New Weekly Quest: The Sept 24th Birth Of King, Queen and Guru.

This week we present The Sept 24th Birth Of King, Queen and Guru. On this day, three great were born:

• 15 – Vitellius, Roman Emperor
• 1513 – Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Sweden
• 1534 – Guru Ram Das, fourth Sikh Guru

Great things happened on this same day!

15 – Vitellius, Roman Emperor

Vitellius (Latin: Aulus Vitellius Germanicus Augustus; 24 September 15 – 22 December 69), was Roman Emperor for eight months, from 16 April to 22 December 69. Vitellius was acclaimed emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors. Vitellius was the first to add the honorific cognomen Germanicus to his name instead of Caesar upon his accession; the latter name had fallen into disrepute in many quarters because of the actions of Nero. His claim to the throne was soon challenged by legions stationed in the eastern provinces, who proclaimed their commander Vespasian emperor instead. War ensued, leading to a crushing defeat for Vitellius at the Second Battle of Bedriacum in northern Italy. Once he realised his support was wavering, Vitellius prepared to abdicate in favour of Vespasian, but was executed in Rome by Vespasian’s soldiers on December 22 of 69. He was the son of Lucius Vitellius Veteris and his wife Sextilia, and had one brother, Lucius Vitellius the Younger. Suetonius recorded two different accounts of the origins of the Vitellius (gens), one making them descendants of past rulers of Latium, the other describing them as of lowly origins; Suetonius makes the sensible remark that both accounts might have been made by either flatterers or enemies of Vitellius—except that both were in circulation before Vitellius became emperor. Suetonius also recorded that when Vitellius was born his horoscope so horrified his parents that his father tried to prevent Aulus from becoming a consul.

He married firstly before the year 40 Petronia, daughter of Publius or Gaius Petronius Pontius Nigrinus, by whom he had a son Aulus Vitellius Petronianus, the universal heir of his mother and grandfather. He married secondly circa 50 Galeria Fundana (ca 40 – aft. 69), perhaps the granddaughter of Gaius Galerius (ca 15 BC – aft. 23), Praefectus Aeg. in 23. They had two children, a son called Germanicus and an unnamed daughter (b. ca 55). Settipani and Birley have suggested that this daughter married Libo Rupilius Frugi, the father of Rupilia Faustina. Suetonius, whose father had fought for Otho at Bedriacum, gives an unfavourable account of Vitellius’ brief administration: he describes him as unambitious and notes that Vitellius showed indications of a desire to govern wisely, but that Valens and Caecina encouraged him in a course of vicious excesses which threw his better qualities into the background. Vitellius is described as lazy and self-indulgent, fond of eating and drinking, and an obese glutton, eating banquets four times a day and feasting on rare foods he would send the Roman navy to procure. For these banquets, he had himself invited over to a different noble’s house for each one. He is even reported to have starved his own mother to death—to fulfill a prophecy that he would rule long if his mother died first. Other writers, namely Tacitus and Cassius Dio, disagree with some of Suetonius’ assertions, even though their own accounts of Vitellius are scarcely positive ones.

Despite his short reign he made two important contributions to Roman government which outlasted him. Tacitus describes them both in his Histories:

Vitellius ended the practice of Centurions selling furloughs and exemptions of duty to their men, a change Tacitus describes as being adopted by ‘all good emperors’.

He also expanded the offices of the Imperial Administration beyond the imperial pool of Freedmen allowing those of the Equites to take up positions in the Imperial Civil service.

Vitellius also banned astrologers from Rome and Italy from 1 October, 69. Some astrologers responded to his decree by anonymously publishing a decree of their own: “Decreed by all astrologers in blessing on our State Vitellius will be no more on the appointed date.” In response, Vitellius executed any astrologers he came across.

In July 69, Vitellius learned that the armies of the eastern provinces had proclaimed a rival emperor; their commander, Titus Flavius Vespasianus. As soon as it was known that the armies of the East, Dalmatia, and Illyricum had declared for Vespasianus, Vitellius, deserted by many of his adherents, would have resigned the title of emperor. It is said that Vitellius awaited Vespasian’s army at Mevania. It was said that the terms of resignation had actually been agreed upon with Marcus Antonius Primus, the commander of the sixth legion serving in Pannonia and one of Vespasian’s chief supporters, but the praetorians refused to allow him to carry out the agreement, and forced him to return to the palace, when he was on his way to deposit the insignia of empire in the Temple of Concord. On the entrance of Vespasian’s troops into Rome he was dragged out of some miserable hiding-place (according to Tacitus a door-keeper’s lodge), driven to the fatal Gemonian stairs, and there struck down. His body was thrown into the Tiber according to Suetonius; Cassius Dio’s account is that Vitellius was beheaded and his head paraded around Rome, and his wife attended to his burial. “Yet I was once your emperor,” were the last and, as far as we know, the noblest words of Vitellius. His brother and son were also killed.

1513 – Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Sweden

Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (Katarina in Swedish) (24 September 1513 – 23 September 1535) was the first consort of Gustav I of Sweden and Queen of Sweden from 1531 until her death in 1535. She was born in Ratzeburg to Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg and Catherine, daughter of Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. King Gustav married Catherine for political reasons. Negotiations began in 1528. He wanted closer connections with German Protestant rulers in order to gain support for his reformation efforts and his throne. The marriage also gave Gustav closer connections to the throne of Denmark, as Catherine’s older sister Dorothea was engaged to Christian, the Crown Prince of Denmark. Catherine was 18 years old when Gustav’s proposal was accepted, and she travelled to Sweden in the company of her mother. They were married on 24 September 1531. The short marriage was allegedly stormy and remained so after the birth of their son and only child, the future King Eric XIV of Sweden, in 1533. Catherine never learned to speak Swedish, and as her husband’s German was less than perfect, they had difficulty in communicating and did not spend much time together. It has been claimed that Queen Catherine was not popular, was intrigant, melancholy and full of whims, and that she also complained about her husband to Count John of Hoya who was married to her sister-in-law Margaret.

