Historic & Heroic: Person or Event

Question

What is a compelling historic story, detailing a person or event?

{One that moves you the most, or you find interesting)

Example:

Martin Luther King's fight for civil rights (person)

1972 Munich Munich massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes (event)

Answer 1

Simon De Montfort

Simon de Montfort, son of the infamous leader of the Albigensian Crusade, was born in Northern France probably in 1208. Making his way to England around 1230 to the court of Henry III, Simon initially intended only to succeed in his claim to the title of earl of Leicester. By marrying the King's sister he became one of the leading magnates of the realm and his place in English history was sealed when, after a stormy relationship with his brother-in-law, he became the leader of the baronial reform movement that sought to re-establish rights granted under Magna Carta that had been eroded by Henry III. In the end the reform movement led, through Earl Simon, sowed the seeds of representative government. Simon defeated Henry III at the battle of Lewes but his attempts to rule through Henry as a puppet king alienated many of his supporters and Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, died for his cause at the Battle of Evesham on August 4th 1265, surrounded by his implacable enemies.

Answer 2

Richard Kirkland, December 13, 1862, Fredericksburg, Virginia. It's the last day of the Battle of Fredericksburg and Kirkland, a 19 year old sergeant with the 2nd SC Volunteer Infantry is right in the middle of the Confederate line. Marye's Heights. In front of him lie the dead, dieing, and wounded of the Union's futile assualt on the Confederate center. Like everyone else in the line Kirkland is hearing the cries of the wounded and dieing for water. Finally he can't take it anymore. He asks his commanding officer for permission to go over the wall and bring the enemy what their begging for. He's told his actions could get him shot by the enemy but he doesn't care. Moved, General Kershaw tells him he can do so.

However he's forced to deny him the one thing that could ensure he survives his errand of mercy, the waving of a white handkerchief, as it could be misconstrued as the Army of Northern Virginia's surrender. Perhaps a lesser man would have backed down at this. but Kirkland accepted the fact that he'd have carry out his errand without this bit of security. And so up and over the wall he went, carrying canteens full of water to the wounded and dieing. Union soldiers, to shocked at what was going on and thinking he was trying to rob the dead, dieing, and wounded did indeed fire on him. His own side was just as shocked and couldn't believe the utter foolishness of what Kirkland was doing.

And yet soon both sides realized what was happening. Not only did  the Union soldiers stop firing on him, they joined the Confederates in cheering him on. Kirkland returned to his line time and again for better than half an hours time to refill the canteens and carry them to as many of the enemy as he could.

Today Richard Kirkland is known as the "Angel of Marye's Heights" and their is a statue erected to him on the Fredericksburg Battlefield. I'd known about him and what he did for years before I finally visited Fredericksburg back in '97 and his statue was an absolute must for me to see before I could even leave the battlefield. Kirkland wasn't the only Confederate or Union soldier to lend aid to fallen enemy during the war, but he has become the best known.

I don't care what you think of war in general. I don't care what you think of Confederate soldiers period. To me Kirkland's selflessly  risking his own life just to lend aid and comfort to the enemy on the field of battle like that truely marks him as one of history's heroes.

Answer 3

I find this an interesting and inspiring story of how one person can make a difference against all odds.

Simpson and his donkey.

Simpson used a donkey called Duffy to help him carry injured soldiers to safety at Gallipoli during World War One. Simpson’s full name was John Simpson Kirkpatrick.

During the 24 days he spent at ANZAC he operated as a sole unit with his beloved donkey and is credited with saving the lives of probably hundreds of men.

Simpson and his donkey became famous among the Australian soldiers at Gallipoli because of their bravery. Day after day, and week after week Simpson and his donkey would wind their way through the hills and valleys looking for wounded soldiers. Even though it was very dangerous, Simpson would crawl on his belly and drag soldiers back to safety. He would then put the injured soldier on the donkey’s back and lead him down to the beach.

One day Duffy came down to the beach with a soldier on his back, but without Simpson. Simpson had been killed trying to save another soldier. The donkey somehow knew that even though his friend was dead, Simpson would have wanted him to take the injured man to safety.

Answer 4

The Battle of San Jacinto. April 21, 1836. This occurred two months after Generalissimo Santa Ana overran and killed all the defenders of the Alamo and the massacre of Goliad. Sam Houston rallied a small Texas army of approximately 900 after the Runaway Scrape (a large scale retreat of Texans ahead of the advancing Mexican Army from San Antonio de Bexar east toward Louisiana). At San Jacinto, Houston led his men to a 18 minute victory over Santa Ana's Mexican forces.   Mexican general Don Juan Almonte had surrendered formally with about 400 men. The casualties, according to Houston's official report, numbered 630 Mexicans killed, 208 wounded, and 730 taken prisoner. As against this heavy score, only nine Texans were killed or mortally wounded, and thirty wounded less seriously. Most of their injuries came from the first scattered Mexican volley when the attackers stormed their barricade.

This led to the capture of Santa Ana and the Treaties of Velasco, creating an independent Republic of Texas.

Answer 5

Constantine XI Palaeologus, the last Emperor of Byzantium, though his body was never recovered, he was last seen by witnesses desperately defending Constantinople from the final Turkish onslaught in 1453.  

Answer 6

story of famous Chinese general, named Kan-Xi

check out the wiki for his life story. it is very moving