the Middle Ages are very popular for undergraduates, and the annual International Congress on Medieval Studies draws over 3000 academics to Kalamazoo, Michigan.

How important do you think historical fiction books or films are to the study (and interest) of medieval history?

Sandra: I think movies, books and TV shows are vital in engaging new audiences with history in this day and age. People come into interests via different paths and for me, I came through reading Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy; for Peter, he became interested in the Middle Ages after playing a video game called The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Every person gets introduced to something differently and movies, TV and books often bring that age or history period to life. Even the most serious scholars started somewhere, be it Tolkien, Dungeons and Dragons, Assassins Creed, A Game of Thrones or World of Warcraft. The method might not be historically accurate but it opens the door to future study.

Why do you think it’s still important we:

a) still learn about the medieval period?

b) still carry on actively researching this period? What does it contribute to today’s society?

 

Peter: I once recall someone saying the studying the Middle Ages was the closest we could get to studying an alien civilization without leaving the Earth. I think it offers a valuable insight into how other people can have a totally different perception of the world and how you can have different ways of thinking.  

 

Sandra: I think that we learn from our past achievements and mistakes – history is never irrelevant. We got here somehow, so to say that it’s unimportant, is like saying *to me*  Rome was built in one day; it wasn’t, and our civilization wasn’t. All our enlightened ideas and progress began with people who had different ideas, laws and ways of doing things, In order to better understand ourselves and society, I think it is vital to learn about our past.

We have noticed that the term ‘Medieval’ seems to be taking on negative and almost derogatory connotations to describe what is regarded as ‘backwards’ or ‘barbaric’ and ‘uncivilized’. What do you think about that?

 

Sandra: I still say “that’s so medieval” at times in a derogatory way. I don’t take it too seriously or get bent out of shape about it. The Middle Ages to many people wasn’t exactly the most forward thinking time in comparison to what we perceive as being “the norm” now so I understand why people still bandy that about. 

 

Peter: I often see the term ‘medieval’ used in the media to describe things that were horrific and overly cruel. This is often just based on stereotypes. We try to think of ourselves as a modern culture that has ‘evolved’ from our ancestors in the last few hundred years and that we tend to do things more intelligently, more humanely and more logically. Yet our so-called modern age has produced genocides and levels of warfare and violence that were no near to what the medieval person experienced. I think, however, that people will always be referring to the Middle Ages as a backward period in time.

The middle ages as a period is defined by what it’s not, in other words by not being modernity nor antiquity. How do you think this affects the interest in the Middle Ages, and the fascination scholars and the public have for it?

 

Sandra: I think the sheer span of the period, approximately, 1,000 years, makes it hard not to take notice. Within that range, Europe, society, laws and attitudes evolved and changed immensely. This fascinates many people. You can study the Middle Ages and straddle Antiquity, with the Fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, or you can study Henry VIII and cross over into the Reformation of the sixteenth century. It’s a blurred line and everything in-between contains many avenues of research. For example, in warfare you can study Vikings or you can study knights and these two fields are hundreds of years apart yet considered part the same period. I think that intrigues many people.

 

Peter: Its part of thinking the Middle Ages as the ‘other’ – and it is always attractive and interesting to see how the ‘other’ lived. You become fascinated by a period that is in reality, quite diverse in terms of culture and society. It gives a person a lot to look for.

How does medievalism affect or influence your work? 

Peter: When coming up with ideas for Medievalists.net, I am always looking to see what is popular in medievalism – movies, tv, living history and fiction. I can then turn those interests into writing some good history. 

 

Sandra: I think it will always impact our work and how we evolve. Right now, the Middles Ages has seen a resurgence in popular culture through shows like World Without End and the medieval fantasy, A Game of Thrones. Certain movies and books can cause a surge in popularity for a particular period during the Middle Ages or for a particular nation, i.e., Braveheart caused a spike in interest for medieval Scottish history when it came out in 1995. As historians and journalists, it’s our job to take note of these trends and report on them to help keep interest in the Middle Ages alive and well. 