During a visit by her brother-in-law Christian III, the recently crowned King of Denmark (and her sister’s husband as noted above), she allegedly accused Gustav of planning to murder him. At a castle ball, she and Christian fell while dancing, which caused her to have a miscarriage. She died soon after Christian’s departure, on 23 September 1535, two weeks after her fall, and was eventually buried in Uppsala Cathedral after Gustav died in 1560. After her death, rumors about the cause of it were spread by Gustav’s enemies, claiming that he had killed Catherine with a silver hammer he used to summon servants. No formal accusation was made by Catherine’s family, and an analysis of her remains, made during the 20th century, showed no damage to her skull or to the rest of her skeleton.

1534 – Guru Ram Das, fourth Sikh Guru

Guru Ram Das (1534–1581) was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and was given the title of Sikh Guru on 30 August 1574.

Ram Das was born in Lahore, Punjab on 24 September 1534 to a Sodhi family of the Khatri clan. His father was Hari Das and his mother Anup Devi. His wife was Bibi Bhani, the younger daughter of Guru Amar Das. They had three sons: Prithi Chand, Mahadev and Guru Arjun Dev Ji.

ਮਲਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ ਗੰਗਾ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਗੋਦਾਵਰੀ ਸਰਸੁਤੀ ਤੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਮੈਲੁ ਭਰੇ ਪਰੇ ਹਮਰੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਮਰੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਗਵਾਈ ॥੧॥

Malaar, Fourth Mehl: The Ganges, the Jamunaa, the Godaavari and the Saraswati – these rivers strive for the dust of the feet of the Holy. Overflowing with their filthy sins, the mortals take cleansing baths in them; the rivers’ pollution is washed away by the dust of the feet of the Holy.

ਤੀਰਥਿ ਅਠਸਠਿ ਮਜਨੁ ਨਾਈ ॥ ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਪਰੀ ਉਡਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰੀ ਸਭ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਵਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ Instead of bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, take your cleansing bath in the Name. When the dust of the feet of the Sat Sangat rises up into the eyes, all filthy evil-mindedness is removed. ਜਾਹਰਨਵੀ ਤਪੈ ਭਾਗੀਰਥਿ ਆਣੀ ਕੇਦਾਰੁ ਥਾਪਿਓ ਮਹਸਾਈ ॥ ਕਾਂਸੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨੁ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਗਾਊ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਾਈ ॥੨॥ Bhaageerat’h the penitent brought the Ganges down, and Shiva established Kaydaar. Krishna grazed cows in Kaashi; through the humble servant of the Lord, these places became famous.

ਜਿਤਨੇ ਤੀਰਥ ਦੇਵੀ ਥਾਪੇ ਸਭਿ ਤਿਤਨੇ ਲੋਚਹਿ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਾਧੂ ਲੈ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਈ ॥੩॥ And all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage established by the gods, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy. Meeting with the Lord’s Saint, the Holy Guru, I apply the dust of His feet to my face.

ਜਿਤਨੀ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸਭ ਤਿਤਨੀ ਲੋਚੈ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਲਾਟਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਧੂਰਿ ਦੇ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਈ ॥੪॥੨॥ And all the creatures of Your Universe, O my Lord and Master, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy. O Nanak, one who has such destiny inscribed on his forehead, is blessed with the dust of the feet of the Holy; the Lord carries him across. As a Guru, one of his main contributions to Sikhi was organizing the structure of Sikh society. Additionally, he was the author of Laava, the four hymns of the Sikh Marriage Rites. He was planner and creator of the township of Ramdaspur which became the Sikh holy city of Amritsar. He founded it in 1574 on land he bought for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 (according to one source in 1570). It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to the new place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das). In Amritsar, he designed the gurdwara (ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ) Harmandir Sahib (ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ), which translates as “The Abode of God” also known as the Golden Temple.

A hymn by Guru Ram Das can be found from page 305 of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib:

“        One who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru shall get up early morning and meditate on the Lord’s Name. Make effort regularly to cleanse, bathe and dip in the ambrosial pool. Upon Guru’s instructions, chant Har, Har singing which, all misdeeds, sins and pains shall go away.    ”

—Bani of Guru Ram Das

There are 688 Hymns of Guru Ram Das included in the Guru Granth Sahib which have various teachings for Sikhs. Guru Sahib’s Bani is also part of Rehras Sahib and Kirtan Sohila, the daily prayers of Sikhs. Page 305 of the Guru Granth Guru Sahib decries the morning activity of one who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru (God):

One who calls himself a Sikh of the True Guru shall get up early morning and meditate on the Lord’s Name. Bathe daily in the ambrosial pool and following the Guru’s instructions, chant Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. —Guru Sahib on Sadhu People and Pilgrimage Bath

New Weekly Quest: The Sept 17th Birth Of Kings and Queen.

This week we present The Sept 17th Birth Of Kings and Queen. On this day, three great kings and queen were born:

•  879 – King Charles III of France
• 1688 – Maria Luisa of Savoy, first queen of Philip V of Spain
• 1819 – Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, first President of the South African Republic

Great things happened on this same day!

879 – King Charles III of France

Charles III (17 September 879 – 7 October 929), called the Simple or the Straightforward (from the Latin Karolus Simplex), was the undisputed King of France from 898 until 922 and the King of Lotharingia from 911 until 919/23. He was a member of the Carolingian dynasty, the third and posthumous son of Louis the Stammerer by his second wife, Adelaide of Paris. As a child, Charles was prevented from succeeding to the throne at the time of the death in 884 of his half-brother Carloman. The nobles of the realm instead asked his cousin, Charles the Fat, to rule them. He was also prevented from succeeding the unpopular Charles, who was deposed in November 887 and died in January 888, although it is unknown if his deposition was accepted or even made known in West Francia before his death. The nobility elected Odo, the hero of the Siege of Paris, king, though there was a faction that supported Guy III of Spoleto. Charles was put under the protection of Ranulf II, the Duke of Aquitaine, who may have tried to claim the throne for him and in the end used the royal title himself until making peace with Odo. Finally, in 893 Charles was crowned by a faction opposed to Odo at Reims Cathedral. He only became the effectual monarch with the death of Odo in 898.

