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Alexandre, o Grande, teve a sorte de ter mulheres muito favoráveis ao seu lado ao longo de sua vida. Os registros históricos mostram que ele estava bem protegido por eles e que também eram sua fonte secreta de poder.
A mulher mais importante na vida de Alexandre foi sua mãe, Olímpia, mas Barsine e Roxana também parecem ter exercido influências importantes sobre ele. Alguns dos romances mais curtos do rei macedônio também afetaram sua vida positivamente. Vale a pena imaginar se ele teria sido uma pessoa tão bem-sucedida se não tivesse ao seu lado as mulheres fortes que cuidaram dele.
Olympias - Mãe, Protetora e Melhor Amiga
Olympias era a mãe, protetora e melhor amiga de Alexandre. Ela era uma mulher que lutou como um leão para proteger seu filho e até sacrificou seu marido, o rei Filipe II da Macedônia, para apoiar Alexandre.
Seu nome de nascimento era Murta, e ela era filha de Neoptólemo, o rei do Épiro. A lenda diz que ela tinha parentes que lutaram na Guerra de Tróia.
Uma estátua de Alexandre e Olímpia, Schönbrunn, Viena. ( CC BY SA 3.0 )
Olympias não teve sorte no casamento. Quando ela não pôde mais ter filhos, Phillip se interessou por outras mulheres. Ele não aceitou a monogamia e Olímpia sofreu. Ela prometeu a si mesma que faria o melhor para não permitir que nenhum dos outros filhos de Phillip se tornasse rei - apenas o dela. Ela se tornou a professora e apoiadora mais exigente de Alexandre. Ela contratou um exército de pessoas que ganharam muito dinheiro para proteger o menino que se tornaria o rei da Macedônia.
Após a morte de Alexandre, Olímpia fez o possível para ser a mesma fonte de apoio e força para sua esposa e filho. Ela esperava que seu neto pudesse continuar o reinado de Alexandre, mas infelizmente as coisas não correram como ela planejava. Olímpia foi assassinado por Cassandro por volta de 310 aC. Ela foi apedrejada até a morte.
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Barsine - a nobre esposa da lenda persa
Barsine já foi esposa de Memnon. Ela também era filha do influente Artabazus. Após a morte de Memnon em 333 aC, ela se sentiu livre para procurar outro relacionamento. Quando ela viu Alexandre, o Grande, ela sabia que ele era a melhor opção dela. Como Plutarco escreveu:
"De qualquer forma, Alexandre, ao que parece, achou mais digno de um rei subjugar suas próprias paixões do que conquistar seus inimigos, e por isso ele nunca se aproximou dessas mulheres, nem se associou com nenhuma outra antes de seu casamento, com o exceção apenas de Barsine. Esta mulher, a viúva de Memnon, o comandante mercenário grego, foi capturada em Damasco. Ela havia recebido uma educação grega, era de uma disposição gentil e poderia reivindicar ascendência real, já que seu pai era Artabazus, que se casou uma das filhas dos reis persas. Essas qualidades tornaram Alexandre mais disposto a ser encorajado por Parmênio, então Aristóbulo nos diz para nos apegarmos a uma mulher de tal beleza e linhagem nobre. " (Plutarco, Alexandre, 21).
Um mural em Pompéia, retratando o casamento de Alexandre com Barsine (Stateira) em 324 aC.
Barsine pode ter dado à luz o filho de Alexandre em 327 aC. De acordo com Plutarco, Alexandre se apaixonou por Barsine por sua beleza, e eles tiveram um filho chamado Hércules. É importante notar que seu único filho confirmado nasceu após sua morte, então o filho de Barsine significaria que um nasceu enquanto ele estava vivo também. Não se sabe se a história do bebê é real ou não, mas traz alguns questionamentos. Se o menino existisse, o que aconteceu com ele? Por que nenhum recurso o menciona como o sucessor de Alexandre?
Barsine era uma mulher que entendia o poder de Alexandre e pode ter estado com ele porque queria criar o maior reino de todos os tempos. Mas isso não aconteceria. Ela seria apenas uma das amantes de Alexandre, embora uma das mais importantes - ela não era uma amante ou uma concubina.
Roxana - a Amada
Alguns historiadores acreditam que Roxana foi a maior fraqueza de Alexandre. Ele perdeu o coração por ela aos 28 anos e, com esse relacionamento, também perdeu o interesse por outras mulheres. Ela foi descrita pelos escritores que a viam como uma das mulheres mais bonitas de toda a Ásia. Seu nome afegão era Roshanak, que significa "estrelinha". Os antigos historiadores dizem que ela era persa.
Alexandre o Grande e Roxana, em uma pintura de 1756 do artista italiano barroco Pietro Rotari.
Roxana e Alexander também se casaram por motivos políticos. Depois de conquistar muitas terras na Ásia, Alexandre queria fortalecer os laços com as novas partes de seu Império. O casamento ocorreu na primavera ou em agosto de 327 aC. De acordo com fontes antigas, Roxana se tornou a maior paixão de Alexandre. Ele ficou tão encantado com sua beleza e sabedoria que passou mais tempo com ela do que seus soldados queriam.
Quando Alexandre morreu em 323 aC, a posição de Roxana ainda era forte, mas ela já conhecia os métodos cruéis das cortes reais. Ela decidiu matar duas das outras mulheres de Alexandre, na esperança de proteger a si mesma e a seu filho ainda não nascido. Ela deu à luz um menino chamado Alexandre (Alexandre IV), seis meses após a morte de Alexandre, o Grande.
Alexandre IV com a mãe, de Alessandro Varotari.
Em 320 aC, Roxana foi presa pelo regente da Macedônia (e um ex-amigo de Alexandre) chamado Antípatro. Ela foi assassinada por seu filho, Cassander, em 320 aC.
Outros romances do rei macedônio
Além das mulheres descritas, a curta vida de Alexander foi rica em outros assuntos também. No entanto, de acordo com Plutarco, o rei tentou ser o mais cuidadoso possível. Ele sabia que muitas pessoas gostariam de assassiná-lo e ele estava muito mais interessado em conquistar inimigos do que em encontrar casos de amor sérios. Mas algumas mulheres chamaram sua atenção. Ele ficou impressionado com a beleza das mulheres persas em particular, e elas eram sua fraqueza. Alguns historiadores acreditam que um persa com belos olhos pode até ter sido a causa da morte do rei macedônio.
Entre as mulheres de Alexandre, também é importante mencionar Callixena, que foi a primeira amante do jovem Alexandre. Ela era conhecida por sua beleza e Olímpias frequentemente a enviava a Alexandre para fazer sexo. O relacionamento deles não era muito bom, mas o futuro rei passava muito tempo com essa mulher.
O romance de Alexandre e a Rainha das Amazonas, Thalestris, soa como uma história tirada de um filme de Hollywood. Eles se conheceram na Hiracânia, na costa sul do Mar Cáspio. Era outono de 330 aC, e ela viajou 200 ou mesmo 600 milhas para encontrar o rei, que já era o guerreiro mais famoso do mundo. As fontes não são claras sobre o local específico da reunião. Também não se sabe onde foi o assentamento de Thalestiris. Alguns recursos sugerem que estava em algum lugar perto do Mar Negro.
Onde quer que tenha acontecido, quando Thalestris estava na frente de Alexander, seu vestido não cobria inteiramente seu corpo. Ela estava vestida como uma amazona, então o lado esquerdo de seu peito estava descoberto. Ela parecia ser uma mulher apaixonada aos olhos de Alexander, e ele ficou surpreso com sua força e poder. Eles passaram treze dias juntos como um casal. No entanto, após esse breve romance, eles provavelmente nunca mais se encontraram.
Uma pintura rococó do século 18 da Rainha Thalestris das Amazonas no acampamento de Alexandre, o Grande, de Johann Georg Platzer.
As mulheres poderosas por trás do rei
A história conhece mais alguns nomes de mulheres que podem ter sido amantes ou esposas de Alexandre. Uma delas é a Rainha Cleophis, também conhecida como Candance. Ela era uma rainha de Massaga, uma antiga capital no atual norte do Paquistão.
