Count Raymond of Toulouse - Crusader

Count Raymond of Toulouse - Crusader Raymond of Toulouse was also known as: Raymond of Saint-Gilles, Raimond de Saint-Gilles, Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, Raymond I of Tripoli, marquis of Provence; also spelled Raymund Raymond of Toulouse was known for: Being the first nobleman to take the cross and lead an army in the First Crusade. Raymond was an important leader of the Crusades armies, and participated in the capture of Antioch and Jerusalem. Occupations: CrusaderMilitary Leader Places of Residence and Influence: FranceThe Latin East Important Dates: Born: c. 1041Antioch captured: June 3, 1098Jerusalem captured: July 15, 1099Died: Feb. 28, 1105 About Raymond of Toulouse: Raymond was born in Toulouse, France, in 1041 or 1042. Upon taking the countship, he began to reassemble his ancestral lands, which had been lost to other families. After 30 years he built up a significant power base in southern France, where he controlled 13 counties. This made him more powerful than the king. A devout Christian, Raymond was a staunch supporter of the papal reform that Pope Gregory VII had initiated and that Urban II continued. He is believed to have fought in the Reconquista in Spain, and may have gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When Pope Urban made his call for Crusade in 1095, Raymond was the first leader to take up the cross. Already past 50 and considered elderly, the count left the lands hed so carefully consolidated in the hands of his son and committed to go on a perilous journey to the Holy Land along with his wife. In the Holy Land, Raymond proved to be one of the most effective leaders of the First Crusade. He helped capture Antioch, then led the troops onward to Jerusalem, where he participated in a successful siege yet refused to become king of the vanquished city. Later, Raymond captured Tripoli and built near the city the castle of Mons Peregrinus (Mont-Pà ¨lerin). He died there in February, 1105. Raymond was missing an eye; how he lost it remains a matter of conjecture. More Raymond of Toulouse Resources: Portrait of Raymond of Toulouse Raymond of Toulouse in Print The link below will take you to an online bookstore, where you can find more information about the book to help you get it from your local library. This is provided as a convenience to you; neither Melissa Snell nor About is responsible for any purchases you make through these links.   Raymond IV Count of Toulouseby John Hugh Hill and Laurita Lyttleton Hill Raymond of Toulouse on the Web Raymond IV, of Saint-GillesBrief bio at the Catholic EncyclopediaThe First CrusadeMedieval FranceChronological Index Geographical Index Index by Profession, Achievement, or Role in Society The text of this document is copyright  ©2011-2016 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is   not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. For publication permission,  please   contact  Melissa Snell. The URL for this document is:http://historymedren.about.com/od/rwho/p/who-raymond-of-toulouse.htm

VB.NET Imports Statement Versus References

VB.NET Imports Statement Versus References The actual effect of the Imports statement in VB.NET is often a source of confusion for people learning the language. And the interaction with VB.NET References makes for even more confusion. Were going to clear that up in this Quick Tip. Heres a brief summary of the whole story. Then well go over the details. A Reference to a VB.NET namespace is a requirement and must be added to a project before the objects in the namespace can be used. (A set of references is automatically added for the different templates in Visual Studio or VB.NET Express. Click Show All Files in  Solution Explorer to see what they are.) But the Imports statement is not a requirement. Instead, its simply a coding convenience that allows shorter names to be used. Now lets look at an actual example. To illustrate this idea, were going to use the System.Data namespace - which provides ADO.NET data technology. System.Data is added to Windows applications as a Reference by default using the VB.NET Windows Forms Application template. Adding a Namespace in the References Collection Adding a new namespace to the References collection in a project makes the objects in that namespace available to the project as well. The most visible effect of this is that the Visual Studio Intellisense will help you find the objects in popup menu boxes. If you attempt to use an object in your program without a Reference, the line of code generates an error. The Imports statement, on the other hand, is never required. The only thing it does is allow the name to be resolved without being fully qualified. In other words (emphasis added to show the differences). Imports System.Data Public Class Form1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Private Sub Form1_Load( ...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dim Test As OleDb.OleDbCommand   Ã‚  Ã‚  End Sub End Class and Imports System.Data.OleDb Public Class Form1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Private Sub Form1_Load( ...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dim Test As OleDbCommand   Ã‚  Ã‚  End Sub End Class are both equivalent. But ... Imports System.Data Public Class Form1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form   Ã‚  Ã‚  Private Sub Form1_Load( ...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dim Test As OleDbCommand   Ã‚  Ã‚  End Sub End Class results in a syntax error (Type OleDbCommand is not defined) because of the Imports namespace qualification System.Data doesnt provide enough information to find the object OleDbCommand. Although the qualification of names in your program source code can be coordinated at any level in the apparent hierarchy, you still have to pick the right namespace to reference. For example, .NET provides a System.Web namespace and a whole list of others starting with System.Web ... Note There are two entirely different DLL files for the references. You DO have to pick the right one because WebService isnt a method in one of them.

