Michelangelo - 'The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.'

Michelangelo (1475-1564)

Michelangelo Buonarroti was born on 6th March 1475 in Caprese, Italy. A few weeks after his birth his family moved to Florence.

In 1488 he became an apprentice to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. He then lived in the household of Lorenzo de' Medici, the leading patron of the arts and ruler of Florence. In 1496, the Medici were expelled from Florence, Michelangelo then travelled to Bologna and then Rome.In 1497, he was able to make a name for himself after his 'Pieta'. He then returned to Florence. Here produced one of his most famous pieces, 'David' 1501-1504.

He was recalled to Rome in 1505 by Pope Julius II to design Julius' tomb. However, the project was never completed because of quarrels between Julius and Michelangelo, and other projects he had going on at the sametime. Michelangelo was later commissioned to do the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican (1508-1512).

The new Pope, Leo X, commissioned Michelangelo to rebuild the facade of the church of San Lorenzo in Florence. However, it was later abandoned, but it was the beginning of Michelangelo's activities as a architect. Michelangelo also designed monuments to Giuliano and Lorenzo de Medici in the Medici Chapel in San Lorenzo. 

Michelangelo making
'David' 1501-1504

In 1534, Michelangelo returned to Rome, he was then commissioned to paint 'The Last Judgement' on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel (1537-1541). In 1546 he worked on the great church of St. Peter's.

He the died in Rome on 18th February 1564.

Lord Kitchener - Your Country Needs You!

Lord Kitchener
(1850-1916)

Horatio Kitchener was born on the 24th June 1850 in County Kerry, Ireland. He was educated in Switzerland and at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich. 

In 1871 he joined the Royal Engineers. Between 1884-1885 he took part in a unsuccessful operation to relieve General Charles Gordon at Khartoum. In 1898 he was appointed Governor General of eastern Sudan. In 1898 he was made Governor of Sudan after he succeed in the reoccupation of Khartoum.

In 1900 he was appointed chief of staff to Lord Roberts, the commander of the Boer War. Kitchener later had to deal with the Boer resistance after Roberts was recalled back to England. The one of the measures he put in place was the use of a civilian prison camp - the first ever use of the term 'Concentration Camp'.

Lego Lord Kitchener's
enlistment poster.

In 1902 after he returned to England, he was made Viscount and Commander-In-Chief of India. In 1911 he became proconsul of Egypt, served there and in Sudan until 1914. In 1914 he was appointed Earl, before war broke out. He was then made Secretary of State for War. Unlike many others, Kitchener saw that the war was likely to last for years, so he started to enlist and train huge numbers of volunteers. 

As many of his cabinet colleagues did not share is warship ideas, he was relieved of his responsibilities. He later lost further reputation over his support of the failed Dardanelles operation and the 'Shell Crisis' of 1915. 

On the 5th June 1916 he drowned, when his ship, HMS Hampshire was sunk by a mine near the Orkney Islands, on his way to Russia on a mission.

Charlie Chaplin - "A day without laughter is a day wasted."

"A day without laughter
 is a day wasted." - Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was born in Walworth, London on 16th August 1889. His parents were Hannah Harriet Pedlingham and Charles Chaplin. They were both music performers and later separated to seek their careers. Chaplin stayed with his mother, who lost her career. Chaplin spent most of his life in and out of charity homes and workhouses, between his mother's insanity bouts. His mother was later committed to Cane Hill Asylum in May 1903.

At age 8, Chaplin started his acting career by touring with the Eight Lancashire Lads. At 18 he toured with Fred Karno's Vaudeville Troupe, and joined them on their US tour in 1910.

He travelled to California in December 1913 and signed with Keystone Studios' Comedy Director, Mack Sennett. While at Keystone, Chaplin appeared in and directed 35 films. In November 1914, he left Keystone and signed on at Essanay, where he made 15 films. In 1916, he signed with Mutual and made 12 films. In June 1917, Chaplin signed with First National Studios, after this he built Chaplin Studios. And in 1919, he and other actors formed the UA (United Artists). 

In 1921, Chaplin was decorated by the French government for his work as a filmmaker, and appointed as Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1952. In 1972, he was honoured with an Academy Award. In 1975, he was created Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year's Honours List.