 

In your opinion what is the future of medieval history?

Peter: I think scholars are really benefitting from how digitization is opening up archives, and how we are able to make use of scientific testing on medieval remains. Historians are able to access a lot more resources, and hopefully be able to discover new insights into the medieval world. 

 

Sandra: The medieval world, or as we jokingly refer to it, “the Medievalverse”, has gone digital! Social media has made reaching people and sharing the Middle Ages with them that much easier. Look at the recent find of Richard III, that receive a staggering amount of media attention and a tonne of traffic on Twitter and Facebook. New social media apps and sites are cropping up constantly so the platform is ever changing and medieval studies is changing along with it. 

And out final question, that we ask in every single interview, and therefore this is no exception: If you have a time machine, what would you do with it? what period will you visit? Considering that you cannot interact with the environment, only watch.

Peter: I would greatly enjoy walking around the streets of medieval London, observing how the people lived, worked and played in such a bustling city. 

 

Sandra: I have three periods I’m torn between. I’d love to have visited medieval London yet I’d also have loved to visit Victorian London to compare the two. I love medieval history and Victorian literature so sitting down with Dickens and chatting with Thomas Becket would be equally cool Lastly, I would’ve loved to go back in time and visit the US during the American Civil War and meet great Generals like Ulysses Grant, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and George B. McClellan.

Anddd… unfortunately that’s the end of that folks! Exciting stuff I know!

However, remember that you can always find more and more about them and the medievalverse in http://www.medievalists.net !! Also, Look for them on Facebook and Twitter! Lots of news going up everyday!

Thanks a lot to Peter and Sandra from the whole W.U Hstry Team to take the time to do this! You can count with all of our support ever! Keep rocking the Medieval scene guys!

<<W.U Hstry Team >>

Environmental Change and the Holocene: An Introduction.

As you already know, our theme for the month is environmental history. This is a subject I have come across not that long ago, and I personally enjoyed it so much I proposed it for the blog! I think considering the times we are living in the environment is something to keep present in our minds. Environmental change is inherent to the nature and dynamics of the world: it influences us in the same way we alter it, so I think that makes it a very interesting historical approach.

Anyway, this post will briefly mention the general environmental conditions of the Holocene, and particularly the Mesolithic. [Why?...Well...why not? Who does not like a bit of pre-history ] I find it interesting that most of the data and information we know from the pre-historical period does come mainly from natural sciences like biology and geology. It is true much anthropological work has been done lately, but perhaps we suffer from the lack of big serious archaeological/historical/humanities-social sciences investigations about this subject…Even a greater reason to dedicate this entry to this particular period!

The Holocene is a very interesting geological period as it turned the climate of the Earth. There had been a long Ice Age, one of the multiples our planet has gone through, but with the change in internal geological dynamics the ice started melting and leading the way to new ecological areas: the boreal forest and the tundra. This was quickly followed by the recolonisation of these places by men, who took advantage of the fairly stable climate to find new homes and ways of living. So in this way new habitable zones appeared, mainly moving northwards.

With this revitalised human activity came the technological advances of the Mesolithic, which started to shape their new environment. The development of agriculture produced changes in the soil and water. Open spaces and green areas were alternated, starting in this way the slow but powerful process of deforestation we suffer so strongly these days. In addition, the constant use of fire, and more importantly the techniques developed to control the results of these pyres, started generating a small degree of pollution, damaging both the air and ground. These were further experienced in the Neolithic, when  agricultural exploitations were improved: increasing in number and intensity, while developing new techniques at the same time.

Also, it has to be considered that during the Neolithic animal husbandry became a very important agricultural practice for the survival of mankind. So the accumulation of animals in certain spaces, plus the ways to feed them, on top of their excrements, made a contribution to this changing ecology. An interesting fact is that “between the Neolithic and the 18th century, agriculture was the main cause of culturally driven environmental change”, as it has been argued elsewhere (consult pages for further information).