Analysis of a poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of a poem - Essay Example Even the title is misleading, as the poem is not a love song in the typical meaning of the genre. The narrator is J. Alfred Prufrock. It is clear that he is addressing his love. At the same time, Prufrock devotes more time to introspection, and dream-like imagery than to his love. The tense of the poem is continuously changing, with the past, present and future merging into one narrative. â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† demonstrates Prufrock’s aspiration to declare his love, his fear of rejection and his deep regret over his lost opportunity. (Thesis). â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† begins on a note of aspiration as the narrator adopts the hopeful tone of the traditional suitor. He invites his love to a romantic walk, telling her, â€Å"Let us go then, you and I, / When the evening is spread out against the sky† (7/8). As the poem winds its way through different paths, the narrator returns at intervals to the subject of his love. Thi s love for the woman he addresses in the poem is demonstrated in the form of references to her arms, as seen under the light of the evening lamps, or as the fragrance of the perfume she wears on her dress: â€Å"Arms that are braceleted and white and bare/ (But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!)/ Is it perfume from a dress/ That makes me so digress?† (68-71). ... He sees himself as an outsider who is superficially in the company of the woman he addresses but not a vital part of her life. He is always outside the lively music which others hear. He professes his intention to the reader, saying that he wants to ask the lady something significant: â€Å"To lead you to an overwhelming question...† (16). However, Prufrock fears to declare his intentions. Although he constantly refers to his desire to declare his feelings to the woman he addresses, Prufrock remains indecisive, fearing rejection. He keeps procrastinating and insists that there is â€Å"Time for you and time for me, / And time yet for a hundred indecisions,† (37/38). It soon becomes clear to the reader that the reason for this indecisiveness is Prufrock’s fear of rejection. He fears that he will be subject to close examination and made to feel like a biological specimen. He is tortured by doubts as to the correct approach, and repeatedly wonders, â€Å"And should I then presume? / And how should I begin?† (74/75). He cannot summon up the courage to dare address the woman. He ascends and descends the stairs, fears to upset the status quo and remains in suspended animation. In fact, in a very revealing picture of vulnerability, Prufrock compares himself to a crab, saying â€Å"I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas† (79/80). He is afraid to expose his feelings, fearing rejection. His confidence is further undermined by his fear that he may have misinterpreted the woman’s signals of love. What if she should say: â€Å"That is not what I meant at all; / That is not it, at all.† (109/110). In all this procrastination, the opportunity to declare his love slips by and is

The Strategic Route of Lexus Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Strategic Route of Lexus - Term Paper Example There have been huge sales of Lexus brand in different categories like hybrid, midsize premium and others. There are several models of Lexus. The focus is on Lexus GS model that is available in two variants: GS 300 and GS 460. These two are the premium products and have the capability to attract the consumers (Lexus, 2010). There is huge potential in the global market of the brand Lexus and the opportunity can be captured properly with an appropriate marketing strategy. The company needs to identify the primary and selected market for attaining more sales of Lexus. The brand Lexus GS model will be discussed in this paper regarding its potential in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) market. This research paper looks to determine the potential market of Lexus GS in the UAE market for the upcoming years (2011-2013). There are certain factors that have already been discussed and now it centers on the marketing strategy for Lexus GS. Marketing strategy is the key factor for the business success. There are two approaches i.e. primary and selective marketing strategies for the Lexus brand in the UAE market. The basic discussion of the paper is related to the type of demand that will be stimulated for the next three years. Both primary demand and selective demand will be focused upon the UAE market and one will be selected as a marketing strategy for Lexus. The UAE’s real growth for 2011 is expected to be 6.7%, 7% in 2012 and 6.7% in 2013. The per capita expected in 2011 is $43,030, $47330 in 2012 and $52160 in 2013. There is huge potential for Toyota Lexus market with increase in real growth and per capita income (Government of Ras Al Khaimah, 2009). According to Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), there were more than 1021880 registrations of new vehicles in the UAE market. The potential of the UAE market is estimated to be approximately 1542000.  