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Na vida de Alexandre, também havia uma mulher conhecida como Princesa Statira (filha do ex-Grande Rei Dario III), também conhecida em fontes como Barsine ou Arsinoe. Alexandre a conheceu em fevereiro de 324 aC. No mesmo dia, ele se casou com Parysatis, filha do rei persa Artaxerxes III. Statira e Parysatis foram assassinados por Roxane, sugerindo que foram muito importantes na vida de Alexandre. É óbvio que ele usou seu conhecimento em suas estratégias e planos.
A família de Dario na frente de Alexandre, de Justus Sustermans e preservada na Biblioteca Museu Víctor Balaguer.
Alexandre, o Grande, era uma espécie de "mulherengo". Infelizmente para as mulheres que foram atraídas, a maioria deles se tornou vítima de assassinato. Alexandre morreu quando tinha 33 anos, mas quando estava vivo pouco fez para proteger as mulheres que o serviam com suas mentes, almas e, em muitos casos, corpos também.
Imagem apresentada: As Mulheres da Família de Dario antes de Alexandre, o Grande. (c. 1517) por Il Sodoma. Fonte:
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Período de conquistas
Queda do Império Persa
O exército de Alexandre cruzou o Helesponto com cerca de 42.000 soldados, principalmente macedônios e gregos, cidades-estado mais ao sul da Grécia, mas também incluindo alguns trácios, paionianos e ilírios. Após uma vitória inicial contra as forças persas na Batalha de Granicus, Alexandre aceitou a rendição da capital da província persa e do tesouro de Sardis e continuou descendo a costa jônica. Em Halicarnasso, Alexandre travou com sucesso o primeiro de muitos cercos, eventualmente forçando seus oponentes, o capitão mercenário Memnon de Rodes e o sátrapa persa de Caria, Orontobates, a se retirarem por mar. Alexandre deixou Caria nas mãos de Ada, que era governante de Caria antes de ser deposta por seu irmão Pixodarus. De Halicarnasso, Alexandre passou para a montanhosa Lícia e a planície panfilia, assumindo o controle de todas as cidades costeiras e negando-as ao inimigo. Da Panfília em diante, a costa não tinha portos importantes e, portanto, Alexandre mudou-se para o interior. Em Termessus, Alexandre humilhou, mas não invadiu a cidade da Pisídia. Na antiga capital frígia de Górdio, Alexandre & quotundid & quot o emaranhado Nó Górdio, um feito que aguardava o futuro & quotação da Ásia & quot. De acordo com a história mais vívida, Alexandre proclamou que não importava como o nó foi desfeito, e ele cortou separá-lo com sua espada. Outra versão afirma que ele não usou a espada, mas realmente descobriu como desfazer o nó.
O exército de Alexandre cruzou os Portões Cilícios, encontrou e derrotou o principal exército persa sob o comando de Dario III na Batalha de Issus em 333 aC. Darius fugiu dessa batalha em pânico por sua vida que deixou para trás sua esposa, suas duas filhas, sua mãe Sísigambis e muito de seu tesouro pessoal. Continuando pela costa do Mediterrâneo, ele tomou Tiro e Gaza após famosos cercos (ver Cerco de Tiro). Alexandre passou pela Judéia perto de Jerusalém, mas provavelmente não visitou a cidade.
Em 332 AC & ndash331 AC, Alexandre foi recebido como um libertador no Egito e foi declarado filho de Zeus pelos sacerdotes egípcios do deus Amon no Oráculo do deus no Oásis de Siwa no deserto da Líbia. Daí em diante, Alexandre referiu-se ao deus Zeus-Amon como seu verdadeiro pai, e a moeda subsequente com sua cabeça com chifres de carneiro foi a prova dessa crença generalizada. Ele fundou Alexandria no Egito, que se tornaria a próspera capital da dinastia ptolomaica após sua morte. Deixando o Egito, Alexandre marchou para o leste na Assíria (agora norte do Iraque) e derrotou Dario e um terceiro exército persa na Batalha de Gaugamela. Dario foi forçado a fugir do campo depois que seu cocheiro foi morto, e Alexandre o perseguiu até Arbela. Enquanto Dario fugia pelas montanhas para Ecbatana (moderno Hamadan), Alexandre marchou para a Babilônia.
Da Babilônia, Alexandre foi para Susa, uma das capitais aquemênidas, e capturou seu tesouro. Enviando a maior parte de seu exército para Persépolis, a capital persa, pela Estrada Real, Alexandre invadiu e capturou os Portões Persas (nas modernas Montanhas Zagros), depois correu para Persépolis antes que seu tesouro pudesse ser saqueado. Depois de vários meses, Alexandre permitiu que as tropas saqueassem Persépolis. Um incêndio começou no palácio oriental de Xerxes e se espalhou pelo resto da cidade. Não se sabia se foi um acidente de embriaguez ou um ato deliberado de vingança pelo incêndio da Acrópole Ateniense durante a Segunda Guerra Persa. o Livro de Arda Wiraz, uma obra zoroastriana composta no século 3 ou 4 dC, também fala de arquivos contendo & quottodos os Avesta e Zand, escritos em peles de vaca preparadas e com tinta dourada & quot que foram destruídos, mas deve ser dito que esta declaração é frequentemente tratada por estudiosos com um certo ceticismo, porque geralmente se pensa que por muitos séculos o Avesta foi transmitido principalmente por via oral pelos Magos.
Ele então saiu em busca de Dario, que foi sequestrado e assassinado pelos seguidores de Bessus, seu sátrapa bactriano e parente. Bessus então declarou-se sucessor de Dario e # 39 como Artaxerxes V e retirou-se para a Ásia Central para lançar uma campanha de guerrilha contra Alexandre. Com a morte de Dario, Alexandre declarou o fim da guerra de vingança e libertou seus gregos e outros aliados do serviço na campanha da Liga (embora ele tenha permitido que aqueles que desejassem se alistassem como mercenários em seu exército imperial).
Sua campanha de três anos contra Bessus primeiro e depois o sátrapa de Sogdiana, Spitamenes, o levou através da Mídia, Pártia, Ária, Drangiana, Arachosia, Bactria e Cítia. No processo, ele capturou e fundou novamente Herat e Maracanda. Além disso, ele fundou uma série de novas cidades, todas chamadas de Alexandria, incluindo a moderna Kandahar no Afeganistão e Alexandria Eschate (& quotO mais distante & quot) no moderno Tadjiquistão. No final, ambos foram traídos por seus homens, Bessus em 329 aC e Spitamenes no ano seguinte.
Hostilidade contra Alexandre
Durante este tempo, Alexandre adotou alguns elementos da vestimenta e costumes persas em sua corte, principalmente o costume de proscinese, um beijo simbólico na mão que os persas davam a seus superiores sociais, mas uma prática que os gregos desaprovavam. Os gregos consideravam o gesto uma reserva de divindades e acreditavam que Alexandre pretendia deificar a si mesmo ao exigi-lo. Isso lhe custou muito na simpatia de muitos de seus compatriotas. Aqui, também, uma conspiração contra sua vida foi revelada, e um de seus oficiais, Philotas, foi executado por traição por não ter chamado sua atenção para a trama. Parmênion, pai de Filotas, que tinha sido encarregado de guardar o tesouro em Ecbátana, foi assassinado por ordem de Alexandre, que temia que Parmênion pudesse tentar vingar seu filho. Seguiram-se vários outros julgamentos por traição e muitos macedônios foram executados. Mais tarde, em uma briga de bêbados em Maracanda, ele também matou o homem que salvou sua vida em Granicus, Clitus, o Negro. Mais tarde, na campanha da Ásia Central, um segundo complô contra sua vida, este feito por suas próprias páginas, foi revelado, e seu historiador oficial, Callisthenes of Olynthus (que havia caído em desgraça com o rei por liderar a oposição em sua tentativa de introduzir proscinese), foi implicado no que muitos historiadores consideram acusações forjadas. No entanto, a evidência é forte de que Callisthenes, o professor das páginas, deve ter sido quem os persuadiu a assassinar o rei.
