On this Day...

In 1973, Swedish police used gas bombs to end a seven-day hostage situation in a bank in Stockholm; during the incident the hostages had emotionally bonded with their captors, leading to the term - Stockholm syndrome.

If we look back in our world history we can see other examples of "stockholm syndrome".
Primitive tribes all over the world would abduct women from neighboring tribes or defeated enemies and incorporated them into their own tribes.
In some countries it has become a tradition for young men to "kidnap" your future brides from her family.

Other times in our history, I suspect, some people are said to have suffered from Stockholm syndrome to try to explain away their irrational choices or behavior.

I believe a wonderful example of that is with Patty Hearst.

The granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, she gained notoriety in 1974 when she joined the Symbionese Liberation Army after they had kidnapped her. Apprehended after having taken part in a bank heist with other SLA members, Hearst was imprisoned for nearly two years before commuted by President Jimmy Carter and later pardoned by President Bill Clinton.

Sides...

I was looking through one of my history books for a suitable topic for today's random history when I came across something interesting.

August 23, 1914:
Japan declares war on Germany
{Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis}

Most people know very little about World War I {myself included} so when I saw this little tidbit, my curiosity was spurred.
Nearly everyone knows that Japan joined forces with Hitler's Germany during World War II and their attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii gave the US a valid reason to join in the war.

Turns out that in the early 1900's, Japan was allied with the United Kingdom and wanted to expand into China's mainlands and surrounding islands. Japan told their allies that they would assist against Germany as long as they could take control of Germany's Chinese territories.

Since the United States did not want to get involved in World War I, the United Kingdom heavily relied on help from their other allies. The Japanese Imperial Navy was essentially given free rein in the far east, where they quickly took control of the German territories in China.
While the United Kingdom was engrossed in the war, Japan attempted to take further control of the Chinese with their Twenty-One Demands of the president {which would have turned China into a Japanese protectorate}.
The United States {among other countries} condemned Japan and the Japanese later withdrew their demands.
Overall, Japan helped the United Kingdom quite a bit during World War I mainly with exports of supplies and transporting/escorting troops.

So why did Japan change sides when World War II came around?

One word.
China. 

Japan is an island with only so much room and natural resources. Japan had become more militarized since World War I and were actively trying to take control of China's mainlands.
Once again the United States {among other countries} condemned Japan and stopped exports to the island country.
Japan was hoping that by attacking Pearl Harbor {among other places held by the British, Chinese and Dutch} the United States would want to sign a treaty to prevent more attacks and withdraw the embargoes against Japan.

Boy were they wrong and the rest is history. :)

Flying Shuttle

What comes to mind when you hear the words, "Flying Shuttle"?
The space ship?
The speeding bus from Harry Potter? {One of my favorite book series growing up}

How about cloth?
Cloth??? What does that have to do with a flying shuttle??

The flying shuttle was a device created by John Kay in 1733, that would increase the speed of cloth weaving and ultimately the production power of the looms.

Let me set the scene...

The Industrial Revolution began in England in the second half of the eighteenth century.
England was rich in raw materials secured from the colonies and worldwide trade. Wealthy men had the capital to invest in machinery and factories and the Agricultural Revolution provided the large pool of displaced workers needed to run them.

This revolution first took off in the textile industry {hence why we care about the flying shuttle}.
In the 1700s, as the demand for cotton goods grew, inventors came up with a string of devices that revolutionized the British textile industry.
John Kay's flying shuttle sped up the weaving by the loom and created a demand for more thread. One invention led to another, such as the spinning jenny, the water frame, the power loom and the cotton gin. The innovations in the textile industry improved productivity.
Improvements in chemicals, railways, ships, and heavy machinery would occur in the nineteenth century as the need for markets led to the development of different sectors of the economy.
{Credit: European History by Micheal J. Romano}

Why do I care about the flying shuttle or the British Industrial Revolution?

Because I love the BBC mini-series "North and South" based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell.

The main heart-throb Mr. John Thornton, played by Richard Armitage {aka the dwarf leader Thorin in the movie The Hobbit}, is a cotton mill owner/operator in England during this time period.

{sigh} So handsome.

Anywho, there is your random history for the day. :)

{Bonus pictures of Richard Armitage}

Yummy. ;)

Lover of Two...

Lover of two countries, that is. 
Marquis de Lafayette {1757-1834}

"One of the {American} Revolution's idealists, this young Frenchman came to America at age 19, wealthy enough to pay for his own ship to make the journey. Like other young European aristocrats for whom war was a matter of personal honor and social standing, Lafayette came in search of glory and adventure. In exchange for a major general's rank, he offered to serve without pay, and quickly earned Washington's affection. They developed an almost father-son relationship. Given a minor command, Lafayette proved to be an able and loyal commander.
During a trip back to France, he was instrumental in securing the French military assistance that was the key to the American victory at Yorktown. At the surrender, Lafayette's personal band proudly piped "Yankee Doodle Dandy," once a song mockingly sung by the British to taunt the Americans. After the war, Lafayette returned to France with enough American soil in which to be buried."
{Don't Know Much About History by Kenneth C. Davis ISBN:0-06-008382-4}

While Lafayette seems to be most celebrated here in the states for helping with our bid for freedom from Britain; in his native France he is held to a lesser degree by historians. Depending on who you listen to he was either a hero and great influence in France or a half-wit from a wealthy family playing soldier.

"To the historians on the left, he was a traitor to the glorious cause. To historians on the right, he was too ineffective to be their hero"
{Patrice Gueniffey, “Lafayette” in François Furet and Mona Ozouf, eds., A Critical Dictionary of the French Revolution}

I personally just like the bit about how he brought back enough American soil to be buried under in France. Now some people of my generation might not get the significance of this, but I studied European history in high school and know full well how extremely proud theses men and women were when it came to their country. 

Anywho, there is your random history for the day. :)  

{PS: I'm not sure what is going on with the font size... sorry if it is difficult to read} 

If you thought Bella was obsessed....

Meet Queen Juana I of Castile.
{1479-1555}

At the age of 16, Juana was married to the insatiable virile Philip the Handsome of Flanders.
Philip had many affairs and mistresses and when Juana disapproved he would withhold sex from her, which in turn literally drove her crazy.
She would throw fits and physically attack not only the mistresses but the servants as well. 
In an attempt to regain her husband's favor, Juana attempted to concoct love potions, but to no avail.

In 1504, Juana's mother passed away leaving the throne of Castile to her. For some unknown reason, Philip died suddenly after Juana had gained the throne. The lovesick queen was devastated.
In her grief and distress she refused to part with her husband's body and several times after he was entombed had his coffin reopened to view his remains, even going so far as to kiss and caress his decaying corpse.

Credit: Mad Kings & Queens by Alison Rattle & Allison Vale 
Sterling ISBN:978-1-4027-6306-9

I did some more digging concerning this "Mad Queen" and many other sources portray Juana as a very intelligent woman who was manipulated by the men in her life. There has even been a book written about her by C.W. Gortner portraying her in this light of a great woman who was not allowed to rule on her own.

I was not alive during that time {duh} so therefore I cannot really say for certain what this woman's life was like or if the tales of her corpse hoarding are true but it sure is a fun, albeit disturbing, story.

You have to admit though, Queen Juana could easily pass off as a never-smiling-no-expression Bella look-a-like. Teehee!

Coming Soon...

Working some stuff out...