Arthur Miller Good Theatre Essay Example for Free

Arthur Miller Good Theatre Essay A View from the Bridge is a post war play centred on longshoreman Eddie Carbonne. Eddie lives with wife Beatrice, and niece Catherine. The play depicts the conflict that occurs when, Italian immigrants and relatives of Beatrice, Marco and Rudolpho, come to stay with them and Rudolpho forms a romantic relationship with Catherine, eventually marrying her. It ends in a violent confrontation between Marco and Eddie. Eddie confronts Marco with a knife, but it backfires and he is stabbed to death. I am going to answer the question, what makes A View from the Bridge good theatre by firstly analysing four main components: the characters, themes, stage directions and dramatic devices. I am going to begin with the characters. The three most important characters are Eddie, Beatrice and Alfieri. Firstly, Eddie has the leading role and the complexities of his character add many intriguing dimensions. For instance, there are his deep feelings for Catherine and their incestuous connotations. Throughout the play, Eddies feelings towards Catherine are made known to the audience and many of the other characters. However Eddie still seems oblivious and even though his actions strongly suggest he loves her as more than a niece, he never verbalises his feelings or wilfully admits to them. EDDIE: What can I do? I gotta sit in my own house and look at a son-of-a-bitch punk like that which he came out of nowhere! I give him my house to sleep! I take the blankets off my bed for him, and he takes and puts his dirty filthy hands on her like a god dam thief! Here, Eddie is getting increasingly angry, because he feels that by marrying Catherine, Rudolpho is somehow stealing from him. Miller shows this by using expletives and exclamation marks. This shows that he is protective of her in a slightly more than paternal way. When Alfieri makes the comment about Eddie marrying Catherine, it is on the surface an offhand retort to ridicule Eddies incredulity at Catherine marrying Rudolpho, but Eddie reacts very badly to it, because Alfieri has actually pinpointed the true nature of his feelings. However instead of acknowledging this, he shouts at Alfieri in an attempt. Here, the audience is made aware of the fact that in his own mind, Eddie is just being protective of his niece, and that any improper feelings from Catherine are deeply suppressed. Therefore, the audience is always in anticipation of the moment when Eddie vents all that suppressed emotion, which creates increasing tension. Miller puts a pause at the end of Eddies angry outburst because the moment of silence would allow the audience to realise the true meaning of the conversation. ALFIERI: You know sometimes God mixes up the people. We all love someone but sometimes theres too much and it goes where it mustnt there is too much love for the niece. Do you understand what Im saying to you?

Grain of Hope in Breakfast of Champions :: Breakfast of Champions Essays

Grain of Hope in Breakfast of Champions â€Å"I think I am trying to clear my head of all the junk in there...the flags...I’m throwing out characters from my other books too. I’m not going to put on any more puppet shows.† This proud exclamation is made in the introduction of Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions. It caught my attention and drew me to continue reading. The book continues to take the reader on a bizarre journey through the human mind. Our mental trip is made easier through Vonnegut’s childlike â€Å"artwork,† which mostly consists of underwear, guns, cows, and other odds and ends. Finishing the introduction I was instantly fed a synapse of the plot. The story follows the mental decline of a rich Pontiac dealer, Dwayne Hoover, and the rise of an unknown science fiction writer, Kilgore Trout, who is to become one of the most beloved and respected human beings in history. All this is revealed on the first page. In my closed mind, I figured that I already knew the plot, so there was no point in continuing. On a whim, I flipped through the book and saw the picture of a gravestone. On the gravestone was written, â€Å"Not even the Creator of the universe knew what the man was going to say next-perhaps the man was a better universe in its infancy.† For some reason this rather simple line hooked me and so I went back to page one and decided to read a bit more. To be honest, I’m glad I did. As soon as I finished the first chapter, I was really hooked. It was one of the few novels I had ever read straight through from beginning to end in one all-night sitting. I’ll admit-so far this essay has been more of a narrative telling of my exploits with this novel, but I felt it necessary to explain a little about my initial feelings. This book is pregnant with symbols. Many of the mechanics of the book (including the chapters) became symbols in Vonnegut’s hands. The first chapter goes into American culture in depth. It explains that in our country color means everything.   â€Å"The sea pirates were white. The people who were already on the continent, who were already living full and imaginative lives, were copper-colored. When slavery was introduced, the slaves were black.