It is fairly easy to see how human action from an early point in history began to make a difference in the world we live in. However, nature did its own things as well that clearly had an impact in the live of our ancestors and the way things developed. There is a theory that says that various “megatsunamis” happened about 8.000 years ago. One of them might have happened in the Mediterranean sea due to the effects of a volcanic landslide provokes by Mount Etna. A similar scenario is likely to have taken place at the Norwegian sea because of the Storegga slide. Finally, we got another comparative example, which would have occurred at Reunion Island approximately 6.000 years ago.

Finally, here is an interesting video related with the subject that I found:

http://www.pastperfect.org.uk/sites/lowhauxley/climate/cchangeclip.html

I hope this brief overview provides us all with an insight to the importance of environmental change and how long this has actually been going on! This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it has both human and natural factors involved in it, but if we can understand this as a long-term process, then I think we will start re-evaluating our thinking about the subject, and perhaps becoming more environmental friendly.

This said, please take a look at the following websites if you want to know some more general details about the subject (they are all nice Internet projects), and keep an eye on us! Next Stop: Thomas and the Dodo!!!

PAGES OF INTEREST:

http://www.eh-resources.org/index.html

http://www.creswell-crags.org.uk/

A Chat with Julian Humphrys

It has been a while since my talk with Julian took place. I remember it was a very hectic morning a the University and that this very nice man was coming to have a chat with me about what he did and who he was. Nonetheless, everything that could go wrong did, in fact, go wrong; my dictaphone did not load batteries properly and was not working, I had my computer with me, but not a single place to plug it in. All I had at the time, was a pen and a bit of paper. So from the very messy scribbles I took down that day, here I present you Julian Humphrys: a chat with him at the Learning Cafe, University of Winchester.

 

Interest in History:

When asked about this, Julian gave an answer that I personally share: how could anyone in England not be interested in history? The whole country breaths history in almost every single village. He mentions how his parents were always interested in the historical culture, so he was brought up in a history-friendly environment. Some of his early memories are the Westgate and St.Cross, here in Winchester. He also mentions a bookshop in Alresford where he saw an interesting book on the Victorian period. Currently, Julian’s main interest in history is related to battles and warfare. He particularly mentions his focus on battle fields, with special mention of Cheriton.

In addition, he suggested that his attraction towards history also benefited from his school teacher, as the history department was very active and they always made it fun. However, he does not agree with the common method of teaching history as a chronology and nothing more.

 

Julian’s Specialisation:

Since he graduated from university, most of the time he has been involved in the field of historical studies in a way or another. Julian is a writer but does not consider himself an academic historian. He is very keen on objects and the stories behind them: medals, castles, battlefields…

He mentions the time he spent working for the National Army Museum and how much he enjoyed but he decided that he needed new experiences. It is not surprising then to know that Julian is also qualified tour guide, has worked closely with English Heritage and is an expert in organising visits. Furthermore, he has written books on historical royal palaces. He said he is really curious about the private life in palaces, and the stories behind the people who lived in there. Also, he wrote the BBC History Magazine page. According to him, people are always interested in that sort of things, just like quizzes, like the one he was working on at the time we had the interview.

Finally, Julian says that the really exciting thing about his job is to get out there and talk to people about history, face to face. He is a person that loves to engage with the public, and that passion is easily noticed and transmitted when you speak to him, you can see that he is actually liking the fact you are asking questions and want to know more. Devoted, I think that is the word that defines him best. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that, currently, he is working for the Battlefield trust.

Approximately, this would be Julian’s brief chronology:

Southampton Grammar School—>Emmanuel College (Cam.)-Study modern history—>70s various jobs:painter-decorator—>Polytechnic North London-postgraduate in Information Studies—>Museum for c.15 years—>English Heritage—>Present

 

Best Thing Ever Done Related to History:

Although he seems reserved to tell us about it, very humbly, Julian explains how much he enjoyed building a collection about British activities in Bosnia. He did at all from scratch, trying to give importance to what was significant and what was not. One of his favourite parts of the collection was the story regarding a boot hole, because it explained the particular circumstances that boot had gone through.

