Thanks to the preserved work of Herodotus, we know the history of a Spartan named Aristodemus. He was born around 520 BC in Sparta. His parents had obligation to bring him to a Council of elders, which decided whether it deserved to live. Babies that were not considered robust Constitution, they were abandoned in a ravine of Mount Taygetus. Others entered the education system. At age five, they would disappear from parents and hardened them to be future soldiers in the service of Sparta. His companions would be his family. The 19 or 20 years developing in the same, i.e. Spartan citizens.
The education system was called the agoge, and his goal was to turn men into ciudadanos-soldado. Discipline, physical and mental toughness, singing, dancing, competitiveness, fight tests, athletics, all that were part of the daily life of the students.
At Thermopylae, the Greeks faced a colossal army of Persians that multiplied in number the Greek forces. When the battle was over, all the Spartans who had been left to defend the pass, had died, including his brave King. But there were two who had left the field of battle until this had begun. One of them was Aristodemus. He and other Spartan called Eurytus suffered a serious eye infection that made it impossible for them to fight and Leonidas authorized them to retreat to a nearby town. The case is branch, returned to the battlefield, although I almost didn't see, and died in the final carnage. In addition to Aristodemus, another Spartan survived the battle, called Pantitas, since it had been sent to Thessaly as Messenger and when it returned, the combat was over.
In Sparta, Leonidas and his men 298 were extolled as heroes and Aristodemus and Pantitas suffered disgrace and humiliation; considered them cowards, the worst insult for a Spartan. Seeing that Eurytus had returned to the battlefield, although he was almost blind, to fight, the Spartans saw something unforgivable Aristodemus example, although he followed orders from his King.
The men who had fled from the enemy were called "tresantes", which means "trembling". They were required to identify with patches of color in their red coats. No one spoke to them, or they could hold public office. Aristodemus would suffer such humiliations, not only by him, but by his offspring. Pantitas, another Spartan that survived to Thermopylae, took the option to hang himself to not support that situation. Aristodemus, on the other hand, resisted and waited for the opportunity to clear his name.
This came with the so-called battle of Plataea (479). When a large army of Greeks marched to overcome once and for all to the Persian invaders, to Aristodemus nobody ran him the word. There was only a thought in his mind: an act of courage that made him to regain his honor.
In the midst of the battle, when the Spartans had to endure, in a desperate position, the arrival of reinforcements from the other Greek contingents, on the first line, a man not could expect more. He broke the line of his regiment and charged against the Persians. On your left, the tegeos went forward, and the Spartan general had to give the order. The Spartans loaded. The Spartans, who up to then had been isolated, were themselves victorious, killing its general by the way. The man who charged solo against the Persians, dragging the others, was Aristodemus. He died in the fight, but he could clean his honor.
2.Galvarino
(Do the Araucanía,?-1557) Araucanian Chief, Lieutenant's Caupolican. Although little data is known about his life, Galvarino was one of most important araucanos chieftains.
In 1553, during the wars against the Spanish invaders, the araucanos chieftains Caupolicán and Lautaro came out winners of a series of campaigns which culminated in victory in Tucapel, where was arrested and executed the Governor of Chile, Pedro de Valdivia. After a period of vacuum of power between Spaniards (Jerónimo de Alderete did not really succeed Valdivia), was appointed new Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, with the express mission to pacify the territory.
Galvarino fought heroically to the Spanish forces of Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, but was captured in the battle of Lagunillas (1557), alongside the Bío-Bío River. As I chasten, were amputated her hands, the fact that the Spanish poet Alonso de Ercilla narrated in La Araucana, pointing out that, after this Act, "with disdain and contempt dello it elongated head and tended the neck" so take you life by cutting off the head; However, he was pardoned and returned with his own, vowing to take revenge.
The chronicler Mariño de Lobera says that "it was so much courage that was emperrado, which since the hands, lacked fought more strongly with the language, which tends to be more effective to make war than the hands of the Hercules and the industries of the Caesars". In the battle of Millarapue, November 30, 1557, after a cruel confrontation, he was captured along with other indigenous leaders and the Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, as a punitive measure, sent him to hang.
