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Mike Melvill
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Mike Melvill.
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Tell me a bio of Mike Melvill.
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Tell me a bio of Mike Melvill within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Mike Melvill with around 100 words.
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Michael Winston Melvill (born November 30, 1940, in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a world-record-breaking pilot and one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites. Melvill piloted SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space, flight 15P on June 21, 2004, thus becoming the first commercial astronaut, and the 435th person to go into space. He was also the pilot on SpaceShipOne's flight 16P, the first competitive flight in the Ansari X Prize competition.
Life and career
In 1978, Melvill met aerospace designer and Scaled Composites founder Burt Rutan when he flew to California to show Rutan the VariViggen he had built at his home. Rutan then hired him on the spot. In 1982, he was named Rutan's lead test pilot.
In 1997, Melvill and Dick Rutan, Burt's brother, flew two Long-Eze aircraft that they built side-by-side around the world. This "around the world in 80 nights" flight was called The Spirit of EAA Friendship World Tour, and some legs of it lasted for over 14 hours.
His famous 2004 flights in SpaceshipOne earned him and the entire project team the Ansari X Prize of $10 million and helped spur the beginning of the global private space race.
Later in his career, he became Vice President/General Manager at Scaled Composites.
Mike Melvill holds FAA Commercial certificate, ASEL, AMEL, instrument airplane, rotorcraft-helicopter, glider and now astronaut.
Awards and achievements
As of January, 2020, Melvill is the sole or joint holder of ten FAI aviation world records in various categories.
He was awarded the Iven C. Kincheloe Award in 1999 for high altitude, developmental flight-testing of the model 281 Proteus aircraft.
Through SpaceShipOne flight 15P in 2004, he is known as the first privately funded human spaceflight mission pilot to reach space.
References
External links
"Biography at Scaled Composites". Scaled Composites. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016.
Melvill, Mike. "Mike and Dick's round the world EAA friendship tour". earthrounders.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014.
Boyle, Alan (June 18, 2004). "First private space pilot 'ready to go'". NBC News. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
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Balázs Bekő
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Balázs Bekő.
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Tell me a bio of Balázs Bekő.
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Tell me a bio of Balázs Bekő within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Balázs Bekő with around 100 words.
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Balázs Bekő (born 15 December 1971) is a Hungarian football manager and former player who is the head coach of Dorog.
Managerial career
On 24 June 2013, Bekő became the head coach of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Kecskeméti TE.
Bekő became the head coach of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Diósgyőri VTK in the summer of 2015.
References
Sources
Diósgyőri VTK official website (in Hungarian)
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Lucas Boyé
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Lucas Boyé.
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Tell me a bio of Lucas Boyé.
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Tell me a bio of Lucas Boyé within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Lucas Boyé with around 100 words.
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Lucas Ariel Boyé (born 28 February 1996) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for Segunda División club Granada.
Club career
Early career
Boyé was called up by Ramon Diaz for River Plate's pre-season in Salta in January 2014. His unofficial debut took place on 29 January 2014 in a friendly against San Lorenzo de Almagro at the Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena in Salta, when he replaced Jonathan Fabbro 23 minutes into the second half. River Plate lost the match to San Lorenzo 3–1.
Soon after he returned to play for the first team in another friendly, this time against the provincial team of San Luis, entering at the beginning of the second half to replace Daniel Villalba in a match which River Plate won 3–1. He made his official debut against Ferro in the final tournament of the 2013–14 Copa Argentina, in a match which River Plate won 6–5 in a penalty shootout.
His debut in the Argentine Primera División came in a 1–1 tie against Gimnasia y Esgrima on the first day of the 2014 Torneo de Transición. Four days later, on 31 August, Boyé scored his first goal in the Primera División off an assist from Tomas Martinez, the third in a match which River won 3–1 against San Lorenzo.
Torino
On 1 February 2016, he signed a contract with Italian club Torino for four seasons, starting in July 2016.
Loan deals
On 31 January 2018, he moved on loan to Spanish club Celta.
In the 2018–19 season Boyé joined AEK on loan. On 28 October 2018 he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 home win game against Aris Thessaloniki. On 23 February 2019, he scored a brace, his first in his career, sealing a 2–1 home win game against Apollon Smyrnis.
On 2 August 2019, English Championship club Reading announced the signing of Boyé on a season-long loan deal from Torino. He scored his first goal for Reading in an EFL Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 25 September 2019. However he also went on to miss a penalty in the shootout in the same game as Reading ultimately lost.
Elche
On 21 September 2020, the newly promoted La Liga team Elche announced that Boyé had joined them on loan with an option to buy. On 13 May 2021, Elche announced that they had exercised the option to buy Boyé permanently.
Granada
On 30 August 2023, Boyé joined La Liga side Granada for a reported fee of €7 million, plus add-ons, signing a four-year contract with the club.
Style of play
Nicknamed El Tanque (The Tank) or El Toro (The Bull), Boyé is described as a well structured, yet agile centre forward, with excellent technique and dribbling ability. He is noted for his work rate and willingness to sacrifice himself for the team. He is compared to former Roma forward Abel Balbo.
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 24 May 2024
International
As of match played 25 March 2022
Honours
River Plate
Copa Libertadores: 2015
Copa Sudamericana: 2014
Recopa Sudamericana: 2015
Suruga Bank Championship: 2015
Copa Euroamericana: 2015
References
External links
Lucas Boyé at BDFutbol
Lucas Boyé at Soccerway
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Rosaline Elbay
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Rosaline Elbay.
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Tell me a bio of Rosaline Elbay.
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Tell me a bio of Rosaline Elbay within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Rosaline Elbay with around 100 words.
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Rosaline Elbay (Arabic: روزالين البيه; ) is an Egyptian stage and screen actress, producer and writer. She is known for her roles as Judy Goodwin on the Netflix series Kaleidoscope, Amani on the Hulu/A24 Films series Ramy, and Sara on the MBC Masr series Qabeel. She is currently starring as Nora Koriem on The Diplomat.
Early life
Elbay was born and raised in Egypt to Egyptian parents. She attended a British school in Cairo and grew up speaking English, Arabic and French.
Elbay performed in a production of The Sound Of Music at the age of 11. As a child, she watched The Mummy and "wanted to be Evie", later choosing to pursue archaeology.
She read Classics and Archaeology at Oxford University before completing a master's in Political Science and Colonial History. She then studied at the Actors Studio New York City with Elizabeth Kemp before going on to complete the two-year MFA in Acting at LAMDA.
Career
Elbay’s early career was in UK theatre. She was predominantly trained in Shakespeare before attending drama school.
In 2018 she appeared in her first Egyptian feature film, Diamond Dust, an adaptation of Ahmed Mourad's bestselling novel starring Asser Yassin and Menna Shalabi. She then starred alongside Shalabi and Eyad Nassar in Fork & Knife, which premiered at that year's El Gouna Film Festival. Also in 2018, Elbay was the subject of the music video for "Fakra" by Massar Egbari, a band that rose to prominence during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, appearing as the love interest of lead singer Hany Dakkak. The Cairo International Film Festival appointed her as its first face for young filmmakers, a role she reprised in 2019.
Since 2019, Elbay has starred as Amani in A24 series Ramy, Ramy Youssef's eponymous Golden Globe and Peabody Award-winning show, alongside Youssef, Hiam Abbass, May Calamawy, and Mahershala Ali. Also in 2019, she received critical acclaim for her MENA region television debut as Sara opposite Mohamed Mamdouh on MBC Masr's Qabeel directed by Karim El Shenawy, a role for which she won two Al-Wafd Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best New Face.
Elbay hosted the opening ceremony of the 2019 El Gouna Film Festival alongside Aly Kassem. Her screenplay, "Garlic", was selected for the festival's TV Development Workshop.
In 2020, Elbay was due to star in MBC Masr’s Forgetfulness (Luebet Al Nesyan) directed by Hani Khalifa. However, she left the show mid-filming for health reasons owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The role was reshot, with Elbay stating that she was pleased to have been replaced by her friend Asmaa Galal.
In September 2021, Elbay was announced as a principal cast member of Netflix heist series Kaleidoscope alongside Giancarlo Esposito, Paz Vega, Rufus Sewell, Tati Gabrielle, Peter Mark Kendall and Jai Courtney. Her character, Judy Goodwin, was described as “the crew's demolitions specialist, headstrong and independent — an eccentric spitfire.” The series shot in New York and debuted on January 1, 2023, claiming the number one spot on Netflix's most-watched list.
In October 2022, Elbay starred as Diana, Princess of Wales in the off-Broadway world premiere of Dodi & Diana opposite her Kaleidoscope co-star Peter Mark Kendall, stating that she felt a lot of empathy for Diana as "a woman who was discovering her own agency and carving out her place in the world." In 2023, she starred in Let Liv alongside Christine Taylor and Jordan Carlos, which premiered at the Tribeca film festival, and in Hulu's Jagged Mind alongside Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Shannon Woodward. She was also a special guest star on director Karim El Shenawy's Seventh-Year Itch, appearing as the voice of Aly Kassem's ex-partner Emma.
In 2024, Elbay joined season 2 of Netflix’s multi-award-winning series The Diplomat as Nora Koriem, Chief of staff to Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney). The show has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4, with Elbay set to appear.
In 2025, Elbay starred in Do No Harm alongside Harry Shum Jr. The film, also featuring Ronny Chieng, premiered at the Chinese Theatre in LA on the opening night of the Dances With Films Festival. Also in 2025, Elbay was announced to lead Anton Sigurðsson's A Better Place alongside Theo Rossi and Billy Campbell as "a disgraced deputy, his anxious partner, and a sharp-tongued female prisoner who cover up a hit-and-run."
In October 2021, Elbay revealed that she is starring in an animated role and executive producing an unnamed project, both not yet announced.
Personal life and advocacy
Elbay lives in New York. She has a younger brother and describes herself as "still 40 percent archaeologist." She is also a painter.
In 2019, she hosted the opening ceremony of the 2019 El Gouna Film Festival, during which she wore a dress made of recycled plastic hand-worked by refugee women and sponsored by the UNHCR. She has since continued advocating for the organization, participating in the first MENA-region roundtable on The Role of Art and Culture in Addressing Displacement. In 2024, Elbay co-produced a 20-track fundraising album alongside Blood Cultures entitled "The Olive Tape". Featured artists included Nick Hakim, Narcy (rapper), Vansire, and Jordana, with proceeds going to Anera.
Elbay is described in MENA publications as an activist and an advocate for women's rights. She contributed to the cancellation of a concert by Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred due to his history of rape and assault. In 2020, Mada Masr published an op-ed by Elbay in response to the Egyptian MeToo movement, in which she stated that she had experienced domestic violence in a previous relationship. She has also advocated for increased diversity and accessibility in the film industry, telling GQ, "There are as many seats at the table as you want there to be.” She stated her support for the 2023 SAG-AFTRA Strike.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Elbay announced her departure from a lead role in MBC Masr series Forgetfulness (Luebet Al Nesyan) due to a preexisting heart condition.
Awards and nominations
Elbay was awarded the 2019 Al-Wafd Critics' Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best New Face for her role in Qabeel.
Filmography
Film
Television
Music videos
Theatre
References
External links
Official website
Rosaline Elbay at IMDb
Media related to Rosaline Elbay at Wikimedia Commons
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Abraham Ancer
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Abraham Ancer.
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Tell me a bio of Abraham Ancer.
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Tell me a bio of Abraham Ancer within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Abraham Ancer with around 100 words.
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Abraham Ancer (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈβɾan ˈanseɾ]; born 27 February 1991) is a Mexican-American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and is currently playing on the LIV Golf tour. He won the 2018 Emirates Australian Open and the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational for his first PGA Tour career victory. In 2024 he won the LIV Golf Hong Kong for his first individual win on the LIV Golf Tour.
Amateur career
Ancer was born in McAllen, Texas; raised partially in Reynosa, Mexico; and has dual American and Mexican citizenship. He attended Sharyland High School in Mission, Texas. He played college golf at Odessa College and the University of Oklahoma, from which he graduated in 2013 with a degree in General Studies.
During his one year competing at Odessa, Ancer was a first-team All-American and finished in a tie for second in the Junior College National Golf Championship. At Oklahoma, he saw his most success during his first year, winning twice while having the sixth-lowest scoring average in Oklahoma history of 72.03. During his entire career, he ended up second in all-time scoring average.
Professional career
Ancer turned professional in 2013. In December 2014, he tied for 35th place at the Web.com Tour Qualifying School final stage. He played on the Web.com Tour in 2015, where he finished runner-up at the Brasil Champions in March and won the Nova Scotia Open in July.
He finished 11th in the regular season money list, which earned him a PGA Tour card for the 2016 season. In his rookie year, Ancer did not perform consistently, with a best finish of T-18 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. He finished 190th in FedEx Cup points and couldn't maintain his card for the 2017 season, which sent him back to the Web.com Tour.
During the 2017 Web.com Tour, Ancer carded five top-5 finishes, including three runner-up finishes, which allowed him to secure his PGA Tour card for the 2018 season by finishing in 3rd place on the regular-season money list.
During the 2018 season, Ancer finished 9th at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba, 8th at the Houston Open, 4th at the Quicken Loans National, 5th at the RBC Canadian Open, and 7th at the Dell Technologies Championship. The Quicken Loans National was part of the Open Qualifying Series and his high finish gave him an entry to the 2018 Open Championship, his first major championship, where he had rounds of 71 and 78 and missed the cut. In the PGA Tour season Ancer earned US$1.7 million and finished 60th in the FedEx Cup.
Ancer had a good start to the 2018–19 season with top-5 finishes in the CIMB Classic and the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, results that lifted him into the world top-100 for the first time. He followed this up with a 5-stroke victory in the Australian Open, a week before representing Mexico in the World Cup of Golf. His Australian Open win gave him an entry to the 2019 Open Championship. Ancer finished second in the Northern Trust in August 2019 and ended the year by tying for 21st at the Tour Championship. This earned him $478,000 in FedEx Cup bonus money.
Ancer's strong play in 2019 qualified him for the 2019 Presidents Cup International team. The event was held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December 2019. The U.S. team defeated the Internationals 16–14. Ancer went 3–1–1. His lone loss came in the Sunday singles, 3 & 2 against U.S. playing-captain Tiger Woods. Ancer had told media prior to the event that he wanted to play Woods in singles. Woods said afterward "Abe wanted it, he got it."
At the 2020 RBC Heritage, Ancer finished runner-up shooting −21, earning him $773,900. Ancer led the tournament in Driving Accuracy (82.1%) and Greens In Regulation (90.3%).
In May 2021, Ancer finished second at the Wells Fargo Championship. One shot behind Rory McIlroy. In late July/early August he played in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finishing tied for 14th place with Norway's Viktor Hovland after scoring 12-under-par for the four rounds of the Men's Tournament. The following week he obtained his first career victory in a PGA Tour event after winning the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational after two sudden-death playoff holes against Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns. With the win, Ancer became the fourth Mexican player to win on the PGA Tour and the first to win on the European Tour.
Ancer joined LIV Golf in June 2022 following the U.S. Open, and was subsequently suspended from the PGA Tour. Ancer has one individual win on the tour, the 2024 LIV Golf Hong Kong and has also claimed a win in the team trophy in Bangkok.
In February 2023, Ancer won the PIF Saudi International on the Asian Tour. He shot a final-round 68 to win by two shots ahead of Cameron Young and claim a wire-to-wire victory.
Amateur wins
2009 Odessa College Invitational
2010 Omega Chemical/Midland College, Texas Junior College Championship, NJCAA District 2 Championship
2011 Desert Shootout, NCAA East-VA Tech Regional
Source:
Professional wins (6)
PGA Tour wins (1)
PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)
European Tour wins (1)
European Tour playoff record (1–0)
Asian Tour wins (1)
PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)
Web.com Tour wins (1)
Web.com Tour playoff record (1–1)
LIV Golf League wins (1)
LIV Golf League playoff record (1–0)
Other wins (1)
Results in major championships
Results not in chronological order before 2019 and in 2020.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
Most consecutive cuts made – 6 (2020 PGA – 2021 PGA)
Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)
Results in The Players Championship
"T" indicates a tie for a place
C = Cancelled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic
World Golf Championships
Wins (1)
Results timeline
1Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
NT = no tournament
"T" = tied
Note that the Championship and Invitational were discontinued from 2022.
Team appearances
World Cup (representing Mexico): 2018
Presidents Cup (representing the International team): 2019
See also
2015 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
2017 Web.com Tour Finals graduates
References
External links
Abraham Ancer at the PGA Tour official site
Abraham Ancer at the European Tour official site
Abraham Ancer at the Official World Golf Ranking official site
Abraham Ancer at Olympedia
Abraham Ancer at Olympics.com
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Margaret Rose Vendryes
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Margaret Rose Vendryes.
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Tell me a bio of Margaret Rose Vendryes.
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Tell me a bio of Margaret Rose Vendryes within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Margaret Rose Vendryes with around 100 words.
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Margaret Rose Vendryes (March 16, 1955 – March 29, 2022) was a visual artist, curator, and art historian based in New York.
Early life and education
Vendryes was born on March 16, 1955, in Kingston, Jamaica. She began her studies in costume design before moving to fine art and earning a Bachelor's degree at Amherst College, graduating in 1984. She went on to earn her MA in Art History in 1992 from Tulane University and her PhD from Princeton University in 1997 where she focused on African American art history and was the first Black woman to earn a PhD in art history from Princeton.
Career
Vendryes served as Chair of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts and Director of the Fine Arts Gallery at York College in New York where she began working in 2000. She was set to assume the role of Dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University in Boston in June 2022.
From 2000 to 2001 she worked as visiting lecturer for Art & Archaeology and African American Studies at Princeton University. She also worked as associate professor for Modern American and Contemporary Art at City University of New York from 2002 till 2007.
She warned against what she calls "the race-centered approach" to interpreting artwork, the practice of reading the influence of an artist's race into their artwork, as she believed it could limit the interpretation and context of the work and minimize the assessment of their impact on the larger art movements.
In 2009 Vendryes worked as lecturer for African Art at Boston University in Massachusetts.
In 2010 she curated an exhibition at the new Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art called, Richmond Barthé: The Seeker. She compared Barthe's work Blackberry Woman to Wallace Thurman's novel The Blacker The Berry... A Novel of Negro Life in her thesis dissertation and wrote about Barthe's work further in her 2008 book about his sculpture. That same year she curated an exhibition titled Beyond the Blues at New Orleans Museum of Art.
From 2011 to 2013 she was a lecturer for African & African American Art at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.
In 2013 Vendryes returned as Distinguished Lecturer in Fine Arts and Director of the York College Fine Arts Gallery at York College, CUNY.
In 2015 she gave the opening lecture for The Visual Blues, an exhibition with work from the Harlem Renaissance at the Jepson Center for the Arts.
Artwork
In 2005 Vendryes began a series of multi-media works within her The African Diva Project, with oil and cold wax on canvas, and more recently, embedded African masks. The series began with a portrait of Donna Summer inspired by her Four Seasons of Love album cover. The imagery juxtaposes and combines portraits of Western pop culture icons with traditional African masks. Because these masks are traditionally worn only by men, she has noted her exploration of power, race, gender and beauty through these works. The project has included many Black American women icons including Aretha Franklin, Grace Jones, and Whitney Houston.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture commissioned an artwork in 2014 from Vendryes for an exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf called, My spirit is too ancient to understand the separation of soul & gender - Guro Ntozake. The exhibition, titled i found god in myself: the 40 anniversary of Ntozake Shange's for colored girls... and curated by Peter "Souleo" Wright, traveled to African American Museum in Philadelphia in 2016 and City Without Walls (cWOW) gallery in 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. The exhibition also featured artists Renée Cox, Carrie Mae Weems, Deborah Willis, Saya Woolfalk, Michael Paul Britto, Pamela Council and Dianne Smith among others.
Death and legacy
Vendryes was a longtime board member of the Leslie Lohman Museum. Vendryes' death, on March 29, 2022, due to respiratory failure, was announced by the Southeast Queens Artists' Alliance.
Childs Gallery in Boston, with whom she had a long history, hosted a memorial exhibit in Vendryes' honor from November 2022-January 2023.
Bibliography
Vendryes, Margaret Rose; Barnett, Lauren; Lawson, R. A.; Lowe, John (2014). The Visual Blues. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: LSU Museum of Art. ISBN 9780615878300.
Vendryes, Margaret Rose (2008). Barthé, A Life in Sculpture. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1604730920.
Vendryes, Margaret Rose; Paschall, W. Douglass; Moore, Lewis Tanner; Holton, Curlee Raven (2008). In Search of Missing Masters: The Lewis Tanner Moore Collection of African American Art. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Woodmere Art Museum. ISBN 978-1888008227.
Vendryes, Margaret Rose; Rosenblum, Robert; Hill Stoner, Joyce (2006). Factory Work: Warhol, Wyeth and Basquiat. Rockland, ME: Farnsworth. ISBN 0918749212.
Sperath, Albert F.; Vendryes, Margaret R.; Jones, Steven H.; King, Eva F. (2000). The Art of Ellis Wilson. Lexington, KE: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813160474.
Willis, Deborah; Vendryes, Margaret Rose (2001). The Artist Portrait Series: Images of Contemporary African American Artist. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 0809323796.
Fossett, Judith Jackson (1997). Race Consciousness: Reinterpretations for the New Century. New York City: NYU Press. pp. Chapter 9. ASIN B00EIFPFE4.
Vendryes, Margaret Rose (1997). Expression and Repression of Identity: Race, Religion, and Sexuality in the Art of American Sculptor Richmond Barthé. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University.
References
External links
Official website
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Jackson Martínez
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Jackson Martínez.
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Tell me a bio of Jackson Martínez.
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Tell me a bio of Jackson Martínez within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Jackson Martínez with around 100 words.
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Jackson Arley Martínez Valencia (locally [ˈɟʝaksom maɾˈtines]; born 3 October 1986) is a Colombian former professional footballer who played as a striker.
He started his career with Independiente Medellin in 2004 and becoming the league's top scorer in 2009, before being signed by Chiapas in January 2010. He spent three years with the Mexican side before moving to Portugal to play for Porto, where he was the Primeira Liga's top scorer in all three of his seasons with the club. In July 2015, Martínez joined Atlético Madrid for €35 million, and six months later Guangzhou Evergrande of China for €42 million. He suffered an ankle injury in late 2016 that ruled him out for two years, before ending his career back in Portugal with Portimonense in 2020.
Martínez represented Colombia 40 times between 2009 and 2015, scoring nine goals for the country. He played for them at the Copa América in 2011 and 2015, as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he scored two goals against Japan.
Club career
Independiente Medellín
Born in Quibdó in the Chocó Department, Martínez joined Independiente Medellín's youth academy in 2001 until being called up to the first team for the 2004 Finalización. He made his debut on 3 October 2004, his 18th birthday, in a 2–2 draw against Junior. His first professional goal came roughly a month later in a 1–1 draw against Deportivo Pereira on 11 November. This was the last matchday of the regular season and his goal sealed Medellin's qualification into the playoffs.
With three goals in the Finalizacion playoffs, Martinez looked like he had a bright future ahead, but the following seasons were very slow-paced. From 2005 to 2007, he scored 12 goals, only 2 per tournament. But the 2008 season was his breakthrough season under manager Santiago Escobar, where he scored 11 goals as Medellin finished runner-up in December 2008 to América de Cali.
In January 2009, Martinez scored his first career hat-trick in a 4–0 victory against Peñarol in the 2009 Copa Libertadores first stage. Martinez began the 2009 Apertura campaign in great form, scoring 4 goals in 4 matches. However, he suffered an injury in March 2009 before a Copa Libertadores match against America de Cali, which saw him miss the rest of the 2009 Apertura campaign, as Medellin had a rough campaign and finished in last place. Despite this setback, he bounced back and was the top goalscorer of the 2009 Torneo Finalizacion with 18 goals, including braces against Real Cartagena, América de Cali, Atlético Huila, and Envigado, while leading El Poderoso to its fifth league title with a goal in each leg of the finals against Huila.
Chiapas
Martínez attracted interest from South Korean club Ulsan Hyundai as well as Argentine clubs San Lorenzo de Almagro and Racing Avellaneda. He initially signed a pre-contract with Ulsan Hyundai, but the transfer eventually fell through. As a result, Martínez was eventually signed by Chiapas from the Liga MX on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee in January 2010.
He scored his first two goals with the club on 30 January in a 2–2 draw against Tigres UANL. Two weeks later, he scored against Pachuca, and then scored three in the next three games. He ended his first season with the club, the 2010 Torneo Bicentenario, with nine goals, placing him fourth in the top scorer's table. In August 2010, he had an ankle operation and was ruled out for a month. In the following season, the 2010 Apertura, he didn't perform well, only scoring two in fourteen appearances, but scored a match winner against Atlas in the penultimate matchday to give Chiapas a spot in the playoffs, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Santos Laguna.
In the 2011 Clausura, Martinez missed most of the season due to an injury he suffered in the Copa Libertadores match against Alianza Lima on 27 January, which ruled him out for almost three months. In his return on 30 April, he scored a brace in a 4–1 victory against Querétaro, but his team finished bottom of the table. However, in the Copa Libertadores, Chiapas had much better form and Martínez was a key player for them, scoring in both legs of the round of 16 encounter against Colombian club Junior to help his team go through on away goals. In the first leg at Estadio Víctor Manuel Reyna, he scored in a 1–1 draw, and then scored a double in the second leg, despite being shown a red card during the 3–3 draw in Barranquilla. Chiapas were eventually eliminated by Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño in the quarter finals, with the Colombian playing in the second leg.
In the Apertura 2012 season, he scored eight goals, including braces against San Luis and Pumas UNAM, and added to his tally by scoring once in each leg of the playoffs against Santos, but Chiapas were eliminated. Martínez was named captain of the squad at the beginning of the Clausura 2012 season, where he scored eight goals, with two braces again, this time in victories against Atlas and Queretaro. In the playoffs, Chiapas were paired up with Santos again, and Martinez scored a brace in the first leg, but his team were not able to get revenge and were eliminated by Santos again for the third time in eighteen months. At the end of the season, many European clubs were interested in the player, like Liverpool.
Porto
2012–13 season
On 7 July 2012, Porto announced that they had signed Martínez on a four-year contract worth €8.8 million, in addition to setting a €40 million release clause. On 11 August, he played his first competitive match in the 2012 Supertaça against Académica de Coimbra, where he scored his first goal for the club, a match winning goal in the 90th minute. He was subsequently named as the man of the match for his performance in which he won his first title in Portugal.
Martínez scored his first league goal on 25 August with a Panenka penalty against Vitória de Guimarães, with Porto winning the game 4–0. On 22 September against Beira-Mar, he scored a bicycle kick from a chipped pass by fellow countryman James Rodríguez. Against rivals Sporting, he scored a back-heel volley in a 2–0 win. In the Champions League group stage on 24 October, Martínez scored his first two goals in European competitions, during a match which ended in a 3–2 victory for Porto against Dynamo Kyiv. Martínez continued his goal scoring streak in a 2–1 victory over Estoril on 28 October, assisting Silvestre Varela and scoring the game winner five minutes later. On 2 November, he scored two more goals in a 5–0 victory against Marítimo. He was named the SJPF Player of the Month for October and November. In December, Spanish sports newspaper Marca ranked him number 8 in a list of the Top 10 South American players of 2012.
Martínez scored five goals in January 2013: the only goal against Nacional on 5 January, in O Clássico against rivals Benfica on 13 January, a double ten days later in a 3–0 away victory against Vitoria Setubal, and against Gil Vicente on 28 January. By the halfway point of the league season, he had scored 14 goals in the first 15 league games, surpassing Falcao's numbers of 10 goals in 14 games. On 2 February, he scored a hat-trick against Vitória de Guimarães, which included two headers, making it his first hat-trick for Porto. He scored a brace on 23 February, including a penalty and a volley, to help Porto turn around a 0–1 deficit into a 2–1 victory against Rio Ave at Estádio do Dragão. He was named the February SJPF Player of the Month. In the final match of the league season against Paços de Ferreira, Martínez sealed the 2–0 victory after scoring the second goal and assuring Porto's third consecutive league title, undefeated and one point ahead of rivals Benfica. The goal also marked his 26th goal in the league, securing him the Bola da Prata. Following his debut season in Europe, ESPN noted Martínez as one of the best signings for the 2012–13 season.
2013–14 season
In the 2013 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, Martínez scored the second goal in a 3–0 victory against Vitória de Guimarães at the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, claiming his second Portuguese Supercup in a row.
In the opening league match against Vitória de Setúbal on 18 August, Martínez scored the third goal in a 3–1 win. He continued the season in excellent form, adding four more goals in the next four matchdays. On 6 October, he scored a double against recently promoted Arouca in a win by the same score. He scored the only goal of the game in the Europa League round of 16 first leg against Napoli on 13 March, and Porto eventually qualified to the next round by winning 3–2 on aggregate. On 19 January 2014, Martínez scored his 50th goal in all competitions for Porto in a 3–0 win over Vitória. On 6 April, he scored a double, including a penalty and an assist, in a 3–1 victory against Académica. He ended up being the league's top scorer for the second consecutive season with 20 goals, becoming the first player to be top scorer for two consecutive seasons since Mario Jardel from 1997 to 2000 in the process.
2014–15 season
After the 2014 World Cup, Martinez was linked with several Premier League clubs, Valencia, and Napoli. However, in August 2014, he extended his contract with Porto until 2017. On 30 September, he came on as a substitute in a Champions League group stage match away to Shakhtar Donetsk, and his team was trailing 2–0 to the Ukrainian hosts at the 85th minute. He scored two goals in four minutes; in the 89th minute, he scored a penalty and then equalised in added time to level the scoreline at 2–2, which completed a comeback that was dubbed as "stunning" and "remarkable" by UEFA. On 5 November, he opened the scoring in a 2–0 away victory against Athletic Bilbao, which qualified Porto to the round of sixteen. Martinez was voted Player of the Month for December 2014 and January 2015.
On 6 March 2015, he suffered a calf muscle tear in a league match against Braga, which caused him to be ruled out for a month and miss six matches. His return from injury came in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on 15 April 2015 against Bayern Munich, where he scored the last goal in a 3–1 victory and won the penalty that Ricardo Quaresma scored for the opening goal after being fouled by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Martínez netted again in the second leg six days later, heading a consolation from Héctor Herrera's cross as Porto lost 1–6 at the Allianz Arena, thus being eliminated from the competition. On 10 May, Martinez scored a double, the second being a spectacular bicycle kick, in a 2–0 victory against Gil Vicente. He ended the 2014–15 campaign with 21 goals and won the golden boot award for the third consecutive time.
Atlético Madrid
Martínez was linked heavily with Arsenal, Milan, and other European clubs again following his departure from Porto, but on 27 June 2015, he confirmed that he was moving to Spanish side Atlético Madrid. Four days later, it was announced on Porto's official website that Atlético were willing to pay the full €35 million release fee for the Colombian player. On 15 July, Atlético officially announced the transfer, and he signed a four-year contract running until 2019. He was officially presented at the Vicente Calderón Stadium on 26 July in front of around 10,000 people.
Martínez made his La Liga debut on 22 August, being substituted after an hour for Fernando Torres in a 1–0 home win over Las Palmas. A week later, Martínez came off the bench and scored his first goal for Atlético in a 3–0 victory over Sevilla. However, after only scoring once in seven games, he began to receive criticism from the press, failing to score more than five goals in seven games for the first time since moving to Europe in 2011. On 21 October, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal for the club against Astana in a 4–0 win, and four days later, he opened the scoring in a 2–1 victory against Valencia. On 12 November, while playing for the Colombia national team against Chile, he suffered an ankle injury and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher, which ruled him out for a month. He made his return on 30 December in a 0–2 away win against Rayo Vallecano, entering the pitch in the 70th minute and assisting Antoine Griezmann's goal in the last minute.
He struggled to adapt to Diego Simeone's playing style, as he was more accustomed to playing as a lone striker with Porto. The press labelled him "a flop" and some of his teammates said he was not confident, with club president Enrique Cerezo adding that the player "wasn't at the level of the club".
Guangzhou Evergrande
On 3 February 2016, Martínez was transferred to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao with a fee of €42 million, a record for an Asian team. The record was broken two days later, when Alex Teixeira signed for Jiangsu Suning for £38.4 million (roughly €50 million). On 24 February, he made his debut against South Korean club Pohang Steelers. On 6 March, he scored on his Chinese Super League debut in an eventual 2–1 loss away at Chongqing Lifan. A week later, he scored and gave an assist in a 3–0 win against Changchun Yatai. On 15 April, during a match against Henan Jianye, he suffered an ankle injury and had to be substituted, which ruled him out for two months. He had ankle surgery a few days later, which ruled him out for a further five weeks. He returned to action on 9 August in a goalless draw against Beijing Guoan, playing the last 20 minutes of the match.
On 26 October 2016, after playing 16 games, Martínez suffered an ankle injury that ruled him out for almost two years, causing him to miss the entire 2017 season and part of the 2018 season. He had another ankle surgery in July 2017. In March 2018, Guangzhou Evergrande terminated his contract and released him because of his chronic injuries, believing that there was no point of paying his salary if he could not play.
Portimonense
On 31 August 2018, Martínez returned to Portugal's top flight, joining Portimonense on a season-long loan. The deal was subsequently made permanent, but only until the end of 2019.
He made his debut in a 3–2 victory against Vitória de Guimarães on 23 September, playing the last 17 minutes of the match. On 3 November, he scored his first goal for the club, a penalty, in a 1–1 draw against Belenenses. On 2 December, he scored in a 3–2 victory against Tondela, but was substituted with an injury in the second half. On 7 December, he returned to the Estádio do Dragão for the first time since leaving Porto, playing 75 minutes and receiving a standing ovation by the fans and players as he was substituted. A week later, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win against Vitória de Setúbal. On 11 May 2019, he scored an 88th-minute winner against Maritimo in a 3–2 victory.
In January 2020, he signed a new contract with the Portuguese club, keeping him until 2022. His last match for the club was on 26 July 2020, where he wore the captain's armband in a 2–0 victory against Desportivo Aves. He made 24 appearances and scored once for the 2019–20 season, where Portimonense finished 17th in the table and were set to be relegated, but avoided the drop due to 16th-placed Vitoria Setubal failing to provide documentation for the following season. Still troubled by his chronic ankle injuries, Martínez left Portimonense in August 2020, stating that he wanted to return to Independiente Medellín.
On 7 December 2020, after spending six months as a free agent, Martínez officially announced his retirement.
International career
A Colombian international at the age of 22, he made his debut and scored his first international goal on 5 September 2009 in a 2–0 victory against Ecuador as part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Four days later, he came on as a substitute and scored his second international goal against Uruguay, although Colombia lost 3–1. On 7 June 2011, he was selected by Hernán Darío Gómez to the 23-man-squad for the 2011 Copa América.
On 2 June 2014, Martínez was named by coach José Pékerman in Colombia's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. After a substitute appearance in the team's opening match win over Greece, Martínez was selected to start in the final group game against Japan, where he scored twice in a 4–1 win and was named man of the match.
Martínez was also chosen for the 2015 Copa América in Chile. The last time he was called up to the national team was for a 2018 World Cup qualification match against Chile on 12 November 2015, where he suffered an injury.
Personal life
His nickname "Cha Cha Cha" came from his father, Orlando Martinez, who was a second division footballer in Colombia. Orlando would celebrate his goals by doing the "Cha Cha Cha" dance, so his teammates began to call him that. The nickname was passed on to Jackson and he often does the celebration as well. He moved with his family to Villa Hermosa, Medellín at age 15, and spent a year hopping around local clubs before joining Independiente Medellin's academy aged 16.
Martínez married Tatiana Caicedo in March 2013, and the couple have two children; a son named Josue, born in 2012, and a daughter named Samantha, born in January 2015. He is a Christian. In September 2018, he released a seven-track Christian hip hop album titled No Temeré ("I Will Not Fear").
In his youth, Martínez played baseball, basketball, and volleyball. He said these sports helped improve his agility and jumping ability, which he used to score acrobatic goals.
Martínez also runs a foundation named after him, called "Fundacion Jackson Martinez", which aims to help kids living in poverty buy adequate football gear, play competitive matches, and get scouted.
Style of play
Martínez was known as a prolific goalscorer, being able to use both feet effectively, and having excellent volleying technique. He combined his volleying technique with his agility, which allowed him to score multiple acrobatic goals throughout his career. His height made him an aerial threat, and he combined this with his strength to win aerial battles, as well as to make it difficult for opponents to knock him off the ball.
Former Porto player Paulo Futre compared his traits to those of George Weah. Noted BBC journalist Tim Vickery described him as "an out-and-out goalscorer, a front-to-goal centre-forward who can finish off both feet, and with an excellent jump that makes him an aerial threat." In 2015, Arsène Wenger said that Martinez "could play in the Premier League because he has the body to make the difference," and that he was "a good finisher".
Career statistics
Club
International
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Martínez goal.
Honours
Independiente Medellín
Categoría Primera A: 2009-II
Porto
Primeira Liga: 2012–13
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2012, 2013
Guangzhou Evergrande
Chinese Super League: 2016
Chinese FA Cup: 2016
Chinese FA Super Cup: 2016
Individual
Categoría Primera A Top goal scorer: 2009 Finalizacion
Categoria Primera A Best Player: 2009 Finalizacion
Categoria Primera A Dream Team: 2009 Finalizacion
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira Man of the match: 2012
SJPF Player of the Month: October 2012, November 2012, February 2013, December 2014, January 2015
O Jogo Team of the Year: 2012, 2013
Primeira Liga Top goal scorer: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
FC Porto Athlete of the Year: 2014, 2015
Notes
References
External links
Jackson Martínez at National-Football-Teams.com
Jackson Martínez at Soccerway
Jackson Martínez at ForaDeJogo (archived)
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Pablo Zabaleta
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Pablo Zabaleta.
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Tell me a bio of Pablo Zabaleta.
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Tell me a bio of Pablo Zabaleta within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Pablo Zabaleta with around 100 words.
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Pablo Javier Zabaleta Girod (Latin American Spanish: [ˈpaβlo saβaˈleta]; born 16 January 1985) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a right back. Zabaleta could operate on both sides of the pitch as a full-back and was known for his tenacious style of play, and has captained his club on numerous occasions.
With Manchester City, Zabaleta won all of English football's major honours: the FA Cup (2011), the Premier League (2012 and 2014), the League Cup (2014 and 2016) and the Community Shield (2012). Moreover, Zabaleta is often considered to be a cult hero at Manchester City owing to his determination and passion for the club. Before joining Manchester City, Zabaleta played for La Liga club Espanyol, where he won the 2005–06 Copa del Rey. He made 333 appearances over nine seasons for Manchester City before signing for London-based club West Ham United in the summer of 2017.
A full international since 2005, Zabaleta represented Argentina at the 2011 and 2015 Copa América, and was part of their team which finished as runners-up in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was also in their team which won gold at the 2008 Olympics.
Since January 2023, Zabaleta serves as assistant manager of Albania's national football team, under head coach Sylvinho.
Club career
San Lorenzo
Born in Buenos Aires, Zabaleta was raised in Arrecifes. He began his career at San Lorenzo in 2002, after progressing through their youth ranks, having been signed at the age of 12 from local club Obras Sanitarias. He started playing as a defensive midfielder, but eventually moved to the right side of midfield.
Espanyol
Zabaleta was transferred to Espanyol in 2005 for €3 million after being Argentina under-20s captain in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, which Argentina won. During the 2005–06 season, Zabaleta helped Espanyol to win the Copa del Rey, playing the full 90 minutes in the 4–1 victory over Real Zaragoza in the final.
In January 2007, Zabaleta suffered a shoulder injury that kept him off the pitch for almost three months, already having established himself as an undisputed first team choice. Later in the season, he featured in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup final, where Espanyol lost on penalties to fellow Spanish side Sevilla.
Manchester City
2008–2012
In the summer of 2008, Zabaleta transferred to Premier League club Manchester City after rejecting an offer from Juventus. He stated upon joining: "The offer is impossible to reject and not just because of the money ... Juventus also wanted me but I wanted to come to England, and to Manchester." Having passed a medical and agreed personal terms, Zabaleta completed a five-year deal with City on 31 August 2008 for an undisclosed fee, believed to be the buy-out clause Zabaleta had attached to his contract of around £6.45 million. Zabaleta joined a day before Manchester City was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group, led by Sheikh Mansour, which enabled a wealth of investment in the club.
On 13 September 2008, Zabaleta made his debut for Manchester City in a 3–1 defeat to Chelsea at the City of Manchester Stadium. On 5 October, he received his first red card in English football when he was sent off in a 3–2 loss to Liverpool in his fourth Premier League appearance. He scored his first goal for City on 17 January 2009, the only goal of the game in a 1–0 league win over Wigan Athletic.
On 21 November 2010, Zabaleta scored his second Premier League goal in Manchester City's 4–1 win against Fulham. In the same match, he assisted a Carlos Tevez goal, helping his compatriot to earn his ninth goal for the club during the 2010–11 season.
On 1 January 2011, Zabaleta played his 100th game for Manchester City in all competitions, coming off the bench against Blackpool in a 1–0 win at Eastlands. Two weeks later, on 15 January, Zabaleta made his second assist of the season in a 4–3 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. This win meant that City went top of the league above local rivals Manchester United. However, City's title challenge faded with a loss of form in February and March 2011.
On 1 May 2011, Zabaleta scored his second goal of the season in a Premier League match against West Ham United. This secured a 2–1 win for the Citizens and put them seven points ahead of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth place.
On 14 May 2011, Zabaleta appeared as an 88th-minute substitute for Carlos Tevez in the 2011 FA Cup Final as Manchester City beat Stoke City 1–0.
In the summer of 2011, it was reported that Italian club Roma were keen on signing Zabaleta, but Manchester City insisted the player was not for sale and Zabaleta agreed a three-year contract in July 2011. On 1 October 2011, Zabaleta started and played the full 90 minutes at right-back in a 4–0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the Premier League, as regular starter Micah Richards was not available. On 23 October, he was an unused substitute in the convincing 6–1 win over rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, with Richards starting at right-back.
In November 2011, Zabaleta extended his contract with City until the summer of 2015. Zabaleta said: "I'm in a very good team, and I try to do my best for the club, the team and the fans. I didn't think twice, I gave a quick answer because I was so happy to sign." In his first three and a half years at the club, Zabaleta emerged as a cult hero amongst the Manchester City fans, who admire his never-say-die attitude and commitment to the club.
On 30 April 2012, he started and played the full 90 minutes in the right-back slot in a 1–0 victory over rivals Manchester United thanks to a first-half stoppage time header by Vincent Kompany from a corner at the City of Manchester Stadium. Zabaleta broke the deadlock by scoring the first goal in City's dramatic 3–2 win over Queens Park Rangers on the last day of the season, a scoreline which won the club its first league title since 1968. On 9 December 2012, Zabaleta scored a late equalising goal in a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United.
2013–2017
On 1 January 2013, he scored the opening goal in a 3–0 win at the City of Manchester Stadium over Stoke City, doubling his goal tally from the previous season. On 25 January 2013, Zabaleta scored his third goal of the season and the only goal of the match in a 1–0 win away against Stoke City in the FA Cup, fourth round. His goal took Manchester City through to the fifth round.
Zabaleta was voted Manchester City's Player of the Month for both December 2012 and January 2013, and was stand-in captain for the club during Vincent Kompany's injury absence between January and March 2013. He was the only City player to be named in the 2012–13 Premier League PFA Team of the Year. After a superb season, Zabaleta was voted 2012–13 Manchester City Player of the Year.
Zabaleta was sent off in the 2013 FA Cup Final against Wigan Athletic for a second yellow card after a clear foul on Callum McManaman 84 minutes into the match. Wigan went on to win 1–0 through a Ben Watson goal in stoppage time. He was the third player to be sent off in an FA Cup final and first for the losing side.
On 2 March 2014, Zabaleta played the full 90 minutes as Manchester City beat Sunderland 3–1 in the 2014 League Cup Final to complete a full set of major honours in English football. On 21 April, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3–1 defeat of West Bromwich Albion at the City of Manchester Stadium. On 11 May, Zabaleta was part of the victory against West Ham that won Manchester City the Premier League, his second in three seasons.
On 21 September 2014, Zabaleta was sent off for a second yellow card due to a challenge on Chelsea's Diego Costa. Both players received a yellow card, Zabaleta for the initial challenge and Costa for his reaction.
On 21 August 2015, it was announced that Zabaleta was out for a month with knee injury. On 17 January 2016, Zabaleta reached 200 appearances for Manchester City in the club's 4–0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Zabaleta made 32 appearances in all competitions in the 2016–17 season scoring two goals; against Watford in the Premier League and against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup. His final appearance for Manchester City came on 16 May 2017, a 3–1 home win against West Bromwich Albion. After the game he was praised by the City manager, Pep Guardiola, as a "legend". Zabaleta was given a lifetime season ticket for Manchester City and a shirt that read "Zabaleta 333", to mark the number of City appearances he made.
West Ham United
On 26 May 2017, Zabaleta signed for Premier League club West Ham United on a free transfer, agreeing to a two-year contract. He was given number five as his squad number.
On 22 May 2018, Manuel Pellegrini was confirmed as manager of West Ham United, reuniting him with his former manager at Manchester City.
In May 2019, Zabaleta extended his contract with West Ham Until the summer of 2020. On 5 January 2020, Zabaleta scored his only goal for West Ham, in a 2–0 win against Gillingham in the FA Cup third round. On 10 January 2020, in a match against Sheffield United, Zabaleta became the first Argentine, and only the third South American, to record 300 Premier League appearances. In June 2020, West Ham confirmed his departure from the club at the end of the month. Zabaleta played 80 times for West Ham over three seasons, scoring one goal.
International career
At the age of 14, Zabaleta was called up by Hugo Tocalli to the Argentina under-15 squad. He took part in many youth tournaments, including the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003 and 2005, winning the latter in the Netherlands. He received over 75 caps to national youth sides, and started representing the senior side in 2005. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2008 Summer Olympics, starting at right-back and playing all six matches.
After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which Zabaleta was not selected by head coach Diego Maradona, under the new Argentina manager he has established himself as first-choice right-back. On 1 June 2011, Zabaleta captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly against Nigeria.
In June 2014, Zabaleta was named in Argentina's squad for the 2014 World Cup. He made his World Cup debut in Argentina's 2–1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã, playing the full match in defence.
At the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Zabaleta sent in the cross from which his Manchester City teammate Sergio Agüero headed the only goal of the game as Argentina defeated holders Uruguay in their second group match.
Post-retirement career
In June 2018, he worked as a pundit for the BBC's Match of the Day 2018 World Cup coverage from Russia. Zabaleta again worked as a pundit for the BBC and Match of the Day during their coverage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After announcing his retirement from professional football on 16 October 2020, Pablo Zabaleta transitioned into a coaching role. In January 2023, he was appointed as an assistant coach of the Albania national football team, joining the coaching staff under head coach Sylvinho.
He now works for ESPN on their La Liga coverage.
Personal life
Zabaleta is of Spanish Basque descent. He has a tattoo on his chest which bears the name of his mother.
Career statistics
Club
International
Honours
Espanyol
Copa del Rey: 2005–06
Manchester City
Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14
FA Cup: 2010–11; runner-up: 2012–13
Football League Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16
FA Community Shield: 2012
Argentina Youth
FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005
Argentina U23
Summer Olympics: 2008
Argentina
FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014
Copa América runner-up: 2015
Individual
PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 Premier League
Manchester City Player of the Year: 2012–13
Manchester City Player of the Month: January 2009, December 2012, January 2013
FIFPro World XI 5th team: 2013, 2014
References
External links
Pablo Zabaleta at Soccerbase
Manchester City profile
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Kaoru Kuroki
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Kaoru Kuroki.
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Tell me a bio of Kaoru Kuroki.
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Tell me a bio of Kaoru Kuroki within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Kaoru Kuroki with around 100 words.
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Kaoru Kuroki (黒木香, Kuroki Kaoru; born 21 January 1965) is a Japanese former adult video performer and a multi-media personality. Her role as a media counselor expressing outspoken views on sex and society have drawn comparisons to Cicciolina, sex therapist Dr. Ruth, and actress Linda Lovelace.
Life and career
Early life
Kaoru Kuroki (whose stage name translates to "Fragrant Blacktree") was born to a conservative, comfortably middle-class family. The daughter of an engineer, Kuroki was a naturally gifted child and showed artistic talent from an early age. She left public school at the age of 15 to attend art college, and later studied Renaissance art history at Yokohama National University.
While still attending Yokohama National University, Kuroki began appearing in adult videos (AVs), at first considering this to be another form of art. "I wanted to approach it purely as a performance art form, but it turned out to be a lot crazier than that. In fact, if I'd continued to see porno video as art without also acknowledging it as just a fuck film, I wouldn't have gone this far."
She expresses admiration for the films of Nagisa Oshima, Ingmar Bergman, and Bernardo Bertolucci, but, while she continues to view her AV performances as a social mission, she contrasts the AV with film. She says the AV "has a different atmosphere. It's not very sophisticated, in fact it's primitive. It's a bit like eating and menus in restaurants: you're hungry and you have a sudden craving for noodles, so you go and eat noodles. Your appetite is towards a porno video, so you go and rent whatever turns you on. And as with food, viewers can use basic ingredients to 'cook' the desired stimulation from the video themselves."
AV debut
Kuroki's adult video debut was SM Poi no suki (SMぽいの好き), released in October 1986 by the major AV company Crystal-Eizou, under the innovative AV director and former porn actor, Toru Muranishi. Muranishi is credited as one of the creators of the documentary style often emulated in Japanese AVs. Kuroki, sharing Muranishi's opinion that the AV should have a documentary quality, continued to work with him when he left Crystal-Eizou to found his own company, Diamond Visual. Her videos for Muranishi usually began with her seated, sharply dressed, and addressing the camera in an improvised talk on a subject like sexual liberation. This would typically be followed by a modeling segment, either nude or in a swimsuit. The remaining video footage would be taken up with various sexual performances, often involving S&M.
Regarding the sex scenes, Bornoff states, "the peripherals in a Kuroki video are fairly violent stuff. She oscillates between abused sexual slave and the epitome of self-assertion with schizophrenic rapidity. To some, the documentary makes for a jarring experience; the feedback she gets from viewers can be surprising. Some say they almost find her frightening; that they can't get a hard-on."
Kuroki responds, "The men who find my videos frightening often recognize the wilder, more uninhibited side of their own girlfriends. In order to liberate themselves, they must first take off their armour. If a man recognizes Kuroki in his wife or girlfriend, he is forced to strip it off in order to deal with her. That's how I liberate both sexes."
Mainstream breakthrough
Kuroki was engaged in video and magazine appearances typical to being an AV model when she caught the attention of the mainstream media in 1988. Her decision to stop shaving her under-arm hair, as a symbolic protest against Japan's long-standing censorship of the depiction of pubic hair in print or film, gained Kuroki interviews with the mainstream media. Kuroki concedes that her decision to stop shaving her under-arms worked as a gimmick to help set her apart from the mass of AV girls, but considers it also an expression of femininity and identity. Impressed by her ability to speak intelligently and matter-of-factly about subjects normally considered unmentionable, late-night talk shows began inviting Kuroki as a guest. Soon she had become a popular daytime TV panellist, was appearing in commercials, and served as a large department store's campaign girl. While she was popular with her male audience for her AV appearances, she also appealed to a female audience by expressing feminist view on daytime television. In addition to TV talk shows, Kuroki also had a role in the TV Asahi costume drama Shigotonin, Kyōto e Iku Yamiuchinin no Nazo no Shuryō (必殺スペシャル春一番 仕事人、京都へ行く 闇討人の謎の首領！) which was broadcast on March 3, 1989.
Reflecting on her popularity, unprecedented for an AV model up to that time, Kuroki points out that there was a social need for someone like her. "I talk about life as a woman, but with my background, obviously the focus is on sex. I seem to have become a spokeswoman for the too many women who are embarrassed to talk about it."
In 1988 Kuroki visited Italy where she met Cicciolina, whom she regards as sensei. She was pleased to find that many of their opinions coincided, but was surprised by Cicciolina's discomfort with Kuroki's masochistic tendencies and preference for the S&M genre. Kuroki attributes this to cultural and personal differences, and does not feel that S&M equates to submissiveness. Indeed, Fornander points out that Kuroki made AVs in general, and S&M in particular a feminist issue in Japan.
In March 1989, Kuroki teamed with Diamond Visual's new AV star, Kimiko Matsuzaka in the adult video 1107 Millimeter Impression (1107(いいおんな)の感動). Later in 1989, in two entries of Diamond Visual's How to Sex - Sexual Information series of instructional sex videos, Kuroki served as the instructor/lecturer with Matsuzaka performing the physical demonstrations. Kuroki and Matsuzaka were brought together again in Toru Muranishi's December 1990 pink film, Daikyonyuu: Noshikakaru (大巨乳 のしかかる), for Xces.
After Matsuzaka's retirement from AV appearances in 1990, Kuroki also appeared with Matsuzaka at the Akasaka club, "Mirukuhooru" ("Milk Hall").
Retirement and legacy
Kuroki retired from public life in 1994. In a 1994 interview, Kuroki said that she suffered physical violence from Muranishi shortly before her retirement. In the January 2002 issue of the magazine Josei Seven, and the January 2004 issue of Shukan Post, stories and pictures on Kuroki's private life were printed. Kuroki claimed that as an ordinary citizen no longer in the public eye, the magazines needed her permission to print these stories. Kuroki sued the publisher, Shogakukan, for 22 million yen for invasion of privacy. In April 2007, the presiding judge ruled the articles illegal and awarded Kuroki 1.7 million yen (about $14,000). Shogakukan was reportedly considering appealing the decision.
At the height of her popularity, Kuroki's AVs were averaging 17,000 sales a piece, a huge amount by industry standards, exceeding a million dollars. According to Rosemary Iwamura, "Kaoru changed the image of AV girls; she didn't seem to be making videos because of a lack of options but rather as an informed choice." For bringing the AV industry to the attention of mainstream media in Japan, as well as her polite but frank outspokenness on subjects like sex and censorship, Kjell Fornander calls her "the first high-profile AV actress." She permanently changed the way that the AV industry and AV actresses were viewed by the general public in Japan.
Kuroki's life is portrayed in Netflix's show The Naked Director, where she is portrayed by actress Misato Morita.
References
Sources
Adachi, Noriyuki (1992). アダルトな人びと - Adaruto na Hitobito ("Adult" People) (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-205546-5.
Bornoff, Nicholas (1994) [1991]. "Bye-Bye Pink Cinema, Hello Adult Video". Pink Samurai: An Erotic Exploration of Japanese Society; The Pursuit and Politics of Sex in Japan (Paperback ed.). London: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-586-20576-4.
"Ex-porn star wins settlement in Japan". Mainichi Shimbun. April 14, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-31. Alt URL
Fornander, Kjell (July 1992). "A Star is Porn". Tokyo Journal. Archived from the original on 2006-05-16. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
Iwamura, Rosemary (1994). "Letter from Japan: From Girls Who Dress Up Like Boys To Trussed-up Porn Stars - Some of the Contemporary Heroines on the Japanese Screen". Continuum: The Australian Journal of Media & Culture, vol. 7 no. 2. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
"黒木香 (Kuroki Kaoru)" (in Japanese). JMDB. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
"黒木 香 - Kuroki Kaoru" (in Japanese). 'Web I-dic' (Idol Dictionary). Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
"黒木香さんの記事「プライバシー侵害」２２０万賠償命令 (article on privacy suit)" (in Japanese). www.zakzak.co.jp. 2006-05-24. Archived from the original on 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
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G. Venugopal
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about G. Venugopal.
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Tell me a bio of G. Venugopal.
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Tell me a bio of G. Venugopal within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of G. Venugopal with around 100 words.
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Gopinathan Nair Venugopal (born 10 December 1960), popularly known as G. Venugopal, is an Indian playback singer known for his works in Malayalam films. He started his singing career in the film Odaruthammava Aalariyam (1984). Since then he has sung in more than 400 films; and has over 500 private albums to his credit.
Early and personal life
Venugopal was born in Thattathumala, near Kilimanoor. Venugopal is the eldest of the two children of Gopinathan Nair, who hails from Thattathumala and Sarojini, who was the head of the department of music, Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram. K. Sharadamani and K. Radhamani, who were popularly known as Parur sisters, are the maternal aunts of Venugopal. Singers Sujatha Mohan and Radhika Thilak are his cousins and Shweta Mohan is his niece.
Venugopal married Reshmi on 8 April 1990 and they have two children, Arvind and Anupallavi. Arvind is also a playback singer.
Popular works
Television shows
As Judge
TV series
2023: Shyamambaram (Zee Keralam)
Awards
Kerala State Film Awards
1988 - Best Male Playback Singer - Unarumee Gaanam (Moonnam Pakkam)
1990 - Best Male Playback Singer - Thaane Poovitta Moham (Sasneham)
2004 - Best Male Playback Singer - Aadadi Aadaadadi (Ullam)
Kerala Film Critics Association Awards
1987 - Best Male Playback Singer - Onnam Ragam Paadi (Thoovanathumbikal)
1989 - Best Male Playback Singer - Mainaka Ponmudiyil (Mazhavilkavadi)
Asianet Film Awards
2006 - Best Playback Singer (Male) - Kainiraye (Baba Kalyani)
2022 - Janmashtami Award by Balagokulam for Contributions in Art and Culture of Kairali. The youngest to get this award.
References
External links
Official website
Songs on Sand: G. Venugopal's blog Archived 10 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
Latest Devi Devotional from G. Venugopal
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Lionel Messi
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Lionel Messi.
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Tell me a bio of Lionel Messi.
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Tell me a bio of Lionel Messi within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Lionel Messi with around 100 words.
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Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾes ˈmesi] ; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballons d'Or, six European Golden Shoes, and eight times being named the world's best player by FIFA. He is the most decorated player in the history of professional football having won 45 team trophies. Messi's records include most goals in a calendar year (91), most goals for a single club (672 for Barcelona), most goals in La Liga (474), most goal contributions in the FIFA World Cup (21), and most goal contributions in the Copa América (32). A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi has scored over 870 senior career goals and has provided over 380 assists for club and country.
Messi made his competitive debut for Barcelona at age 17 in October 2004. He gradually established himself as an integral player for the club, and during his first uninterrupted season at age 22 in 2008–09 he helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football. This resulted in Messi winning the first of four consecutive Ballon d'Ors, and by the 2011–12 season he set the European record for most goals in a season and established himself as Barcelona's all-time top scorer. During the 2014–15 campaign, where he became the all-time top scorer in La Liga, he led Barcelona to a historic second treble, leading to a fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. He assumed Barcelona's captaincy in 2018 and won a record sixth Ballon d'Or in 2019. At Barcelona, Messi won a club-record 34 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues, among others. Financial difficulties at Barcelona led to Messi signing with French club Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, where he won the Ligue 1 title during both of his seasons there. He joined MLS club Inter Miami in July 2023.
An Argentine international, Messi is the national team's all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player. Several years after his senior debut in 2005, he won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Assuming captaincy in 2011, he led Argentina to three consecutive finals in the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario, all of which they would lose. After initially announcing his international retirement in 2016, he returned to help his country narrowly qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Messi was central to ending Argentina's 28-year trophy drought by winning the 2021 Copa América, which helped him secure his seventh Ballon d'Or that year. In the following year, he led Argentina to winning the 2022 World Cup, the country's first in 36 years. This followed with a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023. Messi was victorious at the 2024 Copa América, his third major international title.
Messi has endorsed sportswear company Adidas since 2006. According to France Football, he was the world's highest-paid footballer for five years out of six between 2009 and 2014, and was ranked the world's highest-paid athlete by Forbes in 2019 and 2022. Messi was among Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2023. In 2020 and 2023, he was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, the first team-sport athlete to win it. In 2020, Messi was named to the Ballon d'Or Dream Team and became the second footballer and second team-sport athlete to surpass $1 billion in career earnings. Following his arrival and impact on football in the US, Messi was named Time's Athlete of the Year in 2023, and was bestowed with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US president Joe Biden in 2025.
Early life
Messi was born on 24 June 1987 in Rosario, Santa Fe Province. He was the third of four children of Jorge Messi, a steel factory manager, and his wife Celia Cuccittini, who worked in a magnet manufacturing workshop. On his father's side, he is of Italian and Spanish descent, the great-grandson of immigrants from the north-central Adriatic Marche region of Italy, and on his mother's side, he has primarily Italian ancestry. Growing up in a tight-knit, football-loving family, "Leo" developed a passion for the sport from an early age, playing constantly with his older brothers, Rodrigo and Matías, and his cousins, Maximiliano and Emanuel Biancucchi, both of whom became professional footballers.
At the age of four he joined local club Grandoli, where he was coached by his father. Another early influence came from his maternal grandmother, Celia, who accompanied him to training and matches. He was greatly affected by her death, shortly before his eleventh birthday. Since then, as a devout Catholic, he has celebrated his goals by looking up and pointing to the sky in tribute to his grandmother.
Youth career
Newell's Old Boys
Messi is a lifelong supporter of Newell's Old Boys, based in Rosario. When he was seven years old, he first started playing for Newell's. During the six years he played for them, he scored almost 500 goals, and was a member of "The Machine of '87", a nearly unbeatable youth side named for the year of their birth. Messi would regularly entertain crowds by performing ball tricks during half-time, when the first team played home games. His goalscoring idol growing up was Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who Messi called "the best forward I've ever seen".
His future as a professional player was threatened when, aged 10, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency. He began growth hormone therapy at age 11, however his father's health insurance covered only two years of the therapy, which cost at least 1,000 pesos per month. Newell's agreed to contribute, but later reneged on their promise. He was scouted by Buenos Aires club River Plate, whose playmaker Pablo Aimar he idolised. It was speculated for a time that he failed to sign with River Plate due to his ill health; however, in a 2019 interview, Messi revealed that River Plate had wanted to sign him after he scored four goals at a trial, and even offered to pay for his medical treatment, however Newell's refused to release his player card, preventing the transfer.
Barcelona
As the Messi family had relatives in Catalonia, they sought to arrange a trial with Barcelona in September 2000. First-team director Carles Rexach immediately wanted to sign him, but the board of directors hesitated; at the time it was highly unusual for European clubs to sign foreign players of such a young age. On 14 December, an ultimatum was issued for Barcelona to prove their commitment, and Rexach, with no other paper at hand, offered a contract on a paper napkin. In February 2001, the family relocated to Barcelona, where they moved into an apartment near the club's stadium, Camp Nou. During his first year in Spain, Messi rarely played with the Infantiles due to a transfer conflict with Newell's; as a foreigner, he could only be fielded in friendlies and the Catalan league. Without football, he struggled to integrate into the team. He was reserved by nature, and was so quiet that some of his teammates initially believed he was mute. At home, he suffered from homesickness after his mother moved back to Rosario with his brothers and younger sister, María Sol, while he stayed in Barcelona with his father.
After a year at Barcelona's youth academy, La Masia, Messi was finally enrolled in the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in February 2002. Now he could play in all competitions, and quickly befriended his teammates, among whom were Cesc Fàbregas and Gerard Piqué. After completing his growth hormone therapy at 14, Messi became an integral part of the "Baby Dream Team", Barcelona's greatest-ever youth side. During his first full season (2002–03), he was top scorer with 36 goals in 30 games for the Cadetes A, who won an unprecedented treble of the league, the Spanish cup, and the Copa Catalunya. In the Copa Catalunya final, their 4–1 victory over Espanyol became referred to in club lore as the partido de la máscara, the final of the mask. A week after suffering a broken cheekbone during a league match, Messi was allowed to start the game on the condition that he wear a plastic protector; soon hindered by the mask, he took it off and scored two goals in 10 minutes before his substitution. At the close of the season, he received an offer to join Arsenal, his first from a foreign club. Although Fàbregas and Piqué soon left for England with their own offers, Messi chose to remain in Barcelona.
Messi continued to progress through his club's ranks at a rapid pace, debuting for four youth teams during the 2003–04 season. After being named player of the tournament in four separate international pre-season competitions with the Juvenil B, he played only one official match with the team before being promoted to the Juvenil A. In the Juvenil A he scored 18 goals in 11 league games. Messi was then one of several youth players called up to strengthen a depleted first team during the international break. French winger Ludovic Giuly explained that Messi caught everyone's attention in a training session with Frank Rijkaard's first team: "He destroyed us all... They were kicking him all over the place to avoid being ridiculed by this kid, he just got up and kept on playing. He would dribble past four players and score a goal. Even the team's starting centre-backs were nervous. He was an alien."
At 16 years, four months, and 23 days old, Messi made his first-team debut when he came on in the 75th minute during a friendly against José Mourinho's Porto on 16 November 2003. His performance, creating two chances and a shot on goal, impressed the technical staff, and he subsequently began training daily with the club's reserve side, Barcelona B, as well as weekly with the first team. After his first training session with the senior squad, Barça's new star player, Ronaldinho, told his teammates that he believed the 16-year-old would become an even better player than himself. Ronaldinho soon befriended Messi, whom he called "little brother". This greatly eased Messi's transition into the first team.
To gain further match experience, Messi joined Barcelona C in addition to the Juvenil A, playing his first game for the third team on 29 November. He helped save them from the relegation zone of the Tercera División, scoring five goals in ten games, including a hat-trick in eight minutes during a Copa del Rey match while man-marked by Sevilla's Sergio Ramos. His progress was reflected in his first professional contract, signed on 4 February 2004, which lasted until 2012 and contained an initial buyout clause of €30 million. A month later, on 6 March, he made his debut for Barcelona B in the Segunda División B, and his buyout clause automatically increased to €80 million. He played five games with the B team that season but did not score. Physically he was weaker than his opponents, who were often much older and taller, and in training he worked on increasing his muscle mass and overall strength in order to be able to shake off defenders. Towards the end of the season, he returned to both youth teams, helping the Juvenil B win the league. He finished the campaign having scored goals for four of his five teams, with a total of 36 goals in all official competitions.
Club career
Barcelona
2004–2008: Rise to the first team
Messi began the 2004–05 season as a guaranteed starter for the Barcelona B team, but after some lobbying by the senior players, he was promoted to the first team by manager Frank Rijkaard. He made his La Liga debut for Barcelona on 16 October 2004 against Espanyol, and scored his first senior goal on 1 May 2005 against Albacete, from an assist by Ronaldinho, becoming at that time the youngest-ever scorer for the club. At 17 years, three months, and 22 days old, he was at the time the youngest player to represent Barcelona in an official competition, and the club won the league title during that season.
On his 18th birthday, he signed his first contract as a senior team player, a five-year contract through 2010 with a release clause of €150 million. Three months later, as his performance continued to make waves, his contract was updated to a nine-year contract, doubling his salary and keeping him at the club until 2014.
Barcelona began the 2005–06 season by winning the Supercopa de España without Messi, who was not selected to participate in the competition. By the end of the season, the team won La Liga again as well as the UEFA Champions League, although Messi did not play in the final for the latter due to injury.
During the 2006–07 season, Messi scored his first hat-trick in a Clásico against Real Madrid, the first player to do so in 12 years. An incredibly finesse goal from Messi against Getafe and another goal scored by a handball against Espanyol gained notice for their similarities to the two famous goals scored by fellow Argentine Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup match against England, drawing comparisons between the two that Messi would face throughout his career. The team finished the season with only one trophy – the 2006 Supercopa de España.
Barcelona finished the next 2007–08 season trophyless, leading to Rijkaard's departure.
2008–2012: Success under Pep Guardiola
At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, his first under Barcelona's new manager, former captain Pep Guardiola, Messi was given the number 10 shirt. Over time, he effectively became the tactical focal point of Guardiola's possession-based system, increasing his goalscoring rate as a result. During that season, Messi scored 38 total goals, and alongside Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry, contributed to a total of 100 goals in all competitions, a record at the time for the club. Messi played as a false nine for the first time in a Clásico against Real Madrid, setting up his side's first goal and scoring twice in the team's greatest-ever score at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. He played his first final, winning the Copa del Rey. In addition, Barcelona won the La Liga title and later won the Champions League, thus achieving the first treble in the history of Spanish football.
During the first half of the 2009–10 season, Barcelona would also win the Supercopa de España, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, resulting in becoming the first club to achieve the sextuple. Messi finished as the Champions League top scorer, the youngest in the tournament's history. For his efforts in 2009, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Messi scored a total of 47 goals in all competitions, equaling Ronaldo's club record from the 1996–97 campaign. He finished the season as top scorer in the Champions League, and La Liga, winning his second consecutive league trophy and earned his first European Golden Shoe. After the team won the Champions League, he signed a new 7-year contract through 2016.
In the 2010–11 campaign, Messi won the Supercopa de España, Champions League, and a third consecutive La Liga title. His club performances in 2010 earned him his second consecutive Ballon d'Or. Messi was the top scorer in the Champions League, for the third consecutive year, and the league's top scorer and assist provider. He became Barcelona's all-time single-season top scorer with 53 goals.
Messi began the 2011–12 season winning both the Spanish and European Super Cups trophies. At the close of the year, he won the FIFA Club World Cup and earned the Golden Ball for a second time. For his efforts in 2011, he received the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming only the fourth player in history to win the Ballon d'Or three times, and the inaugural UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. During the year 2012, Messi became the second player to be top scorer in four Champions League campaigns. Messi became the top goalscorer in Barcelona's history at 24 years old, overtaking the 57-year record of César Rodríguez's 232 goals with a hat-trick against Granada. He finished the season as league top scorer in Spain and Europe for a second time, with 50 goals, a La Liga record, while his 73 goals in all competitions made him the single-season top scorer in the history of European club football excluding regional and local competitions. The team would also win the Copa del Rey that season, their 14th trophy under Guardiola, who resigned following the season after a four-year cycle of success.
2012–2014: Record-breaking year and Messidependencia
For the start of the 2012–13 season, Barcelona had virtually secured their La Liga title by the start of 2013. A double scored against Real Betis saw Messi becoming Barcelona's all-time top scorer in La Liga, and surpassed Gerd Müller's record of most goals scored in a calendar year; Messi would score a record 91 goals in all competitions for Barcelona and Argentina throughout 2012. Messi again won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player in history to win the Ballon d'Or four times. He signed a new contract committing himself to the club through 2018, and wore the captain's armband for the first time in a league match against Rayo Vallecano. The team would win La Liga again that year, Messi's sixth, equalling Real Madrid's 100-point record of the previous season. With 60 goals in all competitions, including 46 goals in La Liga, he finished the campaign as league top scorer in Spain and Europe for the second consecutive year, becoming the first player in history to win the European Golden Shoe three times.
Messi's overall input into the team's attack had increased significantly. Whereas he contributed to 24% of the team's goals in their treble-winning campaign in 2008–09, this number rose to more than 40% by the end of the 2012–13 season. These statistics, as well as lopsided losses in the Champions League where Messi was unfit, gave credence to the notion of Messidependencia, Barcelona's perceived tactical and psychological dependence on their star player.
To offset the load on Messi, Barcelona would sign Brazilian forward Neymar from Santos before the 2013–14 season. The team would win the Supercopa de España at the beginning of the season. Messi finished the campaign with his worst output in five seasons, though he still managed to score 41 goals in all competitions. For the first time in five years, Barcelona ended the season without a major trophy.
2014–2017: Arrival of Luis Enrique and birth of MSN
Barcelona hired coach Luis Enrique before the 2014–15 season, and would continue to aid Messi in the attack by signing Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez, who had won the European Golden Shoe the year before at Liverpool. Luis Enrique's system would feature quick transitions from defense to attack, led by the front three of Messi, Suárez and Neymar. The attacking trio, which colloquially became known as 'MSN', would break goalscoring records. A hat-trick scored against Sevilla earlier in the season would also make him the all-time top scorer in La Liga, as he surpassed the 59-year record of 251 league goals held by Telmo Zarra. After securing the La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League that year, Messi helped Barcelona become the first club to win the continental treble twice. He would record 58 goals, but combined with Neymar and Suárez, the attacking trio scored a total of 122 goals in all competitions that season, a record in Spanish football.
Messi opened the 2015–16 season by helping Barcelona's win over Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup. Messi capped off the year by winning the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup final over River Plate in Yokohama, collecting his fifth club trophy of the calendar year. On 11 January 2016, Messi won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for a record fifth time in his career. He would end the season by winning La Liga as well as the Copa del Rey again. In total, Messi scored 41 goals, and Barcelona's attacking trio of him, Neymar and Suárez managed a Spanish record of 131 combined goals throughout the season, breaking the record they had set the previous season.
The 2016–17 season would end with Messi winning the Supercopa de España and the Copa del Rey. He would finish the season with 54 goals, while his 37 goals in La Liga saw him claim both the Pichichi and European Golden Boot Awards for the fourth time in his career. Messi, Neymar and Suárez would combine for 110 goals by season's end. Neymar would depart for Paris Saint Germain the next year, leaving the attacking trio with a combined total of 363 goals over the course of three seasons. Luis Enrique would also leave Barcelona at the end of the season after managing the club to a total of nine trophies during his three-year tenure.
2017–2021: Final years at Barcelona
Messi would sign a new deal with Barcelona on 25 November 2017, his ninth contract with the club, keeping him with the club through 2021. The 2017–18 season saw Messi achieving the domestic double, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey once again. He once again finished the season as the top scorer in La Liga, with 34 goals, which also saw him win his fifth European Golden Shoe award. With the departure of former captain Andrés Iniesta in May 2018, Messi was named the team's new captain for the 2018–19 season. He lifted his first trophy as Barcelona's captain, the Supercopa de España, following a 2–1 victory over Sevilla. He helped Barcelona clinch the La Liga title, his tenth but first as captain. With 36 goals in 34 appearances that season, he won his sixth league Golden Boot trophy, equalling Zarra as the player with the most top-scorer awards in La Liga. He also captured his sixth Golden Shoe award, and a record third consecutive award since the 2016–17 season.
Messi would win his sixth Ballon d'Or, but the subsequent 2019–20 season saw Barcelona go trophyless for the first time since 2007–08. Following a disappointing season, Barcelona announced that Messi sent the club "a document expressing his desire to leave", but Messi ultimately decided to fulfill the final year of his contract. The 2020–21 season saw Messi surpass Xavi's record to reach a club record of 768 appearances. He would lead the club to victory in the 2021 Copa del Rey final. His last two seasons with Barcelona saw him lead La Liga in goal scoring, giving him a record-breaking total of eight Pichichi trophies.
Messi became a free agent after his contract expired, with negotiations on a new deal complicated due to Barcelona's financial issues. Barcelona would eventually announce that Messi would not be staying at the club, citing financial and structural obstacles posed by La Liga regulations as a reason for Messi's departure. In a tearful press conference held at the Camp Nou, Messi confirmed that he would be leaving Barcelona.
Paris Saint-Germain
On 10 August 2021, Messi joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), reuniting him with Neymar, for the 2021–22 season on a two-year deal until June 2023 with an option for an extra year. Messi chose 30 as his squad number, the same he wore as a teenager when he made his senior debut for Barcelona. He would make his debut with the club against Reims, made his first start and Champions League debut for the club against Club Brugge, and made his home debut in a match against Lyon He scored his first goal for the club in a Champions League group stage win over former manager Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Having scored 40 goals at club and international level for the calendar year in addition to captaining Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, Messi received a record seventh Ballon d'Or. He finished his debut season with PSG with 11 goals and 14 assists across all competitions, helping the club win their 10th Ligue 1 title.
Beginning the 2022–23 season, Messi would win his second trophy with PSG in the Trophée des Champions. A goal against Nice resulted in him surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo as the all-time highest goalscorer in European club football with 702 goals; during the match, he also achieved 1,000 career direct goal contributions at club level. By the end of the season, he had 21 goals across all competitors and the highest number of assists in the league with 16, which helped PSG clinch their 11th Ligue 1 title and his second in a row. Following the last game of the season, manager Christophe Galtier confirmed that it would be Messi's last for PSG, with the club confirming his departure two days later.
Inter Miami
Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami CF announced the signing of Messi on a two-and-a-half-year contract on 15 July 2023. Messi made his 2023 debut for the club in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul, scoring with a free-kick in stoppage time for a victory. DeAndre Yedlin, the previous captain of Inter Miami, gave his armband to Messi, who took over as team captain. Messi's arrival in the US was praised as a revelation, on and off the pitch, and his presence was credited for helping to raise the profile of MLS within the US and abroad. According to Goal, "Every game that he graces sparks a scramble for tickets, with plenty of A-list guests eager to watch him in action". The frenzy over his arrival was dubbed "Messimania", and Inter Miami's No. 10 Messi jersey became the best-selling jersey in the league, and nearly the world.
After scoring nine goals in his first six games for Miami, Messi led the team to the club's first-ever trophy, as it won the Leagues Cup final against Nashville SC. Messi made his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls. Miami would miss the playoffs, finishing 14th in the Eastern Conference, having gone winless in their last seven games. On 30 October 2023, following his World Cup win with Argentina and Ligue 1 trophy with PSG, Messi was awarded a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or. He was also named Time Athlete of the Year, the first footballer ever to win the award.
During the 2024 season, Messi broke the record for the most assists in a single MLS game with five assists, and broke the record for the most goal contributions in an MLS game with six, in a 6–2 win over the New York Red Bulls. On 2 October, Messi scored a brace in a 3–2 win over the Columbus Crew, clinching the Supporters' Shield, his 46th trophy. In the final game of the regular season on 19 October against the New England Revolution, Messi scored his first hat-trick for the club in a 6–2 victory. Inter Miami's victory over the Revolution also allowed the club to finish with 74 points throughout the regular season, a league record for MLS. He would finish the regular season with 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches. In doing so, he became Inter Miami's all-time top goalscorer.
Miami made its first postseason appearance in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs but were eliminated in the first round after losing two games against Atlanta United. Messi would have his first postseason goal in the third game, a 3–2 loss. He would be named the MLS Most Valuable Player following the conclusion of the regular season.
During the 2025 season, Messi became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in league history. He was featured in a Super Bowl ad by Apple TV for their exclusive MLS coverage. In April he was reported to be negotiating a one-year contract extension to the end of the 2026 season, after the opening of the new Miami stadium.
International career
As a dual Argentine-Spanish national, Messi was eligible to play for the national team of both countries. He debuted for Argentina in 2004 for Argentina's U20 team against Paraguay, and was subsequently included in the squad for the 2005 South American U-20 Championship, where they would finish third. Messi would then lead the team to victory in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, his first success with Argentina. Finishing the tournament with six goals and two assists, he would also win the Golden Ball.
Messi would make his debut with the senior national team in 2005, at age 18, coming off the bench in a friendly against Hungary. Messi would have his first start in 2006 against Peru, and would score his first international goal in a friendly against Croatia. His World Cup debut came in the 2006 FIFA World Cup as a substitute in the 74th minute against Serbia and Montenegro, assisting one goal and scoring the final one in their victory. This made him the youngest player to represent and score for Argentina in the World Cup. He would represent Argentina again for the 2007 Copa América, where they would ultimately lose in the final. Messi was named the best young player of the tournament, having scored two goals and provided one assist. The 2008 Summer Olympics would mark another major achievement with his country, as he led Argentina's U23 team to claim the Olympic gold medal over Nigeria. Messi registered two goals and three assists throughout, and was singled out by FIFA as the stand-out player from the tournament's best team.
With the international retirement of Juan Román Riquelme, Messi was given Argentina's number 10 shirt. During a 2010 FIFA World Cup group stage match against Greece, where a majority of the starters rested due to a secured place in the knockout rounds, Messi would wear the captain's armband for the first time. Argentina were ultimately eliminated in the quarter-final against Germany, but Messi was identified as one of the tournament's 10 best players due to his pace and creativity, despite failing to register a single goal and only having one assist. Ahead of the 2011 Copa América, Argentina began building their team around Messi. However, Messi would again be goalless during the tournament but had three assists. The team would ultimately lose to Uruguay on penalties during the quarter-final.
Following their unsuccessful performance, a 24-year-old Messi would be awarded the captaincy of the squad. The next several years saw many frustrations for Messi due to his inability to lead Argentina to win an international trophy. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Messi and Argentina lost to Germany in the final, though Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament regardless due to his overall performance with four goals and an assist. Argentina would lose to Chile on penalties in the 2015 Copa América final the next year. At the close of the tournament, Messi was reportedly selected to receive the Golden Ball award, having scored one goal and provided three assists, but he rejected the honour. In the 2016 Copa América Centenario semi-final against the United States, a goal from Messi would put him ahead of Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer in international matches. However, Argentina would again fall to Chile on penalties in the final. Messi would have five goals and four assists throughout the tournament.
Losing three consecutive finals in three consecutive years caused Messi to retire from international football, but a nationwide campaign in Argentina helped convince him to reverse his decision. He would return to the national team to lead them to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Argentina were in jeopardy of missing the tournament on the last game of the qualifiers against Ecuador, but a hat-trick from Messi dramatically secured their entry. They would go on to lose to France in the round of 16 during the World Cup, with Messi having one goal and two assists in the tournament. The next year, Messi would again represent Argentina in the 2019 Copa América, where he registered only a single goal and assist. They would lose to hosts Brazil in the semi-final but ended with a third-place finish after defeating Chile. Despite not winning the tournament, this victory would mark the beginning of a 36-game unbeaten streak for Argentina that would last for over three years.
Messi would finally end Argentina's 28-year trophy drought in the 2021 Copa América, as they had not won an international tournament since 1993. During a group stage match against Bolivia, he surpassed Javier Mascherano to become Argentina's most-capped player. Argentina defeated Brazil in the final, and Messi was named the player of the tournament having been directly involved in nine out of the 12 goals scored by Argentina, scoring four of them and assisting five. He captained Argentina to win another international trophy in the 2022 Finalissima against UEFA Euro 2020 winners Italy, where he was named player of the match after providing two assists. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Messi led Argentina to its first World Cup victory in 36 years, scoring twice in the final to defeat France. Having scored seven goals and assisted three during the tournament, Messi would again win the Golden Ball, becoming the first player to win it twice. His appearance in the final also set new records for the most appearances (26) and direct goal contributions (21 – 13 goals and 8 assists) at the World Cup.
A hat-trick in a 2023 friendly against Curaçao saw Messi reach 100 international goals, the third player and the first South American in history to achieve this milestone. Later that year, a brace against Peru resulted in Messi becoming the all-time top goalscorer in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers. During the 2024 Copa América semi-final against Canada, Messi scored his first and only goal of the tournament which also made him the second-highest international goalscorer of all time. Argentina eventually won the final against Colombia for their second consecutive Copa América title, with Messi contributing one goal and one assist overall while also setting a new record for most appearances (39) at Copa América.
Player profile
Style of play
Due to his short stature, Messi has a lower centre of gravity than taller players, which gives him greater agility, allowing him to change direction more quickly and evade opposing tackles; this has led the Spanish media to dub him La Pulga Atómica ("The Atomic Flea"). Despite being physically unimposing, he possesses significant upper-body strength, which, combined with his low centre of gravity and resulting balance, aids him in withstanding physical challenges from opponents; he has consequently been noted for his lack of diving in a sport rife with playacting. His short, strong legs allow him to excel in short bursts of acceleration while his quick feet enable him to retain control of the ball when dribbling at speed. His former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola once stated, "Messi is the only player that runs faster with the ball than he does without it." Although he has improved his ability with his weaker foot since his mid-20s, Messi is predominantly a left-footed player; with the outside of his left foot, he usually begins dribbling runs, while he uses the inside of his foot to finish and provide passes and assists.
A prolific goalscorer, Messi is known for his finishing, positioning, quick reactions, and ability to make attacking runs to beat the defensive line. He also functions in a playmaking role, courtesy of his vision and range of passing. He has often been described as a magician; a conjurer, creating goals and opportunities where seemingly none exist. Moreover, he is an accurate free kick and penalty kick taker. As of July 2025, Messi ranks third all time in goals scored from direct free kicks with 69, the most among active players. He also has a penchant for scoring from chips.
Messi's pace and technical ability enable him to undertake individual dribbling runs towards goal, in particular during counterattacks, usually starting from the halfway line or the right side of the pitch. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest dribblers of all time. With regard to this ability, his former Argentina manager Diego Maradona has said of him, "The ball stays glued to his foot; I've seen great players in my career, but I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control." Beyond his individual qualities, he is also a well-rounded, hard-working team player, known for his creative combinations, in particular with former Barcelona midfielders Xavi and Andrés Iniesta.
As his career advanced, and his athleticism and tendency to dribble diminished slightly with age, Messi began to dictate play in deeper areas of the pitch and developed into one of the best passers and playmakers in football history. His work-rate off the ball and defensive responsibilities also decreased as his career progressed; by covering less ground on the pitch, and instead conserving his energy for short bursts of speed, he was able to improve his efficiency, movement, and positional play, and was also able to avoid muscular injuries, despite often playing a large number of matches throughout a particular season on a consistent basis. Indeed, while he was injury-prone in his early career, he was later able to improve his injury record by running less off the ball, and by adopting a stricter diet, training regime, and sleep schedule.
Tactical positioning
Tactically, Messi plays in a free attacking role; a versatile player, he is capable of attacking on either wing or through the centre of the pitch. His favoured position in childhood was the playmaker behind two strikers, known as the enganche in Argentine football, but he began his career in Spain as a left-winger or left-sided forward. Upon his first-team debut, he was moved onto the right wing by manager Frank Rijkaard; from this position, he could more easily cut through the defence into the middle of the pitch and curl shots on goal with his left foot, rather than predominantly cross balls for teammates. Under Guardiola and subsequent managers, he most often played in a false nine role; positioned as a centre-forward or lone striker, he would roam the centre, often moving deep into midfield and drawing defenders with him, in order to create and exploit spaces for passes, other teammates' attacking runs off the ball, Messi's own dribbling runs, or combinations with Xavi and Iniesta.
Under the stewardship of Luis Enrique, Messi initially returned to playing in the right-sided position that characterised much of his early career in the manager's 4–3–3 formation, while he was increasingly deployed in a deeper, free playmaking role in later seasons. Under manager Ernesto Valverde, Messi played in a variety of roles. While he occasionally continued to be deployed in a deeper role, from which he could make runs from behind into the box, or even on the right wing or as a false nine, he was also used in a more offensive, central role in a 4–2–3–1, or as a second striker in a 4–4–2 formation, where he was once again given the licence to drop deep, link-up with midfielders, orchestrate his team's attacking plays, and create chances for his attacking partner Luis Suárez. With the Argentina national team, Messi has similarly played anywhere along the frontline. Under various managers, he has been employed on the right wing, as a false nine, as an out-and-out striker, in a supporting role alongside another forward, or in a deeper, free creative role as a classic number 10 playmaker or attacking midfielder behind the strikers.
Reception
Messi is widely regarded as one of the two best players of his generation, alongside Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo. He is also considered one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport.
A prodigious talent as a teenager, Messi established himself among the world's best players before age 20. Shortly after teammate Ronaldinho won the 2005 Ballon d'Or, he commented, "I'm not even the best at Barça" in reference to his 18-year-old protégé. Four years later, after Messi won his first Ballon d'Or by a record margin, the public debate regarding his qualities as a player moved beyond his status in contemporary football to the possibility that he was one of the greatest players in history. An early proponent was his then-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who, as early as August 2009, declared Messi to be the best player he had ever seen. In the following years, this opinion gained greater acceptance among pundits, managers, former and current players. By the end of Barça's second treble-winning season, the view of Messi as one of the greatest footballers of all time had become the apparent view among many fans and pundits in continental Europe.
Messi would receive dismissals by critics throughout his career based on the fact that he had not won an international tournament at senior level with Argentina. However, his subsequent victories in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup resulted in him finally winning every top tier trophy at both the club and country levels, an achievement that many pundits felt cemented Messi's legacy.
Comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo
Among his contemporary peers, Messi is most often compared and contrasted with Cristiano Ronaldo, who many consider his career rival. Both achieved numerous individual accolades, won dozens of trophies for both club and country, and are the two leading goal scorers in history. Although Messi has at times denied any rivalry, they are widely believed to push one another in their aim to be the best player in the world. Pundits have compared the ongoing rivalry to past sports rivalries like the Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier rivalry in boxing, the Prost–Senna rivalry in motorsport, and the tennis rivalries between Federer–Nadal and Borg–McEnroe.
Fans and pundits alike regularly argue the individual merits of both players. Messi is lauded for his combination of dribbling, playmaking, passing and goalscoring, while Ronaldo has received praise for his exceptional speed and athleticism, goalscoring skills, and performance under pressure. Beyond their playing styles, the debate also revolves around their differing physiques – Ronaldo is 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) with a muscular build, compared to Messi's smaller size – and contrasting public personalities with Ronaldo's self-confidence and theatrics a foil to Messi's humility. Regarding individual achievements, Messi has won eight Ballons d'Or to Ronaldo's five, eight FIFA World's Best Player awards to Ronaldo's five, and six European Golden Shoes to Ronaldo's four. Off the pitch, Ronaldo is his direct competitor in terms of salary, sponsorships, and social media fanbase.
Messi's head-to-head record against teams that feature Ronaldo consists of 15 wins, 9 draws, and 10 losses in competitive club matches, one win and loss each in international friendlies, and one win in a club friendly. The first competitive matchup between the two occurred in 2008, when Ronaldo's Manchester United were drawn to play Messi's Barcelona in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where Ronaldo and Manchester United would eventually advance 1–0 on aggregate, and go on to win the final. The two players and their teams would meet again in the next year's Champions League, this time in the final, with Messi and Barcelona emerging as the victors after a 2–0 result. After this, Ronaldo would transfer to Real Madrid, the main rivals of Barcelona, and from 2009–10 to 2017–18, Messi faced Ronaldo at least twice every season in El Clásico, which ranks among the world's most viewed annual sports events. Ronaldo's would then transfer to Juventus in the summer of 2018; their final matchup in a competitive match would occur during a 2020–21 UEFA Champions League group stage match, where Ronaldo's two goals from the penalty spot helped Juventus to a 3–0 victory against Messi's Barcelona. After Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus, Messi stated: "I miss Cristiano. Although it was a bit difficult to see him win trophies, he gave La Liga prestige."
Following Messi leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup, a number of football critics, commentators, and players have opined that Messi settled the debate between the two players. Ronaldo himself declared a year later that his rivalry with Messi was over and "gone", after 36 official fixtures and 15 years of "sharing the stage".
Comparisons with Diego Maradona
Throughout his career, Messi has been compared with his compatriot Diego Maradona, who was also considered the best player of his generation and one of greatest in the history of the sport. This was due to their short statures, their similar playing styles as diminutive, left-footed playmakers, and the fact that they both came from Argentina. Initially, Messi was merely one of many young Argentine players to receive the "New Maradona" moniker, but as his career progressed, Messi proved his similarity beyond all previous contenders, establishing himself as the best player Argentina had produced since Maradona. Even when Messi was 18 years old, Maradona called him the best player in the world and hailed him as his successor. Messi and Maradona would work together as player and manager for Argentina's national side from 2008 through the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the latter thoroughly impressed with the former's skills. It was during this period that Messi was given Argentina's number 10 shirt that Maradona famously wore. Maradona gave Messi his blessing, telling him: "the No 10 is yours. There's nobody better than you to wear it."
During the early and middle parts of his career, Messi was generally held in lesser esteem than Maradona in Argentine society. Part of this had to do with Messi's lack of tournament success and perceived uneven output with the national team during this period – Maradona had famously led Argentina to victory in the 1986 FIFA World Cup with a dominant overall performance, which set expectations for Messi to do the same. Also unlike Maradona, Messi never played in the Argentine Primera División, therefore depriving his countrymen a chance to watch him develop and prove himself, and through no fault of his own would do this overseas in La Liga instead. Argentines also identified more with the fiery, extroverted and controversial Maradona who came from the slums, character traits that they felt aligned with their national values, as opposed to the reserved, introverted and unassuming Messi who had a comparably unremarkable upbringing in Rosario. Several pundits, footballing figures, and Maradona himself would point to this temperament to question Messi's leadership capabilities for the national team. Furthermore, Messi's lack of outward passion for the Albiceleste shirt, early tendency not to sing the national anthem, and disinclination to emotional displays have in the past led to the false perception that he felt more Catalan rather than truly Argentine. However, despite having lived in Barcelona since age 13, Messi rejected the option of representing Spain internationally, saying: "Argentina is my country, my family, my way of expressing myself. I would change all my records to make the people in my country happy."
Football journalist Tim Vickery stated the perception of Messi among Argentines changed in 2019, with Messi making a conscious effort to become "more one of the group, more Argentine". Other pundits noted that Messi had grown more assertive as a leader during the 2019 Copa América by becoming more vocal with his teammates both on and off the pitch, finally singing the national anthem with the team before matches, and speaking with journalists at length after matches, the latter of which he rarely did for Barcelona. Following the 2022 World Cup win for Messi and Argentina, Vickery felt that Messi would now be held in the same esteem by his compatriots as Maradona. Former footballer turned journalist Jorge Valdano said he saw a "Maradonian" edge to Messi's performances during the tournament, while compatriot Osvaldo Ardiles mentioned that Messi's provoking actions against the Netherlands side during the quarter-final were "more of a Maradona reaction," further endearing Messi to his countrymen. Messi himself later remarked that the World Cup victory "won over all the people of Argentina. Today 95% or 100% of Argentines love me and that's a beautiful feeling."
In popular culture
Popularity
Messi was among the Time 100, an annual list of the world's most influential people, in 2011, 2012 and 2023. According to a 2014 survey in 15 international markets, Messi was familiar to 87% of respondents around the world, of whom 78% perceived him favourably, making him the second-most recognised player globally, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, and the most likable of all contemporary players. World Press Photo selected "The Final Game", a photo of Messi facing the World Cup trophy after Argentina's final defeat to Germany, as the best sports image of 2014. On his economic impact on the city in which he plays, Terry Gibson called him a "tourist attraction".
His fanbase on Facebook is among the largest of public figures: within seven hours of its launch in April 2011, Messi's Facebook page had nearly seven million followers, and by July 2023 he had over 114 million followers, the second highest for a sportsperson after Ronaldo. He has over 500 million Instagram followers, the second highest for an individual and sportsperson after Ronaldo. His World Cup celebration post from 18 December 2022 is the most liked post on Instagram with over 75 million likes.
On 20 March 2023, during a return to Buenos Aires following his World Cup victory, Messi was mobbed by hundreds of adoring fans when he and his family were out to dinner. When news spread where Messi and his family were, the restaurant was soon surrounded by locals hoping to get a glimpse of their World Cup-winning captain. Police assistance would be needed to get Messi back to his car in the early hours of the morning. In April 2023, Messi was featured in the 200 year old Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala, India. During the festival, umbrellas carrying the illuminated cut outs of Messi holding the World Cup trophy were displayed on the top of caparisoned elephants during the Kudamattam ceremony. In December 2023, a set of shirts Messi had worn during the 2022 World Cup was sold at auction for $7.8 million.
During an exhibition match on 4 February 2024 in which Inter Miami faced off against the Hong Kong League players at Hong Kong Stadium, Messi remained on the bench the entire game, causing massive backlash in Hong Kong and China as a result. A Messi commercial was taken off air in those regions, while others remained despite pressure from Chinese social-media users. Furthermore, the Chinese Football Association temporarily halted its partnership with the Argentine Football Association over the incident on 8 February.
Wealth and sponsorships
Messi was the world's highest-paid footballer for five years out of six between 2009 and 2014; he was the first player to exceed the €40 million benchmark, with earnings of €41 million in 2013, and the €50–€60 million points, with income of €65 million in 2014. Messi was second on Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes, after Cristiano Ronaldo, with income of $81 million from salary and endorsements in 2015–16. In 2018, he was the first player to exceed the €100 million benchmark for a calendar year, with earnings of €126 million ($154 million) in combined income from salaries, bonuses and endorsements. Forbes ranked him the world's highest-paid athlete in 2019. From 2008, he was Barcelona's highest-paid player, receiving a salary that increased incrementally from €7.8 million to €13 million over the next five years. Signing a new contract in 2017, he earned $667,000 per week in wages, and Barcelona paid him $60 million as a signing on bonus. His buyout clause was set at $835 million (€700 million). In 2020, Messi became the second footballer, as well as the second athlete in a team sport, after Ronaldo, to surpass $1 billion in earnings during their careers. When signing with Inter Miami, his base salary was set at $12 million with guaranteed compensation totalling $20.4 million for the 2023 season; Messi was also set to earn additional shares from shirt sales, MLS Season Pass subscriptions, and a stake in the club itself.
In addition to salary and bonuses, much of Messi's income derives from endorsements; SportsPro has consequently cited him as one of the world's most marketable athletes every year since their research began in 2010. His main sponsor since 2006 is Adidas. As Barcelona's leading youth prospect, he was signed with Nike since age 14, but transferred to Adidas after they successfully challenged their rival's claim to his image rights in court. Messi established himself as their leading brand endorser; from 2008, he had a long-running signature collection of Adidas F50 boots, and in 2015, became the first footballer to receive his own sub-brand of Adidas boots, the Adidas Messi. Since 2017, he has worn the latest version of the Adidas Nemeziz. In 2015, a Barcelona jersey with Messi's name and number was the best-selling replica jersey worldwide. At the 2022 World Cup, Adidas sold out Messi's No. 10 Argentina jersey worldwide.
As a commercial entity, Messi's brand has been based exclusively on his talents and achievements as a player, in contrast to arguably more glamorous players like Ronaldo and David Beckham. At the start of his career, he thus mainly held sponsorship contracts with companies that employ sports-oriented marketing, such as Adidas, Pepsi, and Konami. From 2010, concurrently with increased achievements as a player, his marketing appeal widened, leading to long-term endorsement deals with luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana and Audemars Piguet. Messi is a global brand ambassador for Gillette, Turkish Airlines, Ooredoo, and Tata Motors, among other companies. In order to celebrate his achievement of becoming Barcelona's all-time goalscorer, Budweiser sent personalised bottles of beer to every goalkeeper whom Messi has scored against. Messi was the face of Konami's video game series Pro Evolution Soccer, appearing on the covers of PES 2009, PES 2010, PES 2011 and PES 2020. He subsequently signed with rival company EA Sports to become the face of their series FIFA and appeared on consecutive covers from FIFA 13 to FIFA 16.
In 2013, a Turkish Airlines advertisement starring Messi, in which he engages in a selfie competition with Kobe Bryant, was the most-watched ad on YouTube in 2013, receiving 137 million views, and was voted the best advertisement of the 2005–15 decade to commemorate YouTube's founding. In June 2021, Messi signed a five-year deal to become an ambassador for the Hard Rock Cafe brand. He stated, "sports and music are an integral part of my life. It is an honor to be the first athlete to partner with a brand who has a history of teaming with music legends."
In May 2022, Messi was unveiled as Saudi Arabia's tourism ambassador. Due to Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, Messi was condemned for the role which was viewed as an attempt of Saudi sportswashing.
Philanthropy
Throughout his career, Messi has been involved in charitable efforts aimed at vulnerable children, a commitment that stems in part from the medical difficulties he faced in his own childhood. Since 2004, he has contributed his time and finances to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), an organisation with which Barcelona also have a strong association. Messi has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since his appointment in March 2010, completing his first field mission for the organisation four months later as he travelled to Haiti to bring public awareness to the plight of the country's children in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. He has since participated in UNICEF campaigns targeting HIV prevention, education, and the social inclusion of disabled children. To celebrate his son's first birthday, in November 2013, Messi and Thiago were part of a publicity campaign to raise awareness of mortality rates among disadvantaged children.
In addition to his work with UNICEF, Messi founded his own charitable organisation, the Leo Messi Foundation, which supports access to health care, education, and sport for children. It was established in 2007 following a visit Messi paid to a hospital for terminally ill children in Boston, an experience that resonated with him to the point that he decided to reinvest part of his earnings into society. Through his foundation, Messi has awarded research grants, financed medical training, and invested in the development of medical centres and projects in Argentina, Spain, and elsewhere in the world. In addition to his own fundraising activities, such as his global "Messi and Friends" football matches, his foundation receives financial support from various companies to which he has assigned his name in endorsement agreements, with Adidas as their main sponsor. A gold replica of his left foot, weighing 25 kg (55 lb) and valued at $5.3 million, went on sale in Japan in 2013 to raise funds for victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Messi has also invested in youth football in Argentina: he financially supports Sarmiento, a football club based in the Rosario neighbourhood where he was born, committing in 2013 to the refurbishment of their facilities and the installation of all-weather pitches, and funds the management of several youth players at Newell's Old Boys and rival club Rosario Central, as well as at River Plate and Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires. At Newell's Old Boys, his boyhood club, he funded the 2012 construction of a new gymnasium and a dormitory inside the club's stadium for their youth academy. His former youth coach at Newell's, Ernesto Vecchio, is employed by the Leo Messi Foundation as a talent scout for young players. On 7 June 2016, Messi won a libel case against La Razón newspaper and was awarded €65,000 in damages, which he donated to the charity Médecins Sans Frontières. Messi made a donation worth €1 million ($1.1 million) to fight the spread of coronavirus. This was split between Clinic Barcelona in Barcelona and his native Argentina. In addition to this, Messi along with his fellow FC Barcelona teammates announced he would be taking a 70% cut in salaries during the 2020 coronavirus emergency, and contribute further to the club to provide fully to salaries of all the clubs employees.
In November 2016, with the Argentine Football Association being run by a FIFA committee for emergency due to an economic crisis, it was reported that three of the national team's security staff told Messi that they had not received their salaries for six months. He stepped in and paid the salaries of the three members. In February 2021, Messi donated to the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya his Adidas shoes which he wore when he scored his 644th goal for Barcelona and broke Pelé's record for most goals scored for a single club; the shoes were later auctioned off in April by the museum for charity to help children with cancer and were sold for £125,000.
In advance of the 2021 Copa América, Messi donated three signed shirts to the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech – whose directors spoke of their admiration for Messi – in order to secure 50,000 doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, in the hope of vaccinating all of South America's football players. A deal brokered by Uruguay's president Luis Lacalle Pou, the plan to prioritise football players caused some controversy given widespread vaccine scarcity in the region, with the Mayor of Canelones Yamandú Orsi remarking that "Just as the president manifested cooperation with CONMEBOL to vaccinate for the Copa América, he could just as well have the same consideration for Canelones".
In January 2025, Messi was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States, by President Joe Biden for his contributions in supporting healthcare and education programs for children around the world. He would be unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts, but sent a letter expressing his appreciation for the honor and his hopes of meeting President Biden at a later date.
Public art
Street art and public murals depicting Messi are regularly painted around the world. One prominent artwork that went viral is the Sistine Chapel of Football, a parody of Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam that features both Messi and Diego Maradona, along with several other prominent Argentine footballers. The work is exhibited at the Sportivo Pereyra club from Barracas in Buenos Aires.
Several public sculptures with Messi's likeness have been erected. Madame Tussauds unveiled their first wax sculpture of Messi at Wembley Stadium in 2012. After the announcement of his first retirement from the international team in June 2016, a bronze statue of Messi was erected in Buenos Aires days later in an attempt to convince him to return. A life-sized statue of Messi holding the World Cup trophy was unveiled outside the CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque, Paraguay in March 2023, a few months after Argentina's World Cup win. The statue would stand alongside those of Pelé and Maradona.
Media
Messi, a documentary by filmmaker Álex de la Iglesia, premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in August 2014. Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend, a biographical docuseries focusing on Messi's career, his highs and lows with the Argentina national football team, and their eventual success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, aired on Apple TV+ on 21 February 2024.
Business ventures
On 4 June 2024, Messi announced the release of Más+, an American brand of sports and energy drinks. Messi created the drink because he couldn't find a flavorful and healthy hydration option that suited his needs. The drink was teased to debut in Miami, Florida, on 13 June 2024. It was released in Publix and Walmart stores and made available for delivery on Gopuff in South Florida the following day. Más+ is affiliated with White Claw Hard Seltzer founder Mark Anthony.
Later that year, on 19 September 2024, Messi announced that he would be launching a production company called 525 Rosario, named after his hometown. Headquartered in Miami and Los Angeles, the company was created to produce film, sporting events and branded commercials for athletes worldwide. It would be a joint venture with Smuggler Entertainment, who co-produced Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend earlier in 2024.
In March 2025, Messi was invited by his Uruguayan colleague and friend Luis Suárez to take part in a new soccer project, Deportivo LSM. The new team will focus on football training.
Personal life
Family and relationships
Since 2008, Messi has been in a relationship with Antonela Roccuzzo, who he eventually married on 30 June 2017 in their hometown of Rosario. He has known Roccuzzo since he was five years old, as she is the cousin of his childhood best friend, Lucas Scaglia, who is also a football player. After keeping their relationship private for a year, Messi first confirmed their romance in an interview in January 2009, before going public a month later during a carnival in Sitges after the Barcelona–Espanyol derby.
Messi and Roccuzzo have three sons. To celebrate his partner's first pregnancy, Messi placed the ball under his shirt after scoring in Argentina's 4–0 win against Ecuador on 2 June 2012, before confirming the pregnancy in an interview two weeks later. Thiago was born in Barcelona on 2 November 2012. In April 2015, Messi confirmed that they were expecting another child. In October 2017, his wife announced they were expecting their third child. Messi and his family are Catholic.
Messi enjoys a close relationship with his immediate family members, particularly his mother, Celia, whose face he has tattooed on his left shoulder. His professional affairs are largely run as a family business: his father, Jorge, has been his agent since he was 14, and his oldest brother, Rodrigo, handles his daily schedule and publicity. His mother and other brother, Matías, manage his charitable organization, the Leo Messi Foundation, and take care of personal and professional matters in Rosario.
Since leaving for Spain aged 13, Messi has maintained close ties to his hometown of Rosario, even preserving his distinct Rosarino accent. He has kept ownership of his family's old house, although it has long stood empty; he maintains a penthouse apartment in an exclusive residential building for his mother, as well as a family compound just outside the city. Once when he was in training with the national team in Buenos Aires, he made a three-hour trip by car to Rosario immediately after practice to have dinner with his family, spent the night with them, and returned to Buenos Aires the next day in time for practice. Messi keeps in daily contact via phone and text with a small group of confidants in Rosario, most of whom were fellow members of "The Machine of '87" at Newell's Old Boys. He was on bad terms with the club after his transfer to Barcelona, but by 2012 their public feud had ended, with Newell's embracing their ties with Messi, even issuing a club membership card to his newborn son. Messi has long planned to return to Rosario to end his playing career at Newell's. Messi holds triple citizenship, as he is a citizen of Argentina, Italy, and Spain.
Tax fraud
Messi's financial affairs came under investigation in 2013 for suspected tax evasion. Offshore companies in tax havens Uruguay and Belize were used to evade €4.1 million in taxes related to sponsorship earnings between 2007 and 2009. An unrelated shell company in Panama set up in 2012 was subsequently identified as belonging to the Messis in the Panama Papers data leak. Messi, who pleaded ignorance of the alleged scheme, voluntarily paid arrears of €5.1 million in August 2013. On 6 July 2016, Messi and his father were both found guilty of tax fraud and were handed suspended 21-month prison sentences and respectively ordered to pay €1.7 million and €1.4 million in fines. Facing the judge, he said, "I just played football. I signed the contracts because I trusted my dad and the lawyers and we had decided that they would take charge of those things."
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 19 July 2025
International
As of match played 10 June 2025
Honours
Barcelona
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21
Supercopa de España: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018
UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015
Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1: 2021–22, 2022–23
Trophée des Champions: 2022
Inter Miami
Supporters' Shield: 2024
Leagues Cup: 2023
Argentina U20
FIFA World Youth Championship: 2005
Argentina U23
Olympic Games: 2008
Argentina
FIFA World Cup: 2022
Copa América: 2021, 2024
Finalissima: 2022
Individual
Ballon d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
FIFA World Player of the Year/FIFA Ballon d'Or/The Best FIFA Men's Player: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023
European Golden Shoe: 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2014, 2022
FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 2022
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2009, 2011
FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2005
FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Boot: 2005
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2008–09
UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award: 2010–11, 2014–15
UEFA Champions League top scorer: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2018–19
Copa América Golden Ball: 2015, 2021
Copa América Golden Boot: 2021
La Liga Best Player: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
MLS Most Valuable Player: 2024
Pichichi Trophy: 2009−10, 2011–12, 2012−13, 2016–17, 2017−18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: 2020, 2023
Ballon d'Or Dream Team: 2020
FIFPRO World 11: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Argentine Sportsperson of the Year: 2011, 2021, 2022, 2023
Argentine Footballer of the Year: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Orders
Creu de Sant Jordi, Catalonia (30 April 2019)
Presidential Medal of Freedom, United States (4 January 2025)
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
External links
Official website
Profile at Inter Miami
Profile at PSG
Profile at FC Barcelona
Profile at La Liga
Profile at Ligue 1
Profile at MLS
Lionel Messi at BDFutbol
Lionel Messi at Soccerbase
Lionel Messi at Soccerway
Lionel Messi at National-Football-Teams.com
Lionel Messi – FIFA competition record (archived)
Lionel Messi – UEFA competition record (archive)
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Terrence Romeo
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Terrence Romeo.
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Tell me a bio of Terrence Romeo.
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Tell me a bio of Terrence Romeo within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Terrence Romeo with around 100 words.
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Terrence Bill Vitanzos Romeo (born March 16, 1992) is a Filipino professional basketball player who last played for the Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He plays both the point guard and shooting guard positions.
He played as a point guard for the Far Eastern University before being selected fifth overall in the 2013 PBA draft by Barako Bull. He won the 2010 UAAP Rookie of the Year, was a member of the UAAP Mythical Team during his junior and senior years, and was the 2013 UAAP men's basketball Most Valuable Player.
In 2025, he made his coaching debut with the PSP Gymers of the Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL).
Amateur career
High school career
Romeo first played for the Letran Squires before he was scouted by Far Eastern University - Diliman. He played only one season as a Baby Tamaraw before graduating to the seniors division. He was famously known for scoring the UAAP Juniors basketball record of 83 points, eclipsing the previous record of 69 points held by former Junior Maroons player Paolo Mendoza. What's more impressive, is that he did it in 31 minutes of playing time, scoring 33 points in the 3rd quarter alone. He won the UAAP Juniors' Most Valuable Player (2009) that same year, with averages of 37.1 ppg, 4.1 apg and 4.0 spg.
College career
It was a bit of a rocky transition from the juniors to the seniors division for Romeo. Although he was named the top rookie, sharing the court with then UAAP MVP RR Garcia proved challenging for the younger guard, especially since he was relegated to the second option (something he wasn't used to). Romeo's shooting percentage was somewhat below par at 32 percent, scoring a mere (for his standards) 9.9 points in his rookie season.
The following season seemed to fare better for the scoring guard. He averaged 11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 3.2 apg. Both him and Garcia formed a formidable duo. They carried FEU to the finals, only to lose in a best of 3 series against Ateneo.
In UAAP Season 75 Romeo became (arguably) the first option of the team. He improved as a more potent scorer after last year's heartbreaking loss, averaging a team best 18.5 ppg, and 5.5 rpg. His impressive performance landed him a spot in the mythical five.
In his final year as half of FEU's dreaded backcourt duo, Romeo was expected to again lead the Tamaraws in scoring. He scored 30 points in three games during the course of the season, making him one of only three players since 2003 (the other 2 being Patrick Cabahug and Bobby Ray Parks Jr.) to score 30 points more than once. In UAAP Season 76, he was awarded as Most Valuable Player. He became only the third guard to win the award following Garcia and PBA legend Johnny Abarrientos. He averaged 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals to lead the league in points and steals while finishing 3rd in assists.
While in college, he took his talents in the PBA D-League, suiting up for Big Chill Super Chargers.
He elected to forgo his final playing year, after realizing that he will have to wait until 2015 to get drafted in the PBA.
Professional career
GlobalPort Batang Pier (2013–2018)
Rookie Year
Romeo was selected by GlobalPort as their 5th overall pick, and wore the same number 7 jersey he wore in college. He explained that Robert Jaworski was his father's idol, who uses the same jersey number. In only his second game as a pro, he buried 34 points while going 6-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc en route to a win against Air21 Express.
He also had the opportunity to play against Mark Caguioa in their first showdown against each other, scoring 27 points and leading a brave second-half comeback that almost denied Ginebra a 109–104 victory. Caguioa, who scored 29 points himself, commented that Romeo was the closest player that can be compared to him. The rookie guard later admitted that Caguioa was one of his idols growing up.
With these performances, the former king tamaraw proved to be a very capable scorer as a pro. Showing flashes of brilliance throughout the season. But he struggled with consistency, as he wasn't able to produce the same eye-popping numbers in the later conferences. Regardless, he was considered a rising star, dazzling the crowd with his dribbling skills and scoring prowess.
Sophomore Year
At the start of the season, Romeo debuted a slimmer and leaner physique. Losing a total of 25 pounds. He said “Sobrang nahihirapan ‘yung tuhod ko, sobrang nahihirapan akong gumalaw,” prompting him to lose the unwanted weight. This resulted in a much quicker and more explosive version of himself.
With a more physically fit Romeo, Globalport was expected to make it deeper into the playoffs in their first conference. Even more so, since the spitfire guard was sharing the court with talented guards; veteran leader Alex Cabagnot and top rookie Stanley Pringle they were dubbed as "three-headed monster". Before the start of the playoffs, however, Cabagnot was surprisingly traded for former Global Port player Sol Mercado from the San Miguel Beermen. With little time to adjust, they eventually lost to Ginebra who had a twice to beat advantage in phase one of the quarter finals.
The departure of Cabagnot proved beneficial to Romeo's rise to stardom, as he was able to blossom into the team's first scoring option. He led the locals in points per game in the 2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup, averaging 21.36 points. He also made an impression during the All-Star Weekend in Puerto Princesa. Scoring a whopping 50 points, albeit a losing effort, against the rookies in the rookies vs sophomores blitz game. He was also the PBA Three-Point Shootout champion (2015) and the PBA All-Star Game MVP (2015) capping off a memorable weekend for the young guard. His efforts weren't enough though, as the team struggled to get back into the win column in their remaining games after the all-star break. Losing Stanley Pringle (who was nursing an injury) was a factor in their poor finish of the conference.
After leading GlobalPort to its best finish in 2015 PBA Governors' Cup, Romeo was awarded Most Improved Player. He ended the third conference and the season as the top local scorer. With a career highlight of a 40-point game against Paul Lee's Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. He emerged as the scoring champion and also placed in the PBA Mythical Second Team(2015).
Third Season
Romeo's third season in PBA was up for a good start. He, along with backcourt mate Pringle, formed the Slash Brothers tandem (similar to Golden State Warriors' own Splash Brothers). The duo both led the team in scoring with 24.06 and 19.61 points, respectively, while leading GlobalPort to its first ever Semi-Finals appearance against Alaska, only to lose the series. He registered a new career-high 41 points in Game 1, for their only win in the said series.
On October 14, 2016, Romeo was recognized during the PBA Leo Awards Night as he was named to the PBA Mythical First Team.
TNT KaTropa (2018)
On 2018, after disagreeing with coach Pido Jarencio, he requested to be traded. He was traded to TNT KaTropa with Yousef Taha in exchange of Moala Tautuaa.
San Miguel Beermen (2019–2024)
On December 16, 2018, He was traded to San Miguel Beermen, in exchange for Brian Heruela and David Semerad. In his first game with the Beermen, Romeo recorded 7 points and 4 assists in just 11 minutes of playing time but lost to the Columbian Dyip, 124–118.
In Game 2 of the 2019 Commissioner's Cup Finals, Romeo came off the bench and scored 29 points and made 6 3-pointers in a 127-125 double overtime win.
On September 20, 2023, Romeo signed a two-year contract extension with the team.
Terrafirma Dyip (2024–2025)
On November 25, 2024, Romeo was traded to the Terrafirma Dyip along with Vic Manuel for Andreas Cahilig and Juami Tiongson. He remarked that this is one of his saddest moment in career but nevertheless committed to play for his new team Terrafirma.
PBA career statistics
As of the end of 2024–25 season
Season-by-season averages
National team career
2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour
Manila Masters
Playing for Manila West, Romeo was teamed up with Niño Canaleta, Rey Guevarra and Aldrech Ramos and Raphael De Vera, three pros with so much more experience than him. Each of those three have suited up for the national team before. But in the end, the apparent ‘star’ of the team was 22-year-old Romeo, who had just completed his first year in the PBA.
The competition proved to be a fit for the flashy guard's one on one playing style. Drawing the loudest cheers from the crowd with his crossovers and vast array of scoring moves.
Romeo led the Manila West to be hailed champions of the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters. They won US$10,000. More importantly, they qualified for the World Tour Masters in Tokyo on October 11–12. There, they faced the top two teams of each of the five stops of the tour.
World Tour Final
Despite making some headway during the first day of the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final, team Manila West wasn't able to sustain its momentum in the knockout stage as the team fell to Slovenian squad Kranj, 21–12, in the quarterfinal round. They ended the tournament at fifth place, which is five ranks higher than its original classification ranking as a 10th seed in the pool of 12 international teams prior to the start of the tournament.
The 6’0” Romeo was listed as among the season's top point producers going back to the qualifying legs of the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour. Romeo got an aggregate of 49 points in the 8 matches that he had played in, both in the Manila Masters leg and the Final in Sendai, Japan. This placed him at 11th overall in terms of scoring output out of the 290 players that participated in that year's edition of the 3×3 World Tour.
The international basketball body named the GlobalPort scorer as the number one 3x3 player outside of Europe, Americas, and Qatar, and therefore earned his team a slot in the All-Star exhibition. He is ranked number one in the Philippines.
2015 FIBA 3x3 World Tour
Manila Masters
As the face of 2015 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters, Terrence Romeo's spectacular one-on-one skills were once again on full display, as he shone for the Manila West team in the tournament.
He was not able to lead Manila West back to the championship though, as he and Manila West lost to Manila North (composed of Calvin Abueva, Vic Manuel,Troy Rosario and Karl Dehesa) in the semi-finals, but Romeo still brought home some hardware.
He won the three-point shootout and was later named the MVP of the event after leading all scorers with 43 points in four games.
Gilas Pilipinas
Romeo was named to the Gilas Pilipinas 3.0 training pool in 2015, and joined the team for a pocket tournament in Estonia. He also saw action in the 2015 William Jones Cup, where he emerged as the crowd darling, wowing Filipino and Taiwanese Fans alike with his crafty handles and scoring ability while posting a stat-line of 15.2 points in just 18 minutes of play per game in that tournament.
Following his Jones Cup breakthrough, he was a member of the Gilas final lineup that competed in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship, and had his best game against powerhouse Iran and India.
Coaching career
On January 19, 2025, Romeo made his coaching debut, serving as the head coach for the PSP Gymers of the newly-established Women's Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League alongside assistant coaches Vic Manuel, CJ Perez, and Arvin Tolentino.
== References ==
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
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Tell me a bio of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
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Tell me a bio of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva with around 100 words.
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazilian Portuguese: [luˈiz iˈnasju ˈlulɐ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ] ; born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), known mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker who has served as the 39th president of Brazil since 2023. A member of the Workers' Party, Lula was also the 35th president from 2003 to 2011.
Born in Pernambuco, Lula quit school after second grade to work, and did not learn to read until he was ten years old. As a teenager, he worked as a metalworker and became a trade unionist. Between 1978 and 1980, he led the ABC workers' strikes during Brazil's military dictatorship, and in 1980, he helped start the Workers' Party during Brazil's redemocratization. Lula was one of the leaders of the 1984 Diretas Já movement, which demanded direct elections. In 1986, he was elected a federal deputy in the state of São Paulo. He ran for president in 1989, but lost in the second round. He went on to also lose two other presidential elections, both in 1994, and then in 1998. He finally became president in 2002, in a runoff. In 2006, he was successfully re-elected in the second round.
Described as left-wing, his first presidency coincided with South America's first pink tide. During his first two consecutive terms in office, he continued fiscal policies and promoted social welfare programs such as Bolsa Família that eventually led to GDP growth, reduction in external debt and inflation, and helping millions of Brazilians escape poverty. He also played a role in foreign policy, both on a regional level and as part of global trade and environment negotiations. During those terms, Lula was considered one of the most popular politicians in Brazil's history and left office with 80% approval rating. His first term was also marked by notable corruption scandals, including the Mensalão vote-buying scandal. After the 2010 Brazilian general election, he was succeeded by his former chief of staff, Dilma Rousseff, and remained active in politics and gave lectures.
In July 2017, Lula was convicted on charges of money laundering and corruption in the Operation Car Wash context, after which he spent a total of 580 days in prison. He attempted to run in the 2018 Brazilian presidential election, but was disqualified under Brazil's Ficha Limpa law. He was convicted again in February 2019, and was released from prison the following November. His two convictions were nullified in 2021 by the Supreme Federal Court, in a ruling which also found serious biases in the first case against him, also annulling all other pending cases. Once legally allowed to make another run for the presidency, Lula did so in the 2022 election and ultimately defeated the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff. Sworn in on 1 January 2023 at the age of 77, he became the oldest Brazilian president at time of inauguration, as well as the first-ever Brazilian individual to have defeated an incumbent president and to be elected to a third term.
Early life
Luiz Inácio da Silva was born on 27 October 1945 (registered with a date of birth of 6 October 1945) in Caetés (then a district of Garanhuns), 250 km (160 mi) from Recife, capital of Pernambuco, a state in the Northeast of Brazil. He was the seventh of eight children of Aristides Inácio da Silva and Eurídice Ferreira de Melo, farmers who had experienced famine in one of the poorest parts of the agreste. He was raised Catholic. Lula's mother was of Portuguese and partial Italian descent. Two weeks after Lula's birth, his father moved to Santos, São Paulo, with – though Eurídice was not aware of it – her younger cousin Valdomira Ferreira de Góis.
In December 1952, when Lula was seven years old, his mother moved the family to São Paulo to rejoin her husband. After a journey of 13 days in a pau-de-arara (open truck bed), they arrived in Guarujá and discovered that Aristides had formed a second family with Valdomira, with whom he had 10 more children. Aristides's two families lived in the same house for some time, but they did not get along very well, and four years later, his mother moved with him and his siblings to a small room behind a bar in São Paulo. After that, Lula rarely saw his father, who died illiterate and an alcoholic in 1978. In 1982, he added the nickname Lula to his legal name.
Personal life
Twice a widower, Lula has been married three times, and has a daughter from a fourth relationship. In 1969, he married Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro. She died of hepatitis in 1971 while pregnant with a child, who also died.
In March 1974, Lula had a daughter, Lurian, with his then-girlfriend, Miriam Cordeiro. The two never married. Lula only began participating in his daughter's life when she was already a young adult.
Two months later, in May 1974, Lula married Marisa Letícia Rocco Casa, a 24-year-old widow whom he had met the prior year. He had three sons with her, and adopted her son from her first marriage. The two remained married for 43 years, until her death on 2 February 2017, after a stroke.
Later that same year, he met and started a relationship with Rosângela da Silva, known as Janja. The relationship only became public in 2019 while he was serving time in jail in Curitiba, Paraná, on corruption charges. Lula and Janja married on 18 May 2022.
Lula is Catholic.
Education and work
Lula had little formal education. He did not learn to read until he was ten years old. He quit school after the second grade to work. His first job at age eight was as a street vendor. When he was 12, he also worked as a shoeshiner. In 1960, when he was 14, he got his first formal job, in a warehouse.
In 1961, he started working as an apprentice of a press operator in a metallurgical company that produced screws, while studying in a vocational course. There, Lula had his first contact with strike movements. After the movement failed in its negotiations, Lula left the company for another metallurgical company. From 1966 to 1980, he worked at Villares Metals S.A, a new metalworking firm.
There, in 1974, he lost his left pinky finger in a machinery accident, while working as a press operator in the factory. After the accident, he had to run to several hospitals before he received medical attention. This experience increased his interest in participating in the Workers' Union. Around that time, he became involved in union activities and held several union posts.
Union career
Inspired by his brother Frei Chico, a member of the Brazilian Communist Party, Lula joined the labour movement when he worked at Villares Metals, rising through the ranks. He was elected in 1975, and re-elected in 1978, as president of the Steel Workers' Union of São Bernardo do Campo and Diadema. Both cities are located in the ABCD Region, home to most of Brazil's automobile manufacturing facilities, including Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz.
In the late 1970s, when Brazil was under military rule, Lula helped organize union activities, including major strikes. Labour courts found the strikes illegal, and in 1980, Lula was jailed for a month. Due to this, and like other people imprisoned for political activities under the military government, Lula was awarded a lifetime pension after the fall of the military regime.
Political career
On 10 February 1980, a group of academics and union leaders, including Lula, founded the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) or Workers' Party, a left-wing party with progressive ideas. In 1983, he helped found the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) trade union association.
Elections
Lula first ran for office in 1982 for the state government of São Paulo, but lost with 11% of the vote. Cuban president Fidel Castro urged him to continue on as a politician, during a trip by Lula to Cuba. In the 1986 election, Lula won a seat in the National Congress with the most votes nationwide.
In 1989, Lula ran for president as the PT candidate. Lula advocated immediate land reform and that Brazil default on its external debt. A minor candidate, Fernando Collor de Mello, quickly amassed support with a more business-friendly agenda and by taking emphatic anti-corruption positions. He beat Lula in the second round of the 1989 elections. Lula decided not to run for re-election as a Congressman in 1990.
Lula ran again for president, and lost again, in the next two Brazilian elections. Former PSDB Minister of Finance Fernando Henrique Cardoso defeated Lula who received only 27% of the vote in the presidential elections in 1994, and again, by a somewhat smaller margin, as Lula garnered only 32% of the vote in 1998.
An article in The Washington Post said that before 2002, Lula had been a "strident union organizer known for his bushy beard and Che Guevara T-shirts". In the 2002 campaign, Lula abandoned both his informal clothing style and his platform plank that Brazil should not pay its foreign debt unless it links the payment to a prior thorough audit. This last point had worried economists, businessmen, and banks, who feared that even a partial Brazilian default would have a massive ripple effect through the world economy. Lula in the 2002 election, defeated PSDB candidate José Serra in a runoff, to become the country's first leftist president following the fall of the military dictatorship in Brazil. In the 2006 election, Lula won a run-off over the PSDB's Geraldo Alckmin.
In September 2018, Brazil's top electoral court banned Lula from running for president in 2018 due to his corruption conviction, in accordance with Brazil's Lei da Ficha Limpa law. Instead, Fernando Haddad ran for president on the Workers Party ticket, and was defeated by Jair Bolsonaro.
Electoral history
First presidency (2003–2011)
Lula, described as left-wing, served two terms as president from 2003 through 2010. During his farewell speech, he said he felt a burden to prove that he could handle the presidency despite his humble beginnings. "If I failed, it would be the workers' class which would be failing; it would be this country's poor who would be proving they did not have what it takes to rule".
Political orientation
Very few of the reforms that Lula proposed were actually implemented during Lula's terms of office. Some wings of the Worker's Party disagreed with the increasing moderation in focus since the late eighties, and left the party to form other parties, such as during Lula's presidency, the Socialism and Liberty Party. Alliances with old, traditional oligarch politicians, like former presidents José Sarney and Fernando Collor, have been a cause of disappointment for some.
Education
A number of educational initiatives were launched during Lula's first presidency. A free school meals programme was extended to 37 million pupils while a programme was launched which aimed to provide "whole or partial remission of student fees for low-income students". In 2006, primary education was extended from 8 to 9 years. A Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education was set up to improve the quality of education. The PED (an education development plan) conditioned the disbursement of public funds to state schools on the schools' performance.
Still in 2006, many Brazilians and commentators felt that Lula had not done enough to improve the quality of public education. And in 2010, while education was compulsory for all children in Brazil aged 7 to 14, in practice that requirement was only loosely enforced; 90% of children in rural areas attended school for less than four years, and only 25% of children living in favelas attended school.
Social programs
Lula's top social programme sought to eradicate hunger. It was financed by an increase in tax revenues, coupled with a decrease in government expenditures on both wages and on benefits paid to public employees, as well as a decrease in government expenditures on infrastructure. The programme followed the lead of a project that had already been put into practice in 1995 by the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration, which was named Bolsa Escola (School Stipend). It expanded that initiative with the new Fome Zero ("Zero Hunger") programme, which was part of the Bolsa Família (Family Allowance) plan.
Five months after Lula took office, however, the budget for Fome Zero was cut down a third from its original amount, and one year later, about $800 million was budgeted toward the programme, but only $130 million of that was actually disbursed. Lula's programme was accused of having become more bark than bite, inasmuch as of May 2005, two years after the effort began, the programme had fallen far short of expectations.
During Lula's first term, child malnutrition in Brazil decreased by 46%. In May 2010, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) awarded Lula the title of "World Champion in the Fight against Hunger". A number of other social projects were introduced during Lula's first presidency.
Lula launched a housing aid programme that was larger in scope to the policies developed until then. More than 15 billion euros were invested in water purification and the urbanization of favelas, and more than 40 billion in housing. The government proposed to relocate the poor populations that occupied the "risk zones", prone to floods or landslides; at the end of the day, however, at least 212 people died and at least 15,000 people were made homeless by the April 2010 Rio de Janeiro floods and mudslides alone. It proposed to then extend the electricity network, to relocate the streets and to improve the precarious housing. The government undertook to democratize access to real estate credit.
Economy
Lula's first two terms coincided with a strong boom in commodities prices. This fueled an economic boom in Brazil, which in turn allowed Lula to spend heavily on social programmes and pay off a $15 billion IMF loan a year early.
In the run-up to the 2002 elections, the fear of Lula taking drastic measures, and comparisons of him with Hugo Chávez of Venezuela, increased internal market speculation. This led to a drop in the value of the Brazilian real, and a downgrade of Brazil's credit rating. Lula chose Henrique Meirelles of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), a market-oriented economist, as head of the Brazilian Central Bank. As a former CEO of BankBoston he was well known to the market.
Lula and his cabinet followed, to an extent, the lead of the previous government in economics. It renewed all agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which were signed by the time Argentina defaulted on its own deals in 2001. His government achieved a satisfactory primary budget surplus in the first two years, as required by the IMF agreement, exceeding the target for the third year. In late 2005, the government paid off its debt to the IMF in full, two years ahead of schedule. The Brazilian economy was generally not affected by the 2005 Mensalão scandal, which related to vote buying in the Brazilian Congress.
In June 2005, economist and attorney José Dirceu, Lula's chief-of-staff since 2003, resigned after he was caught up in a massive corruption scheme in the legislature, the Mensalão corruption scandal. In March 2006, Lula's finance minister Antonio Palocci, who had continued the anti-inflation and pro-market policies of the previous centrist government, resigned due to his involvement in a corruption and abuse of power scandal. Lula then appointed Guido Mantega, a PT economist, as finance minister.
Not long after the start of his second term, in 2007 Lula's government announced the Growth Acceleration Programme (Programa de Aceleração de Crescimento, PAC), an investment programme which sought to solve many of the problems that prevented the Brazilian economy from expanding more rapidly. The measures included investment in the creation and repair of roads and railways, simplification and reduction of taxation, and modernization of the country's energy production to avoid further shortages. The money pledged to be spent on this programme was to be around R$ 500 billion (US $260 billion) over four years. However, by 2010 many projects remained mired in bureaucracy, and only 11% of the projects outlined in the plan had been completed, while just over half had not even been launched.
Prior to taking office, Lula had been a critic of privatization. His administration created public-private partnership concessions for seven federal roadways. After decades with the largest foreign debt among emerging economies, Brazil became a net creditor for the first time in January 2008. By mid-2008, both Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's had elevated the classification of Brazilian debt from speculative to investment grade. Banks made record profits under Lula's government.
The 2008 financial crisis might have been a tsunami in the US and Europe, Lula declared, but in Brazil it would be no more than a little 'ripple' ("uma marolinha"). The phrase was seized on by the Brazilian press as proof of Lula's reckless economic ignorance and irresponsibility. In 2008, Brazil enjoyed economic good health to mitigate the 2008 financial crisis with a large economic stimulus lasting, at least, until 2014. According to The Washington Post: "Under Lula, Brazil became the world's eighth-largest economy, [and] more than 20 million people rose out of acute poverty ..."
At the same time, in 2010 The Wall Street Journal noted that: "[Brazil's] public sector is bloated and riddled with corruption. Crime is rampant. Its infrastructure is badly in need of repair and expansion. The business environment is restrictive, with a labour code ripped from the pages of Benito Mussolini's economic playbook. Brazil also risks patting itself on the back so much that it fails to see the colossal work that remains to be done."
Environment
Initially, Lula's administration pushed for progressive policies that significantly curbed deforestation in the Amazon. Despite this, he did not support legislation that would have required the country to phase out its fossil fuels.
In May 2008, environmental minister Marina Silva resigned, blamed "stagnation" in the government, after she lost disagreements with Lula when she opposed approval of new hydroelectric dams in the Amazon and criticized Lula's biofuels programme. Dr. Daniel Nepstad of the Woods Hole Research Centre said the growing demand for biofuels may ultimately result in more Amazon deforestation. In particular, environmentalists warn that while biofuels reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, they may well also trigger a significant expansion of the biofuel crops; that, in turn, may push agriculture deeper into forests, destroying habitat and biodiversity.
The creation of conservation areas and indigenous reserves led to a decrease of around 75% in deforestation starting in 2004. In Lula's first year in office, in 2003–04, 25,000 square kilometers of Brazilian forest were destroyed, the second-worst devastation since 1977. In late 2006, the Instituto Soicioambiental environmental group said that deforestation in Lula's first four years had been worse than in any four-year period since 1988. By 2009, Brazil's Amazon destruction—though lower—was still about 7,000 square kilometers a year, larger than the US state of Delaware. Critics said, however, that Brazil's lowest rate of deforestation in 2009 was a function of the 2008 financial crisis. Paulo Adario of Greenpeace said that it was a function not of efforts to protect the climate, but of the fact that the "demand for beef, soya and wood ha[d] dramatically fallen".
In 2009, Lula gave a speech in which he said that "gringos" should pay Amazon nations to prevent deforestation.
In February 2010, Lula's government approved the construction of a controversial hydroelectric mega Belo Monte Dam in the middle of the Amazon rain forest in the Brazilian state of Pará. It was to be the third-largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Environmental activists protested the building of the dam. It was expected to cause a significant decline in the water table, resulting in significant losses of aquatic and terrestrial fauna, and adversely impact aquatic mammals. Approximately 20,000-40,000 indigenous people were to be resettled with little or no compensation, and 516 square kilometers (199 square miles) of rain forest were to be flooded for the dam's construction.
Foreign policy
In 1979, Lula was asked in an interview which historical figures he admired most. He answered: Gandhi, Che Guevara, and Mao Zedong. Upon being asked to give additional examples, he added Fidel Castro, Ruhollah Khomeini and Adolf Hitler and saying about the latter: "I admire in a man the fire to want to do something, and then his going out to try to do it."
Leading a large agricultural state, Lula generally opposed and criticized farm subsidies, and this position has been seen as one of the reasons for the walkout of developing nations and subsequent collapse of the Cancún World Trade Organization talks in 2003 over G8 agricultural subsidies. Brazil played a role in negotiations regarding internal conflicts in Venezuela and Colombia, and made efforts to strengthen Mercosur. During the Lula administration, Brazilian foreign trade increased dramatically, changing from deficits to several surpluses after 2003. In 2004, the surplus was US$29 billion, due to a substantial increase in global demand for commodities. Brazil also provided UN peacekeeping troops and led a peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
According to The Economist of 2 March 2006, Lula had a pragmatic foreign policy, seeing himself as a negotiator, not an ideologue, a leader adept at reconciling opposites. As a result, he befriended both Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and U.S. President George W. Bush. Former Finance Minister, and current advisor, Delfim Netto, said: "Lula is the ultimate pragmatist".
He travelled to more than 80 countries during his presidency. A goal of Lula's foreign policy was for the country to gain a seat as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. In this he was unsuccessful.
China
From 2003 to 2010, Lula embraced China as central to reforming what he considered an unjust global order. He intertwined the Chinese and Brazilian economies. Lula stated Brazil's commitment to the One China principle that is the position held by the People's Republic of China and the ruling Chinese Communist Party, saying that the government of the People's Republic of China was the sole legal government representing the whole of China, including Taiwan—as part of China.
Cuba
Lula and Cuban president Fidel Castro were longtime friends. Under Lula, Brazil provided money and corporate support to Cuba. The state-controlled Brazilian oil company Petrobras studied the possibility of drilling for oil off of Cuba, while the Odebrecht construction firm headed a revamp of the Cuban port of Mariel into the island's main commercial port. Brazil's state-run Brazilian Development Bank gave $300 million to Odebrecht to build new roads, rail lines, wharves, and warehouses at Mariel. Brazil also offered Cuba up to $1 billion in credit lines to pay for Brazilian goods and services.
Iran
The conviction by an Iranian court of Iranian Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani for the crime of adultery, with a sentence in 2006 of execution by stoning, led to calls for Lula to intercede on her behalf. In July 2010, Lula said "I need to respect the laws of a [foreign] country. If my friendship with the president of Iran and the respect that I have for him is worth something, if this woman has become a nuisance, we will receive her in Brazil". The Iranian government declined his offer. Mina Ahadi, an Iranian Communist politician, welcomed Lula's offer, but reiterated a call for an end to stoning altogether and requested a cessation of recognition and support for the Iranian government. Jackson Diehl, deputy editorial page editor of The Washington Post, called Lula the "best friend of tyrants in the democratic world," and criticised his actions. Shirin Ebadi, Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate called Lula's comments a "powerful message to the Islamic Republic".
In 2009, Lula warmly hosted Iranian president Ahmadinejad, who made a controversial visit to Brazil. Some demonstrators expressed displeasure over Ahmadinejad's positions on human rights and his denial of the Holocaust.
In May 2010, Lula and Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan negotiated a preliminary fuel swap agreement with the Iranian government on uranium enrichment, that ultimately failed. The preliminary agreement that they presented to the United Nations was at odds with what the International Atomic Energy Agency and other countries viewed as necessary actions to stop Iran from obtaining weapons grade materials. Within hours of signing the agreement, Iran did an about-face and announced that it would continue to enrich some uranium. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Brazil was being "used" by Tehran. The UN Security Council ultimately rejected it when permanent member country representatives argued that "the swap proposal negotiated by Brazil and Turkey would leave Iran with enough material to make a nuclear weapon," and that "Iran intends to continue a new programme of enriching uranium to a higher level." Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Thomas Friedman wrote: "Is there anything uglier than watching democrats sell out other democrats to a Holocaust-denying, vote-stealing Iranian thug just to tweak the U.S. and show that they, too, can play at the big power table?" Moisés Naím, editor in chief of Foreign Policy magazine and former Minister of Trade in Venezuela, said "Lula is a political giant, but morally he has been a deep disappointment." In 2010, in addition, Brazilians largely disagreed with Lula as to how to handle Iran and Iran's nuclear weapons programme. While Lula opposed additional international economic sanctions against Iran, of the 85% of Brazilians who opposed Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, two-thirds approved of tighter international sanctions on Iran to try to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.
Iraq
In 2003, Lula condemned the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, saying that the United States had no right "to decide unilaterally what is good and what is bad for the world". He said that "the behaviour of the United States in relation to Iraq has weakened the United Nations".
Libya
Brazil, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, abstained from the vote authorising "all necessary measures" against Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. It opposed the bombing in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. Lula said: "These invasions only happen because the United Nations is weak."
Venezuela
Lula was close with Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez, a close ally of Communist Cuba and an antagonist of the United States. In November 2007, Lula defended Chávez as the democratic choice of his people. He said: "There is no risk with Chávez." Expressing his admiration for Chávez, he said "Only thanks to Chávez's leadership, the people [of Venezuela] have had extraordinary achievements," and that in 2008 that Chávez was "the best president the country has had in 100 years." However, in 2010 Brazilians largely had a different view than Lula, as only 13% had at least some confidence in Chávez, while 70% had little or no confidence in him.
Freedom of the press
After Lula was infuriated by a 9 May 2004, New York Times article that claimed he had a drinking problem, Brazil ordered the New York Times reporter, Larry Rohter, to leave the country and revoked his visa because he had written a story "offensive to the honour of the president." Lula said: "Certainly its author ... must be more worried than I am ... it deserves action." Brazil's presidential palace threatened to take legal action against the New York Times, which stood by the story and said that the expulsion raised serious questions about freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Brazil. No journalist had been expelled from Brazil since its military dictatorship ended in the mid-1980s. Brazilian opposition senator Tasso Jereissati said: "This is ridiculous. It's more like the immature act of a dictator of a third-rate republic..." Brazil's second largest union, Força Sindical, issued a statement expressing concern that: "it is a reaction typical of authoritarian governments that don't like contrary voices." Despite criticism, on 13 May 2004, Lula said "he would not consider revoking the action." The government subsequently changed its position, and allowed the reporter to remain.
Three months later, Lula introduced legislation to create a Brazil National Journalists' Council that would have the power to "orient, discipline and monitor" journalists and their work. Critics called the draft law the worst affront to press freedom since censorship under the military dictatorship. The government also proposed the establishment of a National Cinema and Audiovisual Agency that would have the power to conduct prior reviews of programming and to veto certain programmes if they believed that they did not to meet standards of "editorial responsibility."
Corruption scandals and controversy
Lula's administration was plagued by numerous corruption scandals, notably the Mensalão $50 million vote-buying scandal and Escândalo dos sanguessugas during Lula's first term.
Mensalão vote-buying scandal
In the 2005 Mensalão $50 million vote-buying scandal, Brazilian attorney general Álvaro Augusto Ribeiro Costa presented charges against 40 politicians and officials involved in the Mensalão affair, including several charges against Lula himself. Lula said that he knew nothing about the scandals.
Among those convicted were Jose Dirceu (who was Lula's chief of staff and right-hand man from 2003 to 2005; he was sentenced to over 10 years in jail), and both the former head of Lula's Workers Party, Jose Genoino, and its treasurer, Delubio Soares. Dirceu and officials Luiz Gushiken and Humberto Costa said that Lula was not involved. Roberto Jefferson said that if Lula didn't "commit a crime by action, he committed it by omission." But one of Lula's own party members, Arlindo Chinaglia, alleged that Lula had been warned about the matter, and businessman Marcos Valério, who was sentenced to more than 40 years in prison for his involvement in the scandal, alleged in testimony after he was convicted that Lula had authorized loans for the scheme and used some of the money to pay for his personal expenses.