Also, he tells us how much he appreciates it when guiding he would take a group to a place he would love and those people, after getting the explanation and the view, share the same love for the site.

The Time Machine Question:

As you probably know already, we determined long time ago that this question should be included in all of our interviews. So Julian was not an exception, and thank goodness, because his reply was very interesting.

He said he would really like to be able to go to India at the time of the mutiny against the British governance. He would have liked to know what the Indians actually thought about the British and if they actually saw them as oppressors or things were more complex.

 

So after a long conversation and much chatting my meeting with Julian comes to an end. This was a while ago, and I have not been able to update this interview before as I thought I had misplaced one of my papers, and I refused to make the post not having all of the information. Now that I have finally found all of the sheets, and have been able to produce a somewhat comprehensive text I hope you all can enjoy it, just as much as I did enjoy meeting Julian and knowing about his exciting and very inspiring life.

Hopefully, the long wait would not make it less worthy!

All this said, we all would like to thank Julian for the effort he did to come down to Winchester for this occasion and wish him all the best in his future and to his organisation Battlefield Trust!!

2012: The Year in Which the World Did Not Come to an End…

I believe one of the very first updates of this year was about the Mayans, that wonderful civilization that according to the popular culture paranoia predicted the end of the world in 2012. However, if you are reading this is only because those believes were wrong. So, it makes one wonder, what has been the deal with 2012? Was it all about that prediction? Did people only focus on that? Well, let’s take a look.

Thanks to the Google device known as Zeitgeist, we can tell you the world top search trends related with events that happened this year. I think the words on their own summarise quire well what has been going on, and what has captured the attention of many citizens: the death of Whitney Houston, Hurricane Sandy and Typhoon Bopha, Ipad 3, Diablo 3 (which was a total disappointment for most of the geek-gaming culture…just saying…), Kate Middleton, the Presidential debate and US elections, the phenomenon of Gangnam Style (yes, another example of globalisation, Korean music rocking the European and American market, isn’t that exciting?), and finally the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee. Some other issues have been making a big impression on a global or more national level. I do not think anyone has forgotten yet about George Osborne taxation of pasties (…there goes student budget…Again!!…), or the debate around the EU wining the Peace Nobel Prize.

Bad news travel fast, and so we have heard all about the Greek crisis, and the ongoing problems between Israel and Palestine, the several coup d’etat (Mali, Bissau…), the India Blockouts, etc. Nonetheless, as many of you might now already, here in W.U Hstry we do not like to keep in mind those bitter ends. As historians we appreciate the gravity of such matters, but it would not be fair to only think about the “Bad Stuff”. Thankfully, the human race is still capable of doing good things, that most time we forget. Let me give you an example. Have you heard about the wonderful scientific advances we had this year? We have discovered a world with four suns, performed further investigations into DNA studies, and successfully done a  twenty-four electrode bionic eye implantation! It is true that some other sad news have shacken the world of science this year. Unfortunately, the last specimen of the Pinta Island Tortoise, known as Lonesome George died, and with him his whole subrace. Bur perhaps knowing these issues are making us more natural-environmental conscious. This whole Cataclysm theory about the end of the world should not pass without reminding us that maybe our fears had a logical basis. For this reason, I wish that the extension to complete the Kyoto Protocol (2020) will work this time.

U.K: the Nation that Rocked 2012

In case you haven’t noticed the U.K has been a cause for news several times this year. Just for that reason, I am going to dedicate the following lines to remark important events in British History (for good or bad). I know we do mention a fair bit of British/English history in here, but that is because there is SO MUCH HISTORY in the U.K. And sometimes, in eras of uncertainty, it is nice to remember those moments. It is not about nationalism, do not mistake my words, rather it is about the collective memory, why these things are important? Why do we remember them? Well, because they had an impact that shaped the British society of the time, and perhaps has a repercussion in current times. So here it is:

-10 years ago the charity Cancer Research UK was founded. On top of that, the Mary Rose was rescued from the sea 30 years ago. Also, it is the 70th anniversary of the premiere of Cassablanca, and curiously enough, the 75th of The Hobbit’s publication! (Tolkien fans, 2012 IS a Great Year!). Finally, it is interesting to know that 80 years ago the BBC Empire Service started broadcasting, and that 2012 is the 90th anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

-Moving into the hundreds anniversaries, a variety of important historical events took place in this time frame. It has been a 100 years since the introduction of U.K miners minimum wage, but about the same time period since the sinking of the Titanic and the tragic outcome of Robert Falcon Scott and his team at the South Pole. But on a lighter note, it was 150 years ago when both the U.K and the U.S agreed to suppress slave trade. Also, it was 200 year ago when the Luddites attacked a wool production factory in Yorkshire. Finally, 2012 would have been the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens.

What Does the Rest of the World Have to Commemorate?

…Probably too many things to be listed in here. However, here is a selection of those facts that have caught my attention.

-It has been 200 years since the Peace of Bucharest, that ended the conflict between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. 1812 was also a very important year for the Spanish as they produced their new constitution (since then symbol of freedom and liberalism) in Cadiz, during the French occupation.

-500 year ago Martin Luther became doctor in theology and joined the theological faculty of Wittemberg. (What came after that you all know). It was as well the first time the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was opened to the public, and the year in which Amerigo Vespucci died.

-It is the 1000th anniversary of Mael Morda rebellion against Brian Boru, and the birth of the Tibetan translator of holy scriptures, Marpa Lotsawa.

-In the year 12 A.D Augustus ordered the invasion of the germanic lands trespassing the Rhine, and a very peculiar figure was born: Caligula. On a final note, I thought it was interesting, considering this whole Mayan prophecy, that in 12 B.C the comet Halley made an appearance…

These are some facts about 2012. For sure there are many more. We hope you will keep in mind the good ones tonight around 23:59 pm and enter the New Year with a smile on you face. We certainly will do. 2012 has been a very interesting year for us (Second birthday and all!), we can only hope you had as much fun as we did, and much more for 2013!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE

Some websites you might find interesting:

‘Technology review of the year 2012′, The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9770230/Technology-review-of-the-year-2012.html

’2012 in review: an interactive guide to the year that was’, The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2012/dec/28/2012-in-review-interactive-guide?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

‘Entertainment review of the year: 2012′, BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20796018

‘Point of View: Why 2012 is a year to remember’, BBC News

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16963280

Winchester Seminars on Comparative Medieval Cultures: Second Session Notes

On the 8th of November, 2012, some of the members of the W.U Hstry teams went to a session of the WSCMC: Winchester Seminars on Comparative Medieval Cultures. We listened and took notes from two different talks. A somehow comprehensive version of the notes that were taken will be provided in the following paragraphs. We hope you find the information as interesting as we did!

The Ecology of Crusading: The Environmental Impact of Conquest, Colonisation and Religious Conversion in the Medieval Baltic, by Dr. Aleks Pluskowski and Dr. Alex Brown, from the department of Archaeology of the University of Reading – Some notes of interest taken during this seminar:

About the Geopolitical Situation before the Crusades in the Baltic:

-In the 12^th century there were different tribes, and multicultural centres with Scandinavian, Slavic and Prussian groups coexisting together. Their strongholds were the main places for trade and the basis of their territorial units. However some of this sites were destroyed before the crusades due to feuds and land disputes with the Polish and the Rus. The Crusades were so successful because of the disunity within these tribes.

-Their religious systems were very linked with the environment. Peter of Dusburg records these habits in 1326. Spirituality was a very important factor in the east Baltic tribes. They had different cults. It is known of horse sacrifices in Natangia. All this rites end with the crusade and the proper introduction of Christianity in the area, which had been under Christian influence since the 10^th century although unsuccessfully.

-Impact of the Crusades – mainly of the Teutonic order – reflected in the transformation of the medieval Baltic society: increase of urbanisation and rural colonies, also improved Christian infrastructure, as well as reorganisation of the territory. It was a theocratic society, and fiefs were paid to the Papa State.