Auto biography of a Tree Essay

I am a tree, tall and imposing, standing all alone near the campus of a temple. My life is ever so interesting as, I see a huge spectrum of society, funny gestures of people, and hear all kinds of conversation of the devotees who pass by me. I was not always so huge. As is true of all living beings I was also a long time back, a young sapling with this huge tree within me. At that time I looked fresh and beautiful as all other beings who are young, but, at that time I was of course not so imposing. This is what I have seen about life that, every stage has something good about it. I understand that, I am a peepal tree which just grows anywhere and everywhere. Ever since I was young, I remember several people coming to my root and worshipping me. They would light an earthenware lamp, and put it near my root, say their prayers and go away. This was a daily ritual which scores of people followed at my root ever since I can remember. As I started growing up bigger and bigger, the temple authorities put a two feet wall like boundary around my trunk. This was done to protect me from being destroyed by crowds who thronged to me. Since I am near a temple, I have always had the pleasure of a lot of company daily and, the great honour of being worshipped by scores of believers every day. Now, I am a full grown tree, and that two feet wall has been converted into a broad platform all around me, with my root out of sight, and the trunk also somewhat covered from vision. Here on the platform people sit and say their prayers and relax. At times they also consume their temple prasad while sitting on this platform. Oh, what a wonderful feeling it is to be so loved and cared for and, above all, being so honoured and respected. This honour is given to me as, I understand now that, a section of the Indian society considered me a holy tree to be worshipped. This is why there is so much hype about me and my kin. As I stand here, near a temple, I never ever feel lonely I get all sorts of company throughout the day, so, where is the scope of feeling lonely. Early in the morning the temple is opened at 6 a.m. It is cleaned and washed so, I get the company of people who clean the premises. They come to me also and broom the area around me, wash the platform and I am trim and neat to welcome my guests for the day. After the temple is cleaned there is a pooja, and from 7 a.m. devotees start pouring in, and the temple bells start ringing and breaking the silence of the night. Devotees continue pouring in the temple right from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., when the temple closes. These long hours of the day, there is no chance of my getting bored as, I have the company of so many people moving around the area. Even though I am alone, a lonely tree but, my life is full of thrill and excitement, as I get lots of, and variety of company. This in turn is an added honour for me that, while my friends have the company of trees only, I have the company of human beings who talk and walk and discuss matters to make my life more lively and enjoyable. I often wondered to myself as to why there is so much of greatness thrust upon me, though I am just a tree like any other. Yes, here is the catch, I believe I am so revered because I am considered by the Hindus, a religious sect as a holy tree, an incarnation of their God. Aha! this makes me feel proud of myself and I am prone to thank God for this birth in which I get honour, respect, love and care. What else could any living being aspire for. I and my honour are further enhanced as, I stand near a temple of God. Now, all my anxiety is put to rest as, I have learnt that I am also here to be worshipped just as God himself. I stand here alone yet in great company of human beings. My life is just wonderful, I pray to God that HE grant such a wonderful and eventful life to all humans. One thing I forgot to tell you all, about my life. When people come and sit on the platform around me, I also get a lot of information about man’s world. I hear scandals, I hear about murders, thefts and what all evils that exist in this man’s world. At times I also get to hear small children saying lovely words to their mothers and, seeing the mothers cajoling them, I feel what a beautiful life men have. Thus to add to my experience of life, I have come to know a lot about human beings and their lives. Their lives are also full of pleasures and disappointments. It is not that men only enjoy as, most of us lesser beings seem to feel. Men also have their own problems. So, to add up I’d say my life is a pleasure and a rich experience.

