From Alexander the Great to Vladimir Lenin: 10 myths about historical figures

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The Macedonian was not poisoned, Caesar did not perform several tasks at the same time, and Catherine II was not a terrible lecher.

1. Alexander the Great was poisoned

The great conqueror of the era of Antiquity, the Macedonian king Alexander III died in 323 BC. NS. from illness in a campaign, subjugating territories from Egypt to India. There is a widespread belief that he was poisoned.

One of the first to write about this was Marcus Junianus Justinus. Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus. London. 1853. Roman historian Mark Junian Justin, claiming that Antipater, a general and close friend of Macedon, gave him an extremely strong poison.

But in fact, the exact reasons for the death of Alexander the Great are still unknown. Some scientists believe that his death is associated with infectious or viral diseases, such as malaria or West Nile fever.

Another version says that the commander's illness was caused by an overdose of the white hellebore (Veratrum album), which was used by the Greeks to drive out evil spirits through vomiting.

The researchers also remind that in his last years the Macedonian drank and feasted a lot, which also could not but affect his health. Therefore, there is a version that he died of pancreatitis.

In any case, researchers tend to attribute the death of the great conqueror to natural causes, rather than deliberate poisoning.

2. Caesar was a multitasking genius

A person who can do several things at the same time is often compared to Caesar. But to argue that he really was a super multitasker is difficult. This myth about Gaius Julia Caesar is especially popular in Russia; it is much less common in the West.

So, in the stories of contemporaries, there is very little information about Caesar's multitasking. Suetonius Guy Suetonius Tranquill. The Life of the Twelve Caesars. Divine Julius. M. 1993. says nothing about this in the biography of the legendary ruler himself. And only in the biography of Caesar's son Augustus, he casually mentions that Gaius Julius responded to letters and reports during gladiatorial battles - and this caused disapproval among his contemporaries.

Plutarch writes Plutarch. Comparative biographies. Caesar. M. 1994. that during the campaigns Caesar on horseback dictated letters to two or more scribes at the same time. Plutarch also claims that Caesar may have been one of the first to come up with the idea of exchanging notes and letters if business did not allow for a personal meeting - such an ancient analogue of SMS. However, all this does not look very much like a super-ability to do several things at once.

Pliny the Elder says the most about Caesar's multitasking:

Pliny the Elder "Natural History". Book VII. Chapter 25.

As I learned, he used to dictate and listen at the same time when he was writing or reading. Indeed, he immediately dictated to his scribes four letters about the most important matters, and if he was not busy with anything else, then seven.

However, the same Pliny is often criticized by Pliny the Elder. Natural history. Book VII. Foreword by A. N. Markin. Bulletin of the Udmurt University. Series "History and Philology". Izhevsk. 2010. for amateurism, gullibility and uncriticality, as he collected in one work a lot of motley information from unverified sources. Also, errors could have penetrated into the text during subsequent correspondence - the original manuscript has not been preserved.

Perhaps Caesar was simply good at switching between tasks, or even himself (or his subsequent biographers) created for himself the image of an omnipotent ruler.

It is known that Napoleon, who wanted to catch up and surpass the Roman politician in everything, could also dictate up to seven letters at a time. He used Carlin D. Learn Napoleon's Secret To Success: Stop Multitasking. Forbes. something like a "palace of the mind" technique, opening and closing "cases with cases" in the mind. That is, Napoleon knew how to concentrate well on one task. Research proves that this approach is most effective.

Probably a similar skill could also explain Caesar's productivity and success. In any case, all sources agree that he possessed tremendous energy and efficiency, and also skillfully and quickly made decisions.

3. Cleopatra was Egyptian

Since the collapse of the power of Alexander the Great, Egypt was ruled by the Hellenistic (Greek) dynasty of the Ptolemies. Cleopatra VII was Kravchuk A. Sunset of the Ptolemies. M. 1973. its representative. By that time (the middle of the 1st century BC), the Ptolemies had ruled Egypt for about 250 years, and all this time the dynasty tried not to mix with the local population: the brothers married sisters.

