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Honorius (384-423) was the second son of Emperor Theodosius I and younger brother to Eastern Emperor Arcadius. Honorius was made Augustus and co-ruler in 393 CE, aged 9. When his father died two years laters, Honorius was given the Western half of the Roman Empire, while Arcadius ruled the East. Young as he was, Honorius was mainly a figurehead for General Stilicho, who had been appointed his guardian and advisor by Theodosius before his death. Stilicho made Honorius marry his daughter Maria to strengthen their bonds.<br/><br/> Honorius' reign, which was weak and chaotic even by the standards of the rapidly declining Western Roman Empire, was marked by constant barbarian invasions and usurper uprisings. Stilicho defeated many of these threats and played an important role in holding the empire together, but the sudden execution of Stilicho on Honorius' orders in 408 CE paved the way for the empire's collapse, with many of Stilicho's troops defecting en masse to the banner of King Alaric I of the Visigoths.<br/><br/> Chaos and terror gripped the Western Roman Empire without Stilicho's guiding hand, entire swathes of the empire rising up in protest or lost. Rome itself had been sacked by Alaric in 410 CE, the first time in 800 years. Honorius died of edema in 423 CE without an heir, widely considered as one of the worst emperors in Roman history.
Natural son and heir of Emperor Vespasian, Titus was a member of the Flavian dynasty, the first Roman emperor to succeed his own biological father. Titus, like his father, had earned much renown as a military commander, especially during the First Jewish-Roman war.<br/><br/> When his father left to claim the imperial throne after Nero's death, Titus was left behind to end the Jewish rebellion, which occurred in 70 CE with the siege and sacking of Jerusalem. The Arch of Titus was built in honour of his destruction of the city. He was also known for his controversial relationship with the Jewish queen Berenice.<br/><br/> Under his father, her served as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and he was known as a good emperor after his accession. As emperor, he is most endearingly known for his completion of the Colosseum, started by his father, and his efforts in relieving the destruction caused by eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE and a fire in Rome in 80 CE. Titus only served for two years before dying of a fever in 81 CE, and was deified by the Roman Senate before being succeeded by his younger brother, Domitian.
James Madison, Jr. (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was a political theorist, American statesman, and the fourth President of the United States (1809–17).<br/><br/> He is hailed as the 'Father of the Constitution' for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, FRS (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), commonly known simply as Lord Byron, was an English poet and a leading figure in the Romantic Movement. Among his best-known works are the lengthy narrative poems <i>Don Juan</i> and <i>Childe Harold's Pilgrimage</i>, and the short lyric <i>She Walks in Beauty</i>.<br/><br/> Byron is regarded as one of the greatest British poets, and remains widely read and influential. He travelled widely across Europe, especially in Italy where he lived for seven years. Later in life, Byron joined the Greek War of Independence fighting the Ottoman Empire, for which many Greeks revere him as a national hero. He died in 1824 at the young age of 36 from a fever contracted while in Missolonghi.<br/><br/> Often described as the most flamboyant and notorious of the major Romantics, Byron was both celebrated and castigated in life for his aristocratic excesses, including huge debts, numerous love affairs - with men as well as women, as well as rumours of a scandalous liaison with his half-sister - and self-imposed exile.
According to the Ring Boxing Record Book, Mendoza was undefeated in 27 straight fights prior to 1788. Bare-knuckle fights ended when an opponent was knocked out or unable to continue (Technical knockout) or by foul or a draw. Thus, Mendoza defeated his first 27 opponents by knockout. Dates and exact locations are unknown, except that all fights were in England.
Zenobia (Julia Aurelia Zenobia Cleopatra) (240 – c. 274 AD) was a 3rd-century Syrian queen of the Palmyrene Empire who led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267. By 269, Zenobia had expanded the empire, conquering Egypt and expelling the Roman prefect, Tenagino Probus, who was beheaded after he led an attempt to recapture the territory. She ruled over Egypt until 274, when she was defeated and taken as a hostage to Rome by Emperor Aurelian.<br/><br/> Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. It was an important city in central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert and was known as the Bride of the Desert. The earliest documented reference to the city by its Semitic name Tadmor, Tadmur or Tudmur (which means "the town that repels" in Amorite and "the indomitable town" in Aramaic) is recorded in Babylonian tablets found in Mari.
