2,000 YEARS OF THE DEATH OF EMPEROR AUGUSTUS

Augustus, the first emperor of Rome

During the year 2014 Europe has celebrated several anniversaries of important historical events which took place in our continent. Everybody knows that the First World War began a hundred years ago because there have been many TV programmes and political events about that. Furthermore, 2014 is also the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War and the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall (it was happened in 1989). But, unfortunately, its unknown for most of the people the anniversary of the death of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, on 19th August 14 AD

Gaius Octavius was born in Rome in 63 BC and he was adopted by his great-uncle Julius Caesar who chose him as his heir in 45 BC. The following year, in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assessinated by several senators. One of the Caesar's generals, Mark Antony, ordered the murders to leave Rome. However, Octavius, 19 years old, decided to recover his uncle's rights to rule the Republic of Rome and this fact caused problems with Mark Antony.

Octavius and Mark Antony were forced to come to an agreement when some of the murders of Caesar take control of the Eastern provinces of Rome. Both Octavius and Mark Antony, together with Marcus Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate in 43 BC. They defeated the republicans (name to refer the murders of Caesar) and divided the territories ruled by Rome: Mark Antony received the Eastern provinces and the Gaul, Octavius take control of Italy and the Western provinces (after that, he also received the Gaul) and Lepidus was in charge of the African provinces.

In spite of this agreement, Octavius could take Roma under his control. In 33 BC, he was elected consul whereas Mark Antony fell in love with the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. Octavius took advantage of this situation because his sister was the Mark Antony's wife so he used this excuse to declare war on Mark Antony's territories. He persuaded the Roman Senate of the bad intentions of Mark Antony who, according to Octavius, wanted to separte the Eastern provinces from the rest of the Roman Empire. Even Lepidus supported the Octavius' theory so everybody in Rome thought that the general wanted to destroy the Republic.

Octavius organised a navy steered by Agripa which defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Mark Antony and Cleopatra ran away but then, they comitted suicide. The following year, Octavius conquered Egypt and, after driving Lepidus into exile, he united all the Roman territories in his hands. Octavius ruled over the whole Empire but the Empire didn't exist yet because it was still a Republic!

Some years later, in 27 BC, the Senate elected Octavius as Augustus (which means venerable or majectic) and Princeps (the first citizen of Rome). Finally, he was elected Emperor of Rome. But, why?

Octavius had lived in a caotic Rome where several generals (such as Pompeius or his father Julius Caesar) had wanted to take the Republic under their control but this had caused cruel civil wars. He realised that it was necessary to take the power without destroying the rights of the Senate, the Army and the people of Rome. And Octavius did it: he brought peace to Rome and he respected the privileges of all different groups of Roman society.

Because of that, Augustus was considered the Emperor of Peace and the Saviour of Rome. He transformed the old Republic and adapted its institutions to new circumstances. He reorganized the Roman government, the provinces and the tax system. He also ordered Roman citizens to respect the old customs and the Roman religion. One of the main aims of the Augustus' government was to bring peace to all the provinces of Rome. He also conquered new territories which were annexed to the Empire, such as the Northern lands of Hispania. Peace brings progress, prosperity and wealth to Rome so this period is called "Pax Augusta".

Augustus respected the rights of the Army and increased the salary of the soldiers. He created a permanent Army of twenty eight legions and used the Caesar's system to distribute fields among veterans. Augustus also had good realtions with the Senate in spite of being firmly controlled by the Emperor because the aristocracy kept his privileges.

The time of Augustus was also brilliant in culture, literature and economy after the caos caused by the civil war. When he died, 2,000 years ago, on 19th August 14 AD, the Roman Empire (it was already a real Empire) was consolidated and the following two centuries were really brilliant. His stepson, Tiberius, inherited the Empire and he tried to keep on the way of government created by his father although it was not an easy work and he found some problems.

Nowadys, Octavius Augustus is thought to be the creator of the Roman Empire and this is the reason why Italy and Europe remember the anniversay of his death.   

Ruins of Imperial Rome

    

"I HAVE A DREAM" (50th ANNIVERSARY)

Today, millions of men and women in the United States are celebrating the 50^th anniversary of a speech which changed the History of black people in North America. On August 28, 1963, the leader of the African-American Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, proclaimed his dream: A society in which black people could live peacefully with white people.

