Thursday, September 22, 2011

2011-2012 Challenges. Number 1



Five mercenaries in the Thirty Years´War


Hi everybody!

As we have lessons on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday this year, the weekly challenges will be set on Thursday afternoon. This way you will have more time to research and solve them. Let´s inaugurate this year´s challenges with some questions about the Thirty Years´ War.

QUESTION 1

One of the most famous Spanish painters immortalized the result of a victory of the Hispanic Army during the Thirty Years´ War. Who was this painter? What is the name of that painting?

QUESTION 2

There is a famous series of novels, which explain different aspects of life, culture and politics in the Hispanic monarchy during the  17th century. The main character of these novels fought and died in the Battle of Rocroi, considered to be the beginning of the end of the Hispanic hegemony in Europe. What is the name of this fictional character? Who is the author of this series of novels?

QUESTION 3

The casualties of the Thirty Years´ War were numerous, especially in the German States, where the main battles took place. The use of mercenaries caused a lot of damage to the civil population. They attacked and sacked cities and villages and acted with extreme cruelty. Some regions didn´t recover until 100 years later. What percentage of the population of the German States died in this war?


The hanging, one of the prints of The miseries and misfortunes of war, Jacques Callot, 1632


QUESTION 4

One of the consequences of the Thirty Years´War was the independence of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. What type of State had this new country? What type of State is the Netherlands at present?

The questions are not difficult. Researching and learning more are the main objectives. Come on, participate!

4 comments:

Enrique Vázquez said...

Hi
I have found some answers to the challenge’s questions:
QUESTION 1
The painter how paint this work of art is Diego Velazquez between the 1634 and 1635.
The painting is called The Surrender of Breda, and it’s symbolized the renewed period of Spanish military vigour in The Thirty Years’ War.
QUESTION 2
The name of this fictional character is Captain Alatriste and the author of these novels is Arturo Perez-Reverte. Other books of this series are Purity of Blood, the Sun over Breda and The King’s Gold.
QUESTION 3
In the North part of the German States died around 66% of population and also near some cities like Frankfurt, Lipsk and Wrociaw. And in the South and centre of the country they arrived to 33% of population.
QUESTION 4
The Netherlands declared their independence on the 26 of July in 1581 with an Act of Abjuration, but it wasn’t recognized until the 30 of January in 1645. They formed a Republic call the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, they were autonomous provinces and every province has their own govermment.
The Netherlands has been a Constitutional monarchy since 1815, and a Parliamentary democracy since 1848. Nowadays is a Constitutional State and is consider as the tenth most democratic country in the world.

Bye
Cu on Monday
Have a good weekend.

Diego López-Casero said...

Hi here you have the answers:

QUESTION 1:The painter who immortalized this moment was Diego Velazquez, he called this painting "The Surrender of Breda". He have painted this work between 1634 and 1635.
QUESTION 2:The main character of this novels was the captain Alatriste, who is the fictional character of the novels called "The adventures of the captain Alatriste"
QUESTION 3:I only can found that around the thirty percent of the civil population have died during this war.
QUESTION 4:Holanda have declared his independence on the 23rd of January of 1579 but until the 26th of July of 1581 they didn't declared their independence with and Act of Abjuration.


Have a good weekend
Bye

Paqui Pérez Fons said...

Hello Enrique and Diego,

Thanks for participating. The two of you have answered correctly questions 1, 2 and 3, but Enrique´s answer to question 4 is complete: the Netherlands was a republic when the country became independent in 1648, but it became a monarchy after the Congress of Vienna in 1815. It was one of the buffer states created to stop the expansion of France .We´ll study this soon.

See you tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

I couldnt think you are more right...