Invasão da Índia
Após a morte de Spitamenes e seu casamento com Roxana (Roshanak em bactriano) para consolidar suas relações com suas novas satrapias da Ásia Central, em 326 aC Alexandre estava finalmente livre para voltar sua atenção para a Índia. Alexandre convidou todos os chefes da antiga satrapia de Gandhara, no norte do atual Paquistão, a virem a ele e se submeterem à sua autoridade. Ambhi, governante de Taxila, cujo reino se estendia do Indo ao Hydaspes (Jhelum), obedeceu. Mas os chefes de alguns clãs montanhosos, incluindo as seções Aspasios e Assakenois dos Kambojas (nomes clássicos), conhecido em textos indianos como Ashvayanas e Ashvakayanas (nomes que se referem à sua natureza equestre), se recusou a se submeter.
Alexandre assumiu pessoalmente o comando dos guardas com escudos, companheiros de pé, arqueiros, agrianianos e homens com dardos e os liderou contra os clãs Kamboja & mdashos Aspasios dos vales Kunar / Alishang, os Guraeans do vale Guraeus (Panjkora) e o Assakenois dos vales Swat e Buner. Escreve um historiador moderno: "Eles foram pessoas corajosas e foi difícil para Alexandre tomar suas fortalezas, das quais Massaga e Aornus precisam de menção especial." mas eventualmente os Aspasios perderam a luta, 40.000 deles foram escravizados. Os Assakenois enfrentaram Alexandre com um exército de 30.000 cavalaria, 38.000 infantaria e 30 elefantes. Eles lutaram bravamente e ofereceram resistência obstinada ao invasor em muitas de suas fortalezas como as cidades de Ora, Bazira e Massaga. O forte de Massaga só pôde ser reduzido após vários dias de combates sangrentos nos quais o próprio Alexandre foi gravemente ferido no tornozelo. Quando o chefe de Massaga caiu na batalha, o comando supremo do exército foi para sua velha mãe Cleophis (q.v.), que também estava determinada a defender sua pátria mãe até o último extremo. O exemplo de Cleophis assumindo o comando supremo dos militares também trouxe para a luta todas as mulheres da localidade. Alexandre só poderia reduzir Massaga recorrendo a estratégias políticas e ações de traição. De acordo com Curtius: "Alexandre não só massacrou toda a população de Massaga, mas também reduziu seus edifícios a escombros."
No rescaldo da carnificina geral e do incêndio criminoso cometidos por Alexandre em Massaga e Ora, numerosos Assakenian fugiram para uma alta fortaleza chamada Aornos. Alexandre os seguiu de perto e capturou o forte estratégico da colina, mas somente após o quarto dia de uma luta sangrenta. A história de Massaga foi repetida em Aornos e uma carnificina semelhante no povo tribal também seguiu aqui.
Escrevendo sobre a campanha de Alexandre contra os Assakenois, Victor Hanson comenta: “Depois de prometer aos Assacenis cercados suas vidas após a capitulação, ele executou todos os seus soldados que se renderam. Suas fortalezas em Ora e Aornus também foram atacadas de forma semelhante. As guarnições provavelmente foram todas massacradas. & Rdquo
Sisikottos, que ajudou Alexandre nessa campanha, foi nomeado governador de Aornos.
Depois de reduzir Aornos, Alexandre cruzou o Indo e lutou e venceu uma batalha épica contra Porus, um governante de uma região do Punjab na Batalha de Hidaspes em 326 aC.
Após a vitória, Alexandre ficou muito impressionado com Poro por sua bravura na batalha e, portanto, fez uma aliança com ele e nomeou-o como sátrapa de seu próprio reino, até mesmo adicionando algumas terras que ele não possuía antes. Alexandre então nomeou uma das duas novas cidades que fundou, Bucephala, em homenagem ao cavalo que o trouxe para a Índia, que morreu durante a Batalha de Hidaspes. Alexandre continuou conquistando todas as cabeceiras do rio Indo.
A leste do reino de Porus, perto do rio Ganges, ficava o poderoso império de Magadha governado pela dinastia Nanda. Temendo a perspectiva de enfrentar outro poderoso exército indiano e exausto por anos de campanha, seu exército se amotinou no rio Hyphasis (o moderno rio Beas), recusando-se a marchar mais para o leste. Este rio marca, portanto, a extensão mais oriental das conquistas de Alexandre: & quot Quanto aos macedônios, entretanto, sua luta com Poro embotou sua coragem e impediu seu avanço na Índia. Por terem feito tudo o que podiam para repelir um inimigo que reunia apenas vinte mil infantaria e dois mil cavalos, eles se opuseram violentamente a Alexandre quando ele insistiu em cruzar também o rio Ganges, cuja largura, como eles aprenderam, era de trinta e dois estádios , sua profundidade era de cem braças, enquanto suas margens do outro lado estavam cobertas por multidões de homens de armas, cavaleiros e elefantes. Pois eles foram informados de que os reis dos Ganderitas e Praesii os esperavam com oitenta mil cavaleiros, duzentos mil homens de infantaria, oito mil carros e seis mil elefantes lutadores. ”Plutarco, Vita Alexandri, 62
Alexandre, após a reunião com seu oficial Coenus, estava convencido de que era melhor voltar. Alexandre foi forçado a virar para o sul. Ele enviou grande parte de seu exército para a Carmânia (moderno sul do Irã) com seu general Craterus e encomendou uma frota para explorar a costa do Golfo Pérsico sob seu almirante Nearchus, enquanto liderava o resto de suas forças de volta à Pérsia pela rota do sul através do Deserto Gedrosiano (agora parte do sul do Irã e Makran no sul do Paquistão).
Alexandre deixou forças na Índia, no entanto. No território do Indo, ele nomeou seu oficial Peithon como sátrapa, cargo que ocupou pelos próximos dez anos até 316 aC, e no Punjab deixou Eudemo no comando do exército, ao lado do sátrapa Poro e táxis. Eudemus tornou-se governante do Punjab após sua morte. Ambos os governantes voltaram ao Ocidente em 316 aC com seus exércitos, e Chandragupta Maurya estabeleceu o Império Maurya na Índia.
Depois da Índia
Ao descobrir que muitos de seus sátrapas e governadores militares se comportaram mal em sua ausência, Alexandre executou vários deles como exemplos em seu caminho para Susa. Como um gesto de agradecimento, ele pagou as dívidas de seus soldados e anunciou que enviaria aqueles veteranos idosos e deficientes de volta para a Macedônia sob o comando de Cratero, mas suas tropas entenderam mal sua intenção e se amotinaram na cidade de Opis, recusando-se a ser mandado embora e criticar amargamente sua adoção de costumes e roupas persas e a introdução de oficiais e soldados persas nas unidades macedônias. Alexandre executou os líderes do motim, mas perdoou as bases. Em uma tentativa de criar uma harmonia duradoura entre seus súditos macedônios e persas, ele realizou um casamento em massa de seus oficiais superiores com persas e outras mulheres nobres em Susa, mas poucos desses casamentos parecem ter durado muito mais do que um ano.
Suas tentativas de fundir a cultura persa com seus soldados gregos também incluíram o treinamento de um regimento de meninos persas nos caminhos dos macedônios. A maioria dos historiadores acredita que Alexandre adotou o título real persa de shahanshah (& quotgrande rei & quot ou & quotking of Kings & quot).
Alega-se que Alexandre queria invadir ou integrar a península Arábica, mas essa teoria é amplamente contestada. Supunha-se que Alexandre se voltaria para o oeste e atacaria Cartago e a Itália, caso tivesse conquistado a Arábia.
Depois de viajar para Ecbátana para recuperar a maior parte do tesouro persa, seu amigo mais próximo e possivelmente amante, Heféstion, morreu de uma doença ou possivelmente de envenenamento.
Wanita-Wanita Yang Pernah Mencuri Hati Alexandre, o Grande
Alexander Agung dikira cukup bertuah kerana beliau mempunyai ramai wanita yang menyokong beliau di sisinya. Rekod-rekod sejarah menunjukkan bahawa beliau dilindungi oleh mereka. Bahkan, sebahagian daripada mereka turut menjadi sumber kekuatannya.
Wanita yang paling penting dalam hidup Alexander tidak lain dan tidak bukan adalah ibunya, Olympias. Namun, Barsine dan Roxana juga memberikan pengaruh yang penting ke atas diri Alexander.
Beberapa kisah romantis singkat beliau dengan beberapa orang wanita turut mempengaruhi kehidupannya secara positif. Justeru, tidak keterlaluan juga seandainya ada sejarahwan yang mempersoalkan, "adakah beliau akan berupaya menjadi seorang yang begitu berjaya andai wanita-wanita ini tidak menyokongnya?"
