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The world of Freemasonry exerts a powerful influence on the modern
imagination. In an age when perceived notions of history are being
increasingly questioned and re-examined it is perhaps inevitable
that secretive societies such as the Freemasons find themselves at
the centre of considerable speculation and conjecture. To some they
represent a powerful and shadowy elite who have manipulated world
history throughout the ages, whilst to others they are an
altogether more mundane and benign fraternal organisation. Giles
Morgan begins by exploring the obscure and uncertain origins of
Freemasonry. It has been variously argued that it derives from the
practices of medieval stonemasons, that it dates to events
surrounding the construction of the Temple of Solomon and that it
is connected to ancient Mystery Cults. One of the major and often
disputed claims made for Freemasonry is that it is directly
attributable to the Knights Templar, generating a wealth of
best-selling publications such as 'The Holy Blood and the Holy
Grail' and more recently Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code', linking
Freemasonry to a supposed secret order known as the Priory of Sion
who are the guardians of the true nature of the Holy Grail.
Freemasonry today is a worldwide phenomenon that accepts membership
from a diverse ethnic and religious range of backgrounds. Entry to
Freemasonry requires a belief in a Supreme Being although it
insists it does not constitute a religion in itself. The rituals
and practices of Freemasonry have been viewed as variously obscure,
pointless, baffling, sinister and frightening. An intensely
stratified and hierarchical structure underpins most Masonic orders
whose activities are focussed within meeting points usually termed
as Lodges. Giles Morgan examines its historical significance
(George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were both Masons) and its
position and role in contemporary society.
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Byzantium (Hardcover)
Giles Morgan
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R315
R259
Discovery Miles 2 590
Save R56 (18%)
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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So what's so significant about the Byzantine Empire? It is now
recognised as having had a considerable influence on the
Renaissance and a significant impact in the shaping modern Europe
and modern historians are increasingly acknowledging the role the
Byzantine Empire played in the development of both Islam and
Christianity, and the relationship between the two. The term
'Byzantine' derives from the ancient Greek city of Byzantium
founded in 667 BC by colonists from Megara. It was named in honour
of their leader Byzas. It later became better known as
Constantinople, that gateway between West and East and played a
crucial role in the transmission of Christianity to the West.
Constantine is now generally known as the first Christian Emperor,
and in recent years interest in him has grown, with his role in the
development of Christianity being questioned by Dan Brown, author
of The Da Vinci Code, amongst others. A closer examination of this
formative period in the history of the church reveals a struggle to
gain a coherent and cohesive religious identity. Christianity would
emerge as the major religion of the Byzantine Empire in a departure
from the pagan worship of the Roman Empire. The Byzantine Empire
was often at the centre of profound geopolitical, cultural and
religious forces that threatened to pull it apart. When Byzantine
forces suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks
at the Battle of Manzikert for example, appeals to the West
precipitated the First Crusade. In 1204 during the Fourth Crusade,
Constantinople was conquered by the Crusader army. The dramatic
siege and subsequent fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire
is often seen as marking the end of the medieval period. The
Byzantine Empire lasted for over a thousand years, created
remarkable art and architecture and created a lasting cultural and
religious legacy - even its decline and fall was to have
ramifications that reached far beyond its borders. The fall of
Constantinople which had been a key city on the ancient Silk Road,
linking East and West led many to consider the prospect of opening
up new lines of trade, sea exploration that would eventually lead
to major new discoveries, new routes and new worlds...
St. George is a figure that bridges many worlds. At the heart of
the myths and legends surrounding this English icon lies the story
of an Early Christian Martyr persecuted by the Roman Empire around
the third century AD. But England is only one country to have
adopted this legendary soldier saint as their patron. Other
countries including Germany, Armenia, Hungary, Portugal and Malta
have all claimed him as their own. The cult of St. George is
astonishingly widespread with churches being dedicated to him in
Ethiopia, Egypt, Greece and France. His heroic struggle and victory
against the dragon can be interpreted as representing the bravery
of an individual Christian or as the eternal battle been good and
evil. But closer examination of the cult of St. George yields
unexpected results. There are clear parallels between his legendary
battle and that of earlier pre-Christian heroes such as Perseus and
Beowulf. St. George is also identified with the Islamic hero Al
Khidr who is said to have discovered the fountain of youth. He has
been associated with the coming of spring and has functioned as
fertility symbol and been closely linked to the Green Man of
Pre-Christian Myth. St. George has also acted as a symbol of
chastity and served as a healing saint. His flag has been
appropriated by the far right but in recent times come to identify
a multi-cultural England. David Beckham arguably embodies many of
the contradictory aspects of St. George as sex symbol, multi-racial
icon and national hero.
