1.
Emperor of Japan
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The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family and is the ceremonial head of state of Japan's system of constitutional monarchy. According to the 1947 constitution, he is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people." In Japanese, the Emperor is called Tennō, which means "heavenly sovereign". In English, the use of the term Mikado for the Emperor is now considered obsolete. Currently, the Emperor of Japan is the only remaining monarch in the world reigning under the title of "Emperor". The Imperial House of Japan is the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world. In the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, it is said that Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu. The current Emperor is Akihito. He acceded the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989. The role of the Emperor of Japan has historically alternated between that of an actual imperial ruler. Japanese Emperors have always been controlled by external political forces, to varying degrees. After the Meiji restoration in 1867, the Emperor was the embodiment of all sovereign power in the realm, as enshrined in the Meiji Constitution of 1889. His current status as a figurehead dates from the 1947 Constitution. Earlier, Emperors resided in Kyoto for nearly eleven centuries. The Emperor's Birthday is a national holiday.
Emperor of Japan
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Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
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Imperial Standard
Emperor of Japan
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The current empress, Michiko
Emperor of Japan
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The current crown princess, Masako
2.
Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor
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Imperial regalia are given to the new sovereign during the course of the rite. The Japanese enthronement ceremony consists of three main parts. The first is the simplest, takes place immediately after the death of the preceding sovereign. Unlike other monarchies, Japan has no crown in its regalia. It is permanently housed in the shrine, is not presented to the Emperor for the enthronement ceremony. This ancient rite was traditionally held in Kyoto, the former capital of Japan, but in 1990, Emperor Akihito was enthroned in Tokyo. The 1990 enthronement was the first to be covered on television, have Imperial Guards in traditional uniforms. It was done indoors, with the elevated stand placed inside the Imperial Palace complex. Only part of the ritual is public, the regalia itself is generally seen only by the Emperor and a few Shinto priests. This was surrounded with curtains, surmounted by a golden Phoenix. At the same time, the Empress in full regalia, moved to a separate pedestal beside her husband's. A simple wooden sceptre was presented to the Emperor, who faced his Prime Minister standing in an adjacent courtyard, representing the Japanese people. The Emperor offered an address announcing his accession to the throne, calling upon his subjects to single-mindedly assist him in attaining all of his aspirations. His Prime Minister replied with an address promising devotion, followed from all of those present. This moment of the rite ends with the firing of a 21-gun salute by the Japan Self-Defense Force.
Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor
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Enthronement ceremony of Emperor Taisho in Kyoto Imperial Palace in 1915
Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor
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Emperor Shōwa at his enthronement in 1928.
Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor
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Takamikura used for the Enthronement.
Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor
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Ritual items from the Enthronement of the Japanese Emperor.
3.
Hirohito
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He was succeeded upon his death. Although better known by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan, he is now referred to primarily by his posthumous name Emperor Shōwa. The Shōwa is the name of the era that corresponded with the Emperor's reign, was made the Emperor's own name upon his death. The Hirohito means "abundant benevolence". He was the head of state during Japan's imperial expansion, militarization, involvement in World War II. Born in Tokyo's Aoyama Palace, Hirohito was the first son of Crown Princess Sadako. He was the grandson of Yanagihara Naruko. His title was Prince Michi. In 1908, he began elementary studies at the Gakushūin. When Emperor Meiji, died on July 30, 1912, Hirohito's father, Yoshihito, assumed the throne and Hirohito became the heir apparent. In 1914, he was promoted in 1916. Hirohito attended then a special institute for the crown prince from 1914 to 1921. In 1920, Hirohito was promoted to the rank of Major in the navy. In 1921, Hirohito took a six-month tour of Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium. The Washington Naval Treaty was signed on February 1922.
Hirohito
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Emperor Shōwa 昭和天皇
Hirohito
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Hirohito in 1902 as a baby
Hirohito
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Emperor Taishō 's four sons in 1921: Hirohito, Takahito, Nobuhito and Yasuhito
Hirohito
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Prince Hirohito and British Prime Minister Lloyd George, 1921
4.
Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan
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Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan is the elder son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, which makes him the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Naruhito was born on 23 February 1960 in a makeshift hospital on the grounds of the palace. The prince later quipped, "I was born in a barn inside the moat". He enjoyed such diverse hobbies as music, mountain climbing, riding. 3-turned-team manager Shigeo Nagashima. He later said, "I have had a keen interest since childhood. On roads you can go to the unknown world. In August 1974, when the prince was 14, he was sent to Melbourne, Australia for a homestay. He stayed with the family of businessman Colin Harper. He got along with his host brothers, riding around Point Lonsdale, climbing Uluru together. Once he even played violin at Government House hosted by Governor-General Sir John Kerr. When Naruhito was four years old he was enrolled in the prestigious Gakushūin system, where many of Japan's elite families and narikin send their children. In senior high, Naruhito joined the club. Naruhito graduated from Gakushuin University in March 1982 in History. Naruhito would not, however, submit his thesis A Study of Navigation and Traffic until 1989.
Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan
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The Crown Prince in 2015
Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan
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Naruhito in February 1961
Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan
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Naruhito with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in 2015
5.
Prime Minister of Japan
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The Prime Minister is the head of government of Japan. She is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses the other Ministers of State. The literal translation of the Japanese name for the office is Minister for the Comprehensive Administration of the Cabinet. Prior to the adoption of the Meiji Constitution, Japan had in practice no written constitution. Originally, a legal system known as ritsuryō was enacted in the late Asuka period and early Nara period. Theoretically, the Yōrō Code enacted in 752, was still in force at the time of the Meiji Restoration. It took its current form in 1947. The current Prime Minister is Shinzō Abe, who took office on December 2012. He is the former Prime Minister to return to office since 1948. The Prime Minister is designated before the conduct of any other business. For that purpose, each conducts a ballot under the run-off system. If the two houses choose different individuals, then a joint committee of both houses is appointed to agree on a common candidate. Therefore, the House of Representatives can theoretically ensure the appointment of any Prime Minister it wants. The candidate is then presented with their commission, formally appointed by the Emperor. Must be a member of either house of the Diet.
Prime Minister of Japan
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Incumbent Shinzō Abe since December 26, 2012
Prime Minister of Japan
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Official Emblem of the Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister of Japan
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Kantei, the Office of the Prime Minister
6.
Noboru Takeshita
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Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician and the 74th Prime Minister of Japan from 6 November 1987 to 3 June 1989. He led the largest faction in the Liberal Democratic Party, which he inherited from Kakuei Tanaka, until his death in 2000. Takeshita was dubbed the "last shogun" for his behind-the-scenes influence in Japanese politics. Takeshita was the prime minister to serve during the long rule of Emperor Hirohito. He attended Waseda University. Takeshita married prior to World War II, when he joined the Imperial Japanese Army to serve as an instructor. After the war, Takeshita remarried, managed a high school judo team before entering politics in 1951. He served from 1951. In the 1958 general election Takeshita won a seat in the House of Representatives, joining the powerful faction of Kakuei Tanaka in the Liberal Democratic Party. The two remained close allies through their respective political careers. He eventually became Tanaka's primary fundraiser, traveling the country to garner support for the LDP's coffers. Like Tanaka, he was fond of "pork barrel" politics, retaining his own seat by bringing projects to Shimane. He served to 1974 and as minister of construction in 1976. He again accepted the finance position and was in office from 1982 to 1986. In this period, Takeshita achieved prominence during deliberations which led to the agreement, known as the Plaza Accord in New York.
Noboru Takeshita
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Takeshita in June 1988
Noboru Takeshita
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Takeshita and his wife disembarking from a Japan Airlines DC-10 at Andrews AFB during a US state visit
7.
Toshiki Kaifu
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Toshiki Kaifu is a Japanese politician, the 76th and 77th Prime Minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991. Kaifu was born on 2 January 1931. He was educated at Waseda University. A member of Kaifu ran successfully for the Diet in 1960 and served for sixteen terms totaling 49 years. He was minister before rising to lead the party after the resignations of Takeshita Noboru and Sōsuke Uno, elected on the platform of "clean leadership." He was replaced by Kiichi Miyazawa. In 1994, he left the LDP to become head of the newly founded Shinshinto. He supported Ichirō Ozawa's party until he returned in 2003. He was defeated by DPJ candidate Mitsunori Okamoto, which witnessed the end of almost uninterrupted LDP dominance since 1955. KAIFU, Toshiki International Who's Who. Retrieved September 2006.
Toshiki Kaifu
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Kaifu in 1991
Toshiki Kaifu
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with the G7 leaders
8.
Kiichi Miyazawa
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Kiichi Miyazawa was a Japanese politician and the 78th Japanese Prime Minister serving from 5 November 1991 to 9 August 1993. Miyazawa was born into a wealthy, politically active family on 8 October 1919. His father was his grandfather a cabinet minister. He graduated with a degree in law. In 1942, he joined the ministry of finance, avoiding military service during World War II. In 1953, he was elected to the upper house of the Diet of Japan, where he stayed until moving to the lower house in 1967. He became minister of finance under the government of Noboru Takeshita in July 1986. However, Miyazawa had to resign in 1988. Miyazawa became November 1991 backed by his faction. His government passed a law allowing Japan to send its forces overseas for peacekeeping missions well as negotiating a trade agreement with the United States. It also introduced financial reforms to address the growing economic malaise in the 1990s. Miyazawa resigned after losing a vote of no confidence marking an end to 38 years of Liberal Democratic Party government. The reason for the vote was a scandal involving a member of Miyazawa's faction. The Liberal Democratic Party returned in June 1994. In 1998, Miyazawa replaced Hikaru Matsunaga as minister.
Kiichi Miyazawa
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Kiichi Miyazawa
Kiichi Miyazawa
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Kiichi Miyazawa, left, meets in 1999 with U.S. Secretary of Treasury Robert Rubin. At the time, Miyazawa was serving as minister of finance.
9.
Morihiro Hosokawa
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Morihiro Hosokawa is a Japanese politician, the 79th Prime Minister of Japan from 9 August 1993 to 28 April 1994. His coalition was the non-Liberal Democratic Party government since 1955. Hosokawa ran as a candidate for governor of Tokyo as an independent supported by the Democratic Party of Japan. Hosokawa is since 2005, one of the noble families in Japan. Morihiro Hosokawa was born as the eldest grandson of Moritatsu, 3rd Marquess Hosokawa, the 16th Head of the Hosokawa clan. His maternal grandfather is the prime minister Prince Fumimaro Konoe.He is also a descendant of Christian heroine Gracia Hosokawa. Hosokawa received his LL.B. degree from Sophia University in 1961. After working for the newspaper Asahi Shimbun as journalist for five years, Hosokawa made an unsuccessful run in the 1969 general election. After serving two terms in the National Diet, Hosokawa left in 1983 to become the governor of Kumamoto, where he served until 1991. During his term as governor, Hosokawa complained from the central government in Tokyo. The previous LDP government of Kiichi Miyazawa was replaced by an eight-party government which promised a series of social, political, economic reforms. One of the major voices in forming the coalition, was chosen as the new Prime Minister. Hosokawa was also at odds with Japan's bureaucracy, which he sought to reform under the LDP. He made several unprecedented moves during his term as prime minister. In his first conference in office, Hosokawa made an unprecedented statement acknowledging that Japan waged a war of aggression in World War II.
Morihiro Hosokawa
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Hosokawa campaigning at Takadanobaba Station
10.
Tsutomu Hata
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Tsutomu Hata is a Japanese politician and was the 80th Prime Minister of Japan for 9 weeks in 1994. He was a member of the lower house representing Nagano #3 district. He was elected 14 times, retiring in 2012. He was born on August 24, 1935, a son of the Liberal Democratic Party Member of Parliament Bushiro Hata. Hata was employed by the Odakyu bus company from 1958 to 1969. In 1969, he entered the House of Representatives of Japan, representing Nagano Prefecture as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He rose to become a top lieutenant in the Tanaka/Takeshita faction in the 1980s. In 1991, he served under Kiichi Miyazawa. Hata served in the Hosokawa cabinet. On 28 April 1994, Hata became prime minister. However, the Japan Socialist Party had recently left the coalition, destroying its majority in the Diet. A number of progressive reforms were introduced as prime minister. A health insurance law passed on the 29th of June 1994 exempted employees from the requirement to pay National Health Insurance fees during child-care leave. After the Shinseito merged in late 1994, Hata contested the leadership against Ichiro Ozawa. After losing this contest, twelve other Diet members formed the splinter Sun Party.
Tsutomu Hata
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H. Itō
11.
Tomiichi Murayama
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Tomiichi Murayama is a retired Japanese politician who served as the 81st Prime Minister of Japan from 30 June 1994 to 11 January 1996. He was the head of the first prime minister in nearly fifty years. Murayama was born in Ōita Prefecture on 3 March 1924; his father was a fisherman. He was assigned to work in the Ishikawajima shipyards. He was demobilised following Japan's surrender with the rank of officer candidate. Murayama was appointed secretary of the labor union in his company and entered the Japan Socialist Party, which his union supported. He began his political career as a member of the Ōita city council in 1955 and went on to serve three terms. In 1963 his supporters urged him to be a candidate for the Ōita prefectural assembly. He was elected three times successively. In 1972 he was elected to the House of Representatives of Japan. In 1991 he was appointed chairman of the Diet Affairs Committee of his party. In August 1993 after the general election, the Japan Socialist Party joined the cabinet until 1994. In October of the same year he was elected the head of the party. Murayama became prime minister on 30 June 1994. The cabinet was based on a coalition consisting of the New Party Sakigake.
Tomiichi Murayama
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Murayama in June 1995
12.
Yasuo Fukuda
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Yasuo Fukuda was the 91st Prime Minister of Japan, serving from 2007 to 2008. Fukuda was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, he became Prime Minister in September 2007. He was the first son of a former Japanese Prime Minister to also take up the post. On 1 Fukuda announced his resignation, triggering another LDP leadership election. He was born in the eldest son of politician Takeo Fukuda. Fukuda grew up in Setagaya, Tokyo, graduating from Waseda University in 1959 with a degree in economics. After university, Fukuda joined Maruzen Petroleum. Fukuda was only minimally involved in politics over the next seventeen years, working his way up to section chief as a Japanese "salaryman". Fukuda was posted from 1962-64. While his father Takeo Fukuda was prime minister from 1976–78, Yasuo became a political secretary. From 1978 to 1989, Fukuda was a director of the Kinzai Institute for Financial Affairs, serving as a trustee from 1986 onward. He also served prior to his September 2007 election as Prime Minister. He won a seat. Fukuda became Chief Cabinet Secretary to Yoshirō Mori in October 2000.
Yasuo Fukuda
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Fukuda at the 2008 World Economic Forum.
Yasuo Fukuda
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Fukuda at his fundraising party in October 2004.
Yasuo Fukuda
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Fukuda (left) and United States President George W. Bush (right) exchange handshakes following their joint statement at the White House, November 16, 2007.
Yasuo Fukuda
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Fukuda and United States President George W. Bush exchange handshakes following their first meeting at the White House.
13.
Yukio Hatoyama
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Yukio Hatoyama is a former Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 16 September 2009 to 2 June 2010. Hatoyama was the first Prime Minister from the Democratic Party of Japan. First elected in 1986, he became President of the DPJ, the main opposition party, in May 2009. Hatoyama then led the party in the August 2009 general election defeating the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party. Hatoyama represented the Hokkaido 9th district from 1986 to 2012. He comes from a prominent political family, likened to the Kennedy family of the United States. Hatoyama, born in Bunkyō, Tokyo, is a fourth politician. Kazuo Hatoyama, was speaker of the House of Representatives of the Diet of Japan from 1896 to 1897 during the Meiji era. Kazuo later served as the president of Waseda University. Haruko Hatoyama, was a co-founder of what is known today as Kyoritsu Women's University. As Prime Minister, Hatoyama restored diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, which cleared the way in the United Nations. He is the son of Iichirō Hatoyama, Foreign Minister for a time. Yasuko Hatoyama, is a daughter of Shojiro Ishibashi, the founder of Bridgestone Corporation and heir to his significant inheritance. Yasuko Hatoyama is known to both of her sons' political ambitions. Kunio Hatoyama, served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Taro Aso until 12 June 2009.
Yukio Hatoyama
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Hatoyama in September 2009
Yukio Hatoyama
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Ichirō Hatoyama and his two grandsons, Yukio and Kunio
Yukio Hatoyama
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Hatoyama with Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia
Yukio Hatoyama
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Hatoyama with Barack Obama, President of the United States
14.
Naoto Kan
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Naoto Kan is a Japanese politician, former Prime Minister of Japan. On 26 Kan announced his resignation. Yoshihiko Noda was formally appointed as Prime Minister on 2 September 2011. He was born as the son of Hisao Kan, an executive for a glass manufacturer. Kan became a licensed benrishi in 1971. After graduating from college, he worked for four years. Kan actively also served on election campaign staff for Fusae Ichikawa, a women's rights activist. At that time, Kan was a member of a small party forming the ruling coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party. His frank action was applauded by the media and the public. In 1998, his image was affected with a television newscaster and media consultant, Yūko Tonomoto. After Yukio Hatoyama resigned as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, he again took over the position. His face was used as the trademark of the campaign against the LDP. However, in 2004 he again resigned the position of leader. On 10 he officially announced his resignation and made the Shikoku Pilgrimage. Later, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare spokesman apologized, saying the unpaid record was due to an administrative error.
Naoto Kan
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Kan in January 2011
Naoto Kan
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Kan with Dmitry Medvedev at the 36th G8 summit on 25 June 2010.
Naoto Kan
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with Barack Obama (the 2010 G-20 Toronto summit, 27 June 2010)
Naoto Kan
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Kan inspects Ishinomaki, one month after the Great East Japan earthquake
15.
Yoshihiko Noda
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Yoshihiko Noda is a Japanese politician, Prime Minister of Japan from 2011 to 2012. Noda is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. Following a severe loss for the DPJ in the December 2012 general election, he announced his resignation as party leader. Noda was succeeded by Shinzō Abe as Prime Minister on 26 December 2012. He was born in the son of a paratrooper in the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Unlike many Japanese politicians, he has no family connections to Nagatachō. His parents were too poor to pay for a reception. He graduated in 1975. Noda was later accepted into the prestigious Matsushita Institute. This institution was founded by Kōnosuke Matsushita to groom civic leaders of Japan. Noda was first elected at the age of 29. In 1993, Noda was elected to the Diet for first time representing Chiba's Lower House District # 4 as a member of the now-defunct Japan New Party. Noda later served as its Diet affairs chief as well as head of the party's public relations office. In October 2005, he criticized Prime Minister Jun ` ichirō Koizumi on Japanese class A war criminals as "war criminals". However, he supported Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine.
Yoshihiko Noda
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Noda in October 2011
Yoshihiko Noda
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Noda with Singapore Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner
Yoshihiko Noda
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Poster in Toyonaka, Osaka
Yoshihiko Noda
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Noda at the 2010 APEC Finance Summit
16.
Tokyo City
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The historical boundaries of Tokyo City are now occupied by the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo. The merged government became what is now Tokyo, also known as the Tokyo Metropolis, or, ambiguously, Tokyo Prefecture. In 1868, the offices of Tokyo Prefecture were opened. The extent of Tokyo Prefecture was initially rapidly augmented to be comparable with the present Tokyo Metropolis. In Tokyo Prefecture, this created six counties/districts. The Tokyo city council/assembly was first elected in May 1889. Each ward also retained its own assembly. From 1926, the mayor was elected by the elected council/assembly from its own ranks. The hall of Tokyo was located in the Yūrakuchō district, on a site now occupied by the Tokyo International Forum. Tokyo became the second-largest city upon absorbing several outlying districts in July 1932 giving the city a total of 35 wards. This system remained until 1947 when the current structure of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was formed. Capital of Japan Politics of Tokyo City Historical Development of Japanese Local Governance
Tokyo City
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Tokyo Prefectural Office and Tokyo City Hall
Tokyo City
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Map of Tokyo City before the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923
17.
Tokyo Prefecture
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Tokyo Prefecture is a former Japanese government entity which existed between 1869 and 1943. In 1943, the prefecture's municipalities, including the traditional city of Tokyo, "Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area". Jacobs, A.J.. "Japan's Evolving Nested Municipal Hierarchy: The Race for Local Power in the 2000s". Urban Studies Research. 2011: 5. Doi:10.1155/2011/692764. Retrieved August 2011. Steiner, Kurt. . Local Government in Japan. Historical Development of Japanese Local Governance
Tokyo Prefecture
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Tokyo Prefectural Office and Tokyo City Hall, Taishō period
18.
Empire of Japan
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Militarization under the slogan Fukoku Kyōhei led to its emergence as a world power and the establishment of a colonial empire. A new constitution was created with American involvement in 1947, officially dissolving the Empire. The historical state is frequently referred to as "the Empire of Japan" or "the Japanese Empire" or "Imperial Japan" in English. In Japanese it is referred as Dai Nippon Teikoku, which translates to "Great Japanese Empire". This meaning is significant in terms of geography, encompassing its surrounding areas. Due to its flag, it was also given the exonym Empire of the Sun. The following years saw interaction; commercial treaties between the Tokugawa shogunate and Western countries were signed. In March 1863, the "order to expel barbarians" was issued. Although the Shogunate had no intention of enforcing the order, it nevertheless inspired attacks in Japan. The Namamugi Incident during 1862 led to the murder of an Englishman, Charles Lennox Richardson, from Satsuma. The British were denied. While attempting to exact payment, The Royal Navy was fired from coastal batteries near the town of Kagoshima. They responded by bombarding the port of Kagoshima in 1863. For Richardson's death, the Tokugawa government agreed to pay an indemnity. Shelling of attacks against foreign property led to the Bombardment of Shimonoseki by a multinational force in 1864.
Empire of Japan
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The battleship Asahi
Empire of Japan
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Flag
Empire of Japan
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Samurai members of the First Japanese Embassy to Europe (1862), around Shibata Sadataro, head of the mission staff (seated) and Fukuzawa Yukichi (to his right) sign of the opening of Japan and Meiji Restoration.
Empire of Japan
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Emperor Meiji, the 122nd emperor of Japan
19.
Chiyoda, Tokyo
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Chiyoda is a special ward located in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda City. Chiyoda consists of a surrounding radius of about a kilometer. Often called the "political center" of the country, Chiyoda, literally meaning "field of a thousand generations", inherited the name from the Chiyoda Castle. A district known for being an otaku cultural center and a shopping district for computer goods, is also located in Chiyoda, as are fifteen embassies. The Chiyoda ward was created on March 1947 by the unification of Kanda Ward and Kōjimachi Ward. It has been a site of a number of historical events. In 1860, the assassination of Ii Naosuke took place outside the Sakurada Gate of the Imperial Palace. In 1932, assassins killed prime minister Inukai Tsuyoshi. In 1936, the February 26 Incident, occurred. In 1960, Socialist Party leader Inejirō Asanuma was assassinated in Hibiya Hall. In 1995, members of Aum Shinrikyo carried out the Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway. Chiyoda is located at the very heart of former Tokyo City in eastern mainland Tokyo. The central area of the ward is furthermore occupied by the Imperial Palace. The east side of the ward, bordering Chūō, is the location of Tokyo Station.
Chiyoda, Tokyo
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The National Diet Building, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Chiyoda, Tokyo
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Chiyoda ward office building.
Chiyoda, Tokyo
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National Diet Building in Chiyoda
Chiyoda, Tokyo
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Hibiya Park
20.
Empress Michiko
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She succeeded her mother-in-law, Empress Nagako, consort of the late Emperor Hirohito. Michiko became the Crown Princess of Japan until the death of Emperor Hirohito. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese Imperial Family. She has three children with her husband. Naruhito, is the current heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. As crown princess and later as empress, she has become the widely travelled imperial consort in Japanese history. She has an older brother Iwao, a younger sister Emiko. She is the niece including Kenjirō Shōda, a mathematician, the president of the University of Osaka from 1954 until 1960. She was then successively educated in the prefectures of Kanagawa, Gunma, Nagano. She graduated in 1953. She also took courses at Harvard and Oxford. Since she came from a particularly wealthy family, her parents were very selective about her suitors. In fact, there had been several contenders for her hand in marriage in the 1950s. In August 1957, she met then-Crown Prince Akihito at Karuizawa near Nagano. The Imperial Household Council formally approved the engagement of the Crown Prince to Michiko Shōda on 27 November 1958.
Empress Michiko
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The Empress during Barack Obama 's visit to the Imperial Palace, 24 April 2014
Empress Michiko
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The future Empress in 1940
Empress Michiko
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Wedding portrait with Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun, 10 April 1959
Empress Michiko
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The newly married Crown Prince and Crown Princess in traditional Japanese attire, with the Prince wearing a sokutai, the Princess a jūnihitoe
21.
Fumihito, Prince Akishino
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Fumihito, Prince Akishino is a member of the Japanese imperial family. He is the younger son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and currently second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Since his marriage in June 1990, he has held the title of Akishino-no-miya and headed his own branch of the imperial family. The prince was born on 30 November 1965 in Tokyo. His given name is Fumihito. His childhood appellation was Prince Aya. He attended the elementary and secondary departments of the Gakushuin. In April 1984, he entered the Law Department of Gakushuin University, where he studied law and biology. Upon the death of his grandfather, Emperor Shōwa, in January 1989, he became second-in-line after Crown Prince Naruhito. Prince Fumihito received a PhD degree in ornithology from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies in October 1996. His doctoral dissertation was titled, "Molecular Phylogeny of Jungle Fowls, genus Gallus and Monophyletic Origin of Domestic Fowls". He conducted field research in Yunnan Province in the People's Republic of China. When the current Emperor was still Crown Prince, he introduced tilapia to Thailand as an important source of protein. He is a big fan of an avid player. As a student, Prince Fumihito ranked among the top ten in the tennis doubles players in the Kantō Region.
Fumihito, Prince Akishino
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Prince Akishino on 23 December 2009.
Fumihito, Prince Akishino
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The Prince and Princess Akishino in December 2005.
22.
Sayako Kuroda
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Sayako Kuroda, formerly Sayako, Princess Nori, is an imperial Shinto Priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine. She is the youngest child and only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan. Kuroda held the appellation "Nori-no-miya", until her marriage to Yoshiki Kuroda on 15 November 2005. As a result, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese Imperial Family, as required by law. Later in the year she was accepted as research associate at the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, where she specialized in the study of kingfishers. In 1998, she was appointed researcher at the same institute. She contributed articles about birds to various academic works. Apart from her research, she has traveled extensively abroad and within Japan, as a representative of the Imperial family. Princess Sayako was the first to lose royal status since the marriage of Princess Masako of Mikasa, one of Emperor Akihito's cousins, in 1983. The Emperor and Empress were at her wedding as were other members of the Imperial Family. About 30 people attended the ceremony, some 120 guests attended the reception. Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets between the hotel where the half-hour rite took place. Kuroda resigned from her job as an ornithologist to focus on her family life. While she is no longer entitled to an imperial allowance, she reportedly received a dowry worth US$1.29 million. To prepare for her change of lifestyle, Princess Sayako reportedly took driving lessons and practised shopping at the supermarket.
Sayako Kuroda
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Sayako Kuroda (then Princess Nori) at Expo 2005
23.
Dynasty
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Historians periodize the histories such as Ancient Egypt, Imperial China, using a framework of successive dynasties. The word "dynasty" itself is often dropped from such adjectival references. The longest-surviving dynasty in the world is the Imperial House of Japan, the Yamato dynasty, whose reign is traditionally dated to 660 BC. Dynasties throughout the world have traditionally been reckoned patrilineally, such as under the Frankish Salic law. Succession through a daughter when permitted was considered to establish a new dynasty in her husband's ruling house. However, some states in Africa, determined descent matrilineally, while rulers have at other times adopted the name of their mother's dynasty when coming into her inheritance. It is also extended to unrelated people such as major poets of the same school or various rosters of a single sports team. The word "dynasty" derives via Latin dynastia from Greek dynastéia, where it referred to "power", "dominion", "rule" itself. It was the abstract noun of dynástēs, the noun of "power" or "ability", from dýnamai, "to be able". For example, following his abdication, Edward VIII of the United Kingdom ceased to be a dynastic member of the House of Windsor. A "dynastic marriage" is one that complies with monarchical house law restrictions, so that the descendants are eligible to inherit the throne or other royal privileges. But the marriage of Prince Friso to Mabel Wisse Smit in 2003 lacked parliamentary approval. Thus Friso left his children without dynastic rights. The term can therefore describe overlapping but distinct sets of people. Yet he is not a male-line member of the royal family, is therefore not a dynast of the House of Windsor.
Dynasty
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Charles I of England and his son, the future James II
24.
Imperial House of Japan
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Under the present Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is "the symbol of the unity of the people". Other members of the imperial family have no role in the affairs of government. The duties as an Emperor are passed so on. The Japanese monarchy is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world. The imperial house recognizes 125 monarchs continuing up to the current emperor, Akihito; see its family tree. In English, shinnō and ō are both translated as "prince" well as shinnōhi, naishinnō, ōhi and joō as "princess". He was married on 10 April 1959 to Michiko Shōda. Emperor Akihito succeeded his father on 7 January 1989. He became heir apparent to the throne. Crown Prince Naruhito was married on 9 June 1993 to Masako Owada. His title was Prince Aya. The Princess Akishino was born on 11 September 1966, professor of economics at Gakushuin University. His title was Prince Yoshi. The Princess Hitachi was born on the daughter of former Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru. Princess Hitachi have no children.
Imperial House of Japan
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The Imperial Family on the occasion of the Emperor's Birthday at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in 2005
Imperial House of Japan
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Imperial House of Japan
Imperial House of Japan
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Members of the Imperial Family and the new year greeting 2011 at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.
Imperial House of Japan
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The Japanese Imperial Family in 1900.
25.
Shinto
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Shinto, also called kami-no-michi, is a Japanese religion. It focuses on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between its ancient past. Shinto practices were first codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology. The oldest recorded usage of the word Shindo is from the second half of the 6th century. Kami are defined as "spirits", "essences" or "gods", referring to the energy generating the phenomena. People are not separate; they exist within the same world and share its interrelated complexity. Shinto has 85,000 priests in the country. According to Inoue: In modern scholarship, the term is often used to kami worship and related theologies, rituals and practices. In these contexts, "Shinto" takes on the meaning of "Japan's traditional religion", as opposed to foreign religions such as Buddhism, Islam and so forth. It consists in taking part in worship events at local shrines. Before the Meiji Restoration, shrines were disorganized institutions usually attached to Buddhist temples; in the Meiji Restoration they were made systematised institutions. The Association of Shinto Shrines, oversees about 80,000 shrines nationwide. Folk Shinto includes the fragmented folk beliefs in deities and spirits. Practices include divination, shamanic healing.
Shinto
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Takachiho-gawara. Here is the sacred ground of the descent to earth of Ninigi-no-Mikoto (the grandson of Amaterasu).
Shinto
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Shinto priest and priestess.
Shinto
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Yutateshinji ceremony performed at the Miwa Shrine.
26.
Masako, Crown Princess of Japan
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She is a member of the Imperial House of Japan through marriage. Should the Crown Prince ascend the throne as expected, Masako will become empress consort. Masako Owada was born in a public hospital in Toranomon. Masako is the eldest daughter of Hisashi Owada, a senior diplomat and former president of the International Court of Justice. She has twins named Setsuko and Reiko. Masako went to live in Moscow with her parents when she was two years old, where she attended Detskiysad No. 1127 daycare. At the age of five, Masako's family moved to New York City, where she attended New York City public No. 81. In 1971, the Owadas returned to Japan, moving in in Meguro while Hisashi returned to the Foreign Ministry office. Established in 1872, Masako's mother and maternal grandmother had graduated from this school as well. Masako also studied her fifth languages, French and German. With a friend, Masako revived Futaba's softball team, serving as third baseman and after three years bringing her team to the district championships. Masako won a Goethe Society award for her German poetry. * A * S * H. Masako enrolled in the Economics Department of Harvard University/Radcliffe College in 1981. Masako traveled overseas during vacations, staying with a host family in France and studying at the Goethe-Institut. Masako worked with Jeffrey Sachs to obtain a A.B. magna laude in economics in March 1985.
Masako, Crown Princess of Japan
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Crown Princess Masako on 23 December 2009
Masako, Crown Princess of Japan
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500-yen coin was issued to commemorate the Imperial Wedding
Masako, Crown Princess of Japan
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The Crown Princess (far left) with the other members of the Imperial Family on the occasion of the Emperor's Birthday at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, December 2005
27.
Aiko, Princess Toshi
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Aiko, Princess Toshi is the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan. On 1 the Crown Princess gave birth to a baby girl. Lt was their first 41-year-old crown prince. The baby weighed 3,103 grams. The crown princess was attended by a 12-person medical team with four doctors. In a break with tradition, the name of the princess was chosen by her parents, instead of by the Emperor. It was selected from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Mencius. The princess's personal name, is written with kanji character for "love" and "child" and means "a person who loves others." The princess also has Princess Toshi which means "a person who respects others." This formal title will be dropped if she marries a commoner. Princess Aiko began her education on April 3, 2006. She left kindergarten on March 2008. On March 2014, Princess Aiko finished at Gakushuin elementary school and on 6 April 2014 she entered Gakushuin Girl's Junior High-school. In early March 2010, Aiko began being bullied by her elementary school classmates. Aiko returned on a limited basis on May 2, 2010.
Aiko, Princess Toshi
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Japanese Imperial Family
28.
Kiko, Princess Akishino
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She is also known as Princess Kiko. Kiko was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. She is the eldest daughter of Kazuyo and Tatsuhiko Kawashima. He later taught there. Meanwhile, Kiko enrolled at the Lea School, 47th and Locust Streets. The future princess became fluent in English and German. She lived in a tiny on-campus apartment in Tokyo. She received the PhD degree from Ochanomizu University. She continues to be a supporter of the program. Prince Fumihito first proposed marriage to Kiko Kawashima on 26 June 1986 while they were both undergraduates at Gakushuin. Three years later, the engagement ceremony was held on 12 January 1990. No date would be set until the official one-year mourning period ended for Fumihito's grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, who had died in January 1989. The wedding took place on 29 June 1990. Upon marriage, his bride became The Princess Akishino, known informally as Princess Kiko. As of tradition dictates, into the imperial family and like other members, she received a personal emblem: iris setosa.
Kiko, Princess Akishino
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Princess Akishino on 23 December 2009.
Kiko, Princess Akishino
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Princess Akishino in 1990.
29.
Princess Mako of Akishino
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She is the eldest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Princess Mako was educated at Senior High School years. She studied English at the University College Dublin for one month in 2010. She had an informal talk with President of Ireland Mary McAleese as a trainee and visited Northern Ireland. Princess Mako graduated from the International Christian University in Mitaka, Tokyo on 26 March 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Art and Cultural Heritage. She obtained a national certification in curation well as a driver's licence while she was an undergraduate student. She also studied art history at the University of Edinburgh to May 2013. She has been something of an idol since 2004, when images of her in fuku appeared on television. In August 2006 she visited Vienna, Austria for two weeks on a school-sponsored homestay program. She stayed in the home of an Austrian man, a colleague of Kiko's father. Because Mako is interested in architecture, she visited St. Stephen's Cathedral and Schönbrunn Palace. Accompanied by her father, she participated in her first official function, a religious ceremony at the Ise Shrine, later that year. Princess Mako has a younger brother, Prince Hisahito. In 2011, Mako came of age and was conferred Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown on 23 October. Since then, she has been attending official events as an adult member of the Imperial Family.
Princess Mako of Akishino
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2012
30.
Princess Kako of Akishino
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Princess Kako of Akishino is the second daughter of Fumihito, Prince Akishino and Kiko, Princess Akishino, a member of the Japanese Imperial Family. She is the second-eldest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. In April 2001, Princess Kako began Gakushuin Primary School and graduated in March 2007. Princess Kako entered Gakushūin Girls' Senior High School Tokyo in April 2007 and graduated in March 2012. In 2012, Princess Kako spent some time studying English at Trinity College in Dublin. In April 2013, she attended the entrance ceremony of Gakushuin University and began her life as an undergraduate student. On 2 the Princess attended the ceremony of the university in Tokyo. She has a younger brother, Prince Hisahito. Kako participated in figure skating while in primary school. In 2007, she represented the Meijijingu Gaien Figure Skating Club and joined the Spring Cup Figure Skating Competition held by the Japan Skating Federation. Princess Kako ranked top in the Shinjuku division. Kako is styled as Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako of Akishino. See also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown -
Princess Kako of Akishino
31.
Prince Hisahito of Akishino
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Prince Hisahito of Akishino is the youngest child and only son of Fumihito, Prince Akishino and Kiko, Princess Akishino. He is the youngest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Hisahito is third in line to become Emperor of Japan, after his father, Fumihito. His personal Hisahito in this case means "virtuous", according to the Imperial Household Agency. An alternative translation is "everlasting". The Akishino crest used to mark his belongings is koyamaki tree. Prince Hisahito is the first youngest child of Princess Akishino. He has Princess Kako of Akishino. Hisahito was the male child born since his father in 1965. Hisahito celebrated his first birthday amid the glare of cameras at the imperial palace. Newspapers published front-page pictures of the smiling prince standing on a table in pale blue rompers. The Imperial Household Agency stated his weight as 9285 grams and his height as 75 centimetres. On his third birthday, he weighed 13.6 kilograms and was 94 centimetres tall. He was shown riding a tricycle, later in traditional dress. His parents called him "Hisahito-kun".
Prince Hisahito of Akishino
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Japanese newspapers announcing the birth of the third in line
32.
Masahito, Prince Hitachi
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Masahito, Prince Hitachi is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the younger brother of current Emperor Akihito. He is fourth in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Prince Hitachi is mainly known on the causes of cancer. Born at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Prince Masahito held the appellation Prince Yoshi. He received his primary and secondary schooling at the Gakushūin Peers' School. In late 1944, the Imperial Household Ministry evacuated the Crown Prince to Nikkō, to escape the American bombing of Tokyo. Her account of the experience is entitled Windows for the Crown Prince. Prince Yoshi received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Gakushuin University in 1958. He subsequently did postgraduate work at Tokyo University. In 1969, he became a Research Associate of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research specializing in the study of cellular division. Emperor Shōwa granted him the title Hitachi-no-miya, authorization to start a new branch of the Imperial Family in celebration of his wedding. Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori in Higashi, Shibuya. They have no children. Prince Hitachi is the honorary president of a wide variety of charitable organizations, especially those involving international exchange. 28 November 1935 – 1 October 1964: His Imperial Highness The Prince Yoshi.
Masahito, Prince Hitachi
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Prince Hitachi at the Grimaldi Forum in July 2010
Masahito, Prince Hitachi
Masahito, Prince Hitachi
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With Princess Takako (1952)
Masahito, Prince Hitachi
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With Queen Juliana, Princess Beatrix, Prince Claus and Princess Hanako (at the Soestdijk Palace, 1965)
33.
Hanako, Princess Hitachi
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She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru, adopted son of the daimyo of the Tsugaru Domain. Yoshitaka Tsugaru was originally from the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan. He was also a member of the aristocracy created by the Meiji restoration. Hisako Mōri, was a descendant of the Mōri clan and also of the former daimyo of Chōshū Domain in the former province of Nagato. Princess Hitachi is descendant from the feudal aristocracy. She is a second cousin to a niece of Princess Takamatsu, like her father, a descendant of the Tokugawa clan. She is also a second cousin to Takamasa Ikeda, husband of her sister-in-law, Atsuko Ikeda. She graduated in 1961. Hanako met her future husband, Prince Masahito, at Gakushuin. The ceremony took place on 30 September 1964. Upon marriage, Prince Masahito received the Prince Hitachi and authorization from the Imperial Household Economy Council to form a new branch of the Imperial Family. As of tradition dictates, into the imperial family and like other members, she received a personal emblem: rhododendron. They have no children. Both the members and reserve members, including Princess Hitachi, were re-elected on 7 September 2011. Princess Hitachi is president of various organizations that concern themselves with the arts.
Hanako, Princess Hitachi
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2012
Hanako, Princess Hitachi
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Prince and Princess Hitachi at the Chōwaden Reception Hall (January 2, 2011)
34.
Yuriko, Princess Mikasa
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She is the second daughter of Viscount Masanari Takagi. The Princess is the last surviving paternal aunt of Akihito, currently is the oldest member of the Imperial Family. Princess Mikasa graduated in 1941. The engagement ceremony was held on 3 October 1941. The ceremony took place on 22 October 1941. Princess Mikasa frequently visited her husband, hospitalized during his final months. On 22 they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in his hospital room. Prince Mikasa died on 27 October 2016, with Princess Yuriko at his side. The Prince and Princess had five children, of whom two are still living. In addition to their five children, they had nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren as of 2015. The couple's two daughters left the Imperial Family upon marriage. All of their sons predeceased them. They have a son named Tadahiro through whom Yuriko has three great-grandchildren. Prince Katsura; created Katsura-no-miya on 1 January 1988. Princess Mikasa is honorary president of especially those concerned with the preservation of traditional Japanese culture.
Yuriko, Princess Mikasa
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2012
Yuriko, Princess Mikasa
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Princess Yuriko and children.
35.
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa
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She is also known as Princess Nobuko. A Roman Catholic, was born on 9 April 1955. He was also a close associate of Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka. Kazuko Yoshida, was the daughter of Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida. Her elder brother is current Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō. Through her paternal grandmother, she descends from a younger branch of the feudal Ichinomiya. She graduated from Rosslyn House College in 1973. After returning to Japan, she taught English in Shoto kindergarten in Tokyo which herself founded in the district of Shibuya. It was in the UK when she met her future husband, Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, a student at Oxford University. His first proposal was rejected in 1973 because of Nobuko's young age. She became Princess Tomohito of Mikasa. As of tradition dictates, into the imperial family and like other members, she received a personal emblem: the flower of prunus persica. Born a Roman Catholic, she is not the first Christian to is the first to be baptized. Prince Tomohito's household did not have its own name though it had been run independently. The couple had two daughters: Princess Akiko Princess Yōko The family lived in a compound in Akasaka Minato, Tokyo.
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa
36.
Princess Akiko of Mikasa
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Princess Akiko graduated from Gakushuin University in Tokyo with a bachelor's degree in History. While she was at Gakushuin, Princess Akiko spent the academic year studying abroad at Oxford to major in Japanese art history. In 2004, she returned to the University of Oxford as a doctoral student at the Faculty of Oriental Studies. Her research topic was William Anderson Collection at the British Museum - Western Interest in Japanese Art in the Nineteenth Century. William Anderson was an English surgeon who became an important collector of Japanese art. In December 2006, Princess Akiko assisted the University of Tokyo in opening a special exhibition on the 19th-century art movement known as Japonism. In July 2007, Princess Akiko participated at Ochanomizu University on the collection of William Anderson. From January to May 2008, she was at the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture in Hanford, California doing research for her thesis. Akiko became a doctoral student at Merton College in the United Kingdom from October 2004 till January 2010 when she passed her final examination. She had been working as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kinugasa Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto from October 2009 to March 2012. She has been working at the Ginkaku Jisho-ji, Kenshu Dojo since April 2012. She was inaugurated as the Visiting Researcher, Hosei University Research Center for International Japanese Studies in May 2012. She was appointed as a Guest Research Fellow at the Archival Research Center of Kyoto City University of Arts in April 2014. She was inaugurated as the President of Shinyusha, General Incorporated Association in April 2013. She was inaugurated as the President of the Japan-Turkey Society in June 2013.
Princess Akiko of Mikasa
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At the new year congratulatory Imperial Palace visit, 2 January 2012.
Princess Akiko of Mikasa
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At the Chōwaden Reception Hall (January 2, 2011)
37.
Hisako, Princess Takamado
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Hisako, Princess Takamado, born Hisako Tottori on 10 July 1953, is a member of the Japanese Imperial Family as the widow of Norihito, Prince Takamado. She is the eldest daughter of Japanese industrialist Shigejiro Tottori. Hisako accompanied her father to England, while still a child became fluent in the English language. She subsequently graduated from Girton College, Cambridge University in the UK with undergraduate degrees in anthropology and archaeology. She returned again in 1982. After her return, she was hired to assist Prince Mikasa as an assistant at the 31st International Asian-North African Cultural Symposium. Princess Takamado received a PhD in February 2012. On 23 she attended a reception hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Tokyo, where she first met Norihito, Prince Takamado. The Imperial Household Council announced the engagement on 1 August 1984. The wedding held on 6 December 1984. The Prince's last visits included Egypt and Morocco in May 2000, Hawaii in July 2001, to the Republic of Korea to June 2002. The latter was in order to attend the Ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan. In June 2003, she visited Dublin, Ireland for World Summer Games. During this visit, she received two honorary doctorates in Law, the other from the University of Prince Edward Island. In November 2004, she visited Thailand, to attend the 3rd IUCN World Conference as Honorary President of BirdLife International.
Hisako, Princess Takamado
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Princess Takamado on 22 May 2009
Hisako, Princess Takamado
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Princess Takamado during the 21st Pacific Science Congress.
Hisako, Princess Takamado
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Princess Takamado on the way to the castle church at the Royal Palace in Stockholm before the wedding of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O'Neill in June 2013.
Hisako, Princess Takamado
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Princess Takamado shortly after receiving an honorary doctorate and delivering the convocation speech at the University of Alberta, 10 June 2004.
38.
Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
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Princess Tsuguko of Takamado is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado and Hisako, Princess Takamado. The princess graduated from the Gakushuin Primary School, Gakushuin Girls' Junior and Senior High School. Aftar that, she entered the Faculty of Intercultural Studies of Gakushuin Women's College, but dropped out in March 2005. She attended the University of Edinburgh to 1 July 2008, where she dropped out. In 2006, Princess Tsuguko represented the Imperial family at the Silver Wedding anniversary celebrations of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. She visited and inspected the 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard. She was also taken in the photo with the laureate. In March 2013, Princess Tsuguko graduated from the School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University with a bachelor's degree. She works at the Japan Committee for UNICEF from April 2013. She accompanies her mother to some official events. In August 2013, she visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Japan and Sri Lanka celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations between those two countries in 2012. Tsuguko was also warmly welcomed by First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa. Tsuguko is styled as Her Imperial Highness Princess Tsuguko of Takamado. See also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country Member of the Order of the Precious Crown, 2nd Class -
Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2011
Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
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At the Chōwaden Reception Hall (January 2, 2009)
39.
Princess Ayako of Takamado
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Princess Ayako of Takamado is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado and Hisako, Princess Takamado. She is the youngest of the couple's three daughters. Princess Ayako is the first member of the Imperial Family to be born in the Heisei era. Princess Ayako attended the prestigious Gakushuin School for high education. While She was a student at Gakushuin Women’s High School, in 2007, she visited New Zealand under a school-sponsored homestay program. In April 2009, she enrolled in the Josai International University, Faculty of Social Work Studies. In March 2013, Princess Ayako graduated Josai International University and was accepted into the graduate school. In September 2013, Princess Ayako returned to Camosun College begin intensive English studies. She completed her studies at Camosun College in April 2015. She then spent time before returning in August 2015. On 16 Princess Ayako of Takamado received a master's degree of social welfare. She continues to attend ceremonies and functions at the palace when studies permit. Ayako is styled as Her Imperial Highness Princess Ayako of Takamado. See also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country Member of the Order of the Precious Crown, 2nd Class -
Princess Ayako of Takamado
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2012
Princess Ayako of Takamado
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At the Chōwaden Reception Hall (January 2, 2011)
40.
List of Emperors of Japan
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This list of Emperors of Japan presents the traditional order of succession. Records of the reigns of the Emperors of Japan are compiled according to the Japanese calendar. Order and dates of the first 28 Emperors of Japan, especially the first 16, are based on the Japanese calendar system. Emperor of Japan List of Japanese Imperial Advisers List of shoguns Japanese emperors family tree Ackroyd, Joyce. . Lessons from History: the'Tokushi yoron'. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 9780702214851; OCLC 157026188 Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds.. Gukanshō: The Future and the Past. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-03460-0; OCLC 251325323 Titsingh, Isaac. . Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691 Varley, H. Paul.
List of Emperors of Japan
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1090! 109
List of Emperors of Japan
41.
Chrysanthemum Throne
–
The Chrysanthemum Throne is the term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, at Kyoto Imperial Palace. In a metonymic sense, the "Chrysanthemum Throne" also refers rhetorically to the institution of the Japanese monarchy itself. Japan is the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world. The historical records only reach back to Emperor Ōjin, considered to have reigned into the early 4th century. In the 1920s, then-Crown Prince Hirohito served during several years of his father's reign when Emperor Taishō was physically unable to fulfill his duties. However, the Prince Regent lacked the symbolic powers of the throne which he could only attain after his father's death. The current Constitution of Japan considers the Emperor of the unity of the people." The modern Emperor is a constitutional monarch. The metonymic meanings of "Chrysanthemum Throne" encompass the chronological list of legendary and historical monarchs of Japan. This English term is also a rhetorical trope. Thereafter, Emperor Yōzei is said to have formally acceded to the throne.. . Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner.
Chrysanthemum Throne
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The Takamikura throne kept in the Kyoto Imperial Palace is used for accession ceremonies. It was last used during the enthronement of the current Emperor Akihito in 1990.
Chrysanthemum Throne
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This Meiji period throne room was used by Emperor Hirohito. This room was destroyed in World War II.
42.
Heisei period
–
Heisei is the current era in Japan. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of Emperor Hirohito. Emperor Akihito, acceded to the throne. In accordance with Japanese customs, Hirohito was posthumously renamed January 1989. Thus, 1989 corresponds to Shōwa 64 January and Heisei 1 since 8 January. To convert a Gregorian year to Heisei, 1988 needs to be subtracted. According to Obuchi, the name "Heisei" was taken from two Chinese history and philosophy books, the Classic of History. In the Shiki, the sentence "内平外成" appears in a section honoring the wise rule of the legendary Chinese Emperor Shun. In the Shokyō, the sentence "地平天成" appears. By combining both meanings, Heisei is intended to mean "peace everywhere". The Heisei era went into effect immediately to the throne on 7 January 1989. In 2016, NHK reported that the Emperor wished to abdicate in a few years, which would effectively end the Heisei period. 1989 marked the culmination of the most rapid economic growth spurts in Japanese history. Shortly before New Year's Day, the Nikkei 225 reached its record high of 39,000. By 1991, it had fallen to 15,000, signifying the end of Japan's famed "economy".
Heisei period
–
Tokyo skyline
43.
Cabinet of Japan
–
The Cabinet of Japan is the executive branch of the government of Japan. The remaining ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Prime Minister. The Cabinet must resign if a motion of no confidence is adopted by the Diet. Under the constitution, Cabinet ministers are appointed after the selection of the Prime Minister. All members must be civilians. This may be increased to nineteen if a special need arises. In the event that the Cabinet collectively resigns it continues to exercise its functions until the appointment of a new Prime Minister. While they are in office, legal action may not be taken without the consent of the Prime Minister. Upon the first convocation of the Diet after a general election to the House of Representatives. When the position Prime Minister becomes the Prime Minister declares his intention to resign. The Cabinet exercises two kinds of power. Its other class of powers are exercised by the Cabinet explicitly. Contrary to the practice in constitutional monarchies, the Emperor of Japan is not even the nominal Chief Executive. Instead, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Cabinet. In practice, much of the Cabinet's authority is exercised by the Prime Minister.
Cabinet of Japan
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A paulownia flower pattern is routinely considered to be a symbol of the Japanese prime minister and cabinet.
44.
Sokutai
–
The sokutai is a complex attire worn only by courtiers, aristocrats and the Emperor at the Japanese imperial court. A hat called kanmuri. Sokutai differs to person depending on rank and whether the person is a civil or military official. Military officers wear the outermost layer with split back panels, to permit freer movement, whereas civil officials have sewn panels. Persons without rank typically wear mud or yellow; the darker, fuller shade of yellow was reserved for the emperor. Due to the difficulty of obtaining the dyes required to produce maroon, these colours were changed to black during the Heian Period. On such occasions women such as an princess wear a jūnihitoe. Then, the hitoe is worn as an upper garment; a number of layers of akome is worn according to seasonal requirements. A shorter, white hakama, with an open fly, is worn above the akome, tied off to the right. The shitagasane, a garment typically white, with the characteristic "tail" of the sokutai, the covers the upper body of the wearer. Then, a sleeveless vest, often featuring intricate embroidery, is worn over all these layers. The outer robe is then worn over the hampi. The Costume Museum | The Heian Period Encyclopaedia Britannica: Sokutai
Sokutai
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Emperor Akihito, then Crown Prince, newly-wed wearing a sokutai and holding a shaku.
Sokutai
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Traditional
45.
Prince Hitachi
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Masahito, Prince Hitachi is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the younger brother of current Emperor Akihito. He is fourth in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Prince Hitachi is mainly known on the causes of cancer. Born at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Prince Masahito held the appellation Prince Yoshi. He received his primary and secondary schooling at the Gakushūin Peers' School. In late 1944, the Imperial Household Ministry evacuated the Crown Prince to Nikkō, to escape the American bombing of Tokyo. Her account of the experience is entitled Windows for the Crown Prince. Prince Yoshi received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Gakushuin University in 1958. He subsequently did postgraduate work at Tokyo University. In 1969, he became a Research Associate of the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research specializing in the study of cellular division. Emperor Shōwa granted him the title Hitachi-no-miya, authorization to start a new branch of the Imperial Family in celebration of his wedding. Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi have their official residence in a palace in large gardens off Komazawadori in Higashi, Shibuya. They have no children. Prince Hitachi is the honorary president of a wide variety of charitable organizations, especially those involving international exchange. 28 November 1935 – 1 October 1964: His Imperial Highness The Prince Yoshi.
Prince Hitachi
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Prince Hitachi at the Grimaldi Forum in July 2010
Prince Hitachi
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With Princess Takako (1952)
Prince Hitachi
–
With Queen Juliana, Princess Beatrix, Prince Claus and Princess Hanako (at the Soestdijk Palace, 1965)
46.
Occupation of Japan
–
Unlike in the occupation of Germany, the Soviet Union was allowed little to no influence over Japan. This foreign presence marked the only time in Japan's history that it had been occupied by a foreign power. It transformed the country into a parliamentary democracy that recalled "New Deal" priorities of the 1930s politics by Roosevelt. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945 when the Japanese government notified the Allies that it had accepted the Potsdam Declaration. On the following day, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's unconditional surrender on the radio. The first time most citizens of Japan ever heard their sovereign's voice. Japanese officials left on August 19 to meet MacArthur and to be briefed on his plans for the occupation. On August 28, 150 US personnel flew to Kanagawa Prefecture. They were followed by USS Missouri, whose accompanying vessels landed the 4th Marine Division on the southern coast of Kanagawa. Other Allied personnel followed. MacArthur arrived on August 30, immediately decreed several laws. No Allied personnel were to assault Japanese people. No Allied personnel were to eat the Japanese food. Flag was initially severely restricted. This restriction was partially lifted in 1948 and completely lifted the following year.
Occupation of Japan
–
The instrument of surrender, dated September 2, 1945.
Occupation of Japan
–
Flag
Occupation of Japan
–
Representatives of Japan stand aboard the USS Missouri prior to signing of the Instrument of Surrender.
Occupation of Japan
–
Gaetano Faillace 's photo of Douglas MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito.
47.
World War II
–
World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the world's nations -- including all of the great powers -- eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Axis. It directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history. In December 1941, Japan quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union invaded Germany and its allies. Thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political social structure of the world. The United Nations was established to prevent future conflicts. The great powers -- the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, France -- became the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia and Africa began. Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to create a common identity. This article uses the conventional dating.
World War II
–
Clockwise from top left: Chinese forces in the Battle of Wanjialing, Australian 25-pounder guns during the First Battle of El Alamein, German Stuka dive bombers on the Eastern Front in December 1943, a U.S. naval force in the Lingayen Gulf, Wilhelm Keitel signing the German Instrument of Surrender, Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad
World War II
–
The League of Nations assembly, held in Geneva, Switzerland, 1930
World War II
–
Adolf Hitler at a German National Socialist political rally in Weimar, October 1930
World War II
–
Italian soldiers recruited in 1935, on their way to fight the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
48.
English language
–
English is a West Germanic language, first spoken in early medieval England and is now a global lingua franca. Named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to England, it ultimately derives its name from the Anglia peninsula in the Baltic Sea. English is either the official language or one of the official languages in almost 60 sovereign states. It is the third most common native language in the world, after Mandarin and Spanish. It is the most widely spoken Germanic language, accounting for at least 70% of speakers of this Indo-European branch. English has developed over the course of more than 1,400 years. A set of Anglo-Frisian dialects brought by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the fifth century, are called Old English. Middle English began in the late 11th century with the Norman conquest of England, was a period in which the language was influenced by French. Through the worldwide influence of the British Empire, modern English spread around the world from the 17th to mid-20th centuries. English is an Indo-European language, belongs to the West Germanic group of the Germanic languages. Most closely related to English are the Frisian languages, English and Frisian form the Anglo-Frisian subgroup within West Germanic. Modern English descends from Middle English, which in turn descends from Old English. English is classified as a Germanic language because it shares new language features with other Germanic languages such as Dutch, German, Swedish. These shared innovations show that the languages have descended from a single common ancestor, which linguists call Proto-Germanic. Its cognates in Indo-European languages begin with / p /.
English language
–
The opening to the Old English epic poem Beowulf, handwritten in half-uncial script: Hƿæt ƿē Gārde/na ingēar dagum þēod cyninga / þrym ge frunon... "Listen! We of the Spear-Danes from days of yore have heard of the glory of the folk-kings..."
English language
–
Countries of the world where English is a majority native language
English language
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Title page of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales c.1400
49.
Elizabeth Gray Vining
–
Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining was an American professional librarian and author who tutored Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was crown prince. She was also a noted author, whose children's book Adam of the Road received the Newbery Medal in 1943. Elizabeth Janet Gray, also known as Elizabeth Gray Vining, was born on October 6, 1902. She received an AB from Bryn Mawr College in 1923. In 1926, she became a librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She married associate director of the Extension Division of UNC, in 1929. The marriage ended in 1933 when her husband was killed in a New York City accident, in which Vining was severely injured. During her convalescence, she converted to the Quaker faith. Vining soon was awarded the 1943 Newbery Medal for Adam of the Road. She had published eleven books by the end of World War II. She also lectured at Tsuda College. For her work, she was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, third class, shortly before her return in 1950. After her return to the United States, Vining wrote a book about her experiences for the Crown Prince, which appeared in 1952. Vining went on to write over 60 non-fiction books in her lifetime. In 1954 Vining received the Women's National Book Association Skinner Award, for "meritorious work" in her special field".
Elizabeth Gray Vining
–
Crown Prince Akihito and Elizabeth Gray Vining
50.
Academic degree
–
An academic degree is a qualification awarded on successful completion of a course of study in higher education, normally at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at professional degrees. The degrees awarded by European universities -- the bachelor's degree, the master's degree, the doctorate -- have been adopted in the most diverse societies throughout the world." The doctorate appeared as a license to teach at a medieval university. At the university, doctoral training was a form of apprenticeship to a guild. Originally the terms "master" and "doctor" were synonymous, but over time the doctorate came to be regarded as a higher qualification than the master degree. . The earliest doctoral degrees reflected the historical separation of all higher University study into these three fields. Studies outside theology, medicine were then called "philosophy", due to the Renaissance conviction that real knowledge could be derived from empirical observation. The title of Doctor of Philosophy is of a much later time, was not introduced in England before 1900. Studies in what once was called philosophy are now classified as humanities. The naming of degrees eventually became linked with the subjects studied. Those in theology, medicine, law were known as "doctor". The practice of using the doctor for PhDs developed within German universities and spread across the academic world. The French terminology is tied closely to the original meanings of the terms.
Academic degree
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Meeting of doctors at the University of Paris (16th-century miniature)
Academic degree
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Spanish Official University Education Legal Framework 02
51.
Heir-apparent
–
An heir apparent is a person, first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. These terms most commonly describe heirs to hereditary titles, particularly monarchies. They are also used metaphorically to indicate an "anointed" successor to any position of power, e.g. a corporate leader. In France the title was le Dauphin. See prince for more examples. The example occurs in the case of a title-holder with no children. If at any time he were to produce children, they rank ahead of whatever more "distant" relative had been presumptive. Legal systems assume childbirth is always possible regardless of age or health. In such circumstances a person may be, in a practical sense, the heir apparent but still, legally speaking, presumptive. Adelaide was 44 at the time, so pregnancy was possible even if unlikely. Daughters may only in default of sons. Hence, she is an presumptive. In a system of absolute primogeniture that disregards gender, female heirs apparent occur. European monarchies that have adopted such systems in the last few decades furnish practical examples. Victoria herself has a female heir apparent in her oldest child, Princess Estelle.
Heir-apparent
–
Throngs before the Imperial Palace in Japan awaiting the appearance of the Crown Prince Hirohito for the recent proclamation of his official recognition as the heir apparent to the Japanese Imperial Throne – New York Times, 1916.
52.
Crown Prince
–
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a prince is also titled crown princess. Compare heir apparent and heir presumptive. In Scandinavian kingdoms, the presumptive to the crown may hold a different title than the heir apparent: Hereditary Prince. It is also the title borne by the heir apparent of Liechtenstein, well as the heir apparent or presumptive of Monaco. It generally requires a specific conferral by the sovereign, which may be withheld. Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran. Paras, Crown Prince of Nepal Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia. Egypt, Prince of the Sa'id, meaning Prince of Upper Egypt Persia, Qajar dynasty, the full style was Vala Hazrat-i-Humayun Vali Ahd, Shahzada, i.e.. He was not necessarily wonja. Southeast Asian traditions: Siam Makutrajakuman in Thailand since 1886. Krom Phrarajawangboworn Sathanmongkol or Phra Maha Uparaja or commonly called Wang Na in Thailand prior to 1886. Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Anom in Surakarta, Indonesia. Raja Muda or Tengku Mahkota in the Malay sultanates of Malaysia.
Crown Prince
–
Throngs before the Imperial Palace in Japan awaiting the appearance of the Crown Prince Hirohito for the recent proclamation of his official recognition as the heir apparent to the Japanese Imperial Throne -- New York Times, 1916.
53.
Tokyo Imperial Palace
–
The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is built on the site of the old Edo Castle. The total area including the gardens is 3.41 square kilometres. At this time Tōkyō had also been called Tōkei. After coming back on 9 May 1869, it was renamed to Imperial Castle. Previous fires had destroyed the Honmaru area containing the old donjon. On the night of 5 May 1873, the new imperial Palace Castle was constructed on the site in 1888. A non-profit "Rebuilding Edo-jo Association" was founded with the aim of a historically correct reconstruction of at least the main donjon. A blueprint had been made based on old documents. The Imperial Household Agency at the time had not indicated whether it would support the project. In the Meiji era, most structures from the Edo Castle disappeared. Some were cleared to make way for other buildings while others were destroyed by earthquakes and fire. For example, the double bridges over the moat were replaced with stone and iron bridges. The buildings of the Imperial Palace constructed in the Meiji era were constructed of wood. Their design employed Japanese architecture in their exterior appearance while the interiors were an eclectic mixture of then-fashionable Japanese and European elements.
