Nations beaten by underestimated foes

Aberdeen American News ^ | April 18, 2004 | Art Marmorstein

[MarMema]

Greeks of course colonized the Crimea and all over the coasts of the Black Sea - but she did so before there was ever any people called Russia.

Pre-Ukrainian children celebrate their origins. (They were later to become part of Ukraine and develop their own flag.)

[Destro]

What your history leaves out is that the Mamluks paid off the Crusaders to let them pass their lands to attack an unsuspecting and reduced Mongol Army that was camped for the season.

After the Mamluk victory over the Mongols the Mamluks thanked the Crusaders by wiping them out of the Holy Land.

The Crusaders of Western Europe were a stupid lot and learned nothing from their time in the Holy Land about the ways of people they encountered.

There is a lesson in that example, also.

PS: The Mamluks were the Muslims most responsible for the eradication of many Christian populations in the Middle East before the arrival of the Ottomans. Reasoning? No local Christians no more Crusades. There is a lesson in that too.

[Destro]

Greeks in "Russia" came in several waves - ancient Greek colonizers - more Greek colonizers during the Roman and "Byzantine" era and finally and sadly refugee Greeks fleeing the Turks. The last wave of Greeks were kidnapped children sent to Russia to become Stalin's Russian Janissaries.

[Destro]

Greeks in "Russia" came in several waves - ancient Greek colonizers - more Greek colonizers during the Roman and "Byzantine" era and finally and sadly refugee Greeks fleeing the Turks. The last wave of Greeks were kidnapped children sent to Russia to become Stalin's Russian Janissaries.

The Greeks of Hungary (Victims of Cold War Communist kidnappings)

[MarMema]

You are so Greek, Des.
Everytime we go to visit my very close friend Despina and her husband Evan at the Greek church, my husband comes home with a complete history lesson from Evan on some aspect of Greek history. Orthros is something to be heard there though. The chanter is incredible. Even my kids love the Orthros, though they generally prefer a Russian liturgy to a Greek one.

Little tiny place in Tacoma Washington = Saint Nicholas. The churchschool there is better than at our own parish.

[MarMema]

The last wave of Greeks were kidnapped children sent to Russia to become Stalin's Russian Janissaries.

Suffering with their brethren.

[Light Speed]

Intrigues with the Papal Rome abound....would make a great thread on on its own.

Upsetting too for some : )

Ayn Jalut was a victory..but just only..as the Army in place was a lesser branch of the former main..in a sense..a split.
Can't pull a name right here..but remember a High ranking someone in the Mongol command chain pulling out and heading back to attend or account for something.
Did anyone get bumped off after Ayn Jalut..replaced?
Too lazy to google right now. : )

[RussianConservative]

Here, here!

[RussianConservative]

Actually it was Rus Invasion of Byzantine Greece that finally make two allies...after taking of cities, Greeks take Russ serious.

[wingster]

Fact: Islam is the fastest growing religion today.

It is slowly moving into all parts of the world. Since a peace loving people(s) won't prevent that, soon enough they'll dominate in one way or another. All that need be present is a mass of muslims and the "radical militants" will have plenty of hiding places.

[Cronos]

The only thing that troubles me is: whAt about the Christian Albanians?

[Cronos]

When it comes to war the Russians always got it wrong!

Not really, in the Crimean war, Russia was about to liberate Constantinople and the Hagia Sophia from Slamic rule. But the British and French stopped them from carrying out this noble deed

[Cronos]

Kosovo should be returned to the Serbs as it was for centuries.

Give the Ablanians an ultimatum -- return to the religionof their ancestors (Albanian Orthodox and Catholicism which is still professed by 10% in Albania proper, 0% in Kosovo) or give them to the tender mercies of the serbs.

[Cronos]

Hate to say it but the Japanese kicked Russian b*** in 1905 in the Russo-Japanese war

[Cronos]

In fact teh Czars were part Byzantine by blood.

Well the Tsars after Ivan the Terrible that is, the ROMAnovs

[RussianConservative]

Well not so true, it is why they scream to Theodore to mediate peace, though they win many battles, they loosing war. They destroy Russian navy because all Europe navy believe in only big guns. They take torpedo boats, get in close and sink ships. Then in 1939 Zhukov exterminate half million man army of Japanese, so they sit out WW2 against Russia. In 1945 Russia's short war cost Japan army of 1 million in Manchuka.

[Cronos]

Reasoning? No local Christians no more Crusades.

Can't we use the same reasoning in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa south of the Sahara, in fact every land outside of saudi a? No local slammies, no more jihad

[Cronos]

Greece may not have physically conquered Russia, but there's no denying that Greece conquered Russia spiritually and culturally (Just as they influenced Rome culturally)

[RussianConservative]

Not Ivan Grozny but after Ivan the Great. He have Greek Wife, last Greek princess. For that matter, last princess of Saxon Britian, Harold's daughter marry Russ Kieven prince after they leave Britian.

[MarMema]

I hope you know I was trying to be funny to Destro. You might not get it if you aren't around Greeks a lot, as we are. Or if you did not see the Greek movie where they have the flag on the garage door, the wedding invitations, and a hundred other places.

So it wasn't funny except to us? "Pre-Ukrainian" children waving a Greek flag? Oh well....

You don't think it is funny that a Greek and Russian are here talking about who was where first? It must be an Orthodox thing. I am dying of laughter over this thread.