The setting where the address took place was amazing: the Lincoln’s Memorial in Washington D.C. Here, you can watch the complete speech which takes sixteen minutes approximately:

 

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!”

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968)

THE GERMAN ORIGINS OF THE BRITISH MONARCHY

Some days ago, Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born at St Mary’s Hospital in London (England). The baby is the first son of the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge and is the third in line to the throne after his father and his grandfather, Prince of Wales. The royal baby will be the seventh king of England with the name of George.

In spite of being Queen of England, the origins of the British Royal Family are not in England… They are in Germany!! In 1714, Elector of Hanover, George inherited the throne of England under the Act of Settlement. The new king spoke German and French but only a little English. He was German; not English, but he founded a new house in the throne of England: Hanover.

From 1714 to 1901, there were six sovereigns in England and four of them were called George!!! Curiously, the last king whose surname was Hanover was Victoria, the great-great-grandmother of Queen Elisabeth II of England… and king Juan Carlos I of Spain (they are only curiosities of History…)

The husband of Queen Victoria was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha who was German too!!! The royal house changed the name again: they were Hanover but first they were Saxe-Coburg Gotha. Nevertheless, in History of Britain there is only a king with this surname: Edward VII (1901-1910)… Why?

Edward VII is the great-grandfather of Queen Elisabeth II but now the British Royal Family’s official name is Windsor and not Saxo-Coburg-Gotha…

The reason is very simple and it is related to British nationalism: in 1914, First World War broke out and Great Britain declared war to Germany. It was not good for the British Monarchy to have a German official name so they decided to replace Saxo-Coburg-Gotha for Windsor in 1917. After all, one of the castles of the British Royal Family is the Castle of Windsor. The anti-German feeling led King George V to adopt a new (and more English) official name…

Prince George Alexander Louis will be King George VII, in honour of the father of Queen Elisabeth, George VI. The Royal baby will be the seventh George of (German) British Monarchy…

 

For more information: http://www.royal.gov.uk/   

THE IRON LADY

When she died, some weeks ago, I wondered how I could pay a homage to her. She was one of the most important politicians in the 20th Century and we cannot understand our recent History without her. I am talking about the Iron Lady according to the name that a Soviet journalist used to describe her. Margaret Thatcher died and Great Britain and the World remember the Thatcherism.

 

Margaret Thatcher or Maggie was born in a working class family of Granthman, England. Her father owned a grocery shop and money was extremely important for him. He had known what famine and poverty were.  Maggie also learned that she had to take care of money and keep incomes and expenses under control.

 

Margarent Thatcher studied Chemistry at Oxford University and then, Laws. She became very interested on Politics so she joined Conservative Party. She wanted to be important in a world of men!

 

In May 1979, after being secretary of state for Education and Science (1970 - 1974) and leader of oposition of the Conservative Party (1975 - 1979) she became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Arriving at 10 Downing Street, she said:

 

"Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope."

 

Her goals were to keep the public expensives under control, to reduce the Government's role and to eliminate taxes. With her friend Ronald Reagan, the president of the USA, Maggie changed the Economic Philosophy and the International relationships completely.

 

During her government, she made friends and enemies. In 1982, when the Military Junta in Argentina ordered the invasion of the British Falklands Islands, Margaret Thatcher replied hard. She declared war on Argentina and the British Army reconquered the distant islands. It was the greatest military success for Great Britain since the World War II!

 

After wining elections again in 1987, Thatcher contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1990, Maggie was replaced by John Major as chief of the Conservative Party and as Prime Minister. The old Iron Lady had made too many enemies and nobody trusted her.

 

Without any doubt, Margaret Thatcher was one of the essential leaders to understand the History of Great Britain and the Western World. Maybe she made many mistakes. Maybe she was too hard. But she contributed to create our world. Actually, she was the Iron Lady.

 

 

It is my homage to her.

 

 

Margaret Thatcher

(1925 - 2013)

R.I.P.

 

 

 

 

*This is my first report in English. All the reports about the "English world" (the UK, the USA, Australia, etc.) will be in English since now. If you want to a translation, ask me for it!