In the annals of history, few figures have left a legacy as profound and enduring as Queen Teuta of Illyria. Her remarkable journey from a young queen facing external pressures to a symbol of strength and empowerment has captivated the hearts and minds of people across the world. Through the centuries, her story has transcended the pages of history to become a timeless tale of resilience, leadership, and the pursuit of justice. As a woman in a male-dominated world, Queen Teuta shattered gender barriers and defied societal norms, proving that greatness knows no gender. Her visionary leadership, diplomatic finesse, and commitment to her people made her a trailblazer for women seeking equality and representation in positions of power. Her contributions to women’s rights continue to inspire generations, serving as a reminder that the struggle for gender equality is an ongoing journey. Queen Teuta’s reign was not only a period of political and military significance but also a golden age of art and culture. Her patronage of the arts led to a flourishing of creativity and intellectual exchange in Illyria. Painters, sculptors, poets, and musicians thrived under her support, creating a vibrant cultural landscape that enriched the kingdom’s identity. Her commitment to education and intellectual development laid the foundation for a more enlightened society. Schools and academies were established, nurturing the minds of the young and fostering a spirit of curiosity and knowledge that would shape the future of Illyria. Throughout her reign, Queen Teuta navigated the complexities of diplomacy and statecraft with grace and wisdom. Her efforts to build alliances and maintain peace were commendable, even in the face of challenges from neighboring powers like Rome. However, her reign was not without its trials and tribulations. Internal dissent, external pressures, and conspiracies against her rule ultimately led to her downfall. Despite the circumstances of her deposition, her legacy endured as a symbol of strength and resilience. Her memory lived on in the hearts of the people of Illyria, celebrated in songs, poems, and artistic representations. Queen Teuta became an iconic figure in the folklore and cultural fabric of the region, embodying the spirit of a queen who dared to dream and challenge the norms of her time. Beyond the borders of Illyria, Queen Teuta’s story continued to resonate with people from all walks of life. Her journey from a young queen to a symbol of strength and empowerment became a universal tale of human resilience and the pursuit of justice. Her story inspired women leaders and advocates for gender equality, serving as a reminder that the struggle for empowerment and equality is a journey that spans across time and space. In literature, film, and art, Queen Teuta’s legacy found new life. Writers, filmmakers, and artists continued to draw inspiration from her life, reimagining her as a mythical figure or a heroic leader in their creative works. Her image was immortalized in statues and paintings, serving as a regal and enigmatic symbol of the past and the future. In the modern world, Queen Teuta’s name and story became more than just historical facts. She became a brand, symbolizing qualities of strength, leadership, and determination. Her story was invoked in discussions about gender equality and women’s rights, serving as a call to action for progress and change. The culmination of her enduring legacy was the construction of the Queen Teuta Memorial, a grand tribute that stood as a testament to her lasting impact on the kingdom and its people. Perched atop a cliff, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the memorial became a place of pilgrimage, inspiring visitors with its majesty and symbolism. The dedication ceremony of the memorial was a momentous occasion, attended by people from all corners of Illyria. The unveiling of the monument was met with awe and reverence, as the people stood united in their admiration for their iconic queen. As the sun set over the Adriatic Sea, casting a warm glow upon the Queen Teuta Memorial, it stood as a timeless symbol of strength, courage, and empowerment. Her legacy continued to resonate in the hearts of those who encountered her remarkable story. Queen Teuta’s journey from a young queen to an enduring symbol of greatness would forever be etched into the hearts of those who sought to dream, to lead, and to challenge the world around them. In the end, Queen Teuta’s legacy reminds us that history is not merely a collection of dates and events but a tapestry woven from the stories of remarkable individuals. Her story is a testament to the power of leadership, the importance of culture and education, and the enduring struggle for gender equality. As her memory lives on in the hearts of people across the world, Queen Teuta continues to inspire and captivate, a timeless symbol of courage and hope for generations to come.

Illyria in Shakespeare’s England is the first extended study of the eastern Adriatic region, often referred to in the Renaissance by its Graeco-Roman name “Illyria,” in early modern English writing and political thought. At first glance the absence of earlier studies may not be surprising: that area may seem significant only to critics pursuing certain specialized questions about Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, which is set in Illyria. But in fact, it is not only often misrepresented in the discussions of that play but also typically ignored in the critical conversation on English prose romances, poems, and other plays that feature Illyria or its peoples, some rarely read, others well-known, including Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, 2 Henry VI, Measure for Measure, and Cymbeline. Lea Puljcan Juric explores the reasons for such views by engaging with larger questions of interest to many critics who focus on subjects other than geographic regions, such as “othering,” religion, race, and the development of national identity, among other issues. She also broadens the conversation on these familiar problems in the field to include the impact of post-Renaissance notions of the Balkans on the erasure of Illyria from Shakespeare studies. Puljcan Juric studies the encounters of the English with the ancient and early modern Illyrians through their Greek and Roman heritage; geographies, histories, and travelogues, written in a variety of European polities including Illyria itself; religious conflict after the Reformation and the threat of Islam; and international politics and commerce. These considerations show how Illyria’s geopolitical position among the Ottoman Empire, Habsburg Empire and Venice, its “national” struggles as well as its cultural heterogeneity figured in English interests in the eastern Mediterranean, and informed English ideas about ethnicity, nationhood, and religion. In Shakespeare studies, however, critics have consistently cast Twelfth Night’s Illyria as a utopia, an enigma, or a substitute for England, Italy, or Greece. Arguing that twentieth-century politics and negative conceptions of the eastern Adriatic as part of “the Balkans” have underwritten this erasure of Illyria from our perspective on the field, Puljcan Juric shows how entrenched cultural hierarchies tied to elitism and colonial politics still inform our analyses of literature. She invites scholars to recognize that, for Shakespeare and his contemporaries, Illyria is the site of important socio-political and cultural struggles during the period, some shared with neighboring areas, others geographically specific, that invite dynamic historical and literary scrutiny.