Tokyo Imperial Palace
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Panorama of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
Tokyo Imperial Palace
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Map of the Imperial Palace and surrounding gardens
Tokyo Imperial Palace
–
Aerial photograph of Imperial Palace of Japan in 1979
Tokyo Imperial Palace
–
The Kyūden (宮殿 ?) shortly after its completion in the late 1800s
54.
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
–
In the ceremony itself, at Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth swore an oath to govern the Church of England. Celebrations took a commemorative medal was issued throughout the Commonwealth realms. It was the British coronation to be televised. Much of the physical decorations along the route were under the responsibility of David Eccles, Minister of Works. Eccles described his role and that of the Earl Marshal thus: "The Earl Marshal is the producer – I am the stage manager..." We are happy to attend and witness the Coronation of the Sovereign of the U.K. but we are not direct participants in that function." The Coronation Commission announced in June 1952 that the coronation would take place one year later, on June. The Duchess of Norfolk usually stood at rehearsals. However, for the new Queen, several parts of the ceremony were markedly different. The coronation of the Queen was also the world's first major international event to be broadcast on television. The event was also filmed in colour, separately from the BBC's black and white broadcast. At Labrador, the film was transferred to a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-100 jet fighter for the further trip to Montreal. In all, three such voyages were made as the coronation proceeded. The first coach left Buckingham Palace and moved down The Mall, filled with flag-waving and cheering crowds. It was followed by the Irish State Coach carrying Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, who wore the circlet of her crown bearing the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
–
Queen Elizabeth II with the Duke of Edinburgh in her coronation portrait, 2 June 1953
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
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A ticket for the stands erected alongside the coronation procession route through Piccadilly Circus
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
–
Queen Sālote Tupou III in her carriage as it proceeds through London to Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
–
The stools used at the coronation.
55.
London
–
London /ˈlʌndən/ is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom. Standing in the south east of the island of Great Britain, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It was founded by the Romans, who named Londinium. The City of London, largely retains its 1.12-square-mile medieval boundaries. It has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world. London is a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited city as has the world's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic. London is the world's leading destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. A 2014 report placed it first in the world university rankings. According to the report London shares first position in technology readiness. In 2012, London became the only city to have hosted Olympic Games three times. More than 300 languages are spoken in the region. Its estimated municipal population was 8,673,713, the largest of any city in the European Union, accounting for 12.5 per cent of the UK population. London's urban area is the second most populous after Paris, with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census. London was the world's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925.
London
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Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace and Central London skyline
London
London
London
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The name London may derive from the River Thames
56.
United Kingdom
–
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state, the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland. With an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the UK is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants. Together, this makes it the fourth most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch—since 6 February 1952—is Queen Elizabeth II. Other major urban areas in the UK include the regions of Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool. The UK consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the United Kingdom have changed over time. Wales was annexed in 1542. In 1922, five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There are fourteen British Overseas Territories.
United Kingdom
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Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, was erected around 2500 BC.
United Kingdom
–
Flag
United Kingdom
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The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings, 1066, and the events leading to it.
United Kingdom
–
The Treaty of Union led to a single united kingdom encompassing all Great Britain.
57.
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
–
It is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George, England's patron saint. It is awarded as a personal gift on recipients from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, Companions. The order also includes supernumerary ladies. New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St George's Day, as Saint George is the order's saint. The order's emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal pense in gold lettering. Members of the order wear it on ceremonial occasions. King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter to the French throne. The list includes Sir Sanchet D'Abrichecourt, who died on 20 October 1345. Other dates from 1344 to 1351 have also been proposed. The King's account shows Garter habits first issued in the autumn of 1348. The earliest written mention of the Order is found in a chivalric romance written in Catalan mainly by Valencian Joanot Martorell. It was first published in 1490. This book devotes a chapter to the description of the origin of the Order of the Garter. 1431.
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
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Most Noble Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
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Representation of the garter on a Knight's mantle
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
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Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Lancaster (d.1361) (later Duke of Lancaster), the second recipient of the Order, shown wearing his garter robes in an illustration from the 1430 Bruges Garter Book made by William Bruges (1375–1450), first Garter King of Arms
The Most Noble Order of the Garter
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Statutes of the Order of the Garter
58.
Koreans
–
Koreans are an ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria. As of 2013, there were an estimated million ethnic Korean expatriates around the world. South Koreans refer as Hanguk-in, or Hanguk-saram, both of which mean "Korean country people." When referring to members of the Korean diaspora, Koreans often use the Han-in. North Koreans refer as Joseon-in or Joseon-saram, both of which literally mean "Joseon people". Using similar words, Koreans in China refer to themselves as Chaoxianzu in Chinese or Joseonjok in Korean, which are cognates that literally mean "Joseon ethnic group". Ethnic Koreans living in Russia and Central Asia refer as Koryo-saram alluding to Goryeo, a Korean dynasty spanning from 918 to 1392. Koreans are the descendants of the peoples of the Korean Peninsula, often said to be paleo-Asian tribes. Archaeological evidence suggests that most of the proto-Koreans were migrants from south-central Siberia. See Genetic studies below. Susumu Ōno, Choong-Soon Kim suspect that proto-Dravidian people migrated to Korea and parts of Japan. Susumu Ōno suggest also an Austronesian immigration into Japan. The largest concentration of dolmens in the world is found on the Korean Peninsula. With an estimated 35,000-100,000 dolmen, Korea accounts for nearly 70 % of the world's total. Haplogroup O2b occurs in approximately 30 % of all Korean males, while O3 has been found in approximately 40 % of sampled Korean males.
Koreans
Koreans
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North Korean soldiers in the Joint Security Area
Koreans
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A Russian stamp honoring Soviet rock star Viktor Tsoi.
59.
Emperor Kammu
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Emperor Kanmu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned to 806. Kanmu's personal name was Yamabe. He was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne. According to the Shoku Nihongi, Yamato no Niigasa, was a 10th generation descendant of Muryeong of Baekje. After his father became Kanmu's half-brother, Prince Osabe was appointed to the rank of crown prince. His mother was a daughter of Emperor Shōmu; but instead of Osabe, it was Kanmu, later named to succeed their father. After Inoe and Prince Osabe were then died in 775, Osabe's sister -- Kanmu's half-sister Princess Sakahito -- became Kanmu's wife. Later, when he ascended in 781, Kanmu appointed his young brother, Prince Sawara, whose mother was Takano no Niigasa, as crown prince. In 785 Sawara was died in exile. Kanmu had 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the imperial throne: Emperor Heizei, Emperor Junna. Some of his descendants in later generations became prominent warriors. Examples include Taira no Masakado, the Hōjō clan. The poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his grandsons.
Emperor Kammu
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Kanmu
Emperor Kammu
60.
Muryeong of Baekje
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Muryeong of Baekje was the 25th king of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During his reign, Baekje remained expanded its relationships with China and Japan. The Tomb of King Muryeong records his birth year as 462. The Samguk Sagi calls King Muryeong, with the personal name of Sama. He is described as the second son of the 24th Dongseong. He became king when Dongseong was assassinated by the official Baekga. He crushed a planned rebellion by Baekga. China's Liang shu gives his surname as Yeo and states that he restored Baekje into a strong nation. Japan's Nihonshoki gives as 461, describes him as the son of the 21st king Gaero. He was called Semakishi and King Shima in Japanese records because he was born in an island. Some scholars claim Muryeong ruled the Yamato region under the name of King Bu before he moved to Baekje to be a king of kings. In 501, he sent an army to attack Goguryeo's Sugok-seong. In 503, he repelled an attack by the Mohe. In 507, he successfully countered another attack by Goguryeo and Mohe forces. Muryeong personally led 3,000 men to destroy the Goguryeo army.
Muryeong of Baekje
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Muryeong's crown in his tomb
61.
Baekje
–
Baekje or Paekche was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jumong and So Seo-no, at Wiryeseong. Baekje, like Goguryeo, claimed to succeed a state established around the time of Gojoseon's fall. Baekje alternately allied as the three kingdoms expanded control over the peninsula. It became a regional sea power, with China and Japan. In 660 it was defeated, by an alliance of Silla and the Chinese Tang Dynasty, submitted to Unified Silla. Baekje was founded in 18 BC by King Onjo, who led a group of people from Goguryeo south to the Han River basin. According to the Chinese Records of the Three Kingdoms, during the Samhan period, one of the chiefdoms of the Mahan confederacy was called Baekje. The Samguk Sagi provides a detailed account of Baekje's founding. Jumong had left his son Yuri in Buyeo when he left that kingdom to establish the new kingdom of Goguryeo. Jumong had two more sons with So Seo-no, Biryu. When Yuri later arrived in Goguryeo, Jumong promptly made the prince. She is remembered as a key figure in the founding of both Goguryeo and Baekje. Onjo called his Sipje, while Biryu settled in Michuhol, against the vassals' advice.
Baekje
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Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje
Baekje
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Baekje at its height in 375.
Baekje
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Mireuksa
62.
Prefectures of Japan
–
The Prefectures of Japan consist of 47 prefectures. They form administrative division of Japan. They consist of 43 prefectures proper, two urban prefectures, "territory" and one "metropolis". The Meiji Fuhanken administration created the first prefectures to replace the provinces of Japan in 1868. Each prefecture's chief executive is a directly-elected governor. Budgets are enacted by a unicameral assembly whose members are elected for four-year terms. Under the current Local Autonomy Law, each prefecture is subdivided into towns and villages. For example, Hokkaido has 14 subprefectures that act as branch offices of the prefecture. Some other prefectures also have branch offices that carry out administrative functions outside the capital. The capital of Japan, is a merged city-prefecture; a metropolis, it has features of both cities and prefectures. Its original sense in Portuguese, however, was closer to "municipality" than "province". Those fiefs were headed by family. Though the fiefs have long since been dismantled, merged, been granted legislative governance and oversight, the rough translation stuck. The Meiji government established the current system with the abolition of the han system and establishment of the prefecture system. The Local Autonomy Law of 1947 installed prefectural governors and parliaments.
Prefectures of Japan
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Prefecture 都道府県 Todōfuken
63.
Fukushima I nuclear accidents
–
Immediately after the earthquake, the active reactors automatically shut down their sustained fission reactions. However, the tsunami destroyed the emergency generators cooling the reactors, causing Reactor 4 to overheat from the decay heat from the fuel rods. The insufficient cooling led to the release of radioactive beginning on 12 March. Hydrogen-air chemical explosions occurred between 15 March. The plant estimate is 30 or 40 years. A frozen barrier is being constructed to prevent ongoing exposure of running groundwater with nuclear fuel. The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant comprised six separate boiling water reactors originally designed by General Electric and maintained by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. At the time of the Tōhoku earthquake on 11 March 2011, reactors 4, 5 and 6 were shut down in preparation for re-fueling. However, their spent fuel pools still required cooling. These operated nominally until the tsunami destroyed the generators for reactors 1–5. The largest tsunami wave was 13 meters high and hit 50 minutes after the initial earthquake, overwhelming the plant's seawall, 10 m high. The moment of impact was recorded by a camera. Water quickly flooded the low-lying rooms in which the emergency generators were housed. The diesel generators failed afterwards resulting in a loss of power to the critical coolant water pumps. The fuel rods would become hot enough to melt during the fuel period if an adequate heat sink was not available.
Fukushima I nuclear accidents
–
Image on 16 March 2011 of the four damaged reactor buildings. From right to left: Unit 1, 2, 3 and 4. Hydrogen-air explosions occurred in Unit 1, 3 and 4, causing structural damage. A vent in Unit 2's wall, with water vapor /"steam" clearly visible, prevented a similar large explosion. Drone overflights on 20 March captured clearer images.
Fukushima I nuclear accidents
–
Fukushima reactor control room.
Fukushima I nuclear accidents
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The suspected location of molten fuel inside Unit 1, according to the MAAP report from November 2011. Most of the fuel from Unit 1 is assumed to be at the bottom of the Primary Containment Vessel (PCV), where it is estimated to be " well cooled down ".
Fukushima I nuclear accidents
–
The suspected location of molten fuel inside Unit 2 and Unit 3, according to the outdated MAAP report from November 2011. Most of the fuel from Units 2 and 3 was assumed to have remained in the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV).
64.
NHK
–
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK operates two terrestrial television services, three radio networks. NHK also provides an international service, known as NHK World. NHK World is composed of NHK World TV, the shortwave radio service NHK World Radio Japan. World Radio Japan also makes some of its programs available on the Internet. NHK is an independent corporation primarily funded by license fees. NHK World broadcasting is funded by the Japanese government. The annual budget of NHK is subject to approval by the Diet of Japan. The Diet also appoints the 12-member Board of Governors that oversees NHK. The Executive Board reports to the Board of Governors. NHK is funded by a system analogous to the license fee used in some English-speaking countries. The Broadcast Law which governs NHK’s funding stipulates any television equipped to receive NHK is required to pay. The fee is standardized, with discounts for office students who commute, as well a general discount for residents of Okinawa prefecture. This incident sparked debate over the fairness of the system. In 2006, the NHK opted to take legal action against those most flagrantly in violation of the law.
NHK
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NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo
NHK
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NHK Broadcasting Museum
NHK
–
NHK Osaka
65.
Abdication
–
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. The abdication derives from the Latin abdicatio meaning to renounce. In Roman law the term was also applied to the disowning of a family member, such as the disinheriting of a son. The term commonly applies to those who have been formally crowned. An elected or appointed official is said to resign rather than to abdicate. Perhaps the most notable abdication in recent history is that of King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the Dominions. It was the first time in history that the English crown was surrendered voluntarily. Richard II for example, was forced to abdicate after power was seized by Henry Bolingbroke, while Richard was abroad. The Scottish parliament pronounced a decree of forfeiture and deposition. In Scotland, Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate in favour of James VI. To give legal effect to the abdication of King Edward VIII, His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 was passed. In fact occurred more often on the throne. A tradition developed that an emperor should accede to the throne relatively young. Thus, Japanese emperors have acceded as children, some only 8 years old. Several emperors abdicated while still in their teens.
Abdication
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Napoleon 's first abdication, signed at the Palace of Fontainebleau 4 April 1814
Abdication
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Dom Pedro I, ruler of the Empire of Brazil, delivers his abdication letter on 7 April 1831
66.
Imperial Household Agency
–
From around the 8th AD up to the Second World War, it was named the Imperial Household Ministry. He is assisted by the Vice-Grand Steward. The agency's headquarters is located in Tokyo. The Agency has responsibility for the health, security and travel arrangements including maintaining the Imperial line. The Board of the Chamberlains, headed by the Grand Chamberlain, manages the daily life of Emperor the Empress. It also keeps the Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. A "Grand Master of the Crown Prince's Household" helps manage the schedules, household maintenance of the Crown Prince and his family. The Imperial Household Agency can trace its origins back to the institutions established by the Taihō Code promulgated in 701–702 AD. The Ritsuryō system established the namesake Ministry of the Imperial Household, a precursor to the present agency. The basic structures remained until the Meiji Restoration. The early Meiji government officially installed August 1869. Meanwhile, the Meiji government created the Board of Ceremonies in 1871, soon renamed Bureau of Ceremonies in 1872. The Bureau underwent yet another name change in October 1884. Since then, the name is, today, headed by the Master of Ceremonies. The ministry also commissioned their work.
Imperial Household Agency
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Imperial Household Agency Building on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
Imperial Household Agency
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Imperial Household Agency building is located near the Sakashita gate of the palace
67.
Karuizawa, Nagano
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Karuizawa is a town in Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2016, the town has an estimated population of 19,769 and has a total area of 156.05 square kilometres. Convenient access from central Tokyo, has ensured Karuizawa's popularity since the Meiji era. Karuizawa hosted equestrian events in the 1964 Summer Olympics as well as curling in the 1998 Winter Olympics. To date, it is the only city in the world to have hosted both Summer and Winter Olympic events. Since 1997 Karuizawa has been accessible via the JR East Nagano Shinkansen. High rail links has resulted in the development of large outlet style shopping malls. Karuizawa town is located on an elevated plain at the foot of Mount Asama, one of Japan's most active volcanoes. The mountain is classed as a Category A active volcano. A small eruption was detected in June 2015, a more significant eruption spewing hot rocks and a plume of ash occurred in February 2015. Mt. Asama's most destructive eruption in recent recorded history took place in 1783, when over 1,000 were killed. The volcano is actively monitored by scientists and climbing close to the summit is prohibited. Precipitation is much heavier in the summer than in the winter. 1872: The village Usuitoge from Saku District, Nagano merged into the village of Karuizawa. 1873: The town of Usuitoge broke off from the village of Karuizawa.
Karuizawa, Nagano
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Location of Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture
68.
Nagano, Nagano
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As of April 2011, the city had a density of 460 persons per km ². The total area is 834.85 km². Nagano is most famous for Zenkō-ji, a 7th-century Buddhist temple that overlooks the city. A million tourists visit Nagano annually. All but the city of Myōkō are within Nagano Prefecture. Zenkō-ji relocated from the current city of Iida. Afterwards, the town of Monzen became one of the motel towns of Hokkoku Kaidō. The Battles of Kawanakajima were fought there including the fight between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. In 1742 at Akanuma Due to Zenko-ji earthquake, nearly 10,000 people died. Nagano gained city status in 1897. The Matsushiro Underground Imperial Headquarters was started in 1944, but was aborted in 1945 due to the end of war. The city hosted the biggest mergers of the Showa Era I in 1954. In 1959, due to the flooding of Chikuma River, 71 people died or were missing and 20,000 homes were flooded. The biggest mergers of the Showa Era II occurred there in 1966. The Matsushiro Earthquake was here.
Nagano, Nagano
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From top of left, Zenkoji, Mount Togakushi, Kinasa village, Nagano Big Hat arena, Airial in Kawanakajima, Oku-Subana Valley, Marukome, which headquarter in Nagano, and famous for miso product company in Japan, Oyaki Japanese sweets, Togakushi ski place, and Matsushiro Castle
Nagano, Nagano
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Location of Nagano in Nagano Prefecture
Nagano, Nagano
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Downtown Nagano
Nagano, Nagano
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Nagano Olympic Stadium, present day of Nagano Baseball Stadium
69.
National Diet
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The National Diet is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under parallel voting systems. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally responsible for selecting the Prime Minister. The Diet was first convened as a result of adopting the Meiji Constitution. The National Diet Building is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. The houses of the Diet are both elected under parallel voting systems. Voters are also asked to cast one for a party list. Any national of Japan at least 20 years of age may vote in these elections, which will be changed in 2016. Japan's parallel system is not to be confused with the Additional Member System used in many other nations. House of Councillors: Of 242 members, 146 are elected from 47 prefectural constituencies by means of the Single Non-Transferable Vote. The remaining 96 are elected from a single national list. However it does guarantee a secret ballot. It also insists that the electoral law must not discriminate in terms of "race, creed, sex, social status, family origin, education, income". Generally, the election of Diet members is controlled by statutes passed by the Diet.
National Diet
National Diet
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National Diet of Japan 日本国の国会 Nippon-koku no Kokkai
National Diet
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Joint session of the Diet of Japan
National Diet
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Buildings housing the Diet in 1905.
70.
Chief Justice of Japan
Chief Justice of Japan
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Japan
71.
Commoner
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The division may have been instituted as an alternative to the previous clan based divisions, responsible for internecine conflict. Their leading social divisions were simply non-Greeks, free-Greeks and slaves. Saint Augustine postulated that social division was a result of the Fall of Man. The three leading divisions were considered to be the priesthood, the common people. Sometimes this would be expressed as "those who prayed", "those who fought" and "those who worked". They were the third of the Three Estates of the Realm consisting of peasants and artisans. Social mobility for commoners was limited throughout the Middle Ages. Generally, the serfs were unable to enter the group of the bellatores. Commoners could sometimes secure entry for their children into the oratores class; usually they would serve as rural parish priests. There were cases of serfs becoming clerics in the Holy Roman Empire, though from the Carolingian era, clergy were generally recruited from the nobility. Of the thousand bishops serving from the 8th to the 15th century, just five came from the peasantry. Up until the late 15th-century social order was relatively stable. Often they were content with their lot. The political order of medieval Europe was shaken by the development of the mobile cannon in the 15th century. Once effective cannons were available, walls were of far less defensive value and rulers needed expensive field armies to keep control of a territory.
Commoner
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Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix The "Liberty" figure can be interpreted as both a goddess and a heroic commoner.
Commoner
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A Medieval French manuscript illustration depicting the three estates: clergy (oratores), nobles (bellatores), and commoners (laboratores).
Commoner
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US Vice President Henry A. Wallace proclaimed the "arrival of the century of the common man" in a 1942 speech broadcast nationwide in the United States.
72.
Constitution of Japan
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The Constitution of Japan is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted as a new constitution for a post-war Japan. The constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights. No amendment has been made since its adoption. The Meiji Constitution was the fundamental law of the Empire of Japan, propagated during the reign of Emperor Meiji. It provided based on the Prussian and British models. Under the Meiji Constitution, his cabinet were not necessarily chosen from the elected members of the Diet. Pursuing the amending procedure of the "Meiji Constitution", it was entirely revised to become the "Post-war Constitution" on 3 November 1946. The Post-war Constitution has been in force since 3 May 1947. On 26 Allied leaders Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman, Chiang Kai-shek issued the Potsdam Declaration, which demanded Japan's unconditional surrender. Of thought, as well as respect for the fundamental human rights shall be established". The Allies sought not merely fundamental changes in the nature of its political system. Instead, they wished to encourage Japan's new leaders to initiate democratic reforms on their own. But by early 1946, MacArthur's staff and Japanese officials were at odds over the writing of a new Constitution. In late 1945, Shidehara appointed state minister without portfolio, head of a blue-ribbon committee of Constitutional scholars to suggest revisions.
Constitution of Japan
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"Emperor's words".
Constitution of Japan
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The constitution of Japan was largely drafted by US lawyers in the occupation authority. This image is of a secret memo written by members of the authority on the subject of the new constitution.
73.
Asia
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Asia covers an area of 44,579,000 square kilometers, 8.7 % of the Earth's total surface area. The continent, which has long been home to the majority of the human population, was the site of many of the first civilizations. The western boundary with Europe is a cultural construct, as there is no clear physical and geographical separation between them. China and India alternated in being the largest economies in the world from 1 to 1800 A.D. The accidental discovery of America by Columbus in search for India demonstrates this deep fascination. The Silk Road became the East-West trading route in the Asian hitherland while the Straits of Malacca stood as a major sea route. Overall population growth has since fallen. Given its diversity, the concept of Asia -- a name dating back to classical antiquity -- may actually have more to do with human geography than physical geography. Asia varies greatly with regard to ethnic groups, cultures, environments, economics, historical ties and government systems. The boundary between Asia and Africa is the Red Sea, the Suez Canal. This makes a transcontinental country, with the Sinai peninsula in Asia and the remainder of the country in Africa. The border between Asia and Europe was historically defined by European academics. In Sweden, five years in 1730 Philip Johan von Strahlenberg published a new atlas proposing the Urals as the border of Asia. The Russians were enthusiastic about the concept, which allowed them to keep their European identity in geography. Tatishchev announced that he had proposed the idea to von Strahlenberg.
Asia
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Two-point equidistant projection of Asia and surrounding landmasses.
Asia
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Asia
Asia
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The racial diversity of Asia's peoples, Nordisk familjebok (1904)
Asia
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Ptolemy's Asia
74.
China
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China, officially the People's Republic of China, is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia. With a population of over billion, it is the world's most populous country. The state is governed based in the capital of Beijing. The country's urban areas include Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Hong Kong. China has been characterized as a potential superpower. Mountain ranges separate China from much of South and Central Asia. The third and sixth longest in the world, respectively, run from the Tibetan Plateau to the densely populated eastern seaboard. China's coastline along the Pacific Ocean is bounded by the Bohai, Yellow, East China, South China seas. China emerged in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain. For millennia, China's political system was based on hereditary monarchies known as dynasties. Since 221 BC, when the Qin Dynasty first conquered several states to form a Chinese empire, the state has expanded, reformed numerous times. Since the introduction of economic reforms in 1978, China has become one of the world's fastest-growing major economies. As of 2014, it is largest by purchasing power parity. China is also second-largest importer of goods. China has the world's largest standing army and second-largest defense budget.
China
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Yinxu, ruins of an ancient palace dating from the Shang Dynasty (14th century BCE)
China
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Flag
China
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Some of the thousands of life-size Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty, c. 210 BCE
China
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The Great Wall of China was built by several dynasties over two thousand years to protect the sedentary agricultural regions of the Chinese interior from incursions by nomadic pastoralists of the northern steppes.
75.
Saipan
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Saipan /saɪˈpæn/ is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to the 2010 United States Census, Saipan's population was 48,220. The Commonwealth's center of government is located in the village of Capitol Hill on the island. Since the entire island is organized as a single municipality, term Saipan as the Commonwealth's capital. The current Mayor of Saipan is David M. Apatang, sworn into office on June 2015. Saipan is the second largest island in the Mariana Islands archipelago, after Guam. It is located about 120 mi north of Guam and 5 nautical miles northeast from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. Saipan is 5.6 mi wide, with a land area of 115.38 km2. The western side of the island is lined with an offshore coral reef which creates a large lagoon. The eastern shore is composed primarily of a reef. The highest elevation on Saipan is a limestone-covered mountain called Mount Tapochau at 1,560 ft. Unlike many of the mountains in the Mariana Islands, it is not an extinct volcano, but is a limestone formation. To the north of Mount Tapochau towards Banzai Cliff is a ridge of hills. Saipan's flora is predominantly limestone forest. Some developed areas on the island are covered with Leucaena leucocephala, also known as "tangan-tangan" trees that were spread broadly some time after World War II.
Saipan
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Topographic map of Saipan Island
Saipan
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View of northern Saipan
Saipan
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Mount Marpi in Saipan
Saipan
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Marines march through Garapan, July 1944
76.
Northern Mariana Islands
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The CNMI includes all islands in the Mariana Archipelago except Guam, the southernmost island of the chain and a separate U.S. territory. The United States Department of the Interior cites a landmass of 183.5 square miles. According to the 2010 United States Census, 53,883 people were living in the CNMI at that time. The vast majority of the population resides on Saipan, Tinian, Rota. The administrative center is Capitol Hill, a village in northwestern Saipan. However, most publications consider Saipan to be the capital because the island is governed as a single municipality. The first people of the Mariana Islands immigrated at some point between 4000 BC and 2000 BC from Southeast Asia. The ancient people of the Marianas raised colonnades of megalithic capped pillars called latte stones upon which they built their homes. The first European explorer of the area, the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, arrived in 1521. He landed on Guam, the southernmost island of the Marianas and claimed the archipelago for Spain. The Spanish ships were met offshore by the native Chamorros, who delivered refreshments and then helped themselves to a small boat belonging to Magellan's fleet. The Spanish did not understand this custom, fought the Chamorros until the boat was recovered. Three days after he had been welcomed on his arrival, Magellan fled the archipelago. Spain regarded the islands as annexed and later made them part of the Spanish East Indies. In 1734, the Spanish built a royal palace in Guam for the Governor of the islands.
Northern Mariana Islands
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Colonial tower, vestige of the ex-Spanish colony.
Northern Mariana Islands
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Flag
Northern Mariana Islands
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Saipan under the administration of Japan
Northern Mariana Islands
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Marine infantrymen in Garapan, Saipan
77.
Territories of the United States
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Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions directly overseen by the United States federal government. These territories are classified by whether they have an organized government through an Organic Act passed by the U.S. Congress. Currently, the United States has sixteen territories, five of which are permanently inhabited: American Samoa. They are classified as unincorporated territories. They are organised, self-governing territories with territorial legislatures. Each also elects a non-voting member to the U.S. House of Representatives. Eleven territories are small islands, reefs, spread across the Caribbean and Pacific, with no native or permanent populations. The status of some are disputed by the Marshall Islands. The Palmyra Atoll is the only territory currently incorporated. Historically, territories were created to govern newly acquired land while the borders of the United States were still evolving. Most territories eventually attained statehood. Other territories administered by the United States went on to become independent countries, such as the Philippines, Micronesia, Palau. Many organized incorporated territories of the United States existed from 1789 to 1959, through which 31 territories were granted statehood. Currently, the United States has sixteen territories, five of which are permanently inhabited: Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa. The 11 uninhabited territories administered by the Interior Department are Palmyra Atoll, Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Midway Islands.
Territories of the United States
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View of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Territories of the United States
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Flag
Territories of the United States
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Protestant Cay in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Territories of the United States
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Tumon Beach in Guam
78.
Battle of Saipan
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The Allied fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. This left the Japanese holding the Philippines, the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands. It had always been the intention of the American planners to seize the Marianas and Taiwan. From these latter bases communications between Japanese forces to the south and west could be cut. The Japanese, expecting an attack somewhere on their perimeter, thought an attack on the Caroline Islands most likely. To supply their garrisons, they needed naval and air superiority, so Operation A-Go, a major carrier attack, was prepared for June 1944. 165,000 shells were fired. The following day the eight older battleships and 11 cruisers under Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf replaced the fast battleships but were lacking in time and ammunition. The landings began on 15 June 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines by about 09:00. Eleven support ships covered the Marine landings. The naval force consisted of the battleships Tennessee and California. The cruisers were Birmingham and Indianapolis. The destroyers were Norman Scott, Monssen, Coghlan, Halsey Powell, Bailey, Albert W. Grant.
Battle of Saipan
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LVTs heading for shore on 15 June 1944. Birmingham in foreground; the cruiser firing in the distance is Indianapolis.
Battle of Saipan
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Lt. General Yoshitsugu Saitō, commander of the Imperial forces
Battle of Saipan
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Navajo codetalkers played a key role in directing naval gunfire onto Japanese positions.
Battle of Saipan
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Map showing the progress of the Battle of Saipan
79.
Tokyo
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Tokyo, officially Tokyo Metropolis, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan, is both the capital and most populous city of Japan. The Greater Tokyo Area is the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Emperor of the Japanese government. Tokyo includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Formerly known as Edo, it has been the facto seat of government since 1603 when Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters. Tokyo Metropolis was formed from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture and the city of Tokyo. The metropolitan government also administers 39 municipalities in the western part of the two outlying island chains. The population of the special wards is with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million. The prefecture is part with upwards of 37.8 million people and the world's largest urban agglomeration economy. The city hosts 51 of the highest number of any city in the world. Tokyo ranked third in the International Financial Centres Development IndexEdit. The city is also home to various television networks like Fuji TV, Tokyo MX, TV Tokyo, TV Asahi, Nippon Television, the Tokyo Broadcasting System. Tokyo fourth in the Global Cities Index. In 2015, Tokyo was named the Most Liveable City in the world by the Monocle. The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world.
Tokyo
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Clockwise from top: Nishi-Shinjuku, Rainbow Bridge, National Diet Building, Shibuya, Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo
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Satellite photo of Tokyo's 23 Special wards taken by NASA 's Landsat 7
Tokyo
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Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokyo
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Ginza area in 1933
80.
Hiroshima
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Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu - the largest island of Japan. The city's name, 広島, means "Broad Island" in Japanese. Hiroshima gained status on April 1889. On April 1, 1980, Hiroshima became a designated city. As of August 2016, the city had an estimated population of 1,196,274. The GDP in Hiroshima Metropolitan Employment Area, is US$ billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has been the city's mayor since April 2011. Hiroshima Castle was quickly built, in 1593 Terumoto moved in. Terumoto was on the losing side at the Battle of Sekigahara. After the han was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima became a urban center as the Japanese economy shifted from primarily rural to urban industries. During the 1870s, one of the seven government-sponsored English language schools was established in Hiroshima. Ujina Harbor was constructed in the 1880s allowing Hiroshima to become an important city. New industrial plants, including cotton mills, were established in the 19th century. Further industrialization in Hiroshima was stimulated during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, which required development and production of military supplies.
Hiroshima
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From top left: Hiroshima Castle, Baseball game of Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Hiroshima Municipal Baseball Stadium, Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome), Night view of Ebisu-cho, Shukkei-en (Asano Park)
Hiroshima
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Hiroshima Castle
Hiroshima
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Hiroshima Commercial Museum 1915
Hiroshima
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Hiroshima after the bombing
81.
Nagasaki
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Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Part of Nagasaki was home to a major Imperial Japanese Navy base during the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War. Its name means "long cape". As of 1 the city has an estimated population of 446,007 and a population density of 1,100 persons per km ². The total area is 406.35 km². A small village set in a secluded harbor, Nagasaki had little historical significance until contact with Portuguese explorers in 1543. An early visitor was Fernão Mendes Pinto, who came on a Portuguese ship which landed nearby in Tanegashima. His followers who remained behind converted a number of daimyōs. The most notable among them was Ōmura Sumitada. Portuguese products imported through Nagasaki were assimilated into popular Japanese culture. The Portuguese also brought with them many goods from China. Thus, for a brief period after 1580, the city of Nagasaki was a Jesuit colony, under their military control. It became a refuge for Christians escaping maltreatment in other regions of Japan. In 1587, however, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign to unify the country arrived in Kyūshū. However, the fact remained that most of Nagasaki's population remained openly practicing Catholic.
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
82.
Okinawa Prefecture
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Okinawa Prefecture or simply is the southernmost prefecture of Japan. It comprises hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over 1,000 kilometres long. The Ryukyus extend southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan. The Okinawa Prefecture encompasses the southern two thirds of that chain. Okinawa's capital, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island. Currently about half of the 53,000 U.S. troops deployed in Japan as part of the post-WWII arrangement are based in Okinawa. The oldest evidence of human existence on the Ryukyu islands was discovered in Naha and Yaese. There is no clear evidence of Paleolithic remains. Japanese Jōmon influences are dominant on the Okinawa Islands, although clay vessels on the Sakishima Islands have a commonality with those in Taiwan. The first mention of the word Ryukyu was written in the Book of Sui. Okinawa was the Japanese word identifying the islands, first seen in the biography of Jianzhen, written in 779. Agricultural societies begun in the 8th century slowly developed until the 12th century. Also during this period, many Gusukus, similar to castles, were constructed. In 1609, the Shimazu clan, which controlled the region, now Kagoshima Prefecture, invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom. The Satsuma clan earned considerable profits from trade during a period in which foreign trade was heavily restricted by the shogunate.
Okinawa Prefecture
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History of Ryūkyū
Okinawa Prefecture
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Okinawa Prefecture 沖縄県
Okinawa Prefecture
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Location of Ryukyu Islands
Okinawa Prefecture
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A Ryukyuan embassy in Edo.
83.
Princess Akishino
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She is also known as Princess Kiko. Kiko was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. She is the eldest daughter of Kazuyo and Tatsuhiko Kawashima. He later taught there. Meanwhile, Kiko enrolled at the Lea School, 47th and Locust Streets. The future princess became fluent in English and German. She lived in a tiny on-campus apartment in Tokyo. She received the PhD degree from Ochanomizu University. She continues to be a supporter of the program. Prince Fumihito first proposed marriage to Kiko Kawashima on 26 June 1986 while they were both undergraduates at Gakushuin. Three years later, the engagement ceremony was held on 12 January 1990. No date would be set until the official one-year mourning period ended for Fumihito's grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, who had died in January 1989. The wedding took place on 29 June 1990. Upon marriage, his bride became The Princess Akishino, known informally as Princess Kiko. As of tradition dictates, into the imperial family and like other members, she received a personal emblem: iris setosa.
Princess Akishino
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Princess Akishino on 23 December 2009.
Princess Akishino
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Princess Akishino in 1990.
84.
Marine biology
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Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine bodies of water. A large proportion of all life on Earth lives in the ocean. Exactly how large the proportion is unknown, since many ocean species are still to be discovered. The ocean is a complex three-dimensional world covering approximately 71% of the Earth's surface. The organisms studied range from microscopic phytoplankton and zooplankton to huge cetaceans 30 meters in length. Marine life is a vast resource, providing food, medicine, raw materials, in addition to helping to support recreation and tourism all over the world. At a fundamental level, marine life helps determine the very nature of our planet. Marine organisms contribute significantly to the oxygen cycle, are involved in the regulation of the Earth's climate. Shorelines are in part shaped and protected by marine life, some marine organisms even help create new land. Many species are economically important to humans, including both finfish and shellfish. It is also becoming understood that the well-being of marine organisms and other organisms are linked in fundamental ways. These cycles include those of matter and of air. Large areas beneath the ocean surface still remain effectively unexplored. It included elaborate illustrations of seaweed and marine algae on folded leaves. The British naturalist Edward Forbes is generally regarded as the founder of the science of marine biology.
Marine biology
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Only 29 percent of the Earth's surface is land. The rest is ocean, home to marine life. The oceans average nearly four kilometres in depth and are fringed with coastlines that run for 360,000 kilometres.
Marine biology
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HMS Challenger during its pioneer expedition of 1872–76
Marine biology
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Coral reefs form complex marine ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity.
Marine biology
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A crown-of-thorns starfish.
85.
Ichthyology
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Ichthyology, also known as fish science, is the branch of biology devoted to the study of fish. This includes bony fishes, cartilaginous fish, jawless fish. While a large number of species have been discovered, approximately 250 new species are officially described by science each year. According to FishBase, 33,400 species of fish had been described by October 2016. The study of fish dates from the Upper Paleolithic Revolution. The science of ichthyology was developed in several interconnecting epochs, each with various significant advancements. The study of fish receives its origins from human's desire to feed, clothe, equip themselves with useful implements. Early cultures manifested these insights in abstract and identifiable artistic expressions. Informal, scientific descriptions of fish are represented within the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Old Testament laws of kashrut forbade the consumption of fishes without scales or appendages. These fish include cyprinids of the genera Barbus and Mirogrex, cichlids of the genus Sarotherodon, Mugil cephalus of the family Mugilidae. Aristotle incorporated ichthyology into formal scientific study. Between 335 BC–322 BC, he provided the earliest taxonomic classification of fish, accurately describing 117 species of Mediterranean fish. Furthermore, Aristotle documented anatomical and behavioral differences between fish and marine mammals. After his death, some of his pupils continued his ichthyological research.
Ichthyology
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Fish represent approximately 8% of all figurative depictions on Mimbres pottery.
Ichthyology
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Frontipiece from Ichthyologia, sive Opera Omnia de Piscibus by Peter Artedi
Ichthyology
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About fish
86.
Taxonomy (biology)
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Taxonomy is the science of defining groups of biological organisms on the basis of shared characteristics and giving names to those groups. An example of a modern classification is the one published in 2015 for all extant taxa by M. Ruggiero and co-workers. The exact definition of taxonomy varies from source to source, but the core of the discipline remains: the conception, naming, classification of groups of organisms. There is some disagreement as to whether biological nomenclature is considered a part of taxonomy, or a part of systematics outside taxonomy. The broadest meaning of "taxonomy" is used here. The word taxonomy was introduced in 1813 by Candolle, in his Théorie élémentaire de la botanique. The term "alpha taxonomy" is primarily used today to refer to the discipline of finding, describing, naming taxa, particularly species. In earlier literature, the term had a different meaning, referring to morphological taxonomy, the products of research through the end of the 19th century. Ideals can, it may be said, never be completely realized. Some of us please ourselves by thinking we are now groping in a "beta" taxonomy. Turrill thus explicitly excludes from alpha taxonomy various areas of study that he includes within taxonomy as a whole, such as ecology, physiology, genetics, cytology. He further excludes phylogenetic reconstruction from alpha taxonomy. Thus, Ernst Mayr in 1968 defined beta taxonomy as the classification of ranks higher than species. This activity is what the term classification denotes; it is also referred to as beta taxonomy. How species should be defined in a particular group of organisms gives rise to practical and theoretical problems that are referred to as the species problem.
Taxonomy (biology)
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Title page of Systema Naturae, Leiden, 1735
Taxonomy (biology)
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Evolution of the vertebrates at class level, width of spindles indicating number of families. Spindle diagrams are typical for Evolutionary taxonomy
Taxonomy (biology)
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The same relationship, expressed as a cladogram typical for cladistics
Taxonomy (biology)
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Type specimen for Nepenthes smilesii, a tropical pitcher plant.
87.
Family (biology)
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In biological classification, family is one of the eight major taxonomic ranks; it is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks above the rank of genus. What does not belong to a family -- or whether a described family should be recognized at all -- are proposed and determined by practicing taxonomists. There are any taxa. There may be no broad consensus across the scientific community for some time. The naming of families is codified by international codes. In zoological nomenclature, the family names of animals end with the suffix "-idae". Carolus Linnaeus used the familia in his Philosophia botanica to denote major groups of plants: trees, herbs, ferns, palms, so on. He used this term only in the morphological section of the book, discussing the generative organs of plants. He used families of "insects". Families can be used for evolutionary, generic studies because they are more stable than lower taxonomic levels such as genera and species.
Family (biology)
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The hierarchy of biological classification 's eight major taxonomic ranks. An order contains one or more families. Intermediate minor rankings are not shown.
88.
Goby
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Gobies are fishes of the family Gobiidae, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of them are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm in length. Gobies include some such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, which are under 1 cm long when fully grown. , exceptional. Generally, they bottom-dwellers. Several gobies are also of interest such as the bumblebee gobies of the genus Brachygobius. Phylogenetic relationships of gobies have been studied using molecular data. The most distinctive aspects of goby morphology are the pelvic fins that form a disc-shaped sucker. Gobies are spread all over the world in tropical and temperate shore-marine brackish and freshwater environments. On coral reefs, gobies constitute 35 % of 20 % of the species diversity. Gobies live inside the bodies or burrows of invertebrates. Gobiidae contains six subfamilies: Members of the subfamily Amblyopinae are elongated mud-dwelling gobies commonly known as the eel gobies or worm gobies. Their eyes are highly reduced. They are usually pink, purple in coloration. Amblyopinae contain about 23 species.
Goby
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Gobies
Goby
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Amblyopinae: Odontamblyopus lacepedii
Goby
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Benthophilinae: the monkey goby (Neogobius fluviatilis) and the bighead goby (Ponticola kessleri)
Goby
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Gobiinae: clown goby (Microgobius gulosus)
89.
History of science
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The history of science is the study of the development of science and scientific knowledge, including both the natural sciences and social sciences. Historiography in contrast, studies the methods by which historians study the history of science. The English scientist is relatively recent -- first coined by William Whewell in the 19th century. Previously, people investigating nature called themselves "natural philosophers". Traditionally, historians of science have defined science broadly to include those earlier inquiries. In prehistoric times, knowledge was passed from generation to generation in an oral tradition. For example, the domestication of maize for agriculture has been dated before the development of writing systems. Similarly, archaeological evidence indicates the development of astronomical knowledge in preliterate societies. The development of writing enabled knowledge to be communicated across generations with much greater fidelity. Ancient civilizations collected astronomical information in a systematic manner through simple observation. Though they had no knowledge of the physical structure of the planets and stars, many theoretical explanations were proposed. Alchemy was practiced in several civilizations. Considerable observation of macroscopic fauna was also performed. Ancient Egypt made significant advances in astronomy, medicine. Their development of geometry was a necessary outgrowth of surveying to preserve the ownership of farmland, flooded annually by the Nile river.
History of science
History of science
History of science
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Mesopotamian clay tablet, 492 BC. Writing allowed the recording of astronomical information.
History of science
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The School of Athens by Raphael.
90.
Edo period
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The period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, popular enjoyment of arts and culture. The shogunate was officially established in Edo by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration after the fall of Edo. Instrumental in the rise of the new bakufu was Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Already powerful, Ieyasu profited to the rich Kantō area. After Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu moved quickly to seize control from the Toyotomi family. Ieyasu's victory over the western daimyōs at the Battle of Sekigahara gave virtual control of all Japan. He rapidly redistributed the spoils of war to his family and allies. His assumption of the title of shogun helped consolidate the alliance system. After further strengthening his base, Ieyasu installed his son Hidetada as shogun and himself as retired shogun in 1605. Ieyasu devoted the next decade to their eradication. In 1615, the Tokugawa army destroyed the Toyotomi stronghold at Osaka. The Tokugawa period brought 250 years of stability to Japan. The political system evolved into what historians call a combination of the terms bakufu and han to describe the government and society of the period. In the bakuhan, the daimyōs had regional authority.
Edo period
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Nikkō Tōshō-gū
Edo period
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Tokugawa Ieyasu, first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate
Edo period
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The San Juan Bautista is represented in Claude Deruet 's painting of Hasekura Tsunenaga in Rome in 1617, as a galleon with Hasekura's flag (red swastika on orange background) on the top mast.
Edo period
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Itinerary and dates of the travels of Hasekura Tsunenaga
91.
Meiji period
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The Meiji period, also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from October 23, 1868 through July 30, 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan during which Japanese society moved from being an isolated feudal society to its modern form. Fundamental changes affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, foreign relations. The period lasted until his death in 1912. It was succeeded by the Taishō period to the throne. On February 1867, the 14-year-old Prince Mutsuhito succeeded his father, Emperor Kōmei, to the Chrysanthemum Throne as the 122nd emperor. On November 1867, then-Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu tendered his resignation to the Emperor, formally stepped down ten days later. Imperial restoration occurred the next year with the formation of the new government. A new era, Meiji, was proclaimed. Implicit in the Charter Oath was a move toward more democratic participation in government. To implement the Charter Oath, a rather short-lived constitution with eleven articles was drawn up in June 1868. Mutsuhito, to reign until 1912, selected a new reign title -- Enlightened Rule -- to mark the beginning of a new era in Japanese history. To further dramatize the new order, the capital was relocated from Kyoto, where it had been situated since 794, to Tokyo, the new name for Edo. The central government assumed their administrative expenses and paid samurai stipends. Authority continued to flow to the national government.
Meiji period
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Meiji Constitution Promulgation (woodblock print by T. Chikanobu)
Meiji period
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The fifteen-year-old Meiji Emperor, moving from Kyoto to Tokyo at the end of 1868, after the fall of Edo.
Meiji period
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Emperor Meiji in his fifties.
Meiji period
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When Itagaki Taisuke was attacked by thugs in Gifu, he cried "Itagaki may die, but liberty – never!" [citation needed] (woodblock print by Utagawa Toyonobu)
92.
Science (journal)
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It was first published in 1880, has a print subscriber base of around 130,000. Because online access serve a larger audience, its estimated readership is 570,400 people. Unlike most scientific journals, which focus on a specific field, its rival Nature cover the full range of scientific disciplines. According to the Journal Citation Reports, Science's 2015 factor was 34.661. Although it is the journal of the AAAS, membership in the AAAS is not required to publish in Science. Papers are accepted from authors around the world. Fewer than 7% of articles submitted are accepted for publication. Science is based with a second office in Cambridge, England. Science was founded with financial support from Thomas Edison and later from Alexander Graham Bell. However, the journal ended publication in March 1882. Entomologist Samuel H. Scudder had some success while covering the meetings of prominent American scientific societies, including the AAAS. However, by 1894, Science was sold to psychologist James McKeen Cattell for $500. After Cattell died in 1944, the ownership of the journal was transferred to the AAAS. After Cattell's death in 1944, the journal lacked a consistent presence until Graham DuShane became editor in 1956. Under DuShane's leadership, Science absorbed The Scientific Monthly, thus increasing the journal's circulation by over 60 % from 38,000 to more than 61,000.
Science (journal)
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Issue from February–June 1883
Science (journal)
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Science
93.
Nature (journal)
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Nature is a British multidisciplinary scientific journal, first published on 4 November 1869. Nature claims an online readership of about million unique readers per month. There are also sections on arts. The remainder of the journal consists mostly of research papers, which are highly technical. There are many fields of research in which original research are published as either articles or letters in Nature. The papers that have been published in this journal are internationally acclaimed for maintaining high research standards. In 2007 Nature received the Princess of Asturias Award for Communications and Humanity. The enormous progress in mathematics during the 19th century was recorded in journals written mostly in German or French, as well as in English. Britain underwent enormous industrial changes and advances particularly in the latter half of the 19th century. During this period, the number of popular science periodicals doubled from the 1850s to the 1860s. Nature, first created in 1869, was not the first magazine of its kind in Britain. These similar journals all ultimately failed. The Quarterly Journal, after undergoing a number of editorial changes, ceased publication in 1885. Finally, Scientific Opinion lasted a mere 2 years, until June 1870. Janet Browne has proposed that "far more than any other journal of the period, Nature was conceived, born, raised to serve polemic purpose."
Nature (journal)
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Nature
Nature (journal)
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First title page, November 4, 1869.
Nature (journal)
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Nature Materials, a specialised journal from Nature Publishing Group.
94.
Linnean Society of London
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The Linnean Society of London is a society dedicated to the study of, the dissemination of information concerning, natural history and taxonomy. It publishes academic books on plant and animal biology. The society also awards a number of prestigious medals and prizes for achievement. A product of the society is historically important as the venue for the public presentation of the Theory of Evolution. The patron of the society is Queen Elizabeth II. The Linnean Society was founded in 1788 by botanist Sir James Edward Smith. The society derives its name from the Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus, the'father of taxonomy', who systematised biological classification through his binomial nomenclature. He was known as Carl von Linné after his ennoblement, hence the spelling'Linnean', rather than'Linnaean'. In 1802, as a newly incorporated society, it comprised 228 fellows. It is the oldest surviving natural history society in the world. Throughout its history the society has been a non-political and non-sectarian institution, existing solely for the furtherance of natural history. The society has numbered many prominent scientists amongst its fellows. One such was the botanist Robert Brown, president; he named the cell nucleus and discovered Brownian motion. In 1854 Charles Darwin was elected a fellow; he is undoubtedly the most illustrious scientist ever to appear on the membership rolls of the society. Another famous fellow was biologist Thomas Huxley, who gained the nickname "Darwin's bulldog" for his outspoken defence of evolution.
Linnean Society of London
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Burlington House: the Linnean Society occupies the range to the left of the entrance arch.
Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
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"Linnean Society" redirects here. For other uses, see Linnean Society (disambiguation).
Linnean Society of London
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The library of the Linnean Society, Burlington House
95.
Australian Museum
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The Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. Apart from exhibitions, the museum is also involved in Indigenous studies community programs. In the museum's early years, specimens were commonly traded with British and other European institutions. Himself a published scientist. The museum was originally known as the Colonial Museum or Sydney Museum. The museum was renamed in June 1836 by a sub-committee meeting, when it was resolved during an argument that it should be renamed the "Australian Museum". Executive Director is Kim McKay AO. Alexander Macleay, arrived in 1826. After being appointed New South Wales Colonial Secretary, he began lobbying for a museum. It was opened to the public in May 1857 where it currently stands opposite Hyde Park. A third storey was added to the Lewis wing in 1890, bringing cohesion to the building design. There were also two basement floors providing workspace for scientific staff. This International Style extension became known as the Parkes/Farmer eastern wing. In 1977, to mark the Museum's 150th anniversary, bronze lower case letters were added to the façade identifying the building as "The Australian Museum". In the same year two permanent galleries were opened, "Dinosaurs" and "Surviving Australia".
Australian Museum
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Australian Museum
Australian Museum
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Hyde Park with the Museum under construction in the distance by John Rae (1842)
Australian Museum
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The completed Barnet wing of the museum c1870
Australian Museum
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The Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney
96.
Zoological Society of London
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The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. It would house a zoological collection "which amuse the public." Raffles was president, but died after only a few months in office, in July 1826. It received a Royal Charter on 27 March 1829. The purpose of the society was to create a collection of animals for study at leisure, library. In April 1828 the Zoological Gardens were opened to members. London Zoo soon had the most extensive collection of animals in the world. A History of the ZSL, written by Henry Scherren, was published in 1905. The History was criticised as inadequately researched by Peter Chalmers Mitchell in 1929; both histories were labelled inaccurate by John Bastin in 1970. As the twentieth century began, the need to research large animals in a more natural environment became clear. ZSL bought the farm for # 13,480 12s 10d. In 1928 the first animals arrived at the new Whipsnade Park -- two Amherst pheasants, five red jungle fowl. Others soon followed, including muntjac deer, llamas, skunks. In 1931 Whipsnade Park was opened to the public as the world's first zoological park.
Zoological Society of London
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Sir Joseph Banks' house was the initial meeting place for the Zoological Society
Zoological Society of London
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Zoological Society of London
Zoological Society of London
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Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Main Building
Zoological Society of London
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Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Main Building, Entrance
97.
Uppsala University
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Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, is the oldest university in Sweden and all of the Nordic countries, founded in 1477. It ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings. The university uses "Gratiae veritas naturae" as its motto and embraces natural sciences. Uppsala also has an historical place in national culture, identity and for the Swedish establishment: in historiography, music. Many aspects of Swedish academic culture in general, such as the white student cap, originated in Uppsala. It shares some peculiarities, such as the student nation system, with Lund University and the University of Helsinki. Uppsala belongs to the Coimbra Group of European universities. The university has nine faculties distributed over three “disciplinary domains”. It has about 24,000 full-time students and 2,400 doctoral students. It has a teaching staff of roughly 1,800 out of a total of 6,500 employees. Twenty-five per cent of the 674 professors at the university are women. Architecturally, Uppsala University has traditionally had a strong presence in the area around the cathedral on the western side of the River Fyris. Despite some more contemporary building developments further away from the centre, Uppsala's historic centre continues to be dominated by the presence of the university. As with most medieval universities, Uppsala University initially grew out of an ecclesiastical center. The archbishopric of Uppsala had been one of the most important sees in Sweden proper since Christianity first spread to this region in the ninth century.
Uppsala University
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University Hall
Uppsala University
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Uppsala University
Uppsala University
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Gustavianum, built 1622–1625 and now a museum.
Uppsala University
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Anders Celsius, astronomer and physicist.
98.
Order of the Chrysanthemum
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The Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously. Seven others have been posthumously decorated with the collar; the such award was to former Prime Minister Sato Eisaku in 1975. The grand cordon is the highest possible honour a Japanese citizen can be awarded during her lifetime. Aside from the Imperial Family, only 21 grand cordons have been awarded to the deceased. The collar of the order features the kanji for "Meiji", in classic form, indicating the era of the order's establishment. It is decorated with green-enamelled leaves. The sash of the grand cordon of the order is red with blue border stripes. It is worn on the right shoulder. It is worn on the left chest. The badge of the order is a gilt badge with white-enamelled rays; the centre bears a red enamelled sun disc. On each of the four corners of the badge is a yellow-enamelled blossom with green-enamelled chrysanthemum leaves. The badge is suspended on a yellow-enamelled chrysanthemum, either on the grand cordon.. .
Order of the Chrysanthemum
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Marshal-Admiral Marquis Tōgō Heihachirō, with the Collar and the Grand Cordon of the Orders of the Chrysanthemum. Tōgō was one of the only six subjects to whom the Collar was awarded while living.
Order of the Chrysanthemum
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Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum 大勲位菊花章 Dai-kun'i kikka-shō
99.
Order of the Rising Sun
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The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the national decoration awarded by the Japanese government, created on 10 April 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun. The design of the Rising Sun symbolizes energy as powerful as the rising sun in parallel with the "rising sun" concept of Japan. Prior to the end of World War II, it was also awarded for military service. While it is the third highest order bestowed by the Japanese government, it is generally the highest ordinarily conferred order. The modern version of this honour has been conferred beginning in 1981; and women were awarded the Order starting in 2003. The awarding of the Order is administered by the Decoration Bureau of Office of the Prime Minister. It can be awarded posthumously. It can be awarded to Japanese well as non-Japanese nationals. Since then, it has been awarded in six classes. It is worn on the right chest for the 2nd Class. Both were worn on the left chest. Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States. San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America.
Order of the Rising Sun
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Order of the Rising Sun 旭日章
Order of the Rising Sun
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US Navy Admiral Dennis C. Blair being presented the badge and ribbon of Order of the Rising Sun. (2005)
100.
Order of the Paulownia Flowers
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The Order of the Paulownia Flowers is an order presented by the Japanese government. Traditionally, the order has been conferred upon eminent statesmen, senior cabinet ministers, diplomats and judges. It is the highest regularly conferred honor in the Japanese honors system. Awards are not made annually; only 22 individuals have been decorated with the order since 2003: 17 Japanese, three Americans, one Singaporean. It is worn on the right shoulder. The star for the Order is the same as the badge, but without the paulownia leaves suspension. It is worn on the left chest. Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States. San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America. ISBN 1-890974-09-9. Japan, Cabinet Office: Decorations and Medals Decoration Bureau: Order of the Paulownia Flowers Japan Mint: Production Process
Order of the Paulownia Flowers
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Order of the Paulownia Flowers 桐花章
Order of the Paulownia Flowers
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Badge of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers
Order of the Paulownia Flowers
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Prince Naruhisa Kitashirakawa
101.
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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The Order of the Sacred Treasure is a Japanese order, established on 4 January 1888 by Emperor Meiji as the Order of Meiji. Originally awarded since 2003 it has been awarded in six classes, the lowest two medals being abolished that year. Unlike most of its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously. The Order can be awarded in any of six classes. It is worn on the left chest on the right chest by the 2nd class. The badge for the first through sixth classes is a Maltese cross, in gilt and silver and silver, with white enameled rays. The central disc surrounded by a wreath with red-enameled dots. For females of the 2nd to 6th classes, the ribbon is a bow worn on the left shoulder. The badge is suspended with a gold stripe near the border, worn by men on the left chest. For women, the ribbon is a bow worn on the left shoulder. In 2003 the lowest two classes of the Order were abolished. Moreover, the badges of the Order will from on be suspended from three white-enamelled paulownia leaves. Officially its designation were abolished in 2003, there are no known recipients or issuances of this Medal in its original design from 1887. While established with the original induction of the First 6 classes, Class 8 has never been issued or designated a design, Before it. Officially its designation were abolished in 2003, there are issuances of this Medal in its original design from 1887.
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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Order of the Sacred Treasure 瑞宝章
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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Order of the Sacred Treasure (class 3)
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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Order of the Sacred Treasure (class 5)
Order of the Sacred Treasure
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Ribbon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure – old type
102.
Order of Culture
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The Order of Culture is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order is conferred by the Emperor of Japan on Culture Day each year. The Emperor himself presents the honor at the ceremony, which takes place at the Imperial Palace on the Day of Culture. The Minister then recommends the candidates to the Prime Minister so that they can be decided by the Cabinet. The system for Persons of Cultural Merit was established in 1951 for the Persons of Cultural Merit. The purpose is to honor persons of cultural merit by providing a government-sponsored pension. Since 1955, the new honorees have been announced as the award ceremony for the Order of Culture. A complete list can be found here. Akira Ifukube. A composer of classical music and film scores. Ryukichi Inada. A physician, a prominent academic, bacteriologist researcher. Hideo Kobayashi. An author, who established literary criticism as an independent art form in Japan. Hantaro Nagaoka.
Order of Culture
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Kabuki actor Nakamura Kichiemon I was awarded the Order of Culture in 1951. He was the first kabuki performer to be accorded this honor.
103.
Japanese Red Cross
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The Japanese Red Cross Society is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross. The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with the Empress as vice presidents. Local chapters are set up in all 47 prefectures. 220,000 corporate members belong to the society, which operates 92 Red Cross hospitals and 79 blood centers all over the country. The Japanese Red Cross conducts relief activities when major disasters take place. Large earthquakes which frequently occur in Japan are an area of work for the society. Its name was changed to the Japanese Red Cross on 2 September 1887 following Japan's admission to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Society engaged in its first disaster relief after the eruption of Mount Bandai. From the beginning, the Japanese Imperial family, especially Empress Shōken, provided active support for Red Cross activities. The attendance of the imperial family made membership in the Society socially attractive to leading members of society. By the start of the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese Red Cross was the largest in the world, with over a million members. This image was cultivated by medical staff from the United States, France, Germany and Great Britain. A report from Anita Newcomb McGee on conditions in Japan was instrumental in obtaining assistance in the revitalization of the American Red Cross. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the Japanese Red Cross collected $146,000 for the American effort, marking the first overseas operation by the Society. In 1934, the Japanese Red Cross society hosted the 15th International Conference of the Red Cross at Tokyo.
Japanese Red Cross
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Seal of the Japanese Red Cross
104.
Afghanistan
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Afghanistan /æfˈɡænᵻstæn/, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia. It has a population of approximately million, making it the 42nd most populous country in the world. Its territory covers 652,000 km2, making the 41st largest country in the world. The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began in the 18th century. In the 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in the "Great Game" between British India and the Russian Empire. Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919, King Amanullah unsuccessfully attempted to modernize the country. It remained peaceful during Zahir Shah's forty years of monarchy. A series of coups in the 1970s was followed by a series of civil wars that continues to this day. The Afghānistān is believed to be as old as the ethnonym Afghan, documented in the 10th-century geography book Hudud ul - ` alam. The suffix" - stan" means "place of" in Persian. Therefore, Afghanistan translates to land of the Afghans or, more specifically in a historical sense, to land of the Pashtuns. However, the modern Constitution of Afghanistan states that "he word Afghan shall apply to every citizen of Afghanistan." An important site of many believe that Afghanistan compares to Egypt in terms of the historical value of its archaeological sites. The country sits at a unique point where numerous civilizations have interacted and often fought. Artifacts typical of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, Iron ages have been found in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan
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History of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
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Flag
Afghanistan
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Bilingual (Greek and Aramaic) edict by Emperor Ashoka from the 3rd century BCE discovered in the southern city of Kandahar
Afghanistan
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One of the Buddhas of Bamiyan. Buddhism was widespread in the region before the Islamic conquest of Afghanistan.
105.
Austria
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Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a federal republic and a landlocked country of over 8.7 million people in Central Europe. The territory of Austria covers 83,879 km2. The terrain is highly mountainous, lying within the Alps; its highest point is 3,798 m. Local official languages are Hungarian, Burgenland Croatian, Slovene. From the time of the Reformation, many German princes, resenting the authority of the Emperor, used Protestantism as a flag of rebellion. Following Napoleon's defeat, Prussia emerged for rule of a greater Germany. In 1867, the empire was reformed into Austria-Hungary. The First Austrian Republic was established in 1919. In the 1938 Anschluss, Austria was annexed to Nazi Germany. This lasted until the end of World War II in 1945, after which Germany was occupied by Austria's former democratic constitution was restored. In 1955, the Austrian State Treaty re-established Austria as a sovereign state, ending the occupation. In the same year, the Austrian Parliament created the Declaration of Neutrality which declared that the Second Austrian Republic would become permanently neutral. Austria is a parliamentary representative democracy comprising nine federal states. Largest city, with a population exceeding 1.7 million, is Vienna. Austria is one of the richest countries in the world, with a nominal per capita GDP of $43,724.
