Porto is one of the typical destinations for a vacation or tourist visit in Portugal. However, for those who are already familiar with the city or seek something beyond the usual, a trip to Póvoa de Varzim is highly recommended. This town, located about 30 kilometers away, boasts two particularly special spots not to be […]
Jorge Álvarez
Degree in History and Diploma in Archival and Library Science. Founder and director of Apuntes magazine (2002-2005). Creator of the blog El Viajero Incidental. Travel and tourism blogger since 2009 in Viajeros. Editor of LBV Magazine.
Posted inAncient Rome
Stoic Opposition: The Philosophers Who Defied Roman Emperors
Opposing an established government is part of the political game, and democratic systems consider it normal. However, where power is absolute, things become much more difficult, and the problem is that, throughout history, this has been the general trend. That is why it is surprising to discover that in a regime as autocratic as the […]
Posted inModern Era
German Empire: The Unprecedented Federal State Formed by Kingdoms, Principalities, Duchies, and Republics, Where the Ruler Was Both Monarch and President
It is not the parliament that must grant it. With this terse statement, Frederick William IV of Prussia rejected the title of Kaiser der Deutschen (Emperor of the Germans) offered to him by the Frankfurt parliamentarians after the 1848 Revolution, as he believed it should be an initiative of the German princes. It was not […]
Posted inModern Era
Shiroyama, the Epic Battle That Marked the End of the Samurai
Some time ago, we published an article titled Saigō Takamori, the True Story of the Last Samurai, recounting the story of this singular figure, ending with a brief narration of his death. He perished in the Battle of Shiroyama, a fight that marked the end of the so-called Satsuma Rebellion. This occurred amidst the turbulent, […]
Posted inSecond World War
How the Germans Developed and Used the First Operational Jet Bomber in History During World War II
The first operational jet bomber in history was called the Arado Ar 234 Blitz and entered service with the Luftwaffe in 1943 during World War II. It participated in several operations, demonstrating a speed that made it impossible for enemy fighters to intercept. However, it did not have the impact it could have had because […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
Tamerlane, the Turco-Mongol Leader Who Formed an Alliance with the Kingdom of Castile in the 15th Century
The National Library of Spain preserves one of the most fascinating travel books from the Late Middle Ages, following the tradition of other illustrious literary travelers such as Marco Polo, John Mandeville, Ibn Battuta, and others. It is impossible to determine who authored it, with speculation suggesting that it might have been King Henry III […]
Posted inAncient Greece
Agathocleia, the Greek Queen Who Ruled Northern India
Women were relegated to secondary roles in Ancient Greece, which is why most queenly names belong to mythology: Jocasta, Leda, Pelops, Gorgophone, Aglaea… A few historical ones could be added, but they ruled only as consorts, such as Stratonice of Cappadocia, Philistis, Nereis of Epirus, or Stratonice of Pergamum. However, during the Hellenistic Period, things […]
Posted inSecond World War
The Invasion of Saint Pierre and Miquelon in 1941, the Only Nazi Germany-loyal Territory in North America, Lasted 20 Minutes
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon), a French archipelago of two islands located in North America about twenty-five kilometers off the coast of Newfoundland, is the last remaining vestige of the former Viceroyalty of New France (which encompassed parts of what are now Canada and the United States, such as Quebec and Louisiana). Like other territories, […]
Posted inModern Era
The English Society Dedicated to the Study of Fairies, of Which Walt Disney Was a Member
When the bullfighter Rafael el Gallo was introduced to Ortega y Gasset and told that he was a philosopher, he left a phrase for posterity: There’s people for everything. This expression has become a true aphorism that we could well apply today to the subject of this article, as we are about to delve into […]
Posted inSecond World War
Operation K: The Failed Second Japanese Aerial Attack on Pearl Harbor with Seaplanes, Three Months After the Initial Strike
It is not widely known due to the limited scale of the action and its poor results, but three months after their devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese carried out a second raid. The aim was to force the U.S. fleet to venture into open waters and engage in a decisive battle, taking advantage […]
