Chapter 2 describes the miracle of the sword in the stone, King Arthur taking the throne, his immediate wars. Chapter 3 begins the various battles. I find it interesting that Arthur is portrayed as passive in many modern versions. In this, he is extremely violent and eager for battle, slaughtering on right and left. Chapter 4: More British domination of other realms. More magical swords that can't be pulled out except by the "right" knight (Balin, this time). Balin lops off the head of a lady who killed his mother (though Balin had killed her brother). Ladies get their heads lopped off every other chapter. Chapter 5: Balin unknowingly fights with his own brother, Balan, as punishment for lopping off the head of woman in Chapter 4. Balin also defiles the chapel of the Holy Grail. Balin is killed by his own brother, and Balin kills his brother. the two are buried together. Merlin takes Balin's sword, sets it in a stone, and it floats on the river until Galahad (son of Lancelot) achieves it years later. Another sword in the stone!
"Ambassadors are essentially spies with titles." Napoleon President of Italy . . . Peace treaty with England (Amiens) in March 1802, with Turkey in June 1802 . . . flawed peace treaty with England because there was no opening up of France for trade with England, infuriating the English who thought peace would mean trade. . . tourism, though--Brits come to Paris and admire Napoleon . . . British liberals enamored . . . Napoleon "consul for life" . . . lots of unsettled territories, Switzerland being the largest . . . Industrialization much greater in England than France . . . France in 1802 is about the same as England in 1780 as a manufacturing center . . . Napoleon is basically Anglophobic, complaining of any art work that celebrates English victories being shown in Louvre . . . peace unraveling . . . by 1803 . . . War May 18, 1803! . . . Louisiana Territory sold, advantageous to both parties. France gets money; USA gets land. France avoids possible war with ...
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