Austria
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First appearance of the word "ostarrichi", circled in red. Modern Austria honours this document, dated 996, as the founding of the nation.
Austria
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Flag
Austria
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Venus of Willendorf, 28,000 to 25,000 BC. Museum of Natural History Vienna
Austria
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"Heidentor" – Remains of the Roman military city of Carnuntum
106.
Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
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The Order is Austria's highest national honour. The "Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria" was established by the National Council in 1952. It is conferred by the Republic of Austria to honour people who have rendered meritorious services to the country. Recipients are selected by the government, the awards are made with the respective laws. The decoration should not be confused with other decorations in the Austrian honours system such as the "Austrian Decoration for Science and Art". The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria is divided into the 15 classes as follows: Grand Star. Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash. Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Sash. Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star. Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star. Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold. Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver. Grand Decoration of Honour. Decoration of Honour in Gold. Decoration of Honour in Silver.
Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
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Grand Star and Sash of the Order
Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria
107.
Bahrain
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Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain is a small Arab monarchy in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain consists of a group of islands between the Qatar peninsula and the north eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. It is an country situated in the Middle East. It is a small archipelago centered on mass. It is just 23 km east off Saudi Arabia, connected to it through the King Fahd Causeway. The peninsula of Qatar is also nearby, about 50 km to the southeast across the Gulf of Bahrain. Iran lies 200 km to the north across the Persian Gulf. The population in 2010 stood at 1,234,567, including 666,172 non-nationals. It is 780 km2 in size, making it the third smallest nation in Asia after the Maldives and Singapore. Bahrain is the site of the ancient Dilmun civilisation. It has been famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries, which were considered the best in the world into the 19th century. Bahrain was one of the earliest areas to convert to Islam. In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom. In 1971, Bahrain declared independence. Formerly a state, Bahrain was declared a Kingdom in 2002.
Bahrain
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Arad Fort in Arad; constructed before the Portuguese assumed control.
Bahrain
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Flag
Bahrain
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Bahrain harbor, c. 1870.
Bahrain
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A photograph of the First Oil Well in Bahrain, with oil first being extracted in 1931
108.
Belgium
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Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a sovereign state in Western Europe bordered by France, the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, the North Sea. It is a small, densely populated country which has a population of about 11 million people. Additionally, there is bordering Germany. Historically, Belgium, Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries; it once covered a somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states. The region was called Belgica after the Roman province of Gallia Belgica. Until the 17th century the area of Belgium was a prosperous and cosmopolitan centre of commerce and culture. Belgium is a federal constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. It is divided into three communities, that exist next to each other. Its two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region is an officially bilingual enclave within the Flemish Region. A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia. Related political conflicts are reflected in its political history and complex system of governance, made up of six different governments. Belgium is also a founding member of the Eurozone, a part of the trilateral Benelux Union. Brussels, hosts several of the EU's official seats as well as the headquarters of many major international organizations such as NATO. Belgium is also a part of the Schengen Area.
Belgium
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Charlemagne and Charles V
Belgium
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Flaga
Belgium
Belgium
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Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830 (1834), by Egide Charles Gustave Wappers
109.
Order of Leopold (Belgium)
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The Order of Leopold is one of the three current Belgian national honorary orders of knighthood. It is named in honour of King Leopold I. It consists of a military, a civilian division. The maritime division is only awarded to the military division to military personnel. The Order of Leopold is awarded by royal decree. In the 19th century, the court sent the Grand Cordon as a diplomatic gift. The founder gave grand Cordons as wedding gifts. People who fought in the Belgian revolution became members in great numbers. In 1838 the King lost his right to create members, this was on the responsibility of the foreign office. At the end of his reign the political elite were members of the order. King Leopold II gifted major Belgian artists, clergy into the order. At the end of World War I, the Order became internationaly recognised for its famous members. The order was bestowed as personal marriage gift to Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern and Ernst Gunther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. In 1878 the King named Grand cordon in honour of his silver wedding celebration, among them Mgr Vannutelli. In 1919 King Albert granted the Grand Cordon in Brussels.
Order of Leopold (Belgium)
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Order of Leopold Ordre de Léopold Leopoldsorde
Order of Leopold (Belgium)
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Uniform of HM Albert I, Royal Collection of Belgium
Order of Leopold (Belgium)
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Top part: Grand Cordon Star - civil and military divisions (left), Grand Cordon sash (middle), Grand Officer plaques - civil and maritime divisions (right). Bottom part: Commander's Cross (civil division), officer's cross (military division), officer's cross (civil division), officer's cross (maritime division), knight's cross (military division) (courtesy Société de l'Ordre de Léopold)
110.
Botswana
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Botswana /bɒtˈswɑːnə/, officially the Republic of Botswana, is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens refer to themselves as Batswana. Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. Since then, it has maintained a strong tradition of stable democracy, with a consistent record of democratic elections. Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by Zimbabwe to the northeast. Its border with Zambia to the north near Kazungula is poorly defined but at most is a few hundred metres long. A mid-sized country of just over 2 million people, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated nations in the world. Around 10 percent of the population lives in the capital and largest city, Gaborone. The economy is dominated by tourism. Botswana boasts a GDP per capita of about $18,825 per year as of 2015, one of the highest in Africa. Its national income gives the country a modest standard of living and the highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa. Botswana is a member of the African Union, the United Nations. The country has been among the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As of 2014, Botswana has the third highest prevalence rate for HIV AIDS.
Botswana
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Starting fire by hand. San people in Botswana.
Botswana
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Flag
Botswana
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Stamp of British Bechuanaland from 1960
Botswana
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A lechwe in the Okavango Delta
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Brazil
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Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 km. It covers 47.3 % of the continent's land area. Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest, home to diverse wildlife, extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats. This environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries, is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection. Brazil was inhabited by tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral, who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire. Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808, when the capital of the empire was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. In 1815, the colony was elevated upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves. Independence was achieved with the creation of the Empire of Brazil, a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system. The ratification of the first constitution in 1824 led to the formation of a bicameral legislature, now called the National Congress. The country became a presidential republic following a military coup d'état. An military junta came to power in 1964 and ruled until 1985, after which civilian governance resumed. Brazil's current constitution, formulated in 1988, defines it as a federal republic. The federation is composed of the union of the Federal District, the 5,570 municipalities. Brazil's economy is the world's ninth-largest by nominal GDP and seventh-largest by GDP as of 2015.
Brazil
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Megaliths in the Solstice Archaeological Park, in Amapá, erected between 500 and 2000 years ago, probably to carry out astronomical observations.
Brazil
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Flag
Brazil
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Representation of the landing of Pedro Álvares Cabral in Porto Seguro, 1500.
Brazil
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Painting showing the arrest of Tiradentes; he was sentenced to death for his involvement in the best known movement for independence in Colonial Brazil.
112.
Order of the Southern Cross
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The National Order of the Southern Cross is a Brazilian order of chivalry founded by Emperor Pedro I on 1 December 1822. This order was intended to commemorate the independence of Brazil and the coronation of Pedro I. Also on the same date the first knights of the order were appointed, to commemorate the crowning of the Empire's first monarch. After the fall of the monarchy, Brazil's first Constitution, enacted on 24 February 1891, abolished all titles of nobility and all Imperial Orders and decorations. The Order was later re-established as the National Order of the Southern Cross. During the Old Republic period, the Brazilian State bestowed only military medals. Restored in 1932, the Order of the Southern Cross was the first Order to be created in the republican honours system. It is considered the Brazilian National Order. Accordingly, President Dilma Rousseff is the Order's current Grand Master. Unlike the Imperial Order, awarded to foreigners alike, the republican National Order is awarded to foreigners only. Brazilians were excluded deliberately. However, the Brazilian State also resented the lack of a decoration with which to honour foreign dignitaries, as is sometimes almost required by diplomatic protocol. Under normal circumstances, Brazilian nationals needed authorization from the Government to accept foreign titles of honour, or else loss of citizenship. The National Order of the Southern Cross was intended as an Order that would fill that gap. So, the governing statutes of the National Order of the Southern Cross have never been reformed, thus remains unavailable to Brazilians.
Order of the Southern Cross
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National Order of the Southern Cross
Order of the Southern Cross
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Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, Grand Master of the Order, wearing the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross, then the Order's highest rank. The portrait displays both the star of the Order and the sash of a Knight Grand Cross.
Order of the Southern Cross
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Queen Maria II of Portugal, daughter of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil and sister of Pedro II, wearing the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross and other orders.
Order of the Southern Cross
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wearing the "Grand Collar" of the National Order of the Southern Cross, accompanied by then Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, June 30, 2010
113.
Cambodia
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Cambodia, officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Cambodia has a population of over 15 million. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism, practiced by approximately 95 percent of the population. The country's minority groups include Vietnamese, 30 hill tribes. Largest city is the political, economic, cultural centre of Cambodia. The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a monarch chosen as head of state. In 802 AD, Jayavarman II declared uniting the warring Khmer princes under the name "Kambuja". After the fall of Angkor to Ayutthaya in the 15th century, a weakened Cambodia was then ruled by its neighbours. In 1863 Cambodia became a protectorate of France which doubled the size of the country by reclaiming the north and west from Thailand. Cambodia gained independence in 1953. The Vietnam War extended until 1973. Following the Cambodian coup of 1970, the deposed king gave his support to his former enemies, the Khmer Rouge. Following the 1991 Paris Peace Accords, Cambodia was governed briefly by a United Nations mission. The UN withdrew after holding elections in which around 90 percent of the registered voters cast ballots. The 1997 coup placed power solely in the hands of Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party, who remain in power as of 2016.
Cambodia
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Glazed stoneware dating back to the 12th century.
Cambodia
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Cambodia
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Khmer army going to war against the Cham, from a relief on the Bayon.
Cambodia
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Angkor Wat
114.
Royal Order of Cambodia
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The Royal Order of Cambodia was a French colonial chivalric order in French Cambodia, is still in use in the present-day Cambodia. Sacred events important to the French colonies. None of these rules applied by the King of Cambodia himself. Overseas orders were immediately contingent on the French orders and awarded on ministerial orders. Those awarded it not only had to pay for qualifications, but also had to buy their own insignia. In 1948 France ceased granting the order. It was now only granted by the King of Cambodia. The order has since then been one of the historical orders of France. On September 1950 the French order-system was reformed. The Order of the Order of the Black Star were formalised as French Overseas Orders. The other three were the "Order of States Associated to the French Union". In 1955, Cambodia became independent. The order was also granted during his exile in Beijing. Even after the restoration of the Khmer dynasty it remained the highest Cambodian distinction. Grand Cross Medal worn at the left hip and star worn to the gem's left.
Royal Order of Cambodia
Royal Order of Cambodia
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Ribbon during the colonial period (1899-1948)
115.
Cameroon
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Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of the Atlantic Ocean. Cameroon is home to more than 1738 different linguistic groups. French and English are the official languages. The country is often referred to for its cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, savannas. The country is well known for its national football team. Early inhabitants of the territory included the Sao civilisation around Lake Chad and the Baka hunter-gatherers in the southeastern rainforest. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and named the area Rio dos Camarões, which became Cameroon in English. Cameroon became a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the United Kingdom as League of Nations mandates. The Union des Populations du Cameroun political party was outlawed in the 1950s leading to the Cameroonian Independence War. It waged war on French and UPC militant forces until 1971. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent as the Republic of Cameroun under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. The southern part of British Cameroons merged with it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon.
Cameroon
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Bamum script
Cameroon
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Cameroon
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Former president Ahmadou Ahidjo ruled from 1960 until 1982.
Cameroon
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A statue of a chief in Bana, West Region.
116.
Order of Valour
Order of Valour
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Ribbon bar of the order
117.
Chile
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It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, the Drake Passage in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty. The arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile contains great wealth, principally copper. Southern Chile features a string of volcanoes and lakes. The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, islands. After declaring its independence from Spain in 1818, Chile emerged as a relatively stable authoritarian republic. In the 1970s the country experienced severe left-right political polarization and turmoil. Chile is today one of South America's most prosperous nations. It leads American nations in rankings of human development, competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, state of peace, economic freedom, low perception of corruption. It also ranks high regionally of the state and democratic development. Chile is a founding member of the United Nations, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. There are various theories about the origin of the word Chile. Another origin attributed to chilli is the onomatopoeic cheele-cheele—the Mapuche imitation of the warble of a bird locally known as trile. Ultimately, Almagro is credited after naming the Mapocho valley as such.
Chile
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The Mapuche people were the original inhabitants of southern and central Chile.
Chile
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Flag
Chile
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Pedro de Valdivia
Chile
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Bernardo O'Higgins, The Supreme Director of Chile.
118.
Order of the Merit of Chile
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The Order of Merit is a Chilean military order and was created in 1929. This national distinction was created to recognise the meritorious service provided by foreign military personnel to Chilean officials. The first 200 military medals were minted in silver, giving them the title of First and Second Class. They were minted at the Casa la Moneda, having a tricolor ribbon. Condecoraciones, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Chile.
Order of the Merit of Chile
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Order of Merit (Orden del Mérito)
119.
Colombia
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Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a transcontinental country largely situated in the northwest of South America, with territories in Central America. Colombia shares a border to the northwest with Panama, to the south with Ecuador and Peru. It shares its maritime limits with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Haiti. It is a constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The territory of what is now Colombia was originally inhabited by indigenous peoples including the Muisca, the Tairona. The Spanish initiated a period of conquest and colonization ultimately creating the Viceroyalty of New Granada, with its capital at Bogotá. By 1830 the "Gran Colombia" Federation was dissolved. What is now Colombia and Panama emerged as the Republic of New Granada. Panama seceded in 1903. Since the 1960s the country has suffered from an asymmetric armed conflict, which escalated in the 1990s but then decreased from 2005 onward. Colombia thereby possesses a rich cultural heritage. The urban centres are mostly located in the highlands of the Andes mountains. Colombian territory also encompasses Amazon rainforest, both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. Ecologically, it is the most densely biodiverse of these per square kilometer. Colombia has a diversified economy with macroeconomic stability and favorable growth prospects in the long run.
Colombia
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San Agustín Archaeological Park
Colombia
Colombia
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Lost City
Colombia
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Muisca raft. The figure refers to the ceremony of the legend of El Dorado. The legend and the gold would play a pivotal role in luring Europeans to New Granada during the 16th and 17th centuries.
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Ivory Coast
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Ivory Coast or Côte d'Ivoire, officially named the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country located in West Africa. Its economic capital and largest city is the port city of Abidjan. Its bordering countries are Guinea and Liberia in the west, Ghana in the east. The Gulf of Guinea is located south of Ivory Coast. Prior to its colonization by Europeans, Ivory Coast was home including Gyaaman, the Kong Empire, Baoulé. Indénié and Sanwi, attempted to retain their separate identity through the French colonial period and after independence. Ivory Coast was later formed into a French colony in 1893 amid the European scramble for Africa. Ivory Coast achieved independence in 1960, they were led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled the country until 1993. It maintained close economic association with its West African neighbors while at the same time maintaining close ties to the West, especially France. Since the end of Houphouët-Boigny's rule in 1993, Ivory Coast has experienced one d'état, in 1999, two religion-grounded civil wars. The first took the second during 2010-2011. Ivory Coast is a republic with a strong power invested in its President. Through the production of cocoa, the country was an economic powerhouse in West Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. Ivory Coast went in the 1980s contributing to a period of political and social turmoil. Changing into the 21st-century Ivorian economy still relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash-crop production being dominant.
Ivory Coast
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Prehistoric polished stone celt from Boundiali in northern Ivory Coast, photo taken at the IFAN Museum of African Arts in Dakar, Senegal
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast
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Pre-European kingdoms
Ivory Coast
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Louis-Gustave Binger of French West Africa in 1892 treaty signing with Famienkro leaders, in present-day N'zi-Comoé Region, Ivory Coast
121.
National Order of the Ivory Coast
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The National Order of the Ivory Coast is the highest state order of knighthood of the Ivory Coast. The Order was founded on April 1961 to celebrate the independence of the Ivory Coast, until 1960 a French colony. As the highest honour, it is awarded to those who have highly distinguished themselves to the service to the state. The Collar is awarded solely to foreign heads of state. The medal of the order is constituted of a white-enamelled cross of Malta, surrounded by a green crown of laurel. The cross is put upon a silver radiating star. The ribbon of the order is dark orange.
National Order of the Ivory Coast
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Ribbon bar of the order
122.
Czech Republic
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The Czech Republic covers an area of 78,866 square kilometres with mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate. It is a unitary parliamentary republic, has 10.5 million inhabitants and the capital and largest city is Prague, with over 1.2 million residents. The Czech Republic includes its historical territories of Bohemia, Moravia, Czech Silesia. The Czech state was formed in the late 9th century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire. After the fall of the Empire in 907, the centre of power transferred from Moravia to Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty. The Czech country lost the majority of its German-speaking inhabitants after they were expelled following the war. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia won the 1946 elections. Following the 1948 coup d'état, Czechoslovakia became a one-party communist state under Soviet influence. In 1968, increasing dissatisfaction with the regime culminated in a reform movement known as the Prague Spring, which ended in a Soviet-led invasion. Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, when the communist regime collapsed and a multiparty parliamentary republic was formed. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is a developed country with an advanced, high income economy and high living standards. The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development. The Czech Republic also ranks as the 6th most peaceful country, while achieving strong performance in democratic governance. It has the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union.
Czech Republic
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Přemysl Ottokar II, King of Bohemia (1253–1278) and Duke of Austria (1251–1278)
Czech Republic
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Czech Republic
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The Crown of Saint Wenceslas is the 4th oldest in Europe
Czech Republic
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The Defenestration of Prague sparked the Thirty Years' War
123.
Order of the White Lion
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The Order of the White Lion is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created as an award for foreigners.. . It was inspired by the Czech Nobility Cross awarded to 37 Bohemian noblemen. The order was created by Czechoslovakia for foreign citizens. The Order was established in two divisions, civil and military. Medals were made of silver. The numbers of recipients was originally limited, with the limits changing during later years. The Statutes of the order were amended in 1924, 1936. The badge of the Order was a five-sided enameled star, the ends adorned with small balls, with leaflets between the arms. In middle of the star is a silver lion, taken from the national coat of arms. The Star is also red enameled, with the coat of arms of the former parts of Czechoslovakia. I Class with collar – reserved for heads of state, introduced in 1924. Collar can be awarded separately. V Class – Knight – limited to 3000 recipients, cross was similar to IV Class, but in silver.
Order of the White Lion
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Order of the White Lion
Order of the White Lion
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The Order of the White Lion awarded between 1921 and 1961
Order of the White Lion
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The Order of the White Lion awarded to Lech Kaczynski, the President of the Republic of Poland
124.
Denmark
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Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Europe. Smallest of the Nordic countries, it is south of Norway, bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark has a population of million. The country consists of a peninsula, Jutland, an archipelago of 443 named islands, with the largest being Zealand and Funen. The islands are characterised by a temperate climate. The unified kingdom of Denmark emerged as a proficient nation in the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea. Denmark, Sweden and Norway were ruled together under the Kalmar Union, established in 1397 and ending with Swedish secession in 1523. Denmark and Norway remained under the same monarch until outside forces dissolved the union in 1814. The union with Norway made it possible for Denmark to inherit Greenland. Beginning in the 17th century, there were several cessions of territory to Sweden. In the 19th century there was a surge of nationalist movements, which were defeated in the 1864 Second Schleswig War. Denmark remained neutral during World War I. In April 1940, a German invasion saw military skirmishes while the Danish movement was active from 1943 until the German surrender in May 1945. The Constitution of Denmark was signed on 5 June 1849, ending the absolute monarchy which had begun in 1660. It establishes a constitutional monarchy organised as a parliamentary democracy.
Denmark
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The gilded side of the Trundholm sun chariot dating from the Nordic Bronze Age.
Denmark
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Denmark
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The Ladby ship, the largest ship burial found in Denmark.
Denmark
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Larger of the two Jelling stones, raised by Harald Bluetooth.
125.
Order of the Elephant
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The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. The statutes of the order were amended in 1958 by a Royal Ordinance so that both women could be members of the order. The Danish monarch is the head of the order. The order may also be bestowed on foreign heads of state. In very exceptional circumstances the order may also be bestowed on a commoner. The order of the Elephant has one class: Knight of the Order of the Elephant. Knights of the order are granted a place in the 1st Class of the Danish order of precedence. The collar of the order is of gold. It consists of alternating towers. On the cover of the elephants there is a D which stands for Dania, mediaeval Latin for Denmark. According to the statutes of the order, the collar is usually only worn on major occasions. The badge of the order is an elephant made with blue housings. It is about 5 cm high. There are about 72 elephants in circulation. It is estimated that together with an unknown number of elephants in museums around the world, the total number of the elephants is about a hundred.
Order of the Elephant
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The Blome family coat of arms with the Order's collar on gravestone in Heiligenstedten
Order of the Elephant
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Order of the Elephant Elefantordenen
126.
Egypt
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It is the world's only contiguous Afrasian nation. Egypt has among the longest histories of emerging as one of the world's first nation states in the tenth millennium BC. Considered a cradle of civilisation, Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, organised central government. One of the earliest centres of Christianity, Egypt remains a predominantly Muslim country, albeit with a significant Christian minority. The large regions of the Sahara desert, which constitute most of Egypt's territory, are sparsely inhabited. Egypt is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Miṣr is modern official name of Egypt, while Maṣr is the local pronunciation in Egyptian Arabic. The name is of Semitic origin, directly cognate with Semitic words for Egypt such as the Hebrew מִצְרַיִם. The oldest attestation of this name for Egypt is the Akkadian KURmi-iṣ-ru miṣru, meaning "border" or "frontier". There is evidence of rock carvings in desert oases. In the 10th millennium BC, a culture of fishers was replaced by a grain-grinding culture. Climate changes or overgrazing around 8000 BC began forming the Sahara. Early tribal peoples migrated to the Nile River where they developed more centralised society. By about 6000 BC, a Neolithic culture rooted in the Nile Valley. During the Neolithic era, predynastic cultures developed independently in Upper and Lower Egypt.
Egypt
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The Giza Necropolis is the oldest of the ancient Wonders and the only one still in existence.
Egypt
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Egypt
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The Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII and her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion at the Temple of Dendera.
Egypt
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The 1803 Cedid Atlas, showing Ottoman Egypt.
127.
Order of the Nile
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The Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded to the nation. It was reconstituted on 18 June 1953. Although the junior grades were originally documented, they may have been abolished. In the Kingdom of Egypt the Order of the Nile ranked beneath the Order of Ismail. He was the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency from December 1997 to November 2009. King Norodom Sihanouk of President of Kazakhstan Media related to Orders of Egypt at Wikimedia Commons
Order of the Nile
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Medal of the Order of the Nile
128.
Estonia
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Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. Across the Baltic Sea lies Finland in the north. In 1988, independence was restored on 20. August 1991. Modern Estonia is a parliamentary republic divided into fifteen counties; its capital and largest city is Tallinn. With a population of million, it is one of the least-populous member states of the European Union, Eurozone, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, OECD and Schengen Area. Estonia is a developed country with an high-income economy, among the fastest growing in the EU. It performs favourably in measurements of economic freedom, civil liberties and press freedom. The 2015 test places the Estonian high school students 3rd in the world, behind Singapore and Japan. Citizens of Estonia are provided with universal health care, the longest paid maternity leave in the OECD. Since independence the country has rapidly developed its IT sector, becoming one of the world's most digitally advanced societies. In 2005 Estonia became the first nation to in 2014 the first nation to provide E-residency. In the Estonian language, the oldest known endonym of the Estonians was maarahvas, meaning "country people" or "people of the land". One hypothesis regarding the modern name of Estonia is that it originated from the Aesti, a people described in his Germania. However, the historic Aesti appear to have been a Baltic people, whereas the modern Estonians have Finno-Ugric origins.
Estonia
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Tools made by Kunda culture, Estonian History Museum
Estonia
Estonia
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Iron Age artifacts of a hoard from Kumna
Estonia
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A stylised viking ship on the Estonian 1 Kroon from 1934
129.
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
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The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana was instituted in 1995 to honour the independence of the Estonian state by president Lennart Meri. The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana is bestowed upon the President of the Republic. Presidents of the Republic who have ceased to hold office shall keep the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana. However a new collar of that order was made in 2008. As such it is the highest and most distinguished order granted to non-Estonian citizens.
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
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1st Class 2nd Class 3rd Class 4th Class
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
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The Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
130.
Ethiopia
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Ethiopia, officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a sovereign state located in the Horn of Africa. Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa. According to linguists, the Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era. Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC, Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history. During the first centuries AD, the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137. Subsequently, African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia's flag following their independence. It was the first African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations. Ethiopia's ancient script, also known as Ethiopic, is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world. The Ethiopian calendar, three months behind the Gregorian calendar, co-exists alongside the Borana calendar. A slight majority of the population adheres to Christianity, while around a third follows Islam. The country is the site of the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash. Most of them have since gradually emigrated to Israel. Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with the four largest of which are the Oromo, Amhara, Somali, Tigrayans. Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches. Additionally, Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions.
Ethiopia
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Coins of the Axumite king Endybis, 227–235 AD, at the British Museum. The inscriptions in Ancient Greek read "AΧWMITW BACIΛEYC" ("King of Axum") and "ΕΝΔΥΒΙC ΒΑCΙΛΕΥC" ("King Endybis").
Ethiopia
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Flag
Ethiopia
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Dawit II (Lebna Dengel), Ethiopia (nəgusä nägäst) (Emperor) of Ethiopia and a member of the Solomonic dynasty.
Ethiopia
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King Fasilides' Castle.
131.
Order of Solomon
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The Order of the Seal of Solomon was an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire founded in 1874. A special Collar was created by Empress Zauditu in 1922. It was created as an the independent Seal of Solomon with the single class of Collar by Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930. Recipients were entitled to wear ceremonial robes on "collar days". When the Emperor Yohannes IV awarded the Order to Admiral Sir William Hewett, c. 1884, it was described as "a gold triangular medal with six precious stones".
Order of Solomon
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Haile Selassie I, Grand Cordon of the Order of Solomon
132.
Finland
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Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a sovereign state in Northern Europe. Estonia is south of the country across the Gulf of Finland. Finland is a Nordic country situated in the geographical region of Fennoscandia, which also includes Scandinavia. Finland's population is million, staying roughly on the same level over the past two decades. The majority of the population is concentrated in the southern region. In terms of area, it is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. Finland is a parliamentary republic with a central government based in the capital Helsinki, an autonomous region, the Åland Islands. Over 1.4 million people live in the Greater Helsinki metropolitan area, which produces a third of the country's GDP. From the 12th century, Finland was an integral part of Sweden, a legacy reflected in the prevalence of the Swedish language and its official status. Nevertheless, in 1809, Finland was incorporated into the Russian Empire as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Finland declared itself independent. After a brief attempt to establish a kingdom, the country became a republic. Finland established an official policy of neutrality. The Finno-Soviet Treaty of 1948 gave some leverage in Finnish domestic politics during the Cold War era. Finland was a relative latecomer to industrialization, remaining a largely agrarian country until the 1950s.
Finland
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Hakkapeliitta featured on a 1940 Finnish stamp
Finland
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Flag
Finland
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Now lying within Helsinki, Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of an inhabited 18th century sea fortress built on six islands. It is one of Finland's most popular tourist attractions.
Finland
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Pioneers in Karelia (1900) by Eero Järnefelt
133.
Order of the White Rose
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The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, at least four members. The orders of the Lion of Finland have a joint board. The Order of the White Rose of Finland was established as regent on January 28, 1919. The name comes from the nine roses argent in the coat of arms of Finland. Its present rules date from June 1, 1940. The revised scale of ranks was confirmed most recently in 1985. The original decorations were designed by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. The swastikas of the collar was replaced by fir crosses in 1963, designed by heraldic artist Gustaf von Numers. The honour can be granted for military well as civilian merit. The ribbon for all classes is ultramarine. The motto of the Order is Isänmaan hyväksi, which means in Finnish: "For the Fatherland". The President of Finland wears the Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar. The Collar hangs at equal distances at the front and back. The Grand Cross and Commander marks are awarded with a star.
Order of the White Rose
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Grand Cross of the White Rose of Finland with Collar
Order of the White Rose
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Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
Order of the White Rose
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Diploma of White Rose Order
134.
France
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France, officially the French Republic, is a unitary sovereign state and transcontinental country consisting of territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. Overseas France include several island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. France has a total population of 66.7 million. It is a semi-presidential republic with the capital in the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Other urban centres include Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Nice, Toulouse and Bordeaux. During the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by a Celtic people. France emerged as a major European power with its victory in the Hundred Years' War strengthening state-building and political centralisation. During the Renaissance, a global colonial empire was established, which by the 20th century would be the second largest in the world. The 16th century was dominated by civil wars between Catholics and Protestants. France became Europe's dominant political, military power under Louis XIV. In the 19th century Napoleon established the First French Empire, whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe. Following the collapse of the Empire, France endured a tumultuous succession of governments culminating in 1870. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War. The Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all the other colonies typically retained close economic and military connections with France.
France
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One of the Lascaux paintings: a horse – Dordogne, approximately 18,000 BC
France
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France
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The Maison Carrée was a temple of the Gallo-Roman city of Nemausus (present-day Nîmes) and is one of the best preserved vestiges of the Roman Empire.
France
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With Clovis ' conversion to Catholicism in 498, the Frankish monarchy, elective and secular until then, became hereditary and of divine right.
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The Gambia
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It is the smallest country in mainland Africa. Its area is 10,689 square kilometres at the April 2013 census. The largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama. Later, on May 1765, The Gambia was made a part of the British colony when the government formally assumed control, establishing the Province of Senegambia. On 18 The Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom. Following the 1 December 2016 elections, the elections commission declared Adama Barrow the winner of the presidential election. Barrow, won to incumbent Yahya Jammeh's 36.7 %. Mama Kandeh, won 17.8 %. The Gambia's economy is dominated by farming, especially tourism. As of 2008, about a third of the population lived below the international line of US$1.25 per day. The name "Gambia" is derived from the Mandinka Kambra/Kambaa, meaning Gambia river. According in English, The Gambia is one of only two countries whose self-standing short name begins with the word "The". Arab traders provided the first written accounts in the ninth and tenth centuries. During the tenth century, Muslim scholars established communities in several West African commercial centres. Both groups established trans-Saharan trade routes, leading to a large trade in slaves, gold and ivory, as well as imports of manufactured goods.
The Gambia
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Serer civilisation
The Gambia
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The Gambia
The Gambia
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A map of James Island and Fort Gambia.
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Germany
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Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a federal parliamentary republic in central-western Europe. It includes 16 constituent states, has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With about million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous member state of the European Union. After the United States, it is the second most popular destination in the world. Largest metropolis is Berlin. Urban areas include Ruhr, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf. Germanic tribes have inhabited the northern parts of modern Germany since classical antiquity. A region named Germania was documented before 100 AD. During the Migration Period the Germanic tribes expanded southward. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire. During the 16th century, German regions became the centre of the Protestant Reformation. In 1871, Germany became a state when most of the German states unified into the Prussian-dominated German Empire. After World War I and -- 1919, the Empire was replaced by the parliamentary Weimar Republic. The establishment of the socialist dictatorship in 1933 led to World War II and a genocide. After a period of Allied occupation, two German states were founded: the Federal Republic of the German Democratic Republic.
Germany
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The Nebra sky disk is dated to c. 1600 BC.
Germany
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Flag
Germany
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Martin Luther (1483–1546) initiated the Protestant Reformation.
Germany
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Foundation of the German Empire in Versailles, 1871. Bismarck is at the center in a white uniform.
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Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only federal decoration of Germany. In recent years women have made up a steady 30—31% of recipients. Colloquially, the decorations of the different classes of the Order are also known as the Federal Cross of Merit. The order was established on 7 September 1951 by the decree of the then Federal President Theodor Heuss. Other than the German president, their spouse can be awarded with this highest class. This Grand-Cross Special Issue has been awarded so far twice, to former German chancellors Konrad Adenauer and Helmut Kohl. The star is a golden star with straight rays, its size and points vary with the badge superimposed upon it. 8-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross Special Class 6-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross 1st Class 4-pointed golden Star: Grand Cross 2nd Class silver Square-upon-point: Grand Komtur. The riband is red with gold-black-gold stripes.
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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Grand Cross star, special issue
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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Insignia of the Grand Cross 1st Class.
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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Badge and riband of the class "Grand Cross" (without showing the star).
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
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Star of the class "Grand Cross".
138.
Greece
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Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, historically also known as Hellas, is a country in southeastern Europe. Greece's population is approximately million as of 2015. Athens is largest city, followed by Thessaloniki. Greece is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, Africa. Greece consists of nine geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands, Thrace, Crete, the Ionian Islands. The Aegean Sea lies to the south. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres. From the eighth BC, the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states, known as polis, which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea. The establishment of the Greek Orthodox Church in the first century transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox World. Falling under Ottoman dominion in the mid-15th century, the modern state of Greece emerged in 1830 following a war of independence. Greece's historical legacy is reflected by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among the most in Europe and the world. Greece is a democratic and developed country with an advanced high-income economy, a very high standard of living. A founding member of the United Nations, Greece has been part of the Eurozone since 2001. Large tourism industry, prominent shipping sector and geostrategic importance classify it as a middle power. It is one of the most visited the largest economy in the Balkans, where it is an important regional investor.
Greece
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Fresco displaying the Minoan ritual of "bull leaping", found in Knossos, Crete.
Greece
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Greece
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The Lion Gate, Mycenae
Greece
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The Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens is one of the best known symbols of classical Greece.
139.
Order of the Redeemer
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The Order of the Redeemer, also known as the Order of the Saviour, is an order of merit of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state. According to the decree of establishment, the name of the Order "shall recall the, by divine assistance fortuitously accomplished, salvation of Greece". Foreign recipients, well as princes of the Greek royal family, did not count to these totals. In practice the Grand Cross is awarded only to foreign heads of state. The present form of the Order is regulated by Presidential Decree 849/1975. The reverse featured a portrait of Otto with the circular inscription: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ. After Otto's deposition in 1863, his portrait was substituted by an icon of Jesus, the Redeemer of Orthodox Christian soteriology. The star of the Order is an faceted silver star with the same central disc as on the badge of the Order. Eventually, they were made of solid silver, a practice that continues to this day. The ribbon of the Order is light blue, reflecting the national colours of Greece. "Hellenic Orders, Decorations and Medals", pub. Hellenic War Museum, Athens 1991, ISBN 960-85054-0-2.
Order of the Redeemer
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Order of the Redeemer Τάγμα του Σωτήρος
140.
Hungary
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Hungary is a unitary parliamentary republic in Central Europe. With about million inhabitants, Hungary is a medium-sized member state of the European Union. The official language is Hungarian, the most widely spoken uralic language in the world. Largest metropolis is Budapest, a significant economic hub, classified as an Alpha - global city. Urban areas include Debrecen, Szeged, Miskolc, Pécs and Győr. His great-grandson Stephen I ascended in 1000 converting the country to a Christian kingdom. By the 12th century, Hungary became a middle power within the Western world, reaching a golden age by the 15th century. Following the interwar period, Hungary joined the Axis Powers in World War II, suffering significant damage and casualties. Hungary became a state of the Soviet Union, which contributed to the establishment of a four-decade-long communist dictatorship. On 23 Hungary became again a democratic parliamentary republic. As a substantial actor in several technological sectors, it is both the world's 36th largest exporter and importer of goods. Hungary is a high-income economy with a very high standard of living. It keeps up a tuition-free university education. Hungary joined part of the Schengen Area since 2007. Hungary is a member of NATO, WTO, World Bank, the AIIB, the Council of Europe and Visegrád Group.
Hungary
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Italian fresco depicting a Hungarian warrior shooting backwards
Hungary
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Hungary
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Hungarian raids in the 10th century
Hungary
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King Saint Stephen, the first King of Hungary, converted the nation to Christianity
141.
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
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The Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary is the second highest State Order of Hungary. Founded in 1991, the order is a revival of an original order founded in 1946 and abolished in 1949. Its origins can be traced to the Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary which existed from 1922 until 1946. Since 2011, the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary is the highest State Order of Hungary. The civil division is divided into six classes of merit, whilst the military division is divided into five. The Grand Cross with Chain, is only awarded to heads of state. Below the Order of Merit in precedence is the Cross of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, with three classes for both military and civilians. The star is mounted on a radiant star.
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
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Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
142.
Iceland
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The Republic of Iceland, Lýðveldið Ísland in Icelandic, is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has an area of 103,000 km2, making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Largest city is Reykjavík. The surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland has a temperate climate, despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. Marine influence still keeps summers chilly, with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate. In the following centuries, Norwegians, to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, immigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin. The island was governed under the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies. Following a period of civil strife, Iceland acceded in the 13th century. In 1814, it came under the rule of Denmark, during which a distinct national identity emerged. This culminated in the founding of a republic in 1944. Until the 20th century, Iceland was among the poorest in Europe. In 1994, it became a part of the European Economic Area, which further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance, manufacturing.
Iceland
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Norsemen Landing in Iceland – a 19th Century depiction by Oscar Wergeland.
Iceland
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Iceland
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Ingólfr Arnarson (modern Icelandic: Ingólfur Arnarson), the first permanent Scandinavian settler in Iceland
Iceland
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Ósvör, a replica of an old fishing outpost outside Bolungarvík
143.
Order of the Falcon
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The Order of the Falcon is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland. During a royal visit to Iceland, King Christian X issued the royal decree founding the Icelandic Order of the Falcon. New statutes were incorporated for the Order on July 1944, when Iceland became a republic. It may be awarded to both citizens of other countries for achievements in Iceland or internationally. The President of Iceland is the designated Grand Master of the Order. A five-member council makes recommendations on awards to the Grand Master, who then grants the award. However, the Grand Master may award the Order without recommendations from the Order Council. The Chairman of the Order Council then sign the Letters Patent, which are given to those who receive the awards. The badge consists of a gilt cross, enamelled in white, with a central disc bearing the white falcon. The star is a eight-pointed star. For the Grand Cross class it has the badge of the Order superimposed upon it. For the Commander with Star class it has a central disc bearing the white falcon. The ribbon is blue with white-red-white border stripes. If a holder is promoted to a higher rank, the lower rank's insignia must be returned. It must be returned to the Icelandic Government upon his or her death.
Order of the Falcon
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Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
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Knight's Crosses on current suspension and older crown suspension
144.
Indonesia
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Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a unitary sovereign state and transcontinental country located mainly in Southeast Asia with some territories in Oceania. Situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is the world's largest country, with more than thousand islands. The world's most populous island of Java contains more than half of the country's population. Indonesia's form of government includes president. Indonesia has 34 provinces, of which five have Special Administrative status. Its capital and most populous city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with the eastern part of Malaysia. Other neighbouring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of biodiversity. The country has natural resources like natural gas, tin, copper and gold. Agriculture mainly produces rice, palm oil, tea, coffee, cacao, rubber. Indonesia's major trading partners are Japan, the surrounding countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Indonesia also take a part to support Africa and Asian nations to oppose against any colonialism or neocolonialism.
Indonesia
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A Borobudur ship carved on Borobudur, c. 800 CE. Indonesian outrigger boats may have made trade voyages to the east coast of Africa as early as the 1st century CE.
Indonesia
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Indonesia
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The nutmeg plant is native to Indonesia's Banda Islands.
Indonesia
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Tan Malaka, Indonesian philosopher, guerilla, and national hero.
145.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Indonesia
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Awards and decorations of the Republic of Indonesia are both military and civilian awards for service and personal contributions to the Republic of Indonesia. According to the Indonesian Constitution, Chapter III Article 15: "The President grants designations, other distinctions that regulated by state acts". Decorations of the Republic of Indonesia are divided into two categories, Stars and Medals. Names of decorations incorporated abundant Sanskrit words, as usually employed by the government in many other awards and names of institutions. The "Star of the Republic of Indonesia" is awarded to a person who has given extraordinary service to the integrity, greatness of Indonesia. It is the highest decoration awarded by the Government of The Republic of Indonesia. The 1st class of the star strictly exclusive awarded only to current president of Republic of Indonesia. It is the second highest decoration awarded by the Government of The Republic of Indonesia. The BMP is awarded in times of adversity. The highest medal bestowed upon combat action, individually or as a unit. Bestowed upon the most distinguished service in the military. Given to military personnel served in the guerrilla operations in the independence war. No longer awarded and extinct. Given to the Air Force personnel served in the war. No longer awarded and extinct.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Indonesia
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Bintang Gerilya
Orders, decorations, and medals of Indonesia
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3rd Class
146.
Republic of Ireland
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Ireland, also described as the Republic of Ireland, is a sovereign state in north-western Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The state shares its only border with Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom. It is a parliamentary republic. The head of government is the Taoiseach, elected by the Dáil and appoints other government ministers. The state was created as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It was officially declared a republic following the Republic of Ireland Act 1948. Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955. It joined the predecessor of the European Union, in 1973. After joining the EEC, Ireland enacted a series of economic policies that resulted in rapid economic growth. The country achieved considerable prosperity between the years of 2007, which became known as the Celtic Tiger period. This was halted by an financial crisis that began in 2008, in conjunction with the concurrent global economic crash. However, as the Irish economy was the fastest growing in the EU in 2015, Ireland is quickly ascending league tables comparing wealth and prosperity internationally. In 2015, Ireland was ranked as the joint sixth most developed country in the world by the United Nations Human Development Index. It also performs well including freedom of the press, economic freedom and civil liberties. Ireland is a founding member of the Council of Europe and the OECD.
Republic of Ireland
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The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell (1846–1891).
Republic of Ireland
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Republic of Ireland
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In 1922 a new parliament called the Oireachtas was established, of which Dáil Éireann became the lower house.
Republic of Ireland
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Éamon de Valera (1882–1975)
147.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with Vatican City. With million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state. Rome ultimately emerged as the dominant power, becoming the leading cultural, political, religious centre of Western civilisation. The legacy of the Roman Empire can be observed in the global distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity and the Latin script. Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli. However, the southern areas of the country remained largely excluded from industrialisation, fuelling a large and influential diaspora. Italy has eighth largest economy in the world. It enjoys the highest life expectancy in the EU. The corpus of the solutions proposed by historians and linguists is very wide. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. But by his time the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. Excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible non-Indo-European origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni, known for their rock carvings. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily.
Italy
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The Colosseum in Rome, built c. 70 – 80 AD, is considered one of the greatest works of architecture and engineering of ancient history.
Italy
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Flag
Italy
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The Iron Crown of Lombardy, for centuries symbol of the Kings of Italy.
Italy
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Castel del Monte, built by German Emperor Frederick II, UNESCO World Heritage site
148.
Order of Merit of the Republic
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The post-nominal letters for the order are OMRI. Today, these continue merely as dynastic orders of the former Royal House of Savoy. Investiture takes place biannually on 2 June, anniversary of the foundation of the Republic and on 27 December, anniversary of the promulgation of the Italian Constitution. However, those awards on Presidential motu proprio, related to termination of service or granted to foreigners may be made at any time. Except in exceptional circumstances, no one can be awarded for the first time a rank higher than Knight. The minimum age requirement is normally 35.
Order of Merit of the Republic
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Breast star of a Knight Grand Cross of the Republic
Order of Merit of the Republic
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Insignia of a Knight of the Italian Republic, since 2001
149.
Order of al-Hussein bin Ali
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The Order of al-Hussein bin Ali is the highest knighthood order of the Kingdom of Jordan. It was founded on 22 June 1949 by King Abdullah I of Jordan with foreign Heads of State. The classe of Grand Cordon was introduced by King Hussein on 23 September 1967. The badge is hung through ua golden royal crown. The plaque has the same design as the badge. The ribbon of the class of Grand Cordon is violet. The class of Collar has no ribbon. Order of al-Hussain ibn Ali Hussein ibn Ali Sash Order of al-Hussain ibn Ali
Order of al-Hussein bin Ali
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Order of al-Hussein bin Ali Wisam al-Hussain ibn Ali
150.
Kazakhstan
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Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country, the ninth largest in the world, with an area of 2,724,900 square kilometres. Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically, generating 60% of the region's GDP, primarily through its oil/gas industry. Kazakhstan has vast mineral resources. Kazakhstan shares also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea. The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills, deltas, deserts. The capital is Astana, where it was moved from Almaty, the country's largest city. The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes. This changed in the 13th century, when Genghis Khan occupied the country as part of the Mongolian Empire. Following internal struggles among the conquerors, power eventually reverted to the nomads. By the 16th century, the Kazakh emerged as a distinct group, divided into three jüz. Following subsequent civil war, the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganized several times. In 1936, it was made part of the Soviet Union. Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Kazakhstan has worked to develop its economy, especially its dominant industry. Kazakhstan's 131 ethnicities include Russians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Germans, Tatars, Uyghurs.
Kazakhstan
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Artistic depiction of medieval Taraz situated along the Silk Road
Kazakhstan
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Kazakhstan
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Ablai Khan served as khan of the Middle jüz from 1771 to 1781
Kazakhstan
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Inside a Kazakh yurt
151.
Order of the Golden Eagle
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The Order of the Golden Eagle or "Altyn Kyran" Order is the highest order of Kazakhstan. The order is awarded by the President of Kazakhstan. Established in 1995, the order recognizes outstanding service to Kazakhstan. The Order of the Golden Eagle may be awarded to individuals who have previously been awarded orders by the Soviet Union. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan becomes a Commander special class of the Order of Altyn Kyran.
Order of the Golden Eagle
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Star of the order
Order of the Golden Eagle
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Star and collar of the order
152.
Kenya
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Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community. Largest city is Nairobi. Kenya had a population of approximately 45 million people in July 2014. Kenya has a humid tropical climate on its Indian Ocean coastline. The climate is especially closer to Mount Kenya, which has snow permanently on its peaks. This gives way to forested hilly areas in the neighbouring western region. The north-eastern regions along the border with Somalia and Ethiopia are semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes. Kenya has several heritage sites such as Lamu and numerous beaches, including in Diani, Bamburi and Kilifi, where international yachting competitions are held every year. The African Great Lakes region, which Kenya is a part of, has been inhabited by humans since the Lower Paleolithic period. By the first millennium AD, the Bantu expansion had reached the area from West-Central Africa. Bantu and Nilotic populations together constitute around 97% of the nation's residents. Arab presence in coastal Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period; European exploration of the interior began in the 19th century. The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895, which starting in 1920 gave way to the Kenya Colony. Kenya obtained independence in December 1963. Following adoption of a new constitution, Kenya is now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties, governed by elected governors.
Kenya
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A giraffe at Nairobi National Park, with Nairobi's skyline in background
Kenya
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Kenya
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The Turkana boy, a 1.6-million-year-old hominid fossil belonging to Homo erectus.
Kenya
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A traditional Swahili carved wooden door in Lamu.
153.
Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya
Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya
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Order of the Golden Heart
154.
Kuwait
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Kuwait /kuːˈweɪt/, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in Western Asia. Situated at the tip of the Persian Gulf, it shares borders with Iraq and Saudi Arabia. As of 2016, Kuwait has a population of 4.2 million people; 2.9 million are expatriates. Expatriates account for 70% of the population. Oil reserves were discovered in 1938. From 1946 to 1982, the country underwent large-scale modernization. In the 1980s, Kuwait experienced an economic crisis following the stock market crash. In 1990, Kuwait was invaded by Iraq. The Iraqi occupation came to an end in 1991 by coalition forces. At the end of the war, there were extensive efforts to rebuild national infrastructure. Kuwait is a constitutional emirate with a political system. It has a high economy backed by the world's sixth largest oil reserves. The Kuwaiti dinar is the highest valued currency in the world. According to the World Bank, the country has the per capita income in the world. The Constitution was promulgated in 1962, making the most democratic country in the region.
Kuwait
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Oil fires in Kuwait in 1991, which were a result of the scorched earth policy of Iraqi military forces retreating from Kuwait.
Kuwait
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Kuwait
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Kuwait National Assembly Building
Kuwait
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Satellite image of Kuwait
155.
Latvia
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Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe, one of the three Baltic states. Latvia has a territory of 64,589 km2. The country has a seasonal climate. Latvia is a parliamentary republic established in 1918. The city is Riga, the European Capital of Culture 2014. Latvian is the official language. 9 are cities. Livs are the indigenous people of Latvia. Latvian is an Indo-European language; it and Lithuanian are the only two surviving Baltic languages. Despite foreign rule from the 13th to 20th centuries, the Latvian nation maintained its identity throughout the generations via musical traditions. Latvia and Estonia share a common history. As a consequence of the Soviet occupation, both countries are home to a large number of ethnic Russians, some of whom are non-citizens. Until World War II, Latvia also had significant minorities of Jews. Latvia is predominantly Protestant Lutheran, except for the Latgale region in the southeast, which has historically been predominantly Roman Catholic. The Russian population has also brought a significant portion of Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Latvia
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Turaida Castle near Sigulda, built in 1214 under Albert of Riga.
Latvia
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Flag
Latvia
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Kārlis Ulmanis
Latvia
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Red Army troops enter Riga (1940).
156.
Order of the Three Stars
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Order of the Three Stars is an order awarded for meritorious service to Latvia. It was established in remembrance of the founding of Latvia. Its motto is "Per aspera astra", meaning "Through hardships to the stars". The Order has three grades of medals of honour. In the center of the front side of the cross there is enamel medallion with three golden five-point stars on it. The reverse side has gilded medallion with inscriptions "Per aspera ad astra" and "Latvijas Republika — 1918.g.18. Novembris". The Stars are second rate orders. The second rate order, have similar design and differ only in size. The stars are in shape of five star made of silver with blue enamel medallion with three golden five-point stars in its center. On its edge there is inscription "Par Tēviju". Chain of the Order is awarded in exceptional cases. It has ten gilded links with alternately chiseled images of three stars, fire-cross, griffin. Medal of honour is a medal on front of which the cross of the order is depicted. The reverse side has inscription "Par Tēviju" with a flaming heart below the inscription.
Order of the Three Stars
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Order of the Three Stars, Grand officer degree
157.
Order of the Star of Africa
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The Order of the Star of Africa is an order presented by the government of Liberia. The Order of the Star of Africa is presented in five grades, Grand Cross. The star of the Order of the Star of Africa is a nine-pointed white enamel and silver gilded star. Between the arms of the star are gilt rays with a five-pointed pale blue star superimposed on the rays. On the ring are the gold letters The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here. The ring is inscribed in gold letters Light in Darkness. Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. United States Army Mary Broh Salim Ahmed Salim Akihito Piet de Jong Ambassador Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie Ambassador George W. Wallace
Order of the Star of Africa
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Ribbon of the order
158.
Order of the Pioneers of Liberia
Order of the Pioneers of Liberia
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Ribbon of the order
159.
Lithuania
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Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in Northern Europe. One of the three Baltic states, it is situated to the east of Sweden and Denmark. It is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest. Its capital and largest city is Vilnius. Lithuanians are a Baltic people. Lithuanian, along with Latvian, is one of only two living languages in the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family. For centuries, the southeastern shores of the Baltic Sea were inhabited by Baltic tribes. With the Lublin Union of 1569, Lithuania and Poland formed the Polish -- Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth lasted more than two centuries, until neighboring countries systematically dismantled it from 1772–95, with the Russian Empire annexing most of Lithuania's territory. As World War I neared its end, Lithuania's Act of Independence was signed on 16 February 1918, declaring the founding of the modern Republic of Lithuania. Starting in 1940, Lithuania was occupied then by Nazi Germany. As the Germans retreated, the Soviet Union reoccupied Lithuania. Lithuania is a member of the European Union, the Council of Europe, NATO. It is also part of Nordic-Baltic cooperation of Northern European countries. The United Nations Human Development Index lists Lithuania as a "very human development" country.
Lithuania
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Trakai Island Castle
Lithuania
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Flag
Lithuania
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Battle of Grunwald and Vytautas the Great in the centre
Lithuania
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The original 20 members of the Council of Lithuania after signing the Act of Independence of Lithuania, 16 February 1918.
160.
Order of Vytautas the Great
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The Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award. It may be conferred on the heads of foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished services to the State of Lithuania. The Order was instituted in 1930 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Lithuanian Grand Duke Vytautas the Great. The badge of the Order, struck in pre-war Lithuania, was designed by Jonas Burba. The insignia of the Order issued today are of the same design. The Order of Vytautas the Great has five classes: The insignia of the Grand Cross consists of the Grand Cross, Star and sash. The Grand Cross is 50mm wide. It is covered with white enamel. On the front of the Cross a rider is depicted against a background of a red shield. The same shield, with a V in the middle is on the reverse of the Cross. Above the shield is the Grand Crown of the Duke. On the edges of the Cross are the dates of Vytautas the Great's rule. The reverse of the Cross features a golden Royal Crown embellished with three crystal stones. The Star is made from gold. It has nine sides.
Order of Vytautas the Great
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Order of Vytautas the Great
Order of Vytautas the Great
Order of Vytautas the Great
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1. Grand Cross
Order of Vytautas the Great
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2. Commander's Grand Cross
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Luxembourg
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Luxembourg /ˈlʌksəmbɜːrɡ/, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, France to the south. Its culture, languages are highly intertwined with its neighbors, making essentially a mixture of Germanic cultures. It comprises two principal regions: the Oesling in the north as part of the Ardennes massif, the Gutland in the south. With an area of 2,586 square kilometres, it is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe. Luxembourg had a population in October 2012, ranking the least-populous country in Europe. Luxembourg is a developed country, with an advanced economy and the world's highest GDP per capita, according to the United Nations in 2014. The city of Luxembourg, the country's capital and largest city, is the seat of several institutions and agencies of the EU. Luxembourg served on the United Nations Security Council for the years 2013 and 2014, a first in the country's history. Around this fort, a town gradually developed, which became the centre of a state of great strategic value. In the 14th and early 15th centuries, three members of the House of Luxembourg reigned as Holy Roman Emperors. In the following centuries, Luxembourg's fortress was steadily strengthened by its successive occupants, the Bourbons, the French. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Luxembourg was disputed between Prussia and the Netherlands. This arrangement was revised by the 1839 First Treaty of London, from which date Luxembourg's full independence is reckoned. In 1842 Luxembourg joined the German Customs Union.
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Historic map (undated) of Luxembourg city's fortifications
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Flag
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Photograph of the fortress of Luxembourg prior to demolition in 1867
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Luxembourg City: The Passerelle, also known as the viaduct or old bridge, over the Pétrusse river valley, opened 1861
162.
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
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The Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau is a chivalric order shared by the two branches of the House of Nassau. It may be awarded to the Grand Duke. In this case the honour is conferred on a person who have rendered special service to the Royal House. The order was founded by Grand Ducal decree on 31 March 1858 by King-Grand Duke William III. When William died without a male heir, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg passed to Adolphe, as dictated by the Nassau Family Pact. In 1905, Adolphe agreed with Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands to once again share the order between both ruling branches of the House of Nassau. The order is awarded only on rare occasions in the Netherlands or Luxembourg. The two Grand Masters made the South African President Nelson Mandela a knight during his state-visit in 1999 to the Netherlands. The knight wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, the star of the order on the left chest. The badge of the order is a white-enamelled Maltese Cross, between the arms of the cross. The obverse central disc is in blue enamel, bearing the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau. The central disc is also blue enamelled, with the motto "maintiendrai" in gold. The ribbon of the sash of the order is yellow-orange moiré with a small blue stripe at each edge. The bestowal of the insignia is carried out by the Grand Duke or his specially appointed official representative. The brevet is awarded in agreement with the head of the Ottonian branch of the House of Nassau.
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
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Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
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Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and The Grand Duke both wearing the insignia of the order. They are accompanied by Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
163.
Malawi
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Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa, formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated by Lake Malawi. Malawi is over 118,000 km2 with an estimated population of 16,777,547. The Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa". Malawi is among the smallest countries in Africa. Lake Malawi takes about a third of Malawi's area. The area of Africa now known as Malawi was settled by migrating Bantu groups around the 10th century. Centuries later in 1891 the area was colonised by the British. In 1953 Malawi, then known as a protectorate of the United Kingdom, became a protectorate within the semi-independent Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The Federation was dissolved in 1963. In 1964 Nyasaland became an independent country under Queen Elizabeth II with the new name Malawi. Two years later it became a republic. Upon gaining independence it became a one-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he lost an election.
Malawi
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1897 British Central Africa stamp issued by the United Kingdom
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Malawi's first Prime Minister and later President for Life, Dr. Hastings Banda (left), with Tanzania's President Nyerere
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Peter Mutharika, President of Malawi.
164.
Malaysia
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Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy located in Southeast Asia. Peninsular Malaysia shares maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia. East Malaysia shares a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. The city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. With a population of over million, Malaysia is the 44th most populous country. Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia. Located in the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries on earth, with large numbers of endemic species. Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united on 16 September 1963 to become Malaysia. Less in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. The country is multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay, with large minorities of Malaysian Chinese, indigenous peoples.
Malaysia
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"Malaysia" used as a label for the Malay Archipelago on a 1914 map from a United States atlas
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Malaysia
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The Dutch fleet battling with the Portuguese armada as part of the Dutch–Portuguese War in 1606 to gain control of Malacca.
Malaysia
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Statue of Francis Light in the Fort Cornwallis of Penang, marking the first step of British expansion in the 18th century over the Malay Archipelago.
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Order of the Crown of the Realm
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The Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm is a Malaysian Federal Award. It is the second order in term of precedence after the Darjah Yang Maha Utama Kerabat Diraja Malaysia. It should not be confused to the Crown of Malaysia. It is conferred on 30 recipients only. It is conferred to newly appointed Malay rulers in his state. Fifteen, out of the total, are conferred on foreign Heads of State and other distinguished individuals. The D.M.N. Comprises a collar, a star, a badge. There are two sheathed kris crossed upright in the centre of the collar. The crescent moon of the award are made of gold. The badge is a five-pointed star. The sash is of yellow silk. In the centre are the end is tied with a ribbon. The edges of the ribbon have narrow stripes lying in between two blue stripes. The sash of the order is worn to the right hip.
Order of the Crown of the Realm
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Ribbon bar of the Order
166.
Mali
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Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of just over 1,240,000 square kilometres. The population of Mali is million. Its capital is Bamako. The country's economy centers on fishing. Some of Mali's natural resources include gold, being the third largest producer of gold in the African continent, salt. About half the population lives below the international line of $1.25 a day. A majority of the population are Muslims. Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Songhai Empire. During its golden age, there was a flourishing of astronomy, literature, art. At its peak in 1300, the Mali Empire stretched to the west coast of Africa. During the Scramble for Africa, France seized control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan. French Sudan joined in 1959 achieving independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. Thereafter, following Senegal's withdrawal from the federation, the Sudanese Republic declared itself the independent Republic of Mali. Later fighting between Tuareg and Islamist rebels.
Mali
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The pages above are from Timbuktu Manuscripts written in Sudani script (a form of Arabic) from the Mali Empire showing established knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. Today there are close to a million of these manuscripts found in Timbuktu alone.
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Griots of Sambala, king of Médina (Fula people, Mali), 1890.
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Cotton being processed in Niono into 180 kg (400 lb) bales for export to other parts of Africa and to France, c. 1950.
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National Order of Mali
National Order of Mali
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Grand Cross
168.
Order of the Aztec Eagle
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The Order of the Aztec Eagle forms part of the Mexican Honours System and is the highest Mexican order awarded to foreigners in the country. It corresponds given to Mexican citizens such as the Condecoración Miguel Hidalgo or the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor. It is given on the instructions of a Council established for this purpose headed by the President. All grades except the collar may be awarded, to distinguished foreigners. "La Orden Mexicana del Aguila Azteca - Apuntes para su Historia". Cuadernos del Cronista. México, 2011 Medals.org.uk Blasoneshispanos.com
Order of the Aztec Eagle
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Order of the Aztec Eagle
169.
Morocco
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Morocco, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco, is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterized by large portions of desert. It has Mediterranean coastlines. Morocco has an area of 446,550 km2. The largest city is Casablanca. Major cities include Marrakesh, Tangier, Tetouan, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, Nador. A historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by its neighbours. Morocco remained the only North-African country to avoid Ottoman occupation. The current ruling dynasty, seized power in 1666. In 1912 Morocco was regained its independence in 1956. Culture is a blend of Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African, European influences. Morocco claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, leading until a cease-fire in 1991. Peace processes have far failed to break the political deadlock. Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament.
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Berber Roman King Ptolemy of Mauretania.
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Roman mosaic of Diana in Volubilis.
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Morocco, Safi ceramic vessel Jobbana
170.
Nepal
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Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia with a population of 26.4 million. It is a multiethnic nation with Nepali as the official language. Kathmandu is largest city. Modern Nepal is a parliamentary republic. Nepal is bordered by China to the south, east, west. It borders neither the Indian state of Sikkim respectively. Nepal is home to eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Its southern Madhesh region is humid. The country has an area of 147,181 square kilometres, making the world's 93rd largest country by area. It is also the 41st most populous country. Nepal has a diverse cultural heritage. The Nepal is first recorded in texts from the Vedic Age, the era that founded Hinduism, the country's predominant religion. Nepal was the world's last monarchy. The founder of Buddhism, was born in Lumbini in southern Nepal. The main minorities are Christians.
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Lumbini, listed as the birthplace of Gautama Buddha by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention
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Former royal palace at Basantapur, Kathmandu
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Hindu temples in Patan, capital of one of the three medieval Newar kingdoms
171.
Netherlands
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The Netherlands is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a small, densely populated country located in Western Europe with three island territories in the Caribbean. The largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht. Amsterdam is the country's capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament. The name Holland is also incorrectly used to refer informally to the whole of the country of the Netherlands. "Netherlands" literally influenced by its low land and flat geography, with only about 50 % of its land exceeding one metre above sea level. Most of the areas below level are man-made. Since the 16th century, large areas have been reclaimed from the sea and lakes, amounting to nearly 17 % of the country's current land mass. With a density of 408 people per km2 -- 505 if water is excluded -- the Netherlands is classified as a very densely populated country. Only Bangladesh, Taiwan have both a larger population and higher population density. England at 420 people per km2 is also more densely populated when the total area of the Netherlands including water is used. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is the world's second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products, after the United States. This is partly due to the fertility of the mild climate. In 2001, it became the world's first country to legalise same-sex marriage. The Netherlands is a founding member of the EU, a part of the trilateral Benelux Union.
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The Netherlands in 5500 BC
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The Netherlands in 500 BC
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An oak figurine found in Willemstad, North Brabant (4500 BC).