The corresponding world consumption for oil during

In 2004, the world production of oil was estimated at just over 29. 7 Bbl. The corresponding world consumption for oil during the same period was estimated at 29. 6 Bbl of oil, leaving a surplus of just under 0. 1 Bbl at the end of the year. In the United States, one of largest consumer markets for oil and oil products, from the first week in September 2004 to the first week in September 2005, gasoline prices increased by a staggering $1. 22 per gallon to $3. 12 before dropping to $2. 25 on November 21, 2005. These figures are quite staggering considering that contracts for crude changed hands at 10 USD/barrel in 1999 (Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). With the emergence of China in the global market and its increasing demand for oil, it is projected that unless oil companies are able to increase the world production by investing investment in oil and natural-gas production oil prices could increase exponentially over the next ten (10) years. Since oil remains the main energy source in most countries, the demand for oil will remain constant despite the changes in the price of oil (Case, 1999). While theoretically it is expected that there will be a greater demand for oil if the price decreases, it is important to factor in the fact that more governments around the world are implementing energy saving policies as well as trying to reduce to dependence on oil as an energy source by developing alternative sources of energy (hybrid cars, solar power, hydroelectric power) (Simmons, 2005). Given the volatility of oil supply and prices coupled with the harmful effects that fossil fuels have on the environment, it is important to discuss the pros and cons of alternative sources of energy. The most popular and arguably most powerful source of energy today is the sun. Solar energy has been touted as the solution to the world’s energy problems. Being free and efficient, solar energy is a viable replacement for the energy that fossil fuels provide and as a primary source of energy it is renewable (Serra 2006). One drawback, however, is the fact that current technology to harness the sun’s rays is expensive and cannot be availed of by many, especially those in developing countries. On top of this, in order for enough solar energy to be a viable source of alternative energy there has to be an ample supply of it (Serra 2006). This means that a large area which is constantly sunny is the ideal place for the proper utilization of solar energy. There is a lot of promise in this field, however, and soon, as the technology for this improves, solar energy may indeed shed light on the energy problems of the world. Another form of alternative energy that is free and renewable is wind energy. In places that are particularly breezy and have no constant sunlight, harnessing wind energy is a very effective source of clean and renewable energy (Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). It has been shown in studies that when the wind is strong it can provide up to 20% of a country’s energy needs (Serra 2006). Aside from the energy that it can provide, it also promises clean and efficient energy as there are no harmful effluents that are produced and it does not require as much space as solar energy. One problem, however, is the fact that wind may not always be constant (Serra 2006). When the wind slows down to a certain speed it also can no longer be harnessed. This being said, life would certainly be a breeze if the world was able to improve the harnessing of wind energy. To water-down the need for fossil fuels, the world can also resort to hydroelectric energy. Using the natural flow of water and gravity, hydroelectric energy is one of the most widely used alternative energy sources in the world (Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). With the amount of energy that can be produced, hydroelectric energy produces no waste material and no pollution (Serra 2006). The downside to this form of energy, however, is the fact that the construction and maintenance for hydroelectric power dams is expensive. While there are developments in micro hydro technology, hydroelectric dams can also displace several communities, destroy forest resources and kill other fishes and aquatic life in the area (Serra 2006). This means that while hydroelectric power is certainly a very viable solution to the energy problems of the world there must be several things that should be sorted out and improved for it to be useful as the world’s main energy source. Another alternative energy source that is making waves is the energy that can be harnessed from tidal energy. Similar in function to hydroelectric energy, this type of energy uses turbines that harness the rise and fall of the tides. The natural flow of the oceans currents is harnessed in order to produce energy (Serra 2006). However, due to the peculiarity of the energy source, it cannot be located just anywhere. There are very few sites that are feasible for the location of tidal energy plants and it also poses a threat to local fishing and fisheries (Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). Also because tides only occur at certain times of the day it is not as efficient as the other energy types. One of the largest growing sources of alternative energy is biomass. Since this form of alternative energy has a two-fold advantage, reduction of waste and generation of energy, it seems to be the best solution to the world’s energy problems Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). Taking animal waste, agricultural crops, grains, wood, mill residues, forest, and aquatics, biomass plants ferment these wastes to generate gases that are then burned to create energy Bilgen and Kaygusuz 2004). The obvious downside to this, however, is that there are harmful effluents that are released. While it indeed captures the gases that are produced, it also releases energy from the burning. The Life in the lap of luxury is indeed a very convenient life but as it is it will be a lifestyle that will be nearly impossible to sustain. It is wonderful to take advantage of all of the technological advancements that are available today but one must always ask whether or not the tradeoff is worth, a moment of pleasure that could be disastrous for this generation and the next. References Serra, J. â€Å"Alternative Fuel Resource Development†, Clean and Green Fuels Fund, (2006). Bilgen, S. and K. Kaygusuz (2004), Renewable Energy for a Clean and Sustainable Future, Energy Sources 26, 1119. Jeff Tester and Ron DiPippo (2007-06-07). â€Å"The Future of Geothermal Energy† (PDF). US Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. http://www1. eere. energy. gov/geothermal/pdfs/structure_outcome. pdf. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.

Ali essays

Ali essays I am the greatest!!! Im young; Im handsome; Im fast. I cant possibly be beat. They all must fall in the round I call. I should be a postage stamp. Thats the only way Ill ever get licked. The heavyweight champion of the world should be pretty like me. It aint bragging if you can back it up. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Im so mean, I make medicine sick. I shook up the world. Me! Whee!!!. * These words come from the mouth of Muhammad Ali. If you ever hear a man speak of himself in such a way, it makes you wonder. It makes you wonder if he has the right to speak the way he does. It makes you wonder if people accept him without any hostility. It makes you wonder what is so special about this person. If anybody, Muhammad Ali is the man that has the right to speak the way he does. In the boxing ring, he was feared and respected for his accomplishments. However, Muhammad Ali was known for his ego. It was an ego that people both loved and hated but also an ego which ended his career twice. Even with this ego of his, Ali always had a way of pulling in people with his sarcastic humor and charm. He was simply a man that had to be loved and respected by everybody. Ali loved life and everything about it. He was an example to us all. Muhammad Ali has given the world of sports something to remember for a lifetime. Ali came into the world of boxing with the same attitude and strength he still has today. He surprised everybody; everybody except himself. Ali was a born boxer. Ever since the age of 12 when his bicycle was stolen, he has been boxing kids or adults in one way or another. Never wanting to be abused again, Ali was determined to become the most dangerous man in the world. Knocking out every person he saw in sight was his plan. He used his quickness, his size, and his power to his advantage in every bout. It was through his skill and confidence where hi ...