OLYMPIAS - IBU, PELINDUNG DAN TEMAN RAPAT ALEXANDER
Olympias adalah ibu, pelindung dan teman rapat Alexander. Beliau adalah wanita yang berjuang bagaikan buscador singa demi melindungi anaknya. Beliau bahkan mengorbankan suaminya, Raja Philip II demi memberikan sokongan penuh kepada Alexander.
Nama sebenar beliau adalah Myrtie e beliau adalah puteri kepada Neoptolemus si Raja Epirus. Legenda menyebutkan bahawa beliau mempunyai ahli keluarga yang menyertai P3rang Trojan.
Patung Alexander dan Olympias, Schonbrunn, Viena
Olympias tidak meraih nasib yang baik dalam perkahwinannya. Ketika mengetahui bahawa beliau tidak dapat melahirkan lebih ramai anak, Philip mula menaruh minat pada wanita-wanita lain. Philip enggan mengamalkan monogami dan hal ini melukakan hati Olympias.
Lantaran itu, Olympias pun bertekad untuk berusaha seupaya mungkin bagi menghalang mana-mana putera Philip yang lain menjadi raja. Beliau hanya mahu puteranya seorang sahaja yang mewarisi takhta macedônia.
Olympias turut menjadi guru dan pendokong Alexander yang paling berpengaruh. Beliau malah mengupah sepasukan tentera demi melindungi putera yang bakal menjadi raja Macedônia itu.
Selepas kemangkatan Alexander, Olympias berusaha seupaya mungkin untuk memberikan sokongan pada kepada isteri dan putera Alexander. Beliau berharap agar cucunya itu dapat meneruskan legasi pemerintahan Alexander.
Namun malangnya, keadaan tidak berjalan seperti yang beliau harapkan. Olympias dibvnuh oleh Cassander sekitar tahun 310SM akibat direjam sehingga m4ti.
BARSINE - ISTERI KEHORMAT DARI PARSI
Barsine yang merupakan puteri kepada Artabazus pernah mengahwini Memnom. Selepas Memnon mangkat pada tahun 333SM, Barsine berasa bebas untuk mencari pasangan hidup yang baru. Tatkala melihat gerangan Alexander Agung, beliau menyedari bahawa lelaki itu adalah pilihan yang terbaik untuknya. Plutarco menulis:
"Dalam keadaan apa sekalipun, Alexander memperkirakan bahawa lebih penting bagi seseorang raja itu menundukkan nafsunya sendiri berbanding men4kluk musuh-musuhnya, maka beliau tidak tidak pernah mendekati mana-mana-mana wanita berkau bwini Barsulida klaihenga denkina denkina, dani klukin denk. Wanita ini, janda kepada Memnon e komander tentera upahan Yunani, diambil di Damascus.
Barsine menerima pendidikan Yunani, berperibadi luhur, dan berketurunan diraja memandangkan bapanya, Artabazus mengahwini salah seorang puteri raja Parsi. Kualiti-kualiti ini membuatkan Alexander lebih bersemangat berbanding ketika disemangatkan oleh Parmenio, maka Aristobulus menyuruh kita untuk menjalinkan hubungan dengan wanita yang sejelita dan semulia pula keturunannya ini. ” (Plutarco, Alexandre, 21)
Patung Alexander dan Olympias, Schonbrunn, Viena
Pun begitu, satu-satunya putera Alexander yang disahkan oleh sejarahwan direkodkan lahir sesudah kemangkatan beliau. Dalam erti kata lain, kelahiran anak Barsine ini membawa maksud Alexander memiliki anak yang lahir semasa beliau masih hidup.
Barsine melahirkan putera Alexander pada tahun 327SM. Menurut Plutarco, Alexander jatuh cinta dengan Barsine kerana kejelitaannya dan mereka dikurniakan seorang putera bernama Heracles.
Namun, sejarahwan tidak dapat memastikan sama ada kisah tentang anak Barsine ini benar ataupun tidak. Apapun, hal ini menimbulkan beberapa persoalan. Seandainya anak ini wujud, maka apa yang berlaku padanya? Mengapa tiada sumber yang menyebut perihal beliau sebagai pewaris Alexander?
Barsine merupakan seorang wanita yang faham benar tentang kekuasaan yang dimiliki por Alexander. Beliau berkemungkinan hidup bersama Alexander kerana mahu membina sebuah kerajaan teragung sepanjang zaman. Namun, beliau hanyalah salah seorang kekasih Alexander, walaupun sememangnya beliau adalah antara wanita terpenting bagi Alexander.
ROXANA - KEKASIH HATI ALEXANDER
Sebilangan sejarahwan mempercayai bahawa Roxana é um titik lemah Alexander yang empalidecendo Besar. Alexander jatuh hati pada Roxana pada usia 28 tahun.
Dengan berputiknya hubungan tersebut, Alexander juga hilang minat dengan wanita-wanita lain. Roxana diperincikan oleh para penulis yang pernah melihatnya sebagai salah seorang wanita cantik di Asia.
Nama beliau dalam Bahasa Afghan adalah Roshanak, yang membawa maksud ‘bintang kecil’. Sejarahwan purba menyebutkan bahawa Roxana é um wanita berketurunan Parsi.
Alexander Agung dan Roxana dalam sebuah lukisan tahun 1756 por Pietro Rotari
Roxana dan Alexander juga berkahwin atas sebab politik. Selepas men4kluk wilayah demi wilayah di Asia, Alexander berhasrat untuk memperteguhkan hubungan dengan masyarakat di wilayah t4klukan itu.
Perkahwinan antara beliau dan Roxana dilangsungkan pada musim bunga atau pada bulan Ogos 327SM. Purba de verão-verão de Menurut, Roxana menjadi keutamaan Alexander. Beliau begitu tertawan hati dengan kejelitaan dan kebijaksanaan Roxana hinggakan Alexander lebih banyak meluangkan masa dengan beliau berbanding dengan tentera-tenteranya.
Tatkala Alexander mangkat pada tahun 323SM, kedudukan Roxana masih kekal kuat. Namun, beliau sudah pun masak dengan permainan politik istana yang kejam.
Justeru, beliau memutuskan untuk membvnuh dua orang wanita Alexander yang lain dengan tujuan melindungi diri dan anak yang dikandungkannya. Beliau melahirkan seorang putera bernama Alexander (Alexaner IV) enam bulan selepas kemangkatan Alexander Agung.
Pada tahun 320SM, Roxana ditangkap oleh pemangku diraja Macedônia (dan bekas rakan Alexander) yang bernama Antipater. Beliau dibvnuh oleh putera Antipater, iaitu Cassander pada tahun sama.
Pembvnuhan Olympias oleh Cassander
KISAH-KISAH ROMANTIS LAIN
Selain wanita-wanita yang telah disebutkan di atas, kehidupan Alexander yang singkat juga kaya dengan hubungan-hubungan percintaan dengan wanita-wanita lain.
Apapun menurut Plutarco, Alexander tetap cuba mengamalkan sikap berhati-hati lantaran beliau mengetahui bahawa ramai individu yang cuba untuk membvnuhnya. Malahan, beliau lebih berminat untuk menumpukan perhatian pada pen4klukan musuh berbanding mencari hubungan cinta yang serius.
Namun, terdapat beberapa orang wanita yang berjaya menarik perhatiannya. Beliau mengagumi kejelitaan wanita-wanita Parsi secara khusus, hinggakan mereka disifatkan sebagai kelemahan Alexander. Sebilangan sejarahwan meyakini bahawa seorang wanita Parsi bermata jelita mungkin menjadi sebab kemangkatan raja Macedônia itu.
Dalam kalangan wanita-wanita Alexander, tidak sah jika kita tidak memerihalkan tentang Callixena yang menjadi cinta pertama Alexander di zaman mudanya. Beliau dikenali lantaran kejelitaan yang dimiliki.
Olympias sering memanggil Callixena agar kedua pasangan itu dapat melakukan hubungan intim. Pun begitu, hubungan mereka berdua tidaklah cenderung bersifat serius. Apapun, Alexander tetap meluangkan masa yang cukup banyak dengan Callixena.