Franklin disappeared on his last expedition, attempting to chart and navigate a section of the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. The icebound ships were abandoned and the entire crew perished from starvation, hypothermia, tuberculosis, lead poisoning and scurvy.<br/><br/> In September 2014, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, announced that the wreck of HMS Erebus, one of the two ships from Franklin's final voyage, had been rediscovered.<br/><br/> On 12 September 2016, it was announced that the Arctic Research Foundation expedition had found the wreck of HMS Terror south of King William Island in Terror Bay and in 'pristine' condition.
Colonel James Skinner CB (1778 – 4 December 1841) was an Anglo-Indian military adventurer in India, who became known as Sikandar Sahib later in life, and is best known for two cavalry regiments he raised for the British, later known as 1st Skinner's Horse and 3rd Skinner's Horse (formerly 2nd Skinner's Horse) at Hansi in 1803, which still form a part of the Indian Army.<br/><br/> The son of Hercules Skinner, a Scottish soldier and the daughter of a Rajput landowner, Skinner initially took service with the Marathas. Later he fought for the British. His chief wife was Muslim. He was a fluent writer in Persian, the court and intellectual language of India in his day, and wrote several books in Persian, including 'Kitab-i tasrih al-aqvam' (History of the Origin and Distinguishing Marks of the Different Castes of India).
Kalākaua was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He reigned from February 12, 1874 until his death in San Francisco, California, on January 20, 1891.<br/><br/> During his reign hula was revived, after having been banned in 1830 by Queen Ka'ahumanu, who had converted to Christianity. He is also known for having revived surfing and the Hawaiian martial art, Kapu Kuialua.
James Madison, Jr. (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836) was a political theorist, American statesman, and the fourth President of the United States (1809–17).<br/><br/> He is hailed as the 'Father of the Constitution' for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet born in Charleville, Ardennes. He influenced modern literature and arts, inspired various musicians, and prefigured surrealism. He started writing poems at a very young age, while still in primary school, and stopped completely before he turned 21. He was mostly creative in his teens.<br/><br/> Rimbaud was known to have been a libertine and for being a restless soul. He traveled extensively on three continents before his death from cancer just after his thirty-seventh birthday.
Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III) was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan.<br/><br/> In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.
Theodosius I (347-395), also known as Theodosius the Great, was born into a military family in Hispania. He served with his father until his execution in 374 CE, after which Theodosius retired to Hispania until he was given the position of co-emperor by Emperor Gratian after Emperor Valens' death in 378 CE.<br/><br/> Theodosius ruled the East Roman Empire, and after Gratian himself was killed in 383 CE, appointed his son Arcadius as his co-ruler in the east while briefly acknowledging the usurper Magnus Maximus before agreeing to a marriage with Emperor Valentinian II's sister Galla and defeating Maximus in battle. He then appointed his trusted general Arbogast to watch and effectively rule over the young Valentinian II in the west, making Theodosius de facto ruler of both West and East.<br/><br/> Arbogast eventually killed Valentinian II and placed Eugenius as his puppet emperor in the west in 392 CE, forcing Theodosius to march against him, giving his son Honorius the title of co-emperor in the West instead. Eugenius and Arbogast were defeated in 394 CE, the latter executed while the former committed suicide, leaving Theodosius as the last sole emperor to truly rule over both halves of the Roman Empire. He eventually died in 395 CE from severe edema, leaving his sons ruling each half of the empire.
Samurai is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. By the end of the 12th century, samurai became almost entirely synonymous with bushi, and the word was closely associated with the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class.<br/><br/> The samurai followed a set of rules that came to be known as Bushidō. While they numbered less than ten percent of Japan's population, samurai teachings can still be found today in both everyday life and in martial arts such as Kendō, meaning the way of the sword.