The History and Love Story of the Taj Mahal

The History and Love Story of the Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal is a beautiful, white-marble mausoleum built by Mughul emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Located on the southern bank of the Yamuna River near Agra, India, the Taj Mahal took 22 years to build, finally being completed in 1653. The Taj Mahal, considered one of the New Wonders of the World, astounds every visitor not only for its symmetry and structural beauty, but also for its intricate calligraphy, inlaid flowers made of gemstones, and magnificent garden. The Love Story It was in 1607, that Shah Jahan, grandson of Akbar the Great, first met his beloved. At the time, he was not yet the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire. Sixteen-year-old, Prince Khurram, as he was then called, flitted around the royal bazaar, flirting with the girls from high-ranking families that staffed the booths.   At one of these booths, Prince Khurram met 15-year-old Arjumand Banu Baygam, whose father was soon to be the prime minister and whose aunt was married to Prince Khurram’s father. Although it was love at first sight, the two were not allowed to marry right away. First, Prince Khurram had to marry Kandahari Begum. (He would later marry a third wife as well.) On March 27, 1612, Prince Khurram and his beloved, whom he gave the name Mumtaz Mahal (â€Å"chosen one of the palace†), were married. Mumtaz Mahal was not only beautiful, she was smart and tender-hearted. The public was enamored with her, in part because Mumtaz Mahal cared for the people, diligently making lists of widows and orphans to make sure they received food and money. The couple had 14 children together, but only seven lived past infancy. It was the birth of the 14th child that was to kill Mumtaz Mahal. The Death of Mumtaz Mahal In 1631, three years into Shah Jahan’s reign, there was a rebellion underway, led by Khan Jahan Lodi. Shah Jahan had taken his military out to the Deccan, about 400 miles from Agra, in order to crush the usurper. As usual, Mumtaz Mahal, who was always by Shah Jahan’s side, accompanied him, despite being heavily pregnant. On June 16, 1631, Mumtaz Mahal, in an elaborately decorated tent, gave birth to a healthy baby girl in the middle of the encampment. At first, all seemed to be well, but it was soon discovered that Mumtaz Mahal was dying. As soon as Shah Jahan received news of his wife’s condition, he rushed to her side. In the early morning hours of June 17, 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died in his arms. Reports say that in Shah Jahan’s anguish, he went to his own tent and cried for eight days. Upon emerging, some say he had aged, now sporting white hair and needing glasses. Mumtaz Mahal was buried right away, according to Islamic tradition, near the encampment at Burbanpur. Her body, however, was not to stay there long. Plans for the Taj Mahal In December 1631, when the feud with Khan Jahan Lodi was won, Shah Jahan had the remains of Mumtaz Mahal dug up and brought 435 miles (700 km) to Agra. The return of Mumtaz Mahal was a grand procession, with thousands of soldiers accompanying the body and mourners lining the route. When the remains of Mumtaz Mahal reached Agra on January 8, 1632, they were temporarily buried on land donated by nobleman Raja Jai Singh, near where the Taj Mahal was to be built. Shah Jahan, filled with grief, had decided to pour that emotion into an elaborate, exquisite, expensive mausoleum that would rival all those that had come before it. (It was also to be unique, being the first large mausoleum dedicated to a woman.) Although no one, main architect for the Taj Mahal is known, it is believed that Shah Jahan, who was already passionate about architecture, worked on the plans himself with the input and aid of a number of the best architects of his time. The plan was that the Taj Mahal (â€Å"the crown of the region†) would represent heaven (Jannah) on Earth. No expense was spared to make this happen. Building the Taj Mahal At the time, the Mughal Empire was one of the richest in the world and thus Shah Jahan had the means to pay for this huge venture. With the plans made, Shah Jahan wanted the Taj Mahal to be grand, but also, built quickly. To speed production, an estimated 20,000 workers were brought in and housed nearby in a newly built town for them called Mumtazabad. These workers included both skilled and unskilled craftsmen. At first, builders worked on the foundation and then on the giant, 624-foot-long plinth (base). On this plinth was to sit the Taj Mahal building as well as the two matching, red sandstone buildings (the mosque and the guest house) that flank the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal building, sitting on a second plinth, was to be an octagonal structure, first constructed of brick and then covered in white marble. Like in most large projects, the builders created a scaffolding to build higher; however, what was unusual was that the scaffolding for this project was built of bricks. No one has yet figured out why. The white marble was incredibly heavy and quarried in Makrana, 200 miles