In 911 Charles defeated the Viking leader Rollo, had him sign the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte that made Rollo his vassal and converted him to Christianity. Charles then gave him land around Rouen, the heart of what would become Normandy and his daughter Gisela in marriage. In the same year as the treaty with the Vikings, Louis the Child, the King of Germany, died and the nobles of Lotharingia, who had been loyal to him, under the leadership of Reginar Longneck, declared Charles their new king, breaking from Germans who had elected Conrad of Franconia king. Charles tried to win their support by marrying a Lotharingian woman named Frederuna, who died in 917. He also defended the country against two attacks by Conrad, King of the Germans. On 7 October 919 Charles re-married to Eadgifu, the daughter of Edward the Elder, King of England. By this time Charles’ excessive favouritism towards a certain Hagano had turned the aristocracy against him. He endowed Hagano with monasteries which were already the benefices of other barons, alienating these barons. In Lotharingia he earned the enmity of the new duke, Gilbert, who declared for the German king Henry the Fowler in 919. Opposition to Charles in Lotharingia was not universal, however, and he retained the support of Wigeric. In 922 some of the West Frankish barons, led by Robert of Neustria and Rudolph of Burgundy, revolted. Robert, who was Odo’s brother, was elected by the rebels and crowned in opposition to Charles, who had to flee to Lotharingia. On 2 July 922, Charles lost his most faithful supporter, Herve, Archbishop of Rheims, who had succeeded Fulk in 900.

He returned the next year (923) with a Norman army but was defeated on 15 June near Soissons by Robert, who died in the battle. Charles was captured and imprisoned in a castle at Péronne under the guard of Herbert II of Vermandois. Rudolph was elected to succeed him. In 925 the Lotharingians accepted Rudolph as their king. Charles died in prison on 7 October 929 and was buried at the nearby abbey of Saint-Fursy. Though he had had many children by Frederuna, it was his son by Eadgifu who would eventually be crowned in 936 as Louis IV of France. In the initial aftermath of Charles’s defeat, Eadgifu and Louis fled to England.

1688 – Maria Luisa of Savoy, first queen of Philip V of Spain

Maria Luisa of Savoy (Maria Luisa Gabriella; 17 September 1688 – 14 February 1714) was a Savoyard princess and the first wife of Philip V of Spain. She acted as Regent of Spain and had great influence over her husband. She is closely associated with Princesse des Ursins. She was the third daughter and second surviving child of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy and his French-born wife Anne Marie d’Orléans, the youngest daughter of Philippe of France and Henrietta of England. Throughout her life, Maria Luisa remained close to her older sister Maria Adelaide who later married Louis, Duke of Burgundy, the eldest grandson of Louis XIV. In her youth, Maria Luisa was described as playful and fun loving and had received a good education.

Marriage

Philip V of Spain, a French prince, was recently crowned King of Spain upon the death of childless Charles II. In order to enforce his shaky authority over Spain due to his French birth, Philip V decided to maintain ties with Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. Philip V’s brother, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, had married the elder sister of Maria Luisa several years earlier, and in mid 1701, Philip V asked for Maria Luisa’s hand with the permission of his grandfather Louis XIV.  Maria Luisa was wed by proxy to Philip V on 12 September 1701 at the age of barely thirteen and was escorted to Nice, arriving there on 18 September. While in Nice, she was greeted by Pope Clement XI who gave her the Golden Rose on 20 September as a ritualistic gift for the young princess. Within a week, she sailed from Nice for Antibes and was taken to Barcelona. The official marriage took place on 2 November 1701. The princesse des Ursins was a member of the household of the Queen. She would maintain great influence over Maria Luisa as her Camarera Mayor, chief of the household to the young queen, who was still a child.

The couple were deeply in love. In 1702, Philip V was obliged to leave Spain to fight in Naples as part of the ongoing War of Spanish Succession. During her husband’s absence, Maria Luisa acted as Regent from Madrid. She was praised as an effective ruler, having successfully implemented various changes in government and insisted upon all complaints being investigated and reports made direct to her. Her leadership encouraged the reorganization in the junta and, in doing this, inspiring people and their cities to make donations towards the war effort. Despite her young age, Maria Luisa’s effective regency made her admired in Madrid and throughout Spain. After her husband’s return in 1703, she resumed her role as queen consort. In 1704, the Princesse des Ursins was exiled at the order of Louis XIV, devastating Maria Luisa. However, in 1705, the Princesse des Ursins returned to Madrid, much to the joy of the young queen.

Maria Luisa gave birth to the couple’s first child, Infante Luis Felipe in 1707. After the birth of her eldest child, Maria Luisa went on giving birth to three more children, two of whom would survive infancy. Towards the end of her life, the Queen became ill with tuberculosis. She eventually died from the effects of tuberculosis on 14 February 1714. She was buried at San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Maria Luisa died in her 25th year. In December 1714, just months after Maria Luisa’s death, her widower Philip V remarried, to Elisabeth Farnese, the only child and heiress of Duke of Parma. All of Maria Luisa’s children were to die without issue, leaving behind no descendants of Maria Luisa of Savoy.

1819 – Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, first President of the South African Republic

The son of the famous Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (17 September 1819 – 19 May 1901) was the first president of the South African Republic, and also compiled the constitution of the Republic. After the death of his father in 1853, he was appointed as the Commandant-General of the ZAR (South African Republic) and moved from his farm Kalkheuwel, near Broederstroom, to the city of Potchefstroom. He was the last Head of State of Potchefstroom between 1853 and 1856. In an endeavor to establish a new town, he bought two farms named Elandspoort en Daspoort between 1854 and 1855, on which he founded the city of Pretoria in 1855. He originally named the town Pretoria Philadelphia, in honour of his father and his father’s brothers, but the name of the town was later shortened to just Pretoria.