Politicking
His administration was criticized for relying on local, right-of-centre political barons, like José Sarney, Jader Barbalho, Renan Calheiros and Fernando Collor to ensure a majority in Congress. Another frequent reproach was his ambiguous treatment of the left wing of the PT. Analysts felt that he would occasionally give in to left-wing calls for tighter government control on media and increased state intervention: in 2004, he pushed for the creation of a "Federal Council of Journalists" (CFJ) and a "National Cinema Agency" (Ancinav), the latter designed to overhaul funding for electronic communications. Both proposals ultimately failed amid concerns over the effect of state control on free speech.
Great Recession caused by white people with blue eyes
Before a G-20 summit in London in March 2009, Lula caused an uproar by declaring that the economic crisis was caused by "the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who before seemed to know everything, and now have shown they don't know anything". He added: "I don't know any black or indigenous bankers." He repeated the accusation the following month.
Terrorist Cesare Battisti
When Italian far-left terrorist Cesare Battisti of the Armed Proletarians for Communism, wanted for four murders, was arrested in Rio de Janeiro in March 2007 by Brazilian and French police officers, Brazilian Minister of Justice Tarso Genro granted him status as a political refugee. It was a controversial decision, which divided Italy and the Brazilian and international press. In February 2009, the European Parliament adopted a resolution in support of Italy, and held a minute's silence in memory of Battisti's victims. In November 2009, the Brazilian Supreme Court declared the grant of refugee status illegal and allowed Battisti's extradition, but also stated that the Brazilian constitution gave the president the personal power to deny the extradition if he chose to, effectively putting the final decision in the hands of Lula.
Lula barred Battisti's extradition. On 31 December 2010, Lula's last day in office, his decision not to allow Battisti's extradition was officially announced. Battisti was released on 9 June 2011 from prison, after the Brazilian Constitutional Court denied Italy's request to extradite him. Italy planned to appeal to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, saying Brazil had breached an extradition treaty. President Michel Temer revoked his status as a permanent resident in December, 2018 and an arrest warrant was issued; Battisti then entered Bolivia illegally, and was arrested and extradited from Bolivia in January 2019.
Operation Zelotes
In 2015, Lula, along with his former chief of staff Gilberto Carvalho and five others, was indicted in a corruption probe as part of Operation Zelotes, regarding payment of R$6 million in bribes (US $1.5 million). Prosecutors alleged they helped pass Provisional Measure 471 (which was later converted into Law 12,218/2010) in 2009 in order to benefit the automotive companies Grupo Caoa and MMC. On 21 June 2021, Judge Frederico Botelho de Barros Viana of the 10th Federal Court of Brasilia acquitted all the accused, saying that the prosecution did not convincingly demonstrate that the defendants were involved in a criminal conspiracy.
Operation Car Wash: corruption investigation and prosecution
In 2014, Brazil began Operação Lava Jato (English: Operation Car Wash), resulting in several arrests and convictions, including nine suits against Lula.
In April 2015, the Public Ministry of Brazil opened an investigation into allegations of influence peddling by Lula, which alleged that between 2011 and 2014 he had lobbied for government contracts in foreign countries for the Odebrecht company and had also persuaded the Brazilian Development Bank to finance the projects in Ghana, Angola, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. In June 2015, Marcelo Odebrecht, president of Odebrecht, was arrested on charges that he had paid politicians $230 million in bribes. Three other company executives were also arrested, as well as the chief executive of Andrade Gutierrez, another construction conglomerate.
On 4 March 2016, as part of "Operation Car Wash", Brazilian authorities raided Lula's home. After the raid, the police detained Lula for questioning. A police statement alleged that Lula had collaborated in illegal bribes from the oil company Petrobras to benefit his political party and presidential campaign. Prosecutor Carlos Fernando said, "The favours to Lula from big construction companies involved in the fraud at Petrobras were many and hard to quantify". Lula said that he and his party were being politically persecuted.
On 16 March 2016, Rousseff appointed Lula as her chief of staff, a position comparable to that of prime minister. This would have shielded him from arrest due to the immunity that went with the position. Cabinet ministers in Brazil are among close to seven hundred senior government officials enjoying special judicial standing, which means they can only be tried by Brazil's Supreme Federal Court. Supreme Court Judge Gilmar Mendes suspended Lula's appointment on the grounds that Rousseff was trying to help Lula circumvent prosecution.
On 28 July 2016, Lula filed a petition with the United Nations Human Rights Committee, a panel of experts, requesting that it provide a view on his accusation that Moro had violated his rights.
The Committee ultimately accepted the case. The Brazilian ambassador to the UK wrote: "The (Brazilian) judiciary is fully independent and due process of law is faithfully observed. All defendants facing criminal prosecution fully enjoy the guarantee of a fair trial and the right to appeal."
On 14 September 2016, prosecutors filed corruption charges against Lula, accusing him of being the mastermind or 'maximum commander of the scheme'. On 19 September 2016, 13th Circuit (Paraná) federal judge Sergio Moro, who was leading the corruption probe, accepted an indictment for money laundering against Lula and his wife Marisa Letícia Lula da Silva. On 11 May 2017, Lula answered a summons by appearing in Curitiba and was questioned by Moro. The closed-court hearing lasted five hours. Thousands of Lula supporters went to Curitiba, together with Dilma Rousseff. After the hearing, Lula and Rousseff gave speeches to his supporters; Lula attacked what he called bias in the Brazilian media.
Guilty verdict and sentencing
Lula was found guilty by the lower court of accepting R$3.7 million in bribes ($940,000 US) in the form of improvements to his beachfront house, made by construction company Grupo Metha, which in turn received lucrative contracts from the state-owned oil company Petrobras. Lula also faced other charges, including money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice. On 12 July 2017, Sergio Moro sentenced Lula to nine and a half years in prison. Lula remained free pending his appeal. Lula's lawyer accused the judge of bias and the judge replied that nobody, not even the former president, should be above the rule of law.
On 25 January 2018, the Appeal Court of Porto Alegre found Lula guilty of corruption and money laundering and increased his sentence to 12 years of prison for one of the nine charges, while the other eight were still pending. On 26 March 2018, that same court upheld its own sentence, thus ending the case in that court.
Prison
On 5 April 2018, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) voted 6–5 to deny Lula's habeas corpus petition. The court ruled that Lula must begin serving his sentence relating to his 12 July 2017 graft conviction for taking bribes from an engineering firm in return for help to land contracts with state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, despite him not having exhausted all of his appeals, but rather only one appeal, at which the appellate court had unanimously upheld his sentence. Brazilian financial markets rallied, as the decision increased the chances a market-friendly candidate winning the election. Lula and his party vowed to continue his campaign from prison following the court's decision that he must surrender himself by 6 April. The head of Brazil's army, General Eduardo Villas Boas, called for Lula to be placed behind bars. Following Judge Moro's issuance of an arrest warrant for Lula on 6 April 2018, Lula appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee to – in addition to his primary case – take emergency action by asking the government of Brazil to prevent his arrest until he had exhausted all appeals, arguing that the Brazilian Supreme Court had narrowly adopted its ruling with only six votes against five, which "shows the need for an independent court"; the Committee ultimately denied Lula's request. In June 2018, the Committee denied Lula's request.
Lula failed to turn himself in at the scheduled time, but he did so on the following day on 7 April 2018. After Lula was imprisoned, protesters took to the streets in cities across Brazil. Lula's imprisonment led to the formation of the Free Lula Movement.
On 28 May 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee initiated an investigation into Lula's case. In August, the Committee "requested Brazil to take all necessary measures to ensure that Lula can enjoy and exercise his political rights while in prison, as candidate in the 2018 presidential elections"; Brazil's foreign ministry noted that the recommendation had no legal significance.
On 8 July 2018, on-call weekend duty federal judge for the 4th region Rogério Favreto ordered Lula's release. Moro said that Favreto did not have the authority to release Lula, and Favreto's ruling was overturned the same day by the Judge Pedro Gebran Neto, president of the 4th regional court.
On 2 August 2018, Pope Francis received three former allies of Lula in Rome: Celso Amorim, Alberto Fernández and Carlos Ominami. Later, the pope addressed a handwritten note to Lula (posted on his Twitter account) with the following text: "To Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva with my blessing, asking him to pray for me, Francisco".
On 9 June 2019, The Intercept published leaked Telegram messages between the judge in Lula's case, Sergio Moro, and the Operation Car Wash lead prosecutor, Deltan Dallagnol, in which they allegedly conspired to convict Lula to prevent his candidacy for the 2018 presidential election. Moro was accused of lacking impartiality in Lula's trial. Following the disclosures, the resumption of legal proceedings was determined by the Supreme Court. Moro denied any wrongdoing or judicial misconduct during the course of Operation Car Wash and his investigation of Lula, claiming that the conversations leaked by The Intercept were misrepresented by the press and that conversations between prosecutors and judges are normal. Moro became Minister of Justice and Public Security after the election of president Jair Bolsonaro.
The information published by The Intercept prompted reactions both in Brazil and overseas. A group of 17 lawyers, ministers of Justice, and high court members from eight countries reacted to the leaks by describing former president Lula as a political prisoner and calling for his release. United States Senator Bernie Sanders said Lula should be released and his conviction annulled. American Congressman Ro Khanna asked the Trump administration to investigate Lula's case, saying that "Moro was a bad actor and part of a larger conspiracy to send Lula to jail". A number of international intellectuals, activists and political leaders, including professor Noam Chomsky and 12 US Congressmen, complained that the legal proceedings appeared to be designed to prevent Lula from running for president in 2018. American talk show host Michael Brooks, a vocal advocate for Lula, opined that Lula's imprisonment and Moro's alleged political motives had rendered the results of the 2018 election "fundamentally illegitimate".
Release
On 8 November 2019, Lula was released from prison after 580 days when the Brazilian Supreme Court ended mandatory imprisonment of convicted criminals after their first appeal failed. His release allowed him to remain out of prison until all of his appeals of his corruption and money laundering convictions were exhausted.
On 27 November, the Federal Regional Tribunal of Region 4 in Porto Alegre increased Lula's sentence to 17 years.
On 8 March 2021, Judge Edson Fachin of the Supreme Federal Court annulled all convictions against Lula, ruling that the court in Curitiba, in Paraná state, which convicted him lacked jurisdiction to do so because the crimes he was accused of did not take place in that state, as at the time Lula resided in the capital, Brasilia. Justice Fachin said the cases against him should therefore be retried by a court in that city. The judge did not rule as to whether Lula was guilty or not of the corruption charges. On 15 April, a full Supreme Court upheld the ruling in an 8–3 decision.
On 23 March 2021, the Supreme Federal Court ruled by a 3–2 decision that Moro, who had overseen Lula's trial in a case, was biased against him. On 23 June it upheld the ruling in a 7–4 decision. On 24 June, Judge Gilmar Mendes of the Supreme Federal Court annulled the two other cases Moro had brought against Lula, reasoning that there was a link between them and the case in which Moro was declared biased. This meant that all evidence Moro had collected against Lula was inadmissible in court, and that fresh trials would be needed.
Between terms (2011–2023)
Health
On 29 October 2011, it was announced that Lula, a former smoker, had a malignant tumor in his larynx, which was detected after his voice became unusually hoarse. He had chemotherapy to treat the tumor, and was later treated with radiation therapy; his laryngeal cancer went into remission. Lula announced his recovery in March 2012.
On 21 January 2021, Lula tested positive for COVID-19 while participating in the filming of an Oliver Stone documentary in Cuba, five days after arriving on the island. He recovered without needing to be admitted to hospital. On 13 March 2021, Lula received his first dose of the CoronaVac vaccine.
In October 2023, Lula had hip joint replacement surgery for a hip prosthesis, replacing the top of his right femur with an implant to treat his arthrosis.
He also had a blepharoplasty, a cosmetic plastic surgery to remove excess skin from both of his eyelids.
2018 presidential campaign
In 2017, Lula announced he would stand as the Workers' Party candidate for president again in the 2018 election. In September, he led a caravan of supporters which travelled through the states of Brazil, starting with Minas Gerais, whose governor was Lula's political ally Fernando Pimentel. While traveling through the South of Brazil, the caravan became the target of protests. In Paraná, a campaign bus was shot at, and in Rio Grande do Sul, rocks were thrown at pro-Lula militants.
Despite Lula's imprisonment in April 2018, the Workers' Party kept Lula as the party's presidential candidate. In a poll conducted by Ibope in June 2018, Lula led with 33% of vote intentions, with the PSL candidate Jair Bolsonaro polling second with 15%. Lula negotiated a national coalition with the PCdoB and regional alliances with the Socialist Party.
The Workers' Party officially nominated Lula as its candidate on 5 August 2018, in São Paulo. Actor Sérgio Mamberti read a letter written by Lula, who was unable to attend because of his prison sentence. Former São Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad was named as Lula's running mate and intended to represent Lula in events and debates. If Lula was declared ineligible, Haddad would replace Lula as candidate, with Manuela d'Ávila replacing Haddad as the vice-presidential candidate.
In response to a petition from Lula, the UN Human Rights Committee on 17 August 2018 suggested to the Brazilian government that it allow Lula to exercise his political rights.
In a 26 August poll, Lula had 39 percent of vote intentions within one month of the first round. The same opinion polling put Lula ahead of all his challengers in a second round run-off, including the nearest one, PSL candidate Jair Bolsonaro, by 52 to 32.
Lula's candidacy was denied by the Superior Electoral Court on 31 August 2018 by a majority vote of the seven-judge panel. On 11 September 2018, Lula officially withdrew and was replaced by Fernando Haddad, whom Lula endorsed.
Second presidency (2023–present)
2022 election
In May 2021, Lula said that he would run for a third term in the October 2022 general election, against the incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro. He was 17% ahead of Bolsonaro in a poll in January 2022. In April 2022, Lula announced that his running mate would be Geraldo Alckmin, a three-term governor of São Paulo state who had run against Lula in the 2006 presidential elections.
On 2 October, in the first round vote, Lula was in first place with 48% of the electorate, qualifying for the second round with Bolsonaro, who received 43% of the votes. Lula was elected in the second round on 30 October with 50.89% of the vote, the smallest margin in the history of Brazil's presidential elections, three days after his 77th birthday. He became the first president of Brazil elected to three terms, the first since Getúlio Vargas to serve in non-consecutive terms, and the first to unseat an incumbent president. He was sworn in on 1 January 2023. At age 77, he was the oldest Brazilian president at the time of inauguration.
Tenure
Lula said that his main commitments were: the reconstruction of the country in the face of the economic crisis; democracy, sovereignty and peace; economic development and stability; fighting poverty; education; implementation of a National System of Culture and the expansion of housing programmes. He held the presidency of the G20 from 2023 (succeeding India) until the 2024 Brazilian G20 Summit, where after this the presidency was handed over to South Africa.
Lula's popularity declined; in September 2023, 38% of those polled considered him to be good or excellent, while 30% considered him to be average, and 31% viewed him as bad or terrible.
Foreign policy
China
In March 2023, Lula met in China with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and signed 15 memoranda of understanding and 20 agreements on a wide range of issues. Lula gave a speech in which he said that no one would keep Brazil from improving its relationship with China—which was taken as a reference to the United States. In January 2024, Lula reaffirmed to Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi his recognition of China's policy of "one China", under which China claims Taiwan. Human Rights Watch, in the meantime, cautioned Lula against cozying up to China, while remaining silent about China's human rights abuses.
Cuba
In September 2023, Lula called Cuba a "victim" of an "illegal" United States embargo against Cuba. He also denounced the inclusion of Cuba on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Iran
In March 2023, Lula's administration allowed two Iranian Navy warships, forward base ship IRIS Makran and frigate IRIS Dena, to dock in Rio de Janeiro. U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Elizabeth Bagley said that in the past the warships had facilitated terrorist activities, and US Senator Ted Cruz said that "the docking of Iranian warships in Brazil is a dangerous development and a direct threat to the safety and security of Americans."
Lula endorsed admitting Iran into the BRICS organization, and in August 2023 met with Iranian president Ebrahim Raeisi. Lula stopped short of condemning Iran's rights abuses.
Nicaragua
In June 2023, at an Organization of American States (OAS) summit, Lula tried to soften OAS criticism of Nicaragua's government, which was accused of repression and of violations of human rights and property rights. Nicaragua's former ambassador to the OAS, Arturo McFields, said that the proposed softening was "shameful," and that "President Lula is lying and telling another story that never existed in Nicaragua."
Russia
In May 2023, he declined an invitation to the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum, saying that he "can't visit Russia at the moment", while confirming that he had spoken to Putin. In December 2023, Lula said he would invite Vladimir Putin to the BRICS and G20 summits in Brazil. Due to Brazil being a signatory of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Putin could be placed under arrest by the Brazilian authorities if he sets foot on Brazil's territory. Lula said Putin could be arrested in Brazil, but that would be the decision of Brazil's independent courts, not his government. In February 2024, he was visited by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In May 2025, he attended the Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Lula has commented often on the Russo-Ukrainian War. He condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but Ukraine called some of his comments as "Russian attempts to distort the truth".
In May 2022, Lula blamed both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying that Zelenskyy "is as responsible as Putin for the war". Lula also repeatedly criticized NATO and the European Union for being partially responsible for the war. He accused NATO of "claiming for itself the right to install military bases in the vicinity of another country". In April 2023, Lula declared after a state visit to China that "the United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace". U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby responded by accusing Lula of "parroting Russian and Chinese propaganda", describing his comments as "simply misguided" and "suggesting the United States and Europe are somehow not interested in peace, or that we share responsibility for the war".
In April 2023, Lula initially condemned Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and said Russia should withdraw from Ukrainian territory it has occupied since February 2022. Later, however, that same month, he suggested that Ukraine should "give up Crimea" to Russia in exchange for peace and Russia's withdrawal from Ukrainian territory it occupied after February 2022, saying Zelenskyy "cannot want everything".
After Germany appealed to Lula to provide military aid to Ukraine by selling it arms, Lula refused. On 26 April, in a joint press conference, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez questioned Lula's position, stressing that as the victimized country Ukraine needed to be supported. Lula said that he is seeking peace in accordance with a binding foreign policy principle in the pacifist Brazilian Constitution of 1988. He said that the countries of the Global South, including Brazil, India, Indonesia and China "want peace", but both Putin and Zelenskyy "are convinced that they are going to win the war" and do not want to talk about peace. He noted the human cost of the war, as well as the war's impact on food security, energy costs, and global supply chains.
Saudi Arabia
In November 2023, Lula met in Riyadh with the prime minister and crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. They discussed strengthening bilateral relations, and investments in both countries. Salman said that a more robust strategic partnership between the two countries would benefit both sides. The $10 billion that the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia pledged to invest in Brazil was one topic of conversation. Lula mentioned Brazil's rapprochement with Arab countries. Salman also discussed Saudi Arabia's entry into BRICS in January 2024. Lula invited Salman to visit Brazil in 2024.
In February 2024, Saudi Ambassador to Brazil Faisal Ghulam participated in a reception held by the ambassadors of Arab and Islamic countries in honour of Lula, and on behalf of the ambassadors of the Arab and Islamic countries, Ghulam delivered a speech in which he reviewed the developing relations between the Arab and Islamic countries and Brazil.
Israel–Palestine war
Lula condemned the Hamas attack on Israel carried out on 7 October 2023. On 11 October 2023, he called for a ceasefire in the Israel–Gaza war, stating, it was "urgently needed in defence of Israeli and Palestinian children". Lula urged Hamas to release kidnapped Israeli children and Israel to stop bombing the Gaza Strip and allow Palestinian children and their mothers to leave the war zone. On 25 October 2023, Lula stated, "It's not a war, it's a genocide". On 18 February 2024, he drew comparisons to the Nazi Holocaust. That same day, he was accused of "blatant antisemitism" by Dani Dayan, the Chairman of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre, for comparing Israel's actions to Adolf Hitler. Brazil's ambassador to Israel Frederico Meyer was recalled after these comments, and President Lula was designated a persona non grata in the State of Israel. Lula subsequently declined to apologise and despite having invoked a comparison with Adolf Hitler, he stated "I did not say the word Holocaust, that was the interpretation of the prime minister of Israel, it was not mine."
United States
In April 2023, alluding to the support of the United States for Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Lula said that the US needs to "stop encouraging war." In May 2023, he said that US economic sanctions on Venezuela were "worse than a war" and "kill" women and children. In February 2024, University of São Paulo foreign policy expert Feliciano de Sa Guimaraes said Lula only listens to one side in his government, "the left-wing, anti-American voices who very aggressively speak of a radical change in the global order."
Venezuela
Lula restored diplomatic ties that Brazil had cut off with Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro government after 2018 elections that had been condemned by critics as a sham. In March 2023, Lula refused to join 54 other nations and sign a United Nations declaration criticizing Venezuela's human rights abuses. In May 2023 Lula met with Maduro in Brazil.
In May 2023, Lula warmly embraced and fully supported Venezuela's authoritarian leftist President Nicolás Maduro. Lula dismissed charges against Maduro of human rights and civil rights abuses as a political "constructed narrative." Lula was criticized by Uruguay's President Luis Lacalle Pou, who said that the "worst thing we can do" is pretend there are no significant human rights problems in Venezuela, and by Chile's President Gabriel Boric, who said that Lula was making light of human rights violations in Venezuela. Lula also criticized as "unjustified" U.S. sanctions on Venezuela for its alleged human rights abuses, and criticized the United States for denying the legitimacy of Maduro, who the U.S. said had not allowed free elections.
Economy
In March 2023, Lula reinforced the Bolsa Família program. The programme was created during the first term of Lula and then significantly cut by Jair Bolsonaro, with its goal being help to around 60 million Brazilians suffering from poverty. According to the World Bank estimates, the reinforced programme would reduce the poverty rate in Brazil to 24.3% – the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August 2023, Lula announced a vast infrastructure investment programme of over $350 billion over four years. Part of this sum is earmarked to finance the "My home, my life" social housing project. It also includes 100 billion for energy and 65 billion for transport and roads. Education and health are also concerned, with the construction of schools and hospitals. The project also aims to boost economic growth and develop clean energy.
At the beginning of September 2023, he presented a major plan to eradicate hunger, as 33 million Brazilians do not have enough to eat, and more than half the country is affected to varying degrees by some form of food insecurity. To this end, he set up a national network of food banks to prevent waste, increased the budget allocated to school meals, and increased the purchase of food from family farms to supply public canteens. These measures are part of a broader policy to build social housing and raise the minimum wage and other social benefits. The fight against world hunger is also high on the Brazilian president's international agenda.
In the first quarter of 2023, Brazilian economy grew by 1.9%. In the second quarter, by 0.9%, 3 times more than expected, while many of the neighbors of Brazil saw a shrinkage in their economy. The possible reasons of this phenomenon included reduced inflation, a good harvest, and an improved credit rating. The economic policy of Lula regarding taxation, spending, public ownership of some companies probably played a major role in this. Explaining his economic philosophy Lula once said: ""[Brazilians] need to understand that the money that exists in this country needs to circulate in the hands of many people," "We do not want the concentration of wealth. We want more people to have access to credit to make the wheel of the economy turn. The growing economy needs to be distributed."
In 2025, Lula became the first Brazilian president since 1992 to have one of his decrees overturned by Congress following its rejection of a proposal to raise a financial transactions tax.
Environment
During his campaign, Lula pledged to end illegal logging. In 2004, Lula had presented a road map for curbing deforestation. It was part of "The Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon", which sought to decrease deforestation in the Amazon by 80% by 2020. This plan was largely responsible for the 83% decrease in the Amazon deforestation rate in the years 2004 through 2012, but it was suspended during Bolsonaro's presidency. Lula re-affirmed the plan's goals in his third term, with a new target of zero illegal deforestation by the year 2030. The plan includes different measures for creating a sustainable economy in the Amazon region, like bioeconomy, rural credits and managed fishing.
According to Amazon Conservation's MAAP forest monitoring programme, the deforestation rate in the Brazilian Amazon from the 1 January to the 8 November 2023 decreased by 59% in comparison to the same period in 2022. In July 2023 the deforestation rate was 66% lower than in July 2022. In the beginning of August Lula participated in the Belem summit, 8 Amazonian nations renewed the Amazon cooperation treaty.
However, there are concerns that illegal loggers have partly moved their action from the Amazon rainforest to Cerrado, where the environmental destruction has increased.
As a whole, the rate of primary forest loss declined in Brazil by 36% in 2023.
Bolsonaro had strongly cut spending for security in the Brazilian Amazon, and in 2022, 34 environmental defenders were murdered in this region. When Lula re-assumed office, he sent troops to restore law enforcement in the region. In October 2023, there were still "reports of violence, threats, torture, intimidation, attempts at criminalization and other non-lethal violations".
In April, Biden pledged to give $500 million to the Amazon Fund which was frozen during the rule of Bolsonaro and reactivated when Lula returned to power, to deal with climate change". According to John Kerry, the overall financial help from US to Brazil for stopping deforestation through different channels will be around 2 billion US dollars.
Lula and French president Emmanuel Macron agreed about cooperation between Brazil and France on different environmental issues, including the transmission of 1.1 billion dollars for preserving the Amazon rainforest.
Lula pledged to recognize 14 new indigenous reserves. Six were recognized as of May 2023. Lula and American president Joe Biden committed to work together on the issue.
Several hours after Lula talked about leaving fossil fuels at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as COP28), his government held an auction in which it offered 603 territorial blocks for oil extraction. The territories cover 2% of the territory of Brazil, overlap with many protected areas or areas belonging to indigenous people and can result in a release of 1 gigaton of CO2.
Lula has expressed support for the paving of BR-319, a project initiated by the Bolsonaro government. Although he argues that the project can be done sustainably, one study found that the road could enable deforestation on a scale of territory the size of Florida by 2030. A court blocked the project in July 2024, saying that the government lacked a plan to combat the deforestation that would follow the implementation of the project.
Freedom of the press
In March 2023, the Lula government launched a campaign to fight "misinformation". The initiative was viewed by many as a tool for Lula's administration to delegitimize criticism it faces—under the guise of "fact-checking", and raised serious concerns about freedom of expression. In response, the senior programme director of the International Centre for Journalists, Christina Tardáliga, tweeted "There is no such thing as government fact-checking. This appropriation of the term is misguided and offensive. What the government does is propaganda."
Health problems
In late October 2024, Lula suffered a fall in the official residence, which resulted in trauma to the back of his head and a small brain hemorrhage in the temporal-frontal region, prompting him to cancel, under advice from his doctors, a planned trip to a BRICS summit in Russia. In December of the same year, he was admitted to hospital after complaining of a headache. A brain haemorrhage was discovered after an MRI scan, and an emergency craniotomy was performed. The intracranial haemorrhage was attributed to his fall in October. After the operation he was reported to be recovering in intensive care.
In May 2025, Lula was diagnosed with labyrinthitis after suffering from vertigo.
Political positions and philosophy
Lula has advocated "socialism of the 21st century", but Lulism is considered to be substantially similar to social liberalism. Although he showed a moderate centre-left liberal tendency economically, he highlighted his closeness with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and negatively evaluated Juan Guaidó during the Venezuelan crisis. He is "personally against" abortion, but maintains that it should be treated as a public health issue.
Palestine
Lula criticized the decisions by Western countries to cut funding to UNRWA and in response pledged to the Palestinian government that Brazil would increase its funding to UNRWA. Lula has called for a two-state solution with Palestine "definitively recognised as a full and sovereign state".
On 18 February 2024, Lula told reporters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while attending the African Union Summit, "What's happening in the Gaza Strip isn't a war, it's a genocide. ... It's not a war of soldiers against soldiers. It's a war between a highly prepared army and women and children. ... What's happening in the Gaza Strip with the Palestinian people hasn't happened at any other moment in history. Actually, it has happened: when Hitler decided to kill the Jews".
Honours and awards
The list of Lula's awards since 2003:
In 2008 he was awarded the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize.
In 2012 he received the Four Freedoms Award.
National honours
State honours
Foreign honours
Foreign awards
In popular culture
Academy Award-nominated Brazilian director Fábio Barreto directed the 2009 Brazilian biographical film Lula, Son of Brazil that depicts the life of Lula up to 35 years of age. Upon its release, it was the most expensive Brazilian film ever. The film was a commercial and critical failure. Critics charged that it was election propaganda, fostering a cult of personality.
The Netflix Brazilian series The Mechanism deals with Operation Car Wash, and has a character inspired by Lula, who is referred to as João Higino in the series.
The 2019 Brazilian documentary, The Edge of Democracy, written and directed by Petra Costa, chronicled the rise and fall of Lula and Dilma Rousseff, and the socio-political upheaval in Brazil during the period. Lula is also featured in the director's 2024 documentary Apocalypse in the Tropics.
References
Further reading
Silva, Luis Inácio da; Castro, Cassiana Rosa de; Machado, Sueli de Fátima; Santos, Alveci Oliveira de Orato; Ferreira, Luiz Tarcísio Teixeira; Teixeira, Paulo; Suplicy, Marta; Dutra, Olívio (2003). "The programme for land tenure legalization on public land in São Paulo, Brazil". Environment and Urbanization 15 (2): 191–200.
Bourne, R (2008). Lula of Brazil : The story so far. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-24663-8.
Goertzel, Ted (2011). Brazil's Lula: The Most Popular Politician on Earth. Boca Raton, Florida: Brown Walker Press. ISBN 978-1-61233-505-6.
Cardim de Carvalho, Fernando J. (2007). "Lula's Government in Brazil: A New Left or the Old Populism?". In Arestis, Philip; Saad-Filho, Alfredo (eds.). Political Economy of Brazil. London: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 24–41. ISBN 978-0-230-54277-8.
External links
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's official page on Facebook
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Bluesky
Appearances on C-SPAN
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Charlie Rose
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at IMDb
Profile: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. BBC News. 28 January 2010.
Moore, Michael (20 April 2010). "The 2010 TIME 100: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva". Time.
Speeches
"Transcript of statements by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, to the high-level meeting for foreign investors"(PDF) Archived 9 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. 29 January 2004. (Meeting press release).
"General Debate of the 64th Session" (2009). United Nations.
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Henry VII of England
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Henry VII of England.
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Tell me a bio of Henry VII of England.
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Tell me a bio of Henry VII of England within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Henry VII of England with around 100 words.
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Henry VII (28 January 1457 – 21 April 1509), also known as Henry Tudor, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizure of the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death in 1509. He was the first monarch of the House of Tudor.
Henry was the son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, and Lady Margaret Beaufort. His mother was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, an English prince who founded the Lancastrian cadet branch of the House of Plantagenet. His father was the half-brother of the Lancastrian king Henry VI. Edmund Tudor died three months before his son was born, and Henry was raised by his uncle Jasper Tudor, a Lancastrian, and William Herbert, a supporter of the Yorkist branch of the House of Plantagenet. During Henry's early years, his uncles and the Lancastrians fought a series of civil wars against the Yorkist claimant, Edward IV. After Edward retook the throne in 1471, Henry spent 14 years in exile in Brittany. He attained the throne when his forces, supported by France and Scotland, defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of England to win his throne on the field of battle, defending it two years later at the Battle of Stoke Field to decisively end the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). He strengthened his claim by marrying Elizabeth of York, Edward IV's daughter.
Henry restored power and stability to the English monarchy following the civil war. He is credited with many administrative, economic and diplomatic initiatives. His supportive policy toward England's wool industry and his standoff with the Low Countries had long-lasting benefits to the English economy. He paid very close attention to detail, and instead of spending lavishly, he concentrated on raising new revenues. He stabilised the government's finances by introducing several new taxes. After his death, a commission found widespread abuses in the tax collection process. Henry reigned for nearly 24 years and was peacefully succeeded by his son, Henry VIII.
Ancestry and early life
Henry VII was born on 28 January 1457 at Pembroke Castle, in the English-speaking portion of Pembrokeshire known as Little England beyond Wales. He was the only child of Lady Margaret Beaufort, who was 13 years old at the time, and Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, who, at 26, died three months before his birth. He was probably baptised at St Mary's Church, Pembroke, though no documentation of the event exists. Henry's paternal grandfather, Owen Tudor, originally from the Tudors of Penmynydd, Isle of Anglesey in Wales, had been a page in the court of King Henry V. He rose to become one of the "Squires to the Body to the King" after military service at the Battle of Agincourt. Owen is said to have secretly married the widow of Henry V, Catherine of Valois. One of their sons was Edmund, Henry's father. Edmund was created Earl of Richmond in 1452 and "formally declared legitimate by Parliament".
The descent of Henry's mother, Margaret, through the legitimised House of Beaufort bolstered Henry's claim to the English throne. She was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (fourth son of Edward III), and his third wife Katherine Swynford. Swynford was Gaunt's mistress for about 25 years. When they married in 1396, they already had four children, including Henry's great-grandfather John Beaufort. Gaunt's nephew Richard II legitimised Gaunt's children by Swynford by letters patent in 1397. In 1407, Henry IV, Gaunt's son by his first wife, issued new letters patent confirming the legitimacy of his half-siblings but also declaring them ineligible for the throne. Henry IV's action was of doubtful legality, as the Beauforts were previously legitimised by an act of Parliament, but it weakened Henry's claim. Nonetheless, by 1483 Henry was the senior male claimant heir to the House of Lancaster remaining after the deaths in battle, by murder or execution of Henry VI (son of Henry V and Catherine of Valois), his son Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, and the other Beaufort line of descent through Lady Margaret's uncle, Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset.
Henry also made some political capital out of his Welsh ancestry in attracting military support and safeguarding his army's passage through Wales on its way to the Battle of Bosworth. He came from an old, established Anglesey family that claimed descent from Cadwaladr, in legend, the last ancient British king.
On occasion, Henry displayed the red dragon. He took it, as well as the standard of St. George, on his procession through London after the victory at Bosworth. A contemporary writer and Henry's biographer, Bernard André, also made much of Henry's Welsh descent.
In 1456, Henry's father Edmund Tudor was captured while fighting for Henry VI in South Wales against the Yorkists. He died shortly afterwards in Carmarthen Castle. His younger brother, Jasper Tudor, the Earl of Pembroke, undertook to protect Edmund's widow Margaret. When Edward IV became King in 1461, Jasper Tudor went into exile abroad. Pembroke Castle, and later the Earldom of Pembroke, were granted to the Yorkist William Herbert, who also assumed the guardianship of Margaret Beaufort and the young Henry.
Henry lived in the Herbert household until 1469, when Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (the "Kingmaker"), went over to the Lancastrians. Herbert was captured fighting for the Yorkists and executed by Warwick. When Warwick restored Henry VI in 1470, Jasper Tudor returned from exile and brought Henry to court. When the Yorkist Edward IV regained the throne in 1471, Henry fled with other Lancastrians to Brittany. He spent most of the next 14 years under the protection of Francis II, Duke of Brittany. In November 1476, Francis fell ill and his principal advisers were more amenable to negotiating with King Edward. Henry was thus handed over to English envoys and escorted to the Breton port of Saint-Malo. While there, he feigned stomach cramps and delayed his departure long enough to miss the tides. An ally of Henry's, Viscount Jean du Quélennec, soon arrived, bringing news that Francis had recovered, and in the confusion Henry was able to flee to a monastery. There he claimed sanctuary until the envoys were forced to depart.
Rise to the throne
By 1483, Henry's mother was actively promoting him as an alternative to Richard III, despite her being married to Lord Stanley, a Yorkist. At Rennes Cathedral on Christmas Day 1483, Henry pledged to marry Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter of Edward IV. She was Edward's heir since the presumed death of her brothers, the Princes in the Tower, King Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York. With money and supplies borrowed from his host, Francis II of Brittany, Henry tried to land in England, but his conspiracy unravelled resulting in the execution of his primary co-conspirator, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. Now supported by Francis II's prime minister, Pierre Landais, Richard III attempted to extradite Henry from Brittany, but Henry escaped to France. He was welcomed by the French, who readily supplied him with troops and equipment for a second invasion.
Henry gained the support of the Woodvilles, in-laws of the late Edward IV, and sailed with a small French and Scottish force, landing at Mill Bay near Dale, Pembrokeshire. He marched toward England accompanied by his uncle Jasper and John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford. Wales was historically a Lancastrian stronghold, and Henry owed the support he gathered to his Welsh birth and ancestry, being agnatically descended from Rhys ap Gruffydd. He amassed an army of about 5,000–6,000 soldiers.
Henry devised a plan to seize the throne by engaging Richard quickly because Richard had reinforcements in Nottingham and Leicester. Though outnumbered, Henry's Lancastrian forces decisively defeated Richard's Yorkist army at the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485. Several of Richard's key allies, such as Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland, and also Lord Stanley and his brother William, crucially switched sides or left the battlefield. Richard III's death at Bosworth Field effectively ended the Wars of the Roses.
Reign
To secure his hold on the throne, Henry declared himself king by right of conquest retroactively from 21 August 1485, the day before Bosworth Field. Thus, anyone who had fought for Richard against him would be guilty of treason and Henry could legally confiscate the lands and property of Richard III, while restoring his own. Henry spared Richard's nephew and designated heir, John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, and made the Yorkist heiress Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Salisbury suo jure. He took care not to address the baronage or summon Parliament until after his coronation, which took place in Westminster Abbey on 30 October 1485. After his coronation Henry issued an edict that any gentleman who swore fealty to him would, notwithstanding any previous attainder, be secure in his property and person.
Henry honoured his pledge of December 1483 to marry Elizabeth of York and the wedding took place in 1486 at Westminster Abbey. He was 29 years old, she was 20. They were third cousins, as both were great-great-grandchildren of John of Gaunt. Henry married Elizabeth of York with the hope of uniting the Yorkist and Lancastrian sides of the Plantagenet dynastic disputes, and he was largely successful. However, such a level of paranoia persisted that anyone (John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, for example) with blood ties to the Plantagenets was suspected of coveting the throne.
Henry had Parliament repeal Titulus Regius, the statute that declared Edward IV's marriage invalid and his children illegitimate, thus legitimising his wife. Amateur historians Bertram Fields and Sir Clements Markham have claimed that he may have been involved in the murder of the Princes in the Tower, as the repeal of Titulus Regius gave the Princes a stronger claim to the throne than his own. Alison Weir points out that the Rennes ceremony, two years earlier, was plausible only if Henry and his supporters were certain that the Princes were already dead. Henry secured his crown principally by dividing and undermining the power of the nobility, especially through the aggressive use of bonds and recognisances to secure loyalty. He also enacted laws against livery and maintenance, the great lords' practice of having large numbers of "retainers" who wore their lord's badge or uniform and formed a potential private army.
Henry began taking precautions against rebellion while still in Leicester after Bosworth Field. Edward, Earl of Warwick, the ten-year-old son of Edward IV's brother George, Duke of Clarence, was the senior surviving male of the House of York. Before departing for London, Henry sent Robert Willoughby to Sheriff Hutton in Yorkshire, to arrest Warwick and take him to the Tower of London. Despite such precautions, Henry faced several rebellions over the next twelve years. The first was the 1486 rebellion of the Stafford brothers, abetted by Viscount Lovell, which collapsed without fighting.
Next, in 1487, Yorkists led by Lincoln rebelled in support of Lambert Simnel, a boy they claimed to be Edward of Warwick (who was actually a prisoner in the Tower). The rebellion began in Ireland, where the historically Yorkist nobility, headed by the powerful Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, proclaimed Simnel king and provided troops for his invasion of England. The rebellion was defeated and Lincoln killed at the Battle of Stoke. Henry showed remarkable clemency to the surviving rebels: he pardoned Kildare and the other Irish nobles, and he made the boy, Simnel, a servant in the royal kitchen where he was in charge of roasting meats on a spit.
In 1490, a young Fleming, Perkin Warbeck, appeared and claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, the younger of the "Princes in the Tower". Warbeck won the support of Edward IV's sister Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy. He led attempted invasions of Ireland in 1491 and England in 1495, and persuaded James IV of Scotland to invade England in 1496. In 1497 Warbeck landed in Cornwall with a few thousand troops, but was soon captured and executed.
When the King's agents searched the property of William Stanley (Chamberlain of the Household, with direct access to Henry VII) they found a bag of coins amounting to around £10,000 and a collar of livery with Yorkist garnishings. Stanley was accused of supporting Warbeck's cause, arrested and later executed. In response to this threat within his own household, the King instituted more rigid security for access to his person. In 1499, Henry had the Earl of Warwick executed. However, he spared Warwick's elder sister Margaret, who survived until 1541 when she was executed by Henry VIII.
Economics
For most of Henry VII's reign Edward Story was Bishop of Chichester. Story's register still exists and, according to the 19th-century historian W.R.W. Stephens, "affords some illustrations of the avaricious and parsimonious character of the king". It seems that Henry was skilful at extracting money from his subjects on many pretexts, including that of war with France or war with Scotland. The money so extracted added to the King's personal fortune rather than being used for the stated purpose.
Unlike his predecessors, Henry VII came to the throne without personal experience in estate management or financial administration. Despite this, during his reign he became a fiscally prudent monarch who restored the fortunes of an effectively bankrupt exchequer. Henry VII introduced stability to the financial administration of England by keeping the same financial advisors throughout his reign. For instance, except for the first few months of the reign, the Baron Dynham and the Earl of Surrey were the only Lord High Treasurers throughout his reign.
Henry VII improved tax collection in the realm by introducing ruthlessly efficient mechanisms of taxation. He was supported in this effort by his chancellor, Archbishop John Morton, whose "Morton's Fork" was a catch-22 method of ensuring that nobles paid increased taxes: those nobles who spent little must have saved much, and thus could afford the increased taxes; in contrast, those nobles who spent much obviously had the means to pay the increased taxes. Henry also increased wealth by acquiring land through the act of resumption of 1486 which had been delayed as he focused on defence of the Church, his person and his realm.
The capriciousness and lack of due process that indebted many would tarnish his legacy and were soon ended upon Henry VII's death, after a commission revealed widespread abuses. According to the contemporary historian Polydore Vergil, simple "greed" underscored the means by which royal control was over-asserted in Henry's final years. Following Henry VII's death, Henry VIII executed Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley, his two most hated tax collectors, on trumped-up charges of treason.
Henry VII established the pound avoirdupois as a standard of weight; it later became part of the Imperial and customary systems of units. In 1506 he resumed the construction of King's College Chapel, Cambridge, started under Henry VI, guaranteeing finances which would continue even after his death.
Foreign policy
Henry VII's policy was to maintain peace and to create economic prosperity. Up to a point, he succeeded. The Treaty of Redon was signed in February 1489 between Henry and representatives of Brittany. Based on the terms of the accord, Henry sent 6,000 troops to fight (at the expense of Brittany) under the command of Lord Daubeney. The purpose of the agreement was to prevent France from annexing Brittany. According to John M. Currin, the treaty redefined Anglo-Breton relations. Henry started a new policy to recover Guyenne and other lost Plantagenet claims in France. The treaty marks a shift from neutrality over the French invasion of Brittany to active intervention against it.
Henry later concluded a treaty with France at Etaples that brought money into the coffers of England, and ensured the French would not support pretenders to the English throne, such as Perkin Warbeck. However, this treaty came at a price, as Henry mounted a minor invasion of Brittany in November 1492. Henry decided to keep Brittany out of French hands, signed an alliance with Spain to that end, and sent 6,000 troops to France. The confused, fractious nature of Breton politics undermined his efforts, which finally failed after three sizeable expeditions, at a cost of £24,000. However, as France was becoming more concerned with the Italian Wars, the French were happy to agree to the Peace of Étaples. Henry had pressured the French by laying siege to Boulogne in October 1492. Henry had been under the financial and physical protection of the French throne or its vassals for most of his life before becoming king. To strengthen his position, however, he subsidised shipbuilding, so strengthening the navy (he commissioned Europe's first ever – and the world's oldest surviving – dry dock at Portsmouth in 1495) and improving trading opportunities. John Cabot, originally from Genoa and Venice, had heard that ships from Bristol had discovered uncharted newfound territory far west of Ireland. Having secured financial backing from Florentine bankers in London, Cabot was granted carefully phrased letters patent from Henry in March 1496, permitting him to embark on an exploratory voyage westerly. It is not known precisely where Cabot landed, but he was eventually rewarded with a pension from the king; it is presumed that Cabot perished at sea after a later unsuccessful expedition.
Henry VII was one of the first European monarchs to recognise the importance of the newly united Spanish kingdom; he concluded the Treaty of Medina del Campo, by which his son Arthur, Prince of Wales, was married to Catherine of Aragon. He also concluded the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with Scotland (the first treaty between England and Scotland for almost two centuries), which betrothed his daughter Margaret Tudor to King James IV of Scotland. By this marriage, Henry VII hoped to break the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France. Though this was not achieved during his reign, the marriage eventually led to the union of the English and Scottish crowns under Margaret's great-grandson, James VI and I, following the death of Henry's granddaughter Elizabeth I. Henry also formed an alliance with Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (1493–1519) and persuaded Pope Innocent VIII to issue a papal bull of excommunication against all pretenders to Henry's throne.
In 1506, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller Emery d'Amboise asked Henry VII to become the protector and patron of the Order, as he had an interest in the crusade. Later on, Henry had exchanged letters with Pope Julius II in 1507, in which he encouraged him to establish peace among Christian realms, and to organise an expedition against the Turks of the Ottoman Empire.
Trade agreements
Henry VII was much enriched by trading alum, which was used in the wool and cloth trades as a chemical fixative for dyeing fabrics. Since alum was mined in only one area in Europe (Tolfa, Italy), it was a scarce commodity and therefore especially valuable to its landholder, the Pope. With the English economy heavily invested in wool production, Henry VII became involved in the alum trade in 1486. With the assistance of the Italian merchant banker Lodovico della Fava and the Italian banker Girolamo Frescobaldi, Henry VII became deeply involved in the trade by licensing ships, obtaining alum from the Ottoman Empire, and selling it to the Low Countries and in England. This trade made an expensive commodity cheaper, which raised opposition from Pope Julius II, since the Tolfa mine was a part of papal territory and had given the Pope monopoly control over alum.
Henry's most successful diplomatic achievement as regards the economy was the Magnus Intercursus ("great agreement") of 1496. In 1494, Henry embargoed trade (mainly in wool) with the Burgundian Netherlands in retaliation for Margaret of Burgundy's support for Perkin Warbeck. The Merchant Adventurers, the company which enjoyed the monopoly of the Flemish wool trade, relocated from Antwerp to Calais. At the same time, Flemish merchants were ejected from England. The dispute eventually paid off for Henry. Both parties realised they were mutually disadvantaged by the reduction in commerce. Its restoration by the Magnus Intercursus was very much to England's benefit in removing taxation for English merchants and significantly increasing England's wealth. In turn, Antwerp became an extremely important trade entrepôt (transhipment port), through which, for example, goods from the Baltic, spices from the east and Italian silks were exchanged for English cloth.
In 1506, Henry extorted the Treaty of Windsor from Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy. Philip had been shipwrecked on the English coast, and while Henry's guest, was bullied into an agreement so favourable to England at the expense of the Netherlands that it was dubbed the Malus Intercursus ("evil agreement"). France, Burgundy, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain and the Hanseatic League all rejected the treaty, which was never in force. Philip died shortly after the negotiations.
Law enforcement and justices of the peace
Henry's principal problem was to restore royal authority in a realm recovering from the Wars of the Roses. There were too many powerful noblemen and, as a consequence of the system of so-called bastard feudalism, each had what amounted to private armies of indentured retainers (mercenaries masquerading as servants). Following the example of Edward IV, Henry VII created a Council of Wales and the Marches for his son Arthur, which was intended to govern Wales and the Marches, Cheshire and Cornwall.
He was content to allow the nobles their regional influence if they were loyal to him. For instance, the Stanley family had control of Lancashire and Cheshire, upholding the peace on the condition that they stayed within the law. In other cases, he brought his over-powerful subjects to heel by decree. He passed laws against "livery" (the upper classes' flaunting of their adherents by giving them badges and emblems) and "maintenance" (the keeping of too many male "servants"). These laws were used shrewdly in levying fines upon those that he perceived as threats.
However, his principal weapon was the Court of Star Chamber. This revived an earlier practice of using a small (and trusted) group of the Privy Council as a personal or Prerogative Court, able to cut through the cumbersome legal system and act swiftly. Serious disputes involving the use of personal power, or threats to royal authority, were thus dealt with.
Henry VII used justices of the peace on a large, nationwide scale. They were appointed for every shire and served for a year at a time. Their chief task was to see that the laws of the country were obeyed in their area. Their powers and numbers steadily increased during the time of the Tudors, never more so than under Henry's reign. Despite this, Henry was keen to constrain their power and influence, applying the same principles to the justices of the peace as he did to the nobility: a similar system of bonds and recognisances to that which applied to both the gentry and the nobles who tried to exert their elevated influence over these local officials.
All Acts of Parliament were overseen by the justices of the peace. For example, they could replace suspect jurors in accordance with the 1495 act preventing the corruption of juries. They were also in charge of various administrative duties, such as the checking of weights and measures.
By 1509, justices of the peace were key enforcers of law and order for Henry VII. They were unpaid, which, in comparison with modern standards, meant a smaller tax bill for law enforcement. Local gentry saw the office as one of local influence and prestige and were therefore willing to serve. Overall, this was a successful area of policy for Henry, both in terms of efficiency and as a method of reducing the corruption endemic within the nobility of the Middle Ages.
Later years and death
In 1502, Henry VII's life took a difficult and personal turn in which many people he was close to died in quick succession. His first son and heir apparent, Arthur, Prince of Wales, died suddenly at Ludlow Castle, very likely from a viral respiratory illness known at the time as the "English sweating sickness". This made Henry VII's second son, Henry, Duke of York, heir apparent to the throne. The King, normally a reserved man who rarely showed much emotion in public unless angry, surprised his courtiers with his intense grief and sobbing at his son's death. His concern for the Queen is evidence that the marriage was a happy one, as is his reaction to Queen Elizabeth's death the following year, when he shut himself away for several days, refusing to speak to anyone. Henry VII was shattered by the loss of Elizabeth, and her death affected him severely.
Henry wanted to maintain the Spanish alliance. Accordingly, he arranged a papal dispensation from Pope Julius II for Prince Henry to marry his brother's widow Catherine, a relationship that would have otherwise precluded marriage in the Church. After obtaining the dispensation, Henry had second thoughts about the marriage of his son and Catherine. Catherine's mother Isabella I of Castile had died and Catherine's sister Joanna had succeeded her; Catherine was, therefore, daughter of only one reigning monarch and so less desirable as a spouse for Henry VII's heir-apparent. The marriage did not take place during his lifetime. Otherwise, at the time of his father's arranging of the marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the future Henry VIII was too young to contract the marriage according to Canon Law and would be ineligible until age fourteen.
Henry made half-hearted plans to remarry and beget more heirs, but these never came to anything. He entertained thoughts of remarriage to renew the alliance with Spain; Joanna, Dowager Queen of Naples (a niece of Queen Isabella of Castile), Queen Joanna of Castile, and Margaret, Dowager Duchess of Savoy (sister-in-law of Joanna of Castile) were all considered. In 1505 he was sufficiently interested in a potential marriage to Joanna of Naples that he sent ambassadors to Naples to report on the 27 year-old Joanna's physical suitability. The wedding never took place.
Henry VII falls among the minority of British monarchs that never had any known mistresses and, for the times, it is unusual that he did not remarry. His son Henry was the only male heir left after the death of his wife; the death of Arthur therefore created a precarious political position for the House of Tudor.
During Henry VII's lifetime the nobility often criticised him for re-centralising power in London and, later, the 16th-century historian Francis Bacon was ruthlessly critical of the methods by which he enforced tax law. It is equally true that Henry VII was diligent about keeping detailed records of his personal finances, down to the last halfpenny; these and one account book detailing the expenses of his queen survive in the British National Archives, as do courtiers' accounts and many of the king's own letters. From these accounting books, the evidence is clear that, until the death of his wife, Henry was a more doting father and husband than was widely known and there is evidence that his outwardly austere personality belied a devotion to his family. Letters to relatives have an affectionate tone not captured by official state business, as evidenced by many written to his mother Margaret. Many of the entries show a man who loosened his purse strings generously for his wife and children – and not just for necessities. After Elizabeth's death, the possibilities for such family indulgences greatly diminished. Henry became very sick and nearly died, allowing only his mother Margaret Beaufort near him: "privily departed to a solitary place, and would that no man should resort unto him." Further compounding Henry's distress, within months of her mother's death, his older daughter Margaret, who had previously been betrothed to King James IV of Scotland, had to be escorted to the border by her father: he would never see her again. Margaret wrote letters to her father declaring her homesickness, but Henry could do nothing but mourn the loss of his family and honour the terms of the peace treaty he had agreed to with the King of Scotland.
Henry VII died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace on 21 April 1509 and was buried in the chapel he commissioned in Westminster Abbey next to his wife, Elizabeth. He was succeeded by his second son, Henry VIII (reigned 1509–47), who would initiate the Protestant Reformation in England. His mother died two months later on 29 June 1509.
Appearance and character
Amiable and high-spirited, Henry was friendly if dignified in manner, and it was clear that he was extremely intelligent. His biographer, Professor Stanley Chrimes, credits him – even before he had become king – with "a high degree of personal magnetism, ability to inspire confidence, and a growing reputation for shrewd decisiveness". On the debit side, he may have looked a little delicate as he suffered from poor health.
Comparison with contemporaries
Historians have compared Henry VII with his continental contemporaries, especially Louis XI of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon. By 1600 historians emphasised Henry's wisdom in drawing lessons in statecraft from other monarchs. In 1622 Francis Bacon published his History of the Reign of King Henry VII. By 1900 the "New Monarchy" interpretation stressed the common factors that in each country led to the revival of monarchical power. This approach raised puzzling questions about similarities and differences in the development of national states. In the late 20th century a model of European state formation was prominent in which Henry less resembles Louis and Ferdinand.
Family
Henry VII and Elizabeth had seven children:
Arthur (19 September 1486 – 2 April 1502), Prince of Wales, heir apparent from birth to death (named after the legendary King Arthur)
Margaret (28 November 1489 – 18 October 1541), Queen of Scotland as the wife of James IV and regent for their son James V
Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547), Henry VII's successor
Elizabeth (2 July 1492 – 14 September 1495)
Mary (18 March 1496 – 25 June 1533), briefly Queen of France as the wife of Louis XII, then wife of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Edmund (21 February 1499 – 19 June 1500), styled Duke of Somerset but never formally created a peer
Katherine (2 February 1503 – 18 February 1503)
See also
Cestui que
Cultural depictions of Henry VII of England
Notes
References
Citations
Sources
Further reading
External links
Henry VII at the official website of the British monarchy
Henry VII at the official website of the Royal Collection Trust
Gairdner, James (1891). "Henry VIII" . In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 26. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 67–94.
Tudor Place page on Henry VII
Discussion of marital bed by Janina Ramirez and Jonathan Foyle: Art Detective Podcast, 15 Feb 2017
Portraits of King Henry VII at the National Portrait Gallery, London
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Ian Khama
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ian Khama.
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Tell me a bio of Ian Khama.
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Tell me a bio of Ian Khama within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Ian Khama with around 100 words.
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Seretse Khama Ian Khama() (born 27 February 1953) is a Motswana politician and former military officer who was the fourth President of the Republic of Botswana from 1 April 2008 to 1 April 2018. After serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, he entered politics and was Vice-President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008, then succeeded Festus Mogae as president on 1 April 2008. He won a full term in the 2009 election and was re-elected in October 2014.
Early life
Ian Khama is the second child of Sir Seretse Khama (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980), Botswana's foremost independence leader and its president from 1966 to 1980, and Lady Khama. He was born in Chertsey, Surrey, while his father was living in exile in the United Kingdom, due to the opposition by the colonial government and the emergent apartheid regime in South Africa to his marriage to a white woman.
He is also the grandson of Sekgoma II (1869–1925), who was the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the great-grandson of Khama III (1837–1923), their king. His great-great-grandfather of Kgosikgolo Sekgoma I was Chief of the Bamangwato people (1815–1885). The name "Seretse" means “the clay that binds together”, and was given to his father to celebrate the recent reconciliation of his father and grandfather; this reconciliation assured Seretse Khama's ascension to the throne when his aged father died in 1925. Ian Seretse Khama is named after his father to continue this historical legacy. He is also known simply as Ian Khama to differentiate between himself and his father. Tshekedi Khama II, Ian Khama's brother, was named after their great uncle, Tshekedi Khama who was the regent and guardian for Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana.
Education and military career
Ian Khama was educated at Waterford Kamhlaba, a United World College in Mbabane, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He is a qualified pilot. In April 1977, Khama was appointed as a brigadier general at age 24 during Sir Seretse Khama's Presidency, making him the Deputy Commander to late former Vice President Lt. Gen. Mompati Merafhe. He later served as the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) from his appointment in 1989, retiring from the position in 1998. During this time, Khama received military honours, including the Founder Officer Medal for being part of the Botswana Defence Force when it was created in 1977, the Duty Code Order for devotion to duty, and the Distinguished Service Medal in 1997 after 20 years of service.
Political career
Khama, serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, announced on 16 December 1997 that he would retire from his command on 31 March 1998. Because this was the same date as the planned retirement of President Quett Masire, it fueled political speculation about Khama. On 1 April 1998, when Vice-President Festus Mogae succeeded Masire as president, Khama was appointed as the new vice-president. However, Khama did not hold a seat in the National Assembly, and so could not immediately take office as vice-president. In early July 1998 he overwhelmingly won a by-election in Serowe North, receiving 2,986 votes against 86 votes for the candidate of the opposition Botswana National Front. On 13 July, he took his seat in the National Assembly and was sworn in as vice-president. By these actions, he effectively renounced his hitherto unclaimed hereditary chieftaincy, as the constitutional monarchs of modern Botswana are legally barred from actively taking part in party politics. Many traditional Bamangwato continued to recognize him as their chief.
Following the victory of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the general election of October 1999, Khama remained vice-president as well as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration. Mogae granted Khama a one-year leave later in the year, a decision that the opposition Botswana Congress Party and the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations sharply criticized. Khama's leave became effective on 1 January 2000. He returned to his duties as vice-president on 1 September 2000, although he was replaced as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration at that time.
Khama, already a member of the BDP Central Committee, was elected as Chairman of the BDP on 22 July 2003 at a party congress; he defeated the previous chairman, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, receiving 512 votes against 219 for Kedikilwe. Khama had been backed for the post by President Mogae, paving the way for Khama to eventually succeed Mogae as president.
In 2007, Khama appeared on British television in the BBC's Top Gear motoring programme, meeting the presenters as they prepared to cross the Makgadikgadi Pan in northern Botswana by car for the Top Gear: Botswana Special.
In April 2022, Ian Khama was summoned by the justice of his country. The former head of state is accused, among other things, of illegal possession of a firearm. The case dates back to 2016. In December 2022, a warrant for Khama's arrest was given for illegal possession of firearms. The warrant was given after he did not appear to the court summonings earlier in the year.
Presidency
Interim term, 2008–2009
Mogae stepped down, as he had long said he would do, on 1 April 2008; Khama succeeded him as president. At his swearing-in ceremony in Gaborone, Khama said that there would be continuity in policy and no "radical changes", although he said that "a change in style and special emphasis on a number of issues" might be evident, and he emphasized his commitment to democracy. He immediately undertook a major cabinet reshuffle, and he appointed Mompati Merafhe, who had been Foreign Minister, as the new vice-president. Upon becoming president, Khama left his post as Chairman of the BDP; Daniel Kwelagobe was chosen to replace him. Khama was not elected to the presidency for his first year in office, being appointed due to his position as vice president. Some political commentators such as Kenneth Good see as a flaw in the electoral system in Botswana.
President Khama first articulated his desire to impose a 70% alcohol levy, meant to combat the problem of excessive drinking in Botswana. The practical effect of such a levy was soon seen to have a deleterious effect on the brewing industry, which resisted the imposition of such a levy, along with bars and other drinking establishments. The President later imposed a 30% levy after consulting with industry leaders, including the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower. SAB Miller secured British diplomatic representation to attempt to lower the levy.
In 2008, The Media Practitioners Act passed into Botswana law, and has been criticized as inhibiting free speech by several outlets. The act's language seeks to encourage a more professional journalistic standard. The law has proved to be difficult to enforce or implement.
In 2009, Khama appeared on CNN's African Voices which painted a positive picture of Khama, and named Botswana an African "success story".
2009 general election
In the 2009 Botswana general election, Khama was elected to the first of two terms as president. Politically, Khama's election campaign was dominated by internal squabbling in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which was clearly divided into two major factions, the A-Team and the Barata Phati factions. The A-Team was led by President Khama, Jacob Nkate, the former minister of education, and the late former vice president Mompati Merafhe. The Barata Phati faction was led by former BDP secretary general Daniel Kwelagobe, formerly the chairman of the party, the late Gomolemo Motswaledi, and also retired former vice president Ponatshego Kedikilwe, who wished to bring about constitutional reform not only to the BDP but also to the country's constitution. In the run-up to the 2009 elections, Motswaledi, who gave up on his ambition to run for a seat in Serowe in order to make way for Ian Khama's brother, Tshekedi Khama II, was also excluded from representing Gaborone when he ran afoul of President Khama. Motswaledi lost a lawsuit against Khama when the High Court ruled that the president enjoyed constitutional immunity from litigation by virtue of his position. After this incident, critics accused Khama of authoritarian tendencies; More than half of the BDP central Committee at one time felt that Khama had on many instances acted beyond his powers. Others, including Khama and his legal representation, said that he was simply instilling discipline as part of his role as the head of the party.
Khama won 53.26% of the vote, and a majority of seats in the National Assembly.
First term, 2009–2014
After the 2009 election, Motswaledi bowed out of the BDP to form another political party, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).
Khama put in place a ban on elephant hunting in 2014.
The death of John Kalifatis, whose death resulted during the course of a robbery investigation, occurred early in Khama's presidency. The police statement on Kalifatis reads: "The deceased, John Kalafatis, had a warrant of arrest issued against him on 12 January 2009 for armed robbery among others. All along, he was a fugitive from justice." The officers involved claimed that they mistakenly believed him to be reaching for his firearm at the time of the shooting. Other sources dispute this, and claim that Kalafatis had been executed by members of the Botswana Defense Force. The three members of the BDF responsible for the death of Kalifatis were found guilty of murder, and each sentenced to 11 years in prison. They received a presidential pardon from Khama in 2012. This was seen as proof by some sources that Khama was involved in the killing. The prosecuting lawyer for Kalifatis said “What is his special interest in these particular offenders, how can we not suspect that he had a personal interest in the case…?”
2014 general election
In the 2014 Botswana general election, Khama won his second term. His party received 46.45% of the vote, and a majority of seats in the National Assembly. In the lead up to the election, opposition politician Gomolemo Motswaledi died in a traffic collision on 30 July 2014. While there was some speculation on the incident being politically motivated, the police force concluded that the death was an accident.
Second term, 2014–2018
In 2015, Khama was awarded an honorary doctorate in political science from Konkuk University in South Korea. After he received the degree, Khama's official title was "His Excellency the President Lieutenant General Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama".
Political opinions
Khama took a strong stance against the Zimbabwean government, particularly Robert Mugabe. He did so by refusing to recognize the government unless and until it included members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headed by Morgan Tsvangirai. Khama also condemned the action of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir in the region of Darfur and became a vocal critic of despotic governments in Africa along with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia.
Khama has been criticized by some figures for making poor decisions, including by former president Quett Masire, who claimed that the BDP had been taken over by opportunists looking to benefit from senior government positions.
Under Khama, the government has also established the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) with police powers, which is seen as the Botswana equivalent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. Although this type of organization is not new and is found in many countries, it has critics in Botswana who charge that there are very few domestic or transnational threats that the police and the military could not handle. Some, including executive director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, Siphosami Malunga, have argued that the institution, initially headed by President Khama's close friend Issac Kgosi, could easily be manipulated and used against political enemies or others who criticize the President or his administration.
On the economic front, Khama has been a vocal proponent of moving Botswana away from its over-reliance on diamonds and diversifying its economy, especially to the agriculture and tourism sector.
Khama put in place a ban on elephant hunting during his time as president, and supported conservation efforts in Botswana. In 2018, he criticized President Donald Trump for encouraging elephant poaching.
A teetotaler, Khama has been strongly prohibitionist in his attitude towards alcohol, viewing it as a significant problem.
Diplomatically, he took a strong stance on North Korea's human rights issues. After cutting ties with North Korea in 2014 over its egregious human rights violations, he described the human rights atrocities in the hermit kingdom 'worse than the African refugee issues', particularly during the mass famine in the 1990s. He gave an interview with the Yonhap News Agency during his visit to Seoul, South Korea in 2015, criticizing the North's leaders for 'living in the Stone Age' and called their aggressive actions unacceptable.
Retirement
On 1 April 2018, Mokgweetsi Masisi was sworn in as the 5th President of Botswana, succeeding Ian Khama and his full ten years of presidency. After several disagreements with Masisi, in particular accusing Masisi of authoritarian tendencies, Khama decided to leave the BDP and join the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), a newly formed breakaway from the BDP. He campaigned for the BPF, which won three seats in the 2019 general elections in the Serowe area.
In 2018, after resigning from the presidency, Khama became a member of the Board of Directors of the US-based organization Conservation International, which is also active in Botswana. In 2021, Khama went on a self-imposed exile, during which he claimed that there had been a plot to poison him.
In December 2022 a court in Botswana issued an arrest warrant for Khama for the possession of five illegal firearms after his failure to appear in court. On 13 September 2024, Ian Khama returned to Botswana after three years in exile, to appear in court and request to be released pending trial. On 30 November 2024, he resumed his seat as Kgosikgolo of BaNgwato, taking the regal name Khama IV, amid celebrations at the Serowe Sports Complex attended by national and international dignitaries, ending a century of regency for BaNgwato. The incoming government following the 2024 Botswana elections dropped the firearms charges, which Khama had alleged were politically motivated tactics from the former Masisi government.
On 20 January 2025, Khama was sworn in as a member of the Ntlo ya Dikgosi, the advisory body of hereditary chiefs advising Parliament.
Honours and awards
Honours
References
External links
Media related to Ian Khama at Wikimedia Commons
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Juan Nepomucino Goetz
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Juan Nepomucino Goetz.
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Tell me a bio of Juan Nepomucino Goetz.
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Tell me a bio of Juan Nepomucino Goetz within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Juan Nepomucino Goetz with around 100 words.
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Juan Nepomucino Goetz (German: Johannes Nepomuk Goetz) was an Austrian Catholic priest whose arrival in Cuba led to two extraordinary controversies.
When Toussaint-Louverture drove out the British, he rang the church bells and celebrated. However, in the following period, Goetz fled to Santiago de Cuba, where his knowledge of languages gave him a place as the 'foreigners' priest.
Goetz in Havana
In Havana, choirmaster Lazo de la Vega was ailing and died. After his death, four men sought the post: 28-year-old first violinist José Francisco Rensoli, singer Luis Lazo, maestro Cayetano Solis and the Catalan Cayetano Pagueras, a religious composer and first contralto. The matter was to be decided by competitive examination. Pagueras regarded himself as a maestro in four arts: plainsong, organ playing, counterpoint and composition.
All were set for the examination when a letter, written on 29 July 1803, arrived at the cathedral. It was from Goetz, offering his service.
After looking, listening and questioning, he wrote a first report to the town council full of acute assessments of key members of the choir:
"Cayetano Pagueras: Second contralto, terrible voice, no expressiveness. Almost blind... A good composer, but he doesn't know how to sing his own works."
"Don Luis Lazo: Third contralto. Knows nothing of music, and never will. He entered the chapel fraudulently, and... is totally inept; superfluous."
"Don Juan Alcayado: Third tenor. Terrible voice. He hardly attends, and when he does, he speaks constantly, disturbing the others... A totally useless human being. The position of third tenor is hereby abolished for its superfluousness."
As a musician, he reduced the number of positions, moved young singers up in status and recommended that any reduced in rank should retake the exam, both theoretical and practical. Under his plan in 1806, the singers and musicians were: choirmaster, four sopranos, two contraltos, two tenors, a baritone; two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, four violins, bass viol, and bass.
== References ==
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Sam Michael
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Sam Michael.
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Tell me a bio of Sam Michael.
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Tell me a bio of Sam Michael within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Sam Michael with around 100 words.
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Samuel David Michael (born 29 April 1971) is an Australian motor sports engineer and designer, who held senior positions with Formula One constructors Williams and McLaren. He is currently employed by Supercar team Triple Eight Race Engineering.
Early career
Michael was born in Western Australia and grew up in Canberra. After a brief stint working on Neal Bates' Toyota Celica GT-Four rally car, Michael studied mechanical engineering at the University of New South Wales with a thesis on data acquisition systems for racing cars. During his studies, Greg Siddle employed Michael on a part-time basis working on Mark Larkham's Formula Holden, so that Michael could continue his studies.
Formula 1
Michael was recruited by UK-based Lotus in 1993. After Team Lotus went bankrupt in 1994 Gary Anderson, the chief designer at Jordan Grand Prix, took Michael on to establish the team's research and development department. Michael spent two years working in the Jordan factory on data acquisition, and installed a seven-post rig for simulating suspension movement and designing an active differential.
In 1997, Michael joined the Jordan test team. In 1998 he was promoted to race engineer for Ralf Schumacher. When the German departed to go to Williams in 1999, Michael inherited Heinz-Harald Frentzen. His partnership with Frentzen was successful, resulting in a win at the French Grand Prix at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, and then again at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
In 2001, Sir Frank Williams brought Michael to Williams as Senior Operations Engineer. He took over the responsibility of managing the engineers at races and tests. In May 2004, Michael was promoted to Technical Director of Williams, leaving Patrick Head to focus on engineering strategy.
In late 2011, Michael joined McLaren as Sporting Director, becoming part of the senior technical management team.
At McLaren, Michael came under pressure following a series of failures during pitstops, during the introduction of new equipment and procedures. Martin Whitmarsh defended Michael's position, and shortly afterwards the changes began to pay off.
Return to Australia
At the end of 2014 Michael returned to Australia, after resigning from McLaren earlier that year. In mid-2016, Michael joined the Australian Institute for Motor Sport Safety board focusing on safety in motor sport. In late 2016, Michael took on a part-time mentoring role with Triple Eight Race Engineering after Ludo Lacroix moved to DJR Team Penske.
Michael first worked in a close involvement with safety matters when he was invited to become a director of the Australian Institute for Motor Sport Safety in 2016. The following year he became an advisor to the FIA’s Research Working Group, a body of engineers that among other tasks reviews new safety devices.
He has a seat on the FIA Single Seater Commission. In 2022, Michael was the President of the FIA Safety Commission.
Life outside F1
Michael is the CEO of Ox Mountain, a machine learning company to the optimisation of maintenance in capital intensive industries such as mining and rail that he co-founded in 2015. He is also a part time lecturer at the University of Western Australia.
== References ==
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Virginia Christine
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Virginia Christine.
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Tell me a bio of Virginia Christine.
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Tell me a bio of Virginia Christine within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Virginia Christine with around 100 words.
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Virginia Christine (born Virginia Christine Ricketts; March 5, 1920 – July 24, 1996) was an American stage, radio, film, television, and voice actress. Though Christine had a long career as a character actress in film and television, she may be best remembered as "Mrs. Olson" (or the "Folgers Coffee Woman") in a string of television commercials for Folgers Coffee during the 1960s and 1970s.
Early life
Virginia Christine Ricketts was born in Stanton, Iowa of Swedish descent. Upon her mother's remarriage, she changed her last name to "Kraft". The family later moved to Des Moines, the state capital, in central Iowa, where Virginia attended Elmwood Elementary School. The family relocated again to Des Moines County in the southeastern part of the state. There, Christine attended Mediapolis High School, where she aspired to be a concert pianist. Her family later moved to California, where she enrolled at UCLA.
Career
Radio and films
Christine began working in radio during college. She appeared in 23 episodes of the radio version of Gunsmoke: "Cholera" (December 4, 1954), "Poor Pearl" (February 19, 1955), "Change of Heart" (September 3, 1955), "Good Girl, Bad Company" (October 8, 1955), "Sunny Afternoon" (December 4, 1955), "Cows and Cribs" (May 13, 1956), "Belle's Back" (September 9, 1956), "Dirty Bill's Girl" (October 28, 1956), "Fingered" (November 23, 1957), "Tag You're It" (October 5, 1958), "Matt's Decision" (September 6, 1959), "Big Chugg Wilson" (December 6, 1959), "Bless Me 'Till I Die" (January 24, 1960), "Delia's Father" (February 7, 1960), "Prescribed Killing" (February 28, 1960), "Solomon River" (April 17, 1960), "Busted Up Guns" (July 17, 1960), "Tumbleweed" (August 28, 1960), "Two Mothers" (September 18, 1960), "Jedro's Woman" (November 6, 1960), "Kitty's Good Neighboring" (December 4, 1960), "Love of Money" (February 5, 1961), and "Ma's Justice" (May 7, 1961).
She began training for a theatrical career with actor/director Fritz Feld, whom she married in 1940. In 1942, she made her stage debut in the Los Angeles production of Hedda Gabler. While performing in the play, she was spotted by an agent from Warner Bros., who signed her to a film contract with the studio. Her first film for Warner Bros. was Edge of Darkness (1943), in which she played a Norwegian peasant girl. She was dropped by Warner Bros. in 1943 and signed with Universal Pictures in 1944. That year, Christine had a supporting role in The Mummy's Curse and The Wife of Monte Cristo, with her husband Fritz Feld (the two went on to appear together in the Western 4 for Texas in 1963).
In 1946, she appeared in The Scarlet Horseman, a 13-chapter film serial playing Carla Marquette, or Matosca, followed by a supporting role in the mystery film The Inner Circle. Christine's next film for Universal was the film noir classic The Killers. She initially tested for the lead role of femme fatale Kitty Collins, but lost out to Ava Gardner. The film's producer, Mark Hellinger, was impressed with her test and cast her as Lilly Harmon Lubinsky, the wife of Lt. Sam Lubinsky (Sam Levene). Christine also portrayed Miss Watston in the 1964 remake of the film, starring Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson.
In 1950, she played an uncredited supporting role in The Men. Although the part was small and the film was not a commercial success, her performance impressed the film's producer, Stanley Kramer. She became a favorite of his, and went on to appear in a number of his films, including Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) and High Noon (1952). Kramer later cast her in the 1955 drama Not as a Stranger, where she played a countrywoman. She also coached the film's star Olivia de Havilland on her Swedish accent. The following year, she co-starred in the horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. In 1961, Kramer cast her again as a German housekeeper in Judgment at Nuremberg. One of her most notable roles was as Hilary St. George, the bigoted co-worker of Katharine Hepburn's character in the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
Television
In addition to her work in films, Christine appeared in numerous television series. In the 1950s, she appeared in multiple guest roles on The Abbott and Costello Show, Four Star Playhouse, Dragnet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Ford Television Theatre, Gunsmoke, Science Fiction Theatre, Matinee Theatre, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, Trackdown, State Trooper, Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Rifleman, Letter to Loretta, Adventures of Superman, and General Electric Theater. In November 1959, Christine co-starred as the wife of a verbally abusive hypochondriac in the first-season episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "Escape Clause".
In 1960 and 1961, Christine guest-starred on episodes of Coronado 9, Rawhide, and The Untouchables. From 1961 to 1962, Christine had a recurring role as widow Ovie Swenson in the Western series Tales of Wells Fargo. She made four guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of defendant Beth Sandover in the season-six, 1962 episode, "The Case of the Double-Entry Mind", and murderer Edith Summers in the season-seven, 1963 episode, "The Case of the Devious Delinquent". For the remainder of the decade, she continued with guest-starring roles in such shows as 77 Sunset Strip, Ben Casey, Bonanza, The Fugitive, Hazel, Wagon Train, The Virginian, ‘’The Big Valley’’, Going My Way, The F.B.I., and Daniel Boone. In 1969, Christine co-starred in the ABC television movie Daughter of the Mind.
Her greatest fame came in 1965 when she began her 21-year stint as the matronly Mrs. Olson, who had comforting words for young married couples while pouring Folgers coffee in television commercials. They became a popular staple on television, whereupon the character began to be parodied by comedians and entertainers, including Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Ann-Margret, and Jackie Gleason. She went on to appear in over 100 commercials for Folgers. In 1971, Christine's hometown of Stanton, Iowa, honored her by transforming the city water tower to resemble a giant Swedish coffee pot.
During the 1970s, Christine continued to work primarily in television. Her last role was on the 1979 animated series Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, in which she provided additional voices.
Later years
Christine retired from acting in 1979. After her retirement, she did volunteer work at Planned Parenthood, and served as a judge at the American College Theatre Festival. She was later appointed the honorary mayor of Brentwood, Los Angeles, where her husband and she resided for many years.
Personal life
In November 1940, Christine married character actor Fritz Feld. The couple had two sons, Steven and Danny. Christine and Feld remained married until his death in 1993.
Death
On July 24, 1996, Christine died at her Brentwood home of cardiovascular disease. Her interment was at the Jewish Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles.
Filmography
References
External links
Virginia Christine at IMDb
Virginia Christine at the TCM Movie Database
Virginia Christine at Find a Grave
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A. K. Ramanujan
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about A. K. Ramanujan.
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Tell me a bio of A. K. Ramanujan.
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Tell me a bio of A. K. Ramanujan within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of A. K. Ramanujan with around 100 words.
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Attipate Krishnaswami Ramanujan (16 March 1929 – 13 July 1993) was an Indian poet and scholar of Indian literature and linguistics. Ramanujan was also a professor of Linguistics at University of Chicago.
Ramanujan was a poet, scholar, linguist, philologist, folklorist, translator, and playwright. His academic research ranged across five languages: English, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Sanskrit. He published works on both classical and modern variants of this literature and argued strongly for giving local, non-standard dialects their due. Though he wrote widely and in a number of genres, Ramanujan's poems are remembered as enigmatic works of startling originality, sophistication and moving artistry. He was awarded the Sahitya Academy Award posthumously in 1999 for The Collected Poems.
Early life and education
Ramanujan was born in Mysore City (now Karnataka) on 16 March 1929. His father, Attipat Asuri Krishnaswami, an astrologer and professor of mathematics at Mysore University, was known for his interest in English, Kannada and Sanskrit languages. His mother was a homemaker.
Ramanujan was educated at Marimallappa's High School, Mysore, and at the Maharaja College of Mysore. In college, Ramanujan majored in science in his freshman year, but his father persuaded him to change his major from science to English. Later, Ramanujan became a Fellow of Deccan College, Pune in 1958–59 and a Fulbright Scholar at Indiana University in 1959–62. He was educated in English at the University of Mysore and received his PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University.
Career
Ramanujan worked as a lecturer of English at Quilon and Belgaum; he later taught at The Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda for about eight years. In 1962, he joined the University of Chicago as an assistant professor. He was affiliated with the university throughout his career, teaching in several departments. He taught at other US universities as well, including Harvard University, University of Wisconsin, University of Michigan, University of California at Berkeley, and Carleton College. At the University of Chicago, Ramanujan was instrumental in shaping the South Asian Studies program. He worked in the departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and with the Committee on Social Thought.
In 1976, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri, and in 1983, he was given the MacArthur Prize Fellowship and appointed the William E. Colvin Professor on the Departments of South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Linguistics, and the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago. As an Indo-American writer, Ramanujan had the experience of the native as well as foreign milieu. His poems such as the "Conventions of Despair" reflected his views on the cultures and conventions of the east and west.
A. K. Ramanujan died in Chicago on 13 July 1993 as result of an adverse reaction to anaesthesia during preparation for surgery.
Contributions to Indian studies
A. K. Ramanujan's theoretical and aesthetic contributions span several disciplinary areas. In his cultural essays such as "Is There an Indian Way of Thinking?" (1990), he explains cultural ideologies and behavioral manifestations thereof in terms of an Indian psychology he calls "context-sensitive" thinking. In his work in folklore studies, Ramanujan highlights the inter-textuality of the Indian oral and written literary tradition. His essay "Where Mirrors Are Windows: Toward an Anthology of Reflections" (1989), and his commentaries in The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology (1967) and Folktales from India, Oral Tales from Twenty Indian Languages (1991) are good examples of his work in Indian folklore studies.
Additionally, his work Speaking Śiva, a literary study in the early 1970s, was very influential in shaping the understanding of the contemporary understanding of Vīraśaivas, Śaiva devotees of the Kannada-speaking region. "Speaking of Śiva became the unrivaled standard for introducing the Vīraśaivas, South Asian devotionalism, and even Hinduism more broadly to a variety of English-speaking audiences worldwide."
Controversy regarding his essay
His 1991 essay "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation" courted controversy over its inclusion in the B.A. in History syllabus of the University of Delhi in 2006. In this essay, he wrote of the existence of many versions of Ramayana and a few versions that portrayed Rama and Sita as siblings, which contradicts the popular versions of the Ramayana, such as those by Valmiki and Tulsidas.
The comments written by A K Ramanujan were found to be derogatory by some Hindus and some of them decided to go to court for removal of the text from the Delhi University curriculum. ABVP, a nationalist student organisation, opposed its inclusion in the syllabus, saying it hurt the majority Hindu sentiment, who viewed Rama and Sita as incarnations of gods and who were husband and wife. They demanded the essay be removed from the syllabus. In 2008, the Delhi High Court directed Delhi University to convene a committee to decide on the essay's inclusion. A four-member committee subsequently gave its 3-1 verdict in favor of its inclusion in the syllabus.
The academic council, however, ignored the committee's recommendation and voted to scrap the essay from its syllabus in October 2011. This led to protests by many historians and intellectuals, accusing Delhi University of succumbing to the diktat ("views") of non-historians.
Selected publications
His works include translations from Old Tamil and Old Kannada, such as:
Translations and Studies of Literature
The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from a Classical Tamil Anthology, 1967
Song of the Earth, Writers Workshop. 1968.
Speaking of Siva, Penguin. 1973. ISBN 9780140442700.
The Literatures of India. Edited with Edwin Gerow. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1974
Hymns for the Drowning, 1981
Poems of Love and War. New York: Columbia University Press, 1985
Folktales from India, Oral Tales from Twenty Indian Languages, 1991
Is There an Indian Way of Thinking? in India Through Hindu Categories, edited by McKim Marriott, 1990
When God Is a Customer: Telugu Courtesan Songs by Ksetrayya and Others (with Velcheru Narayana Rao and David Shulman), 1994
A Flowering Tree and Other Oral Tales from India, 1997
Essays
Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation
Collected Essays of A. K. Ramanujan
"A Flowering Tree: A Women's Tale". In: Syllables of Sky: Studies in South Indian Civilization. Oxford University Press, 1995. pp. 20–42. ISBN 9780195635492. (posthumous article)
Poetry
The Striders. London: Oxford University Press, 1966
Relations. London, New York: Oxford University Press, 1971
Selected Poems. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1976
Second Sight. New York: Oxford University Press,
The Collected Poems. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1995
Appearances in the following poetry Anthologies
Ten Twentieth-Century Indian Poets (1976) ed. by R. Parthasarathy and published by Oxford University Press, New Delhi
The Oxford India Anthology of Twelve Modern Indian Poets (1992) ed. by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra and published by Oxford University Press, New Delhi
The Golden Treasure of Writers Workshop Poetry (2008) ed. by Rubana Huq and published by Writers Workshop, Calcutta
Kannada
Samskara. (translation of U R Ananthamurthy's Kannada novel) Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1976
Hokkulalli Huvilla (translated to English - "No Flower in the Navel"). Dharwad, 1969
Mattu Itara Padyagalu (translated to English - "And Other Poems"). Dharwad, 1977
Kuntobille (translated to English - "Hopscotch")
Mattobbana Atma Charitre (translated to English - "Yet Another Man's Autobiography")
Haladi Meenu (Kannada Translation of Shouri's English Novel)
A. K. Ramanujan Samagra (Complete Works of A. K. Ramanujan in Kannada)
A. K. Ramanujan Avara Aayda Kavitegalu
A. K. Ramanujan Avara Aayda Barahagalu
"In the kingdom of fools" (9th class English, supplementary)
See also
List of translators into English
References
Further reading
Guillermo Rodriguez, When Mirrors are Windows: A View of AK Ramanujan’s Poetics (OUP, 2016)
External links
A. K. Ramanujan at Nationalencyklopedin
A. K. Ramanujan at Poetry Foundation
A. K. Ramanujan at Penguin India
Works by A. K. Ramanujan at Open Library
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Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay.
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Tell me a bio of Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay.
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Tell me a bio of Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay with around 100 words.
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Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay (born 8 March 1956) is a Bengali writer from India. He has written novels and short stories for both adults and children.
Life
Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay was born in Calcutta.
His father was Ramangamohan Mukhopadhyay and mother Kanaklata Mukhopadhyay. He graduated from Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir (a residential college) at Belur
before taking a Masters in English from The University of Calcutta. He did his Ph.D from Jadavpur University.
Mukhopadhyay started his career as Regional Secretary, East India, of Sahitya Akademi. Formerly he was Convener of the Bengali Advisory Board of the Sahitya Akademi. He was also President of the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad. He has retired as the Director of the Publishing Department, Visva-Bharati.
He is associated with a number of Bengali Little Magazines.
Works
His first collection of 14 short stories entitled "Madale Natun Bol" (The New Beats on the Drum) published from Calcutta in 1984. His first novel "Charane Prantare" (At the Grazing Ground, at the Horizon) was published from Calcutta in 1993.
Novel
Short story collection
Travelogue
Book of essays
Compiled and edited
Juvenile literature
Awards
Somenchandra Award of Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi (2000)
Galpamela Puraskar (2004)
Katha Award (New Delhi, 2005)
Bankimchandra Smriti Puraskar of the Department of Higher Education, Govt. of West Bengal (2006)
Saratchandra Smriti Puraskar (Bhagalpur, 2007)
Sis Puraskar (2008)
Gajendra Kumar Mitra Birth Centenary Award 2009
Ananda Puraskar of the Ananda Bazar Patrika and Desh (2013)
D.L.Ray Award (2014)
Kusumanjali Award (New Delhi, 2014)
Krititwa Samagra Puraskar of Bharatiya Bhasha Parisad (2016)
Karmayogi Nanigopal Chakraborty Smriti Sahitya Puraskar (2023)
== References ==
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Carlos Ghosn
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Carlos Ghosn.
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Tell me a bio of Carlos Ghosn.
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Tell me a bio of Carlos Ghosn within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Carlos Ghosn with around 100 words.
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Carlos Ghosn (; French: [kaʁlɔs ɡon]; Arabic: كارلوس غصن; Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: ['kaːrlos 'ɣosˤn], born 9 March 1954) is a businessman and former automotive executive. He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Michelin North America, chairman and CEO of Renault, chairman of AvtoVAZ, chairman and CEO of Nissan, and chairman of Mitsubishi Motors.
Ghosn began his professional career in 1978 at Michelin, Europe’s largest tire manufacturer. Over the course of 18 years at the company, he held a variety of leadership roles, including overseeing operations in South America. In 1999, following Renault's acquisition of a major stake in the struggling Japanese automaker Nissan, Ghosn moved to Japan to oversee its recovery. As chief operating officer, and later chief executive officer, he implemented a series of restructuring measures aimed at improving Nissan’s financial performance. Under his leadership, Nissan returned to profitability and strengthened its position in the global market. In 2005, Ghosn also became CEO of Renault, holding top executive roles at both companies simultaneously. In 2016, he additionally became chairman of Mitsubishi Motors after Nissan acquired a controlling interest in the company, further expanding his influence in the automotive sector.
In 2018, he was arrested in Japan on suspicion of financial misconduct at Nissan, having been accused of understating his annual salary and misusing company funds. In 2019, while under house arrest awaiting trial, he escaped from Japan by concealing himself inside a large box, which was shipped as freight on a private jet.
Early life and education
Ghosn's grandfather was Bichara Ghosn, a Maronite Catholic who emigrated from Ajaltoun, French Mandate Lebanon to Brazil at the age of 13, eventually settling in remote Guaporé, Rondônia, near the border between Brazil and Bolivia. Bichara Ghosn was an entrepreneur and eventually headed several companies, in businesses including the rubber trade, the sale and purchase of agricultural products, and aviation. His son Jorge Ghosn married Rose Jazzar, a Nigerian-born Lebanese woman whose family came from Miziara in Lebanon then went to Brazil, where they settled in Porto Velho, the state capital of Rondônia, and had four children.
Carlos' father, Jorge Ghosn (died 2006) was a diamond trader and worked in the airline industry. Jorge was convicted of murdering a priest in Sawfar, Lebanon in 1960. Jorge fled to Brazil in 1975 at the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War.
Carlos Ghosn was born on 9 March 1954, in Porto Velho. When he was about two years old he became sick after drinking unsanitary water, and his mother moved with him to Rio de Janeiro. He did not fully recover there, and in 1960, when Ghosn was six years old, he and his mother and sister moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where his grandmother and two other sisters lived.
Ghosn completed his secondary school studies in Lebanon, at the Jesuit school Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour. He then completed his classes préparatoires in Paris, at the Collège Stanislas and the Lycée Saint-Louis. He graduated as an engineer from the École Polytechnique in 1974 and the École des Mines de Paris in 1978.
Career
Michelin
After graduation in 1978, Ghosn spent 18 years at Michelin, Europe's largest tyre maker, initially training and working in several plants in France and Germany. In 1981, he became plant manager in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. In 1984 he was named head of research and development for the company's industrial tyre division.
In 1985, when Ghosn was 30 years old, he was appointed chief operating officer (COO) of Michelin's South American operations. He returned to Rio de Janeiro, reporting directly to François Michelin, who tasked Ghosn with turning around the operation, which was unprofitable and struggling under Brazil's hyperinflation. Ghosn formed cross-functional management teams to determine best practices among the French, Brazilian, and other nationalities working in the South American division. The multicultural experience in Brazil formed the basis of his cross-cultural management style and emphasis on diversity as a core business asset. "You learn from diversity ... but you're comforted by commonality", Ghosn has said. The division returned to profitability in two years.
After turning around Michelin's South American operations, Ghosn was appointed president and COO of Michelin North America in 1989, and moved to Greenville, South Carolina, with his family. He was promoted to CEO of Michelin North America in 1990. He presided over the restructuring of the company after its acquisition of the Uniroyal Goodrich Tyre Company.
Post-privatisation Renault
In 1996, Ghosn became executive vice president in charge of purchasing, advanced research, engineering and development, powertrain operations, and manufacturing at Renault; and he was also in charge of Renault's South American division, located in the Mercosur. Ghosn's radical restructuring of Renault successfully contributed to profitability of the company over 1997. His reputation of successful performance under François Michelin was repeated under the first CEO of the freshly privatized Renault.
Nissan and the Renault–Nissan Alliance
In March 1999, Renault and Nissan formed the Renault–Nissan Alliance, and in May 1999 Renault purchased a 36.8% stake in Nissan. While maintaining his roles at Renault, Ghosn joined Nissan as its chief operating officer (COO) in June 1999, became its president in June 2000, and was named chief executive officer (CEO) in June 2001. When he joined the company, Nissan had a consolidated interest-bearing net automotive debt of more than $20 billion (more than 2 trillion yen), and only three of its 46 models sold in Japan were generating a profit. Reversing the company's sinking fortunes was considered nearly impossible.
Ghosn's "Nissan Revival Plan", announced in October 1999, called for a return to profitability in fiscal year 2000, a profit margin in excess of 4.5% of sales by the end of fiscal year 2002, and a 50% reduction in the current level of debt by the end of fiscal year 2002. Ghosn promised to resign if these goals were not met. Ghosn's Nissan Revival Plan called for cutting 21,000 Nissan jobs (14% of total workforce), mostly in Japan; shutting five Japanese plants; reducing the number of suppliers and shareholdings; and auctioning off prized assets such as Nissan's aerospace unit.
Ghosn was the fourth non-Japanese person to lead a Japanese automaker, after Mark Fields, Henry Wallace and James Miller were appointed by Ford to run Mazda in the late 1990s. In addition to cutting jobs, plants, and suppliers, Ghosn spearheaded major and dramatic structural and corporate-culture changes at Nissan. He defied Japanese business etiquette in various ways, including by eliminating seniority-based and age-based promotion, by changing lifetime employment from a guarantee to a desired goal for when the company achieved high performance, and by dismantling Nissan's keiretsu system; an interwoven web of parts suppliers with cross-holdings in Nissan. When the Nissan Revival Plan was announced, the proposed dismantling of keiretsu earned Ghosn the nickname "keiretsu killer", and The Wall Street Journal quoted a Dresdner Kleinwort Benson analyst in Tokyo as saying Ghosn might become a "target of public outrage" if Nissan threw former affiliates out of its supply chain. Ghosn changed Nissan's official company language from Japanese to English, and included executives from Europe and North America in key global strategy sessions for the first time.
In the first year of the Nissan Revival Plan, Nissan's consolidated net profit after tax climbed to $2.7 billion for fiscal year 2000, from a consolidated net loss of $6.46 billion in the previous year. Twelve months into his three-year turnaround plan, Nissan had returned to profitability, and within three years it was one of the industry's most profitable auto makers, with operating margins consistently above 9%; more than twice the industry average. The goals of the Nissan Revival Plan were all reached before 31 March 2002.
In May 2002, Ghosn announced his next set of goals for the company, "Nissan 180", a three-year plan for growth based on the numbers 1, 8, and 0: By the end of September 2005, Nissan planned to increase its global sales by one million vehicles; and by the spring of 2005, it was committed to achieving an operating margin of at least 8% and reducing its net automotive debt to zero. These goals were all reached: In the spring of 2003, Nissan announced that its net automotive debt was eliminated in fiscal year 2002. Nissan's operating profit margin climbed to 11.1% in fiscal year 2003; it had been 1.4% in fiscal year 1999. In October 2005, Nissan announced that its annual sales from 30 September 2004, to 30 September 2005, were more than 3.67 million, up from the 2.6 million vehicles sold in the fiscal year ended March 2002.
In May 2005, Ghosn was named president and chief executive officer of Renault. When he assumed the CEO roles at both Renault and Nissan, Ghosn became the world's first person to simultaneously run two companies on the Fortune Global 500.
In 2005, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian acquired a 9.9% stake in General Motors (GM), seated one of his representatives on the company's board, and then urged GM to initiate a merger with Renault and Nissan, with Ghosn serving as the new chairman of GM. In 2006, GM's embattled management rebuffed the takeover attempt, and by the end of the year, Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. sold most of its GM stock.
In 2006, Ford Motor Co. made Ghosn a formal offer to lead the company. Ghosn refused, reportedly saying the only way he would come to the struggling company was if he was named both the CEO and chairman of the board. Bill Ford Jr. refused to give up his chairmanship.
In 2007, Ghosn led the Renault–Nissan Alliance into the mass-market zero-emission electric car market in a major way, and committed €4 billion (more than $5 billion) to the effort. In 2008, he confirmed that Nissan–Renault would bring an "entire lineup" of zero-emission electric cars to the worldwide market by 2012. In 2009, he told the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, "If you're going to let developing countries have as many cars as they want—and they're going to have as many cars as they want one way or another—there is absolutely no alternative but to go for zero emissions. And the only zero-emissions vehicle available today is electric ... So we decided to go for it." The Nissan Leaf, an electric car billed as "the world's first affordable zero-emission car", debuted in December 2010. By 2017, the Renault–Nissan Alliance was the world leader in electric vehicles, selling more than twice as many electric cars as Tesla, and the Nissan Leaf was the world's best-selling electric vehicle by a wide margin.
Ghosn was a visible leader in recovery efforts after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011, one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. On 29 March 2011, he made the first of several visits to the hard-hit Iwaki engine plant in Fukushima prefecture, 50 km (31 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and at his direction Nissan restored full operations at the Iwaki factory well ahead of expectations. He appeared on television in Japan to encourage optimism. In May 2011, Ghosn remained committed to building at least 1 million of Nissan's cars and trucks in Japan annually. In 2011 Ghosn was under scrutiny by the French government for mishandling a spying scandal related to Renault.
In June 2012, Ghosn was named deputy chairman of the board of directors of Russian automobile manufacturer AvtoVAZ. In June 2013, he was appointed chairman of the Russian company, a position he retained through June 2016. Renault had begun a strategic partnership with AvtoVAZ in 2008 by acquiring a 25% stake in the company; this led to increasingly deeper partnerships between Renault–Nissan and AvtoVAZ, ending in Renault–Nissan Alliance control of the Russian automaker in 2014.
In February 2017, Ghosn announced he would step down as CEO of Nissan on 1 April 2017, while remaining chairman of the company. Hiroto Saikawa succeeded Ghosn at Nissan. In November 2018, Renault owned 43.4% of Nissan, while Nissan owned non-voting shares equal to 15% of Renault's equity.
Mitsubishi
In October 2016, Nissan completed the acquisition of a controlling 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Ghosn became, in addition to his Renault–Nissan posts, chairman of Mitsubishi, with an aim to rehabilitate the automaker after a months-long scandal involving fuel-economy misrepresentation and consequent falling revenues. The Nissan–Mitsubishi partnership includes partnership in developing electric automobiles for Mitsubishi, and the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance creates the world's fourth-largest auto group, after Toyota, Volkswagen AG, and General Motors Co.
Mitsubishi Motors board removed Ghosn from his role as chairman on 26 November 2018, following his arrest and ousting from Nissan for alleged financial misconduct.
Advisorships
Ghosn served on the International Advisory Board of Brazilian bank Banco Itaú (a major party in the privatisation of Renault) until 2015. He is also a member of the advisory board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing. He has received an honorary doctorate from American University of Beirut; and he is a member of the Strategic Council, Saint Joseph University of Beirut. In 2014 and 2015, he was elected president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. He serves as governor of the World Economic Forum.
Legal troubles
Initial arrest and detention
On 19 November 2018, Carlos Ghosn was arrested by Tokyo prosecutors shortly after landing in Japan on a private jet. Nissan alleged that Ghosn had underreported nearly $80 million in compensation and misused company assets, launching an internal investigation against him. Ghosn, however, denied wrongdoing, stating that all payments were legal and known to the company’s internal auditors and board.
Ghosn was detained at the Tokyo Detention House for 108 days, often in solitary confinement, and subjected to lengthy daily interrogations without a lawyer present. He described the conditions as psychological coercion and labeled Japan’s pre-trial system “hostage justice.” His wife Carole Ghosn raised concerns with international human rights organizations about the nature of his treatment and the denial of communication.
Bail and allegations of a corporate coup
After multiple bail denials, Ghosn was released in March 2019 on a ¥1 billion (~$9 million) bail with strict conditions, including constant surveillance and a ban on communicating with his wife. He criticized these measures as punitive and psychologically exhausting. In a video released shortly after a rearrest, Ghosn stated he was the victim of a plot by Nissan insiders who feared his plans to deepen the Renault-Nissan alliance.
He named specific Nissan executives and alleged that the Japanese legal system was being used as a weapon in a corporate coup. Ghosn argued that the pattern of re-arrests was designed to keep him imprisoned indefinitely and break his will to fight the charges.
Escape and international fallout
On 30 December 2019, Ghosn fled Japan in violation of his bail, reportedly hidden in a large audio equipment case aboard a private jet from Osaka to Istanbul, then to Beirut. He described the move as an “escape from injustice,” stating that he faced a judicial system where “guilt was presumed.”
Japanese authorities condemned the escape, forfeited Ghosn’s $14 million bail, and issued international arrest warrants. Interpol issued a Red Notice, but Lebanon – where Ghosn holds citizenship – declined to extradite him. In 2021, a Japanese court convicted two Americans who helped facilitate the escape and sentenced them to prison. Lebanese authorities imposed a travel ban on Ghosn, and French authorities later issued their own international warrant regarding alleged misuse of Renault funds.
Lawsuits, French charges, and ongoing legacy
Following his arrival in Lebanon, Ghosn filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Nissan and others involved in his arrest, citing defamation, fabrication of evidence, and personal damages. He has continued to speak out in interviews and documentaries, arguing that he was ousted in a politically motivated corporate coup.
Meanwhile, legal action has continued outside Japan. In 2022, French prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant related to €15 million in alleged personal use of company funds via an Omani dealership. Ghosn denied wrongdoing and pledged to cooperate with legal authorities willing to offer a fair trial.
In 2022, Greg Kelly, the former Nissan executive arrested alongside Ghosn, was acquitted on most charges in Japan. The Tokyo court ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal intent in earlier years. He received a suspended sentence on one minor count, while Nissan was fined ¥200 million. Ghosn interpreted this as validation that the case had been politically motivated and overstated.
As of 2025, Carlos Ghosn remains in Beirut under a travel ban, shielded from extradition by Lebanese law. He has stated that he will continue fighting to restore his reputation and expose what he describes as a corporate coup enabled by a flawed justice system.
Personal life
Ghosn's first marriage was to Rita Kordahi, who came originally from Rayfoun, Lebanon, and whom he met in France in 1984. Together they had four children: Caroline, Nadine, Maya and Anthony. They divorced in 2012. In May 2016, Ghosn married Lebanese-American Carole Nahas, and a few months later in October, threw a large party at the Grand Trianon of the Palace of Versailles, in the outskirts of Paris, to celebrate both the wedding and Carole's 50th birthday. He is reported by several Japanese media to have six private residences: in Tokyo, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Amsterdam, Beirut, and New York.
Ghosn, whom Forbes magazine called "the hardest-working man in the brutally competitive global car business", as of 2006 was splitting his time between Paris and Tokyo and logging roughly 150,000 nautical miles (280,000 km; 170,000 mi) in airplanes per year. Japanese media called him "Seven-Eleven" ("work very hard from early in the morning till late at night"). He holds citizenship to Lebanon, Brazil and France. He has been noted for his direct, results-and-execution-oriented style in business strategy meetings, and for his interest in resolving problems from within a company by listening to workers and by cross-functional and cross-cultural team groupings.
Ghosn is multilingual, speaking four languages fluently – Arabic, English, French, and Portuguese – and he has also studied Japanese. He is a partner in Ixsir, a winery in the northern coastal town of Batroun, Lebanon. In 2012, he was named to the Honorary Board of the American Foundation of Saint George Hospital in Beirut. In 2020, he became a coach to business leaders at USEK.
Ghosn was hailed as a potential presidential candidate in Lebanon in 2007. In a June 2011 survey by life-insurance company Axa, Ghosn was ranked No. 7 in a random poll asking Japanese people, "Which celebrity do you want to run Japan?" (Barack Obama was No. 9, and Prime Minister Naoto Kan was No. 19.) He has so far declined such overtures, saying he has "no political ambitions".
Ghosn's lawyers have stated he has chronic kidney disease which they claim was worsened by his lack of access to proper treatment while imprisoned.
In the media
Beginning in November 2001, Ghosn's life story was turned into a superhero comic book series in Japan, titled The True Story of Carlos Ghosn, in the manga comic book Big Comic Superior. The series was published as a book in 2002. His face has been reproduced both in Lebanese postage stamps and in bento boxes in Japanese restaurants.
Ghosn is the subject of a number of books in English, Japanese, and French. In English, he wrote a bestselling business book called Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival. He was the subject of another business book called Turnaround: How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan by David Magee. He also provided strategic business commentary and on-the-job lessons to aspiring managers in a book called The Ghosn Factor: 24 Inspiring Lessons From Carlos Ghosn, the Most Successful Transnational CEO by Miguel Rivas-Micoud.
Netflix in 2022 released a documentary titled Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn, which chronicles Ghosn's rise, as well as the internal rivalries and tensions he sparked within Nissan-Renault, and his dramatic arrest. Apple TV+ released a documentary titled Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn, in 2023.
Awards and recognition
As a result of his achievements, Ghosn has had numerous awards and honors bestowed upon him. Some of these include:
In 2001, he topped TIME magazine's list of Global Influentials, beating Bill Gates and several other globally renowned businessmen.
In 2001, he was named Father of the Year by a Japanese community group.
In 2002, he was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French government.
In 2002 Fortune awarded him Asia Businessman of the Year.
In 2003, he was named Man of the Year by Fortune magazine's Asian edition.
In 2003 Fortune listed him as one of the 10 most powerful business leaders outside the U.S.
In 2004, he became the first foreign business leader to receive the prestigious Blue Ribbon Medal from Emperor Akihito of Japan.
In 2004, he was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame.
In 2004, he was also added to the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame.
In 2006, Ghosn was made an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
In 2010, CEO Quarterly magazine listed Ghosn as one of the "Most Respected CEOs".
In 2010, he was appointed as the jury member of the Takreem Award Committee between 2010 and 2018.
In 2011, CNBC listed Ghosn as Asia Business Leader of the Year.
In 2012, Ghosn was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, an honorific designation to civilians in recognition of services that benefit Morocco.
In 2012, Ghosn received the Japan Society Award.
In 2012, Ghosn became the first person in the auto industry, and the fourth overall, to win a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Strategic Management Society, a non-profit group that promotes ethical and strategic business stewardship.
In 2012, Ghosn was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, an honorific designation to civilians in recognition of services that benefit Spain.
In 2013, he was appointed an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
In 2017, Lebanon's national post office, LibanPost, unveiled a collectable stamp honoring Carlos Ghosn.
Bibliography
References
Further reading
"Light and Darkness brought by Carlos Ghosn". The Asahi Shimbun. Translated by Akagawa, Roy K. 7 December 2018. Japanese version: "カルロス・ゴーン もたらした光と影".
External links
Appearances on C-SPAN
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Anurag Kashyap
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Anurag Kashyap.
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Tell me a bio of Anurag Kashyap.
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Tell me a bio of Anurag Kashyap within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Anurag Kashyap with around 100 words.
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Anurag Kashyap (born 10 September 1972) is an Indian filmmaker and actor known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of four Filmfare Awards. The Government of France made him a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2013.
Kashyap got his major break as a co-writer in Ram Gopal Varma's crime drama Satya (1998) and made his directorial debut with Paanch, which never had a theatrical release due to censorship issues. He then went on to direct Black Friday (2004), a film based on the namesake book by Hussain Zaidi about the 1993 Bombay bombings. Its release was held up for two years by the District Board of Film Certification because of the pending verdict of the case at that time but was released in 2007 to critical appreciation. Kashyap's follow-up, No Smoking (2007) met with mixed reviews and performed poorly at the box-office. His next venture Dev.D (2009), a modern adaptation of Devdas received positive reviews and was a commercial success; followed by the socio-political drama Gulaal (2009), and the thriller That Girl in Yellow Boots (2011).
Kashyap's prominence increased with the two-part crime drama, Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), which received worldwide critical acclaim and moderate box office success and considered a cult film now. Kashyap subsequently co-produced the critically acclaimed drama The Lunchbox (2013), and the biographical drama Shahid (2012), the former earned him a BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language nomination. His next acclaimed films were the anthology Bombay Talkies (2013), the drama Ugly (2014), Raman Raghav 2.0, a film inspired by the serial killer Raman Raghav (2016) and Mukkabaaz (2018). He also co-directed India's first Netflix Original series, the crime thriller Sacred Games, based on Vikram Chandra's novel of the same name and the romantic drama Manmarziyaan.
Early life
Kashyap was born on 10 September 1972 to a Hindu family in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. His father Prakash Singh is a retired Chief Engineer of the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited and was posted in Obra Thermal Power Station in Sonbhadra district near Varanasi.
He did his primary schooling from Hillgrange Prepratory School in Dehradun, and grade seven onwards, from the Scindia School in Gwalior.
Some of the locations used in Gangs of Wasseypur are also influenced from his own old house where he himself lived with his parents, sister, Anubhuti Kashyap, and brother, Abhinav Kashyap. Abhinav is also a filmmaker, who made his directorial debut with the masala blockbuster, Dabangg (2010). Anubhuti has been his assistant in most of his films. She made her directorial debut with Doctor G (2022), a medical campus comedy, starring Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh, Shefali Shah and Sheeba Chaddha.
Owing to his desire to become a scientist, Kashyap went to Delhi for his higher studies and enrolled himself into a zoology course at the Hansraj College (University of Delhi); he graduated in 1993. He then eventually joined the street theatre group, Jana Natya Manch; and did many street plays. The same year, couple of his friends "urged [him] to catch a de Sica retrospective" at the International Film Festival of India. In ten days, he saw 55 films at the festival, and Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves was the film that influenced him the most.
Career
After the de Sica experience, Kashyap arrived in Mumbai in 1993 with INR 5,000 in his pocket. Soon the money ran out, and he spent months on the streets, staying in lofts, "sleeping on beaches," "under a water tank and in the St Xavier's [college] boys hostel." He then managed to find work at Prithvi Theatre, but his first play remained incomplete because the director died.
Writer and director
1990–1999
In 1995, an acquaintance introduced Kashyap to Shivam Nair. The day they met, Kashyap watched Taxi Driver (1976) at Nair's place, and the film inspired him to "write something". The team of Sriram Raghavan, Sridhar Raghavan and Shiv Subramaniam were working on two projects, one of which was a short TV series, Auto Narayan, based on the life of serial killer Auto Shankar; the second one was a film scripted by Kashyap. Auto Narayan got delayed because the script written by Subramaniam was not "working". Kashyap rewrote the script and got credit for the same, but it was scrapped. In 1997, he wrote the screenplay of Hansal Mehta's first film, Jayate which failed to find a theatrical release; and episodes of the TV series Kabhie Kabhie (1997).
In 1998, actor Manoj Bajpayee suggested his name to Ram Gopal Varma to write a film. Varma liked Kashyap's Auto Narayan and hired him, alongside Saurabh Shukla to write the script for his crime film, Satya (1998). Satya was a critical and commercial success, and is regarded as one of the best films of Indian cinema. He later collaborated with Varma in scripting Kaun (1999) and writing dialogues for Shool (1999). In 1999, he made a short film, titled Last Train to Mahakali for television.
2000–2009
While working with Nair, Kashyap came across files related to the Joshi-Abhyankar serial murders that took place in Pune in 1976, which became the inspiration for his directorial debut Paanch. A crime thriller about a group of five friends of a rock band who turn into criminals. The film faced trouble with the Central Board of Film Certification because the board felt that it dealt unapologetically with sex, drugs and celebrated violence.
It was cleared by the Board in 2001, but remains unreleased due to some problems faced by the producer. In these years, he also wrote dialogues for many films including Paisa Vasool (2004), Mani Ratnam's Yuva (2004), the Canadian film Water (2005), Main Aisa Hi Hoon (2005) and Mixed Doubles (2006).
After a failed attempt to make Allwyn Kalicharan in 2003, Kashyap started working on Black Friday, a film based on the namesake book by Hussain Zaidi about the 1993 Bombay bombings. The Bombay high court put a stay on the release of the film, until the judgement in the bomb blasts case was delivered. It was decided after a petition filed by a group of 1993 bomb blasts accused, challenging the release of the film based on their case. The film got censorship clearance in 2007, and was released after two years meeting universal acclaim. Nikhat Kazmi gave the film a three star out of five rating and mentioned: "It was indeed a difficult film to make, yet the director has managed to grapple with all the loose threads and put them together in a composite whole. So much so, the film moves like a taut thriller, without ideology coloring the sepia frames."
The same year, Kashyap adapted Stephen King's short story "Quitters, Inc." into No Smoking. A surrealistic thriller about a chain-smoker who gets trapped in the maze of a person who guarantees will make him quit smoking. The film starring John Abraham, Ayesha Takia, Ranvir Shorey and Paresh Rawal in the leads with music by Vishal Bhardwaj, premiered at the Rome Film Festival. No Smoking received an overwhelming negative reception and failed at the box-office. CNN-IBN's Rajeev Masand called it a "colossal disappointment". His final release of the year was Return of Hanuman, an animation film about adventures of the Hindu god Hanuman.
In 2009, Kashyap had two releases. Dev.D, a contemporary takes on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Devdas. It was the twelfth film adaptation of the Bengali novel. Starring Abhay Deol who actually pitched the original idea of the film to Kashyap, with Mahie Gill and newcomer Kalki Koechlin portraying the characters of "Paro" and Chandramukhi respectively. The film met with generally positive reviews and strong box office results. Gulaal, a political drama, was his final release of that year. Kashyap started working on the film in 2005 and had finished 70–80 per cent of the film in 2006, when its producer fell ill. Later on, Zee Motion Pictures took over the project and was finally finished in 2008 and released on 13 March 2009. Anupama Chopra gave the film three stars and referred to Kashyap as "the Anti-Yash Chopra". Despite positive reviews, the film underperformed at the box office.
2010s
Mumbai Cutting (2010), an anthology film, was his next directorial venture. It consisted of eleven short films made by eleven directors. He directed one of the short films. It premiered at the 2008 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
In 2011, Kashyap directed That Girl in Yellow Boots, a thriller starring Kalki Koechlin who also co-wrote the film with him. The film was screened at many festivals including 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, 67th Venice International Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and the London Indian Film Festival. Shot in thirteen days, the film was released in September 2011. Roger Ebert gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars, praising the character-driven film and the portrayal of its lead alongside the city compared to most Hindi films: " a film like this provides a radically different view of India than you can find in the pleasures and excesses of Bollywood".
In 2012, Kashyap came up with his ambitious directorial venture Gangs of Wasseypur, which screened at the 2012 Cannes Directors' Fortnight, London Indian Film Festival, Toronto film festival and the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. The film with an ensemble cast, was a two-part crime saga centered on the coal mafia of Dhanbad with the story spanning from the early 1940s to 2009. The first part was released on 22 June, and the second on 8 August 2012, both receiving appreciation from Indian and international critics alike. The combined budget of the two films allowed it to be a box-office success.
In 2013, Kashyap directed That Day After Everyday, a 20-minute short film that was released on YouTube; starring Radhika Apte, Geetanjali Thapa and Sandhya Mridul. It showed the story of three working women facing troubles every day, both inside and outside their houses and how they overcome them. Dealing with issues like eve teasing and public molestation, the video got four lakh hits in two days. Speaking about the purpose of the project, Kashyap showed his intention to make people feel angry without offering a solution. The same year he teamed up with Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar to direct "Murabba", one of the four segments of anthology film Bombay Talkies. It was made to celebrate the 100 years of Indian cinema, and was screened at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. The film did not perform well at the box office, but was well received by critics.
His next film was Ugly (2014), a thriller about the kidnapping of a struggling actor's daughter, and the events followed by it. It was screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, receiving a standing ovation. The film's theatrical release was halted for over a year regarding censorship issues over depiction of smoking in it. Though it was released on 26 December 2014 to generally positive reviews.
Kashyap's next release was Bombay Velvet (2015), a period film set in Bombay in the 1960s, based on Princeton University Historian Gyan Prakash's book Mumbai Fables. It stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar. The film was co-edited by the Academy Award winner editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who is known for her collaboration with Martin Scorsese. Released on 15 May 2015, some critics appreciated its retro-look, performances, styling and music, but criticized its faltered storytelling. It also emerged as a box-office failure. Bombay Velvet was Kashyap's dream project and its failure was a huge disappointment to him. In an interview with critic Rajeev Masand, Kashyap stated that at one point he wanted to leave India because he felt that people here did not understand his films but then realized that he did not manage the budget of the film.
In 2016, Kashyap co-wrote and directed Raman Raghav 2.0, a thriller inspired by the notorious serial killer Raman Raghav. It starred Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the title character along with Vicky Kaushal. The film premiered at the 2016 Sydney Film Festival and the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, in the Director's Fortnight section to a positive response.
After working on Raman Raghav 2.0, Kashyap received a script from Vineet Kumar Singh of Mukkabaaz. He did not like the initial script but was excited by a "10-minute chunk" that he had not come across before. He then rewrote the script with his team having the 10-minute as a base. Singh trained himself for six months for the film. The film was screened at 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, the Mumbai Film Festival
and was released theatrically on 12 January 2018. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV called it "one of the more important films to have come out of the Mumbai movie industry in recent times." In 2018, Kashyap again collaborated with Banerjee, Akhtar and Johar for the anthology film Lust Stories. Based on the theme of lust, it had stories told from the female perspective. Kashyap's story had Radhika Apte and Akash Thosar. The film was released on Netflix on 15 June 2018. It was followed by India's first Netflix Original series, the crime thriller Sacred Games, based on Vikram Chandra's novel of the same name. Kashyap co-directed the series with Vikramaditya Motwane. The show received critical acclaim, with Lincoln Michel of GQ calling it the "best Netflix original in years." His final directorial venture of the year was Manmarziyaan, a love triangle set in Punjab, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Tapsee Pannu and Vicky Kaushal. Written by Kanika Dhillon, the film was premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in India on 16 September to positive reviews. In December 2019, Kashyap launched the audio web-series titled Thriller Factory which he directed for Amazon's Audible Suno application. It features voices of Tabu and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
2020s
The next year, Kashyap reunited with his Lust Stories team to direct the horror anthology film Ghost Stories. His story was about a pregnant woman going through anxiety. It was released on Netflix on 1 January 2020. He continued his association with Netflix and released his directorial venture Choked (2020) on the same. Starring Saiyami Kher and Roshan Mathew, the film tells the story of a bank cashier who finds a stash of cash hidden in her kitchen sink.
In 2022, Kashyap directed the science fiction thriller Dobaaraa. The film is an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Mirage; it opened at the London Indian Film Festival and was released theatrically on 19 August 2022. Dobaaraa met with mostly positive reviews with Tanul Thakur of The Wire writing: "A sharp adaptation, the film is deeper than it cares to admit and never slips into an instructional mode."
Just months after releasing Dobaara, Kashyap released another directorial venture titled Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat. The musical romantic drama starred Alaya F and debutant Karan Mehta. It had its world premiere at the 2022 Marrakech International Film Festival and the film was released theatrically on 3 February 2023.
In 2023, Kashyap wrote and directed the thriller film Kennedy. He initially wanted to cast Vikram and had named the film after Vikram's real name. However, they could not work together because of some miscommunication. The role eventually went to Rahul Bhat; Sunny Leone also appears in a pivotal role. The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
His next directorial venture, Bandar, starring Bobby Deol and Sanya Malhotra in pivotal roles, is set to premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
Producer
Kashyap found his production company Anurag Kashyap Films in 2009, which is managed by Guneet Monga. The companies' first film was the critical hit Udaan (2010), which was screened in the Un Certain Regard category at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. Since then, he has produced a number of projects including Shaitan (2011), Chittagong (2012), Aiyyaa (2012), Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (2012) and Shorts (2013). He has also co-produced a number of films that have gone on to film festivals, but are yet to release theatrically, including Michael, Peddlers and Monsoon Shootout. In 2012, Kashyap produced The Last Act, India's first collaborative feature film from twelve directors to make ten-minute short films, with each film being a part of a larger story written by him.
In 2013, his company co-produced the critically acclaimed drama The Lunchbox, which was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language; along with the biographical drama Shahid. The same year Kashyap, with Viacom 18 Motion Pictures co-produced five short films with the theme of 'India is Visual Journey'. The short films were Moi Marjaani, Chai, Hidden Cricket, Geek Out and The Epiphany. He also served as the creative director in the Amitabh Bachchan starrer TV series Yudh (2014), and subsequently presented two documentary film's, The World Before Her (2012) and Katiyabaaz (2014).
In 2011 Kashyap co-founded his director-driven production company Phantom Films with partnership from Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena. The companies first film was the period romance Lootera (2013), starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. Based O. Henry's short story, The Last Leaf, the film was critically acclaimed.
He then went on to collaborate with Karan Johar's Dharma Productions to produce the romantic comedy Hasee Toh Phasee (2014). The film starring Parineeti Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra was directed by the debutant Vinil Mathew. Kashyap then co-edited and co-produced the comedy drama Queen, starring Kangana Ranaut. The film was a critical and commercial success, it also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
In 2015, Kashyap co-produced Anushka Sharma's production debut NH10, and the sex comedy Hunterrr. Both films proved to be successes. Masaan, was Phantom's fourth release of the year. The film won the FIPRESCI Award and the Promising Future award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. The final release of Phantom of 2015 was Shaandaar, which proved to be a box-office flop. In October the same year, Kashyap teamed up with Ridley Scott and Richie Mehta for Google, as the executive producer for the documentary India in a Day. The project was for people across India to film a snapshot of their day and upload it on Google's official website.
The following year, Kashyap collaborated again with Ekta Kapoor to produce Udta Punjab (2016), a crime drama by the director Abhishek Chaubey that documents the substance abuse endemic in the Indian state of Punjab. Udta Punjab generated controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification demanded extensive censorship before its theatrical release, citing that the portrayal of Punjab in it was negative. After Kashyap filed a lawsuit against the board, the Mumbai High Court cleared the film for exhibition with a single scene cut. His company, Phantom Films, also produced a Gujarati film Wrong Side Raju, that same year. Kashyap co-produced Haraamkhor (2017), the survival drama Trapped (2016) and the superhero film Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018).
Phantom Films was dissolved in October 2018, largely in response to the sexual assault allegation on Vikas Bahl by a former Phantom employee, which was reported in 2015. Kashyap, and the other three founders issued statements on Twitter confirming the company's disbanding and moving on to independent projects.
In 2020, Kashyap launched another production company titled Good Bad Films with partnership from Dhruv Jagasia and Akshay Thakker. Their maiden production was Choked.
Actor
Kashyap has made cameo appearances in his films and those of others, including Black Friday, No Smoking (2007 film), Tera Kya Hoga Johnny (2008), Luck by Chance (2009), Dev.D, Gulaal, Soundtrack (2011), Trishna (2011), Bhoothnath Returns (2014), Happy New Year (2014) and I Am (2010), playing a child abuser. The same year, he played a police officer in the short film Encounter (2010), co-starring Nimrat Kaur. In 2011, he playing the full-fledged role of the antagonist Bunty Bhaiya in Tigmanshu Dhulia's crime thriller Shagird (2011).
In 2016, Kashyap starred in AR Murugadoss's Akira, starring Sonakshi Sinha; where he played the role of a corrupt police officer. In 2017, he acted in the short film titled Chhuri, alongside Tisca Chopra and Surveen Chawla. He also played the role of the antagonist in the Tamil-language thriller Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018) directed by R. Ajay Gnanamuthu. In 2020, Kashyap played an exaggerated version of himself in AK vs AK directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, opposite Anil Kapoor. He also wrote the dialogues and served as one of the executive producers.
In 2024, Kashyap played the role of villain Kazbe in Disney+ Hotstar's Bad Cop (TV series).
In June 2024, Kashyap starred as Selvam in the Tamil movie Maharaja alongside Vijay Sethupathi. He received widespread critical acclaim for essaying a layered negative role. His performance also garnered international attention with director Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu offering Kashyap a role in his upcoming project.
Personal life
Kashyap was first married to film editor Aarti Bajaj, with whom he has a daughter, Aaliyah Kashyap. They divorced in 2009. He later married actress Kalki Koechlin, whom he first met during the making of Dev D, at her maternal home in Ooty. In 2013, Kashyap and Koechlin announced that: "they are taking time apart from their more than two-year-old marriage." In May 2015, they were divorced at the Bandra family court in Mumbai.
When asked about his religious views, Kashyap replied: "I am an atheist. Cinema is the only religion I believe in."
On 3 March 2021, the Income Tax Department raided 28 locations in Mumbai and Pune in connection with tax evasion by firm Phantom Films connected to Anurag Kashyap. Income Tax Department said it found a discrepancy of around ₹300 crore which the Kashyap company official has not been able to explain.
Style, themes and influences
Kashyap is regarded as an auteur and is credited for pioneering India's indie scene in the early 2000s. While promoting Bombay Talkies in Anupama Chopra's show, Dibakar Banerjee described Kashyap's aesthetics as "purely new age or purely Indian"; projecting "modern post independence India" in his films. He prefers shooting on real locations by employing guerrilla-filmmaking techniques with hidden cameras, and often makes his actors improvise their dialogues on set. In Ugly, he did not show the script to any of the lead actors. He frequently uses hand-held camera and experimental soundtracks.
Film maker Zoya Akhtar wrote: "He has a very strong storytelling style and he proved that you could tell a great story with not a lot of money." Actor Ranbir Kapoor said, "All his films may not be big money spinners but the impact Anurag has, his contribution to Indian cinema, is immense." Canadian film critic and festival programmer Cameron Bailey has called Kashyap as "one of the most knowledgeable filmmaker".
The protagonists of his films often deal with excessive drug, smoke or alcohol consumption, personal guilt, extreme rage and arrogance which leads them into self-shattering situations. Often portrays small but strong female characters. Most of his films deal with realistic scenarios and take clues from real incidents. Like the 1976–77 Joshi-Abhyankar serial murders reference in Paanch, the 1993 Mumbai bombing in Black Friday, the 1999 Delhi hit-and-run case and DPS MMS Scandal in Dev.D and the depiction of real life gang wars in Gangs of Wasseypur. Ugly came from his "personal guilt" of not spending enough time with his daughter and the fear of losing her. With several real-life incidents like IAS officer whose wife filed a case of brutality against him. A song "Sylvia" in Bombay Velvet was named after the Nanavati case, where Sylvia Nanavati was K. M. Nanavati's wife.
Kashyap's work inspired British director Danny Boyle, who has cited Black Friday and Satya as the inspirations for his Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Boyle stated that a chase in one of the opening scenes of Slumdog Millionaire was based on a "12-minute police chase through the crowded Dharavi slum" in Black Friday. He also described Satya's "slick, often mesmerizing" portrayal of the Mumbai underworld, which included gritty and realistic "brutality and urban violence," directly influenced the portrayal of the Mumbai underworld in Slumdog Millionaire.
Kashyap has expressed dissatisfaction at the current state of Hindi cinema, citing a "toxic" environment focused on high-grossing films at the expense of creativity. He has relocated from Mumbai and is exploring opportunities in South Indian cinema.
Awards and honours
On 20 May 2013, Kashyap was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government at 2013 Cannes Film Festival, when India was the guest country of the festival to commemorate 100 years of Indian cinema.
He has also served as one of the jury members at many film festivals including the 2009 Venice Film Festival, 2013 Sundance Film Festival, 13th Marrakech Film Festival, and the 20th Busan International Film Festival. In 2016, Kashyap was awarded with Yash Bharti Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for his contribution in the field of cinema.
In 1999, Kashyap shared the Screen Award for Best Screenplay, along with Saurabh Shukla for Satya. The next year, his short film Last Train to Mahakali won the Special Jury Award at the same awards. His feature film debut Black Friday won the Grand Jury Prize at the 3rd Annual Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, and was a nominee for the Golden Leopard (Best Film) Award at the 57th Locarno International Film Festival.
In 2011, Kashyap shared the Best Story and Best Screenplay Award at the 56th Filmfare Awards with Vikramaditya Motwane for Udaan. The next year he shared the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue with Zeishan Quadri, Sachin Ladia and Akhilesh Jaiswal for Gangs of Wasseypur at the 58th Filmfare Awards; the film also won the Critics Award Best Movie at the same award show. At the 60th Filmfare Awards, Kashyap won the Filmfare Award for Best Editing with Abhijit Kokate for Queen.
Filmography
Directed features
References
External links
Anurag Kashyap at IMDb
Anurag Kashyap at Rotten Tomatoes
Anurag Kashyap at Bollywood Hungama
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Mateo Correa Magallanes
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Mateo Correa Magallanes.
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Tell me a bio of Mateo Correa Magallanes.
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Tell me a bio of Mateo Correa Magallanes within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Mateo Correa Magallanes with around 100 words.
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Mateo Correa Magallanes (also known as Mateo Correa, Fr. Correa; July 23, 1866 – February 6, 1927) was a Knight of Columbus, of Council 2140.
Correa was born at Tepechitlán, Zacatecas, Mexico. He attended the seminary at Zacatecas on a scholarship, in 1881. He was ordained as priest in 1893 at the age of 27. As a young priest, he gave first communion to Miguel Pro who also became a priest and was later martyred. Correa was assigned as a parish priest to Concepción del Oro in 1898, and then to Colotlán in 1908. Following the government's repression of the Catholic Church in 1910, he went into hiding. He was assigned to Valparaíso in 1926.
Martyrdom
In 1927, during the government's continuing persecution of the church, Correa was arrested by soldiers as he was bringing Viaticum to a woman who was an invalid. Accused of being part of the armed Cristero defense, he was jailed in Zacatecas, and then in Durango. On February 5, 1927, Correa was asked by General Eulogio Ortiz to hear the confessions of some imprisoned members of the Cristeros, an uprising of Catholic men who decided to fight back against the persecution of the church led by Mexico's president Plutarco Elias Calles. Correa agreed to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to these prisoners, but afterward Ortiz demanded to know what the condemned prisoners had confessed. Correa refused. Ortiz then pointed a gun at Correa's head and threatened him with immediate death. Correa continued to refuse, and at dawn on February 6, 1927, he was taken to the cemetery on the outskirts of Durango and shot through the head.
Canonization
Mateo Correa Magallanes was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II on May 21, 2000. The canonization ceremony took place in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican and was attended by thousands of pilgrims from Mexico and other parts of the world.
In his homily, John Paul praised Saint Mateo Correa Magallanes for his heroic witness of faith and love, and for his willingness to give his life for the sake of the Gospel. He urged the faithful to follow the example of the new saints and to be witnesses of Christ in their daily lives, especially in the face of persecution and violence. Saint Mateo Correa Magallanes is remembered as a symbol of courage and fidelity to Christ, and his canonization is an important moment for the Catholic Church in Mexico and around the world.
References
External links
El Pueblo Catolico (in Spanish)
Kirken i Norge (in Norwegian)
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Stephanie Beatriz
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Stephanie Beatriz.
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Tell me a bio of Stephanie Beatriz.
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Tell me a bio of Stephanie Beatriz within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Stephanie Beatriz with around 100 words.
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Stephanie Beatriz Bischoff Alvizuri (born February 10, 1981) is an American actress. She is known for playing Detective Rosa Diaz in the Fox/NBC comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021), Quiet in the Peacock action-comedy series Twisted Metal (2023–present), and Carla in the musical film In the Heights (2021), and voicing Mirabel Madrigal in the Disney animated film Encanto (2021) and Vaggie in the adult animated musical series Hazbin Hotel (2024–present).
Early life
Beatriz was born in Neuquén, Argentina, on February 10, 1981, to a Colombian father and a Bolivian mother. She arrived in the United States at the age of two with her parents and a younger sister. Beatriz grew up in Webster, Texas, outside of Houston, and attended Clear Brook High School. As a child, her mother took Beatriz and her sister to arts exhibits and events, something she credits for raising her awareness of potential careers in the arts. She became interested in acting after taking speech and debate as an elective, which allowed her to appear in plays. She became a United States citizen at 18.
Beatriz attended the all-women's Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. After graduating in 2002, she moved to New York City to pursue acting. She has lived in Los Angeles since 2010.
Career
Beatriz performed for three seasons at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, including roles such as Catherine in A View From a Bridge in 2008, Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2010, and Isabella in Measure for Measure in 2011.
Beatriz had minor roles in the police procedural television series The Closer and Southland, and a recurring role as Gloria's sister Sonia Ramirez in the ABC comedy series Modern Family.
In 2013, she began portraying Detective Rosa Diaz in the Fox and NBC series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, an action comedy series based around the members of a Brooklyn police precinct. In 2019, she directed the season 6 episode "He Said, She Said". The show ran for eight seasons.
Beatriz starred as Bonnie in the independent feature film The Light of the Moon, written and directed by Jessica M. Thompson. The film premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature Competition. She received highly positive reviews for her performance, with The Hollywood Reporter stating that "Beatriz offers a powerful ... unflinching, authentic performance," while Variety noted that the film was "harrowingly effective" and Beatriz's performance was "expertly balanced and judged." From 2018 to 2019, she voiced the character Gina Cazador on BoJack Horseman. She was also the voice of General Sweet Mayhem in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
It was announced in 2019 she would be appearing in the 2021 film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights. She also voiced Mirabel Madrigal, the main character in the Disney animated film Encanto, making it her second collaboration with Miranda of the year.
In 2019, Beatriz and her Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Melissa Fumero were the masters of ceremonies at the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Awards.
In 2021, Beatriz voiced the lead role in the Texas Rangers-centered crime procedural podcast Tejana. The same year it was announced she voiced Ruby Ortiz in Alpha Betas. She also serves as an executive producer for Tejana and, as of November 2021, was looking to develop a television series based on the characters. She also starred in the sci-fi thriller podcast Solar and hosted Wondery's Twin Flames podcast investigating the dating cult Twin Flames Universe. Since 2024, Beatriz has voiced the character Vaggie in Hazbin Hotel.
Personal life
Beatriz has severe astigmatism and requires glasses to see. She does not wear them in many of her roles, and her eyes are sensitive to contact lenses; she therefore has difficulty hitting her marks while on camera.
She has described herself as suffering from disordered eating, which she developed during college.
Beatriz first realized that she was bisexual around age 12 or 13. She experienced biphobia and bisexual erasure from family and friends. In June 2016, she officially came out to the public.
In October 2017, she announced her engagement to actor Brad Hoss. They got married on October 6, 2018. In June 2021, she announced her pregnancy, and her daughter was born in August 2021.
Filmography
Film
Television
Web
Podcasts
Theatre
Video games
Discography
Charted songs
Guest appearances
Notes
References
External links
Media related to Stephanie Beatriz at Wikimedia Commons
Stephanie Beatriz at IMDb
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Mindy Smith
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Mindy Smith.
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Tell me a bio of Mindy Smith.
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Tell me a bio of Mindy Smith within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Mindy Smith with around 100 words.
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Melinda Leigh Smith (born June 1, 1972) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first record deal came after she sang a cover version of the song "Jolene" by Dolly Parton.
Music career
Smith was adopted at birth by a non-denominational Protestant minister and his wife, who was choir director at the church. She grew up on Long Island, New York. After her mother died of cancer in 1991, Smith attended Cincinnati Bible College for two years.
Smith and her father moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, where she began listening to folk and bluegrass music, Alison Krauss, and the Cox Family. In 1998, she moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music. Two years later, she reached the finals of a contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival. This led to a contract with Big Yellow Dog Music.
Smith attracted attention in 2003 when she sang a cover version of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton for the tribute album
Just Because I'm a Woman. Soon after, she signed a contract with Vanguard Records, who released her debut album, One Moment More in 2004. In addition to Dolly Parton, she has expressed admiration for John Prine, Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, Shania Twain, Kris Kristofferson, Buddy Miller, and Bill Gaither.
"Come to Jesus" was her biggest hit, receiving airplay on country, Christian, adult album alternative (AAA), and adult contemporary radio. The song charted at No. 32 on the Adult Top 40 chart of Billboard magazine. In 2004 Smith appeared at the Cambridge Folk Festival in the U.K., which was broadcast nationally on BBC Radio.
In October 2006, Smith released "Out Loud", the first single from her second album Long Island Shores. The song was well received by AAA rock radio and Country Music Television (CMT). On January 10, 2007, she performed "Please Stay" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In October 2007, Smith released a Christmas album, My Holiday. She wrote six original songs, including "I Know the Reason" with Thad Cockrell.
In August 2009, Smith released her fourth studio album, Stupid Love. She appeared on The Early Show on August 15, 2009, to perform the first single, "Highs and Lows". On September 29, 2009, while promoting the album on the syndicated radio show World Cafe, she disclosed that she had obsessive–compulsive disorder.
In June 2012, Smith released an eponymous independent studio album on her own Giant Leap label, in conjunction with TVX. In October of the same year, Vanguard Records released a compilation album of her songs, "The Essential Mindy Smith".
On October 29, 2013, Smith released a holiday EP entitled Snowed In on Giant Leap/TVX. The release contained both original Christmas songs and cover material.
Between 2015 and 2018, Smith contributed (as sole writer or co-writer) several songs to the musical television drama series Nashville. She is credited on four of the songs performed by cast members and appearing on the soundtrack in the series' final three seasons.
Charity
In March 2013, Smith worked with Anthropologie during an in-store performance to raise money and awareness for the Captain Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization. Anthropologie donated fifteen percent of sales made in the first hour after Smith's performance to CPF.
Awards and honors
Best New/Emerging Artist of the Year, Americana Music Association, 2004
Discography
Studio albums
Compilations
Extended plays
Singles
Music videos
Special appearances
Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (2003) - Track: "Jolene"
Sweetheart 2005: Love Songs (2005) - Track: "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"
This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul (2005) - Track: "The Word"
Stronger Than Before by Olivia Newton-John (2005) - Track: "Phenomenal Woman"
Those Were The Days by Dolly Parton (2005) - Track: "The Cruel War"
References
External links
Official website
CMT Profile
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Angela Bairstow
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Angela Bairstow.
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Tell me a bio of Angela Bairstow.
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Tell me a bio of Angela Bairstow within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Angela Bairstow with around 100 words.
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Angela Bairstow (1942–2016) was an English international badminton player.
Early life
She lived on Plough Lane, in Purley. She attended Dinorben School, a private girls school, on Woodcote Lane (A237) in Wallington.
Badminton career
She first came to prominence in 1958 when she won the English National Junior singles title. Further wins followed in 1959 and 1960; in addition she won four English National Junior doubles titles. After the step up to senior competition she reached the final of the 1963 All England Badminton Championships singles losing out to Judy Hashman. In 1963 at the All England Championships she was seeded to win in the Singles, Doubles and the Mixed.
Although never winning an All England title Bairstow became a significant player for England winning a host of titles from 1964 to 1968 including the Scottish Open, German Open, Dutch Open, Asia Cup, Irish Open, English National Badminton Championships and European Badminton Championships.
In 1965 Bairstow won the Dutch open in Singles, Doubles and Mixed in the same year with another three Dutch titles afterwards. She repeated the triple at the second Asian Championships in 1965 in Lucknow. After which the organisers banned non-Asian players from entering. Bairstow brought to prominence a deceptive backhand sliced serve and flick. She is the only player in history who won medals in both Asian and European Championships.
Bairstow represented England and won two golds and one silver medal, at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.
Personal life
She married her coach, H. Ian Palmer, in 1970 and had three children (born 1969, 1970 and 1972) and four grandchildren.
Achievements
Commonwealth Games
Women's singles
Women's doubles
Mixed doubles
Asian Championships
Women's singles
Women's doubles
Mixed doubles
European Championships
Women's singles
Women's doubles
International tournaments (12 titles, 10 runners-up)
Women's singles
Women's doubles
Mixed doubles
== References ==
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R. Selvaraj (politician)
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about R. Selvaraj (politician).
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Tell me a bio of R. Selvaraj (politician).
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Tell me a bio of R. Selvaraj (politician) within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of R. Selvaraj (politician) with around 100 words.
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R. Selvaraj was a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing Neyyattinkara constituency, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. He was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the present ruling party in Kerala but resigned from the Kerala Legislature and the party on 9 March 2012 and joined Indian National Congress party. His resignation was attributed to rampant factionalism in his party. After joining the Indian National Congress, he contested the by-election from Neyyattinkara on "Hand" symbol and romped home with a margin of 6,334 votes, pushing up the ruling UDF's slender majority in the 140-member Kerala Assembly to 73. He again contested from the same constituency in 2016 and 2021 but he got defeated in both elections, i.e. for 9543 votes in 2016 and it increased to 14262 votes in 2021. He was defeated by K. Ansalan of CPI(M) in both elections.
Early life
R. Selvaraj was born to Shri. Varghese Nadar and Smt. Ruthe Nadar at Dhanuvachapuram near Neyyattinkara on 5 March 1949. He has an elder sister, R.Sarojam and an elder brother, R.Chinnappan. He married Smt. Mary Valsala, they have two daughters Divya.M.S and Deepthi.M.S and live near Dhanuvachapuram, Thiruvananthapuram.
Political life
Selvaraj entered politics through the student wing of CPI(M), S.F.I and K.S.Y.F. He was elected for the first time to the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 2006 from Parassala constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. Later in the 2011 state election, he was elected from Neyyattinkara Constituency.
On 9 March 2012, Selvaraj submitted his resignation from the post of MLA as well as the membership in the CPI(M) district committee, citing growing factionalism in the party and on being targeted by a section in the district party leadership. In April 2012, he joined the ruling party of the state, Indian National Congress. Selvaraj was fielded in by the Congress party in the by-election and was re-elected from the same constituency on 14 June 2012 by a margin of 6334 votes after a fierce triangular battle for the seat.
Other Positions held
C.P.I.(M) Area Secretary, Parassala
Vice-president, Kollayil Panchayat
District Joint Secretary, Karshaka Sangham, Thiruvananthapuram
Member, C.P.I. (M) District Committee, Thiruvananthapuram
References
External links
Official website
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Ernestine Eckstein
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ernestine Eckstein.
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Tell me a bio of Ernestine Eckstein.
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Tell me a bio of Ernestine Eckstein within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Ernestine Eckstein with around 100 words.
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Ernestine Eckstein (April 23, 1941 – July 15, 1992) was an African-American woman who helped steer the United States Lesbian and Gay rights movement during the 1960s. She was a leader in the New York chapter of Daughters of Bilitis (DOB). Her influence helped the DOB move away from negotiating with medical professionals and towards tactics of public demonstrations. Her understanding of, and work in, the Civil Rights Movement lent valuable experience on public protest to the lesbian and gay movement. Eckstein worked among activists such as Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, Barbara Gittings, Franklin Kameny, and Randy Wicker. In the 1970s she became involved in the black feminist movement, in particular the organization Black Women Organized for Action (BWOA).
Early life
Eckstein was born in Indiana in 1941. Her given name was Ernestine Delois Eppenger, though all her lesbian and gay activist work was done under the name Eckstein to protect herself from being outed in circles where it was not safe to be open. She graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana in 1963. Her undergraduate degree was in Magazine Journalism with a minor in Psychology and Russian. She moved to New York City soon after graduation in 1963 at the age of twenty-two. Upon moving she came into a lesbian identity and her activism as a lesbian began. Eckstein says of her sexual orientation:
"This was a kind of blank that had never been filled by anything- until after I came to New York…I didn't know the term gay! And he [a gay male friend from Indiana who was living in New York] explained it to me. Then all of a sudden things began to click … the next thing on the agenda was to find a way of being in the homosexual movement."