Kisah romantis antara Alexander dan Ratu Amazon, Thalestris pula kedengaran seperti kisah dongeng. Diceritakan bahawa mereka bertemu di Hyracania yang terletak di pantai selatan Laut Caspian pada musim luruh tahun 330SM.
Thalestris sanggup mengembara sejauh 200 atau bahkan 600 batu untuk bertemu dengan Alexander yang sudah pun menjadi pahlawan termasyhur dunia pada waktu itu.
Sumber-sumber yang ada tidak menerangkan secara jelas tentang tempat pertemuan tersebut. Sejarahwan juga tidak mengetahui di manakah Thalestris menetap. Namun, ada yang berpendapat bahawa kawasan tersebut terletak di suatu tempat yang berhampiran dengan Laut Hitam.
Walau di mana pun jua peristiwa ini berlaku, Thalestris menemui Alexander dalam keadaan berpakaian yang tidak menutupi tubuhnya sepenuhnya. Beliau berpakaian seperti seorang Amazon, justeru bahagian kiri dadanya terdedah. Pada mata Alexander, Thalestris merupakan seorang wanita yang bersemangat dan gagah. Mereka berdua meluangkan masa bersama selama 13 hari. Setelah itu, mereka tidak pernah lagi bertemu.
Lukisan kurun ke-18 oeh Georg Platzer tentang Ratu Amazon Thalestris di Kem Alexander Agung
WANITA-WANITA DI BELAKANG ALEXANDER
Sejarah turut mengenali beberapa nama wanita lain yang mungkin pernah menjadi kekasih atau isteri Alexander. Salah seorang daripada mereka adalah Ratu Cleophis, yang juga dikenali sebagai Candance. Beliau merupakan ratu Massaga, sebuah ibu kota purba di Pakistan utara.
Terdapat juga seorang wanita yang dikenali sebagai Puteri Statira (puteri kepada Raja Darius III Agung). Dalam beberapa sumber, beliau dikenali dengan nama Barsine atau Arsinoe. Alexander menemuinya pada bulan Februari 324SM.
Pada hari yang sama, Alexander turut mengahwini Parysatis, puteri kepada Raja Parsi Artaxerxes III. Statira dan Parysatis masing-masing dibvnuh oleh Roxana. Hal ini memberikan petunjuk kepada kita bahawa mereka berdua memiliki tempat yang cukup penting dalam hidup Alexander.
Keluarga Darius di hadapan Alexander, oleh Justus Sustermans
Alexader Agung disifatkan sebagai seorang lelaki yang dikelilingi oleh sejumlah wanita. Namun malangnya, kebanyakan wanita ini menjadi mangsa pembvnuhan. Alexander mangkat pada usia yang muda, iaitu sekitar 33 tahun.
Namun semasa hayatnya, beliau sama sekali tidak berusaha untuk melindungi wanita-wanita yang menumpahkan khidmat kepadanya, baik menerusi akal fikiran, jiwa dan dalam kebanyakan situasi, dengan tubuh mereka.
The Influential Women that Surrounded and Aided Alexander the Great - History
These are men and women who took up a cause, fought for it, and became examples of determination and decisiveness in their pursuit of improving themselves, their country, and the world. One thing you will notice about the list is that the majority of those on this list became great through the act of war, either against them or as the conquerors. This is not to say that great leaders are war-like, but that during war, great leaders become noticed, as in, they rise to the occasion.
Winston Churchill
Having fought in the Second Boer War, he gained fame as a correspondent for the war as well. This helped forge the leadership qualities that he would become known for decades later. In the First World War, he would fight with on the Western Front before becoming President of the Board of Trade and Home Secretary during the war years. He was also First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State of War, and the Secretary of the State of Air during the First World War.
By the time he died, he was considered the "Greatest Briton" of the first part of the 20 th century. Churchill was given a state funeral by the Queen which was one of the largest assemblies of statesmen in the world.
Júlio César
Born in 100 BC, Caesar is known as one of the greatest military commanders and political leaders in history, and is often considered to be one of the most influential men in world history. If not for him, the Roman Empire may never have existed.
As a military leader, he conquered huge swaths of Europe for the Romans, allowing them to extend their dominance all the way to the British Isles.
In 49 BC, after a standoff with the Senate, Caesar started a Roman civil war that would lead him to be the master of the Roman world. Upon taking control of the government, he launched massive changes to the Roman system, most notably making himself dictator for life, and he centralized the bureaucracy of the Republic to make it much more efficient. However, because of these changes he was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. This launched another civil war that because of led to the establishment of the Roman Empire. Two years after his death, he was made a Roman deity by the Senate.
Abraham Lincoln
Born in 1809, Lincoln would become the 16 th , and arguably the greatest, President of the United States. It was during his term that he kept the United States together by defeating the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. It was Lincoln who selected the top generals for the war, including Ulysses S. Grant. He also forced his party and the Republican Party to co-operate by bringing them both into his cabinet. In 1861, he diffused a war with Britain. With all this, he got reelected in 1864.
On top of essentially saving the United States of America, he also abolished slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution. Lincoln never compromised on the issue of slavery, and through his amazing speeches, including his Gettysburg Address, he rallied people to his causes.
In 1865, he became the first President of the United States to be assassinated.
Born in 1869, Gandhi is considered to be the father of India because of his non-violent resistance that helped to end the British occupation of India. He pioneered the concept of non-violent resistance, inspired civil right movements, and freedom across the planet. In India, he is known as The Great Soul because of his wisdom and efforts. His birthday, October 2, is a national holiday in India and the International Day of Non-Violence for the United Nations.
Gandhi organized poor farmers and workers to protest the taxation and the discrimination against his people. After taking over the leadership of the Indian National Congress, he helped alleviate poverty, helped the liberation of women, and pursued a brotherhood amongst the different religions and ethnic groups in India. He also ended caste discrimination in the country and helped it become economically self-sufficient.
In 1930, he walked 400 kilometers in the Dandi Salt March to protest the British salt tax. For this, and other protests, he was imprisoned many different times.
Living simply with just a cloth to cover himself, he practiced making his own clothes, practiced vegetarianism, and underwent long fasts both for purification and during protests. Tragically, he was assassinated in 1948. In 1999, Time Magazine picked him as the second greatest person of the 20 th century, right behind Albert Einstein.
Alexander The Great
Born in 356 BC, Alexander would become one of the greatest military commanders in history having never being defeated. By the time of his death in 323, he had conquered most of the known world.
During his time, he was able to conquer the Persian Empire, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria, Mesopotamia, extending his empire all the way to Punjab, India.
Alexander died at the age of only 33, not on the battlefield, but due to either malaria, poisoning, or typhoid fever. He had already made plans to conquer the Arabian Peninsula, along with Rome and Carthage, and extending as far east as he could possibly go.
To accomplish his exploits, he fused foreigners into his army and encouraged marriage between soldiers and foreigners to create harmony and brotherhood between his army and those he conquered.
For centuries after his death, the cultural influence of the Greeks extended all over the Old World, creating the Hellenistic Age that featured an amazing combination of Greek, Middle Eastern, and Indian culture.
Alexander would live throughout history as a legendary warrior and one of the greatest leaders in the history of humanity.
Born in 341 BC, Epicurus was a Greek philosopher and the founder of Hellenistic philosophy, which spanned over 600 years of history. He wrote over 300 works, only a few of which survive to this day. Many of his works urged people to attain the happy and tranquil life they deserved, absent from pain and fear, with a self-sufficient life, and surrounded by those whom one loved. He stated that death should not be feared, the gods did not reward or punish humans, and the universe was infinite and eternal. Amazingly, he stated that the events of the world was based on the motions and interactions of atoms in empty space. This concept was literally thousands of years ahead of its time.
So influential in his teachings was Epicurus, that even John Locke used Epicurus' beliefs of life, liberty, and property during the French Revolution. The beliefs of Epicurus were also used in the Declaration of Independence in the words all men are created equal e inalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Karl Marx, the founder of socialism even wrote his doctoral thesis on Epicurus.
Epicurus would die at the age of 71, as one of the most respected thinkers and philosophical leaders in the history of humanity.