Five years later the capital of the ZAR (South African Republic) was moved from Potchefstroom to Pretoria. He served as the first president of Transvaal from 1857 to 1860. However in 1859, in an effort to create closer bonds of relationship with the Orange Free State, he simultaneously held the office of State President of the Orange Free State and that of president of the ZAR (South African Republic). This however created tension in Transvaal and he resigned the presidency of the South African Republic in 1860. After serving in the presidency of the Orange Free State until 1863, he was reelected as president of the ZAR (South African Republic) in 1864 and served a second term until 1871. Finally, he served a third term as joint head of state (triumvirate) of Transvaal between 1880 and 1883. He died in 1901 at Potchefstroom.

New Weekly Quest: The Sept 10th Birth Of Kings.

This week we present the Sept 10th Birth Of Kings. On this day, three great kings were born:

• 920 – King Louis IV of France
• 1169 – Alexius II Comnenus, Byzantine Emperor
• 1385 – Le Loi, national hero of Viet Nam, founder of the Later Lê Dynasty

Great things happened on this same day!

920 – King Louis IV of France

Louis IV (10 September 920 – 30 September 954), called d’Outremer or Transmarinus (both meaning “from overseas”), reigned as King of Western Francia from 936 to 954. He was a member of the Carolingian dynasty, the son of Charles III and Eadgifu of England, a daughter of King Edward the Elder. He was only two years old when his father was deposed by the nobles, who set up Robert I in his place. When he was only three years old, Robert died and was replaced by Rudolph, duke of Burgundy. Rudolph’s ally, a Carolingian himself, Count Herbert II of Vermandois, took Charles captive by treachery and the young Louis’s mother took the boy “over the sea” to the safety of England, hence his nickname.

Charles died in 929, but Rudolph ruled on until 936, when Louis was summoned back to France unanimously by the nobles, especially Hugh the Great, who had probably organised his return to prevent Herbert II, or Rudolph’s brother Hugh the Black, taking the throne. He was crowned king at Laon by Artald, archbishop of Rheims, on Sunday 19 June 936. Louis displayed a keenness beyond his years in obtaining the recognition of his authority by his feuding nobles. Nonetheless, his reign was filled with conflict; in particular with Hugh the Great, count of Paris. Louis IV fell from his horse and died 10 September 954, at Rheims, in the Marne, and is interred there at Saint Rémi Basilica.

1169 – Alexius II Comnenus, Byzantine Emperor

Alexios II Komnenos or Alexius II Comnenus (Greek: Αλέξιος Β’ Κομνηνός, Alexios II Komnēnos) (10 September 1169 – 24 September 1183, Constantinople), Byzantine emperor (1180–1183), was the son of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and Maria, daughter of Raymond, prince of Antioch. He was the long-awaited male heir, and was named Alexius as a fulfilment of the AIMA prophecy. On Manuel’s death in 1180, Maria, who became a nun under the name Xene (“foreigner”), took the position of regent (according to some historians). She excluded her young son from power, entrusting it instead to Alexios the prōtosebastos (a cousin of Alexios II), who was popularly believed to be her lover. Friends of the young Alexios II now tried to form a party against the empress mother and the prōtosebastos; Alexios II’s half-sister Maria, wife of Caesar John (Renier of Montferrat), stirred up riots in the streets of the capital.

Their party was defeated (May 2, 1182), but Andronikos Komnenos, a first cousin of Emperor Manuel, took advantage of these disorders to aim at the crown, entered Constantinople, where he was received with almost divine honours, and overthrew the government. His arrival was celebrated by a massacre of 80,000 Latins in Constantinople, especially the Venetian merchants, which he made no attempt to stop. He allowed Alexios II to be crowned, but was responsible for the death of most of the young emperor’s actual or potential defenders, including his mother, his half-sister and the Caesar, and refused to allow him the smallest voice in public affairs.

The betrothal in 1180 of Alexios II to Agnes of France, daughter of Louis VII of France and his third wife Adèle of Champagne and at the time a child of nine, had not apparently been followed by their marriage. Andronikos was now formally proclaimed as co-emperor, and not long afterwards, on the pretext that divided rule was injurious to the Empire, he caused Alexios II to be strangled with a bow-string (October 1183). During Alexius II’s reign, the Byzantine Empire was invaded by King Bela III losing Syrmia and Bosnia to the Kingdom of Hungary in AD 1181, later even Dalmatia was lost to the Venetians. Kilij Arslan II invaded the empire in AD 1182, defeating the Byzantines at the Siege of Cotyaeum resulting in the Byzantine Empire losing Cotyaeum and Sozopolis.

1385 – Le Loi, national hero of Viet Nam, founder of the Later Lê Dynasty

Lê Lợi (1384 or 1385? – 1433), posthumously known with the temple name Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖), was Emperor of Vietnam and founder of the Later Lê Dynasty. Lê Lợi is among the most famous figures from the medieval period of Vietnamese history and one of its greatest heroes. Lê Lợi was the youngest of three sons. His father was an aristocratic nobleman in Lam Son (northern-Vietnam). The town was in a newly colonized area of Vietnam which would eventually be called Thanh Hóa Province. Lam Son had been established by Lê Lợi’s great-grandfather Le Hoi sometime in the 1330s. His exact date of birth is not certain, but 1384 is generally agreed on by historians. Lam Son was on the frontier of Vietnam, as a result it was further and hence more free from government control.