Political organizing in the LGBT community
Eckstein began attending meetings of the New York Mattachine Society soon after she arrived in New York City, which led her to its sister organization DOB. In 1965, debates around the direction of the homophile movement were heating up. That same year Eckstein marched in Philadelphia at the first Annual Reminder Day and in front of the White House as the only person of color demonstrating. The original Mattachine Society's “old guard” leaders (versus the independent Mattachine Society of Washington who initiated the 1965 protests) wanted to continue pursuing homosexual rights via negotiations with doctors and psychologists while the younger activist wing desired to take the issue of equal civil rights for homosexuals to the people through lobbying government officials and demonstrating. Psychologists considered homosexuality to be a mental illness until 1973, when it was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual in the third edition; until that point, homosexuality was perceived as a mental illness and therefore something to 'fix'. This debate was equally strong within the DOB; Eckstein's appointment as DOB New York chapter Vice President indicated a strategic push by the activist wing. Marcia M. Gallo writes, "Her [Eckstein’s] plan was to reach out to women who saw the gay struggle as linked to other civil rights issues and hope that during her time as vice president of the local chapter she would help build a more social action oriented group".
During the time that Eckstein was involved in DOB, until 1968, the "old guard" was still controlling the organization. In June 1965, DOB actually pulled out of the East Coast Homophile Organization (ECHO) because the coalition was increasing its involvement in protests for lesbian and gay rights. Eckstein was an important lesbian representative of the activist wing. She understood that she was living through a huge tactical shift for lesbian and gay activists and that it was an uphill battle. She said, “I think our movement is not ready for any forms of civil disobedience. I think this would solidify resistance to our cause. This situation will change eventually. But not now".
Eckstein believed that there should be a concentration on, "the discrimination by the government in employment and military service, the laws used against homosexuals," and, "the rejection by the churches".
Eckstein, like the founder of the Black Panther Party, Huey Newton, saw the connection between black American's struggle for equality during the Civil Rights Movement and the lesbian and gay struggle for equality and fostered the connection. To this day, many groups still do not acknowledge the connection between gay rights and rights for people of color. It was not until 2012 that Ben Jealous, President and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) declared, "Civil marriage is a civil right and a matter of civil law," confirming that LGBT rights are now acknowledged as civil rights struggles by the NAACP.
Eckstein's correspondence with Frank Kameny
Frank Kameny was one of the most significant figures in the American gay rights movement, co-founding the Mattachine Society of Washington (MSW), and, inspired by Stokely Carmichael's creation of the phrase Black is beautiful, created the slogan “Gay is Good” for the gay civil rights movement.
In late 1965 and early 1966, Ernestine Eckstein and Frank Kameny corresponded by letters about Eckstein's wish to bring Kameny to speak on April 17, 1966, at DOB headquarters in New York City. Eckstein wanted Kameny's help to reinforce to DOB officers and members the need for activism and activist strategies and tactics in moving forward the lesbian and gay movement. Eckstein, writing to Kameny on February 12, 1966, said, "I want you to be free enough to say whatever you want, so to speak – about any aspect of the movement. Keep in mind my particular aim: to get these people to realize there is such a thing as the homophile movement and possibly begin to develop a fuller concept of themselves as part of it." However, in a letter dated February 17, 1966, Eckstein informs Kameny that the DOB organization had decided to disinvite Kameny to speak at DOB.
After three years in New York with the DOB Eckstein moved to Northern California to “focus on social justice issues…[she] joined Black Women Organized for Action…in the early 1970s". Much less is known about Eckstein after she left New York. Interviews with previous DOB members revealed, "Eckstein had gotten tired of all the political wrangling and disagreements within DOB over strategies and tactics” and wanted "more political organization." She left the movement on the East Coast for other political work advocating for women of color in California.
Political organizing in the Black feminist community
Eckstein's involvement with political activism started in the Civil Rights Movement at Indiana State, as an NAACP chapter officer. But Eckstein understood organizations like NAACP as, "structured with the white liberals in mind" and joined more progressive organizations like Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) once she moved to New York.
Upon moving to the west coast, Eckstein joined the radical, activist group Black Women Organized for Action (BWOA). BWOA was a San Francisco organization collectively co-founded in 1973 by fifteen women including Aileen Hernandez, Patsy Fulcher, and Eleanor Spikes. The organization, "formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in response to the lack of representation of Black women in local women's organizing". The group emerged from Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA). BWOPA, which functioned in an auxiliary fundraising role for men of color running for office, and had many members who wanted to shift to a space explicitly defined by Black women's concerns. "Though members had strong roots in the Civil Rights Movement … more so than any of the other organizations, BWOA exhibits a clear link to the Women's Movement".
The fact that Eckstein chose to join BWOA reflects her radical political beliefs. The organization had a truly progressive model of collective responsibility and political philosophy. “The organization was structured so that leadership, work, and community involvement were shared among members willing to participate, and “a system of, three coordinators for a three-month tenure” was utilized. This created an emphasis on fostering Black women as leaders while simultaneously avoiding a hierarchy among Black female activists. This was a rare structure in comparison to sister organizations.
The three-month terms were a part of the organization's larger political perspective that did not mandate that its members hold specific stances on political issues. Historian Kimberly Springer writes, "Members were free to choose the activities in which they participated and they were not obligated to subscribe to an organizationally-dictated political perspective. …The survival of Black communities … did not depend on one solution but on the conscious, consistent political awareness of the communities' members".
The BWOA Statement of Purpose reads:
BLACK We are Black and therefore imbedded in our consciousness is commitment to the struggle of Black people for identity and involvement in decisions that affect our lives and the lives of other generations of Black people who will follow.
WOMEN We are Women, and therefore aware of the sometimes blatant, waste of the talents and energies of Black women because this society has decreed a place for us.
ORGANIZED we are Organized, because we recognize that only together, only by pooling our talents and resources, can we make major change in the institutions which have limited our opportunities and stifled our growth as human beings.
ACTION We are for Action, because we believe that the time for rhetoric is past; that the skills of Black women can best be put to use in a variety of ways to change the society; that, in the political work in which we live, involvement for Black women must go beyond the traditional fundraising and into the full gamut of activities that make up the political process which affects our lives in so many ways.
The organization's careful use of terms such as "feminist" and "Black" that could potentially alienate or divide their membership encouraged the non-hierarchical atmosphere. Springer writes: "The BWOA subverted discrimination within Black communities based on color, physical appearance, or class by welcoming all Black women into the organization. The organization focused on activism, rather than social constructions of beauty or social class. ... BWOA's avoidance of the label 'feminism' while practicing feminism was indicative of future developments in Black feminist organizing".
The BWOA lasted from 1973 to 1980 with a 400-person membership at its height. There was no one factor that caused the group to stop meeting actively, but the rise in conservatism with the election of Ronald Reagan as president in 1980 caused members to “determine that 1960s strategies would not be effective". One unusual factor in Eckstein's involvement in BWOA is that it "did not interrogate heterosexism as an oppressive force in Black women’s lives".
Political views
Eckstein was one of the most progressive thinkers of her time in the gay and lesbian political movement as well as in the Black Feminist movement. Her understanding of the successes of the Civil Rights Movement influenced her beliefs about political organizing. She saw demonstrations as, “one of the very first steps towards changing society". In 1966, three years before the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969 that sparked annual Gay Pride marches beginning in 1970, while many white gay and lesbian activists were still struggling with direct action as a feasible tactic Eckstein said, "Picketing I regard as almost a conservative act now. The homosexual has to call attention to the fact that he's been unjustly acted upon. This is what the Negro did".
At a time when much of the activism regarding lesbian and gay rights was done for, by, and about white people, Eckstein was leading an extremely active, majority white, DOB chapter and advocating for coalition-based politics. She understood that her views were coming from what might be described as a more inclusive analysis than many White gay or lesbian activists who often only did work around gay or lesbian issues. She said, “I think if we meet on the common ground of our unjust position in society, then we can go from there. This is a new frame of reference, a new way of thinking almost, for some".
Eckstein's beliefs toward political coalition work and organizing differed than that of many other separatist leaning gay and lesbian people in the 1960s. Eckstein said:
"I think Negroes need white people, and I think homosexuals need heterosexuals. If you foster cooperation right from the start, then everyone is involved and it's not a movement over there".
"I would like to see in the homophile movement more people who can think. And I don’t believe we ought to look at their titles or at their sexual orientation. Movements should be intended, I feel, to erase labels, whether ‘black’ or 'white' or 'homosexual' or 'heterosexual".
"I'd like to find a way of getting all classes of homosexuals involved together in the movement".
June 1966 interview in The Ladder
Much of what is known about Eckstein's beliefs and life is taken from an interview in The Ladder in June 1966. Eckstein was one of two women of color to be featured on the cover of this landmark lesbian political publication. The importance of Eckstein's issue of The Ladder should not be underestimated: "Her image on the cover, and her ideas throughout the pages of The Ladder, helped greatly to complicate notions of the kinds of women who were involved in DOB and expanded definitions of lesbian identity". Her coverage in The Ladder is the only known published piece that substantially features Eckstein.
Later life
At this time virtually nothing is known of Eckstein's life after she became a part of BWOA. According to the Social Security Death Index, Ernestine Eckstein (Ernestine D. Eppenger) died in San Pablo, California in 1992.
Other
Season 4 episode 9 of the podcast Making Gay History is about Eckstein.
References
Sources
Springer, Kimberly (2005). Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968–1980. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-8685-8.
Gallo, Marcia M. (2006). Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement. Carroll & Graf Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7867-1634-0.
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George Washington
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about George Washington.
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Tell me a bio of George Washington.
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Tell me a bio of George Washington within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of George Washington with around 100 words.
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George Washington (February 22, 1732 [O.S. February 11, 1731] – December 14, 1799) was a Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot forces to victory in the American Revolutionary War against the British Empire. He is commonly known as the Father of the Nation for his role in bringing about American independence.
Born in the Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War (1754–1763). He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and opposed the perceived oppression of the American colonists by the British Crown. When the American Revolutionary War against the British began in 1775, Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He directed a poorly organized and equipped force against disciplined British troops. Washington and his army achieved an early victory at the Siege of Boston in March 1776 but were forced to retreat from New York City in November. Washington crossed the Delaware River and won the battles of Trenton in late 1776 and of Princeton in early 1777, then lost the battles of Brandywine and of Germantown later that year. He faced criticism of his command, low troop morale, and a lack of provisions for his forces as the war continued. Ultimately Washington led a combined French and American force to a decisive victory over the British at Yorktown in 1781. In the resulting Treaty of Paris in 1783, the British acknowledged the sovereign independence of the United States. Washington then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States.
Washington was unanimously elected the first U.S. president by the Electoral College in 1788 and 1792. He implemented a strong, well-financed national government while remaining impartial in the fierce rivalry that emerged within his cabinet between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. During the French Revolution, he proclaimed a policy of neutrality while supporting the Jay Treaty with Britain. Washington set enduring precedents for the office of president, including republicanism, a peaceful transfer of power, the use of the title "Mr. President", and the two-term tradition. His 1796 farewell address became a preeminent statement on republicanism: Washington wrote about the importance of national unity and the dangers that regionalism, partisanship, and foreign influence pose to it. As a planter of tobacco and wheat at Mount Vernon, Washington owned many slaves. He began opposing slavery near the end of his life, and provided in his will for the eventual manumission of his slaves.
Washington's image is an icon of American culture and he has been extensively memorialized; his namesakes include the national capital and the State of Washington. In both popular and scholarly polls, he is consistently considered one of the greatest presidents in American history.
Early life (1732–1752)
George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, at Popes Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was the first of six children of Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. His father was a justice of the peace and a prominent public figure who had four additional children from his first marriage to Jane Butler. Washington was not close to his father and rarely mentioned him in later years; he had a fractious relationship with his mother. Among his siblings, he was particularly close to his older half-brother Lawrence.
The family moved to a plantation on Little Hunting Creek in 1735 before settling at Ferry Farm near Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 1738. When Augustine died in 1743, Washington inherited Ferry Farm and ten slaves; Lawrence inherited Little Hunting Creek and renamed it Mount Vernon. Because of his father's death, Washington did not have the formal education his elder half-brothers had received at Appleby Grammar School in England; he instead attended the Lower Church School in Hartfield. He learned mathematics and land surveying, and became a talented draftsman and mapmaker. By early adulthood, he was writing with what his biographer Ron Chernow described as "considerable force" and "precision". As a teenager, Washington compiled over a hundred rules for social interaction styled The Rules of Civility, copied from an English translation of a French guidebook.
Washington often visited Belvoir, the plantation of William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law, and Mount Vernon. Fairfax became Washington's patron and surrogate father. In 1748, Washington spent a month with a team surveying Fairfax's Shenandoah Valley property. The following year, he received a surveyor's license from the College of William & Mary. Even though Washington had not served the customary apprenticeship, Thomas Fairfax (William's cousin) appointed him surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia. Washington took his oath of office on July 20, 1749, and resigned in 1750. By 1752, he had bought almost 1,500 acres (600 ha) in the Shenandoah Valley and owned 2,315 acres (937 ha).
In 1751, Washington left mainland North America for the first and only time, when he accompanied Lawrence to Barbados, hoping the climate would cure his brother's tuberculosis. Washington contracted smallpox during the trip, which left his face slightly scarred. Lawrence died in 1752, and Washington leased Mount Vernon from his widow, Anne; he inherited it outright after her death in 1761.
Colonial military career (1752–1758)
Lawrence Washington's service as adjutant general of the Virginia militia inspired George to seek a militia commission. Virginia's lieutenant governor, Robert Dinwiddie, appointed Washington as a major and commander of one of the four militia districts. The British and French were competing for control of the Ohio River Valley: the British were constructing forts along the river, and the French between the river and Lake Erie.
In October 1753, Dinwiddie appointed Washington as a special envoy to demand the French forces vacate land that was claimed by the British. Washington was also directed to make peace with the Iroquois Confederacy and to gather intelligence about the French forces. Washington met with Iroquois leader Tanacharison at Logstown. Washington said that at this meeting Tanacharison named him Conotocaurius. This name, meaning "devourer of villages", had previously been given to his great-grandfather John Washington in the late 17th century by the Susquehannock.
Washington's party reached the Ohio River in November 1753 and was intercepted by a French patrol. The party was escorted to Fort Le Boeuf, where Washington was received in a friendly manner. He delivered the British demand to vacate to the French commander Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, but the French refused to leave. Saint-Pierre gave Washington his official answer after a few days' delay, as well as food and winter clothing for his party's journey back to Virginia. Washington completed the precarious mission in difficult winter conditions, achieving a measure of distinction when his report was published in Virginia and London.
French and Indian War
In February 1754, Dinwiddie promoted Washington to lieutenant colonel and second-in-command of the 300-strong Virginia Regiment, with orders to confront the French at the Forks of the Ohio. Washington set out with half the regiment in April and was soon aware that a French force of 1,000 had begun construction of Fort Duquesne there. In May, having established a defensive position at Great Meadows, Washington learned that the French had made camp seven miles (11 km) away; he decided to take the offensive. The French detachment proved to be only about 50 men, so on May 28 Washington commanded an ambush. His small force of Virginians and Indian allies killed the French, including their commander Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, who had been carrying a diplomatic message for the British. The French later found their countrymen dead and scalped, blaming Washington, who had retreated to Fort Necessity.
The rest of the Virginia Regiment joined Washington the following month with news that he had been promoted to the rank of colonel and given command of the full regiment. They were reinforced by an independent company of a hundred South Carolinians led by Captain James Mackay; his royal commission outranked Washington's and a conflict of command ensued. On July 3, 900 French soldiers attacked Fort Necessity, and the ensuing battle ended in Washington's surrender. Washington did not speak French, but signed a surrender document in which he unwittingly took responsibility for "assassinating" Jumonville, later blaming the translator for not properly translating it. The Virginia Regiment was divided and Washington was offered a captaincy in one of the newly formed regiments. He refused, as it would have been a demotion—the British had ordered that "colonials" could not be ranked any higher than captain—and instead resigned his commission. The Jumonville affair became the incident which ignited the French and Indian War.
In 1755, Washington volunteered as an aide to General Edward Braddock, who led a British expedition to expel the French from Fort Duquesne and the Ohio Country. On Washington's recommendation, Braddock split the army into one main column and a smaller "flying column". Washington was suffering from severe dysentery so did not initially travel with the expedition forces. When he rejoined Braddock at Monongahela, still very ill, the French and their Indian allies ambushed the divided army. Two-thirds of the British force became casualties in the ensuing Battle of the Monongahela, and Braddock was killed. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Gage, Washington rallied the survivors and formed a rear guard, allowing the remnants of the force to retreat. During the engagement, Washington had two horses shot out from under him, and his hat and coat were pierced by bullets. His conduct redeemed his reputation among critics of his command in the Battle of Fort Necessity, but he was not included by the succeeding commander (Colonel Thomas Dunbar) in planning subsequent operations.
The Virginia Regiment was reconstituted in August 1755, and Dinwiddie appointed Washington its commander, again with the rank of colonel. Washington clashed over seniority almost immediately, this time with Captain John Dagworthy, who commanded a detachment of Marylanders at the regiment's headquarters in Fort Cumberland. Washington, impatient for an offensive against Fort Duquesne, was convinced Braddock would have granted him a royal commission and pressed his case in February 1756 with Braddock's successor as Commander-in-Chief, William Shirley, and again in January 1757 with Shirley's successor, Lord Loudoun. Loudoun humiliated Washington, refused him a royal commission, and agreed only to relieve him of the responsibility of manning Fort Cumberland.
In 1758, the Virginia Regiment was assigned to the British Forbes Expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. General John Forbes took Washington's advice on some aspects of the expedition but rejected his opinion on the best route to the fort. Forbes nevertheless made Washington a brevet brigadier general and gave him command of one of the three brigades that was assigned to assault the fort. The French had abandoned the fort and the valley before the assault, however, and Washington only saw a friendly fire incident which left 14 dead and 26 injured. Frustrated, he resigned his commission soon afterwards and returned to Mount Vernon.
Under Washington, the Virginia Regiment had defended 300 miles (480 km) of frontier against twenty Indian attacks in ten months. He increased the professionalism of the regiment as it grew from 300 to 1,000 men. Though he failed to realize a royal commission, which made him hostile towards the British, he gained self-confidence, leadership skills, and knowledge of British military tactics. The destructive competition Washington witnessed among colonial politicians fostered his later support of a strong central government.
Marriage, civilian and political life (1759–1775)
On January 6, 1759, Washington, at age 26, married Martha Dandridge Custis, the 27-year-old widow of wealthy plantation owner Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was intelligent, gracious, and experienced in managing a planter's estate, and the couple had a happy marriage. They lived at Mount Vernon, where Washington cultivated tobacco and wheat. The marriage gave Washington control over Martha's one-third dower interest in the 18,000-acre (7,300 ha) Custis estate, and he managed the remaining two-thirds for Martha's children. As a result, he became one of the wealthiest men in Virginia, which increased his social standing.
At Washington's urging, Governor Lord Botetourt fulfilled Dinwiddie's 1754 promise to grant land bounties to those who served with volunteer militias during the French and Indian War. In late 1770, Washington inspected the lands in the Ohio and Great Kanawha regions, and he engaged surveyor William Crawford to subdivide it. Crawford allotted 23,200 acres (9,400 ha) to Washington, who told the veterans that their land was unsuitable for farming and agreed to purchase 20,147 acres (8,153 ha), leaving some feeling that they had been duped. He also doubled the size of Mount Vernon to 6,500 acres (2,600 ha) and, by 1775, had more than doubled its slave population to over one hundred.
As a respected military hero and large landowner, Washington held local offices and was elected to the Virginia provincial legislature, representing Frederick County in the Virginia House of Burgesses for seven years beginning in 1758. Early in his legislative career, Washington rarely spoke at or even attended legislative sessions, but was more politically active starting in the 1760s, becoming a prominent critic of Britain's taxation and mercantilist policies towards the American colonies. Washington imported luxury goods from England, paying for them by exporting tobacco. His profligate spending combined with low tobacco prices left him £1,800 in debt by 1764. Washington's complete reliance on London tobacco buyer and merchant Robert Cary also threatened his economic security. Between 1764 and 1766, he sought to diversify his holdings: he changed Mount Vernon's primary cash crop from tobacco to wheat and expanded operations to include flour milling and hemp farming. Washington's stepdaughter Patsy suffered from epileptic attacks, and she died at Mount Vernon in 1773, allowing Washington to use part of the inheritance from her estate to settle his debts.
Opposition to the British Parliament and Crown
Washington was opposed to the taxes which the British Parliament imposed on the Colonies without proper representation. He believed the Stamp Act 1765 was oppressive and celebrated its repeal the following year. In response to the Townshend Acts, he introduced a proposal in May 1769 which urged Virginians to boycott British goods; the Townshend Acts were mostly repealed in 1770. Washington and other colonists were also angered by the Royal Proclamation of 1763 (which banned American settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains) and British interference in American western land speculation (in which Washington was a participant).
Parliament sought to punish Massachusetts colonists for their role in the Boston Tea Party in 1774 by passing the Coercive Acts, which Washington saw as "an invasion of our rights and privileges". That July, he and George Mason drafted a list of resolutions for the Fairfax County committee, including a call to end the Atlantic slave trade; the resolutions were adopted. In August, Washington attended the First Virginia Convention and was selected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress. As tensions rose in 1774, he helped train militias in Virginia and organized enforcement of the Continental Association boycott of British goods instituted by the Congress.
Commander in chief of the army (1775–1783)
The American Revolutionary War broke out on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Washington hastily departed Mount Vernon on May 4 to join the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. On June 14, Congress created the Continental Army and John Adams nominated Washington as its commander-in-chief, mainly because of his military experience and the belief that a Virginian would better unite the colonies. He was unanimously elected by Congress the next day. Washington gave an acceptance speech on June 16, declining a salary, though he was later reimbursed expenses.
Congress chose Washington's primary staff officers, including Artemas Ward, Horatio Gates, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Nathanael Greene. Henry Knox impressed Adams and Washington with his knowledge of ordnance and was promoted to colonel and chief of artillery. Similarly, Washington was impressed by Alexander Hamilton's intelligence and bravery; he would later promote Hamilton to colonel and appoint him his aide-de-camp.
Washington initially banned the enlistment of Black soldiers, both free and enslaved. The British saw an opportunity to divide the colonies: the colonial governor of Virginia issued a proclamation promising freedom to slaves if they joined the British forces. In response to this proclamation and the need for troops, Washington soon overturned his ban. By the end of the war, around one-tenth of the soldiers in the Continental Army were Black, with some obtaining freedom.
Siege of Boston
In April 1775, in response to the growing rebellious movement, British troops occupied Boston, led by General Thomas Gage, commander of British forces in America. Local militias surrounded the city and trapped the British troops, resulting in a standoff. As Washington headed for Boston, he was greeted by cheering crowds and political ceremony; he became a symbol of the Patriot cause. Upon Washington's arrival on July 2, he went to inspect the army, but found undisciplined militia. After consultation, he initiated Benjamin Franklin's suggested reforms, instituting military drills and imposing strict disciplinary measures. Washington promoted some of the soldiers who had performed well at Bunker Hill to officer rank, and removed officers who he saw as incompetent. In October, King George III declared that the colonies were in open rebellion and relieved Gage of command, replacing him with General William Howe.
When the Charles River froze over, Washington was eager to cross and storm Boston, but Gates and others were opposed to having untrained militia attempt to assault well-garrisoned fortifications. Instead, Washington agreed to secure the Dorchester Heights above Boston to try to force the British out. On March 17, 8,906 British troops, 1,100 Loyalists, and 1,220 women and children began a chaotic naval evacuation. Washington entered the city with 500 men, giving them explicit orders not to plunder. He refrained from exerting military authority in Boston, leaving civilian matters in the hands of local authorities.
New York and New Jersey
Battle of Long Island
After the victory at Boston, Washington correctly guessed that the British would return to New York City and retaliate. He arrived there on April 13, 1776, and ordered the construction of fortifications. He also ordered his forces to treat civilians and their property with respect, to avoid the abuses Bostonians suffered at the hands of British troops. The British forces, including more than a hundred ships and thousands of troops, began arriving on Staten Island in July to lay siege to the city.
Howe's troop strength totaled 32,000 regulars and Hessian auxiliaries; Washington had 23,000 men, mostly untrained recruits and militia. In August, Howe landed 20,000 troops at Gravesend, Brooklyn, and approached Washington's fortifications. Overruling his generals, Washington chose to fight, based on inaccurate information that Howe's army had only around 8,000 soldiers. In the Battle of Long Island, Howe assaulted Washington's flank and inflicted 1,500 Patriot casualties. Washington retreated to Manhattan.
Howe sent a message to Washington to negotiate peace, addressing him as "George Washington, Esq." Washington declined to accept the message, demanding to be addressed with diplomatic protocol—not as a rebel. Despite misgivings, Washington heeded the advice of General Greene to defend Fort Washington, but was ultimately forced to abandon it. Howe pursued and Washington retreated across the Hudson River to Fort Lee. In November, Howe captured Fort Washington. Loyalists in New York City considered Howe a liberator and spread a rumor that Washington had set fire to the city. Now reduced to 5,400 troops, Washington's army retreated through New Jersey.
Crossing the Delaware, Trenton, and Princeton
Washington crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania, where General John Sullivan joined him with 2,000 more troops. The future of the Continental Army was in doubt due to a lack of supplies, a harsh winter, expiring enlistments, and desertions. Howe posted a Hessian garrison at Trenton to hold western New Jersey and the east shore of the Delaware. At sunrise on December 26, 1776, Washington, aided by Colonel Knox and artillery, led his men in a successful surprise attack on the Hessians.
Washington returned to New Jersey on January 3, 1777, launching an attack on the British regulars at Princeton, with 40 Americans killed or wounded and 273 British killed or captured. Howe retreated to New York City for the winter. Washington took up winter headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey. Strategically, Washington's victories at Trenton and Princeton were pivotal: they revived Patriot morale and quashed the British strategy of showing overwhelming force followed by offering generous terms, changing the course of the war.
Philadelphia
Brandywine, Germantown, and Saratoga
In July 1777, the British general John Burgoyne led his British troops south from Quebec in the Saratoga campaign; he recaptured Fort Ticonderoga, intending to divide New England. However, General Howe took his army from New York City south to Philadelphia rather than joining Burgoyne near Albany. Washington and Gilbert, Marquis de Lafayette rushed to Philadelphia to engage Howe. In the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, Howe outmaneuvered Washington and marched unopposed into the American capital at Philadelphia. A Patriot attack against the British at Germantown in October failed.
In Upstate New York, the Patriots were led by General Horatio Gates. Concerned about Burgoyne's movements southward, Washington sent reinforcements north with Generals Benedict Arnold and Benjamin Lincoln. On October 7, 1777, Burgoyne tried to take Bemis Heights but was isolated from support and forced to surrender. Gates' victory emboldened Washington's critics, who favored Gates as a military leader. According to the biographer John Alden, "It was inevitable that the defeats of Washington's forces and the concurrent victory of the forces in upper New York should be compared." Admiration for Washington was waning.
Valley Forge and Monmouth
Washington and his army of 11,000 men went into winter quarters at Valley Forge north of Philadelphia in December 1777. There they lost between 2,000 and 3,000 men as a result of disease and lack of food, clothing, and shelter, reducing the army to below 9,000 men. By February, Washington was facing low troop morale and increased desertions. An internal revolt by his officers prompted some members of Congress to consider removing Washington from command. Washington's supporters resisted, and the matter was ultimately dropped.
Washington made repeated petitions to Congress for provisions and expressed the urgency of the situation to a congressional delegation. Congress agreed to strengthen the army's supply lines and reorganize the quartermaster and commissary departments, while Washington launched the Grand Forage of 1778 to collect food from the surrounding region. Meanwhile, Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben's incessant drilling transformed Washington's recruits into a disciplined fighting force. Washington appointed him Inspector General.
In early 1778, the French entered into a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans. In May, Howe resigned and was replaced by Sir Henry Clinton. The British evacuated Philadelphia for New York that June and Washington summoned a war council of American and French generals. He chose to order a limited strike on the retreating British. Generals Lee and Lafayette moved with 4,000 men, without Washington's knowledge, and bungled their first strike on June 28. Washington relieved Lee and achieved a draw after an expansive battle. The British continued their retreat to New York.
This battle "marked the end of the war's campaigning in the northern and middle states. Washington would not fight the British in a major engagement again for more than three years". British attention shifted to the Southern theatre; in late 1778, General Clinton captured Savannah, Georgia, a key port in the American South. Washington, meanwhile, ordered an expedition against the Iroquois, the Indigenous allies of the British, destroying their villages.
Espionage and West Point
Washington became America's first spymaster by designing an espionage system against the British. In 1778, Major Benjamin Tallmadge formed the Culper Ring at Washington's direction to covertly collect information about the British in New York. Intelligence from the Culper Ring saved French forces from a surprise British attack, which was itself based on intelligence from Washington's general turned British spy Benedict Arnold.
Washington had disregarded incidents of disloyalty by Arnold, who had distinguished himself in many campaigns, including the invasion of Quebec. In 1779, Arnold began supplying the British spymaster John André with sensitive information intended to allow the British to capture West Point, a key American defensive position on the Hudson River. On September 21, Arnold gave André plans to take over the garrison. André was captured by militia who discovered the plans, after which Arnold escaped to New York. On being told about Arnold's treason, Washington recalled the commanders positioned under Arnold at key points around the fort to prevent any complicity. He assumed personal command at West Point and reorganized its defenses.
Southern theater and Yorktown
By June 1780, the British had occupied the South Carolina Piedmont and had firm control of the South. Washington was reinvigorated, however, when Lafayette returned from France with more ships, men, and supplies, and 5,000 veteran French troops led by Marshal Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island in July.
General Clinton sent Arnold, now a British brigadier general, to Virginia in December with 1,700 troops to capture Portsmouth and conduct raids on Patriot forces. Washington sent Lafayette south to counter Arnold's efforts. Washington initially hoped to bring the fight to New York, drawing the British forces away from Virginia and ending the war there, but Rochambeau advised him that Cornwallis in Virginia was the better target. On August 19, 1781, Washington and Rochambeau began a march to Yorktown, Virginia, known now as the "celebrated march". Washington was in command of an army of 7,800 Frenchmen, 3,100 militia, and 8,000 Continental troops. Inexperienced in siege warfare, he often deferred to the judgment of Rochambeau. Despite this, Rochambeau never challenged Washington's authority as the battle's commanding officer.
By late September, Patriot-French forces surrounded Yorktown, trapping the British Army, while the French navy emerged victorious at the Battle of the Chesapeake. The final American offensive began with a shot fired by Washington. The siege ended with a British surrender on October 19, 1781; over 7,000 British soldiers became prisoners of war. Washington negotiated the terms of surrender for two days, and the official signing ceremony took place on October 19. Although the peace treaty was not negotiated for two more years, Yorktown proved to be the last significant battle of the Revolutionary War, with the British Parliament agreeing to cease hostilities in March 1782.
Demobilization and resignation
When peace negotiations began in April 1782, both the British and French began gradually evacuating their forces. In March 1783, Washington successfully calmed the Newburgh Conspiracy, a planned mutiny by American officers dissatisfied with a lack of pay. Washington submitted an account of $450,000 in expenses which he had advanced to the army. The account was settled, though it was vague about large sums and included expenses his wife had incurred through visits to his headquarters.
When the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, Britain officially recognized American independence. Washington disbanded his army, giving a farewell address to his soldiers on November 2. He oversaw the evacuation of British forces in New York and was greeted by parades and celebrations.
In early December 1783, Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern and resigned as commander-in-chief soon after. In a final appearance in uniform, he gave a statement to the Congress: "I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life, by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those who have the superintendence of them, to His holy keeping." Washington's resignation was acclaimed at home and abroad, "extolled by later historians as a signal event that set the country's political course" according to the historian Edward J. Larson. The same month, Washington was appointed president-general of the Society of the Cincinnati, a newly established hereditary fraternity of Revolutionary War officers.
Early republic (1783–1789)
Return to Mount Vernon
After spending just ten days at Mount Vernon out of 8+1⁄2 years of war, Washington was eager to return home. He arrived on Christmas Eve; Professor John E. Ferling wrote that he was delighted to be "free of the bustle of a camp and the busy scenes of public life". He received a constant stream of visitors paying their respects at Mount Vernon.
Washington reactivated his interests in the Great Dismal Swamp and Potomac Canal projects, begun before the war, though neither paid him any dividends. He undertook a 34-day, 680-mile (1,090 km) trip in 1784 to check on his land holdings in the Ohio Country. He oversaw the completion of remodeling work at Mount Vernon, which transformed his residence into the mansion that survives to this day—although his financial situation was not strong. Creditors paid him in depreciated wartime currency, and he owed significant amounts in taxes and wages. Mount Vernon had made no profit during his absence, and he saw persistently poor crop yields due to pestilence and bad weather. His estate recorded its eleventh year running at a deficit in 1787.
To make his estate profitable again, Washington undertook a new landscaping plan and succeeded in cultivating a range of fast-growing trees and native shrubs. He also began breeding mules after being gifted a stud by King Charles III of Spain in 1785; he believed that they would revolutionize agriculture.
Constitutional Convention of 1787
Before returning to private life in June 1783, Washington called for a strong union. Though he was concerned that he might be criticized for meddling in civil matters, he sent a circular letter to the states, maintaining that the Articles of Confederation were no more than "a rope of sand". He believed the nation was on the verge of "anarchy and confusion", was vulnerable to foreign intervention, and that a national constitution would unify the states under a strong central government.
When Shays's Rebellion erupted in Massachusetts in August 1786, Washington was further convinced that a national constitution was needed. Some nationalists feared that the new republic had descended into lawlessness, and they met on September 11, 1786, at Annapolis to ask the Congress to revise the Articles of Confederation. Congress agreed to a Constitutional Convention to be held in Philadelphia in 1787, with each state to send delegates. Washington was chosen to lead the Virginia delegation, but he declined. He had concerns about the legality of the convention and consulted James Madison, Henry Knox, and others. They persuaded him to attend as they felt his presence might induce reluctant states to send delegates and smooth the way for the ratification process while also giving legitimacy to the convention.
Washington arrived in Philadelphia on May 9, 1787, and the convention began on May 25. Benjamin Franklin nominated Washington to preside over the meeting, and he was unanimously elected. The delegate Edmund Randolph introduced Madison's Virginia Plan; it called for an entirely new constitution and a sovereign national government, which Washington highly recommended. However, details around representation were particularly contentious, resulting in a competing New Jersey Plan being brought forward. On July 10, Washington wrote to Alexander Hamilton: "I almost despair of seeing a favorable issue to the proceedings of our convention and do therefore repent having had any agency in the business." Nevertheless, he lent his prestige to the work of the other delegates, lobbying many to support the ratification of the Constitution. The final version adopted the Connecticut Compromise between the two plans, and was signed by 39 of 55 delegates on September 17, 1787.
First presidential election
Just prior to the first presidential election of 1789, in 1788 Washington was appointed chancellor of the College of William & Mary. He continued to serve through his presidency until his death. The delegates to the convention for the first presidential election anticipated a Washington presidency and left it to him to define the office once elected. When the state electors voted on February 4, 1789, Washington was unanimously elected, unique among U.S. presidents. John Adams was elected vice president. Despite writing that he felt "anxious and painful sensations" about leaving Mount Vernon, Washington departed for New York City on April 16.
Presidency (1789–1797)
First term
Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789, taking the oath of office at Federal Hall in New York City. His coach was led by militia and a marching band and followed by statesmen and foreign dignitaries in an inaugural parade, with a crowd of 10,000. Robert R. Livingston administered the oath, using a Bible provided by the Masons. Washington read a speech in the Senate Chamber, asking "that Almighty Being ... consecrate the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States". Though he wished to serve without a salary, Congress insisted that he receive one, providing Washington $25,000 annually (compared to $5,000 annually for the vice president).
Washington wrote to James Madison: "As the first of everything in our situation will serve to establish a precedent, it is devoutly wished on my part that these precedents be fixed on true principles." To that end, he argued against the majestic titles proposed by the Senate, including "His Majesty" and "His Highness the President", in favor of "Mr. President". His executive precedents included the inaugural address, messages to Congress, and the cabinet form of the executive branch. He also selected the first justices for the Supreme Court.
Washington was an able administrator and judge of talent and character. The old Confederation lacked the powers to handle its workload and had weak leadership, no executive, a small bureaucracy of clerks, large debt, worthless paper money, and no power to establish taxes. Congress created executive departments in 1789, including the State Department, the War Department, and the Treasury Department. Washington appointed Edmund Randolph as Attorney General, Samuel Osgood as Postmaster General, Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, Henry Knox as Secretary of War, and Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. Washington's cabinet became a consulting and advisory body, not mandated by the Constitution. Washington restricted cabinet discussions to topics of his choosing and expected department heads to agreeably carry out his decisions. He exercised restraint in using his veto power, writing that "I give my Signature to many Bills with which my Judgment is at variance."
Washington opposed political factionalism and remained non-partisan throughout his presidency (the only United States president to do so). He was sympathetic to a Federalist form of government. Washington's closest advisors formed two factions, portending the First Party System. Hamilton formed the Federalist Party to promote national credit and a financially powerful nation. Jefferson opposed Hamilton's agenda and founded the Jeffersonian Republicans. Washington favored Hamilton's agenda, however, and it ultimately went into effect—resulting in bitter controversy.
Other domestic issues during Washington's first term included the planning of a permanent capital, the passage of several constitutional amendments including the Bill of Rights, and continuing debates concerning slavery and expansion into Native American territory. Washington proclaimed November 26, 1789, as a day of Thanksgiving to encourage national unity.
Second term
Washington initially planned to retire after his first term, weary of office and in poor health. After dealing with the infighting in his cabinet and with partisan critics, he showed little enthusiasm for a second term, and Martha wanted him not to run. Washington's nephew George Augustine Washington, managing Mount Vernon in his absence, was critically ill, further increasing Washington's desire to retire. Many, however, urged him to run for a second term. Madison told him that his absence would allow the dangerous political rift in his cabinet and the House to worsen. Jefferson also pleaded with him not to retire, pledging to drop his attacks on Hamilton. Hamilton maintained that Washington's absence would be "deplored as the greatest evil" to the country. With the election of 1792 nearing, Washington agreed to run. On February 13, 1793, the Electoral College unanimously re-elected Washington president, while John Adams was re-elected as vice president by a vote of 77 to 50. Washington was sworn into office by Associate Justice William Cushing on March 4, 1793, in Congress Hall in Philadelphia.
On April 22, 1793, after the French Revolutionary Wars broke out, Washington issued a proclamation declaring American neutrality. He was resolved to pursue "a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers" while warning Americans not to intervene in the conflict. Although Washington recognized France's revolutionary government, he eventually asked that the French minister to the United States, Edmond-Charles Genêt, be recalled. Genêt was a diplomatic troublemaker who was openly hostile toward Washington's neutrality policy. He procured four American ships as privateers to strike at Spanish forces (British allies) in Florida while organizing militias to strike at other British possessions. However, his efforts failed to draw the United States into the conflict.
During his second term Washington faced two major domestic conflicts. The first was the Whiskey Rebellion (1791–1794), a Pennsylvania revolt against liquor taxation. Washington mobilized a militia and personally commanded an expedition against the rebels which suppressed the insurgency. The second was the Northwest Indian War between White settlers and Native Americans who were supported by the British; the latter were stationed in forts that they had refused to abandon after the Revolutionary War. In 1794 American troops defeated the Native American forces at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, ending the conflict between the two.
Hamilton formulated the Jay Treaty to normalize trade relations with Britain while removing them from western forts, and also to resolve financial debts remaining from the Revolution. Chief Justice John Jay represented Washington's position and signed the treaty on November 19, 1794. Washington supported the treaty because it avoided war, although he was disappointed that its provisions favored Britain. He mobilized public opinion and secured ratification but faced frequent public criticism and political controversy. Following the British abandonment of their forts around the Great Lakes, the proposed position of the Canada–United States border was sent to arbitration. Numerous pre-Revolution debts were settled and the British opened the British West Indies to American merchants. The agreement secured peace with Britain and a decade of prosperous trade; however, Jefferson claimed that it angered France and "invited rather than avoided" war. Jefferson's claim was verified when relations with France deteriorated after the signing of the treaty, with the French Directory authorizing the seizure of American ships two days before Washington's term ended. Succeeding president John Adams was left with the prospect of war. Relations with the Spanish were more successful: Thomas Pinckney negotiated the Treaty of San Lorenzo in 1795, settling the border between the United States and Spanish territory, and guaranteeing American navigational access to the Mississippi River
On July 31, 1793, Jefferson submitted his resignation from cabinet. Hamilton resigned from office in January 1795 and was replaced by Oliver Wolcott Jr. Washington's relationship with Secretary of War Henry Knox deteriorated over rumors that Knox had profited from contracts for the construction of U.S. frigates ostensibly commissioned to combat Barbary pirates under the Naval Act of 1794. Knox was forced to resign. In the final months of his presidency, Washington was assailed by his political foes and a partisan press who accused him of being ambitious and greedy. He came to regard the press as a disuniting force. Washington also opposed demands by Congress to see papers related to the Jay Treaty, arguing that they were not "relative to any purpose under the cognizance of the House of Representatives, except that of an impeachment, which the resolution has not expressed."
Farewell Address
At the end of his second term, Washington retired. He was dismayed with the personal attacks against him and wanted to ensure that a truly contested presidential election could be held. He did not feel bound to a two-term limit, but his retirement set a significant precedent. In May 1792, in anticipation of his retirement, Washington instructed James Madison to prepare a "valedictory address", an initial draft of which was entitled the "Farewell Address". In May 1796, Washington sent the manuscript to Hamilton, who did an extensive rewrite, while Washington provided final edits. On September 19, 1796, David Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser published the address.
Washington stressed that national identity was paramount, and said that the "name of AMERICAN... must always exalt the just pride of patriotism". Washington warned against the dangers of political parties and entangling foreign alliances with domestic affairs. He counseled friendship and commerce with all nations, but advised against involvement in European wars. He stressed the importance of religion, asserting that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" in a republic.
He closed the address by reflecting on his legacy: "I fervently beseech the Almighty to avert or mitigate the evils to which [my unintentioned errors] may tend. I shall also carry with me the hope that my country will never cease to view them with indulgence, and that, after forty-five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent abilities will be consigned to oblivion, as myself must soon be to the mansions of rest." After initial publication, many Republicans, including Madison, criticized the address and described it as an anti-French campaign document, with Madison believing that Washington was strongly pro-British. In 1972, the Washington scholar James Flexner referred to the Farewell Address as receiving as much acclaim as Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. In 2010, Chernow called the "Farewell Address" one of the most influential statements on republicanism.
Post-presidency (1797–1799)
Retirement
Washington retired to Mount Vernon in March 1797 and devoted time to his business interests. His plantation operations were minimally profitable, and his lands in the west (on the Piedmont) yielded little income; he attempted to sell these but was unable to. He became an even more committed Federalist. He vocally supported the Alien and Sedition Acts and convinced Federalist John Marshall to run for Congress to weaken the Jeffersonian hold on Virginia.
French privateers began seizing American ships in 1798, and deteriorating relations led to the "Quasi-War". Washington wrote to Secretary of War James McHenry offering to organize President Adams' army. Adams nominated him for a lieutenant general commission and the position of commander-in-chief of the armies on July 4, 1798. Washington served as the commanding general from July 13, 1798, until his death 17 months later. He participated in planning but delegated the active leadership of the army to Hamilton. No army invaded the United States during this period, and Washington did not assume a field command.
Washington was known to be rich because of what Chernow calls the "glorified façade of wealth and grandeur" at Mount Vernon. However, nearly all of his wealth was in the form of land and slaves rather than ready cash. To supplement his income, he erected a distillery for whiskey production. He bought land parcels to spur development around the new Federal City (named in his honor in 1791), and he sold individual lots to middle-income investors rather than multiple lots to large investors, believing the former would be more likely to commit to making improvements. At the time of his death in 1799, his estate was worth an estimated $780,000, and he held title to more than 58,000 acres (23,000 ha) of land across Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, and the Northwest Territory. Washington's peak net worth was estimated to be $587 million in 2020 dollars.
Death
On December 12, 1799, Washington inspected his farms on horseback in inclement weather for five hours. He then dined with guests without putting on dry clothes. He had a sore throat the next day but was well enough to mark trees for cutting. Early the following morning, he awoke to an inflamed throat and difficulty breathing. He ordered his estate overseer, George Rawlins, to remove nearly a pint of his blood (bloodletting was a common practice of the time). His family summoned doctors James Craik, Gustavus Richard Brown, and Elisha C. Dick. Brown initially believed Washington had quinsy; Dick thought the condition was a more serious "violent inflammation of the membranes of the throat". They continued bloodletting to approximately five pints, but Washington's condition deteriorated further. Dick proposed a tracheotomy; the other physicians were not familiar with that procedure and disapproved. Washington instructed Brown and Dick to leave the room, while he assured Craik, "Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go."
On his deathbed, afraid of being entombed alive, Washington instructed his private secretary Tobias Lear to wait three days before his burial. According to Lear, Washington died between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on December 14, 1799, with Martha seated at the foot of his bed. His last words were "'Tis well." The diagnosis of Washington's illness and the immediate cause of his death have been subjects of debate. The published account of Craik and Brown stated that his symptoms were consistent with "cynanche trachealis", a term then used to describe severe inflammation of the upper windpipe, including quinsy. Accusations of medical malpractice have persisted since Washington's death. Modern medical authors have largely concluded that he likely died from severe epiglottitis complicated by the treatments he was given, which included multiple doses of calomel (a purgative) and extensive bloodletting, likely resulting in hypovolemic shock.
Funeral and burial
Washington's funeral was held on December 18, 1799, four days after his death, at Mount Vernon. Cavalry and foot soldiers led the procession, and six colonels served as the pallbearers. The Mount Vernon funeral service was restricted mostly to family and friends. Reverend Thomas Davis read a brief funeral service, followed by a ceremony performed by members of Washington's Masonic lodge; Washington had been a Freemason since 1752. Word of his death traveled slowly, but as it reached other regions, church bells rang and many businesses closed. Memorial processions were held in major cities of the United States. Martha burned her correspondence with Washington to protect its privacy, though five letters between the couple are known to have survived.
Washington was buried in the Washington family vault at Mount Vernon on December 18, 1799. In his will, Washington left instructions for the construction of a new vault; this was completed in 1831, after a disgruntled ex-employee of the estate attempted to steal what he thought was Washington's skull. In 1832, a joint Congressional committee debated moving his body from Mount Vernon to a crypt in the United States Capitol. Southern opposition was intense, antagonized by an ever-growing rift between North and South; many were concerned that Washington's remains could end up, in the words of Representative Wiley Thompson, on "a shore foreign to his native soil" if the country became divided, and Washington's remains stayed in Mount Vernon. On October 7, 1837, Washington's remains, still in the original lead coffin, were placed within a marble sarcophagus designed by William Strickland and constructed by John Struthers.
Philosophy and views
Slavery
During Washington's lifetime at least 577 slaves lived and worked at Mount Vernon. He inherited some, gained control of 84 dower slaves upon his marriage to Martha, and purchased at least 71 slaves between 1752 and 1773. From 1786, he rented slaves as part of an agreement regarding a neighboring estate; they totaled 40 in 1799.
Slavery was deeply ingrained in the economic and social fabric of the Colony of Virginia. Prior to the Revolutionary War, Washington's views on slavery matched those of most Virginia planters of the time: "his principal interest was still their contribution to the economic life of the plantation." Beginning in the 1760s, however, Washington gradually grew to oppose it. His first doubts were prompted by his choice to transition from tobacco to grain crops, which left him with a costly surplus of slaves, causing him to question the system's economic efficiency. In a 1778 letter to Lund Washington, he made clear his desire "to get quit of Negroes".
His growing disillusionment with the institution was spurred by the principles of the Revolution and revolutionary friends such as Lafayette and Hamilton. Most historians agree the Revolution was central to the evolution of Washington's attitudes; Kenneth Morgan writes that after 1783, "[Washington] began to express inner tensions about the problem of slavery more frequently, though always in private". As president, he remained publicly silent on the topic, believing it was a nationally divisive issue that could undermine the union. He gave moral support to a plan proposed by Lafayette to purchase land and free slaves to work on it, but chose not to participate in the experiment. Washington privately expressed support for emancipation to prominent Methodists Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury in 1785 but declined to sign their petition. In personal correspondence the next year, he made clear his desire to see the institution of slavery ended by a gradual legislative process, a view that correlated with the mainstream antislavery literature published in the 1780s. Washington emancipated 123 or 124 slaves, which was highly unusual among the large slave-holding Virginians during the Revolutionary era. However, he remained dependent on slave labor to work his farms.
Based on his private papers and on accounts from his contemporaries, Washington slowly developed a cautious sympathy toward abolitionism that ended with his will freeing his long-time valet Billy Lee, and freeing the rest of his personally owned slaves outright upon Martha's death. On January 1, 1801, one year after George Washington's death, Martha Washington signed an order to free his slaves. Many of them were reluctant to leave; others refused to abandon spouses or children still held as dower slaves by the Custis estate. Following Washington's instructions in his will, funds were used to feed and clothe the young, aged, and infirm slaves until the early 1830s.
Religious and spiritual views
Washington was baptized as an infant in April 1732 and was a devoted member of the Anglican Church. He served for more than 20 years as a vestryman and churchwarden at the Fairfax and Truro parishes in Virginia. He privately prayed and read the Bible daily, and publicly encouraged prayer. He may have taken communion regularly prior to the Revolution, but he did not do so afterwards.
Washington referred to God in American Enlightenment terms, including Providence, the Almighty, and the Divine Author. He believed in a divine power who watched over battlefields, influenced the outcome of war, protected his life, and was involved in American politics and specifically in the creation of the United States. Chernow has argued that Washington avoided evangelistic Christianity, hellfire-and-brimstone speech, and anything inclined to "flaunt his religiosity", saying that he "never used his religion as a device for partisan purposes or in official undertakings". At the same time, Washington frequently quoted from or paraphrased the Bible, and often referred to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
While president, Washington acknowledged major religious sects, gave speeches on religious toleration, and opposed state religion. He adopted the ideas, values, and modes of thinking of the Enlightenment, but he harbored no contempt for organized Christianity and its clergy. In 1793, speaking to members of the New Church in Baltimore, Washington said, "We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition."
Freemasonry was a widely accepted institution in the late 18th century, known for advocating moral teachings. American Masonic lodges did not share the anti-clerical views of the controversial European lodges. A Masonic lodge was established in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in September 1752, and Washington was initiated two months later at the age of 20 as one of its first Entered Apprentices. Within a year, he progressed through its ranks to become a Master Mason. In 1777, he was recommended for the office of Grand Master of the newly established Grand Lodge of Virginia; sources differ as to whether he declined or was never asked, but he did not assume the role. He served as the charter Master of Alexandria Masonic lodge No. 22 in 1788–1789.
Personal life
Washington's 1751 bout with smallpox may have rendered him sterile, though Chernow notes that it is possible Martha "sustained injury during the birth of Patsy, her final child, making additional births impossible". The couple lamented not having any children together. The two raised Martha's children John Parke Custis (Jacky) and Martha Parke Custis (Patsy), and later Jacky's two youngest children Eleanor Parke Custis (Nelly) and George Washington Parke Custis (Washy), and supported numerous nieces and nephews. Some descendants of West Ford, a slave of Washington's younger brother John Augustine Washington, maintain (based on family oral history) that Ford was fathered by George Washington, though this paternity has been disputed.
Washington was somewhat reserved in personality, although he was known for having a strong presence. He made speeches and announcements when required, but he was not a noted orator nor debater. He drank alcohol in moderation but was morally opposed to excessive drinking, smoking tobacco, gambling, and profanity. He was taller than most of his contemporaries; accounts of his height vary from 6 ft (1.83 m) to 6 ft 3.5 in (1.92 m). He was known for his strength. He had grey-blue eyes and long reddish-brown hair. He did not wear a powdered wig; instead he wore his hair curled, powdered, and tied in a queue in the fashion of the day.
Washington suffered from severe tooth decay and ultimately lost all of his teeth except one. He had several sets of false teeth during his presidency. Contrary to common lore, these were not made of wood, but of metal, ivory, bone, animal teeth, and human teeth possibly obtained from slaves. His dental problems left him in constant pain, which he treated with laudanum. He also experienced a painful growth in his thigh early in his first presidential term, followed by a life-threatening bout of pneumonia in 1790 from which he never fully recovered.
Washington was a talented equestrian. Jefferson described him as "the best horseman of his age". He collected thoroughbreds at Mount Vernon; his two favorite horses were Blueskin and Nelson.
Legacy
Washington is one of the most influential figures in American history. Virginia's Governor Henry Lee eulogized him as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen". Polls have consistently placed Washington among the highest-ranked of presidents.
Washington became an international symbol for liberation and nationalism as the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire. In 1879, Congress proclaimed Washington's Birthday to be a federal holiday. In 1976, he was posthumously appointed General of the Armies of the United States during the American Bicentennial. President Gerald Ford stated that Washington would "rank first among all officers of the Army, past and present". On March 13, 1978, Washington was officially promoted by the Army.
In 1809, Mason Locke Weems wrote a hagiographic biography to honor Washington. Chernow maintains that Weems attempted to humanize Washington, inspire "patriotism and morality", and foster "enduring myths", such as that of Washington's refusal to lie about damaging his father's cherry tree. Weems' accounts have never been proven or disproven.
In the 21st century, Washington's reputation has been critically scrutinized. The historian John Ferling maintains that Washington remains the only founder and president ever to be referred to as "godlike", and points out that his character has been the most scrutinized by historians. The author David Hackett Fischer defined Washington's character as "integrity, self-discipline, courage, absolute honesty, resolve, and decision, but also forbearance, decency, and respect for others".
Washington's legacy with Native Americans is mixed. Chernow describes Washington as always trying to be even-handed in dealing with Indigenous peoples, hoping they would abandon their itinerant hunting life and adapt to fixed agricultural communities in the manner of White settlers. He also maintains that Washington never advocated outright confiscation of tribal land or the forcible removal of tribes. By contrast, Colin G. Calloway wrote that "Washington had a lifelong obsession with getting Indian land, either for himself or for his nation, and initiated policies and campaigns that had devastating effects in Indian country." He stated:
The growth of the nation demanded the dispossession of Indian people... But if Indians refused and resisted, as they often did, he felt he had no choice but to "extirpate" them and that the expeditions he sent to destroy Indian towns were therefore entirely justified.
Along with other Founding Fathers, Washington has been criticized for holding enslaved people. Though he expressed the desire to see the abolition of slavery through legislation, he did not initiate or support any initiatives for bringing about its end. This has led to calls to remove his name from public buildings and his statue from public spaces.
Washington's presidential library is housed at Mount Vernon, which is now a National Historic Landmark. His papers are held by the Library of Congress.
Namesakes and monuments
Many places and monuments have been named in honor of Washington, including the capital city of Washington, D.C., and the state of Washington. On February 21, 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated, a 555-foot (169 m) marble obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Washington appears as one of four presidents on the Shrine of Democracy, a colossal sculpture by Gutzon Borglum on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The George Washington Bridge, opened in 1931, connects New York City to New Jersey. A number of secondary schools and universities are named in honor of Washington, including George Washington University and Washington University in St. Louis.
He appears on contemporary United States currency, including the one-dollar bill, a Presidential one-dollar coin and the quarter-dollar coin (the Washington quarter). Washington was pictured on the nation's first postage stamp in 1847, and has since appeared on more United States postage stamps than anyone else.
See also
Electoral history of George Washington
The Washington Papers
Notes
References
Sources
External links
George Washington on C-SPAN
Works by George Washington at Project Gutenberg
George Washington's Mount Vernon
The Papers of George Washington, subset of Founders Online from the National Archives
In Our Time: Washington and the American Revolution, BBC Radio 4 discussion with Carol Berkin, Simon Middleton, and Colin Bonwick (June 24, 2004)
Great Lives: George Washington, BBC Radio 4 discussion with Matthew Parris, Michael Rose, and Frank Grizzard (October 21, 2016)
Scholarly coverage of Washington at the Miller Center, University of Virginia
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Nobuhiro Shimatani
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Nobuhiro Shimatani.
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Tell me a bio of Nobuhiro Shimatani.
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Tell me a bio of Nobuhiro Shimatani within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Nobuhiro Shimatani with around 100 words.
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Nobuhiro Shimatani (島谷常寛, Shimatani Nobuhiro; born February 27, 1996), also known by his ring name Check Shimatani (チェック・島谷, Chekku Shimatani), is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer and is best known for his tenure with the Japanese promotion DDT Pro-Wrestling. As of July 2022, he predominantly works for Gleat as a member of the BULK Orchestra stable.
Professional wrestling career
Independent circuit (2016–present)
As a freelancer, Shimatani works for various promotions. At NOAH Great Voyage In Yokohama Vol. 2, an event promoted by Pro Wrestling Noah on December 16, 2018, he teamed up with Kazusada Higuchi and Kota Umeda in a losing effort to Atsushi Kotoge, Kenoh and Masa Kitamiya. At a house show promoted by Big Japan Pro Wrestling on July 22, 2021, he teamed up with Takato Nakano and Kota Sekifuda to defeat Alejandro, Kazuki Hashimoto and Kosuke Sato.
In April 2024, Shimatani, as Check Shimatani, competed in a soft-ground wrestling match in Uganda for Soft Ground Wrestling (SGW), where he defeated local wrestler KY Kapeeka. During the short tour with the promotion, he was accompanied by Cima.
DDT Pro-Wrestling (2016–2022)
Shimatani made his professional wrestling debut at Judgement 2016: DDT 19th Anniversary on March 21 where he teamed up with Kouki Iwasaki and Rainbow Kawamura, losing to Shunma Katsumata, Guanchulo and Mao Inoue in a six-man tag team match. He often wrestled in unusual matches such as a 28-person battle royal in which the winner was granted the general manager position for one night at DDT/Saki Akai Produce DDT Collection on March 14, 2018, match which also involved Danshoku Dino, Harashima, Mao, Yuko Miyamoto and others.
He is known for competing in various of the promotion's signature events just as DDT Judgement. After his debut match at the event, he continued making appearances. One year later at Judgement 2017: DDT 20th Anniversary on March 20, he teamed up with Naomi Yoshimura and Dai Suzuki to defeat Rekka, Daiki Shimomura and Yuki Ueno. At Judgement 2018: DDT 21st Anniversary on March 25, Shimatani teamed up with Daiki Shimomura as "Gran MilliMeters", Takato Nakano and Rekka in a losing effort to Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Hoshitango, Mad Paulie, Cherry and Gota Ihashi as a result of a Ten-person tag team match. At Judgement 2020: DDT 23rd Anniversary on March 20, he teamed up with his fellow Damnation stablemates Tetsuya Endo and T-Hawk in a losing effort against Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi and Saki Akai).
As for the DDT Peter Pan branch of events, Shimatani made his first appearance at Ryōgoku Peter Pan 2016 on August 28 where he teamed up with Chikara and Mitsuo Momota in a losing effort to Tomomitsu Matsunaga, Hoshitango and Rekka as a result of a six-man tag team match for Chikara's King of Dark Championship where had any opponent got pinned by him, they would have become the new champion. At Ryōgoku Peter Pan 2018 on October 21, he won a Rumble rules match by lastly eliminating Gorgeous Matsuno and also competing against Self-Proclaimed Tiger Mask V, Gota Ihashi and others. At Wrestle Peter Pan 2019 on July 15, Shimatani teamed up with Disaster Box (Yuki Ueno and Naomi Yoshimura) in a losing effort against All Out (Shunma Katsumata and Yuki Iino) and Mizuki Watase.
He also worked in the DDT Ultimate Party branch of events, marking his first appearance at Ultimate Party 2019 on November 3 where he teamed up with fellow Damnation stablemates Tetsuya Endo and Mad Paulie to unsuccessfully challenge the champions Takumi Tsukamoto, Yasu Urano and Takato Nakano, and Ken Ohka, Yumehito Imanari and Miss Mongol in a Three-way match for the UWA World Trios Championship. One year later at Ultimate Party 2020 on November 3, he teamed up with Mad Paulie and El Lindaman as #DamnHearts and competed in a Four-way elimination match also involving the teams of Eruption (Kazusada Higuchi, Yukio Sakaguchi and Saki Akai), Disaster Box (Toru Owashi, Naomi Yoshimura and Kazuki Hirata), and Super Sasadango Machine, Makoto Oishi and Antonio Honda.
As for the DDT Into The Fight branch, Shimatani made an important appearance at Into The Fight 2019 on March 21 where he teamed up with fellow Damnation stablemates Tetsuya Endo and Mad Paulie in a losing effort to Bull James, Kota Umeda and Naomi Yoshimura.
Another signature event of the promotion in which he activated was King of DDT, making an appearance at the 2018 edition where he fell short to Mike Bailey in the first round. Two years later at the 2020 edition, he fell short to Yuki Ueno in the same tournament stage.
Championships and accomplishments
Best Body Japan Pro-Wrestling
BBW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Yakan Nabe
DDT Pro-Wrestling
Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (9 times)
King of Dark Championship (1 time)
Gleat
G-Infinity Championship (1 time) – with Hayato Tamura
== References ==
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Ezekiel Elliott
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ezekiel Elliott.
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Tell me a bio of Ezekiel Elliott.
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Tell me a bio of Ezekiel Elliott within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Ezekiel Elliott with around 100 words.
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Ezekiel Elijah Elliott (born July 22, 1995), nicknamed "Zeke", is an American professional football running back. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning second-team All-American honors in 2015. Elliott was selected by the Dallas Cowboys fourth overall in the 2016 NFL draft. In his first seven NFL seasons, all with the Cowboys, he was a three-time Pro Bowl, two-time All-Pro selection, and led the league in rushing yards in 2016 and 2018. After being released by the Cowboys after the 2022 season, Elliott played the 2023 season for the New England Patriots before re-signing with the Cowboys in 2024.
Early life
Elliott was born in Alton, Illinois, to a mother and father who were both athletes in college. His mother, the former Dawn Huff, was a high school state champion in three sports before attending the University of Missouri and running track there. His father, Stacy, was a linebacker for the Missouri football team and CEO of Fifth Down Enterprises. Elliott's maternal grandfather played basketball for Drake University. His uncle is Finnish professional basketball player Shawn Huff.
Despite his athletic pedigree, Elliott attended more academically driven John Burroughs School in Ladue, Missouri, where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball, and track and field. Elliott also played baseball. He played as a running back for the John Burroughs Bombers football team. As a junior in 2012, Elliott was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offensive player of the year after rushing for 1,802 yards and 34 touchdowns and recording 23 receptions for 401 yards and six scores. In his senior year, Elliott had 3,061 all-purpose yards and 50 total touchdowns, including 2,155 rushing yards and 40 rushing touchdowns. He led the football team to three straight championship games, but lost all three.
Also a standout track and field athlete, Elliott was a state qualifier in sprinting and hurdling events. He capped his high school career by winning four state championships at the Missouri Class 3 state championships in 2+1⁄2 hours (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter hurdles). Elliott recorded career-best times of 10.95 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 22.05 seconds in the 200-meter dash, 13.77 seconds in the 110m hurdles and 37.52 seconds in the 300m hurdles. He was named the Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year in the state of Missouri.
Considered a four-star recruit by Scout.com, Elliott was listed as the No. 9 running back in the nation in 2013. He played in the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Despite overwhelming support and pressure for Elliott to sign with his parents' alma mater, the University of Missouri, he decided to sign with Ohio State University.
College career
As a true freshman at Ohio State University in 2013, Elliott rushed for 262 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns as a backup to starter Carlos Hyde, mostly playing as a gunner on special teams.
In 2014, with the departure of Hyde to the NFL, Elliott took over as the starter for the Buckeyes. During the season, Elliott was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Conference team. He rushed for over 100 yards six times during the scheduled season. In the 2014 Big Ten Championship Game against the Wisconsin Badgers, Elliott rushed for 220 yards on 20 carries for two touchdowns. The victory qualified Ohio State for the first-ever College Football Playoff. In the 2015 Sugar Bowl against #1 Alabama, Elliott ran for 230 yards on 20 carries in a hard-fought 42–35 victory where he was named the Offensive Player of the Game, including an 85-yard touchdown run to seal the win. Elliott then capped the Buckeyes' championship season by rushing for 246 yards on 36 carries and scoring four touchdowns against the Oregon Ducks. He was named the Offensive MVP of that game as well; it was the third most rushing yards ever by an Ohio State player.
In 2015, Elliott began the season by rushing for over 100 yards in 10 straight wins, including 274 against Indiana on October 3 (the second most all-time by an Ohio State player). However, the team suffered a 17–14 loss to Michigan State on November 21, 2015, and Elliott announced that he would enter the 2016 NFL draft. The following week, Elliott ran for 214 yards on 30 carries in a 42–13 Ohio State victory over rival Michigan in Ann Arbor, his fifth 200+ yard game. He ended his collegiate career with 149 yards and four touchdowns in a Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame.
Elliott finished his career at Ohio State on several leaderboards. He was second in career rushing yards with 3,961 and yards per game with 101.6 (both behind only Archie Griffin), had the second and third most rushing yards in a season, and five of the top 20 rushing yards in a game. Elliott's 43 rushing touchdowns was fourth most all time, and his 23 in 2015 was third most in a season. His 12 100-yard rushing games in the 2015 season also tied Elliott with Eddie George for a school record, and the 22 such games Elliott amassed over his career was again second only to Griffin (as was his streak of 15 consecutive 100-yard games from 2014 to 2015). Elliott and George are the only Ohio State players with five 200-yard rushing games.
Individual awards
Elliott received numerous honors during his tenure at Ohio State. In 2014, Elliott was named the Offensive MVP of both the 2015 Sugar Bowl and the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
Elliott's success at the end of the 2014 season made him a front-runner for the 2015 Heisman Trophy, though Elliott in fact finished eighth in the voting. After a successful regular season in which he gained 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns, Elliott was named the 2015 Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year, 2015 Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and was selected as Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten. In addition to the yearly awards, he was also named Big Ten Player of the Week twice during the 2015 season for his performances in Week 5 against Indiana, and in Week 13 against Michigan.
Statistics
Professional career
Pre-draft
Before the draft, Elliott was labeled the most complete back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson in 2007, and was predicted to be a top 10 selection. On a draft breakdown by NFL.com, he drew comparisons to Edgerrin James and was listed as a three-down back that had "rare combination of size, athleticism, pass-catching and blocking skills", and that he "should still come out of the gates as one of the most productive young running backs in the league".
Dallas Cowboys (first stint)
2016 season
Elliott was selected in the first round with the fourth overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL draft on April 28, 2016. He was the first running back selected in the draft that year. Elliott was widely regarded as an early favorite for the 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year while playing behind what many agreed upon as the NFL's most dominant offensive line leading up to the 2016 season.
On May 18, 2016, Elliott signed his four-year rookie contract reportedly worth $24.9 million with a $16.3 million signing bonus.
Elliott was named the Cowboys' starting running back to begin the regular season, ahead of veterans Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden. During the narrow season-opening 20–19 loss to the Giants, he had 20 carries for 51 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown on an eight-yard run. In the next game against the Washington Redskins, Elliott had 21 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown but also fumbled twice, losing one of them, yet the Cowboys prevailed on the road 27–23. The following week against the Chicago Bears, he posted his first 100-yard game, rushing 30 times for 140 yards in the 31–17 victory.
During a Week 4 24–17 road victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Elliott had 23 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he rushed 15 times for 134 yards and two rushing touchdowns, including a 60-yard touchdown, during the 28–14 victory. The following week against the Green Bay Packers, Elliott continued his four-game streak with over 100 yards after recording 28 carries for 157 yards in the 30–16 road victory.
After the ninth game of the 2016 season, he became the second Cowboys rookie to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, after Tony Dorsett achieved the mark in 1977. Elliott also became the third running back to rush for 1,000 yards after just the ninth game of his career, joining Adrian Peterson and Eric Dickerson.
During a Week 10 35–30 road victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Elliott recorded 209 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns, including his first NFL receiving touchdown on an 83-yard pass from fellow rookie Dak Prescott, and a 32-yard run for the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left. In the next game against the Baltimore Ravens, Elliott rushed for 97 yards and passed Tony Dorsett's Cowboys rookie rushing record on his second carry during the 27–17 victory.
During a Week 15 26–20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Elliott had 23 carries for 159 rushing yards and a touchdown. After scoring the touchdown, he jumped into an oversized Salvation Army Red Kettle, an unusual touchdown celebration. Since 1997 the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day football game halftime show has traditionally kicked off the Red Kettle campaign. With that rushing touchdown, Elliott surpassed Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker for the Cowboys rookie record. Because the Cowboys clinched the #1-seed in the NFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, Elliott rushed for 80 yards during the Week 16 42–21 victory over the Detroit Lions and did not play in the regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Elliott finished his rookie year as the NFL's top rusher with 1,631 yards, which was the 47th best season all-time, the third most by a rookie (behind Eric Dickerson's 1,808 in 1983 and George Rogers' 1,674 in 1981), and the youngest player to reach 1,600 yards. Elliott finished third with 15 touchdowns behind LeGarrette Blount and David Johnson. He tied Mike Anderson, Clinton Portis, and Ickey Woods for the second most all-time by a rookie behind Eric Dickerson's 18. Elliott's 464 yards after contact ranked fourth among NFL running backs. Due to his successful season, Elliott was selected as a First-team All-Pro, and earned his first Pro Bowl, joining Dak Prescott as the first rookie running back and quarterback duo in NFL history to be selected. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Elliott was ranked seventh by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 and was the highest ranked running back.
In his first NFL playoff game, Elliott had 22 carries for 125 yards during a 34–31 loss to the Packers in the Divisional Round, joining Duane Thomas as the only Cowboy rookie to rush for over 100 yards in a playoff game.
2017 season
On August 11, 2017, the NFL suspended Elliott for the first six games of the 2017 season for violating the personal conduct policy. His suspension stemmed from accusations of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend on five occasions in 2016. NFL officials conducted a year-long investigation into the allegations, and though Elliott was never criminally charged, decided to suspend him. On August 16, Elliott announced that he would appeal the suspension. Although the suspension was upheld on September 6 by a league-appointed arbitrator, on September 8, a federal judge granted a request for injunction by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), putting the suspension on hold indefinitely.
During the season-opening 19–3 victory over the Giants on NBC Sunday Night Football, Elliott had 24 carries for 104 yards. In the next game against the Denver Broncos, he had the worst game of his career statistically, being held to eight yards on nine carries during the 42–17 road loss.
On October 12, 2017, the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals announced that Elliot's suspension had been reinstated, meaning that he would have to serve the six-game suspension up from that point. Six days later, Elliott was granted a temporary restraining order, meaning that he would not have to serve his suspension from that point, allowing him to play in Week 7 against the 49ers. In that game, Elliott rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns and had a 72-yard touchdown reception from Dak Prescott during a 40–10 road victory.
On October 30, Judge Katherine Polk Failla of the New York Southern District Court, denied Elliott's request for a preliminary injunction, which reinstated the six-game suspension. The following day, the NFLPA filed an emergency motion for the injunction. On November 3, Elliott was once again granted a stay by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which delayed the suspension.
On November 9, the suspension was once again reinstated by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Three days afterward, Elliott decided to accept the suspension and leave the country to train for a little while. On November 15, he officially announced that he had withdrawn from another appeal attempt. During his suspension, Elliott had been training and rehabbing his hamstrings in Mexico before his reinstatement. Elliott returned in Week 16 during a must-win situation against the Seattle Seahawks, where he rushed for 97 yards on 24 carries. The Cowboys lost, 21–12, and were eliminated from playoff contention. In the regular season finale against the Eagles, Elliott had 27 carries for 103 yards in the 6–0 shutout road victory.
Elliott finished his second professional season with 242 carries for 983 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 26 receptions for 269 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games and starts. He was ranked 54th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
2018 season
In the first two games of the season, Elliott recorded a rushing touchdown in both games against the Carolina Panthers and Giants. During a Week 3 24–13 road loss to the Seahawks, he rushed for 127 yards. In the next game against the Lions, Elliott had 25 carries for 152 yards to go along with four receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown during the narrow 26–24 victory. During a Week 6 40–7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, he ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, becoming the 12th Cowboy to reach 25 touchdowns on the ground as well as the fastest to do so, three games faster than Emmitt Smith. During a Week 10 27–20 road victory over the Eagles, Elliott had 187 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). He broke 150 yards rushing for the fifth time in his career, surpassing DeMarco Murray for third-most in franchise history. In the next game against the Atlanta Falcons, Elliott recorded 201 scrimmage yards and a touchdown during the 22–19 road victory, his fourth game over 200, tying him with DeMarco Murray and Emmitt Smith for most in franchise history. Elliott continued his success the following week against the Redskins, recording 26 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown in the 31–26 victory, eclipsing 1,000 yards on the year, the second time of his career, tied for third (along with DeMarco Murray and Calvin Hill) most in Cowboys' history. During a narrow Week 13 13–10 road victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, Elliott recorded 136 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown.
Elliott finished the 2018 season with 304 carries for 1,434 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 77 receptions for 567 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games and starts. He won the rushing title for the second time in three seasons. Elliott earned a second Pro Bowl nomination for his 2018 season.
The Cowboys finished atop the NFC East with a 10–6 and made the playoffs as the #4-seed for the NFC Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round against the Seattle Seahawks, Elliott rushed 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown during the narrow 24–22 victory. In the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, he had 20 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown during the 30–22 road loss. Elliott was ranked 18th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.
2019 season
On April 17, 2019, the Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option on Elliott's contract. However, he began holding out during training camp, demanding a contract extension. On September 4, Elliott signed a six-year extension with the Cowboys worth $90 million, with $50 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through the 2026 season.
In Elliott's first game back, he rushed 13 times for 53 yards and a touchdown in the 35–17 opening game victory over the Giants. In the next game against the Redskins, Elliott rushed 23 times for 111 yards and a touchdown during the 31–21 road victory. The following week against the Miami Dolphins, he rushed 19 times for 125 yards in the 31–6 victory. During a narrow Week 6 24–22 road loss to the New York Jets, Elliott rushed 28 times for 105 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 48 yards. In the next game against the Eagles, he rushed 22 times for 111 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 36 yards during the 37–10 victory. After a Week 8 bye, the Cowboys faced the Giants on Monday Night Football. In that game, Elliott rushed 23 times for 139 yards during the 37–18 road victory. During a Week 14 31–24 road loss to the Bears on Thursday Night Football, he rushed 19 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns while also reaching 1,000 rushing yards on the season. During a Week 15 44–21 victory over the Rams, Elliott rushed 24 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns and caught three passes for 43 yards In the regular-season finale against the Redskins, he had 18 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for two yards and a touchdown during the 47–16 victory. Elliott earned his third Pro Bowl nomination for 2019.
Elliott finished the 2019 season with 301 carries for 1,357 yards and 12 touchdowns to go along with 54 receptions for 420 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games and starts. He was ranked 24th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.
2020 season
During the season-opening 20–17 loss to the Rams on NBC Sunday Night Football, Elliott rushed 22 times for 96 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Falcons, he had 22 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown to go along with six receptions for 33 yards during the narrow 40–39 comeback victory. Three weeks later against the Giants, Elliott recorded 105 yards from scrimmage and two rushing touchdowns during the 37–34 victory.
During a Week 11 31–28 road victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Elliott had his first 100-yard game of the season, rushing for 103 yards and recorded two receptions for 11 yards and a touchdown. Elliott missed his first career game due to injury in Week 15 against the 49ers, whom the Cowboys went on to beat 41–33. During a Week 16 37–17 victory over the Eagles, Elliott had 19 carries for 105 yards.
Elliott finished the 2020 season with 244 carries for 979 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 52 receptions for 338 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games and starts.
2021 season
On August 27, 2021, the Cowboys restructured Elliott's contract, converting $8.6 million of his base salary for the upcoming season into a signing bonus to save some salary cap space. Despite dealing with lingering knee and ankle injuries during the majority of the season, Elliott was still able to start in all 17 games and rushed 237 times for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns while also recording 47 receptions for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He had two games going over the 100-yard mark and four games with multiple touchdowns.
In the Wild Card Round against the 49ers, Elliott rushed for 31 yards during the 23–17 loss. After the game, it was revealed that Elliott was playing with a partially torn PCL, which he suffered in Week 4 against the Panthers.
2022 season
Elliot finished the 2022 season with 231 carries for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns to go along with 17 receptions for 92 yards in 15 games and 14 starts. Seven of his 12 rushing touchdowns were scored from the one-yard line, and 10 were scored from within six yards of the goal-line.
In the Divisional Round against the 49ers, Elliott rushed for 26 yards and played center for one play during the 19–12 road loss.
The Cowboys released Elliott on March 15, 2023.
New England Patriots
On August 16, 2023, Elliott signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the New England Patriots. Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien stated that Elliott would be used primarily in third-down and red zone situations behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson. During a 21–18 road victory over the Steelers in Week 14, Elliott had 140 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown.
Elliott finished the 2023 season with 184 carries for 642 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 51 receptions for 313 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games and five starts.
Dallas Cowboys (second stint)
On April 30, 2024, Elliott signed a one-year, $2 million contract to return to the Dallas Cowboys. In the 2024 season opener game against the Cleveland Browns, Elliott ran 10 times for 40 yards with a touchdown and added two catches for nine yards, which helped contribute to the blowout victory. In December 2024, the Cowboys and Elliott agreed to mutually part ways after Elliott requested to be released. He finished the 2024 season with 74 carries for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Los Angeles Chargers
On January 6, 2025, Elliott signed to the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Personal life
Elliott bought his parents, Dawn and Stacy Elliott, a new house after signing his rookie contracts. He studied marketing at Ohio State University.
In August 2020, Elliott became a shareholder of OnCore Golf Technology, Inc., a manufacturer of golf balls based in Buffalo, New York.
In May 2021, Elliott was cited by police after one of his dogs bit and injured two people in his Frisco, Texas, neighborhood.
References
External links
Career statistics from NFL.com · ESPN · CBS Sports · Yahoo Sports · Pro Football Reference
Twitter
Ohio State Buckeyes bio
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Raghav Juyal
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Raghav Juyal.
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Tell me a bio of Raghav Juyal.
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Tell me a bio of Raghav Juyal within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Raghav Juyal with around 100 words.
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Raghav Juyal (born 10 July 1991) is an Indian actor, dancer, choreographer, and television presenter. He is popularly known as "Crockroaxz" or the "King of Slow Motion" for his surreal dance moves in slow motion style and for his reinvention of the Slow Motion Walk in India. He rose to fame after being a contestant and finalist in Zee TV's dance reality show Dance India Dance 3 and a skipper for the team Raghav Ke Rockstars in Dance India Dance Li'l Masters 2 and Dance Ke Superkids where his team was declared the winner under his captainship. He was a contestant on Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7 (2016). In 2024, Juyal garnered recognition with the Hindi-action thriller Kill. He is seen latest in the hindi movie "Kill" and won the award for it too.
Career
Dance India Dance (season 3)
Juyal became known when his audition video went viral on YouTube. He was a contestant on Dance India Dance 3 (2012), which aired on Zee TV. He was not professionally trained by anyone prior to coming on the show. Juyal showcased a new dance style but wasn't selected in the Top 18 by the Grand Master in Mega Audition. Later, on public demand, Grand Master Mithun Chakraborty made an exception in the format by reintroducing him on the show as his "trump card" in the wild-card round, through which he entered the competition again.
Thereafter, Juyal created different dance-forms and reached the finale. He was the most popular contestant of the season having garnered the most No. 1 positions in weekly voting. At the Grand finale, he was voted with 3,481,685 votes in the 2nd runner up position.
DID Li'L Masters (season 2)
After DID, Raghav became the skipper of team Raghav Ke Rockstars in DID Li'l masters (season 2) where he choreographed for Saumya Rai and Rohan Parkale. He was the only skipper to lead both of his students to the Grand finale, in which Rohan and Saumya attained 2nd and 3rd runner up positions respectively.
Dance Ke Superkids
Raghav then choreographed for Zee TV's show Dance Ke Superkids as the Captain of DID Li'l Masters (season 2) team Yahoo and competed against DID Li'l Masters (season 1) team Wakao – with Dharmesh Yelande as the Captain. In the Grand Finale, his team was declared the winner.
2014–present
In 2014, Juyal debuted as an actor by playing a pivotal role in the comedy film Sonali Cable, co-starring Rhea Chakraborty and Ali Fazal, produced by Ramesh Sippy Entertainment which was released on 17 October 2014. One reviewer singled out Raghav's vivacious performance and praised his screen presence, while another says he "steals every scene he's in" and another says he is "better than the leads". The next year he starred in the dance film, ABCD 2, which was released on 19 June 2015, directed by Remo D'Souza co-starring Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor.
Later, he also hosted the dance reality show Dance Plus which aired on Star Plus. In the same year, he co-hosted Prem Ki Diwali along with Karishma Tanna which was broadcast on Life Ok.
In 2016, he was seen in Khatron Ke Khiladi season 7 as a contestant which aired on Colors TV. Later, he hosted Dance Plus (season 2). In the same year, he also co-hosted and appeared on Star Parivaar Awards and Colors Golden Petal Awards. Later he hosted and performed on the show, Timeless Aisha which was aired on Zee Classic.
The following year he co-hosted the singing reality show, Rising Star along with Meiyang Chang which aired on Colors TV. In mid 2017 he has hosted Dance Plus (season 3). In the same year, he began co-hosting the dance reality show, Dance Champions with Ridhima Pandit.
In 2018, he co-hosted the second season of the singing reality show, Dil Hai Hindustani along with Mukti Mohan. He then starred in the romantic comedy film, Nawabzaade along with Dharmesh Yelande, Punit Pathak and Isha Rikhi directed by Jayesh Pradhan which was released on 27 July 2018. Later in the year, he co-hosted Dance Plus (season 4) along with Sugandha Mishra. In 2019, he hosted the dance reality show Dance Plus (season 5).
In 2020, he appeared in dance film Street Dancer 3D with Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Prabhu Deva, and Nora Fatehi. Then he appeared in the second season of the Zee5 dark crime thriller series Abhay (TV series) directed by Ken Ghosh, which was released on 14 August 2020, playing the negative dark character for the first time. He played the lead role in the satirical comedy film Bahut Hua Samman produced by Yoodlee films and directed by Ashish R. Shukla, shared screen space with Sanjay Misra. The movie was released on 2 October 2020 on Disney+ Hotstar due to COVID-19 pandemic and received positive reviews from the audience and critics. Raghav next starred opposite Ankita Sharma in a romantic movie titled Wedlock directed by Sachin Karande and the film is Produced by Blue Orchid Entertainment and Creo Brains Motion Pictures, the shoot was completed in various locations of Mumbai in 25 days shoot schedule. The film is set to release in August 2021
On 15 February 2021, Farhan Akhtar dropped the first teaser of his new film, and announced Yudhra to be produced by his company, Excel Entertainment. Raghav along with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Malavika Mohanan. The film is directed by Ravi Udyawar.Yudhra's story and screenplay have been penned jointly by Farhan Akhtar and Shridhar Raghavan. The film is slated to release in summer 2022.
In 2025, Juyal felicitated with International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) for Best Performance in a Negative Role at 25th IIFA Awards.
Influences
His signature step was Slow Motion Walk. Choreographers like Geeta Kapoor and Remo D'Souza and Terrence Lewis have stated that they had never seen anyone emulate the slow motion walk in India, as realistically, before Raghav. Raghav is a trained actor, mentored by the actor and acting coach Saurabh Sachdeva.
Personal life
Raghav Juyal was born to Deepak Juyal, an advocate, and Alka Bakshi Juyal, his mother is a Punjabi. He was born and brought up in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Born in a Garhwali Brahmin family he belongs to his ancestral village Khetu in Uttarakhand.
Juyal never had any formal training in dance but picked it up from watching performances from the internet and television. He started winning laurels as a dancer right from his days in Doon International School. Later, he joined DAV (PG) College to pursue his B.Com.
Filmography
Films
Television
Music videos
Web series
See also
List of dancers
References
External links
Raghav Juyal at IMDb
Raghav Juyal on Instagram
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Manny Pacquiao
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Manny Pacquiao.
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Tell me a bio of Manny Pacquiao.
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Tell me a bio of Manny Pacquiao within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Manny Pacquiao with around 100 words.
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Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. ( PAK-ee-ow; locally [ˈmanɪ pɐkˈjaʊ]; born December 17, 1978) is a Filipino professional boxer, businessman, and former politician. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He also served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
Pacquiao has won twelve major world titles and is also the only eight-division world champion in boxing history. He is the first boxer to win major world titles in four of the eight "glamour divisions" (flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight), and is the only boxer to hold world championships across four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s). In July 2019, Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight world champion in history at the age of 40, and the first boxer in history to become a recognized four-time welterweight champion after defeating Keith Thurman to win the WBA (Super) welterweight title. As of 2015, Pacquiao's fights had generated $1.2 billion in revenue from his 25 pay-per-view bouts. Forbes ranked him the second highest paid athlete in the world in 2012 and 2015, and the eighth highest paid athlete of the 2010s. In 2024, ESPN ranked Pacquiao as the greatest Asian athlete of the 21st century. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the class of 2025.
Pacquiao entered politics in 2010 when he was elected as the representative of Sarangani. He held this post for six years until he was elected and assumed office as a senator in 2016. He became the leader of then-ruling PDP–Laban party in 2020 (which is disputed since 2021). On September 19, 2021, Pacquiao officially declared his candidacy for President of the Philippines in the 2022 Philippine presidential election; he ended up losing to Bongbong Marcos. Following his unsuccessful campaign in the 2025 Senate election, he announced his intention to retire from politics and came out of retirement from boxing.
Outside of boxing and politics, Pacquiao was the player-coach for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team Kia/Mahindra for three seasons from 2014 to 2017, before founding the semi-professional Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. He has also starred in films and has presented television shows. In music, he has released multiple PARI-certified platinum albums and songs; his cover of "Sometimes When We Touch" peaked at 19 in the United States on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart after a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! He is an Evangelical Christian preacher, philanthropist, and entrepreneur.
Early life and education
Manny Pacquiao was born as Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao on December 17, 1978. He is the son of Rosalio Pacquiao and actress Dionisia Dapidran. His parents separated when he was in sixth grade, after his father had an affair. He is the fourth of six siblings, one of whom, Alberto "Bobby" Pacquiao, is also a politician and former professional boxer.
At the age of 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila and lived on the streets, worked as a construction worker and had to pick between eating or sending money to his mother. Pacquiao completed his elementary education at Saavedra Saway Elementary School in General Santos, but dropped out of high school due to extreme and abject poverty.
In February 2007, Pacquiao took and passed a high school equivalency exam, and was awarded with a high school diploma by the Department of Education.
Boxing career
Overview
Manny Pacquiao has an amateur record of 60–4 and a record of 62–8–2 as a professional, with 39 wins by knockout. Boxing historian Bert Sugar ranked Pacquiao as the greatest southpaw fighter of all time. In 2021, he ranked number 1 in DAZN's list of the top 10 boxers of the last 30 years.
Pacquiao made history by being the first boxer ever to win world titles in eight weight divisions, having won twelve major world titles. Pacquiao is also the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the original eight weight classes of boxing, also known as the "glamour divisions" (flyweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight), and the first boxer ever to become a four-decade world champion, winning world championships across four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).
Pacquiao was long rated as the best active boxer in the world, pound for pound, by most sporting news and boxing websites, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Sporting Life, Yahoo! Sports, About.com, BoxRec and The Ring, beginning from his climb to lightweight until his losses in 2012. He is also the longest reigning top-ten active boxer on The Ring's pound for pound list from 2003 to 2016.
Pacquiao has generated approximately 20.4 million in pay-per-view (PPV) buys and $1.3 billion in revenue from 26 PPV-bouts. According to Forbes, he was the world's second highest paid athlete in 2015.
Pacquiao signed with Bob Arum's Top Rank from 2015 to 2017 and Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) promotion on 2018 alongside Paradigm Sports Management on 2020.
On September 29, 2021, Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing, in a post on social media.
On July 28, 2024, Pacquiao made his debut on Super RIZIN 3 in an exhibition featherweight bout against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in a boxing match under Rizin Special standing bout rules. As there was no judge's decision, the bout ended in a draw.
Early years
Pacquiao was introduced to boxing at the age of 12 by his maternal uncle Sardo Mejia. According to his autobiography, Pacquiao said watching Mike Tyson's defeat of James "Buster" Douglas in 1990 with his Uncle Sardo as an experience that, "changed my life forever". Mejia began training his nephew in a makeshift home gym. After 6 months of training, Pacquiao began boxing in a park in General Santos, eventually traveling to other cities to fight higher-ranked opponents. By age 15, he was considered the best junior boxer in the southern Philippines and he moved to Manila. In January 1995, at the age of 16, he made his professional boxing debut as a junior flyweight.
Pacquiao stated of his early years, "Many of you know me as a legendary boxer, and I'm proud of that. However, that journey was not always easy. When I was younger, I became a fighter because I had to survive. I had nothing. I had no one to depend on except myself. I realized that boxing was something I was good at, and I trained hard so that I could keep myself and my family alive."
On December 4, 1998, at the age of 19, he won his first major title, the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.
Notable fights
Over the course of his decorated career, Pacquiao has defeated 22 world champions: Chatchai Sasakul, Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, Jorge Eliécer Julio, Marco Antonio Barrera (twice), Érik Morales (twice), Óscar Larios, Jorge Solís, Juan Manuel Márquez (twice), David Díaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley, Brandon Ríos, Timothy Bradley (twice), Chris Algieri, Jessie Vargas, Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
Pacquiao's most recent bout was against Mario Barrios in July 2025.
Pacquiao also participated in an exhibition match against former world champion Jesus Salud in August 2002 which he won.
Ranking and awards
Pacquiao was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and Home Box Office (HBO). In 2006, 2008, and 2009, he was awarded Ring magazine, ESPN and BWAA's Fighter of the Year, and in 2009 and 2011 he won the Best Fighter ESPY Award. BoxRec ranks him as the greatest Asian fighter of all time. In 2016, Pacquiao ranked No. 2 on ESPN's list of top pound for pound boxers of the past 25 years and he ranks No.4 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time. As of 2022, Pacquiao was ranked ninth in The Ring's list of the top 100 boxers of all time.
Manny Pacquiao is a holder of six Guinness Book World Records. He has the most consecutive boxing world title fight victories at different weights at 15, between 2005 and 2011; he is named the oldest welterweight boxing world champion when he claimed the WBA Welterweight title aged 40 years 215 days on July 20, 2019; he has the most boxing world titles won in different weight divisions with eight, when he defeated Antonio Margarito (USA) to win the WBC Super Welterweight title on November 13, 2010. He has also held sanctioned belts in the WBC Flyweight, Super Featherweight and Lightweight divisions, plus The Ring Featherweight, IBF Super Bantamweight, IBO and The Ring Light Welterweight and WBO Welterweight. He recorded the highest selling pay-per-view boxing match in a Welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on May 2, 2015, and the highest revenue earned from ticket sales for a boxing match from ticket sales title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on May 2, 2015.
Olympics
Pacquaio has never competed in the Summer Olympics. However, he would participate in the parade of nations of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony as the Philippine delegation's flag bearer; the first-ever non-participant to serve as the country's flagbearer. Swimmer Miguel Molina, 2005 Southeast Asian Games' Best Male Athlete, yielded the role to Pacquiao, upon the request of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to national sports officials.
He had the opportunity to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, when professional boxers under the age of 40 were allowed to compete in the games for the first time. However Pacquiao, decided not to compete. Pacquiao would signify his interest to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France. The Philippine Olympic Committee would make a failed petition to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Now 45-years old, Pacquiao was disallowed to participate after the IOC decide to uphold the 40-year-old age limit.
Earnings
Forbes listed Pacquiao as the world's equal sixth highest paid athlete, with a total of $40 million or ₱2 billion pesos from the second half of 2008 to the first half of 2009. Tied with him on the sixth spot was NBA player LeBron James and golfer Phil Mickelson. Pacquiao was again included in Forbes' list of highest paid athletes from the second half of 2009 to the first half of 2010; he was ranked eighth with an income of $42 million. Pacquiao also won the 2009 ESPY Awards for the Best Fighter category, beating fellow boxer Shane Mosley and Brazilian mixed martial arts fighters Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva. ESPN Magazine reported that Pacquiao was one of the two top earning athletes for 2010, alongside American Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez. According to the magazine's annual salary report of athletes, Pacquiao earned $32 million (approximately PhP 1.38 billion) for his two 2010 boxing matches against Clottey and Margarito.
Basketball career
On April 17, 2014, Pacquiao, a passionate basketball fan, announced his intention to join the Philippine Basketball Association as the playing coach of Kia Motors Basketball team, an incoming expansion team for the PBA's 2014–15 season. As the team's head coach, he asked other teams to not draft him before Kia, and picked himself 11th overall in the first round of the 2014 PBA draft, being the oldest rookie to be ever drafted in the league's history. Pacquiao played basketball as part of his training before his matches and prior to his PBA stint, Pacquiao was named an honorary member of the Boston Celtics and established friendships with Steph Curry and basketball Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns cites Pacquiao as a "legend" & visited him along with Klay Thompson at training.
On September 4, 2014, Pacquiao trained with the Golden State Warriors at their training facility in preparation for his PBA stint.
On February 18, 2015, Pacquiao played briefly and scored one point when the Sorento pulled a 95–84 upset against Purefoods, which had tapped former NBA player Daniel Orton as their import for the conference. When asked about playing against him, Orton said that "[Pacquiao playing] is a joke...Professional boxer? Yeah. Congressman? All right. But professional basketball player? Seriously? It's a joke." Orton was fined by PBA commissioner Chito Salud and was replaced after a few days. He later became one of the Pilipinas MX3 Kings owners in the Asean Basketball League.
On October 25, 2015, Pacquiao made his first field goal in the PBA in a 108–94 loss against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. On August 21, 2016, Pacquiao scored a career-high four points in a 97–88 victory against the Blackwater Elite, also sinking the first three-point field goal in his career.
In 2017, Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, initially a semi-professional league. The MPBL turned professional in 2022. In 2018, although being rumored to transfer to Blackwater, Pacquiao officially announced his retirement from the league after playing just ten games in three seasons and scoring less than fifteen career points.
In 2019, he announced that he is "planning to own an NBA team" after boxing retirement.
Political career
House of Representatives (2010–2016)
On February 12, 2007, Pacquiao announced his campaign for a seat in the Philippine House of Representatives to represent the 1st District of South Cotabato province running as a candidate of the Liberal Party faction under Manila mayor Lito Atienza. Pacquiao, said he was persuaded to run by the local officials of General Santos, hoping he would act as a bridge between their interests and the national government. Ultimately Pacquiao was forced to run under the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI), a pro-Arroyo political party by the courts. Pacquiao was defeated in the election by incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), who said, "More than anything, I think, people weren't prepared to lose him as their boxing icon."
In preparation for his political career in the Filipino House of Representatives, Pacquiao enrolled in the Certificate Course in Development, Legislation, and Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines – Graduate School of Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM).
On November 21, 2009, Pacquiao announced that he would run again for a congressional seat, but this time in Sarangani province, the hometown of his wife Jinkee. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. He scored a landslide victory over the wealthy and politically well-entrenched Chiongbian clan that had been in power in the province for more than thirty years. Pacquiao got 120,052 votes while his opponent for the seat, Roy Chiongbian, got 60,899 votes.
In 2010, Pacquiao made a speech on human trafficking that earned praise. However, he also received criticism for coming out as uninformed during a discussion of the contentious reproductive health bill that same year.
In 2013, he was re-elected to the 16th Congress of the Philippines. He ran unopposed. Additionally, his wife, Jinkee, was also elected as vice-governor of Sarangani, while his younger brother, Rogelio lost his bid as congressman.
Because of other commitments, Pacquiao only attended one Congress session on the congress' final leg and was criticized for being the top absentee among lawmakers. Pacquiao filed a total of less than 20 bills in six years, with zero of them passing beyond committee.
Senate (2016–2022)
On October 5, 2015, Pacquiao formally declared that he was running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party of vice-president Jejomar Binay. On May 19, 2016, Pacquiao was formally elected as a senator by the Commission on Elections. Pacquiao garnered over 16 million votes, landing at 7th place.
Pacquiao earlier aligned himself with the Duterte government. He facilitated on September 18, 2016, the ouster of Leila de Lima (a Duterte critic) from the chairmanship of the Senate Justice committee and criticized de Lima's presentation three days later of an alleged member of the Davao Death Squad.
In another Senate hearing, Pacquiao defended then-Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte from allegations of having a part, along with the vice mayor's alleged drinking buddy Charlie Tan and Kenneth Dong, in a 2017 seized ₱6.4-billion shipment of illegal drugs from Xiamen, China, into the Philippines.
As of 2018, Pacquiao has filed a total of 31 Senate bills during the 17th Congress. And in a bill filed alongside Senator Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, he backed the return of capital punishment.
In June 2019, the Philippine Senate released a data showing Pacquiao as having the worst attendance record among all senators in the 17th Congress, reflecting a struggle Pacquiao had since he was a congressman. Despite the poor attendance, he still managed to enact four laws from the bills he filed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Pacquiao worked with Alibaba Group co-founder Jack Ma to help bring to the Philippines 50,000 COVID-19 test kits through their respective charity foundations.
In December 2020, Pacquiao became acting party president of PDP–Laban, the ruling political party, when Koko Pimentel resigned. However, the position will eventually become disputed between Pacquiao and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. Alfonso Cusi's faction through a vote decided that Pacquiao is no longer party president of PDP–Laban on July 17. Melvin Matibag, the deputy secretary-general of PDP–Laban, defended the vote, saying it was organized because the term limits of the party's officials had already expired. Pacquiao is still regarded by his faction as party president.
In May 2021, Senator Pacquiao filed a bill proposing to create the Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission. The move, however, was lambasted by Senator Pia Cayetano who criticized the timing of the proposal in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Pacquiao earlier already tried filing the bill during the 17th Congress when Pacquiao and Senator Franklin Drilon made headlines after Pacquiao called out the latter and senior legislator to use his "common sense" during an interpellation about the topic while Pacquiao was apparently being coached by his advisers after struggling to answer Drilon.
In May 2022, Pacquiao called for the "speedy release" of fellow Senator Leila De Lima, who had been detained for five years, after witnesses against De Lima retracted their testimony. Pacquiao had earlier been vocal about De Lima's supposed links to a purported drug lord, Kerwin Espinosa, an allegation that led to De Lima's arrest and detention.
2022 presidential campaign
As early as June 2020, Pacquiao's former promoter Bob Arum declared that the senator expressed that he will run in 2022 in a conversation with him uttering "Bob, I'm gonna run in 2022 and, when I win, I want you there at my inauguration.'" Speculations quickly spread around a possible Pacquiao run for president, backed by his own expression of interest in a presidential bid.
In June 2021, he expressed belief that Duterte's response towards China's claims in the South China Sea was lacking. Duterte rebuked Pacquiao for the statement, saying the latter lacked knowledge in foreign policy. The President also responded to a claim attributed to Pacquiao that the Duterte administration is more corrupt than those by his predecessors; Duterte challenged Pacquiao to name certain individuals or agencies, otherwise he will launch a negative campaign against the senator in the 2022 elections.
A month after being asked about the possibility of him running in the postgame interview after losing his final boxing match against Yordenis Ugas, Pacquiao officially announced his presidential bid on September 19, 2021, during the National Assembly of the PDP–Laban, organized by his faction. On October 1, he formally registered his candidacy under the Cebu-based party PROMDI. This was in accordance with the "MP3 Alliance" established by PDP Laban under Pacquiao's faction with PROMDI, and the People's Champ Movement. Cusi, in response to Pacquiao's filing of candidacy under PROMDI, decided that he is no longer a member of PDP-Laban.
His platforms included solving corruption and a promise of nationwide housing projects for the poor. Since the campaign period started in February, he had struggled in the presidential surveys with low ratings ranking fourth to fifth among the candidates, dropping to as low as 1.8 percent on the March 2022 poll by Publicus Asia and 8 percent on Pulse Asia with his disapproval rating going up.
In March 2022, amid recent news about frontrunner Bongbong Marcos' unsettled estate tax dues amounting to 200 billion pesos, Pacquiao openly challenged Marcos to a one-on-one debate and made remarks against critics saying "he's not intelligent enough to be president" saying that "the most dumb in this country are those who are going to vote for a plunderer". Pacquiao only placed third in the election with roughly four million votes and later conceded to Marcos, who won by a landslide.
2025 Senate bid
On September 26, 2024, Pacquiao was named as a senatorial candidate for the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas in the 2025 elections. He ran under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. He formalized his bid for senator by filing his certificate of candidacy on October 7, 2024. Pacquiao would eventually lose his bid for the senate, placing 18th, garnering 10,397,133 votes. He has considered leaving politics after returning to boxing.
Entertainment career
Acting and hosting career
With growing fame, Pacquiao became a celebrity and was obligated to start his acting and hosting career with guest appearances on ABS-CBN shows. He signed a contract as an actor & host with ABS-CBN short-after.
In December 2005, Pacquiao took his first lead role in Violett Films' Lisensyadong Kamao (Licensed Fist). The film is titled so because (according to director Tony Bernal), being a boxer, Pacquiao is licensed to use his hands.
Upon the expiration of his contract with ABS-CBN, Pacquiao signed with GMA Network as an actor and host in September 2007. A few months after, he taped his first episode of the network's infotainment show Pinoy Records. His other projects with the network included Totoy Bato and the sitcom Show Me Da Manny, where he appeared as Marian Rivera's onscreen loveteam, and in which his mother, Dionisia, also appeared. He also hosted his own game show Manny Many Prizes where he gave out prizes to his audience.
In 2008, Pacquiao starred with Ara Mina and Valerie Concepcion in Anak ng Kumander (Child of a Commander). The movie was not a commercial success and was panned by critics.
Pacquiao starred in the superhero/comedy film entitled Wapakman, which was released on December 25, 2009, as an entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival. Like his previous films, Wapakman was not commercially successful.
In 2020, he was cast to portray General Miguel Malvar in the upcoming biopic film Malvar: Tuloy ang Laban about the Philippine hero, which gained mixed reactions from the Malvar family. Gabriel, grandson of General Malvar's youngest child Pablo, worries that Pacquiao's fame might overshadow his movie character. While Villegas, son of Malvar's daughter Isabel, supports the casting.
Music career
Pacquiao recorded songs to use as entrance music for his fights and released them on two albums that were certified platinum locally in the Philippines. Most of the Tagalog songs of Pacquiao were composed by Lito Camo who wrote Pacquiao's biggest hit and primarily known song "Para Sayo ang Laban Na 'To".
On November 3, 2009, Pacquiao covered "Sometimes When We Touch", originally by Dan Hill, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, marking his first singing performance on American TV. He went back to the late-night talk show on March 3, 2010, to cover another song, "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You". He would later record Dan Hill's hit in April 2011 as a single which reached number 19 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It made Pacquiao one of the few Southeast Asians to enter a US Billboard chart. He also appeared with Will Ferrell and sang a version of John Lennon's "Imagine" for his third guesting on the show. His appearances on the show led to Canadian rapper Drake impersonating him and making fun of his singing by creating a parody, Pacquiao responded by posting another video of himself singing. In 2015, he released an extended play that featured his own recorded entrance song for his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and shortly announced his retirement from music, being quoted saying "I love music, but music is not for me".
The following are Manny Pacquiao's albums from 2006 to 2015:
Albums
Laban Nating Lahat Ito (2006), Star
Pac-Man Punch (2007), MCA
Lalaban Ako para sa Pilipino (EP) (2015), GMA
In popular culture
A film based on Pacquiao's life, Pacquiao: The Movie, was released on June 21, 2006, featuring Filipino actor Jericho Rosales as Manny Pacquiao and was directed by Joel Lamangan. The film flopped at the box office, grossing a total of only P4,812,191 (approximately US$99,322), as confirmed by Lamangan.
Another film, based on Pacquiao's early life in boxing, Kid Kulafu, was released on April 15, 2015, featuring actor Buboy Villar as Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao. The film dramatizes the life of the Filipino boxing superstar during his childhood.
A documentary entitled "Manny", which featured Pacquiao's early life as well as his boxing and political career, was released with Liam Neeson as the narrator.
Pacquiao has featured in the Fight Night boxing video game franchise as a playable character. The playable character Paquito, in the mobile game, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was also inspired from Pacquiao. A skin was also made available for Paquito which changes the character's appearance to that of the real life boxer. Filipino game developer Ranida Games announced in 2021 that a mobile game revolving around Pacquiao's boxing career Fighting Pride: The Manny Pacquiao Saga is in the works.
Pacquiao was one of Time's 100 most influential people for the year 2009, for his exploits in boxing and his influence among the Filipino people. Pacquiao was also included by Forbes in its annual Celebrity 100 list for the year 2009, joining Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and fellow athletes Woods and Bryant.
Pacquiao has also appeared on the cover of Time magazine Asia for their November 16, 2009 issue. According to their five-page feature story, "(Pacquiao is) a fighter with enough charisma, intelligence and backstory to help rescue a sport lost in the labyrinth of pay-per-view. Global brands like Nike want him in their ads." They also added, "Pacquiao has a myth of origin equal to that of any Greek or Roman hero. He leaves the Philippines to make it even bigger, conquering the world again and again to bring back riches to his family and friends." Pacquiao became the eighth Filipino to grace the cover of the prestigious magazine, after former Philippine presidents Manuel L. Quezon, Ramon Magsaysay, Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Filipino actress and environmentalist Chin Chin Gutierrez. Pacquiao was also featured on the cover of Reader's Digest Asia, where a seven-page story was written about the Filipino boxing superstar. The issue came out in November 2008, before Pacquiao's fight against De La Hoya.
Pacquiao is also mentioned in some hip hop tracks including Kool A.D.'s song entitled "Manny Pacquiao" on his mixtape, 51. A few notable ones are Pitbull's "Get It Started", A$AP Rocky's "Phoenix", Bad Meets Evil and Bruno Mars' "Lighters", Eminem and Skylar Grey's "Asshole", Future's "Never Gon' Lose", Migos' "Chinatown", Nicki Minaj and Ciara's "I'm Legit" and Rick Ross's "High Definition", Jelo Acosta's "Just Like Manny P," and Yung Gravy's "Betty" to name a few.
Pacquiao became the first Filipino athlete to appear on a postage stamp.
A video clip of Pacquiao greeting his followers for New Year's Eve was used as a meme in the Internet.
Controversies
Taxation issues
On November 26, 2013, a few days after Pacquiao's victory over Brandon Ríos, the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) issued a freeze order on all of Pacquiao's Philippine bank accounts due to his alleged failure to pay ₱2.2 billion in taxes for earnings he made in his fights in the United States from 2008 to 2009. A day after the bank account freeze, the BIR also issued an order to freeze all of Pacquiao's Philippine properties, whereupon Pacquiao presented documents to the press showing the income tax for non-resident alien payment by his promoter to the BIR's US counterpart, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as a letter from Bob Arum. In April 2017, Pacquiao, now a senator, approached Philippine authorities in an attempt to settle the case. The BIR had maintained that taxes were due even if all taxes had been paid to the IRS in the first place.
Homosexuality comments
In February 2016, Pacquiao, in a video statement posted by TV5, made a comment on the issue of same-sex marriage. Pacquiao, in vernacular, described people in same-sex marriages as behaving worse than animals because, he said, animals generally do not have same-sex mating. LGBT celebrities criticized the statements of the senatorial candidate. Pacquiao later apologized and stated that while, as a Christian, he is still against same-sex marriage, which he said is against Biblical teachings, he did not condemn gay people themselves. Nike ended their longtime partnership with Pacquiao, stating his comments against gay people were abhorrent. The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles also banned Pacquiao from the shopping mall.
Towards the end of the video, Pacquiao clarified that he is not condemning gay people.
...but I am not condemning them, just the marriage which is a sin against God.
Paradigm Sports Management contract dispute
In 2021, Paradigm Sports Management – the company Pacquaio signed an exclusive management deal with a year prior – filed a lawsuit against him, alleging he in bad faith breached the contract having two management companies negotiating simultaneously for boxing matches.
In early May 2023, Orange County Superior Court ruled the lawsuit in favor of Paradigm Sports Management, ordering Pacquiao to pay $5.1 million plus at least $2 million in attorney fees, both with 10 percent annual interest. In August 2024, the verdict was overturned and vacated. The court found evidence, that when signing the contract to represent Pacquiao, Audie Attar did not hold a management license, which is required under California law.
Personal life
Pacquiao married Jinkee Jamora on May 10, 1999. Together, they have five children, Emmanuel Jr. (Jimuel), Michael Stephen, Mary Divine Grace (Princess), Queen Elizabeth (Queenie) and Israel. In 2006, Joanna Rose Bacosa, a KTV receptionist, disclosed the existence of her child with Pacquiao named as Emmanuel "Eman" Bacosa, who was born in January 2004. Although Pacquiao initially did not acknowledge him, he was later seen training with Eman, who began following in his father's footsteps and pursued boxing. Eman made his boxing debut on September 23, 2023, which ended in a draw. He dedicated his win against Noel Pangantao on December 15, 2023 to his father. His eldest son with Jinkee, Jimuel, is an aspiring amateur boxer, model & actor, while his second son, Michael, is a rapper, who has amassed tens of millions of streams with his songs. His first daughter, Princess, is a popular YouTube vlogger with millions of subscribers and started the Pacquiao family's network of YouTube content, while his second daughter, Queenie, was born in the United States. On May 27, 2024, Mary Divine Grace "Princess" graduated secondary school from Brent International School. Her YouTube currently has 1.39 million subscribers.
Pacquiao resides in his hometown of General Santos, South Cotabato, Philippines. As the congressman representing the lone district of Sarangani from 2010 to 2016, he officially resided in Kiamba, Sarangani, the hometown of his wife. Upon his election to the Senate of the Philippines, he returned his official residence to General Santos, as senators are elected on a nationwide basis, rather than by district.
Pacquiao has a YouTube channel with 990,000 subscribers as of August 2023. The Pacquiao family constantly posts content about their activities together in their own separate YouTube channels. His daughter, Mary and his wife Jinkee both have more than one million subscribers and his sons Jimuel and Michael each have fewer than 600,000.
On June 25, 2010, Pacquiao completed a 10-day crash course on Development Legislation and Governance at the Graduate School of Public and Development Management of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).
Pacquiao was officially enrolled for two semesters at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) in the Academic Year 2007-2008 under the bachelor's degree of business administration major in marketing management program, however, Pacquiao was not able to finish the program and NDDU did not grant him a college degree.
From June 8 to 17, 2016, Pacquiao underwent another 9-day Executive Coaching Program crash course conducted by the Development Academy of the Philippines, the Ateneo School of Government, the Asian Institute of Management, and the Philippine Public Safety College after he won a senate seat in 2016.
On December 11, 2019, Pacquiao controversially graduated from the University of Makati with a bachelor's degree in political science; majoring in local government administration through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) of the Philippine Councilors League-Legislative Academy (PCCLA) which allows qualified Filipinos to complete a collegiate-level education via informal education system. Pacquiao reportedly completed the degree in one year, contrary to earlier reports of three months.
Raised Catholic, Pacquiao is currently practicing and preaching Evangelical Protestantism. Pacquiao said he once had a dream where he saw a pair of angels and heard the voice of God—this dream convinced him to become a devout believer.
Pacquiao enlisted as a military reservist and was promoted with the rank of colonel in the Reserve Force of the Philippine Army. Prior to being promoted to full colonel after finishing his General Staff Course (GSC) schooling, he held the rank of lieutenant colonel for being a member of the Philippine Congress as per the AFP's regulations for reservist officers. He first entered the army's reserve force on April 27, 2006, as a sergeant. Later, he rose to Technical Sergeant on December 1 of the same year. On October 7, 2007, he became a Master Sergeant, the highest rank for enlisted personnel. On May 4, 2009, he was given the special rank of Senior Master Sergeant and was also designated as the Command Sergeant Major of the 15th Ready Reserve Division.
In 2022, Pacquiao graduated from Philippine Christian University, with a master's degree in management, majoring in public administration.
Awards and recognitions
International
2000–2009 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade
2000–2009 HBO Fighter of the Decade
2001–2010 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Decade
2001–2010 World Boxing Organization Best Pound-for-Pound Fighter of the Decade
2006, 2008 and 2009 Boxing Writers Association of America's Fighter of the Year
2006, 2008 and 2009 ESPN Fighter of the Year
2006, 2008 and 2009 The Ring Fighter of the Year
2007 World Boxing Hall of Fame Fighter of the year
2008 Sports Illustrated Boxer of the Year
2008 Yahoo! Sports Fighter of the Year
2008 and 2009 ESPN Star's Champion of Champions
2008 and 2009 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Year
2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 The Ring No.1 Pound-for-Pound (year-end)
2009 ESPN Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)
2009 and 2011 ESPY Awards Best Fighter
2009 and 2015 Forbes magazine World's Highest-Paid Athletes (ranked 6th and 2nd)
2009 Sports Illustrated Fighter of the Year
2009 The Ring Knockout of the Year (in Round 2 against Ricky Hatton)
2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People (Heroes and Icons Category)
2009, 2010, 2012 and 2015 Forbes magazine Celebrity 100 (The World's Most Powerful Celebrity) (ranked 57th, 55th, 33rd and 2nd)
2010 World Boxing Organization Fighter of the Year
2010 Yahoo! Sports Boxing's Most Influential (ranked 25th)
2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 The Ring Magazine Event of the year
2011 Las Vegas Walk of Stars Awardee
2011 Guinness World Records Most boxing world titles in different weight divisions (8 times; since November 13, 2010)
2012 Laredo Asian Association Special Recognition Award
2013 On The Ropes Boxing Awards Comeback Fighter of the Year
2013 The Ring magazine Comeback of the Year
2014, 2015 and 2016 Reader's Digest Asia Pacific Most Trusted Sports Personality
2014 On The Ropes Boxing Awards Fighter of the Year
2014 PublicAffairsAsia HP Gold Standard Award for Communicator of the Year
2015 Asia Society's Asia Game Changer of the Year
2016 Forbes magazine Boxing's MVPs (ranked 4th)
2019 Forbes magazine Highest Paid Athletes of the Decade (ranked 8th)
2019 World Boxing News Fighter of the year
National
2000–2009 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade
2000–2009 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial Boxer of the Decade
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial Boxer of the Year
2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 PSA Sportsman of the Year
2003 Presidential Medal of Merit
2003 and 2010 Congressional Medal of Achievement / Distinction / Honor
2006 Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life" (Kampeon Habambuhay)
2006 Eastwood City Walk of Fame Awardee
2006 36th GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards People's Hero Award
2008 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial Hall of Fame Awardee
2008 Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer" (Pinuno)
2008 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Honorary Award for Sports Excellence
2009 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial Best Pound For Pound Boxer Award
2009 25th Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards for Movies Newsmaker of the Year
2009 Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross with Gold Distinction)
2009 Southwestern University – honorary Doctorate of Humanities (Honoris Causa as accorded by the Commission on Higher Education)
2010–2019 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade
2011 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial "Quintessential Athlete" Award
2012 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial "Man of Others" Award
2013, 2016 and 2018 Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Memorial Award of Distinction
2015 MEGA Man Magazine Man of the Year
2017 Bawas Bisyo Youth for Sin Tax Movement Anti-smoking champion
2018 League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Cebu "Cebuano Heritage Award for Manny Pacquiao"
2019 50th GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards Global Achievement by a Filipino Award
2020 Clean Air Philippines Movement, Inc. (CAPMI) "Clean Air Champion" award
2021 Philippine Sportswriters Association Chooks-to-Go Fan Favorite "Manok ng Bayan" Award
Electoral history
2016
2022
2025
Filmography
Film
Television
TV documentary film
Video games
Concerts
Basketball stats
PBA season-by-season averages
Correct as of February 18, 2018
UNTV Cup season-by-season averages
Correct as of February 2, 2019
See also
References
External links
Official website
Boxing record for Manny Pacquiao from BoxRec (registration required)
Manny Pacquiao at IMDb
Rep. Emmanuel D. Pacquiao official profile at the Congress of the Philippines
Manny Pacquiao profile at HBO
Manny Pacquiao profile Archived December 10, 2006, at the Wayback Machine at About.com
The Biggest Little Man in the World by GQ Magazine
Nike – Inside Pacquiao
PacMan: Behind the Scenes with Manny Pacquiao: A Biography of Pacquiao by Gary Andrew Poole
The Manny Pacquiao workout at Men's Health UK
Manny Pacquiao - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings at Box.Live
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Aaron Burr
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Aaron Burr.
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Tell me a bio of Aaron Burr.
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Tell me a bio of Aaron Burr within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Aaron Burr with around 100 words.
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Aaron Burr Jr. (February 6, 1756 – September 14, 1836) was an American politician, businessman, lawyer, and Founding Father who served as the third vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805 during Thomas Jefferson's first presidential term. He founded the Manhattan Company on September 1, 1799. His personal and political conflict with Alexander Hamilton culminated in the Burr–Hamilton duel where Burr mortally wounded Hamilton. Burr was indicted for dueling, but all charges against him were dropped. The controversy ended his political career.
Burr was born to a prominent family in what was then the Province of New Jersey. After studying theology at Princeton University, he began his career as a lawyer before joining the Continental Army as an officer in the American Revolutionary War in 1775. After leaving military service in 1779, Burr practiced law in New York City, where he became a leading politician and helped form the new Jeffersonian Democratic-Republican Party.
In 1791, Burr was elected to the United States Senate, where he served until 1797. He later ran in the 1800 presidential election. An Electoral College tie between Burr and Thomas Jefferson resulted in the U.S. House of Representatives voting in Jefferson's favor, with Burr becoming Jefferson's vice president due to receiving the second-highest share of the votes. Although Burr maintained that he supported Jefferson, the president was somewhat at odds with Burr, who was relegated to the sidelines of the administration during his vice presidency and was not selected as Jefferson's running mate in 1804 after the ratification of the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Burr traveled west to the American frontier, seeking new economic and political opportunities. His secretive activities led to his 1807 arrest in Alabama on charges of treason. He was brought to trial more than once for what became known as the Burr conspiracy, an alleged plot to create an independent country led by Burr, but was acquitted each time. For a short period of time, Burr left the United States to live in Europe. He returned in 1812 and resumed practicing law in New York City. Burr died on September 14, 1836, at the age of 80.
Early life and education
Aaron Burr Jr. was born on February 6, 1756, in Newark, in what was then the Province of New Jersey, one of the Thirteen Colonies of colonial era British America. He was the second child of the Reverend Aaron Burr Sr., a Presbyterian minister and second president of the College of New Jersey, which later became Princeton University. His mother, Esther Edwards Burr, was the daughter of Jonathan Edwards, a theologian, and his wife Sarah Edwards. He had one older sister, Sarah, who was also known as Sally.
In 1757, Burr's father died while serving as president of College of New Jersey, which later became Princeton University. His grandfather, Jonathan Edwards, succeeded his father as the college's president, and lived with Burr and his mother in December 1757. Edwards died in March 1758, and Burr's mother and grandmother died the same year, leaving Burr and his sister orphaned when he was two years old. Young Burr and his sister were then placed with the William Shippen family in the Philadelphia, capital of British America. The following year, in 1759, the children's guardianship was assumed by their 21-year-old maternal uncle, Timothy Edwards. The following year, Edwards married Rhoda Ogden, and moved the family to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where Burr attended the Elizabethtown Academy. Burr had a very strained relationship with his uncle, who was often physically abusive. As a child, he made several attempts to run away from home.
At age 13, Burr was admitted to the College of New Jersey as a sophomore, where he joined the American Whig Society and the Cliosophic Society, the college's literary and debating societies. In 1772, at age 16, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree, but continued studying theology at Princeton for an additional year. He then undertook rigorous theological training with Joseph Bellamy, a Presbyterian, but changed his career path after two years. At age 19, he moved to Litchfield, Connecticut to study law with his brother-in-law Tapping Reeve, founder of the Litchfield Law School. In 1775, news reached Litchfield of the clashes with British troops in the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which launched the American Revolutionary War, and Burr put his studies on hold to enlist in the Continental Army, whose commander-in-chief was George Washington.
Career
Revolutionary War
During the American Revolutionary War, Burr took part in Colonel Benedict Arnold's expedition to Quebec, an arduous trek of more than 300 miles (480 km) through the northern frontier of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (now Maine). Arnold was impressed by Burr's "great spirit and resolution" during the long march. He sent him up the Saint Lawrence River to contact General Richard Montgomery, who had taken Montreal, and escort him to Quebec. Montgomery then promoted Burr to captain and made him an aide-de-camp. Burr distinguished himself during the Battle of Quebec on December 31, 1775, where he attempted to recover Montgomery's corpse after he had been killed. However, his attempts to rescue the body of his general was short-lived, as Burr gave up due to the harsh conditions of the snow and the dead weight of Montgomery's body.
In the spring of 1776, Burr's relative Matthias Ogden helped him to secure a position with George Washington's staff in Manhattan, but he quit on June 26 to be on the battlefield. General Israel Putnam took Burr under his wing, and Burr saved an entire brigade from capture after the British landing in Manhattan by his vigilance in the retreat from Lower Manhattan to Harlem. Washington failed to commend his actions in the next day's General Orders, which was the fastest way to obtain a promotion. Burr was already a nationally known hero, but he never received a commendation. According to Ogden, he was infuriated by the incident, which may have led to the eventual estrangement between him and Washington. Nevertheless, Burr defended Washington's decision to evacuate New York as "a necessary consequence". It was not until the 1790s that the two men found themselves on opposite sides in politics.
Burr was briefly posted in Kingsbridge during 1776, at which time he was charged with protecting 14-year-old Margaret Moncrieffe, the daughter of Staten Island-based British Major Thomas Moncrieffe. Miss Moncrieffe was in Manhattan "behind enemy lines", and Major Moncrieffe asked Washington to ensure her safe return there. Burr fell in love with Margaret, and her attempts to remain with Burr were unsuccessful.
In late 1776, Burr attempted to secure Washington's approval to retake fortifications on Staten Island, which were then held by the British, citing his deep familiarity with the area. Washington said he wanted to defer such an action until later in the conflict, and ultimately chose not to pursue it. The British learned of Burr's plans and later took extra precautions.
In July 1777, Burr was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assumed virtual leadership of Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment. There were approximately 300 men under Colonel William Malcolm's nominal command, but Malcolm was frequently called upon to perform other duties, leaving Burr in charge. The regiment successfully fought off many nighttime raids into central New Jersey by Manhattan-based British troops who arrived by water. Later that year, Burr commanded a small contingent during the harsh winter encampment at Valley Forge, guarding "the Gulph", an isolated pass that controlled one approach to the camp. He imposed discipline and defeated an attempted mutiny by some of the troops.
Burr's regiment was devastated by British artillery on June 28, 1778, at the Battle of Monmouth in New Jersey, and Burr suffered heatstroke and exhaustion. Washington denied Burr's request for medical leave without pay, and instead placed Burr in temporary command of the garrison at West Point, New York, until his recovery.
In January 1779, Burr was assigned to Westchester County, New York, in command of Malcolm's Regiment, a region between the British post at Kingsbridge and that of the Americans about 15 miles (24 km) to the north. This district was part of the more significant command of General Alexander McDougall, and there was much turbulence and plundering by lawless bands of civilians and by raiding parties of ill-disciplined soldiers from both armies.
Due to continuing poor health, Burr resigned from the Continental Army in March 1779. During his recovery, Burr carried urgent messages to Washington and various officers at the request of Generals McDougall and Arthur St. Clair. On July 5, 1779, he rallied a group of Yale students at New Haven, Connecticut, along with Captain James Hillhouse and the Second Connecticut Governor's Guards, in a skirmish with the British at the West River. The British advance was repulsed, forcing them to enter New Haven from nearby Hamden.
In 1783, Burr became an Original Member of the New York Society of the Cincinnati, an organization of officers who had served in the Continental Army and Navy during the Revolution.
Marriage to Theodosia Bartow Prevost
Burr met Theodosia Bartow Prevost in August 1778 while she was married to Jacques Marcus Prevost, a Swiss-born British officer in the Royal American Regiment. In Prevost's absence, Burr began regularly visiting Theodosia at The Hermitage, her home in New Jersey. Theodosia would go on to visit Burr many times throughout his stay at West Point New York in June through July 1778. Although she was ten years older than Burr, the constant visits provoked gossip, and by 1780 the two were openly lovers. In December 1781, Burr learned that Prevost had died of yellow fever while serving in Jamaica.
Burr and Theodosia were married in 1782, and they moved to a house on Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. After several years of severe illness, Theodosia died in 1794 from stomach or uterine cancer. Their only child to survive to adulthood was Theodosia Burr Alston, born in 1783.
Law and politics
In the autumn of 1780, Burr resumed his study of law with Thomas Smith of Haverstraw. He was licensed as an attorney in Albany, New York, in January 1782, and was admitted to the bar as a counselor that April. He promptly opened a successful law office in Albany. He moved his law practice to New York City the following year, after the British evacuated the city.
Burr quickly became a key player in politics, especially in New York, largely due to the power of the Tammany Society (which became Tammany Hall). Burr converted it from a social club into a political machine to help Jefferson reach the presidency, particularly in New York City.
Government
Burr served in the New York State Assembly in 1784–85. In 1784, as an assemblyman, he unsuccessfully sought to abolish slavery immediately following the war, despite having owned slaves himself. He also continued his military service as a lieutenant colonel and commander of a regiment in the militia brigade commanded by William Malcolm. He became seriously involved in politics in 1789, when Governor George Clinton appointed him as New York State Attorney General. He was also Commissioner of Revolutionary War Claims.
In 1791, Burr was elected by the legislature as a United States Senator from New York, defeating incumbent General Philip Schuyler. During his time in the Senate, Burr made several federalist enemies due to his beliefs, including his opposition to Hamilton's proposed financial system. During the 1795 debates on the Jay Treaty, Burr gave a speech illustrating his alignment the Democratic-Republican party; he would formally join the party prior to the end of his Senatorial term. In Burr's last year of being a senator, he opposed Washington's foreigner policy in Washington's Farewell Address. Rather than trying to be reelected, Burr resigned from the Senate in 1797, after only one term.
Burr ran in the 1796 presidential election and received 30 electoral votes, coming in fourth behind John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Pinckney. He was shocked by this defeat, but many Democratic-Republican electors voted for Jefferson and a candidate other than Burr.
President John Adams appointed Washington as commanding general of U.S. forces in 1798, but he rejected Burr's application for a brigadier general's commission during the Quasi-War with France. Washington wrote, "By all that I have known and heard, Colonel Burr is a brave and able officer, but the question is whether he has not equal talents at intrigue." Burr returned to the New York State Assembly in 1798 and served there through 1799. During this time, he cooperated with the Holland Land Company in gaining passage of a law to permit aliens to hold and convey lands. National parties became clearly defined during Adams' presidency, and Burr loosely associated himself with the Democratic-Republicans. However, he had moderate Federalist allies such as Senator Jonathan Dayton of New Jersey.
Manhattan Company
In September 1799, Burr founded his own bank, the Manhattan Company, and the enmity between him and Hamilton may have arisen from how he did so. Before the establishment of Burr's bank, the Federalists held a monopoly on banking interests in New York via the federal government's Bank of the United States and Hamilton's Bank of New York. These banks financed operations of significant business interests owned by aristocratic members of the city. Hamilton had prevented the formation of rival banks. Small businessmen relied on tontines to buy property and establish a voting voice.
Burr used his power as the head of the New York State Assembly in order to convince his delegation to let a private company run the project as a doctor, Joseph Browne had previously suggested. He solicited support from Hamilton and other Federalists under the guise that he was establishing a badly needed water company for Manhattan. He secretly changed the application for a state charter at the last minute to include the ability to invest surplus funds in any cause that did not violate state law, and dropped any pretense of founding a water company once he had gained approval, but he did dig a well and built a large working water storage tank on the site of his bank, which was still standing and apparently still working in 1898. Hamilton and other supporters believed that Burr had acted "dishonorably" for tricking them. Meanwhile, construction was delayed on a safe water system for Manhattan, and writer Ron Chernow suggests that the delay may have contributed to deaths during a subsequent malaria epidemic. However, Museum of American Finance employees Maura Ferguson and Sarah Poole believe that the epidemic was not malaria, but yellow fever.
The Manhattan Company was more than a bank; it was a tool to promote Democratic-Republican power and influence, and its loans were directed to partisans. By extending credit to small businessmen, who then obtained enough property to gain the franchise to vote, the bank was able to increase the party's electorate. Federalist bankers in New York responded by trying to organize a credit boycott of Democratic-Republican businessmen.
Shortly after the bank's founding, Burr fought a duel with John Barker Church, whose wife Angelica was the sister-in-law of Alexander Hamilton. Church had accused Burr of taking a bribe from the Holland Land Company in exchange for his political influence. Burr and Church fired at each other and missed, and afterward, Church acknowledged that he was wrong to have accused Burr without proof. Burr accepted this as an apology, and the two men shook hands and ended the dispute.
1800 presidential election
In the 1800 United States presidential election, Burr combined the political influence of the Manhattan Company with party campaign innovations to deliver New York's support for Thomas Jefferson. That year, New York's state legislature chose the presidential electors, as they had four years earlier, in 1796, when they gave their support to John Adams. Prior to the April 1800 legislative elections, the State Assembly was controlled by the Federalists. The City of New York elected assembly members on an at-large basis. Burr and Hamilton were the key campaigners for their respective parties. Burr's Democratic-Republican slate of assemblymen was elected, giving the party control of the legislature, which in turn gave New York State's electoral votes to Jefferson and Burr. This drove another wedge between Burr and Hamilton, who had developed a rivalry with Jefferson.
Burr enlisted the help of Tammany Hall to win the voting for selection of Electoral College delegates. He gained a place on the Democratic-Republican presidential ticket with Jefferson in the 1800 election. Jefferson and Burr won New York, and tied for the presidency overall, with 73 electoral votes each. Members of the Democratic-Republican Party understood they intended that Jefferson should be president and Burr vice president, but the tied vote required that the final choice be made by the U.S. House of Representatives, with each of the sixteen states having one vote, and nine votes needed for election.
Burr remained quiet publicly, refusing to surrender the presidency to Jefferson, who was seen as the great enemy of the Federalists. Rumors circulated that he and a faction of Federalists were encouraging Democratic-Republican representatives to vote for him, blocking Jefferson's election in the House. However, solid evidence of such a conspiracy was lacking, and historians generally gave Burr the benefit of the doubt. In 2011, however, historian Thomas Baker discovered a previously unknown letter from William P. Van Ness to Edward Livingston, two leading Democratic-Republicans in New York. Van Ness was very close to Burr, serving as his second in the duel with Alexander Hamilton. As a leading Democratic-Republican, Van Ness secretly supported the Federalist plan to elect Burr as president and tried to get Livingston to join. Livingston agreed at first, then reversed himself. Baker argues that Burr probably supported the Van Ness plan: "There is a compelling pattern of circumstantial evidence, much of it newly discovered, that strongly suggests Aaron Burr did exactly that as part of a stealth campaign to compass the presidency for himself." The attempt did not work, however, at least in part because of Livingston's reversal and especially Hamilton's vigorous opposition to Burr. Jefferson was ultimately elected president, and Burr vice president.
Vice presidency (1801–1805)
Jefferson never trusted Burr, so he was effectively shut out of party matters. As vice president, Burr earned praise from some enemies for his even-handedness and his judicial manner as President of the Senate; he fostered some practices for that office that have become time-honored traditions. Burr's judicial manner in presiding over the impeachment trial of Justice Samuel Chase has been credited as helping to preserve the principle of judicial independence that was established by Marbury v. Madison in 1803. One newspaper wrote that Burr had conducted the proceedings with the "impartiality of an angel, but with the rigor of a devil".
Burr was not nominated to a second term as Jefferson's running mate in the 1804 election, and Clinton replaced Burr as vice president on March 4, 1805. Burr's farewell speech on March 2, 1805, moved some of his harshest critics in the Senate to tears. But the 20-minute speech was never recorded in full, and has been preserved only in short quotes and descriptions of the address, which defended the American system of government.
Duel with Hamilton
When it became clear that Jefferson would drop Burr from his ticket in the 1804 election, Burr ran for governor of New York instead. He lost the gubernatorial election to little known Morgan Lewis, in what was the most significant margin of loss in the state's history up to that time. Burr blamed his loss on a personal smear campaign believed to have been orchestrated by his party rivals, including Clinton. Hamilton also opposed Burr, due to his belief that Burr had entertained a Federalist secession movement in New York. In April, the Albany Register published a letter from Dr. Charles D. Cooper to Senator Philip Schuyler, which relayed Hamilton's judgment that Burr was "a dangerous man and one who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government," and claiming to know of "a still more despicable opinion which General Hamilton has expressed of Mr. Burr". In June, Burr sent this letter to Hamilton, seeking an affirmation or disavowal of Cooper's characterization of Hamilton's remarks.
Hamilton replied that Burr should give specifics of his remarks, not Cooper's, and said he could not answer regarding Cooper's interpretation. A few more letters followed, in which the exchange escalated to Burr's demanding that Hamilton recant or deny any statement disparaging Burr's honor over the past fifteen years. Hamilton, meaning what he said and wanting to ensure his reputation stayed clean for the future, did not. According to historian Thomas Fleming, Burr would have immediately published such an apology, and Hamilton's remaining power in the New York's Federalist party would have been diminished. Burr responded by challenging Hamilton to a duel, personal combat then formalized under rules known as code duello.
Dueling was outlawed in New York, with bitter punishment awaiting any involved in dueling. It also was illegal in New Jersey, but the criminal ramifications were less severe. On July 11, 1804, the enemies met outside Weehawken, New Jersey, at the same location where Hamilton's oldest son, Philip Hamilton, had been killed in a duel three years earlier. Both men fired, and Hamilton was mortally wounded by a shot just above the hip.
The observers disagreed on who fired first. They did agree that there was a three-to-four-second interval between the first and the second shot, raising difficult questions in evaluating the two camps' versions. Historian William Weir speculated that Hamilton might have been undone by his machinations: secretly setting his pistol's trigger to require only a half-pound of pressure as opposed to the usual ten pounds. Weir contends, "There is no evidence that Burr even knew that his pistol had a set trigger." Louisiana State University history professors Nancy Isenberg and Andrew Burstein concur with this, noting that "Hamilton brought the pistols, which had a larger barrel than regular dueling pistols, and a secret hair-trigger, and were therefore much more deadly," and conclude that "Hamilton gave himself an unfair advantage in their duel, and got the worst of it anyway." However, other accounts state that Hamilton reportedly responded "not this time" when his second, Nathaniel Pendleton, asked whether he would set the hair-trigger feature.
David O. Stewart, in his biography of Burr, American Emperor, notes that the reports of Hamilton's intentionally missing Burr with his shot began to be published in newspaper reports in papers friendly to Hamilton only in the days after his death. However, Ron Chernow, in his 2004 biography Alexander Hamilton, states that Hamilton told numerous friends well before the duel of his intention to avoid firing at Burr. Additionally, Hamilton wrote several letters, including a Statement on Impending Duel With Aaron Burr and his last missives to his wife dated before the duel, which also attest to his intention. The second shot, witnesses reported, followed so soon after the first that witnesses could not agree on who fired first. Before the duel proper, Hamilton took a good deal of time getting used to the feel and weight of the pistol and putting on his glasses to see his opponent more clearly. The seconds placed Hamilton so that Burr would have the rising sun behind him, and during the brief duel, one witness reported, Hamilton seemed to be hindered by this placement as the sun was in his eyes.
Each man took one shot. Burr's shot fatally injured Hamilton. While it is unclear whether Hamilton's was purposely fired into the air, Burr's bullet entered Hamilton's abdomen above his right hip, piercing his liver and spine. Hamilton was evacuated to the Manhattan residence of his friend, William Bayard Jr., where he and his family received visitors including Episcopal bishop Benjamin Moore, who gave Hamilton last rites. Burr was charged with multiple crimes, including murder, in New York and New Jersey, but was never tried in either jurisdiction.
Burr fled to South Carolina, where his daughter lived with her family, but soon returned to Philadelphia and then to Washington, D.C. to complete his term as vice president. He avoided New York and New Jersey for a time, but all the charges against him were eventually dropped. In the case of New Jersey, the indictment was thrown out on the basis that, although Hamilton was shot in New Jersey, he died in New York.
Post-vice presidency (1805–1836)
Conspiracy and trial
After Burr left the vice presidency at the end of his term in 1805, he journeyed to the western frontier, areas west of the Allegheny Mountains and down the Ohio River Valley, eventually reaching the lands acquired in the Louisiana Purchase. He leased 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) of land, known as the Bastrop Tract, along the Ouachita River, in present-day Louisiana, from the Spanish government. Starting in Pittsburgh and then proceeding to Beaver, Pennsylvania and Wheeling, Virginia, and onward, he drummed up support for his planned settlement, whose purpose and status was unclear.
Burr's most important contact was General James Wilkinson, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army at New Orleans, and governor of the Louisiana Territory. Others included Harman Blennerhassett, who offered the use of his private island for training and outfitting Burr's expedition. Wilkinson later proved to be a bad choice.
Burr envisioned the probability of the Spanish-American War. In case war was declared, Andrew Jackson, then commander of Tennessee's militia, stood ready to assist Burr.
Burr's expedition of about eighty men carried modest arms for hunting and no war materiel was ever revealed even when Blennerhassett Island was seized by Ohio's militia. Burr vowed the aim of his conspiracy was that if he settled there with a large group of armed farmers and war broke out, he would likely face a force with which to fight and claim land for himself thereby restoring his wealth. However, the war did not emerge as soon as Burr expected. In 1819, the Adams–Onís Treaty secured Florida for the U.S. without a fight, and war in Texas did not commence until 1836, the year Burr died.
After a near-incident with Spanish forces at Natchitoches, Wilkinson decided he could best protect himself by betraying Burr's plans to his Spanish spymasters and to President Jefferson. Jefferson issued an order for Burr's arrest, declaring him a traitor before any indictment. Burr read this in a newspaper in the Territory of Orleans on January 10, 1807. Several journals reported on the subject, creating a pool of rumors, most against Burr. Jefferson's warrant put federal agents on his trail. Burr twice turned himself in to federal authorities, and both times judges found his actions legal and released him.
Jefferson's warrant, however, followed Burr, who fled toward Spanish Florida. He was intercepted at Wakefield, in Mississippi Territory in present-day Alabama, on February 19, 1807, by Edmund P. Gaines and Nicholas Perkins III. He was confined to Fort Stoddert after being arrested on charges of treason.
Burr's secret correspondence with Anthony Merry and the Marquis of Casa Yrujo, the British and Spanish ministers in Washington, D.C., were eventually revealed. Burr tried to secure money and conceal what may have been his true design, which was aiding Mexico in overthrowing the Kingdom of Spain's governance of the Southwest. If Burr intended to establish a dynasty in what later became Mexican territory, such an offense at the time was a misdemeanor under the Neutrality Act of 1794, which Congress passed to block filibuster expeditions against U.S. neighbors, including those of George Rogers Clark and William Blount. Despite this, Thomas Jefferson sought the highest charges against Burr.
In 1807, Burr was charged with treason in U.S. circuit court in Richmond, Virginia. His defense lawyers included Edmund Randolph, John Wickham, Luther Martin, and Benjamin Gaines Botts. Burr was arraigned four times for treason prior to being indicted before a grand jury. The only physical evidence presented to the grand jury was Wilkinson's letter from Burr, which proposed stealing land in the Louisiana Purchase. During the grand jury's deliberations, however, the court discovered that the letter was written in Wilkinson's handwriting. He said he had made a copy because he had lost the original. The grand jury dismissed the letter out as evidence, and the news made a laughingstock of Wilkinson for the rest of the proceedings.
The trial, which was presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall, began on August 3. Article 3, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution requires that treason either be admitted in open court or proven by an overt act witnessed by two people. Since no witnesses came forward, Burr was acquitted on September 1, despite efforts by the Jefferson administration to exert its political influence against him in the trial. Burr was immediately tried on a misdemeanor charge and was again acquitted.
Jefferson used his influence as president to seek Burr's conviction, leading the trial to be seen as a major test of the U.S. Constitution and the separation of powers. Jefferson challenged the authority of the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Marshall, who was appointed by John Adams and clashed with Jefferson over Adams' last-minute judicial appointments. Jefferson believed that Burr's treason was obvious. Burr sent a letter to Jefferson in which he stated that he could do Jefferson much harm. The case, as tried, was decided on whether Burr was present at certain events at certain times and in certain capacities. Jefferson used all of his personal influence in an attempt to convince Marshall to convict Burr, but Marshall was not swayed.
Historians Nancy Isenberg and Andrew Burstein write that Burr:
was not guilty of treason, nor was he ever convicted, because there was no evidence, not one credible piece of testimony, and the star witness for the prosecution had to admit that he had doctored a letter implicating Burr.
David O. Stewart, on the other hand, alleged that Burr was not explicitly guilty of treason, according to Marshall's definition, but evidence existed linking him to treasonous crimes. Bollman admitted to Jefferson during an interrogation that Burr planned to raise an army and invade Mexico. He said that Burr believed that he should be Mexico's monarch, since a republican government, in Burr's view, was not appropriate for Mexico.
Exile and return
By the conclusion of his trial for treason, despite an acquittal, all of Burr's hopes for a political comeback had been dashed, and he fled America and his creditors for Europe. Dr. David Hosack, Hamilton's physician and a friend to both Hamilton and Burr, lent Burr money for passage on a ship.
Burr lived in self-imposed exile from 1808 to 1812, passing most of this period in England, where he occupied a house on Craven Street, London. He became a good friend, even confidant, of the English Utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and on occasion lived at Bentham's home. He also spent time in Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and France. Ever hopeful, he solicited funding for renewing his plans for a conquest of Mexico but was rebuffed. He was ordered out of England and Emperor Napoleon of France refused to receive him. However, one of his ministers held an interview concerning Burr's goals for Spanish Florida or the British West Indies.
After returning from Europe, Burr used the surname "Edwards", his mother's maiden name, for a while to avoid creditors. With help from old friends Samuel Swartwout and Matthew L. Davis, Burr returned to New York City and his law practice. Later he helped the heirs of the Eden family in a financial lawsuit. By the early 1820s, the remaining members of the Eden household, Eden's widow and two daughters, had become a surrogate family to Burr.
