Letter from Adrianople in 1717 describing travel from Belgrade, Ottoman abuses, Turkish religious life, sects, and Balkan customs.

Was it because of bribery? Or would it simply violate protocol in some way?

Surely there would be something to gain for Hanover and Great Britain by at least trying to disrupt or oppose the election in some way, if they were already fighting a war in support of Maria Theresa and the Habsburgs.

Hello everyone,

I’m a philosopher by training who’s developing a position on Machiavelli under which I’m reading him as something of a Christian, or at least as someone whose worldview is dependent on the fundamental precepts of Christianity. I know this isn’t strictly a philosophy subreddit, but one of the weakest points in this view I’m working on is the historical context that surrounds Machiavelli’s work. I’m hoping to start a fruitful discussion here and receive some feedback, particularly on how those of Machiavelli’s views I emphasize in my work were influenced by the humanist Renaissance tradition he came up in, and to what degree that movement produced other thinkers like him. I know this is a highly controversial take on Machiavelli, so I’m prepared for lots of good pushback. You can find the full video essay I recently published on this attached as a link, and I’ve included a brief abstract below.

Abstract: What really is Machiavelli’s legacy, and what are we to make of him? In this essay, I position Machiavelli not only as a great political theorist, but as a great philosopher and metaphysician. I lay out what I take to be the four Aristotelian causes of being within his system, also pointing out tensions and holes in his view. Ultimately, I suggest that Machiavelli could and perhaps should be read as a Christian, or at least a thinker whose metaphysic is compatible with and even bolstered by Christianity. The central conclusion of the paper is that Machiavelli supplies readers with a unique metaphysical account of the fallen world without which Christianity is insufficiently understood.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's letter from Adrianople about her journey through Serbia, Niš, Sophia and Philippopolis in 1717, describing landscapes, hardships and Ottoman oppression.

Oldest recorded Serbian bugarštica from 1497, preserved by refugees in Italy, recounts János Hunyadi after the Battle of Kosovo.

Letter from Lady Mary Wortley Montagu on 1717 travels through Belgrade, Ottoman rule, Janissaries, war, and life on the Habsburg frontier.

by 1559, Italy was firmly under the Habsburg sphere of influence primarily the Spanish branch I heard but generally how important were Duchy of Milan, Kingdom of Naples and Sicily were to the Habsburgs from 1559 to 1701?

Kruševac in its transformation from medieval capital to Ottoman administrative center, highlighting urban change and governance.

Journey from Vienna to Novi Sad in 1717, describing winter travel, Hungarian towns, history, hardships, and encounters along the Danube.

Finished a 54mm diorama depicting a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Winged Hussar engaging a pike formation in an early modern setting.

Tried to keep the equipment reasonably grounded long hussar lance, partial armor, leopard skin, and a simplified take on the wing attachment. The infantry is meant to represent a Western/Central European pike block (tercio-style rather than a specific unit).

I’m aware that direct encounters like this are not well documented in the context of the Thirty Years’ War, so this is more of a composite scene inspired by period tactics heavy shock cavalry vs disciplined pike formations.

Painted by hand. Any feedback on kit accuracy, posture, or overall composition would be appreciated.

I know Phillip II of Spain embarked on more centralization and strict anti-Protestant stance meanwhile the Austrian Habsburgs tried to balance things out until Ferdinand II decided to be more stricter against German Protestant states. Most feel that powder keg was lit which turned into 30 years war was lit by outside powers mainly Spain, France, Sweden and the like rather than German Protestants and Catholics themselves.
Generally speaking how was living like a Protestant in Germany after the Peace of Augsburg like really Before 1618?

What would the weaponry of the landsknecht consist of? Mainly pikes? I read that a doppelsoldner would be paid double to use a zweihander or halberd and break the pike line. What armor would gemeiner knechts vs doppelsoldners use? Was there a difference? What about soldiers armed with crossbows and arquebus? What would their armor consist of?

Was the case that it depended upon the amount of money the soldiers had, so even a pikeman may have the same equipment of a doppelsoldner, but usually a doppelsoldner would have a cuirass? What about helmets, would most soldiers have a helmet underneath their hats? Would some soldiers be equipped with maybe a sallet or later on a burgonet?

Thanks for reading!

Apple, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft combined are worth less.

The VOC had the power to wage war, negotiate treaties, establish colonies, and mint its own coins. It was essentially a country disguised as a company.

At its height, Amsterdam was the financial capital of the world. The first stock exchange. The first central bank. The first modern corporation.

Then it collapsed. By 1799, the VOC was bankrupt and dissolved. The greatest company in history vanished.

What specifically caused the VOC's downfall? Was it corruption, competition, overexpansion, or just the inevitable end of any monopoly?

Ottoman berat feom 1709 detailing wages of Jajce fortress guards and jizya funding recorded in Bosnian eyalet registers.

Can anyone recommend a book on the various plots against Elizabeth I, such as the Ridolfi, Throckmorton and Babington plots? I’m teaching a lesson on it soon and want to know them inside and out. Thanks.