This was a troubled time in Vietnam’s history as the Hồ Dynasty in 1400 finally displaced the Trần Dynasty and set about reforming the kingdom. Hồ rule was short lived as members of the Trần Dynasty petitioned for intervention from the mighty Ming Emperor Yongle (永樂 Vĩnh Lạc) to the north. He responded by sending a powerful army south into Vietnam and vanquished the Hồ. Upon failing to find a Trần heir, the Ming choose to re-establish sovereignty over Vietnam, as was the case in the days of the Tang empire, some 500 years previously. The Ming enjoyed some support from the Vietnamese, at least in the capital of Hanoi but their efforts to assert control in the surrounding countryside were met with stiff resistance. The Vietnamese claim that the Ming stole valuable artifacts from Vietnam such as gems, jade, golden pieces of art as well as books. Lê Lợi himself said that he chose the path of revolt against China’s brutal government when he personally witnessed the destruction of a Vietnamese village by Ming forces. Lê Lợi began his campaign against the Ming on the day after Tết (New Year) February 1418. He was supported by several prominent families from his native Thanh Hóa province, most famously were the Trịnh and the Nguyen families. Initially, Lê Lợi campaigned on the basis of restoring the Trần to power. A relative of the Trần Dynasty emperor was chosen as the figurehead of the revolt but within a few years, the Trần pretender was removed and the unquestioned leader of the revolt was Lê Lợi himself, under the name “Pacifying King” (Binh Dinh Vuong).

The revolt enjoyed patchy initial success. While Lê Lợi was able to operate in Thanh Hóa Province, he was, for 2–3 years, unable to muster the military forces required to defeat the Ming army in open battle. As a result he waged a type of guerilla war against the large and well organized Chinese army. In 1421, one famous story from this time is about the heroism of one of Lê Lợi’s commanders, Le Lai. One time during the early years of the revolt, the Chinese had Lê Lợi’s army surrounded on a mountaintop. In an effort to break the siege, Le Lai devised a plan that would allow Lê Lợi and the main bulk of the force to escape. He pretended to be Lê Lợi to divert the Ming army’s attention by dressing himself in Lê Lợi’s attire and lead a kamikaze-like cavalry charge down to attack the Ming. Le Lai fought bravely but was captured and executed. During the battle, Lê Lợi and the rest of the main contingency were able to escape. (Le Lai Story).

Beside Ming forces, Le Loin and his army also against ethnic minorities forces who Ming bribed as Ai Lao (Laos) . Although there are a lot of troubles but Le Loi army defeat Ai Lao enemy a lot of times. However Because of the force is not enough power, so he must lurk in the forest or mountain, sometime lack in food, Le Loi must kill horses and elephants for militaries. In dangerous situation, Le Loi must reconcile Ming army at 1422. But 1423, when his forces is better, and Ming army catch the envoy, Le Loi break the mutual agreement. By 1427, the revolt had spread throughout Vietnam and the original Ming army of occupation had been ground down and destroyed. The new Ming Emperor, Xuande, wished to end the war with Vietnam, but his advisors urged one more effort to subdue the rebellious province. The result was a massive army (some 100,000 strong) being sent into Vietnam. While the Chinese thought this troop number sufficient, Lê Lợi’s army by this point was much bigger at about 350,000 men. The final campaign did not start well for the Chinese. Lê Lợi’s forces met the Ming army in battle but quickly staged a mock retreat. The Chinese general, Liu Sheng (Liễu Thăng in Vietnamese), urging his troops forward, was cut off from the main part of his army, captured and executed by the Vietnamese. Then, by sending false reports of dissent within the ranks of Lê Lợi’s own generals, the Chinese army was lured into Hanoi where it was surrounded and destroyed in a series of battles. A Vietnamese historian, Trần Trọng Kim, told that the Chinese army lost over 90,000 men (60,000 killed in battle and 30,000 captured). By Nguyen Chich tactic, 1424 Le Loi decided to march his army to Nghe An plain. On the way, Lam Son army defeated Da Cang rampart, beaten back Cam Banh forces, a commander follows Ming. Then Lam Son attacked Tra Long, Ming general is Tran Tri who took his army from Nghe An to Tra Long to rescue Cam Banh but beaten back by Lam Son forces. Le Loi surrounded Cam Banh, Tri didn’t dare to rescue. Be surrounded a long time, Cam Banh must surrender. By Nguyen Chich tactic, 1424 Le Loi decided to march his army to Nghe An plain. On the way, Lam Son army defeated Da Cang rampart, beaten back Cam Banh forces, a commander follows Ming. Then Lam Son attacked Tra Long, Ming general is Tran Tri who took his army from Nghe An to Tra Long to rescue Cam Banh but beaten back by Lam Son forces. Le Loi surrounded Cam Banh, Tri didn’t dare to rescue. Be surrounded a long time, Cam Banh must surrender. Le Loi sent Dinh Liet to attack Nghe An, and the same time he took his strong army. Tran Tri was defeated a lot of times, must retreat and entrench in the rampart.

Ly An , Phuong Trinh was from Dong Quang to Nghe An to rescue Tran Tri, Tran Tri also moved out his forces from rampart. However all were defeated, Tran Tri rush to Dong Quan, An and Chinh rush into Nghe An rampart. May 1425, Le Loi commanded Dinh Le to attack Dien Chau, Ming army lost and rushed to Dong Do (Thanh Hoa), Then Le Loi also sent Le Sat, Le Nhan Chu. Le Trien supported Dinh Le for attack Tay Do, Ming army must retreat the rampart. Le Loi one side surrounded Nghe An rampart and Tay Do, and the other one he sent Tran Nguyen Han, Doan No, Le Da Bo to attack Tan Binh, Thuan Hoa, Ming general is Nham Thang against but be defeated. Then Le Loi sent Le Ngan, Le Van An to support Tran Nguyen Han. Ming army must entrench in the rampart. As that, until last 1425, Le Loi was active all land from Thanh Hoa back and surrounded all the ramparts. 1426 August, Le Loi divided into 3 parts for moving to north. Pham Van Xao, Do Bi, Trinh Kha, Le Trien went North west, Luu Nhan Chu, Bui Bi went East North. Dinh Le, Nguyen Xi moved Dong Quan. Le Trien was coming Dong Quan , suddenly met Tran Tri and defeated Tri. Hear Ming army was incoming from Van Nam (the province of China). Trien divide force to Pham Van Xao, Trinh Kha for intercepting, and combined Doanh Le, Nguyen Xi attached Dong Quan.