Later life
Despite financial setbacks, Burr lived out the remainder of his life in New York in relative peace until 1833. On July 1 of that year, at age 77, he married Eliza Jumel, a wealthy widow who was nineteen years his junior. They lived together briefly at her residence which she had acquired with her first husband, the Morris-Jumel Mansion in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is now preserved and open to the public.
Soon after the marriage, Jumel realized her fortune was dwindling due to Burr's land speculation losses, and separated from him after four months of marriage. The apocryphal story is that she chose Alexander Hamilton Jr. as her divorce lawyer in 1834, the same year Burr suffered an immobilizing stroke.
Personal life
In addition to his daughter Theodosia, Burr was the father of at least three other children and he adopted two sons. Burr also acted as a parent to his two stepsons by his wife's first marriage and he became a mentor or guardian to several protégés who lived in his home.
Burr's daughter Theodosia
Theodosia Burr Alston was born in 1783 and was named after her mother. She was the only child of Burr's marriage to Theodosia Bartow Prevost who survived to adulthood. A second daughter, Sally, lived to the age of three. Two unnamed stillborns arrived later, with the first son in February 1787 and the second on July 9, 1788.
Burr was a devoted and attentive father to Theodosia. Believing that a young woman should have an education equal to that of a young man, he prescribed a rigorous course of studies for her which included the classics, French, horsemanship and music. Their surviving correspondence indicates that he affectionately treated his daughter as a close friend and confidante as long as she lived. Theodosia was devoted to her father as well, once having wrote to him "...you appear to me so superior, so elevated above all other men..."
Theodosia became widely known for her education and accomplishments. In 1801, she married Joseph Alston of South Carolina. They had a son together, Aaron Burr Alston, in 1802. In 1812, the young boy died of malaria at age ten. Following her son's death, Theodosia sent a letter to her father, stating, "...there is no more joy for me, the world is a blank. I have lost my boy. My child is gone forever. He expired on the 30th of June."
During the winter of 1812–1813, Theodosia was lost at sea with the schooner Patriot off the Carolinas. Although it is unknown what truly happened to Theodosia and the other passengers, the most common theories are that they were either murdered by pirates or shipwrecked in a storm. Burr and Mr. Alston personally chose to believe the theory that she had died in a storm, not wanting to think their beloved had been murdered.
Stepchildren and protégés
Upon Burr's marriage, he became stepfather to the two teenage sons of his wife's first marriage. Augustine James Frederick Prevost (called "Frederick") and John Bartow Prevost had both joined their father in the Royal American Regiment in December 1780, at the ages of 16 and 14. When they returned in 1783 to become citizens of the United States, Burr acted as a father to them: he assumed responsibility for their education, gave both of them clerkships in his law office and frequently was accompanied by one of them as an assistant when he traveled on business. John was later appointed by Jefferson to a post in the Territory of Orleans as the first judge of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Burr served as a guardian to Nathalie de Lage de Volude (1782–1841) from 1794 to 1801, during Theodosia's childhood. The young daughter of a French marquis, Nathalie was taken to New York for safety during the French Revolution by her governess, Caroline de Senat. Burr opened his home to them, allowing Madame Senat to tutor private students there along with his daughter, and Nathalie became a companion and close friend to Theodosia. While traveling to France for an extended visit in 1801, Nathalie met Thomas Sumter Jr., a diplomat and the son of General Thomas Sumter. They married in Paris in March 1802, before returning to his home in South Carolina. From 1810 to 1821 they lived in Rio de Janeiro, where Sumter served as the American ambassador to Portugal during the transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil. One of their children, Thomas De Lage Sumter, was a Congressman from South Carolina.
In the 1790s, Burr also took the painter John Vanderlyn into his home as a protégé, and provided him with financial support and patronage for 20 years. He arranged Vanderlyn's training by Gilbert Stuart in Philadelphia and sent him in 1796 to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he remained for six years.
Adopted and acknowledged children
Burr adopted two sons, Aaron Columbus Burr and Charles Burdett, during the 1810s and 1820s after the death of his daughter Theodosia. Aaron (born Aaron Burr Columbe) was born in Paris in 1808 and arrived in America around 1815, and Charles was born in 1814. Both of the boys were reputed to be Burr's biological sons. A Burr biographer described Aaron Columbus Burr as "the product of a Paris adventure", conceived presumably during Burr's exile from the United States between 1808 and 1814.
In 1835, the year before his death, Burr acknowledged two young daughters whom he had fathered late in his life, by different mothers. Burr made specific provisions for his surviving daughters in a will dated January 11, 1835, in which he left "all the rest and residue" of his estate, after other specific bequests, to six-year-old Frances Ann (born c. 1829), and two-year-old Elizabeth (born c. 1833).
Unacknowledged children
In 1787 or earlier, Burr began a relationship with Mary Emmons, who was East Indian, likely of Bengali ethnicity. She worked as a servant in his household during his first marriage. She came from Calcutta to Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti), where she had lived under the adopted name Eugénie Beauharnais before coming to America and taking on the name Mary Emmons. Burr fathered two children with Emmons, both of whom married into Philadelphia's "Free Negro" community in which their families became prominent:
Louisa Burr (Webb) (Darius) (c. 1784-1878) worked most of her life as a valued servant in the home of Elizabeth Powel Francis Fisher, a prominent Philadelphia society matron, and later in the home of her son Joshua Francis Fisher. She was married to Francis Webb (1788–1829), a founding member of the Pennsylvania Augustine Education Society, secretary of the Haytien Emigration Society formed in 1824, and distributor of Freedom's Journal from 1827 to 1829. After his death, Louisa remarried and became Louisa Darius. Her youngest son Frank J. Webb wrote the 1857 novel The Garies and Their Friends.
John Pierre Burr (c. 1792–1864) became a member of Philadelphia's Underground Railroad and served as an agent for the abolitionist newspaper The Liberator. He worked in the National Black Convention movement and served as chairman of the American Moral Reform Society.
One contemporary of John Pierre Burr identified him as a natural son of Burr in a published account, but Burr never acknowledged his relationship or children with Emmons during his life, in contrast to his adoption or acknowledgment of other children born later in his life.
In 2018, Louisa and John were acknowledged by the Aaron Burr Association as the children of Burr after Sherri Burr, a descendant of John Pierre, provided both documentary evidence and results of a DNA test to confirm a familial link between descendants of Burr and descendants of Pierre. The Association installed a headstone at Pierre's grave to mark his ancestry. Stuart Fisk Johnson, the president of the Association, commented, "A few people didn't want to go into it because Aaron's first wife, Theodosia, was still alive, and dying of cancer [when Aaron fathered Pierre] ... But the embarrassment is not as important as it is to acknowledge and embrace actual living, robust, accomplished children."
Character
Burr was a man of complex character who made many friends, but also many powerful enemies. He was indicted for murder after the death of Hamilton, but never prosecuted; he was reported by acquaintances to be curiously unmoved by Hamilton's death, expressing no regret for his role in the result. He was arrested and prosecuted for treason by President Jefferson, but acquitted. Although the charges were dropped, Burr remained distrusted by contemporaries for the rest of his life.
In his later years in New York, Burr provided money and education for several children, some of whom were reputed to be his natural children. To his friends and family, and often to strangers, he could be kind and generous. Jane Fairfield, the wife of the struggling poet Sumner Lincoln Fairfield, recorded in her autobiography that in the late 1820s, their friend Burr pawned his watch to provide for the care of the Fairfields' two children. Jane wrote that, while traveling, she and her husband had left the children in New York with their grandmother, who proved unable to provide adequate food or heat for them. The grandmother took the children to Burr's home and asked his help: "[Burr] wept, and replied, 'Though I am poor and have not a dollar, the children of such a mother shall not suffer while I have a watch.' He hastened on this godlike errand, and quickly returned, having pawned the article for twenty dollars, which he gave to make comfortable my precious babes."
By Fairfield's account, Burr had lost his religious faith before that time; upon seeing a painting of Jesus' suffering, Burr candidly told her, "It is a fable, my child; there never was such a being."
Burr believed women to be intellectually equal to men and hung a portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft over his mantel. The Burrs' daughter, Theodosia, was taught dance, music, several languages and learned to shoot from horseback. Until her death at sea in 1813, she remained devoted to her father. Not only did Burr advocate education for women, upon his election to the New York legislature, he submitted a bill, which failed to pass, that would have allowed women to vote. Hamilton attacked Burr for supporting the idea that women were the intellectual equals of men.
Burr was considered a notorious womanizer. In addition to cultivating relationships with women in his social circles, his journals indicate that he was a frequent patron of prostitutes during his travels in Europe; he recorded brief notes of dozens of such encounters, and the amounts he paid. He described "sexual release as the only remedy for his restlessness and irritability". Along with journals of his own, during the 1804 New York gubernatorial election, one of his enemies, James Cheetham, stated he had a list of "the top 20 prostitutes in New York City", all of whom mentioned they had Burr as a customer and favored him over the others.
Burr also fought against anti-immigrant sentiment, led by Hamilton's Federalist party, which suggested that anyone without English heritage was a second-class citizen and even challenged the rights of non-Anglos to hold office. In response, Burr insisted that anyone who contributed to society deserved all the rights of any other citizen, no matter their background.
John Quincy Adams wrote in his diary when Burr died: "Burr's life, take it all together, was such as in any country of sound morals his friends would be desirous of burying in quiet oblivion." Adams' father, President John Adams, had frequently defended Burr during his life. At an earlier time, he wrote, Burr "had served in the army, and came out of it with the character of a knight without fear and an able officer".
Gordon S. Wood, a leading scholar of the revolutionary period, holds that it was Burr's character that put him at odds with the rest of the Founding Fathers, especially Madison, Jefferson and Hamilton. He believed that this led to his personal and political defeats and, ultimately, to his place outside the golden circle of revered revolutionary figures. Because of his habit of placing self-interest above the good of the whole, those men thought that Burr represented a serious threat to the ideals for which they had fought the revolution. Their ideal, as particularly embodied in Washington and Jefferson, was that of "disinterested politics", a government led by educated gentlemen. They would fulfill their duties in a spirit of public virtue and without regard to personal interests or pursuits. This was the core of an Enlightenment gentleman, and Burr's political enemies thought that he lacked that essential core. Hamilton thought that Burr's self-serving nature made him unfit to hold office, especially the presidency. Hamilton believed it "a religious duty to oppose his career", as he wrote in 1792.
Although Hamilton considered Jefferson a political enemy, he also believed him a man of public virtue. Hamilton conducted an unrelenting campaign in the House of Representatives to prevent Burr's election to the presidency and gain election of his erstwhile enemy, Jefferson. Hamilton characterized Burr as exceedingly immoral, as well as "unprincipled & dangerous". Hamilton deemed his political quest as one for "permanent power". He contended that Burr cared little about the Constitution and predicted that if he gained any more power, his leadership would continue to be for personal gain, while Jefferson was a true patriot and public servant committed to preserving the Constitution.
Death
Burr died in a boarding home known as St. James Hotel after suffering two strokes in Port Richmond, New York, on Staten Island, on September 14, 1836, at age 80, the same day that his divorce was officially completed. The house later became known as the St. James Hotel. He was buried near his father's gravesite in Princeton, New Jersey.
Legacy
Although Burr is often remembered primarily for his duel with Hamilton, his establishment of guides and rules for the first impeachment trial set a high bar for behavior and procedures in the Senate chamber, many of which are followed today.
Historian Nancy Isenberg, seeking to explain Burr's negative image in modern times, wrote that his portrayal as a villain is actually the result of a smear campaign invented by his political enemies centuries ago, and then disseminated in newspapers, pamphlets and personal letters during and after his lifetime. According to Isenberg, pop-cultural portraits of Burr have repeated these distortions, transforming him into the quintessential "bad guy" of early American history. Stuart Fisk Johnson describes Burr as progressive thinker and doer, a brave military patriot and brilliant lawyer who helped establish some of the physical infrastructure and guiding legal principles which helped in the founding of America.
A lasting consequence of Burr's role in the election of 1800 was the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which changed how vice presidents were chosen. As was evident from the 1800 election, the situation could quickly arise where the vice president, as the defeated presidential candidate, could not work well with the president. The Twelfth Amendment required that electoral votes be cast separately for president and vice president.
Burr is also sometimes seen as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, although this characterization is unusual.
Representation in literature and popular culture
Edward Everett Hale's 1863 story "The Man Without a Country" is about a fictional co-conspirator of Burr's in the Southwest and Mexico, who is placed in internal exile (in the custody of the United States Navy) for his crimes.
Gore Vidal's Burr: A Novel (1973) is part of his Narratives of Empire series.
PBS's American Experience episode "The Duel" (2000) chronicled the events that led to the Burr–Hamilton duel.
Burr is a principal character in the 2015 biographical musical Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and inspired by historian Ron Chernow's 2004 biography of Hamilton. Leslie Odom Jr. won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Aaron Burr on Broadway. Giles Terera portrayed Aaron Burr in the West End production, winning the Laurence Olivier Award in the same category.
In the alternative history anthology Alternate Presidents (1992) by Mike Resnick. "The War of '07" by Jayge Carr, Aaron Burr is elected the third president in 1800 against Thomas Jefferson, establishes an alliance with Napoleon Bonaparte, and creates a family dictatorship. Aaron Burr serves as president for nine terms until his death on September 14, 1836. His grandson and final vice president Aaron Burr Alston becomes the fourth president of the United States.
Notes
References
Works cited
Further reading
External links
Works by Aaron Burr at Project Gutenberg
Works by or about Aaron Burr at the Internet Archive
Works at Open Library
Did Aaron Burr Really Try to Take Over Half of America?
The Aaron Burr Association
Letters of Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr papers are archived at the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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Tim Ferguson
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Tim Ferguson.
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Tell me a bio of Tim Ferguson.
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Tell me a bio of Tim Ferguson within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Tim Ferguson with around 100 words.
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Timothy Dorcen Langbene Ferguson (born 16 November 1963) is an Australian comedian, film director, screenwriter, author and screenwriting teacher.
Early life and education
Timothy Dorcen Langbene Ferguson grew up in Singapore, and later on a rural property near the town of Perthville, New South Wales. He is the son of Tony Ferguson, who was a Vietnam War correspondent, the first reporter to release news of the Tet Offensive to the world media. Tony became executive producer of This Day Tonight and Four Corners at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and network liaison for the ABC's managing director, David Hill.
Tim spent three years at All Saints College, Bathurst, before moving to Canberra, where he attended the radical free-school School Without Walls and Narrabundah College.
Early career
Ferguson's first major appearance was as a member of the musical comedy trio Doug Anthony All Stars, along with Richard Fidler and Paul McDermott, on the UK Channel 4 television show Friday Night Live, Viva Cabaret, 'DAAS Love' (BBC), where they quickly gained a following. DAAS starred in Australian comedy television show, The Big Gig. This was soon followed by their sci-fi sitcom DAAS Kapital.
In 1995–96, Ferguson appeared in Funky Squad on ABC Television.
He hosted the Logie Award-winning series Don't Forget Your Toothbrush on the Nine Network.
Ferguson's novel, Left, Right and Centre: A Tale of Greed, Sex and Power was published by Penguin in 1997.
Ferguson starred in Australian commercials advertising the video game console Nintendo 64.
He co-wrote and hosted eight series and twelve one-hour specials of his comedy clip show Unreal TV.
He was creator, co-writer and co-producer of the sitcom Shock Jock with Marc Gracie and Chris Thompson.
Ferguson wrote a comedic alternative to the Australian Constitution Preamble, published by The Sydney Morning Herald in 1999, ending with the words "We are girt by sea and pissed by lunchtime. And even though we might seem a racist, closed-minded, sports-obsessed little People, at least we're better than the Kiwis. Now bugger off, we're sleeping".
2000 onwards
Film
Ferguson is co-director (with Marc Gracie) of the feature film Spin Out.
Spin Out is a romantic comedy based at a Bachelor and Spinster Ball. Ferguson co-wrote the movie with Edwina Exton. Producers: Marc Gracie & David Redman.
Spin Out follows a slow-burning attraction between two long-time friends, Billy (Xavier Samuel) and Lucy (Morgan Griffin). The movie is based at a Ute Muster and B&S Ball.
Spin Out was shot in Shepparton in August 2015.
Sony Pictures Releasing, which has worldwide rights, released the film in cinemas in 2016.
In 2017, Ferguson co-wrote the feature film The BBQ starring Shane Jacobson, Julia Zemiro and Magda Szubanski.
He starred as himself in the movie That's Not My Dog! with Paul Hogan, Shane Jacobson and Emily Taheny.
He appeared in the movie Fat Pizza as the magician David Cockerfield and in multiple seasons of Fat Pizza: Back in Business as Julian Bousage.
Comedy
In 2021, Ferguson launched the standup comedy show Smashing Life - Motivation For Idiots at Adelaide Fringe Festival.
In 2018/21, Ferguson launched his record-breaking live solo show 'Fast Life On Wheels'. He toured Australia to sell-out festival theatres, raising awareness for employment and housing for people with disabilities. The show continues to tour US, UK in 2022.
In 2014, Ferguson joined Paul McDermott and Paul Livingston to reform the Doug Anthony All Stars with Livingston replacing Richard Fidler as the group's guitarist.
DAAS won the Edinburgh Festival Spirit Of The Fringe Award in 2016.
DAAS performed sell-out Edinburgh Festival and London seasons at Soho Theatre & the Shepherds Bush Empire in 2016–17.
Ferguson still tours internationally with the reformed Doug Anthony Allstars (DAAS).
He played the role of Frankenfurter in the long-running The Rocky Horror Show, directed by Nigel Triffit.
In 2014, Ferguson teamed up with Maynard to start a podcast named Bunga Bunga. Bunga Bunga won the Castaway Best Comedy Podcast Award in 2017.
In 2012 he toured his live standup comedy show "Carry a Big Stick", featuring tales and songs from his life on the 'comedy warpath'. The title alludes to his experiencing multiple sclerosis, and the need to use a walking stick.
Teaching
From 2016 until 2018, Ferguson taught comedy screenwriting at New York University (NYU Sydney).
He has also taught comedy screenwriting at the Screen Academy Scotland, Sydney University, Victorian College of the Arts and Sydney Film School.
Ferguson was a sessional lecturer in Screenwriting and Writing TV Comedy at RMIT University, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
Writing/producing
Ferguson published The Cheeky Monkey-Writing Narrative Comedy (published by Currency Press), a comedy writing manual for screenwriters, playwrights, and authors. The book offers "a revolutionary approach to comedy writing" and features methods for comic story & character development.
Ferguson writes The Ferguson Report, a weekly satirical column in The New Daily newspaper with over 1.7 million subscribers.
Ferguson was Series Script Editor for the ABCTV sitcom Ricketts Lane starring Sammy J & Randy.
He produced and co-wrote the orchestral performance piece Billie & The Dinosaurs with Chris Thompson & composer Geoff Willis. Its premiere performance was at the Australian Museum in 2017. Subsequent shows and tours, produced by Marc Gracie, are ongoing.
In 2017, Ferguson co-wrote the feature film The BBQ starring Shane Jacobson and Magda Szubanski.
Ferguson's autobiography Carry a Big Stick: A Life of Laughter, Friendship and MS was published by Hachette in September 2013. It features the stories of his childhood, life as an international touring comedian, network TV celebrity, comedy feature film & sitcom writer, and comedy screenwriting lecturer. It also presents him with a way of overcoming the challenges of multiple sclerosis (MS).
In 2001, Ferguson branched out into production when he created the TV1 comedy series Shock Jock.
In 2003, he hosted a talk-back radio show on 3AK and hosted Big Brother Australia 2003's Big Brother The Insider.
In 2010, Ferguson was executive producer with Marc Gracie, writer and host of the independent tonight show WTF – With Tim Ferguson on C31 Melbourne. WTF is directed by Marc Gracie (Full Frontal, Unreal TV).
Ferguson was script producer for the AWGIE-nominated web series Forgettherules. He co-wrote and hosted eight series and multiple one-hour specials of Network Ten's Unreal TV and Foxtel's long-running sci-fi fan-show Space Cadets.
Art
Ferguson's artworks (known as "Tim Awt") were featured in various Sydney exhibitions in January 2018, curated by Australian art legend, Damien Minton.
He held exhibitions in Sydney 2019 - 2024 with artists Gretel Killeen and Paul Livingston.
Ferguson's works have toured extensively and appeared in publications in Australia and Britain.
Other roles
Ferguson is Ambassador for The Human Rights Commission for Disability and Ambassador for IncludeAbility, a resource for employers and people with disability.
He is a patron of MS Australia, and an ambassador for Pandis, a not-for-profit initiative investigating environmental pathogenic microbes in chronic disease.
He is patron of Music for Canberra, an organisation supporting Canberra's music education and performance.
Along with former members of DAAS, Ferguson featured in an ABC documentary called Tick F***ing Tock, concerning the ravages caused to his life and health, and the impacts on those close to him, owing to his multiple sclerosis.
Personal life
Ferguson announced on an episode of Good News Week in 2010 that he has multiple sclerosis (MS), which required him to occasionally use a walking cane. Ferguson has experienced MS symptoms since the age of 19. His show at the 2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festival was called "Carry a Big Stick", an allusion to his MS. Ferguson's condition has since progressed further and he now uses a wheelchair.
He owns the third largest Star Wars toy collection in the southern hemisphere.
On 22 March 2017, Ferguson featured on Julia Zemiro's Home Delivery, with host Julia Zemiro taking him on a tour of his childhood home and schools in Bathurst and Canberra.
In December 2017, Ferguson and co-host Maynard recorded a live charity show of their Castaway Award-winning podcast, 'Bunga Bunga', called 'A Very Bunga Christmas' to a huge crowd of fans at the Harold Park Hotel in Sydney.
He has spoken out for young Australians with MS and other disabilities living in aged care. He campaigns to arrange more appropriate options for them.
In 2017, Ferguson hosted the South West Disability Expo, helping thousands of South West Sydney residents with disabilities gain greater control over their lives and engage the most suitable services in their area to meet their individual needs.
Ferguson supports the Summer Foundation (Building Better Lives). Established in 2006, the key aim of the Summer Foundation is to change human service policy and practice related to young people in nursing homes.
In 2021, Ferguson became a leading campaigner for Building Better Homes, an initiative for a national building code of mandatory accessibility standards. The campaign was successful in creating new building codes nationwide.
His work fundraising and raising awareness is ongoing for motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and acquired brain injury conditions.
Ferguson hosts the Uniting Church podcast featuring people with disabilities including Down syndrome, vision impairment, cerebral palsy, autism and Asperger syndrome.
In February 2018, Ferguson apologised via his management to TV critic Candace Sutton for a series of abusive letters containing numerous rude remarks, faxed to her in 1990, with cartoons drawn by him.
Ferguson launched the MS Australia Connections Hub in May 2020. The online hub provides people with MS, their families and carers with tips and advice for living with the condition. People are invited to add their own perspectives and tips on the website. Ferguson's lighthearted tips are featured, including "Physio, Physio, Physio, chocolate and Physio!" and "Homeopathy is not a thing".
Ferguson regularly speaks at public and corporate events about disability, housing, social services, and health at events. His most regular keynote speech themes are inclusivity, positivity, and overcoming challenges.
Political candidacy
In the 1990 Australian federal election, Ferguson stood as an independent candidate for the seat of Kooyong, against the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Peacock. Following a "Vote For Tim" campaign conducted by the Allstars on The Big Gig, he gained 3.7% of the vote.
On the ABC's Q&A program on 4 May 2013, Ferguson announced his candidacy for the Australian Senate in the 2013 Australian federal election. He said that he would have no policies and that he wanted someone for whom he could vote. Ferguson nominated for the Senate for New South Wales, as a member of the Senator Online party.
References
External links
Media related to Tim Ferguson at Wikimedia Commons
Cheeky Monkey Comedy Website
Tim Ferguson on Twitter
Tim Ferguson at IMDb
"The Cheeky Monkey – Writing Narrative Comedy" Currency Press
"With Tim Ferguson" TV show blog
Tim Ferguson's Manager
International Comedians debate "The Cheeky Monkey – Writing Narrative Comedy"
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Uee
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Uee.
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Tell me a bio of Uee.
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Tell me a bio of Uee within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Uee with around 100 words.
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Kim Yu-jin (Korean: 김유진; born April 9, 1988), better known by her stage name Uee (유이; sometimes romanized as U-ie), is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known for being a former member of South Korean girl group After School from 2009 to 2017, and has acted in various television dramas including Queen Seondeok (2009), Ojakgyo Family (2011), Jeon Woo-chi (2012), Golden Rainbow (2013), High Society (2015), Hogu's Love (2015), Marriage Contract (2016), and My Only One (2018). On May 31, 2017, Uee left After School and its agency, Pledis Entertainment.
Early life
Kim Yu-jin was born April 9, 1988, in Daejeon, South Korea. Her father, Kim Sung-kap, is a retired professional baseball player and former head coach for the South Korean teams, Nexen Heroes and SK Wyverns. She has an older sister, Kim Yu-na. Uee attended Guwol Girls' Middle School and Incheon Physical Education High School. While in high school, she was a swimmer and competed in the Korean National Sports Festival. She later graduated from Sungkyunkwan University's School of Art, with a degree in Performing Arts.
Career
2007–2008: Five Girls and career beginnings
Uee originally desired to be an actress and went to many auditions, but she debuted as a singer first. In 2007, Uee was a member of the girl group Five Girls (Korean: 오소녀; RR: Osonyeo) under Good Entertainment, which also included Yubin, Jun Hyoseong, Yang Jiwon, and G.NA. The group starred in a reality show on MTV called Diary of Five Girls, but disbanded before their scheduled debut due to Good Entertainment's financial troubles.
Before debuting, she was once a hot topic in South Korea. On May 30, 2008, while watching her father's baseball game in Mok-dong Stadium, she was caught by the camera. The announcer introduced her as the daughter of Coach Kim Sung-kap. The name 'Mok-dong Girl' became number 1 in internet search terms.
In August 2008, after appearing as Yubin's friend in the MBC show Introducing the Star's Friend, she again became popular because of her friendship with the Wonder Girls member and her resemblance to Moon Geun-young. She later joined Pledis Entertainment.
2009–2016: After School and acting career
In April 2009, Uee joined the girl group After School with their single "Diva". She became known for her "honey thighs" and proved popular with the general public, often topping online search rankings on various Korean websites.
In July, she made her acting debut in MBC's historical drama, Queen Seondeok, which was well received and won various awards. She was subsequently cast in SBS's musical drama You're Beautiful, which started airing in October. Later that month, she joined the project group, 4Tomorrow, which consists Han Seung-yeon, Hyuna, and Gain; and released the single "Dugeundugeun Tomorrow" (Korean: 두근두근 Tomorrow) on October 6, 2009. That same year, she joined the MBC's reality show We Got Married and was paired with Park Jae-jung. Uee ranked eighth on Forbes Korea's list of most hardworking idols in 2009–2010.
Uee had lead roles in two television dramas in 2011. In Birdie Buddy, she played a country girl who strives to become a professional golfer. The drama's director, Yun Sang-ho, praised Uee's "flawless acting", saying, "I believe actors from idol groups such as Uee and Luna improve more quickly because they have so much talent and passion". In Ojakgyo Family, Uee played a university student with a difficult family history. She earned praise for her natural acting and received Best New Actress awards at the Paeksang Arts Awards and KBS Drama Awards. Uee released her first solo single, "Sok Sok Sok" (쏙쏙쏙), on June 21, 2011. She also co-hosted the variety show Night After Night.
In January 2012, Uee became a permanent host on the KBS music show, Music Bank, along with Lee Jang-woo. She continued hosting the show until April 2013. From November 2012 to February 2013, she starred as princess Hong Mu-yeon in Jeon Woo-chi, a historical drama set during the Joseon period. When she was cast for the role, Uee expressed her desire to be seen as a serious actor, saying "I want to do away with the 'idol singer-turned-actor' in this piece and really step up my performance". During the shoot, she was praised for her ability to immerse herself in the character and give a detailed performance.
Uee was a permanent cast member of SBS' survival variety show Barefooted Friends in 2013. During the show, she performed the song "Hero" at a special concert. The song was produced by Duble Sidekick and co-written by Uee, and subsequently released on the soundtrack album My Story, My Song on August 19. She had a lead role in the drama Golden Rainbow, and received an Excellence Award at the 2013 MBC Drama Awards for the role.
In mid-2014, Uee was a member of the survival variety show Law of the Jungle, appearing in the Indian Ocean episodes. In April of that year, she told Ilgan Sports she had lost some of her passion for singing and dancing, and plans to further her acting career once she graduates from After School.
In early 2015, Uee starred in tvN's romantic comedy Hogu's Love, playing a national swimming champion. She was then cast in the SBS drama High Society, playing a rich heiress who hides her identity in order to find true love. In an interview, Uee acknowledged that some viewers were disappointed with her performance, and she had "never been more criticized for poor acting". In October 2015, Uee joined the variety show, Fists of Shaolin Temple, where the cast members received martial arts training.
Uee's next drama, MBC's Marriage Contract, began airing on March 5, 2016. She played single mother with a terminal illness who enters into a contract marriage. In November, Uee starred in the MBC drama Night Light where she plays a poor woman who turns her life around with an opportunity.
2017–present: Focus on acting and other works
Uee's contract with Pledis Entertainment ended on May 31, 2017, therefore she graduated from After School. In June 2017, she signed with new management agency Yuleum Entertainment. She then starred alongside Kim Jae-joong in KBS's fantasy romance-comedy drama Manhole. In 2018, Uee starred in the weekend dramas My Contracted Husband, Mr. Oh together with Kim Kang-woo; and My Only One.
In July 2019, it was confirmed that Uee signed an exclusive contract with King Entertainment. She was later picked as part of the cast for Cabin Crew Season 2 in 2019. The show features four celebrities challenging to experience the real work of flight attendants, from job interview to training. Season 2 ended early 2020.
On June 12, 2020, Uee appeared as guest on the Korean variety show I Live Alone. The show features single celebrities and their everyday lives, both in and out of their homes. At the same month, she also appeared as a guest in the show Dogs Are Incredible along with her dog, Mango. On August 1, she also appeared on another variety show Omniscient Interfering View along with her manager. The show observes the lives of celebrities and their managers. Uee also played as Han Ji-won in the 7th episode of SF8 titled Love Virtually alongside Choi Si-won. The episode was aired on September 25, 2020. After her love for spicy foods was shown her recent I Live Alone appearance, she was selected as the official endorser for Samyang Food's 'Fire Chicken Sauce' Series.
On October 23, 2020, Uee hosted the 2020 Live in DMZ Concert along with Super Junior's Leeteuk. The concert was held in Gyeonggi Province to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the September 2018 Pyongyang Joint Declaration. The concert was broadcast on October 24 via MBC.
Uee currently hosts Glance TV's Last Fit with U-ie, a fitness program showcasing beginner to advanced exercises that can be done at home while under quarantine. The first broadcast started in August via Naver TV.
On February 8, 2021, it was reported that Uee had cut ties with King Entertainment. Following the report, the agency confirmed that their exclusive contract with the actress has expired. On March 29, 2021, it was announced that she had signed an exclusive contract with Lucky Company. On June 3, it was announced that Uee will star in the variety program called Spicy Girls along with Sunny, Kim Shin-young, and Choi Yoo-jung. In the same month, it was also reported that she will star in the upcoming drama Ghost Doctor alongside Rain and Kim Bum. The drama premiered in January 2022.
Personal life
In 2016, it was confirmed by Uee's representatives that she was dating fellow actor Lee Sang-yoon. The couple broke up after a year of dating.
In July 2017, Uee confirmed that she was dating Law of the Jungle co-star Kangnam. This confirmation came after Korean website Dispatch released photos of them on a date in Apgujeong. Uee initially denied the rumors. After 3 months of dating, the couple announced that they had split up.
Uee has been a target of hate and criticism since her debut, in particular with her weight and an alleged sponsorship she received from a large company. In 2018, her agency Yuleum Entertainment announced that they will take legal measures against the malicious and defamatory comments towards their talent.
During her I Live Alone appearance, she revealed that rumors surrounding her weight caused her a lot of stress, leading her to eat only one meal a day for eight years. Since then she began to focus more on her health while getting back on track with her career.
Philanthropy
On April 8, 2022, Uee donated ₩20 million to international relief and development NGOs to fund hygiene products, such as sanity wear kits and sanitary pants coupons, alongside a monthly information brochure for 120 youths entering young women's homes across the country.
Discography
Singles
Filmography
Television series
Television Shows
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Uee at IMDb
Uee at HanCinema
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Martha Cunz
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Martha Cunz.
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Tell me a bio of Martha Cunz.
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Tell me a bio of Martha Cunz within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Martha Cunz with around 100 words.
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Martha Cunz (24 February 1876 – 15 May 1961) was a Swiss artist who is best known as a printmaker. As one of the earliest 20th-century European artists to master the modernist woodcut, she was influential on other artists.
Education and travels
Martha Cunz was born in St. Gallen, Switzerland. She received most of her art training at the Women's Art School in Munich, where her teachers included Christian Landenberger, Ludwig Schmid-Reutte, and Peter Paul Müller. In 1900, she went to Paris to study with Luc-Olivier Merson and Lucien Simon. The following year, back in Munich, a course in lithography with Ernst Neumann sparked her interest in printmaking. By the following year, she had moved on to woodcuts, and in 1903 she became a founding member of the German Association of Graphics.
Until the outbreak of World War I, Cunz lived in Munich and only returned to Switzerland for an annual visit. She also traveled around Europe, spending time in Holland (1904, 1911) and Italy (1914).
In 1920, she built a studio built at her parents' home in St. Gallen and lived there for the remainder of her life.
Artwork
For the first three decades of her career, Cunz specialized in lithographs and woodcuts, especially color woodcuts printed using a Japanese multi-block technique. She was one of the first 20th century European artists to take up color woodblock printmaking. Her style is characterized by the play of subtly graded contrasting colors that overlap to create a luminous surface.
By 1905, Cunz was showing in the annual Glass Palace Exhibition in Munich, and some of her earliest woodcuts were published in April 1905 in the journal Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration alongside work by Wassily Kandinsky and other Munich artists.
The last of her 71 woodcuts was made in 1927, and her last lithographs were made in 1931. For the following two decades, she devoted herself to painting, mainly landscapes and portraits.
Cunz is known to have influenced the work of contemporaries like Carl Thiemann, and she also taught printmakers, including Rosa Paul.
References
Sources
This page is translated from de:Martha Cunz. Sources listed on that page include:
Studer, Dani. Faszination Farbholzschnitt: Der japanisierende Farbholzschnitt als Kunstform des Jugendstils: Mit einem Katalog der Holzschnitte von Martha Cunz. St. Gallen: Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum, 2016. ISBN 978-3-7291-1152-3. (Exhibition catalog; in German)
Studer, Daniel. "Martha Cunz (1876-1961)". Dissertation, University of Zürich, 1992.
Studer, Daniel. Martha Cunz 1876-1961: Eine Schweizer Jugendstilkünstlerin in München. St. Gallen: Verlagsgemeinschaft St. Gallen, 1993. (in German)
Hanhart, Rudolf, ed. Kunstmuseum St. Gallen: Katalog der Sammlung. St. Gallen: Kunstmuseum St. Gallen, 1987, pp. 245–249. (in German)
Widmer, Marina, ed. Blütenweiss bis rabenschwarz: St.Galler Frauen: 200 Portraits. Zürich: Limmat, 2003, pp. 83–84. (in German)
Eichhorn, Herbert, and Jacqueline Koller, eds. Wege zu Gabriele Münter und Käthe Kollwitz: Holzschnitte von Künstlerinnen des Jugendstils und des Expressionismus. Petersberg: Michael Imhoff Verlag, 2014. ISBN 978-3-86568-981-8. (Exhibition catalog including short biography of Cunz; in German).
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Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland.
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Tell me a bio of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland.
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Tell me a bio of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland with around 100 words.
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Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland (Carl Philip Edmund Bertil; born 13 May 1979) is the only son and the second of three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. As of 2022, Prince Carl Philip is fourth in the line of succession, after his older sister, Crown Princess Victoria, his niece and goddaughter Princess Estelle, and his nephew Prince Oscar. He lives with his wife, Princess Sofia, and four children in Villa Solbacken in Djurgården, Stockholm.
Early life and education
Prince Carl Philip was born at Stockholm Palace, Sweden, on 13 May 1979 at 07:20 (CET). He was baptised at the Royal Chapel on 31 August 1979.
Carl Philip was heir apparent to the throne of Sweden (and thus held the title Crown Prince) for seven months, until 1 January 1980 when a change in the constitution came into effect which made natural birth order the basis for succession to the throne, replacing the principle of agnatic primogeniture. His elder sister Victoria became heir apparent and Crown Princess, with Carl Philip becoming second in line.
During 1984–1986, Prince Carl Philip attended the Västerled parish preschool. In the autumn of 1986, he started school at Smedslättsskolan in Bromma which he attended at junior level. For the intermediate level, he attended Ålstensskolan in Bromma, proceeding from there, in the autumn of 1992, to senior level at Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm. He was confirmed on 9 July 1994 at the Vadstena Abbey Church. In the autumn of 1994, Carl Philip enrolled at Kent School. He then continued his studies in a science programme at Lundsbergs upper secondary school. He graduated in the spring of 1999. In 2007–2008, he studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design for one year. In 2011, Prince Carl Philip finished his studies in Agricultural and Rural Management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Alnarp.
Carl Philip has dyslexia, as do his father King Carl XVI Gustaf and his sister Crown Princess Victoria.
Interests
Prince Carl Philip has been a scout and is fond of outdoor life. He is keen on sport and athletics, especially football, swimming, sailing and skiing. In 2003, he completed the historic Swedish "Vasaloppet", the longest cross country ski race in the world. Carl Philip also enjoys car racing, a passion he inherited from his great-uncle and godfather, Prince Bertil, and has a licence to compete. Prince Carl Philip has taken part in the racing series Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia in a Porsche 911 GT3. Since 2013 he has raced in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.
The prince completed his military service at the Amphibious Battalion at Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment as a combat boat commander (Combat Boat 90) in the autumn of 2000. In December 2002, the Prince was promoted to second lieutenant, and in 2004 to the rank of lieutenant in the Swedish Amphibious Corps. In 2007 and 2008 he went to the Swedish Defence University. The course was divided in three weeks autumn 2007 and three weeks spring 2008. After that course he was appointed captain. On 1 October 2014, Prince Carl Philip achieved the rank of major.
With a great interest for design and drawing, the prince began studying graphic design in Stockholm in 2003, studies which he continues still. In 2012 he founded Bernadotte & Kylberg with Oscar Kylberg. The company has since designed products for many brands.
Activities and charity work
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's Foundation was established to mark the occasion of the couple's marriage in 2015. The foundation's purpose is to counteract bullying.
In 2013, the Prince Carl Philip Racing Cup was founded. The racing cup aims to help young people with karting talents progress within the sport. The Prince with the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences conducts a range of visits to companies, with focus on the companies' creative work.
Prince Carl Philip is a patron of several organizations such as The Swedish National Dyslexia Association, The Swedish Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies, The International Union for Conservation of Nature, The Royal Swedish Motorboat Club and others.
Personal life and family
Prince Carl Philip dated Emma Pernald from 1999 to 2009. Pernald worked at a PR firm for several years. However, the prince and Pernald broke off their relationship in March 2009. She revealed in the Swedish newspaper Expressen that she and the prince mutually decided to go their separate ways. Pernald made no further comment as to the reason for the break-up.
In April 2010, Carl Philip was linked in the press with former glamour model Sofia Hellqvist. In August 2010, Royal Court spokesperson Nina Eldh confirmed the relationship between Carl Philip and Hellqvist in a statement released by the palace. On 27 June 2014, it was announced that Carl Philip and Hellqvist were engaged.
They married on 13 June 2015 in Stockholm's Royal Palace chapel, and thousands of people lined the streets for the occasion. In an interview he criticized the press for suggesting that Hellqvist was not welcome in the royal family. He told the press that the opposite was true and that his family easily accepted her into the family. He compared the "bullying" of her past to that of himself being bullied for having dyslexia.
The couple was due to move into the Villa Solbacken which had been vacant since the death of Princess Lilian and, while it was being renovated, they lived in Rosendal Palace until 2017.
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia have four children:
Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil, Duke of Södermanland, born on 19 April 2016.
Prince Gabriel Carl Walther, Duke of Dalarna, born on 31 August 2017.
Prince Julian Herbert Folke, Duke of Halland, born on 26 March 2021.
Princess Ines Marie Lilian Silvia, Duchess of Västerbotten, born on 7 February 2025.
All four children were born at Danderyd Hospital.
On 7 October 2019, Carl Philip's father, the king, issued a statement rescinding the royal status of Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel in an effort to more strictly associate Swedish royalty to the office of the head of state; they are still to be styled as princes and dukes of their provinces, and they remain in the line of succession to the throne. Carl Philip and his wife commented that their sons now will have more freedom of choice for their future lives.
Honours
National honours
Knight and Commander of the Royal Order of the Seraphim (RoKavKMO)
Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (KNO)
Knight of the Royal Order of Charles XIII (RCXIII:sO, not worn as Prince Carl Philip is not a Freemason)
Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal I (30 April 1996)
Recipient of the Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's Wedding Commemorative Medal (8 June 2010)
Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal II (23 August 2013)
Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal III (30 April 2016)
Recipient of the King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal IV (15 September 2023)
Recipient of the Uppland Medal of Merit
Recipient of the Swedish Armed Forces Conscript Medal
Recipient of the Swedish National Defence College Commemorative Medal (Försvarshögskolans minnesmedalj)
Recipient of the Swedish Veterans Federation - Peace Berets Medal of Merit in gold (Fredsbaskrarna Sveriges förtjänstmedalj i guld) (22 January 2013)
Foreign honours
Bulgaria: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Balkan Mountains
Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco
Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
Estonia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
France: Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honour (30 January 2024)
Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour
Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2 November 2018)
Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan
Latvia: Grand Officer of the Order of the Three Stars
Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
Malaysia: Honorary Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (2005)
Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (11 October 2022)
Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1 September 2005)
Romania: Grand Cross of the Order of Faithful Service
Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (16 November 2021)
Tunisia: Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit
Military ranks
December 2002: Second Lieutenant
14 December 2004: Lieutenant
December 2007: Captain
1 October 2014: Major
Arms
Prince Carl Philip's coat of arms is based on the greater coat of arms of Sweden. It features in the first and fourth quarters, the Three Crowns; in the second, the lion of the House of Bjälbo; and in the third, the eagle of the arms of Värmland, representing the titular designation of his dukedom. In the centre, on an inescutcheon, is the dynastic arms of the House of Bernadotte. Surrounding the shield is the chain of the Order of the Seraphim.
Ancestry
References
External links
The Royal Court of Sweden: Prince Carl Philip
Bernadotte and Galliera princely inheritance (in Swedish)
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Kaká
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Tell me a bio of Kaká.
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Tell me a bio of Kaká within 100 words.
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Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁiˈkaʁdu iˈzɛksõ duˈsɐ̃tuz ˈlejtʃi]; born 22 April 1982), commonly known as Kaká (Brazilian Portuguese: [kaˈka] ) or Ricardo Kaká, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Kaká was known for his explosive pace, dribbling, passing, and goalscoring, and is considered one of the greatest players of all time. With success for both club and country, he is one of the nine players to win the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.
In 2001, at age 18, Kaká made his professional debut at Brazilian club São Paulo. He later joined Italian club AC Milan in 2003. Kaká helped Milan win the Serie A title in his first season. Milan finished runner-up in the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League with Kaká being the top assist provider of the tournament and being named the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year. He led Milan to win the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League and was the tournament's top goalscorer. His performances saw him win the FIFA World Player of the Year, the 2007 Ballon d'Or, and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. After six years with Milan, Kaká joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a transfer fee of €67 million, which was the second highest transfer fee at the time. However, his four seasons in Madrid were plagued with injuries, which saw his pace decline. He returned to AC Milan for a single season in 2013, prior to joining MLS expansion club Orlando City SC. He initially went on loan to his former club São Paulo before returning to Orlando in 2015 and retiring from professional football in 2017.
Kaká made his debut for Brazil's national football team in 2002 and was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, which won the tournament that year. He also played in the 2006 World Cup, alongside other veterans like Ronaldo, Adriano, and Ronaldinho. He made his final World Cup appearance in 2010. He was also a member of Brazil's 2005 and 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup-winning squads, winning the Golden Ball in 2009 as the tournament's best player.
Between 2006 and 2009, he was named in both the FIFA World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year three times. In 2010, he was named in the AC Milan Hall of Fame. One of the world's most famous athletes during his playing career, Kaká was the first sportsperson to amass 10 million followers on Twitter. Outside of football, Kaká is known for his humanitarian work, where he became the youngest ambassador of the UN World Food Programme in 2004. For his contributions on and off the pitch, Kaká was named by Time as one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2008 and in 2009.
Early life
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite was born on 22 April, 1982 in Gama in the Federal District of the Central-West Region of Brazil to Simone dos Santos, an elementary school teacher, and Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite, a civil engineer. His family was financially secure, which allowed him to focus on school and football at the same time. His younger brother Digão and cousin Eduardo Delani are also professional footballers. Digão called him "Caca" due to his inability to pronounce "Ricardo" when they were young; it eventually evolved into Kaká. The word has no specific Portuguese translation.
When he was seven, Kaká's family moved to São Paulo in the homonymous state. His school had arranged him in a local youth club called "Alphaville", who qualified to the final in a local tournament. There, he was discovered by hometown club São Paulo FC, who offered him a place in the youth academy. At the age of 18, Kaká suffered a career-threatening spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.
Club career
São Paulo
Kaká began his career with São Paulo at the age of eight. He signed a contract at 15 and led the São Paulo youth squad to Copa de Juvenil glory. He made his senior side debut on 1 February 2001 and scored 12 goals in 27 appearances, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship, in which he scored two goals in two minutes as a substitute against Botafogo in the final, which São Paulo won 2–1.
He scored ten goals in 22 matches the following season, and by this time, his performance was soon attracting attention from European clubs. Kaká made a total of 58 appearances for São Paulo, scoring 23 times.
AC Milan
The steady European interest in Kaká culminated in his signing with the European champions, Italian club AC Milan, in 2003 for a fee of reported €8.5 million, described in retrospect as "peanuts" by club owner Silvio Berlusconi. Within a month, he cracked the starting lineup, replacing Rui Costa in the attacking midfield playmaking position, behind strikers Jon Dahl Tomasson, Filippo Inzaghi and Andriy Shevchenko. His Serie A debut was in a 2–0 win over Ancona. He scored ten goals in 30 appearances that season, also providing several important assists, such as the cross which led to Shevchenko's title-deciding headed goal, as Milan won the Scudetto and the UEFA Super Cup, whilst finishing as runner up in the Intercontinental Cup and the 2003 Supercoppa Italiana. Milan also reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, losing out to eventual winners Lazio, and were knocked out of the quarter-finals of the Champions League by Deportivo La Coruña. Due to his performances in his debut season, in 2004, Kaká was named Serie A Footballer of the Year, and was nominated for both the Ballon d'Or (finishing 15th) and the 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year (finishing 10th).
Kaká was a part of the five-man midfield in the 2004–05 season, usually playing in a withdrawn role behind striker Andriy Shevchenko. He was supported by Gennaro Gattuso and Clarence Seedorf defensively, as well as Massimo Ambrosini, allowing Kaká as the attacking midfielder and Rui Costa or Andrea Pirlo as the deep-lying playmaker to be in charge of creating Milan's goalscoring chances, forming a formidable midfield unit in both Italy and Europe. Milan began the season by winning the Supercoppa Italiana against Lazio. He scored seven goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up in the Scudetto race. Milan also reached the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia that season. Kaká played a pivotal role in Milan's Champions League campaign that season, helping them to reach the final against Liverpool, scoring two goals and providing five assists. Dubbed the "Miracle of Istanbul", Milan led 3–0 at half time, before Liverpool staged a comeback, scoring three goals in six minutes, and eventually won the match 3–2 on penalties. A match widely regarded as one of the greatest finals in the competition's history, Kaká was imperious in the first half; he first won the early free-kick which led to Paolo Maldini's opening goal, began the play that led to Hernán Crespo's first goal and Milan's second of the night, then executed a long curling pass that split open the Liverpool defence and rolled directly into the path of Crespo to score Milan's third. Kaká was once again nominated for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year Awards, finishing ninth and eighth respectively, and he was named the 2005 UEFA Club Football Best Midfielder.
The 2005–06 season saw Kaká score his first hat-tricks in domestic competitions. On 9 April 2006, he scored his first Rossoneri hat-trick against Chievo, with all three goals scored in the second half. Milan were knocked out in the semi-finals of the 2005–06 Champions League to eventual champions Barcelona, and were once again eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia. Milan also finished once again as runners-up in Serie A, with Kaká scoring 17 goals in the league. After the 2006 Calciopoli scandal, however, Milan were deducted 30 points, which placed them in third in the table. Kaká was nominated for the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year Awards for the third consecutive year, finishing 11th and seventh respectively. He was also selected to be part of both the UEFA Team of the Year and the FIFPro World XI for the first time in his career.
Andriy Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea for the 2006–07 season allowed Kaká to become the focal point of Milan's offense as he alternated between the midfield and forward positions, operating at times as a striker or as a second striker behind Filippo Inzaghi, as well as in his more typical attacking midfield position. On 2 November 2006, he scored his first Champions League hat-trick in a 4–1 group stage win over the Belgian side Anderlecht. He finished as the top scorer in the 2006–07 Champions League campaign with ten goals. One of the goals helped the Rossoneri eliminate Celtic in the round of 16, 1–0 on aggregate, and he scored three goals against Manchester United in the semi-finals. Milan also reached the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia that season, losing out to winners Roma, and finished fourth in Serie A.
Kaká won the Champions League title when Milan defeated Liverpool 2–1 on 23 May 2007, avenging the previous loss on penalties two years before. Though he went scoreless, he won a free kick that led to the first of Filippo Inzaghi's two goals, and provided the assist for the second. On 30 August, Kaká was named by UEFA as both the top forward of the 2006–07 Champions League season and UEFA Club Footballer of the Year, as well as being named as part of the UEFA Team of the Year for the second time. He once again finished as the second-best assist-provider of the Champions League, providing five, and was voted the 2007 IFFHS World's Best Playmaker.
Milan began its 2007–08 season by winning the UEFA Super Cup on 31 August, defeating Sevilla 3–1, with Kaká scoring the third goal. Kaká had made a dribbling run into Sevilla's area, winning a penalty, which he then proceeded to take. Although it was saved by goalkeeper Andrés Palop, Kaká scored on the rebound with a header. Kaká had previously hit the post in the first half. He played his 200th career match with Milan in a 1–1 home draw with Catania on 30 September, scoring from a penalty, and on 5 October, he was named the 2006–07 FIFPro World Player of the Year, and was elected as part of the FIFPro World XI for the second time in his career. On 2 December 2007, Kaká became the eighth Milan player to win the Ballon d'Or, as he finished with a decisive 444 votes, well ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He signed a contract extension through 2013 with Milan on 29 February 2008.
On 16 December, Kaká won the FIFA Club World Cup against Boca Juniors, scoring Milan's third goal of the match in a 4–2 victory which allowed them to be crowned World Champions. Kaká had previously assisted Filippo Inzaghi's opening goal of the match and also assisted Inzaghi's final goal of the match after an impressive exchange with Clarence Seedorf; he was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the competition. On 17 December, Kaká was voted the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year with 1,047 votes, ahead of Lionel Messi with 504 and Cristiano Ronaldo with 426.
In January 2008, Kaká was also named the 2007 Serie A Footballer of the Year, winning the award for the second time in his career. His contributions on and off the pitch saw Time magazine name Kaká in the Time 100 list on 2 May. On 14 October, he cast his footprints into the Estádio do Maracanã's sidewalk of fame, in a section dedicated to the memory of the country's top players. Kaká finished the 2007–08 season with 15 goals in Serie A. His best goals included a curling strike from 30 yards into the top corner against Lazio, a powerful strike from the edge of the 18-yard box against Cagliari, and a now trademark slalom run past a number of Udinese players before bending the ball into the bottom corner. He was nominated as a finalist for the 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year, finishing fourth, and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or, finishing in eighth. He was named in the six-man shortlist for the 2008 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year, and was selected in the FIFPro World XI for the third time in his career. He was named in the Time 100 again in 2009.
The BBC reported on 13 January 2009 that Manchester City made a bid for Kaká for over £100 million. Milan Director Umberto Gandini replied that Milan would only discuss the matter if Kaká and Manchester City agreed to personal terms. Kaká initially responded by telling reporters he wanted to "grow old" at Milan and dreamed of captaining the club one day, but later said, "If Milan want to sell me, I'll sit down and talk. I can say that as long as the club don't want to sell me, I'll definitely stay." On 19 January, Silvio Berlusconi announced that Manchester City had officially ended their bid after a discussion between the clubs, and that Kaká would remain with Milan. Milan supporters had protested outside the club headquarters earlier that evening, and later chanted outside Kaká's home, where he saluted them by flashing his jersey outside a window. Kaká finished his final season with Milan by scoring 16 goals, helping Milan finish third in Serie A, and once again being elected as a finalist for the FIFA World Player of the Year Award, finishing fourth in voting for the second-straight year. He was also nominated for the Ballon d'Or award, finishing in sixth place, and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year for the third time in his career.
Real Madrid
On 3 June 2009, it was reported that newly elected Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez had offered to buy Kaká from Milan for a reported €68.5 million, two days after the player had left for international duty with Brazil. Milan vice-chairman and CEO Adriano Galliani confirmed that he and Kaká's father, Bosco Leite, had traveled to Mexico to meet with La Volpe: "We had lunch and spoke about Kaká. I don't deny it. Negotiations exist, but a deal has yet to be done." On 4 June, Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport that financial reasons were his motive for the talks with La Volpe: "We cannot allow [Milan] to lose €70 million ... The reasons behind Kaká's departure would be economic." On 8 June, Milan and Real Madrid confirmed Kaká's move to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on a six-year deal for €67 million fee.
Kaká was unveiled as a Real Madrid player on 30 June 2009, and he made his unofficial debut on 7 August 2009 in a 5–1 friendly victory against Toronto FC. He scored his first goal for Madrid during a pre-season match on 19 August 2009, in a 5–0 victory against Borussia Dortmund. Kaká later made his league debut on 29 August 2009 in a 3–2 win against Deportivo de La Coruña. He scored his first goal, a penalty, on 23 September in a 2–0 win against Villarreal. Real Madrid finished the season as runners-up in La Liga, with Kaká scoring eight goals and providing six assists in La Liga, and nine goals and eight assists in all competitions.
On 5 August 2010, Real Madrid announced that Kaká had undergone a successful surgery on a long-standing left knee injury and would face up to four months on the sidelines. Kaká returned to training after a long lay-off, with manager José Mourinho commenting that having Kaká back from injury was like a new signing. After an eight-month absence, Kaká returned to play by entering as a substitute for Karim Benzema on the 77th minute of a 3–2 victory over Getafe on 3 January 2011. He said he was "(...) happy for playing a game again and for stepping onto a pitch." His first league goal (and his first of the season) after his return from injury came with an assist from Cristiano Ronaldo on a 4–2 victory over Villarreal on 9 January 2011.
In March 2011, Kaká suffered from Iliotibial band syndrome, which kept him sidelined for a few weeks. After returning from injury, he appeared in a convincing win over Valencia, scoring two goals. At the end of his second season with the club, Real Madrid and Kaká had won the Copa del Rey, although they finished as runners-up in both La Liga and in the Supercopa de España to rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid were also knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona in the semi-finals of the competition. Kaká finished his season with seven goals and six assists in all competitions in 20 appearances.
On 27 September 2011, Kaká experienced one of his best matches as a Real Madrid player during a 3–0 victory over Ajax in the Champions League, as he scored one goal, provided one assist and participated in one of the best team build-ups of the matchday: a counterattacking move involving Mesut Özil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Kaká was later chosen the best player of the Champions League Matchday. With this match, Kaká experienced one of the best starts to a season he has ever had, scoring two goals, serving two assists and winning one penalty for his team. In 2011–12, Real Madrid won La Liga with a record 100 points that year, with Kaká providing nine assists and scoring five goals in the competition. They were, however, eliminated for the second year in a row in the semi-finals of the Champions League, losing out to eventual runners-up Bayern Munich on penalties. The decisive misses for Real Madrid were by Ronaldo, Kaká and Sergio Ramos. He finished the season with eight goals and 14 assists in all club competitions. Real Madrid were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey by eventual winners Barcelona.
Real Madrid began the 2012–13 season by winning the 2012 Supercopa de España against rivals Barça. On 4 December 2012, after scoring in a 4–1 win against Ajax, Kaká became the top Brazilian goalscorer in Champions League history, with 28 goals. After the match, Kaká said, "This was an important goal for me, and I hope I've still got goals left to help Real Madrid. It was an important win and a special night." Kaká came on just before an hour was played, but was sent off as he was booked twice within 18 minutes in a 0–0 draw against Osasuna on 12 January 2013. It was his first sending-off at Madrid since he joined from Milan in 2009 and his first red card since he was dismissed playing for Brazil against Ivory Coast at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Real Madrid finished the season in second place in La Liga behind Barcelona, and also finished runners-up in the Copa del Rey to city rivals Atlético Madrid. They were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the third consecutive year by eventual runners-up Borussia Dortmund.
On 29 August 2013, Kaká expressed his desire to leave Real Madrid, having scored 29 goals and provided 32 assists in 120 appearances in all competitions over four seasons at the club. He said goodbye to Real Madrid and its fans in an open letter on Twitter.
Return to AC Milan
Milan confirmed that Kaká would join the club on 2 September 2013 from Real Madrid on a free transfer with only performance-related incentives owed to Madrid; after agreeing to personal terms, he signed a two-year contract. Kaká's contract was worth €4 million net per year and he was given the number 22 shirt, the same number he wore for Milan during his first spell. He was also made the vice-captain upon his arrival. He captained Milan in his debut for his second spell, taking the armband from goalkeeper Marco Amelia in a match against Chiasso.
Kaká tore his left adductor muscle during his first competitive appearance, deciding not to accept any wages from Milan whilst he regained fitness. He made his return for Milan on 19 October after coming on as a 76th-minute substitute in a 1–0 home victory against Udinese. In his next match, on 22 October, Kaká assisted Robinho in the 1–1 home draw against Barcelona in the Champions League. His first goal, described by ESPN as "a sensational curling shot from the edge of the area into the top right-hand corner," opened the scoring in a 1–1 home draw at San Siro to Lazio on 30 October. On 7 January 2014, Kaká scored his 100th goal for Milan by an opening goal in a match against Atalanta; he later went on to score another goal 30 minutes later. On 11 March he scored a goal against Atlético Madrid in Vicente Calderón Stadium, this goal made him the last player to score against Atlético Madrid at Vicente Calderón for three seasons in knockout phase until Isco scored against them in 2016–17 UEFA Champions League semi final. On 29 March 2014, Kaká scored twice in a 3–0 win against Chievo, his 300th match for Milan.
In June 2014, it was reported that Kaká had entered into advanced discussions with Orlando City SC to join the team in January 2015 when they enter Major League Soccer (MLS).
On 30 June 2014, Kaká had his Milan contract terminated through mutual consent despite having a year remaining, by activating a release clause as a result of the team not qualifying for European competitions.
Orlando City
Kaká joined future MLS franchise Orlando City as their first Designated Player. He stated that he had "always" wanted to play in the United States, and cited the Brazilian owner Flávio Augusto da Silva as a reason for signing. Until Orlando entered the league in 2015, Kaká was loaned to his first club São Paulo, which he called "really satisfying".
By signing for Orlando City, Kaká became the highest-paid player in MLS history, with a base salary of US$6.6 million per year, and with a guaranteed compensation of $7.2 million per year.
Loan to São Paulo
On 3 July 2014, Kaká arrived at São Paulo and began training the next day. He made his comeback in a league match against Goiás on 27 July 2014, starting and scoring a goal in the 76th minute, although his team lost 2–1. On 4 September 2014, in the second round of the Copa Sudamericana, Kaká scored in a 2–0 victory over Criciúma. On 9 November 2014, Kaká scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Vitória.
Return to Orlando City
Kaká scored in his first match for Orlando City, a 4–0 friendly win over FC Dallas. He then scored again in a 1–1 friendly draw against New York City FC. On 8 March 2015, Kaká scored a free kick for the equaliser in a 1–1 draw on his MLS debut against New York City FC at the Citrus Bowl, the first in Orlando City's competitive history. Kaká scored one and assisted another in a 2–2 draw with Montreal Impact on 28 March 2015. He came second in the Etihad Airways MLS Player of the Month poll for his performances in March.
On 13 April 2015, Kaká scored a penalty against Portland Timbers in a 2–0 win. On 17 May 2015, Kaká scored one and assisted another in Orlando City's 4–0 win over defending MLS champions LA Galaxy. By doing so, Orlando became the first expansion team to beat a defending MLS champion by more than a three-goal margin. On 30 June, Kaká scored Orlando's opening goal in the 21st minute of his Open Cup debut, helping his team to a 2–0 home win over Columbus Crew, in the fifth round of the competition, which enabled the club to advance to the quarter-finals. On 5 July, he received the first straight red card of his career in a 1–1 away draw against Real Salt Lake; he had previously scored a goal during the match. Later that month, Kaká was named to the 2015 MLS All-Star Game as the team's captain. During the MLS All-Star Game on 29 July, at the Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado, he scored from a penalty and later assisted David Villa as the MLS All-Stars defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2–1; Kaká was named MVP of the match. Despite his efforts, he was unable to help Orlando City become the first expansion team to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs since Seattle Sounders FC in 2009, as Orlando narrowly missed out on the sixth seed spot in the Eastern Conference; he ended his first season with 9 goals and 7 assists in 28 MLS appearances, also scoring another goal from two appearances in the 2015 MLS Open Cup.
After initially being sidelined through injury and missing Orlando City's first three matches of the 2016 MLS season, Kaká returned to the team's starting line-up and made his first appearance of the season on 3 April, against the Portland Timbers; he assisted two goals and later scored one himself in a 4–1 home victory, and was subsequently named Player of the Week for his performance. In July 2016, he was included in the roster for the 2016 MLS All-Star Game. He finished his second MLS season with the club with 9 goals and 10 assists in 24 appearances, as Orlando once again failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
On 5 March 2017, in Orlando City's opening match of the MLS season against New York City, and the club's stadium debut, Kaká hit the turf clutching his left leg just minutes after the game had started; the Lions beat their opponents 1–0. Later, it was reported that Kaká would be out for 6 weeks due to a hamstring strain. Kaká came back in action and he scored on his return in Orlando City 2–0 win over Colorado Rapids on 29 April. The next week, he scored another goal in Orlando's 2–1 loss against Toronto FC. He scored his third goal of the season in a 2–2 draw against Sporting KC on 13 May 2017. On 14 June, he played in the 3–1 loss in U.S. Open Cup match against Miami FC which was coached by his former teammate Alessandro Nesta. On 17 June he assisted Matías Pérez García's goal against Montreal Impact. The following match, he provided another assist for Scott Sutter last minute equalizer against Seattle Sounders. On 7 July, he was chosen to play for the 2017 MLS All-Star Game for the third consecutive season. On 6 October, Kaká was awarded Goal of the Week for his goal against the New England Revolution in a 6–1 rout nine days earlier.
Orlando City were officially eliminated from playoff contention on 7 October, following New York Red Bulls's 3–0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kaká announced on 11 October 2017 that he would not be renewing his contract with Orlando City for the 2018 MLS season. He played his last official match for Orlando on 15 October in a 1–0 home defeat against Columbus Crew; he finished the 2017 MLS season with 6 goals and 5 assists in 23 league appearances. He later appeared once more for Orlando, in a 6–1 home win over the Puerto Rican national team in the Fuerza Puerto Rico friendly, held on 5 November, to raise money for Hurricane Maria relief. In total, Kaká made 75 league appearances in his three seasons with Orlando, scoring 24 goals and providing 22 assists.
Retirement
Kaká announced his retirement on 17 December 2017, after turning down offers from his former clubs São Paulo and AC Milan. He also expressed interest in working as a director, confirming that Milan had offered him a role.
International career
Youth career and early senior career
Kaká was called up for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, but the Brazilians crashed out to Ghana in the quarter-finals. Several months later, he made his debut for the senior Brazil squad in a friendly match against Bolivia on 31 January 2002. He was part of Brazil's 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad in Korea/Japan, but played only 25 minutes, all of which were in the 5–2 first round victory against Costa Rica on 13 June.
In 2003, Kaká was the captain for the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where Brazil, competing with their under-23 team, finished as runner-up to Mexico. He scored three goals during the tournament.
First Confederations Cup title and 2006 World Cup
Kakà was included in Brazil's squad for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany. He appeared in all five matches and scored one goal in a 4–1 win over Argentina in the final.
Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and scored his first and only goal of the tournament with a 25-yard strike in Brazil's 1–0 victory over Croatia in Brazil's opener, for which he was named Man of the Match. Kaká was unable to keep up the momentum for the remainder of the tournament, as Brazil was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals with French star Thierry Henry scoring the winner.
In 2006 he was part of the "magic quartet". Kaká and Ronaldinho in midfield, backed up by strikers Ronaldo and Adriano. The team was top heavy and unbalanced, and forced to work back in midfield, Kaká paid the price.
In a friendly against rivals Argentina at the Emirates Stadium, London on 3 September 2006, after entering as a substitute, Kaká received the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and outran Lionel Messi while taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score. Exhibiting his "fantastic acceleration and balletic grace" (according to Carl Anka for the BBC), Kaká regards it as the greatest goal he ever scored. On 12 May 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League and national team play, Kaká bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which Brazil won. After missing out on the Copa América, he returned to play in Brazil's friendly match against Algeria on 22 August 2007. On 11 October 2008, Kaká opened the scoring for Brazil in their 4–0 win against Venezuela in a qualification game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Second Confederations Cup title and 2010 World Cup
Kaká participated in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, wearing the number 10 shirt, marking his first international tournament since the 2006 World Cup. His only two goals came in Brazil's group stage opener against Egypt on 14 June, when he scored a goal in the fifth minute and then added a 90th-minute penalty in Brazil's 4–3 victory. Kaká also provided two assists throughout the tournament. He received the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup and was also named the Man of the Match in the final after helping Brazil to a 3–2 win against the United States.
At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, during the match against Ivory Coast on 20 June, Kaká received a red card after receiving two yellow cards. The second card was given for an alleged elbow in the direction of Abdul Kader Keïta. Kaká ended the tournament with three assists in total, as the joint-top assist provider, although he failed to score a goal during the tournament. Brazil eventually ended up losing 2–1 to World Cup eventual runners-up Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Later career
After more than a year absence from the national team due to a series of injuries, Kaká was recalled on 27 October 2011 for the friendly matches against Gabon and Egypt in November. He later had to be removed from the squad due to a calf injury, and thus did not play either of the matches.
After not appearing for Brazil in two years, Kaká was recalled on 28 September 2012 for the friendly matches against Iraq and Japan in October. Following his recall to the Seleção squad, Kaká stated, "I admit it was a surprise this call ... When the list was published, I was extremely happy. It was like my first call-up." Brazil coach Mano Menezes said that despite Kaká and Oscar's similarities, the two would be able to play alongside each other, as Kaká had slightly changed his playing style. On his return to the national side, Kaká scored in both matches, a 6–0 win over Iraq and a 4–0 win over Japan. Kaká retained his place in the squad for Brazil's 1,000th game in history, a 1–1 friendly draw against Colombia on 14 November 2012.
On 5 March 2013, Kaká was called up by new Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for the first time since the coach's return, for friendlies with Italy in London and Russia in Geneva, both taking place late in that month. Kaká, however, was not selected for the national team for the 2013 Confederations Cup and was also omitted from Scolari's 2014 World Cup squad. After almost 18 months, Kaká was recalled to the Brazilian team in October 2014 by new manager Dunga for friendlies against Argentina and Japan. On 1 May 2015, Kaká was selected as one of seven stand-by players in Brazil's preliminary squad for the 2015 Copa América, although he was not called up for the final tournament. In August 2015, he was called up to the national team once again for the team's international friendlies in September, and made a substitute appearance in Brazil's 1–0 victory over Costa Rica on 5 September; this was his first appearance for Brazil in almost a year, and his 90th appearance for his country overall. Following Douglas Costa's left thigh injury in late May 2016, which ruled him out of Brazil's Copa América Centenario squad, Kaká was called up as a replacement by Dunga. On 30 May, he subsequently appeared as an 80th-minute substitute in a pre-Copa América friendly warm-up match against Panama, which ended in a 2–0 victory to Brazil. A muscle injury sustained in early June, however, also ruled Kaká out of the upcoming tournament; he was replaced by Ganso.
Style of play and reception
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and one of the greatest midfielders in the history of the sport, Kaká has been described on the FIFA website as having the "capacity to glide almost effortlessly past opponents, provide defence-splitting passes and score consistently from distance." In his prime at Milan and prior to the injuries he suffered at Real Madrid, Kaká was an intelligent, quick, and hardworking player that could dribble past defenders in one-on-one situations as well as during counterattacks. Regarding his speed and elegance on the ball during his trademark forward runs, in 2017, Karl Matchett of Bleacher Report stated:
His gait, particularly when in possession, was mesmeric. Reasonably unusual in stature for a playmaking midfielder at a little over six feet tall, Kaká could still turn and accelerate past a defender in the same way the smaller, low-centre-of-gravity No. 10s would manage—but that same elegant, long-legged stride made him unstoppable on the run.
Tim Vickery of ESPN wrote, "Kaká running forward with the ball had the power of a freight train. He married power with finesse". He also wrote on the impact of his knee and groin issues at Madrid, adding, "once his acceleration had been reduced, he lacked the subtlety to shine as before." Carl Anka of the BBC writes that his "knee and groin problems sapped him of the explosive half-yard burst he needed to navigate the corridors of midfield uncertainty", and that by 2009, he "was already on the wane." Anka adds that because he was the last player to win FIFA World Player of the Year (in 2007) prior to the Messi-Ronaldo dominance over the next decade, Kaká's standing and recognition in football has been "lost in a haze".
Ronaldinho states, "For two, maybe three seasons [at Milan], he was the best player in the world. There was nothing he couldn't do", while his Milan teammate Andrea Pirlo adds, "There was a point when teams just had no idea how to stop him." Kaká was also renowned for his vision and passing, which allowed him to create goalscoring chances for teammates. Having played as an attacking midfielder throughout his career, Kaká could also play as a winger or as a deep-lying playmaker. In addition to these characteristics, Kaká also had a powerful and accurate strike with both feet, despite being naturally right-footed. He also had the ability to bend the ball and was an accurate penalty taker. In 2020, 90min.com placed Kaká at number 42 in their list of "The 50 Greatest Footballers of All Time".
Personal life
Kaká married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 at a Rebirth in Christ church in São Paulo. The couple have two children, a son and a daughter. In 2015, Kaká and Celico announced their divorce via social media.
Kaká gained Italian citizenship on 12 February 2007. He featured in many Adidas advertisements. He also has a modeling contract with Armani, which prevented him from appearing in a photo collection of Milan players that was published by Armani’s rival, Dolce & Gabbana, in 2007.
Kaká featured on the cover of the Italian edition of EA Sports' FIFA video game FIFA 07, alongside teammate and global star Ronaldinho; he also featured on the covers of regional editions of FIFA 11, FIFA 12, and FIFA 16. He was one of the Ultimate Team Icons in FIFA 20.
Kaká named Raí, the former Brazilian national team and São Paulo FC captain, as his footballing role model. He is best friends with former professional footballer Marcelo Saragosa, as they served as the best man at each others’ weddings. He is also close friends with Colombian striker Radamel Falcao.
In April 2012, Kaká became the first sportsperson to amass ten million followers on Twitter. In March 2015, Kaká had the fifth-highest social media following among athletes, with 33 million Facebook fans, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and Neymar.
Kaká is an evangelical Christian and an active member of the São Paulo-based Rebirth in Christ Church. He became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: "I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not." He removed his jersey to reveal an "I Belong to Jesus" T-shirt and openly engaged in prayers after Brazil's 2002 World Cup triumph, as well as Milan's 2004 Scudetto and Milan’s 2007 Champions League triumphs. He also had the same phrase, along with "God Is Faithful", stitched onto the tongues of his boots. During the celebration after Brazil's 4–1 win over Argentina in the 2005 Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates wore T-shirts that read "Jesus Loves You" in various languages. While receiving the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award in 2007, he said that initially, he just wanted to be a professional player for São Paulo and play one game for the Brazil national team, but that "God gave [him] more than he ever asked for." His goal celebration is him pointing to the sky as a tribute to God. Kaká's favourite music genre is gospel and his favourite book is the Bible. In a 2006 interview with the Brazilian newspaper O Globo, Kaká announced that he wanted to become an evangelical pastor.
Since November 2004, Kaká has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations' World Food Programme, and he was youngest to do so in 2004. In August 2015, Kaká announced he would attend Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida and major in Sports Marketing. On 5 January 2019, he announced his engagement to Brazilian model Carolina Dias on Instagram. Kaká was one of several Brazilian footballers to support Jair Bolsonaro in the 2018 Brazilian presidential election.
Career statistics
Club
International
Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kaká goal.
Honours
São Paulo
Supercampeonato Paulista: 2002
Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 2001
AC Milan
Serie A: 2003–04
Supercoppa Italiana: 2004
UEFA Champions League: 2006–07
UEFA Super Cup: 2007
FIFA Club World Cup: 2007
Real Madrid
La Liga: 2011–12
Copa del Rey: 2010–11
Brazil
FIFA World Cup: 2002
FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, 2009
Individual
Ballon d'Or: 2007
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2007
FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2007
FIFPro World XI: 2006, 2007, 2008
UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2009
UEFA.com Team of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2009
UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2006–07
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2006–07
UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 2004–05
UEFA Champions League Bronze Foot: 2005–06
Pallone d'Argento: 2006–07
World Soccer Player of the Year: 2007
Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2007
Serie A Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2007
Bola de Ouro: 2002
Bola de Prata: 2002
South American Team of the Year: 2002
CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2003
IFFHS World's Best Playmaker: 2007
IAAF Latin Sportsman of the Year: 2007
Onze d'Or: 2007
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2007
Time 100: 2008, 2009
Maracanã Hall of Fame: 2008
Samba Gold: 2008
MARCA Legend Award: 2009
FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2009
FIFA Confederations Cup Best XI: 2009
AC Milan Hall of Fame: 2010
MLS All-Star: 2015, 2016, 2017
MLS All-Star Game MVP: 2015
UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year: 2015 (substitute)
References
External links
Profile at the AC Milan website
Kaká at Major League Soccer
Kaká – FIFA competition record (archived)
Kaká – UEFA competition record (archive)
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Kiara Advani
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Kiara Advani.
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Tell me a bio of Kiara Advani.
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Tell me a bio of Kiara Advani within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Kiara Advani with around 100 words.
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Kiara Advani (born Alia Advani; 31 July 1991), (Hindi pronunciation: [kɪˈjaːra əɽˈʋaːɳi]), is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu language films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, Advani is a recipient of several accolades including an IIFA Award and two Zee Cine Awards, alongside nominations for two Filmfare Awards.
Following a brief career in teaching, Advani made her acting debut with the unremarkable comedy film Fugly (2014). Two years later she starred as MS Dhoni's wife in the commercially successful sports biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016). She gained critical appreciation for playing a sexually unsatisfied wife in the Netflix anthology film Lust Stories (2018) and played the leading lady in the political thriller Bharat Ane Nenu (2018), which was followed by a brief setback.
The romantic drama Kabir Singh (2019) marked a turning point in her career, and she gained further success with the comedy drama Good Newwz, two of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2019. She won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter. She rose to prominence with commercially successful 2022 films—the horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and the family drama Jugjugg Jeeyo. Advani received critical praise for playing Vikram Batra's girlfriend in the war film Shershaah (2021) and a troubled married woman in the romantic drama Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023), receiving nominations for Filmfare Award for Best Actress for both these films.
In addition to her acting career, she is the celebrity endorser for several brands and products. She has walked the Met Gala red carpet in Manhattan in 2025. Advani is married to actor Sidharth Malhotra, with whom she has a daughter.
Early life and background
Advani was born 31 July 1991, to Jagdeep Advani, a Sindhi Hindu businessman and Genevieve Jaffrey, a teacher whose father was originally from Lucknow and whose mother was of Scottish, Irish, Portuguese, and Spanish ancestry. She has a younger brother, Mishaal, who is a musician. She is related to several celebrities through her maternal family. Actors Ashok Kumar and Saeed Jaffrey are her step-great-grandfather and great-uncle, respectively.
Advani was educated at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai. She then attended Jai Hind College, Mumbai where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications.
Born as Alia Advani, she changed her first name to Kiara prior to the release of her first film, Fugly, in 2014. Her choice of name was inspired by Priyanka Chopra's character Kiara in the film Anjaana Anjaani (2010). She stated that it was Salman Khan's suggestion to change her name, as Alia Bhatt was already an established actress.
Career
Early work and struggle (2014–2019)
Advani began her acting career with the ensemble comedy film Fugly (2014) alongside newcomer Mohit Marwah. Where she played Devi, a girl, who is strong headed and quite capable of giving it back. Mehul S Thakkar of Deccan Chronicle found her "very striking" and said that she "shows a lot of promise". Fugly underperformed at the box office but she received a nomination at the Screen Awards for Best Female Debut. She admitted that after her debut film’s failure, she felt "very low" and waited for the opportunities.
Two years later, Advani starred in the sports drama M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), a biopic of cricketer MS Dhoni who served as the former captain of Indian cricket team. Where she played as the real-life character of his wife Sakshi Rawat, a hotel manager opposite Sushant Singh Rajput (who essayed Dhoni). Rachit Gupta of Filmfare felt she was overshadowed by Patani. M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story was a major commercial success with global revenues of over ₹216 crore (US$26 million). She next appeared in Abbas–Mustan's action thriller Machine (2017). Taran Adarsh despite disliking the film appreciative towards advani, stated that, "she shows "immense promise" and "potential" and was the surprise element in the film". The film was a disaster at the box office. She next collaborated with filmmaker Karan Johar, for their first of many films, in the Netflix anthological film Lust Stories (2018), where she starred opposite Vicky Kaushal as his sexually dissatisfied wife. Writing for NDTV, Raja Sen found her to be "positively lovely" in it.
Advani expanded to Telugu cinema in 2018, appearing with Mahesh Babu in the action film Bharat Ane Nenu from Koratala Siva, about a student who unexpectedly becomes the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. Janani K of India Today opined that she "shines in her brief role" but added that her character was "more of an eye-candy who doesn't add any purpose to the story". The film grossed ₹225 crore (US$27 million) worldwide, making it one of Telugu cinema's highest grossers. She, however, failed to replicate this success with her second Telugu film, Vinaya Vidheya Rama, co-starring Ram Charan. In a scathing review for The Hindu, Sangeetha Devi Dundoo wrote, "It isn't Kiara Advani's fault that she looks lost in the melee." In the same year, she had a guest appearance Lajjo, Zafar's love interest co-starring Varun Dhawan in Abhishek Varman's ensemble period film Kalank, produced by Johar.
Rise to prominence (2019–)
Advani received wider attention later in 2019 for Sandeep Reddy Vanga's romantic drama Kabir Singh, starring Shahid Kapoor. The film had a worldwide gross of over ₹378 crore (US$45 million) becoming her highest-grossing release, but critics panned it due to its depiction of misogyny and toxic masculinity. Rajeev Masand bemoaned that her passive character "offers the actress little to work with". She then starred in the comedy Good Newwz alongside Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Diljit Dosanjh, about two couples tryst with in vitro fertilization. Namrata Joshi opined, "Dosanjh and Advani are all about the amplification of the boisterous, kitschy Punjabi stereotype but they play it with an infectious cheer." Both Kabir Singh and Good Newwz grossed over ₹200 crores each domestically, ranking among the year's highest-grossing films. She won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Good Newwz.
In 2020, Advani starred in Johar's production Guilty, a Netflix film about sexual assault. She played Nanki Dutta, a troubled college student. While Ektaa Malik of The Indian Express believed that she had been "reduced to the 'tortured-artistic-creative' types", Rohan Nahaar of Hindustan Times commended her "absolutely electric performance as the unreliable Nanki". Advani was nominated for Best Actress in a Web Original Film at Filmfare OTT Awards. She then played the wife of Akshay Kumar's character in Raghava Lawrence's horror comedy Laxmii, in which Kumar's character gets possessed by a transgender ghost. Laxmii was released digitally on Disney+ Hotstar owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and met with negative reviews. Even so, it attained a strong viewership on the platform. In her final release of 2020, Advani starred in the unremarkable romantic comedy Indoo Ki Jawani (2020). She was cast as Indira Gupta, a girl from Ghaziabad who finds love in dating apps. Critic Ronak Kotecha opined that, "She looks gorgeous but her comic timing is weak. It failed commercially.
Advani next featured in the war film Shershaah (2021), based on the life of army officer Vikram Batra (played by Sidharth Malhotra), in which she played Dimple Cheema, Batra's girlfriend. The film released digitally on Amazon Prime Video, on which it became the most-streamed Indian film. Anna M. M. Vetticad of Firstpost opined that Advani "sparkles" in her brief role. She received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The following year, she appeared with Tabu and Kartik Aaryan in the comedy horror film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Shalini Langer of The Indian Express wrote that she "has little to do except pop up now and then". The film emerged as one of her most commercially successful, with worldwide earnings of over ₹2.6 billion (US$31 million). Advani starred alongside an ensemble cast in Jugjugg Jeeyo, a comedy-drama about divorce, in which Varun Dhawan and her played an unhappily married couple. Writing for Hindustan Times, Monika Rawal Kukreja commended her "restrained performance" in it. It earned ₹1.35 billion (US$16 million) worldwide.
She then starred in the comic thriller Govinda Naam Mera, with Vicky Kaushal and Bhumi Pednekar, which released digitally on Disney+ Hotstar. Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com opined that "Kiara Advani's energy is capable of far more heavy lifting than it gets credit for." Advani reunited with Kartik Aaryan in Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023), a romantic drama about a troubled marriage. Scroll.in's Nandini Ramnath found her "sensitive, soulful" performance to be "affecting", adding that she "displays further evidence of her growing confidence". It emerged as a modest commercial success. Advani received her second Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Two years later, Advani appeared in the Telugu action film Game Changer (2025), directed by S. Shankar and co-starring Ram Charan. Firstpost's Vinamra Mathur bemoaned that she had been wasted in an "inconsequential romantic track". It failed to recoup its estimated ₹4 billion (US$47 million) investment. Advani will next star in YRF Spy Universe's War 2, alongside Hrithik Roshan, and appear alongside Yash in the action film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Advani will also join the Don franchise sequel Don 3.
Personal life
Despite persistent rumours of a relationship with actor Sidharth Malhotra since 2020, Advani did not publicly comment on it. They were married on 7 February 2023 in a traditional Hindu ceremony in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The wedding attracted significant media coverage, with their photos becoming the most-liked Instagram post in India. Advani gave birth to their daughter on 15 July 2025.
Other work and media image
Raghuvendra Singh of Filmfare finds Advani to be "charming, vivacious and always full on energy". Shama Bhagat of The New Indian Express notes, "After almost written off by critics after her debut film, Advani had taken the failure in her stride and is evidently on a success spree with hit after hit."
Advani supports a number of social causes. She promoted the "Quaker Feed A Child" initiative of Smile Foundation and also supported The Quint's initiative #SpreadTheLight. During COVID-19 crisis, she donated to the "I Stand With Humanity" campaign, to help daily wage workers of the film and television industry.
Advani is an endorser for several brands and products, including Audi, Galaxy Chocolate, Colgate, and Slice. In 2019, she took part in a campaign as brand ambassador for Giordano handbags. In 2020, she collaborated with Myntra and in 2022, she was signed by the Spanish retailer Mango for an Indian campaign. In 2023, Reliance Retail's beauty brand Tira and Quaker Oats Company signed her as an ambassador. Advani's brand value was estimated by Kroll Inc. (formerly Duff & Phelps) to be US$60 million in 2023, the twelfth-highest among Indian celebrities and third-highest among actresses behind.
Advani has featured in The Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Woman", ranking sixth in 2019 and fourth in 2020. In 2019 and 2022, Rediff.com placed her at fourth and seventh, respectively, in their listing of the top 10 Popular Stars of Bollywood Cinema. In 2022, GQ India ranked Advani in their "30 Most Influential Young Indians" listings and named her one of the best dressed celebrities in the country. In 2023, Advani became the most searched personality on Google in India. In 2024, she was placed 33rd on IMDb's List of 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars. The same year, Advani is among India's highest tax-paying celebrities. In 2025, Advani made her Met Gala debut with a baby bump in a custom Gaurav Gupta gown titled Bravehearts. She emerged as the Top Key Voices with an earned media value (EMV) of $15.3 million, the highest at this year’s gala.
Advani has performed on stage at the Filmfare, Screen and Zee Cine award ceremonies.
In March 2023, she performed at the opening ceremony of the Women's Premier League alongside Kriti Sanon and AP Dhillon. In October that year, she performed at an event in Doha for the "Entertainer No. 1" tour, alongside Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Tiger Shroff, Rakul Preet Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ash King.
Filmography
Films
All films are in Hindi unless otherwise noted.
Television
Music videos
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
Kiara Advani at IMDb
Kiara Advani at Bollywood Hungama
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Witold Gombrowicz
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Witold Gombrowicz.
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Tell me a bio of Witold Gombrowicz.
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Tell me a bio of Witold Gombrowicz within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Witold Gombrowicz with around 100 words.
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Witold Marian Gombrowicz (August 4, 1904 – July 24, 1969) was a Polish writer and playwright. His works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox and absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. In 1937, he published his first novel, Ferdydurke, which presented many of his usual themes: problems of immaturity and youth, creation of identity in interactions with others, and an ironic, critical examination of class roles in Polish society and culture.
He gained fame only during the last years of his life, but is now considered one of the foremost figures of Polish literature. His diaries were published in 1969 and are, according to the Paris Review, "widely considered his masterpiece", while Cosmos is considered, according to The New Yorker, "his most accomplished novel". He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times, from 1966 to 1969.
Biography
Polish years
Gombrowicz was born in Małoszyce near Opatów, then in Radom Governorate, Congress Poland, Russian Empire, to a wealthy gentry family of the Kościesza coat of arms. He was the youngest of four children of Jan Onufry and Antonina (née Ścibor-Kotkowska of the Ostoja coat of arms). In an autobiographical piece, A Kind of Testament, he wrote that his family had lived for 400 years in Lithuania on an estate between Vilnius and Kaunas but were displaced after his grandfather was accused of participating in the January Uprising of 1863. He later described his family origins and social status as early instances of a lifelong sense of being "between" (entre). In 1911 his family moved to Warsaw. After completing his education at Saint Stanislaus Kostka's Gymnasium in 1922, Gombrowicz studied law at Warsaw University, earning a MJur in 1927. He spent a year in Paris, where he studied at the Institute of Higher International Studies (French: Institut des Hautes Etudes Internationales). He was less than diligent in his studies, but his time in France brought him in constant contact with other young intellectuals. He also visited the Mediterranean.
When Gombrowicz returned to Poland, he began applying for legal positions with little success. In the 1920s he started writing. He soon rejected the legendary novel, whose form and subject matter were supposed to manifest his "worse" and darker side of nature. Similarly, his attempt to write a popular novel in collaboration with Tadeusz Kępiński was a failure. At the turn of the 1920s and 1930s, Gombrowicz began to write short stories, later printed under the title Memoirs of a Time of Immaturity, edited by Gombrowicz and published under the name Bacacay, the street where he lived during his exile in Argentina. From the moment of this literary debut, his reviews and columns began appearing in the press, mainly the Kurier Poranny (Morning Courier). Gombrowicz met with other young writers and intellectuals, forming an artistic café society in Zodiak and Ziemiańska, both in Warsaw. The publication of Ferdydurke, his first novel, brought him acclaim in literary circles.
Exile in Argentina
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, Gombrowicz took part in the maiden voyage of the Polish transatlantic liner MS Chrobry to South America. When he learned of the outbreak of war in Europe, he decided to wait in Buenos Aires until it was over; he reported to the Polish legation in 1941 but was considered unfit for military duties. He stayed in Argentina until 1963—often, especially during the war, in poverty.
At the end of the 1940s Gombrowicz was trying to gain a position in Argentine literary circles by publishing articles, giving lectures at the Fray Mocho café, and, finally, by publishing in 1947 a Spanish translation of Ferdydurke, with the help of friends including Virgilio Piñera. This version of the novel is now considered a significant event in the history of Argentine literature, but at the time of its publication it did not bring Gombrowicz any great renown, nor did the 1948 publication of his drama Ślub in Spanish (The Marriage, El Casamiento). From December 1947 to May 1955 Gombrowicz worked as a bank clerk in Banco Polaco, the Argentine branch of Bank Pekao, and formed a friendship with Zofia Chądzyńska, who introduced him to Buenos Aires's political and cultural elite. In 1950 he started exchanging letters with Jerzy Giedroyc, and in 1951 he began to publish work in the Parisian journal Culture, in which fragments of Dziennik (Diaries) appeared in 1953. In the same year he published a volume of work that included Ślub and the novel Trans-Atlantyk, in which the subject of national identity on emigration was controversially raised. After October 1956 four of Gombrowicz's books appeared in Poland and brought him great renown, even though the authorities did not allow the publication of Dziennik (Diary).
Gombrowicz had affairs with both men and women. In his later serialised Diary (1953–69) he wrote about his adventures in the homosexual underworld of Buenos Aires, particularly his experiences with young men from the lower class, a theme he picked up again when interviewed by Dominique de Roux in A Kind of Testament (1973).
Last years in Europe
In the 1960s Gombrowicz became recognised globally, and many of his works were translated, including Pornografia (Pornography) and Kosmos (Cosmos). His dramas were staged in theatres around the world, especially in France, Germany and Sweden.
Having received a scholarship from the Ford Foundation, Gombrowicz returned to Europe in 1963. In April 1963 he embarked on an Italian ship, landing at Cannes and then taking a train to Paris. A record of the journey can be found in his diary. Gombrowicz stayed for a year in West Berlin, where he endured a slanderous campaign organised by the Polish authorities. His health deteriorated during this stay, and he was unable to return to Argentina. He went back to France in 1964 and spent three months in Royaumont Abbey, near Paris, where he met Rita Labrosse, a Canadian from Montreal who studied contemporary literature. In 1964 he moved to the Côte d'Azur in the south of France with Labrosse, whom he employed as his secretary. He spent the rest of his life in Vence, near Nice.
Gombrowicz's health prevented him from thoroughly benefiting from his late renown. It worsened notably in spring 1964; he became bedridden and was unable to write. In May 1967 he was awarded the Prix International. The following year, on December 28, he married Labrosse. On the initiative of his friend Dominique de Roux, who hoped to cheer him up, he gave a series of 13 lectures on the history of philosophy to de Roux and Labrosse, ironically titled "Guide to Philosophy in Six Hours and Fifteen Minutes", which de Roux transcribed. The lectures began with Kant and ended with existentialism. The series ended before Gombrowicz could deliver the last part, interrupted by his death on July 24, 1969. He was buried in the cemetery in Vence.
Writing
Gombrowicz wrote in Polish, but he did not allow his works to be published in Poland until the authorities lifted the ban on the unabridged version of Dziennik, his diary, in which he described their attacks on him. Because he refused publication in Poland, he remained largely unknown to the general reading public until the first half of the 1970s. Still, his works were printed in Polish by the Paris Literary Institute of Jerzy Giedroyć and translated into more than 30 languages. Moreover, his dramas were repeatedly staged around the world by prominent directors such as Jorge Lavelli, Alf Sjöberg, Ingmar Bergman, and Jerzy Jarocki and Jerzy Grzegorzewski in Poland.
The salient characteristics of Gombrowicz's writing include incisive descriptions of characters' psychological entanglement with others, an acute awareness of conflicts that arise when traditional cultural values clash with contemporary values, and an exasperated yet comedic sense of the absurd. Gombrowicz's clear and precise descriptions criticise Polish Romanticism, and he once claimed he wrote in defiance of Adam Mickiewicz (especially in Trans-Atlantic). Gombrowicz's work has links with existentialism and structuralism. It is also known for its playful allusions and satire, as in a section of Trans-Atlantic written in the form of a stylised 19th-century diary, followed by a parody of a traditional fable.
For many critics and theorists, the most engaging aspects of Gombrowicz's work are the connections with European thought in the second half of the 20th century, which link him with the intellectual heritage of Foucault, Barthes, Deleuze, Lacan, and Sartre. As Gombrowicz said, "Ferdydurke was published in 1937 before Sartre formulated his theory of the regard d'autrui. But it is owing to the popularization of Sartrean concepts that this aspect of my book has been better understood and assimilated."
Gombrowicz uses first-person narrative in his novels, except Opętani. The language includes many neologisms. Moreover, he created "keywords" that shed their symbolic light on the sense covered under the ironic form (e.g. gęba, pupa in Ferdydurke).
In the story "Pamiętnik z okresu dojrzewania" Gombrowicz engages in paradoxes that control the entrance of the individual into the social world and the repressed passions that rule human behaviour. In Ferdydurke he discusses form as a universal category that is understood in philosophical, sociological, and aesthetic senses, and is a means of enslavement of the individual by other people and society as a whole. Certain turns of phrase in the novel became common usage in Polish, such as upupienie (imposing on the individual the role of somebody inferior and immature) and gęba (a personality or an authentic role imposed on somebody). Ferdydurke can be read as a satire of various Polish communities: progressive bourgeoisie, rustic, conservative. The satire presents the human either as a member of a society or an individual who struggles with himself and the world.
Adaptations of Ferdydurke and other works of Gombrowicz were presented by many theatres, especially before 1986, when the first nine volumes of his works were published. It was the only official way to gain access to his work.
Gombrowicz's first dramatic text was Iwona, księżniczka Burgunda (Ivona, Princess of Burgundia, 1938), a tragicomedy. It describes what the enslavement of form, custom, and ceremony brings.
In 1939 he published in installments in two daily newspapers the popular novel Opętani, in which he interlaced the form of the Gothic novel with that of sensational modern romance.
In Ślub, written just after the war, Gombrowicz used the form of Shakespeare's and Calderón’s theatre. He also critically undertook the theme of the romantic theatre (Zygmunt Krasiński, Juliusz Słowacki) and portrayed a new concept of power and a human being created by other people.
In Trans-Atlantyk Gombrowicz juxtaposes the traditional vision of a human who serves values with a new vision according to which an individual frees oneself of this service and fulfills oneself. The representative of this model of humanity is the eccentric millionaire Gonzalo.
The novel Pornografia shows Poland in wartime, when the eternal order of traditional culture, based on faith in God, collapsed. In its place appears a new reality where the elderly and the young cooperate to realise their cruel fascinations streaked with eroticism.
Kosmos is Gombrowicz's most complex and ambiguous work. In it he portrays how human beings create a vision of the world, what forces, symbolic order, and passion take part in this process and how the novel form organises itself in the process of creating sense.
Operetka, Gombrowicz's last play, uses operetta form to grotesquely present 20th-century totalitarianism. At the same time, he expresses a tentative faith in rebirth through youth.
According to many scholars, his most outstanding work is Dziennik (Diaries), not only as a literary work but also philosophical: "The affectingly cool critic of European tradition, the diagnostician of the disease afflicting contemporary thought, the great artist and moralist. If I were to designate a worthy successor to the Joyful science of Nietzschean criticism and poetry in twentieth century literature, I would answer: Gombrowicz in his Diary" (Wojciech Karpiński). Dziennik was published in serial form in Kultura from 1953 to 1969. It is not only Gombrowicz's record of life but also a philosophical essay, polemic, collection of auto-reflection on folk poetry, views on politics, national culture, religion, tradition, and many other themes. He writes in ostensibly casual anecdotes and uses a wide range of literary devices.
Three of Gombrowicz's novels were adapted for film: Ferdydurke (1991) directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, Pornografia (2003) directed by Jan Jakub Kolski, and Cosmos (2015) directed by Andrzej Żuławski.
2004, the centenary of his birth, was declared the Year of Gombrowicz.
Gombrowicz's last extensive work, Kronos, was published in Poland by Wydawnictwo Literackie on May 23, 2013. From May 2024, a manuscript of the Kronos is presented at a permanent exhibition in the Palace of the Commonwealth in Warsaw.
Style
Gombrowicz's works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox, and an absurd, anti-nationalist flavor. Ferdydurke presents many themes explored in his later work: the problems of immaturity and youth, the masks people wear, and an ironic, critical examination of class roles in Polish society and culture, specifically the nobility and provincials. It provoked sharp critical reactions and immediately divided Gombrowicz's audience into worshipers and sworn enemies.
In his work, Gombrowicz struggled with Polish traditions and the country's difficult history. This battle was the starting point for his stories, which were deeply rooted in this tradition and history. Gombrowicz is remembered by scholars and admirers as a writer and a man unwilling to sacrifice his imagination or his originality for any price, person, god, society, or doctrine.
Oeuvre: bibliography, translations, adaptations
Gombrowicz's novels and plays have been translated into 35 languages.
Bacacay (short stories, 1933); original title Pamiętnik z okresu dojrzewania, later retitled Bakakaj
Bacacay, tr. Bill Johnston, Archipelago Books, 2004, ISBN 0-9728692-9-8.
Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (play, 1935); Iwona, księżniczka Burgunda
Ferdydurke (novel, 1937)
Ferdydurke, tr. Danuta Borchardt, Yale University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-300-08240-1.
Possessed (novel, 1939); Opętani
Possessed: The Secret of Myslotch: A Gothic Novel, tr. J.A. Underwood (Marion Boyars, 1980), ISBN 9780714526843.
Possessed, tr. Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Fitzcarraldo Editions, 2023)
The Marriage (play, 1948); Ślub
Trans-Atlantyk (novel, 1953)
Trans-Atlantyk, tr. Carolyn French and Nina Karsov, Yale University Press (reprint), 1995, ISBN 0-300-06503-5.
Trans-Atlantyk: An Alternate Translation, tr. Danuta Borchardt, Yale University Press, 2014, ISBN 0-300-17530-2.
Pornografia (novel, 1960)
Pornografia, Danuta Borchardt translator, Grove Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0-8021-1925-4.
Cosmos (novel, 1965); Kosmos
Cosmos and Pornografia: Two Novels, tr. Eric Mosbacher and Alastair Hamilton, Grove Press (reissue edition), 1994, ISBN 0-8021-5159-0.
Cosmos, tr. Danuta Borchardt, Yale University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-300-10848-6.
Operetta (play, 1966); Operetka
Diaries, 1953–1969 (diary, 1969); Dzienniki
Diary Volumes 1–3, tr. Lillian Vallee, introductory essay: Wojciech Karpiński, Northwestern University Press, 1988, ISBN 0-8101-0715-5.
Other translations
A Guide to Philosophy in Six Hours and Fifteen Minutes, Benjamin Ivry translator, Yale University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-300-10409-X.
Polish Memories, tr. Bill Johnston, Yale University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-300-10410-3.
A Kind of Testament, tr. Alastair Hamilton, Dalkey Archive Press (reprint), 2007, ISBN 1-56478-476-2.
Film adaptations
Ferdydurke (1991) in Polish, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski. Also known as 30 Door Key.
Pornografia (2003) in Polish, directed by Jan Jakub Kolski. Also known as Pornography.
Cosmos (2015) in French, directed by Andrzej Żuławski. Won award for directing in Locarno, 2015.
The documentary filmmaker Nicolas Philibert made a documentary set in the radical French psychiatric clinic La Borde entitled Every Little Thing (French La Moindre des choses); released in 1997, the film follows the patients and staff as they stage a production of Gombrowicz's Operette.
Opera adaptations
Yvonne, Prinzessin von Burgund (1973), composed by Boris Blacher, in four acts, premiered in Wuppertal
Die Trauung (The Marriage) by Volker David Kirchner, premiered on 27 April 1975 at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, conducted by Siegfried Köhler
Opérette (2002), composed by Oscar Strasnoy, premiered in 2003 at Grand Théâtre de Reims, France
Geschichte/History (2003), a cappella opera composed by Oscar Strasnoy, premiered in 2004 at Theaterhaus de Stuttgart
Die Besessenen (The Possessed) (2008–2009), composed by Johannes Kalitzke, premiered in 2010 at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, Austria, on 19 February
Yvonne, princesse de Bourgogne (2009), composed by Philippe Boesmans, premiered at the Paris Opera
See also
List of Polish-language authors
List of Poles
References
Further reading
Ewa M. Thompson, Witold Gombrowicz (Boston: Hall, 1979), ISBN 0-8057-6351-1
William Whiteford, Witold Gombrowicz: A Biography (West Columbia, SC: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2017, ISBN 9781976372742
External links
Official website (in Polish, French, Spanish, English, and German)
The World of Witold Gombrowicz, exhibition at Yale's Beinecke Library, Yale
Culture.pl Profiles: Witold Gombrowicz
Witold Gombrowicz, and to Hell with Culture, Benjamin Paloff essay
Witold Gombrowicz Archive
About Witold Gombrowicz's unknown journal
What You Didn't Know About Gombrowicz
Kronos review of private diaries.
http://www.pennilesspress.co.uk/NRB/ERRANT.htm Georges Sebbag on Gombrowicz translated by Howard Slater from L'Archibras No.3, 1968.
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Maurice Jones-Drew
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Maurice Jones-Drew.
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Tell me a bio of Maurice Jones-Drew.
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Tell me a bio of Maurice Jones-Drew within 100 words.
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Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew (born March 23, 1985), often called "MJD", is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2005.
Jones-Drew was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times, and led the NFL in rushing yards in 2011. He played his first eight seasons with the Jaguars, through 2013. In his final season in 2014, he played for the Oakland Raiders.
Following his retirement, Jones-Drew entered broadcasting, serving as a football color analyst for NFL Now and other shows on NFL Network, in addition to hosting for CBS Sports their Monday Night studio show for their UK networks. He is currently the color analyst for the Los Angeles Rams.
Early life
Born in Oakland, California, Jones-Drew was raised in Antioch and graduated from De La Salle High School in Concord.
De La Salle owns the longest winning streak in high school football history at 151 games. The Spartan football teams that Jones-Drew played on never lost a single game during his three-year varsity career. He was an elusive, high-scoring running back and return specialist on offense and a punishing linebacker on defense. Jones-Drew somersaulted into the national consciousness as a high school junior in 2001 when he scored all four of De La Salle's touchdowns in a 29-15 nationally televised victory over Long Beach Poly on October 6. It was the first game that ever matched up the nation's No. 1 and No. 2 ranked high school football teams. On the Spartans' opening drive, Jones-Drew received a short pass in the right flat on third-and-eight from the Poly 25-yard line. He broke a tackle and then sprinted down the right sideline before launching a spectacular forward somersault into the end zone. Drew next scored on a 29-yard reception on fourth down in which he ran a circle route out of the backfield down the left sideline and hauled in an over-the-shoulder touch pass at the goal line from quarterback Matt Gutierrez. Drew's third touchdown came in the second quarter when he burst through the line, shook off two tacklers, before hitting paydirt 17 yards later. Drew's final score salted away the historic De La Salle victory. It was a similar effort to his third touchdown and came on a 22-yard run with just under seven minutes remaining. Drew finished with nine carries for 86 yards and three catches for another 79 yards.
During his junior season, Jones-Drew rushed for nearly 2,000 yards, averaged nearly 12 yards per carry, and scored 26 touchdowns. He was rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation in 2003 by Rivals.com. He is pictured outrunning a slew of defenders on the cover of the book When the Game Stands Tall, which chronicles the De La Salle Spartans' all-time-record 151-game winning streak.
Jones-Drew also ran track for the De La Salle track team and was a member of the Spartans' 4 x 100 metres relay state championship meet team of 2002, which posted a non-finals-qualifying time of 42.20 seconds during the meet's preliminaries. At the age of 16, he posted a personal best time of 10.80 seconds in the 100 meters. He also ran for the Bruins' track team at UCLA.
College career
Jones-Drew accepted a football scholarship to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played for the Bruins under head coach Karl Dorrell from 2003 to 2005. Despite being undersized, Jones-Drew led the Bruins in rushing all three years he was on the squad and showed good pass catching ability and big playmaking skills as both a punt and kickoff returner. He was the fifth player in Bruins history to lead the team in rushing in three seasons.
In 2005, Jones-Drew set an all-time NCAA single-season record with a 28.5 yards per return average on 15 punt returns, breaking the previous record of 25.9 yards per return held by Bill Blackstock of Tennessee in 1951. His career average of 23.2 yards per punt return ranks second in NCAA history. Jones-Drew also established a number of UCLA records, including the career all-purpose yardage record (4,688 yards). As a sophomore against Washington, Jones-Drew set UCLA's all-time record for yards rushing in a single game (322 yards) and also scored a school-record five touchdowns.
On his first carry of the game, he burst to the outside and raced 47 yards to tie the game at 7–7. On his second carry, with UCLA trailing 24-7 and 2:30 remaining in the first quarter, he raced 62 yards for another touchdown. On his fourth carry, a third-and-12 with 40 seconds left in the first quarter, he sped 58 yards for his third touchdown. In the first quarter alone, he rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on four attempts. He gave the Bruins the lead for good (27–24) with 4:16 remaining in the first half when he scooted around right end for a 15-yard touchdown. In the third quarter, he broke numerous tackles en route to his school-record fifth touchdown, a 37-yard run on the Bruins' first possession of the half. His total of 322 yards rushing was the 3rd most in the history of the Pac-10 Conference, and his overall performance earned him several National Player of the Week awards.
His final year in college, his junior year, he was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection as a punt returner, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American as an all-purpose back and kick returner. He was also the first Bruin since Jackie Robinson to lead the country in punt returning. Additionally, Jones-Drew was named second-team All-Pac 10 as a running back. Jones-Drew gave a sign of things to come when, as a freshman, he rushed for 176 yards on only 18 carries against Arizona State, including an 83-yard scamper down the left sideline to the end zone which put UCLA ahead in the game for good in the third quarter. The run was the longest ever by a Bruin true freshman and ranked ninth (tied) overall on the school's list of long runs. His 176-yard day ranks No. 2 on UCLA's all-time list for true freshmen. Jones-Drew led the Bruins in rushing that season, becoming the first true freshman to lead the Bruins in rushing since DeShaun Foster in 1998. He was also named first-team All-Pac 10 as a kick returner by The Sporting News. In his collegiate career, Jones-Drew had 16 touchdowns of 40-plus yards.
College statistics
Professional career
Jacksonville Jaguars
2006 season
Jones-Drew, age 21, was selected in the second round of the 2006 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, 60th overall, to eventually replace veteran running back Fred Taylor. He was passed on by all 32 teams in the draft, most citing his height (5 ft 6¾ in, 169.5 cm) as the reason why he would not succeed in the NFL. He stated this was the reason he choose to wear 32 as his jersey number in the NFL.
In the beginning, he was used mostly for kick-off returns, but he eventually became the Jaguars' primary third-down running back, behind Taylor. Against the Colts on December 10, Jones-Drew set a franchise record with 166 rushing yards and 303 all-purpose yards, which included a 93-yard kickoff return for touchdown. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 14. He had already broken Jaguars team records by scoring at least one rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games (the previous record was four straight games) and by gaining 2,250 all-purpose yards.
Jones-Drew finished third in the NFL in both kickoff returns (27.7 yd avg) and touchdowns scored (16). He was also one of only two players in the NFL to score at least one touchdown rushing, receiving, and returning kicks (Reggie Bush was the other). Jones-Drew also led all AFC running backs in scrimmage yards per touch. Narrowly missing 1,000 yards for the season, his rushing average of 5.7 yds per carry was first in the NFL for backs with 100 attempts and was the highest for an NFL running back since Barry Sanders averaged 6.1 yards per rush in 1997. In addition, he had the third-most all-purpose yards of any rookie in history.
He finished tied for second in the balloting for Offensive Rookie of the Year, awarded to quarterback Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans.
2007 season
In his second season in the NFL, Jones-Drew had already proven to be one of the most versatile running backs in the league.
In his 2007 season debut, Jones-Drew's production was just average. During a 13–10 loss against the Tennessee Titans, Jones-Drew had 32 yards on seven carries in a game that produced just 48 rushing yards between Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor combined. Jones-Drew's fumble at the 8-yard line in the 4th quarter was the last scoring opportunity for the Jaguars in that game. Promises that the running game would get better as the season progressed were realized when Jones-Drew celebrated his first touchdown of the year in the fourth game of the season, a 17–7 win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The following week against the Houston Texans, Jones-Drew rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries to go along with four receptions for 59 yards. In Week 10, he rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans. He would score a touchdown in each of the following three weeks. In Week 16 against the Oakland Raiders, he had 140 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in the 49–11 victory. He finished the season with 167 carries for 768 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns to go along with 40 receptions for 407 receiving yards.
Although his role as a running back was diminished during the 2007 postseason, he still managed to impact the game with his capabilities as a receiver and a return man. In the Wild Card Round against Pittsburgh he totaled 198 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown was a 43-yard pass from David Garrard, his second was a 10-yard run which put the Jaguars up 28–10 in the third quarter. He returned a kick-off 96 yards to set up the Jaguars' first score of the night, a Fred Taylor one-yard run. The Jaguars defeated the Steelers 31–29. A week later against New England, he had 68 scrimmage yards in the 31–20 loss in the Divisional Round.
2008 season
Three Jaguars offensive linemen were injured in the 2008 season and Jones-Drew was not as explosive as he was in 2007. His first 100-yard rushing game of the season came against the Indianapolis Colts, where the Jaguars won by a score of 23–21 on a last second field goal by kicker Josh Scobee in Week 3. In Week 6 against the Denver Broncos, he totaled 22 carries for 125 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 24–17 victory. In Week 10 against the struggling Detroit Lions, where Jones-Drew posted three touchdowns, all in the first half. In Week 12, against the Minnesota Vikings, he had nine receptions for 113 receiving yards. In Week 16, Jones-Drew was given the opportunity to carry the load with Fred Taylor on injured reserve. He totaled 162 scrimmage yards in a 31–24 loss to the Colts.
In the 2008 season, Jones-Drew gained 824 yards on 197 attempts, posting a 4.2 yard per carry average. He gained 12 touchdowns on the ground. Jones-Drew was used more in the passing game than his previous seasons and he managed 525 yards on 62 receptions.
2009 season
Following the departure of Taylor, Jones-Drew became the unquestioned starting running back. Jones-Drew had a record-breaking season in 2009 for the Jaguars. In Week 3 against the Houston Texans, he had 23 carries for 119 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the 31–24 victory. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 3. In Week 6, against the St. Louis Rams, he had 178 scrimmage yards and three rushing touchdowns in the 23–20 victory. In a 13–30 loss to the Tennessee Titans during Week 8, Jones-Drew rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on only eight carries, one for 80 yards and another for 79 yards. This performance tied Hall of Famer Barry Sanders' record of rushing for two touchdowns in a single game of 75 yards or more, which was set by Sanders in a Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1997. Jones-Drew became the third player to share the record, as San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore, also tied Sanders' record in a Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks during the same season. In Week 15, he had 140 scrimmage yards, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving touchdown in the 35–31 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Overall, Jones-Drew rushed for 1,391 yards on 312 attempts, a 4.5 yards per carry average, and 15 touchdowns. He was also one of the big components in the Jaguars passing attack, as he had 53 receptions for 374 yards and a touchdown. In an article by Thomas George, Jones-Drew had been recognized as the most versatile offensive player in the NFL.
Jones-Drew was selected to the Pro Bowl.
2010 season
In Week 4 of the 2010 season, Jones-Drew had 121 scrimmage yards, one rushing touchdown, and one receiving touchdown in a 31–28 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys, he had 27 carries for 135 rushing yards in the 35–17 victory. In the following game against the Houston Texans, he had 123 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 31–24 victory. In the next game, against the Cleveland Browns, he had 220 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in the 24–20 victory. In Week 13 against the Tennessee Titans, he had 31 carries for 186 rushing yards in the 17–6 victory. Jones-Drew played the entire 2010 season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He became aware of the extent of the injury in training camp, but tried to keep it a secret to prevent opponents from intentionally taking shots at his knee. He only missed two games during the season. He was named to his second Pro Bowl. After the 2010 season, he was named Running Back of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association.
Although the Jaguars did not make the playoffs, Jones-Drew drew attention in the postseason with comments he made questioning the severity of an in-game injury to Jay Cutler in the NFC Championship Game. Jones-Drew stated that he was also rooting for the Bears, but his injury prompted him to say: "All I'm saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee ... I played the whole season on one", as well as comparing Cutler to former University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer. He was ranked 30th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.
2011 season
In Week 3, against the Carolina Panthers, Jones-Drew had 167 scrimmage yards in the 16–10 loss. In Week 14 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jones-Drew had 85 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, six receptions, 51 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns in the 41–14 victory. He scored 24 total points in the game, which was the most by any player in a single game in the 2011 season. In Week 17, against the Indianapolis Colts, he had 25 carries for 169 rushing yards in the 19–13 victory. He led the NFL in rushing yards during the 2011 season, and broke the Jaguars franchise records for both rushing yards in a season (1,606) and yards from scrimmage (1,980). Jones-Drew did all of this despite the Jaguars' offensive struggles, accounting for 47.7% of the Jaguars yards.
Jones-Drew was named to the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl as a back-up for Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice as a result of his spectacular season. He earned first team All-Pro honors. He was 12th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.
2012 season
Jones-Drew began the 2012 season by not attending organized team activities or training camp in hopes of signing a new contract with the Jaguars. Jones-Drew had two years remaining on a deal he signed in 2009, according to which his average salary was lower than that of fellow running backs Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster, Steven Jackson, DeAngelo Williams, and Marshawn Lynch. There were rumors that he was open to being traded. After missing his team's entire offseason, Jones-Drew ended his holdout and reported to the team's facilities on September 2. In Week 3, against the Indianapolis Colts, he had 28 carries for 177 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in the 22–17 victory. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on December 28, 2012. He finished the season with 86 carries for 414 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown to go along with 14 receptions for 86 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in six games. He was ranked 98th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.
2013 season
In 2013, Jones-Drew finished the season with 234 carries for 803 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. In addition, he had 43 receptions for 314 receiving yards. After eight seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he became a free agent on March 11, 2014.
Oakland Raiders
On March 28, 2014, Jones-Drew returned to the Bay Area and signed a three-year deal with the Oakland Raiders. Jones-Drew's season in Oakland was plagued by futility, as he recorded only 96 yards rushing on 43 attempts (averaging 2.2 yards-per-carry) and zero touchdowns. His number of carries would be limited due to the solid performances of teammates Darren McFadden and Latavius Murray.
Retirement
On March 5, 2015, Jones-Drew announced his retirement from the NFL at age 29. He finished his career as the Jaguars' second leading rusher of all time behind Fred Taylor. On April 28, 2015, he signed a one-day contract to officially retire as a Jaguar.
NFL career statistics
Jaguars franchise records
Most career touchdowns (81)
Most career rushing touchdowns (68)
Most rushing touchdowns in a single season (15 in 2009)
Most rushing yards in a single season (1,606 in 2011)
Longest rushing attempt: 80 (tied with Fred Taylor)
Most career kickoff return touchdowns (2)
Most career kickoff return yards (2,054)
Longest kickoff return: 100 yards
Outside of football
Jones-Drew hosts a two-hour radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio titled Runnin' With MJD which focuses on fantasy football talk and strategy.
In 2011, Jones-Drew appeared as himself along with fellow NFL players Brent Grimes and Sidney Rice in a Season 3 episode of the FX comedy The League.
In 2013, Jones-Drew joined the list of other tattooed athletes who have appeared in PETA's "Ink Not Mink" ads, posing shirtless in support of their anti-fur campaign.
At age 28, Jones-Drew resumed his studies at UCLA in 2013 to complete his bachelor's degree, and lived in a dormitory.
Since 2020, Jones-Drew has been an analyst on Channel 5's Monday Night Football coverage in the UK alongside host Kirsten Watson.
In 2023, Jones-Drew was part of the ITV commentary team on Super Bowl LVII alongside Darren Fletcher and Jack Crawford.
Personal life
Born to Sidney Gayles and Andrea Drew, Jones-Drew was raised by his maternal grandparents, Maurice and Christina Jones. At the height of his college career in 2005, his grandfather suffered a heart attack while walking into the Rose Bowl to see Jones-Drew play against Rice University on September 10. Coach Dorrell broke the news to Drew on the sideline during the game, and he ran to the locker room and left to go to the hospital. To honor the man who raised him, he had his entire legal surname affixed to his jersey, making him "Maurice Jones-Drew."
Jones-Drew is a father of three with two sons (Maurice II and Madden) and one daughter (Alayah). He is married to Ashley Jones-Drew (2012–present) He is also a cousin of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety T. J. Ward.
Since retiring from the NFL, Jones-Drew has become a vegan.
References
External links
UCLA Bruins bio
Maurice Jones-Drew at IMDb
Career statistics from ESPN · Yahoo Sports · Pro Football Reference
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Geraldo de Barros
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Geraldo de Barros.
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Tell me a bio of Geraldo de Barros.
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Tell me a bio of Geraldo de Barros within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Geraldo de Barros with around 100 words.
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Geraldo de Barros (February 27, 1923 – April 17, 1998) was a Brazilian painter and photographer who also worked in engraving, graphic arts, and industrial design. He was a leader of the concrete art movement in Brazil, co-founding Grupo Ruptura and was known for his trailblazing work in experimental abstract photography and modernism. According to The Guardian, De Barros was "one of the most influential Brazilian artists of the 20th century." De Barros is best known for his Fotoformas (1946–1952), a series of photographs that used multiple exposures, rotated images, and abstracted forms to capture a phenomenological experience of Brazil's exponential urbanization in the mid-twentieth century.
Early life and education
De Barros was born in the city Chavantes, in the state of São Paulo in Brazil.
When he was 16 years old, De Barros began taking pictures using a homemade camera that he built himself. At the time he was interested in experimenting with scratching and manipulating the negatives and images.
From 1945 to 1947, De Barros studied drawing and painting with Clóvis Graciano, Collete Pujol, and Yoshioka Takaoka, with a focus on figurative and landscape painting. He moved into the world of abstraction and studied European abstract constructivism and art of the 1920s and 1930s. He was particularly influenced by Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg and the De Stijl movement.
In 1946, De Barros began studying painting at the Associaçião Paulista de Belas Artes.
Career
For many years De Barros supported himself by working at Banco do Brasil.
In 1946 and 1947, De Barros began to explore photography.
In 1948, he co-founded Grupo XV, which was a collective of mostly Japanese painters interested in exploring Post-Impressionist art. In 1948, De Barros was introduced to the concepts of Gestalt theory, where he focused heavily on form, by the critic Mário Pedrosa. He was also influenced at the time by Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, and the Bauhaus movement in relation to industrial design.
In 1949, he started a photography lab with his friend Athaíde de Barros and Thomaz Farkas, and, with the intention of deepening his knowledge, he joined the Foto Cine Clube Bandeirante in São Paulo, a group of artists who focused on pictorialism. Artists in this group included German Lorca, José Yalenti, Thomaz Farkas, among others. During this time, De Barros studied photographic experimental practices from Europe and United States in the work of Moholy-Nagy and Man Ray.
In 1949, De Barros began teaching and organized the photography laboratory of the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP).
In 1950, De Barros held Fotoformas at the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, an exhibition which represented a new era in the process of photography in Brazil. The title was influenced by Gestalt theory.
In 1951, received a scholarship from the French government, and taking a one-year leave from his job at Banco do Brasil, he went to Paris to study lithography at the National Superior School of Fine Arts and engraving at Stanley William Hayter's atelier. He went on to attend the Ulm School of Design in Ulm, Germany, where he studied graphic arts with Otl Aicher and met Max Bill. At this point he abandoned his work in photography to focus on concrete art.
In 1952, De Barros co-founded Grupo Ruptura with Judith Lauand, Luiz Sacilotto, Lothar Charoux, Waldemar Cordeiro, among others. He was involved in writing the manifesto that outlined abstract and concrete art.
De Barros founded the photography group called Escola Paulista.
In 1954, De Barros founded with Frei João Batista a cooperative furniture design company called Unilabor, which was successful and allowed him to leave his job at Banco do Brasil.
In 1964, De Barros went on to found in association with Aloísio Bione another furniture design company called Hobjeto. Both Unilabor and Hobjeto went bankrupt due to the political instability and economic hardship of the time.
In the 1960s, De Barros worked with Nelson Leirner, putting on pop art events, often including outdoor advertisements that had been removed, re-worked, and replaced in the street.
In 1966, De Barros, founded Galeria Rex with Carlos Fajardo, Frederico Nasser, José Rezende Filho, Nelson Leiner, and Wesley Duke Lee as an experiment in the art market and selling art. Although the gallery closed after a year, the Grupo Rex and the work of the group continued for over 12 years.
In 1977, De Barros returned to geometric art and concepts of concrete art, using Formica as his base material in further exploring industrial design.
Geraldo abandoned photography for over 30 years, devoting himself to focus on arts and design.
In 1996, his daughter put together an exhibit of photographs from his archive that was held at Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne, Switzerland, which led to an interest in De Barros' early work in photography.
In 1996, after suffering several brain ischemia and with his motor functions totally debilitated, he resumed working in photography, and with the help of his assistant, the photographer Ana Moraes, made a last series of 250 works called "Sobras."
It wasn't until 1998 that De Barros' work was exhibited in the United States, at Sicardi-Sanders Gallery in Houston, Texas.
Death
De Barros died on April 17, 1998, in São Paulo at the age of 75.
Legacy
Following his death, the legacy of De Barros' work led to an increased coverage and academic and art history-based awareness of his importance and impact as a central figure in Brazil's recent art history. Retrospectives were held in Europe and North America.
Documentary
In 1999, a documentary on De Barros directed by Michel Favre called Geraldo de Barros: Sobras em Obras was released. The film was produced by De Barros' daughter, Fabiana de Barros.
Awards
1952: Forth Centenary of the São Paulo City, Brazil, First Prize for Graphic Design
1953: II Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil, Acquisition Award
1967: IX Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, Brazil, Acquisition Award
1991: XXI Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, Brazil, Second Prize
Selected exhibitions
Selected group exhibitions
Selected solo exhibitions
1950: "Fotoformas", Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (São Paulo)
1965: Museo de Arte Moderno (Buenos Aires) [catalogue]
1976: "12 anos de pintura, 1964 a 1976", Museu de Arte Moderna de Sao Paulo (São Paulo) [catalogue]
1987: Tschudi Galerie (Glarus, Switzerland) [brochure]
1993: "Peintre et photographe", Musée de l’Elysée (Lausanne)
1994: "Fotógrafo", Museu da Imagem e do Som (São Paulo) [catalogue]
1996: "Precursor", Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro) [catalogue]
1999: MMA Collection, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro) [catalogue]
1999–2000: "Fotoformas", Museum Ludwig (Cologne); SESC Pompéia (São Paulo); Musée de l’Elysée (Lausanne) [catalogue]
2001: "Geraldo de Barros and Lygia Pape", Americas Society (New York) [catalogue]
2005: "Javier Pérez. Geraldo de Barros", Galerie Guy Bärtschi (Geneva)
2006: "Fotoformas. Fotografías – Photographies", Museu da Imagem e do Som (São Paulo) [catalogue]
2008: "Free, Freed and Freeing", Sicardi Gallery (Houston, Texas) [catalogue]
2013: "Fotoformas" / "Sobras", The Photographers' Gallery (London)
Selected works
Abstraction, São Paulo at the Museum of Modern Art (1949)
Abstraction, São Paulo at the Museum of Modern Art (1949)
Fotoforma, São Paulo at the Museum of Modern Art (1949)
Self Portrait at the Museum of Modern Art (1949)
Mouvement giratoire at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1949)
São Paulo, Brazil, Neg. 50 at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1949)
São Paulo, Brazil at the Museum of Modern Art (1948–50)
Diagonal Function at the Museum of Modern Art (1952)
Concreto at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1953)
Cartaz para o IV Centenário de São Paulo at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1954)
Selected publications
De Barros, Geraldo (1987). Geraldo de Barros (Exhibition catalog). Glarus: Galerie Tschudi. OCLC 960417819. – 5. September bis 10. Oktober 1987, Galerie Tschudi, Glarus
De Barros, Geraldo (1996). Geraldo de Barros: Precursor (Exhibition catalog) (in Portuguese and English). Rio de Janeiro: Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil. OCLC 45777044. – Catálogo de exposição 25 de janeiro a 24 de março de 1996
De Barros, Geraldo (1999). Misselbeck, Reinhold (ed.). Geraldo de Barros: Fotoformas (1923–1998) (Exhibition catalog). München: Prestel. ISBN 978-3-791-32189-9. OCLC 43268241. – Published on the occasion of the exhibition "Geraldo de Barros: Fotoformas", held at Museum Ludwig, Köln, (26.8.1999 - 25.1.2000); SESC Pompeia, Sao Paulo, (3.11.-3.12.1999); Musée de l'Elysée, Lausanne (July-Sept. 2000)
De Barros, Geraldo; Peres, Adon (essay by) (2001). Geraldo De Barros (Exhibition catalog). New York: Americas Society. ISBN 978-1-879-12823-1. OCLC 58757895. – Published in conjunction with an exhibition organized by the Americas Society as part of "Forma: Brazil series" held from March 20-May 6, 2001
De Barros, Geraldo; Fernandes Jr., Rubens (2006). Geraldo de Barros: Sobras + Fotoformas (in Portuguese, English, and French). São Paulo: Cosac Naify. ISBN 978-8-575-03502-3. OCLC 162101708.
De Barros, Geraldo; Fernando, Castro R. (2008). Geraldo De Barros: Free, Freed and Freeing (Exhibition catalog). Houston, TX: Sicard Gallery. OCLC 612383143. – Published on the occasion of the exhibition, "Geraldo de Barros", which took place at the Sicard Gallery in Houston Texas from May 28-July 5, 2008
De Barros, Geraldo (2006). Girardin, Daniel (ed.). Geraldo De Barros: Fotoformas-Sobras: 195 Photographs (Exhibition catalog) (in English and French). London: Photographers' Gallery. ISBN 978-2-970-07027-6. OCLC 841176110. – Published on the occasion of the exhibition "Geraldo de Barros: What Remains", held at the Photographers' Gallery, London, 17 January - 7 September 2013
De Barros, Geraldo; De Barros, Fabiana (2013). Geraldo de Barros: Isso (Exhibition catalog) (in Portuguese and English). São Paulo: Edições SESC SP. ISBN 978-8-579-95055-1. OCLC 890490179. – Published on the occasion of the exhibition "Geraldo de Barros: Jogos de Dados e Sobras (1980–1990)" held 11 July - 8 Sept., 2013 at Sesc Vila Mariana in São Paulo
References
Further reading
Favre, Michel (1999). Geraldo de Barros: Sobras em Obras (in Portuguese).
Bandeira, João (organização) (2002). Arte concreta paulista. Documentos (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Cosac & Naify, Centro Universitário Maria Antônia da USP. ISBN 978-8-575-03173-5. OCLC 493734032.
Costa, Helouise; Rodrigues da Silva, Renato (2004). A fotografia moderna no Brasil. São Paulo: Cosac Naify. ISBN 978-8-575-03342-5. OCLC 58559387.
Chiarelli, Domingos Tadeu; Lima, Heloisa Espada Rodrigues (2006). Fotoformas: a máquina lúdica de Geraldo de Barros (Thesis/dissertation) (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Escola de Comunicações e Artes, Universidade de São Paulo. doi:10.11606/D.27.2006.tde-13082009-154838. OCLC 691657573.
De Barros, Geraldo; Fernandes Jr., Rubens (2006). Geraldo de Barros: Sobras + Fotoformas (in Portuguese, English, and French). São Paulo: Cosac Naify. ISBN 978-8-575-03502-3. OCLC 162101708.
De Barros, Geraldo; Massi, Augusto (coordenação); Ohtake, Ricardo (textos); Favrod, Charles Henri (textos); Bill, Max (2006). Geraldo de Barros: Fotoformas. Fotografias (in Portuguese) (2nd ed.). São Paulo: Cosac Naify. ISBN 978-8-575-03499-6. OCLC 953867438.
Pérez-Barreiro, Gabriel, ed. (2007). The Geometry of Hope (Exhibition catalog) (in English and Spanish). Austin: Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas at Austin. ISBN 978-0-977-14536-2. OCLC 497031205. Wikidata ()
Suárez, Osbel (exhibition concept and guest curator); García, María Amalia; Agnew, Michael (translations) (2011). Witschey, Erica; Fundación Juan March (eds.). Cold America: Geometric Abstraction in Latin América (1934–1973) (Exhibition catalog). Madrid: Fundación Juan March. ISBN 978-84-7075-588-0. OCLC 707460289. Wikidata ()
Castro, Fernando (Spring 2011). "Aperture 202: Geraldo de Barros: Fotoformas". Aperture (202). ISBN 978-1-597-11185-0. ISSN 0003-6420. OCLC 707542712.
Espada, Heloisa (Summer 2014). "Aperture 215: The São Paulo Issue. Geraldo de Barros". Aperture (215): 66–67. ISSN 0003-6420. OCLC 5595955982.
Gottschaller, Pia; Le Blanc, Aleca (2017). Gottschaller, Pia; Le Blanc, Aleca; Gilbert, Zanna; Learner, Tom; Perchuk, Andrew (eds.). Making Art Concrete: Works from Argentina and Brazil in the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros (Exhibition catalog). Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute and Getty Research Institute / Getty Publications. ISBN 978-1-606-06529-7. OCLC 982373712. Wikidata ()
External links
GeraldodeBarros.com
Geraldo de Barros at the Museum of Modern Art
Geraldo de Barros (artist file) at the Museum of Modern Art
Geraldo de Barros at the Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural
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Roman Šebrle
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Roman Šebrle.
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Tell me a bio of Roman Šebrle.
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Tell me a bio of Roman Šebrle within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Roman Šebrle with around 100 words.
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Roman Šebrle (Czech pronunciation: [ˈroman ˈʃɛbr̩lɛ]; born 26 November 1974) is a retired decathlete from the Czech Republic. He is considered to be one of the best decathlon athletes of all time. Originally a high jumper, he later switched to the combined events and is a former world record holder in the decathlon, holding the record for over eleven years. In 2001 in Götzis he became the first decathlete ever to achieve over 9,000 points, setting the record at 9,026 points, succeeding his compatriot, Tomáš Dvořák, who had scored 8,994 points two years earlier.
After placing second in the decathlon during the 2000 Summer Olympics, Šebrle won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Tradition dictates the winner of the decathlon holds the title of "World's Greatest Athlete".
A panel of experts convened by the Wall Street Journal in 2008 also ranked Šebrle as the world's greatest athlete. That very same year, Šebrle finished 6th in the decathlon in the Beijing Olympics.
Private life
Šebrle was born in Lanškroun, Czechoslovakia. He studied at Gymnázium Františka Martina Pelcla (lit. 'František Martin Pelcl Gymnasium') in Rychnov nad Kněžnou and at Gymnázium Pardubice. Then he studied an extension course of Information Science and Computer Technology.
On 14 October 2000 Šebrle married Eva Kasalová, a former Czech athlete who competed on the track in the 400 and 800 metres. Their son, Štěpán, a professional footballer, was born on 4 September 2002 and their daughter Kateřina on 30 January 2006.
Sporting career
Beginning
When Roman Šebrle was six years old, he started playing football, but also occasionally took part in athletics competitions. In 1987 he broke his calf bone and shin bone on one leg in a collision with the opponent goalkeeper during a football match. After this incident he had his leg in plaster for 2 months and spent one year learning to walk.
He competed in his first decathlon competition in 1991 in Týniště nad Orlicí, reaching 5,187 points. Then he met coach Jiří Čechák who convinced him to change school from Rychnov nad Kněžnou to Pardubice, where he joined the Track and Field Club in 1992. He improved his decathlon personal best to 7642 points, although he did just light training.
TJ Dukla Praha
In 1995 he started his two-year compulsory military service in the Czech Armed Forces. He joined the army sports club Dukla Prague and its group of decathletes led by coach Zdeněk Váňa, and has stayed a member since that time. Thus he is still automatically a soldier of the Czech army, although in fact he does not take part in any military operations or, with a few exceptions, in any military training.
Achievements
In 1996 Šebrle achieved a score of over 8,000 points for the first time, reaching 8,210 points at a meeting in Prague. His first big success came in 1997, when he won the World University Games in Sicily and came ninth at the World Championships in Athens. In 1999 he was successful at the World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, where he won bronze in the heptathlon, and one year later at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Ghent, where he took silver.
By the end of the discus discipline at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, after Estonian Erki Nool was red-flagged three times by the discus judge, it seemed that Roman Šebrle was on course for the gold medal. However, the competition referee overruled the decision and Šebrle finally took silver.
In March 2001 he won the first major tournament – the World Indoor Championships in Lisbon – and in May he shocked the world with a new world record of 9,026 points at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis, marking the first time a decathlete has ever broken the illustrious 9,000 point barrier. However, due to an injury he couldn't do himself justice and finished a disappointed 10th in the World Championships in Edmonton.
Šebrle then left the Váňa's group and started to train with coach Dalibor Kupka in the same club. In 2002 he won both European Indoor Championships in Vienna and European Championships in Munich. In 2004 in Athens he finally won the Olympic Games, reaching 8,893 points and thus beating the 20-year-old Olympic record set by the British decathlete Daley Thompson in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. After the victory in Athens, the Czech minister of defence promoted him to the rank of major.
Šebrle's best World Championships results were gold in 2007 (Osaka) and silver in 2003 (Paris) and 2005 (Helsinki). He was also successful at the World Indoor Championships in heptathlon, taking gold in 2001 (Lisbon) and 2004 (Budapest, beating the European record with 6,438 points), and bronze in 1999 (Maebashi), 2003 (Birmingham) and 2006 (Moscow). In 2005 he won the European Indoor Championships in heptathlon (Madrid), in 2006 the European Championships in decathlon for the second time (Gothenburg) and in 2007 he got his third European indoor gold (Birmingham).
The sum of his personal bests in individual disciplines is 9,326 points (the third ever best after Dan O'Brien and Mike Smith). He is the only decathlete who finished 40 decathlon competitions with the score over 8,000 points and 20 competitions with the score over 8,500 points (as of October 2007).
Šebrle was also voted the Best Czech Athlete of the Year five times in a row (2002–2006), and in 2004 he received the title of the Czech Sportsman of the Year. In 2002 he received the Guth-Jarkovský Trophy for his world record, which is awarded by the Czech Olympic Committee for the best performance by a Czech athlete achieved during the previous year.
Javelin injury
On 22 January 2007, Šebrle was hurt by a javelin thrown by a South African female javelin thrower, Sunette Viljoen, from a distance of 55 metres while training in South Africa. The javelin pierced the edge of his right shoulder from the front, 12 cm deep. Shocked, Šebrle ripped the javelin out immediately, which could have caused even more damage. It did not cause any serious injury however, because it slipped between a muscle and his skin. He was taken to a hospital, but left soon with just eleven stitches. However, he was limited in training for some time, especially in the pole vault. Later he stated that he was only 20 cm away from being killed and 1 cm from an injury that would have ended his career.
Personal bests
Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Outdoor
As of 10 July 2025
Indoor
As of 10 July 2025
List of results
References
External links
Roman Šebrle at World Athletics
Roman Šebrle at European Athletics (archive)
Roman Šebrle at Olympedia
Roman Šebrle at Olympics.comRoman Šebrle at Olympic.org (archived)
Roman Šebrle at Olympijskytym.cz (in Czech)Roman Šebrle at Olympic.cz (in Czech) (archived)
Roman Šebrle Archived 11 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine - profile at Czech.cz
"Roman Sebrle", n°8 on Time's list of "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch"
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Charles B. McVay III
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Charles B. McVay III.
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Tell me a bio of Charles B. McVay III.
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Tell me a bio of Charles B. McVay III within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Charles B. McVay III with around 100 words.
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Charles Butler McVay III (August 31, 1898 – November 6, 1968) was an American naval officer and the commanding officer of the cruiser USS Indianapolis which was lost in action in 1945, resulting in a significant loss of life. Of all captains in the history of the United States Navy, he is the only one subjected to court-martial for losing a ship sunk by an act of war, despite the fact that he was on a top secret mission maintaining radio silence.
The testimony of the Japanese commander who sank his ship also seemed to exonerate McVay. After years of mental health problems, McVay took his own life aged 70 years. Following years of efforts by some survivors and others to clear his name, McVay was posthumously exonerated by the 106th United States Congress and President Bill Clinton on October 30, 2000.
Education and career
Charles Butler McVay III was born in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, on August 31, 1898, to a Navy family. His father, Charles Butler McVay Jr. (1868–1949), commanded the tender Yankton during the cruise of the Great White Fleet (1907–1909), was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War I, and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet in the early 1930s.
Charles III was a 1920 graduate of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Before taking command of Indianapolis in November 1944, McVay was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee of the Combined Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C., the Allies' highest intelligence unit. Earlier in World War II, he was awarded the Silver Star for displaying courage under fire.
McVay led the ship through the invasion of Iwo Jima, then the bombardment of Okinawa in the spring of 1945, during which Indianapolis anti-aircraft guns shot down seven enemy planes before the ship was struck by a kamikaze on March 31. The strike inflicted heavy casualties, including eight dead, and penetrated the ship's hull. McVay returned the ship safely to Mare Island in California for repairs.
Sinking of Indianapolis
Later that year, Indianapolis received orders to carry parts and nuclear material to Tinian to be used in the atomic bombs which were soon to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After delivery, the ship was en route to report for further duty off Okinawa.
Early on July 30, 1945, Indianapolis was attacked by the I-58 under Commander Mochitsura Hashimoto. Hashimoto launched six torpedoes and hit Indianapolis twice. The first removed over forty feet of her bow, the second hit the starboard side below the bridge. Indianapolis immediately took a fifteen degree list, capsized and sank within 12 minutes. Of the crew of 1,195 men, 879 men died, becoming one of the greatest U.S. Navy disasters ever.
Delayed rescue
About 300 of the 1,196 men on board either died in the initial attack or were trapped belowdecks and drowned when compartments were sealed to prevent sinking. The remainder of the crew, about 900 men, abandoned ship. Some were left floating in the water, many without lifeboats, until the rescue of 316 survivors was completed four days (100 hours) later. Because of Navy protocol regarding secret missions, the ship was not reported "overdue". Rescue came only after survivors were spotted by pilot Lieutenant Wilber (Chuck) Gwinn and co-pilot Lieutenant Warren Colwell on a routine patrol flight. Of those who did abandon ship, most casualties were due to injuries sustained aboard the ship, dehydration, exhaustion, drinking salt water and shark attacks. The seas had been moderate, but visibility was not good. Indianapolis had been steaming at 15.7 knots (29.1 km/h). When the ship did not reach Leyte on the 31st, as scheduled, no report was made that she was overdue. This omission was officially recorded later as "due to a misunderstanding of the Movement Report System".
Controversy
McVay was wounded but survived, and was among those rescued. He repeatedly asked the Navy why it took four days to rescue his men but never received an answer. The Navy long claimed that SOS messages were never received because the ship was operating under a policy of radio silence; declassified records show that three SOS messages were received separately. None were acted upon because one commander was drunk, another thought it was a Japanese ruse, and the third had given orders not to be disturbed.
After a Navy Court of Inquiry recommended that McVay be court-martialed for the loss of Indianapolis, Admiral Chester Nimitz disagreed and instead issued the captain a letter of reprimand. Admiral Ernest King overturned Nimitz's decision and recommended a court-martial, which Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal later convened. McVay was charged with failing to zigzag and failure to order abandon ship in a timely manner. He was convicted on the former. Knowledge of Japanese submarines in the area was withheld from the court and from McVay, prior to sailing. The court sentenced McVay to lose 100 numbers in his temporary rank of Captain and 100 numbers in his permanent rank of Commander. However, in 1946, at the behest of Admiral Nimitz who had become Chief of Naval Operations, Secretary of the Navy Forrestal remitted McVay's sentence and restored him to duty.
Hashimoto, the Japanese submarine commander, was on record as describing visibility at the time as fair, which is corroborated by the fact that he was able to target and sink Indianapolis in the first place. He also testified that zigzagging would not have made a difference, as he would have still sunk Indianapolis due to being in such a good position to do so. American submarine experts testified that "zigzagging" was a technique of negligible value in eluding enemy submarines. Hashimoto also testified to this effect. Despite that testimony, the court held McVay responsible for failing to zigzag.
An additional point of controversy is evidence that the admirals in the United States Navy held some responsibility for placing the ship in harm's way. McVay requested a destroyer escort for Indianapolis, but his request was denied because the priority for destroyers at the time was escorting transports to Okinawa and picking up aircrew downed in B-29 raids on Japan.
Although many ships, including most destroyers, were equipped with submarine detection equipment, the Indianapolis was not. On July 24, 1945, just six days prior to the sinking of Indianapolis, the destroyer Underhill was attacked and sunk in the area by Japanese submarines, yet McVay was never informed of this event, and several others, in part due to issues of classified intelligence. McVay was warned of the potential presence of Japanese subs, but not of the actual confirmed activity.
Although about 380 ships of the U.S. Navy were lost in combat in World War II, McVay was the only captain to be court-martialed for the loss of his ship. It was speculated that he had been a fall guy for the Navy. The conviction effectively ended McVay's career as he lost seniority, although the sentence was overturned by Secretary James Forrestal owing to McVay's bravery prior to the sinking, and McVay was finally promoted to rear admiral when he retired from the navy in 1949, although he apparently never got over his treatment.
In his book Abandon Ship, author Richard F. Newcomb posits a motive for Admiral King's ordering McVay's court-martial. According to Captain McVay III's father, Admiral Charles B. McVay Jr., "'King never forgot a grudge". King had been a junior officer under the command of McVay's father when King and other officers snuck some women aboard a ship. Admiral McVay had a letter of reprimand placed in King's record for that. "Now," he raged, "King's used [my son] to get back at me."