Matsudaira Katamori was a samurai who lived in the last days of the Edo period and the early to mid Meiji period. He was the 9th daimyo of the Aizu Han and the Military Commissioner of Kyoto during the Bakumatsu period. During the Boshin War, Katamori and the Aizu Han fought against the Meiji Government armies, but were severely defeated. Katamori's life was spared, and he later became the Chief of the Tōshōgū Shrine. He, along with his three brothers Sadaaki, Yoshikatsu, and Mochiharu, had highly influential roles during the Meiji Restoration and were called the four Takasu brothers (Takasu yon-kyōdai).
Consort He (18th century - 1836), nee Nara, was the daughter of Cheng Wen. It is not registered when she entered the Forbidden City in Beijing. Her first mention is when she gave birth to Prince Mianning's oldest son in 1808. Mianning's father, the Jiaqing Emperor, granted her the title of Secondary wife. Prince Mianning ascended the throne as the Daoguang emperor in 1820. After her husband's enthronement she was given the title of Imperial Concubine He, and in 1823 she was elevated to the rank of consort. Consort He died in the sixteenth year of Daoguang's reign and was interred in the Muling mausoleum for imperial concubines.
Consort He (18th century - 1836), nee Nara, was the daughter of Cheng Wen. It is not registered when she entered the Forbidden City in Beijing. Her first mention is when she gave birth to Prince Mianning's oldest son in 1808. Mianning's father, the Jiaqing Emperor, granted her the title of Secondary wife. Prince Mianning ascended the throne as the Daoguang emperor in 1820. After her husband's enthronement she was given the title of Imperial Concubine He, and in 1823 she was elevated to the rank of consort. Consort He died in the sixteenth year of Daoguang's reign and was interred in the Muling mausoleum for imperial concubines.
Count Inoue Kaoru (16 January 1836 - 1 September 1915) was a Japanese statesman and a member of the Meiji oligarchy that ruled Japan during the Meiji period (1868–1912).
Oiran (花魁) were the courtesans of Edo period Japan. The oiran were considered a type of yūjo (遊女) 'woman of pleasure' or prostitute. However, they were distinguished from the yūjo in that they were entertainers, and many became celebrities of their times outside the pleasure districts. Their art and fashions often set trends among the wealthy and, because of this, cultural aspects of oiran traditions continue to be preserved to this day.<br/><br/> The oiran arose in the Edo period (1600–1868). At this time, laws were passed restricting brothels to walled districts set some distance from the city center. In the major cities these were the Shimabara in Kyoto, the Shinmachi in Osaka, and the Yoshiwara in Edo (present-day Tokyo).<br/><br/> These rapidly grew into large, self-contained 'pleasure quarters' offering all manner of entertainments. Within, a courtesan’s birth rank held no distinction, which was fortunate considering many of the courtesans originated as the daughters of impoverished families who were sold into this lifestyle as indentured servants. Instead, they were categorized based on their beauty, character, education, and artistic ability.<br/><br/> Among the oiran, the tayū (太夫) was considered the highest rank of courtesan and were considered suitable for the daimyo or feudal lords. In the mid-1700s courtesan rankings began to disappear and courtesans of all classes were collectively known simply as 'oiran'.<br/><br/> The word oiran comes from the Japanese phrase oira no tokoro no nēsan (おいらの所の姉さ) which translates as 'my elder sister'. When written in Japanese, it consists of two kanji, 花 meaning 'flower', and 魁 meaning 'leader' or 'first', hence 'Leading Flower' or 'First Flower'.
Mary Magdalene (Greek Μαγδαληνή) was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of 'seven demons', [Luke 8:2] [Mark 16:9] conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses. She became most prominent during his last days, being present at the cross after the male disciples (excepting John the Beloved) had fled, and at his burial. She was the first person to see Jesus after his Resurrection, according to both John 20 and Mark 16:9.<br/><br/> Mary Magdalene is considered by the Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches to be a saint, with a feast day of July 22. The Eastern Orthodox churches also commemorate her on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers.