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Order of the Netherlands Lion
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The Order ranks after the Military William Order, only awarded for military merit. The King of the Netherlands is the Grand Master of the Order. The Order is issued in three classes. There was also a Medal for "Brothers" which had not been conferred since 1960. The grade was abolished in 1994. Wears the star on the left chest. Commander - Usually conferred upon Dutch Nobel Prize winners, a few distinguished artists, writers and politicians. Wears an identical breast cross on the left chest. Knight - Wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest. Brother - No longer issued; see section below. Wore the medal on a ribbon on the left chest. The badge of the Order is a gilt, white-enamelled Maltese Cross, between the arms of the cross. The central disc is in blue enamel, bearing the motto Virtus Nobilitat. The central disc is plain golden, with the lion from the Netherlands coat-of-arms. The badge hangs from a royal crown.
Order of the Netherlands Lion
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Order of the Netherlands Lion Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw
173.
Order of the Federal Republic
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The Order of the Federal Republic is one of two orders of merit, established by the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1963. It is senior to the Order of the Niger. The Chairman of the Senate are qualitate and ex officio Commander in the Order of the Niger. The Nigerians have followed the British example in the structure of the Order. There are also post-nominal letters for the members of the Order of the Niger. There is a Military Division. The ribbon of the latter division has a red line in the middle. Clement Isong "Nigeria - Order of the Federal Republic". Queen & Commonwealth >Orders. The Royal Collection. Retrieved November 2013.
Order of the Federal Republic
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Order of the Federal Republic
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Norway
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The sub-Antarctic Bouvet Island are dependent territories and thus not considered part of the Kingdom. Norway also lays claim to a section of Antarctica known as Queen Maud Land. Until 1814, the Kingdom included the Faroe Islands, Iceland. It also included Shetland and Orkney until 1468. It also included the following provinces, now in Sweden: Jämtland, Härjedalen, Särna-Idre and Bohuslän. Norway has a population of 5,213,985. The country shares a eastern border with Sweden. Norway is bordered by Finland and Russia with Denmark on the other side. Norway has an extensive coastline, facing the Barents Sea. King Harald V of the Dano-German House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway. Erna Solberg became Prime Minister in 2013, replacing Jens Stoltenberg. Norway divides state power between the Parliament, the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, as determined by the 1814 Constitution. The Kingdom is established as a merger of petty kingdoms. Norway has both political subdivisions on two levels: counties and municipalities. The Sámi people have a certain amount over traditional territories through the Sámi Parliament and the Finnmark Act.
Norway
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The helmet found at Gjermundbu near Haugsbygd, Buskerud, is the only Viking Age helmet that has been found.
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Flag
Norway
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The Gokstad ship at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway
Norway
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The Battle of the Sound between an allied Dano-Norwegian– Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy, 8 November 1658 (29 October O.S.)
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Order of St. Olav
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It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821. The Order of St. Olav thus became the kingdom's only order of chivalry for the next 80 years. The Grand Master of the order is the reigning monarch of Norway. It is awarded on behalf of the humanity. The Lord Chamberlain nominates the members of the commission, the monarch approves them. Nominations for the award are directed through the governor. The order may be awarded for either military contributions, in descending order of distinction. The collar is awarded as a separate distinction of the Grand Cross to those recipients deemed exceptionally worthy. The insignia are expected to be returned either upon her death. Since it was instituted, the order has been awarded approximately 19,500 times. The insignia are produced in Norway by craftsmen. The medal does not confer upon the recipient membership in an order. The cross is topped by a crown; military awards have crossed swords between the crown and the cross. The star of the Order for the Grand Cross is an eight-pointed silver star with faceted rays, bearing the obverse of the badge of the Order.
Order of St. Olav
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Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden
Order of St. Olav
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An early design of the collar of the Order of St. Olav
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The Star of The Order of Saint Olav
176.
Oman
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Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is an Arab country on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The coast is formed on the northeast. From the 17th century, the Omani Sultanate was a powerful empire, vying with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. As its power declined in the 20th century, the sultanate came under the influence of the United Kingdom. Historically, Muscat was the principal port of the Persian Gulf region. Muscat was also among the most important trading ports of the Indian Ocean. Oman's official religion is Islam. Oman is an absolute monarchy. The Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said has been the hereditary leader of the country since 1970. Sultan Qaboos is sixth-longest current-reigning monarch in the world. Oman has ranking 25th globally. Nevertheless, in 2010 the UNDP ranked Oman during the preceding 40 years. A significant portion of its economy is trade of fish, dates, certain agricultural produce. This sets it apart from its neighbors' solely oil-dependent economy. Oman ranks as the 74th most peaceful country in the world according to the Global Peace Index.
Oman
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A grave at Al Ayn, Oman, a World Heritage site.
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The Sultan's Palace in Zanzibar, which was once Oman's capital and residence of its Sultans.
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The coast of Sur, Oman.
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Order of Oman
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The Order of Oman is the second highest order of Oman. The Order of Oman was instituted by Sultan Qaboss in two divisions, civil and military. He added in a Special Class, "The Most Honourable Order of Oman". Red with green stripes, for the civil division, number and position depending on the class. Blue with red stripes, for the military division, number and position depending on the class. World Medals Index, Special Class, civil division & military division Ribbon bars of Oman - page 1
Order of Oman
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/
178.
Panama
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Panama, officially called the Republic of Panama, is a country usually considered to be entirely in North America or Central America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the south. Largest city is Panama City, whose metropolitan area is home to nearly half of the country's 3.9 million people. Panama was inhabited by several indigenous tribes by the Spanish in the 16th century. Venezuela named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When Gran Colombia dissolved in 1831, Panama and Nueva Granada remained joined, eventually becoming the Republic of Colombia. Tourism are major and growing sectors. In 2015 Panama ranked 60th in terms of the Human Development Index. Since 2010, Panama remains the second most competitive economy in Latin America, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index. There are several theories about the origin of the name "Panama". Some believe that the country was named after a commonly found species of tree. Others believe that the name means "many butterflies" in an indigenous language. The best-known version is that its nearby beach bore the name "Panamá", which meant "an abundance of fish". Captain Antonio Tello de Guzmán, while exploring the Pacific side in 1515, stopped in the indigenous fishing town. In 1517 a Spanish lieutenant, decided to settle a post there.
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Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a recognized and popular figure of Panamanian history
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"New Caledonia", the ill-fated Scottish Darien scheme colony in the Bay of Caledonia, west of the Gulf of Darien
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Santo Domingo Church
179.
Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero
Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero
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Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero Orden de Manuel Amador Guerrero
180.
Peru
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Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. Ideas of political autonomy gained its independence, formally proclaimed in 1821. Three years after proclamation, Peru ensured its independence. Subsequently, the country has undergone changes in government to democratic systems. Peru has gone through periods of internal conflict as well as periods of stability and economic upswing. Peru is a democratic republic divided into 25 regions. It is a poverty level around 25.8 percent. Its economic activities include mining, manufacturing, agriculture and fishing. The Peruvian population, estimated at million in 2015, is multiethnic, including Amerindians, Europeans, Africans and Asians. The main language is Spanish, although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua or other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions has resulted in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as cuisine, literature, music. When his possessions were visited by Spanish explorers in 1522, they were the southernmost part of the New World yet known to Europeans. Thus, when Francisco Pizarro explored the regions farther south, they came to be designated Perú. An alternative history is provided by the contemporary writer Inca Garcilasco de la Vega, a conquistador. The Spanish Crown gave legal status with the 1529 Capitulación de Toledo, which designated the newly encountered Inca Empire as the province of Peru.
Peru
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Sculpted Chavin head embedded in one of the walls of the temple of Chavín de Huantar
Peru
Peru
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A Moche ceramic vessel from the 5th century depicting a man's head
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The citadel of Machu Picchu, an iconic symbol of pre-Columbian Peru
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Order of the Sun (Peru)
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The award is the oldest civilian award in the Americas, first being established in 1821. All such nobility titles were abolished by 1828. The Order was re-established in 1921. Shea Yma Sumac Julio C. . Orders and Decorations of All Nations: Ancient and Modern, Civil and Military. Washington, D.C.: Quaker Press. OCLC 390804 http://www.myetymology.com/encyclopedia/Guillermo_Hillcoat.html
Order of the Sun (Peru)
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Order of the Sun
Order of the Sun (Peru)
Order of the Sun (Peru)
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Certificate confirming that the Order of the Sun of Peru was conferred on Ernesto Burzagli in the name of the President of the Peruvian Republic in 1924.
182.
Philippines
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The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia situated in the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of about 7,641 islands that are categorized broadly under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City, both part of Metro Manila. The Philippines has a population of approximately million. It is the seventh-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the world. As of 2013, approximately 10 million additional Filipinos lived overseas, comprising one of the world's largest diasporas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples. Exchanges with Chinese, Malay, Indian, Islamic states occurred. Then, various nations were established under the rule of Datus, Rajahs, Sultans or Lakans. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon, Eastern Samar in 1521 marked the beginning of Hispanic colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. In 1565, the Hispanic settlement in the archipelago was established. The Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years.
Philippines
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King Philip II of Spain.
Philippines
Philippines
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Tabon Cave and its carvings.
Philippines
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The Banaue Rice Terraces where Ifugao/Igorot utilized terrace farming in the steep mountainous regions of northern Philippines over 2000 years ago.
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Philippine Legion of Honor
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The Philippine Legion of Honor was established by President Manuel Roxas, through Philippine Army Circular No. 60 dated July 3, 1947. Originally, like the U.S. It is thus the primary order of military merit of the Republic of the Philippines. The Philippine Legion of Honor may be awarded by authority of the President of the Philippines. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has its own regulations governing the conferment of the Philippine Legion of Honor. Emmanuel T. Bautista, 2014, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Cabahug, 1959 Tomas Confesor Carlos P. Romulo Gen. Alfredo M. Santos Lt. Gen. Cardozo Luna Bernard W. Kearney, 1959 Jorge B. The AFP Adjutant General, AFP Awards and Decorations Handbook, 1995, 1997, OTAG.
Philippine Legion of Honor
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Philippine Legion of Honor
184.
Order of Sikatuna
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The Order of Sikatuna is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. The Order of Sikatuna may be awarded by authority of the President. Section 2 of the executive order states, "The Order of Sikatuna commemorates the first treaty between the Philippines and a foreign country..." In the Quirino order, the Order of Sikatuna commemorates the pacto de sangre or blood compact, more popularly known as sandugo. However, the Executive Order's premise has been put to question. Magellan called a Malayan term meaning "to be one and the same thing" or to be blood brothers. At the same time the recorded Treaty of Peace was entered into on Tuesday, April 9, 1521 by datu Humabon of Cebu and Magellan. The Order of Sikatuna's four-class composition was expanded by Presidents Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand E. Marcos. In 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo reformed the Philippine system of orders, medals, decorations, through Executive Order No. 236, known as the Honors Code of the Philippines which codified the civilian orders, decorations and medals of the Republic of the Philippines. Among its provisions was one renaming the order as simply, "The Order of Sikatuna," and clarifying its protocolar standing. Harry K. Thomas Jr. - former United States Ambassador to the Philippines, Rank of Datu. Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa - Prime Minister of Bahrain This article incorporates public domain text from the library of the Philippine Congress. Manuel L. Quezon III. Medals Girondists off-duty rants Philippines Orders-Decorations-Medals Ribbons of the Philippines 1 Ribbons of the Philippines 2
Order of Sikatuna
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Order of Sikatuna
185.
Order of Lakandula
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The Order of Lakandula is one of the highest honors given by the Republic of the Philippines. Its administrative basis is the Honors Code of the Philippines. Champion for Life The most recently created rank of the order, it was established by President Gloria M. Arroyo. Although this rank was initially positioned after the rank of Pinuno, it was later moved to the level of the Order of National Artists. It is conferred for similar fields of competition and achievement. These achievements should serve as an inspiration to others to achieve excellence. This is not a complete list. See official website for more.
Order of Lakandula
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Order of Lakandula
186.
Poland
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The total area of Poland is 312,679 square kilometres, making the 69th largest country in the world and the 9th largest in Europe. Its capital and largest city is Warsaw. Other metropolises include Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk and Szczecin—the country's largest urban agglomeration is the Silesian Metropolis. This union formed the Polish -- Europe. The Commonwealth ceased to exist in the years 1772 -- 95, when its territory was partitioned among Prussia, Austria. Poland regained its independence in 1918. In September 1939, World War II started by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. More than million Polish citizens died in the war. The borders of Poland were shifted westwards according to the Potsdam Conference in the aftermath of World War II. Poland adopted a new constitution establishing itself as a democracy. Despite the large number of casualties and destruction the country experienced during World War II, the country managed to preserve much of its cultural wealth. There are 14 heritage sites inscribed on many objects of cultural heritage in Poland. Poland is a democratic country with an advanced high-income economy, a very high standard of living. Moreover, the country is visited by every year which makes it one of the most visited countries in the world. Poland is the eighth largest economy among the fastest growing European economies.
Poland
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Reconstruction of a Bronze Age, Lusatian culture settlement in Biskupin, c. 700 BC
Poland
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Poland
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Earliest known contemporary depiction of a Polish ruler; King Mieszko II Lambert of Poland being presented with a Liturgical book by Matilda of Swabia, 1025–1031
Poland
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Drawing of the Battle of Grunwald, which was fought against the German Order of Teutonic Knights, 15 July 1410
187.
Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
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The Order of the White Eagle is Poland's highest decoration awarded to both civilians and the military for their merits. It was officially bestowed on eight of his closest, diplomatic and political supporters. It is awarded to the highest-ranking representatives of foreign countries. The Order of the White Eagle is attached to a blue ribbon slung over the left shoulder to the right side. The star of the Order, once embroidered, is worn on the left side of the chest. This was replaced by a Maltese cross in 1709. By 1713 it was worn from the neck, with a blue sash, a star. Although Augustus the number of knights to seventy-two, he only conferred the Order forty times before his death in 1733. Augustus, however, awarded the Order more than three hundred times. Since the Order had no saint, Augustus II made 2 August the feast of the Order. Augustus III, however, changed the Order's feast day to 3 August. It remained until the Russian Revolution of 1917, in which the Russian Empire fell. The insignia was redesigned. It was also used by the Polish Government in Exile. The first person to be awarded the White Eagle after its reinstatement was Pope John Paul II.
Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
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Order of the White Eagle Order Orła Białego
Order of the White Eagle (Poland)
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For the Serbian medal of the same name, see Order of the White Eagle (Serbia).
188.
Portugal
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Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe. To the south it is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and to the east and north by Spain. The Portugal–Spain border is 1,214 kilometres long and considered the longest uninterrupted border within the European Union. The republic also includes autonomous regions with their own regional governments. The territory of modern Portugal has been continuously settled, fought over since prehistoric times. The Romans were followed by the invasions of the Visigothic and the Suebi Germanic peoples. For the following centuries Portugal would be part of Muslim Al Andalus. In 1139, Afonso Henriques was proclaimed King of Portugal, thus firmly establishing Portuguese independence. In the 16th centuries, Portugal established the first global empire, becoming one of the world's major economic, political and military powers. The Portuguese Empire expanded with military campaigns led in Asia. After the 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy, the unstable Portuguese First Republic was established, later being superseded by the Estado Novo right-wing authoritarian regime. Democracy was restored in 1974. Shortly after, independence was granted marking the end of the longest-lived colonial empire. Portugal has left today.
Portugal
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Citânia de Briteiros, in the Minho Province, is the best preserved Iron Age and Castro culture site in Portugal.
Portugal
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Portugal
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The Roman Temple of Évora, in the Alentejo, is a symbol of Lusitania, Roman rule in Portugal.
Portugal
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Monument in Porto to Vimara Peres, first ruler of the County of Portugal
189.
Order of Saint James of the Sword
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This article deals with the Portuguese Order of knighthood. For the Spanish branch, see Order of Santiago. The Military Order of Saint James of the Sword is a Portuguese order of chivalry. The Order of Saint James was founded in León-Castile circa 1170. But King Ferdinand II of León soon set it to garrison the southern frontiers of León against the Almohads of al-Andalus. The new Leonese order was soon operating in neighboring kingdoms. A Portuguese branch emerged when King Afonso I of Portugal donated Arruda dos Vinhos to the Order of Santiago. This was followed up by donations of the castle of Monsanto and Abrantes. Given the poor relations between Afonso and Ferdinand II, the arrival of the Leonese order in Portugal is a little surprising. Nonetheless, the donation documents explicitly name Rodrigo Álvarez as the administrator of all three Portuguese donations. Although a founding knight of Santiago, Rodrigo Álvarez was known to be dissatisfied with its rules. So it is possible Afonso may have been trying to encourage a schism in the Order already at this stage. The foundation of the Order of Évora in 1175/76 reveal Afonso's keen interest in a Portugal-based order. Whatever the intentions of the original invitation, the Santiago knights evidently did not meet Afonso's expectations. The Order of Santiago would only return to Portugal after Afonso I's death.
Order of Saint James of the Sword
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Order of Saint James of the Sword Ordem de Sant'Iago da Espada
Order of Saint James of the Sword
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Afonso de Albuquerque, Portuguese governor of the Indies (1509–1515), wearing a cloak with the cross of the Order of Santiago
190.
Order of Prince Henry
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Minor reforms of the constitution of the Order occurred in 1980. The special distinction of Grand Collar can be awarded only to heads of state. Medals are characterized by equal stripes of blue, white and black and a ruby-enameled golden cross pattée. The stars of Grand Cross bear the inscription "Talant de bien faire". Honorific orders of Portugal List of the Grand Collar of the Order of Infante D. Henrique
Order of Prince Henry
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Order of Prince Henry Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique
191.
Qatar
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Its sole border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate until gaining independence in 1971. Qatar has been ruled since the early 19th century. Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani was the founder of the State of Qatar. Qatar is a hereditary monarchy and its head of state is Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Whether it should be regarded as an absolute monarchy is a matter of opinion. In 2003, the constitution was overwhelmingly approved with almost 98 % in favour. In 2013, Qatar's total population was million: 278,000 Qatari citizens and 1.5 million expatriates. Qatar is a developed country, backed by the world's third largest natural gas reserves and oil reserves. The country has the highest per income in the world. Qatar is the most advanced Arab state for human development. For its size, Qatar has been identified as a middle power. Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the Arab country to do so. A century later, Ptolemy produced the known map to depict the peninsula, referring to it as Catara. The map also referenced a town named "Cadara" to the east of the peninsula.
Qatar
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Dot carvings at Jebel Jassassiyeh, dating to c. 4000 BC.
Qatar
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Qatar
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A map of East Arabia in 1794.
Qatar
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A partially restored section of the ruined town of Zubarah.
192.
Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is an Arab state in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula. With a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2, Saudi Arabia is geographically the fifth-largest state in Asia and second-largest state in the Arab world after Algeria. It is separated from Israel and Egypt by the Gulf of Aqaba. Riyadh is the country's capital, located in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, most populous city in the country. The country has attracted criticism for its restrictions on women's rights and usage of capital punishment. The area of modern-day Saudi Arabia formerly consisted of four distinct regions: parts of Southern Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Ibn Saud. Saudi Arabia has since been an absolute monarchy, effectively a hereditary dictatorship governed along Islamic lines. The Kingdom has a total population of million, of which million are foreigners. The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Petroleum was discovered on 3 March 1938 and followed up by several other finds in the Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia has since become the world's largest oil producer and exporter, controlling the world's second largest oil reserves, the sixth largest gas reserves. However, the economy of Saudi Arabia is the least diversified in the Gulf Cooperation Council, lacking any significant service or production sector. Saudi Arabia is considered a regional and middle power. In addition to the GCC, it is an active member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and OPEC.
Saudi Arabia
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Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, the first king of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia political map
Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabian administrative regions and roadways map.
193.
Senegal
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Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country in West Africa. Senegal is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali to the east, Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. Senegal's political capital is Dakar. The name "Senegal" comes from the Wolof "Sunuu Gaal," which means "Our Boat." Senegal has an estimated population of about 13 million. There is a rainy season. The territory of modern Senegal has been inhabited by ethnic groups since prehistory. Parts of the country were ruled by prominent regional empires such as the Jolof Empire. Senegal peacefully has since been among the more politically stable countries in Africa. Senegal's economy is centered mostly on natural resources. Major industries are fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, ship construction and repair. Owing to its relative stability, hospitality are also burgeoning sectors. Senegal is predominantly Sunni Muslim with Sufi and animist influences. French is the official language, although native languages are spoken and recognized.
Senegal
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Slave traders in Gorée, 18th century.
Senegal
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Senegal
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Colonial Saint Louis c. 1900. Europeans and Africans on the Rue Lebon.
Senegal
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Macky Sall, current president of Senegal (2012 until now)
194.
South Africa
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world with close to 53 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Eastern Hemisphere. It is the only country that borders both the Indian Ocean. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of Asian, multiracial ancestry. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, among the highest number of any country in the world. Regular elections have been held for almost a century. However, the vast majority of black South Africans were not enfranchised until 1994. The National Party imposed apartheid in 1948, institutionalising racial segregation. Since 1994, all linguistic groups have had political representation in the country's democracy, which comprises a parliamentary republic and nine provinces. South Africa is often referred to as the "Rainbow Nation" to describe the country's newly multicultural diversity in the wake of segregationist apartheid ideology. The World Bank classifies a newly industrialised country. Its economy is the 34th-largest in the world. In terms of purchasing parity, South Africa has the seventh-highest per capita income in Africa.
South Africa
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Mapungubwe Hill, the site of the former capital of the Kingdom of Mapungubwe
South Africa
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Flag
South Africa
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Arrival of Jan van Riebeeck, the first European to settle in South Africa, with Devil's Peak in the background
South Africa
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Depiction of a Zulu attack on a Boer camp in February 1838
195.
Order of Good Hope
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The Order of Good Hope or Order of the Cape of Good Hope has been a knighthood order of the Republic of South Africa. President Nelson Mandela had announced his intention to reform the Order. Also the insignia was costing the government around 11,000 Rand per initiate. In its place was created the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo. Awarded for promoting international relations with the increasingly isolated apartheid state. The order was originally divided for heads of state only. Grand Cross – for heads of government, ministers of state, judges, presidents of legislatures, secretaries of state, ambassadors, commanders-in-chief, others. Grand Officer – for legislators, envoys, senior military officers, others. Commander – for chargés d'affaires, consuls-general, colonels, others. Officer – for consuls, lower-ranking military officers, others. The order was reorganised for excellent meritorious service. Grand Officer – for outstanding meritorious service. Commander – for exceptionally meritorious service. Officer – for meritorious service. Member – for exceptional service.
Order of Good Hope
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Order of Good Hope
196.
Spain
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Along with France and Morocco, it is one of only three countries to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. By population, Spain is the fifth in the European Union, after Italy. Largest city is Madrid, other major urban areas include Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and Málaga. Modern humans first arrived around 35,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, the area was later by the Moors. Spain is a democracy organised under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the world's fourteenth largest economy by nominal GDP and sixteenth largest by purchasing power parity. Jesús Luis Cunchillos argues that the root of the span is the Phoenician word spy, meaning "to forge metals". Therefore, i-spn-ya would mean "the land where metals are forged". Don Isaac Abravanel and Solomon ibn Verga, gave an explanation now considered folkloric. This man was a Grecian by birth, but, given a kingdom in Spain. He became related by marriage to the nephew of king Heracles, who also ruled over a kingdom in Spain. Based upon their testimonies, this eponym would have already been by c. 350 BCE. Iberia enters written records as a land populated largely by Basques and Celts. After an arduous conquest, the peninsula came under the rule of the Roman Empire.
Spain
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Lady of Elche
Spain
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Spain
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Altamira Cave paintings, in Cantabria.
Spain
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Celtic castro in A Guarda, Galicia.
197.
Order of the Golden Fleece
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It became one of the most prestigious orders in Europe. The chaplain of the Austrian branch is Archbishop of Vienna. It is increased to 30 in 1433, 50 in 1516, plus the sovereign. The Order's first King of Arms was Jean Le Fèvre de Saint-Remy. The officers of the order were the chancellor, the treasurer, the King of Arms, or herald, "Toison d'Or". He was succeeded by Philip V, a Bourbon. In either case the sovereign, as Duke of Burgundy, writes the letter of appointment in French. Other awards by Joseph, were revoked by King Ferdinand on the restoration of Bourbon rule in 1813. Wellington therefore became the first Protestant to be awarded the Golden Fleece. It has also been awarded to non-Christians, such as Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand. Her right to award the Fleece was challenged by Spanish Carlists. Knights of the Order are entitled to be addressed in front of their name. King Juan Carlos I of Spain – Former Sovereign of the Order as King of Spain from 1975 to 2014. "name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica.
Order of the Golden Fleece
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Order of the Golden Fleece Orden del Toisón de Oro Ordre de la Toison d'Or Orden vom Goldenen Vlies Ordo Velleris Aurei
Order of the Golden Fleece
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Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, with the collar of the Order (portrait in c.1450 by Rogier van der Weyden)
Order of the Golden Fleece
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Baudouin de Lannoy, c. 1435, one of the first Knights of the Golden Fleece, inducted in 1430
Order of the Golden Fleece
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The Duke of Wellington wearing the Spanish Fleece
198.
Order of Charles III
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Its objective is to reward people for their actions to the Crown. Since its creation, it has been the most distinguished civil award that can be granted in Spain, despite its categorisation as a military order. Today the Grand Master of the order is King Felipe VI of Spain. Although the Royal Decree of creation was in September 1771, Carlos III did not make public the orders that would regulate the distinction until 24 October. The reason for this lies in the origin of the Order. The orders of creation demanded two requirements: to be "worthy and affectionate of His Highness". In 1783 the classes were expanded to three with that of "Supernumerary Knights", whose level of importance was between the previous two. The benefits of the members of the Order were of a different nature, later increasing with Pius VI. The government of the Order became more complex, although in truth it was the treasurer who granted authorization and retributions. With Carlos IV of Spain some reforms were made to the dress and the distribution of colours in the distinctions. In the end, these were abolished by the Napoleonic king. The maximum number of Grand Crosses are limited to one hundred, not counting those accorded to Ministers. Knights Grand Cross of the Order are entitled to be addressed in front of their name. The orders is currently conferred in the following classes: Collar – restricted to 25 Spanish citizens. Grand Cross – restricted to 100 Spanish citizens.
Order of Charles III
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Order of Charles III
199.
Sweden
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Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. It is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund. At 450,295 square kilometres, Sweden is the third-largest country in the European Union by area, with a total population of over million. Sweden consequently has a low density of 21 inhabitants per square kilometre, with the highest concentration in the southern half of the country. Approximately 85% of the population lives in urban areas. Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times, constituting the sea peoples known as the Norsemen. Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural, while the north is heavily forested. Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia. The climate is in general very mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence, that in spite of this still retains continental summers. Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, with a monarch as head of state. The city is Stockholm, also the most populous city in the country. Legislative power is vested in the unicameral Riksdag. Executive power is exercised by the government chaired by the prime minister. Sweden is a unitary state, currently divided into 290 municipalities. Sweden emerged during the Middle Ages.
Sweden
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A Vendel-era helmet, at the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities.
Sweden
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Sweden
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A romantic nationalist interpretation of Valdemar IV taking control over Gotland. The final battle outside the walls of Visby in 1361 ended with a massacre of 1,800 defenders of the city.
Sweden
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Stockholm in mid-17th century
200.
Royal Order of the Seraphim
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The order is the foremost order of Sweden. The three above-mentioned Orders together with the Order of Vasa form the King. Foreign Knights are for the greater part Knights of the Order of the Seraphim. Until 1975 the sons of the Swedish monarch received a miniature version of the order at their baptism. At present the daughters of the Swedish monarch do not become knights and members of the Order until they are eighteen years of age. Daughter of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill, also received the order at her baptism on June 8, 2014. This is unsubstantiated. No Swedish sources account for an ancient Order of the Seraphim. Similarly, John III had bestowed the Order of the Name of Jesus in 1569. It also did not survive her reign. Also like the royal orders of chivalry the breast stars of the Swedish orders similarly took the form of silver crosses. The central medallion is also in blue enamel, with the white-enamelled letters "FRS", the founder of the Order. The badge hangs from enamelled royal crown. The infant-sized badge is slightly smaller than the regular one. The ribbon of the Order is pale blue, referred to as seraphim blue.
Royal Order of the Seraphim
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The Royal Order of the Seraphim Kungliga Serafimerorden
Royal Order of the Seraphim
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The smaller badge and sash on infant Princess Estelle on 22 May 2012
Royal Order of the Seraphim
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The regular-sized badge and sash on Prince Daniel
Royal Order of the Seraphim
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Collar and badge of the Order of the Seraphim.
201.
Thailand
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Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is a country at the centre of the Indochinese peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total area of approximately 513,000 km2, Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country. It is the 20th-most-populous country in the world, with around million people. Largest city is Bangkok. Most populous city is Bangkok. Its maritime boundaries include Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The Thai economy is the world's 20th largest by nominal GDP and the 27th largest by GDP at PPP. It became a major exporter in the 1990s. Manufacturing, tourism are leading sectors of the economy. It is considered a middle power around the world. The country has always been called Mueang Thai by its citizens. By outsiders prior to 1949, it was usually known by the exonym Siam. The Siam has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyāma. A-hom seem to be variants of the same word. The Śyâma is possibly not its origin, but a learned and artificial distortion.
Thailand
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The ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram at Ayutthaya.
Thailand
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Thailand
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Stupas, Ayutthaya Historical Park.
Thailand
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Pottery discovered near Ban Chiang in Udon Thani Province, the earliest dating to 2100 BCE.
202.
The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
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The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn is the highest royal order of Thailand. It was established on 11 June 1962 by King Rama IX to be bestowed upon foreign heads of state. Members of the order are entitled to use the postnominals ร.ม.ภ. The decoration consists of a single class. The insignia for this class is: Collar with the pendant, with the Chakra crossed over the Trident, at the centre. Small pendant, attached onto the yellow sash, with white and blue trims, to wear over the right shoulder to the left hip. Star on the Garuda to wear on the left breast. The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn, Secretariat to the Cabinet of Thailand
The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
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The Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นมงคลยิ่งราชมิตราภรณ์
203.
Ukraine
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Including Crimea, Ukraine has an area of 603,628 km2, making the largest country entirely within Europe and the 46th largest country in the world. It has a population of about million, making it the 32nd most populous country in the world. The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC. Two brief periods of independence occurred during the 20th century, once near another during World War II. Following independence, Ukraine declared a neutral state. Nonetheless it formed a limited military partnership with NATO in 1994. In the 2000s, a deeper cooperation with the alliance was set by the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan signed in 2002. It was later agreed that the question of joining NATO should be answered at some point in the future. Former President Viktor Yanukovych was against Ukraine joining NATO. These events formed the background by Russia in March 2014, the War in Donbass in April 2014. Both are still ongoing as of December 2016. On 1 Ukraine applied the economic part of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the European Union. It remains one of the world's largest grain exporters. The diversified economy of Ukraine includes a heavy industry sector, particularly in aerospace and industrial equipment. Ukraine is a unitary republic under a semi-presidential system with separate powers: legislative, judicial branches.
Ukraine
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Gold Scythian pectoral, or neckpiece, from a royal kurgan in Ordzhonikidze, dated to the 4th century BC
Ukraine
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Flag
Ukraine
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Principalities of Kievan Rus', 1054-1132
Ukraine
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The baptism of the Grand Prince Vladimir led to the adoption of Christianity in Kievan Rus'.
204.
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
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The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise is an award of Ukraine. It is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of the Ukrainian nation. The Order was instituted by Leonid Kuchma. The Order is awarded in five grades and has a blue ribbon with a yellow stripe on each edge. Media related to Order of the Yaroslav the Great at Wikimedia Commons
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
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Star of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise on a shoulder sash
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
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Badges
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
205.
United Arab Emirates
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In 2013, the UAE's population was 9.2 million, of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates. The country is a federation of seven emirates, was established on December 2nd, 1971. The constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Each emirate is governed by an absolute monarch; together, they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council. One of the monarchs is selected as the President of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE's oil reserves are the seventh-largest in the world, while its natural gas reserves are the world's seventeenth-largest. Nevertheless, the country remains principally reliant on its export of petroleum and natural gas. The UAE is criticised for its human rights record, including the specific interpretations of Shari'a used in its legal system. The UAE's rising international profile has led some analysts to identify it as a regional and middle power. It appears the land of the Emirates has been occupied for thousands of years. There is no proof of contact with the outside world at that stage, although in time it developed with civilisations in Mesopotamia and Iran. This contact persisted and became wide-ranging, probably motivated by trade in copper from the Hajar Mountains, which commenced around 3000 BCE. In ancient times, Al Hasa was part of Al Bahreyn and adjoined Greater Oman. Sassanid groups were present on the Batinah coast. In 637, Julfar was an important port, used as a staging post for the Islamic invasion of the Sassanian Empire.
United Arab Emirates
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Dubai in 1950; the area in this photo shows Bur Dubai in the foreground (centered on Al-Fahidi Fort); Deira in middle-right on the other side of the creek; and Al Shindagha (left) and Al Ras (right) in the background across the creek again from Deira
United Arab Emirates
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Flag
United Arab Emirates
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Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was the first President of UAE.
United Arab Emirates
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View of Sharjah city
206.
Order of the Garter
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It is dedicated to the image and arms of England's patron saint. It is awarded as a personal gift on recipients from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms. Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales, Companions. The order also includes supernumerary ladies. New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St George's Day, as Saint George is the order's saint. The order's emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal pense in gold lettering. Members of the order wear it on ceremonial occasions. King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter to the French throne. The list includes Sir Sanchet D'Abrichecourt, who died on 20 October 1345. Other dates from 1344 to 1351 have also been proposed. The King's account shows Garter habits first issued in the autumn of 1348. The earliest written mention of the Order is found in a chivalric romance written in Catalan mainly by Valencian Joanot Martorell. It was first published in 1490. This book devotes a chapter to the description of the origin of the Order of the Garter. 1431.
Order of the Garter
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Most Noble Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
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Arms of the Order of the Garter.
Order of the Garter
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Representation of the garter on a Knight's mantle
Order of the Garter
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Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Lancaster (d.1361) (later Duke of Lancaster), the second recipient of the Order, shown wearing his garter robes in an illustration from the 1430 Bruges Garter Book made by William Bruges (1375–1450), first Garter King of Arms
207.
Royal Victorian Order
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The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. Queen Elizabeth II, is the Sovereign of the order, its motto is Victoria, its official day is 20 June. The order's chapel is the Savoy Chapel in London. The organisation was founded a year so as to give the Queen time to complete a list of first inductees. The order's official day was made 20 June of each year, marking the anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne. It is today distinct from the order, though it is officially issued by the chancery of the Royal Victorian Order. Queen Elizabeth II then appointed Anne, Princess Royal, to the position in 2007. Foreigners may be admitted as honorary members, there are no limits to the number of any grade, promotion is possible. Prior to 1984, the grades of Lieutenant and Member were both with the post-nominals MVO. On 31 December of that year, Queen Elizabeth II declared that those in the grade of Member would henceforth be Lieutenants with the post-nominals LVO. Upon admission into the Royal Victorian Order, members are given various insignia of each grade being represented by different emblems and robes. Reg. Def. Fid. and Ind. Imp.. Though after the death of a Knight or Dame Grand Cross their insignia may be retained by their family, the collar must be returned.
Royal Victorian Order
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Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
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Queen Victoria pictured at age 81, four years after she founded the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
208.
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
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The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. A total of 138,214 medals were awarded, including: 11,561 to Australians. 12,500 to Canadians. The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal is 1.25 inches in diameter. There is no legend. The reverse shows the Royal Cypher "EIIR", surmounted by a large crown. The legend around the edge reads "QUEEN ELIZABETH II CROWNED 2nd JUNE 1953". The medal was designed by Cecil Thomas. The medals were issued except for the 37 issued to the British Mount Everest Expedition. These were engraved "MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDITION" on the rim. Some orders of precedence are as follows: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
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Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
209.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
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The republics of Serbia and Montenegro together established a federation as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Those claims were opposed by other former republics. The United Nations also denied its request to automatically continue the membership of the former state. It was admitted on 1 November 2000. The FRY was initially dominated by Slobodan Milošević as President of Serbia and then President of Yugoslavia. Milošević forced the removal of several federal presidents and prime ministers. However, the Montenegrin government, initially enthusiastic supporters of Milošević, started gradually distancing themselves from his policies. A loose union, Serbia and Montenegro were united only in certain realms, such as defense. On 21 May 2006, 55.5 % of voters voted in favor of independence. The union came to an end after Montenegro's formal declaration of independence on 3 June 2006, Serbia's formal declaration of independence on 5 June. After the dissolution, Serbia became the legal successor of the union, while Montenegro re-applied in international organizations. With the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe, the new state followed the wave of democratic change. Yugoslavia's collapse began in 1991 when Slovenia, the Republic of Macedonia declared independence. On 26 Serbia, Montenegro, the Serb rebel-held territories in Croatia agreed that they would form a new "third Yugoslavia". The FRY was suspended from a number of international institutions.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
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The Zašto? ("Why?") Monument, dedicated to the employees of the Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) who were killed during NATO bombing of the RTS building in 1999.
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
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Flag
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
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A Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport
210.
Order of the Yugoslav Star
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Order of the Yugoslav Star was the highest National order of merit awarded in Yugoslavia. It was divided into four classes. The Yugoslav Great Star was the highest decoration awarded in Yugoslavia. The order was mostly awarded for the development and strengthening between nations. The Order of the Yugoslav Star was also the second highest order of merit in Serbia and Montenegro. Order of the Yugoslav Star was founded by the President of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito on 1 February 1954 and had three Classes. In the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Order of the Yugoslav Star was the second highest order after the Order of Yugoslavia. Up to 1985, the Yugoslav Great Star was awarded 127 times of which 115 to foreigners and 12 to Yugoslav citizens.
Order of the Yugoslav Star
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Ribbon
211.
Zaire
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The state's name derived from the name of the Congo River, sometimes called Zaire in Portuguese, adapted from nzadi. The state was a one-party state and dictatorship, run by Mobutu Sese Seko and his ruling Popular Movement of the Revolution party. Foreign assets were nationalized. A wider campaign of Authenticité, ridding the country of the influences from the colonial era of the Belgian Congo, was also launched under Mobutu's direction. By the time of its disestablishment, Mobutu's rule was characterized by widespread cronyism, economic mismanagement. The state collapsed amid the destabilization of eastern Zaire in the aftermath of the Rwandan Civil War and growing ethnic violence. With rebel forces making gains in the east, Mobutu fled the country, leaving Kabila's forces in charge. As in 1960, the division of power in Congo-Léopoldville between President and Parliament led to a stalemate and threatened the country's stability. Joseph-Désiré Mobutu again seized power. Unlike the first time, however, Mobutu assumed the presidency, rather than remaining behind the scenes. Rejection of the legacy of the First Republic went far beyond rhetoric. In the first two years of its existence, the new regime turned to the urgent tasks of political consolidation. Creating a new basis of legitimacy for the state, in the form of a single party, came next in Mobutu's order of priority. By 1976, however, this effort had begun to generate its inner contradictions, thus paving the way for the resurrection of a Bula Matari system. By 1967, Mobutu proceeded to give the country a new constitution and a single party.
Zaire
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Mobutu was the president of Zaire from 1965 to 1997.
Zaire
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Flag
212.
National Order of the Leopard
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The National Order of the Leopard is the highest honorific decoration of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was instituted on 24 May 1966 in the ordonnance-law n° 66-330 by the President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. Its rewards civil merits rendered to the Republic. The President of the Republic is the Grand Chancellor of the Order. Its administration is in the care of the Chancellor. A famous "incident" happened about honorific orders. See this photo illustrating the fact...
National Order of the Leopard
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Ribbon bar of the order (DR Congo)
213.
Awards, lectures and medals of the Royal Society
Awards, lectures and medals of the Royal Society
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The premises of The Royal Society, who present the various awards, prize lectures and medals
214.
Scout Association of Japan
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The Scout Association of Japan is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Membership at the end of March 2012 was 143,272. Scouting was introduced to Japan in the autumn of 1909 by ambassador Akizuki Satsuo and Japanese teacher Hōjō Tokiyuki, who had visited England in 1908. In 1911, General Maresuke Nogi went on Prince Yorihito Higashifushimi for the coronation of King George V. The general, also known as the "Defender of Port Arthur" was introduced to the "Defender of Mafeking". The Scout troop in Yokohama welcomed Baden-Powell on 2 April 1912. The 1st Yokohama, as it was called, was registered as a British Troop Abroad. A Scoutmaster Warrant for Clarence Griffin were issued by Baden-Powell. With this registration only those with British nationality were able to "officially" join the troop, although this rule seems to have been loosely enforced. In 1918, at the urging of missionary Bro. Joseph Janning, the Group registration was changed to "international" and boys of all nationalities were officially allowed to join the troop. In 1923 this Group became the first directly registered Group of the newly formed Boy Scout International Bureau. The Troop remains active in Yokohama as the International Boy Scouts, 1. During his short 1912 visit to Japan Baden-Powell did, however, see something of an old time youth movement. During this homegrown Japanese troops began to develop and existed alongside expatriate troops in Yokohama, Kobe and Osaka.
Scout Association of Japan
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Japanese Boy Scouts - Yokohama, 1912 (from The Japan Gazette, 3 April 1912)
Scout Association of Japan
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Scout Association of Japan
Scout Association of Japan
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Scouts asking for donations after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
215.
Line of succession to the Japanese throne
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The current line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne is based on the Imperial Household Law. At present, only males are allowed to succeed to the throne. The list below contains all princes currently eligible to succeed to the throne. The Imperial House Law of 1889 was the Japanese law to regulate the imperial succession. In all instances, the succession proceeded to the youngest. In the majority of cases, male heirs of an emperor were favoured over those born to concubines. The amendment provided for princes to leave the imperial family, either by imperial sanction. They were then assumed the status of nobles with the peerage titles of marquis or count, thereby becoming subjects. Alternatively, a prince could succeed to the headship of an imperial family line as a noble. Prince Fushimi Kuniie had 17 sons in all by various concubines, of whom five begat oke that were extant as of 1947. A 1907 amendment to the Imperial House Law further reduced the number of imperial princes eligible to succeed to the throne. The Kuni, Kaya, Asaka, Higashikuni, Takeda and Kitashirakawa collateral branches remain extant as of 2015. The present head of the head of the Kitashirakawa branch lack male heirs to continue their lineages, however. Debate over the imperial succession was first raised after the Shōwa Emperor's accession. As known nationalist with radical leanings, the prince enjoyed close relations with the rightist faction in the military.
Line of succession to the Japanese throne
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Crown Prince Naruhito is heir apparent to the Japanese throne
216.
Emperor Meiji
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Before it went old Japan; after it came new Japan." Having ruled during the Meiji period, the Emperor is thus posthumously known as "the Meiji Emperor" or simply "Emperor Meiji". His personal name, not used except for his signature, was Mutsuhito. The Tokugawa shogunate had established itself in the 17th century. Under its rule, the shogun governed Japan. About 180 lords, known as daimyo, ruled autonomous realms under the shogun, who did not tax them. The shogun controlled the daimyo in other ways; the shogun could divest a daimyo of his lands. Under it, the Emperor was required to devote his time to the arts. The Emperors under the shogunate appear to have closely adhered to this code, devoting time to poetry and calligraphy. They were only taught the rudiments of geography. The shogun did not seek the advice of the Emperor for his actions. Few Emperors lived enough to retire; of the Meiji Emperor's five predecessors, only his grandfather lived into his forties, dying aged forty-six. Soon after taking control in the early century, shogunate officials ended much Western trade with Japan, barred missionaries from the islands. In addition to the Chinese trade, only the Dutch continued trade with Japan, maintaining a post on the island of Dejima by Nagasaki. However, by the 19th century, European and American vessels appeared in the waters around Japan with increasing frequency.
Emperor Meiji
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Emperor Meiji 明治天皇
Emperor Meiji
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Teenager Meiji Emperor with foreign representatives at the end of the Boshin War, 1868–1870
Emperor Meiji
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The young Meiji emperor, 1872, albumen silver print by Uchida Kuichi
Emperor Meiji
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The young Meiji emperor in military dress, by Uchida Kuichi in 1873
217.
Nakayama Yoshiko
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Nakayama Yoshiko was a Japanese lady-in-waiting in the court of the Imperial House of Japan. She was the mother of Emperor Meiji. Nakayama Yoshiko was the daughter of Lord Nakayama Tadayasu, a member of the Fujiwara clan. Her mother was Matsura Aiko, Matsura Seizan. She was entered service of the court at the age of 17. She returned to the Palace five years later. Her son was the eldest of six born to Emperor Komei. After the Meiji Restoration, she relocated to the new capital at the behest of the Emperor. She is buried in Bunkyo, Tokyo.
Nakayama Yoshiko
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Lady Yoshiko
Nakayama Yoshiko
218.
Yanagihara Naruko
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A concubine of Emperor Meiji, she was the natural mother of the last concubine to have given birth to a reigning Japanese emperor. During her lifetime, Lady Naruko was described as an intelligent, gentle lady, admired by all in the harem. She was noted as calligrapher. She was appointed gon no tenji on 20 February 1873. On 23 she gave birth to Yukihito, Prince Take, who also died of meningitis before his first birthday, on 26 July 1878. On 31 August 1879, she gave birth to the only one to survive into adulthood, the future Emperor Taishō. The extremely difficult birth resulted in Lady Naruko becoming hysterical, crying and screaming through the delivery. On 6 the emperor named his son Yoshihito, later giving him the title of Prince Haru. As a result of her delicate health following her son's birth, she never again served the emperor as a lady of the bedchamber. In 1902, she was officially appointed as an imperial lady-in-waiting. However, she was permitted to be present at her son's deathbed in December 1926. Lady Naruko died on 16 October 1943, aged 84, in the reign of her Hirohito, having outlived her son by nearly two decades. She was buried in Nakameguro Yūtenji in Tokyo.
Yanagihara Naruko
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Yanagihara Naruko
219.
Empress Teimei
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Empress Teimei was empress consort of Emperor Taishō of Japan. Born Sadako Kujō, she was the mother of Emperor Shōwa. Teimei, means "enlightened constancy". Sadako Kujō was born on June 1884 in Tokyo, as the fourth daughter of Duke Michitaka Kujō, head of Kujō branch of the Fujiwara clan. Her mother was Ikuko Noma. She married May 1900. The couple lived in Tokyo outside of the main Tokyo Imperial Palace complex. She became Empress when her husband ascended to the throne on 30 July 1912. Given her husband's weak physical and mental condition, she was an active patron of Japanese Red Cross Society. After the death of Emperor Taishō on 25 December 1926, her title became that of Dowager Empress. She openly objected in World War II, which might have caused conflict with her son, Hirohito. From 1943, she also worked with her third son Prince Takamatsu to bring about the downfall of Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō. Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-019314-0; OCLC 247018161 Fujitani, Takashi.
Empress Teimei
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Empress Teimei 貞明皇后
Empress Teimei
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The newly crowned Empress Teimei in jūnihitoe, 1912
Empress Teimei
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Crown Princess Sadako on her wedding day in 1900
Empress Teimei
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Empress Teimei's four sons in 1921: Hirohito, Takahito, Nobuhito and Yasuhito
220.
Prince Kuni Asahiko
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Prince Kuni Asahiko, was a member of a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family who played a key role in the Meiji Restoration. Prince Asahiko was an adopted son of later a close advisor to Emperor Kōmei and Emperor Meiji. The future Prince Asahiko acquired several more titles and names over the years. He was often known as Prince Nakagawa. He was a half-brother of Prince Yamashina Akira, Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito, Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa, Prince Kan ` in Kotohito. He was transferred to Ichijō-in, an abbacy of Kōfuku-ji in Nara in 1836. In 1838, he was adopted by Emperor Ninkō. He succeeded an uncle as the abbot of Kōfuku-ji and formally entered the priesthood under the title Sonya Hoshinnō. He was also known after the location of that temple. During this period, the prince became an outspoken advocate of the expulsion of all foreigners from Japan. His popularity among the Ishin Shishi attracted the attention of Ii Naosuke, the Tairō during the final illness of Shogun, Tokugawa Iesada. When Ii launched the Ansei Purge, the prince was condemned at Shōkoku-ji. He spent more than two years living in a dilapidated hut. This disrespectful treatment of the prince enraged the shishi, who made his one of their principal objectives. In 1862, the prince received the title Nakagawa no miya.
Prince Kuni Asahiko
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Prince Kuni Asahiko 久邇宮 朝彦親王
221.
Imperial Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni
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Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi was a member of the Japanese imperial family and a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Meiji and Taishō periods. He was the father of Empress Kōjun, therefore, the maternal grandfather of the present emperor of Japan, Akihito. Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi was born in Kyoto, the court lady Isume Makiko. In 1872, Emperor Meiji authorized him to begin a new branch of the imperial family. Prince Kuniyoshi succeeded upon his father's death on 29 October 1891. For his war services he was awarded the Order of the Golden Kite. He then was assigned to the 3rd Regiment of the Imperial Guards Division. From 1907 to 1910, he was attached to Second Regiment of the Prussian Foot Guards. He was promoted to colonel in December 1910. Upon returning to Japan, Prince Kuni rose to given command of the 38th Infantry Regiment. Later he rose to the rank of lieutenant general in August 1917 and commander of the IJA 15th Division. Along with that command, he received the additional post of chief priest of Meiji Shrine. Prince Kuni became a member of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff in August 1923. An early advocate of one of his protégés was Yamamoto Isoroku, the future admiral and commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Prince Kuni's death occurred soon after he arrived at his villa of an acute onset of an undisclosed disease.
Imperial Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni
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HIH Prince Kuni Kuniyoshi
Imperial Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni
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1920, Prince Kuni and his family
222.
Shimazu Hisamitsu
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Prince Shimazu Hisamitsu, also known as Shimazu Saburō, was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. The younger brother of Hisamitsu served as regent for his underage son Tadayoshi, who became the 12th and last lord. Hisamitsu was instrumental in the efforts of the southern Satsuma, Chōshū, Tosa clans to bring down the Tokugawa Shogunate. Hisamitsu held no Kami 大隈守. In the Meiji Era, he was created prince in the kazoku nobility. He was returned to the Shimazu family while still a child. At age eight, he was adopted into a branch family of the main Shimazu house. Kanenoshin, now named Matajirō, took the adult name Tadayuki. Following his marriage to the daughter of the previous Shigetomi lord, Tadakimi, he inherited family headship. He was supported as a candidate for succession during the Oyura Disturbance. Tadayuki gained a position of primacy in Satsuma, due to his status as the lord's father. It was then that he changed his name to Hisamitsu. It was from a stay in Edo when three English men on horseback offended his retainers by refusing to dismount or stand aside. Hisamitsu remained at the core of the kōbu-gattai movement in Kyoto, with men of the Chōshū Domain. He retired soon after the Meiji Restoration.
Shimazu Hisamitsu
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Shimazu Hisamitsu
223.
Shimazu Tadayoshi (2nd)
Shimazu Tadayoshi (2nd)
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Shimazu Tadayoshi
224.
Emperor Jimmu
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Emperor Jimmu, (original birth name of Shinto: Kamu-Yamato-Iware-Biko no Mikoto, was the first Emperor of Japan, according to legend. His accession is traditionally dated as 660 BCE. He launched a military expedition from Hyuga near the Inland Sea, established this as his center of power. In modern Japan, Jimmu's accession is marked as National Foundation Day on February 11. Jimmu is recorded as Japan's first ruler in two early chronicles, Nihon Shoki. Nihon Shoki gives the dates of his reign as 660–585 BC. Prior to this time, these rulers had been known as no mikoto / ōkimi. This practice took root after the Taika Reforms with the ascendancy of the Nakatomi clan. Both the Nihon Shoki give Jimmu's name as Kamu-yamato Iware-biko no mikoto. Iware indicates a toponym whose precise purport is unclear. The Imperial House of Japan traditionally based its claim from the sun-goddess Amaterasu via Jimmu's great grandfather Ninigi. In Japanese mythology, the Age of the Gods is the period before Jimmu's accession. Jimmu figures as a direct descendant of Amaterasu via the side of his father, Ugayafukiaezu. Through him a grandson named Ninigi-no-Mikoto. She sent her grandson to the Japanese islands where he eventually married Konohana-Sakuya-hime.
Emperor Jimmu
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Jimmu
Emperor Jimmu
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Depiction of a bearded Jimmu with his emblematic long bow and an accompanying wild bird. This 19th century artwork is by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.
Emperor Jimmu
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Unebi Goryō, the mausoleum of Jimmu in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture.
Emperor Jimmu
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The inner prayer hall of Kashihara Shrine in Kashihara, Nara, the principal shrine devoted to Jimmu
225.
Emperor Tenji
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Emperor Tenji, also known as Emperor Tenchi, was the 38th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Tenji's reign spanned the years from 661 through 671. He was the son of Emperor Jomei, but was preceded as ruler by his mother Empress Saimei. Prior to his accession, he was known as Prince Naka-no-Ōe. As prince, Naka no Ōe played a crucial role in ending the near-total control the Soga clan had over the imperial family. Soga no Emishi, committed suicide soon after. Following the Isshi Incident, Iruka's adherents dispersed largely without a fight, Naka no Ōe was named heir apparent. He also married the daughter of his ally Soga no Kurayamada, thus ensuring that a significant portion of the Soga clan's power was on his side. Naka no Ōe reigned as Emperor Tenji from 661 to 672. Shortly after, she died, Emperor Tenji could be said to have acceded to the throne. 662: Tenji is said to have compiled the first Japanese legal code known to modern historians. The Ōmi Code, consisting of 22 volumes, was promulgated in the last year of Tenji's reign. 668: An account in Nihon Shoki becomes the first mention of petrochemical oil in Japan. In the 7th year of Tenji's reign, flammable water was presented as an offering to Emperor Tenji from Echigo Province. This presentation coincided with the emperor's ceremonial confirmation as emperor.
Emperor Tenji
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(From Ogura Hyakunin Isshu)
Emperor Tenji
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Tenji
226.
Emperor Kanmu
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Emperor Kanmu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned to 806. Kanmu's personal name was Yamabe. He was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne. According to the Shoku Nihongi, Yamato no Niigasa, was a 10th generation descendant of Muryeong of Baekje. After his father became Kanmu's half-brother, Prince Osabe was appointed to the rank of crown prince. His mother was a daughter of Emperor Shōmu; but instead of Osabe, it was Kanmu, later named to succeed their father. After Inoe and Prince Osabe were then died in 775, Osabe's sister -- Kanmu's half-sister Princess Sakahito -- became Kanmu's wife. Later, when he ascended in 781, Kanmu appointed his young brother, Prince Sawara, whose mother was Takano no Niigasa, as crown prince. In 785 Sawara was died in exile. Kanmu had 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the imperial throne: Emperor Heizei, Emperor Junna. Some of his descendants in later generations became prominent warriors. Examples include Taira no Masakado, the Hōjō clan. The poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his grandsons.
Emperor Kanmu
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Kanmu
Emperor Kanmu
227.
Emperor Saga
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Emperor Saga (嵯峨天皇, Saga-tennō, was the 52nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign spanned the years through 823. Saga was the second son of Fujiwara no Otomuro. His personal name was Kamino. Saga was an "accomplished calligrapher" able to compose in Chinese who held the imperial poetry competitions. According to legend, he was the Japanese emperor to drink tea. Saga is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Saganoyamanoe no Misasagi, in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, as the location of Saga's mausoleum. 806 Saga became the prince at age 21. Thereafter, Emperor Saga is said to have acceded to the throne. Soon after his enthronement, Saga himself took ill. This same Tamuramaro is remembered in Aomori's annual neputa matsuri which feature a number of gigantic, specially-constructed, illuminated paper floats. These great lantern-structures are colorfully painted with mythical figures; and teams of men carry them through the streets as crowds shout encouragement. August 24, 842: Saga died at the age of 57. The years of Saga's reign are more specifically identified by more than one name. Daidō Kōnin In ancient Japan, there were the Gempeitōkitsu.
Emperor Saga
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Emperor Saga 嵯峨天皇
Emperor Saga
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Cry for noble Saichō (哭最澄上人), which was written by Emperor Saga for Saichō's death. Saga was a scholar of the Chinese classics. He was also renowned as a skillful calligrapher. Chinese calligraphic influence had been weakened after the Heian period; this text was an example of the different way it was evolving in Japan.
228.
Emperor Uda
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Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years through 897. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadami or Chōjiin-tei. Emperor Uda was the third son of Emperor Kōkō. His mother was a daughter of Prince Nakano. Uda had 20 Imperial children. Particularly important sons include: Prince Atsuhito. Prince Atsumi. In ancient Japan, there were the Gempeitōkitsu. One of the Minamoto clan, is also known as Genji. Some of Uda's grandchildren were granted Minamoto. In order to distinguish Uda's descendants from Genji, they became known as the Uda Genji. Some of the Uda Genji moved to known as Sasaki clan or Ōmi Genji. Among the Uda Genji, a son of Prince Atsumi succeeded in the court. Masazane became sadaijin.
Emperor Uda
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Uda
Emperor Uda
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A garden at Ninnaji
229.
Emperor Daigo
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Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Before his ascension of the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Atsuhito or Ono-tei. Atsuhito-shinnō was the eldest son of Emperor Uda. His mother was daughter of the minister of the center, Fujiwara no Takafuji. He succeeded the throne after the Emperor Uda, abdicated in 897. Daigo had 21 empresses, concubines; he had 36 imperial sons and daughters. The name was changed in 898 to mark the beginning of Emperor Daigo's reign. The highlight of Daigo's 34-year reign was that he ruled without the regency of the Fujiwara clan though he himself was part Fujiwara. July 6, 897: In the 10th year of Uda-tennō's reign, Emperor Uda abdicated; and his eldest son received the succession. 897: Emperor Daigo formally acceded to the throne. December 7, 899: The sun entered into the winter solstice, all the great officials of the empire presented themselves in Daigo's court. February 2, 900: Daigo went to visit his father in the place Uda had chosen to live after the abdication. 900: The former Emperor Uda traveled to Mount Kōya in what is now Wakayama prefecture to the south of Osaka.
Emperor Daigo
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Emperor Daigo
Emperor Daigo
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
Emperor Daigo
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calligraphy
230.
Emperor Murakami
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Emperor Murakami was the 62nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Murakami's reign spanned the years to his death in 967. Before he ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Nariakira-shinnō. Nariakira-shinnō was the younger brother of Emperor Suzaku by another mother. Murakami had 19 Imperial sons and daughters. He had a very nice biwa called Kenjō. In 944, he was ascended the throne two years later. 16 May 946: In the 16th year of the reign of Emperor Suzaku, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his younger brother, Nariakira-shinnō. 31 May 946: Shortly thereafter, Emperor Murakami, 21 years old, acceded to the throne. Murakami's maternal uncle Fujiwara no Tadahira remained until 949. The brothers Fujiwara no Saneyori and Fujiwara no Morosuke became the facto rulers of Japan. 23 October 949: The former-Emperor Yōzei died at the age of 82. 951: The emperor ordered the compilation of Gosen Wakashū; this work was undertaken by the Five Men of the Pear Chamber under his patronage. 6 September 952: The former-Emperor Suzaku died at the age of 30. Murakami was a central figure in Heian culture.
Emperor Murakami
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Murakami
231.
Emperor Go-Suzaku
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Emperor Go-Suzaku was the 69th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Suzaku's reign spanned the years through 1045. Thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Suzaku". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Atsunaga-shinnō. His father was Emperor Ichijō. His mother was the daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga. He was heir to Emperor Go-Ichijō. Go-Suzaku had seven Imperial children. May 15, 1036: In the 9th year of Emperor Go-Ichijō's reign, he died; and the succession was received by his son. 1036: Emperor Go-Suzaku is said to have acceded to the throne. February 5, 1045: Emperor Go-Suzaku abdicated. February 7, 1045: The former-Emperor Go-Suzaku died at the age of 37. His reign has lasted nine years -- five in the nengō Chōryaku, 2 in Kantoku. The actual site of Go-Suzaku's grave is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at Kyoto.
Emperor Go-Suzaku
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Decorative emblems (kiri) of the Hosokawa clan are found at Ryoan-ji. Go-Suzaku is amongst six other emperors entombed near what had been the residence of Hosokawa Katsumoto before the Ōnin War.
232.
Emperor Shirakawa
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Emperor Shirakawa was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō. He was the eldest son of Fujiwara Shigeko. Shirakawa had one Imperial Consort and nine Imperial sons and daughters. 1074–1077 Imperial Prince Atsufumi 1075–1105 Prince Kakugyō —Buddhist Priest 1076–1096 Imperial Princess??, Empress Dowager Ikuyoshi 1076–1131 Imperial Princess?? —Rokkaku >saigū 1078–1144 Imperial Princess?? —saigū 1079–1107 Imperial Princes Taruhito —Emperor Horikawa 1081–1156 Imperial Princess?? —Tsuchimikado Saiin 1090–???? Imperial Princess?? —Saiin 1092–1153 Prince?? —Buddhist Priest 1093–1132 Imperial Princess Junko —Higuchi saigū 樋口斎宮 1094–1137 Prince?? —Buddhist Priest 1101–1165 Gyōkei —High Priest 1128–???? Engyō? ?? 1057–1084 Empress: Fujiwara no Kenshi —daughter of Minamoto Akifusa, adopted by Fujiwara Morozane; mother of Emperor Horikawa 1042–1132 Court Lady: Fujiwara??
Emperor Shirakawa
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
233.
Emperor Horikawa
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Emperor Horikawa was the 73rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Horikawa's reign spanned the years through 1107. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Taruhito-shinnō. He was also known as Yoshihito-tennō. Horikawa was the son of Emperor Shirakawa. His mother was Fujiwara no Kenshi, adopted daughter of Fujiwara Morozane. 1099–1162 Imperial Princess?? 1103–1156 Imperial Prince Munehito – note: raised by his father, Emperor Shirakawa after Munehito's mother's death 1103–1159 Kangyō – High Priest 1105–1162 Prince?? – Buddhist Priest; head priest of Tendai sect Imperial Princess Kishi Imperial Princess?? He became Crown Prince and became emperor on the same day that his father abdicated. His reign was overshadowed by the cloistered rule of former emperor Emperor Shirakawa. January 3, 1087: In the 14th year of Emperor Shirakawa-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his second son. Thereafter, Emperor Horikawa is said to have acceded to the throne. His father's kampaku, Fujiwara Morozane became sesshō, but Shirakawa held actual power as cloistered Emperor. Horikawa filled his reign with scholarship, music.
Emperor Horikawa
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Decorative emblems (kiri) of the Hosokawa clan are found at Ryoan-ji. Horikawa is amongst six other emperors entombed near what had been the residence of Hosokawa Katsumoto before the Ōnin War.