Cleopatra owes her accession to the throne to her charm. She was very educated, she knew several languages. Not possessing incredible beauty, Plutarch was able to. Comparative biographies. Anthony. M. 1994. to captivate people with sociability and charm. It is not surprising that Caesar and Mark Antony could not resist her spell. Caesar, among other things, supported the claims of the young Cleopatra to the Egyptian throne, defeating the army loyal to her brother Avlet. Suetonius writes Guy Suetonius Tranquill. The Life of the Twelve Caesars. Divine Julius. M. 1993. that Caesar loved Cleopatra more than his wife and numerous mistresses.

4. Genghis Khan executed the inhabitants of the cities he had taken by millions

The myth of the incredible cruelty of Genghis Khan, who became the great khan in 1206, is found even in real historical sources. The 13th century Persian historian Juzjani, in his work Tabakat-i-Nasiri, writes that during the capture of Herat, Genghis Khan executed 2.4 million of its inhabitants. Persian historians say the same about the capture of other cities of Central (Central) Asia by the Mongol ruler, for example, Merva Ibn Al-Athir. Al-Kamil Fi-t-Ta'rih ("Complete set of history"). 2005..

However, most likely, the Persians, who were hostile to the pagan Mongols, overestimated these numbers. American anthropologist Jack Witherford believes that the total population of Central Asian cities in the 13th century did not always make up even one tenth of the victims attributed to Genghis Khan. He says that the soil in the area is capable of preserving human remains for thousands of years, but no millions have been found dead.

However, it must be admitted that the Mongol conquest led to the decline of crafts and trade, and, consequently, to economic downtime in the cities of Central Asia. Also, Genghis Khan's warriors raged in other regions - for example, in China.

5. Fernand Magellan became the first person to circumnavigate the world

The great Portuguese traveler Fernand Magellan was the organizer and commander of the first known round-the-world expedition. It lasted almost four years (1519-1522), and of the five ships that left Spain, only the ship "Victoria" returned. But Magellan was not on it.

But let's start in order. At the turn of the 15th – 16th centuries, Spain and Portugal were actively investigating I. P. Magidovich, V. I. Magidovich. Essays on the history of geographical discoveries. M. 1983. sea routes. They were especially interested in the road to India, the goods from which could be sold very expensively in Europe.

Fernand Magellan proposed an expedition, in general, repeating the journey of Columbus. Magellan also believed that the shortest route to India is not bypassing the African continent, but across the Atlantic Ocean, if you follow to the west.

Then many educated people believed that the Earth is much smaller and most of it is land. Magellan also made this mistake, deciding that he could quickly go around America and reach India. So, the travelers took stocks with the expectation of only two years. Lange PV Like the sun … The life of Fernand Magellan and the first voyage around the world. M. 1988. Magellan did not know the real size of either America or the Pacific Ocean behind it. And nevertheless, the expedition hit the road.

Magellan was not going to go around the entire globe, he wanted to swim to India and return in the same way.

On the way of Magellan and his companions many misadventures awaited Magidovich I. P., Magidovich V. I. Essays on the history of geographical discoveries. M. 1983. There were mutinies in his flotilla several times. Already off the coast of America, food was scarce, and during the long exhausting voyage across the Pacific Ocean, scurvy was added to the famine.

After crossing the ocean, Magellan's slave Enrique recognized I. P. Magidovich, V. I. Magidovich. Essays on the history of geographical discoveries. M. 1983. native speech in the dialect of the aborigines of one of the islands of the Philippines. Enrique was born in Sumatra, one of the largest islands in Indonesia, neighboring the Philippines, and was taken to Europe by Portuguese traders as a slave. So, technically, it was he who became the first person to circumnavigate the globe.

In the Philippines, Magellan tried to spread the Catholic religion among the islanders. Having got involved in their tribal struggle, he was killed by PV Lange. Like the sun … The life of Fernand Magellan and the first voyage around the world. M. 1988. April 27, 1521.

The expedition had to be completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano, a former captain of a merchant ship, helmsman, and later commander of one of the ships of Magellan's flotilla. So the first Europeans to circumnavigate the Earth were 17 people aboard the Victoria led by Elcano.