Horatio Nelson
Born in 1758, Horatio Nelson is also remembered as possibly the greatest leader in human history. As a British admiral during the Napoleonic Wars, Nelson was known for his ability to inspire and bring out the best in his men. So much so that he was remembered greatly for The Nelson Touch . During this war, the image of the one-armed and one-eyed admiral spread through the British Empire and he became a legendary figure unlike anything the British, or the world, had ever seen.
Nelson was able to inspire officers of the highest rank and seamen of the lowest rank with his victories. He had the amazing ability to plan his campaigns and shift his forces while in the midst of battle. For this, and his ability to inspire men like no other, he is remembered as one of the greatest field commanders in history, and the greatest warrior of the sea.
During his final battle on October 21, 1805, Nelson fought in the Battle of Trafalgar, a decisive victory for the British in the Napoleonic Wars. However, during the battle he was shot by a sniper from a French ship only 50 feet away. The bullet entered his left shoulder, went through his lung and came to rest in his spine. He stayed conscious for four hours before dying only minutes after the battle ended with a victory for the British.
Nelson's final words are believed to be Thank God, I have done my duty. He repeated the words until he could no longer speak. He was given a state funeral, one of only five non-royals to receive the honor, and was laid to rest at St. Paul's Cathedral.
Queen Elizabeth I
Born in 1533, Queen Elizabeth, the daughter of Henry VIII, is often cited as the greatest monarch in the history of England. Using trusted advisors, she is credited with helping create the Church of England in its present form. Due to her refusal to marry, a cult of portraits, pageants, and literature grew around her as a celebration of her life.
With Elizabeth as the monarch, the Spanish armada of 1588 was defeated, helping her become a part of the greatest victory in British History. Under her rule, Britain entered a golden age, often called the Elizabethan era, where the arts flourished under William Shakespeare, and the seafaring ability of the British became legendary under Francis Drake.
She is now remembered as a charismatic leader and a dogged survivor who kept her country together and safe through 45 years of stability. This helped the British forge an identity.
Born a few decades after 1 AD, Boudicca (Boadicea) was queen of the Iceni people. Under her leadership, the Iceni people rose up against the Roman Empire which had occupied their lands.
After her husband died, despite leaving his kingdom to their daughters, the Romans took over her lands, flogged her, and demanded that she pay the loans owed to the Roman Empire by her husband.
In 60 AD, she launched a revolt and destroyed Camulodunum (now Colchester), a Roman settlement and the site of a temple honoring Emperor Claudius. She destroyed the legion that occupied the settlement.
Upon news of the spreading revolt, the Roman Empire scrambled to determine how to defend those territories. Boadicea (Boudicca) led rebels to take over what is now London. The Romans did not have the manpower to defend it, so they abandoned it. Upon reaching the settlement, Boadicea burned it to the ground.
After she had been defeated at the Battle of Watling Street, Emperor Nero considered leaving the British Isles because of the heavy resistance, inspired by Boadicea, against the rule of the Roman Empire.
Nearly 1,800 years later, Queen Victoria would portray Boadicea as her namesake. Even today, Boadicea is an important cultural symbol in the United Kingdom.
These are just a few of the men and women who have inspired those around them, and millions of others around the world, with their exploits and ability to lead people in a common cause.
These people serve as shining examples of what a leader is, and what they often have to do. Several defined themselves in times of war, while others defined themselves as peacemakers and philosophers.
This is a very important point because it shows that a leader does not have to be a fighter. Epicurus was not a warrior, but he was a leader that helped spawn centuries of thought because of his ability to convince individuals of his way of thinking.
On that note, there is also something that tends to unite these leaders featured here: many of them died young -- Alexander (33 years old), Boadicea (mid-40s), Horatio Nelson (47 years old) and Julius Caesar (51 years old). Another interesting fact is that Alexander, Boadicea, Horatio Nelson, Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, and Gandhi all met violent ends at the hands of someone else, or of their own vices, as in the case of Alexander.
This does not mean that all leaders are destined to die young or by violent means. It simply means that for these leaders in world history, they simply died living as they had lived, as leaders, or died for their beliefs, as in the case for Caesar, Lincoln, and Gandhi.
The ability to lead with conviction and die for your cause, country, or belief. For many, the sign of a true leader is the individual who will give their life for their people or for their cause.
These men and women are shining examples of the best, and the worst, of humanity. They are also examples of what makes our species great. Our determination, ability to conquer the odds, and our drive to go as far as we can for our own legacy, beliefs, and causes.
An individual would not be making a bad decision by following the examples of these fine individuals.
The Bilerico Project | Daily experiments in LGBTQ
At the beginning of this summer, as an aspiring journalist covering LGBT issues, I thought I understand the ins and outs of the LGBT community. Then I hung out with Bilerico Project founder Bil Browning for an hour, spent my first week interning for the blog, and realized how little I knew.
Since that first week, I've been challenged every day by the readers and contributors at The Bilerico Project and the rest of the LGBT media world, and I've learned so much in the process. I've learned about the current state of the movement, the various ideologies and philosophies surrounding activism and momentum-building, and the importance of our history. That's why I was so excited to take on the project of compiling a list of the most essential LGBT figures in history. These are figures I've been reading about all summer and seeing when, where, and how they influenced the broader LGBT movement.
Since California passed the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive & Respectful Education Act in July, which requires California schools to teach students about LGBT people and the contributions they've made to society throughout history, we've been wondering how the law will be implemented. Who, of the hundreds of important LGBT people in history, will be included? We decided to poll the readers and contributors of The Bilerico Project to get a better feel for which figures are important to today's LGBT community.
All this week, we've heard from some of the top LGBT voices in activism and media about the moments and figures that they consider most essential. The lists have been extremely varied, and that's reflective of the diversity within our community. (Check out those lists, from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.)
We also compiled all of the votes from the readers, Facebook fans, and other Bilerico contributors to create a Top 20 list of the most-named LGBT figures. Check out the slideshow below of the Top 11, see the rest of the Top 20 listed, and look at the other names that received recognition from multiple people.
The Top 20 LGBT Figures in History
1. Harvey Milk (1930-1978), one of the first openly gay people elected to public office, when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
2. Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), King of Macedon in Greece, creator of one of Ancient History's largest empires, and considered one of the most powerful commanders ever
3. Bayard Rustin (1912-1987), Civil rights leader, proponent of direct action, and activist for gay rights, pacifism, and socialism
Voter Voice: "Too often he's reduced to the "organizer of the 1963 "I Have a Dream" March on Washington which, while indeed miraculous in barely six months (in pre Internet times), pales next to his decades of important influence and example in the more militant black movement (too many are unaware/forget that the NAACP was opposed to direct action when Rustin and, later, King started out)." - Lt. Dan Choi
4. Michelangelo (1475-1564), Renaissance-era artist, architect, poet, sculptor & engineer
Voter Voice: "Anyone who can sculpt the statue David is truly a lover of the male body" - Bil Browning
5. Alan Turing (1912-1954), Computer scientists who served in World War II, broke the Germans' Engima Code, and was harassed by the British government for being gay until he committed suicide in 1954.
Voter Voice: "In a remarkable historic rarity, the British government has formally apologized for this. The Turing story is a fascinating one, including a demonstration that LGBT people can excel not only in the arts and humanities, but also the STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)." - A.J. Lopp
6. Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), The original "Renaissance Man," painter, poet, sculptor, engineer, architect, inventor, musician, writer, scientist & botanist
7. Walt Whitman (1819-1892), American poet, essayist, and journalist
8. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), 16th President of the United States
9. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Irish poet, writer & playwright
Voter Voice: "Literature is an important aspect of education, and a good understanding of literature requires acknowledging the wide variety of sexualities present among authors and how it informs/informed their work. Wilde is a good example of this." - Erika Kerr
10. Gertrude Stein (1874-1946), American writer & poet, famous for writing honest and candid portrayals of lesbian relationships
Voter Voice: "Innovative and very influential force in the arts at a key time who also lived unapologetically as a lesbian long, long before it was OK. Strong is beautiful." - Scott Wooledge
11. Sylvia Rivera (1951-2002), transgender activist, Stonewall leader, founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and the Gay Activists Alliance, and contributing member to the foundation of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries
12. The Stonewall Rioters (June 1969), The crowd comprised of drag queens, trans people and queer youth joined together in one of the first - or at least most remembered - episodes of the LGBT community fighting back against oppression, this time from the police. Sparked the formation of key activism organizations and galvanized the movement.
13. Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon (1921-2008 and 1924 - ), founders of the Daughters of Bilitis, founders of The Ladder, a lesbian and feminist magazine, and first lesbian couple to join the National Organization for Women.
Voter Voice: "What did they not do?" - Michael Maloney
14. James Baldwin (1924-1987), essayist, playwright, poet, civil rights activist, & author of Giovanni's Room
15. Harry Hay (1912-2002), labor advocate, teacher, and founder of the Mattachine Society, one of the earliest and most influential gay advocacy organizations
570 BC), Ancient Greek poet, born on the island of Lesbos, which many believe to be the origin of the term "lesbian."
17. The Members of ACT UP (1987), or the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, was a direct action advocacy group focused on improving the lives of people with AIDS and demanding that the government and health organizations begin paying attention.
Voter Voice: The organization provided the pressure needed to inspire real action in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In the same spirit, we should recognize every grassroots activist who spends their time, money, and energy to support our rights without any expectation of public recognition." - Rev. Emily Heath
18. Christine Jorgensen: (1926-1989), one of the first publicly known people to have sex reassignment surgery
19. Leonard Matlovich: (1943-1988), a technical sergeant and Vietnam War veteran who received the Purple Heart and was the first gay man to come out in the military when he did so while serving in the U.S. Air Force.
Voter Voice: When he appeared on the cover of Tempo, with the headline "I Am a Homosexual," he "brought the issue of open service for the first time to the mainstream media." - Jarrod Chlapowski
20. Audre Lorde: (1934-1992), writer, activist & poet who wrote about race, gender, and sexuality
Honorable Mentions: Names or moments suggested by multiple readers, commenters, or contributors Susan B. Anthony, Virginia M. Apuzzo, Rita Mae Brown, Wendy Carlos, George Washington Carver, Professor Lynn Conaway, Quentin Crisp, Reed Erickson, Barney Frank, Christopher Isherwood, King James I of England, Frida Kahlo, Frank Kameny, The Lawrence v. Texas case, Eleanor Roosevelt, William Shakespeare, Matthew Shepard, Socrates, Lou Sullivan, Tennessee Williams, Virginia Woolf
40 of the Most Influential People of All Time
The people who influenced history the most, the &ldquomovers and shakers&rdquo from ancient times until today, have one thing in common: they challenged the status quo. By and large, they were rebels who were willing to take on established norms and traditions. Keep reading to learn about some of the people who helped make the world the way it is today, for better or worse.
A drawing of Confucius by Wu Daozi, 685-758, Tang Dynasty. Wikimedia Commons/ Public Domain.
40. Confucius
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived in about the fifth century BCE. His teachings formed the basis for much of Chinese thought, particularly regarding family relationships (the role of wives to husbands and children to parents), morality in government, and the promotion of justice. The system of thought that he established became known as Confucianism and is still widely practiced in modern China. In the West, his theory has become translated into a form known as Neo-Confucianism.
Top 10 Lesser-Known Savages In History
There are always two sides to history. Unfortunately, history has generally been written by the victor. As a result, only one viewpoint is told and exaggerations are made, but occasionally the other angle gets out there. It is then up to the student to determine what is authentic and what is mere fabrication. History shows that the following people were 10 of the most barbaric men who ever lived. Whether the general consensus on them is true or not, that&rsquos for you to decide. Nonetheless, the facts that are known reveal 10 men who are corrupt in nature and will do anything or kill anyone to get what they want and often for sheer enjoyment. They personify the word &ldquobloodthirsty.&rdquo At times, sharing traits with the most savage of beasts, these men prove that humans aren&rsquot so different from animals.
Aguirre stands out as one of the most ruthless of the Spanish conquistadors. He arrived in Peru in 1544 and in 1560 joined an expedition of several hundred men led by Pedro de Ursua in search of El Dorado. Aguirre eventually turned against Ursua&rsquos leadership and would have Ursua executed. The man who took over, Fernando de Guzman, would also soon be put to death. Aguirre declared &ldquoI am the Wrath of God&rdquo and took over the mission. Those who remained on the mission who were against him were executed. As he sailed down the Amazon, Aguirre slaughtered those who he met along the way. In 1561 he showed himself in open rebellion against the Spanish crown by seizing Isla Margarita, off the coast of present day Venezuela, from Spanish settlers. He was surrounded and captured at Barquisimeto. With his execution approaching, Aguirre reportedly murdered his own daughter to ensure that no one but him could love her.
One of the foremost professional soldiers of his day, Alba was the commander in chief of Charles V army. Despite diminishing trust in Alba, Charles&rsquo heir, Phillip II sent Alba as an emissary to France to hold negotiations with Catherine de Medici. With an anti-Protestant policy, it is believed that Alba helped lay the groundwork for the massacre of French Protestants on St. Bartholomew&rsquos Day, 1572. In 1567, Alba was dispatched as governor of the Spanish Netherlands following the outbreak of popular unrest. Determined to restore order swiftly and in a fierce fashion, Alba, with 12,000 soldiers, set up a Council of Troubles soon to be dubbed the Council of Blood. This council declared thousands of people guilty of rebelling and either exiled, imprisoned or executed them. Every class of society was hit, noble birth was often not enough to protect some. After entering Brussels, 22 of the town&rsquos leading citizens were beheaded. Dozens more massacres were to follow. Alba&rsquos brutal reaction to the rebellion only fueled more insurrections against the Spanish crown.
Robert of Geneva was brilliant intellectually and was born to a family very close to the church. In 1368, aged just 26, Robert became an archbishop. Pope Gregory IX recognized his talents and promoted him to cardinal in 1371. Serving under the Pope in Italy from 1376 to 1378, Robert was in charge of suppressing the Papal States from revolting against the authority of Rome. Robert hired Sylvester Budes, leader of a band of Breton mercenaries and Sir John Hawkwood, an infamous English soldier of fortune. In 1377, Hawkwood and the Bretons, financed by the papacy, captured the city of Cesena. Hawkwood was willing to pardon the revolting townspeople in return for surrender, but Robert overruled him, ordering they be put to the sword. The mercenaries wreaked havoc on the streets. Those who hid in the Church of St. Stephen were killed and the church itself was vandalized. The convent was broken into and the nuns were raped. Over 4,000 people were slaughtered. In 1378, Bartolomeo Prignano was elected as Pope Urban VI. Unhappy with the choice, the cardinals reconsidered and eventually nullified Urban&rsquos election and opted to elect Robert as Pope Clement VII. Supported by King Charles V of France, Clement established Avignon as his residence. France, Scotland and various German states recognized Clement as the Pope while Urban governed from Rome, supported by Spain and the Italian states. And so the Great Schism began. Because it is not possible for the cardinals to nullify a papal election, Clement VII was eventually recognized by all as an antipope.
Basil II was a powerful and effective Byzantine ruler. Best described as a &ldquohero-monster&rdquo, he was successful on all fronts and was perennially engaged in warfare. Basil ruled for 50 years and brought the Byzantine Empire to new heights, expanding it&rsquos borders to it&rsquos greatest extent. He Swiftly destroyed all who challenged his rule. This included rebelling landowners, his uncle and Arab invaders. Eventually he would cross paths with his enemy Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria whose own empire was swallowing up Byzantine territory. Struggling with his campaign in the beginning, Basil began to have steady success against the Bulgars. Basil would finally win a massive victory at the Battle of Kleidon on July 29, 1014 as his forces took the capital. As punishment, Basil lined up the captive Bulgar soldiers and had them blinded. He left one eye untouched for every hundred men so that the troops could find their way home. Reportedly 15,000 Bulgars, terrorized, wounded and blinded pathetically shuffled away. Tsar Samuel fainted after seeing his soldiers return and died of a stroke. Thus Basil II earned his epithet &lsquoBulgar Slayer&rsquo through this monstrous act.
