97 replies to this topic

[deuce]

Shaka Zulu. I remember a very good tv serries about him. I was glued to the screen and I was mad as hell when his own people betrayed him and killed him using spears Shaka invented. They stabbed him in the backs with two spears, he turned in rage and they stabbed him again in the stomach. Darn ****s!

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Shaka_Zulu

btw, this Janosik guy ended up hung on the rope that was drawn through two puncture wounds above and below his rib. They hung him by the rib and let him die that way. Pretty gruesome way to die.

Shaka was very bad-a$$. He was also a borderline crazy tyrant. Those types often get a blade when they least expect it.

[deuce]

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Estanislao
Estanislao was an American Indian native to northern California in the early 19th century. He may have been one of the individuals who inspired the Zorro legend.

He assembled an army as large as 4,000 natives and raided Mexican settlers. His raids were characterized as sudden, usually involving a trap, and ending with no loss of life, and he would sometimes use his sword to carve his initial, "S", authenticating his handiwork.

He was apprehended, pleaded for a pardon, which he received, and was released. Then he went back to raiding again!

The Stanilaus river and county are named for him.

Very cool, Kortoso. Didn't know about that guy previously.

[deuce]

"Mad Jack" Churchill hasn't been mentioned on this thread:


http://www.thecimmer...ng-anachronism/

[ollonois]

although not exactly a heroic figure bloody white baron Roman Von Ungern-Sternberg is an interesting although mad character Jim Cornelius wrote an excellent article on him in tc
http://www.thecimmer...n-central-asia/
this mad man used to introduce his head, very small, in the ass of a horse looking for equanimity... ...
by the way Russian civil war with its aristocratic and brutal white generals, the Czech legion, the cossacks, the japanese cutting heads in Siberia and figures like Boris Savinkov, Admiral Koltchak or General Semenov an his savage division is one of the most blood & thunder events in XX century...

Edited by ollonois, 22 October 2010 - 06:57 PM.

[Munthasem]

Another great candidate is William Wallace. He was nothing saintlike almost mythical figure as Gibson portrayed him but a berserking monster, a huge Claymore wielding highwayman who pretty much trashed everything on his way, including the willages and people minding their own business. Yes, he did united some Scotish clans and won some battles, but he was far from a sentinel portrayed in the Braveheart.

[John Maddox Roberts]

I don't believe anyone has mentioned Giovanni delle Bande Nere (Giovanni of the black Bands), condotierre and general of the Papal armies during the 1520s. A great swordsman as well as a general, Giovanni was regarded as the bulwark of Italy during the Imperial invasion of the late 20s. And doesn't "Black Bands" sound wonderfully Howardian?

[Haemogoblin]

How about Alcibiades. He may have been a bit too fond of sophistry to be Conan, but his life had enough twists and turns in it to give Conan a run for his money.

[ollonois]

in the condottieri was an english mercenary too, isn't it?

[Kortoso]

in the condottieri was an english mercenary too, isn't it?

I'm not sure what you're asking, Ollonois. "Condottiere" is an Italian sort of mercenary.

[ollonois]

but one of their leaders was english and he was one of the most famous

[Kortoso]

Not famous enough, I guess.

Hawkwood maybe?

[Landsknecht]

Not famous enough, I guess.

Hawkwood maybe?

http://en.wikipedia....i/John_Hawkwood


A man of humble origins who rose to great military influence.

[Landsknecht]

G?tz of the Iron Hand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingen


Holds the copy write to one of the most translated human expressions.

[Ironhand]

G?tz of the Iron Hand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6tz_von_Berlichingen


Holds the copy write to one of the most translated human expressions.

My long lost ancestor!

[ollonois]

yes I was referring to John Hawkwood... ... very interesting Gotz von Berlichingen and his iron hand, by the way can somebody translate the expresion in german please?

Edited by ollonois, 03 November 2010 - 12:18 PM.

[John Maddox Roberts]

"Condotierro" comes from the Italian word for contract: "Condotta." The condotierri of the Italian Renaissance were the first military contractors. Instead of the old medieval system of personal feudal obligation, they came up with the idea of a contract spelling out mutual obligation, service and payment. If one party or the other failed to honor the contract, it was terminated. All very modern.

[Kortoso]

Ollonois, are you asking about the pithy expression associated with Gotz von Berlichingen?
Pardon my Spanish, but I think it's something like "bese mi culo".

[ollonois]

jejeje... in this case your spanish is very... fluent... ...

[Mike_The_Barbarian]

Guys, how about William Wallace?

something tells me Conan would have gone down fighting before he would have given himself up to be drawn and quartered...ouch!

Maybe not but he was still a tough guy. From what I have read he was betrayed & captured. I don't think he had much choice in the matter. Certainly didn't go out like a punk. I think he is a type of "Howardian" character. He was one tough dude.

He was also very tall for the time and massivly powerful. I went to Scotland a couple of years back and visited his monument. You should have seen his sword! It is as tall as me!!! If you disregard the Gibson film, I think Wallace was very Howardian in many ways. He could be a bastard at times - He flayed some guys skin and made a belt out of it! But then, he was an honest man who kept to his word in a world full of backstabbing tyrants.

[deuce]

G?tz of the Iron Hand.

http://en.wikipedia....on_Berlichingen


Holds the copy write to one of the most translated human expressions.

My long lost ancestor!

The resemblance is uncanny.