6. Galileo Galilei said: "And yet it turns!"

Galileo Galilei, an Italian scientist at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, was one of the first to use a telescope to prove that the Earth revolves around the Sun, and not vice versa. This led him to a clash with the Catholic Church, and in the face of the Inquisition, Galileo was forced to renounce his views. But the rebellious astronomer, leaving the dock, said: "And yet it turns!" (Italian: E pur si muove or Eppur si muove). Many people think so, but in reality there is no evidence of this fact.

Not a single source of the times of the trial of Galileo regarding his "heretical" work "Dialogue on the Two Most Important Systems of the World" mentions "And yet it turns!" For the first time this statement is found only 124 years after the trial - in the anthology "Italian Library" by Giuseppe Baretti. Also, the inscription Eppur si muove was found on the reverse side of the portrait of Galileo, made 1-3 years after his death. There is a version that the painting belonged to General Ottavio Piccolomini. Perhaps he is the author of the aphorism.

7. Cardinal Richelieu was a monstrous villain and ruled over France instead of the king

Cardinal of the Catholic Church, aristocrat and first minister of France (1624-1642) Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke de Richelieu, is known to many for his demonic image in the novel "The Three Musketeers" by Alexander Dumas. In the book and the films based on it, a high-ranking churchman appears as an intriguer who rules France instead of a weak and apathetic king. But in reality it was not like that.

Modern historical research paints a very different portrait of Comptes rendus. Histoire, économie & société. cardinal - unsure of his position and afraid of losing the favor of King Louis XIII.

The real ruler of France was not a mumble at all. His father got the throne at the cost of considerable efforts, and Louis decisively extended his power to uncontrolled territories - then religious wars continued, the confrontation between Catholics and Huguenots. Although the king of France suffered de La Rochefoucauld F. Memoirs. Maxims. L. 1971. from stuttering, was in poor health and most often was in a bad mood, in no way Shishkin V. V. Noble entourage of Louis XIII. French Yearbook. 2001. to name the king as the shadow of his first minister.

At the same time, Richelieu was indeed a skillful intriguer. He opposed the Comptes rendus. Histoire, économie & société. opponents by cunning and handed out high positions to members of his family. He, just like in the films, had a personal guard, obtained bypassing the law that only a monarch could have it. However, it must be said that the king himself appointed Richelieu 100 horse guards to guard after the disclosure of a conspiracy to assassinate the church ruler. Then another 200 foot musketeers were added to them. Subsequently, the army of the cardinal only grew - with the approval of the king. So the guards of the king and the high priest could only collide in movies and books. Or, as a last resort, in an illegal duel.

But even possessing the location of the king, the cardinal was forced to maneuver between strong groups Shishkin V. V. Noble entourage of Louis XIII. French Yearbook. 2001 at the royal court. And we must give him his due: after all, the alternative to intrigue at that time was only direct violence.

The bloody glory was fixed for Richelieu because of the execution of a number of nobles. Someone paid for participation in conspiracies, and someone - for the murder of an opponent in a duel. So, Victor Hugo, describing Hugo V. Marion Delorme. Dramas. M. 1958. Execution of the rebellious nobleman Henri de Saint-Mar, mentions how his beloved asks the cardinal for pardon, but Richelieu replies that there will be no mercy. In fact, only the king could have made such a decision. The cardinal, apparently, preferred to send opponents into exile or imprisonment in the Bastille.

8. Peter I brought potatoes to Russia and forced the peasants to grow them

Peter I really loved everything outlandish and unusual and gladly ordered rarities from abroad. For example, one of the delicacies brought by the sovereign from abroad was pickled mango. And the Proceedings of the Free Economic Society are considered. 1852. that it was Peter who sent the first sack of potatoes from Holland to Russia.

But potatoes did not receive much distribution in Russia at that time. The peasants were distrustful of the overseas product, and no one really knew how to grow and use it correctly. And this was not only in Russia: potatoes did not take root for a long time in France either. Doctors considered it poisonous, parliament in 1630 banned its cultivation altogether, and Queen Marie Antoinette used potato flowers as a decoration for her hair.