From popular fiction such as The Hobbit and Game of Thrones to the
universality of the English language, the continuing influence of
the Anglo-Saxons can be found throughout the world. But who were
the Anglo-Saxons and where did they come from? A Short History of
the Anglo-Saxons traces the fascinating 600 year history of the
Anglo-Saxons, starting from the early European migrants in 410 A.D.
and stretching through until the dramatic end at the Battle of
Hastings in 1066. As well as their many victories, the Anglo-Saxons
faced numerous attacks on the prosperity and the successes of its
people, facing off challenges from the Danish and the Vikings,
before meeting defeat at the hand of William the Conqueror.
Remnants of these people can still be seen in modern day with
hoards of Anglo-Saxon gold and silverwork being discovered
throughout the country and popular fiction taking inspiration from
this thrilling era. A Short History of the Anglo-Saxons provides an
indispensable introduction to everything you need to know about the
Anglo-Saxon period.
Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are concise,
lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert
opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know
about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction,
history, and more. Through its various guises as magic cauldron,
cornucopia, and chalice cup, the Holy Grail has remained at the
center of popular culture since antiquity. Charting the story of
the Grail offers a revealing insight into the cultural shift from
Celtic paganism to the emergence and domination of Christianity in
Western Europe; the influence of Eastern mysticism emerges in the
Grail romances as a result of the medieval crusades, with its clash
of cultures and subsequent cross-pollination of ideas. Finally, the
Grail has come to symbolize the ultimate achievement in the modern
mind, and Carl Jung, T.S. Eliot, Richard Wagner, William Blake, and
the Pre-Raphaelites are just some of those who have fallen under
its enduring spell.
Few fictional characters have proven to be as enduringly popular as
the legendary Count Dracula. First published in 1897, Bram Stoker's
gothic masterpiece thrilled and disturbed Victorian society with
its dark and compelling themes of violence, lust, cruelty and
death. For many, the elegant but threatening figure of Dracula has
come to epitomise the concept of the vampire. It is thought that
Stoker took the name Dracula from the real-life historical figure
of Vlad the Impaler, a medieval Romanian prince with a dark and
sinister reputation. However, Stoker was also influenced by
European literary creations such as The Vampyre, written in 1819 by
John Polidori, the personal physician of Lord Byron. Polidori based
his central character on the personality of the infamous poet and
in doing so did much to crystalise the modern concept of the
vampire as a sophisticated and sensual aristocrat. It is arguably
within the medium of film, however, that the figure of Dracula has
achieved its greatest fame within popular culture. In Dracula: The
Origins and Influence of the Legendary Vampire Count, author Giles
Morgan examines the roots of the vampire myth and the creation of
Bram Stoker's masterpiece of horror.
Today it is known as Istanbul, the modern city which stands at the
crossroads of Europe and Asia. For centuries past, it was
Constantinople. But before that, it was Byzantium, and it gave its
name to an ancient empire. Ancient Greeks, led by a man named
Byzas, founded the city in the seventh century BC. A millennium
later, it was revitalised by the Roman emperor Constantine the
Great, who played a crucial role in making Christianity the
official religion of the Empire. When the Roman Empire in the West
collapsed, it was Byzantium that kept the imperial idea alive. For
centuries, surrounded by hostile neighbours, Byzantium remained a
Christian city at the heart of a Christian empire. As the new
religion of Islam expanded, it was Byzantium and the Byzantine
Empire that stood on the frontline of the confrontation between two
faiths. When, in 1453, the city fell to the Turks and its last
emperor died, the world was changed forever. The Byzantine Empire
created remarkable art and architecture and a lasting cultural and
religious legacy. Giles Morgan provides a concise history of a city
which gave its name to an extraordinary civilisation.
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