Without a doubt, the most famous prince of Wallachia was Vlad III, popularly known as Țepeș (“the Impaler”) or Drăculea (a diminutive of Dracul, “Dragon,” the nickname of his father, Vlad II), and the historical seed for the vampire count in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. However, this character—the real one—was not the only member of […]
Constantinople
Posted inMiddle Ages
The Legend of the Fairy Flag, an Enigmatic Protective Relic of the Scottish Clan MacLeod that May Originate from Constantinople
In a recent article dedicated to the Scottish explorer Olive MacLeod, we mentioned the existence of a curious relic that was somewhat like the talisman of the clan to which she belonged. This object is kept in Dunvegan Castle and is a banner that, according to tradition, was made by a fairy who married a […]
Posted inMiddle Ages
Cyriacus of Ancona, the Italian Humanist Considered the Father of Archaeology Who Identified the Pyramids and the Parthenon
Although the German Johann Joachim Winckelmann is generally considered the father of modern archaeology, it’s important to note that this science didn’t suddenly appear in the 18th century but had roots hundreds of years earlier, particularly in the Italian Renaissance, which revived Greco-Roman artistic and cultural classicism. Consequently, one might call one of those multidisciplinary […]
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The Turbulent Life of Andronicus I Comnenus, who Managed to Become Emperor by Escaping after 12 Years in Captivity
It’s tough to imagine a life more turbulent and extravagant than that of Andronicus Comnenus, Byzantine emperor and the last of his dynasty. Charismatic, contradictory, lover of worldly pleasures, expert military man, his strong character and lack of scruples led him to experience extreme situations, including twelve years of captivity, numerous military campaigns, scandalous love […]