Pham Van Xao defeated Van Nam reinforcement. Van Nam forces fled and entrenched Xuong Giang rampart. Tran Tri lost reinforcement, go to sought Ly An reinforcement at Nghe An. Ly An, Phuong Chinh commanded Thai Thuc to keep Nghe An rampart , took forces to rescue Dong Quan. Le Loi commanded Le Van An, Le Van Linh surrounded the rampart, he himself moved main forces to the north. Ming King sent Vuong Thong, Ma Anh to rescue. They combined Dong Quan forces and be became 100.000 forces and dive to Phuong Chinh, Ma Ky. Le Trien, Do Bi defeated Ma Ky at Tu Liem and attached Chinh forces. Chinh and Ky fled and combined with Vuong Thong forces at Co So. Le Trien attacked Vuong Thong but Thong was prepared before, Thien lost, retreat back Cao Bo and made a help from Nguyen Xi. Dinh Le, Nguyen Xi took their forces to Tot Dong Chut Dong to make the ambush. They know Vuong Thong would divide forces into two part to make a raid Le Trien, they enticed Vuong Thong to place have ambush force. Vuong Thong army lost heavily, Tran Hiep, Ly Luong and 50,000 soldiers were killed, 10,000 ones took alive. Thong fled and entrenched at Dong Quan.

Le Loi got victorious news and then sent Tran Nguyen Han, Bui Bi divide two ways into to move to near Dong Quan. Vuong Thong was lost and retreated, found the reason The Ming want to help Tran empties defeated Ho, sent to Le Loi withdrawn condition which made Tran descendant to be become King. Le Loi wanted Ming to withdraw fast. So he found Tran Cao, made the King. Vuong Thong agreed mutual agreement in the outward appearance but made a help from everywhere to rescue. When Le Loi knew this, he broke mutual agreement. After broke mutual agreement, Le Loi sent some generals to attack and occupy some ramparts at North such as: Dieu Dieu, Tam Giang, Xuong Giang. They were occupied soon after. At the beginning of 1427, he moved his troop to Nhi river, and attacked Dong Quan. Le Loi create strict troop rule to assure the people. Ming general is Thai Thuc surrendered and hand over Nghe An rampart. Le Loi demand foreign minister Nguyen Trai write a letter for placating others general to surrender. When Lam Son force at Dong Quang was lax, Ming attacked suddenly. Le Trien died at Tu Liem. Dinh Le. Nguyen Xi was captured at Thanh Tri. After that Dinh Le was killed, Nguyen Xi fled. At the ending of 1427. the Ming Emperor sent reinforcements to rescue Vuong Thong,. Lieu Thang took 100.000 soldiers from Quang Tay, Moc Thanh with 50.000 ones from Van Nam. They are general who take participate the battle at Ho and Tran after emprise. According to some historians, 150.000 soldiers are magnified number, in the fact, the number is 120.000 and the main forces is belong Lieu Thang.

Hear this information, a lot of general want to attack and occupy Dong Quan immediately. However according to Nguyen Trai, attacked rampart is worse solution because the Ming forces in the rampart is so crowded and food is full. So he decide to attack reinforcements first to discourage Ming force at Dong Quan The first, Le Le commanded to move the resident at Lang Giang, Bac Giang, Quy Hoa, Tuyen Quang to segregate Ming troops. He know Lieu Thang kept the main forces, so he sent Le Sat, Le Nhan Chu, Le Van Linh, Dinh Liet to wait at Chi Lang, and the same time commanded Le Van An, Le Ly took alternative forces to support. With Moc Thanh ‘s forces, he knew Thanh was experienced general and will be wait Lieu Thang result for the action, so Le Loi commanded Pham Van Xao and Trinh Kha entrenched all time. The border general – Tran Luu simulated to lose and run from Nam Quan gate to Luu gate and then moved Chi Lang, 18 – September at lunar calendar, Thang run Chi Lang after, Tran Luu was lost continuous, Thang is satisfied, just took 100 cavalries for running after. 20 September, Thang was killed by Tran Luu, Le Sat ‘s forces shed. All Le Loi ‘s general got the opportunities and attacked Minh troops, killed 10.000 soldiers, cut Luong Minh, Ly Khanh committed suicide. Some remain Ming generals such as Hoang Thuc, Thoi Tu try retreat at Xuong Gaing but they come there and knew the rampart was occupied, must garrison troops in empty field. Le Loi sent Tran Nguyen Hang blocked Ming food transporting way, sent Pham Van, Nguyen Xi supported Le Sat and get close to attack, killed 50.000 Ming soldiers at Xuong Giang. Hoang Thuc with 30.000 Ming soldiers were arrested, Thoi Tu didn’t surrender and be killed. Moc Thanh listen to Lieu Thang was killed and retreated and run. Pham Van Xao, Trinh Kha followed, killed 10.000 soldiers, arrested 1000 ones and horses.

In 1427, after 10 years of war, Vietnam regained its independence and China officially acknowledged Vietnam as an independent state. Lê Lợi took the throne and was declared Emperor of Đại Việt (大越) (though King is a more accurate term for the ruler of Vietnam). Lê Lợi’s proclamation of independence reflected the Sino-Vietnamese tennsions as well as Vietnamese pride and patriotism:

Lê Lợi formally established the Lê Dynasty as the Ming Xuande Emperor officially recognized Lê Lợi as the new ruler of Vietnam. In return, Lê Lợi sent diplomatic messages to the Ming Court, promising Vietnam’s loyalty as a vassal state of China and cooperation. The Ming accepted this arrangement, much as they accepted the vassal status of Korea under the Joseon Dynasty. The Chinese largely left Vietnam alone for the next 500 years, intervening only about once every hundred years. Lê Lợi embarked on a significant reorganization of Vietnamese government, clearly based on the Confucian system of government which was developed by the Tang Dynasty and Sung Dynasty. He also elevated his long time comrades and generals such as Nguyễn Trãi, Tran Nguyen Han, Lê Sát, Pham Van Sao, and Trịnh Khả to high official rank. The Le government rebuilt the infrastructure of Vietnam: roads, bridges, canals. Land distribution were rewarded to soldiers that contributed in the war against the Ming. New money currency was minted and new laws and reforms were passed. The system of selecting government administrators by examination was restored and exams were held at regular intervals throughout Lê Lợi’s reign. From 1430 to 1432, Lê Lợi and his army fought a set of campaigns in the hills to the west of the coastal area. Then, in 1433, he became sick and his health declined. On his death bed he appointed Lê Sát as the regent for his second son, who would rule after him as Lê Thái Tông. Internal palace politics quickly decimated the ranks of Lê Lợi’s trusted councilors, Tran Nguyen Han and Pham Van Sao were executed in 1432 and Lê Sát, who ruled as regent for five years, was executed in 1438. Nguyễn Trãi was killed in 1442 (it was claimed he was linked to the death of Lê Thái Tông). Only Trịnh Khả survived to an old age and even he was executed in 1451.