The real spread of potatoes in Russia is associated with the reign of Catherine II and began in the 1760s – 1770s, that is, 40–50 years after the death of the first Russian emperor. In 1765, the Senate Instruction "On the cultivation of ground apples" was published, and then the first scientific articles about potatoes appeared Berdyshev A. P. Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov: The first Russian scientist agronomist. M. 1949. It was believed that popularizing this crop could help fight hunger during crop failures.

By the beginning of the 19th century, potatoes had already spread widely throughout the country, and by the end of the century, Russian peasants were trying to occupy all the free land for them. So potatoes became a product practically equivalent to bread.

9. Catherine II was an incredibly depraved woman

Catherine II was not the first woman on the throne, either in the world or in Russia. However, her image not only aroused admiration, but also gave rise to a huge number of rumors and myths. One of them was the idea of the empress's depravity and sexual insatiability, reaching completely implausible tales that she died during sexual intercourse with a horse.

It is reliably known that Catherine II died Eliseeva OI Catherine the Great. The secret life of the Empress. M. 2015. from a stroke (apoplectic stroke) in her dressing room - the room in which the empress dressed - at the age of 67. This alone is enough to fundamentally refute the version with the horse.

However, there were indeed many favorites with whom the empress had a love relationship. Over the course of 43 years of Catherine's reign, there were from 12 to 15 Kamensky A. B. Catherine II. Questions of history., or even more - information about some is unreliable. It is also known about her two illegitimate children: her daughter, who died in infancy, and her son Alexander Bobrinsky.

But it is worth saying that with her first two lovers (Saltykov and Ponyatovsky), Catherine was forced to part against her will, and, for example, her romance with Grigory Orlov lasted more than 10 years. At the same time, she always made political decisions herself, and it is fundamentally wrong to say that her favorites ruled for the empress.

In addition, in the moral norms of the 18th century, the presence of the Empress's favorites was not considered Kamensky A. B. Catherine II. Questions of history. something unacceptable. They were also among the predecessors of Catherine II - Anna Ioannovna and Elizabeth Petrovna.

10. Lenin was an agent of the German General Staff

In June 1917, Vladimir Lenin and a number of other leaders of the RSDLP (b) - the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (Bolsheviks) - were charged with espionage and sabotage activities in favor of the German General Staff. This happened when Russia was still at war with Germany in the First World War.

Indeed, many of the Bolsheviks returned to Russia from emigration quite recently (Lenin in April 1917), passing through German territory. As evidence, counterintelligence presented the testimony of warrant officer Dmitry Ermolenko, who had returned from German captivity. He said that in the German General Staff he had heard the name of Lenin as an active German agent.

However, an analysis of the documents shows that there was no real evidence in the "Bolshevik case", and that it itself was falsification.

First, it would be absurd to give out the name of such a valuable agent as Lenin, Ermolenko, who immediately after his return fell into the hands of Russian counterintelligence. This was pointed out by the Bolsheviks themselves.

Secondly, the "German trace" is not confirmed by any other sources. So, the historian Semyon Lyandres analyzed the telegrams of the RSDLP (b) intercepted by the Russian counterintelligence. He came to the conclusion that there are no indications of "German gold" in them: for example, where it is written about the sale of pencils, it really means pencils that were then in short supply in Russia.

Thirdly, even the financial assistance that came to the Russian revolutionaries from Germany was, in fact, symbolic. And it is not a fact that it was addressed to the Bolsheviks. Thus, a study of the documents of the German Foreign Ministry showed that out of the 382 million marks spent by the German General Staff on agitation and propaganda, a little more than 10% went to the Russian direction. Another conclusion of this study was that most of the money was received by the Bolsheviks after the October Revolution, but even this does not have sufficient evidence.

They also tried to prove that the October Revolution was "played out" for German marks with the help of forged documents. For example, in 1918, a journalist from the United States, Edgar Sisson, bought in Petrograd a huge number of documents about the German-Bolshevik conspiracy. American diplomat George F. Kennan and Russian historian Vitaly Startsev VI Startsev German Money and the Russian Revolution: An Unwritten Novel by Ferdinand Ossendovsky. SPb. 2006. proved that the "owner" of the documents, the writer Ferdinand Ossendowski, composed them.