Hourly History Knihy

Queen Elizabeth I There are many versions of Queen Elizabeth I of England; the beautiful young Tudor Queen courted by all the princes of Europe; a fearless virgin warrior in white velvet, rousing her troops on the battlefield; an irascible old woman in a powdered wig, surrounded by fawning young men. A formidable woman, Elizabeth I ruled alone at a time when Europe was a hotbed of conflict, dominated by empire-seeking Kings with opposing religious beliefs. Inside you will read about... ✓ Early Years ✓ Becoming Queen of England ✓ The Matter of Succession ✓ Mary Queen of Scots ✓ The Last Suitor ✓ Trouble in England ✓ Mary's Execution ✓ The Essex Affair And much more!A shrewd politician, Elizabeth manipulated these Kings using any means necessary, including her own hand in marriage, to transform what had been a small, relatively impoverished half- island nation into one of the greatest powers in the world. 'Queen of the Seas', 'The Virgin Queen', 'Gloriana' and 'Good Old Bess', Queen Elizabeth I inspired a cult following during her lifetime that endures to this day.

ClaudiusOften portrayed as an awkward, disfigured, and clumsy man, Claudius was the unlikely ruler of the Roman Empire from 41 CE to 54 CE. His reign would prove to be one of the longest of the time even though his rise to the throne did not come without opposition. Virtually no-one in Claudius' family wanted to see him become emperor-only when he turned out to be the last surviving man of the Julio-Claudian dynasty did he ascend to the throne. Inside you will read about...✓ Born to Be Cast Out✓ A Historian and a Husband✓ The Conquest of Britain✓ Plots and Intrigues✓ The Assassination of Emperor ClaudiusAnd much more!No-one ever expected that the boy that was used as the comparative standard for stupidity by his own mother would become the emperor of Rome. Yet, he did. Claudius reign was riddled with conspiracies and attempts on his life by the Senate that was supposed to serve him. But despite all the opposition to his rule, Claudius would go on to be an able and efficient leader. He expanded the Roman Empire more than any other emperor had since the reign of Augustus.

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece was the birthplace of advances in government, art, philosophy, science, and architecture--all of which continue to influence the world today. Warriors and diplomats, scientists, artists, and the first comedians; the achievements of this ancient society have formed a strong foundation to be built upon by later cultures. Inside you will read about... ✓ Mount Olympus ✓ Polis ✓ Athens and Sparta ✓ Literature ✓ Philosophy ✓ Art and Architecture ✓ Science And much more!From the ancient origins of the Olympic Games through to art, architecture, language, and even the very way we view and investigate the world around us, the legacy of the culture and civilization of ancient Greece still burns brightly in the modern world.

The original international woman of mystery, Mata Hari is maligned as a spy and a traitor. Having seduced a number of the most powerful men in Europe, she was accused of spying for both Allied and Central Powers during the First World War. Mata Hari’s biography tells a different story. From her remarkable transformation from a captain’s wife and mother in the Dutch East Indies to the most celebrated stage presence in Europe, Mata Hari fought for what she believed in. Yet what she believed in was neither France’s independence, nor Germany’s superiority, but her own personal quest for luxury, adventure, and love.✓ A Wife and Mother✓ The Night of Horror✓ Code Name H21✓ Becoming a Spy✓ The Trial and Execution of Mata HariAnd much more!

Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, was the first president who was born an American and not a British citizen, a change in demographic which reflects his modern influence upon the office he held. His rise to political power began in the humble setting of Kinderhook, New York, where he was born to Dutch parents who ran a tavern frequented by the Empire State's political elite, including Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Inside you will read about... ✓ An American is Born ✓ The Little Magician ✓ Van Buren Enters the National Stage ✓ President Jackson's Right-Hand Man ✓ Van Buren's Turn ✓ In and Out of the White House ✓ The Legacy of the Little Magician And much more!From his earliest involvement in government, Van Buren was committed to the nurturing of political parties as a way to deliver the most effective leadership to the American people. He was a loyal supporter of President Andrew Jackson, but when Van Buren took office, he inherited the financial crisis that Jackson's policies had helped to create. The Panic of 1837 brought the economic prosperity of the country to a screeching halt and ultimately, Van Buren, who was not re-elected for a second term, paid the price. Whatever his failings as a president, he was a pre-eminent politician, and when the story of America is told, Van Buren's contribution to the political process must be highly ranked.

Thomas Edison passed on many decades ago, but his inventions still echo loudly through time. If you watch TV, listen to your favorite songs, or simply click on the lamp next to your bed, it was Thomas Edison who brought all of these innovations into the world. Inside you will read about... ✓ Edison's Early Life ✓ The Electric Light ✓ The War of the Currents ✓ Other Inventions and Projects ✓ Final Years and Death ✓ Edison's Legacy And much more! Edison is sometimes regarded as someone who loved arguing with other inventors who were going in different directions from him, yet his tenacity and dedication to his own work were what made so many of his inventions workable. No matter which way you look at Edison, from failed businessman, renowned inventor, distant father to his children, or to an argumentative scientist, there is one thing everyone can agree on; Thomas Edison was pure genius. After all, in his world, nothing less would do.

Frederick Douglass Slavery is a dark spot in the history of the United States, a time when the rights of African-Americans were non-existent. Slaves were beaten, mutilated, raped, and killed with impunity. Their lives were a living hell from which death was the only escape they could dare to hope for. From this darkness, many heroes emerged, one of which was a man named Frederick Douglass. Born a slave in Maryland, Douglass believed he had found the key to the power of the white man

Simón Bolívar truly earned his nickname “The Liberator” for a large portion of South American people. He was a forward-thinking political figure at a time when Spain was ruling over the region that is now comprised of Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia.✓ A Difficult Childhood✓ The Independence Movement Takes Off✓ Exile in Jamaica✓ The Impossible Climb✓ Civil War and Assassination AttemptsAnd much more!Bolívar’s revolutionary thoughts and belief system are what gave so many who lived in that part of the continent their independence and the freedom to enact their own governments with their own laws. Few people in history have achievements that can rival the ones made by this hero of the Latin American people. The world was forever changed by the perseverance of one man, Símon Bolívar.

Saddam Hussein From his humble beginnings as a farmhand working on tribal Iraqi land to becoming the president of Iraq for more than two decades, Saddam Hussein

Benedict Arnold: a name that has become synonymous with betrayal. However, this wasn’t always the case. At one time he was General (and future first President) George Washington’s trusted advisor in the struggle against the British. What caused this turncoat to turn his revolutionary ambitions inside out to match the crimson of the British? What brought on one of the most famous treacheries in history? Inside you will read about... ✓ A Revolutionary in His Own Right ✓ On The Eve of Revolution ✓ The War Rages ✓ Independence Day ✓ Marriage of Destiny ✓ America’s Wayward Son And much more! It has long been perceived as a historical enigma, but in this book we are going to tackle it. Read further to learn what turned a man who could have potentially been one of the greatest military heroes of American history - and perhaps even a future President himself - switch course and betray his country in such a devastating way. Read on to learn the true story about Benedict Arnold.