New Weekly Quest: The Sept 3 Birth Of Great Ladies This week we present the Sept 3^rd Birth Of Great Ladies. On this day, three great ladies were born:

• 1499 – Diane de Poitiers, French noblewoman and mistress of King Henry II of
• 1849 – Sarah Orne Jewett, American writer
• 1851 – Olga Konstantinovna of Russia, Queen of Greece

Great things happened on this same day!

1499 – Diane de Poitiers, French noblewoman and mistress of King Henry II of

Diane de Poitiers (3 September 1499 – 25 April 1566) was a French noblewoman and a prominent courtier at the courts of kings Francis I and his son, Henry II of France. She became notorious as the latter’s favourite mistress. It was in this capacity that she wielded much influence and power at the French Court, which continued until Henry was mortally wounded in a tournament accident, during which his lance wore her favour (ribbon) rather than his wife’s. She was immortalized in art as the subject of paintings by François Clouet as well as other anonymous painters. After the capture of Francis I by Charles V’s troops during the battle of Pavia (1525), the two eldest princes, François and Henri, were retained as hostages in Spain in exchange for their father. Because the ransom was not paid in time, the two boys (eight and seven at the time) had to spend nearly four years isolated in a bleak castle, facing an uncertain future. Henri found solace by reading the knight-errantry tale Amadis de Gaula. The experience may account for the strong impression that Diane made on him, as the very embodiment of the ideal gentlewomen he read about in Amadis. As his mother was already dead, Diane gave him the farewell kiss when he was sent to Spain. When he was returned to France at the age of 12, she was ordered by Francis I to act as a mentor to him and teach him courtly manners. At the tournament held for the coronation of Francis’s new wife Eleanor in 1531, while the dauphin François saluted the new queen as expected, Henri addressed his salute to Diane.

In 1533 the future Henri II married Catherine de’ Medici. There had been strong opposition to this alliance, the Medicis being no more than upstarts in the eyes of many in the French court. Diane, however, approved of this choice of bride. Diane and Catherine were actually related to one another, being both descendants of the La Tour d’Auvergne family. Indeed, to Catherine, Diane was an intrusive elder cousin as well as a rival. As the future royal couple remained childless, concerned by rumours of a possible repudiation of a queen she had in control, Diane made sure that Henri’s visits to his wife’s bedroom would be frequent. In another act of preservation of the royal family, Diane helped nurse Catherine back to health when she contracted scarlet fever. Diane was in charge of the education of her and Henri’s children until 1551; her daughter Françoise managed the queen’s servants. While Henri and Catherine would eventually produce 10 children together, and despite the occasional affair, Diane de Poitiers would remain Henri’s lifelong companion, and for the next 25 years she would be the most powerful influence in his life. Based on allusions in their correspondence, it is generally believed that she became his mistress in 1538. A famous painting of Diane de Poitiers in the nude by François Clouet. Remembered as a beautiful woman, she maintained her good looks well into her 50s, and her appearance was immortalized in art. Only two signed paintings by François Clouet are known to exist, one being a painting of Diane. The subject of that painting shows her seated nude in her bath. She sat for other paintings of the time, often topless or nude, other times in traditional poses. When Francis I was still alive, Diane had to compete at the court with Anne de Pisseleu, the king’s favourite. She had the latter exiled on her lands upon Francis I’s death in 1547.

Diane possessed a sharp intellect and was so politically astute that King Henri II trusted her to write many of his official letters, and even to sign them jointly with the one name HenriDiane. Her confident maturity and loyalty to Henri II made her his most dependable ally in the court. Her position in the Court of the King was such that when Pope Paul III sent the new Queen Catherine the “Golden Rose”, he did not forget to present the royal mistress Diane with a pearl necklace. Within a very short stretch of time she wielded considerable power within the realm. In 1548 she received the prestigious title of Duchess of Valentinois, then in 1553 was made Duchesse d’Étampes. The king’s adoration for Diane caused a great deal of jealousy on the part of Queen Catherine, particularly when Henri entrusted Diane with the Crown Jewels of France, had the Château d’Anet built for her, and gave her the Château de Chenonceau, a piece of royal property that Catherine had wanted for herself. However, as long as the king lived, the Queen was powerless to change this. Despite wielding such power over the king, Diane’s status depended on the king’s welfare, and his remaining in power. In 1559, when Henri was critically wounded in a jousting tournament, Queen Catherine de’ Medici assumed control, restricting access to him. Although the king was alleged to have called out repeatedly for Diane, she was never summoned or admitted, and on his death, she was also not invited to the funeral. Immediately thereafter, Catherine de’ Medici banished Diane from Chenonceau to the Château de Chaumont. She stayed there only a short time, and lived out her remaining years in her chateau in Anet, Eure-et-Loir, where she lived in comfortable obscurity. She died at the age of sixty-six. In accordance with her wishes, and to provide a resting place for her, her daughter completed the funeral chapel built near the castle. During the French Revolution, her tomb was opened and her remains thrown into a mass grave. In 1866 Georges Guiffrey published her correspondence. When French experts dug up the remains of Diane de Poitiers in 2009, they found high levels of gold in her hair. It is suggested that the “drinkable gold” she regularly took — believed to preserve youth — may have ultimately killed her.