Suicide
On November 6, 1968, McVay died by suicide by shooting himself at his home in Litchfield, Connecticut. He used a Colt pistol, an Officer's Model Target 38 Special. It was manufactured in 1906 and was not issued to the U.S. Navy despite what the name could lead some to believe, according to the USS Indianapolis Legacy Organization. Commonly this pistol has been referred to as McVay's service pistol, which it was not. There is another myth, that he was holding in his hand a toy sailor he had received as a boy for a good luck charm. This is also untrue, as police reports obtained by the Legacy Organization do not mention this nor show any other objects in the pictures aside from his pistol.
He was found on his back porch by his gardener. Though a note was not left, McVay was known by those close to him to have suffered from loneliness, particularly after losing his wife to cancer in 1961. McVay also struggled throughout his life from the impact of vitriolic letters and phone calls he periodically received from grief-stricken relatives of dead crewmen who served aboard Indianapolis.
Exoneration
USS Indianapolis survivors organized, and many spent years attempting to clear their skipper's name. Many people, from McVay's sons Charles McVay IV (1925–2012) and James “Kimo” Wilder McVay (1927–2001) to author Dan Kurzman, who chronicled the Indianapolis incident in Fatal Voyage, to members of Congress, long believed McVay was unfairly convicted. Paul Murphy, president of the USS Indianapolis Survivors Organization, said: "Captain McVay's court-martial was simply to divert attention from the terrible loss of life caused by procedural mistakes which never alerted anyone that we were missing."
Over fifty years after the incident, a 12-year-old student in Pensacola, Florida, Hunter Scott, was instrumental in raising awareness of the miscarriage of justice carried out at the captain's court-martial. As part of a school project for the National History Day program, the young man interviewed nearly 150 survivors of the Indianapolis sinking and reviewed 800 documents. His testimony before the U.S. Congress brought national attention to the situation.
In October 2000, the United States Congress passed a Sense of Congress resolution that McVay's record should reflect that "he is exonerated for the loss of the USS Indianapolis." President Clinton also signed the resolution. Commander Hashimoto died five days before the exoneration (on 25 October).
In May 2001, Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England ordered Captain William Toti, former commanding officer of USS Indianapolis (SSN-697), to enter the Sense of Congress resolution into McVay's official Navy personnel record.
Awards and decorations
In popular culture
In 1978, the events surrounding McVay's court-martial were dramatized in The Failure to ZigZag by playwright John B. Ferzacca. McVay has been portrayed by Stacy Keach in the 1991 made-for-television movie Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and Nicolas Cage in the 2016 film USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. Also in 2016, USS Indianapolis: The Legacy was released. It is an in-depth film where the survivors tell the story of what happened and they speak about the aftermath of the tragic event. In 2019, PBS released a 90-minute documentary titled USS Indianapolis: The Final Chapter.
See also
W. Graham Claytor Jr.
List of U.S. Navy losses in World War II
United States military veteran suicide
References
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
USS Indianapolis – Still at sea
Photographs of Indianapolis
Allied Warships: USS Indianapolis (CA 35), Heavy cruiser of the Portland class
USS Indianapolis Collection, 1898–1991, collection guide for an "artificially-created" collection of materials regarding the history of the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) at the Indiana Historical Society.
Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at IMDb
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Shakira
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Shakira.
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Tell me a bio of Shakira.
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Tell me a bio of Shakira within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Shakira with around 100 words.
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( shə-KEER-ə, Spanish: [ʃaˈkiɾa isaˈβel meβaˈɾak riˈpol]; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Queen of Latin Music", she has had a significant impact on the musical landscape of Latin America and has been credited with popularizing Hispanophone music on a global level. The recipient of various accolades, she has won four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards, including three Song of the Year wins.
Shakira made her recording debut with Sony Music Colombia at the age of 14. Following the commercial failure of her first two albums, Magia (1991) and Peligro (1993), she rose to prominence with the next two, Pies Descalzos (1995) and Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998). Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service (2001), which sold over 13 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album of all time by a female Latin artist. Her success was further solidified with the Spanish-language albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005), Sale el Sol (2010), El Dorado (2017), and Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (2024), all of which topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, making her the first woman with number-one albums across four different decades. Her English-language albums Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), She Wolf (2009), and Shakira (2014) received platinum certifications in various countries worldwide.
Shakira is one of the world's best-selling musicians. She scored numerous number-one singles and other top songs worldwide, including "Estoy Aquí", "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Ojos Así", "Whenever, Wherever", "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)", "La Tortura", "Hips Don't Lie", "Beautiful Liar", "She Wolf", "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", "Loca", "Rabiosa", "Can't Remember to Forget You", "Dare (La La La)", "La Bicicleta", "Chantaje", "Te Felicito", "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53", and "TQG". Shakira served as a coach on two seasons of the American singing competition television series The Voice (2013–2014), had a voice role in the animated film Zootopia (2016), and executive produced and judged the dance competition series Dancing with Myself (2022). She is credited with opening the doors of the international market for other Latin artists. Billboard named her the Top Female Latin Artist of the Decade twice (2000s and 2010s).
Shakira has written or co-written a vast majority of the material she recorded or performed, music and lyrics, during her career. Noted to be an "international phenomenon" whose music, story, and legacy "resonate in every corner of the globe", Shakira has been described as an artistic link between the West and the East for popularizing Middle Eastern sounds in the West, and Western sounds in the East. For her philanthropic and humanitarian work, such as the Barefoot Foundation, and her contributions to music, she received the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year and Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year awards in 2011. Shakira was appointed to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics in the United States in 2011, and was granted the honor of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 2012. She has been an advocate for equitable development of the Global South, the interests of children, the Latino minority in the U.S. and Canada, women, and other under-represented groups.
Early life
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on 2 February 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia. Her name means "thankful" in Arabic. She is the only child of William Mebarak Chadid and Nidia Ripoll Torrado. Her grandparents are of Spanish and Lebanese descent. Shakira's great-grandmother on her father's side emigrated to Sincelejo, Colombia, from Lebanon. After establishing in Colombia, Shakira's grandmother was born; she gave birth to Shakira's father, William, in New York City. When he was around five, his family moved back to Colombia. Shakira's grandfather on her mother's side, Tomás Eduardo Ripoll, was born in Barranquilla whereas her grandmother, Josefina Torrado Núñez, was born in Ábrego. The Spanish surname Torrado of her grandmother on her mother's side is Catalan and originates from four brothers who immigrated from Catalonia to coastal Colombia in the 19th century. Shakira has stated that she also has distant Italian roots through an ancestor with the surname Pisciotti. Her father was born to a Lebanese Christian family. She was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. Shakira has eight older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. She spent much of her youth in Barranquilla, a city located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia.
Shakira wrote her first poem, titled "La Rosa de Cristal" ('The Crystal Rose'), when she was only four years old. As she was growing up, she was fascinated watching her father writing stories on a typewriter and prayed for one for herself when she was seven. She kept writing poems and her mother thought she would become an author. As her music interests crystallized, the poetry turned into song lyrics. When Shakira was two years old, her half-brother was killed at the age of nineteen, in a motorcycle accident. Six years later, writing lyrics on her typewriter and having been given a guitar by her aunt, she composed her first song, titled "Tus Gafas Oscuras" ('Your Dark Glasses'). It was inspired by her father, who for years wore dark glasses to hide his grief.
Shakira grew up in reasonably comfortable family conditions until her father, a jeweler, went bankrupt when she was eight. Her parents sent her to stay for a while with relatives in Los Angeles. When she came back, their two cars, furniture and color TV were gone and she had to adjust to a different reality. She was able to buy her parents a car when she was 14, after receiving some money for the release of the Magia album.
When she was four, Shakira's father took her to a local Middle Eastern restaurant, where she first heard the doumbek, a traditional drum of Middle-Eastern music, used to accompany belly dancing. Spontaneously, she climbed onto a table and started to dance; soon she wanted to do it for anyone who would watch. At her Catholic school, she demonstrated belly dancing on every Friday morning, encouraged by her parents, teachers and students in the audience, who were convinced of her bright future as a performer. "Just her, singing and dancing on the stage", recalled a former classmate. However, in second grade, Shakira was rejected for school choir because, according to the music teacher, her vibrato was too strong; classmates told her she sounded like a goat. She was often sent out of class because of her hyperactivity. To make Shakira appreciate more the modest conditions of her upbringing, her father took her to a local park so she could see orphans who lived there. The images stayed with her and she said to herself, "one day I'm going to help these kids when I become a famous artist". Having regained some confidence in her singing, she entered a local TV station talent contest when she was ten. She took the top trophy and won a bicycle.
Between the ages of ten and thirteen, Shakira attended various events around Barranquilla and gained some recognition singing and dancing in the area. She met local theater producer Monica Ariza, who was impressed with her and tried to help her career. During a flight from Barranquilla to Bogotá, Ariza convinced Sony Music Colombia executive Ciro Vargas to hold an audition for Shakira in a hotel lobby. Vargas held Shakira in high regard and, having returned to the Sony Music Colombia office, gave the recorded cassette to a song and artist director. However, the director was not enthusiastic and thought Shakira was something of "a lost cause". Undaunted and still convinced that Shakira had talent, Vargas set up an audition in Bogotá. He arranged for Sony Music executives to be present, with the idea of surprising them with Shakira's performance. She performed three songs and impressed the executives enough to be signed, at the age of 13, for the recording of three albums.
Career
1990–1994: Beginnings
Shakira's debut album, Magia, was recorded with Sony Music Entertainment (Colombia) from 1990, when she was only 13 years old. The songs are a collection composed by her since she was eight and by others, mixed pop rock ballads and disco uptempo songs with electronic accompaniment and some live musicians. The album was released in June 1991 and featured her debut single "Magia", released with a music video, as were two of the other three singles, "Sueños" and "Esta Noche Voy Contigo". Though it fared well on Colombian radio and gave the young Shakira much exposure, it was not a commercial success as only 1,200 copies were sold in Colombia. After the poor performance of Magia, Shakira's label urged her to return to the studio to release a follow-up record. Little known outside of her native Colombia at the time, Shakira was invited to perform at Chile's Viña del Mar International Song Festival in February 1993. The festival gave aspiring Latin American singers a chance to perform their songs, and the winner was then chosen by a panel of judges. Shakira performed the ballad "Eres" ("You Are") and won the trophy for third place. One of the judges who voted for her to win was the then 20-year-old Ricky Martin.
Shakira's second studio album, titled Peligro, was released in March 1993. More developed than Magia, it lists many musicians who participated in the recordings and has fuller sound. "Tú Serás la Historia de Mi Vida" is featured with a video; "Eres", "Peligro" and "Brujería" are among Peligro's songs. Shakira was still not pleased with the final result, taking issue mainly with the production. The album was better received than Magia had been, but Shakira's refusal to advertise or promote it contributed to another commercial failure. Of the eighteen songs presented on Magia and Peligro, nine were written by Shakira. In her later work, she generally did not refer to or perform songs from the first two albums. In 1993–1994, Shakira starred in the Colombian TV series El Oasis, loosely based on the 1985 Armero tragedy.
Shakira originally recorded her song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?" (later included on her album Pies Descalzos) for the compilation album Nuestro Rock Volumen II, released in Colombia in 1994. The song became a hit in Colombia.
Having been moved up in her class work ahead of her age, Shakira graduated from a convent secondary school when she was 15, but her professional involvement in music prevented her from continuing formal education. At the Colegio La Enseñanza that she attended, the nuns expected students to visit the poorest areas of the town and help teach reading and writing to unschooled children there, which gave Shakira one of her early exposures to child poverty issues. "The seeds of their education are well-planted in my system. I believe in God. I believe in the sacraments" – Shakira told the interviewer in 2002.
On starting her career so early, she later said: "I wouldn't have done anything different myself [...] though I think I missed out on adolescence. I never misbehaved when I was a teenager and that's something you've got to do. I was so focused on my goals. I was already an adult when I was 14. Maybe I'll have a belated adolescence when I'm old".
1995–2000: Breakthrough with Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones?
Recording for Shakira's third studio album and her international debut album, titled Pies Descalzos, started in February 1995, after the success of her song "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?". Its reception motivated the Sony Music Entertainment (Colombia) label to commission Shakira to produce a complete rock album. She did songwriting and recording with Luis Fernando Ochoa, her principal music collaborator for her next three albums: Pies Descalzos, The Remixes and Dónde Están los Ladrones?. Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones? are Shakira's most important albums. The Remixes, mostly Pies Descalzos music redone as dance pieces, is a highly popular album where Shakira showcases newly recorded songs and vocals, while Ochoa demonstrates his instrument playing and music production skills. DJ Memê (Marcello Mansur), Pablo Florez and Javier Garza remixed many of the songs. With Pies Descalzos, Shakira began using musical influences from a number of world regions and genres, the trend she continued and cultivated later in her career.
The Pies Descalzos album was released in October 1995. It reached number five on the U.S. Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The album spawned six hit singles, "Estoy Aquí", which reached number two on the U.S. Latin chart, "¿Dónde Estás Corazón? which reached number five on the U.S. Latin chart, "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos" which reached number 11 on the U.S. Latin chart, "Un Poco de Amor" which reached number six on the U.S. Latin chart, "Antología" which reached number 15 on the U.S. Latin chart, and "Se Quiere, Se Mata" which reached number eight on the U.S. Latin chart. Pies Descalzos achieved top ranking in eight countries, and in August 1996 RIAA certified the album platinum status in the U.S.
Of the eleven songs on Pies Descalzos album, all list Shakira as the first author and Luis F. Ochoa as the second one; the same is true regarding the twelve tracks on The Remixes. Pies Descalzos lists Ochoa as the "music and artistic producer".
In October 1995, Shakira commenced her first international tour, named simply Tour Pies Descalzos. The tour's 118 shows took two years to complete. Among Shakira's remarkable recorded stage performances of that era are the initial 6 October 1995 Concierto de Lanzamiento de Pies Descalzos in Bogotá, Colombia, the 22 November 1996 Tour Pies Descalzos concert at Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional attended by 10,000 spectators, and the 1997 Viña del Mar International Song Festival concert in Chile. Ochoa was responsible for musical and artistic production during the tour, with Shakira's co-production. Besides singing, dancing and speaking to the assembled (she values communications very highly and has said that her most important treasure is "words"), Shakira played the guitar and, prominently at that time, harmonica. Shakira's singing and movements reflected an "angry-young-woman-rock attitude", enthusiastically applauded by her audiences. "Vuelve" was the opening rock anthem salvo at concerts of the tour.
In 1997, Shakira received three Billboard Latin Music Awards for Album of the Year for Pies Descalzos, Video of the Year for "Estoy Aqui", and Best New Artist. Pies Descalzos eventually sold over 5 million copies. Its success prompted the release of a remix album titled The Remixes, of which over one million were sold. The Remixes also included Portuguese language versions of "Estoy Aquí", "Un Poco de Amor" and "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos", which were recorded as a result of Shakira's success in the Brazilian market, where Pies Descalzos sold nearly one million copies. Even before becoming fluent in English, Shakira learned Portuguese and was able to converse with her hosts on her visits to Brazil. At 19, Shakira was the best-selling female pop rocker in Latin America. She was named a national cultural ambassador by the president of Colombia, a distinction she shares with the writer Gabriel García Márquez.
Dónde Están los Ladrones?, Shakira's fourth studio album, was released in September 1998. It was recorded at the Miami studio of Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Artistic production was done by Shakira with Emilio Estefan listed as the executive producer. The album's name was inspired by an incident at an airport where a suitcase containing her written lyrics was stolen. Dónde Están los Ladrones? became an even bigger worldwide hit than Pies Descalzos. The album had reached a peak position of number 131 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and held the top spot on the U.S. Latin Albums chart for 11 weeks. Over 7 million copies were sold worldwide, including 1.5 million in the U.S., making it one of the best selling Spanish albums there. Eight singles were taken from the album: "Ciega, Sordomuda", "Moscas en la Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Octavo Día", and "Ojos Así". "Ciega, Sordomuda" and "Tú" reached number one on the U.S. Latin chart, but it was "Ojos Así", together with its Arabic connotations and a striking video, that had become a truly global hit. The song infused elements of Arabic pop.
Of the eleven songs on Dónde Están los Ladrones?, all were created primarily by Shakira again. Music of five was co-written by Ochoa and there were other music co-authors, except for "Moscas en la Casa" and "Que Vuelvas", which were written entirely by Shakira.
In 1999, Shakira received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. Her first live album, MTV Unplugged, was recorded in New York City as MTV Unplugged's first Spanish language broadcast on 12 August 1999 and released in early 2000. It also topped the Latin charts and sale statistics. Highly acclaimed by American critics, it is rated as one of her best live performances. (There is, however, a Sony Pictures DVD titled SHAKIRA – TOUR PIES DESCALZOS. It depicts Shakira's 1997 Festival Viña del Mar concert, also one of her finest moments.) In March 2000, Shakira embarked on her Tour Anfibio, a two-month tour of Latin America and the United States. In August 2000, she won an MTV Video Music Award in the category of People's Choice – Favorite International Artist for "Ojos Así". In September 2000, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" at the inaugural ceremony of the Latin Grammy Awards, where she was nominated in five categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for MTV Unplugged, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Octavo Día", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Ojos Así", and Best Short Form Music Video for the "Ojos Así" video. MTV Unplugged became there the first in a series of albums that have earned Shakira an album Grammy.
Dónde Están los Ladrones? was a very effective presentation of Shakira's strong-willed persona and her self-analysis; it enhanced her already tremendous popularity with her female fans. A stage goddess who sang about heartbreak and alluded to government corruption with "intimate, rhapsodic lyrics", she became an "irreverent leader of [...] rockeras" in Latin America and among its diaspora. The two studio albums indicated the mutability of Shakira's artistic identity and, after MTV Unlugged, "having reached the ceiling of Latin music" and taking it over as its "bonafide superstar", she was ready for a change. To establish herself as a global phenomenon, she had to record in English and pursue a full-fledged career in the United States, which would involve compromising in a number of ways.
2001–2004: Laundry Service and English transition
Upon the success of Dónde Están los Ladrones? and MTV Unplugged, Shakira began working on an English crossover album. Her manager, Emilio Estefan, took an early notice of Shakira's unprecedented, among Latin American artists, potential for a "crossover" into the enormous U.S. music market because of her "universally catchy pop-rock melodies, cerebral lyrics, unwavering self-determination and natural sex appeal". Shakira's English language skills were improved with the help of Gloria Estefan. As Latin music sales were growing in the U.S. at twice the total industry rate, Tommy Mottola, head of Sony Music, referred to Shakira as an "absolutely brilliant artist" and predicted Latin music to be the global reservoir of talent in the future.
Shakira worked for over a year on new material for the album. "Whenever, Wherever", called "Suerte" in the simultaneously published Spanish language version, was released at the end of August 2001 as the first and lead single from her first album intended for English-speaking audience and fifth studio album. The song took heavy influence from Andean music, including the charango and panpipes in its instrumentation. It became an international success by reaching number one in most countries. In the U.S., it reached number six on the Hot 100.
Shakira's new album, titled Laundry Service in English-speaking countries and Servicio de Lavanderia in Latin America and Spain, was released on 13 November 2001. Servicio de Lavanderia features the same songs, arranged in different order. Nine out of thirteen tracks Shakira sings in English. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling over 200,000 records in its first week. It was later certified triple platinum. It had established, for the most part, Shakira's musical presence in the mainstream North American market. "Underneath Your Clothes", "Objection (Tango)", "The One", "Te Dejo Madrid", "Que Me Quedes Tú", and "Poem to a Horse" were other Laundry Service songs issued as singles. Shakira's best-selling album ever comprises a number of hits, but its greatest strength and biggest selling point was "Whenever, Wherever" / "Suerte".
Tommy Mottola, Freddy DeMann and other "music industry's heftiest heavyweights have invested in Shakira's North American conquest". The Billboard magazine Latin Bureau chief Leila Cobo spoke of Laundry Service and its release: "Shakira was a totally foreign artist" (as opposed to U.S. Latin home-grown stars), but Cobo expected the record to do very well as "there was such a huge marketing push behind it, and the album had a very big budget, the video had a very big budget. It was a priority for the label". Shakira wrote or co-wrote each of the songs and Laundry Service was produced by her alone.
The rock and Spanish dance-influenced album, created for the English-language market, gained mild critical success, with some critics claiming that Shakira's English skills were too weak for her to write songs in that language. Rolling Stone, for one, stated that "she sounds downright silly" in English or "Shakira's magic is lost in translation". A similar view was expressed by Elizabeth Mendez Berry in Vibe: "While her Spanish-language albums sparkled with elegant wordplay, this record is rife with cliches, both musically and lyrically [...] for Anglophone Latin lovers, Shakira's lyrics are best left to the imagination". A reviewer form The Guardian took a broader view, however, noting that the critics need to be open-minded regarding the lyrical sensibilities of Spanish: "Ripoll (Shakira) is not struggling with the intricacies of English, just expressing herself in a singular and puzzling way. Good for her". Laundry Service had become the best-selling album of 2002 and eventually more than 15 million copies were sold worldwide. With the most successful album in Shakira's career, she was considered the biggest Latin female crossover artist in the world. In Chicago Tribune, journalist Joshua Klein, while not uncritical of aspects of Shakira's stagecraft as displayed at the United Center in January 2003, characterized her "international ascent" as "multilateral, multicultural and cooperative". Klein wrote of Shakira who dyed her dark hair blond, "enlisted Gloria Estefan's husband to help her with her crossover mission", and produced a "so resolutely middle-of-the-road" current batch of music. According to him, the singer emphasized theatrics over artistic integrity and craft, but she also "dedicated much of her set to her Spanish songs", "briefly played politics" and "played up her place as a girl-power icon".
Freddy DeMann took over Shakira's management from Emilio Estefan in 2000 and negotiated for her a multi-million dollar global promotional deal with Pepsi. Shakira released four songs for Pepsi: "Ask for More", "Pide Más", "Knock on My Door", and "Pídeme el Sol". Laundry Service: Washed and Dried album (CD and DVD) was issued in 2002. It comprises some remixes and alternative versions of songs from the original collection.
In 2002, at Aerosmith's MTV Icon in April 2002, Shakira performed "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)". Also in 2002, she joined Cher, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mary J. Blige, Anastacia, and the Dixie Chicks for VH1 Divas Las Vegas. In August, she performed "Objection (Tango)" at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, and won the International Viewer's Choice Award with "Suerte / Whenever, Wherever". She also won the Latin Grammy Award for the category of Best Short Form Music Video for the Spanish version of the video. In October, she won five MTV Video Music Awards Latin America for Best Female Artist, Best Pop Artist, Best Artist – North (Region), Video of the Year (for "Suerte"), and Artist of the Year. In November 2002, she embarked on the Tour of the Mongoose and 61 shows took place by May 2003. The tour was also her first worldwide tour, as legs were played in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. In 2002, Shakira's label Sony Music Entertainment released her Spanish greatest-hits compilation, Grandes Éxitos. A CD and DVD live album, named Live & off the Record, was released in 2004, and three million sets were sold worldwide. It commemorated the Tour of the Mongoose.
Asked in 2002 if she would be the Madonna for the new millennium, Shakira said, "To be as big as Madonna, it takes too much [...] I don't think I want to be jumping on the stage when I'm 40 [...] By then, I might be so tired that I just want to get a farm and plant onions and tomatoes".
Having decided on the "crossover", Shakira had to face artistic and social issues and pressures, compromise, accept and cope with an adjustment of her status. "The biggest rock star in Latin America, a mystically revered performer", in the U.S. she "felt under the microscope", reduced from goddess to a striving pop star, not comparably connected. "In countries like Mexico, where I’m established as an artist, I have the privilege or the luxury to fail, or to make mistakes. Here, [..] I don’t think I do", she told Evan Wright in 2002. She told him that she would give birth, eventually, to two boys. Spending time increasingly in the U.S., Shakira ended up replacing all the (Latin) musicians of her original rock bands and hiring others, some of whom turned out to be the permanent core of her new crews.
"Crossover" issues
The initial idea was to translate the lyrics of Dónde Están los Ladrones? into English with the help of Gloria Estefan and publish it as an English language album. But as the language-talented and hard-working Shakira grew more comfortable with her English, she decided to create a new album from scratch. She worked on it for a year, secluded on the farm in Uruguay and at a rented house in the Bahamas.
Having opted now for musical stylistic "fusion", she told the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo in 2001: "Fusion offers me the opportunity to remove any type of label people want to place on me. It gives me freedom...I don’t want to be tied to a specific style and become the architect of my own prison".
Laundry Service, the "crossover" transition process and its manifestations created a rift among Shakira's followers. Some wanted her to remain an independent, outspoken and introspective diva they had worshiped, whereas others demanded that she conforms to the prevailing commercial standards of the music industry and its fashions. A "deeply racialized debate" ensued concerning the malleability and authenticity of the artist. The "tensions and conflicting desires between Latinx, Latin American and Anglo audiences" of Shakira had become apparent. The new album's detractors considered the singer a sellout and claimed that her now blond hair, English language singing and new look showed that she was "abandoning her essence" and "transforming into a whiter, sexier version of herself", one more "palatable for Anglo audiences". A fan wrote, "she's got to dye her hair blond and bare her body [...] to succeed in the United States".
Shakira insisted that her only motivation for blonding her hair was her own vanity. Regarding the disgruntled fans, who had accused her of downplaying her Latin identity, she replied: "I'm so sure of what I represent for my people and of what I am. I know that my roots are very well-planted in Latin America. And I feel proud of being Colombian and Latin, and I say it out loud to the rest of the world every time I can." And the reaction of "her people" to the new album, she said, had been "amazing".
Like other young foreign female artists in the U.S. music industry, "Shakira faced constant sexualization and exotification". Some have argued that the singer "exploited these tropizalizing tropes of Latinas, buying into collective fantasies for greater visibility". Shakira's (assumed by her as a role or by her audiences as a perception) "identity as a white, blonde Latina facilitated her explosive entry into the English-language market", writes Isabelia Herrera. "Her whiteness allowed her to play off and against these tropes, particularly through the mediums of movement and dance, furthering her ascent to the upper echelons of pop."
As for the political narrative about Latin artists' success in the mainstream North American market ("cross-cultural exchange"), Herrera says it "is lauded as an antidote to political and social oppression". "Laundry Service exhorts us to rethink the utility of the crossover narrative—who it is designed for and who it liberates, if anyone", she concludes.
In her 2024 review of Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, Boutayna Chokrane wrote: "There’s a fan for every era of Shakira—some who expect her to adhere to Anglophone pop molds, some who pine for her rockera past. Since her debut, she has inspired debate about Latine stereotypes and the nature of cultural authenticity".
2005–2007: Fijación Oral, vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, vol. 2
Preparing for her next productions, Shakira wrote sixty songs, in Spanish and in English. Out of these, she selected twenty to be used in two albums, separated by language. First she "charmed" the present wider, English-speaking and global audience of hers, over to the other (Spanish) side.
The lead single from Shakira's sixth studio album, the Spanish Fijación Oral, vol. 1, named "La Tortura" (music co-written by Luis Fernando Ochoa), was released in April 2005 and featured the Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz. For a record 25 weeks, it remained on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. "La Tortura" reached number 23 on the Hot 100, number one in Spain and enjoyed high rankings across the world. Shakira and Sanz, who sang "La Tortura", and Daddy Yankee, were the first ever artists to perform Spanish-language songs at the MTV Video Music Awards; it took place at the 2005 edition of the Awards in Miami.
Fijación Oral, vol. 1, released in June 2005, was very well received in North America, South America, and Europe. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 157,000 copies in its first week and becoming the highest U.S. debut ever for a Spanish-language album. It has since sold over two million copies in the U.S., earning an 11× Platinum (Latin field) certification from the RIAA. The album earned certifications in Latin America already a day after its release. In Venezuela, it earned a Platinum certification, in Colombia, a triple Platinum certification, while in Mexico demand exceeded shipments and it became unavailable after one day of sales. A top album in Spain, Italy, Greece and Germany, it received high ratings also in many other countries. Four singles, besides "La Tortura", were released from Fijación Oral, vol. 1: "No", "Día de Enero", "La Pared", and "Las de la Intuición". The album has since sold over five million copies worldwide. On 8 February 2006, Shakira was granted her second Grammy Award with the win of Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album. She received four Latin Grammy Awards in November 2006, winning in the categories of Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "La Tortura", Album of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Album for Fijación Oral, vol. 1.
Shakira's second English album and seventh studio album, Oral Fixation, vol. 2, was released in November 2005. It debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, selling 128,000 copies in its first week. It went on to sell 1.8 million records in the U.S. and over eight million worldwide.
The lead single for Oral Fixation, vol. 2, "Don't Bother", in the U.S. missed the top 40 on the Hot 100. It did, however, reach the top 20 in most countries worldwide. "Hips Don't Lie", which featured Wyclef Jean, was released as the album's second single in February 2006. It became Shakira's first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the song reached the number one spot in over 55 other countries and acquired the status of worldwide biggest-selling single of the 21st century. Shakira and Wyclef Jean also recorded the "Hips Don't Lie - Bamboo" version. It was sung by them at the closing ceremony of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. She released the third and final single from the album, "Illegal", which featured Carlos Santana, in November 2006.
Shakira embarked on the Oral Fixation Tour, which comprised 120 shows that took place between June 2006 and December 2007; five continents were visited. In February 2007, she performed at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards and earned the nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean. Her third live album, Oral Fixation Tour, was released in November 2007. In 2006, Shakira was honored with the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award for her Fundación Pies Descalzos.
In late 2006, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz sang "Te Lo Agradezco, Pero No" as a duet; the song is featured on Sanz's album El Tren de los Momentos. "Te Lo Agradezco, Pero No" was a top ten hit in Latin America and topped the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart. Shakira also collaborated with Miguel Bosé on the duet "Si Tú No Vuelves", which was released in Bosé's album Papito. The American R&B singer Beyoncé and Shakira worked together on the track "Beautiful Liar", which was released in 2007 as the second single from the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's album B'Day. In April, the single jumped 91 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, from 94 to three, setting the record for the largest upward movement in the history of the chart at the time. It was also number one on the official UK singles chart. "Beautiful Liar" earned them a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. The song and its video marked Shakira's first all-female collaboration. In 2007 she participated, together with 23 other female singers, in the recording of Annie Lennox's song "Sing" from the album Songs of Mass Destruction. Also in 2007, Shakira and Wyclef Jean recorded their second duet, "King & Queen". The song was featured on Jean's album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.
Shakira wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the music for two new songs that are featured in the movie Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), based on the novel of the same title by Colombian author and Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez. García Márquez himself asked Shakira to write the songs. The songs that Shakira sang in her film soundtrack debut were a version of "Pienso en ti" from her 1995 album Pies Descalzos, "Hay Amores" and "Despedida". "Despedida" was nominated for Best Original Song at the 65th Golden Globe Awards.
2008–2009: She Wolf
In early 2008, Forbes named Shakira the fourth top-earning female artist in the music industry. In July, Shakira signed a $312 million contract with Live Nation Entertainment, an international touring conglomerate, which was to remain in effect for ten years. According to the artist, the deal would encompass tours, recordings, sponsorship and merchandise worldwide. Her existing contract with Epic Records (Sony Music Entertainment) called for three more albums – one in English, one in Spanish, and a compilation, but the touring and other rights under the Live Nation contract were to begin immediately.
On 17 May 2008, before an audience of over 150,000 people, Shakira was one of the artists who performed at the ALAS Foundation charity concert in Buenos Aires. Invited by Alejandro Sanz, she led the presentation of his song "No Es lo Mismo". Mercedes Sosa, Shakira and Pedro Aznar performed there a cover of Silvio Rodríguez's song "La Maza". On 18 January 2009, Shakira was among the participants of the "We Are One" festivities in honor of the inauguration of President Barack Obama, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. She sang "Higher Ground" with Stevie Wonder and Usher. In March 2009, a studio recording of "La Maza" by Sosa featuring Shakira was released on Sosa's album Cantora, un Viaje Íntimo.
In July 2009, Shakira released "She Wolf" as the lead single from an upcoming album with the same title. The single was a commercial success, receiving certifications in 17 countries. Shakira released her eighth studio and third (mostly) English album She Wolf in October 2009. It received mainly positive reviews from critics. Mike Diver on BBC Review sees in it "perhaps the most enjoyably varied pop album of 2009" but detects "a greater sense of passion in songs playing out in her native tongue". Beyond the chart-conquering smashes, Shakira has "often explored some truly mind-boggling pop territories, deep-drilling for veins of inspiration absolutely alien to so many of her peers". She Wolf was included in AllMusic's year-end "Favorite Albums," "Favorite Latin Albums," and "Favorite Pop Albums" lists. It reached number one on the charts of Argentina, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and Switzerland. It also charted inside the top five in Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200. It was certified double-platinum in Colombia and Mexico, platinum in Italy and Spain, and gold in numerous countries including France and the United Kingdom. She Wolf sold 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of Shakira's least successful studio albums to date in terms of sales. Four singles were released off the album: "She Wolf", "Did It Again", "Give It Up to Me", and "Gypsy". "Good Stuff" was released as the album's sole promotional single. The heavily electronic She Wolf record was produced by Shakira.
2010–2015: "Waka Waka", Sale el Sol and Shakira
In 2010, Shakira collaborated with the South African Afro fusion band Freshlyground to create the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" is based on a Cameroonian folk-song called "Zangaléwa". With lyrics written in Fang and other languages, it was performed by the group Golden Sounds from Cameroon. The Golden Sounds' hit originated in turn from traditional Cameroonian soldiers' marching chant. Released on 7 May 2010, "Waka Waka" was then performed by Shakira at the World Cup kick-off and closing. According to her, the FIFA World Cup "represents an event that has the power to unite and integrate, and that's what this song is about". The "Waka Waka" single reached the top 20 in countries of Europe, South America and Africa and the top 40 in the U.S. "Waka Waka" sold more than four million copies worldwide and became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time.
For her involvement with the World Cup related campaigns and other philanthropic work, Shakira received the 2010 Free Your Mind MTV award. On that occasion, she thanked "all the people around the world who joined me with the Waka Waka and who danced for the cause of promoting universal education so that millions of children living in the developing world can have a chance at their own dreams."
Following the success of the "international smash hit" "Waka Waka", in October 2010 Shakira released the mostly-Spanish Sale el Sol, her ninth studio album. It received critical acclaim and was included in AllMusic's Favorite Albums of 2010 and Favorite Latin Albums of 2010 year-end lists. At the 2011 Latin Grammy Awards ceremony, Sale el Sol was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Album, winning the award in the latter category. Commercially, the album was a success throughout Europe and Latin America. Sale el Sol peaked atop the charts of Belgium, Croatia, France, Mexico, Portugal, and Spain. In the United States, it debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart, marking the highest debut for a Latin album for the year; it was Shakira's fifth album to peak at number one in the Latin albums category. According to Billboard, 35% of its first-week sales were digital. Sale el Sol peaked at number one on both the Top Latin Albums (remained number one there for twelve weeks) and Latin Pop Albums charts, due in part to strong digital sales. The lead single, "Loca", was number one in many countries. "Sale el Sol", "Rabiosa", "Antes de las Seis", and "Addicted to You" were also released as singles. The Sale el Sol album, produced by Shakira, has sold ten million copies since its release.
In August 2011, Shakira participated in an episode of Dora the Explorer, animated TV series. A song off the episode titled "Todos Juntos" by Dora, featuring Shakira, was released with a music video. In September, Shakira embarked on the Sale el Sol World Tour, in support of her two most recent albums. Countries in North America, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa were visited, with 107 shows in all. The tour was met with positive reactions from critics, who praised Shakira's stage presence and energy. In December 2011, she released her fourth live album, Live from Paris. The album was promoted with the release of "Je l'aime à mourir" as a single.
On 9 November 2011, Shakira was honored as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for her artistic achievements and philanthropic undertakings; she was the youngest of the musicians who had had received this distinction. At the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, she was showered with expressions of praise and numerous artists performed versions of her songs. She herself sang a cover of Joe Arroyo's "En Barranquilla Me Quedo", as a tribute to the singer who had died earlier that year. In early 2012, Shakira signed to Roc Nation as her management for the upcoming studio album. She collaborated with rapper Pitbull for the song "Get It Started", which was slated to be the lead single from his 2012 album Global Warming. The single was released in June 2012. In September 2012, it was announced that Shakira and Usher would replace in March 2013 Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green as coaches for the fourth season of the U.S. TV show The Voice. Shakira served also on the sixth season of the vocal competition series. In January 2013, Ivete Sangalo released "Dançando", a single featuring Shakira, off Sangalo's album Real Fantasia. In February 2013, Draco Rosa released "Blanca Mujer", a duet he sang with Shakira as a promotional single for his Vida album.
Shakira originally intended to release a new album in 2012, but plans to release the single and video were postponed due to her pregnancy. In December 2013 it was announced that Shakira's new single ("Can't Remember to Forget You", a duet with Rihanna) would be issued in January 2014. Shakira, the artist's self-titled tenth studio album, was released in March 2014. Commercially, the album debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 85,000 copies. Because of that, Shakira became the singer's highest-charting album on Billboard 200, although it also had her lowest first-week sales figure (for an English-language album). The album spawned three singles. After releasing "Can't Remember to Forget You" and "Empire", RCA chose "Dare (La La La)" as the third single. The song "Medicine" was released as a promotional single off the album. The World Cup version of "Dare (La La La)" was officially released at the end of May to impact radio stations; it features Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. On 13 July 2014, Shakira performed "La La La (Brazil 2014)" with Carlinhos Brown at the 2014 FIFA World Cup closing ceremony at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. It was her third consecutive appearance at a FIFA World Cup.
2016–2021: El Dorado and El Dorado World Tour
Shakira's work on her eleventh studio album, the mostly Spanish El Dorado, had been in progress from the latter part of 2015. Among her other projects was starring as a voice actress in the 2016 animated movie Zootopia. She voiced a character named Gazelle and sang a song titled "Try Everything". In May 2016, she collaborated with Colombian singer Carlos Vives on the track "La Bicicleta", which subsequently won the Latin Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 28 October 2016, Shakira released the single "Chantaje" with Colombian singer Maluma; the song was a track from the upcoming El Dorado. It became Shakira's most-viewed YouTube video, with over 2.1 billion views as of 1 June 2018. Maluma had previously produced a remix to "La Bicicleta". Shakira was featured on the single "Comme moi" by French rapper Black M. "Comme moi" and its English version were also included on El Dorado. On 7 April 2017, Shakira released the song "Me Enamoré" as the second official single from El Dorado. The El Dorado album was issued on 26 May 2017. The song "Perro Fiel" featured American singer Nicky Jam. Its official release as El Dorado's third single took place on 15 September 2017, the same date its music video, filmed in Barcelona, was premiered. Before being released as a single, "Perro Fiel" was already certified gold in Spain.
In January 2018, Shakira won her third Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for El Dorado; it made her the only female Latin artist to have done so. The album also earned her a top Latin Grammy and she was recognized by a number of other prizes. With El Dorado, she had received thirteen Grammys overall, including ten Latin Grammys. El Dorado had over 10 billion streams, which made it one of the most-streamed female albums of all time. "Trap" was released in January as the fourth single off the album and Shakira's second collaboration with Maluma.
The El Dorado World Tour was announced on 27 June 2017. The European and U.S.–Canada dates were published; the Latin American dates were to be announced later. It was to be sponsored by Rakuten. Other announced partners of the tour were Live Nation Entertainment's Global Touring Division (which had previously collaborated with Shakira on her The Sun Comes Out World Tour and which would "produce" the present tour) and Citi, which facilitated the pre-sale of tickets through its Private Pass program.
The tour was scheduled to begin on 8 November, in Cologne, Germany, but due to "strained vocal cords" related problems the singer experienced during rehearsals (she became unable to sing), the date was cancelled one day before the concert and it was announced that it would be rescheduled. On 9 November, for the same reason, she announced the postponements to later dates, to be announced, of the shows in Paris, Antwerp and Amsterdam. On 14 November Shakira let her fans know, through her social networks, that she had suffered a haemorrhage on her right vocal cord in late October and she needed to rest her voice for some time to recover. "My voice [...] was my identity", she told The Guardian. "So when I couldn't sing, that was unbearable. There were times I couldn't even get out of bed. I was so depressed." The tour's entire European itinerary had to be delayed until 2018.
In January 2018, Shakira announced new dates for the El Dorado World Tour. The first leg of the tour, in Europe, started in Hamburg on 3 June. The same month, she released a collaboration with Maluma titled "Clandestino" as a standalone single. The European leg of the tour ended in Barcelona on 7 July. After the performances in Asia on 11 and 13 July, the tour was continued in North America. It started on 3 August in Chicago and finished in San Francisco on 7 September. The Latin America shows started in Mexico City on 11 October. Also in October, Shakira was featured on a remix of Camilo and Pedro Capó's single "Tutu". The El Dorado World Tour finished in Bogotá, Colombia on 3 November. A total of 54 concerts took place. At the age of forty one (some had already spoken of her "longevity" as a headline artist), Shakira did stage performances, with all her dancing, running and jumping, largely by herself, without back-up dancers. On 3 November 2018, "Nada" was released as the fifth and final single off El Dorado. Shakira released her fifth live album, Shakira in Concert: El Dorado World Tour, in November 2019. It was her first album available as digital download only. Forbes ranked her among the world's highest-paid women in music in 2019, at number 10. In January 2020, she released "Me Gusta", a collaboration with Puerto Rican rapper Anuel AA.
On 2 February 2020, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez performed at the Super Bowl LIV halftime show. According to Billboard, the halftime show had a viewership of 103 million people, while 102 million watched the game itself. On YouTube, it was the most viewed halftime show by that time. Shakira called attention to the Afro-Colombian community by doing a traditional champeta dance break. She and Lopez appeared again in the finale of the event, singing jointly Waka Waka. In May and June, Shakira participated in two television specials performing her songs during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II (with "Try Everything") and Global Goal: Unite for Our Future (with "Sale el Sol"). In December 2020, Shakira teamed up with Black Eyed Peas on the single "Girl Like Me", written as a tribute to Latin women.
In January 2021, Shakira sold her catalog of 145 songs (publishing rights) to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. As the COVID-19 pandemic largely eliminated live performance earnings for top musicians, a number of them, beginning with Bob Dylan, sold their catalogues of songs, and Shakira followed that trend. On 16 July 2021, she released a single titled "Don't Wait Up".
2022–2024: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
On 21 April 2022, Shakira released the song "Te Felicito" with singer Rauw Alejandro, as the lead single of her upcoming but at that time yet unnamed twelfth studio album, the all-Spanish Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. On 19 May, she was granted the Special International Award with Apple Music at the British Ivors Academy's Ivor Novello Awards, for her accomplishments as a songwriter and musician. During the 67th annual edition of "The Ivors", 21 composers in 14 categories were recognized. On 31 May, the dance competition show Dancing with Myself, on which Shakira served as an executive producer and judge, alongside Liza Koshy and Nick Jonas, premiered on NBC. The series was cancelled after one season. In June, the song "Don't You Worry" by Shakira, Black Eyed Peas and David Guetta, was released. In October, "Monotonía", Shakira's collaboration with Ozuna, was released as the second single of her forthcoming album. In "Monotonía", the "heartbreak" song and video, Shakira deals with the pain she incurred upon the breakup of her relationship with her partner and father of her children, Spanish footballer Gerard Piqué. "Monotonía" became the most-successful Spanish language debut of 2022 and the biggest female solo debut on YouTube; it was also the biggest song debut in Shakira's career. In November, Shakira and Alejandro were nominated for Record of the Year with "Te Felicito" at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
On 11 January 2023, the single "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" was released, a collaboration with Argentine DJ Bizarrap. The song reached number one in 16 countries, achieved 14 Guinness World Records, and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Shakira's fifth top-ten in the U.S. and her first in over 15 years, since "Beautiful Liar" (2007). She became the first woman in U.S. history to debut a Spanish language track in top-ten of the chart. The song reached number two on the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excluding U.S. charts. "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" is a diss track aimed at Shakira's ex-partner, Gerard Piqué. Its lyrics are direct and explicit to the degree not found in Shakira's earlier work or in pop music in general. She characterized the role of this song-making process for her as catharsis, relief and healing. The lyrics, music and visual productions of "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" are strongly influenced by the hip-hop genre of art. The song achieved record-breaking success on streaming services, and had a measurable cultural impact.
On 24 February 2023, the single ″TQG″ by Karol G and Shakira was released. It became Shakira's sixth top-ten, second top-ten of 2023, and highest-debuting single in the U.S. at number 7. It broke the Guinness World Record for the highest-charting Spanish language track by a woman in the U.S. The song debuted atop the Global 200, becoming both her and Karol G's first number one. Shakira released "Acróstico" on 11 May as the fifth single from her upcoming album. A second version of the song, featuring vocals from her children Milan and Sasha, was released three days later. In June, "Copa Vacía" with Colombian singer Manuel Turizo followed as the next single of the record. On 29 July 2023, Shakira became the first woman in history to occupy the top three spots on the Latin Pop Airplay chart with "TQG" at the summit, "Acróstico" at number two and "Copa Vacía" at number three. In September, she released "El Jefe", a collaboration with American regional Mexican band Fuerza Regida, as the seventh single of her forthcoming album. According to Emma Harrison of Clash, "El Jefe" "pays tribute to the working class and their struggles as they aspire for a better life".
On 12 September, Shakira received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards and performed a medley of her hits as the recipient; she became the first South American artist to receive the accolade. At the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, she received seven nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Shakira became the first artist in the award show's history to receive three nominations for Song of the Year in a single ceremony—with "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53", "TQG", and "Acróstico". She won Song of the Year and Best Pop Song for "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53" and Best Urban/Fusion Performance for "TQG".
Shakira's twelfth studio album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, was released on 22 March 2024 through Sony Music Latin. According to a Billboard reviewer, the "Colombian hitmaker" is "vulnerable and raw" in "her most personal LP to date". Speaking of her first studio album in nearly seven years, after El Dorado (2017), Shakira called the creative process "alchemical" and that it turned her "tears into diamonds" and her "vulnerability into strength". The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. Variety writes of the singer who "solidified herself as a pillar of international pop stardom", "fully invests in these cross-genre marvels" and "makes a grand re-entrance into society after what she's openly called the 'darkest hours' of her life". Shakira "rejoices in the experimentation and liberation of the new school she helped build". According to a Clash writer, she "effortlessly turns pain into art", "combining latin, rock and hip-hop". Shakira's new album is "revelatory, raw but resplendent throughout"; it is a "fitting testimony to her strength and resilience". Rolling Stone noted that "in a crowded Latin music landscape, the international pop icon's first album in 7 years reaffirms her relevance and dominance". The New York Times wrote that the record continues Shakira's "career-long penchant for pulling together music and collaborators from across the Americas, dipping into rock, electro-pop, trap, Dominican bachata, Nigerian-style Afrobeats and regional Mexican cumbia and polka". "The she-wolf is all over this album. The she-wolf is what helped me rebuild myself", Shakira told the reporter, referring to the important symbolic concept of hers that goes back to the song of that name. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran debuted at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 34,000 album-equivalent units sold during its first week. It debuted atop the Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts, making Shakira the first woman with number one albums across four decades on the Billboard Latin album charts. It was certified seven-times platinum (Latin) upon release.
"Puntería" with Cardi B was released as the eighth single in tandem with the album. It reached number one on the Latin Airplay chart and topped the Latin Pop Airplay chart for nine weeks. "(Entre Paréntesis)" with regional Mexican band Grupo Frontera was issued as the ninth and final single from the record, on 25 March. The song reached the summit of the Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts, extending Shakira's record as the woman with the most leaders on the former chart (23) and earning her first chart-topper on the latter. On 26 March, the day after she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Shakira conducted a free pop-up concert in New York's Times Square. The concert was announced only hours prior to its start but gathered an enthusiastic crowd estimated at 40,000. Shakira celebrated the release of Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, performing with her dancers and musicians "Hips Don't Lie" and songs from the new album.
2024–present: Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour
On 12 April 2024, at Coachella Festival in California, Shakira joined Bizarrap onstage, to give, at his invitation, a surprise guest performance during his set. She sang their collaborations "La Fuerte" and "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53". She announced there the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, her first tour in over six years, in support of the album.
On 14 July, Shakira gave a performance at the 2024 Copa América final, Argentina vs. Colombia match, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It was the first such halftime show at a soccer championship game. Association football allows only 15 minute halftime breaks but this one had to be made longer because of Shakira's show. With an assembly of dancers, she sang "Hips Don't Lie", "Te Felicito", "TQG", and "Puntería".
By the fall, a variety of Latin tour ticket sales and concert records had been broken. Many large-venue shows across Latin America were quickly sold out. A number of new ones were added, especially in Mexico, where there were timing possibilities at the end of the Latin leg of the tour. Shakira expected the tour to be the greatest in her career. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour was planned to begin in North America, but its U.S.–Canada part, originally scheduled for November and December 2024, was rescheduled to follow, rather than precede, the Latin American leg. The demand for larger stadium venues in the U.S. was given as the reason and many of the shows were rescheduled at locations different from originally intended. The first concert of the tour occurred on 11 February 2025 in Rio de Janeiro.
In September 2024, Shakira walked off stage mid-performance at the LIV Miami nightclub, reportedly after noticing fans filming up her dress. On 25 September, she released the single "Soltera". Topping the Latin Pop Airplay chart for seven weeks and reaching number two on Latin Airplay, it tied her with Enrique Iglesias for the most number ones on the former and third-most top-tens on the latter chart. Shakira received three nominations at the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran and Song of the Year for "(Entre Paréntesis)". Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran has also been nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the upcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards. Shakira will reprise her voice role as Gazelle and write a new song for Zootopia 2, to be released in November 2025.
At the February 2025 Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Shakira, in final stages of preparations for her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, received the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. She gave a performance and dedicated the award on stage to her "brothers and sisters", immigrants in the United States. At the Grammys she was accompanied by her sons, Milan and Sasha.
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour first Latin American leg
After Shakira's first tour concert at Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on 11 February, Ludmilla Correia of Billboard magazine noted that the artist made heavy investment in the tour and its equipment, including large-scale realistic projections driven by artificial intelligence. Shakira, after her turbulent period, now shines with tranquility, Correia wrote, and during the show "seemed to be overflowing with joy, like a child". According to other Billboard writers, "The show is a display of innovation and technology, but also a doctrine of female empowerment, carrying a clear message that has been conveyed through Isabel, the she-wolf, in whom many people have found inspiration for strength and freedom."
Shakira was hospitalized with an abdominal issue that made her cancel a show in Peru. She recovered and performed the following night, 17 February, in Lima. The concert scheduled for 24 February in Medellín, Colombia was cancelled, due to safety concerns over a faulty stage roof. As the string of tour disappointments continued, the show in Santiago, Chile on 2 March was called off because of stage production safety concerns. There were sold-out concerts scheduled in Santiago for 2 March and 3 March, but the floor (ground) on which the 62 ton stage would be installed was found to be uneven and unstable. The missed performances were technically postponed and due to be rescheduled. The second Santiago show also had to be cancelled. Distressed Shakira wrote an emotional letter to her fans on social media. "Ladies and gentlemen who have kept me company for more than thirty years" – she invoked her followers.
According to a ¡Hola! magazine report (10 March 2025), Gerard Piqué "relocated to Miami" to be with his and Shakira's sons during her tour and was seen practicing football with them. The boys were then sent to South America to join their mom, who had reportedly stayed in Uruguay at the mansion of her other former partner, Antonio de la Rúa.
Shakira said that the cancellations in Chile and the resulting stress made her physically really sick and medical treatment was necessary before she was able to perform in Argentina. Three additional shows were scheduled in April in Santiago, Chile and two in Medellín, Colombia; two concerts were announced in Lima, Peru in November. The new dates more than compensate for the lost performances in these locations.
During an interview with Danielle Dithurbide on 27 March, almost three years after the end of Shakira's relationship with Piqué, the singer referred to her emotional state, saying "healing processes take many years" and "I’ve learned that you can feel joy even while carrying pain—while living with a wound that won’t quite heal". After additional concert dates in Mexico were announced in March and April, the total number of completed and intended shows there increased to an unprecedented 26, higher than in any other country (21 tour concerts were scheduled in the United States as of 2 April). Shakira spoke of a more "intimate and profound" character of the tour now. The concerts are "deep encounters where healing happens", she says, and with each performance she feels "stronger and happier". For the last two shows of the first leg of the Latin American tour, in Medellín in April, Shakira brought as special guests her past collaborators and fellow Colombians, Maluma and Carlos Vives. Over the years 2025 and 2026, according to Billboard, after the Americas, Shakira plans to take her show to Europe, Asia and the Middle East, so that "her music, her story, and her legacy will resonate in every corner of the globe".
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour in the U.S. and Canada
Shakira participated in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on 6 May 2025, the first of her three appearances there announced for the month. She celebrated the upcoming 20th anniversary of the "Hips Don't Lie" world hit, performing the song with Wyclef Jean, dancers and musicians.
The U.S. and Canada leg of the tour got started on 13 May in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Wyclef Jean, who did the opening act, and Alejandro Sanz as special guests. Fifty chosen accomplished local Latina women walked with Shakira to the stage. On social media, she expressed her satisfaction with the "packed stadium" concert, attended by a sing-along audience.
Shakira performed next on 15 May in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where she sang "Monotonía" with Ozuna. In Montreal, Quebec, Canada she performed on 20 May. The 24 May show in Chicago was part of the Sueños Music Festival. (The only Chicago Las Mujeres show, originally scheduled for 14 December 2024 at the United Center, was eliminated when the U.S./Canada leg of the tour was moved to spring 2025. Fans protested and it was later brought back as part of the Sueños Festival in Grant Park.) On 29 May, a tour concert at Boston's Fenway Park was cancelled for technical (structural safety) reasons, as reported by Live Nation Entertainment. The singer was "devastated" when the 31 May show in Washington, D.C., an opening event of the LGBTQ WorldPride festival, also had to be cancelled. After the Boston difficulties, the stage elements could not be transported on time. Fans expressed frustration as the total of six Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour concerts had been cancelled by the end of May. Washington mayor, Muriel Bowser, called on Shakira to come to their city. "Shakira, girl, get yourself here", said Bowser. "We love you. We want to see you. We want to party with you." The 13 June show at San Antonio's Alamodome was postponed to 5 July because of technical issues with stage-support infrastructure. The only concert scheduled in the Los Angeles area, planned for 20 June at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, was moved to 4 August, and the second show there, on the following day, was soon announced.
On 23 May 2025, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz released the duet "Bésame", their third collaboration.
On 6 June, the first of two shows in the Miami area, where Shakira has lived on and off for many years and where she presently resides, brought to Hard Rock Stadium her music collaborators seen previously in concerts of this tour as well as a number of other celebrity friends, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Bizarrap. At her shows, Shakira cries "Mi gente latina!" ('My Latin people!'). On 13 June, she talked with a BBC correspondent about "the biggest tour of 2025". She called Miami her home and said her sons were the reason she is alive. Asked about the current situation of immigrants, Shakira said "for an immigrant in the U.S. [...] it means living in constant fear and it's painful to see". She called for the application of "principles of equity and freedom [...] that shaped this nation". She said they were close to announcing the European part of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran Tour. The progression of the tour concerts had brought stylistic evolution to Shakira and her team.
A 7 August concert at Valley Children's Stadium in Fresno, California was added to Shakira's U.S. itinerary. Two more September dates were announced on 19 June for the second leg of her tour in Mexico, for a record total of 28 in this country. Thus far, progress had not been reported on restoring the canceled shows in Boston and Washington, D.C. Hugh McIntyre of Forbes suggested that Shakira's "unfortunate moves" ("headline-grabbing cancellations") had actually helped her chart standing, as some of her albums experienced improved rankings on Billboard charts, including the return there of Dónde Están los Ladrones?.
Ahead of her rescheduled 5 July concert in San Antonio, Shakira declared donating part of the event proceeds to the Catholic Charities there for the relief of victims of the deadly floods in Central Texas; she encouraged her supporters to also contribute.
Artistry
Music executive Freddy DeMann, who managed Shakira's career from early 2000, spoke of her: " I was blown away by how gorgeous she was in person. She's a brilliant songwriter. She has an unbelievable voice; her vocal instrument is phenomenal and unique. She dances better than anyone out there, and she writes her own songs, sings her own songs, and she actually plays her own instruments. And she produces her own music. She's the whole package".
Music influences and styles; Shakira's works
Shakira has been characterized as a "legacy artist". "The Colombian hitmaker", wrote the Billboard reviewers, "is intentional in her songwriting with raw lyrics, meticulous as a producer and an extraordinary performer bringing to life the songs that define not only her eras but those of women across generations." Her texts relate to women and their vulnerabilities. "Pushing the envelope" with "Se Quiere, Se Mata" on Pies Descalzos, "she sang about the dangers women face with unsafe abortions when there's no legal option". Shakira's vocal style was described as "warbling", her songwriting as "confessional", and the content of her verbal creations as "poetic". Her music is "underpinned by two things: rock guitar and Latin rhythms".
In 2017, Deutsche Welle's journalist Kate Müser commented on Shakira's "globalized sound": "[her] Latin beats, spiced with Middle Eastern and other world elements and made comfortably familiar by being churned through the pop machine, make you feel like a citizen of the world". Müser quotes the Rolling Stone magazine's comparison of Shakira with her contemporaries and rivals, American female pop idols: "the stylistic breadth of Shakira's music - elements of folk, Middle Eastern and traditional Latin styles over a foundation of rock and pop - gave her a degree of credibility the American teen queens lacked". She writes, "[Shakira's] globalized sound could be a healthy escape [...] in times where national boundaries are being fiercely defended and cultural differences become points of contention".
Black hair rock era of Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones?
From her early teens, Shakira was influenced by rock music, listening heavily to such bands and performers as Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Nirvana, The Beatles, the Police, The Cure, Tom Petty, and Aerosmith. (According to Shakira, "Underneath Your Clothes" (2001) is where she shows her devotion for the Beatles' music.) "I was so in love with that rock sound" – she said. Her other influences included Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, Marc Anthony, and Van Morrison. She cited Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" as the song that made her appreciate the power of the electric guitar and "kick started her passion for music".
Shakira recalled her early convictions as follows: "There was no doubt for me, ever. Call it a premonition, call it an instinct. I was born to do this, to connect with a wide audience. The calling I have is the same reason why a dog barks. I always knew I would be a big performer and a public figure". Yet, she is a person of extreme humility, "hesitant to take credit for her own success", "bonded with her massive audience by sharing with them their awestruck worship of her public persona". She credited Gloria Estefan for "opening a big heavy door that was closed for many years" for Latin musicians in the United States, facilitating the kind of progress that Shakira herself was able to make later.
As Lucas Villa wrote in October 2020, "25 years ago [...] a raven-haired rockera from Barranquilla, Colombia made her mark" with a "LP called Pies Descalzos, or 'Bare Feet'. With full creative control, 18-year-old Shakira bared her soul, and the world was introduced to her strikingly poetic lyricism". In the 1998 Dónde Están los Ladrones?, she blended Latin rock with elements of pop and Middle Eastern music, lyrics and dance influences that reflected her Lebanese heritage. After so many years of artistic and personal evolution of the "girl with the electric guitar", Villa said, the "free-spirited Shakira essence remains the same". [...] "Shakira is still that rockera. She's still that pop star."
Shakira's orthodox rock skills were on display most prominently during her original Tour Pies Descalzos. Its 118 shows lasted for two years, from October 1995 to October 1997 (for example, the 1996 Tour Pies Descalzos concert at Mexico City's Auditorio Nacional, or the Viña del Mar 1997 concert in Chile). Then during Tour Anfibio (2000), and then again, in different rock renditions, during the Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003), of which the Rotterdam concert was published as the Live & off the Record record set.
Shakira's earlier albums, from "her black-haired rock era", Pies Descalzos and Dónde Están los Ladrones?, are primarily rock with elements of folk music. Pies Descalzos (1995), featuring assertive sound, "direct lyrics and personal aesthetic", utilizing aspects of dancehall, bossa nova and bachata among its styles, "put Shakira on the map internationally". The album's anthems are "Estoy Aquí" (the "I'm Here" opening, reassuring declaration of the artist), "Antología", "¿Dónde Estás Corazón?", "Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos", "Se Quiere, Se Mata", "Un Poco de Amor", "Te Necesito", "Quiero", "Vuelve", "Te Espero Sentada" (bossa nova), and "Pienso en Ti", sung at tour performances in an expanded version.
In 1996, Shakira gave a very different, classic and "elegant" ballroom-dance performance at a Banco Popular de Puerto Rico function.
In Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998), Shakira "unleashes a maelstrom of infectious energy" with a mesmerizing voice of which there is no other, "a deep vibrato" that "leaves listeners spellbound". She displays her "bohemian rockera persona" and, through "powerful balladry" and "lyrical depth with incisive social commentary", demonstrates wisdom beyond her age. "Her songwriting shines throughout" in "Ciega, Sordomuda", a song that "defined the sound of Latin music going into the new millennium" (mariachi-utilizing music written jointly with Estéfano), and on such tracks as "Moscas en la Casa", "No Creo", "Inevitable", "Octavo Día", "Tú", "Si Te Vas", "Dónde Están los Ladrones?", or "Que Vuelvas". The closing "Ojos Así" (music co-written by Pablo Flores and Javier Garza, music video directed by Mark Kohr) is famous for its "boundary-pushing musical fusion" as well as modern Arabic and other dance routines, done by Shakira and the background dancers and displayed on the song's video.
Laundry Service
With her first mostly-English album, Laundry Service (2001), and later works, Shakira diversified into various pop music genres, pop rock and Latin pop. Laundry Service is a pop and rock album, impacted by other genres and styles. The singer credited this to her mixed ethnicity and background, saying: "I am a fusion. That's my persona. I'm a fusion between black and white, between pop and rock, between cultures – between my Lebanese father and my mother's Spanish blood, the Colombian folklore and Arab dance I love and American music." Shakira was the first Latin crossover artist who attained critical acclaim from the mainstream U.S. rock press. She claimed that her motivation for entering the English-speaking market was strictly intellectual: being exposed to new cultures, building bridges, growing as a person. "I just feel that my playground is larger now. I now talk to different cultures and I hope that I can bridge those gaps and differences between us. It's an adventure, a dream... I feel like I'm on an anthropological mission"—she told Ted Kessler of The Observer in July 2002. On the day she spoke to him, Shakira had 18 interviews followed by other scheduled activities, which Kessler characterized as "promotional treadmill", even if "poetically romanticized" by the singer.
The Arabic music and Middle Eastern music elements exerted high influence on "Ojos Así" world hit from Dónde Están los Ladrones?. Its English version "Eyes Like Yours" was included on Laundry Service. Musical styles from different South American countries surface on the album. Tango, a style of fast-paced ballroom dance that originated in Argentina, Shakira sings in its rock version, "Objection (Tango)" / "Te aviso, te anuncio (tango)". The uptempo track features a bridge in which Shakira delivers "a genuinely peculiar rap". The Guardian reviewer Alexis Petridis marvels at Shakira's lyrics: "thought-provoking lines", "bewildering lyrical iceberg" and "non sequiturs so eccentric", all rendered with an unyielding conviction by "her powerful voice leaping octaves to add emphasis". He then sarcastically observes that "sniggering media pundits have suggested Ripoll (Shakira) can't actually understand what she is singing". The rock piece "Poem to a Horse" "mixes Nirvana-influenced guitars with a soul horn section to mind-boggling effect". Petridis finds Laundry Service's "ramshackle production and imponderable lyrics" to be "striking and unique".
Shakira said at that time, "My music, I think, is a fusion of many different elements. And I'm always experimenting. So I try not to limit myself, or put myself in a category, or... be the architect of my own jail." She has been inspired by the music of Asia, and in particular by Indian music, which influenced her works, including dancing. Proud of her Arab ancestry, she told Portuguese TV, "Many of my movements belong to Arab culture." South American folk music and Andean music in particular have influenced her and she has used its native instrumentation, most notably in "Whenever, Wherever" / "Suerte", Shakira's grand anthem and the song which "established her as a global superstar" (its music was co-written by Tim Mitchell, English words by Gloria M. Estefan). In the Spanish and English videos, the artist introduced "her signature iconic hip-swiveling dance moves" that she developed further in many live performances. Laundry Service also includes the dance-pop track "Ready for the Good Times", the ballad "The One, "Underneath Your Clothes" (music co-written by Lester Mendez), "Que Me Quedes Tú", and other songs.
According to Isabelia Herrera, the "Underneath Your Clothes" (a power ballad) video "was the Colombian singer's self-aware introduction to Anglo audiences" and the intentionality of its beginning (the verbal exchange with the journalist who asks her to speak English) "was the crux for her metamorphosis into an international supernova". Herrera writes of Shakira's "inimitable warble" in her singing, that she excels "in her meditations on erotic power" and that "through power ballads and post-grunge vengeance, Shakira empties her body, harnessing anguish and devotion and tracing a blueprint for so many young people’s journeys of femme self-discovery". She calls Laundry Service "a formidable compendium of Shakira's sonic and corporeal world".
Laundry Service established "Shakira's legacy as a pop chameleon". Her later forays into different music genres "can be traced back to the hybrid vision initiated" on her "crossover" album.
Fijación Oral, vol. 1, Oral Fixation, vol. 2 and She Wolf
The Spanish language Fijación Oral, vol. 1 (2005) features "La Tortura" with Alejandro Sanz, reggaeton beats and dancehall elements. The popular song was played also on English language stations. The album consists mostly of pop songs. Besides "La Tortura", "No", "Día de Enero" and "Las de la Intuición were issued as singles. Music of the last highly melodic synth-pop song and of "La Tortura" was composed jointly by Shakira and Luis Fernando Ochoa. There are also other ballads, "La Pared" in two versions and "Día Especial". The classic "Obtener un Sí" is a tribute to traditional bossa nova.
The English Oral Fixation, vol. 2 (2005), a sister album, followed and brought Shakira back "into mainstream pop and rock". The outstanding and most successful song of the set is "Hips Don't Lie" with Wyclef Jean. It mixes salsa with reggaeton and cumbia and utilizes a sample by Jerry Rivera. "Don't Bother" represents continuity of Shakira's work with guitar rock, while "Illegal" brings collaboration with Carlos Santana. She explores, as usual, "new musical territories", also on other tracks of the record. Several of the songs represent "off the beaten path", unconventional but striking pop/rock, with the sometimes underappreciated Shakira's English lyrics, for example "How Do You Do", "Costume Makes the Clown", or "Animal City". The last piece comes with music co-written by Luis F. Ochoa and includes an intriguing contraposition of rock guitars and Latin brass, utilized among other seemingly disparate musical elements. Music for the ballad "Something" was also co-written by Ochoa. Cabaret-like sounding "Hey You" and the romantic ballad "Your Embrace" have music co-written by Tim Mitchell. The music of the ballad "Dreams for Plans" was co-written by Brendan Buckley. The lyrics and music of the protest song "Timor" are by Shakira alone. The whole album was produced by Shakira.
She Wolf (2009) is primarily an electropop album that contains, in the first place, the "She Wolf" celebrated anthem and its Spanish equivalent "Loba". With its electronic, clubby sound ("in keeping with the current dancefloor-friendly sounds of Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé"), the album contrasts sharply with the music Shakira had released before. It combines influences from musical styles of various countries and regions such as Africa, Colombia, India, and the Middle East, as Shakira says she "always try to experiment with sounds from other parts of the world". She aimed at club-oriented dance music, electronic pop with strong basslines and harder sounds. The English and Spanish versions of the "She Wolf" song came with videos, in which the 32-year-old singer proffers a "more unabashedly sexed-up presentation". The Billboard reviewer writes of "a bluntness to her urges only hinted at in her previous work". According to Shakira, "She Wolf" represents her being "a little more in touch with my desires and a little more empowered or encouraged to satisfy those desires and set them free. It's something that just comes with time. I probably would not have written a song like this when I was 20". This time around she wanted to write with "a little less prudeness" and "make an album that people could just have fun with". Whereas Shakira ostensibly preaches female sexual liberation, the "She Wolf" song has become an anthem for the LGBTQ movements, which the artist has supported. As for the She-wolf character, Shakira says "I think people are craving fantasy". She termed She Wolf a "sonic experimental trip" and said she researched folk music from different countries in order to "combine electronics with world sounds, tambourines, clarinets, oriental and Hindu music, dancehall, etc". Among the songs on the record, there is "Good Stuff", the Spanish and Oriental in character "Años Luz" or "Why Wait", "Did It Again" or "Lo Hecho Está Hecho", and "Men in This Town", which possibly epitomizes the intended club dance spirit of the album.
Sale el Sol and Shakira
Shakira's next album, the mostly Spanish Sale el Sol (2010), was meant to be a return to her beginnings and, accordingly, is very different from its predecessor. It contains ballads, rock songs, and Latin dance songs. Reggaeton, merengue and cumbia are among the styles utilized in the eclectic album. The English and Spanish versions of the previously released Waka Waka were included. Shakira collaborates with El Cata on "Loca", with Pitbull on "Rabiosa" and with Residente on "Gordita". Residente raps about "liking Shakira better when she was chubbier, had dark hair and was a rockera" (she was visibly "chubbier" when she was 18, at the time of her 1995 Concierto de Lanzamiento de Pies Descalzos in Bogotá).
Sale el Sol opens with a melodic rock "Sale el Sol" song written by Shakira and L.F. Ochoa. The ballad "Antes de las Seis" Shakira composed with Lester Mendez. Merengue pop "Addicted to You", despite its title, is sung mostly in Spanish. The sorrowful ballad "Lo Que Más" is the work of Shakira and Albert Menéndez. "Islands" is Shakira's cover of the song of the same name by the xx.
With the Shakira (2014) album, Shakira retreats, for the most part, into the mainstream pop/rock/adult contemporary/country music range. She introduced the album, before its release, as follows: "I am enough. Imperfections and all. So what I am offering you now is just that. Shakira. Nothing more. A little bit of rock, a little bit of folk, a little reggae and naturally some dance—but as always, and above all, a lot of heart". The best-known songs on the record are the ballad Empire, reggae rock "Can't Remember to Forget You" featuring Rihanna (or sung by Shakira alone as "Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte"), and "Dare (La La La)", a version of which was a theme song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. "Chasing Shadows" has been called "a sublime electro-pop moment". The country pop song "Medicine" features Blake Shelton.
El Dorado
El Dorado (2017), named after the City of Gold envisioned by the Muisca people of Colombia, "shines with resounding versatility and cultural pride" and provides the listener with "a rich musical treasure trove". Among the album's hits are the reggaeton "Chantaje" with Maluma and vallenato "La Bicicleta" with Carlos Vives. Shakira utilizes the styles of música urbana. "Me Enamoré" refers to Shakira's love for Gerard Piqué back then and it starkly contrasts with the narrative of her next album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In "Toneladas", a ballad written with Luis Fernando Ochoa, Shakira "highlights her emotive prowess" being happy with "toneladas masivas de amor" (massive tons of love). "Deja Vu", "a sensual bachata fusion", features Prince Royce. According to the Billboard reviewers, however, the message of the song "When a Woman" contrasts with the empowering essence of Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran sharply and in an unsettling way.
There are many melodic items in this set. The ballad "Nada" was composed by Shakira and L.F. Ochoa. "Amarillo" was also written by them. The reggaeton "Perro Fiel" features Nicky Jam. Shakira sings "Trap" with Maluma. The stylistically unique, nostalgic "Comme moi" is given in two versions. Black M sings and raps in French in one (this one comes with a video), and MAGIC! in English in the other.
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran
Being "dragged down" by her partner Gerard Piqué, as Shakira tells it, it took her seven years before her next album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (March 2024), was released. Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, a rich collection of 16 songs, was born out of their breakup and associated Shakira's emotions. "In a stunning transformation", the artist turned her pain into musical gold, one of her most acclaimed creations. She utilizes a variety of moods and genres, including Afrobeats in "Nassau, "soul-stirring" bachata in "Monotonía", or Tex-Mex rhythms in "(Entre Paréntesis)". "Cómo Dónde y Cuándo" is "a stellar revival" of Shakira's rock roots.
Shakira, describing herself as being in a survival and reflection stage, "celebrates the strength of womanhood". As she continues "to craft melodies and lyrics that evoke pain, passion and allure", she sings by herself in such tracks as "Tiempo Sin Verte" and "Última", or collaborates with Cardi B, Karol G, Ozuna, Grupo Frontera, or Rauw Alejandro. With Argentine DJ Bizarrap she first produced "Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53", the "wildly unapologetic kiss-off" to her ex and an iconic "female empowerment anthem". Las Mujeres features two versions of "Vol. 53". The song's video shows Shakira and Bizarrap performing in the studio. At Times Square, the Tiësto remix was used with her singing and dancing.
In the opening electropop "Puntería", Shakira sings, Cardi B sings and raps, and the action in the video takes place in a mythological setting. "La Fuerte" is another electropop piece done with Bizarrap. The pop rock "Tiempo Sin Verte" is a "punchy alternative track fused with subtle dance melodies", in which Shakira "chants in her potent rockera vocals". "Cohete", a brilliant, pulsating dance-pop pearl with "a futuristic allure", she sings with Rauw Alejandro. The piano ballad "Última" was the last song that Shakira insisted on adding to the album. She wanted to tell "about coming to terms with the end of her relationship and leaving the past behind". The video for the track was done on a cold day in New York City subway system. "Te Felicito" was the first single released by Shakira for her planned album. Another collaboration with Rauw Alejandro, this reggaeton electropop song "sets the tone for Shakira's no-holds-barred attitude" with respect to her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran lyrics. The reggaeton hit "TQG" and the video Shakira recorded with Karol G; its "fierce and unapologetic" lyrics were motivated by their comparable personal experiences. The "Acróstico" ballad is "a heartfelt, yet poignant open letter from Shakira to her two children". Milan and Sasha sing and play the piano alongside their mother. "Copa Vacía", another reggaeton track sung with Manuel Turizo, is known for its Shakira-mermaid video. "El Jefe" and its video were recorded with regional Mexican band Fuerza Regida. According to Shakira, "it's about abuse of power".
Boutayna Chokrane wrote that Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran is "a brutally honest look at her breakup" in which the singer "signals a deliberate and timely return to her roots". But "at its core", it is "a pop album for a mainstream audience"; the artist "takes big swings and extends her dominance".
In September 2024, Shakira released the lively, Afrobeats-influenced "Soltera" song. Focused at this point on her sons and career, she extols the virtues and pleasures of living without a male partner. The song was followed in October with its video, which "is all about a carefree night out with friends", mostly Shakira's fellow female celebrities. In May 2025, "Soltera" brought Shakira the Favorite Latin Song award by the American Music Awards, which made her the most-awarded female Latin artist in the award show's history.
Dance and stage appearance
Next to performing music, Shakira is dedicated to dancing. She credits her belly dance-derived dancing with helping her overcome shyness. Her distinctive style is said to combine Latin dancing with Middle Eastern belly dance, which she was exposed to because of her Lebanese heritage. As Shakira said, "because my father is of 100 percent Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds". She told MTV that she learned how to belly dance by trying to flip a coin with her belly. Her hip shaking is mentioned, for example, in Fifth Harmony's "Brave Honest Beautiful" song, where the girl group members claim they can "dance like Beyoncé" and "shake like Shakira".
In her earlier live performances, Shakira was noted for usually employing minimal production, taking to the stage with little makeup and, until and including the El Dorado World Tour, without or with few background dancers. She preferred to focus on her vocals, dance moves, and stage presence. She confessed, however, to "getting lost in a cloud of hairdressers, make-up artists and assistants" for years, but declared "reclaiming her image" and doing her own make-up now (2006).
Shakira had repeatedly spoken of being a "control freak", wanting to do and be involved with "everything" on "her ship" by herself. "So I get involved in every part of my career. I'm in total control. Sometimes I feel like my mind is going to explode, but I can't change it. I've tried to delegate, but believe me, it doesn't work". On being a perfectionist, she said, "I'm not as confident as people think". [...] "I still have that monster inside of me that wants to do everything better and right".
The stage has been the one and only place of public exposure where Shakira feels uninhibited. She greatly enjoys performing before large gatherings, but feels uncomfortable when the number of spectators is small. "The stage and crowd and lights and applause of the people dress me. Once you take that away and you’re there with your voice—it’s such a private, intimate act, the one of singing and exposing your soul." Shakira easily and naturally connects and bonds with stadiums full of fans and demonstrates in such settings "boundless self-confidence".
Beginning in her twenties, Shakira dyed her black hair blond (first) and often performed barefoot (later). For her light-dyed hair (on account of which she has been called a "sellout"), she gave an interviewer the following explanation: "But it wasn’t a calculated move. It wasn’t like, Oh, I want to reach the American audience—let me be blonde and let me get a pair of blue contact lenses and bleach my skin. I didn’t want to be white. I just thought my curls looked cool with a blonde, beachy style". Between Shakira's MTV Unplugged (1999) and Roseland Ballroom (2001) Manhattan shows, her stage appearance and style changed dramatically. "Her previous look was just as pretty, but the new one is tougher and wilder", noted in December 2001 Frank Kogan of The Village Voice. To Ted Kessler of The Observer (2002), Shakira "did look like a Latino Britney", with her "all bleached blonde curls" and a "tiny 5ft frame", "but as soon as she opened her mouth, she slipped into gear and motored powerfully past Britney's breathy bump'n'grind".
Songwriting
Music industry executive and artist manager Merck Mercuriadis praised Shakira's songwriting footprint, saying "what no one should ever take for granted is that she is one of the most serious and successful songwriters of the last 25 years, having written or co-written virtually every song she has ever recorded". Isabelia Herrera, a music editor, critic and curator, wrote of Shakira's "fascinating, idiosyncratic songwriting". Shakira has written several hundred songs, of which at least several dozen have become widely-known hits.
Singing
Shakira is a contralto and is known for her "unique and mesmerizing" singing voice, which includes her "trademark" yodeling. Ted Kessler described her as having "the range of an operatic diva". "She’s a rock girl through and through. Her singing is full-throated and urgent, her manner commanding onstage or on record" – wrote in 2002 Evan Wright of the Rolling Stone magazine. Alexandra Zacharella wrote for the UT Tyler's College of Music Society that "Shakira's vocal stylings have been compared to Spanish yodeling and it is her very Arabic roots that shape her vocal inflections and the use of double harmonic scales and the Major Locrian scale in her compositions".
Instruments
Professional guitar technician Drew Foppe, who has worked with Shakira on several of her tours, spoke on her instrument playing and competence: "She can play the guitar just fine. She plays both acoustic and electric guitars on stage. There really isn't anything that happens on stage that she isn't in complete control over, from the tones, arrangements, and the overall look of everything. It's her baby, so to speak. She isn't really a gear nerd. However, she knows exactly what she wants things to sound like from every single instrument on stage. [...] The aesthetics of how a piece of gear looks is just as important as how it sounds with Shakira."
In her pre-Laundry Service rock performances, Shakira also played harmonica extensively.
Legacy
Shakira is a prominent figure in Latin and world music. Steve Huey of AllMusic described her (22 November 2009) as a "wildly inventive diva who created a cross-cultural pop sound rooted in her native Colombia but encompassing nearly every territory in the world. [...] Noted for her aggressive, rock-influenced approach, Shakira maintained an extraordinary degree of creative control over her music, especially for a female artist; she wrote or co-wrote nearly all of her own material, and in the process gained a reputation as one of Latin music's most ambitiously poetic lyricists. When she released her first English material in late 2001, she became an instant pop sensation, thanks to her quirky poetic sense and a sexy video image built on her hip-shaking belly dance moves."
Fiona Sturges of The Independent named Shakira an "international phenomenon". "At the MTV Europe Awards in November" (2005), she wrote, (Shakira) "was the winner of the Best Female award, seeing off rivals Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Missy Elliott and Mariah Carey". "With her Lebanese ancestry and English-language songs — with her huge bilingual hit 'Hips Don't Lie', done with the Haitian-American singer Wyclef Jean, for example — Shakira showed how universal a Latin artist could be. At the same time, in a difficult balance, she has tried to stay Latin American", wrote in 2009 in The New York Times Magazine Scott Malcomson. In 2018, The New York Times called her "a titan of Latin Pop", adding that "even as a new generation of Spanish-speaking artists are crossing over into American music's mainstream, Shakira's output stands alone". As the newspaper noted, "the seemingly ageless singer-songwriter" had produced, over almost three decades, rock, pop, and reggaeton. In January 2021, Merck Mercuriadis of the Hipgnosis Songs Fund, which bought Shakira's song rights, hailed her, like many others had, as the "Queen of Latin Music". He stressed her role as "one of the most serious and successful songwriters of the last 25 years, having written or co-written virtually every song she has ever recorded".
Shakira's global success differs from that achieved by other famous Latino singers such as Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan or Enrique Iglesias, because it has been accomplished by a star who grew up in South America, the first one of this type to crossover globally. "It was difficult for Anglo critics to decipher the differences between Latin Americans and U.S.-born Latinos, who grew up speaking and writing in English." Shakira's unprecedented expansion has inspired other Latin American artists to attempt crossing over into the U.S. music market. One example is Mexican pop star Paulina Rubio, of whom MTV wrote "there's no question that Shakira opened doors in this country for artists like Rubio to succeed". According to Spin, Shakira has paved the way for such Latin artists as Maluma and J Balvin to crossover. The Middle Eastern newspaper El Correo del Golfo credits Shakira with "having opened the way" for several Hispanic singers today. Lucas Villa summarized in the Paper magazine (2020): "In her wake, Colombia has become a hotspot for talent with recent exports like J Balvin, Maluma and Karol G. As Latin music continues to become a global force, we can't forget to remember Shakira's impact in the movement."
In September 2017, Time magazine referred to Shakira as a "pop legend". In December 2020, Entertainment Tonight perceived Shakira as "one of the most influential artists of the 21st century". Shakira has been called "the crossover queen" by The Economist, "the queen of the World Cup" by Billboard, and "Latin America's pop queen" by Pitchfork. Billboard has noted that Shakira's music videos have "redefined the role of dancing in music videos", while seeing her as the best Latin female music video artist of all time.
The authors of the book Reggaeton, published by Duke University Press, credited Shakira with popularizing the reggaeton genre in North America, Europe and Asia. The Public Broadcasting Service, after the release of Shakira's album Shakira, had written: "Gloria Estefan, Ricky Martin and Shakira are the most successful artists of the so-called Golden Age of Latin Music which reshaped America’s cultural landscape for the twenty-first century". Alongside her impact on Latin and mainstream popular culture, Shakira has also influenced popular culture in the Arab world. In a publication titled Popular Culture in the Arab World: Arts, Politics, and the Media, author Andrew Hammond wrote: "Inspired by the success of Colombian singer Shakira, who is hugely popular in the Arab world where her Lebanese origin is a source of pride, singers like Lebanon's Nawal El Zoghbi and Morocco's Samira Said have shifted their image and sound in an attempt to follow in her footsteps". On the other hand, the newspaper El Correo del Golfo wrote that Shakira was the greatest exponent of Middle Eastern music in the West, citing her interest in Arabic music and dance.
In 1999, Shakira's MTV Unplugged concert was the first time an "unplugged" episode was broadcast entirely in Spanish. It became her major breakthrough in the U.S. music market. A Latin performance and a Latina solo act were unprecedented in the series. In 2001, "Whenever, Wherever" music video was aired on MTV with both the English and Spanish versions. According to a spokesman for the channel, for the first time U.S. MTV had aired a Spanish-language video. "La Tortura" was the first full Spanish-language music video to air on MTV without an English version. In 2005, Sanz and Shakira performed "La Tortura" at the MTV Video Music Awards (the first Spanish-language song featured there). In 2018, "Hips Don't Lie" was selected as one of the greatest songs by 21st century female artists by National Public Radio, ranked at number 65. "Crossover artists often sacrifice something about their musical identities to appease a U.S. listenership. Shakira's biggest single, 'Hips Don't Lie', did the opposite. Though never marketed as reggaeton, it's the most popular song in the genre's history", wrote NPR. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was named by Billboard the best World Cup song and called "the most successful World Cup anthem ever" (2018). "The song became a global hit that transcended the time of the mundial", wrote Billboard in 2013.
Published by the U.S. Bureau of International Information Programs, the journal Global Issues (2006) cited Shakira as one of the celebrities "in today's globalized world" who "made it big by sharing the uniqueness of their talent and culture with the global community". In 2020, The New Zealand Herald found Shakira's longevity in the music industry "particularly impressive given her ability to breach the lines of crossover, a feat not many artists have been able to achieve". The Paper magazine also wrote in 2020 about Shakira's longevity and her, a pre-digital era artist, ability to successfully crack the digital-streaming era of music: "The self-proclaimed 'She Wolf' is a titan in the digital era of music where she devours billions of streams with her catalog". In 2010, Google revealed that Shakira was the most searched female entertainer of the year. In 2020, she was the most Googled musician / band of the year and the 7th most searched person.
Many artists have cited Shakira as an influence, expressed their admiration for her as a person and an artist, or desire to work with her on joint music projects. The list includes Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Justin Bieber, Maluma, Ozuna, Ed Sheeran, Anitta, Cardi B, and Beyoncé, among others. In December 2021, Madison Troyer of Stacker listed Shakira as one of the most influential female artists of the 21st century, calling her "an international star without abandoning her Latin American roots".
Among intellectuals and writers who have admired Shakira counts, in the first place, the Colombian Nobel Prize winning novelist Gabriel García Márquez, who wrote in 1999 "no one of any age can sing or dance with the innocent sensuality Shakira seems to have invented". Márquez published an essay exalting her "phenomenal musical talent", "extraordinary maturity", and "will of granite". Having met Márquez, Shakira was also pleased: "We got along very well. I think there was some kind of link intellectually. [...] He's somebody that means a lot to my people, and to a certain extent, I think I do too. So it was like an encounter of two people who are trying to put the name of my country in a good visible place." Márquez and Shakira had become friends.
Shakira's influence has transcended the boundaries of pop culture; she has become a socio-political influencer and was named as one of the "World's Greatest Leaders" of 2017 by Fortune. According to the magazine, "the multilingual singer was a force of nature in the philanthropic world" and "Her 104 million fans on Facebook make her the most-followed female celebrity on the planet. But her real leadership comes in how she has leveraged those (social media) platforms on behalf of vulnerable kids".
The Guardian published in November 2009 an in-depth essay by Euan Ferguson titled "The making of Saint Shakira". It treats several topics, including Shakira's impact on Colombia's social change, especially in the area of childhood education, and her ability to effectively discuss issues with such world leaders as Barack Obama and Gordon Brown ("she gets things done"). On the popular level, she is celebrated "as something of a saint" and "accorded near-divine status" in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America. Ferguson finds Shakira quite authentic and convincing intellectually. He writes: "Something very strange happens, in the company of Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, to cynicism. [...] Not arrogant or demanding [...] she not only knows what she's talking about, but puts her money where her mouth is [...] she's Madonna gone right".
For The Independent (a November 2010 article), Shakira is a "living proof that pop and politics can mix". The newspaper wonders how she "balances battling poverty with squeezing into sequinned bikinis", but notes that because of her stature and through her efforts she is able to have "the ear of the global political elite". In one instance, as witnessed by the paper's Craig McLean at the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting, Shakira, "a confidante of both Colombian and American presidents", appeared as comfortable mingling with political heavyweights as she was the night before, when she performed a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden. Doing an interview with the singer, McLean commends her accented but very fluent English, but observes, referring to the 2009 "She Wolf" video and its publicity, that she "is clearly happier, more confident, geo-politicking than talking about her own sexual politics". Shakira is, he concludes, "as sagacious as she is glam".
Shakira speaks Spanish, Portuguese, English, Italian, French, and Catalan.
Announcing its partnership with Shakira, "the world's iconic artist", the Despegar company wrote in June 2024: "Shakira has challenged the boundaries of art and music, establishing herself as one of the most influential and beloved artists of all time".
Monuments
In 2006, a six-tonne (6.6-short-ton), 5-metre-tall (16 ft) statue of Shakira was installed in her hometown Barranquilla in a park near Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez.
In July 2018, Shakira visited Tannourine in Lebanon, the village of her paternal great-grandmother and father. Accompanied by officials, she went to the Tannourine Cedar Reserve, where two trees were dedicated to her and a square in the forest was named after her.
In December 2023, Shakira's hometown of Barranquilla honored the singer with a 21-foot bronze statue in a park along the banks of the Magdalena River. The sculpture shows the curly-haired singer belly dancing with her arms overhead, in a sheer skirt with shiny aluminum decoration.
Achievements
Shakira has received numerous awards and recognition for her work. She is the recipient of four Grammy Awards and fifteen Latin Grammy Awards—the second most for a female artist. With over 95 million records sold worldwide before the launching of the 2024 Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran album, Shakira is one of the world's best-selling musicians. By 2023, with over 20 billion cumulative views, she was one of the top-10 artists overall of all time on YouTube. By the time she released Laundry Service in 2001, she had already sold 10 million albums in Latin America, according to Billboard. Three of her albums are among the best-selling Latin albums in the United States: Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (8th), Dónde Están los Ladrones? (9th) and Pies Descalzos (23rd); she is the female artist with the highest number of best-selling Latin albums in the country. Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 had become the best-selling Latin pop album and the second best-selling Latin album overall of the 2000s decade in the U.S. Dónde Están los Ladrones? has also been one of the best-selling albums in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Pies Descalzos has been among the best-selling albums in Brazil and Colombia.
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems said that "Hips Don't Lie" was the most-played pop song in a single week in American radio history, being played 9,657 times in one week. The song made Shakira the first artist in the history of Billboard charts to reach number-one spots on both the Mainstream Top 40 and the Hot Latin Songs chart in the same week (27 June 2006). She became the only artist from South America with number-one spots on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the Australian ARIA Charts, and the UK singles chart. Shakira is the female artist with most top-ten hits on the Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart (37). Her song "La Tortura" at one time held the chart's record for most weeks at number one, with the total of 25 non-consecutive weeks. She has also had most number-one songs on the Latin Digital Song Sales chart (18) and is the female artist with most number-one hits on the Latin Airplay chart (24).
In 2008, Shakira was named honorary chairperson of the Global Campaign for Education. In February 2011, at its Cultural Rhythms festival, the Harvard Foundation named Shakira Artist of the Year, awarding her its most prestigious medal. The foundation's director praised the nominee: "Her contributions to music and distinguished history of creativity have been applauded by people throughout the world, and she is greatly admired worldwide for her humanitarian efforts". The Harvard Gazette wrote of "Shakira’s commitment to education and to the needs of those suffering around the world [...] advanced through her humanitarian work".
Nokia stated in 2010 that there were more Shakira music downloads in the prior year than of any other Latin artist; "She Wolf" was the top download. In December 2010, she was ranked number five on Billboard's "Online Video's Most Viral Artists of 2010" list, with 404,118,932 views. In November 2011, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored Shakira with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the Category of Recording. The announcement summarized her achievements as an artist and advocate for social causes, including her October 2011 nomination to the White House Education Commission. Originally, she was to be given the star in 2009. Also in November Shakira was declared, at the Latin Grammys, the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. In January 2012, she received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from French minister of culture. The medal recognizes significant contributions to the arts and literature.
In 2014, Shakira became the first musical act to perform three times at the FIFA World Cup. In the same year, Aleiodes shakirae, a newly-described species of parasitic wasp, was named after her because it causes its host (a caterpillar) to "shake and wiggle". Forbes ranked Shakira on their "list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women" at number 40 in 2012, at 52 in 2013, and at 58 in 2014. In 2015, Time recognized Shakira as one of the most influential people on social media. Shakira and Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were the only Latin influencers on Time's list. The magazine mentioned Shakira's "social capital", her having more Facebook fans than anybody else, and noted that she has an "unparalleled platform" on social media, where she effectively promotes her work and philanthropy.
In 2018, Spotify listed Shakira as number 10 most-streamed female artist of the decade of the platform's existence; she had been the highest streamed Latin artist. In 2020, Shakira became the first female artist to have four songs from different decades to have over 100 million streams on Spotify. She was the only artist with Spanish songs, the only Latin artist, and third overall, after Michael Jackson and Eminem, to achieve this milestone. In the same year, she broke the Vevo Certified Awards record, becoming the artist with the most videos with over 100 million views. In 2019, Houston Press listed Shakira, whose "debut album was released nearly 30 years" before, as one of the women who should have been introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2022, her financial worth was estimated at $300 million.
In 2022, MTV Latin America included Shakira in the list of "the most influential women in the history of music", as the only Latina on the list. In May 2023, Billboard honored Shakira as the "Latin Woman of the Year", the first time the magazine bestowed this distinction. Billboard highlighted Shakira's record-breaking achievements of 2022 and 2023 and noted that she had been one of the best-selling musicians of all time. "With grace, a deep tradition of giving back, and enormous talent" [...] she "continues to be more relevant than ever", asserts the magazine. According to Ronald Day of Telemundo, Shakira has "empowered generations to embrace our (Latin) identity through music". She was ranked at number 45 on Billboard's 2025 "Top 100 Women Artists of the 21st Century" list.
Philanthropy, humanitarian work and politics
In 1997, Shakira founded Fundación Pies Descalzos (the Barefoot Foundation), a Colombian charity. Funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals, the foundation builds and maintains special schools for underprivileged children in Colombia. The name of the foundation was taken from her third studio album, Pies Descalzos, released in 1995. The foundation is focused on aid through education; its schools across Colombia provide teaching and meals for children. On 3 April 2006, Shakira was honored at a United Nations ceremony for establishing the Pies Descalzos Foundation. Accepting the award, the singer said: "Let's not forget at the end of this day when we all go home, 960 children will have died in Latin America". Besides serving many thousand children, the foundation provides support and training for their parents and communities. Shakira personally supervises the operation, visits the schools, interacts with the children and other people involved.
In December 2006, Shakira became a founding member of Latin America in Solidarity Action (ALAS) Foundation, a coalition of artists and business leaders seeking to promote integrated early childhood public policies in Latin America and the Caribbean. ALAS organized huge concert events and worked with top politicians, as Shakira spoke of "a grand alliance, between the public sector and civil society, to protect the most fragile people in our population, the children". At the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, she secured a commitment of $40 million from the government of Spain for victims of natural disasters. In 2008, she served as honorary chair of the Global Campaign for Education. In the December 2008/January 2009 issue, People en Español declared Shakira the Humanitarian of the Year (a part of its Las Estrellas del Año (Stars of the Year) awards). In 2010, she collaborated with the World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation to establish an initiative that distributes educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America.
Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and one of the global representatives of the UN children's agency. In March 2010, she was awarded a medal by the UN International Labour Organization in recognition of being, as UN Labour Chief Juan Somavía put it, a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice [...] we are pleased to honor what you are doing". "We must act now. Together, we can make education and decent work for all a reality", Shakira told the hundreds of guests gathered at the ceremony in Geneva. In November 2010, after performing as the opening act of the MTV European Music Awards, the Colombian singer received the MTV Free Your Mind award for her continuing efforts to facilitate access to education for all children around the world.
In the Spanish edition of the magazine GQ (October 2010), Shakira directed the words "we are all gypsies" to French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In the interview, she declared: "What is happening now to them (the gypsies) will happen to our children and our children's children. We must turn to our citizens to act for the fundamental rights of human beings and condemn all that seems to us indictable".
In February 2011, the FC Barcelona Foundation and Pies Descalzos reached an agreement on children's education through sport. Shakira was the youngest artist ever honored at the Latin Grammy Awards as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. At a tribute dinner and concert on 9 November 2011 in Las Vegas, she received the recognition for her artistic and philanthropic contributions. The Latin Academy president spoke of being "honored to pay homage to this dynamic, socially conscious woman". In October 2011, she was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. On 26 April 2014, Shakira was honored with the Hero Award at the Radio Disney Music Awards for her work with the Pies Descalzos Foundation and a number of other charitable organizations.
In July 2017, Shakira sang with Chris Martin at the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg. The aims of the periodic event were to secure funding commitments and other support for action on key issues, such as access to education, food security, and women's rights worldwide. According to Global Citizen (2025), Shakira "continues to be a powerful voice in the movement to Defeat Poverty and Defend the Planet".
On 2 November 2018, during a visit to her birthplace, Barranquilla, Colombia, concerning the construction of a school through her foundation, Shakira spoke about the educational policies of President Iván Duque's government. She argued against the government's intentions to reduce the national education budget from 13% to 7%, saying, "This is unacceptable. It shows that instead of progressing forward we are moving backward. We need to invest more in education and we need to build more schools in places where there are none." She also talked about social inequality and the resulting absence of schooling for many children.
In April 2020, the World Literacy Foundation announced Shakira as the recipient of the 2020 Global Literacy Award for "her significant contribution to the improvement of literacy for disadvantaged children around the world". "While her success in the music and performance industry has taken the world by storm, her support for children's literacy and education has only improved and gained traction over the years", in the world where illiteracy is an acute global crisis, stressed the Foundation. In May 2020, Shakira donated more than 50,000 face masks and ten respirators to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in her hometown of Barranquilla. In October 2020, she was appointed by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge a member of the Earthshot Prize Council, to decide on prizes ("environment Nobel") for five environmental pioneers (individuals or organizations) per year, providing them with funds needed to further their work on problems impacting the environment. During the 2021 Colombian protests, Shakira condemned the violence and demanded from President Iván Duque to "immediately stop the human rights violations" and "restitute the value of human life above any political interest".
Shakira's wrote an op-ed commentary for Time magazine, published on 30 October 2020 under the title "Shakira: The Parents of 545 Children Are Missing, and the Silence Is Blaring". Her immediate concern was the fate of 545 children separated at the U.S.–Mexico border from their parents, whose whereabouts were unknown. She strongly criticized the U.S. border control and immigration practices: "How [...] could a nation built on the shoulders of immigrants [...] have such unimaginably cruel immigration policies?". "This is not about politics", she asserted, but "the people responsible for this cruel policy ("the harm caused to these innocent children") must be held accountable". She noted that "speaking up isn’t always easy, especially when one is not an American citizen and can be perceived as an outsider commenting on domestic policies". She introduced herself as "the daughter of a New Yorker", referring to the place of birth of her father.
On International Women's Day, 8 March 2021, Global Citizen wrote about "14 feminist heroes one should know and celebrate". Shakira was listed alongside a diverse group of well-known female personalities, including Beyoncé, Jane Fonda, Hillary Clinton, Winnie Mandela, and Dolly Parton.
On 2 February 2025, Shakira's 48th birthday, at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, she received the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. She dedicated the award on stage to her "brothers and sisters", immigrants in the United States: " I want to dedicate this award to all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country", she said. "You’re loved, worth it and I will always fight with you. And to all of those women who work really hard every day to provide for their families, you are the real she wolves. So this is for you, too".
At the onset of her U.S. tour (May 2025), Shakira wanted to proudly celebrate the Latino community, taking notice of the politically fraught era. "This moment together is a celebration of who we are, how far we've come", she told the Rolling Stone magazine. "I want the show to be representative of who we are as a community, especially during these hard times." She sees this representation and fighting prejudice as her standing mandate throughout her career. Shakira has been reported to have been worried about the safety and well-being of her children and herself as immigrants in the U.S. Her June 2025 show in the Los Angeles area was postponed to August because of the immigration policy and enforcement-related civil unrest in the vicinity at that time.
Other undertakings
Shakira has engaged in different businesses and pursuits. She acted in the Colombian telenovela El Oasis in 1994, playing the character of Luisa Maria.
Shakira and the fragrance company Puig launched S by Shakira, her first beauty product and the first of her Shakira Perfumes line, in 2010. Among the first perfumes released were S by Shakira and S by Shakira Eau Florale, along with lotions and body sprays. As of 2019, she had released 30 fragrances, not counting deluxe editions. On 17 September 2015, Shakira was featured as a playable bird in the game Angry Birds POP! for a limited time, and then in a special tournament in the game Angry Birds Friends. On 15 October 2015, Love Rocks Starring Shakira, a video game that featured her, was launched.
On 14 August 2015, at Disney's D23 Expo, it was announced that Shakira would play a character in the Disney animated movie Zootopia. She would give voice to Gazelle, the biggest pop star in Zootopia. Shakira also recorded a song for the film, titled "Try Everything", written and composed by Sia and Stargate. The movie brought a record-breaking box office success in several countries and earned a worldwide gross of over $1 billion, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2016 and the 43rd highest-grossing film of all time. On 8 November 2024, Shakira announced that she will return as Gazelle for Zootopia 2, slated for release in 2025, with new music.
On 21 September 2021, Shakira released the La Caldera NFT collection, which features four audiovisual pieces. The proceeds from the collection supported Shakira's Pies Descalzos Foundation, aiding poor children in Colombia.
In December 2021, it was announced that Shakira will be an executive producer for Dancing with Myself, an NBC dance competition series. The program aired in 2022.
In October 2023, Epson announced a partnership with the "global icon Shakira [...] a cultural influencer and change trailblazer". She became the company's brand ambassador for Epson Latin America. According to Keith Kratzberg, president and CEO at Epson America, “Shakira is an icon of creativity with unsurpassed passion for the people of Latin America”. While Epson stressed "the Colombian singer and songwriter's commitment to improving access to education for children in underprivileged communities", Shakira was happy to work with a brand whose innovative technologies improve people's lives. The partnership was envisaged to be a multi-year effort "across several communication channels and social media".
To uplift women through the power of music and "empower her sisters this International Women's Day (8 March) and beyond", Shakira joined forces with Hard Rock International and they announced together on 27 February 2025 a year-long partnership. She also spoke of "breaking barriers and making the world a more inclusive space where every woman feels confident being themselves". The Hard Rock Heals Foundation declared donating $250,000 to Shakira's Pies Descalzos Foundation.
In June 2025, Shakira announced the launching of her new hair-care beauty line, Isima. Changing hairstyles and colors have been prominent in the singer's performances and Isima was "designed with the diversity and specificity of Latina hair in mind". It is Shakira's first venture into the hair-care area and she has been actively promoting it on her social media platforms.
As of 1 July 2025, Epson announced a new partnership with the "international music icon" Shakira, who became the brand's official ambassador for the META-CWA region (Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and West Asia). The goal the partnership supports is to "make technology accessible and sustainable" and "Shakira reflects the brand's mission to empower people through visual and printing solutions" on a global scale. Epson stressed Shakira's dedication to education and creativity, declared that a range of initiatives that champion youth, creativity and innovation will be incorporated and informed that the partnership with Shakira will be part of the company's Imagine New Possibilities campaign.
Personal life
In December 2024, Puerto Rican actor Osvaldo Ríos spoke of his past relationship with Shakira, which started when she was 20 and he was 36 and lasted nearly a year. He told of an "emotional and spiritual connection" between them and said that Shakira was very devoted to the Virgin Mary. They traveled together, often accompanied, "due to her family's traditional Lebanese roots", by Shakira's brother Tonino. Among the places they visited were Paris, Brazil and Puerto Rico. Although they wanted to get married, their respective careers eventually pulled them apart, as Ríos realized that "this bird had to fly very high" and encouraged Shakira to pursue her professional path without limitations. He named "Moscas en la Casa" and "Tú" as songs inspired by their romantic bond and by their love letters in particular.
Shakira began a relationship with Argentine lawyer Antonio de la Rúa in 1999. Antonio is a son of Fernando de la Rúa, who was president of Argentina from 1999 to 2001. In a 2009 interview, Shakira said, "The fact is, I'm not very traditionalist. We live together as husband and wife, we don't need anything to make it official. [...] Why fix things that aren't broken?". They had been "engaged" from 2001, but the marriage had never materialized. Shakira kept saying, almost until the end, that she desired and expected a permanent union and family with de la Rúa. For a number of years, de la Rúa had managed Shakira's business and career.
On 10 January 2011, a statement bearing the names "Shakira and Antonio" in the signature field was published on shakira.com. It speaks of, after "almost 11 years together [...] since August 2010 [...] a mutual decision to take time apart from our romantic relationship" and says that they "view this period of separation as temporary [...] as we continue to be partners in our business and professional lives" and "Antonio continues to oversee and conduct my business and career interests as he has always done". De la Rúa's civil litigation against Shakira was first reported in September 2012. He filed a suit against her in California in April 2013, asking for $100 million he claimed he was owed after she terminated her business partnership with him and his services in October 2011. His lawsuit was dismissed by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge in August 2013. Two other lawsuits that de la Rúa filed against his former partner were also unsuccessful.
Shakira's relationship with Antonio de la Rúa contributed to the existence of "Underneath Your Clothes", "Whenever, Wherever", and on its breakup, "Lo Que Más".
Shakira and the Spanish football player Gerard Piqué, who is exactly ten years her junior, first met in June 2010 when shooting the music video for Shakira's song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", the official song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. A relationship ensued, for some time not revealed, and the couple took residence in Barcelona. Shakira gave birth to their first son, Milan, on 22 January 2013. She gave birth to their second son, Sasha, on 29 January 2015. According to Shakira, she learned about Piqué's "betrayal" of her (an affair with another woman) from media accounts. It happened at a difficult time for her, when her then 91-year old father was undergoing hospitalization following a bad fall he had suffered. 12 years after they met, in June 2022, Shakira and Piqué announced in a joint statement that they were separating.
In 2009, Scott Malcomson wrote in The New York Times Magazine article that Shakira's life is "relentless and unlikely". Her "normal manner is intense and preoccupied, with interruptions of bright enthusiasm". Her work ethics he calls "somewhat extreme". With fans, whose loyalty she seeks, "she is all attentive patience". Malcomson comments on the subject of Shakira's "feminine allure", the factor that is "at once limiting and critical to her power". He mentions the economist Jeffrey Sachs bringing the matter up in a speech at Columbia University. Malcomson lists some of the ways in which Shakira has dealt with and reacted to the issue of her attractiveness, in real life and in artistic creations: pleasant carelessness, rage and hunger, sheer athletic joy, easygoing self-confident lust, physical insecurity (the weight control pressure), and "an acute sense of the physical and mental pain of attraction".
Shakira expressed her thoughts on the reasons why she had worked so hard, for so many years, on her professional development and career, what had been her "motivation to continue". In 2009 she repeatedly told the interviewer about wanting, in her early years, to bring her parents joy, "to fill the void in their own lives" (because of the hard times the family had gone through). "Then, later, I wanted to make my own people proud, my home town, my country, this country that has gone through so many difficulties." She wanted to "make a difference". Eventually, she came to realize that she herself also mattered and her motivations did not have to be all external. "And now it's all for me", she said, "I guess that's why I'm still working, because this time I get to do it for me!"
In 2009, Shakira reflected on her life: "Being in the public eye since such a young age, I don't know any other way of living — it's everything I know. My family and my friends remind me what's real, which helps".
Between 2007 and 2009, Shakira studied the history of Western Civilization at UCLA. In 2020, she announced her completion of an ancient philosophy course through the University of Pennsylvania, describing it as an impractical hobby of hers.
Tax controversy
In November 2017, Shakira was named in the Paradise Papers. It was disclosed that she was the sole shareholder of a Malta-based company used to transfer more than $30 million in music rights. Her legal representatives maintained that her use of the company was entirely lawful.
In 2017, an investigation into Shakira's taxes was announced by the Spanish authorities. The prosecutors alleged that she failed to pay taxes in Spain between 2012 and 2014, a period during which she resided in Barcelona with Piqué. Shakira contended that her primary residence remained in the Bahamas during that time, that she was also engaged in international touring and was not legally a resident of Spain because of not having lived there for more than six months per year. In July 2021, a Spanish judge determined that there was "evidence of criminality" sufficient to bring her to trial on charges of tax fraud.
In 2021, the Pandora Papers revealed that Shakira submitted applications for three offshore companies in 2019. Her representatives informed LaSexta that these applications were not intended to establish new companies but were part of the process of dissolving existing ones. They asserted that the companies had no income or activities and that Spanish authorities had been informed of their existence. Most of the artist's income had been generated outside of Spain.
Negotiations with the Spanish Prosecution Ministry took place, but in July 2022 Shakira refused the settlement offered (its terms were not disclosed), opting to go to trial to prove her innocence. Prosecutors requested an eight-year prison sentence for the alleged tax fraud offenses. The singer declared "a total violation of her rights". On 27 September 2022, a Spanish judge in Esplugues de Llobregat approved the tax fraud trial after prosecutors accused Shakira of failing to pay €14.5 million ($13.9 million) in taxes. She claimed she had already paid all owed amounts plus €3 million ($2.8 million) as interest. The Barcelona judge, Ana Duro, said the trial date would be set after she receives the necessary qualifying papers from both parties.
On 20 November 2023, at the commencement of the trial, the deal with prosecutors was finally reached and Shakira settled the case by paying a €7.5 million fine. In a statement, she cited her well-being and the interest of her children as factors influencing her decision.
Discography
Tours
Pies Descalzos International Tour (1995–1997)
Tour Anfibio (2000)
Tour of the Mongoose (2002–2003)
Oral Fixation Tour (2006–2007)
The Sun Comes Out World Tour (2010–2011)
El Dorado World Tour (2018)
Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour (2025)
Filmography
Television
Film
See also
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
Best-selling international artists in Brazil
List of best-selling Latin music artists
List of best-selling music artists
List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
Women in Latin music
List of Colombians
List of highest-certified music artists in Germany
List of largest music deals
Notes
References
Further reading
VH1 Driven: Shakira (article)
VH1 Driven: Shakira (video)
"Video – VH1 – Driven Shakira (11–22–05)". ShakiraMedia.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
Book: Woman Full of Grace by Ximena Diego
"Shakira: Woman Full of Grace ~ Ximena Diego ~ eBookMall ~ eBooks". Ebookmall.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
Pareles, Jon (14 November 2005). "Shakira, from lip to hip". New Straits Times, p. L3.
"Shakira pertahan orang Arab". (8 November 2005). Berita Harian, p. 13.
Frank Cogan's review of Laundry Service for The Village Voice
"New York Music – River Deep, Freckle High – page 1". The Village Voice. 25 December 2001. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
Chart Performance for "Don't Bother" from the Billboard Hot 100
Chart Performance for Oral Fixation 2
"Building Album Sales Chart". HITS Daily Double. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
New York Times Magazine article on Shakira's philanthropic work on education.
External links
Official website
Shakira at AllMusic
Shakira at IMDb
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Zié Ouattara
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Tell me a bio of Zié Ouattara.
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Zié Mohamed Ouattara (born 9 January 2000) is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as right-back for Polish club Radomiak Radom.
Club career
A youth product of ASEC Mimosas, Ouattara transferred to Vitória S.C. on 30 January 2018. Ouattara made his professional debut with Vitória B in a 3–2 LigaPro loss to F.C. Penafiel on 9 December 2018.
International career
Ouattara debuted for the Ivory Coast U23s in a pair of 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification matches in March 2019.
Honours
Ivory Coast U23
Africa U-23 Cup of Nations runner-up: 2019
References
External links
Zié Ouattara at Soccerway
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Nick Kyrgios
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Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios ( KIRR-ee-oss; Greek: Νικόλαος Χίλμι Κύργιος, romanized: Nikólaos Chílmi Kírios; born 27 April 1995), nicknamed "Kygs" is an Australian professional tennis player. Kyrgios has been ranked as high as world No. 13 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), achieved on 24 October 2016. He has won seven ATP Tour singles titles, including the 2019 and 2022 Washington Open, and reached eleven finals, most notably a major final at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships. In doubles, Kyrgios has a career-high ranking of world No. 11, achieved on 7 November 2022, winning a major doubles title at the 2022 Australian Open while partnering with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Kyrgios is only the third player, after Dominik Hrbatý and Lleyton Hewitt, to have beaten each one of the Big Three (Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal) the first time he played against them. Kyrgios is often described as a "polarising player" because of his "unique, unfiltered and unapologetic personality" which goes alongside his "on-court brilliance and audacious shot-making" in both singles and doubles.
In his junior career, Kyrgios won the singles event at the 2013 Australian Open and the doubles events at the 2012 French Open, 2012 Wimbledon Championships and 2013 Wimbledon Championships.
Early life and family
Kyrgios was born on 27 April 1995 in Canberra, Australia, to a father of Greek origin, George, and a Malay mother, Norlaila ("Nill"). His father is a self-employed house painter, and his mother is a retired computer engineer. His mother was born in Malaysia as a member of the Pahang royal family, but she dropped her title as a princess when she moved to Australia in her twenties. He has two siblings: a sister, Halimah, and a brother, Christos. Kyrgios's paternal grandparents are from Georgani, a small village in Ioannina, Greece; they moved to Australia in 1960.
Kyrgios attended Radford College until Year 8 and completed his Year 12 certificate in 2012 at Daramalan College in Canberra. He also played basketball in his early teens before deciding to focus solely on tennis when he was 14 years old. Two years later, he received a full scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport, where he was able to further develop his tennis.
In 2013, Kyrgios relocated his training base from Canberra to Melbourne Park in an attempt to further his career with better facilities and hitting partners. A year later, Tennis ACT announced a $27 million redevelopment of the Lyneham Tennis Centre in Canberra to lure Kyrgios back home and host Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties. Kyrgios confirmed in January 2015 that he would return home and base himself in Canberra. He also donated $10,000 towards the redevelopment of the Lyneham Tennis Centre there.
Junior career
Kyrgios played his first junior match in 2008 at the age of 13 at a grade 4 tournament in Australia. He won his first ITF junior tour title in Fiji in June 2010, aged 15. He started to compete more regularly on the junior tour in 2011, making his junior grand slam debut at the 2011 Australian Open. During 2012 he won two junior grand slam doubles titles and rose to junior world number three, though he withdrew from the Australian Open Men's Wildcard Playoff due to injury.
Moving into 2013, he gained the number 1 junior ranking by defeating Wayne Montgomery in the Traralgon International final. A week later he entered the Australian Open as the juniors number 3 seed and progressed to the final against fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. After saving two set points in the first set, Kyrgios won his first and only junior grand slam title. He also won Wimbledon junior doubles with Kokkinakis.
Professional career
2012–2013: Turning pro
In 2012, in his first-round qualifying match at the Australian Open, Kyrgios won the first set in a tiebreak, but his opponent Mathieu Rodrigues cruised through the second and third sets to defeat him.
In March 2012, Ouyang Bowen was the first player that Kyrgios defeated in a professional tournament, at an ITF Futures event, in Japan. Kyrgios continued to compete on the 2012 ITF Men's Circuit for the rest of the season, competing in tournaments in Australia, Germany, Japan and Slovenia.
At the end of the season, he had reached a semifinal and a quarterfinal in Australian tournaments. He finished the year ranked No. 838.
In 2013, he started the season by playing at the 2013 Brisbane International, losing in the first round of qualifying to James Duckworth. He then lost in the first round of qualifying at the 2013 Australian Open to Bradley Klahn in straight sets. After winning the Boys' Singles, Kyrgios said his goal was to reach the top 300 by the end of the year.
At the 2013 Nature's Way Sydney Tennis International, he defeated fellow Australian Matt Reid in straight sets in the finals to win his first challenger tour title at the age of 17.
Kyrgios was given a wildcard into the qualifying competition of the 2013 French Open, but on 20 May it was announced that John Millman was withdrawing from the main draw due to injury; such that, Kyrgios' wildcard was raised to the main draw. This meant he would compete in a main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time. In the first round Kyrgios had the biggest win of his career to date against the former world No. 8 Radek Štěpánek in three sets, each ending in tiebreaks, giving him the first ATP Tour level win of his career. Although he lost to Marin Čilić in the following round, his ranking rose to No. 213.
Kyrgios later qualified for the 2013 US Open, where he was beaten by fourth seed David Ferrer in his opening match. He reached a new career high ranking of No. 186 on 9 September 2013. In October, Kyrgios made the semifinal of the 2013 Sacramento Challenger, before falling to Tim Smyczek. He ended the 2013 season with a singles ranking of 182.
2014: Wimbledon quarterfinal
At the beginning of the 2014 season, Kyrgios was set to debut at the 2014 Brisbane International as a wildcard, but withdrew due to a shoulder injury. On 8 January, Kyrgios was awarded a wildcard into the 2014 Australian Open, where he won his first round match against Benjamin Becker. However, he lost in the second round to Benoît Paire, in five sets.
Kyrgios received a wildcard into the 2014 U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships, where he lost in the first round to Tim Smyczek in three sets. Kyrgios was then forced to withdraw from numerous ATP tournaments in Delray Beach and Acapulco due to an elbow injury.
At the 2014 Sarasota Open, Kyrgios reached the final by defeating Jarmere Jenkins, Rubén Ramírez Hidalgo, Donald Young and Daniel Kosakowski. He defeated Filip Krajinović in straight sets for his second career challenger title. Following this, Kyrgios defeated Jack Sock to win the 2014 Savannah Challenger. As a wildcard at the 2014 French Open, Kyrgios was defeated in the first round in straight sets by Milos Raonic. Kyrgios then won his fourth career challenger title at the 2014 Aegon Nottingham Challenge, beating fellow Australian Sam Groth in straight-set tiebreaks.
In June, Kyrgios received a wildcard to the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. After defeating Stéphane Robert in the first round, he went on to beat Richard Gasquet in a five-set second-round thriller; wherein, he lost the first two sets and saved nine match points. In the third round, Kyrgios beat Jiří Veselý, before going on to get the biggest win of his career so far by beating World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in four sets –– becoming the first male debutant to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Florian Mayer, in 2004. The 'shot of the match' was a rear-forehand, half-volley winner from between Kyrgios' legs that David Polkinghorne, of The Canberra Times, called "freakish" and "audacious". Kyrgios subsequently lost to Milos Raonic in four sets in the quarterfinals. This Wimbledon performance helped Kyrgios make it into the top 100 of the ATP World Rankings for the first time in his career: i.e. Kyrgios' ranking rose to No. 66.
Post-Wimbledon, at the Rogers Cup tournament in Toronto, Kyrgios earned his first ATP World Tour Masters event win, with a first round victory over Santiago Giraldo in straight sets. However, Kyrgios lost in the second round to Andy Murray, winning just four games.
In the US Open, Kyrgios made it to the third round, defeating Mikhail Youzhny and Andreas Seppi on his way, before losing to 16th seed Tommy Robredo. Kyrgios later played in the Malaysian Open, but lost in the first round.
He skipped the rest of the season, citing burnout. He ended the year ranked No. 52 in the world, and the No. 2 ranked Australian behind Lleyton Hewitt.
2015: First final, top 30
Kyrgios started the season off at the Sydney International, but lost his opening match against Jerzy Janowicz in three tightly contested sets.
During the 2015 Australian Open, Kyrgios received direct entry into the tournament for the first time due to his ranking. In his opening match, he defeated Federico Delbonis in a five-set thriller, before going on to beat Ivo Karlović and Malek Jaziri in second and third rounds, respectively. He then faced Andreas Seppi, who had just beaten Roger Federer in his previous match, in the fourth round. Kyrgios fell two sets behind and faced down a match point in the fourth set but recovered to win in five sets. As a result, Kyrgios became the first male teenager to reach two Grand Slam quarterfinals since Federer in 2001, the first Australian male to reach the quarterfinals since Hewitt in 2005, and the first Australian of any gender to reach the quarterfinals since Jelena Dokic in 2009. In the quarterfinals, Kyrgios lost to eventual finalist Andy Murray in straight sets. After the tournament, he reached a career-high ranking of no. 35 in the world.
He later withdrew from tournaments in Marseille and Dubai due to a back injury he suffered during the Australian Open. In Indian Wells, he served for the match against Grigor Dimitrov, but rolled his ankle and ultimately lost.
Kyrgios returned in the Barcelona Open. After receiving a bye in the first round, he lost in three sets to fellow 19-year-old Elias Ymer.
At the Estoril Open, Kyrgios reached the final of an ATP tournament for the first time in his career, after defeating Albert Ramos Viñolas, Filip Krajinović, Robin Haase and Pablo Carreño Busta. He then lost the final to Richard Gasquet, in straight sets.
At the Madrid Open a week later, Kyrgios defeated world No. 2 and 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the second round, after saving two match points in the final set tiebreak. He then had a three-set loss to John Isner in the third round. At this point, until his finalist appearance at Estoril and third round finish in Madrid, Kyrgios had the unique distinction of having won more Grand Slam matches (10) than ATP Tour matches (2).
At the French Open, Kyrgios was seeded 29th, his first Grand Slam seeding. He won in straight sets in the first round against Denis Istomin. He then received a walkover into the third round, after Kyle Edmund withdrew with injury. In the third round, he lost in straight sets to third seed Andy Murray. In the doubles, Kyrgios and partner Mahesh Bhupathi lost in the first round to wildcards Thanasi Kokkinakis and Lucas Pouille.
At the 2015 Wimbledon Championships, Kyrgios opened with straight-set victories over Diego Schwartzman and Juan Mónaco in the first and second rounds, respectively. In the third round, despite losing the first set, he advanced past seventh seed Milos Raonic ––before losing to Gasquet in the fourth round, squandering set points in the fourth. He also played mixed doubles with Madison Keys, but only reached the second round. Kyrgios fell out of the top 40 in the rankings following the tournament.
2016: Hopman Cup champion, 3 titles, top 15
At the 2016 Hopman Cup, Kyrgios partnered with Daria Gavrilova, as part of the Australia Green team. During the round robin, Australia Green won 3–0 against Germany, with Kyrgios winning both his singles match against Alexander Zverev and mixed doubles match with Gavrilova. The Australian Green team next faced off against Great Britain; where Kyrgios recorded his first-ever win over Andy Murray (in straight sets) and also won the doubles, claiming a 2–1 win over the British team. Following this, he went on to win the Hopman Cup alongside Gavrilova, defeating Ukraine in the final – marking Kyrgios' first title on the World Tour.
At the 2016 Australian Open he claimed straight-set wins over Pablo Carreño Busta and Pablo Cuevas before losing to sixth-ranked Tomáš Berdych in the third round in 4 sets.
Kyrgios won his maiden ATP title at the Open 13 in Marseille by defeating Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinal, Berdych in the semi-final and lastly, Čilić in the final, all in straight sets. Notably, Kyrgios finished the tournament without having his serve broken.
During the Dubai Tennis Championships Kyrgios reached the semifinals, where he retired against Stan Wawrinka. At the 2016 Indian Wells tournament, he lost in the first round to Albert Ramos Viñolas.
At the 2016 Miami Open Kyrgios reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semifinal, with straight-set wins over Marcos Baghdatis, Tim Smyczek, Andrey Kuznetsov and Milos Raonic – before losing in the semis to Kei Nishikori. Following Miami Open, Kyrgios entered the top 20 for the first time, becoming the youngest player to do so since Čilić seven years earlier.
At the French Open, Kyrgios entered as the 14th seed and went on to beat Marco Cecchinato and Igor Sijsling, reaching the third round; however, he lost to 9th seed Gasquet. Similarly, at Wimbledon (as the 15th seed), he advanced to the fourth round after defeating Radek Štěpánek, Dustin Brown and Feliciano López – losing to eventual champion Murray.
In Atlanta, as the second seed, Kyrgios advanced to the final after defeating wildcard Jared Donaldson, Fernando Verdasco and Yoshihito Nishioka. In the final, Kyrgios faced three-time defending champion Isner and defeated him to win his second ATP title. Kyrgios reached a career-high ranking of No. 16 following the tournament.
At the US Open, Kyrgios reached the third round against Illya Marchenko before retiring with a hip injury that had also affected him in previous rounds. He returned with a straight-set win in his rubber for Australia in the Davis Cup World Group playoff.
In October, after a second-round loss to Kevin Anderson at the 2016 Chengdu Open, Kyrgios bounced back by winning his first ATP World Tour 500 series title in Tokyo, at the 2016 Japan Open Tennis Championships, beating David Goffin.
2017: First Masters final
At the 2017 Australian Open, Kyrgios was seeded 14th. He defeated Gastão Elias before falling to Andreas Seppi in round two, despite leading by two sets to love. At the Mexican Open, Kyrgios defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the quarter-finals. Djokovic managed to win just 20.5% of return points in the match, his lowest ever in a tour match. Kyrgios fell to eventual champion Sam Querrey in 3 sets in the semifinals. Kyrgios defeated Djokovic again in straight sets in the fourth round of the Indian Wells Masters tournament. He then withdrew from his quarterfinal match with Federer due to illness. He moved to Miami, where he beat Goffin and Zverev before losing in the semifinals in three tiebreak sets to Federer in three hours and ten minutes.
Kyrgios then participated in Madrid, where he lost in straight sets in the third round to Nadal. At Roland Garros, Kyrgios lost to Kevin Anderson in the second round after winning the first set. He then withdrew from his first-round matches at Queen's Club, Wimbledon and Washington due to injuries. After his recent slump in form, Kyrgios then reached the third round of the National Bank Open, where he lost to Zverev in straight sets. In the Cincinnati Masters, Kyrgios made it to the quarterfinals, where he defeated world No. 2 Nadal in straight sets. He followed that up with a victory over Ferrer to reach his first Masters 1000 final, where he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. At the China Open, he was crushed by Nadal in the final. Kyrgios's record against Nadal fell to 2–3 with this loss.
In the inaugural 2017 Laver Cup, Kyrgios competed for Team World, replacing Milos Raonic following his withdrawal from the tournament. In doubles, Kyrgios partnered with Jack Sock, defeating Tomas Berdych and Rafael Nadal and earning Team World's only point on Day 1. In singles, Kyrgios defeated Tomáš Berdych, earning Team World's only points on Day 2. Kyrgios went on to play a match tie-break with Roger Federer on Day 3, which would have forced a deciding doubles match. However, Federer defended the match point and went on to win: resulting in an overall victory for Team Europe (15–9).
2018: First Australian title; French Open absence
In his first tournament of the season at the 2018 Brisbane International, Kyrgios won his first ever tournament on home soil. Kyrgios received a bye into the second round due to being the 3rd seed. In his first competitive match since the 2017 European Open, Kyrgios lost the first set to his compatriot Matthew Ebden in a tiebreak but found his form and won in three sets. He reached the final, defeating Ryan Harrison with 17 aces to win his first title since Tokyo 2016. The win returned him to the top 20, at no. 17.
In the third round of the 2018 Australian Open, Kyrgios defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets. He was then beaten by Grigor Dimitrov in a tight four setter, with the latter winning three tiebreaks. Kyrgios served 36 aces in that match.
After the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev defeated Kyrgios in four sets at the Davis Cup. It was soon revealed that he was playing with an elbow injury. In light of this, he cancelled appearances at the Delray Beach Open and Indian Wells Masters tournament. He resumed his season at the Miami Open, defeating Dušan Lajović and Fabio Fognini in straight sets before falling to Zverev in straight sets. Kyrgios weathered a lackluster clay season and did not play at the French Open, citing the elbow injury that spoiled the first quarter of 2018.
His next tournament, the Stuttgart Open, saw him reach the semifinals, falling to eventual champion Federer. After Stuttgart, Kyrgios entered the Queen's Club Championships. He won his first-round match over former world No. 1 Murray. This was notable as it was Murray's return to the tour since Wimbledon 2017 and Kyrgios's first professional win over Murray after five prior attempts. He was defeated in the semifinals by Čilić in two tiebreaks. At Wimbledon, Kyrgios defeated Istomin and Haase but lost to Nishikori in straight sets in the third round.
His campaign in the 2018 US Open generated controversy. In his second-round match, Kyrgios appeared to be given advice by umpire Mohammed Lahyani that seemed to turn the tide in his match against Pierre-Hugues Herbert, which he won. Kyrgios's US Open run ended in the next round with a loss to Federer, who saw him out in straight sets.
At the annual Laver Cup, Kyrgios was defeated by Federer in straight sets. He then won the doubles with Jack Sock against Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin. His last event on the ATP tour was a wildcard draw at the Kremlin Cup. He defeated Andrey Rublev in three sets before withdrawing against his next opponent, Mirza Bašić, citing an elbow injury. He also revealed weeks later that he was seeing psychologists to improve his mental health.
2019: Two titles, a default, and a suspension
Kyrgios began 2019 at the Brisbane International, where, in a rematch of last year's final, he defeated Ryan Harrison in the round of 32. He subsequently lost to Jérémy Chardy. His middling performance in his home country culminated in a straight-sets opening round loss to Milos Raonic at the 2019 Australian Open.
Kyrgios won the 2019 Mexican Open in Acapulco (his fifth title), after beating three top 10 players (Nadal, Isner and Zverev) and three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, en route. During his Miami Open campaign his victory over Dušan Lajović in the third round involved two successful underarm serves but was followed-up by a loss to Borna Ćorić in the round of 16.
In Rome, Kyrgios beat Daniil Medvedev but then lost his next match to Casper Ruud by default in the third set when he threw a chair on the court after swearing at a linesperson. At Wimbledon, Kyrgios defeated compatriot Jordan Thompson in a five-setter, but then lost to Nadal in four sets in the second round which was described as an entertaining encounter and a genuinely great match.
Kyrgios won his sixth title in Washington beating two top 10 players en route. He overcame first seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final in three sets, and third seed Daniil Medvedev in the final in straight sets. At the US Open, Kyrgios progressed to the third round where he lost to Andrey Rublev in straight sets. At the annual Laver Cup, Kyrgios was again defeated by Federer, this time in a closer three-set match with a deciding match tiebreak. He teamed up with Jack Sock once again for the doubles, which they won against Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Following the incident at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters tournament, where Kyrgios was fined $113,000 for five separate incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct, the ATP conducted an investigation into his behaviour. The investigation ended on September 26, and he was issued a 16-week suspended ban, a $25,000 fine, and a six-month probationary period.
2020: Longest career match
At the 2020 Australian Open, Kyrgios was seeded 23rd. In the first round, he beat Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets before defeating Gilles Simon in four sets in the second round. In the third round, he defeated Karen Khachanov in the longest match of both his career and the 2020 Australian Open, lasting 4 hours and 26 minutes. He then played Rafael Nadal in the fourth round, which he lost in four sets. Kyrgios played alongside Amanda Anisimova in the mixed doubles, where they ended up losing in the second round.
At the 2020 Mexican Open, Kyrgios attempted to defend his 2019 title, but retired from his first round match against Ugo Humbert, due to a wrist injury. Kyrgios withdrew from the 2020 US Open, choosing to avoid taking health risks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kyrgios ended 2020 with a singles rank of No. 45.
2021: Tournament withdrawals, knee injury
At the 2021 Australian Open, Kyrgios lost in the third round to Dominic Thiem despite at one stage leading by two sets to love.
In April, Kyrgios announced he would play in the Mallorca Open. He followed this by also announcing that he would play in the Stuttgart Open, but withdrew from both tournaments. He entered Wimbledon to continue his return to competitive tennis, and won his opening match against 21st-seeded Ugo Humbert in a five-set match that stretched out over two days. In the second round Kyrgios beat Gianluca Mager in straight sets. In the third round against Félix Auger-Aliassime, with the match tied at one set each, he retired after the second set due to an abdominal injury.
Kyrgios failed to defend his title in Washington, losing in the first round to Mackenzie McDonald in straight sets. At the US Open, he lost in the first round to Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets.
Kyrgios then competed for Team World at the Laver Cup for the fourth consecutive year. He lost his singles match to Stefanos Tsitsipas and partnered with John Isner in doubles, where they lost to Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev. After the conclusion of the Laver Cup, on 28 September 2021, Kyrgios announced he was ending his 2021 season due to a knee injury.
He ended 2021 with a singles ranking of 93.
2022: Grand Slam success and return to top 20
Kyrgios withdrew from Melbourne due to asthma. On January 10, he tested positive for COVID-19 and also had to withdraw from the Sydney Tennis Classic. As a result, he dropped to No. 114 on the ATP rankings, the first time he had been out of the top 100 since June 2014.
At the 2022 Australian Open, he won his first round match in straight sets against qualifier Liam Broady. He was subsequently defeated in the second round by top seed Daniil Medvedev over four sets. In doubles, Kyrgios partnered with Thanasi Kokkinakis to defeat the world No. 1 doubles team, Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić, en route to the quarter-finals. Following their success in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, this set up the first all-Australian doubles final (since 1980) against Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis won in straight sets, becoming the first all-Australian men's doubles champions (at the Australian Open) since The Woodies in 1997. Moreover, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis are the first wildcard pairing in the Open era to win the Australian Open men's doubles title. As a result, Kyrgios moved to the top 40 in the doubles rankings on 31 January 2022, rising 219 spots.
Kyrgios next received a wildcard into the main draw at Indian Wells, California. He beat Sebastián Báez and Federico Delbonis, in straight sets, to get to the third round; where he then beat world No. 8 Casper Ruud. He received a walkover in the fourth round following the withdrawal of Jannik Sinner, but then lost in 3 sets to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. He had less success in doubles, as he and Thanasi Kokkinakis lost in the second round to eventual champions John Isner and Jack Sock.
In Miami, he advanced to the fourth round, but was beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner. In doubles, Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis finished up in the semifinals, again losing to the eventual champions Isner and Hubert Hurkacz. Kyrgios then reached the semifinals in Houston, his sole clay court event of the year, losing to Reilly Opelka in the semifinals. In Stuttgart, his first grass tournament of the year, Kyrgios reached the semi-finals where he lost to Andy Murray. In Halle, Kyrgios beat second seed and world No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas and sixth seed Pablo Carreno Busta on his way to his third tour-level semifinal of 2022, before losing to Hubert Hurkacz.
At the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, Kyrgios beat wildcard Paul Jubb in 5 sets, but was fined US$10,000 for verbally abusing a line judge and spitting in the direction of a spectator. He then went on to beat Filip Krajinović and Tsitsipas (for the second time during the grass season), to reach the fourth round. Following this, Kyrgios beat Brandon Nakashima in 5 sets to reach his first major quarterfinal since the 2015 Australian Open. He followed this with a shut out win over Cristian Garín and reached his first ever major semifinal. Kyrgios then reached his first major final after Rafael Nadal withdrew from the semifinals, becoming the first player in the Open Era to get a walkover into the Wimbledon final. Kyrgios lost the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic in a competitive 4-set match lasting over three hours. It was the first time Kyrgios lost to Djokovic in 3 career meetings, though they had not played each other since 2017.
In Atlanta, Kyrgios withdrew from the singles tournament, but went on to win his second doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis, defeating fellow Australians Jason Kubler and John Peers in straight sets. In Washington, Kyrgios won his first singles title in 3 years and his second Washington Open singles title –– defeating Marcos Giron, Tommy Paul, Reilly Opelka, Frances Tiafoe and Mikael Ymer en route to the final against Yoshihito Nishioka, where he won in straight sets. In the doubles, Kyrgios partnered with Jack Sock, where after receiving a walkover in the semifinals, they defeated Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek to win the Washington Open doubles title. As a result, Kyrgios became the first player to win both the singles and doubles titles at Washington in the same year in the tournament's history.
At the Canadian Open, Kyrgios defeated top seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round. Next he defeated his compatriot Alex de Minaur but eventually lost to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals. At the Cincinnati Masters, Kyrgios was defeated in the second round by Taylor Fritz in a match only lasting 51 minutes.
At the US Open, Kyrgios defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis, Benjamin Bonzi and wildcard JJ Wolf to reach the fourth round at the US Open for the first time in his career. He then defeated world No.1 Danill Medvedev in four sets to reach the quarterfinals at the event for the first time. With his win over Medvedev, Kyrgios became the first Australian player to beat the world No. 1 twice within the same year, since Pat Cash in 1987. In the quarterfinals, he faced off against Russian 27th seed Karen Khachanov, losing a closely fought match in five sets. Despite the loss, Kyrgios returned to the Top 20 for the first time since February 2020 and reclaimed the No.1 Australian position, overtaking Alex de Minaur.
In October, Kyrgios reached the quarterfinals of the Japan Open, but withdrew before his clash with Taylor Fritz, citing a knee problem as the cause for his exit.
Kyrgios, along with doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis qualified for the 2022 ATP Finals in Turin after being guaranteed a spot under the Grand Slam champion provision. The pair failed to progress past the round robin stage of the event after recording a 1–2 win-loss record.
Kyrgios ended the 2022 season ranked No. 22 in singles and No. 13 in doubles. This was Kyrgios' highest end-of-year doubles ranking of his career.
2023–24: Australian Open withdrawal and injuries
Kyrgios was scheduled to participate and represent Australia in the inaugural United Cup to begin his season. However, he withdrew on the eve of the event following an ankle injury. Kyrgios subsequently withdrew from the Adelaide International 2 event the following week as a precaution in the lead up to the Australian Open. On 13 January, Kyrgios competed in a Fast4 exhibition match against Novak Djokovic at Rod Laver Arena. Kyrgios defeated Djokovic in three-sets in front of a sold-out crowd. Just days later, on the eve of the 2023 Australian Open, Kyrgios withdrew from the event due to a knee injury. He revealed a cyst caused by a tear in his lateral meniscus would require arthroscopic surgery, and that was done later the same month.
Withdrawing from several events, Kyrgios was expected to return during the French Open, but he had a foot injury during an armed robbery at his home. He next prepared for Wimbledon in June, but during a practice session, he tore a ligament in his wrist. He spent the rest of 2023 out due to injury, and he announced that he would return for the 2024 grass season.
In 2024, Kyrgios said that his wrist injury required innovative surgery to reduce the pain and inevitable permanent arthritis, and he instead became a commentator for BBC and ESPN.
The ANAFAB wrist surgery (full wrist reconstruction) that Kyrgios had performed in September 2023 was too serious to be fully ready for competition in 2024, although he did return for a UTS match in September 2024, which he won against Casper Ruud.
2025: Return to the Tour
In November 2024, Nick Kyrgios announced his return to the tour, first at the World Tennis League event in Abu Dhabi in December 2024. This was followed by a headline appearance at the Brisbane International 2025 (where he was the 2018 champion). Kyrgios's first match as a wildcard was a doubles match with Novak Djokovic in front of a capacity crowd which they won in three close sets. It was intended to showcase the attraction of doubles as a crowd pleaser alongside the WTA 500 and ATP 250 also being played in Brisbane.
Kyrgios's played Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his first round singles match at the Brisbane International. Despite a strong showing in front of an enthusiastic capacity crowd, he lost in three tie-breakers, not once dropping his serve. Perricard served 36 aces in the match. Kyrgios's wrist injury needed attention during the match. Djokovic and Kyrgios lost their second round doubles match to the number one seeds, Mektic and Venus in a close match. In an interview after the match Kyrgios was cautious about his upcoming participation in singles at the Australian Open stating that although doing well, his wrist needed more recovery work.
For the Australian Open in 2025 he had a protected ranking (PR) of 21. Although 21 is technically a seeded ranking, PR's do not play as seeds as they are returning from injury.
In the singles first round, Kyrgios was drawn against Jacob Fearnley, and was defeated in three sets. Despite Kyrgios calling the trainer to attend to a recent abdominal injury, he was unable to take it to a fourth set in front of a rowdy and supportive John Cain Arena. In his subsequent media interview, Kyrgios said that he had 'probably played his last singles match at the Australian Open'. Alicia Molik, Will Boucek and other retired players have urged him to keep playing doubles.
In the doubles first round, Kyrgios played with Thanasi Kokkinakis, who he had won the AO doubles with in 2022. Kokkinakis had suffered a serious shoulder injury in his singles match against Jack Draper, but elected to play for the last time before shoulder surgery, alongside Kyrgios. They retired halfway through the match against Aleksandr Vukic and James Duckworth.
In March 2025, Kyrgios returned to Indian Wells, entering the main draw with a protected ranking of 21. He was drawn against Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp. Kyrgios withdrew from a practice session after injuring his wrist but chose to play anyway. Despite an entertaining first set which went to a tie-breaker, Kyrgios withdrew due to wrist pain in the second set. In his post-match interview Kyrgios intended to continue trying to get back to a competent level. " I want to play. I want to play. I had glimpses of it tonight, with the crowd going absolutely ballistic, and I’m playing amazing and I’m enjoying being out there. The pain, it’s just not great. I’ll keep looking forward and try and do the right thing." Botic Van de Zandschulp would go on to beat Djokovic in the second round.
In Miami, Kyrgios beat Mackie MacDonald, defeating the American in three sets. It was his first win on the tour in 896 days and brought his live ranking back to the mid-600's. He said the win gave him extra motivation moving forward but after such a major wrist reconstruction, attempting to fix the ruptured scapholunate ligament, he was not expecting to ever get back to his best. The second round match against twenty-second seed Karen Khachanov provided a competitive and entertaining first set ending in a tie-breaker which he lost. Kyrgios was bagelled in the second set, apparently hindered by both wrist and shoulder injuries. On X (formerly Twitter) Kyrgios wrote: 'Honestly today was a big stepping stone. Karen Khachanov was just too good. We played a great first set but encouraging that I could finish two matches this week! Plenty to work on. Thank you old friend and good luck for the rest of the tournament.' He indicated that he will continue training to get back to a tour level standard.
National representation
ATP Cup
Kyrgios played in the inaugural ATP Cup in 2020 in Brisbane and in the Sydney finals. He won three straight singles matches against Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and Cameron Norrie of Great Britain respectively, as well as a doubles match alongside Alex de Minaur to defeat Great Britain in the quarter-finals. He eventually lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals against Spain in straight sets.
Davis Cup
Nick Kyrgios has represented Australia eleven times at the Davis Cup in both singles and doubles on all surfaces. His win-loss record is 11–6 with most of his wins coming on hard courts.
Kyrgios made his Davis Cup debut for Australia in September 2013 against Poland at the age of 18. He replaced Marinko Matosevic after defeating him in a playoff during the lead-up to the tie. He was selected to pair with Chris Guccione in the crucial doubles rubber. They lost to Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski in five sets. He then went on to win his first singles rubber, after Michał Przysiężny retired five games into the match. Australia won the tie 4–1.
In 2014 Australia was drawn to play a very strong France and lost the tie 5–0. Kyrgios lost both his singles matches against Richard Gasquet and Gaël Monfils. Australia was relegated to the World Group Play-offs and were drawn against Uzbekistan in September. Australia beat Uzbekistan 5–0. Kyrgios won both his matches against Denis Istomin and Sanjar Faiyziez. Australia returned to the World Group.
In 2015 Kyrgios was selected to play in the quarter finals against Kazakhstan. He lost his singles match in 4 close sets, was injured and was then replaced by Sam Groth in the reverse singles rubber. Australia won the tie 3–2. He was dropped from the Davis Cup squad due to play their semi-final tie against Great Britain. Australia lost 2–3. He returned to the Davis Cup team in September 2016 for Australia's emphatic World Group playoff victory against Slovakia. Kyrgios won his singles tie in straight sets.