away. Reportedly, it took 1,000 elephants and an untold number of oxen to drag the marble to the Taj Mahal building site. For the heavy marble pieces to reach the higher spaces of the Taj Mahal, a giant, 10-mile-long, earthen ramp was built. The very top of the Taj Mahal is topped with a huge, double-shell dome that reaches to 240 feet and is also covered in white marble. Four thin, white-marble minarets stand tall at the corners of the second plinth, surrounding the mausoleum. Calligraphy and Inlaid Flowers Most pictures of the Taj Mahal show only a large, white, lovely building. What these photos miss is the intricacies that can only be seen up close. It is these details that make the Taj Mahal astoundingly feminine and opulent. On the mosque, guest house, and the large main gate at the southern end of the Taj Mahal complex appear passages from the Quran (often spelled Koran), the holy book of Islam, written in calligraphy. Shah Jahan hired Amanat Khan, a master calligrapher, to work on the inlaid verses. Masterfully done, the finished verses from the Quran, inlaid with black marble, look soft and gentle. Although made of stone, the curves make it look almost hand-written. The 22 passages from the Quran were reportedly chosen by Amanat Khan himself. Interestingly, Amanat Khan was the only person who Shah Jahan allowed to sign his work on the Taj Mahal. Almost more amazing than the calligraphy is the exquisite inlaid flowers found throughout the Taj Mahal complex. In a process known as parchin kari, highly-skilled stone cutters cut intricate floral designs into the white marble and then inlaid precious and semi-precious stones to form interwoven vines and flowers. The 43 different kinds of precious and semi-precious stones used for these flowers came from around the world, including lapis lazuli from Sri Lanka, jade from China, malachite from Russia, and turquoise from Tibet. The Garden As in many religions, Islam holds the image of Paradise as a garden; thus, the garden at the Taj Mahal was an integral part of the plan to make it heaven on Earth. The Taj Mahal’s garden, which is situated to the south of the mausoleum, has four quadrants, divided by four â€Å"rivers† of water (another important Islamic image of Paradise), which gather at a central pool. The gardens and â€Å"rivers† were supplied with water from the Yamuna River by a complex, underground water system. Unfortunately, no records have survived telling us what plants were originally planted in the Taj Mahal’s garden. The End of Shah Jahan Shah Jahan stayed in deep mourning for two years but even after that, the death of Mumtaz Mahal still deeply affected him. That is perhaps why the third of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan’s four sons, Aurangzeb, was able to successfully kill off his three brothers and imprison his father. In 1658, after 30 years as emperor, Shah Jahan was usurped and placed in the luxurious Red Fort in Agra. Not able to leave but with most of his usual luxuries, Shah Jahan spent his last eight years staring out a window, looking at his beloved’s Taj Mahal. When Shah Jahan died on January 22, 1666, Aurangzeb had his father buried with Mumtaz Mahal in the crypt beneath the Taj Mahal. On the main floor of the Taj Mahal, above the crypt, now sits two cenotaphs (empty, public tombs). The one in the center of the room belongs to Mumtaz Mahal and the one just to the west is for Shah Jahan. Surrounding the cenotaphs is a delicately-carved, lacy, marble screen. (Originally it had been a gold screen but Shah Jahan had that replaced so that thieves would not be too tempted.) The Taj Mahal in Ruins Shah Jahan had enough wealth in his coffers to support the Taj Mahal and its mighty maintenance costs, but over the centuries, the Mughal Empire lost its riches and the Taj Mahal fell into disrepair. By the 1800s, the British ousted the Mughals and took over India. To many, the Taj Mahal was beautiful and so they cut gemstones from the walls, stole the silver candlesticks and doors, and even tried to sell the white marble overseas. It was Lord Curzon, the British viceroy of India, who put a stop to all that. Rather than looting the Taj Mahal, Curzon worked to restore it. The Taj Mahal Now The Taj Mahal has once again become a magnificent place, with 2.5 million people visiting it each year. Visitors can visit during the daytime, where the color of the white marble seems to change depending on the time of the day. Once a month, visitors have the opportunity to make a short visit during a full moon, to see how the Taj Mahal seems to glow from within in the moonlight.   In 1983, the Taj Mahal was placed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO, but it now suffers from pollutants from nearby factories and from the humidity from the breath of its visitors.   Sources DuTemple, Lesley A. The Taj Mahal. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2003.Harpur, James and Jennifer Westwood. The Atlas of Legendary Places. New York: Weidenfeld Nicolson, 1989.Ingpen, Robert and Philip Wilkinson. Encyclopedia of Mysterious Places: The Life and Legends of Ancient Sites Around the World. New York: Barnes Noble Books, 1999.