Chaplin as Hitler
in The Great Dictator (1940)

Although, with great success comes great scandal and controversy. During the First World War, he had his loyalty to England questioned. As he never applied for US citizenship. Many British called Chaplin a coward and a slacker. This all sparked suspicions with the FBI, who believed he was using a Communist propaganda into his films. In Chaplin's film The Great Dictator, in 1940, where he played a humous Adolf Hitler, this film stirred up further suspicions and dislike towards him.

Chaplin was later shunned for his support for aiding the Russian struggle against the Nazis during the Second World War. The US government questioned his morals and political views, and suspected him of having Communist ties. When Chaplin and his family travelled to London for the premier of Limelight (1952), he was denied re-entry to the US. He decided to settle in Switzerland. Where he died of natural causes on 25th December 1977 at his home. Although, in 1978 his corpse was stolen from his grave and not recovered for 3 months, he was re-buried in a concrete vault.

Alexander the Great "There is nothing impossible to him who tries."

Alexander the Great
(356-145 BCE)

Alexander was born in Pella, the Capital of Macedonia in July 356 BCE. His parents were Philip II of Macedon and Olympias. He was educated by the Philosopher Aristotle. 

His father was assassinated in 336 BCE and Alexander became Alexander III of Macedon. After Alexander dealt with the problems in Macedon and reasserted Macedonian power within Hellas (Greece). He set out to conquer the Persian Empire. 

Against the odds, he led his army to victories across Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt, without any defeat. In 331 BCE, the young Alexander was able to achieve being King of Macedonia, leader of Hellenes (Greeks), overlord of Asia Minor and Pharaoh of Egypt became 'Great King' of Persia at the age of 25.

There is nothing impossible
to him who tries.
- Alexander

Within the next 8 years, Alexander led his army a further 11,000 miles, discovering over 70 cities and creating an empire over 3 continents, which were linked by a international network of trade and commerce. All this was united under the Hellenes language and culture, while adapted within individual customs in order to rule millions.

However, Alexander died of a fever in Babylon on June 323 BCE. His death sparked a huge power struggle. Macedonia had a bloody civil war with those who wished for control of the Empire. Hellas rebelled against Macedonia and expelled them from Hellas. The Macedonian Empire was eventually split into main kingdoms and with the rise of Rome ended the Macedonian kingdom when both Macedonia and Hellas were conquered in 167/145 BCE.

Leonidas I and the 300 Spartans

King Leonidas I
(530-480 BCE)

Leonidas I was the son of the Spartan King Anaxandrides. He became king after the death of his older half-brother Cleomenes I in 490 BCE.

As a male Leonidas, went through mental and physical training. From childhood every Spartan boy goes through their horrible education system, the Agoge, in preparation to become a warrior for Sparta. Once in the Spartan forces they would become a Hoplite, a soldier armed with a round shield, spear and a iron short sword. The Hoplites form in a battle a phalanx, rows of hoplites stood directly next to each other making a wall of shields and spears. During a frontal attack, this wall provided significant protection to the warriors behind it. Although if the formation broke or the enemy attacked from the sides or the rear then the formation became useless. 

Ancient Hellas (Greece) was made up of several hundred City-States. Although most were divided they banded together to defend Hellas from a foreign invader, Persia. In 490 BCE the Persian King Darius I instigated an attempted a invasion, but a combined Hellenes (Greeks) force pushed back the Persian army at the Battle of Marathon. 

In 480 BCE, one of Darius' sons, Xerxes I, attempted an invasion of Hellas. Under Xerxes, the Persian army moved through the Hellas eastern coast, with the Persian navy moving parallel to the shore. To reach the lower half of Hellas the Persian's had to go through the coastal pass of Thermopylae.

Battle of Thermopylae 480 BCE

In the late summer of 480, Leonidas led 300 Spartans and 6,700 Hellenes forces in attempted to stop the Persians through the narrow pass. For two days the Hellenes defended the attacks of the numerous enemy. Although the Persians found a route over the mountains to the west, enabling them to surround the Hellenes forces. Most of the Hellenes forces fled rather then see certain death. Only an army of Spartans, Thespians and Thebans remained and all of them were slaughtered. The Persians found and beheaded Leonidas' corpse, insulting him by denying funerary rights.

After the Battle of Thermopylae, the Athenian navy defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, sending the Persians back home. It took forty years before Sparta retrieved Leonidas' remains to bury him as well as having a shrine built in his honour.