In 2017 Australia was drawn to play the Czech Republic in the first round and won the tie 4–1. Kyrgios won his singles match in straight sets.
Kyrgios led the team to the quarter finals in May where they played in Brisbane against the USA. He beat both John Isner and Sam Querrrey in straight sets including four tie breakers and Australia won the tie 3–2. He led Australia into the semi-finals against Belgium which were played at home in Brussels with a vocal home crowd. He beat Steve Darcis in 5 sets but lost to captain David Goffin in four. Australia lost the semi-finals tie 3–2.
In 2018 Australia was drawn to play Germany in the World Group first round. Kyrgios again led the team and beat Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets. Needing pain killers to continue the next day, he played Alexander Zverev but lost his match in straight sets. Australia lost the tie 3–1.
That was the last year in which the Davis Cup was played in the old 'Home and Away' five set, three day setup. The finals went to Spain.
In 2019, Kyrgios was left out of the Davis Cup team for their qualifier in Adelaide, which they won against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was re-added to the team later in the year for the Davis Cup Finals in Spain. In Spain, he won his singles rubbers against Colombia and Belgium to advance to the quarter-finals against Canada. He then withdrew from the quarter-finals due to a collar bone injury and was replaced by John Millman. Australia ended up losing the tie 1–2.
Davis Cup was not held during the pandemic and Australia was eliminated in 2021. Kyrgios ended his season early due to a knee injury and was unavailable. During 2022 Kyrgios was not available due to overplaying and ankle injury. Australia reached the finals under Alex de Minaur but lost. Kyrgios was chosen for the 2023 United Cup but was unable to play because of an ankle injury. A few weeks later he had major surgery on his knee.
Australia again got to the finals but lost in the 2023 Davis Cup. In November 2024 Team Captain Lleyton Hewitt resumed discussions with Kyrgios about playing in Davis Cup and he hopes to be able to play again after full recovery.
Playing style
Kyrgios has been described as having an unusually aggressive game. While growing up, he was overweight, asthmatic, and has stated he "had to work out a way to be more aggressive than the average player". Former British no. 1 John Lloyd described watching Kyrgios as a "pleasure" because of "the mixture and the flair", adding that his character is one which attracts fans. The Guardian has described his playing style as "powerfully flamboyant, sometimes ridiculously-brilliant game, which is something to behold".
In 2017, the ATP rated Kyrgios as the fifth best server in the history of professional tennis – with better results than current players such as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. He reaches speeds up to 230 km/h (140 mph) and wins 78.8% of his first-serve points. His second serve is also one of the best on the ATP Tour and often hit at above 200 km/h (120 mph). He sometimes tries for aces, on both his first and second serves. Goran Ivanišević has said "[Kyrgios] is a tennis genius. You can't prepare for Nick Kyrgios, he is the best server in the game by far. It's impossible to create tactics [against him]."
He has an effective forehand and (two-handed) backhand and is also able to mix up his shot selection using spin, slices and dropshots. While his game suits grass and hard courts, he reached his first ATP Tour final on clay in Estoril.
Underarm serve
Kyrgios first used the underarm serve at the 2019 Mexican Open in Acapulco during his match with Rafael Nadal. In a June 2022 press interview, following his first round victory at Wimbledon against British player Paul Jubb, Kyrgios cited his struggles of winning a point against Nadal in the match which led him to alter his serve, stating: “I'm playing Rafael Nadal for like three hours. I couldn't win a point. I threw in one underarm serve. They, I don't know if there's a place in the game for that. Everyone does it now. It's like they're a genius.” Nadal subsequently declared it was not within the spirit of the game, and accused Kyrgios of "lacking respect" for his opponent and the crowd.
Kyrgios has been credited for reintroducing the underarm serve into the ATP Tour, and he has now used the underarm serve more frequently than any other player in professional tennis.
Coaching history
Kyrgios has had a number of different coaches and mentors throughout his career. He tends to try one coach and then another, but prefers to do things his own way. In an interview with The New Yorker in 2017, he said: "Every coach I had tried to tame me, tried to make me play more disciplined, tried to make me do drills. I've just been kind of playing on instinct. I feel like it's been successful, so I don't know why there's a good reason to stop that."
In his junior and early professional career, Kyrgios was coached by former Australian professional tennis player and then-ACT national academy coach Todd Larkham, who was Kyrgios' first coach. Larkham had coached Kyrgios from age 10–17. In 2013 it was reported that he was coached by former Australian professional tennis player Desmond Tyson, and later New Zealand tennis coach Simon Rea who worked for Tennis Australia. Under Rea Kyrgios reached a Grand Slam Quarter-final (Wimbledon) for the first time in his career. In 2014 Kyrgios was re-united with former coach Todd Larkham alongside former Australian professional doubles player Joshua Eagle. Kyrgios' cited reasons to change coaches were to spend more time at his home in Canberra. In June 2015 Kyrgios parted with Larkham, less than a week before his appearance at Wimbledon. Two months later, in the lead-up to the US Open, Kyrgios brought in Lleyton Hewitt for temporary coaching and mentoring.
Kyrgios continued not having a coach for the remainder of 2015 and throughout 2016. In May 2017, almost two years without a coach, Kyrgios hired French former professional tennis player Sébastien Grosjean. Grosjean was allegedly hired on a part-time basis, and held the position until the end of the year. Since 2017 Kyrgios has been without a head coach, and in 2020 stated: "And, for me, I don't have a goal of winning grand slams. I just want to do it my way, have fun with it and just play. So to get a coach for me is just pointless. Because I don't want to waste their time almost. I just don't think a coach is ready – and I'm not going to put them through it too cause it would just be a nightmare. Where I'm at my career now, it's just too far gone, I think for a coach, 'cause I'm too set in my ways and I just don't like to listen to advice, to be honest."
Throughout his career Kyrgios has had offers by many former professional players, and coaches, to coach him. Some include Jimmy Connors (2016), Pete Sampras (2016) and John McEnroe (2017, 2020).
Broadcasting, film, and television
Kyrgios made his broadcasting debut as a guest commentator and analyst on Tennis Channel for the 2023 ATP Finals alongside Andy Roddick and Jim Courier. Kyrgios would later make his ESPN debut two months later when he commentated the 2024 Australian Open.
Kyrgios appeared in the documentary Australia's Open, which covered the Australian Open's history and impact on tennis and Australian culture. It premiered at the 2023 Melbourne International Film Festival.
Kyrgios appeared in the tennis docuseries Break Point, which premiered on Netflix on January 13, 2023. Kyrgios is highlighted by the series in several episodes. In Episode One, Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis feature in their road to their grand slam doubles title. In Episode Six, two Australian players are featured. Kyrgios' struggles with suicidal thoughts and depression are revealed. In Episode Seven, the 2022 Wimbledon finalists are highlighted including Ons Jabeur and Nick Kyrgios. He praises his opponent Novak Djokovic.
On 1 December 2023, Kyrgios was a guest on the British talk show Piers Morgan Uncensored. The segment covered Kyrgios's mental health struggles and support from Andy Murray, conflicts with other Australian athletes, his return to tennis, his experience with racism, and his mother being held at gunpoint.
In 2024, Kyrgios launched a celebrity-interview series named Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios, sponsored by Naomi Osaka's company Hana Kuma. It consisted of 12 episodes, with guests including Mike Tyson, Jemele Hill, Frances Tiafoe and Novak Djokovic.
In 2024, Kyrgios became a commentator and analyst for the BBC at Wimbledon. His Wimbledon commentating debut was well-received by broadcasters and other pundits. He called the Gentleman's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic alongside commentators Andrew Castle and Tim Henman, and also provided pre-match on-court previews and post-match analysis with head of commentary, Claire Balding, and Tim Henman.
At the 2024 US Open, Nick Kyrgios worked as a reporter and co-commentator for ESPN. He called matches alongside Chris Fowler, Rennae Stubbs, Chris McKendry, John and Patrick McEnroe including the men's and women's final. Kyrgios conducted pre-match interviews during the tournament, speaking with players before they walked onto the court.
When the 2025 Wimbledon commentary team was announced Nick Kyrgios was not included. However, he continued his celebrity interview series Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios live at the New Wimbledon Theatre and also joined the talkSPORT daily podcast with Simon Jordan throughout Wimbledon 2025 to discuss broad current issues in tennis. He hosted Wimbledon Unfiltered on talkSPORT which has 1.68 million subscribers, and called both the men's and women's finals on the new 'Watchalong Wimbledon' format for TNT Sports alongside Dan Evans And Coco VandeWeghe.
Reputation
Early career
Kyrgios won his first challenger tour title at the age of 17. He was often described as someone with great dedication to the game, with those around him, such as his childhood coach, Andrew Bulley, saying he was a 'super competitor' who 'trained with a better intensity than the other kids', and his father, describing him as a 'perfectionist'. After defeating the 18 year old Kyrgios in the 2014 Davis Cup World Cup tie, top French player Richard Gasquet said, "He's got a great attitude and a wonderful personality. I think he will be a prominent player in the future".
Andrew Bulley believes the support of Kyrgios' close-knit family was a critical factor in his attitude and motivation at the time. He was close to his family and friends, but as he rose through the rankings, playing in tournaments all over the world meant that he was away from home for long periods. He said: "I was winning, losing, going through relationship problems, dealing with other problems and I was pushing (family) away because you feel like the world's against you. I'm going seven months a year abroad in a new place every week. That's why tennis is so hard in my opinion." According to his mother, Nill Kyrgios, this was a very hard time for her son as a result of the criticism and pressure he was under.
Current public perception
Kyrgios continues to be a polarising figure with the public and one who is highly criticised in the media. Since his return in December 2024 after experimental wrist surgery, the media are re-assessing his future based on a good performance at the Brisbane International. He is frequently invited to play exhibition and team tennis events such as Ultimate Tennis Showdown and World Tennis League despite having lower rankings than other players. He remains one of the most popular drawcards at live tennis events, with his matches filling the stadiums at the recent Brisbane International. His final matches on John Cain Arena in Melbourne were also sold out despite fans knowing that his injures would not allow him to provide the entertainment they expect from his matches.
Kyrgios produced some of the best performances of his career at Wimbledon in 2022. After losing to Djokovic in the final, Kyrgios said: "It's taken me 10 years – almost 10 years – in my career to finally get to the point of playing for a grand slam and coming up short, but my level is right there." When asked if this had made him hungry for more grand slam finals, he replied "no, it was exhausting!", provoking laughter among the crowd.
Opinions held by other tennis professionals
Players, coaches and commentators
John Newcombe, former Australian world No. 1 in both singles and doubles, remarked that: "Nick is an exceptional talent and he doesn't beat to the same drum as everyone else – he's a real individual."
Tim Henman, former British No.1 (1996, 1999–2005) stated that: "Kyrgios is a performer, an entertainer and will go out and play the tennis he is capable of. He can beat anyone because he is seriously talented. He is a bit different and speaks his mind."
Paul Annacone, Roger Federer's former coach, has been quoted as saying: "I think Nick is the most talented player since Roger jumped on the scene".
Novak Djokovic after beating Kyrgios in the 2022 Wimbledon final: "I really respect you a lot. I think you are a phenomenal tennis player and athlete, an amazing talent."
Coco Gauff, during a press-conference at Flushing Meadows, praised Kyrgios for practicing with her at the Miami Open despite already having concluded a two-hour long practice with Frances Tiafoe, noting that:"I know there's things on the court that he does that people don't agree with. I probably don't agree with some things," Gauff said. "But it's just things like [hitting with a young kid] that stands out for me."
"It's just moments like that that people don't really see about him. So I think people paint him as a bad guy. I feel around the grounds, at least my experience of him, he's not."
"If he keeps it up, I think he can go far ... I always, always root for him, no matter who he's playing, to be honest."
Lee McKenzie, who conducts immediate post-match interviews with winning players in front of the crowd on Centre Court at Wimbledon, was quoted as saying: "He is fascinating. I did a lot of interviews with him at Wimbledon last year (in 2022). I was the first person on court. I stood back and actually Nick noticed this and he looked over from his chair and just sort of gave me a little nod and waved me on. That was perfect and I went on and we did a great interview. I just think he respected the fact that I had given him space and we just did this lovely interview.”
John McEnroe
John McEnroe has also praised Kyrgios's talent. In late 2018 on the Seven Network's Sunday Night show in Australia, McEnroe said that Kyrgios is "the most talented player [he's] seen in the last ten years" but that Kyrgios may "run himself out", if he continued not to commit himself to tennis. While hosting a radio call-in show during the 2021 Wimbledon Championships on BBC Radio 5 Live McEnroe stated that if he could choose any player on the current tour to coach he would pick Kyrgios.
Off the court
Persona outside professional tennis
Those who know Kyrgios personally say his off-court personality is very different from his on-court antics. Hugh van Cuylenburg, founder of the Resilience Project says: "Everyone who has ever met him say he's a sensational person who cares deeply about other people. He doesn't seek recognition or publicity for the good things he does."On a similar note, fellow Australian, Jason Kubler, said:"Every time I see him, he's smiling. Every time I'm around him, it seems like I'm laughing. So it's kind of weird when I read or see the comments about him, knowing him the way I do. He's just one of those people if you were to hang around him or spend any sort of quality time with him, you'd fall in love with him."
Response to Australian bushfires
Kyrgios pledged to donate $200 for every ace he served during the summer, which was subsequently taken up by other Australian tennis players. Kyrgios also asked Tennis Australia to hold an exhibition match before the 2020 Australian Open to raise more funds. Numerous top tennis players participated including Caroline Wozniacki, Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Naomi Osaka, Dominic Thiem, Petra Kvitova, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. This brought the Aces for Bushfire Relief total to almost $5 million.
Criticism and support for Djokovic
In June 2020, Kyrgios publicly criticised Djokovic for organizing the controversial charity tennis tournament at which Djokovic and numerous other tennis players tested positive for COVID-19, calling it a "boneheaded decision".
In January 2021, Kyrgios called Djokovic a "tool" after he issued a wish-list of requirements for players forced to quarantine when they arrive in the country to play in the Australian Open. A year later, when Djokovic was detained by the Australian government after entering the country unvaccinated, Kyrgios was the first and most notable player to speak up for his predicament, declaring: "He's a human, I just don't think how we're going about it is the right way and that's coming from someone who we've had run in and comments about each other, but it's not right." He also praised Djokovic for his generous response to the bush fire disasters.
In June 2022, after Djokovic beat Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final, Kyrgios called Djokovic "a bit of a god" after which Djokovic jokingly declared his relationship with Nick Kyrgios "officially a bromance".
Controversial incidents
Kyrgios has been involved in a number of controversial incidents during tennis matches, mostly during his early career.
During a match at the 2015 Rogers Cup, Kyrgios generated considerable controversy for insults he directed at Stan Wawrinka in the middle of the match. During play, Kyrgios' voice was picked up by the on-court microphone telling Wawrinka, "Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend; sorry to tell you that, mate," a lewd reference to fellow pro Thanasi Kokkinakis and Wawrinka's girlfriend at the time, WTA player Donna Vekic. After the match, Wawrinka said he found the comments "unacceptable" and urged action be taken against Kyrgios.
Kyrgios was fined $13,127 and given suspended penalties pending further breaches by the ATP. He later apologised to Wawrinka.
At the 2019 Rome Masters, Kyrgios was defaulted from his second round encounter with Casper Ruud after swearing at a line judge, kicking a bottle, and hurling a chair onto court. The default followed the three warnings rule which Kyrgios accepted immediately and shook hands with the referee, supervisor and opponent. The referee and supervisor had tried many times to quell a heckling group without success. The 2023 clay season was extremely rowdy and measures trialled at Roland Garros 2023 are being put in place to protect players from physical and social media abuse.
Mental health issues
At age 19, ranked 144th in the world, he received a wildcard entry to play at Wimbledon and beat then-world No. 1 Nadal in the fourth round. Beating Nadal, the first time he played against him, brought international attention. From then on he was told: "you're the next big thing in tennis." Kyrgios admits he didn't know how to deal with the pressure. He told the Turn Up the Talk podcast in May 2022: "I kept trying, trying and trying, just ended up snowballing into this dark cloud."
Things became so difficult for him that Kyrgios posted on Instagram that in 2018 he suffered from depression and engaged in self-harm and had suicidal ideation. In an interview on the Turn Up The Talk podcast, he explained that in 2019, even when he was winning tournaments: "[I was] probably drinking 20 to 30 drinks every night – you know, just in my room on my own – waking up [and] playing." Kyrgios said that "winning tournaments seemed to 'just mask all of it', which was the 'darkest thing ever'." Struggling to cope, he sought professional help and saw three or four different psychologists.
Endorsements
Kyrgios has endorsement deals with several companies, including Yonex, Nike and Beats.
Personal life
Kyrgios is an avid fan of the Boston Celtics in the American league, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and a life-long supporter of Tottenham Hotspur in English football's Premier League. Kyrgios also supports the Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby League (NRL), North Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL), and in January 2023 joined the ownership group of South East Melbourne Phoenix of the Australian basketball competition, the NBL.
Kyrgios is a co-owner of sports team Miami Pickleball Club.
He is close friends with Thanasi Kokkinakis, who he has known since childhood and with whom he went on to win the 2022 Australian Open doubles. The pair also made decent runs in Miami, the US Open and 2022 ATP Finals.
Kyrgios has followed a vegetarian diet since at least early 2020. He said that seeing the loss of animal life during the intense bushfires across Australia reinforced his choice of diet.
Kyrgios has spoken about his battle with mental health, including depression and self-harm. During an episode of Netflix series Break Point and subsequent interviews this was revealed in detail. Although it is difficult for high profile athletes to admit to such issues, experts believe it helps young males especially to seek help.
Relationships
In December 2021, Kyrgios started dating Psychological Sciences graduate Costeen Hatzi who owns and runs several businesses in interior and dress design. They separated in late March 2025 after nearly four years of a mutually supportive relationship with Kyrgios now intending to pursue his tennis career more intensively as his wrist and knee surgeries continue to heal.
Common assault case
In July 2020, Kyrgios entered into a relationship with Chiara Passari. They separated in October 2021.
In 2022, it was announced that Kyrgios was summoned to appear in court, in Australia, to face a charge of common assault, for allegedly grabbing Passari in January 2021.
In 2023, Kyrgios pleaded guilty to the assault charge but was not convicted, as Magistrate Beth Campbell stated that he had "acted poorly in the heat of the moment", and that the case was "at the lower end of the scale of common assault".
Career statistics
Grand Slam tournament performance timelines
Singles
Current through the 2025 Australian Open.
Doubles
Grand Slam tournament finals
Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)
Doubles: 1 (1 title)
Notes
References
External links
Official website
Nick Kyrgios at the Association of Tennis Professionals
Nick Kyrgios at the International Tennis Federation
Nick Kyrgios at the Davis Cup
Nick Kyrgios at Tennis Australia
Nick Kyrgios at ESPN.com
Nick Kyrgios writes on PlayersVoice
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Carol Chell
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Carol Chell.
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Tell me a bio of Carol Chell.
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Tell me a bio of Carol Chell within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Carol Chell with around 100 words.
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Carol Julia Chell (born July 1941) is a British children's television presenter and TV executive. She originally qualified as a teacher, and produced many educational TV shows in the 1960s. She is best known for her work as a long-serving presenter from 1966 to 1988 on Play School and from 1971 to 1980 on Play Away.
Early life
Chell attended Nottingham Girls' High School, then a direct grant grammar school, and lived on Tudor Road in West Bridgford. She attended the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.
Career
Teacher
For a time she taught at Pierrepont Secondary Modern School for Girls, in Nottingham; also teaching there at the time was Brian Clark, who would become a television writer, writing Telford's Change.
Television
Chell appeared as herself as part of a group of 'time-travellers' trying to solve puzzles on the planet Arg in episode 1 of series 2 of BBC TV quiz series The Adventure Game on 2 November 1981 (available on the DVD release of the series from Simplymedia). She took part in the ATV schools series Starting Out in 1982. She later worked for satellite TV station The Children's Channel, where she was head of pre-school programming until the channel's demise in 1998.
Chell appeared alongside Johnny Ball on a celebrity edition of Pointless, featuring stars of children's television. This aired on 20 September 2014 on BBC One.
Personal life
She married Ian Price (of 'Westfield' on Rempstone Hill, in Costock) on Saturday 9 October 1965 at St Peter's Church in Tollerton, Nottinghamshire, when aged 23. She lived in Blackheath, London.
At the time, her parents lived in Christchurch, Dorset. Chell and Price have two daughters, Emily & Sophie, and six grandchildren.
== References ==
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Alen Omić
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Alen Omić.
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Tell me a bio of Alen Omić.
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Tell me a bio of Alen Omić within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Alen Omić with around 100 words.
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Alen Omić (born 6 May 1992) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for Budućnost of the Prva A Liga and the Adriatic League.
Professional career
Omić started playing professional basketball for Zlatorog Laško. In 2009, he signed with Zlatorog and stayed with the club for three seasons until 2012.
On 30 August 2012, Omić signed a four-year deal with Union Olimpija.
In July 2014, Omić joined the Brooklyn Nets for the 2014 NBA Summer League. He returned to the Summer League the following year, for the Denver Nuggets.
On 1 August 2015, Omić signed a two-year deal with Gran Canaria. He made a good impression with Gran Canaria right from the start, and was named to the season's All-EuroCup First Team.
On 28 June 2016, Omić signed a two-year deal with Turkish club Anadolu Efes. On 16 January 2017, he left Efes, and signed with Spanish club Unicaja, for the rest of the season. In April 2017, he won the EuroCup with Unicaja after beating Valencia Basket in the Finals.
On 28 July 2017, Omić signed with Israeli club Hapoel Jerusalem for the 2017–18 season. On 20 January 2018, he left Hapoel and signed with Serbian club Crvena zvezda for the rest of the season.
On 2 January 2019, he signed with Olimpia Milano for the rest of the season.
On 24 June 2019, he signed with Joventut Badalona of the Liga ACB. Omić averaged 11.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. On 11 September 2020, he signed with JL Bourg Basket of the LNB Pro A. Omić averaged 11.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. On 23 November 2021, he signed with Cedevita Olimpija of the ABA League.
On 6 May 2023, he broke the ABA League all-time Offensive Rebounds record with 434 in a Quarterfinals game against KK FMP.
On August 3, 2023, he signed with Guangxi Rhinos of the National Basketball League. He averaged 19.43 points, 14.14 rebounds, 3.57 assists in 33.54 minutes in 7 games.
On November 6, 2023, he signed with Metropolitans 92 of the French LNB Pro A.
On February 8, 2024, he was back in Cedevita Olimpija of fhe Slovenian Basketball League and the Adriatic League.
On October 6, 2024, he signed with Budućnost.
International career
Omić made his debut for the senior Slovenian national team at the 2014 FIBA World Cup. He also represented Slovenia at the EuroBasket 2015, where they were eliminated by Latvia in the tournament's eighth finals.
Career statistics
EuroLeague
EuroCup
References
External links
Alen Omić at aba-liga.com
Alen Omić at eurobasket.com
Alen Omić at euroleague.net
Alen Omić at fiba.com
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Vasily Chuikov
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Vasily Chuikov.
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Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov (Russian: Василий Иванович Чуйков, Russian: [vɐˈsʲilʲɪj t͡ɕʉjkof] ; 12 February [O.S. 31 January] 1900 – 18 March 1982) was a Soviet military commander and Marshal of the Soviet Union. He is best known for commanding the 62nd Army which saw heavy combat during the Battle of Stalingrad in the Second World War and for being the commanding general to receive the surrender of the German troops defending Berlin.
Born to a peasant family near Tula, Chuikov earned his living as a factory worker from the age of 12. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, he joined the Red Army and distinguished himself during the Russian Civil War. After graduating from the Frunze Military Academy, Chuikov worked as a military attaché and intelligence officer in China and the Russian Far East. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Chuikov commanded the 4th Army during the Soviet invasion of Poland, and the 9th Army during the Winter War against Finland. In December 1940, he was again appointed military attaché to China in support of Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists in the war against Japan.
In March 1942, Chuikov was recalled from China to defend against the German invasion of the Soviet Union. By September, he was assigned command of the 62nd Army in defense of Stalingrad. Tasked with holding the city at all costs, Chuikov adopted keeping the Soviet front-line positions as close to the Germans as physically possible. This served as an effective countermeasure against the Wehrmacht's combined-arms tactics, but by mid-November 1942 the Germans had captured most of the city after months of slow advance. In late November Chuikov's 62nd Army joined the rest of the Soviet forces in a counter-offensive, which led to the surrender of the German 6th Army in early 1943. After Stalingrad, Chuikov led his forces into Poland during Operation Bagration and the Vistula–Oder Offensive before advancing on Berlin. He personally accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces in Berlin on 2 May 1945.
After the war, Chuikov served as Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (1949–53), commander of the Kiev Military District (1953–60), Chief of the Soviet Armed Forces and Deputy Minister of Defense (1960–64), and head of the Soviet Civil Defense Forces (1961–72). Chuikov was twice awarded the titles Hero of the Soviet Union (1944 and 1945) and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by the United States for his actions during the Battle of Stalingrad. In 1955, he was named a Marshal of the Soviet Union. Following his death in 1982, Chuikov was interred at the Stalingrad memorial at Mamayev Kurgan, which had been the site of heavy fighting.
Early life
Born into a peasant family in the village of Serebryanye Prudy in the Tula region south of Moscow, Chuikov was the eighth of 12 children and the fifth of eight sons. At the age of 12, he left school and his family home to earn his living in a factory in Saint Petersburg, turning out spurs for cavalry officers. Chuikov and all his brothers became soldiers and fought in the Russian Civil War.
Early military career
During the turmoil of the Russian Revolution of 1917, Chuikov became unemployed. Later the same year, an older brother arranged for Chuikov to be recruited into the Red Guards. The year after, in 1918, he joined the Red Army.
In October 1918, Chuikov saw active service when he was sent to the Southern Front as a deputy company commander to fight against the White Army. In the spring of 1919, he became commander of the 40th Regiment (later renamed the 43rd), part of the 5th Army under Tukhachevsky facing the White Army under Kolchak in Siberia.
Chuikov's record of service during the Civil War was distinguished. In the fighting from 1919 to 1920 he received two awards of the Order of the Red Banner for bravery and heroism. He was wounded four times—one, in Poland in 1920, left a fragment in his left arm that could not be operated on. It led to partial paralysis and caused him to lose use of his arm temporarily. Chuikov carried this war wound for the rest of his life, and it eventually led to septicaemia breaking out in 1981, causing a nine-month illness and finally his death.
He left his regiment in 1921 to continue his studies at the Frunze Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1925. On account of his excellent academic performance, Chuikov was invited to stay at the Frunze Military Academy for another year to study Chinese language and history in the Orient Studies Department. In the fall of 1926, Chuikov joined a Soviet diplomatic delegation that toured Harbin, Changchun, Port Arthur, Dalian, Tianjin and Beijing, cities in northeastern and northern China. After completing his studies in the fall of 1927, Chuikov was dispatched to China as a military attaché. Chuikov traveled extensively in southern China and Sichuan, became fluent in Chinese, and gained a deeper understanding of Chinese politics and culture. In 1929, during the China Eastern Railway Incident, Chuikov was forced to leave China after the Soviet Union broke diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on 13 July. Chuikov was assigned to the newly formed Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army in Khabarovsk and worked on military intelligence, reporting to Vasily Blyukher, the commander of the Far Eastern Army. The Soviet Far Eastern Army defeated the Northeastern Army of Zhang Xueliang, and Chuikov participated in negotiations that restored Soviet control of the China Eastern Railway.
World War II
Chuikov commanded the 4th Army in the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939. He commanded the 9th Army in the Russo-Finnish War of 1940.
In December 1940, Chuikov was appointed the chief Soviet military representative to the Republic of China and adviser to Chiang Kai-shek, the Nationalist leader, in Chongqing. Prior to his departure for China, he was summoned to meet Joseph Stalin and Semyon Timoshenko, who instructed him to ensure that China remain engaged in the war with Japan so Japan could not challenge the Soviet Union in the Far East and allow the Soviet Union to focus on the German threat from the West. Stalin told Chuikov to prioritize support for Nationalists over the Chinese Communists so as to ensure Chinese unity against Japan. Chuikov arrived in China with a large supply of Soviet armaments for the Nationalist Army, including tanks, artillery, fighter and bomber aircraft, and trucks. In January 1941 when the Nationalists attacked the Communists in the Southern Anhui Incident in breach of their nominal alliance, Chuikov was criticized by Mao Zedong for failing to stop Chiang's aggression against the Chinese Communists. Chuikov insisted that the Nationalists could not use Soviet weaponry against the Communists, met with Communist leaders Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying, but in keeping with Stalin's directives, continued to support the Nationalist war effort against Japan, even after the signing of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. In the Second Battle of Changsha in September 1941, he advised Chiang to relieve the Japanese siege on Changsha by attacking the strategic city of Yichang some 400 km to the north, and the strategy succeeded. In March 1942, he was recalled to the USSR, which by then was at war with Germany.
Battle of Stalingrad
On 11 September 1942, General Chuikov was summoned to South Western Front Headquarters to discuss the defense of Stalingrad. In a meeting with South Western Front Commander Lieutenant General Andrey Yeryomenko and Commissar Nikita Khrushchev, Chuikov was appointed as commander of 62nd Army and charged with the defense of the city of Stalingrad itself, directly on the western bank of the Volga River. Chuikov would later recount this in a 1943 interview:
"… I was told that I was to take command of 62nd Army. My mission: defend Stalingrad.
…After Nikita Sergeyevich [Khrushchev] told me to go to Stalingrad, he asked me: "What are your thoughts?" Yeryomenko also wanted to know. He's known me a long time. Well, what could I say? I said: "I understand my orders just fine, and I'll carry them out. I'll do what I can. I'll either keep them out of Stalingrad or die trying". There were no more questions after that. They offered me tea, but I declined, got in my car, and drove to Stalingrad."
Chuikov arrived in Stalingrad on 11 September 1942 and occupied Hill 102.24 where he set up his command post, and immediately set about preparing the defense of Stalingrad proper. The 62nd Army in Stalingrad faced threat of envelopment by fast-moving panzer and motorized infantry elements of German 6th Army. In the north, a German strike-force advanced out of the west via Kalach on the Don to a point located just north of Spartakovka and Rynok, and in the south a second strike-force advanced from out of the west toward the Tsimlyanskaya and Kotelnikovo axes. Along the front from Kuporosnoye and Orlovka to Rynok, General Chuikov defended against a German main thrust advancing from the northwest and directed at both Gumrak Airfield as well also the train station in the center of the town, and a second additional German strike-force advancing from the southwest directed against Olshanka and the grain elevator. General Chuikov enacted Joseph Stalin's order no. 227 "not one step back" and immediately stabilized the threatened 62nd Army.
"When I got to army headquarters I was in a vile mood. I only saw three people: comrade Gurov, Chief of Staff Krylov, and Chief of Artillery Pozharsky. Three of my deputies had fled to the east bank. But the main thing was that we had no dependable combat units, and we needed to hold out for three or four days. The divisions had their respective headquarters on the Volga, and we were still forward on this hill. We were in this tunnel alongside the Tsaritsa River, while all the command posts were farther back. This turned out to be the right decision. And then there's one thing that went well, if we can use such a word. We immediately began to take the harshest possible actions against cowardice. On the 14th (September) I shot the commander and commissar of one regiment, and a short while later I shot two brigade commanders and their commissars. This caught everyone off guard. We made sure news of this got to the men, especially the officers. If you go down to the Volga, they said, then you'll find Army HQ right ahead of you. And so they went back to their places. If I'd gone across the Volga myself, they'd have shot me when I got ashore, and they'd have been right. The needs of the day determine what needs to be done."
The determination that Chuikov instilled in his men enabled the 62nd Army to defend the city against all odds.
"Stalingrad will decide the fate of the motherland. The men understood this. The men were in such a mood that if they'd been wounded, even with a broken spine, they had tears in their eyes as they were being taken to the east bank. They'd say to their comrades who had brought them out: I don't want to go. Better to be buried here. They considered it shameful to go wounded to the other bank. This echoed comrade Stalin's order."
Chuikov was concerned about maintaining communications with his troops.
"We moved to another command post closer to where the enemy would be attacking. And we stayed there. We knew that every extra meter of telephone wires increased the risk of our communications being broken. The most criminal, most dangerous thing for a commander, especially a senior commander, is when you lose control and communications. Most of all, we were afraid of losing control of our troops. I may not be able to send one of my commanders any reinforcements, but it's enough for me to grab the phone and say the right thing, that's all he needs."
It was at Stalingrad that Chuikov developed the important tactic of "hugging the enemy", by which Soviet soldiers kept the German army so close to them as to minimize the airpower enjoyed by the Wehrmacht. Chuikov had witnessed firsthand the blitzkrieg tactics the Wehrmacht had used to sweep across the Russian steppe, so he used the Germans' carpet-bombing of the city to draw panzer units into the rubble and chaos, where their progress was impeded. Here they could be destroyed with Molotov cocktails, antitank rifles, and Soviet artillery operating at close range. This tactic also rendered the Luftwaffe ineffective, since Stuka dive-bombers could not attack Red Army positions without endangering their own forces.
"Our soldiers knew that the closer they were to the enemy, the better. They stopped being afraid of tanks. The infantrymen would get in a trench, ravine, or building, and start shooting the enemy infantry who were advancing behind the tanks. The tanks would move through, and we'd leave them to our artillery, which was two to three hundred meters back from the front lines and would fire when they came within twenty to fifty meters. And we didn't let their infantry through. The Germans would think that this area was already cleared, that it was dead ground. But that dead ground came back to life. And we had our Katyushas and artillery."
The fierce defense of Stalingrad by the 62nd Army slowed the German advance and forced Axis forces to pull units from the flanks outside the city to reinforce the urban assault. By mid-November, German forces had taken most of the city and pinned Chuikov and the remaining defenders in several small pockets against the Volga River. In interviews in 1943, Chuikov said he was not informed of the Operation Uranus counter-offensive but could sense one was being planned.
"We had sensed that our high command was preparing a major attack, but we didn't know where exactly. We had sensed this from the very beginning of November. We were being given less and less help. We'd been used to talking to people from front HQ every day, but now they'd all vanished. Khrushchev wasn't here, and Yeryomenko came only once..."
On 19 November 1942, Soviet forces launched a massive double pincer attack to the north and south of Stalingrad, exploiting the weakened Axis flanks and encircling the German Sixth Army, part of the Fourth Army and the Romanian Third and Fourth Armies in a vast pocket stretching nearly 80 km from Stalingrad to Kalach-on-Don. On 22 November, Chuikov's 62nd Army switched to an offensive posture, counter-attacking to recapture neighborhoods and preventing German forces from leaving the city to fight elsewhere in the pocket. The German Sixth Army surrendered on 2 February 1943.
Poland and Germany
After the victory at Stalingrad, the 62nd Army was redesignated the Soviet 8th Guards Army. Chuikov then commanded the 8th Guards as part of 1st Belorussian Front and led its advance through Poland. During the Vistula–Oder offensive, the troops of the 8th Guards under Chuikov participated in breaking the enemy's defense in depth, and liberated Majdanek concentration camp on the outskirts of the Polish city of Lublin. The 8th Guards liberated the city of Łódź, seized the fortress city of Poznań by storm, seized a bridgehead on the left bank of the Oder River and fought for two months to maintain and expand the bridgehead in the Kustrin area, before
finally heading the Soviet offensive which conquered Berlin while the Western Allied forces were wiping out what was left in Southern and Western Germany in April/May 1945.
Chuikov's advance through Poland was characterized by massive advances across difficult terrain [on several occasions, the 8th Guards Army advanced over 40 miles (64 km) in a single day]. On 1 May 1945, Chuikov, who commanded his army operating in central Berlin, was the first Allied officer to learn about Adolf Hitler's suicide, being informed by General Hans Krebs who had come to Chuikov's headquarters under a white flag. Krebs, under orders from Goebbels, sought conditions for surrender more favorable to the Germans, which Chuikov had no authority to grant and so rejected any terms. On 2 May, he accepted the unconditional surrender of Berlin's forces from General Helmuth Weidling who had taken command, with the suicide that morning by Gen. Krebs.
Chuikov appeared in the documentary film Berlin (1945), directed by Yuli Raizman.
Later life
After the war, Chuikov continued to command the 8th Guards Army in Germany, later serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany from 1949 until 1953, when he was made commander of the Kiev Military District. While serving at that post, on 11 March 1955 he was promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union. From 1960 to 1964, he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Ground Forces. He also served as the Chief of the Civil Defense from 1961 until his retirement in 1972. From 1961 until his death, he was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In 1969, Chuikov led the Soviet delegation attending the funeral of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
He was a major consultant for the design of The Motherland Calls, a memorial on Mamayev Kurgan commemorating the Battle of Stalingrad, and was buried there after his death on 18 March 1982, at the age of 82. After Chuikov's death a piece of paper with a handwritten prayer was found among his belongings: "Oh, the One who can turn night into day and earth into a flower garden. Make every difficult thing easy for me. And help me".
Memoirs in translation
The Beginning of the Road: The Story of the Battle for Stalingrad, London, 1963.
Chuikov, Vasili (2003). Mission to China: Memoirs of a Soviet Military Adviser to Chiang Kaishek. Translated by Barrett, David P. Eastbridge. ISBN 978-1-891936-10-4.
Chuikov, Vasili (1978). The End of the Third Reich. Moscow: Progress. ISBN 978-0-8285-0453-9.
Honours and awards
USSR
honorary citizen of Volgograd
Foreign
See also
Battle of Berezina
German–Soviet military parade in Brest-Litovsk
References
Bibliography
Jones, Michael K. (2010). Stalingrad: How the Red Army Triumphed. UK: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-84884-201-4.
External links
(in Russian) Memoirs by Vasili Chuikov: Сражение века Battle of the Century – Describes his experiences during the Battle of Stalingrad.
(in Russian) Memoirs by Vasili Chuikov: Конец третьего рейха The End of the Third Reich – Describes his experiences during the last months of the war, ending with the Battle of Berlin.
(in Russian) Biography on the website dedicated to the Heroes of the Soviet Union/Russia.
Newspaper clippings about Vasily Chuikov in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
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George Eacker
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about George Eacker.
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Tell me a bio of George Eacker.
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Tell me a bio of George Eacker within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of George Eacker with around 100 words.
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George I. Eacker (c. 1774 – January 4, 1804) was a New York lawyer. He is best known for having fatally shot Philip Hamilton, the eldest son of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, in a duel on November 23, 1801, in Weehawken, New Jersey.
Early life and education
Eacker was born in Palatine in what was then the colonial-era Province of New York. He was the son of Jacob Eacker, a German immigrant who fought in the American Revolution and served as a county judge and a member of the New York State Assembly, and Anna Margaret Finck, daughter of Andreas Finck and the sister of Andrew Fink Jr, who rose to the rank of Major during the war. George had one younger brother, Jacob I., and four sisters.
He attended a preparatory school in Schenectady, New York, and graduated from Columbia College in 1793. He then studied law under Henry Brockholst Livingston, a future Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Career
Eacker was admitted to the New York bar at 21 and quickly established himself as one of New York City’s premier attorneys. He soon built his practice in Manhattan into a lucrative business, which allowed him to take a house on Wall Street and to employ a married couple as his valet and housekeeper. He gained popularity in New York City's well-to-do social circles as a lawyer, Freemason, cavalry captain, and fire brigade inspector.
For an unknown offense in 1798, which the historian Eric Henry Monkkonen interprets as an earlier duel or conflict, Eacker appeared in court and paid a recognizance, likely as a bond for good behavior.
In 1801, Eacker was appointed as a master in the New York Court of Chancery, which was the highest court in the state.
Duels with Stephen Price and Philip Hamilton
Eacker was selected in 1801 to deliver the Fourth of July oration at an Independence Day celebration held in New York City by a brigade of the New York State Militia, the Tammany Society, and two of the city's labor organizations: the Mechanics' Society and Coopers' Society. The Tammany Society, better known as Tammany Hall, was a Democratic-Republican Party political organization that Aaron Burr had built into a political machine. In politics, Eacker was known to be aligned with Burr, what automatically placed him at odds with Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists.
According to a supporter, the speech that Eacker delivered was commended by "nearly everybody" except for Federalist partisans, who were "blinded... to every virtue" by "party spirit, which at that time was very bitter", and believed it implied that Hamilton sought power at any cost, while Thomas Jefferson upheld the Constitution. Some accounts questioned whether the speech was critical of Alexander Hamilton, as was later characterized. According to a 19th-century historian who relied on Eacker's younger brother as a source, the speech was entirely patriotic and did not name or allude to Hamilton.
On November 20, 1801, a Friday night, Eacker attended a play at the Park Theatre with his fiancée Harriet Livingston, a daughter of Walter Livingston and Cornelia Schuyler. Philip Hamilton, the eldest son of Alexander Hamilton, and Stephen Price approached or entered Eacker's box together and loudly ridiculed him. Eacker called them "damned rascals"—a severe insult at the time. In response to that insult, as was then common, both challenged Eacker to a duel.
Price faced the 27-year-old Eacker in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey, on November 22, 1801. Four shots were exchanged, but neither party was injured, and the matter was settled.
At the same location on the following day, Eacker fatally shot the 19-year-old Hamilton in a second duel. Hamilton refused to raise his pistol to fire after he and Eacker had counted ten paces and faced each other, following his father's instructions to reserve his fire. Eacker, determined to fire second, did not shoot. After a minute, Eacker finally raised his pistol, and Hamilton did the same. Eacker shot and struck Philip above his right hip. The bullet went through his body and lodged in his left arm. In what may have been an involuntary spasm, Hamilton fired his pistol in the air.
In a letter to Rufus King, Robert Troup wrote of Alexander Hamilton, "Never did I see a man so completely overwhelmed with grief as Hamilton had been." Nevertheless, he was said to be civil and professional in his later relationship with Eacker. Hamilton would die in a duel with Aaron Burr only a few years later, on July 11, 1804, on the same dueling ground in Weehawken.
Death and legacy
Following the duel, Eacker resumed his life as a prominent lawyer and active community member. However, according to Eacker's brother, George Eacker fought a raging fire as part of his fire brigade duties on a bitterly cold night in January 1802, two months after the duel. He was soaked to the skin, and his clothes froze. This severe exposure led to a lingering illness that developed into tuberculosis (then known as consumption).
As his health deteriorated, some speculated that grief over the duel had contributed to his decline, but his brother later stated that George never regretted his actions and would have dueled again under the same circumstances.
Eacker died on January 4, 1804, at the age of 30. His funeral was a grand event, featuring military honors and participation from the fire brigade, the Howard Lodge of Freemasons, and various civic leaders. His remains were interred in the graveyard behind St. Paul’s Chapel, and a volley of musketry was fired over his grave.
Eacker and his fiancée never married. In January 1808, Harriet Livingston married the steamboat inventor Robert Fulton with whom she had four children.
In popular culture
Eacker appears as a minor character in the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton in which the musical number "Blow Us All Away" dramatizes his duel with Philip Hamilton. The role of Eacker originated on Broadway by a member of the show's ensemble, Ephraim M. Sykes, who also appears as Eacker on the original cast recording.
See also
List of people killed in duels
== References ==
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Alice Torriani
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Alice Torriani.
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Tell me a bio of Alice Torriani.
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Tell me a bio of Alice Torriani within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Alice Torriani with around 100 words.
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Alice Torriani (born 25 March 1984) is an Italian film actor, author and screenwriter. She is notable for her portrayal of Andreina in Il Paradiso delle Signore (Ladies' Paradise) directed by Monica Vullo and as the author of the novel L'altra Sete (A Different Thirst).
Early life
Alice graduated from The Paolo Grassi Drama School in Milan in 2007 and started theatrical tours in Italy and Europe with Romeo Castellucci, Alvis Hermanis, Massimo Castri, Gabriele Lavia and Franca Valeri among others.
Alice graduated from Paolo Grassi Drama School in Milan in 2007, after three years of intense studies. Upon receiving the sought after diploma, Massimo Castri, the critically acclaimed Italian director, cast her as the female lead in Chekhov's Three Sisters. This life-changing part took Alice on a one-year tour, as she performed in some of the most celebrated theatres across Italy.
When the Italian tour came to an end, it was now renowned director Gabriele Lavia who took a bow, as he too cast Alice for the female lead part in Dostoyevsky's Memoirs from the House of The Dead.
The Russian writer's imagination, coupled with Lavia's vision, fueled Alice's quixotic spirit, and just a few months later she landed in Moscow, for the shooting of the film Ten Winters, which went on to win the 2010 David di Donatello prize for Best Debut, as well as the Silver Ribbon for Best First Work at the Venice Film Festival.
During that same year Alice started working on the European Project "Prospero", under the guiding hand of Latvian director Alvis Hermanis. Together, they brought The Young Ladies of Wilko, Hermanis's first work with Italian actors, to the stages of Milan, Paris, Venice, Berlin, Lisbon, Moscow, Rennes, Liege, Lotz, and Tampere, in a production spanning two fulfilling years.
Actor
In cinema she made her appearance in Ten Winters by Valerio Mieli (2010 David di Donatello prize for Best Debut), the commercially successful E'nata una star directed by Lucio Pellegrini and based on the novel Not a Star by Nick Hornby, D.A.D. by Marco Maccaferri and Them Who? by Francesco Miccichè and Fabio Bonifaci. In an effort to ever improve her acting skills she has visited the Margie Haber Studio in Los Angeles and Jordan Bayne's in New York numerous time and she is always working on her skills. She has participated in many 'acting for the stage' workshops with Luca Ronconi, Antonio Latella, and other international directors at the Venice Biennale of Theatre.
In the five-year period encompassing 2009 through 2013 Alice work as part of the lead cast for various television shows, and in 2013/2014, in the remarkable company of some of Italy's most illustrious actors, she performed the play Visita al padre, which Carmelo Rifici directed, at the celebrated Piccolo Teatro di Milano. She has guest-starred in one episode of Montalbano, "A voice of the night" which aired in Italy in 2013.
In 2014, Romeo Castellucci (whose Dante's Divine Comedy the French newspaper Le Monde called "the best play, and one of the ten most influential cultural events in the world for the decade 2000–2010") cast Alice for the show The Four Season Restaurant, which was performed in Philadelphia in September 2014.
In 2015, Alice took the second female lead in the Italian TV serial adaptation of The Paradise based on the French novel Au Bonheur des Dames by Emile Zola. The Italian series, produced by RAI, are named Il Paradiso delle Signore and Torriani's role was of Andreina Mandelli, the daughter of an influential banker in Milan.
Just a few months later, Alice brought her skills to the aid of Franca Valeri, one of Italy's most sought after comedians, as they took the stage together in the play Il cambio dei cavalli, which Valeri penned herself.
Furthermore, in 2016, Torriani took on one of the main roles in the TV series Un Paso dal Ciello, season 4, as Cristina Fabricetti, in a total of 18 episodes.
Filmography
Author
Torriani's first novel, L'Altra Sete, was published by Fandango Libri in 2015.
In 2016 L'Altra Sete was chosen to represent Italy at the Festival Européen du Premier Roman, in Germany. In November, 2018, the novel Una Vita a Posto, authored by Torriani, was published by Fandango Libri.
Screenwriter
In 2015, with Giampiero Judica, she wrote her first screenplay for the TV series Cleaning your Shit, which was filmed in 2017. Alice played the main role.
References
External links
Official website
Alice Torriani at IMDb
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Gulshan Kumar
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Gulshan Kumar.
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Tell me a bio of Gulshan Kumar.
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Tell me a bio of Gulshan Kumar within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Gulshan Kumar with around 100 words.
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Gulshan Kumar Dua (5 May 1956 – 12 August 1997), was an Indian film and music producer and businessman who was the founder of the Super Cassettes Industries Private Limited music label in the Bollywood industry. After founding T-Series in 1983, Dua established it as a leading record label in the 1990s.
After his death, T-Series has since been run by his younger brother Krishan Kumar and son Bhushan Kumar. His daughters Tulsi Kumar and Khushalii Kumar are also playback singers.
Biography
Born in 1956 in a Punjabi Hindu family, Gulshan Kumar Dua was the son of a fruit juice vendor who worked the streets of the Daryaganj neighbourhood in the heart of Delhi. His family came as refugees from the Jhang region of West Punjab after the anti-Hindu riots during the partition of India in 1947. Dua started working with his father from an early age. Gulshan Kumar was a devoted worshipper of Shiva and especially Vaishno Devi. He sung many religious and traditional songs in favour of almost all major deities in Hinduism. Due to traditional faith, love and respect towards Vaishno Devi, he ran a free of cost meal assistance service in which free meals are offered as prasad to all the devotees visiting Vaishno Devi Temple. It was first started in 1983 at Baan Ganga location which is situated in between of the Vaishno Devi Temple's pilgrimage. Even after his demise in 1997, the service still continues till today and is widely revered all across India. His son Bhushan Kumar now manages the service.
Dua changed career paths when his family acquired a shop selling records and inexpensive audio cassettes, which foreshadowed the onset of a vast music empire.
Music business and film career
Gulshan Kumar started his own audio cassette operation known as "Super Cassettes Industries," which turned in to a profitable business. He began a music production company in Noida. As his business started growing, he moved to Mumbai.
His first movie in Bollywood was Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka in 1989. Next was the big hit Aashiqui in 1990 which is remembered for its music by Nadeem–Shravan. His other movies included Bahaar Aane Tak, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Ayee Milan Ki Raat, Meera Ka Mohan, Jeena Marna Tere Sang and Bewafa Sanam.
T-Series music label
T-Series emerged as one of the top music labels in India with the release of Aashiqui in 1990.
In the early 1990s T-Series was largely responsible for sparking a boom for the Indian music industry.
With its music and film production, the annual earnings of T-Series grew from ₹20 crore ($16 million) in 1985 to ₹200 crore ($88 million) in 1991, and by the time of Gulshan Kumar's death in 1997, had reached ₹500 crore ($140 million).
It continues to be a major label. and controls more than 60% share of the Indian music market. In international market, T-Series enjoys a turnover in excess of $4.2 million, and exports to 24 countries across six continents. In India, it has the largest distribution network of over 2500 dealers.
Filmography
Death
Gulshan Kumar died in a shooting outside the Jiteshwar Mahadev Mandir, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva of which he attended daily in Jeet Nagar, Andheri West suburb of Mumbai, on 12 August 1997. He was shot 16 times.
On the day of the assassination, his bodyguard, provided by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, was sick. Although he had received two threatening calls, on 5 and 8 August 1997, Kumar refused to pay the extortion money. The hired killers, including Rauf and Abdul Rashid, conducted reconnaissance for a month, but did not proceed because of the armed bodyguard. At 10:40, while returning from the temple, he was confronted by one of the assassins who said: "Bahut puja kar li, ab upar ja ke karna (you have prayed enough already, now do it up there)." Initially, Kumar survived and sought shelter in nearby huts, but residents shut their doors. His driver Suraj was shot in both legs as he tried to shelter Kumar.
A Mumbai underworld organisation called D-Company is considered to have been responsible for this assassination. The police also accused film composer Nadeem Saifi of the music duo Nadeem-Shravan of having paid for the murder due to a personal dispute and fled the country after the murder. However, on 9 January 2001, Abdul Rauf Merchant (known as "Raja") confessed to being the murderer. On 29 April 2002, Sessions Judge M. L. Tahilyani sentenced Rauf to life imprisonment, stating that he was not imposing the death penalty because the prosecution had failed to prove that Rauf was a contract killer. The police alleged that Saifi paid Abu Salem, a known associate of Dawood Ibrahim, to assassinate Kumar and assigned Rauf to the job, but it just so happened that Ibrahim and Abu Salem were already planning on murdering Kumar as he had refused to pay protection money to D-Company as part of an extortion attempt. As per his family's wishes, Gulshan Kumar was cremated in a shamshan (cremation ground) in Delhi.
Abdul Rauf alias Daud Merchant was convicted in 2002 for the murder of Gulshan Kumar. He fled India after he was granted furlough by the Bombay High Court in 2009. He was extradited from Bangladesh in 2016. He is currently lodged in the high-security Arthur Road Jail of Mumbai.
Legacy
T-Series is still running and operated and has a widespread base across India. In 2017, T-Series announced plans to produce a biographical film about Kumar titled Mogul – The Gulshan Kumar Story.
See also
Music of Bollywood
References
External links
Gulshan Kumar at IMDb
The Gulshan Kumar Murder Homepage at Rediff.com
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Albert Outler
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Albert Outler.
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Tell me a bio of Albert Outler.
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Tell me a bio of Albert Outler within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Albert Outler with around 100 words.
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Albert Cook Outler (November 17, 1908 – September 1, 1989) was a 20th-century American Methodist historian, theologian, and pastor. He was a professor at Duke University, Yale University, and Southern Methodist University. He was a key figure in the 20th-century ecumenical movement.
Biography
Outler was born and raised in Georgia and was an ordained Methodist elder who served in several appointments. He graduated from Wofford College and received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Yale University, teaching at both Yale and Duke University before beginning a long tenure at Southern Methodist University in Texas. He taught courses in Christian history, Christian theology, Christian doctrine, and Wesleyan studies.
He was a delegate to Consultation on Church Union, served on the Faith & Order board of the World Council of Churches and was an official observer representing the Methodist at the Second Vatican Council. He was a key figure in the 20th-century ecumenical movement.
Theological contribution
Along with his contemporaries Colin Williams, Frank Baker, and John Deschner, Outler's work on John Wesley became a catalyst for contemporary Wesleyan scholarship.
Outler's contributions to Methodist history and theology include his book John Wesley for "The Library of Protestant Thought" series, the first book that argued for Wesley as an important theologian in the Western tradition, as well as his critical editions of Wesley's Sermons for the Works of John Wesley editorial project.
Outler is widely credited with being the first to recognize John Wesley's method for theologizing, via what Outler referred to as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral: scripture, church tradition, reason, and personal experience. This understanding of Wesleyan theology is prevalent throughout Methodism, particularly in the United Methodist Church. Using this model, Outler was a key figure in organizing the theological statement put forth by the United Methodist Church after its formation in 1968. Some argue that his most original contribution was the introduction of the concept of church "Tradition" into Wesleyan theology.
With his many references to the early church, Outler's work has proven very influential to those in the paleo-orthodox movement and contemporary evangelicalism, notably Thomas C. Oden, like Outler, a United Methodist clergyman.
He also wrote books and articles on patrology, psychotherapy, and theology. Many of his writings have been collected in the Albert Outler Library series by Bristol House publishers.
Works
Books
Outler, Albert C. (1940). The "Platonism" of Clement of Alexandria. Chicago, Ill.: [publisher not identified].
Outler, Albert C.; Bowen, C. A. (1944). The history and mission of the church; an elective unit for young people, for use in church schools, institutes, assemblies, summer camps, and special study groups. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1945). A Christian context for counseling. [New Haven, CT]: [Hazen Foundation].
Outler, Albert C. (1948). Colleges, faculties and religion; an appraisal of the program of faculty consultations on religion in higher education, 1945-48. New Haven, CT: Hazen Foundation.
Outler, Albert C. (1954). Psychotherapy and the Christian Message. New York: Harper & Bros.
Saint, Augustine; Outler, Albert C. (1955). Augustine: Confessions and Enchiridion . Philadelphia: Westminster Press – via Wikisource.
Harding, Arthur Leon; Outler, Albert C. (1955). Natural law and natural rights. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1957). The Christian tradition and the unity we seek: given as Richard lectures at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. New York: Oxford University Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1959). Quid est veritas?. [Washington]: Council of Protestant Colleges and Universities.
Outler, Albert C.; Oden, Thomas C. (1964). John Wesley. New York: Oxford University Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1966). That the world may believe: guide for leaders of the Methodist mission study on Christian unity. New York: Joint Commission on Education and Cultivation, Board of Missions of the Methodist Church.
Outler, Albert C. (1966). Called to unity: Methodism and church union. Cincinnati: Service Center, Board of Missions The Methodist Church.
Outler, Albert C. (1966). Vatican II: charter for change.
Outler, Albert C. (1967). Methodist observer at Vatican II. Westminster [Md.]: Newman Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1968). Who trusts in God; musings on the meaning of providence. New York: Oxford University Press.
Outler, Albert C.; Balás, David L (1968). The development of catholic Christianity: methodological papers. [Dallas, TX]: [publisher not identified]: Prof. Wm. David Kirkpatrick [distributor].
Outler, Albert C.; Kiwiet, John J. (1969). Origen. [Fort Worth?]: [publisher not identified].
Outler, Albert C. (1970). An interim report to the General Conference. [Place of publication not identified: [publisher not identified].
Outler, Albert C. (1970). COCU: test case for ecumenism in America: lecture III, Crisis coming up. [Fort Worth, TX]: [Texas Christian University].
Outler, Albert C.; Tyson, Joseph B. (1973). Canon (Scripture-Tradition). [Abilene, TX]: [publisher not identified].
Outler, Albert C. (1973). History as an ecumenical resource: the Protestant discovery of tradition, 1952-1963. [Washington, D.C.]: [Catholic University of America Press].
Outler, Albert C. (1971). Evangelism in the Wesleyan spirit. Nashville, TN: Tidings.
Outler, Albert C.; Benson, Dennis C. (1973). Reconciliation: the function of the church. Pittsburgh: Thesis.
Outler, Albert C. (1975). Theology in the Wesleyan spirit. Nashville, TN: Tidings.
Outler, Albert C. (1975). The Bicentennial and the re-invention of America. Dallas: Greater Dallas Council of Churches.
Outler, Albert C.; Deschner, John (1975). Our common history as Christians: essays in honour of Albert C. Outler. New York: Oxford University Press.
Outler, Albert C.; Walther, James Arthur (1976). Reinventing America. Pittsburgh, PA: Thesis.
Outler, Albert C.; Ferguson, Everett (1976). Reinventing America. [Dallas, TX]: [publisher not identified].
Outler, Albert C.; Walker, William O (1978). The Relationships among the gospels: an interdisciplinary dialogue. San Antonio: Trinity University Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1982). The rule of grace. Melbourne: Uniting Church Press.
Outler, Albert C. (1984). Ecumenism in a postliberal age. Indianapolis, IN: Council on Christian Unity.
Outler, Albert C. (1991). John Wesley's sermons: an introduction. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Outler, Albert C.; Oden, Thomas C. (1991). The Wesleyan theological heritage. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). The preacher. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 1. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). The churchman. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 2. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). The university professor. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 3. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). Christology. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 4. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). The pastoral psychology of Albert C. Outler. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 5. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). Evangelism. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 6. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). Ecumenical theologian: essays by Albert Cook Outler. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 7. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). Historian & interpreter of the Christian tradition. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 8. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C. (1995). Parrott, Bob W. (ed.). Outler on the Holy Spirit: the pneumatology of Albert Cook Oulter. The Albert Outler library. Vol. 9. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Outler, Albert C.; Howe, Leroy T. (1997). The pastoral psychology of Albert C. Outler. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
Articles
Outler, Albert C. (1955). "Symposium: contemporary theological concern". Perkins School of Theology Journal. 8 (3).
Outler, Albert C. (1960). "Ordeal of a Happy Dilettante". Christian Century.
Outler, Albert C. (1967). "Dedication of the Sweet Briar Memorial Chapel, April 20-23, 1967". Sweet Briar College. 20 (7). Sweet Briar, Va.
Outler, Albert C. (1977). ""The three chapters": a comment on the survival of antiochene Christology". Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Chicago.
Outler, Albert C. (1980). "A Fund for 'Evangelical' Scholars". Christian Century: 138–140.
Outler, Albert C. (1989). "Pneumatology as an Ecumenical Frontier". The Ecumenical Review. 41 (3): 363–374. doi:10.1111/j.1758-6623.1989.tb02589.x.
Outler, Albert C. "Pietism and Enlightenment: alternatives to tradition". Christian Spirituality: Post-reformation and Modern / Edited by Louis Dupré and Don e. Saliers; in Collaborations with John Meyendorff.
References
Citations
Sources
Longden, Leicester R. (1989). "Albert Outler remembered". Good News. The Woodlands, TX. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
Marty, Martin E. (1984). "Albert C Outler: United Methodist Ecumenist". Christian Century. 101 (7): 218–222.
Further reading
Biographies
Parrott, Bob W. (1999). Albert C. Outler: the gifted dilettante. Anderson, IN: Bristol House.
External links
"Albert Cook Outler papers: A Guide to the Collection". TARO (Texas Archival Resources Online). 1989.
Works by Albert Outler at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
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Félix María Zuloaga
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Félix María Zuloaga.
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Tell me a bio of Félix María Zuloaga.
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Tell me a bio of Félix María Zuloaga within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Félix María Zuloaga with around 100 words.
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Félix María Zuloaga Trillo (1813–1898) was a Mexican conservative general and politician who played a key role in the outbreak of the Reform War in early 1860, a war which would see him elevated to the presidency of the nation. President Zuloaga was unrecognized by and fought against the liberals supporters of President Benito Juarez.
Zuloaga's forces quickly gained control over the capital, and the central states of the nation, winning every major engagement during the first year of the war, and even temporarily capturing Juarez and his entire cabinet, but in the end, the liberals were not decisively defeated, still controlled large parts of the nation's periphery, and Juarez remained securely entrenched in the strategic port of Veracruz.
In December 1858, a moderate faction of the conservatives overthrew Zuloaga, hoping to come to a compromise with Juarez. Manuel Robles Pezuela then ascended to the presidency. The liberal government rejected all offers of compromise, and the conservatives then elected Miguel Miramon as president. The ousted Zuloaga, still clinging to his claims of the presidency, endorsed Miramon's election and officially passed the presidency on to him.
Zuloaga remained somewhat active in Miramon's government but eventually retired from the scene. He emerged after the war ended to claim the presidency while conservative guerillas were still active in the countryside, but this came to nothing, and Zuloaga subsequently left the country. He would return during the Second Mexican Empire, but unlike many of his conservative colleagues, Zuloaga played no political or military role within the Empire. After the fall of the Empire in 1867, Zuloaga was exiled to Cuba and returned to civilian life, eventually returning to Mexico, where he lived until his death in 1895.
Early life
Felix Zuloaga was born on 31 March 1803 in Álamos, Sonora.He was born to Manuel Jose De Zuloaga and María Anna Gertrudis Vitala Trillo.
On 8 October 1834, he received the rank of colonel of the national guard and was engaged in campaigns against Indians until 1837, when he left the department of Chihuahua, having previously been granted the rank of lieutenant of engineers.
He defended the government during the Federalist Revolt of 1840, during which a group of militants seized the National Palace and took President Anastasio Bustamante hostage in order to try and overthrow the government and restore the Constitution of 1824. The following year he joined the Bases of Tacubaya which intended to revise the then current constitution, the Siete Leyes. He was promoted to captain on 5 November 1841 and fought in Yucatán as part of the Caste Wars, after which he moved to Tabasco and was granted the rank of lieutenant colonel.
During the Mexican–American War, he was in charge of fortifications in Monterey and in Saltillo, and in 1847 contributed to setting up the defenses on the route from Veracruz to Mexico City.
In July 1848, he retired to Chihuahua where he was elected alderman in 1852 and remained in that post until March, 1853 when he returned to service in the military. In November he was promoted to colonel and was named president of the council of war for judging thieves at which post he remained for a few months. In the following two years he served the Santa Anna's campaign against the liberal revolutionaries of the south led by Juan Alvarez. He fell prisoner at the Hacienda de Nuzco, and the rebel commander Ignacio Comonfort protected him from being sent to a firing squad and actually recruited him to join the liberal cause. When the Plan of Ayutla triumphed, and Santa Anna's dictatorship was overthrown, Zuloaga was given command of Comonfort's forces and assigned to the campaign of Sierra de Querétaro.
La Reforma
Zuloaga's old commander Ignacio Comonfort ascended to the presidency in December, 1856, and proceeded to administer over one of the most eventful presidencies in 19th century Mexican history. A convention finished drafting a new constitution for the nation in early 1857, only to encounter extreme opposition from conservatives over its unprecedented reforms aimed against the army and the church. Most notable was the opposition to the constitutional codification of the Ley Lerdo, a law which forced collective entities to forcibly sell their properties, affecting both the Catholic Church, and Mexico's Indigenous communities, who had a tradition of farming on communal lands. Further controversy was inflamed when the government mandated that all civil servants swear an oath to the constitution or lose their jobs. Many Catholics did refuse the oath, but those who did not were excommunicated.
Zuloaga was initially loyal to the moderate liberal government of Ignacio Comonfort. He helped command a government effort to put down a conservative rebellion in Puebla. As tensions over the constitution rose, Comonfort left the capital and temporarily resided in Tacubaya where his defenses were commanded by Zuloaga.
However, by December, Zuloaga was among those being suspected of plotting against the government, and he was even indicted.
Plan of Tacubaya
The suspicion was well placed as Zuloaga was plotting with conservative conspirators. After coming to an arrangement with certain governors, the conspirators in a suburb of Mexico City declared the Plan of Tacubaya on the morning of 17 December to set aside the national constitution. The supreme control of the government was to be entrusted to Ignacio Comonfort who was to convoke within three months another constitutional congress for framing another constitution more in line with the national will, to be submitted to a national plebiscite and in the event of its non acceptance to be returned to the congress for an amendment. The president was tso rule with a consultative council composed of one representative from each state.
On 17 December, congress made a solemn protest against the Plan of Tacubaya, and declared the Comonfort's authority had now come to an end. Zuloaga's brigade occupied the capital and dissolved the congress. Benito Juarez, president of the Supreme Court and Isidoro Olvera, president of the congress were arrested. The ayuntamiento of Mexico City was also dissolved. On 19 December, Comonfort officially announced that he had accepted the Plan of Tacubaya. He released a manifesto explaining his motives, expounding that he viewed the Plan of Tacubaya as an opportunity for a moderate compromise and viewing the alternative as anarchy.
Seventy deputies reassembled in Querétaro and aired their protests. A council of state was installed on 25 December in which skeptical voices opined that it was impossible to bring about the reconciliating that Comonfort sought. On 30 December, the strategic state of Vera Cruz abandoned the Plan of Tacubaya, convincing Comonfor that his new government's position was precarious. Comonfort would resign, passing the presidency over to Benito Juarez whom Comonfort had also released. He gathered his loyal troops and engaged in skirmishes with the Zuloaga government, but most of the loyal garrison eventually abandoned Comonfort, leading him to flee the capital, and eventually the nation.
Presidency
After triumphing in the minor skirmish with Comonfort, Zuloaga on 21 January, published a manifesto promising order in the capital. He then named the individuals who had been chosen to be a part of the junta that was meant to choose the new head of state according to the Plan of Tacubaya. On the 22nd the junta met in the senate chambers and Felix Zuloaga was chosen by twenty six votes, one vote going to Santa Anna, and one vote going to General Echeagaray. The junta then drafted an oath of office, which Zuloaga read the following day, promising to uphold and protect, independence, religion, and unity between all Mexicans, echoing the promises made in the Plan of Iguala.
The newly established conservative government was recognized by the foreign diplomatic corps at the capital with the exception of the United States.
On the 24th, Zuloaga named his ministers. Luis Gonazaga Cueva was made Minister of the Interior, Hilario Elguero was made Ministry of Government, Manuel Larrainzar was made Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and Jose de la Parra was made Minister of War, and Jose Hierro Maldonado was made Minister of Development. Zuloaga then named a council of government made up of two representatives from each state.
On 28 January, a decree was published nullifying the Ley Lerdo, and calling for the property which had been seized by the church to be returned. Other decrees published on the same day restored to their former employment all civil servants who had lost their jobs in refusing to swear an oath to the constitution of 1857, and also nullified the Ley Juarez. On 31 January, President Zuloaga directed a letter to Pope Pius IX reaffirming his country's adherence to the Catholic faith.
States were declaring their loyalty to either Juarez or Zuloaga and their respective armies were preparing for war. After hostilities broke out Zuloaga, knowing the strategic importance of Veracruz, tried to win over the governor of the state, Gutierrez Zamora, who however affirmed his support for the government of Juarez. In the meantime liberal forces in the north were being organized by Santiago Vidaurri while Manuel Doblado led a liberal coalition in the interior headquartered in the town of Celaya. On 10 March 1858, the liberals lost the Battle of Salamanca, which opened up the interior of the country to the conservatives.
Juarez at this point was in Guadalajara, when part of the army there mutinied and imprisoned him, at one point threatening his life, until fellow liberal minister and prisoner Guillermo Prieto dissuaded the hostile soldiers from shooting Juarez. As rival factions struggled to control the city, Juarez and other liberal prisoners were released on agreement after which Guadalajara was fully captured by conservatives by the end of March. Juarez now made Santos Degollado the head of his armies, and then decided to head towards Veracruz, embarking from Manzanillo, crossing Panama, and arriving in Veracruz on 4 May 1858.
On 24 July, Miramon captured Guanajuato, and San Luis Potosi was captured by the conservatives on 12 September. Vidaurri was defeated at the Battle of Ahualulco on 29 September. By October the conservatives were at the height of their strength.
The conservatives controlled the most populous cities of the republic, and the liberal capital of Vera Cruz was cut off from the interior of the country. The liberals however still had the loyalty of significant parts of the north and the south of the country. Juarez was determined to sustain the conflict, entrenched in the strategic port of Vera Cruz, which the conservatives did not have the forces to carry out a naval blockade of.
Despite his significant victories in the first few months of the war, the Zuloaga government's position was far from entirely secure. An attempt to revive the unitary organization of the country by reducing the states to departments as they existed during the Centralist Republic of Mexico, proved to be unpopular. The conservatives were also divided into three factions: the Santanistas, named after supporters of Santa Anna, wanted a more authoritarian government as had exited during the dictatorship of Santa Anna from 1853 to 1855, the Zuloaguistas wanted to retain Zuloaga, and the Fusionists wanted to compromise with the liberals. The Zuloaga government was also struggling to find funds, the contributions of the clergy, forced loans, and increased tariffs not being sufficient to sustain government expenses. The seizure of property was irritating both citizens and foreigners.
The Plan of Tacubaya had called for a congress to be summoned in order to draft a constitution, but this was proving to be impractical in the middle of the war. Zuloaga's cabinet drafted a provisional constitution.
In July 1858, the failure of achieving a final victory over the liberals led to a shuffling of the cabinet. Joaquin Castillo y Lanzas was named Minister of Relations. Fernandez de Jauregui was made Minister of Government, Javier Miranda was made Minister of Justice, J. M. Garcia was made Minister of War, Pedro Jorrin was made Minister of the Treasury, and Jose M. Zaldivar was made Minister of Development. A law against conspirators was passed along with restrictions on the press.
The conservatives kept achieving victory and on 24 July, Miramon captured Guanajuato. Some moderate liberals now wished to compromise with the conservatives. On 29 September, the conservatives won a significant victory at Ahuahulco against Santigo Vidaurri. By October, 1858, the conservatives were at the height of their strength.
In early November, Zuloaga's minister of Government Jarequi offered to resign but it was not accepted. The liberals then took Guadalajara causing alarm in Mexico City. Zulaoga was holding frequent conferences with the British and French foreign representatives, and the two powers showed themselves disposed to help blockade Juarez. Juarez, however had long gained the good will of the United States, whose minister Forsyth had refused to recognize Zuloaga's government.
On 20 December 1858, about a year since he first came to power, Zuloaga had to face a pronunciamiento against himself. Echeagaray pronounced at Ayutla with a plan to summon a congress to frame a constitution suitable for the nation. Zuloaga passed measures to put down the revolt, assuming personal command of the forces at the capital, and forbidding all interaction with the rebels. He passed a manifesto condemning Echeagaray who was stripped of his post in the army. Manuel Doblado was also arrested.
A modified form of the Ayotla Plan was proclaimed by Manuel Robles Pezula on 23 December, and found some military support in the capital. Zuloaga offered to resign if the objection was to him personally, but would not assent if the plan was meant to overthrow his conservative principles. Miramon was offered command of the plan, but he rejected it.
As loyal troops kept defecting, Zuloaga resigned before midnight and sought asylum with the British legation in spite of the insurgents promises to keep Zuloaga unharmed. The Plan of Ayotla was actually an offshoot of the aforementioned fusionist party, a moderate faction, which did not seek to abandon conservative principles, but did seek an end to the war by seeking compromise with the liberals. Manuel Robles Pezuela arrived at the national palace on the morning of 24 December, when he assumed the presidency.
Robles Pezuela sent commissioners out to gain adherence to his plan, and began to assemble a junta of representatives ignoring, however the conservative hero Miguel Miramon, upsetting conservative hardliners. Robles, however eventually conceded in granting Miramon representation.
The Junta assembled on 30 December 1858, and proceeded to elect a president. Miramon won with 50 votes against Robles' 46, though the latter was authorized to act as provisional president until Miramon arrived in the capital.
Meanwhile, Zuloaga had taken back his previous resignation, but due to the circumstances, agreed to officially pass on the presidency to Miramon on 31 January 1859. To keep him from changing his mind, Miramon had him sent to the interior. Zuloaga then left the government.
Miramon would go on to wage the war energetically and make two attempts to capture Juarez's capital at Vera Cruz. His second attempt in March 1860, would see his naval forces intercepted by the U.S. navy which was protecting Juarez. Liberal victories then accumulated until Juarez took back the capital in January 1861, though conservative guerilla's most notably Leonardo Marquez remained active in the countryside.
Later life
It was amidst this situation, with conservative forces still active, that Zuloaga once more publicly emerged in 1861, once more claiming the presidency, but to no effect. He left the country again the following year. He returned to Mexico in August 1864, during the Second Mexican Empire, but no longer played any role in politics. He survived the fall of the Empire but was exiled to Cuba, returning to his country after the death of Benito Juarez. Zuloaga became a tobacco merchant, living until 1895.
See also
List of heads of state of Mexico
References
Further reading
"Zuloaga, Félix María", Enciclopedia de México, v. 14. Mexico City, 1996, ISBN 1-56409-016-7.
García Puron, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 2. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrúa, 1984.
Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.
External links
Elbalero.gob.mx: Short biography
An 1860 New York Times report on Zuloaga's activities
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Frank Middlemass
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Frank Middlemass.
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Tell me a bio of Frank Middlemass.
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Tell me a bio of Frank Middlemass within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Frank Middlemass with around 100 words.
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Francis George Middlemass (28 May 1919 – 8 September 2006) was an English actor, who even in his early career played older roles. He is best remembered for his television roles as Rocky Hardcastle in As Time Goes By, Algy Herries in To Serve Them All My Days, and Dr. Alex Ferrenby in 20 episodes of Heartbeat. Middlemass was also active in the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was the fourth and final actor to play Dan Archer in The Archers.
Early life
Middlemass was born in Eaglescliffe, County Durham, the son of a shipping company director. He was brought up in Newcastle upon Tyne, and educated in Stockton-on-Tees. He entered the army at the age of nineteen and was wounded in the Dunkirk retreat. He left the army when he was 30 and was by then a lieutenant colonel.
Middlemass started his acting career in rep in Penzance, Cornwall and then went on to join the Old Vic Company. While with them he toured North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Lebanon, Russia, Poland and the Far East, and performed in Twelfth Night opposite Vivien Leigh. During the 1960s, he toured with Ian McKellen's Actors' Company and performed at the Nottingham Playhouse. He performed opposite Peter O'Toole in Waiting for Godot.
Middlemass's first television role was in 1958, in Dixon of Dock Green. His other early television appearances included Z-Cars; Softly, Softly; The Avengers and Jackanory. During the 1970s and 1980s he appeared in Doctor at Large; War and Peace (a memorable performance as Mikhail Kutuzov); Crown Court; Last of the Summer Wine; Ripping Yarns (Murder at Moorstone's Manor); Upstairs, Downstairs; Poldark (1975); Fall of Eagles (as Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin); The Sweeney and Emmerdale Farm.
Middlemass played Sir Charles Lyndon in Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975).
Television
Middlemass played the philandering butcher Mr. Lyon in the final episode of the third series of Upstairs, Downstairs in 1973, but it was not until 1980, when he appeared in the post-World War I drama To Serve Them All My Days, that he first took a leading role in a British series.
Middlemass followed this up with a notable performance in the BBC Television Shakespeare production as The Fool to Michael Hordern's King Lear, as Henry Baker in The Blue Carbuncle episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 1984 and Brezhnev in Tom Stoppard's Squaring the Circle. He went on to play minor characters in Yes Minister; Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (as Lord Derby); Juliet Bravo; Only When I Laugh; All in Good Faith; Yes, Prime Minister; Oliver Twist (as Mr. Brownlow); Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady; and Miss Marple, in the 1989 episode "A Caribbean Mystery" (as Major Palgrave).
In 1989 Middlemass recorded a role as a choirmaster (similar to his role in the Children's Film Unit's A Swarm in May, listed below) for the Christmas ghost story Haunting Harmony; this was a co-production made chiefly for export and shown in Canada and Ireland at Christmas 1990, but not transmitted in Britain until 1993 in a late-night slot. From 1992 to 1993, he appeared in twenty episodes of the police drama Heartbeat as Dr. Alex Ferrenby.
Following that in 1993, Middlemass first appeared in the sitcom As Time Goes By as Rocky Hardcastle, a role that continued regularly until 2002, and then also in the 2005 two-part reunion specials, his final television appearance. He appeared in both British TV adaptations of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Blue Carbuncle" playing Peterson in the BBC adaptation and Henry Baker on the Granada TV series.
Other work
Middlemass also appeared on radio, most notably playing patriarch Dan Archer, the fourth actor to play the role, in the long-running radio soap opera The Archers. He played this role from 1982 until 1986, when the character was killed off.
Middlemass's voice work includes the albums and radio plays: Carol and the Advent Calendar, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Hordes of the Things.
Middlemass also made the BBC Radio appeal for Headway, the National Head Injuries Association. He raised a substantial amount of money; letters from admirers came along with some of the cheques.
Middlemass also appeared in films, including roles in Otley (1968), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), Say Hello to Yesterday (1970), Madame Sin (1972), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Island (1980), as the voice of the Caterpillar in Dreamchild (1985), and Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War (2002).
Middlemass joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1984 and his Shakespearean roles included Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Holofernes in Love's Labour's Lost. Middlemass also appeared widely in classic plays such as Rosmersholm, Heartbreak House and You Never Can Tell.
Later years
Even in his eighties, Middlemass was still performing on stage, notably in The Importance of Being Earnest and toured with a one-man show called Frankly Speaking. In his final years, he made appearances in Kavanagh QC, Casualty, The 10th Kingdom, Doctors and Midsomer Murders ("Midsomer Rhapsody", 2005). As Time Goes By returned for two reunion specials, aired at Christmas 2005, and they were his final television appearances. Middlemass never married, and for forty years he had a room in the house of his close friend, actor Geoffrey Toone, who died in 2005 after spending some time resident at Denville Hall. "To their general amusement", they were often mistaken to be lovers, but in fact were not. Middlemass died, aged 87, in Northwood, London.
Filmography
References
External links
Frank Middlemass at IMDb
Frank Middlemass(Aveleyman)
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William M. Brodhead
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about William M. Brodhead.
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Tell me a bio of William M. Brodhead.
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Tell me a bio of William M. Brodhead within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of William M. Brodhead with around 100 words.
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William McNulty Brodhead (born September 12, 1941) is an American lawyer and former politician from Michigan who served four terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983.
Early life and education
Brodhead was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended elementary and secondary schools in Cleveland. He received a B.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1965 and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, in 1967.
Legal career and politics
He was admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1968 and commenced practice in Detroit. He was elected to Michigan House of Representatives in 1970 and was reelected in 1972, from a district in Detroit.
In 1974, Martha W. Griffiths, Democratic incumbent for Michigan's 17th District to the United States House of Representatives was not a candidate for renomination. Brodhead won nomination as the Democratic candidate and was elected to the Ninety-fourth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1983. While in Congress, Brodhead served on the House Ways and Means Committee and on the Budget Committee. Brodhead also served as Chair of the Democratic Study Group which was then the liberal caucus in the House.
Post-political career
He declined to run for reelection in 1982 and returned home to the Detroit area.
He became a partner in the Detroit law firm, Plunkett & Cooney, where he practiced from 1983 to 2003. Retiring from the law firm in October, 2003, he practiced on his own until 2006, when he retired completely.
While in law practice in Detroit, Brodhead served on many non-profit boards including Detroit Public Television, Mt. Carmel Hospital, Michigan's Children and the Citizen's Research Council. He served at various times as Board Chair of the Skillman Foundation, Covenant House Michigan, Focus:Hope and the Oakland Mediation Center.
In 1994, he was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senator, losing in the primary to Bob Carr, who went on to lose in the general election to Spencer Abraham.
Personal life
Brodhead now lives with his wife Kathleen, to whom he has been married since 1965, in Northern California. They have two adult children and a granddaughter who also live in Northern California. He serves on the board of directors of Covenant House, California.
== References ==
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Jo Koy
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Jo Koy.
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Tell me a bio of Jo Koy.
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Tell me a bio of Jo Koy within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Jo Koy with around 100 words.
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Joseph Glenn Herbert (born June 2, 1971), known professionally as Jo Koy, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was a frequent panelist on E!'s late night show Chelsea Lately, and he has since had a total of six comedy specials released by Comedy Central and Netflix. In 2024, Koy hosted the 81st Golden Globe Awards.
Early life and education
Koy was born to an American father, John C. Herbert, who was in the United States Air Force stationed in Japan when he married Koy's Filipina mother, Josie Harrison. His stepfather, Fredrick Harrison, also helped raise him. His family moved from Spanaway, Washington, to Tacoma, Washington. He originally attended Spanaway Lake High School and then Foss High School in Tacoma. Soon after he finished high school, the family moved to Las Vegas to be near his ailing grandmother. Jo Koy enrolled in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, but dropped out to pursue stand-up comedy.
Koy has said that his stage name comes from a nickname his family gave him when he was growing up. It was said during his stand-up routine in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 22, 2019, that back in 1989 he was talking to his cousin about making a stage name when his aunt called him to come to dinner, shouting "Jo Ko, eat!" (Ko means "my" in Tagalog, so Jo Ko means "my Jo"), which he misheard as "Koy," and, deciding that it was a good name, has used it ever since.
Career
In 2019, Augustus Welby, writing for the Beat Magazine in Melbourne, described Koy as having performed comedy for 30 years. Soon then moved to open mic nights, before landing regular gigs.
The regular appearances included Catch a Rising Star at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. After that, he rented the Huntridge Theater, also in Las Vegas, and went door to door to sell tickets to his comedy shows.
Koy's appearances as a regular guest at Chelsea Handler's Chelsea Lately was reported by David Tusing of the Gulf News as having given "him prominence in the US". (Koy appeared on that late night show regularly.
Koy hosts the weekly podcast, The Koy Pond with Jo Koy, where he "riff[s] on various topics with... fellow comedians".
In 2019, Koy released another Netflix special, entitled Jo Koy: Comin' in Hot, which was filmed before a crowd of about 8,000 at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii. As of September 2019, plans were being made to have Koy's next Netflix special, to be based on his 2020 Just Kidding world tour, recorded at the Blaisdell as well. On February 23, 2019, Koy performed two shows on stage at the Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado, for the closing night of Aspen Laugh Festival. Joy's subsequent 2020 Just Kidding World Tour took him to the United Arab Emirates, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
On June 12, 2020, Netflix released Jo Koy: In His Elements, a comedy special featuring Filipino American comedians, DJs, and B-boys. On July 28, 2022, Koy, alongside film producer Dan Lin appeared in the Rise for Comedy festival, where they raised a $75,000 donation to the nonprofit Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).
Koy was a regular guest on the podcast, The Adam Carolla Show.
2023 Golden Globe Awards
On December 21, 2023, Koy was announced as host of the 81st Golden Globe Awards. Koy's monologue as host of the 81st Golden Globe Awards was met with criticism from viewers and critics. Chelsey Sanchez of Bazaar described his monologue as "awkward" and "distasteful". Shirley Li of The Atlantic wrote, "practically every joke failed to land, mostly because the punchlines were dated or obvious". Variety's television critic Alison Herman panned Koy as "woefully unqualified" to be an awards show host. Koy was met with criticism for putting blame on his writers during the monologue, coming after a lengthy 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Justin Curto of Vulture noted, that when some of his jokes fell flat, Koy "immediately threw his writers under the bus... He yelled. 'Yo, shut up. You're kidding me, right. Slow down. I wrote some of these, and they're the ones you're laughing at.'"
Hershal Pandya of Vulture wrote "Comedians have tanked at the Golden Globes before but none quite as spectacularly as Koy." Marlow Stern of Rolling Stone noted that many of Koy's jokes drew "groans" and "boos" from the audience. Among the barbs that drew the most ire were sexist jokes involving the Barbie movie and Taylor Swift, as well as uncomfortable jokes directed at Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. Nicole Sperling of The New York Times, who was in the audience that night, wrote, "Never seen an audience rebel against an emcee so quickly" and cited a prominent director describing Koy as a "disaster". Viewers online noted stunned reactions from the crowd from people such as Selena Gomez, Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
Koy responded to the criticism in an interview with Good Morning America, admitting, "I'd be lying if I said the backlash didn't hurt", but also admitted, "I had fun. You know, it was a moment that I'll always remember. Hosting is just a tough gig. Yes, I'm a stand-up comic but that hosting position it's a different style. I kind of went in and did the writer's thing. We had 10 days to write this monologue. It was a crash course. I feel bad, but I got to still say I loved what I did." Fellow comedians such as Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg and Kevin Hart, as well as radio host Howard Stern, expressed sympathy towards Koy, with many of them arguing that the job of a comedian is not always easy, especially when hosting an awards show.
Influences
Koy has named Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock, and Steve Martin as his comedy influences. In 2022, Blogtalk with MJ Racadio named him one of the "75 Most Influential Filipino-Americans".
Personal life
Koy was married earlier to Filipino-American singer, Angie King. Koy and Chelsea Handler were in a relationship between 2021 and 2022. Koy has a son, Joseph Jr., from his marriage to King, born at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, in April 2003.
For a time, around the production of his Comin' in Hot special, Koy was described as considering Hawaii as "a second home". As of 2023, Koy lived in Los Angeles, and Koy's son lived between the homes of his father, and mother, which are "one block down from each other."
Koy's stepfather, retired Army Sergeant Fredrick Harrison, died in 2023, and was eulogized by Koy, who said, "He served 20 years... received 2 Purple Hearts, 2 Bronze Stars and a CIB [Combat Infantryman Badge] badge... [of which] he was most proud... He was a hero. My hero."
Koy's mother is a supporter of the Republican Party and Donald Trump; Koy himself has shied away from politics in his comedy routines.
As of January 2023, Koy was described as being a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In 2023, Koy got his arm tattooed by mambabatok Wilma “Ate Wamz” Gaspili at Igorot's Charm Cafe across Baguio Botanical Garden.
Filmography
Film
Television
Stand-up specials
References
External links
Official website
Jo Koy at IMDb
Comedy Central profile Archived October 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
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Felician of Foligno
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Felician of Foligno.
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Tell me a bio of Felician of Foligno.
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Tell me a bio of Felician of Foligno within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Felician of Foligno with around 100 words.
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Felician(us) of Foligno (Italian: San Feliciano di Foligno) (c. 160 – c. 250) is the patron saint of Foligno.
Biography
According to Christian tradition, he was born in Forum Flaminii (present-day San Giovanni Profiamma), on the Via Flaminia, of a Christian family, around 160. He was the spiritual student of Pope Eleuterus and evangelized in Foligno, Spello, Bevagna, Assisi, Perugia, Norcia, Plestia, Trevi, and Spoleto.
He was later consecrated bishop of Foligno by Pope Victor I around 204 (he was the first bishop to receive the pallium as a symbol of his office). He ordained Valentine of Terni as a priest. His episcopate lasted for more than 50 years; he was one of the first Christian bishops of northern Italy. He was arrested at the age of 94 for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods during the persecutions of Decius. During his imprisonment, one of his disciples, Messalina of Foligno, visited him. He was tortured and scourged, and died outside Foligno while being conveyed to Rome for his execution.
Veneration
A church was built over his grave at Foligno. His relics were transferred to Metz on October 4, 970. In 965 some relics were translated to Minden in Germany; Felician was thus erroneously considered a bishop of that German city (and he had a separate feast day of October 20), an error that entered the Roman Martyrology. Some of his relics were later returned to Foligno in 1673–4.
Foligno Cathedral preserves a statue of the saint, of silver and bronze, made by the sculptor Giovanni Battista Maini.
Notes
External links
Felician of Foligno
(in Italian) San Feliciano di Foligno
(in Italian) San Feliciano
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Annie Landouw
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Annie Landouw.
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Tell me a bio of Annie Landouw.
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Tell me a bio of Annie Landouw within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Annie Landouw with around 100 words.
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Annie Landouw (also Landauw, 1913 – 17 August 1982) was an Indonesian keroncong singer and film actress.
Biography
Landouw was born in Surakarta, Central Java, in 1913. She lost her sight following an extended illness as a child, and was not long afterwards adopted by her aunt and uncle. In 1927 she competed in – and won – her first singing competition, a Concours concert at a night fair in Surakarta. As a result, she was approached by Beka, a recording company, which signed her. She moved to Batavia (now Jakarta), the capital of the Dutch East Indies, soon afterwards and quickly rose in popularity.
By 1938 Landouw had joined the NIROM radio troupe, singing keroncong. The following year she joined Hugo Dumas' troupe Lief Java. During this period she became active in film. In 1938 she provided vocals for Fatima, a production by Tan's Film; she provided vocals again for Tan's 1939 film Gagak Item (Black Raven). She made her onscreen debut later that year, with Siti Akbari. In 1940 she appeared in two further films, Sorga Ka Toedjoe (Seventh Heaven) and Roekihati.
Landouw's prowess singing keroncong rendered her immensely popular. In 1940, the blind singer was scheduled for eye surgery. Her fans organised a fundraising campaign to help her pay for it, although ultimately Landouw refused the charity.
After Indonesia's independence, Landouw continued singing; however, she acted in no further films. She died on 17 August 1982.
Legacy
Music scholar Peter Keppy suggests that, because of her popularity as a keroncong singer, Landouw may have influenced the character of Yah in Armijn Pane's 1940 novel Belenggu; in the novel, Yah is famous as a keroncong singer under the stage name Siti Hayati.
References
Works cited
External links
Annie Landouw at IMDb
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Zhang Yaokun
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Zhang Yaokun.
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Tell me a bio of Zhang Yaokun.
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Tell me a bio of Zhang Yaokun within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Zhang Yaokun with around 100 words.
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Zhang Yaokun (simplified Chinese: 张耀坤; traditional Chinese: 張耀坤; pinyin: Zhāng Yàokūn; born 17 April 1981) is a retired Chinese footballer.
Club career
Zhang Yaokun started his football career in 1998 with Dalian Shide; however, due to an ankle fracture, he struggled to establish himself within the team and it was only once he overcame his long term injury did he start to become a regular. He later became an integral member of the defense and helped Dalian in their dominance within Chinese football by winning league titles in the 2001 season and the 2002 season as well as the Chinese FA Cup in 2001. After Dalian had a disappointing 2004 season, Vladimir Petrović came in as the new manager and would loan out Zhang to Sichuan Guancheng during the 2005 season where he quickly established himself as a key member of the club. He returned to Dalian the following season where he continued to be a key member of the squad and would go on to become their captain.
On 18 December 2012, Zhang transferred to fellow Chinese Super League side Guangzhou R&F. He made his debut for the club on 9 March 2013 in a 4-2 loss against Liaoning Whowin.
On 26 February 2017, Zhang transferred to League One side Wuhan Zall.
On 12 November 2018, Zhang Yaokun publicly announced his retirement from professional football right after Wuhan Zall successfully promoted to Chinese Super League.
International career
Zhang was called-up to the Chinese national team for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup where he made several appearances coming on as a substitute and playing in numerous positions in defence. He continued to be a regular for the squad that qualified for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and he and Li Weifeng were the first-choice centre back pairing during the tournament.
Career statistics
Club statistics
As of 3 November 2018
International goals
Results list China's goal tally first.
Honours
Club
Dalian Shide
Chinese Jia-A League: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002
Chinese FA Cup: 2001
Chinese FA Super Cup: 2000, 2002
Wuhan Zall
China League One: 2018
International
China PR national football team
East Asian Football Championship: 2005
Individual
Chinese Super League Team of the Year: 2004
References
External links
Zhang Yaokun at National-Football-Teams.com
Zhang Yaokun at Soccerway
Player profile at sodasoccer.com
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Bhāskara I
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Bhāskara I.
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Tell me a bio of Bhāskara I.
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Tell me a bio of Bhāskara I within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Bhāskara I with around 100 words.
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Bhāskara I (c. 600 – c. 680) was a 7th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer who was the first to write numbers in the Hindu–Arabic decimal system with a circle for the zero, and who gave a unique and remarkable rational approximation of the sine function in his commentary on Aryabhata's work. This commentary, Āryabhaṭīyabhāṣya, written in 629, is among the oldest known prose works in Sanskrit on mathematics and astronomy. He also wrote two astronomical works in the line of Aryabhata's school: the Mahābhāskarīya ("Great Book of Bhāskara") and the Laghubhāskarīya ("Small Book of Bhāskara").
On 7 June 1979, the Indian Space Research Organisation launched the Bhāskara I satellite, named in honour of the mathematician.
Biography
Little is known about Bhāskara's life, except for what can be deduced from his writings. He was born in India in the 7th century, and was probably an astronomer. Bhāskara I received his astronomical education from his father.
There are references to places in India in Bhāskara's writings, such as Vallabhi (the capital of the Maitraka dynasty in the 7th century) and Sivarajapura, both of which are in the Saurastra region of the present-day state of Gujarat in India. Also mentioned are Bharuch in southern Gujarat, and Thanesar in the eastern Punjab, which was ruled by Harsha. Therefore, a reasonable guess would be that Bhāskara was born in Saurastra and later moved to Aśmaka.
Bhāskara I is considered the most important scholar of Aryabhata's astronomical school. He and Brahmagupta are two of the most renowned Indian mathematicians; both made considerable contributions to the study of fractions.
Representation of numbers
The most important mathematical contribution of Bhāskara I concerns the representation of numbers in thefirst positional representations had been known to Indian astronomers approximately 500 years before work. However, these numbers were written not in figures, but in words or allegories and were organized in verses. For instance, the number 1 was given as moon, since it exists only once; the number 2 was represented by wings, twins, or eyes since they always occur in pairs; the number 5 was given by the (5) senses. Similar to our current decimal system, these words were aligned such that each number assigns the factor of the power of ten corresponding to its position, only in reverse order: the higher powers were to the right of the lower ones.
Bhāskara's numeral system was truly positional, in contrast to word representations, where the same word could represent multiple values (such as 40 or 400). He often explained a number given in his numeral system by stating ankair api ("in figures this reads"), and then repeating it written with the first nine Brahmi numerals, using a small circle for the zero. Contrary to the word system, however, his numerals were written in descending values from left to right, exactly as we do it today. Therefore, since at least 629, the decimal system was definitely known to Indian scholars. Presumably, Bhāskara did not invent it, but he was the first to openly use the Brahmi numerals in a scientific contribution in Sanskrit.
Further contributions
Mathematics
Bhāskara I wrote three astronomical contributions. In 629, he annotated the Āryabhaṭīya, an astronomical treatise by Aryabhata written in verses. Bhāskara's comments referred exactly to the 33 verses dealing with mathematics, in which he considered variable equations and trigonometric formulae. In general, he emphasized proving mathematical rules instead of simply relying on tradition or expediency.
His work Mahābhāskarīya is divided into eight chapters about mathematical astronomy. In chapter 7, he gives a remarkable approximation formula for sin x:
sin
x
≈
16
x
(
π
−
x
)
5
π
2
−
4
x
(
π
−
x
)
,
(
0
≤
x
≤
π
)
{\displaystyle \sin x\approx {\frac {16x(\pi -x)}{5\pi ^{2}-4x(\pi -x)}},\qquad (0\leq x\leq \pi )}
which he assigns to Aryabhata. It reveals a relative error of less than 1.9% (the greatest deviation
16
5
π
−
1
≈
1.859
%
{\displaystyle {\frac {16}{5\pi }}-1\approx 1.859\%}
at
x
=
0
{\displaystyle x=0}
). Additionally, he gives relations between sine and cosine, as well as relations between the sine of an angle less than 90° and the sines of angles 90°–180°, 180°–270°, and greater than 270°.
Moreover, Bhāskara stated theorems about the solutions to equations now known as Pell's equations. For instance, he posed the problem: "Tell me, O mathematician, what is that square which multiplied by 8 becomes – together with unity – a square?" In modern notation, he asked for the solutions of the Pell equation
8
x
2
+
1
=
y
2
{\displaystyle 8x^{2}+1=y^{2}}
(or
y
2
−
8
x
2
=
1
{\displaystyle y^{2}-8x^{2}=1}
relative to pell's equation). This equation has the simple solution x = 1, y = 3, or shortly (x,y) = (1,3), from which further solutions can be constructed, such as (x,y) = (6,17).
Bhāskara clearly believed that π was irrational. In support of Aryabhata's approximation of π, he criticized its approximation to
10
{\displaystyle {\sqrt {10}}}
, a practice common among Jain mathematicians.
He was the first mathematician to openly discuss quadrilaterals with four unequal, nonparallel sides.
Astronomy
The Mahābhāskarīya consists of eight chapters dealing with mathematical astronomy. The book deals with topics such as the longitudes of the planets, the conjunctions among the planets and stars, the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and the rising and setting of the planets.
Parts of Mahābhāskarīya were later translated into Arabic.
See also
Bhāskara I's sine approximation formula
List of astronomers
List of Indian mathematicians
Notes
References
Sources
(From Keller (2006a, p. xiii))
M. C. Apaṭe. The Laghubhāskarīya, with the commentary of Parameśvara. Anandāśrama, Sanskrit series no. 128, Poona, 1946.
v.harish Mahābhāskarīya of Bhāskarācārya with the Bhāṣya of Govindasvāmin and Supercommentary Siddhāntadīpikā of Parameśvara. Madras Govt. Oriental series, no. cxxx, 1957.
K. S. Shukla. Mahābhāskarīya, Edited and Translated into English, with Explanatory and Critical Notes, and Comments, etc. Department of mathematics, Lucknow University, 1960.
K. S. Shukla. Laghubhāskarīya, Edited and Translated into English, with Explanatory and Critical Notes, and Comments, etc., Department of mathematics and astronomy, Lucknow University, 2012.
K. S. Shukla. Āryabhaṭīya of Āryabhaṭa, with the commentary of Bhāskara I and Someśvara. Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New- Delhi, 1999.
Further reading
H.-W. Alten, A. Djafari Naini, M. Folkerts, H. Schlosser, K.-H. Schlote, H. Wußing: 4000 Jahre Algebra. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003 ISBN 3-540-43554-9, §3.2.1
S. Gottwald, H.-J. Ilgauds, K.-H. Schlote (Hrsg.): Lexikon bedeutender Mathematiker. Verlag Harri Thun, Frankfurt a. M. 1990 ISBN 3-8171-1164-9
G. Ifrah: The Universal History of Numbers. John Wiley & Sons, New York 2000 ISBN 0-471-39340-1
Keller, Agathe (2006a), Expounding the Mathematical Seed. Vol. 1: The Translation: A Translation of Bhāskara I on the Mathematical Chapter of the Aryabhatiya, Basel, Boston, and Berlin: Birkhäuser Verlag, 172 pages, ISBN 3-7643-7291-5.
Keller, Agathe (2006b), Expounding the Mathematical Seed. Vol. 2: The Supplements: A Translation of Bhāskara I on the Mathematical Chapter of the Aryabhatiya, Basel, Boston, and Berlin: Birkhäuser Verlag, 206 pages, ISBN 3-7643-7292-3.
O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Bhāskara I", MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive, University of St Andrews
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Profit (gamer)
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Profit (gamer).
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Tell me a bio of Profit (gamer).
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Tell me a bio of Profit (gamer) within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Profit (gamer) with around 100 words.
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Park Joon-yeong (Korean: 박준영, born November 19, 1999), better known by his online alias Profit, is a South Korean former professional Overwatch player. Profit began professional play with GC Busan, won OGN APEX Season 4, and was named the APEX Finals most valuable player. Park signed with the London Spitfire of the Overwatch League (OWL) for its inaugural season in 2018. He won the league's first Grand Finals with the Spitfire, after they defeated the Philadelphia Fusion, and was named the Grand Finals most valuable player. Profit was then signed by the Seoul Dynasty for the 2020 season, where he played for three seasons. In February 2024, Profit announced his retirement.
Early years
Park was born on November 19, 1999, in Jinju, South Korea.
Professional career
GC Busan
Park began his Overwatch career with Korean team GC Busan in April 2017. The team competed in OGN APEX Season 4, a premier Overwatch tournament series in South Korea. After defeating Cloud 9 KongDoo in the semifinals, they were set to take on RunAway in the best-of-seven finals. Park amassed 134 kills, 44 more than any other player, to only 55 deaths in the series, and led his team to a close 4–3 victory to win the championship. He was named the APEX Finals most valuable player for his performance throughout the series. He picked up another major championship after GC Busan defeated RunAway in the 2017 APAC Premier finals in China.
London Spitfire
Park, along with the entire GC Busan roster, signed with Cloud9's Overwatch League team London Spitfire in November 2017. Within the first two weeks of the 2018 season, Park was fined US$1,000 for giving the finger to his face camera during a league match; although he claimed that it was in response to a joke that was made off-camera by his team backstage, he publicly apologized for the gesture.
The team found early success, reaching the Stage 1 Finals. In as 3–2 win over the New York Excelsior in the finals, Park participated in 38.2 percent of his team's kills, better than any other player in the Stage 1 Playoffs. At the end of the 2018 regular season, Park was the highest-rated DPS player across all heroes. The Spitfire defeated the Los Angeles Gladiators and Los Angeles Valiant in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, of the 2018 season playoffs; Park averaged 8,790 damage per 10 minutes in those two matches, second to Philadelphia Fusion's Josh "Eqo" Corona for all players in the playoffs. The Spitfire played the Fusion in the 2018 Grand Finals. In 3–1 and 3–0 victories over the Fusion, Park performed exceptionally well, most notably securing five final blows playing Tracer in the final 93 seconds on Volskaya Industries to secure a 1–0 lead in the best-of-three series. With numerous highlight-level plays throughout the series, Park was named the Grand Finals Most Valuable Player.
As a member of the inaugural season champions, the Spitfire retired Park's number 13 jersey on January 15, 2020.
Seoul Dynasty
On October 22, 2019, the Spitfire agreed to transfer Park, along with teammates Hong "Gesture" Jae-hee and Choi "Bdosin" Seung-tae, to the Seoul Dynasty. During 2020 the season, Park became the first OWL player to claim 10,000 total eliminations. With Park as a consistent starter, the Dynasty made a deep playoff run in the 2020 playoffs, but they lost in the Grand Finals to the San Francisco Shock, 4–2.
In the 2022 season, Park won the Kickoff Clash, the first midseason tournament of the season, after he and the Dynasty defeated the Philadelphia Fusion in the finals. At the end of the regular season, he was awarded a Role Star commendation and was a finalist for the league's regular season MVP award. The Dynasty qualified for the season playoffs and were knocked down to the lower bracket after a loss to the Dallas Fuel. After the loss, the Dynasty elected to start Park as the support character Kiriko in their following match against the San Francisco Shock, despite him generally playing damage characters. The shift in roles did not result in a win, however, as the Dynasty lost the match and fell out of the playoffs.
Following the folding of the Overwatch League, the Seoul Dynasty released its entire roster in October 2023. On February 20, 2024, Profit announced that he had retired from esports.
References
External links
Career statistics and player information from the Overwatch League.
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Damon Herriman
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Damon Herriman.
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Tell me a bio of Damon Herriman.
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Tell me a bio of Damon Herriman within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Damon Herriman with around 100 words.
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Damon Herriman (born 31 March 1970) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Dewey Crowe on the FX neo-western crime series Justified (2010–15), and Romeo on the Starz drama miniseries Flesh and Bone (2015). He is also known for having played Charles Manson twice, first on the second season of the Netflix psychological crime thriller series Mindhunter, and later in the comedy drama film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (both 2019).
Herriman won the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role as Punch in the black comedy film Judy and Punch (2019), and was nominated for the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Ruse in the historical psychological thriller film The Nightingale (2018).
Early life
Damon Herriman was born in Adelaide, South Australia and grew up in Vale Park. He began acting in local television commercials at the age of eight, but it was not until he was cast as Frank Errol in The Sullivans two years later that his career began to take off. He continued to work regularly as a child actor, with a return to The Sullivans a year later, as well as the Australian series The Patchwork Hero, Sara Dane, For the Term of His Natural Life and Taurus Rising. He received three Logie Award nominations for his performance in The Sullivans.
Career
After appearing in The Flying Doctors, for which he won the Penguin Award for Excellence in a Performance by a Juvenile, and the children's mini-series Elly & Jools, Herriman was cast as Mark Jorgensen, the bespectacled best friend of Ben Mendelsohn's Danny Clark in the Australian cult comedy classic The Big Steal.
As well as continuing to work regularly in film, television and theatre, Herriman has also written and/or directed many successful short films, including the Tropfest finalists They and The Date. In 2004, he won the Best Screenplay award at Flickerfest for the short film Soar, in which he also performed. He was a performer and contributing writer on the ABC sketch comedy series, The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting.
Herriman's other Australian work includes playing Claudia Karvan's workmate and friend George Wagstaffe in the critically acclaimed Foxtel series Love My Way; Marcus Dwyer in the comedy series, Laid; simpleton Reg in the Australian feature, 100 Bloody Acres; as well as the title role in the ABC telemovie, The Outlaw Michael Howe. In 2014, he was seen as manager Chris Murphy in the miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart, as well as appearing in Josh Lawson's debut feature, The Little Death. Other recent Australian credits include Abe Forsythe's feature, Down Under; the Foxtel series, Secret City and Mr Inbetween; the Oscar nominated short, The Eleven O'Clock; the ABC telemovie, Riot; Jennifer Kent's second feature, The Nightingale; and the Foxtel mini-series, Lambs of God. In 2019 he won the AACTA award for Best Lead Actor in a film for his performance in Judy and Punch.
His American career began in 2004, playing the creepy roadkill truck driver in the US horror film House of Wax. Since 2005 he has worked regularly in the United States, starting with such productions as The Unit; Redbelt (both written and directed by David Mamet); Breaking Bad; Wilfred; Cold Case; and mysterious hitman Mr. Jones on the CBS crime series, Vegas.
He played the convicted kidnapper of the Lindbergh baby, Bruno Hauptmann, in the Clint Eastwood-directed J. Edgar (2011), and one of the Cavendish gang in Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger (2013). Next he appeared in the Vince Gilligan/David Shore series for CBS, Battle Creek; the homeless Romeo in the Starz limited series, Flesh and Bone; and the violent hitman Buddy in the first season of the HBO/Cinemax series, Quarry. In 2019, he played Charles Manson in both Quentin Tarantino's film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the television series Mindhunter.
In 2019, he appeared as Paul Allen Brown in Steven Conrad's Epix series Perpetual Grace, LTD. In 2021, he was the voice of Kabal in Mortal Kombat, with stuntman Daniel Nelson portraying the character in the suit.
Filmography
Film
Television
Music Video Appearances
Stage
Awards
In 2018 he was awarded the Orry-Kelly Award, recognising a body of work that contributes to Australia's national identity.
Other works
Music
2015: "Raining Gold" – ARO (Aimee Osbourne)
References
External links
Damon Herriman at IMDb
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Liam Neeson
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Liam Neeson.
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Tell me a bio of Liam Neeson.
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Tell me a bio of Liam Neeson within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Liam Neeson with around 100 words.
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William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed seventh on The Irish Times' list of Ireland's 50 Greatest Film Actors. Neeson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2000.
Neeson made his film debut in 1978 with Pilgrim's Progress followed by early roles in Excalibur (1981), The Bounty (1984), The Mission (1986), The Dead Pool (1988), and Husbands and Wives (1992). He rose to prominence portraying Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's Holocaust drama Schindler's List (1993) for which he earned an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. He played leading man roles in drama films such as Nell (1994), Rob Roy (1995), Michael Collins (1996), and Les Misérables (1998). He took blockbuster roles portraying Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins (2005), and Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy (2005–2010).
Neeson acted in films such as the historical drama Gangs of New York (2002), the romantic comedy Love Actually (2003), the biographical drama Kinsey (2004), the erotic thriller Chloe (2009), the religious drama Silence (2016), the fantasy film A Monster Calls (2016), the crime thriller Widows (2018), the anthology film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), and the romantic drama Ordinary Love (2019). Beginning in 2009, Neeson cemented himself as an action star with the action thriller series Taken (2008–2014), The A-Team (2010), The Grey (2011), Wrath of the Titans (2012), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014), and Cold Pursuit (2019). He is known for his collaborations in the genre with the director Jaume Collet-Serra and starred in four of his films: Unknown (2011), Non-Stop (2014), Run All Night (2015), and The Commuter (2018).
On stage, Neeson joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast in 1976 for two years. On Broadway he earned two Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nominations for his performances as Matt Burke in the revival of Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie (1992) and John Proctor in the Arthur Miller revival of The Crucible (2002). He portrayed Oscar Wilde in David Hare's The Judas Kiss (1998).
Early life and education
Neeson was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, the son of primary school caretaker Bernard "Barney" Neeson and cook Katherine "Kitty" Neeson (née Brown). His mother was born and raised in Waterford in the south-east of Ireland. Brought up Catholic, he was named Liam after a local priest. He has three sisters, Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen. He attended St Patrick's College, Ballymena, from 1963 to 1967, and later recalled that his love of drama began there.
He said that growing up as a Catholic in a predominantly Protestant town made him cautious, and once said he felt like a "second-class citizen" there, but has also said he was never made to feel "inferior or even different" at the town's predominantly Protestant technical college. "It would be colourful to imagine I had a rebellious, uproarious Irish background," he has said, "but the facts were much greyer. Irish, yes. But all that nationalistic stuff, crying into your Guinness and singing rebel songs—that was never my scene." He has described himself as "out of touch" with the politics and history of Northern Ireland until becoming aware of protests by fellow students after Bloody Sunday, a massacre in Derry in 1972 during the Troubles, which encouraged him to learn more local history. In a 2009 interview, he said, "I never stop thinking about [the Troubles]. I've known guys and girls who have been perpetrators of violence and victims. Protestants and Catholics. It's part of my DNA."
At age nine, Neeson began boxing lessons at the All Saints Youth Club, and went on to win a number of regional titles before quitting at 17. He acted in school productions during his teens. His interest in acting and decision to become an actor were also influenced by Ian Paisley, founder of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), into whose Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster he sneaked. He said, "[Paisley] had a magnificent presence and it was incredible to watch him just Bible-thumping away... it was acting, but it was also great acting and stirring too." In 1971, he joined a physics and computer science course at Queen's University Belfast before leaving to work for the Guinness Brewery. At Queen's, he discovered a talent for football and was spotted by Seán Thomas at Bohemian FC. There was a club trial in Dublin and Neeson played one game as a substitute against Shamrock Rovers FC, but was not offered a contract.
Career
1976–1993: Rise to prominence
After leaving university, Neeson returned to Ballymena, where he worked in a variety of casual jobs, such as a forklift operator at Guinness and a lorry driver. He also attended teacher training college for two years in Newcastle upon Tyne before again returning to his hometown. In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players Theatre in Belfast, where he performed for two years. He got his first film experience in 1977, playing Jesus Christ and The Evangelist in the religious film Pilgrim's Progress (1978). He moved to Dublin in 1978 when he was offered a part in Ron Hutchinson's Says I, Says He, a drama about The Troubles, at the Project Arts Centre. He acted in several other Project productions and joined the Abbey Theatre (the National Theatre of Ireland). In 1980, he performed with Stephen Rea, Ray McAnally and Mick Lally, playing Doalty in Brian Friel's play Translations, the first production of Friel's and Rea's Field Day Theatre Company, first presented in the Guildhall in Derry on 23 September 1980.
In 1980, filmmaker John Boorman saw him on stage as Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men and offered him the role of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian film Excalibur. After the role, Neeson moved to London, where he continued working on stage, and in small-budget films and television. He lived with actress Helen Mirren, whom he met working on Excalibur. Between 1982 and 1987, he starred in five films, most notably with Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins in 1984's The Bounty and Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in 1986's The Mission. Neeson guest-starred in the third season of the television series Miami Vice in 1986, and moved to Hollywood the next year to take higher-profile roles. He starred with Cher and Dennis Quaid in Suspect, which brought him critical acclaim. In 1988, he appeared with Clint Eastwood in the fifth Dirty Harry film, The Dead Pool, as Peter Swan, a horror film director. In 1990, he had a starring role in Sam Raimi's Darkman. Although the film was successful, Neeson's subsequent years did not bring him the same recognition. He also starred in the eponymous role for the film Ethan Frome (1993).
1993–2000: Breakthrough and acclaim
Steven Spielberg offered Neeson the role of Oskar Schindler in his holocaust film Schindler's List after seeing him in Anna Christie on Broadway. Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson and Warren Beatty all expressed interest in the part (Beatty even auditioned), but Neeson was cast in December 1992 after auditioning for the role. He read the Keneally book and concluded that his character "enjoyed fookin' [sic] with the Nazis. In Keneally's book, it says he was regarded as a kind of a buffoon by them... if the Nazis were New Yorkers, he was from Arkansas. They don't quite take him seriously, and he used that to full effect." His critically acclaimed performance earned him a nomination for a Best Actor Oscar, and helped the film earn Best Picture of 1993. He also received BAFTA and Golden Globes nominations for the performance.
In 1993, Neeson made his Broadway debut playing Mat Burke in the revival of the Eugene O'Neill play Anna Christie starring opposite his Ellis Island co-star and future wife Natasha Richardson. For his performance he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The following year they also worked together in Nell (1994) starring Jodie Foster. He then took leading roles in the period piece drama films including playing the lead role of Rob Roy MacGregor in the historical drama Rob Roy (1995) opposite Jessica Lange, Brian Cox, and Tim Roth. Critic Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times praised his ability to be a leading man writing, "Neeson, tall and grand, makes an effortless hero as Rob Roy".
The following year he acted in Neil Jordan's historical drama Michael Collins (1996) alongside Julia Roberts, and Alan Rickman. Neeson portrayed the title role as the Irish revolutionary leading the fight for Irish independence. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it received the Golden Lion with Neeson earning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. He later earning nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. Todd McCarthy of Variety praised his performance writing, "Neeson is a compulsive dynamo as Collins, with the actor seizing his part with a passion and boldness utterly in keeping with the character’s approach to life and his cause".
Neeson portrayed Jean Valjean in the 1998 adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables directed by Bille August. He starred alongside Uma Thurman, Geoffrey Rush, and Claire Danes. Writing of Neeson's performance, Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "[He] plays the role with the sure physical authority and profound decency that are fundamental to Valjean's character" adding, "With a first-rate cast and a venerable storytelling style, it fluently condenses Victor Hugo's epic novel and retrieves some of its suspenseful momentum." That same year he returned to the stage in the David Hare play The Judas Kiss (1998) portraying Oscar Wilde which ran at both the Almeida Theatre in the West End and the Broadhurst Theatre on Broadway. He acted alongside Tom Hollander and Peter Capaldi. In 1999 he acted in the supernatural horror film The Haunting (1999) opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones.
1999–2007: Blockbuster roles
In 1999, Neeson starred as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Director George Lucas cast Neeson because he considered him a "master actor, who the other actors will look up to, who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands." As the first Star Wars film to be released in 16 years, it was surrounded by media anticipation. Neeson's connection to Star Wars started in the Crown Bar, Belfast. He told Ricki Lake, "I probably wouldn't have taken the role if it wasn't for the advice of Peter King in the Crown during a Lyric reunion." Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans, the film was a box office success.
Neeson's performance as Qui-Gon received positive reviews and a Saturn Award nomination. A stock recording of his voice from The Phantom Menace can be heard during a scene in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002). Neeson was later reported to be appearing in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), but ultimately did not. In the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–20), he voiced Qui-Gon in two episodes of the third season and one episode of the sixth season, and he also made a voice cameo as Qui-Gon in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Neeson appeared as Qui-Gon in the final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), appearing as a force ghost to Obi-Wan, in an uncredited cameo, marking his first live-action portrayal of Qui-Gon since The Phantom Menace. He later voiced Qui-Gon again for an episode of the animated Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (2022).
Neeson narrated the 2001 documentaries Journey into Amazing Caves, a short film about two scientists who travel around the world to search for material for potential cures; and The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Adventure. The latter won awards at a number of film festivals including Best Documentary from both the Chicago Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review. Neeson returned to Broadway in the revival of the Arthur Miller play The Crucible acting opposite Laura Linney. For his performance as John Proctor he received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Charles Isherwood of Variety praised Neeson writing, "In his thoughtful performance as Proctor, the effortlessly charismatic Neeson subtly delineates a man’s moral evolution as Proctor moves from casual scorn for the proceedings to outrage to soul-stricken despair" adding, "Perhaps the finest aspect of Neeson’s performance is its admirable restraint". That same year Neeson acted with Harrison Ford in Kathryn Bigelow's 2002 submarine thriller K-19: The Widowmaker as Captain Mikhail Polenin. He was also on the cast of Martin Scorsese's historical drama Gangs of New York with Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Diaz.
In 2003, he played a recently widowed writer in Richard Curtis's romantic comedy ensemble Love Actually (2003) acting alongside Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and Laura Linney. The film was a commercial success and has since become a cult classic and holiday favorite. The following year he portrayed Alfred Kinsey in the biographical drama Kinsey reuniting with Laura Linney and Peter Sarsgaard and John Lithgow. Neeson received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama losing to Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator (2004). That year Neeson hosted an episode of the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live. He starred as a redneck trucker, Marlon Weaver, in an "Appalachian Emergency Room" sketch and as a hippie in a one-off sketch about two stoners (the other played by Amy Poehler) who attempt to borrow a police dog to find their lost stash of marijuana. Despite vowing not to play any Irish stereotypes, Neeson did play an Irish man named Lorcan McArdle in the home makeover show parody "You Call This A House, Do Ya?"
In 2005, Neeson took multiple roles in mainstream blockbuster films. He portrayed Godfrey of Ibelin in Ridley Scott's epic adventure Kingdom of Heaven, Ra's al Ghul, one of the main villains in Christopher Nolan's action film Batman Begins; and Father Bernard in Neil Jordan's adaptation of Patrick McCabe's novel Breakfast on Pluto. That same year he replaced Brian Cox playing Aslan the Lion in the fantasy adventure film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), an adaptation of the C. S. Lewis book of the same name. In The Simpsons episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (2005), he voiced the kindly priest who (briefly) converts Bart and Homer to Catholicism.
In 2007, he starred in the American Civil War epic Seraphim Falls. Neeson voiced the main character's father, James, in the video game Fallout 3. Executive producer Todd Howard said, "This role was written with Liam in mind, and provides the dramatic tone for the entire game". Fallout 3, the third game in the Fallout series, was extremely well received by critics and shipped 4.7 million copies by the end of 2008, the year it was released. In the director's commentary of the 2007 Transformers DVD, Michael Bay said he had told the animators to seek inspiration from Neeson in creating Optimus Prime's body language. Neeson appeared as Alistair Little in the BBC Northern Ireland/Big Fish Films television drama Five Minutes of Heaven, which tells the true story of a young Protestant man convicted of murdering a Catholic boy during The Troubles.
2008–present: Action stardom
In 2008, Neeson starred in the action film Taken, a French-produced film also starring Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace, based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen and directed by Pierre Morel. Neeson plays a retired CIA operative from the elite Special Activities Division who sets about tracking down his teenage daughter after she is kidnapped. Taken was a worldwide box-office hit, grossing $223.9 million worldwide, making almost $200 million more than its production budget. Neeson has said in interviews that he believed that Taken had put some people off the idea of actually travelling to Europe. Taken brought Neeson back into the centre of the public eye and resulted in his being cast in many more big-budget Hollywood movies. That year he also narrated the documentary Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity and again lent his voice to Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008). He also provided a voice for Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, which received an August 2009 release.
In 2010, Neeson played Zeus in the remake of the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans. The film was a huge box-office hit, grossing $475 million worldwide. Neeson also starred in Atom Egoyan's erotic thriller Chloe, theatrically released by Sony Pictures Classics on 26 March 2010. Chloe had enjoyed commercial success and became the Canadian director's biggest money maker ever. Later the same year, he played John "Hannibal" Smith in the spin-off movie from the television series The A-Team. Neeson voiced Aslan once more in the 2010 sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. That same year he made a guest-star appearance on the Showtime series The Big C with Laura Linney. In 2011, Neeson starred in the action-thriller Unknown, a German-British-American co-production of a French book filmed in Berlin in early 2010, and directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. This film led to a collaboration between Neeson and Collet-Serra (as director and/or producer) on a series of similar action films including Non-Stop (2014), Run All Night (2015), The Commuter (2018) and Retribution (2023). Neeson reunited with Steven Spielberg with plans to star as Abraham Lincoln in the 2012 film Lincoln, based on the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. In preparation for the role, Neeson visited the District of Columbia and Springfield, Illinois, where Lincoln lived before being elected, and read Lincoln's personal letters. Neeson eventually declined the role, claiming he was "past his sell date" and had grown too old for the role and was replaced by Daniel Day-Lewis (who won his third Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Lincoln).
In 2011, he played himself in BBC2's series Life's Too Short starring Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Warwick Davis. In late 2011, Neeson was cast to play the lead character, a journalist, in a new album recording and arena production of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. He replaced Richard Burton, who had posthumously appeared in the arena production through CGI animation. Neeson did not physically appear on the stage, instead playing the role through the use of 3D holography. In 2012, Neeson starred in Joe Carnahan's The Grey. The film received mostly positive reviews and Neeson's performance received critical acclaim. He also starred in Taken 2 (2012), a successful sequel to his 2008 blockbuster. That year, he reprised the role of Ra's al Ghul in a cameo appearance in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), the final film in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy. Dialogue from his role as Ra's al Ghul in Batman Begins was featured in the first trailer for the film.
Neeson had a supporting role as the henchman Bad Cop/Good Cop in the animated film The Lego Movie (2014), which was a critical and commercial success. Neeson later played Bill Marks in the 2014 action film Non-Stop. The film was released on 28 February 2014. He also appeared, uncredited, as God in the BBC2 series Rev.. Neeson starred in the 2014 film A Walk Among the Tombstones, an adaption of the best-selling novel of the same name, in which he plays former cop Matthew Scudder, a detective hired to hunt the killers of a drug dealer's wife. That same year, he starred with Seth MacFarlane as an outlaw in the western comedy film A Million Ways to Die in the West. During Super Bowl XLIX, Supercell did a Clash of Clans commercial with Neeson playing the game as "AngryNeeson52" and vowing revenge on his opponent "BigBuffetBoy85" while waiting for his scone at a bakery. The appearance was a parody of his role in Taken. Following the success of the Taken films, Neeson has become increasingly known as a star of action thriller films. Besides The A-Team, Unknown, The Grey, Non-Stop, A Walk Among the Tombstones, Run All Night, The Commuter and Retribution, other recent action films starring Neeson have included Cold Pursuit (2019), Honest Thief (2020), The Marksman (2021), The Ice Road (2021), Blacklight (2022), Memory (2022), In the Land of Saints and Sinners (2023) and Absolution (2024). Neeson has indicated a desire to retire from the action genre though the films have taken his acting career in a new direction.
In 2016, Neeson narrated the RTÉ One three-part documentary on the Easter Rising, 1916. Also in 2016, Neeson reunited with director Martin Scorsese with the drama an adaptation of the novel Silence starring alongside Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver. That same year, he did the voice and motion capture for the Monster in the Spanish film A Monster Calls. In 2018 he acted in the Coen brothers' western anthology film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and the Steve McQueen crime thriller Widows acting opposite Viola Davis. He portrayed Mark Felt in Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017) directed by Peter Landesman and Philip Marlowe in Marlowe (2022) directed by Neil Jordan. He acted in the romantic drama Ordinary Love (2019) with Lesley Manville and the biographical drama Wildcat starring Maya Hawke. On television he played Chief Constable Byers in Derry Girls (2022), and portrayed a fictional version of himself in Atlanta (2022).
Activism
Neeson opposes what he sees as the unrestricted right to own firearms in the U.S. and has made calls for gun control. In January 2015, he repeated his views, calling U.S. gun laws a "disgrace" in an interview with Emirati newspaper Gulf News when replying to a question about the Charlie Hebdo shootings earlier that month. In response, American gun manufacturer Para USA, which provided the prop weapons used by Neeson in the Taken film series, stated: "We will no longer provide firearms for use in films starring Liam Neeson and ask that our friends and partners in Hollywood refrain from associating our brand and products with his projects."
In 2014, Neeson protested against the anti-carriage horse campaign of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said he would outlaw horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once he took office. He wrote an opinion page published in The New York Times citing the carriage trade as a safe one for employees, horses, and tourists, and noted it was a livelihood for many immigrants.
Neeson narrated a video for Amnesty International in favour of the legalisation of abortion in Ireland, which some conservative and pro-life commentators claimed was "anti-Catholic".
Neeson was opposed to Brexit, stating in 2016 that it would be truly "a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls".
In September 2017, Neeson compared the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump to the Watergate scandal of Richard Nixon: "Democracy works and no man—and certainly not the president—is above the law. He has to be accountable."
Personal life
Marriage and relationships
Neeson lived with actress Helen Mirren during the early 1980s. They met while working on Excalibur (1981). Interviewed by James Lipton for Inside the Actors Studio, Neeson said Mirren was instrumental in him getting an agent.
He dated Barbra Streisand for about nine months between 1991 and 1992.
Neeson then met actress Natasha Richardson while performing in a revival of the play Anna Christie on Broadway in 1993. They were married on 3 July 1994 and had two sons together, Micheál (b. 1995) and Daniel (b. 1996). In October 1998, they won £50,000 ($85,370) in libel damages after the Daily Mirror wrongly claimed that their marriage was suffering. They donated the money to victims of the August 1998 Omagh bombing. In August 2004, they purchased an estate in Millbrook, New York. On 18 March 2009, Richardson died when she suffered a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident at the Mont Tremblant Resort, northwest of Montreal. Neeson donated her organs following her death.
After Richardson's death, Neeson dated Freya St. Johnston for two years. He has not dated again since the split, stating that he is "past all of that".
Citizenship
Neeson holds Irish and American citizenship, having been naturalised as an American citizen in 2009. He primarily identifies as Irish. After taking up American citizenship, he was adamant he was not turning his back on his Irish roots. In 2009, nearly four decades after he was an undergraduate in physics and computer science at Queen's University, Belfast, the university awarded him an honorary doctorate which was presented to him in New York by Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Gregson. In March 2011, he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. He is a patron of Belfast-based charity and film festival CineMagic, which helps young people get involved in the movie industry.
A heavy smoker earlier in his career, Neeson quit smoking in 2003 while working on Love Actually. When he took the role of Hannibal for the 2010 film adaptation of The A-Team, he had reservations about smoking cigars (a signature trait of the character), but agreed to do it for the film.
In June 2012, Neeson's publicist denied reports that Neeson was converting to Islam. Neeson has expressed an affection for the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, that he grew accustomed to while filming Taken 2 in Istanbul: "By the third week, it was like I couldn't live without it. It really became hypnotic and very moving for me in a very special way. Very beautiful." He also expressed admiration for the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
Neeson's mother, Kitty, died in June 2020. He was unable to return to his hometown for her funeral due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social views
Neeson is a long-term supporter of the need for more integrated education in Northern Ireland; that is, educating Catholics and Protestants together. In 2017, he said, "As Northern Ireland moves forward from division, who do we look to for a future we can share? Our children - so why do we continue to educate them apart? Different religions, different backgrounds, different schools. There is another way. Protestants and Catholics, other beliefs and none, learning and working together every day." He has praised schools where parents have voted to transform segregated schools into integrated schools, and fronted television adverts to encourage more parents to integrate their children's schools.
Neeson was criticised for his comments on Ireland's Late Late Show in January 2018, during which he described the MeToo movement as a "witch hunt" and cited Garrison Keillor's dismissal from Minnesota Public Radio as an example.
In February 2019, Neeson gained public and media controversy after a press junket interview he conducted with The Independent while promoting Cold Pursuit, a film about a father seeking revenge for his son's murder. He said that he generated his character's "primal" anger by recounting an experience he had 40 years ago, in which a female friend of his had been raped by a stranger. After learning the attacker was a black man, Neeson said that he spent a week going "up and down areas with a cosh, hoping some 'black bastard' would come out of a pub and have a go" so that he "could kill him". In the interview, he also said he was ashamed of the experience and that the things he did and said were "horrible". He said, "It's awful [...] but I did learn a lesson from it, when I eventually thought, 'What the fuck are you doing?'"
In an appearance on Good Morning America, Neeson elaborated on his comments while denying being a racist, stating that he asked for physical attributes of the rapist other than his race and that he would have done the same if the rapist was "a Scot or a Brit or a Lithuanian". He also said that he had purposely gone into "black areas of the city" but that he "did seek help" and counselling from his friends and a priest after coming to his senses. He said that the lesson of his experience was "to open up [and] to talk about these things", including toxic masculinity and the underlying "racism and bigotry" in both the U.S. and Northern Ireland. The controversy following his comments led to cancellation of the red carpet event for the premiere of Cold Pursuit. Neeson was publicly defended by Michelle Rodriguez, Whoopi Goldberg, John Barnes, Trevor Noah, and Ralph Fiennes. Donald Glover later convinced him to appear in his FX series Atlanta episode "New Jazz" as a fictionalised version of himself, to examine the controversy.
Credits and accolades
In 2000, Neeson was offered the "Freedom of the Town of Ballymena" by the Ballymena Borough Council, but because of objections made by members of the Democratic Unionist Party regarding his comments that he had felt like a "second-class citizen" growing up as a Catholic in the town, he declined the award, citing tensions. Following the controversy, Neeson wrote a letter to the council, stating; "I will always remain very proud of my upbringing in, and association with, the town and my country of birth, which I will continue to promote at every opportunity. Indeed, I regard the enduring support over the years from all sections of the community in Ballymena as being more than sufficient recognition for any success which I may have achieved as an actor." Subsequently, on 28 January 2013, Neeson received the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council at a ceremony in the town.
Neeson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in her 2000 New Year Honours. The American Ireland Fund honoured Neeson with their Performing Arts Award for the great distinction he has brought to Ireland at their 2008 Dinner Gala in New York City. In 2009, at a ceremony in New York, Neeson was awarded an honorary doctorate by Queen's University, Belfast. On 9 April 2016, he was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) at the Mansion House, Dublin, with Irish President Michael D. Higgins presenting the award. In 2017, Neeson was listed by UK-based company Richtopia at number 74 in the list of 200 Most Influential Philanthropists and Social Entrepreneurs Worldwide. In January 2018, he was awarded the Distinguished Service for the Irish Abroad Award by Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who described it as an award "for Irish people abroad who are making a contribution to humanity".
See also
List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Great Britain
List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Ireland
List of actors with Academy Award nominations
References
External links
Liam Neeson at IMDb
Liam Neeson at the Internet Broadway Database
Liam Neeson at the TCM Movie Database
Liam Neeson at the BFI's Screenonline
Liam Neeson on GQ's Actually Me
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Feroze Gandhi
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Feroze Gandhi.
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Tell me a bio of Feroze Gandhi.
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Tell me a bio of Feroze Gandhi within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Feroze Gandhi with around 100 words.
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Feroze Jehangir Gandhi (12 September 1912 – 8 September 1960) was an Indian freedom fighter, politician and journalist. He served as a member of the provincial parliament between 1950 and 1952, and later a member of the Lok Sabha, the Lower house of Indian parliament. He published The National Herald and The Navjivan newspapers. His wife, Indira Gandhi (daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India), and their elder son Rajiv Gandhi were both prime ministers of India. He was a member of Indian National Congress.
Early life and education
Feroze Gandhi was born on 12 September 1912 to a Parsi family at the Tehmulji Nariman Hospital in the Fort district of Bombay; his parents, Jehangir Faredoon Gandhi and Ratimai (née Commissariat), lived in Nauroji Natakwala Bhawan in Khetwadi Mohalla in Bombay. His father Jehangir was a marine engineer working for Killick Nixon and was later promoted as a warrant engineer.
Feroze was the youngest of the five children with two brothers Dorab and Faridun Jehangir, and two sisters, Tehmina Kershasp and Aloo Dastur. The family had migrated to Bombay from Bharuch (now in South Gujarat) where their ancestral home, which belonged to his grandfather, still exists in Kotpariwad.
In the early 1920s, after the death of his father, Feroze and his mother moved to Allahabad to live with his unmarried maternal aunt, Shirin Commissariat, a surgeon at the city's Lady Dufferin Hospital.
Feroze attended the Vidya Mandir High School, and then the British-staffed Ewing Christian College, Prayagraj. Later, in 1935, he went to London to complete his education at the London School of Economics and obtained a B.Sc. degree.
Feroze Jehangir Gandhi, originally named Feroze Jehangir Ghandy, left his studies at a British-run college to join the freedom movement. Then he became closely involved with the Nehru family, spending significant time at Anand Bhawan, their residence and a key hub for political activity. During this period, he adopted the surname Gandhi as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, altering it from its original form, Ghandy.
Family and career
In 1930, the wing of Congress Freedom fighters, the Vanar Sena was formed. Feroze met Kamala Nehru and Indira among the women demonstrators picketing outside Ewing Christian College. Kamala fainted from the sun's heat and Feroze went to look after her. The next day, he abandoned his studies to join the Indian independence movement.
He was imprisoned in 1930, along with Lal Bahadur Shastri (head of Allahabad District Congress Committee, later second Prime Minister of India) and detained in Faizabad Jail for nineteen months over his participation in the independence movement. Soon after his release, he was involved with the agrarian no-rent campaign in the United Province (now Uttar Pradesh) and was imprisoned twice, in 1932 and 1933, while working closely with Nehru.
Feroze first proposed to Indira in 1933, but she and her mother rejected it, as she was still sixteen. Feroze grew close to the Nehru family, especially to Indira's mother Kamala Nehru, accompanying her to the TB sanatorium at Bhowali in 1934, helping arrange her trip to Europe when her condition worsened in April 1935, and visiting her at the sanatorium at Badenweiler and finally at Lausanne, where he was at her bedside when she died on 28 February 1936. In the following years in England, Indira and Feroze grew closer. They married in March 1942 according to Adi Dharam Hindu rituals.
The couple was arrested and jailed in August 1942, during the Quit India Movement less than six months after their marriage. Feroze was imprisoned for a year in Allahabad's Naini Central Prison. The following five years were of comfortable domestic life and the couple had two sons, Rajiv and Sanjay, born in 1944 and 1946, respectively.
After independence, Jawaharlal became the first Prime Minister of India. Feroze and Indira settled in Allahabad with their two young children, and Feroze became managing director of The National Herald, a newspaper founded by his father-in-law, Jawaharlal Nehru.
After being a member of the provincial parliament (1950–1952), Feroze won a seat in independent India's first general elections in 1952, for the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Indira travelled from Delhi and worked as his campaign organizer. Feroze soon became a prominent force in his own right, criticizing the government of his father-in-law and beginning a fight against corruption.
In the years after independence, many Indian business houses had become close to the political leaders, and some of them resulted in various financial irregularities. In a case exposed by Feroze in December 1955, he revealed how Ram Kishan Dalmia, as chairman of a bank and an insurance company, used these companies to fund his takeover of Bennett and Coleman and started laundering money from publicly held companies for personal benefit.
In 1957, he was re-elected from Rae Bareli. In the parliament in 1958, he raised the Haridas Mundhra scandal involving the government controlled Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). This revelation eventually led to the resignation of the Finance Minister T. T. Krishnamachari.
Feroze also initiated a number of nationalization drives, starting with LIC. At one point he also suggested that TATA Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO) be nationalized since they were charging nearly double the price of a Japanese railway engine. This raised a stir in the Parsi community since the Tatas were Parsi. He continued challenging the government on a number of other issues, and emerged as a parliamentarian well-respected on both sides of the bench.
Death and legacy
Feroze suffered a heart attack in 1958. Indira, who stayed with her father at Teen Murti House, the official residence of the prime minister, was at that time away on a state visit to Bhutan. She returned to look after him in Kashmir. Feroze died in 1960 at the Willingdon Hospital in Delhi, after suffering a second heart attack. He was cremated and his ashes interred at the Parsi cemetery in Allahabad.
His Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency seat was held by his wife, Indira Gandhi from 1967 to 1976 and his future daughter-in-law, and wife of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi from 2004 to 2024.
A school of higher education that he helped found was named after him in Rae Bareli. NTPC Limited renamed their Unchahar Thermal Power Station in Uttar Pradesh to Feroze Gandhi Unchahar Thermal Power Plant.
Further reading
Falk, Bertil (29 November 2016). Feroze The Forgotten Gandhi. Roli Books. ISBN 978-93-5194-187-3.
References
Sources
Bhushan, Shashi (2008), Feroze Gandhi, Frank Bros. & Co., ISBN 978-81-8409-494-7
Frank, Katherine (2002), Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi, Houghton Mifflin Co., ISBN 0-395-73097-X
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Takuma Asano
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Takuma Asano.
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Tell me a bio of Takuma Asano.
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Tell me a bio of Takuma Asano within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Takuma Asano with around 100 words.
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Takuma Asano (浅野 拓磨, Asano Takuma; born 10 November 1994) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Mallorca and the Japan national team.
Asano's younger brother Yuya is also a professional footballer, currently playing for J1 League side Nagoya Grampus.
Club career
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
After attending Yokkaichi Chuo Kogyo High School, Asano joined Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the age of 18 in January 2013. He went on to win the J1 League in his debut season, making one appearance in the process.
Asano went on to win the Japanese Super Cup in 2014, while starting to break into the squad for the J1 League. He helped the side lift the league title for a second time in 2015, this time adding nine goals in 34 appearances. Due to his performances, Asano was named the J1 League Rookie of the Year.
Arsenal
On 3 July 2016, Asano was announced as Arsenal's second signing of the season, subject to a medical and international clearance. Manager Arsène Wenger described him as "a talented young striker and very much one for the future". However, Asano was refused a work permit to play in the Premier League.
Loan to VfB Stuttgart
On 26 August 2016, Asano was loaned out to VfB Stuttgart until the end of the season with an option for a further year. He made his debut in a 2–1 home loss to 1. FC Heidenheim two weeks later. On 9 April 2017, Asano scored a brace to give his side a 2–0 win over Karlsruher SC. He helped the team win the 2. Bundesliga and take promotion to the top flight.
On 22 June 2017, the loan deal with Stuttgart was extended for another season.
Loan to Hannover 96
On 23 May 2018, Asano was sent on season-long loan to Bundesliga side Hannover 96.
Partizan
On 1 August 2019, Asano completed his move to Serbian club Partizan. He signed a three-year contract and was given the number 11 shirt, while becoming the first Japanese player in club history.
Asano scored on his debut in an eventual 3–1 home win over Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor in the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round. He entered the field at the beginning of the second half instead of Filip Stevanović and scored his first goal for the club in the 67th minute. Partizan eliminated Yeni Malatyaspor and then the Norwegian Molde, thus qualifying for the Group L of the Europa League, with Manchester United, AZ Alkmaar and Astana as their opponents. Asano played in all European matches for Partizan this season and was also the scorer in the draw with AZ in Alkmaar (2–2) and in the victory over Astana (4–1) in Belgrade. Partizan finished on second place in the Serbian SuperLiga, behind Red Star, and Asano scored four goals in 23 league games. He also appeared in four games in the Serbian Cup, scoring two goals, both in the quarter-final match against Radnik Surdulica. However, Partizan did not manage to win the trophy in the Cup, as they were defeated by Vojvodina in the final game after a penalty shoot-out.
In the 2020/21 season Partizan did not qualify for the group stage of the Europa League. After eliminating the Latvian RFS and the Romanian Sfîntul Gheorghe, the club was defeated by the Belgian Charleroi in the third round. Asano appeared in all three European matches (only played one match each due to the pandemic), did not score a goal but recorded an assist to Seydouba Soumah for the only goal in the 2–1 away defeat against Charleroi after extra time. Having scored 18 goals in 33 league matches for Partizan in the ongoing championship, Asano announced on 2 May 2021 that he had rescinded his contract with the club.
VfL Bochum
On 23 June 2021, VfL Bochum 1848 announced the club have signed Asano who was on free agent. Asano made his debut for The Blues on 14 August in the first game of the Bundesliga season in a 1–0 defeat against Wolfsburg. The Japanese international scored his first goal at the Ruhrstadion on January 22, 2022 in a 2–2 draw against FC Köln. On 2 April 2022 Asano played an excellent game scoring two goals in Bochum's 2–1 away win against Hoffenheim.
On 30 July 2022 Asano scored a goal in the first round of the 2022–23 DFB-Pokal in a 3–0 win against Viktoria Berlin. Takuma Asano netted his first Bundesliga goal since April as Bochum fire five past Hoffenheim. The dominant hosts made it three before the break as Asano chased through the Hoffenheim defence to slot past Baumann - with Antwi-Adjei providing his third assist of the game. In the final round of the 2022–23 Bundesliga season, Asano helped his team avoid relegation play-offs by scoring and providing an assist in a 3–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. Bochum thus finished the season in 14th position, two points ahead of 16th-placed VfB Stuttgart.
At the start of the 2023–24 Bundesliga, Takuma Asano scored twice in Bochum's 2–2 draw with FC Augsburg. The lightning-fast Asano scored in front of 27,422 spectators in first-half stoppage time to make it 1–1 and also scored in the 64th minute to make it 2–2. After 5 draws and 4 defeats, Takuma Asano scored twice against Darmstadt 98 to give Bochum their first win of the Bundesliga season. On February 18, 2024, Asano scored his seventh goal of the season, and first in seven career meetings with Bayern. He left Bochum at the end of the 2023–24 season.
