Couronnements, mariages, veuvages, trahisons, guerres, triomphes, échecs, meurtres, complots bisbilles religieuses, incarcérations, évasions... Tels sont les jalons du destin sans égal de Marie Stuart (1542-1587), reine d'Ecosse, dont l'existence, tant de fois portée sur les écrans et sur les scènes de théâtre, n'est qu'une répétition inlassable des mêmes combats : égrenant plusieurs vies, intervertissant plusieurs fois les rôles de reine, d'épouse, de captive, de fuyarde, de conquérante ou de vaincue, mais restant portée par la foi et l'ambition dans son long combat contre sa rivale Elisabeth d'Angleterre, elle échoua contre cette dernière au cours d'une longue lutte et d'une fin aussi théâtrale que dramatique.

Marie Stuart reine d'Ecosse ; biographie

Alexander the Great died when he was quite young. He was but thirty-two years of age when he ended his career, and as he was about twenty when he commenced it, it was only for a period of twelve years that he was actually engaged in performing the work of his life. Napoleon was nearly three times as long on the great field of human action.

Notwithstanding the briefness of Alexander's career, he ran through, during that short period, a very brilliant series of exploits, which were so bold, so romantic, and which led him into such adventures in scenes of the greatest magnificence and splendor, that all the world looked on with astonishment then, and mankind have continued to read the story since, from age to age, with the greatest interest and attention.

The secret of Alexander's success was his character. He possessed a certain combination of mental and personal attractions, which in every age gives to those who exhibit it a mysterious and almost unbounded ascendency over all within their influence. Alexander was characterized by these qualities in a very remarkable degree. He was finely formed in person, and very prepossessing in his manners. He was active, athletic, and full of ardor and enthusiasm in all that he did. At the same time, he was calm, collected, and considerate in emergencies requiring caution, and thoughtful and far-seeing in respect to the bearings and consequences of his acts. He formed strong attachments, was grateful for kindnesses shown to him, considerate in respect to the feelings of all who were connected with him in any way, faithful to his friends, and generous toward his foes. In a word, he had a noble character, though he devoted its energies unfortunately to conquest and war. He lived, in fact, in an age when great personal and mental powers had scarcely any other field for their exercise than this. He entered upon his career with great ardor, and the position in which he was placed gave him the opportunity to act in it with prodigious effect.

Alexander the Great

The word khan is not a name, but a title. It means chieftain or king. It is a word used in various forms by the different tribes and nations that from time immemorial have inhabited Central Asia, and has been applied to a great number of potentates and rulers that have from time to time arisen among them. 

Genghis Khan was the greatest of these princes.

He was, in fact, one of the most renowned conquerors whose exploits history records.

Livres