English for Historians. The Greatest Historical Milestones = Английский язык для историков. Величайшие исторические события. Учебное пособие

Unit ii. thE MiddlE agEs

text 1. crusades in Palestine

I. Read the text.

The Crusades were a military colonization movementoffeudallords,part of the peasantry and citizens in the form of religious war, the purpose of which was the liberation of the shrines of Christianity from the power of Muslims in Palestine, as well as the conversion to Catholicism of pagans and heretics. The classical era

of the Crusades was the 11th — 12th centuries AD. The term itself appeared around 1250 AD. The participants of the first campaigns referred to themselves as pilgrims. The Crusades were initiated by the Popes. The first one was organized by Pope Urban II in 1095 AD. Their goal was to liberate the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslims. A total of eight major Crusades were carried out in Palestine. As a result of the First Crusade of 1096–1099 AD, four Crusader states were founded in the Holy Land — the Kingdom of Jerusalem, the Principality of Antioch, the County of Edessa and the County of Tripoli. Crusader states completely covered the territory where at that time trade of Europe with India and China was, without occupying any excess territory. Egypt was cut off from this trade. Delivery of goods to Europe by the most economical way from Baghdad, by passing

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the state of the crusaders, became impossible. Thus, the crusaders acquired a kind of monopoly in this trade. Conditions were created for the development of new trade routes between Europe and, for example, China, such as the Volga route with transshipment to the rivers flowing into the Baltic and the Volga-Don way.

However, the crusaders failed to permanently consolidate its success, resulting in the following campaigns they had to defend or to recapture the seized possessions. In particular, during the Third Crusade king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem Baldwin IV and Sultan Salah ad-Din Yusuf Ibn Ayub became famous. Baldwin proved himself a far-sighted and skillful ruler, and Saladin — a skilled commander, who managed to inflict a crushing defeat on the forces of the crusaders.

During the Crusades there was such a phenomenon as the spiritualknightly orders. Knights of these organizations became monks who devoted their lives to the protection of pilgrims and the fight against the infidels. The most famous orders operating in Palestine are the Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta Sovereign Military Hospice Order of St. John, also known as the Order of the Hospitallers, and the Order of the Poor Knights of Christ, known as the Order of the Templars. The Order of Hospitallers exists to this day, and is located on the island of Malta.

However, over time, Muslim forces dislodged the crusaders, weakened by the lack of European support, and the last territory was lost to Europeans in 1303 AD, when the Mamluks took the island of Ruad.

II. Answer the questions.

1.How many were major Crusades?

2.When was the classical era of Crusades?

3.Which city did crusaders want to liberate?

4.How many crusaders states were founded after the First Crusade?

5.Which sultan defeated crusaders at the Third Crusade?

6.What was the full name of the Hospitaller’s order?

7.Where are Hospitaller’s now?

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8.When did Europeans lose last land in Palestine?

9.How did Europeans call Palestine?

III. Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions:

•heretic

•Muslim

•Pope

•pilgrim

•monk

•order

•knight

IV. Continue the sentences.

1.The Crusades are a ________.

2.The first one was organized by ________.

3.Crusader states completely covered ________.

4.Knights of these organizations ________.

5.The Order of Hospitallers ________.

6.The most famous orders ________.

7.The classical era of the Crusades ________.

V. Give the English equivalents to the following words and expressions:

•религиозная война

•гражданин

•Святая земля

•торговля

•опытный командир

•рыцарско-монашеский орден

•освобождать

•защищать

•существовать

•крестоносцы

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VI. Match up the words to get phrases. Use these phrases to make your own sentences.

VII.Creativewriting.Writean essay(words)onthe topic“History of the Assassins Order”. Find extra information on the Internet.

text 2. Mongol-tatar invasion to russia

I. Read the text.

Mongol-Tatar invasion to Russia fell on time of princely civil strife which promoted success of conquerors much. Great Genghis Khan’s grandson Baty who began war against the Old Russian state and became the main devastator of his lands directed it.

In 1237 AD, in the winter, there was the first large attack of Mongol-Tatar army on Russia — Ryazan principality fell their victim. Residents of Ryazan defended heroically, but there were too many forwards — without having received the help from other principalities (though messengers with a disturbing message were dispatched), Ryazan held on five days.

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The principality was occupied, and its capital not only was completely plundered, but also destroyed. The local prince and his son were killed.

Vladimirprincipalitybecamethe followingontheirway.The battle began with Kolomna where troops of the prince were beaten, further MongolscapturedMoscowandapproachedVladimir.The city,aswellas Ryazan, held on five days and fell. The battle of the Sit River (on March 4, 1238) where Baty completely broke the remains of princely army became the last decisive battle for Vladimiro-Suzdalsky principality. The principality was ruined and burned almost completely.

Further Baty planned to capture Novgorod, but Torzhok which stopped the Mongol army for two weeks became an unexpected obstacle in its way. After its capture conquerors nevertheless moved to Novgorod, but as a result of the unknown reasons turned to the south and on long seven weeks got stuck at walls of heroically defending Kozelsk.

Impressed with how this city lasted against its big and well trained army long, Baty called it “evil”.