234.
Emperor Toba
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Emperor Toba was the 74th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Toba's reign spanned the years through 1123. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Munehito-shinnō. He was the son of Emperor Horikawa. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Ishi Toba had three Empresses, 14 imperial sons and daughters. – Yoshida saigū Lady of Kasuga, daughter of Tokudaiji Saneyosi 1145–1208 Imperial Princess Shōshi/Nobuko Lady of Fujitsubo, daughter of Tachibana no Toshitsuna Shin-yo? – Buddhist Priestess Lady of Tosa, daughter of Minamoto no Mitsuyasu Daughter of Fujiwara no Sanehira Takamatsunomiya Unknown Prince Saichū? – Buddhist Priest Imperial Prince Dōka? When his mother died, former-Emperor Shirakawa, took him under his care and raised him. Thereafter, Emperor Toba is said to have acceded to the throne. During the initial years of Toba's reign, the actual power was held in a process known as cloistered rule. 1110: The Miidera-ji burned down. This was the second time the temple was destroyed by the first time being in 1081. February 25, 1123: In the 17th year of Emperor Toba's reign, Toba was forced to abdicate by his grandfather, retired-Emperor Shirakawa. Toba gave up the throne in favor of his son Akihito, who would become Emperor Sutoku.
Emperor Toba
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Toba
235.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
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Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1287. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Masahito-shinnō. He was the fourth son of Emperor Toba. His mother was Shōko, the daughter of Fujiwara Kinzane Major consorts and children Empress: Tokudaiji?? Consort: Minamoto Atsushiko First son: Imperial Prince Morihito Court Lady: Sanjō Sōko Court Lady: Taira no Shigeko Seventh son: Imperial Prince Norihito Consort: Fujiwara Naruko?? Third son: Prince Mochihito August 22, 1155: Emperor Konoe died at the age of 17 years without leaving any heirs. Thereafter, Emperor Go-Shirakawa is said to have acceded to the throne. He accumulated power steadily after the Hōgen Rebellion; his reign commenced in 1155. In 1158, he continued to hold power as a cloistered emperor. He increased the power of the samurai. Retired Emperor Toba expected him to be on the throne. They expected Go-Shirakawa to keep the throne until his son, Prince Morihito would be old enough succeed him. The coronation of Go-Shirakawa escalated political tensions between Toba and Sutoku. At the beginning of Go-Shirakawa's reign Toba continued to reign until his death.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
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Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
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Emperor Go-Shirakawa's retirement was complicated by a bit of unwanted drama in 1159.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
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Tomb of Emperor Go-Shirakawa in Kyoto
236.
Emperor Takakura
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Emperor Takakura was the 80th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1180. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Norihito-shinnō. He was also known as Nobuhito-shinnō. Takakura was the fourth son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa, thus uncle to Emperor Rokujō. His mother was Empress Dowager Taira no Shigeko, the wife of Taira no Kiyomori. His empress consort was Taira no Tokuko, thus his first cousin. 1168: Emperor Takakura is said to have acceded to the throne, he is proclaimed emperor. Takakura had his own views on the role of Emperor. He is said to have written: "The Emperor is a ship. His subjects are water. Sometimes the vessel is capsized by it. His subjects can sustain an Emperor well, but sometimes they overthrow him." Ex-Emperor Shirakawa II exercised the powers attendant the well-settled patterns of cloistered rule. Taira no Kiyomori, the father of the Empress, did whatever he pleased as facto Regent.
Emperor Takakura
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Emperor Takakura, Tenshi Sekkan Miei
Emperor Takakura
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Only extant letter by Emperor Takakura
237.
Emperor Go-Toba
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Emperor Go-Toba was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198. Translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Toba". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Takahira-shinnō. He was also known as Takanari-shinnō He was the fourth son of Emperor Takakura, thus grandson of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. His mother was daughter of Bōmon Nobutaka of the Fujiwara clan. September 8, 1183: In the 3rd year of Antoku-tennō's reign, the emperor fled the capital rather than give in to pressures for his abdication. In Antoku's absence, the former-Emperor Go-Shirakawa then elevated his young brother by decree; and the young child was given the acceptance of abdication rites. The anti-Taira faction intended that the succession was received; and thereafter, Emperor Go-Toba is said to have acceded to the throne. Although ceremonies were taking place in Heian-kyō, the imperial regalia were still held by Antoku. The emperor became a figurehead. In 1198, the shōgun forced Go-Toba, still in his teens, to abdicate. They were each in turn also forced to abdicate. This is known after the era in which it occurred. Chūkyō was replaced as emperor by Go-Horikawa, a nephew of Go-Toba.
Emperor Go-Toba
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Go-Toba
Emperor Go-Toba
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Tomb of Emperor Go-Toba and Emperor Juntoku, Kyoto
238.
Emperor Tsuchimikado
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Emperor Tsuchimikado was the 83rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Tsuchimikado's reign spanned the years through 1210. Before Tsuchimikado's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tamehito-shinnō. He was the son of Emperor Go-Toba. His mother was daughter of Minamoto no Michichika. Tsuchimikado's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. 1198: In the 15th year of Go-Toba-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his eldest son. 1198: Emperor Tsuchimikado is said to have acceded to the throne. 1199: Shortly after Tsuchimikado's reign began, Minamoto no Yoritomo died. 1210: Go-Toba persuaded him Tsuchimikado to abdicate in favor of his younger brother, who would become known as Emperor Juntoku. Tsuchimikado removed himself from Kyoto, traveling first to Tosa Province; and later, he moved to Awa province, where he died in exile. 1231: The former emperor died at age 37. Tsuchimikado's Imperial tomb is in Kyoto. The emperor is venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine. This shrine is formally named Kanegahara no misasagi.
Emperor Tsuchimikado
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Tsuchimikado
239.
Emperor Go-Saga
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Emperor Go-Saga was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1242 through 1246. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 8th-century Emperor Saga and translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Saga". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Kunihito-shinnō. He was second cousin of his predecessor Emperor Shijō. Eighth son: Prince Kakujo Hoshinnō Second daughter:??? Sixth daughter: Imperial Princess?? He ruled from February 21, 1242 to February 16, 1246. When Emperor Tsuchimikado moved to Tosa Province, he was raised by his mother's side of the family. Because of the sudden death of Emperor Shijō at the age of 10, the question of succession arose. Because the expectations of the Bakufu conflicted, the issue was bitterly contested. Michiie instead supported Tsuchimikado's son Prince Kunihito as a neutral figure for Emperor. During these negotiations, there was a vacancy on the throne of 11 days. 1242: Emperor Go-Saga is said to have acceded to the throne. In 1242, Prince Kunihito became emperor.
Emperor Go-Saga
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Go-Saga, Tenshi Sekkan Miei
Emperor Go-Saga
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Empress Go-Saga.
240.
Emperor Go-Fukakusa
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Emperor Go-Fukakusa was the 89th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1246 through 1260. Thus, he could be called the "Later Emperor Fukakusa". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Hisahito. Empress: Saionji Kimiko Second daughter: Imperial Princess Takako Third daughter: Imperial Princess Reiko Lady-in-waiting: Daughter of Miki? ?? Eighth son: Prince?? Sixth daughter: Imperial Princess?? Consort: Tōin?? Fourth daughter: Imperial Princess Hisako Second son: Imperial Prince Hirohito Third son: Prince?? Consort: Miki? Fusako Fifth son: Prince Gyōkaku Seventh son: Imperial Prince Hisaaki Ninth son: Prince?? Consort: Saionji Aiko Fifth daughter: Princess Hanako/Eiko/Akiko Hisahito-shinnō formally became Go-Fukakusa-tennō at the age of 2; and Go-Saga began to exercise power as cloistered Emperor. 1247: In the 4th year of Go-Saga-tennō's reign, he abdicated; and despite the succession was received by his 4-year-old son. Thereafter, Emperor Go-Fukakusa is said to have acceded to the throne.
Emperor Go-Fukakusa
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Go-Fukakusa
241.
Emperor Fushimi
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Emperor Fushimi was the 92nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1298. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Hirohito-shinnō. They were from the Jimyōin-tō line. Empress: Saionji Lady-in-waiting: Daughter of Miki?? Lady-in-waiting: Itsutsuji Tsuneko?? First son: Imperial Prince Tanehito Consort: Tōin Fujiwara?? First daughter: Imperial Princess?? Second daughter: Imperial Princess Shigeko?? Second son: Imperial Prince?? Third daughter: Imperial Princess?? Fourth son: Imperial Prince Tomihito His name comes from the palace of the Jimyōin-tō. Hirohito-shinnō was named heir to his first cousin, the Daikakuji-tō Emperor Go-Uda. The Jimyōin-tō Emperor Go-Fukakusa, was a crucial factor in this choice. In the year 1287, in the 13th year of Go-Uda-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his cousin.
Emperor Fushimi
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Fushimi, Tenshi Sekkan Miei
242.
Emperor Go-Fushimi
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Emperor Go-Fushimi was the 93rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1298 to 1301. This 13th-century sovereign was named after his father, Emperor go -, translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Fushimi". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tanehito-shinnō. He was the eldest son of Emperor Fushimi. They belonged to the Jimyōin-tō branch of the Imperial Family. Court Lady: Saionji Neishi / Yasuko First daughter: Imperial Princess Junshi Third son: Imperial Prince Kazuhito Fifth son: Imperial Prince??? Second daughter: Imperial Princess Kenshi / Kaneko Ninth son: Imperial Prince Yutahito Tanehito-shinnō was named Crown Prince or heir in 1289. Einin 6, in the 7th month: In the 11th year of Fushimi-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his son. Einin 7 1299): Emperor Go-Fushimi acceded to the throne and the nengō was changed to Shōan to mark the beginning of a new emperor's reign. During Hanazono's reign, negotiations between the two lines resulted in an agreement to alternate the throne between the two lines every 10 years. This agreement did not last long, as it was broken by Emperor Go-Daigo. Go-Fushimi was the author of a famous plea in gaining the throne for his son. It was not until thirty-three years after his abdication that Go-Fushimi's son, Emperor Kōgon became emperor. Kōgon was the first of the northern court emperors backed by the Ashikaga shogunate.
Emperor Go-Fushimi
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Go-Fushimi
243.
Fushimi-no-miya
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The Fushimi-no-miya was founded by Prince Yoshihito, the son of the Northern Court Emperor Sukō. As the house was founded by a Northern Pretender, the first three princes are sometimes not recognized as legitimate Fushimi-no-miya Princes. All of the later ōke were branches off of all but one of them being created by sons of Fushimi-no-miya Kuniye. Unless stated otherwise, each prince is the son of his predecessor. ōke households, along with the kazoku, were reduced to commoner status in 1947. Keane, Donald. Emperor Of Japan: Meiji And His World, 1852-1912. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12341-8 Lebra, Sugiyama Takie. Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-07602-8
Fushimi-no-miya
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Name
244.
Emperor Go-Hanazono
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Emperor Go-Hanazono was the 102nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1428 through 1464. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was simply Hikohito-shinnō. He was the eldest son of Imperial Prince Fushimi-no-miya Sadafusa. His mother was Sachiko, daughter of Niwata Tsuneari. He was also the great-great-great grandson of Emperor Go-Fushimi. 1428: In the 17th year of Shōkō-tennō's reign, the emperor died at age 27; and the succession was received by his adopted son. Shōchō 1, on the 29th day of the 7th month: Emperor Go-Hanazono is said to have acceded to the throne. The new emperor is age 10. 1429: Minamoto-no Yoshinobu is honored in court; and thereafter, he is known as Shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori. 1441: Shogun Yoshinori is murdered by Akamatsu Mitsusuke; and thereafter, his 8-year-old son, Ashikaga Yoshikatsu, is proclaimed as the new Shogun. 1441: The assassins of Yoshinori kill themselves. 1442: Shogun Yoshikatsu died at the age of 10. He enjoyed riding horses; but he was gravely injured in a fall from a horse, died as a result. He was shogun for only three years.
Emperor Go-Hanazono
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Go-Hanazono
Emperor Go-Hanazono
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
245.
Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado
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Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado was the 103rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1464 through 1500. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Fusahito-shinnō. He was the eldest son of Emperor Go-Hanazono. His mother was Ōinomikado Nobuko, daughter of Fujiwara Takanaga Lady-in-waiting: Niwata Asako First son: Imperial Prince Katsuhito Second son: Imperial Prince?? Lady-in-waiting: Kajūji Fusako Third daughter: Princess?? Third son: Prince?? Fourth son: Imawaka-no-miya Consort: Kasannoin?? First daughter:?? Second daughter: Princess Tomonobu?? Fourth daughter: Princess Michihide August 21, 1464: In the 36th year of Go-Hanazono-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his son. Thereafter, Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado is said to have acceded to the throne. Shortly after his enthronement, the Ōnin War took place. Shrines, mansions of court nobles, among others, were burned to the ground. The Court declined.
Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
246.
Emperor Go-Kashiwabara
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Emperor Go-Kashiwabara was the 104th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned to May 19, 1526. His personal name was Katsuhito. His reign marked the nadir of Imperial authority during the Ashikaga shogunate. He was the first son of Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado. His mother was the daughter of Niwata Nagakata. Lady-in-waiting: Kajūji? Fujiko First daughter: Princess?? Second son: Imperial Prince Tomohito Fifth son: Imperial Prince Kiyohiko Lady-in-waiting: Niwata Motoko Third son: Prince Kakudō Second daughter: Princess Kakuon Sixth son: Imperial Prince?? Handmaid: Takakura?? Fourth son:?? In 1500, he became Emperor upon the death of his father, the Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado. However, because of the aftereffects of the Ōnin War, the Imperial Family was so impoverished that he was unable to perform the formal coronation ceremony. Because of the Ōnin War, the poverty of the Imperial Court, the Emperor's authority fell to a low point. Bunki 1: The former Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimura was exiled; and he retired to Suō Province.
Emperor Go-Kashiwabara
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
247.
Emperor Go-Nara
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Go-Nara was the 105th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from June 9, 1526 during the Sengoku period. His personal name was Tomohito. In older English literature, he may also be referred to as Nara II. He was the second son of Emperor Go-Kashiwabara. His mother was Fujiwara Fujiko Court Lady?: Madenokōji Eiko First daughter:? First son: Imperial Prince Michihito Second daughter: Princess Eiju? Lady-in-waiting: Takakura Kazuko? Fifth daughter: Princess Fukō? Lady-in-waiting: Hirohashi Kuniko? Seventh daughter: Princess Seishū Consort: Daughter of Mibu Harutomi Second son: kakujyo Third son:?? Daiei 6, in the 4th month: Go-Nara was proclaimed emperor upon the death of his father, Emperor Go-Kashiwabara. He began his reign at age 31. Daiei 6, 7th month: An army from Awa Province marched towards Miyako. His forces were unsuccessful.
Emperor Go-Nara
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Seated figure of Emperor Go-Nara
248.
Prince Masahito
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Prince Masahito, also known as Prince Sanehito and posthumously named Yōkwōin daijō-tennō, was the eldest son of Emperor Ōgimachi. Prince Masahito died before his father. Masahito's eldest son was Imperial Prince Kazuhito, who acceded on the death of Emperor Ōgimachi. Kazuhito would become known as Emperor Go-Yōzei. Later, Go-Yōzei elevated the rank of his father, even though his father's untimely death made this impossible in life. In this manner, Go-Yōzei himself could enjoy the polite fiction of being the son of an emperor. August 21–25, 1598: Buddhist rituals were performed in the Seriyoden of the Imperial Palace to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the death of the emperor's father. The actual site of Prince Masahito's grave is known. This posthumously-elevated emperor is traditionally venerated at Kyoto. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Yōkwōin's mausoleum. It is formally named Tsuki no wa no misasagi at Sennyū-ji. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. . The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.
Prince Masahito
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Prince Masahito, also known as Yōkwōin daijō-tennō
249.
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
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Emperor Go-Mizunoo was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years through 1629. Thus, he could be called the "Later Emperor Mizunoo". In some older sources, this emperor may be identified as "Mizunoo II". Before Go-Mizunoo's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Kotohito or Masahito. He was the third son of Emperor Go-Yōzei. His mother was the daughter of Konoe Sakihisa. He resided with his family in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. The family included at least 33 children; and four of them would occupy the throne. Princess?, later known as Queen Genshō Princess Tani, later known as Queen Sōchō Princess Katsura Lady-in-waiting: Kushige Takako, daughter of Sa Konoe Chūjō. Teruko, Princess Ake, Prince Hide, became Emperor Go-Sai Yasuhito, Prince Hachijō, later adopted into the Katsura-no-miya princely house. Lady-in-waiting: Sono Kuniko, Prince Ate: became Emperor Reigen Prince Masahito became emperor following the abdication of his emperor-father. The succession was considered to have been received by the new monarch; and thereafter, Emperor Go-Mizunoo is said to have acceded. The events during his lifetime shed some light on his reign. The years of Go-Mizunoo's reign correspond with a period in which Tokugawa Hidetada and Tokugawa Iemitsu were leaders at the pinnacle of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
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Go-Mizunoo
Emperor Go-Mizunoo
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The mausoleum of Emperor Go-Mizunoo – Tsukinowa no misasagi – at Sennyū-ji in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto.
250.
Emperor Reigen
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Emperor Reigen was the 112th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Reigen's reign spanned the years through 1687. Before Reigen's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Satohito; and his pre-accession title was Ate-no-miya. Reigen was the 16th son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. His mother was the daughter of Minister of the Center Sonomotooto, Lady in Waiting Kuniko. Regien's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. 9 July 1654: The birth of an Imperial prince who will become known by the posthumous name of Reigen-tennō. It is decided that until the young heir grows older, his elder brother will accede to the throne as Emperor Go-Sai. 5 March 1663: Emperor Go-Sai abdicated; and Prince Satohito received the succession. Shortly thereafter, his reign began. 1665: Courts of inquisition were established in all the villages of Japan. These courts were charged with eliminating any vestiges of Christianity in each community. 1666: Hokke shu Buddhist religious practices are preserved for those who believe that their spiritual and moral purity may be tainted by close association with others. 1667: After fire destroyed the main temple structure, work on rebuilding Nigatsu-dō at Nara commenced. 13 February 1668: A great fire broke out in Edo—a conflagration lasting 45 days.
Emperor Reigen
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Reigen
Emperor Reigen
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View across the roof of Tōdai-ji becomes a panoramic vista as seen from the elevated walkway of Nigatsu-dō.
251.
Emperor Higashiyama
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Higashiyama also refers to a ward of Kyoto City. Emperor Higashiyama was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Higashiyama's reign spanned the years through 1709 of what are generally considered to be the Golden Age of the Edo period. The previous hundred years of seclusion in Japan had created relative economic stability. Architecture flourished. Higashiyama's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. This family included at least 11 children. However, Shogun Ietsugu died in 1716; one year later, in 1717, Yasonomiya died before taking tonsure. March 1685: Former-Emperor Go-Sai died; and a great comet was observed crossing the night sky. In 1687, he acceded after the abdication of Emperor Reigen. On the 16th day of the 11th month of that year, he revived the first ceremonial offering of rice by a newly enthroned Emperor. Initially, Emperor Reigen continued to rule in Higashiyama's name, which caused much friction with the Bakufu. However, imperial property was increased, repairs were carried out on Imperial mausoleums. May 2, 1687: Emperor Reigen abdicated, which meant that his son received the succession. Thereafter, Emperor Higashiyama formally acceded to the throne.
Emperor Higashiyama
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Higashiyama
252.
Kan'in-no-miya
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It was founded by the son of Emperor Higashiyama. Fearing extinction of the Imperial Line, Arai Hakuseki proposed that a new branch of the Imperial Family be created. In 1718, retired emperor Reigen bestowed upon his grandson the title of Kan ` in-no-miya and land 1000 koku. This was the new miyake was formed since the Arisugawa-no-miya lineage in 1625. The name ` in-no-miya is thought to have come from the title of Prince Sadamoto, a son of the Heian-era Emperor Seiwa. Arai Hakusei's wisdom was soon proved with the second Kan'in-no-miya, Sukehito shinnō. When Emperor Go-Momozono died, he had only a single daughter. Sukehito's son was chosen to become Emperor Kōkaku. The line became extinct again with the death of his son, Kan ` in 1988. Keane, Donald. Emperor Of Japan: Meiji And His World, 1852-1912. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12341-8 Lebra, Sugiyama Takie. Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press.
Kan'in-no-miya
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Name
253.
The Emperor's Birthday
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The Emperor's Birthday is a national holiday in the Japanese calendar celebrated on 23 December of each year. The date is determined by the reigning Emperor's birthdate. Emperor Akihito was born on 23 December 1933. During the reign of Emperor Hirohito, the Emperor's birthday was observed on 29 April. That date remained a public holiday, posthumously renamed Shōwa Day in 2007. Prior to World War II, it was called Tenchōsetsu, "Tenchō Festival". Tenchōsetsu paralleled Chikyūsetsu, "Chikyū Festival", which referred to the Empress consort's birthday. Under the law, the National Diet must change the holiday date before the reigning Emperor's birthday becomes a public holiday. Thus, there exists a small chance that the former Emperor's birthday may come before the change can be made. On 23 a public ceremony takes place at the Imperial Palace, where the gates of the palace are opened to public traffic. Only on 2 January may the general public enter the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace. When the Emperor ceases his greeting, the crowd starts waving the Imperial Family wave back. The Imperial Household Agency His Majesty's Birthday Receptions Visit of the General Public to the Palace for His Majesty's Birthday
The Emperor's Birthday
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Emperor Akihito prepares to greet the flag-waving crowd at the Imperial Palace on his birthday in 2004.
The Emperor's Birthday
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The Imperial family on the birthday of the reigning Emperor, 2005.
254.
Wayback Machine
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The Internet Archive launched the Wayback Machine in October 2001. It was set up by Brewster Kahle and Bruce Gilliat, is maintained with content from Alexa Internet. The service enables users to see archived versions of web pages across time, which the archive calls a "three dimensional index". Since 1996, the Wayback Machine has been archiving cached pages of websites onto its large cluster of Linux nodes. It revisits sites every few weeks or months and archives a new version. Sites can also be captured on the fly by visitors who enter the site's URL into a search box. The intent is to capture and archive content that otherwise would be lost whenever a site is changed or closed down. The grand vision of the machine's creators is to archive the entire Internet. The Machine was chosen to a device in an animated cartoon, Bullwinkle Show. These "crawlers" also respect the robots exclusion standard for websites whose owners opt for them not to appear in search results or be cached. Information had been kept on digital tape for five years, with Kahle occasionally allowing researchers and scientists to tap into the clunky database. When the archive reached its fifth anniversary, it was unveiled and opened to the public in a ceremony at the University of California, Berkeley. Snapshots usually become available more than six months after they are archived or, in some cases, even later; it can take twenty-four months or longer. The frequency of snapshots is variable, so not all tracked website updates are recorded. Sometimes there are intervals of several weeks or years between snapshots.
Wayback Machine
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Wayback Machine
255.
Japan Times
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The Japan Times is Japan's largest English-language newspaper. It is published by The Japan Times, Ltd. a subsidiary of a leading manufacturer of plastic fasteners for the automotive and home design industries. It is headquartered in Shibaura, Minato, Tokyo. From 1931 onward, the Japanese government was mounting pressure on the paper's editors to submit to its policies. In 1933, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed to appoint former Ministry official, as chief editor. During World War II, the newspaper served for Imperial Japanese government propaganda and editorial opinion. The paper's circulation at that time was about 825,000. The temporary change to Nippon Times occurred during World War II era Japan. Shintaro fukushima became the president in 1956. He renounce the managing rights in 1983. A manufacturer of automotive fasteners, acquired control of The Japan Times in 1983. Nifco chairman Toshiaki Ogasawara is also the publisher of The Japan Times. His daughter Yukiko Ogasawara was president of the company from 2006 to 2012, when she was replaced by Japan Times staffer Takeharu Tsutsumi. The daily's content includes: News: domestic and world news; overseas business news. Opinion: Editorials, Op-eds, Letters to the Editor.
Japan Times
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Yukiko Ogasawara, vice-chairperson of The Japan Times, with her father, Toshiaki Ogasawara, the publisher and chairperson of the newspaper and its parent company, Nifco, in November 2007
Japan Times
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The Japan Times
256.
PubMed Identifier
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PubMed is a free search engine accessing primarily the MEDLINE database of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics. The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health maintains the database as part of the Entrez system of information retrieval. From 1971 to 1997, MEDLINE online access to the MEDLARS Online computerized database had been primarily through institutional facilities, such as university libraries. PubMed, first released in January 1996, ushered in the era of private, free, home- and office-based MEDLINE searching. Information about the journals indexed in MEDLINE and available through PubMed is found in the NLM Catalog. As of the same date, 13.1 million of PubMed's records are listed with their abstracts, 14.2 million articles have links to full-text. In 2016, NLM changed the indexing system so that publishers will be able to directly correct typos and errors in PubMed indexed articles. Simple searches on PubMed can be carried out by entering key aspects of a subject into PubMed's search window. When a journal article is indexed, numerous article parameters are extracted and stored as structured information. Such parameters are: Article Type, publication history. Publication type parameter enables many special features. Since July 2005, the MEDLINE process puts those in a field called Secondary Identifier. The secondary field is to store accession numbers to various databases of clinical trial IDs. For clinical trials, PubMed extracts trial IDs for the two largest trial registries: ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register. A reference, judged particularly relevant can be marked and "related articles" can be identified.
PubMed Identifier
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PubMed
257.
Common Era
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Common Era or Current Era, abbreviated CE, is a calendar era, often used as an alternative naming of the Anno Domini era, abbreviated AD. The system uses BCE as an abbreviation for "before the Common Era" and CE as an abbreviation for "Common Era". The year-numbering system associated with it is the system with most widespread use in the world today. For decades, it has been the global standard, recognized by international institutions such as the United Nations and the Universal Postal Union. At those times, the expressions were all used interchangeably with "Christian Era". Use of the CE abbreviation was introduced by Jewish academics in the mid-19th century. He attempted from an event he referred to as the Incarnation of Jesus. Dionysius labeled the column of the Easter table in which he introduced the new era "Anni Domini Nostri Jesu Christi". Numbering years in this manner became more widespread with its usage by Bede in England in 731. In 1422, Portugal became the European country to switch to the system begun by Dionysius. The first use of the Latin term vulgaris aerae discovered far was by Johannes Kepler. Kepler uses it again in a 1616 table of ephemerides, again in 1617. A 1635 English edition of that book has the page in English -- far, the earliest-found usage of Vulgar Era in English. A 1701 book edited by John LeClerc includes "Before Christ according to the Vulgar Æra, 6". A 1796 book uses the term "vulgar era of the nativity".
Common Era
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Key concepts
258.
Anno Domini
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The terms anno Domini and before Christ are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The anno Domini is Medieval Latin, often translated as in the year of our Lord. It is occasionally set out more fully as anno Domini nostri Iesu Christi. Dionysius Exiguus of Scythia Minor introduced the AD system in AD 525, counting the years since the birth of Christ. There is no zero in this scheme, so AD 1 immediately follows the year 1 BC. This dating system was devised in 525, but was not widely used until after 800. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world today. Traditionally, English followed Latin usage by placing the "AD" abbreviation before the year number. However, BC is placed after the year number, which also preserves syntactic order. The abbreviation is also widely used after the number of a millennium, as in "fourth AD" or "second millennium AD". Because BC is the English abbreviation for Before Christ, it is sometimes incorrectly concluded that AD means After Death, i.e. after the death of Jesus. ISO 8601 use the same numbers for AD years. The Anno Domini dating system was devised in 525 by Dionysius Exiguus to enumerate the years in his Easter table. The last year of Diocletian 247, was immediately followed by the first year of AD 532. Thus Dionysius implied that Jesus' Incarnation occurred 525 years earlier, without stating the specific year during which his birth or conception occurred.
Anno Domini
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Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter.
Anno Domini
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Anno Domini inscription at a cathedral in Carinthia, Austria.
Anno Domini
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Statue of Charlemagne by Agostino Cornacchini (1725), at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Italy. Charlemagne promoted the usage of the Anno Domini epoch throughout the Carolingian Empire
259.
Emperor Suizei
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Emperor Suizei, sometimes romanized as Suisei and known as Kamu-nuna-kaha-mimi no mikoto; was the second Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 581 to 549 B.C.. The Suizei-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further verification and study. In the Kojiki little more than his genealogy are recorded. The Nihonshoki is more expansive, though the section is mythical, wholly cut from the cloth of Chinese legends. An Imperial tomb for Suizei is currently maintained, despite the lack of any reliable early records attesting to his historical existence. He is ranked without specific legends associated with them, also known as the "eight undocumented monarchs". The Kojiki does, however, record his ascent to the throne. According to its account Suizei was the younger son of Isukeyorihime. Kamuyawimimi was originally crown-prince. On Jimmu's death Tagishimimi, a son of Jimmu by Ahiratsuhime, attempted to seize the throne. Since he was overcome by fright at the prospect, Suizei accomplished the deed. On this, Kamuyawimimi declared that Suizei, being braver, should be emperor.
Emperor Suizei
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Suizei
260.
Emperor Annei
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Emperor Annei; also known as shikitsuhikotamatemi no Mikoto; was the third emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. The Annei-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further study. In Kojiki and Nihonshoki only genealogy were recorded. He is considered to have been the second of eight emperors without specific legends associated with them, also known as the "eight undocumented monarchs". Emperor Annei was either the only son of Emperor Suizei. Before his accession to the throne, he was known as Prince Shikitsu-hiko Tamatemi. Jien records that he ruled from the palace of Ukena-no-miya in what would come to be known as Yamato Province. This emperor's posthumous name literally means "steady tranquillity". The actual site of Annei's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine in Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Annei's mausoleum. It is formally named Unebi-yama no i no e no no misasagi. Emperor of Japan List of Emperors of Japan Imperial cult Aston, William George.
Emperor Annei
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Annei
Emperor Annei
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Annei.
261.
Emperor Itoku
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Emperor Itoku; also known as Ooyamatohikosukitomo no Mikoto; was the fourth emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 510 BC to 476 BC. The Itoku-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further study. In the Kojiki and Nihonshoki only genealogy were recorded. He is believed to be the son of Emperor Annei; and his mother is believed to have been Nunasoko-Nakatsu-hime, the granddaughter of Kotoshiro-Nushi-no-kami. He is considered to have been the third of eight emperors without specific legends associated with them, also known as the "eight undocumented monarchs". He is traditionally believed to have ruled at Karu in what would come to be known as Yamato Province. His posthumous name literally means "benign virtue". The actual site of his grave is not known. This emperor is venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine in Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Annei's mausoleum. It is formally named Unebi-yama no Masago no tani no e no misasagi. Emperor of Japan List of Emperors of Japan Imperial cult Aston, William George.
Emperor Itoku
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Itoku
Emperor Itoku
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Itoku.
262.
Emperor Kaika
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Emperor Kaika; also known as Wakayamatonekohikooobi no Mikoto; is the ninth emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's reign; he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 157 BC to 98 BC. He may have lived in the 1st century. The Kaika-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material for further study. In the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, only genealogy were recorded. He was the eighth of eight emperors without specific legends also known as the "eight undocumented monarchs". Kaika is a posthumous name. The site of Kaika's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine in Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Kaika's mausoleum. It is formally named Kasuga no sak no e no misasagi.. . Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697.
Emperor Kaika
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Kaika
Emperor Kaika
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Official tomb of Emperor Kaika in Nara.
263.
Emperor Sujin
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Th:จักรพรรดิซุจิง Emperor Sujin, also known as Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto; was the tenth emperor of Japan. Sujin's grave site has not been identified, however, Andonyama kofun in Tenri, Nara has been designated as the kofun. It is formally named Yamanobe no Magari no oka no e no misasagi. Sujin is responsible for setting up the Saikū associated with it to enshrine Amaterasu. He is also credited with initiating the worship of Ōmononushi. He also confiscated sacred treasures, passed down the line in Izumo. The emperor may have been the first to establish and regularize a system of taxation. Sujin is regarded by historians as the paucity of material information about him makes difficult any further verification and study. Sujin-tennō is a Posthumous name assigned by later generations, possibly ascribed during the compilation of the Kojiki. According to the pseudo-historical Kojiki and Nihonshoki, Sujin was the second son of Emperor Kaika Sujin's mother was Ikagashikome no Mikoto, a stepmother of his father. He acceded to the throne purportedly in 97 B.C. On the third year of his reign, he removed the capital to Shiki, naming it the Palace of Midzu-gaki, or Mizugaki-no-miya. The Kujiki records the legendary appointment of 137 governors for the provinces ruled by Emperor Sujin. Half the populace died. By the 6th year, peasants abandoning fields and rebellion became rampant.
Emperor Sujin
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Sujin
264.
Emperor Suinin
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Emperor Suinin; also known as Ikumeiribikoisachi no Mikoto; was the 11th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 29 BC to AD 70. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further study. The Suinin-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. After twenty years of searching, she is said establishing the Ise Shrine. Nihonshoki records the match in which Nomi no Sukune and Taima no Kehaya held during his era, as the origin of Sumai. Suinin is a posthumous name. The legend of Kaguya-hime seems to found its basis with Kaguya-him-no-Mikoto, one of his consorts, according to Kojiki. The actual site of Suinin's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Suinin's mausoleum. It is formally named no higashi no misasagi. Suinin's tomb can be visited in Nishi-machi, Amagatsuji, Nara City. This kofun-type Imperial tomb is characterized by a keyhole-shaped island located within a water-filled moat.
Emperor Suinin
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Official mausoleum (misasagi) of Emperor Suinin, Nara Prefecture
265.
Emperor Seimu
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Emperor Seimu was the 13th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He also known as Wakatarashihiko no Sumeramikoto. His reign is conventionally dated as AD 131–191. He is credited with appointing the provincial governors and district officials. Seimu is regarded as a legendary emperor who might have been real. Little is known about him. The name Seimu Tennō was assigned posthumously by later generations. The actual site of Seimu's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Seimu's mausoleum. It is formally named no misasagi. Seimu's tomb can be visited today at Nara City. Emperor of Japan List of Emperors of Japan Imperial cult Aston, William George. . Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697.
Emperor Seimu
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Seimu.
266.
Kofun period
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The Kofun period is an era in the history of Japan from around 250 to 538 AD. It follows the Yayoi period. The word kofun is Japanese for the type of burial mounds dating from this era. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes referred to collectively as the Yamato period. The Kofun period is divided from the Asuka period by its cultural differences. The Kofun period is characterized by a Shinto culture which existed prior to the introduction of Buddhism. The mounds contained large stone burial chambers. Some are surrounded by moats. Kofun come in many shapes, with round and square being the most common. A distinct style is the keyhole-shaped kofun, with its square front and round back. The oldest Japanese kofun is said to be Hokenoyama Kofun located in Sakurai, Nara, which dates to the late 3rd century. In the Makimuku district of Sakurai, later keyhole kofuns were built around the early 4th century. The trend of the keyhole kofun first spread from Yamato to Kawachi, then throughout the country in the 5th century. Due to the controversy over Yamataikoku the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed. However, it is usually believed to have been created around 250 CE.
Kofun period
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Haniwa horse statuette
Kofun period
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Daisenryō Kofun, Osaka, 5th century.
Kofun period
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Kofun period jewelry. British Museum.
Kofun period
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Iron helmet and armour with gilt bronze decoration, Kofun period, 5th century. Tokyo National Museum.
267.
Emperor Nintoku
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Emperor Nintoku was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 313 to 399. Nintoku is regarded by historians as a "legendary emperor" of the 5th century. According to Nihon Shoki, he was the fourth son of Emperor Ōjin and his mother was Nakatsuhime no Mikoto, a great-granddaughter of Emperor Keikō. He was also the father of Emperors Richū, Ingyō. Nintoku's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi, meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven". Alternatively, Nintoku might have been referred to the "Great King of Yamato". Although the Nihon Shoki states that Nintoku ruled from 313 to 399, modern research suggests those dates are likely inaccurate. It is assumed that this was Japan's large-scale engineering works undertaking. Established a thorn estate under the direct control of the Imperial Court constructed a Yokono bank. The actual site of Nintoku's grave is not known. Iwa-no hime no Mikoto, is said to be located in Saki-cho, Nara City. Both kofun-type Imperial tombs are characterized by a keyhole-shaped island located within a water-filled moat. According to the IHA, the tombs are more than a mere repository for historical artifacts; they are religious sites.
Emperor Nintoku
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Nintoku
Emperor Nintoku
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Daisen-Kofun, the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, Osaka
268.
Emperor Hanzei
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Emperor Hanzei, also known as Emperor Hanshō, was the 18th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 406 CE to 410 CE. Hanzei is regarded by historians as a "legendary emperor" of the 5th century. Hanzei was the son of Emperor Nintoku and Iwanohime. He was the brother of Emperor Richū; and this succession effectively by-passed Richū's two sons. No other details have survived. Hanzei's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi, meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven". Alternatively, Hanzei might have been referred to the "Great King of Yamato". The Nihongi records that the country enjoyed peace during this emperor's reign. He is said to have ruled at Tajihi in Kawachi; and he is said to have died peacefully in his palace. The actual site of Hanzei's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine in Sakai, Osaka. The Imperial Household Agency designates the Tadeiyama kofun in Sakai as Hanzei's official mausoleum. It is formally named Mozu no kita no misasagi.
Emperor Hanzei
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Hanzei.
269.
Emperor Seinei
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Emperor Seinei was the 22nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 480 to 484. Seinei was a 5th-century monarch. According to Kojiki and Nihonshoki, he was his consort Katsuragi no Karahime. Seinei's full sister was Princess Takuhatahime. His name in birth was Shiraka. It is said that the color of his hair was white since birth. After the death of his father, Seinei so succeeded his father. Seinei's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi, meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Seinei might have been referred to the "Great King of Yamato." Seinei fathered no children; however, two grandsons of Emperor Richū, were found -- later to ascend as Prince Oke and Prince Woke. Seinei adopted them as his heirs. The actual site of Seinei's grave is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at Osaka.
Emperor Seinei
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
270.
Emperor Ninken
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Emperor Ninken, also known as Ninken-okimi, was the 24th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is conventionally considered to have reigned from 488 to 498. There is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further study. In his youth, he was known as Prince Oyoke. Along with Prince Woke, Oyoke was raised to greater prominence when Emperor Seinei died without an heir. The two young princes were said to be grandsons of Emperor Richū. Okyoke's younger brother, who would become posthumously known as Emperor Kenzō, ascended before his elder brother. This unconventional sequence was with an agreement made by the two brothers. When Emperor Kenzo died without heirs, Prince Oyoke succeeded him as Emperor Ninken. Ninken's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi, meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Ninken might have been referred to the "Great King of Yamato". Ninken married to Emperor Yūryaku's daughter Kasuga no Ōiratsume no Himemiko, a second cousin of him. Ninken was succeeded by his son, who would accede as Emperor Buretsu.
Emperor Ninken
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
271.
Emperor Ankan
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Emperor Ankan was the 27th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 531 to 536. When Ankan was 66 years old, Keitai abdicated in favor of him. Ankan's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō. Rather, it was presumably Sumeramikoto or Amenoshita Shiroshimesu Ōkimi, meaning "the great king who rules all under heaven." Alternatively, Ankan might have been referred to the "Great King of Yamato." Ankan's grave is traditionally associated in Habikino, Osaka.. . Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner. OCLC 448337491 Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. Gukanshō: The Future and the Past. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-03460-0; OCLC 251325323 Mason, Joseph Warren Teets. The Meaning of Shinto: The Primaeval Foundation of Creative Spirit in Modern Japan.
Emperor Ankan
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Ankan.
272.
Asuka period
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The Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, named after the Asuka region, about 25 km south of the modern city of Nara. The introduction of Buddhism marked a change in Japanese society. The Asuka period is also distinguished by the change in the name of the country from Wa to Nihon. The term "Asuka period" was first used to describe a period in the history of Japanese fine-arts and architecture. It was proposed around 1900. Sekino dated the Asuka period as ending with the Taika Reform of 646. Okakura, however, saw it as ending to the Heijō Palace of Nara. The Yamato polity was distinguished including their dependents. Each clan was headed by a patriarch who performed sacred rites for the clan's kami to ensure the long-term welfare of the clan. Clan members were the Imperial line that controlled the Yamato polity was at its pinnacle. The Yamato polity was exercised power over clans in Kyūshū and Honshū, bestowing titles, some hereditary, on clan chieftains. The Yamato name became synonymous with all of Japan as the Yamato rulers acquired agricultural lands. Based on Chinese models, they developed an imperial court attended by subordinate clan chieftains but with no permanent capital. By the mid-seventh century, the agricultural lands had grown to a public domain, subject to central policy. Society was organized into occupation groups.
Asuka period
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The five-storey Hōryū-ji pagoda
Asuka period
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Tōhon Miei, Portraits of Prince Shōtoku and his two sons, contemporary reproduction of an 8th-century painting
Asuka period
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Replica of Kudara Kannon in the British Museum.
273.
Empress Suiko
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Empress Suiko was the 33rd monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Suiko reigned 593 in 628. In the history of Japan, Suiko was the first of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The seven women sovereigns reigning after Suiko were Kōgyoku / Saimei, Jitō, Genmei, Genshō, Kōken / Shōtoku, Go-Sakuramachi. Before her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, her personal name was Mikekashiya-hime-no-mikoto, also called Toyomike Kashikiya hime no Mikoto. Empress Suiko had several names including Toyomike Kashikiya. She was the third daughter of Emperor Kinmei. Her mother was Soga no Kitashihime. Suiko was the younger sister of Emperor Yōmei. They had the same mother. She bore seven sons. After Bidatsu's death, Emperor Yōmei, came to power for about two years before dying of illness. Prince Hatsusebe acceded to the throne as Emperor Sushun in 587. Thereafter, Empress Suiko is said to have ascended to the throne. Suiko's contemporary title would not have been tennō, as most historians believe this title was not introduced until the reigns of Empress Jitō.
Empress Suiko
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Empress Suiko
Empress Suiko
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Empress Suiko.
274.
Emperor Tenmu
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Emperor Tenmu was the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Tenmu's reign lasted from 673 until his death in 686. Tenmu was the youngest son of Emperor Jomei and Empress Kōgyoku, the younger brother of the Emperor Tenji. His name at birth was Prince Ōama. He was succeeded by Empress Jitō, both his niece and his wife. The nieces he married included Princess Unonosarara, today known as Empress Jitō, Princess Ōta. Tenmu also had other consorts whose fathers were influential courtiers. Through Prince Kusakabe, Tenmu had two emperors and two empresses among his descendents. Empress Kōken was the last of these imperial rulers from his lineage. Emperor Tenmu is the first monarch of Japan, to whom the title Tennō was assigned contemporaneously—not only by later generations. The only document on his life was Nihon Shoki. He is also mentioned briefly in the preface to the Kojiki, being hailed as the emperor to have commissioned them. Tenmu's father died while he was young, he grew up mainly under the guidance of Empress Saimei. He was not expected to gain the throne, because his brother Tenji was the crown prince, being the older son of their mother, the reigning empress. During the Tenji period, Tenmu was appointed his crown prince.
Emperor Tenmu
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Emperor Tenmu
Emperor Tenmu
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Tenmu
Emperor Tenmu
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The Nihon Shoki entry of April 15, 683 CE (Tenmu 12th year), mandates the use of copper coins instead of silver, suggesting that Japanese currency predates his reign. Excerpt of the 11th century edition.
Emperor Tenmu
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Early Japanese currency: Fuhonsen coins (富本銭), found in Tobishimaike (飛島池), thought to have been minted during the reign of Emperor Tenmu, end of 7th century, copper and antimony. Japan Currency Museum.
275.
Emperor Monmu
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Emperor Monmu was the 42nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Monmu's reign spanned the years through 707. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Karu-shinnō. He was a grandson of Empress Jitō. He was the second son of Prince Kusakabe. Monmu's mother was a daughter of Emperor Tenji. She would be known as Empress Gemmei. Karu-shinnō was only six years old when Crown Prince Kusakabe, died. 697: In the 10th year of Jitō-tennō's reign, the empress abdicated; and the succession was received by a grandson of Emperor Temmu. Thereafter, Emperor Monmu is said to have acceded to the throne. He left a young son by a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito: Obito no miko, who eventually became Emperor Shōmu. Emperor Monmu's reign lasted 10 years. He died at the age of 25. The actual site of Monmu's grave is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at Nara.
Emperor Monmu
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
Emperor Monmu
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Monmu
276.
Empress Genmei
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Empress Genmei, also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Genmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715. In the history of Japan, Genmei was the fourth of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The three female monarchs before Genmei were Suiko, Kōgyoku/Saimei, Jitō. The four women sovereigns reigning after Genmei were Go-Sakuramachi. Before her ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, her personal name was Abe-hime. Empress Genmei was the fourth daughter of Emperor Tenji; and she was a younger sister of Empress Jitō by a different mother. Her mother, Mei-no-Iratsume, was a daughter of Udaijin Soga-no-Kura-no-Yamada-no-Ishikawa-no-Maro. Genmei became the consort of Crown Prince Kusakabe no Miko, the son of Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō. After the death of their son Emperor Monmu in 707, she acceded to the throne. Shortly thereafter, Empress Genmei is said to have acceded to the throne. 708: Fuijwara no Fuhito was named Minister of the Right. Isonokami no Maro was Minister of the Left. 709: There was an uprising against governmental authority in Mutsu Province and in Echigo Province. Troops were promptly dispatched to subdue the revolt.
Empress Genmei
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Gemmei
Empress Genmei
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Wadōkaichin monument in Saitama
277.
Nara period
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The Nara period of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō. Most of Japanese society during this period was centered on villages. Most of the villagers followed a religion based on the worship of ancestral spirits called kami. The capital at Nara was modeled after Chang the capital city of Tang China. In other ways, the Japanese upper classes patterned themselves after the Chinese, including adopting Chinese written system, fashion, the religion of Buddhism. Concentrated efforts by the imperial court to document its history produced the first works of Japanese literature during the Nara period. With the spread of written language, the writing of Japanese poetry, known in Japanese as waka, began. Over time, personal collections were referenced to establish the large collection of Japanese poetry known as Man ` yōshū sometime after 759. Chinese characters were used to express sounds of Japanese until kana were invented. The Chinese characters used to express the sounds of Japanese are known as man'yōgana. Bureaucratization of government led to the establishment of a permanent imperial capital at Heijō-kyō, or Nara, in AD 710. Nara was Japan's first truly urban center. It soon had some 10,000 people worked in government jobs. Administrative activity increased during the Nara period.
Nara period
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Shōsōin
Nara period
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The primary building, i.e. the Daigoku-den at the Heijō Palace (At the photograph's center; this is a modern version built for the 1300th anniversary of Nara becoming Japan's capital). Tōdai-ji 's Daibutsuden and Wakakusayama can be seen in the rear (January, 2010).
Nara period
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The Great Buddha at Nara (Tōdai-ji), 752 CE.
278.
Emperor Junnin
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Emperor Junnin was the 47th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. The seventh son of a grandson of Emperor Temmu, his reign spanned the years 758 to 764. Before his ascension to the throne, his name was Ōi-shinnō. He was the seventh son of a son of Emperor Tenmu. And although his father died when he was three, he was not given any office at the court. In the older Japanese documents, he is usually referred to as Haitei, the unthroned emperor. The posthumous name of Emperor Junnin was given by Emperor Meiji a thousand years later. On December 7, 758, the empress abdicated and the succession passed to her adopted son. Afterwards Emperor Jimmu is said to have ascended to the throne. In 764, six years after Empress Kōken had stepped down, the former empress reclaimed the throne during no Nakamaro Rebellion, forcing Junnin to abdicate. On November 765 the former emperor died while in exile. He is traditionally venerated at a memorial Shinto shrine at Awaji. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Junnin's mausoleum: It is formally named no misasagi. Though Junnin had, technically, been emperor, he was not featured until the late nineteenth century. In 1870, Emperor Meiji conferred the posthumous title by which Emperor Junnin is now known.
Emperor Junnin
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
279.
Heian period
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The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Chinese influences were at their height. The Heian period is also noted for especially literature. Many emperors actually had mothers from the Fujiwara family. Heian means "peace" in Japanese. The Heian Period is considered a high point in Japanese culture that later generations have always admired. The period is also noted for the rise of the samurai class, which would eventually take power and start the feudal period of Japan. Nominally, sovereignty lay in the emperor but in fact power was wielded by the Fujiwara nobility. However, to protect their interests in the provinces, noble families required guards, soldiers. The warrior class made steady political gains throughout the Heian period. The entry of the warrior class into court influence was a result of the Hōgen Rebellion. At this time Taira no Kiyomori revived the Fujiwara practices by placing his grandson on the throne to rule Japan by regency. Their clan, the Taira, would not be overthrown until after the Genpei War, which marked the start of the shogunate. The Kamakura period began in 1185 when Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from the emperors and established the shogunate in Kamakura.
Heian period
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Kyōto, "Capital of 1000 Years".
Heian period
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Byōdō-in Phoenix Hall, built in the 11th century during the Heian period of Japan.
Heian period
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A handscroll painting dated circa 1130, illustrating a scene from the "Bamboo River" chapter of the Tale of Genji.
Heian period
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Drawing of Fujiwara no Michinaga, by Kikuchi Yōsai.
280.
Emperor Heizei
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Emperor Heizei, also known as Heijō-tennō. was the 51st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted to 809. Hiezei was empress Fujiwara no Otomuro. Heizei had seven sons and daughters. Heizei is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Yamamomo no Misasagi, in Nara, as the location of Heizei's mausoleum. The site is publicly accessible. Before he ascended to the throne, his liaison with the mother of his one consort, caused a scandal. Because of this scandal his father considered depriving him of the rank of prince. 785:: Heizei was appointed Crown Prince at the age of 12. Thereafter, Emperor Heizei is said to have acceded to the throne. His title Heizei was derived from the official name of the capital in Nara, Heizei Kyō. During Heizei's reign, the bodyguards were reorganized; the existing Imperial Bodyguards became the Left Imperial Bodyguards, while the Middle Bodyguards became the Right Imperial Bodyguards. Both sides were given a new Senior Commander; at this time Heizei appointed Sakanoue no Tamuramaro as Senior Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards of the Right. Under Emperor Kanmu, Tamuramaro had been appointed as shogun of a military expedition against the Emishi. After abdicating, Heizei was henceforth known as Nara no Mikado, the "Emperor of Nara".
Emperor Heizei
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
281.
Emperor Junna
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Emperor Junna was the 53rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Junna reigned from 823 to 833. Junna had 13 Imperial sons and daughters. His personal name was Ōtomo. 810: After the rebellion of Emperor Heizei, he became the crown prince of Emperor Saga at 25 years of age. March 833: In the 10th year of Emperor Junna's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his adopted son. Thereafter, Emperor Ninmyo is said to have acceded to the throne. After Junna stepped down from the throne, two former Emperors were alive. In this period, Junna was known as the Junior Retired Emperor. 11 June 840 (Jōwa 7, 8th day of the 5th month: Former-Emperor Junna died at the age of 55. The years of Junna's reign are more specifically identified by more than one name. Kōnin Tenchō Kugyō is a collective term for the few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Junna's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included: Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu, 825 -- 826.
Emperor Junna
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
282.
Emperor Montoku
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Emperor Montoku was the 55th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Montoku's reign lasted from 850 to 858. Before Montoku's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Michiyasu. He was also known as Tamura-no-mikado or Tamura-tei. He was the eldest son of Emperor Ninmyō. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Junshi, daughter of the minister of Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu. Montoku had 29 Imperial children. 6 May 850: In the 17th year of Ninmyō-tennō's reign, the emperor died; and his eldest son received the succession. 850: Emperor Montoku formally acceded to the throne. 850: The widow of Emperor Saga, also the grandmother of Emperor Montoku, died. 850: The emperor named Korehito-shinnō, the 4th son of Emperor Montoku as his heir. This 9-month-old baby was also the grandson of udaijin Fujiwara no Yoshifusa. 853: The emperor visited the home of udaijin Yoshifusa, the grandfather of his designated heir. July 854: The saidaijin Minamoto no Tokiwa, also known as Minamoto no Tsune, died at age 43. 855: The Emishi organized a rebellion; and in response, a force of provisions were sent to the north.
Emperor Montoku
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Montoku
283.
Emperor Seiwa
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Emperor Seiwa was the 56th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Seiwa's reign spanned the years through 876. Seiwa was the fourth son of Emperor Montoku. His mother was Empress Dowager Fujiwara no Akirakeiko, also called the Somedono empress 染殿后). Seiwa's mother was the daughter of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, great minister of the council of state. One meaning of the 仁 is the Confucian concept of ren. Later it has been a tradition to name the personal name of all male members of this way. He was also known as Mizunoo-no-mikado or Minoo-tei. Originally under the guardianship of his maternal grandfather Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, he displaced Imperial Prince Koretaka as Crown Prince. 10 July 858: In the 8th year of Montoku-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his son. Thereafter, Emperor Seiwa is said to have acceded to the throne. 15 December 858: The emperor's official announcement of his enthronement at age 9 was accompanied by the appointment of his grandfather as regent. The proclamation of the beginning of Seiwa's reign was made at Ise Province and at all the tombs of the imperial family. 859: All New Year's festivities were suspended because of the period of national mourning for the death of Emperor Montoku. 859: Construction began on the Iwashimizu Shrine near Heian-kyō.
Emperor Seiwa
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Seiwa
284.
Emperor Suzaku
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Emperor Suzaku was the 61st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Suzaku's reign spanned the years through 946. Before his ascension of the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Hiroakira-shinnō. He was also known as Yutaakira-shinnō. Daigo had one Imperial daughter. Suzaku's older brother died unexpectedly young, as did his brother's son. These untimely deaths opened the way for Suzaku to accede to the throne. October 16, 930: In the 33rd year of the reign of Daigo-tennō, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his eleventh son, Hiroakira-shinnō. 930: Emperor Suzaku, only 8 years old, acceded to the throne. May 16, 931: The era name was changed to mark the beginning of the new emperor's reign. August 5, 931: The former-Emperor Uda died at the age of 65. 932: The udaijin Fujiwara no Sadakata died at the age of 65. 933: The dainagon Fujiwara no Nakahira is named udaijin. Nakahira is the brother of sesshō Fujiwara Tadahira. 933: Ten of the chief dignitaries of the empire went falcon-hunting together in Owari province.
Emperor Suzaku
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Suzaku
Emperor Suzaku
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Suzaku.
285.
Emperor Reizei
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Emperor Reizei was the 63rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Reizei's reign spanned the years through 969. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Norihira-shinnō. Norihira-shinnō was the second son of Emperor Murakami. Empress Yasuko, was a daughter of minister of the right Fujiwara no Morosuke. Soon after his birth he was appointed as prince. This decision was supposedly made under the influence of his brother Fujiwara no Saneyori who had seized power in the court. From ancient times, there have been the Gempeitōkitsu. Of these, the Reizei Genji are descended from 63rd emperor Reizei. Questions about mental illness made Norihira-shinnō's succession somewhat problematic. Reizei ascended to the throne at the age of eighteen. July 5, 967: In the 16th year of Emperor Murakami's reign, he died; and the succession was received by his second son. Thereafter, Emperor Reizei is said to have acceded to the throne. 969: Reizei abdicated; and he took the honorific title of Reizei-in Jōkō. His reign lasted for just two years; and he lived another 44 years in retirement.
Emperor Reizei
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The tomb of Emperor Reizei, Kyoto (front view)
286.
Emperor Kazan
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Emperor Kazan was the 65th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kazan's reign spanned the years from 984 through 986. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Morosada-shinnō. Morasada was the eldest son of Emperor Reizei. The prince's mother was Fujiwara no Kaneko/Kaishi, a daughter of sesshō Fujiwara no Koretada. Morasada was also the brother of Emperor Sanjō. Prince Morasada was seventeen years of age at the time of the succession. October 6, 984: In the 15th year of Emperor En'yu's reign, he abdicated; and the succession was received by a nephew. Thereafter, Emperor Kazan is said to have acceded to the throne. He commissioned the Shūi Wakashū. 985: Fujiwara no Tokiakira and his brother, Yasusuke, contended with Fujiwara no Sukitaka and Ōe-no Masahira in a swordfight in Kyoto. Masahira lost the fingers of his left hand. The two brothers fled; and after careful searching, Tokiakira was eventually located in Ōmi Province. 986: Kazan took up residence at Kazan-ji where he became a Buddhist monk; and his new priestly name was Nyūkaku. August 23, 986: Iyasada-shinnō was appointed as heir and crown prince at age 11.
Emperor Kazan
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Emperor Kazan
Emperor Kazan
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Emperor Kazan, who was tricked into abdicating, on his way to the temple where he will become a Buddhist monk – woodblock prin by Yoshitoshi Tsukioka (1839–1892).
287.
Emperor Go-Reizei
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Emperor Go-Reizei was the 70th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Reizei's reign spanned 1045 -- 1068. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Chikahito-shinnō. He was the eldest son of Emperor Go-Suzaku. His mother was Fujiwara no Kishi, formerly daughter of Fujiwara no Michinaga. Go-Reizei had no Imperial sons or daughters. February 5, 1045: Emperor Go-Suzaku abdicated; and his eldest son receive the succession on the same day. Thereafter, Emperor Go-Reizei formally accedes to the throne. The era name is changed to mark the beginning of Go-Reizei's reign. February 7, 1045: Go-Suzaku died at the age of 37. In response, he is named chinjufu shōgun. He is given these powers so that he will be able to restore peace in the north. Yoriyoshi would have been the first to receive this shogunal title, although his grandfather had been seitō fuku-shōgun. May 22, 1068: The former-Emperor Go-Reizei died at the age of 44. Go-Reizei had no direct heirs.
Emperor Go-Reizei
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Decorative emblems (kiri) of the Hosokawa clan are found at Ryoan-ji. Go-Reizei is amongst six other emperors entombed near what had been the residence of Hosokawa Katsumoto before the Ōnin War.
288.
Emperor Sutoku
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Emperor Sutoku was the 75th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Sutoku's reign spanned the years through 1142. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Akihito. Emperor Sutoku, formerly His Imperial Majesty, formerly Prince Akihito Sutoku was the eldest son of Emperor Toba. Some old texts say he was actually the son of Emperor Shirakawa. February 25, 1123: In the 16th year of Emperor Toba's reign, he abdicated; and the succession was received by his son, aged 3. Hōan 4, in the 2nd month: Emperor Sutoku is said to have acceded to the throne. 1124: Former-Emperor Shirakawa and former-Emperor Toba went in carriages to outside the city where they could all together enjoy contemplating the flowers. Taiken-mon In, Sutoku's mother, joined the procession along with many other women of the court. Their cortege was colorful. A many men of the court in hunting clothes followed the ladies in this parade. Fujiwara Tadamichi then followed in a carriage, accompanied by bands of women who were to sing for the emperors. 1124: Shirakawa visited Mount Koya. 1125: The emperor visited the Kamo Shrines; and afterwards, he also visited the shrines Hirano, Ōharano, Mutsunoo, Kitano, Gion and several others. 1128: Taiken-mon In ordered the construction of Enshō-ji in fulfillment of a sacred vow.
Emperor Sutoku
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Emperor Sutoku
Emperor Sutoku
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Sutoku.
Emperor Sutoku
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Sutoku becoming demon, by Utagawa Yoshitsuya
289.
Emperor Konoe
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Emperor Konoe was the 76th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Konoe's reign spanned the years through 1155. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Narihito-shinnō. He was also known as Tosihito-shinnō. Emperor Konoe was the eighth son of Emperor Toba. His mother was the wife of Emperor Toba. Kōgō Fujiwara Masuko was the wife of Emperor Konoe; and after his death, she married Emperor Nijo. Later, she was called Grand Empress Dowager Omiya. Konoe was named heir shortly after he was born in 1139; and he was proclaimed emperor at the age of 3. Eiji 1, in the 3rd month: The former emperor Toba accepted the tonsure and became a Buddhist monk at the age of 39 years. Thereafter, Emperor Konoe is said to have acceded to the throne. At that time, the Kampaku Fujiwara-no Tadamichi became regent. The Cloistered Emperor Toba continued to direct all the affairs of government, while the retired Emperor Sutoku had no powers. This conflict resulted during Konoe's reign. Kōji 2, in the 1st month: Cloistered Emperor Toba-in, now known by the title Daijō Hōō or Hōō, visited his mother.
Emperor Konoe
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Japanese Imperial kamon — a stylized chrysanthemum blossom
290.
Emperor Antoku
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Emperor Antoku was the 81st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1185. During this time, the imperial family was involved in a bitter struggle between warring clans. Yoritomo, with his Yoshinaka, led a force from the Minamoto clan against the Taira, who controlled the emperor. The conflict between the clans led to numerous tales. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tokohito-shinnō. He was also known as Kotohito-shinnō. His father was Emperor Takakura. His mother, second daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, was later referred to as Empress Dowager Kenrei. Antoku was named prince at around one month of age. He ascended the throne at the age of two. Naturally, he held no actual power, but rather his Taira no Kiyomori ruled in his name, though not officially, as sesshō. Thereafter, Emperor Antoku is said to have acceded to the throne. It was soon moved back to Heian-kyō. 1183: Go-Toba is proclaimed emperor by the Minamoto; and consequently, there were two proclaimed emperors, another in flight towards the south.
Emperor Antoku
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Antoku
291.
Kamakura period
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The period is known for the emergence of the samurai, the warrior caste, for the establishment of feudalism in Japan. The Kamakura period marks a concentration of military technologies in the hands of a specialized class. Lords required the loyal services of vassals, who were rewarded with fiefs of their own. The fief holders exercised local military rule. Once Minamoto Yoritomo had consolidated his power, he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura. Yoritomo had a board of inquiry. After confiscating estates in central and western Japan, he appointed stewards for the estates and constables for the provinces. As shogun, Yoritomo was both the steward and the constable general. The Kamakura shogunate was not a national regime, however, although it controlled large tracts of land, there was strong resistance to the stewards. The regime never brought either the west under military control. However, the 4th leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189, the 100-year-long prosperity of the north disappeared. The old court resided in Kyoto, continuing to hold the land over which it had jurisdiction, while newly organized military families were attracted to Kamakura. Despite a strong beginning, Yoritomo failed to consolidate the leadership of his family on a lasting basis. Intrafamily contention had long existed within the Minamoto, although Yoritomo had eliminated most serious challengers to his authority. Often the Shikken was also the Tokuso and Rensho.
Kamakura period
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Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba by Takesaki Eurema, c. 1293.
Kamakura period
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A famous Japanese wooden kongorikishi statue of Tōdai-ji, Nara. It was made by Busshi Unkei in 1203.
