A girl abandoned by her parents. A disabled princess who fights all odds to become the most feared warrior queen. A woman almost forced into sati by her trusted prime minister. A mother whose son brands her as a witch. This is the story of Rani Didda, the forgotten Hindu queen of undivided Kashmir. History is often unkind and cruel to women, especially women who wield power. Trampled by wars and religious crusades, lies hidden the story of a glorious woman who was considered a harbinger of bad times when she was born but went on to become a legendary warriorthe saviour of Srinagaram, the capital city of Kashmir. Didda: The Warrior Queen of Kashmir is the untold story of a womans rise to power during the tenth century. The legend of Didda is entwined with a life of solitary struggles against prejudice and patriarchy. She eventually went on to rule the unified Kashmir encompassing the Lohar Kingdom and Kashmir for a period of forty-four years, taking it to glorious heights and making it the most powerful kingdom in mediaeval Asia. The foundation laid by Didda helped Kashmir defeat the dreaded warlord Mahmud of Ghaznavi twice.

A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India is the most comprehensive textbook yet for undergraduate and postgraduate students. It introduces students to original sources such as ancient texts, artefacts, inscriptions and coins, illustrating how historians construct history on their basis. Its clear and balanced explanation of concepts and historical debates enables students to independently evaluate evidence, arguments and theories. This remarkable textbook allows the reader to visualize and understand the rich and varied remains of India s ancient past, transforming the process of discovering that past into an exciting experience.

This book investigates the distribution and interpretation of Covert Modality. Covert Modality is modality which we interpret but which is not associated with any lexical item in the structure that we are interpreting. This dissertation investigates a class of environments that involves covert modality. Examples of covert modality include wh-infinitival complements, infinitival relative clauses, purpose clauses, the 'have to' construction, and the 'is to' construction (cf. 1): 1a. Tim knows [how to solve the problem]. ("Tim knows how one/he could/should solve the problem.") 1b. Jane found [a book to draw cartoons in] for Sara. ("Jane found a book for Sara one could/should draw cartoons in.") 1c. [The man to fix the sink] is here. ("The man whose purpose is to fix the sink is here.") 1d. Sue went to Torino [to buy a violin]. ("Sue went to Torino so that she could buy a violin.") 1e. Bill has to reach Philadelphia before noon. ("Bill must reach Philadelphia before noon.") 1f. Will is to leave tomorrow. ("Will is scheduled/supposed to leave tomorrow.") The interpretation of (1a-f) involves modality; however, there is no lexical item that seems to be the source of the modality. What (1a-f) have in common is that they involve infinitivals. This book addresses the following questions about covert modality: what is the source of this modality, what are its semantic properties, why are some but not all infinitival relatives modal, and why are all infinitival questions modal? The infinitival [+wh] Complementizer is identified as the source of the covert modality. The apparent variability of the force of this modality is related to the particular semantics of this Complementizer. Infinitival relatives that receive a non-modal interpretation are analyzed as being reduced relatives and thus not involving the infinitival [+wh] Complementizer.

Students of Akkadian will find this handy collection of basic information to be the ideal companion through their years of study. Though this handbook is not a replacement for the standard reference works, it summarizes all the basic resource materials needed for the study of Akkadian. Included are the following: miscellaneous helps, paradigms of nouns and verbs, a glossary of important proper nouns, an index of logograms, a sign list with complete sign values, and much more. What is new in this revised and expanded edition: —An expanded list of common abbreviations —A thorough bibliography of important reference works in ten categories, including websites —Part One: Additional and more thorough lists, including dialect information for conjunctions, prepositions, and particles —Part Two: Additional nominal and verbal paradigms —Part Three: Glossary expanded and updated, content thoroughly documented and cross-referenced —Part Four: Expanded list of logograms —Part Five: Complete list of graphic signs as found in Borger’s Mesopotamisches Zeichenlexikon, tagged by his new numbering system, and cross-referenced to the Deimel system; sign information aligned with MZL for logographic values and with MZL and Das akkadische Syllabar for syllabic values; graphic sign images now included with the list of determinatives; two new indexes —Can now be used alongside all major grammars of Akkadian —A more attractive format —All data checked against the latest published reference works

With winter beating down on Akron and his company, they take shelter at his home in the veterans valley. Akron soon realizes that there may not be enough food to last the winter. To make it worse, his lack of battle knowledge may have accidently led himself and his company into a trap with no escape. Akron must make a choicestay and starve or brave the winter and have that kill him? Little does Akron know that King Jamess border guards are close, hunting Gowan, the only dragon that stands in the way of King Jamess horrific plan. The weight of Emeralds oath is taking its toll. She must guide Akron to the family she swore the oath to. Can a dragon, a beast, fall in love with a human? If so, why?

‘People say that I am a quarrelsome woman...’ TARABAI, MARATHA QUEEN (1675–1761) The history of India, more often than not, is a history of the men who were in charge. Largely forgotten are the women who, even centuries earlier, shaped the fates of entire kingdoms. In The Women Who Ruled India, writer and researcher Archana Garodia Gupta revives 20 such powerful figures from the archives, offering us a glimpse of their fascinating lives. Among them are Begum Samru, a courtesan who went on to become the head of a mercenary army and the ruler of Sardhana; Didda of Kashmir, known for her keen political instinct and a ruthlessness that spared no one; Rani Abbakka of Ullal, the fearless queen who took on Portuguese colonizers in their heyday; and Rani Mangammal of Madurai, the famed administrator who built alliances at a time when going to war was the order of the day. These women and others like them built roads, instituted laws and were generous patrons of the arts and sciences. Their stories of valour and diplomacy, leadership and wit continue to inspire today. Peppered with anecdotes that showcase little-known facets of their personalities, the accounts in this book celebrate heroic rulers who – ‘quarrelsome’ though they might have been – were iconoclasts: unafraid to forge new paths.

Ever wondered what George Washington put on his "To-Do" list? According to funnyman Jonathan Katz' book To-Do Lists of the Dead, it said check gums for termites and bury the hatchet.Katz has done it again. During a layover at LaGuardia Airport, Katz entertained himself with his PalmPilot digital organizer by creating "To-Do" lists of famous-and deceased-political figures, entertainers, and rock musicians. The result: the hilarious To-Do Lists of the Dead.This wickedly clever compilation shows celebrities' tasks that were completed and those put off too long. For example: FDR1. Come up with a more upbeat name for the "greatest depression" (not done)2. Think of one more thing we have to fear for speech (not done)3. Insist on twin beds (checked off)Katz's creative comic ingenuity in To-Do Lists of the Dead illustrates why he's one of the few comics HBO has showcased in its stand-up series.

This book is an invitation to traverse the corridors of power, culture, and influence alongside these queens. It is a celebration of their achievements, a reflection on their complexities, and an exploration of the legacies they left behind. As readers embark on this journey, they will witness the convergence of strength and grace, authority and compassion, in the faces of these remarkable women. The tales of these queens are not confined to the past; they echo through the corridors of time, resonating with the challenges and triumphs faced by women in leadership roles today. These narratives offer insights into the intricate dance between power and responsibility, tradition and progress, personal desires, and public expectations—a dance that continues to unfold on the global stage. "Amazing Life Stories of Historical Queens" is not merely a historical record; it is an homage to the enduring spirit of queenship. It invites readers to contemplate the complexities of leadership, the evolution of societal expectations, and the timeless qualities that define influential women throughout history.