Alonso de Ercilla, moved, wanted to intercede for him to save his life, to which replied Galvarino with great condemnation towards the Spaniards with the following words: "I prefer to die to receive the life of you, and only feel death by not having been able to you pieces with teeth". Some Chilean historians, however, believe that Galvarino himself to deprive his enemies of pleasure to kill him.
3.William Marshal
English sword of Sir William Marshall, one of the best Knights of England, is inspired by the original. Includes Leather Sheath with steel at their ends. The blade is carbon steel corrugated and its handle is covered with leather. The simplicity and elegance of the guardian and the knob make this sword all high quality replica. It is a functional sword with bends of Damascus steel. The handle is wrapped in leather tied. Includes sheath is leather with steel tips reinforcements.
Sir William Marshall I Earl of Pembroke (1146 – 14 may 1219), it faithfully served the Crown of four kings (Enrique II, Richard the Lionheart, Juan I and Enrique III) and throughout his life went from being a simple member of the lesser nobility to be the Regent of Henry III, and, therefore, one of the most powerful men in Europe.
He was a soldier and politician Anglo-Norman. The hereditary title of "Marshall" (Marshal) indicated to the Chief of security of the King of England; at his death, Europe spoke of him simply as "the Marshal".
Sir William Marshall was the major competitor in jousting of his time. The record of William is legendary: on his deathbed, remembered having vanquished 500 Knights during his career. In 1170 he was elected to the House of Enrique the younger, eldest son of Eleanor and her second husband Enrique II, crowned that year as King associated with his father.
William was called to be the master of arms of the boy, but became his mentor and Idol. He conveyed to the young Henry his passion for tournaments, and for the next twelve years, he was fellow and director of the Prince.
Between 1182 and 1174, when Henry was reconciled with his father, William was the director of team tournaments of his master in all major events, especially the large international meetings of Picardy. Its mission was to design tactics and act as Advisor of the young King to make sure that it was not captured. When the French 1179 tournament took place in Lagny-sur-Marne, as part of the coronation of Felipe II, William Marshall was the sufficiently rich to appear with his own company of Knights. This earned her to be the object of envy and conspiracy of rivals in the Court of the young Henry.
Marshall fulfilled the vow of Crusader that his master had made and brought his cloak to Jerusalem with permission from Enrique II. Following the vote which had made during the Crusades, he was invested as Templar on his deathbed. 14 may 1219 he died in Cavershan, being buried in the Church of the Temple (Temple Church, London), where you can still see his effigy.
4.Tlahuicole
Throughout the history of Mexico, there have been different heroes and villains that are accompanied by acts of glory or really shameful. Even many of these characters in acts that were carried out throughout his life far from what is taught in primary or secondary as part of the official history promoted by the State.
However there are few pre-Hispanic heroes in the collective knowledge of our people, and the few who we recognize are the mexicas who took part in the heroic defense of the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. I speak primarily of two, Cuauhtémoc and Cuitlahuac while there are many more who gave their blood against the Castilian invaders. We must not forget that the pre-Hispanic period goes beyond the fall of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. While currently have few records of the people who lived in the formative period and the classic (except Dela Maya), yes we have enough information about the Postclassic period especially in the Mexican Highlands.
So that these heroic deeds are not forgotten, I want to talk about a great warrior of otomi-tlaxcalteca origin called Tlahuicole. It was the year of 1515, Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin was Huey Tlahtoani of Mexico-Tenochtitlan from 1502 and short 4 years for the arrival of a group of adventurers led by Hernando Cortes. In this same year, a great famine and famine struck the Valley of Tlaxcala-Puebla, situation which was aggravated due to the constant raids of the Triple Alliance, led by the Mexica of Tenochtitlan.