Kamakura period
Kamakura period
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Japanese samurai boarding Mongol ships in 1281.
292.
Emperor Juntoku
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Emperor Juntoku was the 84th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1221. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Morinari-shinnō. He was the third son of Emperor Go-Toba. He was elevated to the throne after Emperor Go-Toba pressured Emperor Tsuchimikado into abdicating. Thereafter, Emperor Juntoku is said to have acceded to the throne. In actuality, Emperor Go-Toba wielded effective power during the years of Juntoku's reign. In 1221, he was forced to abdicate because of his participation in Go-Toba's unsuccessful attempt to displace the Kamakura bakufu with Imperial power. This military struggle was called the Jōkyū War or the Jōkyū Incident. After the Jōkyū-no ran, Juntoku was sent on Sado Island, where he remained until his death in 1242. This emperor is known posthumously as Sado-no In because his last years were spent at Sado. He was buried on Sado's west coast. Juntoku's Imperial tomb is in Kyoto. Juntoku was tutored by Fujiwara no Sadaie, also known as Teika. One of the emperor's poems was selected in the what became a well-known anthology, the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
Emperor Juntoku
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Juntoku, Tenshi Sekkan Miei (15th century)
Emperor Juntoku
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Imperial tomb of Emperor Juntoku and Emperor Go-Toba, Kyoto
293.
Emperor Go-Horikawa
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Emperor Go-Horikawa was the 86th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years through 1232. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century Emperor Horikawa and translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Horikawa". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Yutahito-shinnō, also known as Motsihito-shinnō. Lady-in-waiting: Jimyōin no Motoko, Daughter of Jimyōin Ieyuki First daughter: Imperial Princess?? Second daughter: Imperial Princess?? Lady-in-waiting: Daughter of Fujiwara Kaneyoshi Third daughter: Imperial Princess?? He ruled from July 29, 1221 to October 26, 1232. 1221: Emperor Go-Horikawa acceded to the throne. As Go-Horikawa was only ten-years-old at this time, Imperial Prince Morisada acted as cloistered emperor under the name Go-Takakura-in. In 1232, he began his cloistered rule, abdicating to his 1-year-old son, Emperor Shijō. However, his cloistered rule lasted just under two years before he died. Emperor Go-Horikawa's Imperial tomb is at Sennyū-ji in Nochi no Tsukinowa no Higashiyama no misasagi. Kugyō is a collective term for the few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time.
Emperor Go-Horikawa
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Go-Horikawa
294.
Emperor Kameyama
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Emperor Kameyama was the 90th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1274. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tsunehito-shinnō. He was the 7th son of Emperor Go-Saga Empress Tōin Fujiwara no Saneko First daughter: Imperial Princess?? First son: Imperial Prince?? Second son: Imperial Prince Yohito Empress Saionji Yoshiko Court Lady: Konoe?? Eighth son: Imperial Prince?? Tenth son: Imperial Prince?? Lady-in-waiting: Eldest daughter of Sanjō?? Fourth son: Prince Ryōsuke? Sixth son: Prince Shōun? Seventh son: Prince?? Fifth daughter: Wife of Kujō?? Lady-in-waiting: Fujiwara?? Second daughter: Imperial Princess??
Emperor Kameyama
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Kameyama
Emperor Kameyama
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Statue of Emperor Kameyama located in Fukuoka, Japan.
Emperor Kameyama
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Kameyama.
295.
Emperor Go-Uda
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Emperor Go-Uda was the 91st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1274 through 1287. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Yohito. He was the second son of Emperor Kameyama. They were from the Daikakuji line. Consort: Horikawa Motoko First son: Imperial Prince Kuniharu Consort: Itsutsuji?? Second daughter: Imperial Princess?? Second son: Imperial Prince?? Third son: Prince?? Fourth son: Prince?? Consort: Princess?? First daughter: Imperial Princess?? Yohito-shinnō became crown prince in 1268. According in 1274, he would become emperor upon the death or abdication of Emperor Kameyama. 1274: In the 15th year of Kameyama-tennō's reign, the emperor abdicated; and the succession was received by his cousin.
Emperor Go-Uda
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Go-Uda
Emperor Go-Uda
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Go-Uda.
296.
Emperor Hanazono
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Emperor Hanazono was the 95th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years through 1318. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Tomihito-shinnō. He was the fourth son of Fushimi. He belonged to the Jimyōin-tō branch of the Imperial Family. Tomihito-shinnō became emperor upon the abdication of the Daikakuji-tō Emperor Go-Nijō. Thereafter, Emperor Hanazono is said to have acceded to the throne. Tokuji 3, in the 10th month: The nengō was changed to Enkyō to mark the accession of Emperor Hanazono. Hanazono's brother, the retired-Emperor Go-Fushimi, both exerted influence as cloistered emperors during this reign. This agreement was not long-lasting. The negotiated provisions would soon broken by Hanazono's successor. In 1318, he abdicated to the Daikakuji-tō Emperor Go-Daigo, Nijō's brother. After his abdication, he raised the future Northern Pretender Emperor Kōgon. Many institutions in the area are named for him, including Hanazono University and Hanazono Station. He died in 1348.
Emperor Hanazono
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Hanazono
Emperor Hanazono
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Emperor Hanazono after taking the tonsure.
297.
Emperor Go-Daigo
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Emperor Go-Daigo was the 96th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Post-Meiji historians construe Go-Daigo's reign to span 1318–1339; however, pre-Meiji accounts of his reign considered the years of his reign to encompass only between 1318–1332. Pre-Meiji scholars also considered Go-Daigo a pretender emperor through 1339. Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Takaharu-shinnō. He was the second son of Emperor Go-Uda. His mother was daughter of Fujiwara no Tadatsugu. She became Nyoin called Dantenmon-in. Emperor Go-Daigo's ideal was the Engi era during the reign of Emperor Daigo, a period of imperial rule. Emperor Go-Daigo chose his personally during his lifetime, to share it with Emperor Daigo. Emperor Go-Daigo became emperor in the prime of his life. Thereafter, Emperor Go-Daigo is said to have acceded to the throne. 1319: Emperor Go-Daigo caused the nengō to be changed to Gen'ō to mark the beginning of his reign. In the Genkō Incident of 1331, Emperor Go-Daigo's plans were again discovered, this time by a betrayal by his close associate Yoshida Sadafusa. In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo escaped with the help of Nawa Nagatoshi and his family raising an army at Funagami Mountain in Hōki Province. Ashikaga Takauji, sent by the shogunate to destroy this army, sided with the emperor and captured the Rokuhara Tandai.
Emperor Go-Daigo
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Go-Daigo
Emperor Go-Daigo
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Woodblock print triptych by Gekko Ogata. Emperor Go-Daigo dreams of ghosts at his palace in Kasagiyama.
Emperor Go-Daigo
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Emperor Go-Daigo.
298.
Northern Court
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The present Japanese Imperial Family is descended of the Northern Court emperors. The origins of the Northern Court go back to Emperor Go-Saga, who reigned through 1246. Go-Saga was succeeded by two of his sons, Emperor Go-Fukakusa and Emperor Kameyama. This plan proved resulting in rival factions and rival claimants to the throne. Shoguns would rule Japan unimpeded until 1867. The Imperial Court supported by the Ashikaga shoguns was rivaled by the Southern Court of his descendants. This came to be called the Southern Court because its seat was in a south of its rival. Although the precise location of the emperors' seat did change, it was often identified as simply Yoshino. In 1392, Emperor Go-Kameyama of the Southern Court was abdicated in favor of Kōgon's great-grandson, Emperor Go-Komatsu, thus ending the divide. The Northern Court had little real independence. Partly since the 19th century, the Emperors of the Southern Imperial Court have been considered the legitimate Emperors of Japan. Moreover, the Southern Court controlled the imperial regalia. The Northern Court members are officially called pretenders. Kumazawa Hiromichi, declared himself to be Japan's rightful emperor in the days after the end of the Pacific War. He claimed that Emperor Hirohito was a fraud, arguing that Hirohito's entire line is descended from the Northern Court.
Northern Court
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Northern capital: Kyoto
299.
Emperor Go-Komatsu
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Emperor Go-Komatsu was the 100th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He is officially considered to have been a pretender from May 1382 to October 21, 1392, when Emperor Go-Kameyama abdicated. He is understood to have been a legitimate emperor from that date until October 1412. According to pre-Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1392 through 1412. Go -, translates literally as "later." Jien's Gukanshō explains that Kōkō was called "the Emperor of Komatsu". Emperor may be called the "later Emperor Kōkō" or the "later Emperor Komatsu". Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Motohito-shinnō. Go-Komatsu was the first son of the Northern Pretender Emperor Go-En'yū. His mother was Tsūyōmonin no Itsuko, daughter of the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal Sanjō Kimitada. In his own lifetime, those around him believed that he occupied the Chrysanthemum Throne from May 24, 1382 through 1412. He was raised in the mansion of Hino Sukenori. The Northern Pretender Emperor Go-En ` yū. With the help of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, his father ruled as Cloistered Emperor. Thus, Emperor Go-Komatsu became the acknowledged, legitimate emperor of Japan on October 21, 1392.
Emperor Go-Komatsu
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Go-Komatsu
300.
Muromachi period
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The Muromachi period is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. From a cultural perspective, the period can be divided into the Kitayama and Higashiyama periods. The early years from 1336 to 1392 of the Muromachi period are known as Northern and Southern Court period. This period is marked by the continued resistance of the supporters of the emperor behind the Kenmu Restoration. The years from 1465 to the end of the Muromachi period are also known as Warring States period. Emperor Go-Daigo's brief attempt to restore the imperial power in the Kenmu Restoration alienated the class. Ashikaga Takauji obtained deposed Emperor Go-Daigo. In 1338 Takauji established his government in Kyoto. However, Emperor Godaigo revived his political power in Nara. Nevertheless, the Ashikaga shogunate was greatly preoccupied with civil war. Not until the rule of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu did a semblance of order emerge. Yoshimitsu allowed the constables, who had had limited powers during the Kamakura period, to become regional rulers, later called daimyō. The line of shoguns increasingly lost power to the daimyō and other regional strongmen. The daimyō could back their own candidates. The vacuum that ensued launched a century of anarchy.
Muromachi period
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Kinkaku-ji
Muromachi period
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Hana-no-gosho palace
Muromachi period
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Muromachi samurai (1538)
Muromachi period
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A ship of the Muromachi period (1538).
301.
Emperor Go-Murakami
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He reigned until March 29, 1368. His personal name was Noriyoshi. He reigned from other temporary locations. This 14th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century Emperor Murakami and translates as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Murakami". "Prince Norinaga" was Go-Daigo's son from his "favorite consort of his later years". This was Lady Renshi. He lived to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The contested succession pitted what were known against each other. These years are also known as the Nanboku-chō period. However, in 1336, because Ashikaga Takauji had raised a rebellion, the Emperor returned with a strong force to confront him. He was accompanied by Kitabatake Akiie, in order to confront Takauji. When Takauji defeated them in 1336, they again returned to Mutsu Province. In 1337, because Tagajō was attacked, they returned again to the west, returning to Yoshino while constantly fighting battles. In 1338, he returned to Yoshino because of a storm. In Oct. 1338, he was named Crown Prince.
Emperor Go-Murakami
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Go-Murakami
Emperor Go-Murakami
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Memorial Shinto shrine and mausoleum honoring Empress Go-Murakami.
302.
Emperor Go-Kameyama
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Emperor Go-Kameyama was the 99th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled to October 21, 1392 becoming the last Emperor of the Southern Court. His personal name was Hironari. He was the second son of Emperor Go-Murakami. His mother was Fujiwara Katsuko. Little is known of other consorts. Imperial Prince Tsuneatsu is believed to be his son. Go-Kameyama became Emperor in what was called the Southern court when Emperor Chōkei abdicated in 1383. In doing so, Go-Kameyama was understood to have abdicated. By the conditions of the treaty, the Northern Court and the Southern Court were supposed to alternate control of the throne. However, this was thrown out as Emperor Go-Komatsu renaged on the treaty by abdicating in favour of his own son. Henceforth, no Southern Court claimant ever sat on the Chrysthansemum Throne again. Following his abdication, he went into seclusion; but, in 1410, he returned to Yoshino. The Imperial Household Agency recognizes Saga no ogura no misasagi in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto as his tomb. Kugyō is a collective term for the few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.
Emperor Go-Kameyama
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Go-Kameyama
303.
Emperor Go-Sai
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Emperor Go-Sai, also known as Emperor Go-Saiin was the 111th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Sai's reign spanned the years through 1663. Thus, he could have been called the "Later Emperor Junna". Emperor Go-Sai could not pass the throne onto his descendants. This emperor was also called "Emperor of the Western Palace". Thus, this emperor might be identified as "Junna II". During the Meiji Era, the name became just Go-Sai. Before Go-Sai's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Nagahito or Yoshihito; and his pre-accession title was Hide-no-miya or Momozono-no-miya. He was the eighth son of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. He was raised as if he were the son of Tōfuku-mon'in. Former Empress Meishō was his elder sister by a different mother; and former Emperor Go-Kōmyō was his older brother by a different mother. Emperor Go-Sai's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. This family included 17 daughters, none of whom would ascend to the throne. Third son: Prince?? Consort: Daughter of Matsuki??
Emperor Go-Sai
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Go-Sai by Prince Kōben
304.
Emperor Nakamikado
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Emperor Nakamikado was the 114th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Nakamikado's reign spanned the years through 1735. Before Nakamikado's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Yoshihito or Yasuhito; and his pre-accession title was Masu-no-miya. Nakamikado was the fifth son of Emperor Higashiyama. He was brought up as if he were the son of the Empress consort, Arisugawa no Yukiko. Nakamikado's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. Prince?? In 1708, Nakamikado became Crown Prince. July 27, 1709: Emperor Higashiyama abdicated and the throne passed to his son. January 16, 1710: Higashiyama died. Immediately after the abdication, Prince Yashuhito became the emperor. Because of his youth, first his father, then his grandfather, the retired Emperor Reigen exercised Imperial powers in his name. Nakamikado reign corresponded to the eighth shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune. During this period, relations with the Bakufu were fairly good. July 7, 1710 – March 22, 1711: A Ryukyuan diplomatic mission from Shō Eki of the Ryūkyū Kingdom was received by the shogunate.
Emperor Nakamikado
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Nakamikado
305.
Emperor Sakuramachi
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Emperor Sakuramachi was the 115th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years through 1747. Before Nakamikado's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Akihito; and his pre-accession title was Waka-no-miya. He was the son of Emperor Nakamikado. Sakuramachi's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. 17 July. 1728: Akihito-shinnō was named Crown Prince. 13 April 1735: Prince Akihito became emperor upon the abdication of his father. 1737: A comet is noticed in the western part of the sky. 1738: Esoteric Shinto rituals Daijō-e were performed by the emperor. 1739: Some foundry workers in Edo are commanded to create iron coins for use across the empire. 8 August 1740: Great floods in Heian-kyō. Sanjo Bridge was washed away. 11 January 1741: The esoteric Niiname-matsuri ceremonies were performed. This specific ceremony had otherwise been held in abeyance for the previous 280 years.
Emperor Sakuramachi
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Sakuramachi
306.
Emperor Momozono
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Emperor Momozono was the 116th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Momozono's reign spanned the years until his death in 1762. Before Momozono's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Toohito; and his pre-accession title was initially Yaho-no-miya and later Sachi-no-miya. Momozono was the son of Emperor Sakuramachi. His mother was Lady-in-waiting Sadako Momozono's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. 25 April 1747: Prince Toohito was invested as Crown Prince. 9 June 1747: Prince Toohito became emperor. 1748: The first performance of the eleven-act puppet play Kanadehon Chushingura, depicting the classic story of samurai revenge, the 1702 vendetta of the 47 rōnin. 1748:: A Ryukyuan diplomatic mission from Shō Kei of the Ryūkyū Kingdom was received by the shogunate. October 1749: A terrific storm of wind and rain strikes Kyoto; and the keep of Nijō Castle is burnt after it was struck by lightning. 1760: Shogun Ieshige resigns and his son, Ieharu, becomes the 10th shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. 1762: The emperor abdicated in favor of his sister. 31 August 1762: The emperor died at the age of 21. Momozono's kami is enshrined at Sennyū-ji in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto. Kugyō is a collective term for the few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.
Emperor Momozono
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Momozono
307.
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
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Empress Go-Sakuramachi was the 117th monarch of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Sakuramachi's reign spanned the years through 1771. This 18th-century sovereign was named after go -, translates as "later"; and thus, she could be called the "Later Sakuramachi". The Japanese word go has also been translated to mean the "second one;" and in some older sources, this empress might be identified as "Sakuramachi II". In the history of Japan, Go-Sakuramachi was the last of eight women to take on the role of empress regnant. The seven female monarchs who reigned before Go-Sakuramachi were Meishō. Before Go-Sakuramachi's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, her personal name was Toshiko; and her pre-accession title was Isa-no-miya and later Ake-no-miya. She was the second daughter of Emperor Sakuramachi. Her mother was Nijō Ieko. Her younger brother was Emperor Momozono. Her emperor brother were the last lineal descendants of Emperor Nakamikado. Empress Go-Sakuramachi's Imperial family lived in the dairi of the Heian Palace. Princess Toshiko acceded to the throne when Emperor Momozono abdicated in favor of his sister. Momozono's son, Prince Hidehito was only 5 years old at this time. Hidehito's empress aunt was expected to occupy the throne until her nephew would be able to take on the burden of responsibility.
Empress Go-Sakuramachi
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Go-Sakuramachi (represented here as male with goatee)
308.
Emperor Go-Momozono
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Emperor Go-Momozono was the 118th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Momozono's reign spanned the years through his death in 1779. Before Go-Momozono's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Hidehito or Hanahito He was the son of Emperor Momozono. Go-Momozono's Imperial family lived in the Dairi of the Heian Palace. This family included at least 2 sons who died at the time of the emperor's early death. He was too young to be emperor at that time. August 5, 1758: Prince Hidehito is born, the first son of Emperor Momozono. 1768: Hidehito-shinnō was named Crown Prince and heir. January 9, 1771: Empress Go-Sakuramachi abdicated in favor of her nephew,; his reign started immediately. February 29, 1772: "The Great Meiwa Fire" – one of the three greatest Edo fire disasters. All this devastation subsequently engendered the costs of reconstruction. August 2, 1772: A tempest struck the Kantō region, causing floods and ruining crops. August 17, 1772: Another storm brought flooding and high winds to the Kantō region, destroying an estimated 4000 houses in Edo alone. 1772: This was called the "year of trouble" because it was marked by an extraordinary succession of natural calamities. A contemporary pun was made linking the words "Meiwa" the sound-alike word "meiwaku".
Emperor Go-Momozono
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Go-Momozono
309.
List of current sovereign monarchs
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In many cases, a monarch will also be linked with a religion. Cases in which two monarchs rule simultaneously over a single state, as is the current situation in Andorra, are known as coregencies. Monarchs are distinguished by their styles, which in most cases are defined by tradition, guaranteed under the state's constitution. A variety of titles are applied in English; for "king" and "queen", "prince" and "princess", "emperor" and "empress". Although they will be addressed differently in their local languages, the titles in the list below have been styled using the common English equivalent. Roman numerals, used to distinguish related rulers with the same name, have been applied where typical. Succession has been defined using a variety such as proximity of blood, primogeniture, agnatic seniority. The ruler is instead determined through an elective process; a modern example is the throne of Malaysia. These systems are commonly considered as such because they retain certain associative characteristics. Many systems use a combination of elective elements, where the election or nomination of a successor is restricted to members of a royal bloodline. Entries below are listed beside their respective dominions, which are organised alphabetically. These monarchs reign as head of state in their respective sovereign states. Monarchs reigning over a constituent division, traditional polity are listed under constituent monarchs. For current claimants to abolished thrones, see pretenders. Buyers, Christopher.
List of current sovereign monarchs
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Emperor Akihito of Japan
List of current sovereign monarchs
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King Harald V of Norway
310.
Lesotho
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Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is an enclaved, landlocked country in southern Africa completely surrounded by South Africa. It has a population slightly over two million. Largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community. The name Lesotho translates roughly into the land of the people who speak Sesotho. About 40 % of the population lives below the international line of US $1.25 a day. The original inhabitants of the area now known as Lesotho were the San people. Examples of their art can be found in the mountains throughout the area. The present Lesotho, then called Basutoland, emerged under King Moshoeshoe I in 1822. Moshoeshoe, a minor chief of the Bakoteli lineage, formed his own clan and became a chief around 1804. These outraged Boers were suppressed in a brief skirmish in 1848. In 1851 a British force was defeated at Kolonyama touching off an embarrassing war for the British. After repelling another British attack in 1852, Moshoeshoe sent an appeal to the British commander that settled the dispute diplomatically, then defeated the Batlokoa in 1853. The last war in 1867 ended when Moshoeshoe appealed to Queen Victoria, who agreed to make a British protectorate in 1868. Moshoeshoe died on 11 March 1870, marking the beginning of the colonial era.
Lesotho
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King Moshoeshoe I with his Ministers.
Lesotho
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Flag
Lesotho
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1959 stamps for the Basutoland National Council.
Lesotho
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Lesotho mountain village
311.
Letsie III of Lesotho
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Letsie III is the king of Lesotho. He succeeded his father, Moshoeshoe II, when the latter was forced into exile in 1990. His father was briefly restored in 1995 but soon died in a car crash in early 1996, Letsie became king again. As a constitutional monarch, most of King Letsie's duties as monarch of Lesotho are ceremonial. He was educated in the United Kingdom at Ampleforth College. From there he went on to study at the National University of Lesotho where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law. He then went on to study at the University of Bristol, Wye College. He completed his studies in 1989, when he returned to Lesotho. He was installed as the Principal Chief of Matsieng on 16 December 1989. King Letsie married with whom he has two daughters and one son: Princess Mary Senate Mohato Seeiso, born 7 October 2001. Princess'Maseeiso, born 20 November 2004. Prince Lerotholi David Mohato Bereng Seeiso, born 18 April 2007. Patron of the Prince Mohato Award. Lesotho: Grand Master of the Most Dignified Order of Moshoeshoe. Lesotho: Grand Master of the Most Meritorious Order of Mohlomi.
Letsie III of Lesotho
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Letsie III
312.
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI is the current king of Morocco. He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father, King Hassan II. Mohammed was the second child and oldest son of Hassan II and his second wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou. On the day of his birth, Mohammed was appointed Heir Apparent and Crown Prince. His research paper dealt with "the Arab-African Union and the Strategy of the Kingdom of Morocco in matters of International Relations". He has also frequented the Imperial College and University of Rabat. He was furthermore appointed President of the Pan Arab Games, was commissioned a Colonel Major of the Royal Moroccan Army on 26 November 1985. He served as the Coordinator of the Offices and Services of the Royal Armed Forces until 1994. In 1987, Mohammed obtained his first Certificat d'Études Supérieures in political sciences, in July 1988 he obtained a Diplôme d'Études Approfondies in public law. In November 1988, he trained in Brussels with Jacques Delors, then-President of the European Commission. Mohammed obtained his PhD in law with distinction on 29 October 1993 from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis for his thesis on "EEC-Maghreb Relations". He speaks Arabic, English, Spanish and French. On 23 July 1999, Mohammed succeeded his father as king, being enthroned in Rabat on 30 July. Mohammed's reformist rhetoric was opposed by Islamist conservatives, some of his reforms angered fundamentalists. In February 2004, he enacted a new family code, or Mudawana, which granted women more power.
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI محمد السادس ⵎⵓⵃⵎⵎⴷ ⵡⵉⵙ ⵚⴹⵉⵚ
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI (right) talking to US President George W. Bush in Washington on 23 April 2002.
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI in 2004.
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI (left) with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2004.
313.
Swaziland
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Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a sovereign state in Southern Africa. It is neighboured by Mozambique by South Africa to its north, west and south. Its people take their names from Mswati II, the 19th-century king under whose rule Swazi territory was expanded and unified. At no more than 200 kilometres 130 kilometres east to west, Swaziland is one of the smallest countries in Africa. Despite its size, however, its topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld. The population is primarily ethnic Swazis whose language is Swati. They established their kingdom under the leadership of Ngwane III; the present boundaries were drawn up in 1881. After the Anglo-Boer War, Swaziland was a British protectorate from 1903 until 1967. It regained its independence on 6 September 1968. The country is an absolute monarchy, currently ruled by Ngwenyama Mswati III. He appoints the country's prime ministers and a number of representatives of both chambers in the country's parliament. Elections are held every five years to determine the House of Assembly majority. The current constitution was adopted in 2005. Swaziland is a developing country with a small economy. Its GDP per capita of $9,714 means it is classified as a country with a lower-middle income.
Swaziland
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A 19th-century Swazi artifact
Swaziland
Swaziland
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Swaziland in Southern Africa, 1896.
Swaziland
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Ingwenyama Mswati III has been king of Swaziland since 1986.
314.
Mswati III
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King Mswati III is the current King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. King Mswati III was born in Manzini, Swaziland to King Sobhuza II and one of his younger wives Ntombi Tfwala. He was Tfwala's only child. Mswati attended primary school at Lozitha Palace School. Mswati then attended to 1986 Sherborne School in north-west Dorset, England. Together with his mother Ntombi Tfwala, now Queen Mother, Mswati rules the country as an absolute monarch. Mswati III currently has 13 wives. Although Mswati is fairly popular in Swaziland, his policies and lavish lifestyle have led to local protests and international criticism. Mswati was born at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital four months before Swaziland attained independence from the United Kingdom. When his mother were discharged from the hospital they went to live at one of Sobhuza's residences, Etjeni, near the Masundwini royal residence. His name was Makhosetive. As a young prince, Makhosetive attended Masundwini Primary School and later Lozitha Palace School. Mswati received First Class with merit in Mathematics and English. Mswati developed a great interest in the royal guard, becoming the young cadet to join the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force. When King Sobhuza II died on the 21st of August 1982, the Great Council of State selected the 14-year-old Makhosetive to be the next king.
Mswati III
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Mswati III
Mswati III
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King Mswati at the Reed Dance 2006
315.
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
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Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa is the 1st King of Bahrain, having previously been its 2nd Emir. He is the son of the 1st Emir. The country has been ruled by the Al Khalifa dynasty since 1783. Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. His parents were Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, then Crown Prince, Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa. Hamad then underwent military training, first with the British Army at Mons Officer Cadet School at Aldershot in Hampshire, graduating in September 1968. Hamad was designated as heir apparent by his father on 27 June 1964. In 1968, he was appointed as the chairman of the irrigation council and Manama municipal council. In 1970, Hamad became the head of the vice-chairman of the administrative council, remaining until 1971. From 1971 to 1988 he was the minister of state for defence. In October 1977, Hamad started learning to fly helicopters, successfully completing the training in January 1978. On the death of his father Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Hamad became Emir of Bahrain on 6 March 1999. As Emir, Hamad brought several political reforms to Bahrain. These included the abolition of the 1974 Decree on State Security Measures. Additionally, many Bahraini citizens were permitted to return after several years in exile overseas.
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
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Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
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The Leys School, Cambridge
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
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King Hamad with Donald H. Rumsfeld
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
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President George W. Bush welcomes Hamad to the Oval Office on 29 November 2004
316.
Bhutan
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Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a sovereign state landlocked in the Eastern Himalayas in South Asia. Bhutan borders China to the south east and west. Thimphu is largest city, while Phuntsholing is Bhutan's financial centre. The King of Bhutan is known as the Druk Gyalpo, meaning the "Thunder Dragon King". The highest mountain in Bhutan is the Gangkhar Puensum, also a strong candidate for the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Bhutan was located on the Silk Road between China and the Indian subcontinent. Its territory was composed until the early 17th century. At the time the first Zhabdrung Rinpoche, unified the area and cultivated a distinct Bhutanese identity. In the 20th century, Bhutan established relations with the British Empire. During its spread to Tibet, Bhutan signed a friendship treaty with newly-independent India in 1949. The country departed under the fourth Druk Gyalpo. In 2008, Bhutan held its first general election. During the same year, the throne passed to the fifth Druk Gyalpo. Bhutanese democracy has evolved as a two-party system. It has a close strategic partnership with neighboring India.
Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan
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The Dzong in the Paro valley, built in 1646.
317.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
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Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the fifth and current reigning Druk Gyalpo or "Dragon King" of the Kingdom of Bhutan. After his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne in his favour, he became King on 9 December 2006. A public coronation ceremony was held on 1 November 2008, an auspicious year that marked 100 years of monarchy in Bhutan. Khesar is the eldest son of the fourth Dragon King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, his third wife, Queen Tshering Yangdon. He has a younger sister, Princess Dechen Yangzom, brother, Prince Jigme Dorji, as well as four half-sisters and three half-brothers. He also did a course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, India. He also officially represented Bhutan on several international events. He attended Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th Anniversary Celebrations on 12–13 June 2006 in Bangkok along with royals from 25 countries. The youngest of the visiting royals, the 26-year-old prince caused a sensation, giving rise to a legion of female fans in Thailand. The Thai press dubbed him "Prince Charming," publishing his photograph and running stories about him as well as Bhutan for several weeks after the event. On 25 June 2002, the Crown Prince was awarded the Red Scarf by his father. On 31 October 2004, Khesar was installed as the Trongsa Penlop in Trongsa Dzong. Religious ceremonies and public celebrations were also held at Tashichhodzong and Changlimithang in Thimphu. The coronation ceremony comprised an ancient and colourful ritual, attended by thousands of foreign dignitaries, including the then President of India, Pratibha Patil. CNN reported that, to welcome Khesar as King of Bhutan, people painted street signs, hung festive banners and decorated traffic circles with fresh flowers.
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
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Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck འཇིགས་མེད་གེ་སར་རྣམ་ རྒྱལ་དབང་ཕྱུག
318.
Brunei
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Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, the country is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is separated by the Sarawak district of Limbang. Brunei's population was 408,786 in July 2012. The maritime state was fought against Spain in the 1578 Castille War. During the 19th century, the Bruneian Empire began to decline. It ceded Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. In 1888, Brunei was assigned a British resident as colonial manager in 1906. In 1959 a new constitution was written. In 1962, a armed rebellion against the monarchy was ended with the help of the British. Brunei gained its independence on 1 January 1984. Economic growth with the GDP increasing 56 % from 1999 to 2008, transformed Brunei into an industrialised country. It has developed wealth from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields. Brunei is classified as a "developed country". According to the International Monetary Fund, Brunei is ranked fifth in the world at purchasing power parity. The IMF estimated, in 2011, that Brunei was one of two countries with a public debt at 0% of the national GDP.
Brunei
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The tomb of a ruler of Po-ni in Nanjing, China.
Brunei
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Flag
Brunei
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Ahmad Tajuddin, the 27th Sultan of Brunei with members of his court in April 1941, eight months before the Japanese invaded Brunei.
Brunei
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Japanese battleships at Brunei in October 1944.
319.
Hassanal Bolkiah
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Hassanal Bolkiah, GCB GCMG is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei. He is also the first and incumbent Prime Minister of Brunei. The Sultan has been ranked among the wealthiest individuals in the world; Forbes estimated the Sultan's total net worth at US$ billion in 2008. The Sultan was born on 15 July 1946 in Brunei Town as Pengiran Muda Hassanal Bolkiah. He became the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam on 5 October 1967, after his father abdicated. His coronation made the Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei. Like his father, he has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, of which Brunei was a protectorate until 1984. Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, the Sultan is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. On 9 March 2006, the Sultan was reported to have amended Brunei's constitution to make himself infallible under Bruneian law. Bolkiah, as Prime Minister, is also the head of government. In addition, he holds the portfolios both of Minister of Defense and Minister of Finance. He appointed himself as Inspector General of Police of the Royal Brunei Police Force. Bolkiah addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Brunei Darussalam's admission to the United Nations in September 1984. In 1991, he introduced a conservative ideology to Brunei called Melayu Islam Beraja, which presents the monarchy as the defender of the faith. He declared Prime Minister and President.
Hassanal Bolkiah
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His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Wad'daulah The 29th Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei
Hassanal Bolkiah
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Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah
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Hassanal Bolkiah during a parade for his 69th birthday
Hassanal Bolkiah
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Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah with the former President of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintao.
320.
Norodom Sihamoni
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Norodom Sihamoni became the King of Cambodia on 14 October 2004. He is the eldest son of Queen Norodom Monineath. He was named by a nine-member throne council to become the next king after his father Norodom Sihanouk abdicated in 2004. Before ascending the throne, Sihamoni was best known as a classical dance instructor. Sihamoni was born in 1953. She was granted the title of Neak Moneang and the name of Monineath to King Norodom Sihanouk in 1952. She is described as Sihanouk's seventh wife. He has spent most of his life outside Cambodia. During the 1970 d'état by Lon Nol, Sihamoni remained in Czechoslovakia. In 1975 he began to study filmmaking in North Korea, in 1977 returned to Cambodia. Immediately, the ruling Khmer Rouge government put the royal family including Sihamoni under house arrest until the 1979 Vietnamese invasion. In 1981 he was later president of the Khmer Dance Association. He lived for nearly 20 years regularly visiting Prague, where he had spent his childhood and youth. He is the only monarch who speaks Czech. Besides his native Khmer, he is a good speaker of English and Russian.
Norodom Sihamoni
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Norodom Sihamoni
Norodom Sihamoni
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King Norodom Sihamoni at the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Phnom Penh.
Norodom Sihamoni
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King Norodom Sihamoni meeting with South Korean president Lee Myung-bak at the Royal Palace in 2009.
321.
Japan
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Japan is an island nation in East Asia. It is often called the "Land of the Rising Sun". Japan is a stratovolcanic archipelago of 6,852 islands. Largest are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku, which make up about ninety-seven percent of Japan's land area. The country is divided into 47 prefectures in eight regions. The population of million is the world's tenth largest. Japanese people make up 98.5% of Japan's total population. Approximately million people live in the core city of Tokyo, the capital of Japan. Archaeological research indicates that Japan was inhabited early as the Upper Paleolithic period. The first written mention of Japan is in Chinese history texts from the 1st AD. Influence from other regions, mainly China, followed from Western Europe, has characterized Japan's history. From the 12th century until 1868, Japan was ruled by successive military shoguns who ruled in the name of the Emperor. Since adopting its revised constitution in 1947, Japan has maintained a constitutional monarchy with an Emperor and an elected legislature called the National Diet. Japan is considered a great power. The country has the world's fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity.
Japan
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The Golden Hall and five-storey pagoda of Hōryū-ji, among the oldest wooden buildings in the world, National Treasures, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Japan
Japan
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Samurai warriors face Mongols, during the Mongol invasions of Japan. The Kamikaze, two storms, are said to have saved Japan from Mongol fleets.
Japan
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Samurai could kill a commoner for the slightest insult and were widely feared by the Japanese population. Edo period, 1798
322.
Abdullah II of Jordan
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Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein has been King of Jordan since 1999 upon the death of his father King Hussein. Abdullah was born in Amman as the first child of King Hussein and his second wife, the British-born Princess Muna Al-Hussein. Shortly after his birth Abdullah was named Crown Prince. King Hussein transferred the title to his own brother, Prince Hassan, in 1965, only to return it to Abdullah in 1999. Abdullah began his schooling in Amman, later continuing his education abroad. Abdullah assumed command of Jordan's Special Forces in 1994, became a Major General in 1998. The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum, is his brother-in-law, through marriage to Abdullah's sister Princess Haya bin Al-Hussein. Despite Jordan being a constitutional monarchy, the king holds wide executive and legislative powers. Abdullah embarked on an aggressive economic liberalization upon assuming the throne, his reforms led to an economic boom that continued till 2005. This coincided with the Arab Spring in 2011, where large-scale protests erupted in the Arab World demanding reforms. Abdullah introduced proportional representation to the parliament in 2016, is currently paving the way for parliamentary governments. Despite the reforms, they are considered to be insufficient by critics. Abdullah is widely popular both locally and internationally for having maintained Jordan's stability despite overwhelming odds. He is well-known for promoting peace, interfaith dialogue and the true message of Islam. He is the custodian of the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, a position that his ancestors held for decades.
Abdullah II of Jordan
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King Abdullah of Jordan.
Abdullah II of Jordan
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King Abdullah II shows his son, Crown Prince Hussein, a photo given to them by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
Abdullah II of Jordan
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Abdullah II in a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, 21 April 2009, in Washington, D.C.
323.
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
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Sheikh Sabah IV Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah GCB is the 15th Ruler and 5th Emir of Kuwait and the Commander of the Military of Kuwait. He was sworn in on 29 January 2006 after confirmation by the National Assembly of Kuwait. He is the fourth son of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Al-Sabah was born on 16 June 1929. He received primary education at Al Mubarakya School during the 1930s and then completed his education under tutors. He had previously been Foreign Minister for 40 years, from 1963 to 2003, making one of the foreign ministers in the world. Prior to being the Emir of Kuwait, Sabah was the Foreign Minister of Kuwait between 1963 and 2003. During his time as Foreign Minister, Sabah restored Kuwaiti international relations after the Gulf War. Sabah was a pillar in the restoring the country after the Iraqi Invasion. He was also first Deputy Prime Ministers of Kuwait while serving as Foreign Minister. On 15 Sheikh Jaber, died, making Sheikh Saad, Crown Prince of Kuwait, the new emir. With the accession of Sheikh Saad, Sabah was likely to become the new Crown Prince, retaining his function of Prime Minister. After a struggle within the family, Sheikh Saad agreed to abdicate as the Emir of Kuwait on 23 January 2006 due to his illness. The ruling family then chose Sheikh Sabah as the new Emir of Kuwait. On 24 Kuwait's parliament voted Emir Saad out of moments before an official letter of abdication was received.
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
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Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
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U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney meets with Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah to deliver condolences on the death of the Emir in 2006.
324.
Muhammad V of Kelantan
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Muhammad V is the 15th and the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and the Sultan of Kelantan. He was proclaimed Sultan of Kelantan on 13 September 2010, succeeding his father, Sultan Ismail Petra, deemed incapacitated by illness. He was proclaimed as Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 13 December 2016. Born Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra ibni Sultan Ismail Petra in Kota Bharu, he was made Crown Prince in October 1985. He attended the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies for diplomatic studies, graduating in 1991. In May 2009, his father, Sultan Ismail Petra, suffered a major stroke. Faris was appointed May in the Sultan's absence. In January 2010, the High Court rejected Fakhry's application. In another twist, Sultan Ismail Petra's private secretary "declared" Succession Council chairman Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Mohd Hamzah as Regent. The appointment was challenged by Faris in court. On 13 Muhammad Faris Petra was proclaimed the 29th Sultan of Kelantan, with the State Constitution. He took the regnal name Muhammad V. However, his father, Sultan Ismail Petra, has petitioned the Federal Court to declare his appointment unconstitutional. Sultan Ismail Petra is still recovering from the stroke he suffered in 2009. Muhammad V attended the 222nd Meeting of the Conference of Rulers for the first time as a full member in October 2010. This marked the recognition of his accession as Sultan by other rulers.
Muhammad V of Kelantan
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Kelantan Royal Family
325.
Qaboos bin Said al Said
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Qaboos bin Said Al Said is the Sultan of Oman. He rose to power after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa'idi dynasty. Qaboos was born in Salalah in Dhofar on 18 November 1940. He is the only son of Sultan Said bin Taimur and Sheikha Mazoon al-Mashani. At 20, he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He also held a staff appointment with the British Army. After his military service, Qaboos studied local government subjects in England and then completed his education with a world tour chaperoned by Leslie Chauncy. Upon his return in 1966, he was placed under virtual house arrest in the Sultan's palace in Salalah by his father. Here he was kept isolated from government affairs, except for occasional briefings by his father's personal advisers. Qaboos studied Islam and the history of his country. The first pressing problem that Qaboos bin Said faced as Sultan was an armed communist insurgency from South Yemen, the Dhofar Rebellion. There were few rudiments of a modern state when Qaboos took power in July 1970. The political system which Qaboos established is that of an absolute monarchy. The Sultan's birthday, 18 November, is celebrated as Oman's national holiday.
Qaboos bin Said al Said
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Qaboos bin Said Al Busaidi
Qaboos bin Said al Said
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Sultan Qaboos meets with 2001-2009 US Vice President Dick Cheney during his (Cheney) visit to the Middle East in 2002.
326.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is the eighth and current Emir of Qatar. He is the fourth son of Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. He became June 2013 after his father's abdication. Tamim has held a variety of government posts within Qatar and also worked to promote numerous sporting events within the country. As of 2013, Tamim is the youngest reigning monarch among the youngest current sovereign worldwide. Tamim bin Hamad was born on 3 June 1980 in Doha, Qatar. He is second son of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al Missned, Hamad's second wife. Tamim was educated in Dorset, at Harrow School, where he received his A Levels in 1997. He then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating in 1998. Sheikh Tamim was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Qatar Armed Forces from Sandhurst. He became August 2003 when his elder brother Sheikh Jassim renounced his claim to the title. Since then he was groomed to take over rule, working in top economics posts. In 2009, he was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of Qatar's armed forces. Sheikh Tamim promoted sport as part of Qatar's bid to raise its international profile. In 2005 he founded Qatar Sport Investments, which owns Paris Saint-Germain F.C. among other investments.
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Tamim in September 2014
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Tamim with Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, 10 December 2013
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
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Sheikh Tamim with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, 25 September 2014
327.
Salman of Saudi Arabia
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Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is King of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the head of the House of Saud. Salman served for 48 years from 1963 to 2011. Salman was then appointed as Minister of Defence. Salman was also named the Crown Prince following the death of his brother Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. He was crowned as the new King of Saudi Arabia on 23 January 2015 following the death of King Abdullah. He is reported to be the 25th son of Ibn Saud. His six brothers make up what is referred to as the Sudairi Seven. Salman was raised in the Murabba Palace. Salman studied modern science. He was first appointed as deputy governor of Riyadh Province in 1954 when he was 19 years old and held the post until 1955. Salman was appointed governor of Riyadh Province on 4 February 1963. His tenure lasted from 1963 to 2011. As governor, Salman contributed to the development of Riyadh into a major urban metropolis. Salman served as an important liaison to attract tourism, foreign investment to his country. Salman favored economic relationships with the West.
Salman of Saudi Arabia
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Salman as Governor of Riyadh in 2007
Salman of Saudi Arabia
Salman of Saudi Arabia
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Governor Salman bin Abdulaziz with Vladimir Putin in 2007
Salman of Saudi Arabia
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta with Salman at the Pentagon in April 2012
328.
Vajiralongkorn
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Maha Vajiralongkorn is the King of Thailand since 13 October 2016. As the tenth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty, Vajiralongkorn is also styled as Rama X. At the age of 64, he is the oldest Thai monarch to ascend to the throne. Vajiralongkorn is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. At the age of 20, Vajiralongkorn was made crown prince by his father. Vajiralongkorn will not be crowned formally until after the cremation of his father. The government retroactively declared his reign to have begun on 13 October 2016, upon his father's death. He was born on 28 July 1952 at 17:45 in the Ambara Villa of the Dusit Palace in Bangkok. Vajiralongkorn is the second of four children, of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. He began his education in 1956 when he entered kindergarten in Dusit Palace. After completing Mathayom 1, Vajiralongkorn was sent to study at public schools in the United Kingdom. Seaford, Sussex, then at Millfield School, Somerset, where he completed his secondary education in July 1970. In August 1970, Vajiralongkorn attended a military training course at The King's School, in Sydney, Australia. In 1972, the prince enrolled in Canberra, Australia. Vajiralongkorn was graduated as a newly commissioned lieutenant with a liberal arts degree.
Vajiralongkorn
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Vajiralongkorn
Vajiralongkorn
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HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn's portrait on Rajdamnoen Road
329.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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As Crown Prince, he had already been acting as president since the late 1990s while his father was in ill health. Khalifa is also chairman of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, which manages over $600 billion in assets. The Al Nahyan family is believed to have a fortune of $150 billion collectively. Khalifa was born to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikha Hassa bint Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, in 1948. He is the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed and is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Zayed was the Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region before he became the Emir of Abu Dhabi. A few months later the position was handed to Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan. In that post, he oversaw the building up of the Abu Dhabi Defense Force, which after 1971 became the core of the UAE Armed Forces. In May 1976, he became deputy commander of the UAE armed forces, under the President. He was also the chairman of the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency. He had been acting president since his father became ill prior to his passing. However, half of the council's members would still need to be appointed by the leaders of the emirates. The elections were set to take place in December 2006. On January 4, 2010, the world's tallest man-made structure, originally known as Burj Dubai, was renamed the Burj Khalifa, in honor of the Sheikh. In 2010, Khalifa was described in a WikiLeaks cable signed by the U.S. ambassador as a "distant and uncharismatic personage."
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 1997
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with President of Russia Vladimir Putin on 10 September 2007.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai named after Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
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Hospital in Saidu Sharif, Pakistan, donated by the Sheikh.
330.
Andorra
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Created under a charter in 988, the present principality was formed in 1278. Andorra is the sixth-smallest nation in Europe, having a population of approximately 85,000. Andorra la Vella is the highest capital city in Europe, at an elevation of 1,023 metres above sea level. The official language is Catalan, although Spanish, Portuguese, French are also commonly spoken. Andorra's tourism services an estimated million visitors annually. The euro is the official currency. It has been a member of the United Nations since 1993. In 2013, the people of Andorra had the highest life expectancy in the world according to The Lancet. The origin of the Andorra is unknown, although several hypotheses have been formulated. Andosini or Andosins may derive from the Basque handia whose meaning is "big" or "giant". The Andorran toponymy shows evidence of Basque language in the area. Another theory suggests that the Andorra may derive from the old word Anorra that contains the Basque word ur. Another theory suggests that Andorra may derive from Arabic al-durra, meaning "The pearl". Other theories suggest that the term derives from the Navarro-Aragonese andurrial, which means "land covered with bushes" or "scrubland". Tradition holds that Charles the Great granted a charter for fighting against the Moors.
Andorra
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Sant Joan de Caselles church, dating from the 11th century.
Andorra
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Flag
Andorra
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Boris Skossyreff, briefly self-proclaimed "King of Andorra" in 1934.
Andorra
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Joan Enric Vives i Sicília current episcopal co-prince of Andorra since 12 May 2003.
331.
Philippe of Belgium
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Philippe or Filip is the King of the Belgians, having ascended the throne on 21 July 2013, following his father's abdication. He is Queen Paola. He married Countess Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, with whom he has four children. Princess Elisabeth, is next in the line of succession. Philippe was born on 15 April 1960 during the reign of King Baudouin of Belgium. His father, Prince of Liège was the second son of King Leopold III of Belgium and a younger brother of Baudouin. Paola, Princess of Liège, is a daughter of Italian aristocrat, Fulco VIII, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda. He was born in Laeken north of Brussels. His godparents were his paternal grandfather, his maternal grandmother, Donna Luisa, Princess Ruffo di Calabria. From 1978 to 1981, Philippe was educated at the Belgian Royal Military Academy in the 118th "Promotion Toutes Armes". On 26 he was appointed second lieutenant and took the officer's oath. He obtained his certificates as a parachutist and a commando. In 1989, he attended a series of special sessions at the Royal Higher Defence Institute. He was promoted to Colonel. He succeeded his father, Honorary Chairman of the BFTB since 1962.
Philippe of Belgium
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Philippe / Filip
Philippe of Belgium
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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde wave to the crowds in Brussels after Philippe's swearing in as new Belgian monarch.
Philippe of Belgium
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Royal Military Acad.
Philippe of Belgium
332.
Margrethe II of Denmark
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Margrethe II is the Queen of Denmark. She is also the supreme authority of the Church of Denmark and Commander-in-Chief of the Danish Defence Forces. On her accession, Margrethe became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375–1412 during the Kalmar Union. Having been for 44 years, she is currently the Danish monarch after her ancestor Christian IV. In 1967, she married Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, with whom she has two sons: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim. Her birth took place just one week after Nazi Germany's invasion of Denmark on 9 April 1940. She was baptised on 14 May in the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen. Since her paternal grandfather was also the King of Iceland, she was given an Icelandic name, Þórhildur. When Margrethe was four years old, in 1944, her first sister, Princess Benedikte, was born. Princess Benedikte later married Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and lives some of the time in Germany. Her second sister Princess Anne Marie was born in 1946. Anne-Marie later married Constantine II of Greece and now lives in Greece. Her sisters grew up in Copenhagen and in Fredensborg Palace in North Zealand. She spent summer holidays with the royal family in her parent's summer residence at Gråsten Palace in Southern Jutland. On 20 April 1947, King Christian X died and Margrethe's father ascended the throne as King Frederick IX.
Margrethe II of Denmark
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The Queen in May 2012
Margrethe II of Denmark
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Danish Royal Family
Margrethe II of Denmark
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Signature
Margrethe II of Denmark
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Princess Margrethe's birthplace: Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, photographed in 2006
333.
Liechtenstein
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Liechtenstein, officially the Principality of Liechtenstein, is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in Central Europe. It is a constitutional monarchy with the rank of principality, headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the east and north. It has an area of an estimated population of 37,000. Divided into 11 municipalities, its capital is its largest municipality is Schaan. The rate is one of the lowest in the world at 1.5 %. Liechtenstein has previously been known as a billionaire tax haven, however is no longer on any blacklists of uncooperative tax haven countries, see taxation section. An alpine country, Liechtenstein is mainly mountainous, making it a winter sport destination. Small farms are found both in the south and north. The country has a financial sector centered in Vaduz. It also has a monetary union with Switzerland. The oldest traces of hominid existence in Liechtenstein date back to the Middle Paleolithic era. Neolithic farming settlements were founded in the valleys around 5300 BC. Hallstatt and La Tène cultures flourished during the late Iron Age under some influence from the Greek and Etruscan civilisations. One of the most important tribal groups in the Alpine region were the Helvetii.
Liechtenstein
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Gutenberg Castle, Balzers, Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein
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Flag
Liechtenstein
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Vaduz Castle, overlooking the capital, is home to the Prince of Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
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Johann I Joseph, Prince of Liechtenstein from 1805 to 1806 and 1814 to 1836.
334.
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
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Hans-Adam II is the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. He is his wife Countess Georgina von Wilczek. He also bears the titles Duke of Troppau and Jägerndorf, Count Rietberg. Prince Hans-Adam was born on 14 February 1945 in Zürich, Switzerland as the eldest son of Prince Franz Joseph II and Princess Gina of Liechtenstein. In 1969, Hans-Adam graduated from the University of St. Gallen with a Licentiate in Business and Economic Studies. Hans-Adam formally succeeded as Prince of Liechtenstein upon the death of his father on 13 November 1989. A referendum to adopt Hans-Adam's revision of the constitution to expand his powers passed in 2003. Legally, Hans-Adam remains Head of State. In July 2012 the people of Liechtenstein overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to curtail the political power of the princely family. Legislators, who serve on a part-time basis, rose in the prince's defence on 23 May, voting 18 to 7 against the citizens' initiative. The prince had threatened to quit the country if the 2003 referendum did not result in his favor. He owns an extensive collection, much of, displayed in Vienna. Hans-Adam descends in the direct male line from three of the previous fourteen Princes of Liechtenstein, from another three in the female line. His native language is German, but he is also fluent in English and French. Their official residence is at Vaduz Castle, which overlooks the capital.
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
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Hans-Adam II
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
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Photo by Erling Mandelmann, 1974
Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein
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Prince Hans-Adam II. and Princess Marie on a state visit to Vienna in 2013
335.
Regent
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A regent is "a person appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor, is absent or is incapacitated." The rule of regents is called a regency. A regency council may be formed ad hoc or in accordance with a constitutional rule. "Regent" is sometimes a formal title. If the formally appointed regent can not serve on a temporary basis, a Regent ad interim may be appointed to fill the gap. In Iceland, the regent represented the King of Denmark as sovereign of Iceland until the country became a republic in 1944. In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, kings were elective, which often led to a fairly long interregnum. In the interim, it was the Roman Catholic Primate who served as the regent, termed the "interrex". In the small republic of San Marino, Capitani Reggenti, are elected semi-annually as joint heads of state and of government. As of 1 Liechtenstein is the only country with an active regency. The regent may refer to positions lower than the ruler of a country. A management board for a college or university may be titled the "Board of Regents". The term "regent" is also used for members of governing bodies of institutions such as the national banks of France and Belgium. This type of portrait was popular in Dutch Golden Age painting during the 17th century, in the 18th century. In the Dutch East Indies, a regent was a native prince allowed to rule facto colonized ` state' as a regentschap.
Regent
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Regentesses of the Old Men's Almshouse in Haarlem, Frans Hals, 1664
336.
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
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Alois has been regent of Liechtenstein since 15 August 2004. He is married to Duchess Sophie of Bavaria. Alois attended the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. Until 1996, Alois worked in London. In May of that year, he became active in managing his father's finances. Hans-Adam II retained the sweeping powers in 2003. Hans-Adam remains Head of State. On 27 Liechtenstein voters rejected an initiative that would prohibit abortion and birth control in the principality. Instead, a government-sponsored proposal was ratified. The pro-life initiative was supported by Roman Catholic Archbishop Wolfgang Haas. Alois became neutral during the run-up to the vote. In 2011, Alois threatened to exercise his royal veto if voters approved a forthcoming referendum to legalize abortion in the principality. Such a veto was not necessary as the voters rejected the proposal. Following the Prince's threat, the "Damit deine Stimme zählt" initiative was launched to change the constitution to prevent the Prince from vetoing legislation approved in referendums. 76 % of voters upheld the Prince's power to veto referendum results.
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
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Alois
Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein
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Head of Liechtenstein Government Klaus Tschütscher (on the right) receiving a government contract from Alois in 2009
337.
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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Henri is the current Grand Duke of Luxembourg, reigning since 7 October 2000. The Prince's godparents were the Prince of Holstein-Ledreborg. Henri has four siblings: Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria, Prince Jean of Luxembourg, Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg. On 12 November 1964, when Henri was aged nine, his father's subsequent accession as Grand Duke made him heir apparent. As the Grand Duke's eldest son, he automatically took the title of Hereditary Grand Duke. Henri was educated in France, where he obtained his baccalaureate in 1974. He then studied political science at the Graduate Institute of International Studies, graduating in 1980. The Grand Duke also undertook military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England. While studying in Geneva, Henri met the former María Teresa Mestre y Batista, also a political student. They married in Luxembourg February 1981 with the previous consent of the Grand Duke, dated 7 November 1980. Prince Félix Léopold Marie Guillaume of Luxembourg, born June 1984, married German Claire Margareta Lademacher on 17 September 2013 and 21 September 2013 September 2013. From 1980 to 1998, he was a member of the Council of State. The signature of the Grand Duke was required in order for the law to take effect. This would remove one of the legislative roles of the Grand Duke, namely the approving of new legislation. The head of state longer has to sanction laws for them to take effect; he merely promulgates them.
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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Henri at the wedding of his son in 2012
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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Henri (far left) with his parents and siblings in 1963
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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The Grand Duke with his wife and heir apparent
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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The Grand Duke with Vladimir Putin in May 2007
338.
Monaco
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Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe. France borders the country on three sides while the other side borders the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco has a land border of 4.4 km, a coastline of 4.1 km, a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m. Monaco's most populous Quartier is Monte Carlo and the most populous Ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins. Through reclamation, Monaco's land mass has expanded by twenty percent. Monaco is known as a playground for the famous, due to its tax laws. In 2014, it was noted about 30% of the population was made up of millionaires, similar to Zürich or Geneva. Monaco is a principality governed with Prince Albert II as head of state. Although Prince Albert II is a constitutional monarch, he wields political power. The House of Grimaldi have ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. Monégasque, Italian, English are widely spoken and understood. The state's sovereignty was officially recognized with Monaco becoming a full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite separate foreign policy, its defense is the responsibility of France. However, Monaco does maintain two military units. Economic development was spurred in the 19th century with the opening of the country's first casino, Monte Carlo, a railway connection to Paris.
Monaco
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Statue of Francesco Grimaldi, " Il Malizia " ("the Cunning"), disguised as a monk with a dagger hidden under the cloak of his habit. However, he was ousted by the Genoese just four years later. The Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon in 1419.
Monaco
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Flag
Monaco
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Monaco circa 1900
Monaco
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Mayor of Monaco announcing concessions ending absolute monarchy of Prince Albert I in 1910
339.
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
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Albert II is the reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco, head of the Princely House of Grimaldi. Prince Albert is the son of Rainier III, American actress Grace Kelly. Prince Albert's sisters are Caroline, Princess Stéphanie. In July 2011, Prince Albert married Charlene Wittstock. Albert was born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco. He has ancestry from Ireland, Britain, the United States, Germany, France, Monaco. His godfather was Prince Louis of Polignac. Albert attended high school at the Lycee Albert Premier, graduating with distinction in 1976. He was a camper and later a counselor for six summers at Camp Tecumseh on Lake Winnipesaukee, Moultonborough, New Hampshire, in the 1970s. He speaks French, English, Italian. Albert also undertook an exchange program with the University of Bristol, in 1979. Albert was an enthusiastic sportsman, participating in javelin throwing, handball, judo, swimming, tennis, rowing, sailing, skiing, squash and fencing. He is a patron of Monaco's football teams. Albert competed at five consecutive Winter Olympics for Monaco taking part in both the two-man and four-man events. In the two-man bobsleigh Albert finished 25th at the 1988 games in Calgary, 31st at the 2002 games.
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
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Albert II
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
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Prince Albert with his mother Grace in 1972.
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
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Princess Caroline and Albert, then Hereditary Prince of Monaco, with Ronald and Nancy Reagan in Washington D.C. on 28 March 1983.
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
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Prince Albert with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 4 October 2013.
340.
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
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Willem-Alexander is the King of the Netherlands. Willem-Alexander was born in Utrecht and is the oldest child of Beatrix of the Netherlands and German diplomat Claus van Amsberg. He went to public primary and secondary schools, served in the Royal Netherlands Navy, studied history at Leiden University. They have three daughters: Catharina-Amalia, Princess Ariane. Willem-Alexander is interested in sports and international water management issues. At the age of 49, he is currently the second youngest monarch in Europe after Felipe VI of Spain. Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand was born on 27 April 1967 in the University Hospital Utrecht in Utrecht, Netherlands. He is the first child of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus, the first grandchild of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard. From birth, Willem-Alexander has held the titles Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer of Amsberg. He was baptised as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church on 2 September 1967 in Saint Jacob's Church in The Hague. He had Prince Constantijn. His mother Beatrix became Queen of the Netherlands in 1980, after his grandmother Juliana abdicated. He then received the title of Prince of Orange as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Willem-Alexander attended Nieuwe Baarnse Elementary School in Baarn from 1973 to 1979. After his military service from 1985 to 1987, Willem-Alexander studied History at Leiden University from 1987 onwards and received his MA degree in 1993.
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
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Willem-Alexander in 2015
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
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Prince Willem-Alexander (left) at age 14 and his brother Constantijn in 1982
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
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Willem-Alexander in the navy uniform of Sub-lieutenant in 1986
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
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Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima meet Michelle Obama, Susan Sher, Barack Obama and Fay Hartog-Levin at the White House in 2009.
341.
Harald V of Norway
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Harald V has been the King of Norway since 1991. He succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father on 17 January 1991. In 1968, Harald married Sonja Haraldsen with whom he has Crown Prince Haakon, heir-apparent to the Norwegian throne. His parents already had Princess Astrid. In 1940 the entire royal family had to flee their homes because of the German invasion. The dramatic journey northbound was marked by the Germans' repeated attempts to kill the King through bombing. It was deemed safer for the family to split up. The Crown Princess was to make her way with the three children. Although Crown Princess Märtha was Swedish-born, they encountered problems at the station. According to others who were present, they were admitted only after the driver threatened to ram the gate. Another account does not describe the escape so dramatically. He spent the following days in Sälen before relocating on 16 April. On April the group moved in Stockholm. They started planning for them to be relocated to the United States. On 17 her children left for the United States from Petsamo, Finland, aboard the United States Army transport ship American Legion.
Harald V of Norway
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King Harald V in 2013
Harald V of Norway
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Prince Harald
Harald V of Norway
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King Juan Carlos I of Spain on visit in Norway (2006)
342.
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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It was founded in Jerusalem, Kingdom of Jerusalem, by the Blessed Gerard, making it the world's oldest surviving chivalric order. The order venerates as its patroness mother of Jesus, under the title "Our Lady of Mount Philermos". The Order retains sovereignty under international law, including United Nations permanent status, issuing its own passports, currency and postage stamps with the Maltese cross insignia. Three brigades, are stationed throughout Italy, liaisoned with the Italian Armed Forces. Through Malteser International, the order aids victims of natural disasters, epidemics and war. Including France, Germany and Ireland, local associations of the order are important providers of medical emergency services and training. The shield is surrounded for others the ribbon of their rank. Members may also display the Maltese cross behind their shield instead of the ribbon. In order to protect its heritage against frauds, the order has legally registered 16 versions of its emblems in some 100 countries. The birth of the order dates back to around 1048. By virtue of the Papal Bull, the hospital became an order exempt from the control of the local church. All the Knights were religious, bound by the three monastic vows of poverty, obedience. The order thus added the task of defending the faith to that of its mission. As time went on, the order adopted today. The eight points represent the eight "beatitudes" that Jesus pronounced on the Mount.
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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Bust portrait of a Knight of Malta
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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Flag
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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Flags of Malta and the SMOM on Fort St. Angelo
Sovereign Military Order of Malta
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Coat of arms of the Knights of Malta, from the façade of the church of San Giovannino dei Cavalieri, Florence
343.
Felipe VI of Spain
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Felipe VI is the King of Spain. I. Felipe is the only son of his Sofía of Greece and Denmark. When Juan Carlos was chosen in 1969 to be Francisco Franco's successor, Felipe became second in line to the Spanish throne. Felipe became heir apparent when Juan Carlos succeeded Franco as head of state following his death in 1975. He was created Prince of Asturias in 1977, the traditional title for the heir to the throne. As Prince of Asturias, he worked to support philanthropic causes and to promote international fellowship among Spanish-speaking countries. In 2004, Felipe married TV presenter Letizia Ortiz with whom he has two daughters. The elder, is his presumptive. He succeeded his father as King of Spain when when he abdicated in 2014. In accordance with. He was baptised on 8 February 1968 at the Palace of Zarzuela by the Archbishop of Madrid, Casimiro Morcillo. His godparents were Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain. Shortly after his birth he was styled infante, although his father was not yet king. The ruling dictator General Francisco Franco died just over two months before Felipe's eighth birthday, Felipe's father ascended the throne.