Mallorca
On 6 July 2024, Asano joined Spanish side Mallorca by signing a two-year contract. Asano made his debut in the starting lineup on August 18, 2024 in a 1–1 draw against Real Madrid.
International career
Youth
At youth level, Asano won a gold medal at the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship, scoring a brace against South Korea to give his side a 3–2 win in the final. He also represented Japan at the 2016 Summer Olympics, netting two goals in the tournament, as the team exited in the group stage.
Senior
On 7 May 2015, Asano was invited by Japan manager Vahid Halilhodžić for a two-day training camp. He was subsequently called up to the team for the upcoming 2015 EAFF East Asian Cup. Asano scored his first goal for Samurai Blue in a 7–2 win over Bulgaria at the 2016 Kirin Cup.
In March 2018, manager Vahid Halilhodžić left out Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi for friendly matches with Mali and Ukraine in preparations for the 2018 World Cup due to lack of playing time at club level, commenting, "It makes me sad that Asano and Ideguchi are not playing. They were the heroes of our qualifying game against Australia. They haven't been chosen this time, and if things continue the way they are, there is a chance that they won't be chosen for the World Cup". In May, Asano was named in Japan's preliminary squad for the World Cup, but failed to make the final cut.
In his first match in the 2022 World Cup, Asano scored a goal in the 83rd minute to give Japan an upset victory over Germany.
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 12 May 2025
International
As of match played 10 September 2024
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Asano goal.
Honours
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
J1 League: 2013, 2015
Japanese Super Cup: 2013, 2014, 2016
VfB Stuttgart
2. Bundesliga: 2016–17
Japan U23
AFC U-23 Championship: 2016
Individual
J.League Rookie of the Year: 2015
Japan Pro-Footballers Association awards: Best XI (2022)
References
External links
Takuma Asano at Soccerbase
Takuma Asano at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
Takuma Asano – FIFA competition record (archived)
Takuma Asano – UEFA competition record (archive)
Takuma Asano at National-Football-Teams.com
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Lemuel W. Joiner
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Lemuel W. Joiner.
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Tell me a bio of Lemuel W. Joiner.
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Tell me a bio of Lemuel W. Joiner within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Lemuel W. Joiner with around 100 words.
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Lemuel Whiting Joiner (November 9, 1810 – October 22, 1886) was an American farmer, Republican politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He served six years in the Wisconsin State Senate and one year in the State Assembly, representing Iowa County. His son, Robert Joiner, also served in the Legislature.
Biography
Joiner was born in 1810 in Royalton, Vermont. He moved to Cincinnati in 1830 and then to Williamsport, Indiana in 1834. In 1845 he moved to Wyoming, Iowa County, Wisconsin, which was his primary residence for the rest of his life. Joiner died on October 22, 1886.
Joiner's son, Robert, also served in the Senate.
Career
Joiner was elected to the Assembly in 1853. He was later a member of the Senate three times. First, from 1857 to 1858, second, from 1861 to 1862 and third, from 1869 to 1870. He was a Republican.
References
External links
Lemuel W. Joiner at Find a Grave
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Michael Goleniewski
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Michael Goleniewski.
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Tell me a bio of Michael Goleniewski.
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Tell me a bio of Michael Goleniewski within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Michael Goleniewski with around 100 words.
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Michał Franciszek Goleniewski, also known as 'SNIPER' and 'LAVINIA' (16 August 1922 – 12 July 1993), was a Polish spy and military officer.
He was an officer in the Polish People's Republic's Ministry of Public Security, deputy head of military counterintelligence GZI WP, later head of the Polish Intelligence technical and scientific section, and in the 1950s a spy for the Soviet government.
In 1959 he became a "triple agent", giving Polish and Soviet secrets to the Central Intelligence Agency that directly exposed George Blake and Harry Houghton. In 1961 Goleniewski defected to the United States.
He later made unsubstantiated claims to be Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia.
Early life and espionage career
Goleniewski was born in 1922 in Nieśwież, then in Poland, now Belarus. He enlisted in the Polish Army in 1945 and was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the Polish Army in 1955. He studied law at the University of Poznan and received a master's degree in political science from the University of Warsaw in 1956. He said he was head of the Technical and Scientific Department of the Polish Secret Service from 1957 to 1960. At the same time, he was spying on Polish intelligence operations for the Soviet Union.
In early 1959, Goleniewski became a triple-agent, anonymously sending Polish and Soviet secrets addressed to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) by letter. He insisted on communicating with the FBI, knowing that all other agencies had been penetrated by Soviet bloc intelligence. His letters were intercepted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who did not inform the FBI. According to Tim Tate, author of the 2021 book The Spy Who Was Left Out in the Cold, Goleniewski's motive, unlike most defectors who sought a better life outside the Soviet Union, was that he "realised that the communist system was wrong. And that he needed, ... to counter it, and to start working for the west and democracy".
The US CIA gave him the code-name 'SNIPER', UK's MI5 gave him 'LAVINIA'. In April 1959, the CIA informed MI5 that SNIPER (his real name was still unknown) had said the Polish Służba Bezpieczeństwa (SB, Security Service) had a British informant inside the Royal Navy. This person was later found to be Harry Houghton. The CIA also told MI5 that Goleniewski had received top secret documents originating from a Soviet mole inside MI6. The mole himself (who later turned out to be George Blake) heard the news that the CIA had a top-level informant in Poland, and sent word back to the KGB, who passed it to the UB. Goleniewski heard the news from the KGB, and immediately escaped. He also provided information that led to the arrests of American diplomat Irvin C. Scarbeck, Swedish Air Force officer Stig Wennerström, as well as Heinz Felfe and Hans Clemens, who penetrated the West German BND for the KGB. Goleniewski also claimed that there was a Soviet-controlled organisation of former Nazis—which he nicknamed 'Hacke'—that was active in postwar West Germany.
He defected to the United States in January 1961, which led to the imprisonment of Soviet agents in Britain including the Portland spy ring and George Blake. Goleniewski went to work for the CIA, and a Polish court sentenced him to death in absentia. A private bill, H.R. 5507, was introduced in the U.S. Congress in July 1963 to make Goleniewski a US citizen. The legislation was passed by both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
According to Tate, who used freedom of information requests to obtain CIA files on Goleniewski which had never been made public before, Goleniewski as of 2021 had identified more spies than any other defector or agent. Tate has also written a background article on him However, when Anatoliy Golitsyn defected to the US, he convinced the CIA's head of counter-intelligence that only he, Golitsyn, was a true defector, all others being bogus. From 1964 the CIA started to renege on its contract with Goleniewski and brief other government departments that he had lost his mind. This caused Goleniewski much financial and emotional distress, and he lost his grip on reality, becoming paranoid, and ultimately completely insane, according to Tate. Although CIA records were obtained, MI5's file on Goleniewski was not released, with MI5 claiming "continuing sensitivity".
Claim that he was Tsarevich Alexei
Goleniewski later made the claim that he was Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, who is now known to have been killed with his family by Bolsheviks at Ekaterinburg, Russia on 17 July 1918. Goleniewski claimed that Yakov Yurovsky, one of the assassins, saved the family and helped them to escape. The whole family supposedly traveled to Poland via Turkey, Greece, and Austria. According to his story, the family lived in hiding in Poland. As author Guy Richards (one of Goleniewski's supporters) has pointed out, he was not the first Tsarevich Alexei claimant to emerge from Poland; several decades earlier, in 1927, a pretender named Eugene Nicolaievich Ivanoff had appeared from the same part of that country and generated a brief flurry of publicity in Europe and North America.
Tsarevich Alexei, who was born in August 1904, was a haemophiliac. Goleniewski, whose identity card gave his date of birth as 1922, making him eighteen years younger than the Tsarevich, claimed that the haemophilia made him appear younger than he really was and he had been "twice a child." He claimed that his haemophilia had been confirmed by Alexander S. Wiener, who had co-discovered the Rh factor in human blood. This claim was never confirmed.
He met one of the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia claimants, Eugenia Smith, in 1963. The meeting was covered by Life magazine. Goleniewski claimed that Smith was his sister Anastasia. Smith also recognized Goleniewski as her brother Alexei, even though she had claimed in her book that she had been the sole survivor at Ekaterinburg.
Goleniewski's claim was an embarrassment to the CIA. He was put on a pension and his employment with the agency was ended in 1964.
Goleniewski also claimed to have detailed information about alleged Tsarist money. His claims are detailed in the books Lost Fortune of the Tsars by William Clarke, and Hunt for the Czar by Guy Richards.
Marriage
Goleniewski married his pregnant girlfriend, Ingrid Kampf, on 30 September 1964, using the name Alexei Romanov. The marriage later broke up.
Later life
Goleniewski lived the remainder of his life in Queens, New York, still claiming that he was Tsarevich Alexei. He leveled accusations against the government and the Russian Orthodox Church for mistreating him. Few believed his claim.
Awards and decorations
Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta
Golden Cross of Merit
Silver Cross of Merit
Bronze Cross of Merit
Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945
See also
Ryszard Kukliński
Romuald Spasowski
Józef Światło
Romanov impostors
List of Eastern Bloc defectors
== References ==
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Neha Sargam
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Neha Sargam.
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Tell me a bio of Neha Sargam.
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Tell me a bio of Neha Sargam within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Neha Sargam with around 100 words.
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Neha Dubey, also known by her stage name Neha Sargam, is an Indian actress and singer. Known for her participation on Indian Idol 4 and her shows like Chand Chupa Badal Mein on Star Plus, Ramayan on Zee TV, Doli Armano Ki on Zee TV, Mirzapur and theatre musical Mughal-E-Azam
Career
Sargam had auditioned in Indian Idol 2, but she forgot the lyrics in the second audition and was rejected. She had appeared in Indian Idol 4 in 2009. She appears in the cast for Chand Chupa Badal Mein, as well as Ramayan as Sita.
She played the part of Lakshmi in Paramavatar Shri Krishna. Sargam has also worked in the serials, she did a cameo in Punar Vivaah - Zindagi Milegi Dobara and Doli Armaano Ki, as main lead post leap as Diya Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? Ek Baar Phir, and Yeh Hai Aashiqui.
Sargam has been a part of two musical plays as actor and singer in the lead Mughal-E-Azam the musical directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, produced by Shapoorji Pallonji Group. and Raunaq and Jassi musical produced by BookMyShow and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.
Web series
In 2020, Sargam played the role of Saloni Tyagi in Mirzapur season 2 & 3.
Filmography
Television
Web series
References
External links
Neha Sargam at IMDb
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D. B. Nihalsinghe
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about D. B. Nihalsinghe.
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Tell me a bio of D. B. Nihalsinghe.
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Tell me a bio of D. B. Nihalsinghe within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of D. B. Nihalsinghe with around 100 words.
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Dr. Diongu Badaturuge Nihalsingha (known as D. B. Nihalsinghe, 27 May 1939 – 21 April 2016) was an accomplished Sri Lankan film director, cinematographer, editor, producer. He was noted for his versatility : as a film cameraman, as a film director, as a (pioneering) television director, as an administrator, and as a teacher. He is a pioneer who introduced professional television production to Sri Lanka (in 1979), commencing with Sri Lanka's and South Asia's first color teledrama, Dimuthu Muthu. He was the founding Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Sri Lanka's National Film Corporation and a distinguished alumni of the then University of Ceylon, Peradeniya (presently University of Peradeniya). He is the only Sri Lankan who has been conferred Life Fellowship of the Society of Motion picture and Television Engineers USA, the oldest film organisation in the world, established in 1915. The Society determines film and television standards worldwide.
His best known work is Welikathara, Sri Lanka's first and South Asia's second Cinemascope film, included as among the ten best Sri Lankan films awarded the Sri Lanka Presidential award, while Maldeniye Simiyon is also noted for the award for its actress Anoja Weerasinghe as Best Actress at the 16th New Delhi International Film Festival. Two more of his films, Ridei Nimanaya and Kelimadala are also noteworthy, with the latter winning the highest number of national awards at that time. He is also notable for being the pioneer with first ever degree for TV and cinema degree from the University of Kelaniya.
Biography
Early life
Nihalsinghe was an accomplished student leader as Head Prefect and as Sergeant of the cadet platoon at Ananda college and originally hoped to join the army. By the time he left school he had become more interested in film. As a present for completing the SSC examination, Nihalsinghe's father veteran journalist D.B Dhanapala presented him with a 16mm Bolex cine camera.
Nihalsingha entered the University of Ceylon at Peradeniya and read for a degree in Economics. While at the University he did the camera work for the first documentary to be made by University students, "Niyanada Rata", directed by a student K.K.L de Silva.
After leaving the University, Nihalsingha got an opportunity to enter the film field when a friend of his father offered him a job as a cameraman for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Colombo which he took. In 1965 he was offered a post with Hearst Metrotone News on the weekly newsreel, Metro News for the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam.
Film career
On his return to Sri Lanka, Nihalsinghe was asked to be cameraman and editor of Sath Samudura. He brought to the film a fluid newsreel look, (a total departure from the Indian studio style camera work) hand-holding the 35mm Arriflex film camera- a point which was noted by reviewers. He is famous for the first teledrama in Sri Lanka, Dimuthu muthu.
Nihalsingha received the Cardiff Commonwealth Film Festival award for his first film Bakhti. In 1971, he made the groundbreaking Welikathara in cinemascope. "Welikathara" was South Asia's second CinemaScope film and Sri Lanka's first. Maldeniye Simiyon (1986) won star Anoja Weerasinghe the 'Silver Peacock' as the Best Actress at the 11th Delhi International Film Festival, 1987. Kelimadala (1992) won a dozen awards at the Sarasaviya film festival. Ridi Nimnaya (1982) starred Sanath Gunatileke.
Industry work
After graduating from the University of Ceylon with a degree in Economics, Nihalsingha began his career, winning the Most Promising Filmmaker award for his documentary Bhakthi at the Cardiff International Film Festival in 1965. He then began as a newsreel cameraman for Hearst Metrotone News, the US-based weekly global newsreel, in 1965. He was sent to Vietnam attached to the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MAC-V) to cover war-related work for the NEWS of the DAY weekly global newsreel. Returning to Sri Lanka, he began a career in film encompassing documentary and feature films beginning as cameraman and editor of Sath Samudura, (Nuwan Nayanajith in Nihalsingha:The Pioneering Third Eye) as a milestone in Sri Lankan cinema. His fluid camera work in this film, originating from his newsreel experience, was widely recognised as fresh in an industry where massive Mitchell Indian-style immobile camera work was the norm.
At the age of 29, Nihalsingha became the youngest person to hold the post of Director of the Ceylon Government Film Unit, succeeding George Wicremasinghe (who was its first Sri Lankan Director). The Government Film Unit is the one institution with continuity whose productions have won the highest number of international awards for its documentaries.
Besides invigorating documentary film production, he was instrumental in introducing 35 mm still film to Sri Lanka to replace 120 film when he was asked to oversee the photographic aspects of the National Identity Card project. Using Practica cameras gifted by the (then) East Germany and amid much opposition of photographers, he managed to win them over and thereby establish 35 mm still film as the staple of Sri Lankan still photography until that was overtaken by digital photography.
Nihalsingha's skill as film administrator was best seen in the work he did as founding CEO and general manager of the State Film Corporation from 1972 to 1978. To offset foreign domination of Sri Lankan theatres (80 percent), Nihalsingha launched a series of initiatives which unleashed the suppressed demand for domestically produced films. The initiatives resulted in audience surging from 30 million a year in annual attendances in 1971 to an unprecedented 74.4 million by 1979. The domestic film share of screen time went up from 20% in 1971 to 58% in 1979.( Committee of Inquiry Report, 1985; Committee Report 1997)
Awards
Nihalsingha was awarded the Sri Lankan national honour of KalaKeerthi for his lifetime contribution to Sri Lankan film and television while the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers of America (SMPTE) made him a Fellow and later, Life Fellow in 2004 for "achieving outstanding rank among engineers and administrators in motion pictures and television by proficiency and contributions." He was the only Fellow of the SMPTE in Sri Lanka and South Asia. SMPTE is the oldest film and television body in the world, formed in 1915 in New York. It determines motion picture and television standards.
British Kinematograph, Sound and Television Society also made him a Fellow of the society in recognition of lifetime services to film and television in Sri Lanka and South Asia for "the development of film and television production techniques" which included pioneering professional color television production in South Asia in 1979.
In 1979, Nihalsingha left the State Film Corporation and formed the Tele-Cine Limited with the help of Hemasiri Premawarne and Chandra Seneviratne. Tele-Cine Ltd was South Asia's and Sri Lanka's pioneer in professional color television production of television drama, commercials, musicals and documentary. As CEO of Tele-Cine for 16 years, Nihalsingha directed and pioneered the first television drama series in South Asia, Dimuthu Muthu, starring Devika Mihirani and Amarasiri Kanlansooriya. He later went on to direct several pioneering tele-drama series, creating the template for tele-drama production and training and introducing technical personnel in a context where there were none. This is a legacy which lasts to this day in Sri Lanka.
In 1995, Nihalsingha resigned from TCL in 1994 when he was invited to join Television Broadcast (Overseas) Limited in Hong Kong. He was sent to Malaysia's ASTRO as its general manager of Film and Television Production and later, in 2003, as its Executive Director of Feature Film Production. In Kuala Lumpur, Nihalsingha trained several hundred Malaysian young people in all facets of film and television production.
He returned to Sri Lanka in early 2006 and was active in migration of film to digital and television migration to digital.
Besides a BA in Economics from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, Nihalsingha has an MA in Film Studies from the Norwich University, Vermont, USA and a PhD in Public Enterprises from the University of South Australia in Adelaide.
Filmography
Cinematography
References
"Public Enterprise in Film Development-Success and Failure in Sri Lanka", by Trafford Publishing, British Columbia, Canada.
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Joji (musician)
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Joji (musician).
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Tell me a bio of Joji (musician).
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Tell me a bio of Joji (musician) within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Joji (musician) with around 100 words.
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George Kusunoki Miller (ジョージ・楠木・ミラー, Jōji Kusunoki Mirā; born 16 September 1993), known professionally as Joji and formerly as Filthy Frank and Pink Guy, is a Japanese-Australian singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and former comedian. Miller's music has been described as a mix between R&B, lo-fi, and trip-hop.
Miller created The Filthy Frank Show on YouTube in 2011 while he was still living in Japan, gaining recognition for playing oddball characters on the comedy channels "TVFilthyFrank", "TooDamnFilthy", and "DizastaMusic". Miller began producing Filthy Frank videos in 2012, during his college enrollment in the United States. The channels, which featured comedy hip hop, rants, extreme challenges, and ukulele and dance performances, are noted for their shock humor and prolific virality. Miller popularised the Harlem Shake, an Internet meme that contributed to the commercial success of Baauer's song "Harlem Shake" and led him to further prominence on YouTube. As Pink Guy, Miller released two comedy studio albums, Pink Guy and Pink Season, as well as an extended play, between 2014 and 2017.
In late 2017, Miller ended The Filthy Frank Show to pursue a music career under the name "Joji", the Japanese version of his first name. He signed with 88Rising and 12Tone Music Group to release his first two studio albums, Ballads 1 (2018) and Nectar (2020), both of which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and spawned the singles "Slow Dancing in the Dark" and "Sanctuary". Both songs entered the Billboard Hot 100 and ARIA Charts, while his 2022 single, "Glimpse of Us", peaked at number eight on the former and atop the latter, became his highest-charting song, and preceded his third album Smithereens (2022).
Early life
George Kusunoki Miller was born in Osaka, Japan, to an Australian father and a Japanese mother. He attended Canadian Academy, an international school in Kobe, Japan, where he graduated in 2012. At age 18, Miller left Japan and travelled to the United States, where he subsequently enrolled into the New York Institute of Technology and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2016.
YouTube career
On 23 September 2006, Miller created his first YouTube channel, "2cool4u92". The channel's only video, which shared a name with the channel, was uploaded on 17 October 2006. In the video, which was recorded by someone who is presumably a schoolmate of his, a 13-year-old Miller breakdances in what is seemingly a school hallway. This is the earliest known video of Miller on YouTube. On 16 June 2008, Miller created the DizastaMusic channel, on which he generally uploaded sketch comedy-based videos. The earliest known video on the channel was uploaded on 19 June 2008, titled "Lil Jon falls off a table".
The channel began gaining popularity after his conceptualization of Filthy Frank in 2011, a character Miller described as the anti-vlogger of YouTube. The DizastaMusic channel has over 1 million subscribers and 177 million views as of October 2021. On 15 August 2014, Miller uploaded a video to the DizastaMusic channel announcing that he would not be posting any more content onto the channel due to its risk of being lost because of the numerous copyright and community strikes it had received. He also announced that future "Filthy Frank" content would be uploaded to a new channel he had created called TVFilthyFrank.
Miller's channel, TVFilthyFrank, had many different series, such as "Food" (和食ラップ), "Japanese 101", "Wild Games", and "Loser Reads Hater Comments". This channel currently has a total of 7.88 million subscribers and over one billion views as of October 2023. Miller created a third channel, TooDamnFilthy, on 1 July 2014. On this channel, he had two series, "Japanese 101", which was also featured on his main channel, and "Cringe of the Week", which typically was abbreviated to "COTW". As of October 2021, TooDamnFilthy has 2.33 million subscribers and 332 million views.
On 27 September 2017, Miller announced the release of his first book, titled Francis of the Filth, which addresses things uncovered in The Filthy Frank Show and serves as a culmination of the series.
On 29 December 2017, Miller released a statement on Twitter explaining that he had stopped producing Filthy Frank content due to both "serious health conditions" and his lack of interest in continuing the show. In September 2018, Miller stated in a BBC Radio 1 interview that he had no choice but to stop producing comedy due to his health condition.
Music career
Pink Guy (2012–2017)
Miller always had a passion for music composition. He has expressed that even before his YouTube career, he had an interest in creating music and created his YouTube channel as a means of promoting it. In an interview with Pigeons and Planes, he said, "I've always wanted to make normal music. I just started the YouTube channel to kind of bump my music. But then Filthy Frank and the Pink Guy stuff ended up getting way bigger than I thought so I had to kind of roll with it."
Miller's music under Pink Guy is often comical, staying true to the nature of his YouTube channel. His second album, Pink Season, debuted at number 70 on the Billboard 200. Under his comedy rap stage name, Pink Guy, Miller has produced two albums, and one extended play, Pink Guy, Pink Season, and Pink Season: The Prophecy, respectively. On 16 March 2017, Miller performed for the first time as Pink Guy at SXSW.
Future plans were stated to include a "long overdue" tour, another Pink Guy album and more progress on his personal music outside of the Pink Guy character. As of 29 December 2017, Joji has ceased production of all Filthy Frank-related content, including Pink Guy music.
Joji (2015–present)
Aside from the comedic and often rap-based music he created under the Pink Guy alias, Miller also created more serious and traditional music under another stage name, Joji, which became his primary focus in late 2017. Speaking about his transition from his YouTube career to his music career as Joji, Miller said to Billboard, "Now I get to do stuff that I want to hear." In the article by Billboard, he specified that 'Joji' isn't a character like Filthy Frank and Pink Guy. "I guess that's the difference," he continues. "Joji's just me."
During his time growing up in Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Japan, Miller began to produce music and sing with friends as a side hobby and a way to pass the time. After relocating to Manhattan, New York, Miller expanded upon his music career by starting his Pink Guy persona, which paved the way for his Joji persona. Miller originally announced his Joji album on 3 May 2014 alongside the first Pink Guy album. However, Miller subtly cancelled the project until he began releasing music under the name PinkOmega. Miller released two songs as PinkOmega: "Dumplings" on 4 June 2015 and "wefllagn.ii 5" on 28 August 2015, both of which were later released on the Pink Guy album Pink Season, the latter being re-titled "We Fall Again".
Miller intended to keep the music made under Joji a secret from his fanbase, as it mainly wanted his comedic music. In late 2015, two singles were released, titled "Thom" and "You Suck Charlie"; both were released under a false alias, but it was quickly leaked that the user behind the account was Miller, which prompted him in January 2016 to publicly announce on Instagram that he was releasing a full-length commercial project titled Chloe Burbank: Volume 1. In the same post, he linked his SoundCloud account.
Joji began releasing music under 88rising in 2017; the songs "I Don't Wanna Waste My Time" (on 26 April), "Rain on Me" (on 19 July), and "Will He" (on 17 October). Joji was featured in the song "Nomadic" with the Chinese rap group Higher Brothers. Miller performed live as Joji for the first time on 18 May 2017 in Los Angeles. The event was streamed by the Boiler Room. On 17 October 2017, Miller released the debut single from his debut commercial project, In Tongues. The single, titled "Will He", was released on platforms Spotify and iTunes.
Miller's debut project under the moniker Joji, an EP titled In Tongues, was released on 3 November 2017 by Empire Distribution. A deluxe version of the EP was released on 14 February 2018 with 8 remixes of songs from the EP, along with the release of "Plastic Taste" and "I Don't Wanna Waste My Time" as part of the track listing. Joji released the song "Yeah Right" in May 2018, becoming his first to chart on a Billboard chart, peaking at 23 on the Billboard R&B Songs chart.
Miller debuted Ballads 1 under the label 88rising on 26 October 2018, which quickly peaked on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart. Shortly after its release, Miller announced a North American tour spanning 9 dates in early 2019. At that time, he was already on tour for Ballads 1 in Europe. On 4 June 2019, Miller announced his single "Sanctuary" through his Instagram page and released it on 14 June. It was accompanied by a music video, which was uploaded to 88rising's official YouTube channel.
Joji was featured in the song "Where Does the Time Go?" with Indonesian rapper Rich Brian on his second album, The Sailor. On 30 January 2020, Miller announced another single, "Run", which was released at midnight on 6 February, alongside a music video released later that day. On 2 March, he performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. On 16 April, Joji announced the single "Gimme Love", which was released at midnight, and along with announced his upcoming album Nectar, which was initially set to be released on 10 July 2020. However, on 12 June 2020, Joji announced that the album had been pushed back to 25 September 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 10 June 2022, Joji released the single "Glimpse of Us", which peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. On 26 August, he released a second single called "Yukon (Interlude)". On 4 November, Joji released his album Smithereens, alongside the single "Die for You". To promote the album, Joji toured North America from September 2022 to 2023.
In February 2023, Joji performed his songs in Australia during the annual Laneway Festival. On 6 June 2023, Joji announced the Pandemonium tour for North America. Following this, additional tour dates were announced for Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Artistry
Joji's music has been described as trip hop and lo-fi that blends elements of trap, folk, electronic, and R&B. His songs have been characterised as having "down tempo, melancholic themes and soulful vocals" with "minimalistic production". Joji himself classifies his work as dark love songs, with his 2020 album, Nectar, dissecting cliché tropes and topics.
He has been compared to electronic artist James Blake, whom he has cited as an influence alongside Radiohead, Shlohmo and Donald Glover. In an interview with Pigeons and Planes, Miller said that his music was inspired by his time growing up in Osaka and by boom bap instrumentals he listened to while attending Canadian Academy.
Impact
Miller's web-show has had a significant impact on internet culture and is responsible for creating many internet memes. Most prominently, a video from 2013 ended up starting the Harlem Shake meme, leading to Baauer's eponymous song debuting atop the Billboard Hot 100.
Discography
Studio albums
As Joji
In Tongues (EP, 2017)
Ballads 1 (2018)
Nectar (2020)
Smithereens (2022)
As Pink Guy
Pink Guy (Mixtape, 2014)
Pink Season (2017)
Pink Season: The Prophecy (2017)
Unreleased albums
Chloe Burbank: Volume 1
Tours
Ballads 1 Tour (2018–2019)
Nectar: The Finale (2021–2022)
Smithereens Tour (2022–2023)
Pandemonium (2023)
Awards and nominations
See also
List of YouTubers
References
External links
Official website
The Filthy Frank Show at IMDb
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Rory Byrne
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Rory Byrne.
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Tell me a bio of Rory Byrne.
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Tell me a bio of Rory Byrne within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Rory Byrne with around 100 words.
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Rory Byrne (born 10 January 1944) is a South African semi-retired engineer and car designer, most famous for being the chief designer at the Benetton and Scuderia Ferrari teams of Formula One. Byrne-designed cars have won ninety-nine Grands Prix, seven constructors' titles and seven drivers' titles. This makes Byrne the third most successful Formula One designer, behind rival Adrian Newey and Colin Chapman.
Early career
Byrne became interested in motor racing at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg, South Africa, firstly as a competitor and later the technical aspects of the sport. After graduating in 1964 Byrne began working as a chemist but retained his fascination for racing until by the late 1960s he, with three friends Dave Collier, Ronny and Dougie Bennett, set up a company importing performance car parts called Auto Drag and Speed Den situated in Jules Street, Malvern, Johannesburg and later Voortrekker Road in Alberton. It was in this period that he first began to design racing cars, putting to use his mathematical knowledge even though he lacked formal engineering training. His first car, a Formula Ford racer, was competitive and finished well in the 1972 championship.
Following his success in 1972 Byrne relocated to England to pursue a career in racing car design. Purchasing an ageing Royale Formula Ford car he began putting together the skills required to improve the design and received a lucky break in 1973 when Royale founder Bob King decided to sell the team. The new owner needed an engineer to replace King, who had also been the cars' designer, and offered the job to Rory Byrne, who spent the next four years designing a variety of cars for Royale and its customers.
An introduction to Ted Toleman in 1977 offered the next opportunity for the thirty-three-year-old who was by now an established figure in British motor racing. Toleman was owner of a Formula 2 team and hired the South African as its designer. Several seasons of increasingly respectable results culminated in first and second place in the 1980 European Formula 2 championship. The team with Rory Byrne as its chief designer was now ready to make the jump into Formula One.
Formula One
Toleman/Benetton
The first Byrne-designed car to appear at a grand prix was the Hart-powered TG181. Lacking the finances to reach the first three long-haul races Toleman entered Formula One at the San Marino Grand Prix. Two seasons passed before the fledgling team began to score points, but by the conclusion of the 1983 season Derek Warwick and Bruno Giacomelli had collected a very respectable 10 points – enough for the team to finish ninth in the constructors' championship, and enough to earn Byrne credibility in the pit-lane. It was in the off-season of 1983/84 that Toleman signed Ayrton Senna – a move that almost made Byrne, Senna and the team first time winners at that year's Monaco Grand Prix. The team's steady progress towards the front of the grid was given a boost in 1985 when the Benetton family announced plans to purchase Toleman. With more money, more resources and the most powerful engine available in the form of the inline-four turbocharged BMW, it took only until October 1986 for Gerhard Berger to secure the first win for himself, for the team and for a Byrne-designed car at the Mexican Grand Prix. Over the following five seasons, Byrne–designed cars took four more race wins but the Benetton team was never in a position to truly challenge the likes of Ferrari, Williams and McLaren, with most victories being taken on days when the competition faltered.
After a brief spell with the abortive Reynard F1 project in 1991 Byrne returned to Benetton that fall. What he found was a changed team now firmly under the control of Flavio Briatore and with hotshot Michael Schumacher installed as number one driver. Byrne's B193 car was a substantial technical advancement on the previous season's car, incorporating a semi-automatic gearbox, four-wheel steering, active suspension and traction control. The car took a single win in the hands of Schumacher, but everything was now in place for a title challenge in 1994. It was immediately obvious at the first race of 1994 that Byrne's B194 chassis would be the car to beat. Critics suggested that the team's domination was more a result of an uncharacteristic slump by Williams star designer Adrian Newey and accusations of cheating dogged the team for the entire season. A late-season charge by Williams robbed Byrne of his first constructors' title, but with his motto of "Evolution Not Revolution", everything seemed set for more success in 1995. With the accusations of cheating behind them, the Benetton team secured both titles before the season was finished – finally Byrne had what he wanted most. His car had won the Formula One constructors' crown. With the hugely influential Schumacher leaving Benetton for Ferrari at the end of the season, the team began to fragment. Byrne announced that he would retire in 1996.
Ferrari
By the conclusion of the 1996 season, Michael Schumacher was being given free rein at Ferrari to build a team of engineers capable of returning the team to the top of the sport after years of underperforming. Benetton technical director Ross Brawn was hired and Ferrari approached Rory Byrne to replace the team's existing chief designer John Barnard who refused to re-locate to Italy. After long negotiations Byrne was lured from his retirement in Thailand back to Europe where he began building a design office at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters. Ferrari were immediately competitive once again, taking the title fight to the final race of the season in both 1997 and 1998. Continuing to build momentum in the following seasons, Ferrari won the constructors' championship in 1999, their first in 17 years. By the end of the 2004 season, Byrne-designed Ferraris had secured 71 race victories, six consecutive constructors' titles and five consecutive drivers' titles for Michael Schumacher with a sustained level of dominance never before seen in the sport. In 2004, Byrne announced that he would be retiring from Formula One at the end of the 2006 season, handing over the role of chief designer to Aldo Costa, his assistant since 1998. On 19 September 2006, it was announced that Rory had extended his stay, as a consultant, at Ferrari for another two years which led him until early 2009.
In 2012, Byrne was called in to look at the Ferrari F2012 F1 car after it had a troubled start to its life. He was also involved in the design of LaFerrari. In February 2013, at the launch of F138 – in interview to the German Auto Motor und Sport Rory Byrne said that he is "working full steam" on Ferrari's 2014 F1 car, in an advisory role. Maurizio Arrivabene revealed that Byrne is working as mentor in Ferrari helping the chief designer Simone Resta. Byrne was heavily involved in the design of the 2022 Ferrari F1-75. As the car proved successful on the first part of the season, his contract was renewed for further three years. He was also involved in the design of the 2023 Ferrari SF-23 and the 2024 Ferrari SF-24.
Discovery Insure
Byrne is a Special Engineering Advisor to Discovery Insure in South Africa in which he assists the company in improving the driving behaviour of South Africans and making the roads safer for all to use.
Formula One World Championships
== References ==
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Shigeru Fukudome
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Shigeru Fukudome.
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Tell me a bio of Shigeru Fukudome.
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Tell me a bio of Shigeru Fukudome within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Shigeru Fukudome with around 100 words.
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Shigeru Fukudome (福留 繁, Fukudome Shigeru; 1 February 1891 – 6 February 1971) was an admiral and Chief of Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II.
Biography
Early life and career
Born in Yonago, Tottori prefecture, Fukudome graduated from the 40th class of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1912, ranked 8 out of 144 cadets. As a midshipman, he served on the cruisers Soya and Izumo and battleship Satsuma. After his promotion to ensign, he was assigned to the battleship Hizen and cruiser Kashima.
After attending torpedo school and naval artillery school, he served on the patrol boat Manshu, followed by the cruiser Chitose and was promoted to lieutenant in 1918. After attending navigational training, he was assigned as chief navigator to the destroyer Sakura, and cruiser Niitaka. He was then appointed executive officer on the oiler Kamoi, on its voyage to the United States from 1921–1922. After his return to Japan, he was assigned a number of staff positions. He then graduated from the Naval War College with honors in 1924, and was promoted to lieutenant commander. After a tour as chief navigator on the cruiser Iwate, he joined the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff and was promoted to commander in 1929. He continued to hold a number of staff positions through the 1930s. He was promoted to captain in 1933, and was captain of the battleship Nagato from 1938–1939. He was promoted to rear admiral on 15 November 1939.
Pacific War
Fukudome was first assigned to the Combined Fleet in 1940 to April 1941 (where he conducted aerial torpedo exercises with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in early 1940 in contemplation of the proposed attack on Pearl Harbor), which was then under discussion. After his promotion to vice admiral in 1942, he again served as Chief of Staff under Admiral Yamamoto's successor Admiral Mineichi Koga from May 1943 to March 1944,
On 31 March 1944, while traveling by air from Palau to deliver plans for the Japanese counterattack in defense of the Marianas Islands (code named "Z plan") to Japanese headquarters at Davao in Mindanao, Fukudome became the first flag officer in Japanese history to be captured by the enemy (Filipino guerrillas commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James M. Cushing) after his plane crash landed in a typhoon near Cebu. (Admiral Mineichi Koga, who had been traveling in a separate plane, was killed the same night). He was released to stop civilian reprisals that were killing Filipinos and burning dozens of villages as the Japanese searched for the Admiral and the documents, but the battle plans fell into the American hands.
After Koga's death in March 1944, Fukudome became commander-in-chief of the 1st Combined Base Air Force and 2nd Air Fleet, based in the Kyūshū-Okinawa-Formosa district. He later noted that this appointment was out of convenience, arguing that since he had no experience with naval aviation, his assignment to a newly formed air unit must be because of the immediate need for an officer of flag rank. On 10 October 1944, the headquarters of the 2nd Air Fleet moved from Katori in Chiba Prefecture to Taiwan; at the same time as the headquarters move, the 200 Imperial Japanese Army aircraft present in Taiwan were assigned to him to bolster his 100-aircraft fleet, with additional reinforcements coming in later in smaller quantities over time.
In late October 1944, because of the heavy losses of Japanese air units in the Philippines, Fukudome's responsibility was expanded to cover the Philippines as well. He moved his headquarters to Manila on 22 October. Another 450 aircraft reached Clark Field over the next two days to join the approximately 100 aircraft that were already there under Vice Admiral Takijirō Ōnishi, who became his chief of staff.
In January 1945, the 2nd Air Fleet was dissolved and merged with the 1st Air Fleet. With the merger of the two air fleets in the Philippines, Fukudome was transferred to Singapore to command the IJN 10th Area Fleet, which at the time consisted mainly of the 13th Air Fleet with 450 aircraft (mostly trainers) and the IJN 1st Southern Expeditionary Fleet (2 operational cruisers and other smaller ships). He arrived in Singapore and took over command on 16 January 1945, and remained in this role until the end of the war. Because of the American control of air and sea after the Philippines campaign, he was effectively stranded in Singapore without the ability to affect the outcome of the war in a significant way.
After the war, Fukudome was interrogated in Tokyo between 9–12 December 1945 by Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie of the United States Navy. In addition to the cooperative interrogation with the Americans, Fukudome was also entrusted by the British to take charge of repatriating Japanese nationals from the Singapore area. Once the task of repatriation was accomplished, Fukudome was arrested at the instigation of American prosecutors and accused of war crimes; he was tried by a military tribunal in Singapore in connection with the execution of two downed American airmen during his tenure in Singapore, and found guilty of negligence in the performance of his duties.
Following his release in 1950, Fukudome became a member of a 12-man commission to advise the Japanese government on the organization of the Japanese Self-Defense Force before his death in 1971. His grave is at the Tama Cemetery in Fuchu, outside of Tokyo.
Notable positions held
Equipping Officer, CVS Kamoi – 1 December 1921 – 12 September 1922
Chief Navigator, CVS Kamoi – 12 September 1922 – 10 December 1922
Staff Officer, 1st Fleet – 8 January 1924 – 15 October 1924
Staff Officer, Combined Fleet – 8 January 1924 – 15 October 1924
Staff Officer, Combined Fleet – 16 November 1933 – 15 November 1934
Staff Officer, 1st Fleet – 16 November 1933 – 15 November 1934
Vice-Chief-of-Staff, China Area Fleet – 25 April 1938 – 15 December 1938
Staff Officer, 3rd Fleet – 25 April 1938 – 15 December 1938
Commanding Officer, Nagato – 15 December 1938 – 5 November 1939
Chief-of-Staff, 1st Fleet – 15 November 1939 – 10 April 1941
Chief-of-Staff, Combined Fleet – 1942 – 31 March 1944
Commander-in-Chief, 2nd Air Fleet – 15 June 1944 – 8 January 1945
Commander-in-Chief, 13th Air Fleet – 13 January 1945 – 15 August 1945
Dates of Promotions
Midshipman – 17 July 1912
Ensign – 1 December 1913
Sublieutenant – 13 December 1915
Lieutenant – 1 December 1918
Lieutenant Commander – 1 December 1924
Commander – 30 November 1929
Captain – 15 November 1933
Rear Admiral – 15 November 1939
Vice Admiral – 1 November 1942
Portrayal in films
Fukudome was one of the characters that appeared in the 1970 American/Japanese war film Tora! Tora! Tora!, where he was portrayed by the Japanese actor Koji Kawamura.
References
Notes
Books
Barreveld, Dirk Jan (2015). Cushing's Coup, Casemate Publ.
Dupuy, Trevor N. (1992). Encyclopedia of Military Biography. I B Tauris & Co Ltd. ISBN 1-85043-569-3.
Parrish, Thomas (1978). The Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of World War II. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-24277-6.
Van Der Vat, Dan (1978). Pacific Campaign: The U.S.-Japanese Naval War 1941-1945. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-671-79217-2.
External links
Nishida, Hiroshi. "Materials of IJN: Fukudome, Shigeru". Imperial Japanese Nav. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
Bradsher, Greg. "Account of Fukudome's capture". The Z-Plan Story. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
United States Strategic Bombing Survey. "USSBS: Interrogations of Japanese Officials - VAdm. Fukudome, Shigeru, IJ". Retrieved 23 August 2007.
Chen, Peter. "Shigeru Fukudome". www.ww2db.com. World War II Database. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
The Go For Broke Educational Foundation. "Translation of The "Z" Plan". Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
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Vladimir Lenin
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Vladimir Lenin.
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Tell me a bio of Vladimir Lenin.
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Tell me a bio of Vladimir Lenin within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Vladimir Lenin with around 100 words.
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Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (22 April [O.S. 10 April] 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin, was a Russian revolutionary, politician and political theorist. He was the first head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 until his death in 1924, and of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death. As the founder and leader of the Bolsheviks, Lenin led the October Revolution which established the world's first socialist state. His government won the Russian Civil War and created a one-party state under the Communist Party. Ideologically a Marxist, his developments to the ideology are called Leninism.
Born into a middle-class family in Simbirsk in the Russian Empire, Lenin embraced revolutionary socialist politics after his brother was executed in 1887 for plotting to assassinate the tsar. He was expelled from Kazan Imperial University for participating in student protests, and earned a law degree before moving to Saint Petersburg in 1893 and becoming a prominent Marxist activist. In 1897, Lenin was arrested and exiled to Siberia for three years, after which he moved to Western Europe and became a leading figure in the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. In 1903, the party split between Lenin's Bolshevik faction and the Mensheviks, with Lenin advocating for a vanguard party to lead the proletariat in overthrowing capitalism and establishing socialism. Lenin briefly returned to Russia during the Revolution of 1905.
During the First World War he campaigned for its transformation into a Europe-wide proletarian revolution. After the February Revolution of 1917 ousted Tsar Nicholas II, Lenin returned to Russia and played a leading role in the October Revolution, in which the Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government.
Lenin's government abolished private ownership of land, nationalised major industry and banks, withdrew from the war by signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, and promoted world revolution through the Communist International. The Bolsheviks initially shared power with the Left Socialist Revolutionaries, but during the Russian Civil War centralised power in the Communist Party and suppressed opposition in the Red Terror, in which tens of thousands were killed or imprisoned. Responding to famine and popular uprisings, Lenin reversed his policy of war communism in 1921 and stabilised the economy with the New Economic Policy. The Red Army defeated numerous anti-Bolshevik and separatist armies in the civil war, after which some of the non-Russian nations which had broken away from the empire were reunited in the Soviet Union in 1922; others, notably Poland, gained independence. Lenin suffered three debilitating strokes in 1922 and 1923 before his death in 1924, beginning a power struggle which ended in Joseph Stalin's rise to power.
Lenin was the posthumous subject of a pervasive personality cult within the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Under Stalin, he became an ideological figurehead of Marxism–Leninism and a prominent influence over the international communist movement. A controversial and highly divisive figure, Lenin is praised by his supporters for establishing a revolutionary government which took steps towards socialism, while his critics accuse him of establishing a dictatorship which oversaw mass killings and political repression against the anti-revolution forces. Today, he is widely considered one of the most significant and influential figures of the 20th century.
Early life
Childhood: 1870–1887
Lenin was born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov in Streletskaya Ulitsa, Simbirsk, now Ulyanovsk, on 22 April 1870, and baptised six days later; as a child he was known as Volodya, the common nickname variant of Vladimir. He was the third of eight children, having two older siblings, Anna (born 1864) and Alexander (born 1866). They were followed by three more children, Olga (born 1871), Dmitry (born 1874), and Maria (born 1878). Two later siblings died in infancy. His father, Ilya Nikolayevich Ulyanov, was a devout member of the Russian Orthodox Church and baptised his children into it, although his mother, Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova (née Blank), a Lutheran by upbringing, was largely indifferent to Christianity, a view that influenced her children.
Ilya Ulyanov was from a family of former serfs; Ilya's father's ethnicity remains unclear, with suggestions that he was of Russian, Chuvash, Mordvin, or Kalmyk ancestry. Despite a lower-class background, he had risen to middle-class status, studying physics and mathematics at Kazan University before teaching at the Penza Institute for the Nobility. In mid-1863, Ilya married Maria, the well-educated daughter of a wealthy Swedish Lutheran mother and a Russian Jewish father who had converted to Christianity and worked as a physician. According to historian Petrovsky-Shtern, it is likely that Lenin was unaware of his mother's half-Jewish ancestry, which was only discovered by Anna after his death. Soon after their wedding, Ilya obtained a job in Nizhny Novgorod, rising to become Director of Primary Schools in the Simbirsk district six years later. Five years after that, he was promoted to Director of Public Schools for the province, overseeing the foundation of over 450 schools as a part of the government's plans for modernisation. In January 1882, his dedication to education earned him the Order of Saint Vladimir, which bestowed on him the status of hereditary nobleman.
Both of Lenin's parents were monarchists and liberal conservatives, being committed to the emancipation reform of 1861 introduced by the reformist Tsar Alexander II; they avoided political radicals and there is no evidence that the police ever put them under surveillance for subversive thought. Every summer they holidayed at a rural manor in Kokushkino. Among his siblings, Lenin was closest to his sister Olga, whom he often bossed around; he had an extremely competitive nature and could be destructive, but usually admitted his misbehaviour. A keen sportsman, he spent much of his free time outdoors or playing chess, and excelled at school, the disciplinarian and conservative Simbirsk Classical Gymnasium.
In January 1886, when Lenin was 15, his father died of a brain haemorrhage. Subsequently, his behaviour became erratic and confrontational, and he renounced his belief in God. At the time, Lenin's elder brother Alexander, whom he affectionately knew as Sasha, was studying at Saint Petersburg University. Involved in political agitation against the absolute monarchy of the reactionary Tsar Alexander III, Alexander studied the writings of banned leftists and organised anti-government protests. He joined a revolutionary cell bent on assassinating the Tsar and was selected to construct a bomb. Before the attack could take place, the conspirators were arrested and tried, and Alexander was executed by hanging in May 1887. Despite the emotional trauma of his father's and brother's deaths, Lenin continued studying, graduated from school at the top of his class with a gold medal for exceptional performance, and decided to study law at Kazan University.
University and political radicalisation: 1887–1893
Upon entering Kazan University in August 1887, Lenin moved into a nearby flat. While there, he joined a revolutionary cell run by the militant agrarian socialist Lazar Bogoraz, composed of leftists seeking to revive the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will). At the same time, he joined a zemlyachestvo, a form of university society that represented the men of a particular region. The group elected him as its representative to the university's zemlyachestvo council, and he took part in a December demonstration against government restrictions that banned student societies. The police arrested Lenin and accused him of being a ringleader in the demonstration; he was expelled from the university, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs exiled him to his family's Kokushkino estate. There, he read voraciously, becoming enamoured with Nikolay Chernyshevsky's 1863 pro-revolutionary novel What Is to Be Done?
Lenin's mother was concerned by her son's radicalisation, and was instrumental in convincing the Interior Ministry to allow him to return to the city of Kazan, but not the university. Soviet historiography would later claim that, on his return to Kazan, Lenin became involved with Nikolai Fedoseev's Marxist revolutionary circle, through which he would discover Karl Marx's 1867 book Capital. However, it was not until 1888 that Fedoseev founded a Marxist study group, at which time Lenin had already left the city; this meant that Lenin and Fedoseev did not meet.
In September 1889, the Ulyanov family moved to the city of Samara, where Lenin joined Alexei Sklyarenko's socialist discussion circle. Wary of his political views, his mother had previously bought a country estate in Alakaevka village, Samara Oblast, in the hope that her son would turn his attention to agriculture. He had little interest in farm management, and his mother soon sold the land, keeping the house as a summer home.
While in Samara, Lenin began to embrace Marxism, producing a Russian language translation of Marx and Friedrich Engels's 1848 political pamphlet, The Communist Manifesto. He began to read the works of the Russian Marxist Georgi Plekhanov, agreeing with Plekhanov's argument that Russia was moving from feudalism to capitalism and so socialism would be implemented by the proletariat, or urban working class, rather than the peasantry. This Marxist perspective contrasted with the view of the agrarian-socialist Narodnik movement, which held that the peasantry could establish socialism in Russia by forming peasant communes, thereby bypassing capitalism. This Narodnik view developed in the 1860s with the Narodnaya Volya and was then dominant within the Russian revolutionary movement. Lenin rejected the premise of the agrarian-socialist argument but was influenced by agrarian-socialists like Pyotr Tkachev and Sergei Nechaev and befriended several Narodniks.
In May 1890, Maria, who retained societal influence as the widow of a nobleman, persuaded the authorities to allow Lenin to take his exams externally at the University of St Petersburg, where he obtained the equivalent of a first-class degree with honours. The graduation celebrations were marred when his sister Olga died of typhoid. Lenin remained in Samara for several years, working first as a legal assistant for a regional court and then for a local lawyer. He devoted much time to radical politics, remaining active in Sklyarenko's group and formulating ideas about how Marxism applied to Russia. Inspired by Plekhanov's work, Lenin collected data on Russian society, using it to support a Marxist interpretation of societal development and counter the claims of the Narodniks. He wrote a paper on peasant economics; it was rejected by the liberal journal Russian Thought.
Revolutionary activity
Early activism and imprisonment: 1893–1900
In late 1893, Lenin moved to Saint Petersburg. There, he worked as a barrister's assistant and rose to a senior position in a Marxist revolutionary cell that called itself the Social-Democrats after the Marxist Social Democratic Party of Germany. Championing Marxism within the socialist movement, he encouraged the founding of revolutionary cells in Russia's industrial centres. By late 1894, he was leading a Marxist workers' circle, and meticulously covered his tracks to evade police spies. He began a romantic relationship with Nadezhda "Nadya" Krupskaya, a Marxist school teacher. He also authored a political tract criticising the Narodnik agrarian-socialists, What the "Friends of the People" Are and How They Fight the Social-Democrats; around 200 copies were illegally printed in 1894.
Hoping to cement connections between his Social-Democrats and Emancipation of Labour, a group of Russian Marxists based in Switzerland, Lenin visited the country to meet group members Plekhanov and Pavel Axelrod. He proceeded to Paris to meet Marx's son-in-law Paul Lafargue and to research the Paris Commune of 1871, which he considered an early prototype for a proletarian government. Financed by his mother, he stayed in a Swiss health spa before travelling to Berlin, where he studied for six weeks at the Staatsbibliothek and met the Marxist Wilhelm Liebknecht. Returning to Russia with a stash of illegal revolutionary publications, he travelled to various cities distributing literature to striking workers. While involved in producing a news sheet, Rabochee delo (Workers' Cause), he was among 40 activists arrested in St. Petersburg and charged with sedition.
Refused legal representation or bail, Lenin denied all charges against him but remained imprisoned for a year before sentencing. He spent this time theorising and writing. In this work he noted that the rise of industrial capitalism in Russia had caused large numbers of peasants to move to the cities, where they formed a proletariat. From his Marxist perspective, Lenin argued that this Russian proletariat would develop class consciousness, which would in turn lead them to violently overthrow Tsarism, the aristocracy, and the bourgeoisie and to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat that would move toward socialism.
In February 1897, Lenin was sentenced without trial to three years' exile in eastern Siberia. He was granted a few days in Saint Petersburg to put his affairs in order and used this time to meet with the Social-Democrats, who had renamed themselves the League of Struggle for the Emancipation of the Working Class. His journey to eastern Siberia took 11 weeks, for much of which he was accompanied by his mother and sisters. Deemed only a minor threat to the government, he was exiled to Shushenskoye, Minusinsky District, where he was kept under police surveillance; he was nevertheless able to correspond with other revolutionaries, many of whom visited him, and permitted to go on trips to swim in the Yenisei River and to hunt duck and snipe.
In May 1898, Nadya joined him in exile, having been arrested in August 1896 for organising a strike. She was initially posted to Ufa, but persuaded the authorities to move her to Shushenskoye, where she and Lenin married on 10 July 1898. Settling into a family life with Nadya's mother Elizaveta Vasilyevna, in Shushenskoye the couple translated English socialist literature into Russian. There, Lenin wrote A Protest by Russian Social-Democrats to criticise German Marxist revisionists like Eduard Bernstein who advocated a peaceful, electoral path to socialism. He also finished The Development of Capitalism in Russia (1899), his longest book to date, which criticised the agrarian-socialists and promoted a Marxist analysis of Russian economic development. Published under the pseudonym of Vladimir Ilin, upon publication it received predominantly poor reviews.
Munich, London, and Geneva: 1900–1905
After his exile, Lenin settled in Pskov in early 1900. There, he began raising funds for a newspaper, Iskra (Spark), a new organ of the Russian Marxist party, now calling itself the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP). In July 1900, Lenin left Russia for Western Europe; in Switzerland he met other Russian Marxists, and at a Corsier conference they agreed to launch the paper from Munich, where Lenin relocated in September. Containing contributions from prominent European Marxists, Iskra was smuggled into Russia, becoming the country's most successful underground publication since 1850s. He first adopted the pseudonym Lenin in December 1901, possibly based on the Siberian River Lena; he often used the fuller pseudonym of N. Lenin, and while the N did not stand for anything, a popular misconception later arose that it represented Nikolai. Under this pseudonym, in 1902 he published his most influential publication to date, the pamphlet What Is to Be Done?, which outlined his thoughts on the need for a vanguard party to lead the proletariat to revolution.
He also used the name "Jacob Richter" to get a reader's ticket at the British Museum Reading Room.
Nadya joined Lenin in Munich and became his secretary. They continued their political agitation, as Lenin wrote for Iskra and drafted the RSDLP programme, attacking ideological dissenters and external critics, particularly the Socialist Revolutionary Party (SR), a Narodnik agrarian-socialist group founded in 1901. Despite remaining a Marxist, he accepted the Narodnik view on the revolutionary power of the Russian peasantry, accordingly, penning the 1903 pamphlet To the Village Poor. To evade Bavarian police, Lenin moved to London with Iskra in April 1902, where he befriended fellow Russian-Ukrainian Marxist Leon Trotsky. Lenin fell ill with erysipelas and was unable to take such a leading role on the Iskra editorial board; in his absence, the board moved its base of operations to Geneva.
The second RSDLP Congress was held in London in July 1903. At the conference, a schism emerged between Lenin's supporters and those of Julius Martov. Martov argued that party members should be able to express themselves independently of the party leadership; Lenin disagreed, emphasising the need for a strong leadership with complete control over the party. Lenin's supporters were in the majority, and he termed them the "majoritarians" (bol'sheviki in Russian; Bolsheviks); in response, Martov termed his followers the "minoritarians" (men'sheviki; Mensheviks). Arguments between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks continued after the conference; the Bolsheviks accused their rivals of being opportunists and reformists who lacked discipline, while the Mensheviks accused Lenin of being a despot and autocrat. Enraged at the Mensheviks, Lenin resigned from the Iskra editorial board and in May 1904 published the anti-Menshevik tract One Step Forward, Two Steps Back. The stress made Lenin ill, and to recuperate he holidayed in Switzerland. The Bolshevik faction grew in strength; by spring 1905, the whole RSDLP Central Committee was Bolshevik, and in December they founded the newspaper Vperyod (Forward).
Revolution of 1905 and its aftermath: 1905–1914
In January 1905, the Bloody Sunday massacre of protesters in St. Petersburg sparked a spate of civil unrest in the Russian Empire known as the Revolution of 1905. Lenin urged Bolsheviks to take a greater role in the events, encouraging violent insurrection. In doing so, he adopted SR slogans regarding "armed insurrection", "mass terror", and "the expropriation of gentry land", resulting in Menshevik accusations that he had deviated from orthodox Marxism. In turn, he insisted that the Bolsheviks split completely with the Mensheviks; many Bolsheviks refused, and both groups attended the Third RSDLP Congress, held in London in April 1905. Lenin presented many of his ideas in the pamphlet Two Tactics of Social Democracy in the Democratic Revolution, published in August 1905. Here, he predicted that Russia's liberal bourgeoisie would be sated by a transition to constitutional monarchy and thus betray the revolution; instead, he argued that the proletariat would have to build an alliance with the peasantry to overthrow the Tsarist regime and establish the "provisional revolutionary democratic dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry".
In response to the revolution of 1905, which had failed to overthrow the government, Tsar Nicholas II accepted a series of liberal reforms in his October Manifesto. In this climate, Lenin felt it safe to return to Saint Petersburg. Joining the editorial board of Novaya Zhizn (New Life), a radical legal newspaper run by Maria Andreyeva, he used it to discuss issues facing the RSDLP. He encouraged the party to seek out a much wider membership, and advocated the continual escalation of violent confrontation, believing both to be necessary for a successful revolution. Recognising that membership fees and donations from a few wealthy sympathisers were insufficient to finance the Bolsheviks' activities, Lenin endorsed the idea of robbing post offices, railway stations, trains, and banks. Under the lead of Leonid Krasin, a group of Bolsheviks began carrying out such criminal actions, the best-known taking place in June 1907, when a group of Bolsheviks acting under the leadership of Joseph Stalin committed an armed robbery of the State Bank in Tiflis, Georgia.
Although he briefly supported the idea of reconciliation between Bolsheviks and Mensheviks, Lenin's advocacy of violence and robbery was condemned by the Mensheviks at the Fourth RSDLP Congress, held in Stockholm in April 1906. After Lenin escaped to Finland from Russia, he was involved in setting up a Bolshevik Centre in Kuokkala, Grand Duchy of Finland, which was at the time an autonomous state controlled by the Russian Empire, before the Bolsheviks regained dominance of the RSDLP at its Fifth Congress, held in London in May 1907. As the Tsarist government cracked down on opposition, both by disbanding Russia's legislative assembly, the Second Duma, and by ordering its secret police, the Okhrana, to arrest revolutionaries, Lenin fled Finland for Switzerland. There, he tried to exchange those banknotes stolen in Tiflis that had identifiable serial numbers on them.
Alexander Bogdanov and other prominent Bolsheviks decided to relocate the Bolshevik Centre to Paris; although Lenin disagreed, he moved to the city in December 1908. Lenin disliked Paris, lambasting it as "a foul hole", and while there he sued a motorist who knocked him off his bike. Lenin became very critical of Bogdanov's view that Russia's proletariat had to develop a socialist culture to become a successful revolutionary vehicle. Instead, Lenin favoured a vanguard of socialist intelligentsia who would lead the working-classes in revolution. Furthermore, Bogdanov, influenced by Ernst Mach, believed that all concepts of the world were relative, whereas Lenin stuck to the orthodox Marxist view that there was an objective reality independent of human observation. Bogdanov and Lenin holidayed together at Maxim Gorky's villa in Capri in April 1908; on returning to Paris, Lenin encouraged a split within the Bolshevik faction between his and Bogdanov's followers, accusing the latter of deviating from Marxism.
In May 1908, Lenin lived briefly in London, where he used the British Museum Reading Room to write Materialism and Empirio-criticism, an attack on what he described as the "bourgeois-reactionary falsehood" of Bogdanov's relativism. Lenin's factionalism began to alienate increasing numbers of Bolsheviks, including his former close supporters Alexei Rykov and Lev Kamenev. The Okhrana exploited his factionalist attitude by sending a spy, Roman Malinovsky, to act as a vocal Lenin supporter within the party. Various Bolsheviks expressed their suspicions about Malinovsky to Lenin, although it is unclear if the latter was aware of the spy's duplicity; it is possible that he used Malinovsky to feed false information to the Okhrana.
In August 1910, Lenin attended the 8th Congress of the Second International, an international meeting of socialists, in Copenhagen as the RSDLP's representative, following this with a holiday in Stockholm with his mother. With his wife and sisters, he then moved to France, settling first in Bombon and then Paris. Here, he became a close friend to the French Bolshevik Inessa Armand; some biographers suggest that they had an extra-marital affair from 1910 to 1912. Meanwhile, at a Paris meeting in June 1911, the RSDLP Central Committee decided to move their focus of operations back to Russia, ordering the closure of the Bolshevik Centre and its newspaper, Proletari. Seeking to rebuild his influence in the party, Lenin arranged for a party conference to be held in Prague in January 1912, and although 16 of the 18 attendants were Bolsheviks, he was heavily criticised for his factionalist tendencies and failed to boost his status within the party.
Moving to Kraków in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, a culturally Polish part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, he used Jagiellonian University's library to conduct research. He stayed in close contact with the RSDLP, which was operating in the Russian Empire, convincing the Duma's Bolshevik members to split from their parliamentary alliance with the Mensheviks. In January 1913, Stalin, whom Lenin referred to as the "wonderful Georgian", visited him, and they discussed the future of non-Russian ethnic groups in the Empire. Due to the ailing health of both Lenin and his wife, they moved to the rural town of Biały Dunajec, before heading to Bern for Nadya to have surgery on her goitre.
First World War: 1914–1917
Lenin was in Galicia when the First World War broke out. The war pitted the Russian Empire against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and due to his Russian citizenship, Lenin was arrested and briefly imprisoned until his anti-Tsarist credentials were explained. Lenin and his wife returned to Bern, before relocating to Zürich in February 1916. Lenin was angry that the German Social Democratic Party was supporting the German war effort, which was a direct contravention of the Second International's Stuttgart resolution that socialist parties would oppose the conflict and saw the Second International as defunct. He attended the Zimmerwald Conference in September 1915 and the Kienthal Conference in April 1916, urging socialists across the continent to convert the "imperialist war" into a continent-wide "civil war" with the proletariat pitted against the bourgeoisie and aristocracy. In July 1916, Lenin's mother died, but he was unable to attend her funeral. Her death deeply affected him, and he became depressed, fearing that he too would die before seeing the proletarian revolution.
In September 1917, Lenin published Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, which argued that imperialism was a product of monopoly capitalism, as capitalists sought to increase their profits by extending into new territories where wages were lower and raw materials cheaper. He believed that competition and conflict would increase and that war between the imperialist powers would continue until they were overthrown by proletariat revolution and socialism established. He spent much of this time reading the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Ludwig Feuerbach, and Aristotle, all of whom had been key influences on Marx. This changed Lenin's interpretation of Marxism; whereas he once believed that policies could be developed based on predetermined scientific principles, he concluded that the only test of whether a policy was correct was its practice. He still perceived himself as an orthodox Marxist, but he began to diverge from some of Marx's predictions about societal development; whereas Marx had believed that a "bourgeoisie-democratic revolution" of the middle classes had to take place before a "socialist revolution" of the proletariat, Lenin believed that in Russia the proletariat could overthrow the Tsarist regime without an intermediate revolution.
February Revolution and the July Days: 1917
In February 1917, the February Revolution broke out in Saint Petersburg, renamed Petrograd at the beginning of the First World War, as industrial workers went on strike over food shortages and deteriorating factory conditions. The unrest spread to other parts of Russia, and fearing that he would be violently overthrown, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated. The State Duma took over control of the country, establishing the Russian Provisional Government and converting the Empire into a new Russian Republic. When Lenin learned of this from his base in Switzerland, he celebrated with other dissidents. He decided to return to Russia to take charge of the Bolsheviks but found that most passages into the country were blocked due to the ongoing conflict. He organised a plan with other dissidents to negotiate a passage for them through Germany, with which Russia was then at war. Recognising that these dissidents could cause problems for their Russian enemies, the German government agreed to permit 32 Russian citizens to travel by train through their territory, among them Lenin and his wife. For political reasons, Lenin and the Germans agreed to a cover story that Lenin had travelled by sealed train carriage through German territory, but in fact the train was not truly sealed, and the passengers were allowed to disembark to, for example, spend the night in Frankfurt. The group travelled by train from Zürich to Sassnitz, proceeding by ferry to Trelleborg, Sweden, and from there to the Haparanda–Tornio border crossing and then to Helsinki before taking the final train to Petrograd.
Arriving at Petrograd's Finland Station in April, Lenin gave a speech to Bolshevik supporters condemning the Provisional Government and again calling for a continent-wide European proletarian revolution. Over the following days, he spoke at Bolshevik meetings, lambasting those who wanted reconciliation with the Mensheviks and revealing his "April Theses", an outline of his plans for the Bolsheviks, which he had written on the journey from Switzerland. He publicly condemned both the Mensheviks and the Social Revolutionaries, who dominated the influential Petrograd Soviet, for supporting the Provisional Government, denouncing them as traitors to socialism. Considering the government to be just as imperialist as the Tsarist regime, he advocated immediate peace with Germany and Austria-Hungary, rule by soviets, the nationalisation of industry and banks, and the state expropriation of land, all with the intention of establishing a proletariat government and pushing toward a socialist society. By contrast, the Mensheviks believed that Russia was insufficiently developed to transition to socialism and accused Lenin of trying to plunge the new Republic into civil war. Over the coming months Lenin campaigned for his policies, attending the meetings of the Bolshevik Central Committee, prolifically writing for the Bolshevik newspaper Pravda, and giving public speeches in Petrograd aimed at converting workers, soldiers, sailors, and peasants to his cause.
Sensing growing frustration among Bolshevik supporters, Lenin suggested an armed political demonstration in Petrograd to test the government's response. Amid deteriorating health, he left the city to recuperate in the Finnish village of Neivola. The Bolsheviks' armed demonstration, the July Days, took place while Lenin was away, but upon learning that demonstrators had violently clashed with government forces, he returned to Petrograd and called for calm. Responding to the violence, the government ordered the arrest of Lenin and other prominent Bolsheviks, raiding their offices, and publicly alleging that he was a German agent provocateur. Evading arrest, Lenin hid in a series of Petrograd safe houses. Fearing that he would be killed, Lenin and fellow senior Bolshevik Grigory Zinoviev escaped Petrograd in disguise, relocating to Razliv. There, Lenin began work on the book that became The State and Revolution, an exposition on how he believed the socialist state would develop after the proletariat revolution, and how from then on the state would gradually wither away, leaving a pure communist society. He began arguing for a Bolshevik-led armed insurrection to topple the government, but at a clandestine meeting of the party's central committee this idea was rejected. Lenin then headed by train and by foot to Finland, arriving at Helsinki on 10 August, where he hid away in safe houses belonging to Bolshevik sympathisers.
October Revolution: 1917
In August 1917, while Lenin was in Finland, General Lavr Kornilov, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Army, sent troops to Petrograd in what appeared to be a military coup attempt against the Provisional Government. Premier Alexander Kerensky turned to the Petrograd Soviet, including its Bolshevik members, for help, allowing the revolutionaries to organise workers as Red Guards to defend the city. The coup petered out before it reached Petrograd, but the events had allowed the Bolsheviks to return to the open political arena. Fearing a counter-revolution from right-wing forces hostile to socialism, the Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries who dominated the Petrograd Soviet had been instrumental in pressuring the government to normalise relations with the Bolsheviks. Both the Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries had lost much popular support because of their affiliation with the Provisional Government and its unpopular continuation of the war. The Bolsheviks capitalised on this, and soon the pro-Bolshevik Marxist Trotsky was elected leader of the Petrograd Soviet. In September, the Bolsheviks gained a majority in the workers' sections of both the Moscow and Petrograd Soviets.
Recognising that the situation was safer for him, Lenin returned to Petrograd. There he attended a meeting of the Bolshevik Central Committee on 10 October, where he again argued that the party should lead an armed insurrection to topple the Provisional Government. This time the argument won with ten votes against two. Critics of the plan, Zinoviev and Kamenev, argued that Russian workers would not support a violent coup against the regime and that there was no clear evidence for Lenin's assertion that all of Europe was on the verge of proletarian revolution. The party began plans to organise the offensive, holding a final meeting at the Smolny Institute on 24 October. This was the base of the Military Revolutionary Committee (MRC), an armed militia largely loyal to the Bolsheviks that had been established by the Petrograd Soviet during Kornilov's alleged coup.
In October, the MRC was ordered to take control of Petrograd's key transport, communication, printing and utilities hubs, and did so without bloodshed. Bolsheviks besieged the government in the Winter Palace and overcame it and arrested its ministers after the cruiser Aurora, controlled by Bolshevik seamen, fired a blank shot to signal the start of the revolution. During the insurrection, Lenin gave a speech to the Petrograd Soviet announcing that the Provisional Government had been overthrown. The Bolsheviks declared the formation of a new government, the Council of People's Commissars, or Sovnarkom. Lenin initially turned down the leading position of Chairman, suggesting Trotsky for the job, but other Bolsheviks insisted and ultimately Lenin relented. Lenin and other Bolsheviks then attended the Second Congress of Soviets on 26 and 27 October and announced the creation of the new government. Menshevik attendees condemned the illegitimate seizure of power and the risk of civil war. In the early days of the regime, Lenin adjusted his rhetoric so as not to alienate Russia's population, and spoke about having a country controlled by the workers and power to the Soviets. Lenin and many other Bolsheviks expected proletariat revolution to sweep across Europe in days or months.
Lenin's government
Organising the Soviet government: 1917–1918
The Provisional Government had planned for a Constituent Assembly to be elected in November 1917; despite Lenin's objections, Sovnarkom allowed the vote as scheduled. In the election, the Bolsheviks gained about a quarter of the vote, losing to the agrarian-focused Socialist-Revolutionaries. Lenin argued that the election did not reflect the people's will, claiming the electorate was unaware of the Bolsheviks' programme, and that candidacy lists were outdated, having been drawn up before the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries split from the Socialist-Revolutionaries. Nevertheless, the newly elected Russian Constituent Assembly convened in Petrograd in January 1918. Sovnarkom claimed it was counter-revolutionary because it sought to remove power from the soviets, but the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Mensheviks denied this. The Bolsheviks presented a motion to strip the Assembly of most of its legal powers; when the Assembly rejected this, Sovnarkom declared it counter-revolutionary and forcibly disbanded it.
Lenin rejected repeated calls, including from some Bolsheviks, to establish a coalition government with other socialist parties. Though Sovnarkom refused a coalition with the Mensheviks or Socialist-Revolutionaries, it allowed the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries five cabinet posts in December 1917. This coalition lasted only until March 1918, when the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries left the government over disagreements about the Bolsheviks' approach to ending the First World War. At their 7th Congress in March 1918, the Bolsheviks changed their name from the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party to the Russian Communist Party, as Lenin wanted to distance his group from the increasingly reformist German Social Democratic Party and emphasize its goal of a communist society.
Although ultimate power officially rested with Sovnarkom and the Executive Committee (VTSIK) elected by the All-Russian Congress of Soviets (ARCS), the Communist Party was de facto in control of Russia, as acknowledged by its members at the time. By 1918, Sovnarkom began acting unilaterally, citing a need for expediency, with the ARCS and VTSIK becoming increasingly marginalized, so the soviets no longer had a role in governing Russia. During 1918 and 1919, the government expelled Mensheviks and Socialist-Revolutionaries from the soviets. Russia had become a one-party state.
Within the party, a Political Bureau (Politburo) and Organisation Bureau (Orgburo) were established to accompany the existing Central Committee; decisions of these bodies had to be adopted by Sovnarkom and the Council of Labour and Defence. Lenin was the most significant figure in this governance structure, being Chairman of Sovnarkom and sitting on the Council of Labour and Defence, the Central Committee, and the Politburo. The only individual with comparable influence was Lenin's right-hand man, Yakov Sverdlov, who died in March 1919 as a result of the Spanish flu pandemic. In November 1917, Lenin and his wife took a two-room flat within the Smolny Institute; the following month, they went on a brief holiday in Halila, Finland. In January 1918, he survived an assassination attempt in Petrograd; Fritz Platten, who was with Lenin at the time, shielded him and was injured by a bullet.
Concerned by Petrograd's vulnerability to German attack, Sovnarkom began relocating to Moscow in March 1918. Lenin, Trotsky, and other Bolshevik leaders moved into the Kremlin. He survived another assassination attempt in August 1918.
Social, legal, and economic reform: 1917–1918
Upon taking power, Lenin's regime issued several decrees. The first was the Decree on Land, nationalizing the landed estates of the aristocracy and the Orthodox Church for redistribution to peasants by local governments. This contrasted with Lenin's preference for agricultural collectivisation but acknowledged the widespread peasant land seizures that had already taken place. In November 1917, the government issued the Decree on the Press, closing opposition media outlets deemed counter-revolutionary. Although claimed to be temporary, the decree faced criticism, including from Bolsheviks, for undermining freedom of the press.
In November 1917, Lenin issued the Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia, granting non-Russian ethnic groups the right to secede and form independent nation-states. Many declared independence (Finland, Lithuania in December 1917, Latvia and Ukraine in January 1918, Estonia in February 1918, Transcaucasia in April 1918, and Poland in November 1918). The Bolsheviks then promoted communist parties in these new states, while at the Fifth All-Russian Congress of the Soviets in July 1918, a constitution reformed the Russian Republic into the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The government also switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, aligning Russia with Europe.
In November 1917, Sovnarkom abolished Russia's legal system, replacing it with "revolutionary conscience". Courts were replaced by Revolutionary Tribunals for counter-revolutionary crimes, and People's Courts for civil and criminal cases, instructed to follow Sovnarkom decrees and a "socialist sense of justice". November also saw the military restructured with egalitarian measures, abolition of previous ranks, titles, and medals, and the establishment of soldiers' committees to elect commanders.
In October 1917, Lenin decreed an eight-hour workday for all Russians. He also issued the Decree on Popular Education, guaranteeing free, secular education for all children, and a decree establishing state orphanages. A literacy campaign was launched to combat mass illiteracy, with an estimated 5 million people enrolling in courses from 1920 to 1926. Embracing gender equality, laws were passed to emancipate women, giving them economic autonomy and easing divorce restrictions. The Zhenotdel was established to promote these aims. Lenin's Russia became the first country to legalize first-trimester abortion on demand. The regime was militantly atheist, seeking to dismantle organized religion. In January 1918, the government decreed the separation of church and state and banned religious instruction in schools.
In November 1917, Lenin issued the Decree on Workers' Control, calling on workers to form elected committees to monitor their enterprise's management. That month, Sovnarkom also requisitioned the country's gold, and nationalized banks, viewing this as a key step toward socialism. In December, Sovnarkom established the Supreme Council of the National Economy (VSNKh), overseeing industry, banking, agriculture, and trade. The factory committees were subordinated to trade unions, which were in turn subordinate to VSNKh, prioritizing the state's central economic plan over local workers' interests. In early 1918, Sovnarkom canceled all foreign debts and refused to pay interest. In April 1918, it nationalized foreign trade, establishing a state monopoly on imports and exports. In June 1918, it nationalized public utilities, railways, engineering, textiles, metallurgy, and mining, though often only in name. Full-scale nationalization did not occur until November 1920, when small-scale industrial enterprises were brought under state control.
The Left Communists criticized Sovnarkom's economic policy as too moderate, advocating for the immediate nationalization of all industry, agriculture, trade, finance, transport, and communication. Lenin deemed this impractical and argued for the nationalization of only large-scale capitalist enterprises, allowing smaller businesses to operate privately until they could be successfully nationalized. Lenin also opposed the Left Communists' syndicalist approach, arguing in June 1918 for centralized economic control, rather than factory-level worker control.
Both Left Communists and other Communist Party factions critiqued the decline of democratic institutions in Russia from a left-libertarian perspective. Internationally, many socialists condemned Lenin's regime, highlighting the lack of widespread political participation, popular consultation, and industrial democracy. In late 1918, Czech-Austrian Marxist Karl Kautsky authored an anti-Leninist pamphlet criticizing Soviet Russia's anti-democratic nature, to which Lenin responded with The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky. German Marxist Rosa Luxemburg echoed Kautsky's views, while Russian anarchist Peter Kropotkin described the Bolshevik seizure of power as "the burial of the Russian Revolution".
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: 1917–1918
Upon taking power, Lenin believed that a key policy of his government must be to withdraw from the First World War by establishing an armistice with the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. He believed that ongoing war would create resentment among war-weary Russian troops, to whom he had promised peace, and that these troops and the advancing German Army threatened both his own government and the cause of international socialism. By contrast, other Bolsheviks, in particular Nikolai Bukharin and the Left Communists, believed that peace with the Central Powers would be a betrayal of international socialism and that Russia should instead wage "a war of revolutionary defence" that would provoke an uprising of the German proletariat against their own government.
Lenin proposed a three-month armistice in his Decree on Peace of November 1917, which was approved by the Second Congress of Soviets and presented to the German and Austro-Hungarian governments. The Germans responded positively, viewing this as an opportunity to focus on the Western Front and stave off looming defeat. In November, armistice talks began at Brest-Litovsk, the headquarters of the German high command on the Eastern Front, with the Russian delegation being led by Trotsky and Adolph Joffe. Meanwhile, a ceasefire until January was agreed. During negotiations, the Germans insisted on keeping their wartime conquests, which included Poland, Lithuania, and Courland, whereas the Russians countered that this was a violation of these nations' rights to self-determination. Some Bolsheviks had expressed hopes of dragging out negotiations until proletarian revolution broke out throughout Europe. On 7 January 1918, Trotsky returned from Brest-Litovsk to Saint Petersburg with an ultimatum from the Central Powers: either Russia accept Germany's territorial demands or the war would resume.
In January and again in February, Lenin urged the Bolsheviks to accept Germany's proposals. He argued that the territorial losses were acceptable if it ensured the survival of the Bolshevik-led government. The majority of Bolsheviks rejected his position, hoping to prolong the armistice and call Germany's bluff. On 18 February, the German Army launched Operation Faustschlag, advancing further into Russian-controlled territory and conquering Dvinsk within a day. At this point, Lenin finally convinced a small majority of the Bolshevik Central Committee to accept the Central Powers' demands. On 23 February, the Central Powers issued a new ultimatum: Russia had to recognise German control not only of Poland and the Baltic states but also of Ukraine or face a full-scale invasion.
On 3 March, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed. It resulted in massive territorial losses for Russia, with 26% of the former Empire's population, 37% of its agricultural harvest area, 28% of its industry, 26% of its railway tracks, and three-quarters of its coal and iron deposits being transferred to German control. Accordingly, the Treaty was deeply unpopular across Russia's political spectrum, and several Bolsheviks and Left Socialist-Revolutionaries resigned from Sovnarkom in protest. After the Treaty, Sovnarkom focused on trying to foment proletarian revolution in Germany, issuing an array of anti-war and anti-government publications in the country; the German government retaliated by expelling Russia's diplomats. The Treaty nevertheless failed to stop the Central Powers' defeat; in November 1918, the German emperor Wilhelm II abdicated and the country's new administration signed the Armistice with the Allies. As a result, Sovnarkom proclaimed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk void.
Anti-Kulak campaigns, Cheka, and Red Terror: 1918–1922
By early 1918, many cities in western Russia faced famine as a result of chronic food shortages. Lenin blamed this on the kulaks, or wealthier peasants, who allegedly hoarded the grain that they had produced to increase its financial value. In May 1918, he issued a requisitioning order that established armed detachments to confiscate grain from kulaks for distribution in the cities, and in June called for the formation of Committees of Poor Peasants to aid in requisitioning. This policy resulted in vast social disorder and violence, as armed detachments often clashed with peasant groups, helping to set the stage for the civil war. A prominent example of Lenin's views was his August 1918 telegram to the Bolsheviks of Penza, which called upon them to suppress a peasant insurrection by publicly hanging at least 100 "known kulaks, rich men, [and] bloodsuckers".
The requisitions disincentivised peasants from producing more grain than they could personally consume, and thus production slumped. A booming black market supplemented the official state-sanctioned economy, and Lenin called on speculators, black marketeers and looters to be shot. Both the Socialist-Revolutionaries and Left Socialist-Revolutionaries condemned the armed appropriations of grain at the Fifth All-Russian Congress of Soviets in July 1918. Realising that the Committees of the Poor Peasants were also persecuting peasants who were not kulaks and thus contributing to anti-government feeling among the peasantry, in December 1918 Lenin abolished them.
Lenin repeatedly emphasised the need for terror and violence in overthrowing the old order and ensuring the success of the revolution. Speaking to the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the Soviets in November 1917, he declared that "the state is an institution built up for the sake of exercising violence. Previously, this violence was exercised by a handful of moneybags over the entire people; now we want [...] to organise violence in the interests of the people." He strongly opposed suggestions to abolish capital punishment. Fearing anti-Bolshevik forces would overthrow his administration, in December 1917 Lenin ordered the establishment of the Emergency Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and Sabotage, or Cheka, a political police force led by Felix Dzerzhinsky.
In September 1918, Sovnarkom passed a decree that inaugurated the Red Terror, a system of repression orchestrated by the Cheka secret police. Although sometimes described as an attempt to eliminate the entire bourgeoisie, Lenin did not want to exterminate all members of this class, merely those who sought to reinstate their rule. The majority of the Terror's victims were well-to-do citizens or former members of the Tsarist administration; others were non-bourgeois anti-Bolsheviks and perceived social undesirables such as prostitutes. The Cheka claimed the right to both sentence and execute anyone whom it deemed to be an enemy of the government, without recourse to the Revolutionary Tribunals. Accordingly, throughout Soviet Russia the Cheka carried out killings, often in large numbers. For example, the Petrograd Cheka executed 512 people in a few days. There are no surviving records to provide an accurate figure of how many perished in the Red Terror; later estimates of historians have ranged between 10,000 and 15,000, and 50,000 to 140,000.
Lenin never witnessed this violence or participated in it first-hand, and publicly distanced himself from it. His published articles and speeches rarely called for executions, but he regularly did so in his coded telegrams and confidential notes. Many Bolsheviks expressed disapproval of the Cheka's mass executions and feared the organisation's apparent unaccountability. The Communist Party tried to restrain its activities in February 1919, stripping it of its powers of tribunal and execution in those areas not under official martial law, but the Cheka continued as before in swathes of the country. By 1920, the Cheka had become the most powerful institution in Soviet Russia, exerting influence over all other state apparatus.
A decree in April 1919 resulted in the establishment of concentration camps, which were entrusted to the Cheka, later administered by a new government agency, Gulag. By the end of 1920, 84 camps had been established across Soviet Russia, holding about 50,000 prisoners; by October 1923, this had grown to 315 camps and about 70,000 inmates. Those interned in the camps were used as slave labour. From July 1922, intellectuals deemed to be opposing the Bolshevik government were exiled to inhospitable regions or deported from Russia altogether; Lenin personally scrutinised the lists of those to be dealt with in this manner. In May 1922, Lenin issued a decree calling for the execution of anti-Bolshevik priests, causing between 14,000 and 20,000 deaths. The Russian Orthodox Church was worst affected; the government's anti-religious policies also harmed Catholic and Protestant churches, Jewish synagogues, and Islamic mosques.
Civil War and the Polish–Soviet War: 1918–1920
Lenin expected Russia's aristocracy and bourgeoisie to oppose his government but believed that the numerical superiority of the lower classes, coupled with the Bolsheviks' organizational skills, would ensure a swift victory. He did not anticipate the intensity of the violent opposition that ensued. The resulting Russian Civil War (1917–1923) pitted the Bolshevik Red Army against the anti-Bolshevik Whites, with the Reds ultimately emerging victorious. The conflict also included ethnic clashes and anti-Bolshevik peasant and left-wing uprisings across the former Empire. Historians often view the civil war as two conflicts: one between revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries, and another among different revolutionary factions.
The White armies were formed by former Tsarist officers, including Anton Denikin's Volunteer Army in South Russia, Alexander Kolchak's forces in Siberia, and Nikolai Yudenich's troops in the Baltic states. The Whites gained support from 35,000 members of the Czech Legion, who allied with the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly (Komuch), an anti-Bolshevik government in Samara. Western governments, angered by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and fearing Bolshevik calls for world revolution, also backed the Whites. In 1918, Britain, France, the U.S., Canada, Italy, and Serbia landed 10,000 troops in Murmansk and Kandalaksha, while British, American, and Japanese forces landed in Vladivostok. Western troops soon withdrew, offering only material support, but Japan remained, seeking territorial gains.
Lenin tasked Trotsky with forming the Red Army, with Trotsky organizing a Revolutionary Military Council in September 1918 and serving as chairman until 1925. Lenin allowed former Tsarist officers to serve in the Red Army, monitored by military councils. The Reds controlled Moscow, Petrograd, and most of Great Russia, while the Whites were fragmented and geographically scattered on the peripheries. The Whites' Russian supremacism alienated national minorities. The White Terror was more spontaneous than the state-sanctioned Red Terror. Antisemitism proved to be a major issue during the Civil War, and while both sides attacked Jewish communities (see Pogroms during the Russian Civil War), the Whites successfully used antisemitism in anti-Bolshevik propaganda by blaming the Jews for the revolution and the alleged conspiracy behind it. Lenin, in his turn, blamed capitalists for inflaming antisemitism and condemned it in general.
In July 1918, Sverdlov informed Sovnarkom that the Ural Regional Soviet had overseen the execution of the former Tsar and his family in Yekaterinburg to prevent their rescue by White troops. Some historians believe Lenin sanctioned the killings, while others, like James Ryan, argue there is "no reason" to believe so. Lenin viewed the execution as necessary, likening it to the execution of Louis XVI during the French Revolution.
After the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, the Left Socialist-Revolutionaries saw the Bolsheviks as traitors. In July 1918, the Left Socialist-Revolutionary Yakov Blumkin assassinated German ambassador Wilhelm von Mirbach to provoke a revolutionary war against Germany. They then launched a coup in Moscow, shelling the Kremlin and seizing the central post office before Trotsky's forces suppressed them. The party's leaders were arrested but treated more leniently than other Bolshevik opponents.
By 1919, the White armies were in retreat, and by 1920, they were defeated on all fronts. The Russian state's territorial extent was reduced as non-Russian ethnic groups sought national independence. In March 1921, during the Polish–Soviet War, the Peace of Riga split disputed territories in Belarus and Ukraine between Poland and Soviet Russia. Soviet Russia aimed to re-conquer newly independent nations but had limited success. Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Lithuania repelled Soviet invasions, while Ukraine, Belarus (as a result of the Polish–Soviet War), Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia were occupied by the Red Army. By 1921, Soviet Russia had defeated the Ukrainian national movements and occupied the Caucasus, though anti-Bolshevik uprisings in Central Asia persisted into the late 1920s.
Following the Armistice and the withdrawal of German Ober Ost garrisons, Soviet and Polish armies moved to fill the vacuum. Both Soviet Russia and the new Polish state sought territorial expansion. Polish and Russian troops first clashed in February 1919, escalating into the Polish–Soviet War. Unlike previous conflicts, this war had significant implications for the export of revolution and Europe's future. Polish forces advanced into Ukraine, taking Kiev by May 1920. After forcing the Polish Army back, Lenin urged the Red Army to invade Poland, expecting a proletarian uprising that would ignite a European revolution. Despite scepticism from Trotsky and others, the invasion proceeded, but the Polish proletariat did not rise, and the Red Army was defeated at the Battle of Warsaw. The Polish Army pushed the Red Army back into Russia, forcing Sovnarkom to sue for peace, culminating in the Peace of Riga, where Russia ceded territory to Poland.
Comintern and world revolution: 1919–1920
After the Armistice on the Western Front, Lenin believed that the breakout of the European revolution was imminent. Seeking to promote this, Sovnarkom supported the establishment of Béla Kun's soviet government in Hungary in March 1919, followed by the soviet government in Bavaria and various revolutionary socialist uprisings in other parts of Germany, including that of the Spartacus League. During Russia's Civil War, the Red Army was sent into the newly independent national republics on Russia's borders to aid Marxists there in establishing soviet systems of government. In Europe, this resulted in the creation of new communist-led states in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine, all of which were nominally independent from Russia but in fact controlled from Moscow, while further east it led to the creation of communist governments in Outer Mongolia. Various senior Bolsheviks wanted these absorbed into the Russian state; Lenin insisted that national sensibilities should be respected, but reassured his comrades that these nations' new Communist Party administrations were under the de facto authority of Sovnarkom.
In late 1918, the British Labour Party called for the establishment of an international conference of socialist parties, the Labour and Socialist International. Lenin saw this as a revival of the Second International, which he had despised, and formulated his own rival international socialist conference to offset its impact. Organised with the aid of Zinoviev, Nikolai Bukharin, Trotsky, Christian Rakovsky, and Angelica Balabanoff, the First Congress of this Communist International (Comintern) opened in Moscow in March 1919. It lacked global coverage; most of the delegates resided within the countries of the former Russian Empire, and most of the international delegates were not recognised by any socialist parties in their own nations. Accordingly, the Bolsheviks dominated proceedings, with Lenin subsequently authoring a series of regulations that meant that only socialist parties endorsing the Bolsheviks' views were permitted to join Comintern. During the first conference, Lenin spoke to the delegates, lambasting the parliamentary path to socialism espoused by revisionist Marxists like Kautsky and repeating his calls for a violent overthrow of Europe's bourgeoisie governments. While Zinoviev became Comintern's president, Lenin retained significant influence over it.
The Second Congress of the Communist International opened in Petrograd's Smolny Institute in July 1920, representing the last time that Lenin visited a city other than Moscow. There, he encouraged foreign delegates to emulate the Bolsheviks' seizure of power and abandoned his longstanding viewpoint that capitalism was a necessary stage in societal development, instead, encouraging those nations under colonial occupation to transform their pre-capitalist societies directly into socialist ones. For this conference, he authored "Left-Wing" Communism: An Infantile Disorder, a short book articulating his criticism of elements within the British and German communist parties who refused to enter their nations' parliamentary systems and trade unions; instead, he urged them to do so to advance the revolutionary cause. The conference had to be suspended for several days due to the ongoing war with Poland, and was relocated to Moscow, where it continued to hold sessions until August. Lenin's predicted world revolution did not materialise, as the Hungarian communist government was overthrown, and the German Marxist uprisings suppressed.
Famine and the New Economic Policy: 1920–1922
Within the Communist Party, there was dissent from two factions, the Group of Democratic Centralism and the Workers' Opposition, both of which accused the Russian state of being too centralised and bureaucratic. The Workers' Opposition, which had connections to the official state trade unions, also expressed the concern that the government had lost the trust of the Russian working class. They were angered by Trotsky's suggestion that the trade unions be eliminated. He deemed the unions to be superfluous in a "workers' state", but Lenin disagreed, believing it best to retain them; most Bolsheviks embraced Lenin's view in the 'trade union discussion'. To deal with the dissent, at the Tenth Party Congress in February 1921, Lenin introduced a ban on factional activity within the party, under pain of expulsion.
Caused in part by a drought, the Russian famine of 1921 resulted in around five million deaths. The famine was exacerbated by government requisitioning, as well as the export of large quantities of Russian grain. To aid the famine victims, the US government established the American Relief Administration to distribute food; Lenin was suspicious of this aid and had it closely monitored. During the famine, Patriarch Tikhon called on Orthodox churches to sell unnecessary items to help feed the starving, an action endorsed by the government. In February 1922, Sovnarkom went further by calling on all valuables belonging to religious institutions to be forcibly appropriated and sold. Tikhon opposed the sale of items used within the Eucharist and many clergy resisted the appropriations, resulting in violence.
In 1920 and 1921, local opposition to requisitioning resulted in anti-Bolshevik peasant uprisings breaking out across Russia, which were suppressed. Among the most significant was the Tambov Rebellion, which was put down by the Red Army. In February 1921, workers went on strike in Petrograd, resulting in the government proclaiming martial law in the city and sending in the Red Army to quell demonstrations. In March, the Kronstadt rebellion began when sailors in Kronstadt revolted against the Bolshevik government, demanding that all socialists be allowed to publish freely, that independent trade unions be given freedom of assembly and that peasants be allowed free markets and not be subject to requisitioning. Lenin declared that the mutineers had been misled by the Socialist-Revolutionaries and foreign imperialists, calling for violent reprisals. Under Trotsky's leadership, the Red Army put down the rebellion on 17 March, resulting in thousands of deaths and the internment of survivors in labour camps.
In February 1921, Lenin introduced a New Economic Policy (NEP) to the Politburo; he convinced most senior Bolsheviks of its necessity and it passed into law in April. Lenin explained the policy in a booklet, On the Food Tax, in which he stated that the NEP represented a return to the original Bolshevik economic plans; he claimed that these had been derailed by the civil war, in which Sovnarkom had been forced to resort to the economic policies of war communism, which involved the nationalization of industry, centralized distribution of output, coercive or forced requisition of agricultural production, and attempts to eliminate money circulation, private enterprises and free trade, leading to the severe economic collapse. The NEP allowed some private enterprise within Russia, permitting the reintroduction of the wage system and allowing peasants to sell produce on the open market while being taxed on their earnings. The policy also allowed for a return to privately owned small industry; basic industry, transport and foreign trade remained under state control. Lenin termed this "state capitalism", and many Bolsheviks thought it to be a betrayal of socialist principles. Lenin biographers have often characterised the introduction of the NEP as one of his most significant achievements, and some believe that had it not been implemented then Sovnarkom would have been quickly overthrown by popular uprisings.
In January 1920, the government brought in universal labour conscription, ensuring that all citizens aged between 16 and 50 had to work. Lenin also called for a mass electrification project of Russia, the GOELRO plan, which began in February 1920; Lenin's declaration that "communism is Soviet power plus the electrification of the whole country" was widely cited in later years. Seeking to advance the Russian economy through foreign trade, Sovnarkom sent delegates to the Genoa Conference; Lenin had hoped to attend but was prevented by ill health. The conference resulted in a Russian agreement with Germany, which followed on from an earlier trade agreement with the United Kingdom. Lenin hoped that by allowing foreign corporations to invest in Russia, Sovnarkom would exacerbate rivalries between the capitalist nations and hasten their downfall; he tried to rent the oil fields of Kamchatka to an American corporation to heighten tensions between the US and Japan, who desired Kamchatka for their empire.
Later life
Declining health and conflict with Stalin: 1920–1923
To Lenin's embarrassment and horror, in April 1920 the Bolsheviks held a large party to celebrate his 50th birthday, which was also marked by widespread celebrations across Russia and the publication of poems and biographies dedicated to him. Between 1920 and 1926, twenty volumes of Lenin's Collected Works were published; some material was omitted. During 1920, several prominent Western figures visited Lenin in Russia; these included the author H. G. Wells and the philosopher Bertrand Russell, as well as the anarchists Emma Goldman and Alexander Berkman. Lenin was also visited at the Kremlin by Armand, who was in increasingly poor health. He sent her to a sanatorium in Kislovodsk in the Northern Caucasus to recover, but she died there in September 1920 during a cholera epidemic. Her body was transported to Moscow, where a visibly grief-stricken Lenin oversaw her burial beneath the Kremlin Wall.
Lenin became seriously ill by the latter half of 1921, experiencing hyperacusis, insomnia, and regular headaches. At the Politburo's insistence, in July he left Moscow for a month's leave at his Gorki mansion, where he was cared for by his wife and sister. Lenin began to contemplate the possibility of suicide, asking both Krupskaya and Stalin to acquire potassium cyanide for him. Twenty-six physicians were hired to help Lenin during his final years; many of them were foreign and had been hired at great expense. Some suggested that his sickness could have been caused by metal oxidation from the bullets that were lodged in his body from the 1918 assassination attempt; in April 1922 he underwent a surgical operation to successfully remove them. The symptoms continued after this, with Lenin's doctors unsure of the cause; some suggested that he had neurasthenia or cerebral arteriosclerosis. In May 1922, he had his first stroke, temporarily losing his ability to speak and being paralysed on his right side. He convalesced at Gorki and had largely recovered by July. In October, he returned to Moscow; in December, he had a second stroke and returned to Gorki.
Despite his illness, Lenin remained keenly interested in political developments. When the Socialist Revolutionary Party's leadership was found guilty of conspiring against the government in a trial held between June and August 1922, Lenin called for their execution; they were instead imprisoned indefinitely, only being executed during the Great Purge of Stalin's leadership. With Lenin's support, the government also succeeded in virtually eradicating Menshevism in Russia by expelling all Mensheviks from state institutions and enterprises in March 1923 and then imprisoning the party's membership in concentration camps. Lenin was concerned by the survival of the Tsarist bureaucratic system in Soviet Russia, particularly during his final years. Condemning bureaucratic attitudes, he suggested a total overhaul to deal with such problems, in one letter complaining that "we are being sucked into a foul bureaucratic swamp".
During December 1922 and January 1923, Lenin dictated "Lenin's Testament", in which he discussed the personal qualities of his comrades, particularly Trotsky and Stalin. He recommended that Stalin be removed from the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party, deeming him ill-suited for the position. He highlighted Trotsky's superior intellect but at the same time criticised his self-assurance and inclination toward excess administration. During this period he dictated a criticism of the bureaucratic nature of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate, calling for the recruitment of new, working-class staff as an antidote to this problem, while in another article he called for the state to combat illiteracy, promote punctuality and conscientiousness within the populace, and encourage peasants to join co‑operatives.
In Lenin's absence, Stalin had begun consolidating his power both by appointing his supporters to prominent positions, and by cultivating an image of himself as Lenin's closest intimate and deserving successor. In December 1922, Stalin took responsibility for Lenin's regimen, being tasked by the Politburo with controlling who had access to him. Lenin was increasingly critical of Stalin; while Lenin was insisting that the state should retain its monopoly on international trade during mid-1922, Stalin was leading other Bolsheviks in unsuccessfully opposing this. There were personal arguments between the two as well; Stalin had upset Krupskaya by shouting at her during a phone conversation, which in turn greatly angered Lenin, who sent Stalin a letter expressing his annoyance.
The most significant political division between the two emerged during the Georgian Affair. Stalin had suggested that both the forcibly Sovietized Georgia and neighbouring countries like Azerbaijan and Armenia, which were all invaded and occupied by the Red Army, should be merged into the Russian state, despite the protestations of their local Soviet-installed governments. Lenin saw this as an expression of Great Russian ethnic chauvinism by Stalin and his supporters, instead calling for these nation-states to join Russia as semi-independent parts of a greater union, which he suggested be called the Union of Soviet Republics of Europe and Asia. After some resistance to the proposal, Stalin eventually accepted it but, with Lenin's agreement, he changed the name of the newly proposed state to "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)". Lenin sent Trotsky to speak on his behalf at a Central Committee plenum in December, where the plans for the Soviet Union were sanctioned; these plans were then ratified on 30 December by the Congress of Soviets, resulting in the formation of the Soviet Union. Despite his poor health, Lenin was elected chairman of the new government of the Soviet Union.
Death and funeral: 1923–1924
In March 1923, Lenin had a third stroke and lost his ability to speak; that month, he experienced partial paralysis on his right side and began exhibiting sensory aphasia. By May, he appeared to be making a slow recovery, regaining some of his mobility, speech, and writing skills. In October, he made a final visit to the Kremlin. In his final weeks, Lenin was visited by Zinoviev, Kamenev, and Bukharin; the latter visited him at his Gorki mansion on the day of his death. On 21 January 1924, Lenin fell into a coma and died later that day at age 53. His official cause of death was recorded as an incurable disease of the blood vessels.
The Soviet government publicly announced Lenin's death the following day. On 23 January, mourners from the Communist Party, trade unions, and Soviets visited his Gorki home to inspect the body, which was carried aloft in a red coffin by leading Bolsheviks. Transported by train to Moscow, the coffin was taken to the House of Trade Unions, where the body lay in state.
Over the next three days, around a million mourners came to see the body, many queuing for hours in the freezing conditions. On 26 January, the eleventh All-Union Congress of Soviets met to pay respects, with speeches by Kalinin, Zinoviev, and Stalin. Notably, Trotsky was absent; he had been convalescing in the Caucasus, and he later claimed that Stalin sent him a telegram with the incorrect date of the planned funeral, making it impossible for him to arrive in time. Lenin's funeral took place the following day, when his body was carried to Red Square, accompanied by martial music, where assembled crowds listened to a series of speeches before the corpse was placed into the vault of a specially erected mausoleum. Despite the freezing temperatures, tens of thousands attended.
Against Krupskaya's protestations, Lenin's body was embalmed to preserve it for long-term public display in the Red Square mausoleum. During this process, Lenin's brain was removed; in 1925 an institute was established to dissect it, revealing that Lenin had had severe sclerosis. In July 1929, the Politburo agreed to replace the temporary mausoleum with a permanent one in granite, which was finished in 1933. His sarcophagus was replaced in 1940 and again in 1970. For safety amid the Second World War, from 1941 to 1945 the body was temporarily moved to Tyumen. As of 2025, his body remains on public display in Lenin's Mausoleum on Red Square.
Political ideology
Marxism and Leninism
Lenin was a devout Marxist, and believed that his interpretation of Marxism, first termed "Leninism" by Martov in 1904, was the sole authentic and orthodox one. According to his Marxist perspective, humanity would eventually reach pure communism, becoming a stateless, classless, egalitarian society of workers who were free from exploitation and alienation, controlled their own destiny, and abided by the rule "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". According to Volkogonov, Lenin "deeply and sincerely" believed that the path he was setting Russia on would ultimately lead to the establishment of this communist society.
Lenin's Marxist beliefs led him to the view that society could not transform directly from its present state to communism, but must first enter a period of socialism, and so his main concern was how to convert Russia into a socialist society. To do so, he believed that a dictatorship of the proletariat was necessary to suppress the bourgeoisie and develop a socialist economy. He defined socialism as "an order of civilized co-operators in which the means of production are socially owned", and believed that this economic system had to be expanded until it could create a society of abundance. To achieve this, he saw bringing the Russian economy under state control to be his central concern, with "all citizens" becoming "hired employees of the state" in his words. Lenin openly endorsed the unlimited issuance of fiat currency to fund the state, stating that "the best way to destroy the Capitalist System is to debauch the currency." He believed it was a necessary step during the revolutionary transition stating that eventually, "even the simplest peasant will realize that it is only a scrap of paper." Lenin's interpretation of socialism was centralised, planned, and statist, with both production and distribution strictly controlled. He believed that all workers throughout the country would voluntarily join to enable the state's economic and political centralisation. In this way, his calls for "workers' control" of the means of production referred not to the direct control of enterprises by their workers, but the operation of all enterprises under the control of a "workers' state". This resulted in what some perceive as two conflicting themes within Lenin's thought: popular workers' control, and a centralised, hierarchical, coercive state apparatus.
Before 1914, Lenin's views were largely in accordance with mainstream European Marxist orthodoxy. Although he derided Marxists who adopted ideas from contemporary non-Marxist philosophers and sociologists, his own ideas were influenced not only by Russian Marxist theory but also by wider ideas from the Russian revolutionary movement, including those of the Narodnik agrarian-socialists. He adapted his ideas according to changing circumstances, including the pragmatic realities of governing Russia amid war, famine, and economic collapse. As Leninism developed, Lenin revised the established Marxist orthodoxy and introduced innovations in Marxist thought.
In his theoretical writings, particularly Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, Lenin discussed what he regarded as developments in capitalism since Marx's death; in his view, it had reached the new stage of state monopoly capitalism. He believed that although Russia's economy was dominated by the peasantry, the presence of monopoly capitalism in Russia meant that the country was sufficiently materially developed to move to socialism. Leninism adopted a more absolutist and doctrinaire perspective than other variants of Marxism, and distinguished itself by the emotional intensity of its liberationist vision. It also stood out by emphasising the role of a vanguard who could lead the proletariat to revolution, and elevated the role of violence as a revolutionary instrument.
Democracy and the national question
Lenin believed that the representative democracy of capitalist countries gave the illusion of democracy while maintaining the "dictatorship of the bourgeoisie"; describing the representative democratic system of the United States, he referred to the "spectacular and meaningless duels between two bourgeois parties", both of whom were led by "astute multimillionaires" that exploited the American proletariat. He opposed liberalism, what, according to Dmitri Volkogonov, was "a mark" of his general antipathy toward liberty as a value, and believing that liberalism's freedoms were fraudulent because it did not free labourers from capitalist exploitation.
Lenin declared that "Soviet government is many millions of times more democratic than the most democratic-bourgeois republic", the latter of which was simply "a democracy for the rich". Lenin's belief as to what a proletarian state should look like nevertheless deviated from that adopted by the Marxist mainstream; European Marxists like Kautsky envisioned a democratically elected parliamentary government in which the proletariat had a majority, whereas Lenin called for a strong, centralised state apparatus that excluded any input from the bourgeois. He regarded his dictatorship of the proletariat as democratic because, he claimed, it involved the election of representatives to the soviets, workers electing their own officials, and the regular rotation and involvement of all workers in the administration of the state. However, as the Soviet state faced international isolation by the end of its victory in the Civil War and adopted NEP policies, which were also seen as a source of danger for the regime, Lenin stated that his government could "promise neither freedom nor democracy" until the threat of war or attack on the Soviet state was gone, just as any other government, he said, would act "in war", intending the denial of political freedoms to be provisional.
Lenin was an internationalist and a keen supporter of world revolution, deeming national borders to be an outdated concept and nationalism a distraction from class struggle. He believed that in a socialist society, the world's nations would inevitably merge and result in a single world government. He believed that this socialist state would need to be a centralised, unitary one, and regarded federalism as a bourgeois concept. In his writings, Lenin espoused anti-imperialist ideas and stated that all nations deserved "the right of self-determination". He supported wars of national liberation, accepting that such conflicts might be necessary for a minority group to break away from a socialist state, because socialist states are not "holy or insured against mistakes or weaknesses".
Prior to taking power in 1917, he was concerned that ethnic and national minorities would make the Soviet state ungovernable with their calls for independence; according to the historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, Lenin thus encouraged Stalin to develop "a theory that offered the ideal of autonomy and the right of secession without necessarily having to grant either". On taking power, Lenin called for the dismantling of the bonds that had forced minority ethnic groups to remain in the Russian Empire and espoused their right to secede but also expected them to reunite immediately in the spirit of proletariat internationalism. He was willing to use military force to ensure this unity, resulting in armed incursions into the independent states that formed in Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states. Only when its conflicts with Finland, the Baltic states, and Poland proved unsuccessful did Lenin's government officially recognise their independence.
Personal life and characteristics
Lenin saw himself as a man of destiny and firmly believed in the righteousness of his cause and his own ability as a revolutionary leader. Biographer Louis Fischer described him as "a lover of radical change and maximum upheaval", a man for whom "there was never a middle-ground. He was an either-or, black-or-red exaggerator". Highlighting Lenin's "extraordinary capacity for disciplined work" and "devotion to the revolutionary cause", Pipes noted that he exhibited much charisma. Similarly, Volkogonov believed that "by the very force of his personality, [Lenin] had an influence over people". Conversely, Lenin's friend Maxim Gorky commented that in his physical appearance as a "baldheaded, stocky, sturdy person", the communist revolutionary was "too ordinary" and did not give "the impression of being a leader".
Historian and biographer Robert Service asserted that Lenin had been an intensely emotional young man, who exhibited strong hatred for the Tsarist authorities. According to Service, Lenin developed an "emotional attachment" to his ideological heroes, such as Marx, Engels, and Chernyshevsky; he owned portraits of them, and privately described himself as being "in love" with Marx and Engels. According to Lenin biographer James D. White, Lenin treated their writings as "holy writ", a "religious dogma", which should "not be questioned but believed in". In Volkogonov's view, Lenin accepted Marxism as "absolute truth", and accordingly acted like "a religious fanatic". Similarly, Bertrand Russell felt that Lenin exhibited "unwavering faith—religious faith in the Marxian gospel". Biographer Christopher Read suggested that Lenin was "a secular equivalent of theocratic leaders who derive their legitimacy from the [perceived] truth of their doctrines, not popular mandates". Lenin was nevertheless an atheist and a critic of religion, believing that socialism was inherently atheistic; he thus considered Christian socialism a contradiction in terms.
Service stated that Lenin could be "moody and volatile", and Pipes deemed him to be "a thoroughgoing misanthrope", a view rejected by Read, who highlighted many instances in which Lenin displayed kindness, particularly toward children. According to several biographers, Lenin was intolerant of opposition and often dismissed outright opinions that differed from his own. He could be "venomous in his critique of others", exhibiting a propensity for mockery, ridicule, and ad hominem attacks on those who disagreed with him. He ignored facts that did not suit his argument, abhorred compromise, and very rarely admitted his own errors. He refused to change his opinions, until he rejected them completely, after which he would treat the new view as if it was just as unchangeable. Lenin showed no sign of sadism or of personally desiring to commit violent acts, but he endorsed the violent actions of others and exhibited no remorse for those killed for the revolutionary cause. Adopting a utilitarian stance, in Lenin's view the end always justified the means; according to Service, Lenin's "criterion of morality was simple: does a certain action advance or hinder the cause of the Revolution?"
Ethnically, Lenin identified as Russian. Service described Lenin as "a bit of a snob in national, social and cultural terms". The Bolshevik leader believed that other European countries, especially Germany, were culturally superior to Russia, describing the latter as "one of the most benighted, medieval and shamefully backward of Asian countries". He was annoyed at what he perceived as a lack of conscientiousness and discipline among the Russian people, and from his youth had wanted Russia to become more culturally European and Western.
Despite his revolutionary politics, Lenin disliked revolutionary experimentation in literature and the arts, expressing his dislike of expressionism, futurism, and cubism, and conversely favouring realism and Russian classic literature. Lenin also had a conservative attitude towards sex and marriage. Throughout his adult life, he was in a relationship with Krupskaya, a fellow Marxist whom he married. Lenin and Krupskaya both regretted that they never had children, and they enjoyed entertaining their friends' offspring. Read noted that Lenin had "very close, warm, lifelong relationships" with his close family members; he had no lifelong friends, and Armand has been cited as being his only close, intimate confidante.
Aside from Russian, Lenin spoke and read French, German, and English. Concerned with physical fitness, he exercised regularly, enjoyed cycling, swimming, and hunting, and also developed a passion for mountain walking in the Swiss peaks. He was also fond of pets, in particular cats. Tending to eschew luxury, he lived a spartan lifestyle, and Pipes noted that Lenin was "exceedingly modest in his personal wants", leading "an austere, almost ascetic, style of life". Lenin despised untidiness, always keeping his work desk tidy and his pencils sharpened, and insisted on total silence while he was working. According to Fischer, Lenin's "vanity was minimal", and for this reason he disliked the cult of personality that the Soviet administration began to build around him; he nevertheless accepted that it might have some benefits in unifying the communist movement.
Legacy
Volkogonov said, while renouncing Leninist ideology, that "there can scarcely have been another man in history who managed so profoundly to change so large a society on such a scale." Lenin's administration laid the framework for the system of government that ruled Russia for seven decades and provided the model for later Communist-led states that came to cover a third of the inhabited world in the mid-20th century. As a result, Lenin's influence was global. A controversial figure, Lenin remains both reviled and revered, a figure who has been both idolised and demonised. Even during his lifetime, Lenin "was loved and hated, admired and scorned" by the Russian people. This has extended into academic studies of Lenin and Leninism, which have often been polarised along political lines.
The historian Albert Resis suggested that if the October Revolution is considered the most significant event of the 20th century, then Lenin "must for good or ill be considered the century's most significant political leader". White described Lenin as "one of the undeniably outstanding figures of modern history", while Service noted that the Russian leader was widely understood to be one of the 20th century's "principal actors". Read considered him "one of the most widespread, universally recognizable icons of the twentieth century", while Ryan called him "one of the most significant and influential figures of modern history". Time named Lenin one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, and one of their top 25 political icons of all time.
In the Western world, biographers began writing about Lenin soon after his death; some such as Christopher Hill were sympathetic to him, and others such as Richard Pipes and Robert Gellately expressly hostile. Some later biographers such as Read and Lars Lih sought to avoid making either hostile or positive comments about him, thereby evading politicised stereotypes. Among sympathisers, he was portrayed as having made a genuine adjustment of Marxist theory that enabled it to suit Russia's particular socio-economic conditions. The Soviet view characterised him as a man who recognised the historically inevitable and accordingly helped to make the inevitable happen. Conversely, the majority of Western historians have perceived him as a person who manipulated events to attain and then retain political power, moreover, considering his ideas as attempts to ideologically justify his pragmatic policies. Later, revisionists in both Russia and the West highlighted the impact that pre-existing ideas and popular pressures exerted on Lenin and his policies.
Various historians and biographers have characterised Lenin's administration as a police state, and many have described it as a one-party dictatorship, and Lenin as a dictator. Fischer noted that while "Lenin was a dictator, [he was] not the kind of dictator Stalin later became." Volkogonov believed that whereas Lenin established a "dictatorship of the Party", it would only be under Stalin that the Soviet Union became the "dictatorship of one man". Ryan stated that he was "not a dictator in the sense that all his recommendations were accepted and implemented", for many of his colleagues disagreed with him on various issues. Moshe Lewin wrote that "he was not a dictator in his party, but its leader".
Some historians noted that his policies led to the establishment of a totalitarian system in the USSR, while others (including Volkogonov) directly characterized his government as a totalitarian regime. The latter claim has been a subject of debates since the 1980s between the traditionalist school of Soviet and communist studies, also known as "Cold War historians" or the "totalitarian school" for relying on interpretations rooted in the early years of the Cold War, and the "revisionists". The traditionalists believed that Stalinist totalitarianism was a mere continuation of Leninism and that Soviet Russia of 1917–1924 was as totalitarian as the Soviet Union under Stalin, while the revisionists opposed such definition and tended to see rupture between Lenin and Stalin and; contrary to the traditionalists, they stressed the genuinely popular nature of the revolution. Moshe Lewin argued that "The Soviet regime underwent a long period of 'Stalinism', which in its basic features was diametrically opposed to the recommendations of [Lenin's] testament". The description of Stalinism as a continuation of Leninism, and thus of Leninism as a totalitarian system, was consenus in Western historiography until such revisionist historians as Lewin broke the consensus in the late 1960s. According to Evan Mawdsley, the revisionist position on this issue "had been dominant from the 1970s".
Conversely, various Marxist observers, including Western historians Hill and John Rees, argued against the view that Lenin's government was a dictatorship, viewing it instead as an imperfect way of preserving elements of democracy without some of the processes found in liberal democratic states. Ryan contends that the leftist historian Paul Le Blanc "makes a quite valid point that the personal qualities that led Lenin to brutal policies were not necessarily any stronger than in some of the major Western leaders of the twentieth century". Ryan also posits that for Lenin revolutionary violence was merely a means to an end, namely the establishment of a socialist, ultimately communist world—a world without violence. Historian J. Arch Getty stated, "Lenin deserves a lot of credit for the notion that the meek can inherit the earth, that there can be a political movement based on social justice and equality." Some left-wing intellectuals, among them Slavoj Žižek, Alain Badiou, Lars T. Lih, and Fredric Jameson, advocate reviving Lenin's uncompromising revolutionary spirit to address contemporary global problems.
Within the Soviet Union
In the Soviet Union, a cult of personality devoted to Lenin began to develop during his lifetime, but was only fully established after his death. According to historian Nina Tumarkin, it represented the world's "most elaborate cult of a revolutionary leader" since that of George Washington in the United States, and has been repeatedly described as "quasi-religious" in nature. Busts or statues of Lenin were erected in almost every village, and his face adorned postage stamps, crockery, posters, and the front pages of Soviet newspapers Pravda and Izvestia. The places where he had lived or stayed were converted into museums devoted to him. Libraries, streets, farms, museums, towns, and whole regions were named after him, with the city of Petrograd being renamed "Leningrad" in 1924, and his birthplace of Simbirsk becoming Ulyanovsk. The Order of Lenin was established as one of the country's highest decorations. All of this was contrary to Lenin's own desires and was publicly criticised by his widow.
Various biographers have stated that Lenin's writings were treated in a manner akin to religious scripture within the Soviet Union, while Pipes added that "his every opinion was cited to justify one policy or another and treated as gospel". Stalin systematised Leninism through a series of lectures at the Sverdlov University, which were then published as Questions of Leninism. Stalin also had much of the deceased leader's writings collated and stored in a secret archive in the Marx–Engels–Lenin Institute. Material such as Lenin's collection of books in Kraków was also collected from abroad for storage in the institute, often at great expense. During the Soviet era, these writings were strictly controlled and very few had access. All of Lenin's writings that proved useful to Stalin were published, but the others remained hidden, and knowledge of both Lenin's non-Russian ancestry and his noble status was suppressed. In particular, knowledge of his Jewish ancestry was suppressed until the 1980s, perhaps out of Soviet antisemitism, and so as not to undermine Stalin's Russification efforts, and perhaps so as not to provide fuel for anti-Soviet sentiment among international antisemites. After the discovery of Lenin's Jewish ancestry, this aspect was repeatedly emphasised by the Russian far-right, who claimed that his inherited Jewish genetics explained his desire to uproot traditional Russian society. Under Stalin's regime, Lenin was portrayed as a close friend of Stalin's who had supported Stalin's bid to be the next Soviet leader. During the Soviet era, five separate editions of Lenin's published works were published in Russian, the first beginning in 1920 and the last from 1958 to 1965; the fifth edition was described as "complete", but in reality, had much omitted for political expediency.
After Stalin's death, Nikita Khrushchev became leader of the Soviet Union and began a process of de-Stalinisation, citing Lenin's writings, including those on Stalin, to legitimise this process. When Mikhail Gorbachev took power in 1985 and introduced the policies of glasnost and perestroika, he too cited these actions as a return to Lenin's principles. In late 1991, amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered the Lenin archive be removed from Communist Party control and placed under the control of a state organ, the Russian Centre for the Preservation and Study of Documents of Recent History, at which it was revealed that over 6,000 of Lenin's writings had gone unpublished. These were declassified and made available for scholarly study. Since 1991, there has been some discussion about moving Lenin's body from the mausoleum to the Kremlin Wall Necropolis. President Boris Yeltsin, with the support of the Russian Orthodox Church, intended to close the mausoleum and bury Lenin next to his mother, Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova, at the Volkov Cemetery in Saint Petersburg. His successor, Vladimir Putin, opposed this, stating that a reburial of Lenin would imply that generations of citizens had observed false values during Soviet rule.
In Russia in 2012, a proposal from a deputy belonging to the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, with the support of some members of the governing United Russia party, proposed the removal of Lenin monuments in Russia. The proposal was strongly opposed by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and was never considered. Russia retained the vast majority of the 7,000 Lenin statues extant in 1991; as of 2022, there were approximately 6,000 monuments to Lenin in Russia.
In Ukraine, during the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests, Lenin statues were damaged or destroyed by protesters across the country, and in April 2015 the Ukrainian government ordered that all others be dismantled to comply with decommunisation laws. During the Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Lenin statues which had been taken down by Ukrainian activists in the preceding years, were re-erected by Russian occupiers in Russian-occupied areas, symbolizing Russia's domination over Ukraine. Beginning in 1998, the independent agency Levada has perennially conducted polls measuring the perception of Lenin's legacy among Russians: in 2017, 56% of respondents believed Lenin played a positive role in the country's history, while 22% believed he had played a negative role; in 2024, the former figure had increased to an all-time high of 67%.
In the international communist movement
After Lenin's death, Stalin's administration established an ideology known as Marxism–Leninism, a movement that came to be interpreted differently by contending factions in the communist movement. According to Lenin biographer David Shub, writing in 1965, it was Lenin's ideas and example that "constitutes the basis of the Communist movement today". Socialist states following Lenin's ideas appeared in various parts of the world during the 20th century, forming into variants such as Stalinism, Maoism, Juche, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and Castroism. Writing in 1972, the historian Marcel Liebman stated that "there is hardly any insurrectionary movement today, from Latin America to Angola, that does not lay claim to the heritage of Leninism." Conversely, many later Western communists expressed the view that Lenin and his ideas were irrelevant to their own objectives.
See also
Notes
References
Footnotes
Bibliography
Further reading
External links
Marx2Mao.org – Lenin Internet Library
Lenin Internet Archive Biography includes interviews with Lenin and essays on the leader
Works by Vladimir Lenin at Project Gutenberg
Works by or about Vladimir Lenin at the Internet Archive (narrowed results)
Works by or about Vladimir Lenin at the Internet Archive (broad results)
Works by Vladimir Lenin at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Marxists.org Lenin Internet Archive – Extensive compendium of writings, a biography, and many photographs
Newspaper clippings about Vladimir Lenin in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW
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Napoleon
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Napoleon.
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Tell me a bio of Napoleon.
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Tell me a bio of Napoleon within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Napoleon with around 100 words.
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Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of military campaigns across Europe during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1796 to 1815. He led the French Republic as First Consul from 1799 to 1804, then ruled the French Empire as Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814, and briefly again in 1815. He was King of Italy from 1805 to 1814 and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine from 1806 to 1813.
Born on the island of Corsica to a family of Italian origin, Napoleon moved to mainland France in 1779 and was commissioned as an officer in the French Royal Army in 1785. He supported the French Revolution in 1789 and promoted its cause in Corsica. He rose rapidly through the ranks after winning the siege of Toulon in 1793 and defeating royalist insurgents in Paris on 13 Vendémiaire in 1795. In 1796 he commanded a military campaign against the Austrians and their Italian allies in the War of the First Coalition, scoring decisive victories and becoming a national hero. He led an invasion of Egypt and Syria in 1798 which served as a springboard to political power. In November 1799 Napoleon engineered the Coup of 18 Brumaire against the French Directory and became First Consul of the Republic. He won the Battle of Marengo in 1800, which secured France's victory in the War of the Second Coalition, and in 1803 he sold the territory of Louisiana to the United States. In December 1804 Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French, further expanding his power.
The breakdown of the Treaty of Amiens led to the War of the Third Coalition by 1805. Napoleon shattered the coalition with a decisive victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, which led to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. In the War of the Fourth Coalition, Napoleon defeated Prussia at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806, marched his Grande Armée into Eastern Europe, and defeated the Russians in 1807 at the Battle of Friedland. Seeking to extend his trade embargo against Britain, Napoleon invaded the Iberian Peninsula and installed his brother Joseph as King of Spain in 1808, provoking the Peninsular War. In 1809 the Austrians again challenged France in the War of the Fifth Coalition, in which Napoleon solidified his grip over Europe after winning the Battle of Wagram. In the summer of 1812 he launched an invasion of Russia, briefly occupying Moscow before conducting a catastrophic retreat of his army that winter. In 1813 Prussia and Austria joined Russia in the War of the Sixth Coalition, in which Napoleon was decisively defeated at the Battle of Leipzig. The coalition invaded France and captured Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate in April 1814. They exiled him to the Mediterranean island of Elba and restored the Bourbons to power. Ten months later, Napoleon escaped from Elba on a brig, landed in France with a thousand men, and marched on Paris, again taking control of the country. His opponents responded by forming a Seventh Coalition, which defeated him at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, where he died of stomach cancer in 1821, aged 51.
Napoleon is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history, and Napoleonic tactics are still studied at military schools worldwide. His legacy endures through the modernizing legal and administrative reforms he enacted in France and Western Europe, embodied in the Napoleonic Code. He established a system of public education, abolished the vestiges of feudalism, emancipated Jews and other religious minorities, abolished the Spanish Inquisition, enacted the principle of equality before the law for an emerging middle class, and centralized state power at the expense of religious authorities. His conquests acted as a catalyst for political change and the development of nation states. However, he is controversial because of his role in wars which devastated Europe, his looting of conquered territories, and his mixed record on civil rights. He abolished the free press, ended directly elected representative government, exiled and jailed critics of his regime, reinstated slavery in France's colonies except for Haiti, banned the entry of blacks and mulattos into France, reduced the civil rights of women and children in France, reintroduced a hereditary monarchy and nobility, and violently repressed popular uprisings against his rule.
Early life
Napoleon's family was of Italian origin. His paternal ancestors, the Buonapartes, descended from a minor Tuscan noble family who emigrated to Corsica in the 16th century. His maternal ancestors, the Ramolinos, descended from a noble family from Lombardy. Napoleon's parents, Carlo Maria Buonaparte and Maria Letizia Ramolino, lived in the Maison Bonaparte home in Ajaccio, where Napoleon was born on 15 August 1769. He had an elder brother, Joseph, and six younger siblings: Lucien, Elisa, Louis, Pauline, Caroline, and Jérôme. Five more siblings were stillborn or did not survive infancy. Napoleon was baptized as a Catholic under the name Napoleone di Buonaparte. In his youth, his name was also spelled as Nabulione, Nabulio, Napolionne, and Napulione.
Napoleon was born one year after the Republic of Genoa ceded Corsica to France through the Treaty of Versailles. His father supported Pasquale Paoli during the Corsican war of independence against France. After the Corsican defeat at the Battle of Ponte Novu in 1769 and Paoli's exile to Britain, Carlo became friends with the French governor Charles Louis de Marbeuf, who became his patron and a godfather to Napoleon. With Mabeuf's support, Carlo was named Corsican representative to the court of Louis XVI, and Napoleon obtained a royal bursary to a military academy in mainland France.
The dominant influence of Napoleon's childhood was his mother, whose firm discipline restrained a rambunctious child. Later in life, Napoleon said, "The future destiny of the child is always the work of the mother." Napoleon's noble, moderately affluent background afforded him greater opportunities to study than were available to a typical Corsican of the time.
In January 1779, aged 9, Napoleon moved to the French mainland and enrolled at a religious school in Autun to improve his French, his mother tongues being Corsican and Italian. Although he eventually became fluent in French, he spoke it with a Corsican accent, and his French spelling was poor. In May, he transferred to the military academy at Brienne-le-Château where he was routinely bullied by his peers for his accent, birthplace, short stature, mannerisms, and poor French. He became reserved and melancholic, applying himself to reading. An examiner observed that Napoleon "has always been distinguished for his application in mathematics. He is fairly well acquainted with history and geography ... This boy would make an excellent sailor".
One story of Napoleon at the school is that he led junior students to victory against senior students in a snowball fight, which allegedly showed his leadership abilities. But the story was only told after Napoleon had become famous. In his later years at Brienne, Napoleon became an outspoken Corsican nationalist and admirer of Paoli.
In September 1784 Napoleon was admitted to the École militaire in Paris where he trained to become an artillery officer. He excelled at mathematics and read widely in geography, history and literature. However, he was poor at French and German. His father's death in February 1785 cut the family income and forced him to complete the two-year course in one year. In September he was examined by the famed scientist Pierre-Simon Laplace and became the first Corsican to graduate from the École militaire.
Early career
Return to Corsica
Upon graduating in September 1785, Bonaparte was commissioned a second lieutenant in La Fère artillery regiment. He served in Valence and Auxonne until after the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 but spent long periods of leave in Corsica, which fed his Corsican nationalism. In September 1789 he returned to Corsica and promoted the French revolutionary cause. Paoli returned to the island in July 1790, but he had no sympathy for Bonaparte, as he deemed his father a traitor for having deserted the cause of Corsican independence.
Bonaparte plunged into a complex three-way struggle among royalists, revolutionaries, and Corsican nationalists. He became a supporter of the Jacobins and joined the pro-French Corsican Republicans who opposed Paoli's policy and his aspirations to secede. He was given command over a battalion of Corsican volunteers and promoted to captain in the regular army in 1792, despite exceeding his leave of absence and a dispute between his volunteers and the French garrison in Ajaccio.
In February 1793 Bonaparte took part in the failed French expedition to Sardinia. Following allegations that Paoli had sabotaged the expedition and that his regime was corrupt and incompetent, the French National Convention outlawed him. In early June, Bonaparte and 400 French troops failed to capture Ajaccio from Corsican volunteers, and the island became controlled by Paoli's supporters. When Bonaparte learned that the Corsican assembly had condemned him and his family, the Buonapartes fled to Toulon on the French mainland.
Siege of Toulon
Bonaparte returned to his regiment in Nice and was made captain of a coastal battery. In July 1793 he published a pamphlet, Le souper de Beaucaire (Supper at Beaucaire), demonstrating his support for the National Convention which was heavily influenced by the Jacobins.
In September, with the help of his fellow Corsican Antoine Christophe Saliceti, Bonaparte was appointed artillery commander of the republican forces sent to recapture the port of Toulon which was occupied by allied forces. He quickly increased the available artillery and proposed a plan to capture a hill fort where republican guns could dominate the city's harbour and force the allies to evacuate. The successful assault on the position on 16–17 December led to the capture of the city.
Toulon brought Bonaparte to the attention of powerful men including Augustin Robespierre, the younger brother of Maximilien Robespierre, a leading Jacobin. He was promoted to brigadier general and put in charge of defences on the Mediterranean coast. In February 1794, he was made artillery commander of the Army of Italy and devised plans to attack the Kingdom of Sardinia.
The French army carried out Bonaparte's plan in the Second Battle of Saorgio in April 1794 and then advanced to seize Ormea in the mountains. From Ormea, it headed west to outflank the Austro-Sardinian positions around Saorge. After this campaign, Augustin Robespierre sent Bonaparte on a mission to the Republic of Genoa to determine the country's intentions towards France.
13 Vendémiaire
After the Fall of Maximilien Robespierre in July 1794, Bonaparte's association with leading Jacobins made him politically suspect to the new regime. He was arrested on 9 August but released two weeks later. He was asked to draw up plans to attack Italian positions as part of France's war with Austria, and in March 1795 he took part in an expedition to take back Corsica from the British, but the French were repulsed by the Royal Navy.
From 1794, Bonaparte was in a romantic relationship with Désirée Clary, whose sister Julie Clary had married Bonaparte's elder brother Joseph. In April 1795 Bonaparte was assigned to the Army of the West, which was engaged in the War in the Vendée—a civil war and royalist counter-revolution in the Vendée region. As an infantry command, it was a demotion from artillery general, and he pleaded poor health to avoid the posting. During this period, he wrote the romantic novella Clisson et Eugénie, about a soldier and his lover, in a clear parallel to Bonaparte's own relationship with Clary.
In August he obtained a position with the Bureau of Topography where he worked on military planning. On 15 September he was removed from the list of generals in regular service for refusing to serve in the Vendée campaign. He sought a transfer to Constantinople to offer his services to Sultan Selim III. The request was eventually granted, but he never took up the post.
On 3 October royalists in Paris declared a rebellion against the National Convention. Paul Barras, a leader of the Thermidorian Reaction, knew of Bonaparte's military exploits at Toulon and made him second in command of the forces defending the convention in the Tuileries Palace. Bonaparte had seen the massacre of the king's Swiss Guard during the Insurrection of 10 August 1792 there three years earlier and realized that artillery would be the key to its defence. He ordered a young cavalry officer, Joachim Murat, to seize cannons, and Bonaparte deployed them in key positions. On 5 October 1795—13 Vendémiaire An IV in the French Republican calendar—he fired on the rebels with canister rounds (described by Thomas Carlyle as "the whiff of grapeshot"). About 300 to 1,400 rebels died in the uprising. Bonaparte's role in defeating the rebellion earned him and his family the patronage of the new government, the French Directory. On 26 October he was promoted to commander of the Army of the Interior, and in January 1796 he was appointed head of the Army of Italy.
Within weeks of the Vendémiaire uprising, Bonaparte was romantically involved with Joséphine de Beauharnais, the former mistress of Barras. Josephine had been born in the French colonies in the Lesser Antilles, and her family owned slaves on sugar plantations. The couple married on 9 March 1796 in a civil ceremony. Bonaparte began to habitually style himself "Napoleon Bonaparte" rather than using the Italian form "Napoleone di Buonaparte."
First Italian campaign
Two days after the marriage, Bonaparte left Paris to take command of the Army of Italy. He went on the offensive, hoping to defeat the Kingdom of Sardinia in Piedmont before their Austrian allies could intervene. In a series of victories during the Montenotte campaign, he knocked the Piedmontese out of the war in two weeks. The French then focused on the Austrians, laying siege to Mantua. The Austrians launched offensives against the French to break the siege, but Bonaparte defeated every relief effort, winning the Battle of Castiglione, the Battle of Bassano, the Battle of Arcole, and the Battle of Rivoli. The French triumph at Rivoli in January 1797 led to the collapse of the Austrian position in Italy. At Rivoli, Austria lost 43% of its soldiers dead, wounded or taken prisoner.
The French then invaded the heartlands of the House of Habsburg. French forces in southern Germany had been defeated by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen in 1796, but Charles withdrew his forces to protect Vienna after learning of Bonaparte's assault. In their first encounter, Bonaparte pushed Charles back and advanced deep into Austrian territory after winning the Battle of Tarvis in March 1797. Alarmed by the French thrust that reached Leoben, about 100 km from Vienna, the Austrians sued for peace. The preliminary peace of Leoben, signed on 18 April, gave France control of most of northern Italy and the Low Countries and promised to partition the Republic of Venice with Austria. Bonaparte marched on Venice and forced its surrender, ending 1,100 years of Venetian independence. He authorized the French to loot treasures such as the Horses of Saint Mark.
In this Italian campaign, Bonaparte's army captured 150,000 prisoners, 540 cannons, and 170 standards. The French army fought 67 actions and won 18 pitched battles through superior artillery technology and Bonaparte's tactics. Bonaparte extracted an estimated 45 million French pounds from Italy during the campaign, another 12 million pounds in precious metals and jewels, and more than 300 paintings and sculptures.
During the campaign, Bonaparte became increasingly influential in French politics. He founded two newspapers: one for the troops in his army and one for circulation in France. The royalists attacked him for looting Italy and warned that he might become a dictator. Bonaparte sent General Charles-Pierre Augereau to Paris to support a coup d'état that purged royalists from the legislative councils on 4 September—the Coup of 18 Fructidor. This left Barras and his republican allies in control again but more dependent upon Bonaparte who finalized peace terms with Austria by the Treaty of Campo Formio. Bonaparte returned to Paris on 5 December 1797 as a hero. He met Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, France's foreign minister, and took command of the Army of England for the planned invasion of Britain.
Egyptian expedition
After two months of planning, Bonaparte decided that France's naval strength was not yet sufficient to confront the Royal Navy. He decided on a military expedition to seize Egypt and thereby undermine Britain's access to its trade interests in India. Bonaparte wished to establish a French presence in the Middle East and join forces with Tipu Sultan, the Sultan of Mysore, an enemy of the British. Bonaparte assured the Directory that "as soon as he had conquered Egypt, he will establish relations with the Indian princes and, together with them, attack the English in their possessions". The Directory agreed in order to secure a trade route to the Indian subcontinent.
In May 1798 Bonaparte was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences. His Egyptian expedition included a group of 167 scientists, with mathematicians, naturalists, chemists, and geodesists among them. Their discoveries included the Rosetta Stone, and their work was published in the Description de l'Égypte in 1809. En route to Egypt, Bonaparte reached Hospitaller Malta on 9 June 1798, then controlled by the Knights Hospitaller. Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim surrendered after token resistance, and Bonaparte captured an important naval base with the loss of only three men.
Bonaparte and his expedition eluded pursuit by the Royal Navy and landed at Alexandria on 1 July. He fought the Battle of Shubra Khit against the Mamluks, Egypt's ruling military caste. This helped the French practise their defensive tactic for the Battle of the Pyramids on 21 July, about 24 km (15 mi) from the pyramids. Bonaparte's forces of 25,000 roughly equalled those of the Mamluks' Egyptian cavalry. Twenty-nine French and approximately 2,000 Egyptians were killed. The victory boosted the French army's morale.
On 1 August 1798 the British fleet under Sir Horatio Nelson captured or destroyed all but two vessels of the French fleet in the Battle of the Nile, preventing Bonaparte from strengthening the French position in the Mediterranean. His army had succeeded in a temporary increase of French power in Egypt, though it faced repeated uprisings. In early 1799 he moved an army into the Ottoman province of Damascus (Syria and Galilee). Bonaparte led these 13,000 French soldiers in the conquest of the coastal towns of Arish, Gaza, Jaffa, and Haifa. The attack on Jaffa was particularly brutal. Bonaparte discovered that many of the defenders were former prisoners of war, ostensibly on parole, so he ordered the garrison and some 1,500–5,000 prisoners to be executed by bayonet or drowning. Men, women, and children were robbed and murdered for three days.
Bonaparte began with an army of 13,000 men. 1,500 were reported missing, 1,200 died in combat, and thousands perished from disease—mostly bubonic plague. He failed to reduce the fortress of Acre, so he marched his army back to Egypt in May. Bonaparte was alleged to have ordered plague-stricken men to be poisoned with opium to speed the retreat. Back in Egypt on 25 July, Bonaparte defeated an Ottoman amphibious invasion at Abukir.
Bonaparte stayed informed of European affairs. He learned that France had suffered a series of defeats in the War of the Second Coalition. On 24 August 1799, fearing that the Republic's future was in doubt, he took advantage of the temporary departure of British ships from French coastal ports and set sail for France, despite the fact that he had received no explicit orders from Paris. The army was left in the charge of Jean-Baptiste Kléber.
Ruler of France
18 Brumaire
Unknown to Bonaparte, the Directory had sent him orders to return from Egypt with his army to ward off a possible invasion of France, but these messages never arrived. By the time he reached Paris in October, France's situation had been improved by a series of victories. The republic, however, was bankrupt and the ineffective Directory was unpopular. Despite the failures in Egypt, Bonaparte returned to a hero's welcome. The Directory discussed Bonaparte's desertion but was too weak to punish him.
Bonaparte formed an alliance with Talleyrand and leading members of the Council of Five Hundred and Directory—Lucien Bonaparte, Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès, Roger Ducos and Joseph Fouché—to overthrow the government. On 9 November 1799 (18 Brumaire according to the revolutionary calendar), the conspirators launched a coup and the following day, backed by grenadiers with fixed bayonets, forced the Council of Five Hundred to dissolve the Directory and appoint Bonaparte, Sieyès and Ducos provisional consuls.
French Consulate
On 15 December, Bonaparte introduced the Constitution of the Year VIII, under which three consuls were appointed for 10 years. Real power lay with Bonaparte as first consul, and his preferred candidates Cambacérès and Charles-François Lebrun were appointed as second and third consuls who only had an advisory role. The constitution also established a Legislative Body and Tribunate which were selected from indirectly elected candidates, and a Senate and Council of State which were effectively nominated by the executive. The constitution was approved by plebiscite on 7 February 1800. The official count was over three million in favour and 1,562 against. Lucien, however, had doubled the count of the "yes" vote to give the false impression that a majority of those eligible to vote had approved the constitution.
Historians have variously described Bonaparte's regime as "dictatorship by plebiscite", "absolutist rule decked out in the spirit of the age", and "soft despotism". Local and regional administration was reformed to concentrate power in the central government, censorship was introduced, and most opposition newspapers were closed down to stifle dissent. Royalist and regional revolts were dealt with by a combination of amnesties for those who lay down their arms and brutal repression of those who continued to resist. Bonaparte also improved state finances by securing loans under a promise to defend private property, raising taxes on tobacco, alcohol and salt, and extracting levies from France's satellite republics.
Bonaparte believed that the best way to secure his regime was by a victorious peace. In May 1800, he led an army across the Swiss Alps into Italy, aiming to surprise the Austrian armies that had reoccupied the peninsula when Bonaparte was still in Egypt. After a difficult crossing over the Alps, the French captured Milan on 2 June. The French confronted an Austrian army under Michael von Melas at the battle of Marengo on 14 June. The Austrians fielded about 30,000 soldiers while Bonaparte commanded 24,000 troops. The Austrians' initial attack surprised the French who were gradually driven back. Late in the afternoon, however, a full division under French General Louis Desaix arrived on the field and reversed the tide of the battle. The Austrian army fled leaving behind 14,000 casualties. The following day, the Austrians signed an armistice and agreed to abandon northern Italy.
When peace negotiations with Austria stalled, Bonaparte reopened hostilities in November. A French army under General Jean Victor Marie Moreau swept through Bavaria and scored an overwhelming victory over the Austrians at the battle of Hohenlinden in December. The Austrians capitulated and signed the Treaty of Lunéville in February 1801. The treaty reaffirmed and expanded earlier French gains at Campo Formio.
Bonaparte's triumph at Marengo increased his popularity and political authority. However, he still faced royalist plots and feared Jacobin influence, especially in the army. Several assassination plots, including the Conspiration des poignards (Dagger plot) in October 1800 and the Plot of the Rue Saint-Nicaise two months later, gave him a pretext to arrest about 100 suspected Jacobins and royalists, some of whom were shot and many others deported to penal colonies.
Temporary peace in Europe
After a decade of war, France and Britain signed the Treaty of Amiens in March 1802, bringing the Revolutionary Wars to an end. Under the treaty, Britain agreed to withdraw from most of the colonies it had recently captured from France and her allies, and France agreed to evacuate Naples. In April, Bonaparte publicly celebrated the peace and his controversial Concordat of 1801 with Pope Pius VII under which the pope recognized Bonaparte's regime and the regime recognized Catholicism as the majority religion of France. In a further step towards national reconciliation (known as "fusion"), Bonaparte offered an amnesty to most émigrés who wished to return to France.
With Europe at peace and the economy recovering, Bonaparte became increasingly popular, both domestically and abroad. In May 1802, the Council of State recommended a new plebiscite asking the French people to make "Napoleon Bonaparte" consul for life. (It was the first time his first name was officially used by the regime.) About 3.6 million voted "yes" and 8,374 "no." 40%-60% of eligible Frenchmen voted, the highest turnout for a plebiscite since the revolution.
France had regained her overseas colonies under Amiens but did not control them all. The French National Convention had voted to abolish slavery in February 1794, but in May 1802 Bonaparte reintroduced it in all the recovered colonies except Saint-Domingue and Guadeloupe which were under the control of rebel generals. A French military expedition under Antoine Richepanse regained control of Guadeloupe, and slavery was reintroduced there on 16 July.
Saint-Domingue was the most profitable of the colonies – a major source of sugar, coffee and indigo – but was under the control of the former slave Toussaint Louverture. Bonaparte sent the Saint-Domingue expedition under his brother-in-law General Charles Leclerc to retake the colony, and they landed there in February 1802 with 29,000 men. Although Toussaint was captured and sent to France in July, the expedition ultimately failed due to high rates of disease and a string of defeats against rebel commander Jean-Jacques Dessalines. In May 1803 Bonaparte acknowledged defeat, and the last 8,000 French troops left the island. The former slaves proclaimed the independent republic of Haiti in 1804.