Let us remember that the Tlaxcala-Puebla Valley - with its different cities - had a precarious independence and was surrounded by the conquered territories of the Triple Alliance, which also suffered from an economic and commercial isolation that included the prohibition of salt to prepare foods, up to luxury goods such as cotton, jade and feathers of quetzal, among others. Motecuhzoma had decided that it would continue with florid Xōchiyaoyōtl wars of methodically to weaken their stubbornly Tlaxcalans enemies.
This policy of strangulation had affected to a greater extent to Huexotzinco (now state of Puebla) and the circumstances of famine that existed in all Tlaxcala-Puebla, it seems that its territory and population were victims of raids Tlaxcala in search of food. As a result the noble huexotzingas asked for military support to Motecuhzoma and also food, which Motecuhzoma responded affirmatively since it was a great opportunity to get one ally to the other side of the mountains. The official response by the Triple Alliance was to invite the people of Huexotzinco to take temporary refuge in territories near Tenochtitlan, take hostages among their ruling, and to direct their military forces to the city. This maneuver committed fully to Huexotzinco with the Triple Alliance and left even more isolated populations of Tlaxcala, so immediately Motecuhzoma made preparations for a new war against the eternal enemy of Tenochtitlan.
Remember that Tlaxcala in those times was divided into 4 Tepecticpac, Ocotelolco, Tizatlan, and Quiahuiztlan headers, as well as surrounded by a ring of different populations of Otomi warriors-infested. If we add to these factors the fortifications and barriers, such as mountains and rivers, we are talking about a real Fortress.
Initially the Mexica went alone to war against Tlaxcala, however did not see tactical results they sought help from its tributaries and the other components of the Triple Alliance: Tlacopan and Tezcuco. Despite these reinforcements military maneuvers bogged down after 20 days of combat. Due to this reason and the large number of casualties suffered by both sides, the Mexica troops returned to Tenochtitlan with a great consolation prize for his Tlahtoani: the great warrior and champion Tlahuicole, along with many more illustrious warriors.
From this point there are two major releases on the fate suffered by the great warrior Otomí, one is based on the crónica X written by Mexica descendant and the other written by Diego Muñoz Camargo in its description of the city and province of Tlaxcala.En the first version when the great warrior "who was shaking all the Earth" comes up before the great Tlahtoani, lacks any arrogance, kissing the hands of Motecuhzoma who apologises in addition for the offenses committed. The Tlahtoani to see their behavior addressed to you words of comfort, is it as one of their own and filled it with military insignia. This was given to all the great champions captured enemy military Protocol prior to slaughter. Spend the days the Tlahtoani learns that Tlahuicole cries bitterly by surprising to their wives and children. In those times that a captive sacrifice to weep was a bad omen, so very angry Motecuhzoma reproaches his cowardice and granted their freedom so go with their wives. Tlahuicole guards receive the order let you give food and let it go back and forth to your liking. To hear this great champion Tlaxcala enters into a deep depression that rises to a temple in Tlatelolco and is dropped into the air committing suicide. The mexicas to see the great dead champion decide to remove the heart and offer it to the gods. Perhaps this story is propaganda mexica? Now let's look at the narration of the tlaxcalan Camargo.
According to this author Tlahuicole was low, stocky and with a colossal force. He was captured by the huexotzingas since the champion was in a swamp to the waist. For transport they surround it in a wooden cage which is released when it is presented against Motecuhzoma who gives you your freedom (unheard of, certainly false). Champion refuses and demands his right to be slain as their ancestors. The skillful Tlahtoani decides to give him the command of an army Aztec that was on the verge of splitting the purepechas of Michoacan lands to get gold and silver materials very abundant in this region. The campaign was a success, to the extent that Motecuhzoma returns you to offer your freedom Tlahuicole, who refuses and demands to die in the gladiatorial sacrifice or scratching at the Festival of Xipe Tótec (Tlacaxipehualiztli). The Tlahtoani keeps him in his palace and allows you to bring their relatives while the date of his death. During 8 days Tlahuicole is left to pamper with banquets and dances in their honor. Even it is known that at one of these banquets served him in a stew the sex of his self-sacrificing spouse. Is it truth?
