This paper explores in detail the history of Edward II, King of England from 1307 to 1327, who is considered one of the least competent of all British monarchs.
Abstract The paper explains that the reign of Edward I was characterized by military conquest, legislative progress and positive political achievement; however, this apparently secure political structure collapsed under Edward II and his reign ended with a revolution in which he was deposed. The author points out that a large part of Edward II's failure can be attributed to his inability to maintain the impetus of the war with Scotland that his father had begun. The paper relates that Edward II, as a king, failed to gain the respect of his people and his inability to lead them and inspire them meant that when he sent his emissaries to raise troops for him, they simply refused to obey.
From the Paper "Trouble began to erupt in 1308, at the time of Edward's marriage to Isabella of France. An important group of magnates signed an agreement that, while stressing their loyalty to the crown, stated the need to reform "things which have been done before this time contrary to his honour and the rights of his crown, and the oppressions which have been done and are still being done to his people." Historians believe that the wordage in this demand was deliberately vague and interpret it as referring to the question of Gaveston as well as administrative abuses. The king's coronation took place with a new clause in his oath that bound him to observe the laws and customs chosen by the "community of the realm." The clause was eventually used by the Earl of Lincoln in a demand to exile Gaveston."
From the Paper "Oliver Cromwell and British Destiny
Introduction: The Reformation
The Reformation was a political and religious revolution that was ongoing in Europe throughout the 16th century. Turmoil was created within many European monarchies when the central tenet of state religion, in most cases Catholicism, was challenged for political or religious reasoning (Tudors and Stuarts, 1997).
In England, Henry the VIII sought to break the ties to the Catholic Church in 1529. His reasoning dealt with centralizing power and obtaining an heir to the throne. In order to work his will, Henry the VIII convened a Parliament to help him draft new laws and policies. In this way, Henry the VIII set a precedent for latter clashes of power between Parliament and ruling authority."
Abstract This paper looks at the Praetorian Guard, the personal guard force of the Roman emperors, which has become a byword for the ability of a bodyguard to control and ultimately to elevate or depose, the person whom it is supposed to guard. It examines how it was the only military force that had the potential to control its imperial masters. In particular it examines its role under the reign of the Julio-Claudians and how they were able to complete the marginalization of the Senate in favor of the Julio-Claudian family.
Outline
The Problem of Armies
Alternative Possible Solutions
Princeps and Imperator
The Roman Army: From Militia to Caesarism
The Augustan Solution
The Praetorian Guard: Organization and Mission
The Praetorian Guard in Augustan Security Strategy
The Praetorian Guard and the Emperors
Conclusion
From the Paper "Historians speak of the earlier period of the Roman Empire as the Principate, but it is fair to say that as a primary title for Augustus' successors it fell into relative abeyance at an early date. Augustus survived as a general term of respect, to become a formal title for a "senior" emperor under the system of divided imperial authority under Diocletian. Caesar, originally a family name, also survived as a general title of respect, and ultimately gave rise to Tsar in Russian and Kaiser in German. But it is emperor, from the military title Imperator, that became the imperial title par excellence."
Abstract This paper looks at the career of Jerry Rawlings, the military and political leader who led the coup that ousted the military junta in Ghana in 1979. It examines how at the time, he stepped aside to allow a civilian president, Hilla Limann, govern and how in December 1981, he deposed Limann, suspended the constitution, banned all political parties and later introduced economic reforms in 1983 that helped revive the economy. It shows how Rawlings came to power as leader in 1982 and how the first government lasted until 1987 as the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC).
From the Paper "In the period immediately after the creation of the AFRC, the group made it clear that it saw the former leadership as having failed to be accountable to the people. The administration of Hilla Limann was thus expected to measure up to the new standard of accountability advocated by the AFRC. Limann's People's National Party (PNP) began the Third Republic with control of only 71 of the 140 legislative seats -- the opposition Popular Front Party (PFP) won 42 seats, while 26 seats were distributed among three lesser parties. Limann was a former diplomat and a noncharismatic figure with no personal following, and the ruling PNP included people of conflicting ideological orientations. The most immediate threat to the Limann administration was the AFRC, especially those officers who organized themselves into the "June 4 Movement" to monitor the civilian administration, which is why the government ordered Rawlings and several other army and police officers associated with the AFRC into retirement. This clearly proved ineffective as the economy continued its decline ("Ghana and the Rawlings Era")."
Abstract This paper examines how Christopher Nolan's motion picture, ?Memento,? is structurally in violation of the supposed commandments of filmmaking. At the beginning, the reader is introduced to "Teddy" and ?Lenny,? the latter of whom has no short-term memory and lives in a quest to avenge his murdered wife. In particular, it looks at how the use of memory itself really functions more as an extended joke upon the viewer. It discusses how the film is a skillful deposal of the techniques of filmmaking rather than a truly satisfying narrative of either conflict or closure because it lacks psychological resonance of any kind as a story.
From the Paper "The real drama or contest thus is not whom of these faceless and nameless harlots are the mother of the nameless infant but the one woman's ability to redeem herself. Thus, in this sense "Memento" is unsatisfying in a narrative form. The convoluted nature of how the narrative unfolds suggests that the individuals who "get" what happens at the end are satisfied through intellectual understanding of the questions posed by the clever structure of the movie. But on a deeper and more emotive sense, the movie eschews any connection with the central protagonist. The man's purported feelings for his dead wife are false?Lenny really killed her."
Abstract This paper compares Shakespeare's uses time in his plays "Richard II" and "Henry IV". The paper shows that Richard's inability to use time to his advantage while he reigned led Bolingbroke to feel justified in deposing him. On the other hand, the paper demonstrates how Hal was extremely good at using his time -- in secret, to hone his battlefield skills -- and because of this, he is able to defeat Hotspur. Ultimately, the paper concludes that while Richard was a procrastinator and philosophizer and Hotspur was rash and impatient, they both come to the same end-that is, subsumed by time and death.
From the Paper "Richard's reign is plagued with the consequences of his inaction, and although he attempts to dress his authority with powerful language, his lack of success at seeming to act makes him appear impotent, and therefore ripe for deposition. In the very first act of Richard II, we see Richard in the process of "staging" his power at court in a feeble attempt to resolve a dispute between Mowbray and Bolingbroke in which he, himself, is tacitly implicated. Richard certainly makes a show of being in control of the situation, but when the rhetoric between the two complainants becomes too hot, threatening to expose Richard's part in Glocester's death, Richard seems to be content to talk the two gentlemen down from their rage. It is a dangerous position to take, and it is not the first time that Richard has avoided this confrontation because we learn "[his] leisure would not let [him] hear" the dispute in the past. (Richard I.I)"
Tags: hal, hotspur, richard, bolingbroke, time, history, battle