The Project:

-Environmental focus- project from 2010 to 2014 investigating the impact of crusading activity in the environment and the shaping of the crusading state in the post-medieval period. The importance of castles.

-Methodology: paleobotany, geoarchaeology, zooarchaeology and historical studies.

-Pollen analysis: key to the understanding of past vegetation and human activity. IT had been changing since the Iron Age. Role of wood: increasing quantities of timber needed for the construction and maintenance of castles and towns.

Radzyn Chelminsk (Kulmerland):

-10^th and 13^th century increase in cereal pollen and other traces of human activities. Some woodland areas survive, while the agricultural production improved – Localised responses to the landscape. Backed up by document sources.

Southern Estonia:

-Little evidence for intensification in the human impact until the 14^th century in the pollen diagrams, but lower than in the heartland. Why?-very little happened in the countryside after the conquest, but it all improves with the activity of the Hanseatic league; rise of agriculture and manorial system.

Latvia:

-Importance of zooarchaeology research. Before the crusade there was a higher degree of biodiversity. Afterwards the landscape was reorganised with the following consequences: small biodiversity, dominated by open landscapes and the improvement of the wool industry.

Malbork:

-Resources for the production of crossbows in an inventory (later medieval period): 1200 male goat horns, 800 horns from sturgeon made into plates, 20 elk bones…

General conclusions:

-Regional comparisons: Klaipeda that limits with Lithuania has a higher biodiversity, similar to that of Viljandi (Estonia).

-Manors supporting castles show a higher biodiversity index-everything was being exploited…Introduction to new technologies…

-Crusades impact in the mental landscape too as it was related to the spirituality of the area – complicated responses; pre-Christian activities continue into the 16^th century. Bear claw amulets only appear after the crusades; bear as a symbol of resurrection, sign of syncretism, associated with older women in cemeteries.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK THE ARTICLE THAT THEY ARE PRODUCING AND THAT IS COMING OUT SOME TIME SOON IN 2013. ALSO, THE WEBSITE:

www.ecologyofcrusading.com

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Military Orders in Central Europe: Purpose and Fortifications- The Teutonic Knights in Hungary and Slovenia, by Dr. Matthew Bennett from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurts. – Some notes of interest taken during this seminar:

Research difficulties:

-Although document research is available and has been done, there is little in the archives.

-The Teutonic orders were all over the Germanic lands in Europe, sometimes difficult to keep up with their track.

-The case of Slovenia: Slavic territory with a Germanic overlay, infiltration of the German feudal order.

Hungary:

-Invitation to the Teutonic knights to settle in this area due to the risk of nomadic invasions. Castle building as a result of complaints and rebellions. Teutonic knights seen as the competition by the local nobility. This situation might have not been able to fit in other socio-political structures at the time.

Slovenia:

-Not much research has been done previously in this area. Sloven (its ancient language) is almost as old as old English.

-Recent reconstruction of spiritual landscape; the whole identity of the region is incredibly recent.

-Aristocracy and ecclesiastical figures of the area were particularly powerful.

Velika Nedelja:

-It is a typical castle in this area, located in a high place. It has towers surrounding it and has a rounded shape altogether. Underneath it seems to lay the block house type of basic structure. Also, it is next to a church: this is a big religious and political statement of the circumstances of the region and whole territory.

-The courtyard: looks like the cloister of a monastery. Its own name means monastery, which demonstrates how early this settlement was established and the importance of its patronage.

Militarised Monastery of Zice

-Actually a Carthusian monastery, quite unique. Does not look like monastery but rather like a small fortress. Interior walls-cells now disappeared. It has an artillery tower in the middle of it, dating from the 15^th century.

Conclusion:

-There was a general military religious experience in the region studied. The role of both the military orders and the ecclesiastic institutions were essential in the sociological experience of central Europe, very different from what is known of the Western europe culture and perhaps any other contemporary societies.