Thesecondcampaignbeganin1239ADandlastedtothe 1240AD. For these two years Baty managed to capture Pereyaslavl and Chernihiv, Kiev became the last of the large cities. After its capture and ruin Mongols without special work coped with Galitsko-Volynsky principality, and went to Eastern Europe.

There are some reasons for which such considerable territory was occupied quickly enough. The first and the most important is the dissociation of principalities, that is confirmed by all history of Russia. Each of them pursued own interests so the political dissociation became a prerequisite of the fact that princes did not unite military forces, and each separate army was insufficiently numerous and strong to stop Mongols.

The second reason was that conquerors had a numerous army equipped at that time on a last plea of military equipment. An additional factor was the fact that by the time of arrival to Russia, both military leaders and soldiers of Baty had already had a considerable experience in obsidional business, they occupied a set of the cities.

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At last, also the cast-iron discipline which reigned in the Mongol army where each soldier was trained since the childhood contributed.

Such discipline was supported by also very rigid system of punishments: ten was the smallest division in the army and all of them were executed if one soldier showed cowardice.

Results of invasion were very heavy — it is described even in Old Russian literature. First of all, invasion of Tatar-Mongols, led to almost elimination of the cities — from 75 existing at that time, 45 were completely destroyed, that is more than a half. The population was strongly reduced, especially a layer of handicraftsmen that slowed down development of Russia. The economic obsolescence turned out to be consequence of it.

Also, the important social processes such us formation of estate of free people, decentralization of the power stopped. The southern and southwest parts of Russia were aloof, and division of the remained territory continued — race for power was supported by Mongols who were interested in dissociation of principalities.

II. Answer the questions.

1.How did Baty call Kozelsk?

2.What principality was damaged in result of the first attack?

3.How many cities were destroyed?

4.What led to an economic obsolescence?

5.When was the first large attack of Mongol-Tatar army on Russia?

6.How did the discipline in Mongol army support?

7.Where did Mongols go after the capture of Russia?

III. Fill in the gaps.

1.Vladimir principality _______ on their way.

2.The local prince and his son ________.

3.The principality ________ and burned almost completely.

4.The second campaign began in ________ and lasted to the _________.

5.The _________ turned out to be consequence of it.

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IV. Match up Russian and English equivalents.

VI. Speaking. Discussion. Discuss with your partners and give the most important reason for defeat of Russia in battles with Baty. Express your own opinion.

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The sides’ armies were represented by numerous feudal squads of professionalsoldiers,aswellasdetachmentsofsoldierscalledintoservice byspecialroyalorders.Warriorsfromthe lowersociallayersweremainly archers.Traditionally,warriorsfoughtonfoot.The cavalrywasusedonly for intelligence and gathering provisions, forage and transportation. In the battles, the commanders often dismounted to encourage the troops. Artillery and hand-held firearms began to appear in large numbers.

Results of the War

Historians are still discussing the true rate of the conflict’s influence on medieval English life. There is no doubt that the war led to a political overturn and a change in the determined balance of power. The mostevidentresultwasthe crashofthe PlantagenetDynasty,which was put back by the new Tudor Dynasty, which changed England over the following years. In upcoming years, the remnants of the Plantagenet factions, without direct access to the throne, were diffused.

The assumption of the Tudors in 1485 is supposed the beginning of the New Time in English history. On the other hand, it is also assumed that the horrific influence of the war was escalated by Henry VII, in ordertoexaltits’achievementsinits’endandtoensurepeace.Ofcourse, the impactofwaronmerchantsandpeasantswasmuchlessthaninwars in France and elsewhere in Europe, filled with pensionaries who were directly interested in continuing the war. Although there were several long sieges, they were in relatively remote and underpopulated areas. In heavily populated areas belonging to both factions, the opponents, in order to prevent the desolation of the territories, were looking for a quick solution to the conflict in the form of a general battle.

The post-war period was also the end for armies that fueled the conflict. Henry VII, fearing ulterior struggle, kept the lords under strict control, prohibiting them to train, hire, arm or supply an army so that they could not start a war with each other, or with the king.

II. Answer the questions.

1. What groups of English nobles fought for power in the years 1455–1485?

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2.What was the cause of the War between the Roses?

3.Who was mainly involved in the conflict?

4.Who were the warriors from the lower strata of society?

5.What was the cavalry used for?

6.What was the most obvious result after the war?

7.What is considered the beginning of a New Time in English history?

III. Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions:

•nobility

•dynasty

•feudal aristocracy

•opposition

•regency

•Medieval England

•the Hundred Years’ War

IV. Fill in the gaps.

1.The War of the Roses was the armed conflict between groups of the English aristocracy during 1455–1485 in the struggle for power between the supporters of the two Dynasty branches ________

Lancaster and York.

2.The cause of the war was the displeasure of a large part of English society ________ and the policies pursued by King Henry VI’s wife, Queen Margarita (the king was a weak-willed man and became insane).

3.A burnable element was numerous professional soldiers who, after the defeat in the war with France, had work and, being in large numbers, posed a grave ________.

4.The conflict involved mainly representatives of the English feudal aristocracy with ________, as well as a small number of foreign mercenaries.

5.The sides’ armies were represented by numerous feudal squads of ________ as well as detachments of ________.

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