Dragon in China A Symbol of Empowerment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dragon in China A Symbol of Empowerment - Essay Example By going through the description of ‘Ladle with dragon handle’ on the website of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, it has been observed that the kind of ancient item provided by the museum at their site, demonstrates the creative and philosophical background of ancient Chinese culture. The ladle has been used in the third century for kitchen chores and whisky pouring. The historical object in the museum ladle can be located with a dragon’s head, which is particularly at its handle. A visitor to the museum can observe that the dragon has pointed ears and bulging eyes as the most prominent features. Additionally, its two long horns and attenuated snout are also those elements that serve in drawing the attention of the audience. As per the astrologists, the ladles were unearthed from the land of Kingdom of Wu. This denotes that ladles were of great importance for the Kingdom (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). Considering the historical existence of dragon in Chinese culture, it is evident that the ladle with dragon heads are mere symbol of strength and power for the kingdom. If the history of Yangzi river valley is assessed, dragons are always found serving the kingdom with good luck and blessings (Fiero 14). In Chinese culture, the ladle with dragon head have always been considered as the sign of serenity as it was used in the kitchen; therefore, during the recent period of modernization, the importance of dragons cannot be ignored. It should also be noted that the roots of such symbol go back to the beliefs presented in Confucianism’s content (Visser and Coleman 21-23). On the other hand, the pieces such as ladle with dragon head in China were sustaining the Chinese rise to empire; thus, the support acquired from the dragon and its symbolization had always supported the kingdom with strength and power. The richest culture of the region holds the dragons at every pace of the civil ization; therefore, the presence of dragons over ladles and other widely used utensils can be observed. This gives a clear indication of the worth of the pieces, Ladle, for Emperor  Qianlongs reign of the Qing Dynasty at its best. To be more precis, the era was (220–265), 3rd century. As most of the people are found believing that Chinese Dragon actually symbolizes the evil there is still a certain degree of misconception. Chinese also believed that dragons provide harmony to the patients. In simpler words, the dragons have the ability to help patients heal during sickness. The misconception appeared popular, because the dragon in west is considered as the symbol of Satan, because of the devilish attitudes (Visser and Coleman 71-83). It should be noted that ladle is of great value and kept in the museum because it highlights Chinese cultural heritage. It is observable that ladle 36.8 cm which is over greater cost. The worth of the ladle is noted to be beyond millions for it s make. The beliefs of old Chinese population and empire demonstrate their psychology that a daily using utensil with imprinted or carved dragon head may empower their existence over the world to rule with the domination they want to acquire. The modern Chinese society also believes in the old notions, that greatness, goodness and blessings are indulged with the symbol of dragon that may bless them as their ancestors were blessed. Such worth of ladle with dragon head in Chinese history is due to the fact that the believers deem dragons as the controlling power of the

Tourism and Modernity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tourism and Modernity - Essay Example Tourism and Modernity The concept of the suburb was born with the birth of the railway as it suddenly became convenient for individuals to live with their families in the more spacious homes of the country and still make it into town in time to open their shops in the early morning and return home for dinner. In addition to opening up the economic frontier, these new technologies also made other new concepts available. â€Å"A hugely important development in the history of travel took place when the journey ceased to be regarded as an uncomfortable and possibly dangerous means to an end, and was appreciated instead as an expression of personal freedom and a route to re-definition of the self† (Jarvis, 2004: 84). The introduction of steam ships and railways meant that travel between countries was more available to a wider proportion of the population on both sides of the channel. As the tourism industry grew, making travel between countries easier, individuals given the luxury of movement represente d in the automobile gained even freer movement as they were suddenly able to determine for themselves start and stop times without sacrificing much of the speed of railway travel. Other innovations, such as the bicycle, led to the development of specialist tourism clubs. However, in bringing the railway to the various places and spaces of the country and the world, the individual identities of these spaces were subjected to the industrialized ‘factory system’ beginning with the need to standardize practice.