1849 – Sarah Orne Jewett, American writer

Sarah Orne Jewett (September 3, 1849 – June 24, 1909) was an American novelist and short story writer, best known for her local color works set in or near South Berwick, Maine, on the border of New Hampshire, which in her day was a declining New England seaport. Jewett’s family had been residents of New England for many generations. Her father was a doctor, and Jewett often accompanied him on his rounds, becoming acquainted with the sights and sounds of her native land and its people. As treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that developed in early childhood, Jewett was sent on frequent walks and through them also developed a love of nature. In later life, Jewett often visited Boston, where she was acquainted with many of the most influential literary figures of her day; but she always returned to South Berwick, the inspiration for the towns of “Deephaven” and “Dunnet Landing” in her stories.

Jewett was educated at Miss Olive Rayne’s school and then at Berwick Academy, graduating in 1865. She supplemented her education through an extensive family library. Jewett was “never overtly religious,” but after she joined the Episcopalian church in 1871, she explored less conventional religious ideas. For example, her friendship with Harvard law professor Theophilus Parsons stimulated an interest in the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, an eighteenth-century Swedish scientist and theologian, who believed that the Divine “was present in innumerable, joined forms — a concept underlying Jewett’s belief in individual responsibility.”  She published her first important story in the Atlantic Monthly at age 19, and her reputation grew throughout the 1870s and 1880s. Her literary importance arises from her careful, if subdued, vignettes of country life that reflect a contemporary interest in local color rather than plot. Jewett possessed a keen descriptive gift that William Dean Howells called “an uncommon feeling for talk — I hear your people.” Jewett made her reputation with the novella The Country of the Pointed Firs (1896). A Country Doctor (1884), a novel reflecting her father and her early ambitions for a medical career, and A White Heron (1886), a collection of short stories are among her finest work. Some of Jewett’s poetry was collected in Verses (1916), and she also wrote three children’s books. Willa Cather described Jewett as a significant influence on her development as a writer, and “feminist critics have since championed her writing for its rich account of women’s lives and voices.”

Jewett never married; but she established a close friendship with writer Annie Fields (1834–1915) and her husband, publisher James Thomas Fields, editor of the Atlantic Monthly. After the sudden death of James Fields in 1881, Jewett and Annie Fields lived together for the rest of Jewett’s life in what was then termed a “Boston marriage.” Some modern scholars have speculated that the two were lovers. In any case, “the two women found friendship, humor, and literary encouragement” in one another’s company, traveling to Europe together and hosting “American and European literati.” In France Jewett met Thérèse Blanc-Bentzon with whom she had long corresponded and who translated some of her stories for publication in France. On September 3, 1902, Jewett was injured in a carriage accident that all but ended her writing career. She was paralyzed by a stroke in March 1909, and she died on June 24 after suffering another. The Georgian home of the Jewett family, built in 1774 overlooking Central Square at South Berwick, is now a National Historic Landmark and Historic New England museum called the Sarah Orne Jewett House.

1851 – Olga Konstantinovna of Russia, Queen of Greece

Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia, later Queen Olga of the Hellenes (3 September 1851 – 18 June 1926), was the queen consort of King George I of Greece and briefly in 1920, Queen Regent of Greece. She is the great-grandmother of Queen Sofia of Spain, the paternal grandmother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the great-grandmother of Charles, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne. lga was a genuinely popular Queen and was extensively involved in charity work, endowing the Evangelismos (Annunciation) Hospital, Greece’s largest, in downtown Athens, as well as a Russian hospital in Piraeus.  In 1898, she insisted on continuing her engagements without a military guard even though shots had been fired at her husband and daughter.Being an Orthodox Christian from birth, Queen Olga became aware, during visits to wounded servicemen in the Greco-Turkish War (1897), that many were unable to read the Bible. The version used by the Church of Greece included the Septuagint version of the Old Testament and the original Greek language version of the New Testament. Both were written in Koine Greek while her contemporaries used either Katharevousa or the so-called Demotic version of Modern Greek. Katharevousa was a formal language that contained archaicised forms of modern words, was purged of “non-Greek” vocabulary from other European languages and Turkish, and had a (simplified) archaic grammar. Modern or Demotic Greek was the version commonly spoken. Olga decided to have the Bible translated into a version which could be understood by most of her contemporary Greeks rather than those educated in Koine Greek. The translation was opposed by those who considered the translation “tantamount to a renunciation of Greece’s ‘sacred heritage’”.

In February 1901, the translation of the New Testament from Koine into Modern Greek that she had sponsored was published without the authorisation of the Greek Holy Synod. The price was set at one drachma, far below its actual cost, and the edition sold well. In order to mitigate opposition to the translation, both the old and new texts were included and the frontispiece specifically stated it was for “exclusive family use” rather than in church.  At the same time, another translation was completed by Alexandros Pallis (1851–1935), a major supporter of a literary movement supporting the use of Demotic in written language. Publication of the translation started in serial form in the newspaper “Acropolis” on 9 September 1901. Almost immediately Purist theologians denounced this version as a “ridiculing of the nation’s most valuable relics” while a faction of the Greek press started accusing Pallis and his Demoticist supporters of blasphemy and treason. Ecumenical Patriarch Joachim III of Constantinople denounced this translation, adding further fuel to the opposition. Riots were started by students of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who had been organized by conservative professors. They requested the excommunication of Pallis and anyone involved with the translations, including Olga and Procopios, the Archbishop of Athens who had been a favorite of Olga and had supervised the translation after her personal request.

The conflict between rioters and troops, who had been called in to maintain order, resulted in eight deaths and over sixty people wounded. By December the remaining copies of Olga’s translation had been confiscated and their circulation prohibited. Anyone selling or reading the translations was threated with excommunication. The controversy was called the “Evangelika”", i.e. “the Gospels question”, after the word “Evangelion”, Greek for “Gospel”, and ultimately led to the resignation of the Metropolitan bishop, Procopius, and the fall of the government of Georgios Theotokis.