Paintings depicting scenes from European history

[Ferran]

Valdemar Atterdag holding Visby to ransom, 1361

Author: Carl Gustaf Hellqvist
Year: 1882
Location: Nationalmuseum, Stockholm



This painting depicts how the Danish king Valdemar IV (a.k.a. Valdemar Atterdag) collects treasures from the people in the Gotlandic medieval town of Visby in the summer of 1361 AD. If the town's people do not fill the three big beer vats with gold, silver and other riches, Valdemar will see to that the whole town is burned to the ground. In Swedish this action is called "brandskattning", literally "fire-tax", but in English there appears to be no corresponding word (?)—the nearest translation would be "pillage" or "extortion".

[Ferran]

The Landing of H.R.H. the Princess Alexandra at Gravesend, March 7 1863

Author: Henry Nelson O'Neil
Year: 1864
Location: National Maritime Museum, London



A small study for a large painting by the artist, now in the National Portrait Gallery, NPG5487. The study records the arrival of Princess Alexandra of Denmark at Gravesend, 7 March 1863, immediately prior to her marriage to Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales and the eldest son of Queen Victoria. This was to take place on 10 March 1863 at Windsor Castle. It marks the moment when the Princess, accompanied by her family, stepped on to British soil. This followed her disembarkation from the royal yacht 'Victoria and Albert' after a crossing of the North Sea. The yacht was escorted by a squadron of British ships including the 'Revenge', the flagship of Admiral Smart who was in command of the Channel Fleet, and the armour-plated frigates 'Warrior', 'Resistance' and 'Defence'. The principal figures are portraits taken either from life studies, or, in the case of the Danish royal family, from photographs. Princess Alexandra is wearing a blue-mauve dress with a velvet fur-trimmed jacket and is accompanied by her family; King Christian IX of Denmark, Princess Dagmar, later Empress of Russia, Prince Frederick of Denmark, Prince George of Denmark and Queen Louise.

[Ferran]

László Hunyadi on the Bier (March 16, 1457)

Author: Viktor Madarász
Year: 1859
Location: Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest



Viktor Madarász gained the first international appreciation for Hungarian painting when his picture, "The Bewailing of László Hunyadi" won the State Grand Prix at the 1861 Paris Salon Exhibition. This rather romantic historical painting of the Hunyadi tragedy epitomizes the national grief of the 1850s, and fans the fire of revenge. The dead body of the heroic László Hunyadi, son of the great János Hunyadi, lies in Buda Castle Chapel. King László V, fearing for throne, had lured the popular young Hunyadi to his place with a promise of safe passage. Then he seized him and had him beheaded in the market place at Buda on March 16, 1457. At the feet of body, his mother, Erzsébet Szilágyi, and his bride, Mária Gara, kneel in grief.

[Ferran]

A Thin Red Line (Battle of Balaclava - October 25, 1854)

Author: Robert Gibb
Year: 1881
Location: ?



The Thin Red Line was a famous military action by the British Army's 93rd (Highland) Regiment at the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854, during the Crimean War. In this incident the 93rd aided by a small scratch force of Royal Marines and some Turkish infantrymen, led by Sir Colin Campbell, routed a Russian cavalry charge. Previously Campbell’s Highland Brigade had taken part in actions at Alma and Sevastopol.

[Ferran]

The Presentation of Don John of Austria to Charles V in c.1558

Author: Eduardo Rosales
Year: 1869
Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid



Retired in the monastery of Yuste, Charles receives Don Juan of Austria, his illegitimate son, who has been secretly raised in Leganés under the name of Jerónimo. The future great captain, winner of Lepanto, appeared for the first time before the emperor, and still he had to meet his brother, Phillip II, who would recognize him and give him titles and honours, but above all, an opportunity to show off his many talents.

[FrN]

Battle of Kulikovo
Author: Prisekin S.N.
Year: 1980
Location: Grand Kremlin Palace (?)

The Battle of Kulikovo (September 8, 1380) was fought by the Tartaro-Mongols (the Golden Horde) and the Russians.



The Battle of the Ice
Author: Prisekin S.N.
Year: 1983
Location: Grand Kremlin Palace (?)

The Battle of the Ice also known as the Battle of Lake Peipus was a battle between the Republic of Novgorod and the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights on April 5, 1242, at Lake Peipus.

[Ferran]

The Prussian Homage (April 10, 1525)

Author: Jan Matejko
Year: 1882
Location: National Museum in Kraków



The Prussian Homage or Tribute (German: Preußische Huldigung; Polish: hołd pruski) was the formal investment of Albert of Prussia as duke of the Polish fief of Ducal Prussia.

