Periods Of Your Country's History That You Don't Take Seriously?

[The Brain]

I could never be bothered with Tudor history either, and I always found it hard to understand popular culture's fascination with it.

And why does Henry VII always get left out?  I mean come on!

Anyway my wife is a good example.  She knows everything about the Tudor dynasty from Henry VIII to the death of Elizabeth.  Anything at all about what happened Stone Ages - Henry VIII or Elizabeth I - present day?  Barely anything.

I think Shakespeare has a lot to do with it.

Wtf? Wars of the Roses rock way more than Tudor bs.

[Camerus]

I've always found most of Canada's history to be quite dull, but as the faux-Chinese saying has it, interesting times (past or present) do not generally translate into good living.   

For Euro history, I've always personally taken the mainstream Prottie approach of reading the Middle Ages as something of a curious interregnum - and so to be studied as an overview, but lacking the same gravity as the history of the "Modern" era or antiquity. 

But the periods and regions I've been interested in have changed over time and will probably continue to do so in the future.   

[Martinus]

The "Noble Republic" and for the same reasons you mention - it's just oversaturated by pop culture.

What are we talking about there?  The entire era from the death of the last Jagiello until the third Partition?  That is an incredibly long period of time to be saturated.  The winged hussars are the most oddly cool thing I have ever seen.  Strapping metal wings to the backs of your cavalry shouldn't be cool, it should be lame.  But for some reason it works.

I would probably limit it to the period from the Swedish Deluge till the end of the Saxon era so, roughly, the 100 years from 1650 to 1750. It was the time of the state being at its weakest.

The years 1918-1939 also seem like something out of an operetta.

Definitely brings to mind the 'may you live in interesting times' not-Chinese curse.
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It was very Downton-Abbey-esque, and surprisingly calm.

[Valmy]

I would probably limit it to the period from the Swedish Deluge till the end of the Saxon era so, roughly, the 100 years from 1650 to 1750. It was the time of the state being at its weakest.

Huh.  The Great Northern War is over-saturated by pop culture?  Seems like such a generally unpleasant thing.

The lifting of the Siege of Vienna though, I would imagine, pretty saturated.

The years 1918-1939 also seem like something out of an operetta.

Poles having to deal with big problems and decisions like 'which dinner fork do I use?' and 'do I prefer marmalade or jam on my biscuits?'

[Martinus]

I would probably limit it to the period from the Swedish Deluge till the end of the Saxon era so, roughly, the 100 years from 1650 to 1750. It was the time of the state being at its weakest.

Huh.  The Great Northern War is over-saturated by pop culture?  Seems like such a generally unpleasant thing.

The lifting of the Siege of Vienna though, I would imagine, pretty saturated.

The years 1918-1939 also seem like something out of an operetta.

Poles having to deal with big problems and decisions like 'which dinner fork do I use?' and 'do I prefer marmalade or jam on my biscuits?'

The Great Northern War actually doesn't even register in our pop culture.

[Barrister]

I've always found most of Canada's history to be quite dull, but as the faux-Chinese saying has it, interesting times (past or present) do not generally translate into good living.   

For Euro history, I've always personally taken the mainstream Prottie approach of reading the Middle Ages as something of a curious interregnum - and so to be studied as an overview, but lacking the same gravity as the history of the "Modern" era or antiquity. 

But the periods and regions I've been interested in have changed over time and will probably continue to do so in the future.   

I've come around on Canadian history.  It's not as violent as the history of other places, but it's more accessible too.

[Valmy]

The Great Northern War actually doesn't even register in our pop culture.

Sorry I got really into Polish history when I was playing EU2.  I have several books about it on my bookshelf now to confuse people about why I would have such a thing.

I think I got it: the thing that is pop culturefied is the Liberum Veto stagnation, the OMG national tragedy of it all, and all the sex had by August the Strong.  Warmer?