Pasha was the key architect of the Armenian genocide, one of the largest genocides in modern history. Over 1 million people were massacred in the span of 2 years. A member of the Young Turks, Talat rose up and became one of the three Pashas who ruled the Ottoman government in 1913 until the end of the disastrous First World War. Many Muslim Turks came to see the rise in nationalism of the Christian Armenians as a threat to the existence of the Ottoman state. Programs had already been installed against Armenians in previous years with possibly hundreds of thousands dying. 30,000 died in the Adana massacre of 1909. Once entering World War One, the Ottoman&rsquos endeavor ended in total failure. Russian and Armenian forces set up an Armenian mini-state in 1915 and thus Talat Pasha sought to punish them. Security forces rounded up 250 Armenian intellectuals and leaders in Istanbul in 1915, and eventually executed them. After passing a Deportation Law, Pasha ordered deportations and executions to be carried out against the whole Armenian population. During the deportations, conditions were deplorable and men were routinely separated from the rest and executed. Many prisoners were tortured and were victims of gruesome medical experiments. More died of hunger and thirst. In some instances victims would be crucified in imitation of Jesus as the perpetrators would say: &ldquoNow let your Christ come help you!&rdquo Others would have red-hot irons and pincers applied to their flesh. Out of a population of 2.5 million Armenians, between 1 and 1.5 million perished in this period. After the Ottoman collapse, Talat Pasha fled to Berlin and was subsequently murdered there in 1921. His assassin was an Armenian genocide survivor.
Issuing one of the first historically documented orders for genocide, von Trotha who was the commander in chief of German South-West Africa had to put down a major rebellion, led by the Herero tribe. With an army of 10,000, von Trotha surrounded the Herero in a single location on three sides. The only escape for the Herero was to enter the Kalahari Desert. The Herero numbered about 50,000 with 6,000 warriors. They could not compete with the German forces who had modern rifles, machine guns and artillery. As the surviving Hereros escaped into the desert as planned, von Trotha ordered all the watering holes to be poisoned. Fences were erected along the desert boundary with guard posts to watch for any who tried to escape. Anyone caught would be shot on sight. Eventually von Trotha would issue an Extermination Order. Those who were not shot on sight would be put into labor camps and pushed into slavery. Thousands of Herero died from overwork, disease or starvation. Many of the women were sexually abused. Only 15,000 out of the initial 80,000 Herero population remained alive. Due to the supposed inferiority, some Herero were the subject of medical experiments. Later, there was a Nama uprising and some 10,000 died. Another 9,000 were put into concentration camps. On von Trotha&rsquos watch, the Herero and Nama tribes had all been eradicated.
A man of Jewish descent, Torquemada was the first inquisitor general in Spain. Torquemada convinced the government, led by Ferdinand and Isabella, that the presence of Jews, Muslims and recent false converts to Christianity in Spain represented a dangerous corruption of the true Catholic faith. Because of Torquemada, repressive laws were passed to force the expulsion of Spain&rsquos non-Christian minorities. He received support from Pope Sixtus IV. Torquemada, now matching the authority of Ferdinand and Isabella themselves, oversaw the proclamation of the 28 articles listing the sins that the Inquisition aimed to purge. Identifying and exposing &ldquoMarranos&rdquo (Jews who had pretended to be Christian but continued to practice Judaism) was a main focus. Inquisitors were granted power to do whatever necessary to reveal the truth. This inevitably led to violent persecution. In February 1484 alone, 30 people in the city of Ciudad Real were found guilty of crimes and burnt alive. Between 1485 and 1501, 250 people were burnt in Toledo. In 1492, in Torquemada&rsquos home town of Valladolid, 32 people were burnt. Declaring that Jews were a mortal threat, in 1492 Ferdinand and Isabella decreed that all Jews who had not converted to Christianity were to be expelled from Spain. About 40,000 left the country, many of them given sanctuary by the tolerant Islamic Ottomans in Istanbul and several other cities. Torquemada remained as inquisitor general believing that his work was not done. He became wealthy as well due to all that he had confiscated. He would eventually die in office after two decades of burning approximately two thousand people.
Godfrey, the duke of Lower Lorraine, led the first crusade and was a brutal religious fundamentalist. In 1095 pope Urban II called for crusaders to assist Byzantine emperor Alexius I against Turkish forces attacking Christian Byzantium and to liberate Jerusalem from the Muslims. In 1096, Godfrey gathered an army of about 40,000 and declared that he was determined to avenge the blood of Jesus on the Jewish people. Godfrey&rsquos reputation grew as the years went on. In 1098, Godfrey reportedly killed 150 Turks with only 12 knights. Later that year, he cut a Turk in half with a single, downward swipe of his sword. Finally in 1099, Godfrey took aim at Jerusalem. On Friday July 15th, Godfrey was one of the first crusaders to breach the city&rsquos defenses via siege tower. After opening the gates, the crusaders charged into the city. With Muslim citizens fleeing to the al-Aqsa Mosque, Iftikhar ad-Dawla, the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem, made his last stand. On condition of surrender, Iftikhar and some of his solders were allowed to escape. For the next two days, the crusaders pillaged Muslim holy sites and slaughtered everyone left in the city regardless of whether they were combatants or civilians, Muslim or Jew. Victims were either burned to death or had their stomachs cut open with the belief that Muslims swallowed their gold. The Jews fled to a synagogue which the crusaders would burn down. Reportedly piles of heads, hands and feet were scattered throughout the city. Godfrey walked barefoot through the blood, his feet colored to his ankles in the blood of men, women and children. His fellow crusaders chose him to become the first Christian ruler of Jerusalem. He would die of plague a year later, his mission complete.
Beane was the head of an incestuous clan who lived off robbery, murder and cannibalism. Some historians suggest that he never existed and say that his story was propaganda created by the English demonizing the Scottish. The story goes that Alexander Beane left home, never showing an interest in work, with an equally unpleasant local woman. Once they arrived at Bennane Head, they set up home in a coastal cave hidden away from the view of passers-by. Over the next 25 years, Beane and the woman raised a family of about 8 sons and 6 daughters who bred together to produce 18 grandsons and 14 granddaughters. The family was raised without any notions of humanity. They preyed on travelers who traversed near their stretch of coast and would rob and kill their victims. The clan would then drag the victims body back to their cave where they dismembered the body and devour it. Leftovers were pickled and unwanted parts were disposed into the sea. Often times the remains would wash up onto the chore. Gradually suspicion arose among the locals. One night, the Beane clan attacked a married couple on horseback. The man managed to fight off the clan with a sword and pistol, but unfortunately his wife was knocked off the horse. She was immediately disemboweled and the Beane clan drank her blood. The man escaped and alarmed the locals of what had happened. King James VI of Scotland (James I of England) was notified not long afterwards. Hundreds of men and bloodhounds were sent after the clan. The bloodhounds tracked the scent of human flesh back to the cave. Upon entering, the men were hit with a putrid smell as they gazed upon the grisly image of dried flesh hanging from the walls and pickled body parts in barrels. The Beanes made no attempt to escape. They were executed without a trial. It was said that the clan had over a thousand victims.
Rais was a Breton who fought against the English, often serving alongside Joan of Arc. A year after Joan was burned at the stake, Rais retired from military service and returned to his family&rsquos castle at Machecoul. From there, Rais began a campaign of sadistic sex murders, killing between 60 and 200 children. He preferred boys between the ages of 6 and 18. His victims were generally blue-eyed and blond-haired and were usually kidnapped from the village of Machecoul and the surrounding areas or lured to his castle. His first victim was a 12-year-old messenger who was hanged by his neck on a metal hook and raped before being put out of his misery. More and more children started to disappear and suspicion arose. Unfortunately, the locals were too terrified to go up against one of the most powerful men in France. Rais had a specially built chamber where he would restrain his victims while he proceeded with his grotesque sexual acts. He would kill them with a variety of methods which included dismemberment, decapitation and disembowelment. He enjoyed watching them die sometimes even laughing. After some difficulty, a case was finally brought up against him. Rais stated at his trial that he admired the heads and body parts of his more beautiful victims. Gilles was arrested in September of 1440 and indicted on 34 counts of murder. He would eventually confess to the murders under the threat of torture. Rais was found guilty of murder, sodomy and heresy. Gilles was hanged and then burned on October 16, 1440, along with two of his servants. Rais was granted the right of confession after expressing remorse. He refused to admit he was a devil worshipper and professed the strength of his faith. Gilles de Rais would become one of the first known serial killers in history. The guilt and conscience that he would show when not taken over by the urge to murder only confirmed how depraved and mentally disturbed this man was.