Felipe VI of Spain
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Felipe VI
Felipe VI of Spain
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Felipe meeting President Vladimir Putin of Russia, 2002
Felipe VI of Spain
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Felipe and President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil, 2010
Felipe VI of Spain
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Felipe and Letizia at the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling, in Stockholm, 2010
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Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
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Carl XVI Gustaf is the King of Sweden. He ascended the throne upon the death of his grandfather, King Gustaf VI Adolf on 15 September 1973. He is the only son of Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Carl Gustaf was born in Haga Palace in Solna, Stockholm County. He was the youngest of five children and the only son of Sweden's Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla. He was christened at the Royal Chapel on 7 June 1946 by the Archbishop of Uppsala, Erling Eidem. Prince Carl Gustaf was also given the title of the Duke of Jämtland. Duke of Västerbotten, was killed in an airplane crash January 1947 at Copenhagen Airport. His father's death had left the nine-month-old prince second in line for the throne, behind his grandfather, then Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf. When his great-grandfather Gustaf V died in 1950, the four-year-old prince became the heir apparent of Sweden. He has also completed his academic studies in history, sociology, political science, tax law, economics at Uppsala University and Stockholm University. In addition, he closely studied the affairs of the Riksdag, Government, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. On 15 September 1973, Carl Gustaf became King of Sweden upon the death of his grandfather, Gustaf VI Adolf. He was enthroned at the Hall of State of the Royal Palace of Stockholm on 19 September 1973 where he gave a speech. He adopted, "For Sweden – With the times" as his personal motto.
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
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The 15-year-old Crown Prince of Sweden looks at the recently recovered 17th century warship Vasa in 1961.
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
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Carl XVI Gustaf
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
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The King and Queen of Sweden welcomed at the Kremlin by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila at the start of the King's State Visit to Russia, 8 October 2001.
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
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King Carl XVI Gustaf with Queen Silvia.
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Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand since 1952. Elizabeth was born as the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was educated privately at home. Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the presumptive. She began serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. Elizabeth's historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes. She has seen constitutional changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation, the decolonisation of Africa. She has also reigned through various conflicts involving many of her realms. She is the world's oldest monarch as well as Britain's longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. Support for the monarchy remains high, as does her personal popularity. Elizabeth was born at 02:40 April 1926 during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King George V. Her father, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. She was delivered at her maternal grandfather's London house: 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair.
Elizabeth II
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The Queen in March 2015
Elizabeth II
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Princess Elizabeth aged 3, April 1929
Elizabeth II
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Princess Elizabeth aged 7, painted by Philip de László, 1933
Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth in Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform, April 1945
346.
Vatican City
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Vatican City, officially Vatican City State or the State of Vatican City, is a walled enclave within the city of Rome. With an area of a population of 842, it is the smallest sovereign state in the world by both population. It is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state ruled by the Bishop of Rome – the Pope. The highest state functionaries are all Catholic clergy of various national origins. According to the terms of the treaty, the Holy See has "sovereign authority and jurisdiction" over the city-state. Within Vatican City are cultural sites such as the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums. They feature some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures. The name Vatican City was first used in the Lateran Treaty, signed on 11 February 1929, which established the modern city-state. The name is taken from Vatican Hill, the geographic location of the state. The Italian name of the city is Città del Vaticano or, formally Stato della Città del Vaticano, meaning "Vatican City State". Although the Holy See and the Catholic Church use Ecclesiastical Latin in official documents, the Vatican City officially uses Italian. A shrine dedicated to the Phrygian goddess Cybele and her consort Attis remained active long after the Constantinian Basilica of St. Peter was built nearby. The particularly low quality of Vatican water, even after the reclamation of the area, was commented on by the poet Martial. The Vatican Obelisk is thus its visible remnant. This area became the site of martyrdom of many Christians after the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64.
Vatican City
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View of St. Peter's Square from the top of Michelangelo's dome
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Vatican City
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The Vatican obelisk was originally taken from Egypt by Caligula.
Vatican City
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Bands of the British army's 38th Brigade playing in front of St Peter's Basilica, June 1944
347.
Pope Francis
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He chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technologist and nightclub bouncer before beginning seminary studies. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He was accused of handing two priests to the National Reorganization Process during the Dirty War, but the lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March. Throughout his public life, Pope Francis has been noted for his humility, emphasis on God's mercy, concern for the poor, commitment to interfaith dialogue. He maintains that the church should be more open and welcoming. He does not support unbridled capitalism, Marxism, or Marxist versions of liberation theology. Francis maintains the traditional views of the church regarding abortion, euthanasia, contraception, homosexuality, ordination of women, priestly celibacy. He opposes consumerism, irresponsible development, supports taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato si'. In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on 17 December 1936 in Flores, a neighborhood of Buenos Aires. He was the eldest of five children of Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori. Mario Bergoglio was an Italian immigrant accountant born in Portacomaro in Italy's Piedmont region.
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Pope Francis
Pope Francis
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Jorge Mario Bergoglio (fourth boy from the left on the third row from the top) at age 12, while studying at the Salesian College.
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Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio in 2008
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Pope Francis with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
348.
Antigua and Barbuda
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Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island country in the Americas, lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, a number of smaller islands. The permanent population numbers about largest port and city is St. John's, on Antigua. The country's name was given after discovering the island, in honor of the Virgin of La Antigua in the Seville Cathedral. The country is nicknamed "Land of 365 Beaches" due to the many beaches surrounding the islands. Its governance, culture have all been strongly influenced by the British Empire, of which the country was formerly a part. Barbuda is Spanish for "bearded". The island of Antigua, originally called Wa'ladli by Arawaks, is today called Wadadli by locals. Caribs possibly called Wa'omoni. Christopher Columbus, while sailing by in 1493 may have named it Santa Maria la Antigua, after an icon in the Spanish Seville Cathedral. Antigua was first settled by archaic hunter-gatherer Amerindians called the Siboney or Ciboney. Carbon dating has established the earliest settlements started around 3100 BC. They were succeeded by the ceramic age Arawak-speaking Saladoid people who migrated from the lower Orinoco River. The Arawaks introduced agriculture, raising, among other crops, the famous Antigua black pineapple, corn, sweet potatoes, chiles, guava, cotton. The West Indians made excellent seagoing vessels which they used to sail across the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda
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Downtown St. John's on Antigua.
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Antigua and Barbuda
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St. John's parish on Antigua.
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A proportional representation of Antigua and Barbuda's exports.
349.
The Bahamas
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Its capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence. The designation of "The Bahamas" can refer to either the larger island chain that it shares with the Turks and Caicos Islands. As stated in the mandate/manifesto of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the Bahamas territory encompasses 470,000 km2 of space. The Bahamas were the site of Columbus' first landfall in the New World in 1492. At that time, the islands were inhabited by a branch of the Arawakan-speaking Taino people. Although the Spanish never colonised the Bahamas, they shipped the native Lucayans in Hispaniola. The islands were mostly deserted until 1648 when English colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera. The Bahamas became a British Crown colony in 1718, when the British clamped down on piracy. Africans constituted the majority of the population from this period. Slavery in the Bahamas was abolished in 1834. The descendants of slaves and free Africans make up nearly 90 % of the population; issues related to the slavery years are part of society. The Bahamas became an independent Commonwealth realm in 1973, retaining Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch. Alternatively it may originate from a local name of unclear meaning. In English, the Bahamas is one of only two countries whose short name begins with the word "the", along with The Gambia. Taino people moved into the uninhabited southern Bahamas around the 11th century having migrated there from South America.
The Bahamas
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A depiction of Columbus' first landing, claiming possession of the New World for Spain in caravels; the Niña and the Pinta, on Watling Island, an island of The Bahamas that the natives called Guanahani and that he named San Salvador, on October 12, 1492.
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The Bahamas
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Sign at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park commemorating hundreds of African-American slaves who escaped to freedom in the early 1820s in the Bahamas.
The Bahamas
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Edward VIII, the Duke of Windsor and Governor of the Bahamas from 1940 to 1945.
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Barbados
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Barbados is a sovereign island country in the Lesser Antilles, in the Americas. It is 34 kilometres in length and up to 23 km in width, covering an area of 432 km2. Barbados is outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt. Its capital is Bridgetown. Barbados is 1,600 mi Southeast of Miami. It first appeared in a Spanish map in 1511. An English ship, the Olive Blossom, arrived in Barbados in 1625; its men took possession of it in the name of King James I. In 1627, the first permanent settlers arrived from England, it became an English and later British colony. In 1966, Barbados became an independent state and Commonwealth realm with the British Monarch as hereditary head of state. It has a population of 280,121 people, predominantly of African descent. Despite being classified as an Atlantic island, Barbados is considered to be a part of the Caribbean, where it is ranked as a leading tourist destination. Forty percent of the tourists come from the UK, with the US and Canada making up the next large groups of visitors to the island. In 2014, Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Barbados joint second in the Americas and joint 17th globally. The name Barbados is either the Portuguese word Barbados or the Spanish equivalent los Barbados, both meaning "the bearded ones". In 1519, a map produced by the Genoese mapmaker Visconte Maggiolo showed and named Barbados in its correct position.
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Bathsheba on the east coast of the island.
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Barbados, seen from the International Space Station.
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The parliament building in Bridgetown.
351.
Belize
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Belize, formerly British Honduras, is a country on the eastern coast of Central America. Belize is bordered by the Caribbean Sea. Its mainland is about 290 km long and 110 km wide. With 22,800 square kilometres of land and as of 2015 a population of 368,310, Belize has the lowest population density in Central America. The country's rate of 1.87 % per year is the second highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Its diversity of ecosystems give a key place in the globally significant Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Belize has a diverse society, composed of many cultures and languages that reflect its rich history. English is the official language of Belize, but over half the population is multilingual. Belize is considered a Central American and Caribbean nation with strong ties to both the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Belize is a Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. Belize is known for punta music. Delgado recorded the names of three major rivers that he crossed while travelling north along the Caribbean coast: Rio Soyte, Rio Xibum, Rio Balis. These names, which correspond to Belize River, were provided to Delgado by his translator. It is likely that Delgado's "Balis" was actually the Mayan word belix, meaning "muddy-watered". There is no proof that Wallace settled in this area and some scholars have characterized this claim as a myth.
Belize
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"Caana" at Caracol
Belize
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Belize
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"El Castillo" at Xunantunich
Belize
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An excerpt from the 1898 Gazette that declared September 10 an official holiday, part of the efforts of the Centennial Committee
352.
Grenada
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Grenada is an island country consisting of Grenada itself and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Its size is 344 square kilometres, with an estimated population of 110,000. Its capital is St. George's. The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada dove. About million years ago, Grenada was formed as an underwater volcano. Before the arrival of Europeans, Grenada was inhabited by Caribs who had driven the more peaceful Arawaks from the island. Christopher Columbus sighted Grenada in 1498 to the new world. In 1649 a French expedition of 203 men from Martinique led by Jacques du Parquet founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. Within months this led with the local islanders which lasted until 1654 when the island was completely subjugated by the French. Warfare continued during the 1600s between St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The economy was initially based on sugar cane and indigo. The French established a capital known as Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada in 1762. Grenada was formally ceded to Britain in 1763.
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Grenada
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St. George's, Grenada's capital.
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Maurice Bishop visiting East Germany, 1982.
353.
Jamaica
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Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles. 10,990 square kilometres in area, lies about 145 kilometres south of Cuba, 191 kilometres west of Hispaniola. Jamaica is the fourth-largest country in the Caribbean, by area. Inhabited by the indigenous Arawak and Taíno peoples, the island came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. The Spanish imported African slaves as labourers. Named Santiago, the island remained a possession of Spain until 1655, when England renamed it Jamaica. Under colonial rule Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with its plantation economy highly dependent on slaves imported from Africa. Many freedmen chose to have subsistence farms rather than to work on plantations. Beginning in the 1840s, the British imported Indian indentured labour to work on plantations. The island achieved independence on 6 August 1962. With million people, Jamaica is the third-most populous Anglophone country in the Americas, the fourth-most populous country in the Caribbean. Kingston is largest city, with a population of 937,700. Jamaicans predominately have African ancestry, with significant European, Chinese, Hakka, Indian, mixed-race minorities. Jamaica is a Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. Her appointed representative in the country is the Governor-General of an office held by Sir Patrick Allen since 2009.
Jamaica
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Henry Morgan was a famous Caribbean pirate and privateer; he had first come to the West Indies as an indentured servant, like most of the early English colonists.
Jamaica
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Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall during a visit to Jamaica in 2008.
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Inside the Jamaican Parliament.
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Saint Kitts and Nevis
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The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is a two-island country in the West Indies. Located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas, in both area and population. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with the British monarch as head of state. The capital city is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The smaller island of Nevis lies about 2 miles southeast of Saint Kitts across a shallow channel called "The Narrows". The British dependency of Anguilla was historically also a part of this union, then known collectively as Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. To the north-northwest lie the islands of Sint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten and Anguilla. Saint Kitts and Nevis were among the first islands in the Caribbean to be settled by Europeans. Saint Kitts was named "Liamuiga", which roughly translates as "fertile land", by the Kalinago Indians who originally inhabited the island. The name is preserved via St. Kitts's western peak, Mount Liamuiga. Nevis's pre-Columbian name was "Oualie", meaning "land of beautiful waters". Christopher Columbus upon sighting what we now call Nevis in 1493 gave, land the name San Martín. The current name "Nevis" is derived from a Spanish name Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. This Spanish name means Our Lady of the Snows. Presumably the white clouds which usually wreathe the top of Nevis Peak reminded someone of the story of a miraculous snowfall in a hot climate.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
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The Spanish capture of Saint Kitts in 1629 by Fadrique de Toledo, 1st Marquis of Villanueva de Valdueza.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
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Saint Kitts and Nevis
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A view of Nevis from the southeastern peninsula of St. Kitts.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
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Downtown Basseterre, St. Kitts.
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Saint Lucia
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Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of south of Martinique. It reported a population of 165,595 in the 2010 census. Its capital is Castries. The French were the island's European settlers. They signed a treaty in 1660. England took control of the island from 1663 to 1667. In ensuing years, rule of the island changed frequently. In 1814, the British took definitive control of the island. Because it switched often between British and French control, Saint Lucia was also known as the "Helen of the West Indies". Representative government came about in 1840. From 1958 to 1962, the island was a member of the Federation of the West Indies. On 22 Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations associated with the United Kingdom. Saint Lucia is a mixed jurisdiction, meaning that it has a legal system based in part on both English common law. The Civil Code of St. Lucia of 1867 was based on the Quebec Civil Code of 1866, as supplemented by English law-style legislation.
Saint Lucia
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A view of Soufrière.
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Saint Lucia
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Prime Minister Kenny Anthony.
Saint Lucia
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A panorama of Marigot Bay
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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The country is also known simply as Saint Vincent. Most of Saint Vincent lies within the Hurricane Belt. To the north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia, to the east Barbados. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a densely populated country with approximately 102,000 inhabitants. Its capital is Kingstown, also its main port. The main mother tongue is Vincentian Creole and the official language is English. The island now known as Saint Vincent was originally named Youloumain by the native Island Caribs who called themselves Kalina/Carina. The Caribs aggressively prevented European settlement on Saint Vincent until 1719. The first Europeans to occupy St Vincent were the French. Following a series of wars and peace treaties, the islands were eventually ceded to the British. The French settlers cultivated coffee, sugar on plantations worked by African slaves. The British captured the island from the French during the Seven Years' War fought between 1754 and 1763. On taking control of the island in 1763, the British laid the foundations of Fort Charlotte. The island was restored to French rule in 1779 and regained by the British under the Treaty of Versailles. Between 1783 and 1796, there was again conflict between the British and the Black Caribs, who were led by Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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Current Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines since 2001 Ralph E. Gonsalves
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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The island of Mustique in the Grenadines.
357.
Australia
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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area. Its largest urban area is Sydney. An additional five self-governing crown colonies established. On 1 the six colonies federated, forming the Commonwealth of Australia. Australia has since maintained a stable liberal political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy comprising six states and several territories. The population of million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia has the world's 13th-largest economy and per capita income. With the human development index globally, the country ranks highly in quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties and political rights. The name Australia is derived from the Latin Terra Australis a name used for putative lands in the southern hemisphere since ancient times. The adjectival form Australische was used in a Dutch book in Batavia in 1638, to refer to the newly discovered lands to the south. On 12 Macquarie recommended to the Colonial Office that it be formally adopted. In 1824, the Admiralty agreed that the continent should be known officially as Australia. These first inhabitants may have been ancestors of modern Indigenous Australians. Ethnically Melanesian, were originally horticulturists and hunter-gatherers.
Australia
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Aboriginal rock art in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Australia
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Portrait of Captain James Cook, the first European to map the eastern coastline of Australia in 1770
Australia
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Tasmania's Port Arthur penal settlement is one of eleven UNESCO World Heritage-listed Australian Convict Sites.
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New Zealand
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New Zealand /njuːˈziːlənd/ is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—that of the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and numerous smaller islands. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland. Sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire and in 1907 it became a dominion. Reflecting this, New Zealand's culture is mainly derived from Māori and early British settlers, with recent broadening arising from increased immigration. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, with English predominant. New Zealand is a developed country with a market economy. New Zealand is ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, economic quality of life. Queen Elizabeth II is the country's head of state and is represented by a governor-general.
New Zealand
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The Waitangi sheet from the Treaty of Waitangi
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Painting of Mount Earnslaw by John Turnbull Thomson, oil on canvas, 1888
New Zealand
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John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand since 2008
359.
Papua New Guinea
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Its capital, located along its southeastern coast, is Port Moresby. The western half of New Guinea forms the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua. Most of the population of over 7 million people live in customary communities, which are as diverse as the languages. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18 percent of its people live in urban centres. Papua New Guinea is classified as a developing economy by the International Monetary Fund. Mining remains a economic factor, however, with talks of resuming mining operations in the previously closed-off Panguna ongoing with the local and national governments. Nearly 40 percent of the population lives a self-sustainable natural lifestyle with no access to global capital. These societies and clans are explicitly acknowledged within the nation's constitutional framework. Archaeological evidence indicates that humans first arrived in Papua New Guinea around 42,000 to 45,000 years ago. A major migration of Austronesian speaking peoples to coastal regions of New Guinea took place around 500 BC. This has been correlated with the introduction of certain fishing techniques. On Goaribari Island in the Gulf of Papua, a missionary, Harry Dauncey, found 10,000 skulls in the island's Long Houses. Traders from Southeast Asia had visited New Guinea beginning 5,000 years ago to collect bird of paradise plumes. The country's dual name results from its complex administrative history before independence. The papua is derived from an local term of uncertain origin.
Papua New Guinea
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Kerepunu villagers, British New Guinea, 1885.
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Papua New Guinea
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Lime container, late 19th or early 20th century. The container is decorated with wood carving of crocodile and bird. Punctuation is emphasised with a white paint. The central portion, hollow to hold the lime, is made of bamboo. The joints are covered with basketry work.
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Australian forces attack Japanese positions during the Battle of Buna–Gona. 7 January 1943.
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Solomon Islands
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Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal. The islands have been inhabited for thousands of years. In 1568, the Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña was the first European to visit them, naming the Islas Salomón. The official name of the then overseas territory was changed from "the British Solomon Islands Protectorate" to "Solomon Islands" in 1975. Self-government was achieved in 1976; independence was obtained two years later. Solomon Islands is a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of Solomon Islands, currently Queen Elizabeth II, as its head of state. Manasseh Sogavare is the prime minister. It is said that they were given this name in the mistaken assumption that they contained great riches. During most of the period of British rule the territory was officially named "the British Solomon Islands Protectorate". On June 1975 the territory was renamed "Solomon Islands". When Solomon Islands became independent in 1978 they retained the name. "the", is not part of the country's official name but is sometimes used, both within and outside the country. It is believed that Papuan-speaking settlers began to arrive around 30,000 BC. Austronesian speakers arrived c. 4000 BC also bringing cultural elements such as the canoe. The Lapita people, arrived from the Bismarck Archipelago with their characteristic ceramics.
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Solomon Islands
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Solomon Island warriors, armed with spears, aboard an ornamented war canoe (1895).
Solomon Islands
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The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) under aerial attack during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons.
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Tuvalu
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Tuvalu has a population of 10,640. The total land area of the islands of Tuvalu is 26 square kilometres. The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000 Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations. The origins of the people of Tuvalu are addressed in the theories regarding migration into the Pacific that began about 3000 years ago. During pre-European-contact times there was frequent canoe voyaging between the nearer islands including Samoa and Tonga. Eight of the nine islands of Tuvalu were inhabited; thus the name, Tuvalu, means "eight standing together" in Tuvaluan. Possible evidence of fire in the Caves of Nanumanga may indicate human occupation for thousands of years. The stories as to the ancestors of the Tuvaluans vary from island to island. On Niutao, Funafuti and Vaitupu the founding ancestor is described as being from Samoa; whereas on Nanumea the founding ancestor is described as being from Tonga. Mendaña made contact with the islanders but was unable to land. During Mendaña's second voyage across the Pacific he passed Niulakita on 29 August 1595, which he named La Solitaria. Captain John Byron passed during his circumnavigation of the globe as captain of the Dolphin.
Tuvalu
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Lat. and Long. 8°19′S 179°08′E / 8.32°S 179.13°E / -8.32; 179.13 (Funafuti)
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A Tuvaluan man in traditional costume drawn by Alfred Agate in 1841 during the United States Exploring Expedition.
Tuvalu
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A man from the Nukufetau atoll, drawn by Alfred Agate 1841.
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Tonga
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Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga, is a Polynesian sovereign state and archipelago comprising 169 islands of which 36 are inhabited. The total area is about 750 square kilometres scattered over 700,000 square kilometres of the southern Pacific Ocean. It has a population of 103,000 people of whom 70% reside on the main island of Tongatapu. Tonga stretches across approximately 800 kilometres in a north-south line. Tonga became known in the West as the Friendly Islands because of the congenial reception accorded to Captain James Cook on his first visit in 1773. According to the writer William Mariner, the chiefs could not agree on a plan. From 1900 to 1970, Tonga had protected state status, with the United Kingdom looking after its foreign affairs under a Treaty of Friendship. The country never relinquished its sovereignty to any foreign power. In Polynesian languages including Tongan, the word tonga means "south", as the archipelago is the southernmost group of the islands of central Polynesia. The name of Tonga is cognate to the Hawaiian region of Kona. In Malay, the name of "Tonga" is also cognate to the word "Tenggara". An Austronesian-speaking group linked to the archaeological construct known as the Lapita cultural complex reached and inhabited Tonga around 1500–1000 BCE. In the 15th century and again in the 17th, civil war erupted. The Tongan people first encountered Europeans in 1616 when the Dutch Eendracht, captained by Willem Schouten, made a short visit to trade. Later came other Dutch explorers, including Jacob Le Maire; and in 1643 Abel Tasman.
Tonga
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The arrival of Abel Tasman in Tongatapu, 1643, drawing by Isaack Gilsemans.
Tonga
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Flag
Tonga
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Tāufaʻāhau, King of Tonga (1845–1893).
Tonga
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The Royal palace of Tonga.
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Tupou VI
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Tupou VI is the King of Tonga. He is successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Tongan throne, as his brother had no legitimate children. He was born in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, youngest child of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. He was educated from 1973 -- 77. He then attended the University of East Anglia, where he read Development Studies, to 1980. He started his career in the military, becoming a Lieutenant-Commander in 1987. He graduated from the US Naval War College in 1988. From 1990 to 1995 he commanded his time in charge included peacekeeping operations in Bougainville. He took over these posts from his elder brother Tupoutoʻa, at that time still the crown prince, later to become King Siaosi Tupou V. Soon he was appointed as Prime Minister on 3 January 2000, a function he kept until his sudden resignation on 11 February 2006. In 2008 ʻAhoʻeitu was appointed Tonga's first High Commissioner to a post he held until his succession to the Tongan throne in 2012. In 2013 he was appointed as Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific. HRH Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala – Siaosi Manumataongo ʻAlaivahamamaʻo ʻAhoʻeitu Konstantin Tukuʻaho. They have two children:...
Tupou VI
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Tupou VI
Tupou VI
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The Leys School, Cambridge
Tupou VI
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Tupouto ʻ a-Lavaka (centre) uncombed, unshaven and in mourning dress for his recently deceased father, king Tāufa ʻ āhau Tupou IV in 2006. He is flanked by his two sons, the new chiefs ʻ Ulukālala (left) and Ata (right)
Tupou VI
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King Tupou VI after his coronation ceremony in Nuku'alofa on 4 July 2015
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Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu
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As a member of the Imperial House of Japan, Prince Chichibu was the patron of international exchange organizations. As with imperial princes of his generation, Prince Chichibu was an active-duty career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army. Like all members of the imperial family, Prince Chichibu was exonerated by Douglas MacArthur. Born at Aoyama Detached Palace in Tokyo, the second son of Crown Prince Yoshihito and Crown Princess Sadako, the prince was originally titled Atsu no miya. His elder brother were entrusted to the care of a respected ex-naval officer, Count Sumiyoshi Kawamura and his wife. After Kawamura died in 1904, the young princes rejoined their parents at the Tōgū-gosho on the grounds of the Akasaka estate. Prince Chichibu attended Prince Nobuhito.. . Prince Chichibu enrolled in the Central Military Preparatory School in 1917 and then in the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1922. In 1925, the Prince went to Great Britain to study at Magdalen College, Oxford. While in Great Britain King George V decorated Prince Chichibu with the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Prince Chichibu had a reputation as an outdoorsman and alpinist during his stay in Europe. Prince Chichibu returned following the death of Emperor Taishō, who for some time had suffered from debilitating physical and mental ill-health. Until the birth of his nephew Crown Prince Akihito in December 1933, Prince Chichibu was heir presumptive to the Chrysanthemum throne. Although technically born a commoner, the new princess was a scion of the Matsudaira of a branch of the Tokugawa shogunate.
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu
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Yasuhito 秩父宮雍仁親王
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu
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Emperor Taishō 's four sons in 1921: Hirohito, Takahito, Nobuhito and Yasuhito
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu
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Chichibu-no-miya Stadium, which is named after the Prince
Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu
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Prince Chichibu in his twenties, as a second lieutenant
365.
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu
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Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu was the third son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei and a younger brother of Emperor Shōwa. Following the war, the prince became patron or honorary president of various organizations in the fields of international cultural exchange, the arts, medicine. He is mainly remembered as a member of the Imperial House of Japan. Prince Nobuhito was born to then-Crown Prince Yoshihito and Crown Princess Sadako. His appellation was Teru-no-miya. Like his elder brothers, Prince Yasuhito, he attended the boy's elementary and secondary departments of the Peers' School. The name of the house reverted to the original Takamatsu-no-miya. The new Prince Takamatsu was four times removed of Prince Takehito. Prince Takamatsu attended the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy to 1925. He took up duties aboard the battleship Fusō. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant the following year after completing the course of study at the Torpedo School. The prince studied at the Naval Aviation School at Kasumigaura in 1927 and the Naval Gunnery School at Yokosuka in 1930 - 1931. In 1930, he was attached to the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff in Tokyo. He subsequently was reassigned to the Fusō. Prince Takamatsu graduated from the Naval Staff College after having been promoted to lieutenant commander on 15 November 1935.
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu
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Prince Takamatsu in December 1940
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu
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Emperor Taishō 's four sons in 1921: Hirohito, Takahito, Nobuhito and Yasuhito
Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu
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Prince and Princess Takamatsu in Berlin around 1930
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Takahito, Prince Mikasa
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Takahito, Prince Mikasa was a member of the Imperial House of Japan. He was their last surviving child. He was the last surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa. With the death of his sister-in-law, Princess Takamatsu, on 17 December 2004, he became the oldest living member of the Imperial House of Japan. As a centenarian, Prince Takahito was the oldest living prince in line of succession, also the last one in it. He died at age 100 after being hospitalized for pneumonia. His appellation was Sumi-no-miya. Prince Takahito attended the boys' elementary and secondary departments from 1922 to 1932. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant and assigned to the Fifth Cavalry Regiment in June 1936. He subsequently graduated from the Army Staff College. Prince Mikasa was promoted to captain in 1939, serving in China under the name of "Wakasugi". During his career, he was harshly critical of the Japanese military's conduct in China. One copy survived and surfaced in 1994. Prince Mikasa served until Japan's surrender in August 1945.
Takahito, Prince Mikasa
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At the new year congratulatory imperial palace visit. 2 January 2012
Takahito, Prince Mikasa
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Emperor Taishō 's four sons in 1921: Hirohito, Takahito, Nobuhito and Yasuhito
Takahito, Prince Mikasa
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Princess Yuriko and children.
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Prince Tomohito of Mikasa
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Prince Tomohito of Mikasa was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He died on 6 June 2012, aged 66. Prince Tomohito graduated in the Faculty of Law of Gakushuin University in 1968. From 1968 -- 1970, he studied in the United Kingdom. The Prince became engaged to Miss Nobuko Asō on 21 May 1980. She is also the sister of current Deputy Prime Minister Tarō Asō. The couple married on 7 November 1980. Miss Asō was given HIH Princess Tomohito of Mikasa. The Prince and Princess had two daughters: Princess Akiko Princess Yōko The family lives in Azabo Minato, Tokyo. In October 2009, his wife separated her residence from their children. For the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, Prince Tomohito served until 1972. He was also on the committee for the 1975 Okinawa World Fair. He support missions that concerned matters of illness and welfare. The Prince often gave lectures and had also authored seven books. In February 1994, the Prince and Princess visited Norway to attend the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa
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Prince Tomohito of Mikasa on 7 March 2003.
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa
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60th National Sports Festival Hare no Kuni Okayama Kokutai Closing Ceremony at Momotaro Stadium, 27 October 2005.
368.
Yoshihito, Prince Katsura
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Yoshihito, Prince Katsura was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the second son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito. He died on 8 June 2014, aged 66. The Prince graduated in the Faculty of Law of Gakushuin University in 1971. Between 1973 he studied at the Graduate School of the Australian National University, in Canberra, Australia. After his return to Japan, he worked from 1974 to 1985. In 1982, the Prince returned as part of the Japanese delegation in honor of the tenth anniversary of the Australia-Japan Society. He also visited New Zealand to strengthen friendly diplomatic relations. Prince Katsura had surgery for acute subdural hematoma. Finally he became paralyzed from the waist down, forcing him to use a wheelchair. Despite this, he appeared regularly at award ceremonies, diplomatic events, as president of various charity organizations. However, he had been hospitalized off since 2008 due to sepsis. In early 2014, the Prince was diagnosed with an unspecified illness that deteriorated his heart. He was 66 years old. On 17 the main funeral service for Prince Katsura, called "Renso no Gi", was held at Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery in Tokyo.
Yoshihito, Prince Katsura
369.
Norihito, Prince Takamado
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Norihito, Prince Takamado was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the third son of Takahito, Prince Mikasa and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. He was seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The Prince was a graduate of the Department of Law of Gakushuin University in 1978. He studied abroad from 1978 to 1981 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. After his return to Japan, he served from 1981-2002. They married on 6 December 1984. Princess Ayako Prince Takamado was honorary president of charitable organizations involved with sponsorship of international exchange especially involving music, dance, sports. He was often dubbed "The Sports Prince" in Japan. He supported a number of foreign speech contests. He was also much involved in environmental issues and environmental education. The Prince was an honorary member of A.V. Edo-Rhenania Tokyo, a Roman Catholic student fraternity, affiliated with the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen. The Prince's last visits included Egypt and Morocco in May 2000, Hawaii in July 2001, to the Republic of Korea to June 2002. The latter was in order to attend the Ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan. The sudden death of one of most active members of the Japanese Imperial Family shocked the nation.
Norihito, Prince Takamado
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Norihito 高円宮憲仁親王
370.
Charles, Prince of Wales
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Charles, Prince of Wales, is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II. He was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Cambridge, he served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, they had two sons: Prince William later to become Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry. In 1996, the couple divorced, following extramarital affairs. Diana died in a crash in Paris the following year. In 2005, he married Camilla Parker Bowles. He has sought to raise world awareness such as climate change. As an environmentalist, Charles has received numerous awards and recognition from environmental groups around the world. His support including homeopathy, has been criticised by some in the medical community. Charles has been outspoken on the role of the conservation of historic buildings. Subsequently, he created an experimental new town based on his theories, in Dorset in 1993. Charles was baptised in the palace's Music Room by the Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher, on 15 December 1948. When Prince Charles was aged three his mother's accession as Queen Elizabeth II made her heir apparent. He attended his mother's coronation on 2 June 1953, seated alongside his grandmother and aunt.
Charles, Prince of Wales
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The Prince of Wales in Jersey, July 2012
Charles, Prince of Wales
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Signature
Charles, Prince of Wales
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Telegram announcing the birth of Prince Charles to the Governor-General of New Zealand
Charles, Prince of Wales
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Queen Elizabeth II formally invests the Prince of Wales with his coronet, 1969
371.
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
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Carrington was Foreign Secretary in 1982 when the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina. He took full responsibility for the failure of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to foresee this and resigned. As Secretary General of NATO, he helped prevent a war between Greece and Turkey in 1987. He is a great-nephew of the Liberal statesman Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire, also of politician and courtier the Hon. Sir William Carington. Following Sandhurst, Carrington was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards as a second lieutenant on 26 January 1939. After the war, Carrington remained in the army until 1949. In 1938, Carrington succeeded his father as 6th Baron Carrington. The latter Carrington was appointed High Commissioner to a post he held until October 1959. He was also appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire on 2 July 1951. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1959. From 1964 to 1970 he was Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords. He had become Shadow Defence Secretary following the dismissal of Enoch Powell from the position following his controversial Rivers of speech on immigration. He also served as Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1972 to 1974, was briefly Secretary of State for Energy from January to March 1974. Carrington was again Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords from 1974 to 1979.
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
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A stone set by Lord Carrington while High Commissioner to Australia, at the All Saints Church, Canberra
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
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The Right Honourable The Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC DL
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
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Lord Carrington, as Chancellor of the Order of the Garter, in procession to St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2006
Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington
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NATO Secretary General Lord Carrington with West German Foreign Minister Genscher in Bonn, 1984
372.
Edwin Bramall
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Field Marshal Edwin Noel Westby Bramall, Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE, MC, JP, DL is a retired senior British Army officer. He developed the concept of the "Fifth Pillar" pulling together the activities of defence attachés to form a structure for intervention in smaller countries. Bramall was born on 18 December 1923 in Kent, England. He was educated at Eton College. In 1949 he married Dorothy Avril Wentworth Vernon; they had one daughter. His older brother Ashley Bramall was a barrister, Leader of the Inner London Education Authority. Bramall was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 22 May 1943 during the Second World War. Promoted to captain on 18 December 1950, he was then promoted to major on 18 December 1957. He was given command of the 5th Infantry Brigade with promotion to brigadier on 31 December 1967. He was promoted to full general on 25 June 1976. He appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 1 October that year. He retired in November 1985. After his retirement Bramall served from 1986 to 1998. He was invested in 1990. He is now an Honorary Life Vice President of the MCC.
Edwin Bramall
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Lord Bramall in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, June 2006
Edwin Bramall
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The Normandy landings, in which Bramall took part, during the Second World War
373.
John Baring, 7th Baron Ashburton
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John Francis Harcourt Baring, 7th Baron Ashburton, KG KCVO DL is a British merchant banker and former chairman of British Petroleum. Lord Ashburton also sat on the boards of Jaguar Cars, Royal Insurance. He was the oldest son of Alexander Baring, 6th Baron Ashburton, Doris Mary Thérèse Harcourt. His maternal grandparents were Lewis Harcourt, Mary Ethel Burns, daughter of Walter Hayes Burns of New York City. On 25 Baring married Susan Mary Renwick. She was a daughter of Robert Renwick, his first wife Dorothy Mary Parkes. They had four children: Lucinda "Lucy" Baring. Son of John David Malet Vaughan, 8th Earl of Lisburne. They have three children: Emma, Sophie and Edward. Mark Baring. Married Miranda Caroline Moncrieff. They have four children: Aurea, Fred, Patrick and Flora. Rose Theresa Baring. Married Barnaby Hugh Rogerson. They have two daughters: Molly and Hannah.
John Baring, 7th Baron Ashburton
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Lord Ashburton in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
John Baring, 7th Baron Ashburton
374.
Ninian Stephen
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He was born on 15 June 1923 in Oxfordshire, England. He attended St Paul's School, West Kensington, London, to March 1938. Stephen emigrated as a child. He was called to the Victorian Bar in 1952. By the 1960s, he was one of Australia's leading commercial lawyers. Stephen was made a Queen's Counsel in 1966. Stephen held this position until 29 February 1972, relinquishing it to take up his appointment as a Justice of the High Court of Australia. Although Stephen was appointed by a Liberal government, Stephen proved not to be a conservative upholder of states' rights. Stephen joined the "moderate centre" of the court, between the radicalism of Lionel Murphy. On the advice of the Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia appointed Stephen as Governor-General. Stephen was sworn in on 29 July 1982, on the retirement of Sir Zelman Cowen. When Fraser was defeated under Bob Hawke in 1983, he had no difficulty working with a Labor government. He is the only governor-general to have approved two double dissolutions -- in 1987. In 1991 Stephen undertook a difficult task when he was appointed chairman of the second strand of the Northern Ireland peace talks. From 1991 to 1995, Stephen was a judge hoc of the International Court of Justice in the case East Timor 1991 -- 1995.
Ninian Stephen
Ninian Stephen
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The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephen KG, AK, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, QC
375.
Timothy Colman
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Sir Timothy James Alan Colman KG is a British businessman and a former Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. Colman is from the Colman's family. He was joined the Royal Navy, leaving as a lieutenant in 1953, before commencing a business career. He subsequently joined the Castaways' Club. He was chairman of the Eastern Counties Newspaper Group from 1969 to 1996. Colman was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1996. Then in 1980 his catamaran Crossbow II extended the record to 36 knots. It held the record for six years until being beaten by the sailboard of Pascal Maka of France. He is a member of the RYS He lives in Bixley Manor near Norwich. Colman's children include Sarah Troughton, appointed in 2012. Crossbow II Speed sailing record Big boat speed sailing
Timothy Colman
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Sir Timothy Colman in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
376.
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
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James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, KG became Duke of Abercorn in the Peerage of Ireland on the death of his father in June 1979. The son of James Edward Hamilton, 4th Duke of Abercorn, Lady Mary Crichton. He is Lord Steward of the Household. Educated in 1952 he was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards. In 1964 he became Ulster Unionist MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, succeeding Lord Robert Grosvenor. He lost it to Frank McManus in 1970 by 1,423 votes. In 1970 he served as Lord Lieutenant of County Tyrone. In 1999, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter. He was colonel of the Irish Guards from 2000 to 2008. Additionally, he was appointed Lord Steward of the Household in 2001, serving until 2009. He owns more than 15,000 acres. His seat is Baronscourt, near Newtownstewart, Northern Ireland. He was appointed Chancellor of the Order of the Garter on 17 October 2012. In 1966 he married eldest daughter of Lt.-Col. Harold Pedro Joseph Phillips and Georgina Wernher, elder daughter and co-heiress of Sir Harold Wernher, 3rd Baronet, of Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire.
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
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Portrait by Allan Warren, 1990
James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn
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Baronscourt, near Newtownstewart, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
377.
Sir William Gladstone, 7th Baronet
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Sir Erskine William Gladstone of Fasque and Balfour, 7th Baronet, KG, JP, DL is a retired teacher and officer of the Royal Navy. He was Chief Scout of the United Kingdom from 1972 to 1982. Gladstone is a great-grandson of the former prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone. Upon leaving the navy, he received an honours degree at Christ Church, Oxford. He became head master of Lancing in 1961. He retired in 1969. He married September 1962. They have three children: Charles Angus Gladstone, Robert Nicolas Gladstone. Rosamund is daughter of Barbara Jessica Hardy Beaton. She is also a niece of Lady Nancy Smily. At the death of his father in 1968, he became the 7th Gladstone Baronet. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1999. Gladstone became a Scout whilst a student at Eton. He encouraged Scout Group whilst Head Master at Lancing. He became Chief Scout of the United Kingdom in a position he held until 1982.
Sir William Gladstone, 7th Baronet
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Arms of Sir William Gladstone
378.
Peter Inge, Baron Inge
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He then served before retiring in 1997. He was appointed Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion the Green Howards in 1974. From 1982 he was Chief of Staff of I Corps. In 1986, he was appointed Logistics Policy at the Ministry of Defence. He relinquished October 1989. After stepping down as Chief of the Defence Staff, he was created a life peer in the County of North Yorkshire. He retired on 25 April 2016. He also became a Knight of the Garter on 23 April 2001. Chaired by Baron Butler of Brockwell, the inquiry determined that the intelligence used to declare Iraq's possession of "Weapons of Mass Destruction" was flawed. In 1960 he married Letitia Thornton-Berry; they have two daughters. Biography at ICx Technology Heathcote, Anthony; Guthrie, General Sir Charles. The British Field Marshals; 1736–1997. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword. Pp. 183–185. ISBN 0-85052-696-5.
Peter Inge, Baron Inge
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Lord Inge of Richmond
Peter Inge, Baron Inge
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Wrekin College, where Inge was educated
379.
Antony Acland
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Sir Antony Arthur Acland KG GCMG GCVO is a British former diplomat and Provost of Eton College. Antony Acland is the second son of Brigadier Peter Acland. He was educated at Eton College, then in 1948 joined the Royal Artillery with a post-war "commission". After short service he went up to Christ Church, Oxford, gaining a BA degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics in 1953. After leaving Oxford in 1953 he went straight into the Foreign Office. He then served at the UK Mission at Geneva 1966 -- 68. Back at the FCO he was head of 1970 -- 72. Acland was Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary 1972–75. He was Ambassador to Spain 1977 -- 79. He was Deputy Under-Secretary at the FCO 1979 -- a post which then entailed chairing the Joint Intelligence Committee. In 1982 he was promoted to head of the Diplomatic Service. Acland came into collision with the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, over the diplomatic response. At one point during a heated discusion he threatened to resign, whereupon Thatcher said ` All right, no more Foreign Office bashing.' Acland was Provost of Eton College 1991 -- 2000. Acland was a member of the Founding Council of the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford, helping to raise funds for the Institute's library.
Antony Acland
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Sir Antony Acland in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
Antony Acland
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Notes Knight since 1986 Crest Upon a hand Argent and Sable, a falcon Argent. Torse Mantling Sable doubled Argent. Escutcheon Chequy Argent and Sable a fess Gules in chief a mullet of five points Argent. Orders The Order of the Garter circlet.
380.
Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell
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Butler was born in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, on 3 January 1938. He married Gillian Lois Galley in 1962. They have a son and two daughters. Butler had a high-profile career in the civil service from 1961 to 1998, serving as Private Secretary to five Prime Ministers. He was Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service from 1988 to 1998. He joined HM Treasury in 1961, becoming Private Secretary to the Financial Secretary to 1965 -- 69. Early in his career, he was occasionally confused with his namesake Rab Butler. Memos for Rab Butler, some highly sensitive, ended up on his desk, some of his ended up on Rab's. Please be at Twickenham by 2 p.m.". Underneath, in Rab's distinctive handwriting, was the message: "Dear Robin, I am not free on Saturday. Please could you deputise for me? Rab"! In 1969, he was seconded to the Bank of England and several City institutions. Later at HM Treasury as General Expenditure Intelligence Division, he led the team which installed 1975 & -- 77. He had been a member of the Central Policy Review Staff under 1971 -- 2.
Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell
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Lord Butler in the robes of a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.
381.
John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon
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John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon, KG PC QC is a retired British politician. He was a moderate Labour Member of Secretary of State for Wales from 1974 to 1979. Morris was born in Aberystwyth in the County of Ceredigion. He was educated at Ardwyn School, Caius College, Cambridge. Morris was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 1954. He practised at 2 Bedford Row Chambers, was made a Bencher of Gray's Inn in 1984. Between 1997 Morris was a Recorder of the Crown Court. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence. As such, he was one of only a small handful of Labour ministers to hold office under Harold Wilson, Tony Blair. Lord Morris has been Chancellor of the University of South Wales since its formation in 2013. The University of South Wales was formed by a merger between the University of Wales, Newport. He succeeded fellow Labour politician Lord Merlyn-Rees as the Chancellor for the University of Glamorgan. Lord Morris was President of the London Welsh Trust, which runs the London Welsh Centre, Gray's Inn Road, until 2008. He is also a member of The Prince's Trust. 1931–1959: Mr John Morris 1959–1970: Mr John Morris MP 1970–2001: The Rt Hon. John Morris MP 2001: The Rt Hon. John Morris 2001–2003: The Rt Hon.
John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon
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The Right Honourable The Lord Morris of Aberavon KG PC QC
John Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon
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Notes Life peer as Baron since 2001 Coronet A coronet of a Baron Crest A bull passant Sable armed and unguled Or with a palewise book Argent upon other Sable. Torse Mantling Argent and Sable. Escutcheon Sable a Portcullis Or, over all three swords palewise proper headed Or. Motto BID BEN BID BONT Welsh: He who would a leader be, be a bridge Orders The Order of the Garter circlet.
382.
John Major
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A minister from 1989, Major served Margaret Thatcher as Foreign Secretary and as Chancellor of the Exchequer during her third ministry. Major was the Member of Parliament for Huntingdon from 1979 to 2001; he is the oldest living former Prime Minister. At the beginning of his premiership, he negotiated the Maastricht Treaty in December 1991. Major was never able to achieve a lead in opinion polls again. He went on to lose the 1997 general election months later, in one of the largest electoral defeats since the Great Reform Act of 1832. After defeat, he was succeeded as Leader of the Conservative Party by William Hague. Major went on leaving the House of Commons at the 2001 general election. He was christened John Roy Major but only "John" was recorded on his certificate. Major used his middle name until the early 1980s. He attended primary school from 1954 Major attended Rutlish Grammar School in Merton. With his father's garden ornaments business in decline, the family moved to Brixton. Major also credited a chance meeting on the King's Road shortly afterwards. He left school at the age of 16 with three O-levels in History, English Language and English Literature. Major later gained three more O-levels in the British Constitution, Mathematics and Economics. Major's first job was as a clerk in the insurance firm Pratt & Sons in 1959.
John Major
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Major in October 2014
John Major
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John Major with President George H. W. Bush at Camp David in 1992
John Major
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Major with Lieutenant General Michael Walker at the Ilidza Compound in Sarajevo, Bosnia, during Operation Joint Endeavor
John Major
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Major enjoying his retirement at a cricket match
383.
Richard Luce, Baron Luce
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He now sits as a crossbench peer. Born in Westminster, Luce was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge. He completed National Service in Cyprus 1955–57. He then briefly joined the Overseas Civil Service, as a district officer in Kenya, 1960 -- 62. He then worked for Gallaher Ltd before becoming marketing manager for the Spirella Company of Great Britain. In 1968–71 he was director of the National Innovation Centre. From 1972 to 1979, he was Chairman of IFA Consultants Ltd, he was also chair of Courtenay Stewart International. When that constituency was abolished in boundary changes for the February 1974 general election, he was returned for the new Shoreham constituency. He retired at the 1992 general election. Luce was appointed the Parliamentary Private Secretary in 1972. After the Conservative Party lost the February 1974 general election, he became an Opposition whip. When the Conservatives returned at the 1979 general election, he became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In 1981, he was promoted to Minister of State within the same department. In 1982, he followed his Secretary of Lord Carrington, in resigning over Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands. He returned to office in 1983, again as a Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Richard Luce, Baron Luce
384.
Thomas Dunne (Lord Lieutenant)
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Dunne was born in the son of Philip Russell Rendel Dunne, a military officer and politician. He was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1995, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. In 1998, Sir Thomas became Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire and Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. He retired from the latter on 31 July 2001. He is Chairman of the Lord Lieutenants Association. In 2008, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. Sir Thomas is the father of: Camilla Rose Dunne, married to Hon Rupert Soames in 1988. Philip Martin Dunne, Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Ludlow since 2005. Nicholas Dunne, married to Lady Jasmine Cavendish, daughter of the 12th Duke of Devonshire
Thomas Dunne (Lord Lieutenant)
385.
Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce
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As Chief of Defence Staff he is believed to have had concerns for a national missile defence system. The son of Madeline, Boyce was educated at Hurstpierpoint College and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Promoted to the rank of commander on 30 June 1976, Boyce became commanding officer of the submarine HMS Superb in 1979. He was returned to the Ministry of Defence as Captain, Submarine Sea Training in 1984. He then became Senior Naval Officer in the Middle East in 1989. He went on to be Director of Naval Staff Duties at the Ministry of Defence in August 1989. Following promotion to rear admiral he became Flag Officer Sea Training in July 1991. He became Flag Officer, NATO Commander of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force in November 1992. Promoted to admiral in February 1994, Boyce was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1995 New Year Honours. He became 1785 in 2004. He gave evidence on 3 December 2009. He takes a keen interest in sports. In 2013 he was elected Master of the Drapers' Company. He has been the president of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum as well as a trustee of the Naval and Military Club. He was appointed as an honorary admiral of the fleet in the Queen's 2014 Birthday Honours.
Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce
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Boyce in 2002
Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce
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Hurstpierpoint College where Boyce was educated
Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce
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The submarine HMS Superb which Boyce commanded in the late 1970s
386.
Jock Stirrup
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He is now a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. In April 2013, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II. As a junior RAF officer, Stirrup was a fast pilot, seeing action in the Dhofar War. Later in his career, he commanded RAF Marham. He became Chief of the Defence Staff in 2006: during his time in office the British Armed Forces faced significant commitments both to Iraq and Afghanistan. Stirrup retired on 29 October 2010, taking a seat in the House of Lords in 2011. Graham Eric Stirrup was born on 4 December 1949, his wife, Jacqueline Brenda Stirrup. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood, Hertfordshire. They have one son. Stirrup includes golf, music, history among his interests. He was promoted to flight lieutenant from 31 July 1973. From 1973 to 1975, Stirrup was on service with the Sultan of Oman's Air Force. After he returned in 1975, Stirrup was posted to No. 41 Squadron where he flew the SEPECAT Jaguar in the fighter reconnaissance role. Stirrup went on to serve in an tour in the United States where he flew the all-weather tactical reconnaissance RF-4C Phantom. Stirrup was later awarded the Air Force Cross in recognition of his handling of the incident.
Jock Stirrup
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Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup c. 2010
Jock Stirrup
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Jaguar, a type flown by Stirrup in the 1970s
Jock Stirrup
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Stirrup (left) with General Fraser in 2005.
Jock Stirrup
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Stirrup with US General Peter Pace in 2006.
387.
Eliza Manningham-Buller
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She became a crossbench peer on 18 April 2008. She was recruited at a drinks party when someone suggested that she see someone at the Ministry of Defence. Specializing in counter-terrorism rather than MI5's then-classical counter-espionage, she was active at the time of the Lockerbie bombing by Libya in 1988. She worked against the IRA. As Director General, she was paid a year. She has been credited with making the agency more open: she recruited agents through newspaper advertisements. Under her direction, risk assessments were made public for the first time. In the 2005 Birthday Honours, Manningham-Buller was appointed as a Dame Commander. She was succeeded by her deputy, Jonathan Evans. That month marked the end of her 33rd year in the Security Service. She reportedly joined the public circuit. She was named chairman in July 2011. She became a governor of the first female chair of the Trust on 1 October 2015. On 2014, Lady Manningham-Buller was appointed to the Order of the Garter by HM The Queen. Manningham-Buller was the second daughter in a family of Viscount Dilhorne.
Eliza Manningham-Buller
388.
Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
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He was replaced by Mark Carney. King was appointed a peer by Queen Elizabeth II for ` contributions to public service'. He entered the House of Lords on 22 July 2013 as a crossbencher, taking Baron King of Lothbury. Mervyn King is a son of Eric King, Kathleen. Whilst at Cambridge, he was Treasurer in 1968. After graduation King worked as a researcher on the Cambridge Growth Project at the University of Cambridge. From October 1984 King was Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics where he founded the Financial Markets Group. In 1981, King was one of the 364 economists who signed a letter to The Times condemning Geoffrey Howe's 1981 Budget. He joined the Bank in March 1991 after being a non-executive director from 1990 to 1991. King was appointed Deputy Governor in 1997, taking up his post on 1 June 1998. In the same year, he became a member of the Group of Thirty. An ex-officio member of the bank's interest-rate setting Monetary Policy Committee since its inception in 1997, he took part in its monthly meetings. After becoming Bank governor, he explained that Bank of England policy was "similar to that of the Federal Reserve" under Alan Greenspan. Greenspan described his approach as "mitigat the fallout when it occurs". He agreed with Alan Greenspan that, "It is hard to identify price ` bubbles'."
Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
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The Right Honourable The Lord King of Lothbury KG GBE FBA
Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
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Birmingham University
Mervyn King, Baron King of Lothbury
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v
389.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Philip was born into the Greek and Danish royal families. He was born in Greece, but his family was exiled from the country when he was an infant. After being educated in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, he joined the Royal Navy in 1939, aged 18. From July 1939, he began corresponding with the 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth, whom he had first met in 1934. During the Second World War he served with the Mediterranean and Pacific fleets. After the war, Philip was granted permission by George VI to marry Elizabeth. After an engagement of five months, he married Elizabeth on 20 November 1947. Just before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh. Philip left active military service when Elizabeth became Queen in 1952, having reached the rank of commander. He was formally made a Prince of the United Kingdom in 1957. He has four children with Elizabeth: Prince Edward. He has eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A keen sports enthusiast, Philip helped develop the equestrian event of carriage driving. He is a patron of over 800 organisations and serves as chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme for people aged 14 to 24.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
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Prince Philip in March 2015
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
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Mon Repos, the birthplace of Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
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Philip studied at Gordonstoun school, Scotland.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
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Philip served aboard HMS Valiant in the Battle of the Mediterranean.
390.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC is a grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has held the title of Duke of Kent since 1942. The Duke of Kent carries out engagements on behalf of his first cousin, Elizabeth II. He is perhaps best known as President of the Croquet Club, presenting the trophies to runner-up. He also served as the United Kingdom's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment, retiring in 2001. The Duke of Kent is also Patron of the IAM an independent charity which specialises in training and advice for post-licence drivers and riders. Prince Edward was born on 9 October 1935, at No. 3 Belgrave Square, London. Home Secretary Sir John Simon was present to verify the birth. Prince Edward's father was Mary of Teck. His mother was Grand Duchess Yelena Vladimirovna of Russia. He was baptised in the Private Chapel of Buckingham Palace on 20 November 1935 by the Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang. Prince Edward began his schooling before going on to Eton College and then Le Rosey in Switzerland. After school he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages. Prince Edward speaks fluent French. On 25 the Duke of Kent, was killed when his plane crashed in bad weather in Caithness.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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Prince Edward
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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The Duke and Duchess of Kent on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the 2013 Trooping the Colour.
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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A 1989 photograph of the Duke of Kent, by Allan Warren
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
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People
391.
Anne, Princess Royal
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At the time of her birth, Anne was third in the line of succession, behind elder brother Charles. Anne is currently 12th in line. She is patron of over 200 organisations. Princess Anne is its seventh holder. Anne was married to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973; they divorced in 1992. They have three grandchildren. Anne was the second grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She was baptised in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace October 1950 by Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett. After the death of George VI, Anne's mother ascended the throne as Queen Elizabeth II. Given her young age at the time, Anne did not attend the coronation. The Company was active until 1963, when Anne went to boarding school. She enrolled in 1963. In 1968 Anne left school with GCE O-Levels and two A-Levels. In the next couple of years, she started dating. In 1970 her first boyfriend was Andrew Parker Bowles, who later became the first husband of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
Anne, Princess Royal
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The Princess Royal at Chatham House, October 2015
Anne, Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
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Princess Anne with her parents and elder brother in October 1957
Anne, Princess Royal
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Anne and Charles at the White House with Tricia Nixon and Julie & David Eisenhower in June 1970
392.
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
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Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, KG, GCVO, SSI, GCStJ is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He is currently 24th in the line of succession to the British throne, the first not descended from King George VI. He is also the senior male line descendant of three British monarchs: Victoria, Edward VII and George V. Prince Richard was born at 15 minutes past noon on 26 August 1944. His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. His mother was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, a daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch. He was baptised at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park on 20 October 1944 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Gordon Lang. William died in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed at Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton and Richard ascended to the dukedom. When Prince Richard was four months old, he accompanied his parents to Australia, where his father served as Governor-General from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to Barnwell Manor in 1947. Prince Richard's early education took place at home; later, he attended Wellesley House School at Broadstairs and Eton College. He returned in 1967 completing both parts of the Diploma in June 1969. Upon passing his exams, he became a practising partner in an architectural firm. Richard had to take on royal duties. He began representing Queen Elizabeth II on royal duties.
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
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The Duke of Gloucester in 2008
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
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The Duke in 1989, by Allan Warren
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
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The Duke of Gloucester at Christ Church Cathedral in 2006, robed as Grand Prior of the Order of Saint John.
393.
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
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Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, KG, GCVO is the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. Princess Alexandra was born on 25 December 1936 at 3 Belgrave Square, London. She received the name Christabel because she was born on Christmas Day, like her aunt by marriage, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. Her birth was the last to have the tradition of having the Home Secretary present to verify the birth of potential heirs to the throne. Secretary Sir John Simon was present and was the last to do this. As a male-line granddaughter of the British monarch, she was styled as a British princess with the prefix Her Royal Highness. She was born two weeks after the abdication of her uncle King Edward VIII. Of her godparents, only the King and Queen and Lord Athlone were present. Princess Alexandra spent most of her childhood at her family's country house, Coppins, in Buckinghamshire. She lived with her grandmother, Queen Mary, the widow of George V, during World War II at Badminton. Her father was killed in an aeroplane crash near Caithness, Scotland on 25 August 1942 while serving in the Royal Air Force. Princess Alexandra has the distinction of being the first British princess to have attended a boarding school, Heathfield School near Ascot. She then studied in Paris. She was also trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She was a bridesmaid at the 1946 wedding of Captain Lord Brabourne and Lady Patricia Mountbatten.
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
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During her visit to Hong Kong in 1961, Princess Alexandra greets Cantonese opera performers Yam Kim-fai and Bak Sheut-sin after their performance of The Romance of the White Snake
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
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Princess Alexandra in 2010
394.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
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Prince Andrew, Duke of York, KG, GCVO, CD, ADC, is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was second in the line of succession to succeed his mother; as of 2016 he is sixth in line. He saw active service during the Falklands War, flying on multiple missions including evacuation. In 1986, Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson; the couple's marriage, subsequent separation and eventual divorce in 1996 attracted a high level of media coverage. As well as carrying out various official engagements, he served as Britain's Special Representative for International Trade and Investment until July 2011. He was baptised in the Palace's Music Room on 8 April 1960 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher. He is the namesake of his paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, who died 16 years before he was born. Prince Andrew was the first child born to a reigning monarch since the birth in 1857 of Queen Victoria's youngest child, Princess Beatrice. As with his older siblings, Andrew was looked after by a governess, responsible for his early education at Buckingham Palace. He was sent to Heatherdown School near Ascot in Berkshire. In September 1973, he entered Gordonstoun, in northern Scotland, which his father and elder brother had attended before him. While there, he spent six months—from January to June 1977—participating in an exchange programme to Lakefield College School in Canada. He left Gordonstoun two years later with A-Levels in English, political science. He did not go to university but instead entered the Britannia Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. The Royal Household announced in November 1978 that Prince Andrew would join the Royal Navy the following year.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
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The Duke of York, 2014
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
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Gordonstoun
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
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The Duke of York with the US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta commemorating 100th anniversary of Naval Aviation at the National Building Museum in 2011.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
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The Duke and Duchess of York on their wedding day.
395.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
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At the time of his birth, he was third in line to succeed his mother; as of 2016, he is ninth in line. He was baptised on 2 May 1964 in the private chapel at Windsor Castle by the then-Dean of Windsor, Robin Woods. As with his older siblings, a governess was appointed to look after Edward and was responsible for his early education at Buckingham Palace. At the age of seven, Edward was then sent before attending, in Berkshire. Upon his return to Britain, Edward matriculated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read history. His admission to Cambridge caused some controversy at the time, since his A-level grades were far below the standard normally required, "straight As", for Oxbridge entrance. Prince Edward made two very public attempts to pursue a career. However, in January 1987 he dropped out of the gruelling commando course after completing just one third of the 12-month training. Media reported, at the time, that the move prompted a berating from Prince Philip who "reduced his son to prolonged tears." After leaving the Marines, Edward opted for a career in entertainment. His duties reportedly involved making tea for the artistic staff. While there he met actress Ruthie Henshall, whom he dated for three years. In 1993, Edward formed the company Ardent Productions. Commercial breaks are filled with army recruiting advertisements". A documentary Edward made Edward VIII in 1996, sold well worldwide.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
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The Earl in Belfast, February 2015
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
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The Earl and Countess of Wessex at the wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden in June 2010
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
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The Earl and Countess of Wessex at Trooping the Colour in June 2013
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
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The Earl of Wessex at Yate, Gloucestershire, December 2011
396.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, KG, KT, PC, ADC is the elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, Diana, Princess of Wales. He is second in line to succeed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, after his father. William was educated at four schools in the United Kingdom and obtained a degree from the University of St Andrews. He spent parts of a gap year in Chile, Belize, some parts of Africa. In December 2006, he completed 44 weeks of training as an officer cadet and was commissioned in the Blues and Royals regiment. In April 2008, he qualified as a pilot by completing pilot training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell. He then underwent helicopter flying training in order to become a full-time pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force in early 2009. His service with the British Armed Forces ended in September 2013. William married Catherine Middleton, on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. Hours before the wedding, he was created Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus. The couple's first child, Prince George, was born on 22 July 2013, their second, Princess Charlotte, was born on 2 May 2015. William, the first child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was born at St Mary's Hospital, London, on 21 June 1982 at 9:03 pm. His names, William Arthur Philip Louis, were announced by Buckingham Palace a week later on 28 June. He was baptised in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace on 4 August by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie. He was the first child born to a Prince and Princess of Wales since Prince John in 1905.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
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The Duke of Cambridge in Japan in 2015
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
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Chapel of Eton College
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
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St Salvator's Quad, University of St. Andrews
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
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William in his flight lieutenant's uniform in 2010.
397.
Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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Jean reigned as Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 until his abdication in 2000. He is the father of the current ruler, the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma. Jean was born on 5 January 1921, at Berg Castle, in the son of Grand Duchess Charlotte and of Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma. Among his godparents was Pope Benedict XV, who gave him his second name. He attended primary school in Luxembourg, where he continued the initial stage of secondary education. He completed secondary school at a Roman Catholic boarding school in the United Kingdom. Upon reaching maturity, on 5 January 1938, he was styled recognising his status as heir apparent. On 10 Germany invaded Luxembourg, beginning a four-year occupation. Having been warned of an imminent invasion, the Grand Ducal Family escaped the previous night. At first, they sought refuge before fleeing France only weeks later. The Grand Ducal Family sought refuge in the United States, renting an estate in New York. Jean studied Law and Political Science at Quebec City. He joined the British Army in November 1942. He took part in the Battle for Caen and the liberation of Brussels. On 10 he took part in the liberation of Luxembourg before moving on to Arnhem and the invasion of Germany.
Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
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Jean at the wedding of his grandson Prince Louis of Luxembourg in 2006
398.
Juan Carlos I of Spain
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Juan Carlos I reigned as King of Spain from 1975 to 2014, when he abdicated in favour of his son, Felipe VI. Soon after enthronement, however, he introduced reforms to begin the Spanish transition to democracy. This led in a referendum, which re-established a constitutional monarchy. In 1981, he played a major role in preventing a coup that attempted to revert Spain to Francoist government in the King's name. In 2008, Juan Carlos was considered the most popular leader in all Ibero-America. In 1962, he married Princess Sofía of Greece and Denmark, with whom he has three children. Juan Carlos and Sofía retain the titles and style they enjoyed during his reign. Juan Carlos was baptized as Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias. Juan Carlos was given Juan Carlos after his father and maternal grandfather, Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. His early life was dictated largely by the political concerns of General Franco. Juan Carlos moved in 1948 to be educated there after his father persuaded Franco to allow it. Juan Carlos finished them in 1954 at the San Isidro Institute in Madrid. Juan Carlos then joined the army, doing his officer training at the Military Academy of Zaragoza. He has two sisters: Infanta Pilar,; Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria. Juan Carlos also had Alfonso.
Juan Carlos I of Spain
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Juan Carlos I in 2009
Juan Carlos I of Spain
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Juan Carlos de Borbón, painting by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau (2014)
Juan Carlos I of Spain
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Juan Carlos de Borbón in 1971
Juan Carlos I of Spain
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Juan Carlos I of Spain on a 100 peseta coin from 1988
399.
Beatrix of the Netherlands
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She reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013, after a reign of exactly 33 years. She is her husband, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Upon her mother's accession in 1948, Beatrix became presumptive. In 1961, Beatrix received her degree from Leiden University. In 1966, she married a German diplomat, with whom she had three children. When her mother abdicated on 30 April 1980, she succeeded her as queen. On Koninginnedag, April 2013, Beatrix abdicated in favour of her eldest son, Willem-Alexander, resumed the title of princess. At the time of her abdication, she was the oldest reigning monarch of the Netherlands. Beatrix is the first child of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She was baptized on 12 May 1938 in the Great Church in The Hague. Beatrix's middle names are the first names of the then reigning Queen Wilhelmina, her paternal grandmother, Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm. When Beatrix was one year old, in 1939, Princess Irene was born. World War II broke out on 10 May 1940. On 13 the Dutch Royal Family evacuated to London, United Kingdom. The family lived at the Stornoway residence.
Beatrix of the Netherlands
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Beatrix in 2008
Beatrix of the Netherlands
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Princess Beatrix in February 1938 with her parents Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard
Beatrix of the Netherlands
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Princess Beatrix and Queen Juliana in 1960
Beatrix of the Netherlands
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Queen Beatrix and President Vladimir Putin during his state visit to the Netherlands in 2005
400.
Tim Dakin
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The Right Reverend Timothy John "Tim" Dakin is an Anglican bishop. He was the General Secretary of the South American Missionary Society prior to his Consecration. He is ex officio a Member of The House of Lords. He is additionally the Bishop for Higher and Further Education since 2013. Timothy Dakin was born in Kongwa, Tanzania, where his parents were church missionaries working in Tanzania and Kenya. He has two children, Anna and Johnny. Dakin was ordained deacon in 1993 and priest in 1994. He took up his appointment in 2000. He was introduced in the House of Lords on 26 March. After John Taylor in 1974, he was only the second priest to be consecrated directly since 1595. In May 2013, Dakin was additionally appointed the Bishop for Further Education, a national spokesperson role. As Bishop of Winchester, he is the visitor including New College, Oxford, St John's College, Oxford. He also holds the position of Prelate of the Order of the Garter. Dakin is a member of the Evangelical Group of the General Synod of the Church of England. Tim Dakin The Reverend Tim Dakin The Reverend Canon Tim Dakin The Right Reverend Tim Dakin The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of Winchester
Tim Dakin
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The Rt Revd Tim Dakin
401.
Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms)
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Thomas Woodcock CVO DL FSA is the Garter Principal King of Arms. Woodcock was educated at Eton College. He went to University College, Durham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then went to Darwin College, Cambridge where he received his LLB degree. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple. In 1998, Woodcock married Lucinda Harmsworth King. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple. He began his heraldic career to Garter King of Arms. In 1978 he was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant. In 1982 he was promoted to Somerset Herald. He held this office until his appointment as Norroy and Ulster in 1997. Woodcock was appointed the Garter Principal King of Arms on 1 April 2010.
Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms)
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Woodcock at Garter Day, Windsor Castle on 19 June 2006 (as Norroy and Ulster) (Photograph by: Philip Allfrey)
402.
Garter Principal King of Arms
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The position has existed since 1415. Garter is responsible to the Earl Marshal for the running of the College. The current Garter King of Arms is Thomas Woodcock. The first Garter King of Arms, held the office by 1417. No record of it survives. This was accepted until Hugh Stanford London published evidence which appeared to date appointment two years earlier than Anstis suggested. Although the testament makes no mention of anyone other than Richard's wife, the voluntas makes mention of his children. Reference is made to his son William, variously called "Gien", "Gyen" and "Gartere", William's wife, called "Agnes Garter". Instead, he suggests that Richard later included it alongside his old title in the will. The Garter Principal King of Arms was placed by King Henry V over all the whole body of heralds. He has power to appoint a herald for his deputy: he must be a native of a gentleman bearing arms. The official arms of the Garter Principal King of Arms were by circa 1520.
Garter Principal King of Arms
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An illuminated manuscript from around 1430 showing William Bruges, the first Garter King of Arms, kneeling before St George. He was appointed in 1415 or 1417.
Garter Principal King of Arms
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The arms of office of the Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
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Sir William Dugdale, one of England's leading antiquaries, was Garter between 1677 and his death in 1686. As a King of Arms, he conducted visitations to 10 English counties.
Garter Principal King of Arms
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John Anstis, Garter from 1719 to 1744
403.
Patric Dickinson (genealogist)
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Patric Laurence Dickinson LVO has served as Clarenceux King of Arms since 2010. A respected genealogist, he has worked since 1968. Dickinson was graduated as MA. He was subsequently called to the Bar at the Middle Temple. Dickinson served as a research assistant at the College of Arms from 1968 as Rouge Dragon Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1978. He served until 6 April 2010. In 2004 Dickinson was named Secretary of the Order of the Garter. He is also, was elected President of the Society of Genealogists in 2005.
Patric Dickinson (genealogist)
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Dickinson robed as Secretary of the Order of the Garter
404.
David Leakey
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Lieutenant General Arundell David Leakey, CMG, CBE is a former British military commander. He was Director General of the European Union Military Staff in the Council of the European Union, Brussels. In 2010 he was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. Leakey is nephew of Victoria Cross recipient Nigel Leakey. Leakey was educated at Sherborne School. He is also related to the Victoria Cross recipient Joshua Leakey. After attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Leakey was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 27 February 1971. From September 1971 to 1 July 1974 he was a university cadet while he read law at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge. His commission was confirmed on 1 July 1974 with seniority from 1 February 1971. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1974 to captain on 1 August 1977. He served in tanks. Having attended the Staff College, Camberley, he was promoted to major on 30 September 1984. He was promoted to colonel on 31 December 1993 with seniority from 30 June 1993. He was then posted as a Colonel Military Operations. In that role, he was responsible for Operational policy affecting Eastern and Western Europe.
David Leakey
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Lieutenant-General David Leakey CMG CBE
405.
Black Rod
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The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, generally shortened to Black Rod, is an official in the parliaments of several Commonwealth countries. The position originates in the House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, Black Rod is responsible for maintaining the buildings, security of the Palace of Westminster. The office was created by royal letters patent though the current title dates from 1522. The position was adopted by other members of the Commonwealth when they adopted the British Westminster system. The title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony staff topped with a golden lion, the main symbol of the office's authority. Black Rod is formally appointed by the Crown to whom he reports. Prior to 2002 the office rotated from the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force. It is now advertised openly. Black Rod is usually appointed Knight Bachelor if not already knighted. His deputy is the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod. He is responsible, as the representative for maintaining the buildings, services, security of the Palace of Westminster. His equivalent for security in the House of Commons is the Serjeant at Arms. The mace was introduced in 1876. Black Rod is best known in the ceremonies surrounding the State Opening of Parliament and the Throne speech.
Black Rod
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Incumbent Lt Gen David Leakey CMG CBE since 1 February 2011
Black Rod
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Caricature from Vanity Fair of Admiral Sir Augustus W.J. Clifford, 1st Bt, as Black Rod.
406.
Heads of state
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A head of state is the public persona that officially represents the national unity and legitimacy of a sovereign state. In developing the current Constitution of France, French president Charles de Gaulle said the head of state should embody "the spirit of the nation". Some academic writers discuss governments in terms of "models". An independent state normally has a head of state, determines the extent of its head's executive powers of government or formal representational functions. The non-executive model, in which the head of state has either none or very limited executive powers, mainly has a ceremonial and symbolic role. This legitimacy requires that someone be chosen who has a majority support in the legislature. In constitutional monarchies, the legitimacy of the unelected head of state typically derives from the tacit approval of the people via the elected representatives. In reality, numerous variants exist within a parliamentary system. Usually, the king had the power of declaring war without previous consent of the parliament. A de jure "presidential" system. These officials are excluded completely from the executive: they do not possess any role, even formal, within the government. Hence their states' governments are not referred to by the parliamentary model head of state styles of His/Her Majesty's Government or His/Her Excellency's Government. Within this general category, variants in terms of functions may exist. The constitution explicitly vests all executive power in the Cabinet, chaired by the prime minister and responsible to the Diet. He is a ceremonial figurehead with no discretionary powers related to the governance of Japan.
Heads of state
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Sixteen heads of state meeting at a UNASUR - BRICS summit in July 2014.
Heads of state
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President Pranab Mukherjee, head of state of the Republic of India from July 2012
Heads of state
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Two contemporary heads of state who are constitutional monarchs, but with no political power: Emperor Akihito of Japan (left), and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden (right.)
Heads of state
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Charles de Gaulle, President and head of state of the French Fifth Republic June 1958 – January 1959
407.
G-20 major economies
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The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies. It was founded with the aim of studying, promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization. The EU is represented by the European Commission and by the European Central Bank. Collectively, the G20 economies account for two-thirds of the world population. The heads of the G20 nations met semi-annually at G20 summits between 2009 and 2010. Since the November 2011 Cannes summit, all G20 summits have been held annually. The inaugural meeting took place on 15–16 December 1999 in Berlin. Canadian minister Paul Martin was chosen to be the first chairman and German minister Hans Eichel hosted the inaugural meeting. According to researchers at the Brookings Institution, the group was founded primarily at the initiative of Eichel, also concurrently chair of the G7. However, some sources identify the G20 as a joint creation of Germany and the United States. Though the G20's primary focus is economic governance, the themes of its summits vary to year. For example, the theme of the 2006 G20 ministerial meeting was "Building and Sustaining Prosperity". Trevor A. Manuel, the South African Minister of Finance, was the chairperson of the G20 when South Africa hosted the secretariat in 2007. The Netherlands were included by French invitation.
G-20 major economies
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A group photo of the participants of the 2008 G-20 Washington summit.
G-20 major economies
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Member countries in the G-20
G-20 major economies
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2009 G-20 London summit group photo.
G-20 major economies
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2009 G-20 Pittsburgh summit group photo.
408.
Mauricio Macri
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Mauricio Macri is the current President of Argentina, in office since 2015. Macri won the first presidential runoff ballotage in Argentina's history and is the first democratically elected non-Radical or Peronist President since 1916. Son of a prominent Italian businessman in the industrial and construction sectors, Macri was raised in an upper class home. He gained recognition when in 1995 he became President of one of the two most popular football clubs in the country. In 2005 he created Republican Proposal also known as PRO. He was inaugurated on 10 December 2015 in the National Congress of Argentina. In 2016, Macri was named one of the World's 100 Most Influential People and the Most Powerful President by U.S. news magazine Time. The family kept the houses in Tandil as vacation properties. His father influenced him to be a businessman, well as his uncle Jorge Blanco Villegas. Franco expected Mauricio to eventually succeed him as leaders of his firms. Macri preferred the company of his uncle, to avoid the constant scrutiny of his father. Macri was studied at the Catholic University of Argentina, where he received a degree in civil engineering. During this time he joined a think tank led by the former minister Álvaro Alsogaray. As a result, he affiliated to the now defunct Union of the Democratic Centre party. In 1985, he also attended short courses at Columbia Business School, the local Universidad del CEMA.
Mauricio Macri
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Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri
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Macri and his family meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican City.
Mauricio Macri
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Macri during a press conference in 2013.
Mauricio Macri
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Macri meeting with the then Minister of State for Finance and Transport of Singapore, Josephine Teo, in 2012
409.
President of Argentina
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The President of the Argentine Nation, usually known as the President of Argentina, is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Through Argentine history, the office of the Head of State has undergone many changes, both in its title as in its powers. Current President Mauricio Macri was sworn into office on 10 December 2015. He was represented locally by the Viceroy. These Viceroys were seldom natives of the country. By the May Revolution of May 1810, the first Argentine autonomous government, known as the Primera Junta, was formed in Buenos Aires. It was later known as the Junta Grande when representatives from the provinces joined. This power was vested in one man when the position of Supreme Director was created by the 1813 National Assembly. There was not yet truly a presidential system. In 1819, Congress composed a Constitution. This established an executive figure, named Supreme Director, vested with presidential powers. This constitution gave the power of appointing Governors of the provinces. Due to political circumstances, the central power was dissolved, leaving the country as a federation of provinces. A new constitution was drafted in 1826.
President of Argentina
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Incumbent Cristina Fernández de Kirchner since December 10, 2007
President of Argentina
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Presidential Standard
President of Argentina
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Bernardino Rivadavia the first president of the Argentine Nation
President of Argentina
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La Casa Rosada.
410.
Governor-General of Australia
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The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia of the Australian monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The governor-general is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of Australia. Of the Queen of Australia, so is treated as a head of state. The governor-general is supported by a staff headed to the Governor-General. A governor-general is generally expected to serve for five years subject to a possible short extension. Since 28 the governor-general has been General Sir Peter Cosgrove. Until 1965 almost all governors-general were British aristocrats; they included six barons, three viscounts, two earls, one prince. Since then, all but one of the governors-general have been Australian-born. The previous incumbent Dame Quentin Bryce, has been a woman. The selection of a governor-general is a responsibility for the Prime Minister of Australia, who may consult privately with the monarch. The candidate is approached privately to confirm whether they are willing to accept the appointment. The prime minister then recommends the nomination to the monarch. Scullin was equally insistent that the monarch must act on the prime minister's direct advice. Both of these appointments had been agreed to despite British government objections. Despite these precedents, George V asked him to consider Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood.
Governor-General of Australia
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The letters patent issued by Queen Victoria in 1900 creating the office of governor-general
Governor-General of Australia
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Flag of the Governor-General of Australia
Governor-General of Australia
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Governor-general's Holden WM Caprice with St. Edward's Crown on the number plate
Governor-General of Australia
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The Earl of Hopetoun, the first governor-general, 1901–1903
411.
Peter Cosgrove
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General Sir Peter John Cosgrove, AK, MC is a retired senior Australian Army officer and the 26th and current Governor-General of Australia. A graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Cosgrove fought in the Vietnam War, receiving the Military Cross in 1971. In January 2014, he was named to succeed Dame Quentin Bryce as Governor-General of Australia. Cosgrove was created a Knight of the Order of Australia on the same date. Cosgrove was educated at Waverley College, then followed his father, a warrant officer, into the Australian Army by attending the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1965. Lieutenant Peter Cosgrove was allotted to the Royal Australian Infantry. Cosgrove was posted to 9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment on 20 August 1969. On 10 Lieutenant Cosgrove was commanding 5 Platoon, B Company. The platoon located an occupied system in an area where, because of the proximity of allied troops, indirect fire support was difficult to obtain. On October 1969, 5 Platoon located another bunker system occupied by about a platoon of enemy. Lieutenant Cosgrove silently deployed his own platoon for an attack. His assault completely surprised the enemy causing them to flee, abandoning large quantities of food, documents. The following day in a party of enemy approached his right forward section and was engaged by the sentry. As a result of his actions, three weapons and four packs containing rice were captured. Cosgrove was awarded the Military Cross for these actions.
Peter Cosgrove
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His Excellency General The Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC
Peter Cosgrove
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Cosgrove at the Centenary of the Kangaroo March launch in 2013.
Peter Cosgrove
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Swearing in as Governor-General
Peter Cosgrove
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Peter and Lynne Cosgrove.
412.
Monarchy of Australia
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The monarchy of Australia is a form of government in which a hereditary king or queen serves as the nation's sovereign. The present monarch is Elizabeth II, styled Queen of Australia, who has reigned since 6 February 1952. She is represented in Australia in accordance with the Australian constitution and letters patent from the Queen. The Australian monarch, besides reigning in Australia, separately serves as monarch for each of 15 other Commonwealth nations known as realms. They are now independent of each other and are legally distinct. Likewise, on all matters relating to any Australian state, the monarch is advised by the ministers of the Crown of that state. The British government is thus considered a foreign power in regard to Australia's foreign affairs. Typically, the monarch is addressed as such when in Australia or performing duties on behalf of Australia abroad. Prior to 1953, the title had simply been the same as that in the United Kingdom. Australia, however, wished to have the United Kingdom mentioned well. Thus, the resolution was a title that included the United Kingdom but, for the first time, separately mentioned Australia and the other Commonwealth realms. The passage of a new Royal Style and Titles Act by the Parliament of Australia put these recommendations into law. Queen Elizabeth II signed her assent on 19 October 1973. Australians do not pay any money for personal income or to support the royal residences outside Australia. Only when the Queen is in Australia does the Australian government support her in the performance of her duties.
Monarchy of Australia
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Queen of Australia
Monarchy of Australia
Monarchy of Australia
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Postage stamp with portrait of the Queen, 1953
Monarchy of Australia
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Charles, Prince of Wales, is the heir apparent to succeed the Queen.
413.
Michel Temer
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Michel Miguel Elias Temer Lulia is a Brazilian lawyer and politician, the 37th and current President of Brazil. At 75 years and 11 months old, Temer is the oldest person to assume the office. On 31 the Senate voted 61 -- 20 to convict the impeached President Dilma Rousseff and remove her from office. He succeeded to the presidency, to serve out what would have been the Rousseff's second term until 1 January 2019. In his first speech in office, he asked for the trust of the Brazilian people. Temer has also signaled his intention to curb public spending. His parents, along with three older siblings, immigrated to Brazil in Northern Lebanon, to escape famine and instability due to World War I. In Brazil, Temer is the youngest. He is able to understand the subject of a conversation in that language. An Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church of the Roman Catholic Church, he confirms his affiliation as a Roman Catholic. Temer served as State prosecutor and twice as State Secretary in both capacities working in São Paulo. Temer has authored numerous books on the subject. Beginning in 1987 he served six consecutive terms on three separate occasions served two-year terms as President of the Chamber. He was also a member of the 1988 National Constituent Assembly, which promulgated the current Constitution of Brazil. Politically Temer rose to become chairman of the largest party in Brazil.
Michel Temer
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His Excellency Michel Temer GOIH
Michel Temer
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Signature
Michel Temer
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Vice President Michel Temer bids farewell to Pope Francis in July 2013.
Michel Temer
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Temer with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Brasília, October 2013.
414.
President of Brazil
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The president is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces. The presidential system was established upon the proclamation of the republic in a military coup d'état against Emperor Pedro II. Since then, Brazil has had six constitutions, three democratic periods. During the democratic periods, voting has always been compulsory. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The 60-day period can be extended once, up to 120 days. If Congress, on the other hand, votes to approve the provisional measure, it becomes an actual law, with changes decided by the legislative branch. The provisional measure expires sooner, if rejected by one of the Houses of Congress. The President of Brazil may be reelected for a single consecutive term. The office was limited until the Brazilian Constitution of 1937. As of 2015, the president earns a monthly salary of R$30,934.70, along with an undisclosed account to cover travel, goods and services while in office. Rio de Janeiro, is a summer retreat of the president, although used rarely. In the 2000s, the federal government decided to establish Regional Offices of the Presidency of the Republic in certain Brazilian cities. The presidency of the republic also maintains regional offices in Belo Horizonte. A modified version of the Airbus A319, air force VC-1A, is used to transport the president on all medium and long-range international flights.
President of Brazil
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Incumbent Dilma Rousseff since January 1, 2011
President of Brazil
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Palácio do Planalto
President of Brazil
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The President's office (as decorated during the Lula administration)
President of Brazil
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Palácio da Alvorada
415.
Governor General of Canada
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The Governor General of Canada is the personal, federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II since 6 February 1952. The commission is for an unfixed period of time—known as serving at Her Majesty's pleasure—though five years is the normal convention. The general has been a Canadian since 1952; and, since 1959, it has been traditional to alternate between francophone Governors General. Once in office, the governor general maintains direct contact with the Queen, wherever she may be at the time. The ten provinces each have their own representatives of the sovereign, called Lieutenant Governor. Subsequently, the office is, along with the Crown, the oldest continuous institution in Canada. Throughout this process of gradually increasing Canadian independence, the role of governor general took on additional responsibilities. Finally, in 1947, King George VI issued letters patent allowing the viceroy to carry out almost all of the monarch's powers on his or her behalf. The current governor general is David Johnston, who has served since 1 October 2010; Prime Minister Stephen Harper recommended him to succeed Michaëlle Jean. Johnston's wife—, thus the viceregal consort—is Sharon Johnston. The Government of Canada spells the general without a hyphen. The Canadian media still often use the governor-general spelling. As governor is the noun in the title, it is pluralized; thus, governors general, rather than governor generals. Moreover, both terms are capitalized when used in the formal title preceding an incumbent's name. The letters patent issued by King George VI.
Governor General of Canada
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Incumbent David Lloyd Johnston CC CMM COM CD FRSC(hon) FRCPSC(hon) since 1 October 2010
Governor General of Canada
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Vincent Massey (far left), the first Canadian-born person appointed to the viceregal post since Confederation.
Governor General of Canada
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Michaëlle Jean reciting the oaths of office as administered by Puisne Justice Michel Bastarache, 27 September 2005
Governor General of Canada
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Georges Vanier, Canada's first Francophone governor general
416.
David Johnston
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He was raised in Ontario, studying there before enrolling at Harvard University and later Cambridge and Queen's universities. At the time, he was predominantly praised as a worthy choice for the Queen's representative, though his appointment was denounced by some Quebec sovereigntists. Given current practice, Johnston will be sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada when his term as the Queen's representative ends. He was born to Lloyd Johnston, the owner of a hardware store, Dorothy Stonehouse. He attended Sault Collegiate Institute in nearby Sault Ste. In 1970, Segal wrote the best-selling novel Love Story, basing a character in the book—Davey, a captain of the hockey team—on Johnston. Johnston suffered three concussions from playing hockey; he was told by his doctor to either wear a helmet or stop playing hockey. During that period, he married Sharon, with whom he has five daughters. He has had a academic career, during which he came to specialise in securities regulation, corporation law, public policy and information technology law. At that time, the couple began operating an adjacent horse training ranch, Chatterbox Farm. Johnston also moderated the provincial leaders' debate featuring David Peterson, Larry Grossman, in the run up to the Ontario general election in 1987. Johnston is the non-American citizen to chair the Harvard Board of Overseers. He completed his report on January 2008, listing seventeen questions of interest for further investigation. Johnston's role as special adviser was parodied by Roger Abbott on the January 2008, airing of Air Farce Live. Johnston has also aided in writing legislation.
David Johnston
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Johnston in front of Brubacher House
David Johnston
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Johnston, then President of the University of Waterloo, introducing Justin Trudeau as a speaker at the university, March 2006
David Johnston
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Johnston at the University of Waterloo, 2010
David Johnston
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Balmoral Castle, where Johnston met with Queen Elizabeth II prior to his installation as governor general
417.
Monarchy of Canada
–
The Monarchy of Canada is at the very core of both Canada's federal structure and Westminster-style of parliamentary and constitutional democracy. The monarchy is the foundation of the executive, judiciary in the federal and each provincial jurisdiction. As a matter of constitutional law, is Canada. The Canadian monarch, since 6 February 1952, is Queen Elizabeth II. As such, Prince Charles, is heir apparent. However, the Queen is the only member of the Royal Family with any constitutional role. In each of Canada's provinces, the monarch is represented by a governor. As the territories are not sovereign, they do not have a viceroy. Canada is one of the oldest continuing monarchies in the world. Long live the King." This is because, in common law, the Crown never dies. After an individual ascends the throne, she usually continues to reign until death. Succession is governed by statutes, such as the Bill of Rights 1689, the Acts of Union 1707. In 1936, any possible future descendants of his were excluded from the line of succession. The Department of External Affairs included all succession-related laws within Canadian law.
Monarchy of Canada
–
Queen of Canada
Monarchy of Canada
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Royal Arms of Canada (unofficial rendition)
Monarchy of Canada
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The original Act of Settlement, 1701
Monarchy of Canada
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Charles, Prince of Wales (right), in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2014. Charles is the heir apparent to the Canadian throne.
418.
Xi Jinping
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As the general secretary, Xi is also an ex-officio member of China's top decision-making body. The son of Xi Jinping rose through the ranks politically in China's coastal provinces. Xi was governor of neighboring Zhejiang province from 2002 to 2007. Following the dismissal of Chen Liangyu, Xi was transferred as the Party Secretary for a brief period in 2007. Xi was Hu Jintao's successor. Xi was vice-president from 2010 to 2012. Xi has attempted to legitimize the authority of the Communist Party by introducing far-ranging measures to ensure internal unity. He initiated an far-reaching campaign against corruption, leading to high-profile arrests such as General Xu Caihou and Zhou Yongkang. Xi has also imposed further restrictions over ideological discourse, advocating the concept of "sovereignty". Xi Jinping was born in Beijing on 15 June 1953. Xi's father is from Fuping County, Shaanxi, Xi could further trace his patrilineal descent from Xiying in Dengzhou, Henan. He is the second son of his wife Qi Xin. When Xi was age 10, his father was sent to work in a factory in Luoyang, Henan. Xi was age 15 when his father was jailed during the Cultural Revolution. Without the protection of his father, Xi was sent to work in Mao Zedong's Down to the Countryside Movement.
Xi Jinping
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Xi in October 2013
Xi Jinping
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Xi Jinping greeting U.S. President George W. Bush in August 2008.
Xi Jinping
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Xi Jinping with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 28 September 2010.
Xi Jinping
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Xi Jinping at a meeting with United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on 19 September 2012.
419.
President of the People's Republic of China
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The President of the People's Republic of China is the head of state of the People's Republic of China. Under the constitution, the presidency is a largely ceremonial office with limited powers. However, as a matter of convention, the presidency has been held simultaneously by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. The current President is Xi Jinping, who took office in March 2013. This individual then carries out different duties under separate titles. The office was first successively held by Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi. Liu fell during the Cultural Revolution, after which the office became vacant. The office was then reinstated in the Constitution of 1982, but with reduced powers. The English-language translation of the title was "Chairman"; after 1982, this translation was changed to "President", although the Chinese title remains unchanged. The President is limited to serve up to two terms of each. Removals are decided by a simple majority vote. According to the Organic Law of the NPC, the President is nominated by the Congress's executive organ. In practice, however, the ruling Communist Party of China reserves the post of President for its current General Secretary. Like all officers of state elected by the NPC, the President is elected from a one ballot. In the event that the office of President falls vacant, the Vice-President succeeds to the office.
President of the People's Republic of China
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Incumbent Xi Jinping since 14 March 2013
President of the People's Republic of China
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Mao Zedong 1st Chairman (27 September 1954 – 27 April 1959)
President of the People's Republic of China
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Liu Shaoqi 2nd Chairman (27 April 1959 – 31 October 1968)
President of the People's Republic of China
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Dong Biwu Acting Chairman (24 February 1972 – 17 January 1975)
420.
Donald Tusk
–
Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician. Tusk has been December 2014. Previously Tusk was a co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform party. He began his public career in his home town of Gdańsk supporting Solidarity and organizing his fellow university students. With the exception of one four-year stretch, he has served continuously since its first elections in 1991. Tusk was Vice Marshal of Vice Marshal of the Sejm from 2001 to 2005. He took office on 16 November. His cabinet won a vote of confidence on 24 November 2007. On 30 it was announced at an EU Council meeting that Tusk would be the next President of the European Council. On 9 Tusk submitted his resignation as Prime Minister. Tusk was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Third Polish Republic. He was born in northern Poland. His mother, Ewa Tusk, was a nurse. Bronisław Tusk, was a sculptor from Gdańsk. His grandfather's membership of the Wehrmacht was later used in the 2005 election campaign.
Donald Tusk
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Donald Tusk
Donald Tusk
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Donald Tusk's speech at the 2nd edition of the Annual NBP Conference on The Future of the European Economy
Donald Tusk
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Donald Tusk (right) being appointed as Prime Minister by the President Lech Kaczyński on 9 November 2007
Donald Tusk
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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy
421.
President of the European Council
–
Appointments, well as the removal of incumbents, require a double majority support in the European Council. On 19 the European Council agreed that its first president under the Lisbon Treaty would be Herman Van Rompuy. Van Rompuy took office when the Lisbon Treaty came into force December 2009 with a term stretching until 31 May 2012. His term was later extended with a second period ending on 30 November 2014. The current president, for the term December 2014 until 31 May 2017, is the former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. As the European Council is composed of national leaders, it was chaired by the head of government of the Presidency state. The European Constitution, drafted by the European Convention, outlined the "President of the European Council" as full-time chairmanship. The first president is expected to "set the description" for future office holders as there is no clear idea of how the post would evolve. However another opinion envisages speaking for it abroad. Persons connected to this position would be more charismatic leaders. The appointment of Herman Van Rompuy indicated a desire to see the former style of president. The Treaty of Lisbon doesn't define a process for the President of the Council and several official and unofficial candidates were proposed. Minor opposition to other leaders such as Juncker also led to their rejection. The formal decision on the appointment was made after the Treaty of Lisbon came into force, on 1 December 2009. Mr Brown also praised Mr Van Rompuy as "a builder" who had "brought a period of political stability to his country after months of uncertainty".
President of the European Council
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Incumbent Donald Tusk since 1 December 2014
President of the European Council
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President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, during a visit to the Paranal Observatory.
422.
President of France
–
The President of the French Republic, is the executive head of state of the French Fifth Republic. The current President of France is François Hollande, who took office on 15 May 2012. Hollande has announced that he will stand down in the upcoming 2017 presidential election. President Chirac was first again in 2002. At that time, there was no limit on the number of terms, so Chirac chose not to. Article was succeeded by Nicolas Sarkozy on 16 May 2007. François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac are the only Presidents to date who have served a full two terms. In order to be admitted as an official candidate, potential candidates must receive signed nominations from more than 500 elected officials, mostly mayors. Furthermore, each official may nominate only one candidate. There are exactly 45,543 elected officials, including 33,872 mayors. Spending and financing of political parties are highly regulated. There is a cap on spending, government public financing of 50 % of spending if the candidate scores more than 5 %. If the candidate receives less than 5% of the vote, the government funds €8,000,000 to the party. Official time is given to candidates on public TV. An independent agency regulates election and financing.
President of France
–
Presidential emblem
President of France
President of France
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Incumbent François Hollande since 15 May 2012
423.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
–
Frank-Walter Steinmeier is a German politician and the current Minister for Foreign Affairs and Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Steinmeier is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany. He was formerly a career civil servant. When Schröder became Chancellor of Germany in 1998, he was appointed Under-Secretary of State with the responsibility for the intelligence services. From 1999 to 2005 Steinmeier served as Chief of Staff of the Chancellery. In 2008, Steinmeier briefly served as acting chairman of his party. Following the 2013 federal election Steinmeier again became Minister in Merkel's second grand coalition. He belongs to the right wing of the SPD, known as moderates. As Chief of Staff he was a principal architect of Agenda 2010, the Schröder government's controversial reforms of the state. He was born in the son of a carpenter. Following his Abitur, Steinmeier served his military service until 1976. Steinmeier then studied law and political science at the Justus-Liebig-Universität of Gießen, where his fellow students included Brigitte Zypries. In 1982 Steinmeier passed 1986 his second state examination in law. His dissertation explored the role of the state in the prevention of homelessness. He became an adviser in 1991 in the state Chancellery of Lower Saxony in Hanover.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
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Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
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Frank- Walter Steinmeier (2009)
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
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Steinmeier with Condoleezza Rice
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
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Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier addressing a dinner of the World Jewish Congress in Berlin, 14 September 2014
424.
President of Germany
–
The President of Germany, officially the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the head of state of Germany. Germany has a parliamentary system of government in which the Federal Chancellor is de facto chief executive. However, the President has a role which, while not an executive post, is more than ceremonial. Presidents have extensive discretion regarding the way they exercise their official duties. The Federal President has some important "reserve powers" in case of political instability. The Federal President, by public appearances, represents the state itself, its existence, its legitimacy, unity. The President's office involves the control function of upholding the law and the constitution. In order to exercise this power, he/she traditionally acts above party politics. The current officeholder is Joachim Gauck, elected on 18 March 2012. The convention consists of all Bundestag members well as an equal number of delegates chosen by the legislatures of the Länder. The delegates of each Land to the Federal Convention are elected under a form of proportional representation. However it is not required that Land delegates themselves be members of a legislature; often prominent citizens are chosen. In total, the Federal Convention numbers more than thousand members. The Basic Law, requires that it be convened no later than thirty days before the expiration of the sitting president's term. The body chaired by the President of the German Bundestag.
President of Germany
–
Incumbent Joachim Gauck since 18 March 2012
President of Germany
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Standard of the President
President of Germany
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Bellevue Palace, Berlin (primary seat)
President of Germany
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Hammerschmidt Villa, Bonn (secondary seat)
425.
Pranab Mukherjee
–
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the 13th and current President of India, in office since July 2012. Prior to his election as President, Mukherjee was Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012, the Congress party's top troubleshooter. Following a meteoric rise, he became one of Indira Gandhi's most trusted lieutenants, a minister in her cabinet by 1973. During the controversial Internal Emergency of 1975–77, he was accused of committing gross excesses. Mukherjee's service in a number of ministerial capacities culminated as minister in 1982 -- 84. Mukherjee was also Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985. He was sidelined during the premiership of Indira's son. Mukherjee had viewed himself, not the inexperienced Rajiv, as the rightful successor to Indira following her assassination in 1984. Mukherjee lost out in the ensuing power struggle. Mukherjee formed the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress, which merged with the Congress after reaching a consensus with Rajiv Gandhi. Mukherjee's political career revived when Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao appointed foreign minister in 1995. Following this, as elder statesman of the Congress, Mukherjee was the principal and architect of Sonia Gandhi's ascension to the party's presidency in 1998. When the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance came into power in 2004, Mukherjee won a Lok Sabha seat for the first time. From then until his resignation in 2012, Mukherjee was practically number-two in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government. Pranab was born in a Bengali Brahmin family in Mirati in the Birbhum district of Bengal province.
Pranab Mukherjee
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The Honourable Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee
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Pranab Mukherjee addressing delegates of 42nd Regional Conference of SIRC of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
Pranab Mukherjee
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Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee with US President George W. Bush in 2008.
Pranab Mukherjee
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Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Washington, D.C. in 2011
426.
President of India
–
The President of the Republic of India is the Head of State of India and the Commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. The President resides in an estate known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan situated in Raisina Hill in New Delhi. The presidential retreats are The Retreat in Hyderabad. Current President is Pranab Mukherjee, elected on 22 July 2012, sworn in on 25 July 2012. He is also the first Bengali to be elected as President. Still, following the Constituent Assembly of India, under the leadership of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, undertook the process of drafting a completely new constitution for the country. The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950, making India a republic. The offices of governor-general were replaced by the new office of President of India, with Rajendra Prasad as the first incumbent. Invariably, any action taken by the legislature entities of the constitution shall become law only after President's assent. The president shall not accept any actions of the legislature which are unconstitutional. The primary duty of the President is to preserve, defend the constitution and the law of India as made part of his oath. The President is the common head of all constitutional entities. All recommendations and supervisory powers over the executive and legislative entities of India shall be used in accordance to uphold the constitution. There is no bar on the actions of the President to contest in the court of law. Legislative power is constitutionally vested by the Parliament of India of which the president is the head, to facilitate the law making process per the constitution.
President of India
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Incumbent Pranab Mukherjee since 25 July 2012
President of India
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Presidential Standard of India (1950-1971)
President of India
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Rashtrapati Bhavan, official residence of the President, located at New Delhi.
President of India
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Rashtrapati Nilayam is the official retreat of the President located in Hyderabad.
427.
Joko Widodo
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Joko Widodo is the seventh President of Indonesia, in office since 2014. Previously he was the Mayor of Governor of Jakarta from 2012 to 2014. He is the first Indonesian president without a high-ranking military background. Jokowi was elected as Governor of Jakarta on 20 September 2012 after a second round election in which he defeated the incumbent governor Fauzi Bowo. Jokowi's win was widely seen as reflecting popular support for "new" or "clean" leaders rather than the "old" style of politics in Indonesia. His nomination as PDI-P candidate for the 2014 presidential election was announced on 14 March 2014. The presidential election was held on 9 July 2014. After some controversy about the result of the election, Jokowi was named as president-elect on 22 July. Joko Widodo is of Javanese descent. Before changing his name, Jokowi was called Mulyono. His father came from Karanganyar, his grandparents came in Boyolali. His education began in Tirtoyoso, known for being a school for the less wealthy citizens. At the age of twelve, he started working in his father's workshop. After primary school, he continued his studies in 1 Surakarta. He failed the entrance exam and went to SMA Negeri 6 Surakarta instead.
Joko Widodo
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Joko Widodo
Joko Widodo
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Joko Widodo in his official portrait as Governor of Jakarta (2012)
Joko Widodo
Joko Widodo
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President of Indonesia
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The President of the Republic of Indonesia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The President is the commander-in-chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. On 20 Joko Widodo became the 7th and current President of Indonesia. The Indonesian presidency was established during the formulation of the 1945 Constitution for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence. On 16 Vice-President Mohammad Hatta announced a vice-presidential decree which turned the Central National Committee of Indonesia equal status with that of the president. On 11 the KNIP made the decision to separate the role of Head of State with that of Head of Government. During the Indonesian National Revolution, both Sukarno and Hatta were captured on 18 December 1948. Sukarno then gave a mandate for Sjafruddin Prawiranegara to form an Government. The Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia was formed in Sumatra with Prawiranegara as its Chairman. Prawiranegara handed back his mandate on 13 July 1949. On 17 Sukarno was elected president of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia and presidential mandate passed to Assaat. Indonesia now adopted the constitution, intended for RIS. Officially known as the Provisional Constitution, the document limited him to a mostly ceremonial role. He appointed a Prime Minister on the advice of formateurs. Despite his constitutional role, Sukarno commanded great moral authority.
President of Indonesia
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Incumbent Joko Widodo since 20 October 2014
President of Indonesia
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Presidential Standard
President of Indonesia
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Sukarno, the first President of Indonesia
President of Indonesia
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Merdeka Palace, the official residence of the President of Indonesia
429.
Sergio Mattarella
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Sergio Mattarella, OMRI, OMCA is an Italian politician, lawyer and judge, the 12th and current President of Italy since 2015. In 2011, Mattarella became an elected judge on the Constitutional Court. On 31 he was elected by parliament to be the 12th President of the Italian Republic. Mattarella is the first Sicilian to have held the post. Sergio Mattarella was born in Palermo of a prominent Sicilian family. During his youth, Sergio Mattarella was a member of a large Catholic lay association. In 1964, he graduated at the Sapienza University of Rome; after a few years he started teaching Parliamentary procedure at the University of Palermo. He entered politics by the Mafia. In 1990 he was appointed Vice-Secretary of Christian Democracy. Mattarella left two years later to become director of Il Popolo, the official newspaper of the party. Following the Italian referendum of 1993 Mattarella drafted the electoral law nicknamed Mattarellum. In the ensuing 1994 general election Martinazzoli was again elected to the Chamber of Deputies. Following Buttiglione's appointment, he resigned to this policy. After the electoral victory of the centre-left, he served as President of the PPI's parliamentary group. After the resignation of D'Alema in 2000, he kept his position in the government of Giuliano Amato.
Sergio Mattarella
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Sergio Mattarella OMRI OMI OML OSI OVV OMCA
Sergio Mattarella
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Mattarella with the U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen in March 2000.
Sergio Mattarella
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Sergio Mattarella with his predecessor, Giorgio Napolitano
430.
President of Italy
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The president's term of office lasts for seven years. On 31 former Constitutional judge Sergio Mattarella, was elected at the fourth ballot with 665 votes out of 1,009. The framers of the Constitution of Italy intended for the President to be an elder statesman of some stature. Article 84 states that any citizen who enjoys political rights can be elected President. Those citizens who already hold any other office are prohibited from becoming President, unless they resign their previous office once they are elected. The 1948 Italian Constitution does not have term limits although until 2013 no Italian President of the Republic had run for a second term of office. He made it clear, however, that he would not serve his full term, retired in January 2015. Three representatives come from each region, save for the Aosta Valley, which appoints one, as to guarantee representation for all minorities. A two-thirds vote is required to elect on any of the first three rounds of balloting; after that, a simple majority suffices. The election is presided over by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, who calls for the public counting of the votes. The vote is held in home of the Chamber of Deputies, re-configured for the event. The President assumes office after having taken an oath before Parliament and delivering a presidential address. Former Presidents of the Republic are called Presidents Emeritus of the Republic and are appointed Senator for life. In the absence of the President of the Republic, including travel abroad, presidential functions are performed by the President of the Senate. In judicial matters: Presiding over the Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura; Naming one-third of the Constitutional Court; and Granting pardons and commutations.
President of Italy
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Incumbent Sergio Mattarella since 3 February 2015
President of Italy
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Standard of the President
431.
President of Mexico
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The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces. The current President is Enrique Peña Nieto, who took office on December 1, 2012. Currently, the office of the President is considered to be revolutionary, in that the powers of office are derived from the Revolutionary Constitution of 1917. Another legacy of the Revolution is its ban on re-election. Mexican presidents are limited to a single six-year term, called a sexenio. No one who has held the post, even on a basis, is allowed to serve again. The constitution and the office of the President closely follow the presidential system of government. He is vested with the "supreme executive power of the Union". Be a resident of Mexico for at least twenty years. Be thirty-five years of age or older at the time of the election. Be a resident of Mexico for the entire year prior to the election. Not be an minister of religious denomination. Not be in active military service during the six months prior to the election. Not have been president already, even in a provisional capacity.
President of Mexico
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Incumbent Enrique Peña Nieto since December 1, 2012
President of Mexico
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Mexican Presidential Standard
432.
Vladimir Putin
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician, the current President of the Russian Federation, holding the office since 7 May 2012. He was Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000, again Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012. During his second term as Prime Minister, he was the Chairman of the ruling party. Born in Saint Petersburg, Putin speaks fluent German. He then studied law at the Saint Petersburg State University, graduating in 1975. Putin won the subsequent 2000 presidential election by a 53 % to 30 % margin, thus avoiding a runoff with Gennady Zyuganov. He was reelected President in 2004 with 72% of the vote. During Putin's first presidency, GDP measured in purchasing power increased by 72 %. The growth was a result of the 2000s commodities boom, prudent economic and fiscal policies. Of constitutionally mandated term limits, Putin was ineligible to run for a third consecutive presidential term in 2008. The 2008 presidential election was won by Dmitry Medvedev, who appointed Putin Prime Minister, beginning a period of so-called "tandemocracy". In September 2011, after presidential terms were extended from four to six years, Putin announced he would seek a third term as president. He won the March 2012 presidential election with 64 % of a result which aligned with pre-election polling. Under Putin's leadership, Russia has scored poorly on both the Corruption index. Putin received extensive international attention as one of the world's most powerful leaders.
Vladimir Putin
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Vladimir Putin Владимир Путин
Vladimir Putin
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Putin's father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin
Vladimir Putin
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Maria Ivanovna Shelomova, the mother of Vladimir Putin.
Vladimir Putin
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Putin with his mother, Maria Ivanovna, in July 1958
433.
President of Russia
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The President of the Russian Federation is the elected head of state, Supreme Commander-in-Chief and holder of the highest office within the Russian Federation. However, he is not the head of the executive branch. The Government of Russia is the highest organ of executive power. The current President of Russia is Vladimir Putin. In 1991, the office was briefly known until 25 December 1991. According to the 1978 Russian Constitution, the President of Russia headed the Council of Ministers of Russia. According to the current 1993 Constitution of Russia, the President of Russia is not a part of the Government of Russia, which exercises executive power. The Chairman of the Federation Council is the important position after the President and the Prime Minister. In the case of incapacity of both the President and Prime Minister, the chairman of the upper house of parliament becomes acting head of state. The president is further empowered to convene and adjourn the Federal Assembly under extraordinary circumstances. The president also directs the domestic policy of the Russian Federation. The president is elected directly to a six-year term. The law prohibits anyone from ever being elected to the presidency for a consecutive term. In all, 3 individuals have served 4 presidencies spanning 6 full terms. On May 2012, Vladimir Putin became the 4th and current president.
President of Russia
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Incumbent Vladimir Putin since 7 May 2012
President of Russia
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Standard of the President of the Russian Federation
President of Russia
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Chain of office
President of Russia
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Vladimir Putin takes the Presidential Oath while placing his right hand on the Presidential copy of the Russian Constitution.
434.
King of Saudi Arabia
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The King of Saudi Arabia is Saudi Arabia's head of state and absolute monarch. He serves as the head of the Saudi monarchy — House of Saud. The King is called the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The title, which signifies Saudi Arabia's jurisdiction over the mosques of Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, replaced His Majesty in 1986. King Abdulaziz began Saudi Arabia in 1902, by restoring his family as emirs of Riyadh. He then proceeded to conquer then the Hejaz. He progressed to King of Hejaz and Nejd, finally to King of Saudi Arabia in 1932. All likely immediate successors to the reigning King Salman will be from his progeny. Sons of Ibn Saud are considered to have primary claim on the throne of Saudi Arabia. This makes the Saudi monarchy quite distinct from Western monarchies, which usually feature large, clearly defined royal orders of succession. The current Crown Prince is the first grandson of Ibn Saud to be in the line of succession. The King of Saudi Arabia is also considered the Head of the House of Saud and Prime Minister. The Crown Prince is also the "Deputy Prime Minister". The kings after Faisal have named after the Crown Prince. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, born 1985; son of King Salman and Fahda bint Falah bin Sultan Al Hithalayn.
King of Saudi Arabia
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King of Saudi Arabia
King of Saudi Arabia
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Emblem of Saudi Arabia
King of Saudi Arabia
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Ibn Saud
King of Saudi Arabia
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سعود
435.
Jacob Zuma
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Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, GCB is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election. He was re-elected in the 2014 election. Zuma was Deputy President of South Africa from 1999 to 2005. Zuma is also referred to by his clan name Msholozi. Zuma became December 2007 after defeating incumbent Thabo Mbeki at the ANC conference in Polokwane. He was re-elected as ANC leader in Mangaung on 18 December 2012, defeating challenger Kgalema Motlanthe by a large majority. Zuma was also a member of the South African Communist Party, briefly serving on the party's Politburo until he left the party in 1990. On 20 Thabo Mbeki announced his resignation after being recalled by the African National Congress's National Executive Committee. Zuma has faced legal challenges. He was acquitted. He fought a legal battle over allegations of racketeering and corruption, resulting from his financial advisor Schabir Shaik's conviction for corruption and fraud. Zuma was born in Natal Province. His mother was a domestic worker. He received no formal schooling. As a child, Zuma constantly moved in the area of Umkhumbane.
Jacob Zuma
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His Excellency Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
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President Zuma and one of his wives with Barack Obama and Michelle Obama in New York, 2009
Jacob Zuma
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Argentinean President Cristina Fernández and South African President Zuma in discussion
Jacob Zuma
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Obama, Cameron, and Zuma talking at the African Outreach session.
436.
President of South Africa
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The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under the Constitution of South Africa. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President. The 1993 and later constitutions limits the president's time in office to two five-year terms. The incumbent president is Jacob Zuma. But De Klerk later went into opposition with his party. A voluntary government continues to exist under the new constitution, although there have been no appointments of opposition politicians to the post of Deputy President. The President is required to be a member of the National Assembly at the time of his election. Upon his election, he immediately resigns his seat for the duration of his term. The President may be removed either by a motion of an impeachment trial. A number of manifestations of the office have existed. Aspects of these offices exist within the today. Alternating sovereignty as a result of wars culminated in the Vereeniging Treaty signed in which concluded the South African War. South Africa has an almost unique system for the election of its president. The president is elected at the first sitting of parliament after an election, whenever a vacancy arises. The president must be elected from the lower house of parliament.
President of South Africa
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Incumbent Jacob Zuma since 9 May 2009
President of South Africa
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Seal of the President of South Africa
President of South Africa
President of South Africa
437.
Hwang Kyo-ahn
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Hwang was born on April 15, 1957. He graduated from Kyunggi High School in 1976. He passed the 23rd National Bar Exam the same year. Hwang earned his LL.M. in 2006 from the Graduate School of Law at Sungkyunkwan University. Hwang was a prosecutor. Hwang joined the Cabinet of South Korean President Park Geun-hye in 2013 as minister of justice. On 21 Park named Hwang as Prime Minister of South Korea, following the resignation of Lee Wan-koo due to allegations of bribery. The deployment plans angered local residents, who raised environmental concerns. Hwang "was regarded as the staunchest loyalist in Park's cabinet." However, after "a dispute with opposition leaders over choosing a replacement," Hwang was kept as prime minister. Afterwards, Hwang attended the APEC meeting, held in Peru, on behalf of Park. On December 2016, upon Parliament's vote to impeach President Park following a political scandal, Hwang assumed Park's presidential powers and duties as Acting President. On assuming the powers of the presidency, Hwang said he apologized to the South Korean people. The exact extent of Hwang's powers as acting president are unclear under South Korean law.
Hwang Kyo-ahn
438.
President of South Korea
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The president is directly elected with no possibility of re-election. While in office, the chief executive is exempt from criminal liability. On February 2013, Park Geun-hye became the 11th and current president. She is also the country's first woman to assume this post. Chapter 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea states the powers of the president. The president may refer important policy matters to a national referendum, declare war, conclude peace and other treaties, grant amnesty. Emergency measures may be taken only when there is no time for it to convene. The measures are limited to the "minimum necessary." The 1987 Constitution removed the 1980 Constitution's explicit provisions that empowered the government to temporarily suspend the rights of the people. However, the president is permitted to take other measures that could abolish existing laws for the duration of a crisis. It is unclear whether such emergency measures could temporarily suspend itself. Emergency measures must be referred to the National Assembly for concurrence. If not endorsed by the assembly, the emergency measures can be revoked; any laws, overridden by presidential order regain their original effect. In a change from the 1980 Constitution, the 1987 Constitution stated that the president is not permitted to dissolve the National Assembly. The official residence of the president is Cheong Wa Dae.
President of South Korea
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Incumbent Park Geun-hye since 25 February 2013
President of South Korea
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1st — Rhee Syng-man 1st, 2nd, & 3rd terms (served: 1948–1960)
President of South Korea
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2nd — Yun Bo-seon 4th term (served: 1960–1962)
President of South Korea
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6th — Roh Tae-woo 13th term (served: 1988–1993)
439.
President of Turkey
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The President of the Republic of Turkey is the head of state of the Republic of Turkey. The Presidency has some important functions. The articles from 101 to 106 of the Constitution establish all the requirements, election, responsibilities for the office of the President. The office of the President of Turkey was established on October 29, 1923. The President of Turkey is informally referred to as the Cumhurbaşkanı, meaning ` President of the People'. The current office-holder is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan since August 28, 2014. In order to become the President of Turkey, the candidate must be at least forty years of age. Formerly, the President was elected by the members of the Turkish Parliament. According to an amendment, drafted in 2007, the future Presidents shall be elected through a public vote. The candidates must have completed their higher education. They can either be common Turkish citizens who fulfill these requirements and who are eligible to become members of parliament. The President can be re-elected only once. The term of office of the incumbent president continues until the President-elect takes office. Other duties conferred by the constitution and laws. Thus the concerned ministers are accountable for these decrees.
President of Turkey
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a meeting, with the presidential seal and Turkish flag
President of Turkey
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Presidential Standard
President of Turkey
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The official Seal of the Presidency, used on documents.
440.
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The monarch's title is "King" or "Queen". Queen Elizabeth II, ascended the throne on 6 February 1952. Her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial, representational duties. As the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch is limited to non-partisan functions such as bestowing honours and appointing the Prime Minister. The monarch is, by tradition, commander-in-chief of the British Armed Forces. From 1649 to 1660, the tradition of monarchy was broken by the republican Commonwealth of England, which followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The Act of Settlement 1701, still in force, excluded those who marry Catholics, to the English throne. The British monarch became nominal head of the vast British Empire, which covered a quarter of the world's surface at its greatest extent in 1921. After the Second World War, the vast majority of British colonies and territories became independent, effectively bringing the empire to an end. Elizabeth II, adopted the Head of the Commonwealth as a symbol of the free association of its independent member states. The same person as their monarch are called Commonwealth realms. In the uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom, the Monarch is the Head of State. Oaths of allegiance are made to the Queen and her lawful successors. The monarch appears on postage stamps, banknotes.
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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Queen of the United Kingdom
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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Royal coat of arms
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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The English Bill of Rights of 1689 curtailed the monarch's governmental power.
Monarchy of the United Kingdom
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The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the Norman Conquest of 1066.
441.
Donald Trump
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Donald John Trump is an American politician, businessman, television personality, the President-elect of the United States. Trump is scheduled to take office as the 45th President on January 20, 2017. In 1971, Trump took control of Elizabeth Trump & Son, later renamed The Trump Organization. During his career, he has built, renovated or managed numerous office towers, hotels, casinos, golf courses. Trump has lent the use of his name to brand various products. Trump became a fixture of television as he hosted The Apprentice on NBC from 2004 to 2015. As of 2016, Forbes listed Trump with a net worth of $4.5 billion. He withdrew before voting began. Trump ultimately decided against it. In June 2015, Trump quickly emerged as the front-runner among 17 contenders in the Republican primaries. In July he was formally nominated at the Republican Convention. Trump's campaign received international attention. Many of his statements on social media, at campaign rallies were controversial or false. Anti-Trump protests occurred during his campaign and after the election. He won the general election on November 2016, gaining a majority of the U.S.
Donald Trump
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Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
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The Trump Organization owns, operates, develops and invests in real estate around the world such as Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago.
Donald Trump
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Trump Tower, at 725 Fifth Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan
442.
President of the United States
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The President of the United States is the elected head of state and head of government of the United States. The president is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. The President is considered to be one of the world's most powerful political figures, as the leader of the only global superpower. The office of President holds significant soft power both in the United States and abroad. Article II of the U.S. Constitution vests the executive power of the United States in the president. The president is further empowered to convene and adjourn either or both houses of Congress under extraordinary circumstances. The president is largely responsible for dictating the legislative agenda of the party to which the president is enrolled. The president also directs the domestic policy of the United States. Since the office of President was established in 1789, its power has grown substantially, as has the power of the Federal Government as a whole. The Twenty-second Amendment prohibits anyone from ever being elected to the presidency for a third term. In all, 43 individuals have served 44 presidencies spanning 56 four-year terms. On January 2009, Barack Obama became the 44th and current president. On November 2012, he was re-elected. His second term ends at noon on January 2017.
President of the United States
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Incumbent Barack Obama since January 20, 2009 (2009-01-20)
President of the United States
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Presidential Seal
President of the United States
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Obama signing legislation at the Resolute desk
President of the United States
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Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, successfully preserved the Union during the American Civil War
443.
Virtual International Authority File
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The Virtual International Authority File is an international authority file. It operated by the Online Computer Library Center. The project was initiated by the US Library of Congress. The aim is to link the national authority files to a virtual authority file. In this file, identical records from the different sets are linked together. The data are available for research and data exchange and sharing. Reciprocal updating uses the Open Archives Initiative protocol. The file numbers are incorporated into Wikidata. VIAF's clustering algorithm is run every month. Integrated Authority File International Standard Name Identifier Wikipedia's authority control template for articles Official website
Virtual International Authority File
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Screenshot 2012
444.
Integrated Authority File
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The Integrated Authority File or GND is an international authority file for the organisation of personal names, subject headings and corporate bodies from catalogues. It is used mainly increasingly also by archives and museums. The GND is managed with various regional library networks in German-speaking Europe and other partners. The GND falls under the Creative Commons Zero license. The GND specification provides a hierarchy of high-level sub-classes, useful in library classification, an approach to unambiguous identification of single elements. It also comprises an ontology intended for knowledge representation in the semantic web, available in the RDF format.
Integrated Authority File
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GND screenshot
445.
National Library of Australia
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In 2012 -- 2013, the National Library collection comprised an additional 15,506 metres of manuscript material. In 1901, a Commonwealth Parliamentary Library was established to serve the newly formed Federal Parliament of Australia. From its inception the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library was driven to development of a truly national collection. The present building was opened in 1968. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Bunning and Madden. The foyer is decorated in marble, with stained-glass windows by Mathieu Matégot. In 2012–2013 the Library collection comprised 6,496,772 items, with an estimated additional 2,325,900 items held in the manuscripts collection. The Library's collections of Australiana have developed into the nation's single most important resource of materials recording the cultural heritage. Australian writers, illustrators are actively sought and well represented -- whether published in Australia or overseas. Approximately 92.1 % of the Library's collection is discoverable through the online catalogue. The Library has digitized over 174,000 items from its collection and, where possible, delivers these directly across the Internet. The Library maintains an Internet-accessible archive of selected Australian websites called the Pandora Archive. The Library has particular collection strengths in the performing arts, including dance. The Library's considerable collections of general rare book materials, as well as world-class Asian and Pacific collections which augment the Australiana collections. The print collections are further supported by extensive microform holdings.
National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
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National Library of Australia as viewed from Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra
National Library of Australia
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The original National Library building on Kings Avenue, Canberra, was designed by Edward Henderson. Originally intended to be several wings, only one wing was completed and was demolished in 1968. Now the site of the Edmund Barton Building.
National Library of Australia
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The library seen from Lake Burley Griffin in autumn.
446.
National Diet Library
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The National Diet Library is the only national library in Japan. It was established for the purpose of assisting members of the National Diet of Japan in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in scope to the United States Library of Congress. The National Diet Library consists of several other branch libraries throughout Japan. Its need for information was "correspondingly small." The original Diet libraries "never developed either the services which might have made them vital adjuncts of genuinely responsible legislative activity." Until Japan's defeat, moreover, the executive had controlled all political documents, depriving the Diet of access to vital information. In 1946, each house of the Diet formed its own National Diet Library Standing Committee. Hani envisioned the new body as "both a ` citadel of popular sovereignty," and the means of realizing a "peaceful revolution." The National Diet Library opened with an initial collection of 100,000 volumes. The first Librarian of the Diet Library was the politician Tokujirō Kanamori. The philosopher Masakazu Nakai served as the first Vice Librarian. In 1949, the NDL became the only national library in Japan. At this time the collection gained an additional million volumes previously housed in the former National Library in Ueno. In 1961, the NDL opened at its present location in Nagatachō, adjacent to the National Diet.
National Diet Library
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Tokyo Main Library of the National Diet Library
National Diet Library
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Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library
National Diet Library
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The National Diet Library
National Diet Library
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Main building in Tokyo
447.
National Library of the Czech Republic
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The National Library of the Czech Republic is the central library of the Czech Republic. It is directed by the Ministry of Culture. The library's main building is located in the historical Clementinum building in Prague, where approximately half of its books are kept. The other half of the collection is stored in the district of Hostivař. The National Library is the biggest library in its funds there are around 6 million documents. The library has around 60,000 registered readers. As well as Czech texts, the library also stores older material from Turkey, Iran and India. The library also houses books for Charles University in Prague. The project, which commenced in 1992, involved the digitisation of 1,700 documents in its first 13 years. The most medieval manuscripts preserved in the National Library are the Codex Vyssegradensis and the Passional of Abbes Kunigunde. Later in 2007 the project was delayed following objections regarding its proposed location from government officials including President Václav Klaus. The library was affected with some documents moved to upper levels to avoid the excess water. Over 4,000 books were removed following flooding in parts of the main building. Nobody was injured in the event. List of national and state libraries Official website
National Library of the Czech Republic
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Baroque library hall in the National Library of the Czech Republic
National Library of the Czech Republic
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General reading room (former refectory of the Jesuit residence in Clementinum)
448.
CiNii
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CiNii is a bibliographic database service for material in Japanese academic libraries, especially focusing on Japanese works and English works published in Japan. The database is maintained by the National Institute of Informatics. The database contains more than million articles from more than 3600 publications. The database assigns NII Article ID, to each of its journal article entries. NII Citation ID aka NACSIS-CAT Record ID, is used for books. CiNii CiNii in English
CiNii
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CiNii
449.
Akihito
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Akihito is the reigning Emperor of Japan. He is the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. Akihito acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 7 January 1989. In writing, the Emperor is also referred to formally as "The Reigning Emperor". At the same time, the name of the next era under his successor will also be established. Unlike his predecessors in the Imperial family, he did not receive a commission at the request of his father, Hirohito. During the American firebombing raids on Tokyo in March 1945, Prince Masahito, were evacuated from the city. During the American occupation of Japan following World War II, Prince Akihito was tutored by Elizabeth Gray Vining. He briefly studied at Gakushuin University in Tokyo though he never received a degree. Akihito was heir-apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne from the moment of his birth. His formal Investiture as Crown Prince was held at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on 10 November 1952. In June 1953 Akihito represented Japan in London. Crown Princess Michiko made official visits to thirty-seven countries. During a state visit to the United Kingdom, he was invested with UK Order of the Garter. Emperor Akihito underwent surgery on 14 January 2003.
Akihito
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Emperor Akihito 明仁 (今上天皇)
Akihito
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The newly married Crown Prince and Crown Princess in Japanese traditional attire, with the Prince wearing a sokutai, the Princess a jūnihitoe
Akihito
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan on 28 June 2005
Akihito
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Crown Prince Akihito on his wedding day, 10 April 1959