[Martinus]

The Great Northern War actually doesn't even register in our pop culture.

Sorry I got really into Polish history when I was playing EU2.  I have several books about it on my bookshelf now to confuse people about why I would have such a thing.

I think I got it: the thing that is pop culturefied is the Liberum Veto stagnation, the OMG national tragedy of it all, and all the sex had by August the Strong.  Warmer?

Precisely.

There is like half a dozen books (that were later filmed in the 70s and 80s and are now on re-runs every Christmas and Easter on TV) - the Trilogy by Henryk Sienkiewicz ("Deluge", "Lord* Wolodyjowski", "By Fire and By Sword" - dealing with the liberum veto/Vasas/Sobieski/Vienna period); the "Countess Kozel" (which is like a blue-beard/Lion in Winter story of a countess who was the lover of August the Strong) and a couple of others that are less known.

*The Polish word is "Pan" which is really un-translateable, as it means each of Lord, Sir, Mr. and Master (I think the closest is Spanish "Don"). And it is still used to this day to say Mr. but alternatively followed by a last name if you are on a formal basis with someone, or the first name if you are more familiar (but still not fully on a first name basis). A legacy of our weird "noble democracy" (for example most of my clients, when they are familiar with me, refer to me as "Pan Marcin" ).

[Martinus]

Two other similar pop-culture moments: the battle of Grunwald/Tannenberg (another book by Sienkiewicz, later filmed - "Krzyzacy" i.e. "Teutonic Knights" - basically, Germans doing what they do best - fucking with Poles); and "Queen Bona" - a 70s TV series, the Polish equivalent of "I Claudius"/"Game of Thrones" (we had pretty good historical tv drama during the communism actually) - about Bona Sforza, the wife of Sigismund the Old and mother of Sigismund Augustus, the last Jagellon. The story of love, betrayal and politics.

Now, funnily, Piasts, again, barely register since noone really bothered making any good books or movies about them (we know Mieszko Christianised Poland, then Boleslav the Wrymouth split Poland up and then Casimir the Great* replaced wood with stone and promptly died, leaving the country to Hungarians).

Admittedly, Casimir the Great is liked by some people because he had a Jewish lover and drowned Catholic priests in frozen lakes.

[Martinus]

Oh, I should also probably mention Matejko, a historical painter from the 19th century, who also played a huge role in painting iconic moments from Polish history. Like this extremely excessive Battle of Grunwald:



If you have seen a portrait picture of a Polish monarch, it's probably his too, as he has done the entire portfolio.

[Valmy]

Yeah that is a style I definitely recognize.  Who is the guy in Red supposed to be?  Wladyslaw II?

He did the one about Prussia paying fealty right?  It seems to be loaded with significant images but to a non-19th century nationalist pole it just looks like lots of people mulling around.

Also the one where the dude holding the Polish Constitution is being carried through the streets like he just scored the goal sending Poland to the World Cup.

[Martinus]

Yeah that is a style I definitely recognize.

He did the one about Prussia paying fealty right?  It seems to be loaded with significant images but to a non-19th century nationalist pole it just looks like lots of people mulling around.

Also the one where the dude holding the Polish Constitution is being carried through the streets like he just scored the goal sending Poland to the World Cup.

Hahah yeah exactly. I was going to post these two (as these are probably the two other most famous paintings of his) but decided against spamming.

Personally I think he was a hack.

The guy in red is Vytautas, Yogailla's/Vladislav's brother.

[Martinus]

The Constitution of 3 May painting:



The dude is King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, the Catherine the Great's boy toy.

[Martinus]

The Constitution of 3 May painting:



The dude is King Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, the Catherine the Great's boy toy.

[mongers]

Say, 1660-1789.

Why?

Boring. Silly. Complicated. Gross.

I can half appreciate what you're feeling.

Maybe a better approach would be to read a history of the scientific and technical progress during the period? And then one focusing on the trade and economic changes.