Shunbaisai Hokuei (Japanese: 春梅斎 北英; d. 1837), also known as Shunkō III, was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints in Osaka, and was active from about 1824 to 1837. He was a student of Shunkōsai Hokushū. Hokuei’s prints most often portray the kabuki actor Arashi Rikan II.<br/><br/> Shunbaisai Hokuei should not be confused with Tōkōen Hokuei (桃幸園 北英), an early 19th-century Edo (Tokyo) printmaker who is also commonly referred to as 'Hokuei'.
Born in Beckenham, Kent, Auckland was the second son of William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland, and Eleanor, daughter of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet. His sister was the traveller and author Emily Eden, who would visit India for long periods and write about her experiences. He was educated at Eton, and Christ Church, Oxford, and was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, in 1809. He became heir apparent to the barony after his elder brother William Eden drowned in the Thames in 1810.<br/><br/> Auckland was returned to Parliament for Woodstock in 1810 (succeeding his elder brother, William), a seat he held until 1812, and again between 1813 and 1814. The latter year he succeeded his father in the barony and took his seat in the House of Lords, supporting the reform party. In 1830 he became President of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint under Lord Grey.<br/><br/> He was First Lord of the Admiralty under Grey and then Lord Melbourne in 1834 and again under Melbourne in 1835. He gave a commission to William Hobson to sail for the East Indies, which Hobson ultimately rewarded in the naming of his new town Auckland, New Zealand in 1840. The town of Eden, New South Wales and Auckland County, New South Wales were also named after him.<br/><br/> In 1836 Lord Auckland was appointed Governor-General of India. His private secretary was John Russell Colvin, who rose to be lieutenant-governor of the North-West Provinces and named his son after him. As a legislator he dedicated himself especially to the improvement of native schools and the expansion of the commercial industry of India. He held this position at the time of British India's participation in the First Opium War (1839-1842).
Sir Charles Elliot, KCB (1801 – 9 September 1875, Chinese: 义律 Yìlǜ) was a British naval officer, diplomat, and colonial administrator. He became the first administrator of Hong Kong in 1841 while serving as both Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China. He was a key founder in the establishment of Hong Kong as a British colony.<br/><br/> In late 1833, Elliot was appointed as Master Attendant to the staff of Lord Napier, Chief Superintendent of British Trade. His position was involved with British ships and crews operating between Macao and Canton. In 1839 Elliot wrote to Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston that he regarded the opium trade as a 'disgrace and sin ... I have steadily discountenanced it by all the lawful means in my power, and at the total sacrifice of my private comfort in the society in which I have lived for some years past'.<br/><br/> During the First Anglo-Chinese War, he was on board the Nemesis during most of the battles. In January 1841, he negotiated terms with Chinese Imperial Commissioner Qishan in the Convention of Chuenpee. Elliot declared, among other terms, the cession of Hong Kong Island to the United Kingdom. However, Palmerston disapproved of the terms and dismissed Elliot. Henry Pottinger was appointed to replace him as plenipotentiary in May 1841.<br/><br/> Responding to the accusation that 'It has been particularly objected to me that I have cared too much for the Chinese', Elliot wrote to Foreign Secretary Lord Aberdeen on 25 June 1842:<br/><br/> 'I submit that it has been caring more for lasting British honour and substantial British interests, to protect friendly and helpful people, and to return the confidence of the great trading population of the Southern Provinces, with which it is our chief purpose to cultivate more intimate, social and commercial relations.'
A German map of mainland Southeast Asia showing Assam, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and part of Sumatra.<br/><br/>The Tanintharyi or Tenasserim region of southern Myanmar is shown as under Siamese (Thai) administration, while the former Lan Na Kingdom, with Chiang Mai ('Janzalayen') as its main city, is shown as tributary to Myanmar / Burma. Both are incorrect, as Tanintharyi passed under British control in 1826, while Lan Na (Chiang Mai) asserted its independence from Burma in 1775.
Japan: 'The Monkey King Blows Hair Away', woodblock print by Katsushika Taito II (active 1810-1853), 1836, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Monkey King Sun Wukong is a mythological character in Chinese folk religion and literature. An important figure in various legends and stories, he is perhaps bestl known for his starring role in the 16th century classical novel 'Journey to the West'.