Tlahuicole finally rises to the temalacatl to be attached foot and face his death through the sacrifice of scratching. The great champion manages to defeat according to sources to eight adversaries mexica, 4 cuauhpilli and 4 ocelopilli, to be later defeated due to loss of blood and fatigue of so many battles.
What version is the closest to reality? It is evident that both Chronicles have conflicting views of two enemy States, but thanks to this diversity of sources they can enrich more historical accounts.
5.miyamoto musashi
Japanese mythical character par excellence, his figure combines the ideals of the Warrior and the monk in Japanese culture, and still was much more than that: ascetic methodical and perfectionist, was able to devote his life to an end and dying at the right moment in that by satisfied.
An orphan from the age of seven, Miyamoto Musashi * (1584-1645) was very young entrusted to the guardianship of a Buddhist priest, brother of his stepmother, who directed their instruction as a warrior. He weighed his honorable son of samurai ancestry, but also a strict character and good physical skills. He was only 13 years old the first time he killed a man in a fight, and at 16, left home to begin a physical pilgrimage and spiritual in search of the master.
A "wave man", thus becomes a rōnin, literally a samurai without a master, in an era in which the Warriors are still the main caste in Japan, but that after more than four hundred years of struggle for power and territory in almost continuous civil war begin to be c ontrolados by a single Shogun (military dictator) for the pacification of the country. He had begun the "sword hunt": dissolution of the private armies of the great feudal lords, prohibition of certain types of weapons except to the samurai and persecution of the bandits who trashed everywhere. A great remnant of warrior skills, useless in peacetime, were transformed into superb martial arts, symbol of nobility and ability and, under the influence of Zen, in the highest form of personal lighting.
When Miyamoto abandoned his home in 1590 he was looking for that light through perfection in kendo, way of the sword. And pefeccionar passed his mastery in the use of the sword and fight techniques for participating in duels, as in the Japan of the time teaching was not open to anyone; If it was not a samurai, knowledge had to removed them during combat with an expert or demonstrating, with a victory before the wrestler a school principal, worthy of receiving them.
Between 17 and 30 years, Miyamoto took part in 60 of these engagements, many of them to death, and not lost any, becoming a teacher in different styles and with different types of weapons. Some of these clashes, in which decapitated in 1605 to the clan of the Yoshiokas in defense of the honor of his father, were so spectacular that they turned already into life in a mythical figure in Japan; but it was perhaps to be admitted after two victories at the Zen Temple of warriors monks at Hozoin, who received training both in techniques of how philosophical and spiritual struggle, when his vision of combat and life changed forever.
Reached the thirty and except in that period at Hozoin Miyamoto had remained on the sidelines of society, wandering the country, living precariously and without worrying about your physical appearance, nor take spouse, nor engage in any profession, other than your own I am a student. In the image that profusely circulated it for centuries to come, is presented with a rough and wild, look being part of his legend that never came into a bathtub for fear be surprised unarmed.
In the next 20 years will maintain this wandering and ascetic lifestyle, but now aims to apply the physical and spiritual domain acquired through the struggle to achieve perfection on any art and human activity. According to his own writings, Musashi was considered the objective fulfilled in 1634, at the age of 50. By then had become a master of all the arts of the time: as a painter, as a calligrapher, as a sculptor in wood and metal and as a craftsman, creating even a tsuba (the forearm of the katanas) styled school.
At this time set, giving up the comforts and honours that could be enjoyed by his fame, as one more samurai, vassal of the Hosokawa clan. He founded his own style, the Niten Ichi Ryu (double Saber) with only three disciples, and breaking completely with the Japanese martial tradition, mark intended to compile knowledge in a written, titled Go Rin No Sho ("book of five rings" (, in reference to the five elements of the universe of Buddhism: Earth, water, fire, wind and void) is still one of the most emblematic books of Japanese culture and a leader in the practice of all kinds of martial arts.
To write this book in 1643 left Hosokawa Castle and went to live in a cave. There he spent two years, reflecting what they learned in those 50. And there himself died two weeks after the end of the manuscript, in May of 1645.