[Ferran]

Battle of Tétouan (January 31, 1861)

Author: Dionisio Fierros Álvarez
Year: 1894
Location: ?



The Battle of Tétouan was a battle fought near Tétouan, Morocco between the Spanish Army of Africa and the Moroccan Army in 1860. The battle was part of the Spanish-Moroccan war of 1859-1860.

[Ferran]

Congress of Berlin (1878)

Author: Anton von Werner
Year: 1881
Location: Rotes Rathaus



The Congress of Berlin (June 13 - July 13, 1878) was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans. Otto von Bismarck, who led the Congress, undertook to balance the distinct interests of Britain, Russia and Austria-Hungary. As a consequence, however, differences between Russia and Austria-Hungary intensified, as did the nationality question in the Balkans.

The congress was aimed at the revision of the Treaty of San Stefano and at keeping Constantinople in Ottoman hands. It effectively disavowed Russia's victory over the decaying Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78. The Congress of Berlin redistributed back to the Ottoman Empire certain Bulgarian territories that the previous treaty had given to the Principality of Bulgaria, most notably Macedonia.

[Ferran]

The Bulgarian martyresses (Batak massacre - 1876)

Author: Konstantin Makovsky
Year: 1877
Location: ?



Batak played an important role during the April Uprising. Few weeks after the beginning of the uprising, the city proclaims freedom, and for 9 days, the city was independent, under the authority of Revolutionary committee. The rebellious city was reported to the Turkish authorities. On 30 April 1876, 8,000 Turkish soldiers, mainly Bashi-bazouk, led by Ahmet Aga Barun surrounded the city. After a first battle, the men from Batak decided to negotiate with Ahmet Aga. He promised them the withdrawal of his troops, under the condition of their disarmament. After the rebels had laid down their weapons, the Bashi-bazouk attacked the defenseless population. The majority of the victims were beheaded.

[Ricardo Reis]

"The Exodus of Messolonghi", by Theodoros Vryzakis



"Messolonghi revolted against the Turks on May 20 1821 and was a major stronghold of the Greek rebels in the Greek War of Indipendence. Its inhabitants successfully resisted a siege by Ottoman forces in 1822. The second siege started on April 15, 1825 by Kioutachis whose army numbered 30,000 men and was later reinforced by another 10,000 men led by Ibrahim, son of Mohamed Ali of Egypt. After a year of relentless enemy attacks and facing starvation, the people of Mesolonghi decided to leave the beleaguered city in the "Exodus of its Guards" (The Sortie) on the night of April 10, 1826. Messolonghi first revolted against the Turks in 1821 and was a major stronghold of the Greek insurgents in the Greek War of Indipendence. Its inhabitants successfully resisted a siege by Turkish forces of the Ottoman Empire in 1822. The second siege started on April 15, 1825 by Kioutachis. At the time, there were 10,500 people in Messolonghi 3,500 of which were armed. Very few people survived the Turkish pincer movement after the betrayal of their plan. Reverend Kapsalis gathered the old, the wounded and the sick in the city's powder magazine and as the Turkish army was entering the city lit the fuse. The impact of this and other similar actions of self sacrifice, was immense, convincing people all around Europe of the just cause of the revolution."


"Greece on the ruins of Messolonghi", by Eugene Delacroix





"Scene from the Sortie", by E. de Lunsak


Mother kills her son and commits suicide to avoid slavery.


"The Sacrifice of Kapsalis", by Theodoros Vryzakis

[AleksandarBG]

Author: Iaroslav Veshin
Description...
This shows our attack on knife in fronts over Doiran, in the WW1. In the hardest part of the front fights our 9 Pleven devizion(devizion from my city and region, i`m so proud ). Our forces attack anglo-french(and greece too)forces with attack on knife. They sturm on 1/7(for no-Bulgarien forces) capacitet of the forces... AND WIN!!! The commander was General Georgi Vazov.Here is the statistic of the fights...
4 days fight:
England lost - 4000 soldiers and officers and give 550 captured(by Bulgariens).
Greece lost - 20000 warriors.
France lost - 3500.
Pleven forces lost - 494 killed, and 1208 injured.




Here is our medieval king- Simeon The Great!
When Simeon ruled Bulgaria have a great like size territory. And a golden age for Bulgarien culture. This one of the greatest(maybe the great) Bulgarien rulers.


This is from Sudak. Medieval Bulgarien fortress in the territory of the Old Great Bulgaria(one of the three Bulgaries, another one is - Volga Bulgaria and my Danube Bulgaria).

[ImperiaBG]

Varna Battle 1443-1444

[Wladyslaw Warnenczyk]

Poles defeating the huge bolshevik army at the battle of Warsaw,called later "The Wisla miracle".