"The genealogy of racism dates back to 610 AD when Islamic jihadists invented whiteness as a religious justification for deracinating and enslaving African people out of East African and into Southeastern Europe for more than 1,300 years. Through a new interdisciplinary research methodology, Ancestorology, a taxonomy of Western cultural and visual productions of history are juxtaposed with the social stratifications of the African Diaspora to arrive at a new interpretation of the historical narrative. Decolonizing Arts-Based Methodologies: Researching the African Diaspora provokes critical analytical thought between the historical narrative and current public discourse in Western societies where people of African descent exist. The importance of this work begins the process of unlearning Western ways of knowing and seeing through hegemonic productions of knowledge and by assigning new values to humanity's collective memory"--

Educational and inspirational, this gift-worthy New York Times bestseller from the authors of Rad American Women A-Z, is a bold, illustrated collection of 40 biographical profiles showcasing extraordinary women from across the globe. Rad Women Worldwide tells fresh, engaging, and amazing tales of perseverance and radical success by pairing well-researched and riveting biographies with powerful and expressive cut-paper portraits. The book features an array of diverse figures from 430 BCE to 2016, spanning 31 countries around the world, from Hatshepsut (the great female king who ruled Egypt peacefully for two decades) and Malala Yousafzi (the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize) to Poly Styrene (legendary teenage punk and lead singer of X-Ray Spex) and Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft (polar explorers and the first women to cross Antarctica). An additional 250 names of international rad women are also included as a reference for readers to continue their own research. This progressive and visually arresting book is a compelling addition to women's history and belongs on the shelf of every school, library, and home. Together, these stories show the immense range of what women have done and can do. May we all have the courage to be rad! For teachers, this book is appropriate for grades 6-8 and could be used in either Social Studies or English classes, or as part of a text for a multidisciplinary unit. It can also be used as a Common Core text for grades 6-8 Social Studies/History - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1-10.

"A major contribution to the study of Roman imperialism and ancient international relations."—John Rich, University of Nottingham

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer from Coterie Classics All Coterie Classics have been formatted for ereaders and devices and include a bonus link to the free audio book. “Then you compared a woman's love to Hell, To barren land where water will not dwell, And you compared it to a quenchless fire, The more it burns the more is its desire To burn up everything that burnt can be. You say that just as worms destroy a tree A wife destroys her husband and contrives, As husbands know, the ruin of their lives. ” ― Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales are collection of stories by Chaucer, each attributed to a fictional medieval pilgrim.

The real history of the Amazons in war and love Amazons—fierce warrior women dwelling on the fringes of the known world—were the mythic archenemies of the ancient Greeks. Heracles and Achilles displayed their valor in duels with Amazon queens, and the Athenians reveled in their victory over a powerful Amazon army. In historical times, Cyrus of Persia, Alexander the Great, and the Roman general Pompey tangled with Amazons. But just who were these bold barbarian archers on horseback who gloried in fighting, hunting, and sexual freedom? Were Amazons real? In this deeply researched, wide-ranging, and lavishly illustrated book, National Book Award finalist Adrienne Mayor presents the Amazons as they have never been seen before. This is the first comprehensive account of warrior women in myth and history across the ancient world, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Great Wall of China. Mayor tells how amazing new archaeological discoveries of battle-scarred female skeletons buried with their weapons prove that women warriors were not merely figments of the Greek imagination. Combining classical myth and art, nomad traditions, and scientific archaeology, she reveals intimate, surprising details and original insights about the lives and legends of the women known as Amazons. Provocatively arguing that a timeless search for a balance between the sexes explains the allure of the Amazons, Mayor reminds us that there were as many Amazon love stories as there were war stories. The Greeks were not the only people enchanted by Amazons—Mayor shows that warlike women of nomadic cultures inspired exciting tales in ancient Egypt, Persia, India, Central Asia, and China. Driven by a detective's curiosity, Mayor unearths long-buried evidence and sifts fact from fiction to show how flesh-and-blood women of the Eurasian steppes were mythologized as Amazons, the equals of men. The result is likely to become a classic.

"The introductions in this anthology are meant to be just that: a basic overview of what students need to know before they begin reading, with topics that students can research further. An open access literature textbook cannot be a history book at the same time, but history is the great companion of literature: The more history students know, the easier it is for them to interpret literature. In an electronic age, with this text available to anyone with computer access around the world, it has never been more necessary to recognize and understand differences among nationalities and cultures. The literature in this anthology is foundational, in the sense that these works influenced the authors who followed them. A word to the instructor: The texts have been chosen with the idea that they can be compared and contrasted, using common themes. Rather than numerous (and therefore often random) choices of texts from various periods, these selected works are meant to make both teaching and learning easier. While cultural expectations are not universal, many of the themes found in these works are."--Open Textbook Library.