As war with Britain again loomed in 1803, Bonaparte realized that his American colony of Louisiana would be difficult to defend. In need of funds, he agreed to the Louisiana Purchase with the United States, doubling the latter's size. The price was $15 million. The peace with Britain was uneasy. Britain did not evacuate Malta as promised and protested against Bonaparte's annexation of Piedmont and his Act of Mediation, which established a Swiss Confederation. Neither of these territories were covered by Amiens, but they inflamed tensions significantly, as did Bonaparte's occupation of Holland and apparent ambitions in India. The dispute culminated in a declaration of war by Britain in May 1803. Bonaparte responded by reassembling the invasion camp at Boulogne and ordering the arrest of every British male between 18 and 60 years old in France and its dependencies as a prisoner of war.
French Empire
Bonaparte becomes Napoleon I
In February 1804 Bonaparte's police made a series of arrests in relation to a royalist plot to kidnap or assassinate him that involved the British government, Moreau and an unnamed Bourbon prince. On the advice of his foreign minister, Talleyrand, Napoleon ordered the kidnapping of the Duke of Enghien, violating the sovereignty of Baden. The duke was quickly executed after a secret military trial, even though there was no proof he had been involved in the plot. Enghien's kidnapping and execution infuriated royalists and monarchs throughout Europe and drew a formal protest from Russia.
Following the royalist plot, Bonaparte's supporters convinced him that creating a hereditary regime would help to secure it in case of his death, make it more acceptable to constitutional monarchists, and put it on the same footing as other European monarchies. On 18 May the senate proclaimed Napoleon Emperor of the French and approved a new constitution. The following day, Napoleon appointed 18 of his leading generals Marshals of the Empire.The hereditary empire was confirmed by a plebiscite in June. The official result showed 3.5 million voted "yes" and 2,569 voted "no". The yes count, however, was falsely inflated by 300,000 to 500,000 votes. The turnout, at 35%, was below the figure for the previous plebiscite. Britain, Russia, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire refused to recognize Napoleon's title. Austria, however, recognized Napoleon as Emperor of the French in return for his recognition of Francis I as Emperor of Austria.
Napoleon's coronation, with the participation of Pope Pius VII, took place at Notre Dame de Paris on 2 December 1804. After having been anointed by the pope, Napoleon crowned himself with a replica of Charlemagne's crown. He then crowned Joséphine, who became the second woman in French history, after Marie de' Medici, to be crowned and anointed. He then swore an oath to defend the territory of the republic; to respect the Concordat, freedom of worship, political and civil liberty and the sale of nationalized lands; to raise no taxes except by law; to maintain the Legion of Honour; and to govern in the interests, wellbeing and the glory of the French people.
On 26 May 1805 Napoleon crowned himself King of Italy with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at the Cathedral of Milan. Austria saw this as a provocation because of its own territorial interests in Italy. When Napoleon incorporated Genoa and Liguria into his empire, Austria formally protested against this violation of the Treaty of Lunéville.
War of the Third Coalition
By September 1805 Sweden, Russia, Austria, Naples and the Ottoman Empire had joined Britain in a coalition against France. In 1803 and 1804 Napoleon had assembled a force around Boulogne for an invasion of Britain. They never invaded, but the force formed the core of Napoleon's Grande Armée, created in August 1805. At the start, this French army had about 200,000 men organized into seven corps, artillery and cavalry reserves, and the élite Imperial Guard. By August 1805 the Grande Armée had grown to a force of 350,000 men, who were well equipped, well trained, and led by competent officers.
To facilitate the invasion, Napoleon planned to lure the Royal Navy from the English Channel by a diversionary attack on the British West Indies. However, the plan unravelled after the British victory at the Battle of Cape Finisterre in July 1805. French Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve retreated to Cádiz instead of linking up with French naval forces at Brest for an attack on the English Channel. Facing a potential invasion from his continental enemies, Napoleon abandoned his invasion of England and sought to destroy the isolated Austrian armies in southern Germany before their Russian ally could arrive in force. On 25 September, 200,000 French troops began to cross the Rhine on a front of 260 km (160 mi).
Austrian commander Karl Mack von Leiberich had gathered most of the Austrian army at the fortress of Ulm in Swabia. Napoleon's army, however, moved quickly and outflanked the Austrian positions. After some minor engagements that culminated in the Battle of Ulm, Mack surrendered. With 2,000 French casualties, Napoleon had captured 60,000 Austrian soldiers through his army's rapid marching. For the French, this spectacular victory on land was soured by the decisive victory that the Royal Navy attained at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October. After Trafalgar, the Royal Navy was never again seriously challenged by Napoleon's fleet.
French forces occupied Vienna in November, capturing 100,000 muskets, 500 cannons, and the intact bridges across the Danube. Napoleon then sent his army north in pursuit of the allies. Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Francis I decided to engage Napoleon in battle, despite reservations from some of their subordinates. At the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December, Napoleon deployed his army below the Pratzen Heights. He ordered his right wing to feign retreat, enticing the allies to descend from the heights in pursuit. The French centre and left wing then captured the heights and caught the allies in a pincer movement. Thousands of Russian troops fled across a frozen lake to escape the trap, and 100 to 2,000 of them drowned. About a third of the allied forces were killed, captured or wounded.
The disaster at Austerlitz led Austria to seek an armistice. By the subsequent Treaty of Pressburg, signed on 26 December, Austria left the coalition, lost substantial territory to the Kingdom of Italy and Bavaria, and was forced to pay an indemnity of 40 million francs. Alexander's army was granted safe passage back to Russia. Napoleon went on to say, "The battle of Austerlitz is the finest of all I have fought". Frank McLynn suggests that Napoleon was so successful at Austerlitz that he lost touch with reality, and what used to be French foreign policy became a "personal Napoleonic one". Vincent Cronin disagrees, stating that Napoleon was not overly ambitious for himself, "he embodied the ambitions of thirty million Frenchmen".
Middle-Eastern alliances
Napoleon continued to entertain a grand scheme to establish a French presence in the Middle East in order to put pressure on Britain and Russia, possibly by forming an alliance with the Ottoman Empire. In February 1806, Ottoman Emperor Selim III recognized Napoleon as emperor. He also opted for an alliance with France, calling France "our sincere and natural ally". That decision brought the Ottoman Empire into a losing war against Russia and Britain. A Franco-Persian alliance was formed between Napoleon and the Persian Empire of Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar. It collapsed in 1807 when France and Russia formed an unexpected alliance. In the end, Napoleon made no effective alliances in the Middle East.
War of the Fourth Coalition and Tilsit
After Austerlitz, Napoleon increased his political power in Europe. In 1806, he deposed the Bourbon king of Naples and installed his elder brother, Joseph, on the throne. He then made his younger brother, Louis, king of Holland. He also established the Confederation of the Rhine, a collection of German states intended to serve as a buffer zone between France and Central Europe. The creation of the confederation spelled the end of the Holy Roman Empire.
Napoleon's growing influence in Germany threatened the status of Prussia as a great power and in response Frederick William III decided on war with France. Prussia and Russia signed a military alliance creating the fourth coalition against France. Prussia, however, committed a strategic blunder by declaring war when French troops were still in southern Germany and months before sufficient Russian troops could reach the front. Napoleon invaded Prussia with 180,000 troops, rapidly marching on the right bank of the River Saale. Upon learning the whereabouts of the Prussian army, the French swung westwards thus cutting the Prussians off from Berlin and the slowly approaching Russians. At the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt, fought on 14 October, the French convincingly defeated the Prussians and inflicted heavy casualties. With several major commanders dead or incapacitated, the Prussian king proved incapable of effectively commanding the army, which quickly disintegrated.
In the following month, the French captured 140,000 soldiers and over 2,000 cannon. Despite their overwhelming defeat, the Prussians refused to negotiate with the French until the Russians had an opportunity to enter the fight. Following his triumph, Napoleon imposed the first elements of the Continental System through the Berlin Decree issued in November 1806. The Continental System, which prohibited European nations from trading with Britain, was widely violated throughout his reign. In the next few months, Napoleon marched against the advancing Russian armies through Poland and fought a bloody stalemate at the Battle of Eylau in February 1807. After a period of rest and consolidation on both sides, the war restarted in June with an initial struggle at Heilsberg that proved indecisive.
On 14 June Napoleon obtained an overwhelming victory over the Russians at the Battle of Friedland, inflicting casualties of up to 30% of the Russian army. The scale of their defeat convinced the Russians to make peace with the French. The two emperors began peace negotiations on 25 June at the town of Tilsit during a meeting on a raft floating in the middle of the River Niemen which separated the French and Russian troops and their respective spheres of influence. Napoleon offered Alexander relatively lenient terms—demanding that Russia join the Continental System, withdraw its forces from Wallachia and Moldavia, and hand over the Ionian Islands to France. In contrast, Prussia was treated harshly. It lost half its territory and population and underwent a two-year occupation costing it about 1.4 billion francs. From former Prussian territory, Napoleon created the Kingdom of Westphalia, ruled by his young brother Jérôme, and the Duchy of Warsaw. Prussia's humiliating treatment at Tilsit caused lasting resentment against France in that country. The treaty was also unpopular in Russia, putting pressure on Alexander to end the alliance with France. Nevertheless, the Treaties of Tilsit gave Napoleon a respite from war and allowed him to return to France, which he had not seen in over 300 days.
Peninsular War and Erfurt
After Tilsit, Napoleon turned his attention to Portugal, which was reluctant to strictly enforce the blockade against its traditional ally Britain. On 17 October 1807, 24,000 French troops under General Jean-Andoche Junot crossed the Pyrenees with Spanish consent and headed towards Portugal to enforce the blockade. Junot occupied Lisbon in November; the Portuguese royal family had already fled to Brazil with the Portuguese fleet.
In March 1808 a palace coup led to the abdication of the Spanish king, Carlos IV, in favour of his son Fernando VII. The following month, Napoleon summoned Carlos and Fernando to Bayonne, where in May he forced them both to relinquish their claims to the Spanish throne. Napoleon then made his brother Joseph King of Spain. By then, there were 120,000 French troops garrisoned in the peninsula and widespread Spanish opposition to the occupation and the overthrow of the Spanish Bourbons. On 2 May an uprising against the French broke out in Madrid and spread throughout Spain in the following weeks. In the face of brutal French repression, the uprising developed into a sustained conflict. Joseph travelled to Madrid where he was proclaimed King of Spain on 24 July. However, following news of a French defeat by regular Spanish forces at the Battle of Bailén, Joseph fled Madrid several days later. The following month, a British force landed in Portugal and on 21 August they defeated the French at the Battle of Vimiero. Under the Convention of Cintra, the French evacuated Portugal.
The defeats at Bailén and Vimiero convinced Napoleon that he had to take command of the Iberian campaign. Before leaving for Spain, he attempted to strengthen the alliance with Russia and obtain a commitment from Alexander that Russia would declare war on Austria if she attacked France. At the Congress of Erfurt in October 1808, Napoleon and Alexander reached an agreement that recognized the Russian conquest of Finland and called upon Britain to cease its war against France. However, Alexander failed to provide a firm commitment to make war with Austria.
On 6 November Napoleon was in Vitoria and took command of 240,000 French-led troops. After a series of victories over Anglo-Spanish forces, they retook Madrid on 4 December. Napoleon then pursued a retreating British army which was eventually evacuated at Corunna in January 1809. He left for France on 17 January, leaving Joseph in command. Napoleon never returned to Spain after the 1808 campaign. In April, the British sent another army to the peninsula under Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. British, Portuguese and Spanish troops engaged the French in a protracted series of conflicts, while a brutal guerrilla war engulfed much of the Spanish countryside, a conflict in which atrocities were committed by both sides. Napoleon later called the Peninsular campaign, "the unlucky war [that] ruined me." It tied up some 300,000 French-led troops from 1808 to 1812. By 1814, the French had been driven from the peninsula, with over 150,000 casualties in the campaign.
War of the Fifth Coalition
The overthrow of the Spanish Bourbons caused alarm in Austria over Napoleon's ambitions while France's military difficulties in the Peninsular encouraged Austria to go to war. In the early morning of 10 April 1809, the Austrian army crossed the Inn River and invaded Bavaria. The Austrian advance was disorganized, and they were unable to defeat the Bavarian army before the French could concentrate their forces. Napoleon arrived from Paris on 17 April to lead the French campaign. In the following Battle of Eckmühl he was slightly wounded in the heel, but the Austrians were forced to retreat across the Danube. The French occupied Vienna on 13 May, but most of the population had fled and the retreating army had destroyed all four bridges across the river.
On 21 May, the French attempted to cross the Danube, precipitating the Battle of Aspern-Essling. Both sides inflicted about 23,000 casualties on each other, and the French were forced back. The battle was reported in European capitals as a defeat for Napoleon and damaged his aura of invincibility. After six weeks of preparations, Napoleon made another attempt at crossing the Danube. In the ensuing Battle of Wagram (5–6 July) the Austrians were forced to retreat, but the French and Austrians each suffered losses of 37,000 to 39,000 killed, wounded or captured. The French caught up with the retreating Austrians at the Battle of Znaim on 10 July, and the latter signed an armistice on 12 July. In August, a British force landed in Holland but lost 4,000 men, mainly to illness, before withdrawing in December.
The Treaty of Schönbrunn in October 1809 was harsh for Austria which lost substantial territory and over three million subjects. France received Carinthia, Carniola, and the Adriatic ports of Trieste and Fiume (Rijeka); the part of Poland annexed by Austria in the third partition in 1795, known at the time as West Galicia, was given to the Polish-ruled Duchy of Warsaw; and the territory of the former Archbishopric of Salzburg went to Bavaria. Austria was required to pay an indemnity of 200 million francs, and its army was reduced to 150,000 men.
Consolidation of the empire
Napoleon's union with Joséphine had not produced a child, and he decided to secure the dynasty and strengthen its position in Europe by a strategic marriage into one of Europe's major royal houses. In November 1809, he announced his decision to divorce Joséphine, and the marriage was annulled in January 1810. Napoleon had already commenced negotiations for the marriage of Tsar Alexander's sister Anna, but the tsar responded that she was too young. Napoleon then turned to Austria, and a marriage to the Austrian emperor's daughter, Marie Louise, was quickly agreed. The marriage was formalized in a civil ceremony on 1 April and a religious service at the Louvre on the following day. The marriage to Marie Louise was widely seen as a shift in French policy towards stronger ties with Austria and away from the already strained relationship with Russia. On 20 March 1811, Marie Louise gave birth to the heir apparent, François Charles Joseph Napoleon, King of Rome.
With the annexation of the Papal States (May 1809, February 1810), Holland (July 1810) and the northern coastal regions of Westphalia (August 1810), mainland France further increased its territory. Napoleon now ruled about 40% of the European population either directly or indirectly through his satellite kingdoms.
Invasion of Russia
Tsar Alexander saw the creation of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, Napoleon's marriage alliance with Austria, and the election of the French Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte as Crown Prince of Sweden as attempts to contain Russia. In December 1810 Napoleon annexed the Duchy of Oldenburg, which Alexander considered an insult as his uncle was the duke. Alexander responded by allowing neutral shipping into Russian ports and banning most French imports. Russia feared that Napoleon intended to restore the Kingdom of Poland while Napoleon suspected Russia of seeking an alliance with Britain against France.
In late 1811 Napoleon began planning an invasion of Russia. A Franco-Prussian alliance signed in February 1812 forced Prussia to provide 20,000 troops for the invasion, and in March Austria agreed to provide 30,000 men. Napoleon's multinational grande armée comprised around 450,000 frontline troops of which about a third were native French speakers. Napoleon called the invasion the "Second Polish War," but he refused to guarantee an independent Poland for fear of alienating his Austrian and Prussian allies.
On 24 June Napoleon's troops began crossing the Nieman river into Russian Lithuania with the aim of luring the Russians into one or two decisive battles. The Russians retreated 320 kilometres east to the Dvina river and implemented a scorched earth policy, making it increasingly difficult for the French to forage food for themselves and their horses. On 18 August, Napoleon captured captured Smolensk with the loss of 9,000 of his men, but the Russians were able to withdraw in good order.
The Russians, commanded by Field Marshall Mikhail Kutuzov, made a stand at Borodino, outside Moscow, on 7 September. The battle resulted in 44,000 Russian and 35,000 French dead, wounded or captured, in one of the bloodiest days of battle in Europe up to that time. The Russians withdrew overnight, and Napoleon later stated, "The most terrible of all my battles was the one before Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of victory, and the Russians worthy of being invincible".
The Russians retreated to Tarutino, and Napoleon entered Moscow on 14 September. The following evening, the city was set on fire on the orders of Governor Feodor Rostopchin. Alexander, in St Petersburg, refused to negotiate a peace, and after six weeks Napoleon's army evacuated Moscow. After capturing Maloyaroslavets with the loss of 4,000 to 10,000 men, Napoleon retreated towards Smolensk. The French were attacked by Cossacks and peasants and suffered from the intense cold, disease and lack of food and water. Around 40,000 to 50,000 troops reached Smolensk on 9 November, a loss of about 60,000 in three weeks. Napoleon also heard that an attempted coup by General Claude François de Malet in Paris had only narrowly failed.
From Smolensk, Napoleon's army headed for Vilnius, where there was a French garrison of 20,000. In late November, under attack from all sides by Russian forces, the grande armée managed to cross the Berezina river on pontoon bridges in temperatures reaching −40 °C (−40 °F). On 5 December, shortly before arriving in Vilnius, Napoleon left his disintegrating army for Paris. In the following weeks, the remnants of the grande armée, about 75,000 troops, crossed the Nieman into allied territory. Russian military losses in the campaign were up to 300,000, and total military deaths from both sides were up to one million.
War of the Sixth Coalition
The French, pursued by the Russians, withdrew from most of Poland and Prussia over the winter of 1812–13 while both sides rebuilt their forces. Sweden and Prussia declared war on France in March 1813. In April Napoleon assumed command of an army of 200,000 troops and defeated the coalition at the battles of Lützen and Bautzen. Britain formally joined the coalition in June followed by Austria in August, but the allies were again defeated in the Battle of Dresden in August. The coalition, however, had a growing advantage in infantry, cavalry, reserves and armaments. In the largest battle of the Napoleonic wars, the coalition was victorious at the Battle of Leipzig in October. Although coalition casualties were 54,000 men, the French lost 38,000 killed or wounded and 15,000 taken prisoner. Up to 50,000 more were lost to death, illness and desertion during the French retreat to the Rhine.
The Frankfurt proposals were peace terms offered by the coalition in November 1813 under which Napoleon would remain emperor but France would be reduced to its "natural frontiers." That meant that France would retain control of Belgium, Savoy and the west bank of the Rhine, while withdrawing from Spain, Holland, Italy and Germany. Napoleon did not accept the terms, and the allies crossed the Rhine into French territory on 1 January 1814. Wellington's British forces had already crossed the Pyrenees into south-western France. In north-eastern France, Napoleon led about 70,000 troops against a coalition army of 200,000. After a defeat at the Battle of La Rothière, the French won a series of victories in February which induced the coalition to offer peace on the basis of France's 1791 frontiers. Napoleon, however, decided to fight on.
After a series of battles in March, the allies forced Napoleon to retreat at the Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube (20–21 March). The coalition then moved towards Paris, whose defence was under the command of Joseph Bonaparte. On 29 March, a coalition army of 200,000 began their attack on the Belleville and Montmartre heights. Empress Marie Louise fled Paris that evening with her son, the king of Rome. With an army of only 38,000 to defend the capital, Joseph authorized the French marshal Auguste de Marmont to capitulate on 31 March. The following day, the allies accepted Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord as head of a provisional government. On 2 April the French Senate passed the Acte de déchéance de l'Empereur, which declared Napoleon deposed. Meanwhile, Napoleon was in Fontainebleau with an army of 40,000 to 60,000. He contemplated a march on Paris, but on 4 April his senior commanders persuaded him to abdicate in favour of his son, with Marie Louise as regent. Tsar Alexander, however, demanded an unconditional abdication, and Napoleon reluctantly complied on 6 April.
In his farewell address to the soldiers of the Old Guard on 20 April, Napoleon said:"Soldiers of my Old Guard, I have come to bid you farewell. For twenty years you have accompanied me faithfully on the paths of honor and glory. ...With men like you, our cause was [not] lost, but the war would have dragged on interminably, and it would have been a civil war. ... So I am sacrificing our interests to those of our country. ...Do not lament my fate; if I have agreed to live on, it is to serve our glory. I wish to write the history of the great deeds we have done together. Farewell, my children!"
Exile to Elba
With the Treaty of Fontainebleau of 11 April 1814, the allies exiled Napoleon to Elba, an island of 12,000 inhabitants in the Mediterranean, 10 km (6 mi) off the Tuscan coast, where they made him sovereign. The following night, Napoleon attempted suicide with poison he had carried after nearly being captured by the Russians during the retreat from Moscow. Its potency had weakened with age, however, and he survived to be exiled, while his wife and son took refuge in Austria. He was conveyed to the island on HMS Undaunted and disembarked at Portoferraio on 4 May. In the first few months on Elba, he drew up plans for administrative reforms, road and building works, and improvements to the island's mines and agriculture, but results were limited by lack of funds. When Napoleon learned that Joséphine had died in France on 29 May, he was distraught and locked himself in his room for two days.
Napoleon understood that French King Louis XVIII was unpopular. Realizing that his wife and son would not be joining him in exile, cut off from the allowance guaranteed to him by the Treaty of Fontainebleau, and aware of rumours he was about to be banished to a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean, Napoleon escaped from Elba in the brig Inconstant on 26 February 1815 with about 1,000 men and a flotilla of seven vessels.
Hundred Days
On 1 March 1815 Napoleon and his followers landed on the French mainland at Golfe-Juan and headed for Grenoble through the foothills of the Alps, taking the route now known as Route Napoléon. The 5th Regiment intercepted him just south of Grenoble on 7 March. Napoleon approached the battalion alone and called to them, "Here I am. Kill your Emperor, if you wish!" The soldiers responded with, "Vive l'empereur!" and joined Napoleon's men. On 14 March Marshall of the Empire Michel Ney—who had boasted that he would bring Napoleon to Paris in an iron cage—joined Napoleon along with an army of 6,000.
On 13 March the powers at the Congress of Vienna declared Napoleon an outlaw. Four days later, Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia each pledged to put 150,000 men into the field to end his rule. Louis XVIII, however, fled Paris for Belgium in the early hours of 20 March after realizing that he did not have enough reliable troops to oppose Napoleon. Napoleon entered Paris that evening. Napoleon appointed a government and introduced constitutional changes which were approved by plebiscite in May. A Chamber of Representatives was also indirectly elected that month on a highly restrictive property franchise. Napoleon's priority was to raise an army to face the coalition, but the law did not allow conscription and he was only able to raise about 300,000 men, mostly raw recruits and national guards.
On 12 June Napoleon led about 124,000 men, known as the Army of the North, into Belgium, aiming to drive a wedge between Wellington's army of 112,000 British, German and Dutch troops and Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher's force of 130,000 Prussians and Saxons. After engagements at the Battle of Ligny and Battle of Quatre Bras, Napoleon confronted Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June. Wellington's army withstood repeated attacks by the French until, late in the afternoon, Blücher's Prussians arrived in force on Napoleon's right flank. The coalition forces broke through Napoleon's lines, inflicting a devastating defeat.
Napoleon returned to Paris and found that the legislature had turned against him. Realizing that his position was untenable, he abdicated on 22 June in favour of his son. He left Paris three days later and settled at Joséphine's former palace in Château de Malmaison. By 28 June, the Prussian army was at Senlis, just north of Paris. When Napoleon heard that Prussian troops had orders to capture him dead or alive, he fled to Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, considering an escape to the United States. However, when he found that British ships were blockading the port, he surrendered to Frederick Lewis Maitland on HMS Bellerophon on 15 July 1815.
Exile on Saint Helena
Napoleon was held in British custody and transferred to the island of Saint Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, 1,870 km (1,010 nmi) from the west coast of Africa. Napoleon and 27 followers arrived at Jamestown in October 1815 on board HMS Northumberland. The prisoner was guarded by a garrison of 2,100 soldiers while a squadron of 10 ships continuously patrolled the waters to prevent escape. In the following years, there were rumours of escape plots, but no serious attempts were made.
Napoleon stayed for two months at a pavilion in Briars before he was moved to Longwood House, a 40-room wooden bungalow. The location and interior of the house were damp, windswept, rat-infested and unhealthy. The Times published articles insinuating the British government was trying to hasten his death. Napoleon often complained of his living conditions in letters to the island's governor Hudson Lowe while his attendants complained of "colds, catarrhs, damp floors and poor provisions".
Napoleon insisted on imperial formality. When he held a dinner party, men were expected to wear military dress and "women [appeared] in evening gowns and gems. It was an explicit denial of the circumstances of his captivity". He formally received visitors, read, and dictated his memoirs and commentaries on military campaigns. He studied English under Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases, for a few months but gave up as he was poor at languages.
Napoleon circulated reports of poor treatment in the hope that public opinion would force the allies to revoke his exile on Saint Helena. Under instructions from the government, Lowe cut Napoleon's expenditure, refused to recognize him as a former emperor, and made his supporters sign a guarantee they would stay with him indefinitely. Accounts of Napoleon's treatment led in March 1817 to a debate in the British Parliament where Henry Vassall-Fox, 3rd Baron Holland made a call for a public inquiry.
In mid-1817, Napoleon's health worsened. His physician, Barry O'Meara, diagnosed chronic hepatitis and warned Lowe that he could die from the poor climate and lack of exercise. Lowe thought O'Meara was exaggerating and dismissed him in July 1818. In November 1818, the allies announced that Napoleon would remain a prisoner on Saint Helena for life. When he learnt the news, he became depressed and more isolated, spending longer periods in his rooms, which further undermined his health. Much of his entourage left Saint Helena including Las Cases in December 1816, General Gaspard Gourgaud in March 1818 and Albine de Montholon—who was possibly Napoleon's lover—in July 1819. In September 1819, two priests and the physician François Carlo Antommarchi joined Napoleon's retinue.
Death
Napoleon's health continued to worsen, and in March 1821 he was confined to bed. In April he wrote two wills declaring that he had been assassinated by the "English oligarchy", that the Bourbons would fall, and that his son would rule France. He left his fortune to 97 legatees and asked to be buried by the Seine. On 3 May he was given the last rites but could not take communion due to his illness. He died on 5 May 1821 at age 51. His last words, variously recorded by those present, were either France, l'armée, tête d'armée, Joséphine ("France, the army, head of the army, Joséphine"), or qui recule...à la tête d'armée ("who retreats... at the head of the army") or "France, my son, the Army."
Antommarchi and the British wrote separate autopsy reports, each concluding that Napoleon had died of internal bleeding caused by stomach cancer, the disease that had killed his father. A later theory, based on high concentrations of arsenic found in samples of Napoleon's hair, held that Napoleon had died of arsenic poisoning. However, subsequent studies also found high concentrations of arsenic in hair samples from Napoleon's childhood and from his son and Joséphine. Arsenic was widely used in medicines and products such as hair creams in the 19th century. A 2021 study by an international team of gastrointestinal pathologists once again concluded that Napoleon died of stomach cancer.
Napoleon was buried with military honours in the Valley of the Geraniums. Napoleon's heart and intestines were removed and sealed inside his coffin. Napoleon's penis was allegedly removed during the autopsy and sold and exhibited. In 1840, the British government gave Louis Philippe I permission to return Napoleon's remains to France. Napoleon's body was exhumed and found to be well preserved as it had been sealed in four coffins (two of metal and two of mahogany) and placed in a masonry tomb. On 15 December 1840, a state funeral was held in Paris with 700,000 to 1,000,000 attendees who lined the route of the funeral procession to the chapel of Les Invalides. The coffin was later placed in the cupola in St Jérôme's Chapel, where it remained until Napoleon's tomb, designed by Louis Visconti, was completed. In 1861, during the reign of Napoleon III, his remains were entombed in a sarcophagus in the crypt under the dome at Les Invalides.
Religion
Religious beliefs
Napoleon was baptized in Ajaccio on 21 July 1771 and raised a Roman Catholic. He began to question his faith at age 13 while at Brienne. Biographers have variously described him from that time as a deist, a follower of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "natural religion" or a believer in destiny. He consistently expressed his belief in a God or creator.
He understood the power of organized religion in social and political affairs and later sought to use it to support his regime. His attitude to religion is often described as utilitarian. In 1800 he stated, "it was by making myself a Catholic that I won the war in the Vendée, by making myself a Moslem that I established myself in Egypt, by making myself an ultramontane that I turned men's hearts towards me in Italy. If I were to govern a nation of Jews I would rebuild the Temple of Solomon."
Napoleon had a civil marriage with Joséphine in 1796 and, at the pope's insistence, a private religious ceremony with her the day before his coronation as emperor in 1804. This marriage was annulled by tribunals under Napoleon's control in January 1810. In April 1810, Napoleon married Austrian princess Marie Louise in a Catholic ceremony. Napoleon was excommunicated by the pope through the bull Quum memoranda in 1809. His will in 1821 stated, "I die in the Apostolical Roman religion, in the bosom of which I was born, more than fifty years since." Napoleon read the Quran in translation and had an interest in Islam and the Orient. He also defended Muhammad ("a great man") against Voltaire's Mahomet.
Concordat
Seeking national reconciliation between revolutionaries and Catholics, Napoleon and Pope Pius VII agreed to the Concordat of 1801. The agreement recognized the Catholic Church as the majority church of France and in return the Church recognized Napoleon's regime, undercutting much of the ground from royalists. The Concordat confirmed the seizure of Church lands and endowments during the revolution, but reintroduced state salaries for the clergy. The government also controlled the nomination of bishops for investiture by the pope. Bishops and other clergy were required to swear an oath of loyalty to the regime.
When the Concordat was published on 8 April 1802, Napoleon presented another set of laws called the Organic Articles which further increased state control over the French Church. Similar arrangements were made with the Church in territories controlled by Napoleon, especially in Italy and Germany.
Arrest of Pope Pius VII
Napoleon progressively occupied and annexed the Papal States from 1805. When he annexed Rome in May 1809, the pope excommunicated him the following month. In July, French officials arrested the pope in the Vatican and exiled him to Savona. In 1812 the pontiff was transferred to the Palace of Fontainebleau in France. In January 1813, Napoleon pressured the pope to sign a new "Concordat of Fontainebleau" which was soon repudiated by the pontiff. The pope was not released until 1814.
Religious emancipation
In February 1795, the National Convention proclaimed religious equality for France's Protestant churches and other religions. In April 1802, Napoleon published laws increasing state control of Calvinist congregations and Lutheran directories, with their pastors to be paid by the state. With Napoleon's military victories, formal religious equality and civil rights for religious minorities spread to the conquered territories and satellite states, although their implementation varied with the local authorities.
Jews in France had been granted full civil rights in September 1791 and religious equality in 1795. The revolutionary and Napoleonic regimes abolished Jewish ghettoes in the territories they conquered. Napoleon wished to assimilate Jews into French society and convened an assembly of Jewish notables in 1806 to that end. In 1807, he summoned a Sanhedrin to adapt the law of Moses to those of the empire. An imperial decree of March 1808 organized Jewish worship into consistories, limited usury and encouraged Jews to adopt a family name, intermarriage, and civil marriage and divorce. Jews, however, were still subject to discrimination in many parts of the empire and satellite states.
Personality
Pieter Geyl wrote in 1947, "It is impossible that two historians, especially two historians living in different periods, should see any historical personality in the same light." There is no dispute that Napoleon was ambitious, although commentators disagree on whether his ambition was mostly for his own power and glory or for the welfare of France. Historians agree that Napoleon was highly intelligent with an excellent memory and was a superior organizer who could work efficiently for long hours. In battle, he could rapidly dictate a series of complex commands to his subordinates, keeping in mind where major units were expected to be at each future point.
He was an inspiring leader who could obtain the best from his soldiers and subordinates. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, said his presence on the battlefield was worth 40,000 soldiers. He could charm people when he needed to but could also publicly humiliate them and was known for his rages when his plans were frustrated. The historian McLynn sees him as a misogynist with a cruel streak which he often inflicted on women, children and animals.
There is debate over whether Napoleon was an outsider who never felt at home in France or with other people. Hippolyte Taine said Napoleon saw others only as instruments and was cut off from feelings of admiration, sympathy or pity. Arthur Lévy replied that Napoleon genuinely loved Joséphine and often showed humanity and compassion to his enemies or those who had let him down. He had the normal middle class virtues and understood the common man.
Historians are divided over whether Napoleon was consistently ruthless when his power was threatened or surprisingly indulgent in some cases. Those arguing for a ruthless personality point to episodes such as his violent suppression of revolts in France and conquered territories, his execution of the Duc d'Enghien and plotters against his rule, and his massacre of Turkish prisoners of war in Syria in 1799. Others point to his mild treatment of disloyal subordinates such as Charles XIV John, Talleyrand and Fouché.
Many historians see Napoleon as pragmatic and a realist, at least in the early years of his rule. He was not driven by ideology and promoted capable men irrespective of their political and social background, as long as they were loyal. As an expert in military matters, he valued technical expertise and listened to the advice of experts in other fields. However, there is a consensus that once he dominated Europe he became more intolerant of other views and surrounded himself with "yes men". Towards the end of his reign he lost his realism and ability to compromise.
Some historians talk of Napoleon's dual nature: a rationalist with a strong romantic streak. He took a team of scholars, artists and engineers with him to Egypt in order to scientifically study the country's culture and history, but at the same time was struck by romantic "orientalism". "I was full of dreams," he stated. "I saw myself founding a religion, marching into Asia, riding an elephant, a turban on my head and in my hand a new Koran that I would have composed to suit my need."
Napoleon was superstitious. He believed in omens, numerology, fate and lucky stars, and always asked of his generals: is he lucky? Dwyer states that Napoleon's victories at Austerlitz and Jena in 1805–06 left him even more certain of his destiny and invincibility. "I am of the race that founds empires", he once boasted, deeming himself an heir to the Ancient Romans.
Various psychologists have attempted to explain Napoleon's personality. Alfred Adler cites Napoleon to describe an inferiority complex in which short people adopt over-aggressive behaviour to compensate for lack of height; this inspired the term Napoleon complex. Adler, Erich Fromm and Wilhelm Reich ascribe his nervous energy to sexual dysfunction. Harold T. Parker speculated that rivalry with his older brother and bullying when he moved to France led him to develop an inferiority complex which made him domineering.
Appearance and image
In his youth, Bonaparte was consistently described as small and thin. Johann Ludwig Wurstemberger, who accompanied him in 1797 and 1798, notes "Bonaparte was rather slight and emaciated-looking; his face, too, was very thin, with a dark complexion... his black, unpowdered hair hung down evenly over both shoulders", but that, despite his slight and unkempt appearance, "his looks and expression were earnest and powerful."
The English painter Joseph Farington, who met him in 1802, said Bonaparte's eyes were "lighter, and more of a grey, than I should have expected from his complexion", "his person is below middle size", and "his general aspect was milder than I had before thought it." In his later years Napoleon gained weight and had a sallow complexion. The novelist Paul de Kock, who saw him in 1811, called Napoleon "yellow, obese, and bloated". He is often portrayed wearing a large bicorne hat—sideways—with a hand-in-waistcoat gesture—a reference to the painting produced in 1812 by Jacques-Louis David.
During the Napoleonic Wars, the British press depicted Napoleon as a dangerous tyrant, poised to invade. A nursery rhyme warned children that he ate naughty people; the "bogeyman". He was mocked as a short-tempered small man and was nicknamed "Little Boney in a strong fit". In fact, at about 170 cm (5 ft 7 in), he was of average height.
Reforms
Napoleon instituted numerous reforms, many of which had a lasting influence on France, Europe, and the world. He reformed the French administration, codified French law, implemented a new education system, and established the first French central bank, the Banque de France. He negotiated the Concordat of 1801 with the Catholic Church, which sought to reconcile the majority Catholic population to his regime. It was presented alongside the Organic Articles, which regulated public worship in France. He also implemented civil and religious equality for Protestants and Jews. In May 1802 he instituted the Legion of Honour to encourage civilian and military achievements. The order is still the highest decoration in France. He introduced three French constitutions culminating in the reintroduction of a hereditary monarchy and nobility.
Administration
Napoleon introduced a series of centralizing administrative reforms soon after taking power. In 1800, he established prefects appointed to run France's regional departments, sub-prefects to run districts and mayors to run towns. Local representative bodies were retained, but their powers were reduced and indirect elections with a high property qualification replaced direct elections. Real power in the regions was now in the hands of the prefects who were judged by how they met the main priorities of Napoleon's government: efficient administration, law and order, stimulating the local economy, gathering votes for plebiscites, conscripting soldiers and provisioning the army.
An enduring reform was the foundation, in December 1799, of the Council of State, an advisory body of experts which could also draft laws for submission to the legislative body. Napoleon drew many of his ministers and ambassadors from the council. It was the council which undertook the codification of French law.
After several attempts by revolutionary governments, Napoleon officially introduced the metric system in France in 1801, and it was spread through western Europe by his armies. The system was unpopular in some circles, so in 1812 he introduced a compromise system in the retail trade called the mesures usuelles (traditional units of measurement). In December 1805, Napoleon abolished the revolutionary calendar, with its ten-day week, which had been introduced in 1793.
Napoleonic Code
Napoleon's civil code of laws, known from 1807 as the Napoleonic Code, was implemented in March 1804. It was prepared by committees of legal experts under the supervision of Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, the Second Consul. Napoleon participated actively in the sessions of the Council of State that revised the drafts. The code introduced a clearly written and accessible set of national laws to replace the various regional and customary law systems that had operated in France.
The civil code entrenched the principles of equality before the law, religious toleration, secure property rights, equal inheritance for all legitimate children, and the abolition of the vestiges of feudalism. However, it also reduced the rights of women and children and severely restricted the grounds for divorce.
A criminal code was promulgated in 1808, and eventually seven codes of law were produced under Napoleon. The Napoleonic Code was carried by Napoleon's armies across Europe and influenced the law in many parts of the world. Alfred Cobban describes it as, "the most effective agency for the propagation of the basic principles of the French Revolution."
Warfare
In the field of military organization, Napoleon borrowed from previous theorists such as Jacques Antoine Hippolyte, Comte de Guibert, and from the reforms of preceding French governments, and then developed what was already in place. He continued the revolutionary policies of conscription and promotion based primarily on merit.
Corps replaced divisions as the largest army units, mobile artillery was integrated into reserve batteries, the staff system became more fluid, and cavalry returned as an important formation in French military doctrine. These methods are now referred to as essential features of Napoleonic warfare.
Napoleon was regarded by the influential military theorist Carl von Clausewitz as a genius in the art of war, and many historians rank him as a great military commander. Wellington considers him the greatest military commander of all time, and Henry Vassall-Fox calls him "the greatest statesman and the ablest general of ancient or modern times". Cobban states that he showed his genius in moving troops quickly and concentrating them on strategic points. His principles were to keep his forces united, keep no weak point unguarded, seize important points quickly, and seize his chance. Owen Connelly, however, states, "Napoleon's personal tactics defy analysis." He used his intuition, engaged his troops, and reacted to what developed.
Napoleon was an aggressive commander with a preference for the offensive. Under Napoleon, the focus shifted towards destroying enemy armies rather than simply outmanoeuvering them. Wars became more costly and decisive as invasions of enemy territory occurred on larger fronts. The political cost of war also increased, as defeat for a European power meant more than just losing isolated territories. Peace terms were often punitive, sometimes involving regime change, which intensified the trend towards total war since the revolutionary era.
Education
Napoleon's educational reforms laid the foundation of a modern system of secondary and tertiary education in France and throughout much of Europe. He synthesized academic elements from the Ancien Régime, The Enlightenment, and the French Revolution. His education laws of 1802 left most primary education in the hands of religious or communal schools which taught basic literacy and numeracy for a minority of the population. He abolished the revolutionary central schools and replaced them with secondary schools and elite lycées where the curriculum was based on reading, writing, mathematics, Latin, natural history, classics, and ancient history.
He retained the revolutionary higher education system, with grandes écoles in professions including law, medicine, pharmacy, engineering and school teaching. He introduced grandes écoles in history and geography, but opposed one in literature because it was not vocational. He also founded the military academy of Saint Cyr. He promoted the advanced centres, such as the École Polytechnique, that provided both military expertise and advanced research in science.
In 1808, he founded the Imperial University, a supervisory body with control over curriculum and discipline. The following year he introduced the baccalaureate. The system was designed to produce the efficient bureaucrats, technicians, professionals and military officers that the Napoleonic state required. It outperformed its European counterparts, many of which borrowed from the French system. Female education, in contrast, was designed to be practical and religious, based on home science, the catechism, basic literacy and numeracy, and enough science to eradicate superstition.
Nobility and honours
In May 1802, Bonaparte created the Legion of Honour whose members would be military personnel and civilians with distinguished service to the state. The institution was unpopular with republicans, and the measure passed by 14 votes to 10 in the Council of State. The Legion of Honour became an order of chivalry after the empire was proclaimed in 1804. In August 1806, Napoleon created an hereditary imperial nobility including princes, dukes, counts, barons and knights. Eventually the empire had over 3,000 nobles and more than 30,000 members of the Legion of Honour.
Memory and evaluation
Criticism
There is debate over whether Napoleon was "an enlightened despot who laid the foundations of modern Europe" or "a megalomaniac who wrought greater misery than any man before the coming of Hitler". He was compared to Adolf Hitler by Pieter Geyl in 1947 and Claude Ribbe in 2005. Most modern critics of Napoleon, however, reject the Hitler comparison, arguing that Napoleon did not commit genocide and did not engage in the mass murder and imprisonment of his political opponents. Nevertheless, David A. Bell and McLynn condemn his killing of 3,000–5,000 Turkish prisoners of war in Syria.
Historians have argued that his expansionist foreign policy was a major factor in the Napoleonic wars, which cost six million lives and caused economic disruption for a generation. McLynn and Correlli Barnett suggest that Napoleon's reputation as a military genius is exaggerated. Cobban and Susan P. Conner argue that Napoleon had insufficient regard for the lives of his soldiers and that his battle tactics led to excessive casualties.
Critics also cite Napoleon's exploitation of conquered territories. To finance his wars, Napoleon increased taxes and levies of troops from annexed territories and satellite states. He also introduced discriminatory tariff policies which promoted French trade at the expense of allies and satellite states. He institutionalized plunder: French museums contain art stolen by Napoleon's forces from across Europe. Artefacts were brought to the Musée du Louvre for a grand central museum; an example which would later be followed by others.
Many historians have criticized Napoleon's authoritarian rule, especially after 1807, which included censorship, the closure of independent newspapers, the bypassing of direct elections and representative government, the dismissal of judges showing independence, and the exile of critics of the regime. Historians also blame Napoleon for reducing the civil rights of women, children and people of colour, and reintroducing the legal penalties of civil death and confiscation of property. His reintroduction of an hereditary monarchy and nobility remains controversial. His role in the Haitian Revolution and decision to reinstate slavery in France's colonies in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean adversely affect his reputation.
Propaganda and memory
Napoleon's use of propaganda contributed to his rise to power, legitimated his regime, and established his image for posterity. Strict censorship and control of the press, books, theatre, and art were part of his propaganda scheme, aimed at portraying him as bringing peace and stability to France. Propaganda focused on his role first as a general then as a civil leader and emperor. He fostered a relationship with artists, commissioning and controlling different forms of art to suit his propaganda goals. Napoleonic propaganda survived his exile to Saint Helena. Las Cases, who was with Napoleon in exile, published The Memorial of Saint Helena in 1822, creating a legend of Napoleon as a liberal, visionary proponent of European unification, deposed by reactionary elements of the ancien régime.
Napoleon remained a central figure in the romantic art and literature of the 1820s and 1830s. The Napoleonic legend played a key role in collective political defiance of the Bourbon restoration monarchy in 1815–1830. People from different walks of life and areas of France, particularly Napoleonic veterans, drew on the Napoleonic legacy and its connections with the ideals of the French Revolution. The defiance manifested itself in seditious materials, displaying the tricolour and rosettes. There were also subversive activities celebrating anniversaries of Napoleon's life and reign and disrupting royal celebrations.
Bell sees the return of Napoleon's remains to France in 1840 as an attempt by Louis-Phillipe to prop up his unpopular regime by associating it with Napoleon, and that the regime of Napoleon III was only possible with the continued resonance of the Napoleonic legend. Venita Datta argues that following the collapse of militaristic Boulangism in the late 1880s, the Napoleonic legend was divorced from party politics and revived in popular culture. Writers and critics of the Belle Époque exploited the Napoleonic legend for diverse political and cultural ends. In the 21st century, Napoleon appears regularly in popular fiction, drama and advertising. Napoleon and his era remain major topics of historical research with a sharp increase in historical books, articles and symposia during the bicentenary years of 1999 to 2015.
Long-term influence outside France
Napoleon was responsible for spreading many of the values of the French Revolution to other countries, especially through the Napoleonic Code. After the fall of Napoleon, it continued to influence the law in western Europe and other parts of the world including Latin America, the Dominican Republic, Louisiana and Quebec.
Napoleon's regime abolished remnants of feudalism in the lands he conquered and in his satellite states. He liberalized property laws, ended manorialism, abolished the guild of merchants and craftsmen to facilitate entrepreneurship, legalized divorce, closed the Jewish ghettos and ended the Spanish Inquisition. The power of church courts and religious authority was sharply reduced and equality before the law was proclaimed for all men.
Napoleon reorganized what had been the Holy Roman Empire, made up of about three hundred Kleinstaaten, into a more streamlined forty-state Confederation of the Rhine; this helped promote the German Confederation and the unification of Germany in 1871, as it sparked a new wave of German nationalism that opposed the French intervention. The movement toward Italian unification was similarly sparked by Napoleonic rule. These changes contributed to the development of nationalism and the nation state.
The Napoleonic invasion of Spain and ousting of the Spanish Bourbon monarchy had a significant effect on Spanish America. Many local elites sought to rule in the name of Ferdinand VII, whom they considered the legitimate monarch. Napoleon indirectly began the process of Latin American independence when the power vacuum was filled by local political leaders such as Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín. Such leaders embraced nationalistic sentiments influenced by French nationalism and led successful independence movements in Latin America. Napoleon's reputation is generally favourable in Poland, which is the only country in the world to evoke him in its national anthem, Poland Is Not Yet Lost.
Children
Napoleon married Joséphine in 1796, but the marriage produced no children. In 1806 he adopted his step-son Eugène de Beauharnais and his second cousin Stéphanie de Beauharnais, and he arranged dynastic marriages for them.
Napoleon's marriage to Marie Louise produced one child, Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles (Napoleon II), known from birth as the King of Rome. When Napoleon abdicated in 1815 he named his son his successor as "Napoleon II", but the allies refused to recognize him. He was awarded the title of the Duke of Reichstadt in 1818 and died of tuberculosis aged 21, with no children.
Napoleon acknowledged one illegitimate son: Charles Léon by Eléonore Denuelle de La Plaigne. Alexandre Colonna-Walewski, the son of his Polish mistress Maria Walewska, was also widely known to be his child, as DNA evidence has confirmed. He may have had further illegitimate offspring.
Arms
On becoming emperor, Napoleon adopted the French Imperial Eagle as his arms.
References
Notes
Citations
Works cited
Biographical studies
Historiography and memory
Specialty studies
Further reading
Chesney, Charles (2006). Waterloo Lectures:A Study Of The Campaign Of 1815. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4286-4988-0.
Dwyer, Philip (2015b). "'Citizen Emperor': Political Ritual, Popular Sovereignty and the Coronation of Napoleon I". History. 100 (339): 40–57. doi:10.1111/1468-229X.12089. ISSN 1468-229X. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
Johnson, Paul (2002). Napoleon: A life. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-6700-3078-1.
Jourquin, Jacques. 2021. La dernière passion de Napoléon : la bibliothèque de Sainte-Hélène Paris: Passés-composés.
Lefebvre, Georges (1969). Napoleon, from 18 Brumaire to Tilsit, 1799-1807. Columbia University Press.
Schroeder, Paul W. (1996). The Transformation of European Politics 1763–1848. Oxford U.P. pp. 177–560. ISBN 978-0-1982-0654-5. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2015. advanced diplomatic history of Napoleon and his era
Talleyrand, Chares-Maurice de (1891). Mémoires du Prince de Talleyrand (in French). Vol. 2. Paris: Henri Javal. pp. 10–12. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
External links
The Napoleonic Guide
Napoleon Series
International Napoleonic Society
Biography by the US Public Broadcasting Service
Daily tracking of Napoleon's location
Works by Napoleon at Project Gutenberg
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Kion Smith
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Kion Smith.
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Tell me a bio of Kion Smith.
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Tell me a bio of Kion Smith within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Kion Smith with around 100 words.
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Kion Smith (born October 7, 1998) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fayetteville State Broncos.
Early life and education
Smith played high school football at Lumberton High School. He was out for his entire senior season due to an injury.
Smith was at Fayetteville State University for his collegiate career. He played in 20 total games while he was there. His senior season was cancelled entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professional career
Atlanta Falcons
After going undrafted in the 2021 NFL draft, Smith signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons. However, he was not on the final 53-man roster.
Miami Dolphins
On September 6, 2021, Smith joined the Miami Dolphins practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Dolphins on January 11, 2022. He was waived on August 30, 2022 and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 16, 2023.
On August 10, 2024, Smith was placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a torn ACL in the preseason.
References
External links
Miami Dolphins bio
Fayetteville State University Broncos bio
Further reading
Baxley, Ron (May 2, 2021). "Fayetteville State's Kion Smith goes from walk-on tryout to signing with NFL team". The Fayetteville Observer.
Ledbetter, D. Orlando (August 24, 2021). "Pair try to make HBCU leap to NFL". The Atlanta Constitution – via Newspapers.com.
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F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre.
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Tell me a bio of F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre.
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Tell me a bio of F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of F. Gwynplaine MacIntyre with around 100 words.
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Fergus or Feargus Gwynplaine MacIntyre (born Paul Grant Jeffery; 9 March 1956 – 25 June 2010), also known as Froggy, was a New York City-based journalist, novelist, poet and illustrator.
Overview
MacIntyre's writings include the weird science fiction novel The Woman Between the Worlds and MacIntyre's Improbable Bestiary, a collection of his humor pieces and verse. As an uncredited "ghost" author, MacIntyre is known to have written or co-written several other books, including at least one novel in the Tom Swift IV series, The DNA Disaster, published as by "Victor Appleton" (a house pseudonym) but with MacIntyre's name on the acknowledgements page.
Background
Little is known about MacIntyre's childhood. He was born Paul Jeffery in New York City, the son of Grant Turner Peter Jeffery, a Canadian-born editor and public relations executive, and Mathilde Barbara Mantano, the daughter of Italian immigrants. He had three brothers and two sisters.
Throughout his life, MacIntyre told various stories about his family, birthplace, and childhood that remain unsubstantiated, and which, after his death, his brother confirmed to be fictional. MacIntyre used a foreign accent and often told people he was orphaned by a Scottish family and raised in an Australian orphanage and a child labour camp. In addition to MacIntyre, he used the aliases Timothy/Tim C. Allen, Oleg V. Bredikhine, and the nickname Froggy. But a teenage acquaintance alleged that the young MacIntyre spoke then with a plain New York accent from Long Island or Queens, raising questions about his claims of foreign origin. Another acquaintance who knew MacIntyre in his twenties remembered that he still spoke with an American accent, and used the name Jeremy MacIntyre. An acquaintance remembers MacIntyre sharing the reason for the "Gwynplaine" in his name; it was, he said, from the film The Man Who Laughs, based on the Victor Hugo novel, in which the title character, Gwynplaine, has had a permanent smile surgically carved on his face. MacIntyre stated that he identified with Gwynplaine and thus chose the name as part of his own.
Works
In the 1970s, MacIntyre worked for a Manhattan publisher of pornographic novels. Employees were paid $175 per week and expected to produce an entire pornographic novel in that time, as well as a chapter for a compilation-format pornographic book supposedly assembled from the cases of a Dr. Lamb.
Although MacIntyre professionally published many works of non-fiction and literature, he is best known as an author of genre fiction: specifically, science fiction, fantasy, horror and mystery stories. His short stories were published in Weird Tales, Analog, Asimov's Science Fiction, Amazing Stories, Absolute Magnitude, Interzone, The Strand Magazine and numerous anthologies, including Terry Carr's Best Science Fiction of the Year #10, Michael Reaves and John Pelan's mystery/horror anthology Shadows Over Baker Street, James Robert Smith and Stephen Mark Rainey's horror anthology Evermore, and Stephen Jones's The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror. For Mike Ashley's The Mammoth Book of Historical Detectives (1995), MacIntyre wrote "Death in the Dawntime", a locked room mystery (or rather, sealed cave mystery) set in Australia around 35,000 BC, which editor Mike Ashley suggests is the furthest in the past a historical whodunnit has been set.
A characteristic of MacIntyre's writing (both fiction and non-fiction) is his penchant for coining new words and resurrecting obscure words. Language authority William Safire acknowledged MacIntyre's neologism of "Clintonym" and quoted his historical etymology research.
In addition to publishing science fiction in Analog, MacIntyre also contributed to that magazine as an artist, illustrating his own stories and one by Ron Goulart.
MacIntyre wrote a considerable number of book reviews for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. In the July 2003 issue of that magazine, MacIntyre mentioned that he was related to the wife of Scottish author Eric Linklater. It is unclear whether this was one of the many fabrications about his life that MacIntyre's brother later confirmed to be untrue. MacIntyre had previously stated (in interviews and at science-fiction conventions) that he was estranged from his abusive family and did not acknowledge them. He had legally changed his name, officially filing a deed poll: "Fergus MacIntyre" was therefore his legal name but not his birth name. He had acknowledged that he took the name "Gwynplaine" from the protagonist of The Man Who Laughs, a novel by Victor Hugo.
MacIntyre claimed to have contributed substantial script material to a 2006 documentary about actress Theda Bara, The Woman with the Hungry Eyes: he claimed his contributions included the film's title and an interview he had conducted with author Fritz Leiber. He is only listed under the "Special Thanks" section of the credits; MacIntyre claimed to be contractually prevented from receiving a screenplay credit.
Among the genre film community, MacIntyre is notorious for writing over 1,600 reviews on the Internet Movie Database, many of which are fake, for films that have been lost for many years, and which he couldn't possibly have seen. On occasion, he would even admit this within the review.
Assault charges
In 2000, MacIntyre was arrested after a neighbour said he duct-taped her to a chair, shaved her head, and spray-painted her black. He later pleaded guilty to third-degree misdemeanor assault.
Death
On 25 June 2010, MacIntyre set his Brooklyn apartment on fire and his body was later found there.
For months preceding his death, MacIntyre had become more and more depressed and despondent. He sent mass emails to friends where he spoke of being troubled by his childhood. He described his family as "deeply evil people" and referenced suicide. He had also lost his night job as a printer and claimed to have health problems including synaesthesia. The day before his death, MacIntyre posted a review of the silent German science fiction film Metropolis (1927), titled "My favourite film, my last review" on IMDb. He concluded this review by writing, "Nitrate film stock doesn't last forever, and all good things come to a happy ending. This is my last review here. I'll keep watching movies, but other passions are important to me as well. Thank you, IMDb, and thank you to everyone who has read my reviews. I will happily rate 'Metropolis' a full 10 out of 10."
On 24 June 2010, police were called to MacIntyre's Bensonhurst apartment by a friend who had received the mass email which alluded to suicide. Six police officers forcibly removed MacIntyre from the apartment. He yelled that he wanted to die and take "everyone in the building down with me". He was taken to Coney Island Hospital for psychiatric evaluation and released hours later. MacIntyre returned to his apartment and sent off an angry mass email admonishing the person who called the police. At around 9:30 a.m. on 25 June, MacIntyre, who was a long time hoarder, lit the contents of his apartment on fire. The fire quickly engulfed the building and took sixty firefighters more than an hour to extinguish. MacIntyre's body was found among the burned debris. He was the only fatality in the fire as the other residents were quickly evacuated.
After his death, MacIntyre's brother came forward and stated that MacIntyre's life story was fabricated, but did not provide any details about his real-life story, save that they did have Scottish ancestry, or the reasons for his fabrications and affectations.
Bibliography
Books
Novels
The Woman Between the Worlds (1994, ISBN 0-440-50327-2 and 2000, ISBN 0-595-08884-8)
Poetry and miscellany
MacIntyre's Improbable Bestiary (2005, ISBN 1-58715-472-2)
Short stories
Asimov's Science Fiction
"For Cheddar or Worse" (volume 4 number 11, November 1980)
"Martian Walkabout" (volume 5 number 13, December 1981) (reprinted in The Best Science Fiction of the Year #10 anthology edited by Terry Carr)
"Isle Be Seeing You" (volume 6 number 4, April 1982)
Amazing Stories
"The Empath" (Volume 60, Issue 1, Page 106 & 107, November 1985)
"The Man Who Split in Twain" (May 1986)
Weird Tales
"The Ones Who Turn Invisible" (#293, 1988)
"Beddy-Bye" (Summer, 1998)
Absolute Magnitude
"The Minds Who Jumped" (Spring 1995)
Albedo One
"An Actor Prepares" (#20, 1999)
Analog Science Fiction and Fact
"OOPS!" (March 1991)
"Teeny-Tiny Techno-Tactics" (March 1997)
"Time Lines" (June 1999)
"A Real Bang-Up Job" (July 2000)
"'Put Back That Universe!'" (October 2000)
"Schrödinger's Cat-Sitter" (July 2001)
"A Deadly Medley of Smedley" (April 2003)
"Annual Annular Annals" (January 2004)
Interzone
"Sundowner Sheila" (February 2006)
The Strand Magazine
"Down the Garden Path" (February 2008)
Esli)
"Random" (July 2008)
"Smart Fashions" (June 2009; cover story)
"Boarder Incidence" (February 2010)
Space and Time
"Another Fine Messiah" (#110, Spring 2010)
S-F Magazine
"The Adventure of Exham Priory" (May 2010)
Notes
References
External links
Official website (archived)
June 2010 interview – Most Important People
The IMDB's Strangest Reviewer (2023) documentary
MacIntyre's film reviews at the Internet Movie Database
Fiery End for an Eccentric Recluse at The New York Times
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Jonathan Roy
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Jonathan Roy.
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Tell me a bio of Jonathan Roy.
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Tell me a bio of Jonathan Roy within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Jonathan Roy with around 100 words.
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Jonathan Piuze-Roy (born March 15, 1989) is a Canadian pop singer, songwriter, and former ice hockey goaltender. He is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy. Initially pursuing a hockey career in junior leagues, Roy switched paths in favour of music in 2007 after his father encouraged him away from hockey. He has released three albums, and his major-label debut, Mr. Optimist Blues, was released in 2017, which includes several songs written by 1980s pop star Corey Hart.
Early life
Roy's father is famed Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy. He moved with his family from Montreal to Colorado when he was six years old, due to his father being traded. Roy was influenced by his mother's frequent piano playing for the family as he was growing up. He wrote poetry from the age of 13 or 14, and began putting his poems to music around age 16. At age 17, Roy played hockey for the Quebec Remparts, with his father coaching the team at the time. Although he enjoyed goaltending, he dreamed of a music career, and was listening to the Backstreet Boys, John Mayer, and Ray LaMontagne. At 18, when his father told him that his future would not be in hockey and that he needed to plan an education, Roy told his father that he wanted to be a musician and songwriter. In 2009 Roy was charged with assault following an incident during a hockey brawl where he skated the length of the ice and attacked the opposing goaltender, punching him several times.
Music career
Roy's album What I've Become came out in 2009. His second album, Found My Way, came out in 2010. He released his French-language debut album, La route, in 2011. The title track, a duet with Natasha St-Pier, received the most attention.
Roy had a critically acclaimed role in the 2012 revival of the musical Don Juan.
In 2012, his father helped him set up a meeting with 1980s pop singer Corey Hart, who runs Siena Records, an affiliate of Warner Music. Hart offered to sign him to his label after Roy performed a Teddy Thompson song for him at Hart's home in Nassau, Bahamas. Roy and Hart had a hit holiday release in 2016 when they duetted on the Chris Rea song "Driving Home for Christmas".
In 2017, Roy released the album Mr. Optimist Blues on Siena Records, Corey Hart's music label. Hart executive-produced the album, and wrote three of the album's songs. The Montreal Gazette's music critic characterizes the style as "easygoing 21st-century pop with a little light reggae thrown in for good measure. Think Ed Sheeran meets Paolo Nutini and then slap on Bob Marley’s greatest hits." Roy is based in Toronto.
He frequently collaborates with Kim Richardson as a duet or backing vocalist.
In 2023, he participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.
Discography
Albums
What I've Become (2009) – No. 18 Canada
Found My Way (2010)
La route (2011)
Mr. Optimist Blues (2017) – No. 3 Canada
My Lullaby (2021) – No. 99 Canada
Life Distortions (2023)
Symphony of Doubts, Part 1 (2024)
References
External links
Official website
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Hiren Gohain
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Hiren Gohain.
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Tell me a bio of Hiren Gohain.
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Tell me a bio of Hiren Gohain within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Hiren Gohain with around 100 words.
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Hiren Gohain (born 1939) is an Assamese polymath, scholar, writer, literary critic, and social scientist from the Indian state of Assam.
Academic life
Gohain studied in Cotton College, and did his graduation from Presidency College, Calcutta and then moved to Delhi University to pursue his post-graduation in English literature. After completion of his master's degree, for some time, he became a lecturer in Kirori Mal College of Delhi University. Later, he went to the Cambridge University for doctoral research on the topic 'Paradise Lost and the 17th Century Crisis' later published as 'Tradition and Paradise Lost: A Heretical View', a work highly acclaimed for its original research and fresh perspective. After coming back from Cambridge, he became a professor at the Department of English in Gauhati University.
As a literary critic
It was Gohain who for the first time brought the ideas and methods of Anglo-American New Criticism to the study of Assamese/Indian literature in Assamese. While studying in Cambridge, he had an eclectic radical ideology but later on, after his return to India, he became a Marxist. It was he who adapted the ideas of critics like György Lukács, Antonio Gramsci, and other critics into the nascent field of Assamese literary criticism. Some of his books in Assamese are Sahityar Satya, Sahitya Aru Chetana, Biswayatan, Asomiya Jatiya Jibanat Mahapurushiya Paramapara, Assam: A Burning Question and several other significant and widely read books. He has also written 4 volumes of memoirs which are also relevant for their incorporation of social and historical content. He is a contributor to journals such as Economic and Political Weekly, Frontier, and occasional publications of institutions like Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS), Centre for English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL), Shillong. He also is a columnist for various regional and national newspapers.
Other contributions
He is also a regular contributor to Economic and Political Weekly. His book 'Assam A Burning Question' is a compilation of several essays on the socio-political crisis confronting Assam in the context of Assam Movement written in the mid-1980s, and the period dominated by extremism. Recently, he played an important role in the mediation of peace talks between the Government of India and the Assamese insurgent group ULFA. He was the founder president of the Asomiya Sahitya Sanmilani.He is a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award for his book on Sankardev.
Selected works & journals
Tradition & Paradise lost: a heretical view (1997, English)
Assam, a burning question (1984, English)
On the present movement in Assam (1980, English)
Bodo Stir in Perspective
Nature and art in Shakespeare: an essay on Hamlet (English)
Sahityar Satya (1970, Assamese)
Bastabar Swapna (1972, Assamese)
Kal Bhramar (1974, Assamese)
Kewal Manuhar Ase Gaan (1970, Assamese)
Samaj Aru Samalochana (1972, Assamese)
Sristi Aru Jukti (1972, Assamese)
Sahitya Aru Chetana (1976, Assamese)
Kirtan Puthir Roh Bisar (1981, Assamese)
Tejar Aakhare Likha (1982, Assamese)
Biswayatan (1983, Assamese)
Kabitar Bichar Aru Natun Samalochana (1986, Assamese)
Asamiya Jatiya Jibanat Mahaapurusiya Parampara (1987, Assamese)
Upanyasar Adhunik Samalochana (Vol. 1 & 2, Assamese)
Adristwa Aru Asam (1988, Assamese)
Kalasrot Aru Kandari (1995, Assamese)
Nature and Art in Shakespeare (1988, English)
The Magic Plant (1992, English)
Aspects of Early 19th Century Bengalee Culture (1990, English) 23. Struggling in a time warp (2019, English)
On Saffronisation of Education
Awards and honors
Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989
Political activism
Gohain has been a voice of Assam as critic of Assamese national extremism, Hindutva extremism and socio-political issues.
Gohain opposed the citizenship (Amendment) Act and equated the exclusion of Muslims from the CAA purview of the as a move similar to that of the pogrom against the Jews by Nazis in Germany during World War II. Gohain has been a strong critic of Narendra Modi.
Gohain participated in an anti-CAA protest organised by the All Assam Journalists Union in front of Guwahati Press Club.
== References ==
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Stephen J. Mackwell
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Stephen J. Mackwell.
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Tell me a bio of Stephen J. Mackwell.
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Tell me a bio of Stephen J. Mackwell within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Stephen J. Mackwell with around 100 words.
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Stephen J. Mackwell is a researcher in geophysics, specializing in laboratory-based studies of the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of geological materials. He is also interested in the transport of fluid components in mantle and crustal rocks on the microscopic and macroscopic scales, and on the effects of such components on mechanical properties. He has authored or co-authored over 80 articles in international scientific journals and is an editor of a book on comparative climatology of terrestrial planets published by the University of Arizona Press.
Education
Stephen J. Mackwell received a B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics in August 1978 at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He continued his studies at the University of Canterbury and earned his M.Sc. in Physics in August 1979. His master's thesis was titled "Excitation Temperatures for Late Type Stars." He went on to receive his Diploma of Education at Christchurch Teachers College in New Zealand in November 1979. He earned his Ph.D. in Geophysics in March 1985 from the Research School of Earth Sciences of the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. His dissertation was titled "Diffusion and Weakening Effects of Water in Quartz and Olivine."
Early career
Stephen J. Mackwell worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, from 1984 to 1987, and then moved to the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania, as an assistant professor in 1987 and subsequently associate professor of geosciences in 1992. He was program director for geophysics in the Earth Sciences Division at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C., from 1993 to 1994, and spent 1996 as an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut in Bayreuth, Germany. In 1998, Mackwell became a full professor for experimental geophysics at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut at the University of Bayreuth. In January 2000 he was appointed director of the Bayerisches Geoinstitut and served there until December 2002.
Director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute
Mackwell returned to the United States in late 2002 as director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas, a division of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). In addition, Mackwell managed USRA's Houston facility and education programs including the NASA Internships Program and the Air Force Research Laboratory Intern Program. In 2016, Louise Prockter became the Director of the LPI, and Mackwell was named as the USRA Corporate Director of Science Programs.
Mackwell has served on the editorial board of several planetary science journals, including serving as editor-in-chief for the journal Geophysical Research Letters from 2002 to 2004. He served on the advisory board for the journal Physics and Chemistry of Minerals from 1996 to 2004. Mackwell has participated in the 2013–2022 Planetary Science Decadal Survey Steering Group and Inner Planets Panel.
Since 2018, he is a member of the Space Studies Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Mackwell has been an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas since 2005, in the Department of Earth Science at the University of Minnesota from 2021 to 2022, and the Department of Geology at the University of Maryland - College Park since 2022.
American Institute of Physics
From February 2019 until June 2021, Mackwell served as the Deputy Executive Officer of the American Institute of Physics in College Park, MD.
National Science Foundation
From April 2022 to March 2025, Mackwell served as the Section Head for Disciplinary Programs and subsequently Deputy Division Director (Acting) in the Division of Earth Sciences of the Geosciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, VA.
Honors
Stephen J. Mackwell has been named Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2017; Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2010; Stipendiat der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung in Bayreuth, Germany in 1996; Ministère de L'Education Nationale, Academie de Lille, Nommé Professeur in 1996; and Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America in 1996.
In 2016, Mackwell was honored by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) with the naming of main-belt asteroid 5292 Mackwell (formerly designated as 1991 AJ1).
Hitoshi Shiozawa and Minoru Kizawa originally discovered asteroid 5292 Mackwell on January 12, 1991, in Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. 5292 Mackwell has an absolute magnitude of 11.9 and is part of the main asteroid belt, which is located between the orbits of planets Mars and Jupiter.
Bibliography
Mackwell S. J., Simon-Miller A. A., Harder J. W., and Bullock M. A., eds. (2013) Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ. 592 pp.
Demouchy S. and Mackwell S. (2006) Mechanisms of hydrogen incorporation and diffusion in iron-bearing olivine. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 33, 347, doi:10.1007/s00269-006-0081-2.
Mackwell S. J., Zimmerman M. E., and Kohlstedt D. L. (1998) High-temperature deformation of dry diabase with application to tectonics on Venus. Journal of Geophysical Research–Solid Earth, 103(B1), 975–984, doi:10.1029/97JB02671.
Kohlstedt D. L., Evans B., and Mackwell S. J. (1995) Strength of the lithosphere: Constraints imposed by laboratory experiments. Journal of Geophysical Research–Solid Earth, 100(B9), 17587–17602, doi:10.1029/95JB01460.
References
External links
Lunar and Planetary Institute: Dr. Stephen Mackwell
https://www.geol.umd.edu/stephenmackwell
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William G. Angel
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about William G. Angel.
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Tell me a bio of William G. Angel.
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Tell me a bio of William G. Angel within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of William G. Angel with around 100 words.
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William Gardner Angel (July 17, 1790 – August 13, 1858) was an American politician and lawyer who served two terms as a U.S. Representative for New York's 13th congressional district from 1825 to 1827, and from 1829 to 1833.
Early life and education
Angel was born in New Shoreham, Rhode Island, the son of William and Susannah (Gardner) Angel. In 1792, he moved with his parents to a farm in that part of Richfield, New York, which was separated as the Town of Exeter in 1799, and attended the common schools while working on the family farm. In 1807, he began attending Dr. Buckingham's Grammar School. Angel also briefly studied medicine.
Career
In 1809, Angel was heard as a witness at a trial where William Dowse, a lawyer from the county seat Cooperstown, appeared for the defense. After the trial, Angel was hired by Dowse as a handyman and, while working for Dowse, he read law and became a clerk in Dowse's office.
After Dowse's death, Angel continued to study law with Farrand Stranahan, and in 1816 entered the office of William Welton in Sherburne, Chenango County, New York. The next year, he was taken into partnership by Luther Elderkin, a lawyer of Burlington, and was admitted to the bar. Elderkin absconded with his clients' money, and left Angel to refund them. In this way, Angel took over Elderkin's office, practicing at Burlington until 1833. Angel was Surrogate of Otsego County from 1821 to 1824.
After the death of his first wife, Angel married Clarissa English and they had ten children, among them James R. Angel (1836–1899) and Texas Angel (1839–1903, a lawyer in Hailey, Idaho, and a Populist contender for U.S. Senator from Idaho in 1897).
Congress
Angel was elected as a Jacksonian to the 19th, 21st and 22nd United States Congresses, holding office from March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1827, and from March 4, 1829, to March 3, 1833. Afterwards he removed to Hammondsport and resumed the practice of law in partnership with Morris Brown. At this time, Martin Grover studied law with Angel, first in Burlington, then in Hammondsport. Grover was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Angelica, New York. In 1835, Angel followed Grover to Angelica, and practiced law in partnership with Grover until 1843. From 1843 to 1847, he practiced law in partnership with his son Wilkes Angel. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1846. Becoming First Judge and Surrogate of the Allegany County Court, he served from 1847 to 1851.
Personal life
In 1812, Angel married Emily P. English (1790–1822) and they had several children, among them William P. Angel (1813–1869) and Wilkes Angel (1817–1889).
Angel died on August 13, 1858, in Angelica, Allegany County, New York; and was buried at the Until the Day Dawn Cemetery there.
Sources
United States Congress. "William G. Angel (id: A000256)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. [confuses Richfield with Litchfield (in Herkimer Co.)] [gives wrong death month "August"]
The American Biographical Sketch Book by William Hunt (pages 86f)
The Bench and Bar of New-York by Lucien Brock Proctor (1870; pages 728ff) [says he was a Jacksonian in the 19th Congress, page 743]
The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 71f, 358 and 416; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858)
DEATH LIST OF A DAY;..."Ex-Justice James R. Angel" in NYT on October 5, 1899
WILKES ANGEL in Biographical Sketches of the State Officers and Members of the Legislature of the State of New York] by William D. Murphy (1863; pages 42f) [says his father died in October 1858]
No Choice in Idaho in NYT on January 17, 1897
Angel genealogy at GenForum
ANGELICA COLLECTANEA & OBITUARIES compiled by L. L. Stillwell, at RootsWeb [gives October 13 as death date]
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Vujadin Savić
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Vujadin Savić.
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Tell me a bio of Vujadin Savić.
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Tell me a bio of Vujadin Savić within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Vujadin Savić with around 100 words.
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Vujadin Savić (Serbian Cyrillic: Вујадин Савић; born 1 July 1990) is a Serbian football coach and former player. He played as a centre-back.
Club career
Early career
Savić was eight years old when he began training for the Red Star Belgrade, where he passed all age categories. Between 2007 and 2009 he played for Rad before returning to Red Star where he would play in the first squad until 2010 when he moved to France and signed with Bordeaux. In January 2012, he went on loan to Dynamo Dresden for the rest of the 2011–12 season.
Watford
On 23 January 2015 Savić signed for English Championship club Watford until the end of the season. However, he was one of three released by Watford following their promotion to the Premier League in 2015, and left without making an appearance for the club.
Sheriff Tiraspol
In 2015, Savić joined Sheriff Tiraspol, where he made a total of 40 appearances and 4 goals in all competitions over two seasons. He scored a bicycle kick in a league match against Zaria Bălți on 19 September 2015.
Return to Red Star Belgrade
In June 2017, Savić returned to his home club, Red Star Belgrade, on a two-year contract. In his first season back in Belgrade, Red Star became the first team in history to make it to the 2018 Europa League knockout phase from the first qualifying round. It was also Red Star's first season surviving the group stage of a UEFA competition in 26 years. During the 2017 season, coach Vladan Milojević played Savić in reputable defensive partnerships with Srđan Babić and Damien Le Tallec. With Savić, Red Star conceded only two goals in the 2017 Europa League group stage; it was the second best defense in the Europa League group stage behind eventual semi-finalists Red Bull Salzburg. In May 2018, Savić was elected in the best 11 players for the 2017–18 Serbian SuperLiga season, by clubs captains' and managers' choice. The following season, Savić managed to guide Red Star to their first ever UEFA Champions League appearance. During the qualifying rounds, playing mostly in tandem with Miloš Degenek, Red Star managed to concede only three goals. In absence of club captain Nenad Milijaš, Savić captained Red Star in all four of the games he featured in. In two out of those four games, both home against Napoli and Liverpool, Red Star managed to keep a clean sheet. He played the first half against Liverpool at Anfield but was substituted at half-time due to injury. He missed the remaining two games against Napoli in Naples and Paris Saint-Germain in Belgrade also because of injury. On 25 January 2019, Savić extended his contract with Red Star until summer 2022.
APOEL
On 14 July 2019, Cypriot club APOEL officially announced Savić's signing. Savić joined APOEL from Red Star on a free transfer, with a provision that Red Star be paid half of the sum of his next transfer. He signed a three-year contract. In late August 2019, he underwent surgery for a groin injury.
On 15 February 2021, Savić was loaned to Slovenian PrvaLiga side Olimpija Ljubljana for the remainder of the 2020–21 Slovenian PrvaLiga season.
International career
Savić represented Serbia at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. In March 2018, Savić got a first call to the Serbia national football team under coach Mladen Krstajić, for friendly games against Morocco and Nigeria. He failed to make a debut due to injury.
Personal life
Vujadin is a son of Serbian former professional footballer Dušan Savić. He has four children with actress Mirka Vasiljević, his common law spouse. Savić was named after Serbian coach and former player Vujadin Boškov. He is also nicknamed Giška after his relative Đorđe Božović.
Career statistics
Club
Honours
Red Star Belgrade
Serbian SuperLiga: 2017–18, 2018–19
Serbian Cup: 2009–10
Sheriff
National Division: 2015–16, 2016–17
Moldovan Cup: 2016–17
Moldovan Super Cup: 2016
APOEL
Cyprus Super Cup: 2019
Olimpija Ljubljana
Slovenian Cup: 2020–21
Individual
Serbian SuperLiga Team of the Season: 2017–18
References
External links
Vujadin Savić at WorldFootball.net
Vujadin Savić at Soccerbase
[https://www.nzs.si/tekmovanja/default.asp?action=igralecStat&id_igralca=219020 Vujadin Savić at NZS (in Slovene)
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Marli Renfro
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Marli Renfro.
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Tell me a bio of Marli Renfro.
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Tell me a bio of Marli Renfro within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Marli Renfro with around 100 words.
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Marli Renfro (born April 3, 1938 in Los Angeles, California) is an American former showgirl, model, Playboy cover girl and actress.
She was the body double for Janet Leigh in the shower scene of the 1960 film Psycho.
Early career
Renfro, described as a free spirit with a lifelong commitment to nudism, appeared in many men's magazines including Ace, Adam, Beau, Dude, Escapade, Follies, Gala and Modern Man. She also appeared on the cover of the September 1960 edition of Playboy.
Renfro spent some time working as a showgirl in Las Vegas, and also worked as a Playboy Bunny.
Film career
Unperturbed by working nude, Renfro was hired as the body double for the actress Janet Leigh in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho. She was paid $500. The shower scene in Psycho is considered one of the most famous scenes in cinema history. It features more than 50 camera cuts in three minutes and took six days to film. Although nudity is implied in the rapid cuts, none is seen. Hitchcock and Leigh initially maintained that only Leigh appeared in the shower. Only later did Hitchcock acknowledge that when Leigh's face is seen it is her, otherwise it is Renfro. Leigh's account of the shower scene, however, says all the actual shower footage in the film was of her and the only time Renfro was used was in an overhead shot that was eventually cut due to censors' concerns.
Renfro subsequently appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's 1962 film Tonight for Sure.
Decades later, Renfro was interviewed and featured in 78/52, director Alexandre O. Philippe's 2017 documentary film that examines Psycho and the shower scene.
Confusion regarding death
During the filming of Psycho, Janet Leigh also had a stand-in to check lighting. Her name was Myra Davis, also known as Myra Jones. In 1988 Davis was raped and murdered by her neighbor and handyman Kenneth Dean Hunt. Possibly due to fascination with the shower scene, sections of the media confused Davis's role and published that she had been Leigh's body double. The BBC went further and not only asserted that Davis was Leigh's body double, but also that Davis was the voice of Norman Bates' mother, although this character had been voiced by Virginia Gregg and Jeanette Nolan. In his 2002 book Body Double, author Don Lasseter compounded the confusion and wrote that Davis and Renfro were the same person, meaning that Renfro was dead.
Author Robert Graysmith, who had a lifelong fascination with Renfro, noted a comment by Davis's granddaughter that Davis would never have done nude work. He set out to find Renfro and discovered that she was living in California. He subsequently wrote a book, The Girl in Alfred Hitchcock's Shower (2010), about Renfro's role in Psycho and the confusion over Davis's death.
Personal life
Renfro married and is known as Marli Renfro Peterson. She has lived in the Mojave Desert since 1970.
References
Further reading
Graysmith, Robert (2010), The Girl in Alfred Hitchcock's Shower ISBN 0-425-23231-X
Rebello, Stephen (1990), Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho ISBN 0-942637-14-3
External links
Marli Renfro at IMDb
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Rii Sen
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Rii Sen.
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Tell me a bio of Rii Sen.
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Tell me a bio of Rii Sen within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Rii Sen with around 100 words.
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Rii Sen (born Rituparna Sen) is an Indian actress who works in Bengali cinema. She started her career as a freelance model and television actress. Her debut film was Tepantorer Mathe, but it was not released in theatres because of obscene scenes. Sen had participated as contestant in Bigg Boss bangla season 2 and she was the 2nd runner up in the show. She has acted in movies like Bishh, Gandu, and Cosmic Sex.
Sen is considered a notable actress of alternative Bengali cinema. She won a best actress award at Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema for her movie Cosmic Sex.
Career
Early career
She has acted in a few television series (Tithir Otithi, Ekhane Akash Neel) and short films. The actress was also a contestant of Bigg Boss Bangla Season 2,
Film career
2009–2011
Sen acted in Tepantorer Mathe, which was her debut feature film, but it was not released. In 2009 Sen worked in a documentary, Love in India, directed by Qaushiq Mukherjee. The subject of the documentary was dehotatwa (worshiping through one's body). In the same year she acted in another documentary, Many Stories of Love and Hate, directed by Shyamal Karmakar. The documentary was screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival in 2010.
In 2009, she acted in Bissh, directed by Qaushiq Mukherjee. In this film Rii played the character Anushka, a college student. According to Rii, this was a very complex role and playing the character was very tough for her. She said in an interview— "I play Bee in Bishh... Bee is not a simple, straightforward girl. She is complicated, confused yet confident. Maybe that's why she is called Bee. I almost lost my identity while getting into the skin of the character."
In the 2010 film Gandu, Sen played a lead role. For the character, Sen was required to portray frontal nudity. Qaushiq Mukherjee, the director of the film, said in an interview that he cast Rii because she was the only heroine (of the Bengali film industry) who could have played this role. IBNLive appreciated the work of Rii and wrote in their review— "All the characters have put in their best efforts. Both Komolika and Rii have exuberated confidence in all the sex scenes, showing their maturity as actresses." In the 2010 film Autograph, directed by Srijit Mukherji, Sen played a minor role.
2011–present
Sen acted in 2012 film Koyekti Meyer Golpo, directed by Subrata Sen. In this film she played the character of the wife of a don. She also acted in the Bengali film Cosmic Sex, directed by Amitabh Chakraborty. The story of the film revolves around a young man's sexual self-discovery. Kripa, the young man, meets a prostitute, a eunuch and a female ascetic named Sadhana during his journey. The film was screened at Osian's film festival and got a warm reception.
Sen appeared as Horotoni in the 2013 film Tasher Desh, directed by Q aka Qaushiq Mukherjee. The film has been described as "trippy adaptation" of the Rabindrath Tagore's namesake play by Indian medias.
According to a newspaper report published in The Times of India in May 2013, Sen is acting in debutant director Anirban Mukherjee's Byanka Prithibi. In this film she is playing the character of a housewife. In 2014 it was announced that Rii would appear in Q (Quashiq Mukherjee) and Nikon's upcoming movie 'LUDO', playing a role not previously seen on Indian screens.
Television career
She has appeared in serials like Trinayani in Zee Bangla Dhrubotara, Star Jalsha and Star Jalsha's Durga Durgeshwari, Jai Kali Kalkattawali and Sanjher Baati.
Sen as an actress of alternative cinema
Sen is regarded as a prominent actress of alternative Bengali cinema. In an article of Mint, the performances of Sen was described as– "the common link between a set of films that has been challenging the norms of acceptability and decorum in the past few years." According to Sen, sexuality is a cult for her. She also told— she wants to push her sexuality in cinema "to the borderline where it becomes extreme and dangerous".
Sen was shot for frontal nudity scenes in Qaushik Mukherjee's Gandu and Amitabh Chakraborty's Cosmic Sex. Though Paoli Dam is generally credited as the first Indian actress to shoot full nude scenes, according to a report of The Times of India, Sen went for frontal nudity scene six months before Dam's work. Sen told she was happy that she could use her body for "a great cinematic purpose". She also told— "As an artiste, I feel, it's important to record the passing time through one's work. And I don't want my work to be seen as gimmick of any sort."
Filmography
Color key
Pink indicates "unreleased films"; light green indicates "documentary film"
Television
Ekhane Akash Neel
Byata betir Battle
Jai Kali Kalkattawali
Trinayani
Dhrubatara (TV series)
Khukumoni Home Delivery
Durga Durgeshwari
Uron Tubri
Ke Prothom Kache Eshechi
Tentulpataa
Video Bouma (Later Replaced by Rimjhim Mitra)
Awards
In 2012, Sen won a best actress award at Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema for her movie Cosmic Sex.
See also
Paoli Dam
Nandana Sen
References
External links
Rii Sen at IMDb
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Fidel Castro
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Fidel Castro.
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Tell me a bio of Fidel Castro.
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Tell me a bio of Fidel Castro within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Fidel Castro with around 100 words.
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Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 2008. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist and Cuban nationalist, he also served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 until 2011. Under his administration, Cuba became a one-party communist state; industry and business were nationalized, and socialist reforms were implemented throughout society.
Born in Birán, the son of a wealthy Spanish farmer, Castro adopted leftist and anti-imperialist ideas while studying law at the University of Havana. After participating in rebellions against right-wing governments in the Dominican Republic and Colombia, he planned the overthrow of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, launching a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953. After a year's imprisonment, Castro travelled to Mexico where he formed a revolutionary group, the 26th of July Movement, with his brother, Raúl Castro, and Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Returning to Cuba, Castro took a key role in the Cuban Revolution by leading the Movement in a guerrilla war against Batista's forces from the Sierra Maestra. After Batista's overthrow in 1959, Castro assumed military and political power as Cuba's prime minister. The United States came to oppose Castro's government and unsuccessfully attempted to remove him by assassination, economic embargo, and counter-revolution, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961. Countering these threats, Castro aligned with the Soviet Union and allowed the Soviets to place nuclear weapons in Cuba, resulting in the Cuban Missile Crisis—a defining incident of the Cold War—in 1962.
Adopting a Marxist–Leninist model of development, Castro converted Cuba into a one-party, socialist state under Communist Party rule, the first in the Western Hemisphere. Policies introducing central economic planning and expanding healthcare and education were accompanied by state control of the press and the suppression of internal dissent. Abroad, Castro supported anti-imperialist revolutionary groups, backing the establishment of Marxist governments in Chile, Nicaragua, and Grenada, as well as sending troops to aid allies in the Yom Kippur, Ogaden, and Angolan Civil War. These actions, coupled with Castro's leadership of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1979 to 1983 and Cuban medical internationalism, increased Cuba's profile on the world stage. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Castro led Cuba through the economic downturn of the "Special Period", embracing environmentalist and anti-globalization ideas. In the 2000s, Castro forged alliances in the Latin American "pink tide"—namely with Hugo Chávez's Venezuela—and formed the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas. In 2006, Castro transferred his responsibilities to Vice President Raúl Castro, who was elected to the presidency by the National Assembly in 2008.
The longest-serving non-royal head of state in the 20th and 21st centuries, Castro polarized world opinion. His supporters view him as a champion of socialism and anti-imperialism whose revolutionary government advanced economic and social justice while securing Cuba's independence from American hegemony. His critics view him as a dictator whose administration oversaw human rights abuses, the exodus of many Cubans, and the impoverishment of the country's economy.
Early life and career
Youth: 1926–1947
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born out of wedlock at his father's farm on 13 August 1926. His father, Ángel Castro y Argiz, was a migrant to Cuba from Galicia, northwest Spain. After the collapse of his first marriage he took his household servant, Lina Ruz González—of Canarian ancestry—as his mistress and later second wife; together they had seven children, among them Fidel. At age six, Castro was sent to live with his teacher in Santiago de Cuba, before being baptized into the Roman Catholic Church at the age of eight. His baptism allowed Castro to attend the La Salle boarding school in Santiago, and was later sent to the Jesuit-run Dolores School in Santiago.
In 1942, Castro transferred to the Jesuit-run El Colegio de Belén in Havana. In 1945, Castro began studying law at the University of Havana where he became embroiled in student activism and the violent gangsterismo culture within the university. After becoming passionate about anti-imperialism and opposing US intervention in the Caribbean, he unsuccessfully campaigned for the presidency of the Federation of University Students. Castro became critical of the corruption and violence of President Ramón Grau's government, delivering a public speech on the subject in November 1946 that received coverage on the front page of several newspapers.
In 1947, Castro joined the Party of the Cuban People (Partido Ortodoxo), founded by Eduardo Chibás. Though Chibás came third in the 1948 general election, Castro remained committed to working on his behalf. Student violence escalated when Grau employed gang leaders as police officers, and Castro received a death threat urging him to leave the university, but he refused and began to carry a gun and surround himself with armed friends. Anti-Castro dissidents accused him of committing gang-related assassinations at the time, but these accusations remain unproven.
Rebellion and Marxism: 1947–1950
In June 1947, Castro joined a planned expedition to overthrow the government of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. The military force intended to sail from Cuba in July 1947, but Grau's government stopped the invasion under US pressure, and Castro evaded arrest. Returning to Havana, Castro took a leading role in student protests against the killing of a high school pupil by government bodyguards. The protests and subsequent crackdown on suspected communists led to violent clashes between activists and police in February 1948, in which Castro was badly beaten. His subsequent public speeches took a leftist slant, condemning social and economic inequality in Cuba.
In April 1948, Castro travelled to Bogotá, Colombia, leading a Cuban student group sponsored by President Juan Perón's Argentine government. There, the assassination of leftist leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Ayala led to rioting and clashes between the governing Conservatives—backed by the army—and leftist Liberals. Castro joined the Liberal cause by stealing guns from a police station; subsequent police investigations concluded that he had not been involved in killings. In April 1948, the Organization of American States was founded at a summit in Bogotá, leading to protests, which Castro joined.
Returning to Cuba, Castro became a prominent figure in protests against government attempts to raise bus fares. He married Mirta Díaz Balart, through whom he was exposed to the lifestyle of the Cuban elite. The subsequent election was won by Partido Auténtico's new candidate, Carlos Prío Socarrás. Castro had moved further to the left and interpreted Cuba's problems as an integral part of capitalist society, or the "dictatorship of the bourgeoisie", rather than the failings of corrupt politicians, and adopted the Marxist view that meaningful political change could only be brought about by proletariat revolution. Visiting Havana's poorest neighbourhoods, he became active in the student anti-racist campaign.
In September 1949, Mirta gave birth to a son, Fidelito, so the couple moved to a larger Havana flat. Castro continued to put himself at risk, staying active in the city's politics and joining the 30 September Movement, which contained within it both communists and members of the Partido Ortodoxo. The group's purpose was to oppose the influence of the violent gangs within the university; despite his promises, Prío had failed to control the situation, instead offering many of their senior members jobs in government ministries. Castro volunteered to deliver a speech for the Movement on 13 November, exposing the government's secret deals with the gangs and identifying key members. Attracting the attention of the national press, the speech angered the gangs and Castro fled into hiding, first in the countryside and then in the US. Returning to Havana several weeks later, Castro laid low and focused on his university studies, graduating as a Doctor of Law in September 1950.
Career in law and politics: 1950–1952
Castro co-founded a legal partnership that primarily catered to poor Cubans, albeit it proved a financial failure. Caring little for money or material goods, Castro failed to pay his bills; his furniture was repossessed and electricity cut off, distressing his wife. He took part in a high school protest in Cienfuegos in November 1950, fighting with police to protest the Education Ministry's ban on student associations; he was arrested and charged for violent conduct, but the magistrate dismissed the charges. His hopes for Cuba still centered on Chibás and the Partido Ortodoxo, and he was present at Chibás' politically motivated suicide in 1951. Seeing himself as Chibás' heir, Castro wanted to run for Congress in the June 1952 elections, though senior Ortodoxo members feared his radical reputation and refused to nominate him. He was instead nominated as a candidate for the House of Representatives by party members in Havana's poorest districts and began campaigning. The Ortodoxo had considerable support and was predicted to do well in the election.
During his campaign, Castro met with General Fulgencio Batista, the former president who had returned to politics with the Unitary Action Party. Batista offered him a place in his administration if he was successful; although both opposed Prío's administration, their meeting never got beyond polite generalities. On 10 March 1952, Batista seized power in a military coup, with Prío fleeing to Mexico. Declaring himself president, Batista cancelled the planned presidential elections, describing his new system as "disciplined democracy"; Castro was deprived of being elected in his run for office by Batista's move, and like many others, considered it a one-man dictatorship. Batista moved to the right, solidifying ties with both the wealthy elite and the United States, severing diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, suppressing trade unions and persecuting Cuban socialist groups. Intent on opposing Batista, Castro brought several legal cases against the government, but these came to nothing, and Castro began thinking of alternative ways to oust the regime.
Cuban Revolution
The Movement and the Moncada Barracks attack: 1952–1953
Castro formed a group called "The Movement" which operated along a clandestine cell system, publishing underground newspaper El Acusador (The Accuser), while arming and training anti-Batista recruits. From July 1952 they went on a recruitment drive, gaining around 1,200 members in a year, the majority from Havana's poorer districts. Although a revolutionary socialist, Castro avoided an alliance with the communist Popular Socialist Party (PSP), fearing it would frighten away political moderates, but kept in contact with PSP members like his brother Raúl. Castro stockpiled weapons for a planned attack on the Moncada Barracks, a military garrison outside Santiago de Cuba, Oriente. Castro's militants intended to dress in army uniforms and arrive at the base on 25 July, seizing control and raiding the armoury before reinforcements arrived. Supplied with new weaponry, Castro intended to spark a revolution among Oriente's impoverished cane cutters and promote further uprisings. Castro's plan emulated those of the 19th-century Cuban independence fighters who had raided Spanish barracks; Castro saw himself as the heir to independence leader José Martí.
Castro gathered 165 revolutionaries for the mission, ordering his troops not to cause bloodshed unless they met armed resistance. The attack took place on 26 July 1953, but ran into trouble; 3 of the 16 cars that had set out from Santiago failed to get there. Reaching the barracks, the alarm was raised, with most of the rebels pinned down by machine gun fire. Four were killed before Castro ordered a retreat. The rebels suffered 6 fatalities and 15 other casualties, whilst the army suffered 19 dead and 27 wounded. Meanwhile, some rebels took over a civilian hospital; subsequently stormed by government soldiers, the rebels were rounded up, tortured and 22 were executed without trial. Accompanied by 19 comrades, Castro set out for Gran Piedra in the rugged Sierra Maestra mountains several kilometres to the north, where they could establish a guerrilla base. Responding to the attack, Batista's government proclaimed martial law, ordering a violent crackdown on dissent, and imposing strict media censorship. The government broadcast misinformation about the event, claiming that the rebels were communists who had killed hospital patients, although news and photographs of the army's use of torture and summary executions in Oriente soon spread, causing widespread public and some governmental disapproval.
Over the following days, the rebels were rounded up; some were executed and others—including Castro—transported to a prison north of Santiago. Believing Castro incapable of planning the attack alone, the government accused Ortodoxo and PSP politicians of involvement, putting 122 defendants on trial on 21 September at the Palace of Justice, Santiago. Acting as his own defence counsel, Castro cited Martí as the intellectual author of the attack and convinced the three judges to overrule the army's decision to keep all defendants handcuffed in court, proceeding to argue that the charge with which they were accused—of "organizing an uprising of armed persons against the Constitutional Powers of the State"—was incorrect, for they had risen up against Batista, who had seized power in an unconstitutional manner. The trial embarrassed the army by revealing that they had tortured suspects, after which they tried unsuccessfully to prevent Castro from testifying any further, claiming he was too ill. The trial ended on 5 October, with the acquittal of most defendants; 55 were sentenced to prison terms of between 7 months and 13 years. Castro was sentenced on 16 October, during which he delivered a speech that would be printed under the title of History Will Absolve Me. Castro was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in the hospital wing of the Model Prison (Presidio Modelo), a relatively comfortable and modern institution on the Isla de Pinos.
Imprisonment and 26 July Movement: 1953–1955
Imprisoned with 25 comrades, Castro renamed his group the "26th of July Movement" (MR-26-7) in memory of the Moncada attack's date, and formed a school for prisoners. He read widely, enjoying the works of Marx, Lenin, and Martí but also reading books by Freud, Kant, Shakespeare, Munthe, Maugham, and Dostoyevsky, analysing them within a Marxist framework. Corresponding with supporters, he maintained control over the Movement and organized the publication of History Will Absolve Me. Initially permitted a relative amount of freedom within the prison, he was locked up in solitary confinement after inmates sang anti-Batista songs on a visit by the president in February 1954. Meanwhile, Castro's wife Mirta gained employment in the Ministry of the Interior, something he discovered through a radio announcement. Appalled, he raged that he would rather die "a thousand times" than "suffer impotently from such an insult". Both Fidel and Mirta initiated divorce proceedings, with Mirta taking custody of their son Fidelito; this angered Castro, who did not want his son growing up in a bourgeois environment.
In 1954, Batista's government held presidential elections, but no politician stood against him; the election was widely considered fraudulent. It had allowed some political opposition to be voiced, and Castro's supporters had agitated for an amnesty for the Moncada incident's perpetrators. Some politicians suggested an amnesty would be good publicity, and the Congress and Batista agreed. Backed by the US and major corporations, Batista believed Castro to be no threat, and on 15 May 1955, the prisoners were released. Returning to Havana, Castro gave radio interviews and press conferences; the government closely monitored him, curtailing his activities. Now divorced, Castro had sexual affairs with two female supporters, Naty Revuelta and Maria Laborde, each conceiving him a child. Setting about strengthening the MR-26-7, he established an 11-person National Directorate but retained autocratic control, with some dissenters labelling him a caudillo (dictator); he argued that a successful revolution could not be run by committee and required a strong leader.
In 1955, bombings and violent demonstrations led to a crackdown on dissent, with Castro and Raúl fleeing the country to evade arrest. Castro sent a letter to the press, declaring that he was "leaving Cuba because all doors of peaceful struggle have been closed to me ... As a follower of Martí, I believe the hour has come to take our rights and not beg for them, to fight instead of pleading for them." The Castros and several comrades travelled to Mexico, where Raúl befriended an Argentine doctor and Marxist–Leninist named Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who was working as a journalist and photographer for "Agencia Latina de Noticias". Fidel liked him, later describing him as "a more advanced revolutionary than I was". Castro also associated with the Spaniard Alberto Bayo, who agreed to teach Castro's rebels the necessary skills in guerrilla warfare. Requiring funding, Castro toured the US in search of wealthy sympathizers, there being monitored by Batista's agents, who allegedly orchestrated a failed assassination attempt against him. Castro kept in contact with the MR-26-7 in Cuba, where they had gained a large support base in Oriente. Other militant anti-Batista groups had sprung up, primarily from the student movement; most notable was the Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE), founded by José Antonio Echeverría. Antonio met with Castro in Mexico City, but Castro opposed the student's support for indiscriminate assassination.
After purchasing the decrepit yacht Granma, on 25 November 1956, Castro set sail from Tuxpan, Veracruz, with 81 armed revolutionaries. The 1,900-kilometre (1,200 mi) crossing to Cuba was harsh, with food running low and many suffering seasickness. At some points, they had to bail water caused by a leak, and at another, a man fell overboard, delaying their journey. The plan had been for the crossing to take five days, and on the Granma's scheduled day of arrival, 30 November, MR-26-7 members under Frank País led an armed uprising in Santiago and Manzanillo. However, the Granma's journey ultimately lasted seven days, and with Castro and his men unable to provide reinforcements, País and his militants dispersed after two days of intermittent attacks.
Guerrilla war: 1956–1959
The Granma ran aground in a mangrove swamp at Playa Las Coloradas, close to Los Cayuelos, on 2 December 1956. Fleeing inland, its crew headed for the forested mountain range of Oriente's Sierra Maestra, being repeatedly attacked by Batista's troops. Upon arrival, Castro discovered that only 19 rebels had made it to their destination, the rest having been killed or captured. Setting up an encampment, the survivors included the Castros, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos. They began launching raids on small army posts to obtain weaponry, and in January 1957 they overran the outpost at La Plata, treating any soldiers that they wounded but executing Chicho Osorio, the local mayoral (land company overseer), who was despised by the local peasants and who boasted of killing one of Castro's rebels. Osorio's execution aided the rebels in gaining the trust of locals, although they largely remained unenthusiastic and suspicious of the revolutionaries. As trust grew, some locals joined the rebels, although most new recruits came from urban areas. With volunteers boosting the rebel forces to over 200, in July 1957 Castro divided his army into three columns, commanded by himself, his brother, and Guevara. The MR-26-7 members operating in urban areas continued agitation, sending supplies to Castro, and on 16 February 1957, he met with other senior members to discuss tactics; here he met Celia Sánchez, who would become a close friend.
Across Cuba, anti-Batista groups carried out bombings and sabotage; police responded with mass arrests, torture, and extrajudicial executions. In March 1957, the DRE launched a failed attack on the presidential palace, during which Antonio was shot dead. Batista's government often resorted to brutal methods to keep Cuba's cities under control. In the Sierra Maestra mountains, Castro was joined by Frank Sturgis who offered to train Castro's troops in guerrilla warfare. Castro accepted the offer, but he also had an immediate need for guns and ammunition, so Sturgis became a gunrunner. Sturgis purchased boatloads of weapons and ammunition from Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) weapons expert Samuel Cummings' International Armament Corporation in Alexandria, Virginia. Sturgis opened a training camp in the Sierra Maestra mountains, where he taught Che Guevara and other 26 July Movement rebel soldiers guerrilla warfare. Frank País was also killed, leaving Castro the MR-26-7's unchallenged leader. Although Guevara and Raúl were well known for their Marxist–Leninist views, Castro hid his, hoping to gain the support of less radical revolutionaries. In 1957 he met with leading members of the Partido Ortodoxo, Raúl Chibás and Felipe Pazos, authoring the Sierra Maestra Manifesto, in which they demanded that a provisional civilian government be set up to implement moderate agrarian reform, industrialization, and a literacy campaign before holding multiparty elections. As Cuba's press was censored, Castro contacted foreign media to spread his message; he became a celebrity after being interviewed by Herbert Matthews, a journalist from The New York Times. Reporters from CBS and Paris Match soon followed.
Castro's guerrillas increased their attacks on military outposts, forcing the government to withdraw from the Sierra Maestra region, and by spring 1958, the rebels controlled a hospital, schools, a printing press, slaughterhouse, land-mine factory and a cigar-making factory. By 1958, Batista was under increasing pressure, a result of his military failures coupled with increasing domestic and foreign criticism surrounding his administration's press censorship, torture, and extrajudicial executions. Influenced by anti-Batista sentiment among their citizens, the US government ceased supplying him with weaponry. The opposition called a general strike, accompanied by armed attacks from the MR-26-7. Beginning on 9 April, it received strong support in central and eastern Cuba, but little elsewhere.
Batista responded with an all-out-attack, Operation Verano, in which the army aerially bombarded forested areas and villages suspected of aiding the militants, while 10,000 soldiers commanded by General Eulogio Cantillo surrounded the Sierra Maestra, driving north to the rebel encampments. Despite their numerical and technological superiority, the army had no experience with guerrilla warfare, and Castro halted their offensive using land mines and ambushes. Many of Batista's soldiers defected to Castro's rebels, who also benefited from local popular support. In the summer, the MR-26-7 went on the offensive, pushing the army out of the mountains, with Castro using his columns in a pincer movement to surround the main army concentration in Santiago. By November, Castro's forces controlled most of Oriente and Las Villas, and divided Cuba in two by closing major roads and rail lines, severely disadvantaging Batista.
The US instructed Cantillo to oust Batista due to fears in Washington that Castro was a socialist, which were exacerbated by the association between nationalist and communist movements in Latin America and the links between the Cold War and decolonization. By this time the great majority of Cuban people had turned against the Batista regime. Ambassador to Cuba, E. T. Smith, who felt the whole CIA mission had become too close to the MR-26-7 movement, personally went to Batista and informed him that the US would no longer support him and felt he no longer could control the situation in Cuba. General Cantillo secretly agreed to a ceasefire with Castro, promising that Batista would be tried as a war criminal; however, Batista was warned, and fled into exile with over US$300 million on 31 December 1958. Cantillo entered Havana's Presidential Palace, proclaimed the Supreme Court judge Carlos Piedra to be president, and began appointing the new government. Furious, Castro ended the ceasefire, and ordered Cantillo's arrest by sympathetic figures in the army. Accompanying celebrations at news of Batista's downfall on 1 January 1959, Castro ordered the MR-26-7 to prevent widespread looting and vandalism. Cienfuegos and Guevara led their columns into Havana on 2 January, while Castro entered Santiago and gave a speech invoking the wars of independence. Heading toward Havana, he greeted cheering crowds at every town, giving press conferences and interviews. Castro reached Havana on 9 January 1959.
Provisional government
Consolidating leadership: 1959
At Castro's command, the politically moderate lawyer Manuel Urrutia Lleó was proclaimed provisional president but Castro announced (falsely) that Urrutia had been selected by "popular election". Most of Urrutia's cabinet were MR-26-7 members. Entering Havana, Castro proclaimed himself Representative of the Rebel Armed Forces of the Presidency, setting up home and office in the penthouse of the Havana Hilton Hotel. Castro exercised a great deal of influence over Urrutia's regime, which was now ruling by decree. He ensured that the government implemented policies to cut corruption and fight illiteracy and that it attempted to remove Batistanos from positions of power by dismissing Congress and barring all those elected in the rigged elections of 1954 and 1958 from future office. He then pushed Urrutia to issue a temporary ban on political parties; he repeatedly said that they would eventually hold multiparty elections. Although repeatedly denying that he was a communist to the press, he began clandestinely meeting members of the PSP to discuss the creation of a socialist state.
In suppressing the revolution, Batista's government had killed thousands of Cubans; Castro and influential sectors of the press put the death toll at 20,000, but a list of victims published shortly after the revolution contained only 898 names—over half of them combatants. More recent estimates place the death toll between 1,000 and 4,000. In response to popular uproar, which demanded that those responsible be brought to justice, Castro helped to set up many trials, resulting in hundreds of executions. Although popular domestically, critics—in particular the US press, argued that many were not fair trials. Castro responded that "revolutionary justice is not based on legal precepts, but on moral conviction."
Acclaimed by many across Latin America, he travelled to Venezuela where he met with President-elect Rómulo Betancourt, unsuccessfully requesting a loan and a new deal for Venezuelan oil. Returning home, an argument between Castro and senior government figures broke out. He was infuriated that the government had left thousands unemployed by closing down casinos and brothels. As a result, Prime Minister José Miró Cardona resigned, going into exile in the US and joining the anti-Castro movement.
On 16 February 1959, Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba. Castro also appointed himself president of the National Tourist Industry, introducing unsuccessful measures to encourage African-American tourists to visit, advertising Cuba as a tropical paradise free of racial discrimination. Judges and politicians had their pay reduced while low-level civil servants saw theirs raised, and in March 1959, Castro declared rents for those who paid less than $100 a month halved. The Cuban government also began to expropriate the casinos and properties from mafia leaders and taking millions in cash. Before he died Meyer Lansky said Cuba "ruined" him.
On 9 April, Castro announced that the elections, which the 26th of July Movement had promised would occur after the revolution, would be postponed, so that the provisional government could focus on domestic reform. Castro announced this electoral delay with the slogan: "revolution first, elections later".
Later in April, he visited the US on a charm offensive where President Dwight D. Eisenhower would not meet with him, but instead sent Vice President Richard Nixon, whom Castro instantly disliked. After meeting Castro, Nixon described him to Eisenhower: "The one fact we can be sure of is that Castro has those indefinable qualities which made him a leader of men. Whatever we may think of him he is going to be a great factor in the development of Cuba and very possibly in Latin American affairs generally. He seems to be sincere. He is either incredibly naive about Communism or under Communist discipline-my guess is the former...His ideas as to how to run a government or an economy are less developed than those of almost any world figure I have met in fifty countries. But because he has the power to lead...we have no choice but at least try to orient him in the right direction".
Proceeding to Canada, Trinidad, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, Castro attended an economic conference in Buenos Aires, unsuccessfully proposing a $30 billion US-funded "Marshall Plan" for Latin America. In May 1959, Castro signed into law the First Agrarian Reform, setting a cap for landholdings to 993 acres (402 ha) per owner and prohibiting foreigners from obtaining Cuban land ownership. Around 200,000 peasants received title deeds as large land holdings were broken up; popular among the working class, it alienated the richer landowners, including Castro's own mother, whose farmlands were taken. Within a year, Castro and his government had effectively redistributed 15 per cent of the nation's wealth, declaring that "the revolution is the dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters."
In the summer of 1959, Fidel began nationalizing plantation lands owned by American investors as well as confiscating the property of foreign landowners. He also seized property previously held by wealthy Cubans who had fled. He nationalized sugar production and oil refinement, over the objection of foreign investors who owned stakes in these commodities.
Although then refusing to categorize his regime as socialist and repeatedly denying being a communist, Castro appointed Marxists to senior government and military positions. President Urrutia increasingly expressed concern with the rising influence of Marxism. Angered, Castro in turn announced his resignation as prime minister on 18 July—blaming Urrutia for complicating government with his "fevered anti-Communism". Over 500,000 Castro-supporters surrounded the Presidential Palace demanding Urrutia's resignation, which he submitted. On 23 July, Castro resumed his premiership and appointed Marxist Osvaldo Dorticós as president.
On October 19, 1959, army commander Huber Matos wrote a resignation letter to Fidel Castro, complaining of Communist influence in government. Matos lamented in his resignation that communists were gaining positions of power that he felt were undeserved for having not participated in the Cuban Revolution. Matos planned for his officers to also resign en masse in support. Two days later, Castro sent fellow revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos to arrest Matos. The same day Matos was arrested, Cuban exile Pedro Luis Díaz Lanz, a former air force chief of staff under Castro and friend of Huber Matos, flew from Florida and dropped leaflets into Havana that called for the removal of all Communists from the government. In response, Castro held a rally where he called for the reintroduction of revolutionary tribunals to try Matos and Diaz for treason. Shortly after Hubert Matos' detention various other disillusioned economists would send in their resignations. Felipe Pazos would resign as head of the National Bank and be replaced within a month by Che Guevara. Cabinet members Manuel Ray and Faustino Perez also resigned.
Castro's government continued to emphasise social projects to improve Cuba's standard of living, often to the detriment of economic development. Major emphasis was placed on education, and during the first 30 months of Castro's government, more classrooms were opened than in the previous 30 years. The Cuban primary education system offered a work-study program, with half of the time spent in the classroom, and the other half in a productive activity. Health care was nationalized and expanded, with rural health centers and urban polyclinics opening up across the island to offer free medical aid. Universal vaccination against childhood diseases was implemented, and infant mortality rates were reduced dramatically. A third part of this social program was the improvement of infrastructure. Within the first six months of Castro's government, 1,000 km (600 mi) of roads were built across the island, while $300 million was spent on water and sanitation projects. Over 800 houses were constructed every month in the early years of the administration in an effort to cut homelessness, while nurseries and day-care centers were opened for children and other centers opened for the disabled and elderly.
Diplomatic and political shifts: 1960
Castro used radio and television to develop a "dialogue with the people", posing questions and making provocative statements. His regime remained popular with workers, peasants, and students, who constituted the majority of the country's population, while opposition came primarily from the middle class; thousands of doctors, engineers and other professionals emigrated to Florida in the US, causing an economic brain drain. Productivity decreased and the country's financial reserves were drained within two years. After conservative press expressed hostility towards the government, the pro-Castro printers' trade union disrupted editorial staff, and in January 1960 the government ordered them to publish a "coletilla" (clarification) written by the printers' union at the end of articles critical of the government. Castro's government arrested hundreds of counter-revolutionaries, many of whom were subjected to solitary confinement, rough treatment, and threatening behaviour. Militant anti-Castro groups, funded by exiles, the CIA, and the Dominican government, undertook armed attacks and set up guerrilla bases in Cuba's mountains, leading to the six-year Escambray Rebellion.
At the time, 1960, the Cold War raged between two superpowers: the United States, a capitalist liberal democracy, and the Soviet Union (USSR), a Marxist–Leninist socialist state ruled by the Communist Party. Expressing contempt for the US, Castro shared the ideological views of the USSR, establishing relations with several Marxist–Leninist states. Meeting with Soviet First Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan, Castro agreed to provide the USSR with sugar, fruit, fibres, and hides in return for crude oil, fertilizers, industrial goods, and a $100 million loan. Cuba's government ordered the country's refineries—then controlled by the US corporations Shell and Esso—to process Soviet oil, but under US pressure they refused. Castro responded by expropriating and nationalizing the refineries. Retaliating, the US cancelled its import of Cuban sugar, provoking Castro to nationalize most US-owned assets on the island, including banks and sugar mills.
Relations between Cuba and the US were further strained following the explosion of a French vessel, the La Coubre, in Havana harbour in March 1960. The ship carried weapons purchased from Belgium, and the cause of the explosion was never determined, but Castro publicly insinuated that the US government was guilty of sabotage. He ended this speech with "¡Patria o Muerte!" ("Fatherland or Death"), a proclamation that he made much use of in ensuing years. Inspired by their earlier success with the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état, in March 1960, US President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to overthrow Castro's government. He provided them with a budget of $13 million and permitted them to ally with the Mafia, who were aggrieved that Castro's government closed down their brothel and casino businesses in Cuba.
During a May Day speech in 1960, Fidel Castro announced that all future elections would be cancelled. Castro proclaimed that his administration was a direct democracy, in which Cubans could assemble at demonstrations to express their will, thus there was no need for elections, claiming that representative democratic systems served the interests of socio-economic elites. US Secretary of State Christian Herter announced that Cuba was adopting the Soviet model of rule, with a one-party state, government control of trade unions, suppression of civil liberties, and the absence of freedom of speech and press.
In September 1960, Castro flew to New York City for the General Assembly of the United Nations. Staying at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem, he met with journalists and anti-establishment figures like Malcolm X. Castro had decided to stay in Harlem as a way of expressing solidarity with the poor African-American population living there, thus leading to an assortment of world leaders such as Nasser of Egypt and Nehru of India having to drive out to Harlem to see him. He also met Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev, with the two publicly condemning the poverty and racism faced by Americans in areas like Harlem. Relations between Castro and Khrushchev were warm; they led the applause to one another's speeches at the General Assembly. The opening session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 1960 was a highly rancorous one with Khrushchev famously banging his shoe against his desk to interrupt a speech by Filipino delegate Lorenzo Sumulong, which set the general tone for the debates and speeches. Castro delivered the longest speech ever held before the United Nations General Assembly, speaking for four and a half hours in a speech mostly given over to denouncing American policies towards Latin America. Subsequently, visited by Polish first secretary Władysław Gomułka, Bulgarian first secretary Todor Zhivkov, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Indian premier Jawaharlal Nehru, Castro also received an evening's reception from the Fair Play for Cuba Committee.
Back in Cuba, Castro feared a US-backed coup; in 1959 his regime spent $120 million on Soviet, French, and Belgian weaponry and by early 1960 had doubled the size of Cuba's armed forces. Fearing counter-revolutionary elements in the army, the government created a People's Militia to arm citizens favourable to the revolution, training at least 50,000 civilians in combat techniques. In September 1960, they created the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), a nationwide civilian organization which implemented neighbourhood spying to detect counter-revolutionary activities as well as organizing health and education campaigns, becoming a conduit for public complaints. By 1970, a third of the population would be involved in the CDR, and this would eventually rise to 80%.
On 13 October 1960, the US prohibited the majority of exports to Cuba, initiating an economic embargo. In retaliation, the National Institute for Agrarian Reform INRA took control of 383 private-run businesses on 14 October, and on 25 October a further 166 US companies operating in Cuba had their premises seized and nationalized. On 16 December, the US ended its import quota of Cuban sugar, the country's primary export.
Bay of Pigs Invasion and "Socialist Cuba": 1961–1962
In January 1961, Castro ordered Havana's US Embassy to reduce its 300-member staff, suspecting that many of them were spies. The US responded by ending diplomatic relations, and it increased CIA funding for exiled dissidents; these militants began attacking ships that traded with Cuba, and bombed factories, shops, and sugar mills. Despite internal tensions, and diplomatic tensions, Castro garnered support in New York City. On 18 February 1961, 400 people—mainly Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and college students—picketed in the rain outside of the United Nations rallying for Castro's anti-colonial values and his effort to reduce the United States' power over Cuba. The protesters held up signs that read, "Mr. Kennedy, Cuba is Not For Sale.", "Viva Fidel Castro!" and "Down With Yankee Imperialism!". Around 200 policemen were on the scene, but the protesters continued to chant slogans and throw pennies in support of Fidel Castro's socialist movement. Some Americans disagreed with President John F. Kennedy's decision to ban trade with Cuba, and outwardly supported his nationalist revolutionary tactics.
Both President Eisenhower and his successor President Kennedy supported a CIA plan to aid a dissident militia: the Democratic Revolutionary Front, to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro; the plan resulted in the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961. On 15 April, CIA-supplied B-26s bombed three Cuban military airfields; the US announced that the perpetrators were defecting Cuban air force pilots, but Castro exposed these claims as false flag misinformation. Fearing invasion, he ordered the arrest of between 20,000 and 100,000 suspected counter-revolutionaries, publicly proclaiming, "What the imperialists cannot forgive us, is that we have made a Socialist revolution under their noses", his first announcement that the government was socialist.
The CIA and the Democratic Revolutionary Front had based a 1,400-strong army, Brigade 2506, in Nicaragua. On the night of 16 to 17 April, Brigade 2506 landed along Cuba's Bay of Pigs and engaged in a firefight with a local revolutionary militia. Castro ordered Captain José Ramón Fernández to launch the counter-offensive, before taking personal control of it. After bombing the invaders' ships and bringing in reinforcements, Castro forced the Brigade to surrender on 20 April. He ordered the 1189 captured rebels to be interrogated by a panel of journalists on live television, personally taking over the questioning on 25 April. Fourteen were put on trial for crimes allegedly committed before the revolution, while the others were returned to the US in exchange for medicine and food valued at US$25 million. Castro's victory reverberated around the world, especially in Latin America, but it also increased internal opposition primarily among the middle-class Cubans who had been detained in the run-up to the invasion. Although most were freed within a few days, many fled to the US, establishing themselves in Florida.
After the banning of the film P.M., film critics hotly debated censorship in Cuba, which then caused the intervention of Castro, who met with the contesting writers and delivered his famed "Words to the Intellectuals" speech; which he delivered in June 1961. In the speech, Castro commented on Cuba's censorship policy, stating:
This means that within the Revolution, everything goes; against the Revolution, nothing. Nothing against the Revolution, because the Revolution has its rights also, and the first right of the Revolution is the right to exist, and no one can stand against the right of the Revolution to be and to exist, No one can rightfully claim a right against the Revolution. Since it takes in the interests of the people and Signifies the interests of the entire nation.
In an effort to consolidate "Socialist Cuba", Castro united the MR-26-7, PSP and Revolutionary Directorate into a governing party based on the Leninist principle of democratic centralism, what resulted was the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations (Organizaciones Revolucionarias Integradas – ORI), eventually renamed the United Party of the Cuban Socialist Revolution (PURSC) in 1962. The ORI began shaping Cuba using the Soviet model, persecuting political opponents and perceived social deviants such as prostitutes and homosexuals; Castro considered same-sex sexual activity a bourgeois trait.
Although the USSR was hesitant regarding Castro's embrace of socialism, relations with the Soviets deepened. Castro sent Fidelito for a Moscow schooling, Soviet technicians arrived on the island, and Castro was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize.
In order to plan the Cuban economy, the commission JUCEPLAN was tasked with creating a four year plan. Regino Boti, the head of JUCEPLAN, announced in August 1961, that the country would soon have a 10% rate of economic growth, and the highest living standard in Latin America in 10 years. The plan drafted by JUCEPLAN in 1961, was a four year plan devised to be implemented in 1962 through 1965. It stressed agricultural diversification and rapid industrialization via Soviet assistance. In September 1961, Castro publicly complained that the industrialization plan had stalled because of lazy uncooperative workers.
In December 1961, Castro admitted that he had been a Marxist–Leninist for years, and in his Second Declaration of Havana he called on Latin America to rise up in revolution. In response, the US successfully pushed the Organization of American States to expel Cuba; the Soviets privately reprimanded Castro for recklessness, although he received praise from China. Despite their ideological affinity with China, in the Sino-Soviet split, Cuba allied with the wealthier Soviets, who offered economic and military aid.
By 1962, Cuba's economy was in steep decline, a result of poor economic management and low productivity coupled with the US trade embargo. Food shortages led to rationing, resulting in protests in Cárdenas. Security reports indicated that many Cubans associated austerity with the "Old Communists" of the PSP, while Castro considered a number of them—namely Aníbal Escalante and Blas Roca—unduly loyal to Moscow. In March 1962 Castro removed the most prominent "Old Communists" from office, labelling them "sectarian". On a personal level, Castro was increasingly lonely, and his relations with Guevara became strained as the latter became increasingly anti-Soviet and pro-Chinese.
Cuban Missile Crisis and furthering socialism: 1962–1968
Militarily weaker than NATO, Khrushchev wanted to install Soviet R-12 MRBM nuclear missiles on Cuba to even the power balance. Although conflicted, Castro agreed, believing it would guarantee Cuba's safety and enhance the cause of socialism. Undertaken in secrecy, only the Castro brothers, Guevara, Dorticós and security chief Ramiro Valdés knew the full plan. Upon discovering it through aerial reconnaissance, in October the US implemented an island-wide quarantine to search vessels headed to Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis. The US saw the missiles as offensive; Castro insisted they were for defence only. Castro urged that Khrushchev should launch a nuclear strike on the US if Cuba were invaded, but Khrushchev was desperate to avoid nuclear war. Castro was left out of the negotiations, in which Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a US commitment not to invade Cuba and an understanding that the US would remove their MRBMs from Turkey and Italy. Feeling betrayed by Khrushchev, Castro was furious and soon fell ill. Proposing a five-point plan, Castro demanded that the US end its embargo, withdraw from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, cease supporting dissidents, and stop violating Cuban air space and territorial waters. He presented these demands to U Thant, visiting Secretary-General of the United Nations, but the US ignored them. In turn Castro refused to allow the UN's inspection team into Cuba.
In May 1963, Castro visited the USSR at Khrushchev's personal invitation, touring 14 cities, addressing a Red Square rally, and being awarded both the Order of Lenin and an honorary doctorate from Moscow State University. Castro returned to Cuba with new ideas; inspired by Soviet newspaper Pravda, he amalgamated Hoy and Revolución into a new daily, Granma, and oversaw large investment into Cuban sport that resulted in an increased international sporting reputation. Seeking to further consolidate control, in 1963 the government cracked down on Protestant sects in Cuba, with Castro labelling them counter-revolutionary "instruments of imperialism"; many preachers were found guilty of illegal US links and imprisoned. Measures were implemented to force perceived idle and delinquent youths to work, primarily through the introduction of mandatory military service. In September, the government temporarily permitted emigration for anyone other than males aged between 15 and 26, thereby ridding the government of thousands of critics, most of whom were from upper and middle-class backgrounds. In 1963, Castro's mother died. This was the last time his private life was reported in Cuba's press. In January 1964, Castro returned to Moscow, officially to sign a new five-year sugar trade agreement, but also to discuss the ramifications of the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Castro was deeply concerned by the assassination, believing that a far-right conspiracy was behind it but that the Cubans would be blamed. In October 1965, the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations was officially renamed the "Cuban Communist Party" and published the membership of its Central Committee.
Beginning in 1965, gay men were forced into the Military Units to Aid Production (Unidades Militares de Ayuda a la Producción – UMAP). However, after many revolutionary intellectuals decried this move, the UMAP camps were closed in 1967, although gay men continued to be imprisoned.
Despite Soviet misgivings, Castro continued to call for global revolution, funding militant leftists and those engaged in national liberation struggles. Cuba's foreign policy was strongly anti-imperialist, believing that every nation should control its own natural resources. He supported Che Guevara's "Andean project", an unsuccessful plan to set up a guerrilla movement in the highlands of Bolivia, Peru and Argentina. He allowed revolutionary groups from around the world, from the Viet Cong to the Black Panthers, to train in Cuba.
He considered Western-dominated Africa to be ripe for revolution and sent troops and medics to aid Ahmed Ben Bella's socialist regime in Algeria during the Sand War. He also allied with Alphonse Massamba-Débat's socialist government in Congo-Brazzaville. In 1965, Castro authorized Che Guevara to travel to Congo-Kinshasa to train revolutionaries against the Western-backed government. Castro was personally devastated when Guevara was killed by CIA-backed troops in Bolivia in October 1967 and publicly attributed it to Guevara's disregard for his own safety.
In 1966, Castro staged a Tri-Continental Conference of Africa, Asia and Latin America in Havana, further establishing himself as a significant player on the world stage. From this conference, Castro created the Latin American Solidarity Organization (OLAS), which adopted the slogan of "The duty of a revolution is to make revolution", signifying Havana's leadership of Latin America's revolutionary movement.
Castro's increasing role on the world stage strained his relationship with the USSR, now under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev. Asserting Cuba's independence, Castro refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, declaring it a Soviet-US attempt to dominate the Third World. Diverting from Soviet Marxist doctrine, he suggested that Cuban society could evolve straight to pure communism rather than gradually progress through various stages of socialism. In turn, the Soviet-loyalist Aníbal Escalante began organizing a government network of opposition to Castro, though in January 1968, he and his supporters were arrested for allegedly passing state secrets to Moscow. Recognising Cuba's economic dependence on the Soviets, Castro relented to Brezhnev's pressure to be obedient, and in August 1968 he denounced the leaders of the Prague Spring and praised the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.
Influenced by China's Great Leap Forward, in 1968 Castro proclaimed a Great Revolutionary Offensive, closing all remaining privately owned shops and businesses and denouncing their owners as capitalist counterrevolutionaries. The severe lack of consumer goods for purchase led productivity to decline, as large sectors of the population felt little incentive to work hard. This was exacerbated by the perception that a revolutionary elite had emerged, consisting of those connected to the administration; they had access to better housing, private transportation, servants, and the ability to purchase luxury goods abroad.
Grey years and Third World politics: 1969–1974
Castro publicly celebrated his administration's 10th anniversary in January 1969; in his celebratory speech he warned of sugar rations, reflecting the nation's economic problems. The 1969 crop was heavily damaged by a hurricane, and to meet its export quota, the government drafted in the army, implemented a seven-day working week, and postponed public holidays to lengthen the harvest. When that year's production quota was not met, Castro offered to resign during a public speech, but assembled crowds insisted he remain. Despite the economic issues, many of Castro's social reforms were popular, with the population largely supportive of the "Achievements of the Revolution" in education, medical care, housing, and road construction, as well as the policies of "direct democratic" public consultation. Seeking Soviet help, from 1970 to 1972 Soviet economists re-organized Cuba's economy, founding the Cuban-Soviet Commission of Economic, Scientific and Technical Collaboration, while Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin visited in October 1971. In July 1972, Cuba joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon), an economic organization of socialist states, although this further limited Cuba's economy to agricultural production.
In May 1970, the crews of two Cuban fishing boats were kidnapped by Florida-based dissident group Alpha 66, who demanded that Cuba release imprisoned militants. Under US pressure, the hostages were released, and Castro welcomed them back as heroes. In April 1971, Castro was internationally condemned for ordering the arrest of dissident poet Heberto Padilla who had been arrested 20 March; Padilla was freed, but the government established the National Cultural Council to ensure that intellectuals and artists supported the administration.
In November 1971, Castro visited Chile, where Marxist President Salvador Allende had been elected as the head of a left-wing coalition. Castro supported Allende's socialist reforms but warned him of right-wing elements in Chile's military. In 1973, the military led a coup d'état and established a military junta led by Augusto Pinochet. Castro proceeded to Guinea to meet socialist President Sékou Touré, praising him as Africa's greatest leader, and there received the Order of Fidelity to the People. He then went on a seven-week tour visiting leftist allies: Algeria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, where he was given further awards. On each trip, he was eager to visit factory and farm workers, publicly praising their governments; privately, he urged the regimes to aid revolutionary movements elsewhere, particularly those fighting the Vietnam War.
In September 1973, he returned to Algiers to attend the Fourth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Various NAM members were critical of Castro's attendance, claiming that Cuba was aligned to the Warsaw Pact and therefore should not be at the conference. At the conference he publicly broke off relations with Israel, citing its government's close relationship with the US and its treatment of Palestinians during the Israel–Palestine conflict. This earned Castro respect throughout the Arab world, in particular from the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who became a friend and ally. As the Yom Kippur War broke out in October 1973 between Israel and an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria, Cuba sent 4,000 troops to aid Syria. Leaving Algiers, Castro visited Iraq and North Vietnam.
Cuba's economy grew in 1974 as a result of high international sugar prices and new credits with Argentina, Canada, and parts of Western Europe. A number of Latin American states called for Cuba's re-admittance into the Organization of American States (OAS), with the US finally conceding in 1975 on Henry Kissinger's advice. Cuba's government underwent a restructuring along Soviet lines, claiming that this would further democratization and decentralize power away from Castro. Officially announcing Cuba's identity as a socialist state, the first National Congress of the Cuban Communist Party was held, and a new constitution drafted that abolished the position of president and prime minister. Castro remained the dominant figure in governance, taking the presidency of the newly created Council of State and Council of Ministers, making him both head of state and head of government.
Castro considered Africa to be "the weakest link in the imperialist chain", and at the request of Agostinho Neto he ordered 230 military advisers into Angola in November 1975 to aid Neto's Marxist MPLA in the Angolan Civil War. When the US and South Africa stepped up their support of the opposition FLNA and UNITA, Castro ordered a further 18,000 troops to Angola, which played a major role in forcing a South African and UNITA retreat. The decision to intervene in Angola has been a controversial one, all the more so as Castro's critics have charged that it was not his decision at all, contending that the Soviets ordered him to do so. Castro always maintained that he took the decision to launch Operation Carlota himself in response to an appeal from Neto and that the Soviets were in fact opposed to Cuban intervention in Angola, which took place over their opposition.
Traveling to Angola, Castro celebrated with Neto, Sékou Touré and Guinea-Bissaun president Luís Cabral, where they agreed to support Mozambique's Marxist–Leninist government against RENAMO in the Mozambican Civil War. In February, Castro visited Algeria and then Libya, where he spent ten days with Gaddafi and oversaw the establishment of the Jamahariya system of governance, before attending talks with the Marxist government of South Yemen. From there he proceeded to Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Angola where he was greeted by crowds as a hero for Cuba's role in opposing apartheid South Africa. Throughout much of Africa he was hailed as a friend to national liberation from foreign dominance. This was followed with visits to East Berlin and Moscow.
Constitutional government
Institutionalization and interventions: 1976-1979
Up until 1976, Cuba had been managed by a provisional government, headed by Fidel Castro, without a constitution. Cuba then adopted a new constitution in 1976, based on the 1936 Soviet Constitution. This adoption marked the end of 16 years of non-constitutional government. Up until this point, Castro had simply ruled by decree, but after the 1976 constitution, the Communist Party became the official decision-making body in Cuba. Some scholars like Peter Roman, Nino Pagliccia, and Loreen Collin have written books concluding that the system that developed after the 1976 constitution, particularly the National Assembly of People's Power, are part of a highly participatory democracy. Julio Cesar Guache offers a critical view of the "democracy" that developed, and argues it is informally controlled by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, who vet candidates. Samuel Farber argues that the National Assembly of People's Power is legally prohibited form political debate, and that real decision-making power lied for a long time with the Castro brothers as heads of the Communist Party of Cuba. Farber mentions that the Communist Party often passes legislation without any consideration from the National Assembly of People's Power. Fidel Castro would remain in the leadership position of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba for 49 years, until stepping down in 2011.
In 1977, the Ogaden War broke out over the disputed Ogaden region as Somalia invaded Ethiopia; although a former ally of Somali president Siad Barre, Castro had warned him against such action, and Cuba sided with Mengistu Haile Mariam's Marxist government of Ethiopia. In a desperate attempt to stop the war, Castro had a summit with Barre where he proposed a federation of Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Yemen as an alternative to war. Barre who saw seizing the Ogaden as the first step towards creating a greater Somalia that would unite all of the Somalis into one state rejected the federation offer and decided upon war. Castro sent troops under the command of General Arnaldo Ochoa to aid the overwhelmed Ethiopian army. Mengistu's regime was barely hanging on by 1977, having lost one-third of its army in Eritrea at the time of the Somali invasion. The intervention of 17,000 Cuban troops into the Ogaden was by all accounts decisive in altering a war that Ethiopia was on the brink of losing into a victory. After forcing back the Somalis, Mengistu then ordered the Ethiopians to suppress the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, a measure Castro refused to support.
On December 22, 1977, the Cuban exile group known as the "Antonio Maceo Brigade" took their first trip to Cuba, with the aim of cultural and political reconciliation. This visit came at the request of the Cuban government, after President Jimmy Carter briefly lifted the travel ban with Cuba. The brigade consisted of 55 Cuban exiles, who toured Cuba for two weeks. After the visit, Fidel Castro would call for dialogues with Cuban exiles abroad. These dialogues resulted in the release of political prisoners, family unifications, and relaxing of restrictions to visit Cuba.
Castro extended support to Latin American revolutionary movements, namely the Sandinista National Liberation Front in its overthrow of the Nicaraguan rightist government of Anastasio Somoza Debayle in July 1979. Castro's critics accused the government of wasting Cuban lives in these military endeavours; the anti-Castro Center for a Free Cuba has claimed that an estimated 14,000 Cubans were killed in foreign Cuban military actions. When American critics claimed that Castro had no right to interfere in these nations, he countered that Cuba had been invited into them, pointing out the US's own involvement in various foreign nations. Between 1979 and 1991 about 370,000 Cuban troops together with 50,000 Cuban civilians (mostly teachers and doctors) served in Angola, representing about 5% of Cuba's population. The Cuban intervention in Angola was envisioned as a short-term commitment, but the Angolan government used the profits from the oil industry to subsidize Cuba's economy, making Cuba as economically dependent upon Angola as Angola was militarily dependent upon Cuba.
In the late 1970s, Cuba's relations with North American states improved during the period with Mexican president Luis Echeverría, Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, and US president Jimmy Carter in power. Carter continued criticizing Cuba's human rights abuses but adopted a respectful approach which gained Castro's attention. Considering Carter well-meaning and sincere, Castro freed certain political prisoners and allowed some Cuban exiles to visit relatives on the island, hoping that in turn Carter would abolish the economic embargo and stop CIA support for militant dissidents. Conversely, his relationship with China declined, as he accused Deng Xiaoping's Chinese government of betraying their revolutionary principles by initiating trade links with the US and attacking Vietnam. In 1979, the Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in Havana, where Castro was selected as NAM president, a position he held until 1982. In his capacity as both president of the NAM and of Cuba he appeared at the United Nations General Assembly in October 1979 and gave a speech on the disparity between the world's rich and poor. His speech was greeted with much applause from other world leaders, though his standing in NAM was damaged by Cuba's refusal to condemn the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.
Reagan and Gorbachev: 1980–1991
By the 1980s, Cuba's economy was again in trouble, following a decline in the market price of sugar and 1979's decimated harvest. For the first time, unemployment became a serious problem in Castro's Cuba, with the government sending unemployed youth to other countries, primarily East Germany, to work there. Desperate for money, Cuba's government secretly sold off paintings from national collections and illicitly traded for US electronic goods through Panama. Increasing numbers of Cubans fled to Florida but were labelled "scum" and "lumpen" by Castro and his CDR supporters. In one incident, 10,000 Cubans stormed the Peruvian Embassy requesting asylum, and so the US agreed that it would accept 3,500 refugees. Castro conceded that those who wanted to leave could do so from Mariel port. In what was known as the Mariel boatlift, hundreds of boats arrived from the US, leading to a mass exodus of 120,000; Castro's government took advantage of the situation by loading criminals, the mentally ill, and homosexuals onto the boats destined for Florida. The event destabilized Carter's administration, and later, in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected US president.
Reagan's administration adopted a hard-line approach against Castro, making its desire to overthrow his regime clear. In late 1981, Castro publicly accused the US of biological warfare against Cuba by orchestrating a dengue fever epidemic. Cuba's economy became even more dependent on Soviet aid, with Soviet subsidies (mainly in the form of supplies of low-cost oil and voluntarily buying Cuban sugar at inflated prices) averaging $4–5 billion a year by the late 1980s. This accounted for 30–38% of the country's entire GDP. Soviet economic assistance had not helped Cuba's long-term growth prospects by promoting diversification or sustainability. Although described as a "relatively highly developed Latin American export economy" in 1959 and the early 1960s, Cuba's basic economic structure changed very little between then and the 1980s. Tobacco products such as cigars and cigarettes were the only manufactured products among Cuba's leading exports and were produced using an expensive and labor-intensive pre-industrial process. The Cuban economy remained highly inefficient and over-specialized in a few highly subsidized commodities exported primarily to the Soviet bloc countries.
Although despising Argentina's right-wing military junta, Castro supported them in the 1982 Falklands War against Britain and offered military aid to the Argentinians. Castro supported the leftist New Jewel Movement that seized power in Grenada in 1979, befriending Grenadine president Maurice Bishop and sending doctors, teachers, and technicians to aid the country's development. When Bishop was executed in a Soviet-backed coup by hard-line Marxist Bernard Coard in October 1983, Castro condemned the killing but cautiously retained support for Grenada's government. However, the US used the coup as a basis for invading the island. Cuban soldiers died in the conflict, with Castro denouncing the invasion and comparing the US to Nazi Germany. In a July 1983 speech marking the 30th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, Castro condemned Reagan's administration as a "reactionary, extremist clique" who were waging an "openly warmongering and fascist foreign policy". Castro feared a US invasion of Nicaragua and sent Ochoa to train the governing Sandinistas in guerrilla warfare but received little support from the USSR.
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became Secretary-General of the Soviet Communist Party; a reformer, he implemented measures to increase freedom of the press (glasnost) and economic decentralization (perestroika) in an attempt to strengthen socialism. Like many orthodox Marxist critics, Castro feared that the reforms would weaken the socialist state and allow capitalist elements to regain control. Gorbachev conceded to US demands to reduce support for Cuba, with Soviet-Cuban relations deteriorating. On medical advice given him in October 1985, Castro gave up regularly smoking Cuban cigars, helping to set an example for the rest of the populace. Castro became passionate in his denunciation of the Third World debt problem, arguing that the Third World would never escape the debt that First World banks and governments imposed upon it. In 1985, Havana hosted five international conferences on the world debt problem.
By November 1987, Castro began spending more time on the Angolan Civil War, in which the Marxist MPLA government had fallen into retreat. Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos successfully appealed for more Cuban troops, with Castro later admitting that he devoted more time to Angola than to the domestic situation, believing that a victory would lead to the collapse of apartheid. In response to the siege of Cuito Cuanavale in 1987–1988 by South African–UNITA forces, Castro sent an additional 12,000 Cuban Army troops to Angola in late 1987. From afar in Havana, Castro was closely involved in the decision-making about the defence of Cuito Cuanavle and came into conflict with Ochoa, whom he criticized for almost losing Cuito Cuanavle to a South African-UNITA assault on 13 January 1988 despite warning for almost two months prior that such an attack was coming. On 30 January 1988, Ochoa was summoned to a meeting with Castro in Havana where he was told that Cuito Cuanavale must not fall and to execute Castro's plans for a pull-back to more defensible positions over the objections of the Angolans. The Cuban troops played a decisive role in the relief of Cuito Cuanavale, breaking the siege in March 1988, which led to the withdrawal of most of the South African troops from Angola. Cuban propaganda turned the siege of Cuito Cuanavle into a decisive victory that changed the course of African history and Castro awarded 82 soldiers medals of the newly created Medal of Merit for the Defense of Cuito Cuanavle on 1 April 1988. Tensions were increased with the Cubans advancing close to the border of Namibia, which led to warnings from the South African government that they considered this an extremely unfriendly act, causing South Africa to mobilize and call up its reserves. In the spring of 1988, the intensity of South African-Cuban fighting drastically increased with both sides taking heavy losses.
The prospect of an all-out Cuban-South African war served to concentrate minds in both Moscow and Washington and led to an increased push for a diplomatic solution to the Angolan war. The cost of Cuba's wars in Africa were paid for with Soviet subsidies at a time when the Soviet economy was badly hurt by low oil prices while the apartheid government of South Africa had by the 1980s become a very awkward American ally as much of the American population, especially black Americans, objected to apartheid. From the viewpoint of both Moscow and Washington, having both Cuba and South Africa disengage in Angola was the best possible outcome. The low oil prices of the 1980s had also changed the Angolan attitude about subsidizing the Cuban economy as dos Santos found the promises made in the 1970s when oil prices were high to be a serious drain upon Angola's economy in the 1980s. South African whites were vastly outnumbered by South African blacks, and accordingly the South African Army could not take heavy losses with its white troops as that would fatally weaken the ability of the South African state to uphold apartheid. The Cubans had also taken heavy losses while the increasing difficult relations with dos Santos who become less generous in subsidizing the Cuban economy suggested that such losses were not worth the cost. Gorbachev called for a negotiated end to the conflict and in 1988 organized a quadripartite talk between the USSR, US, Cuba and South Africa; they agreed that all foreign troops would pull out of Angola while South Africa agreed to grant independence to Namibia. Castro was angered by Gorbachev's approach, believing that he was abandoning the plight of the world's poor in favour of détente.
When Gorbachev visited Cuba in April 1989, he informed Castro that perestroika meant an end to subsidies for Cuba. Ignoring calls for liberalization in accordance with the Soviet example, Castro continued to clamp down on internal dissidents and in particular kept tabs on the military, the primary threat to the government. A number of senior military officers, including Ochoa and Tony de la Guardia, were investigated for corruption and complicity in cocaine smuggling, tried, and executed in 1989, despite calls for leniency. In Eastern Europe, socialist governments fell to capitalist reformers between 1989 and 1991 and many Western observers expected the same in Cuba. Increasingly isolated, Cuba improved relations with Manuel Noriega's right-wing government in Panama—despite Castro's personal hatred of Noriega—but it was overthrown in a US invasion in December 1989. In February 1990, Castro's allies in Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas, were defeated by the US-funded National Opposition Union in an election. With the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the US secured a majority vote for a resolution condemning Cuba's human rights violations at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland. Cuba asserted that this was a manifestation of US hegemony and refused to allow an investigative delegation to enter the country.
Special Period: 1992–2000
With favourable trade from the Soviet bloc ended, Castro publicly declared that Cuba was entering a "Special Period in Time of Peace". Petrol rations were dramatically reduced, Chinese bicycles were imported to replace cars, and factories performing non-essential tasks were shut down. Oxen began to replace tractors; firewood began being used for cooking and electricity cuts were introduced that lasted 16 hours a day. Castro admitted that Cuba faced the worst situation short of open war, and that the country might have to resort to subsistence farming. By 1992, Cuba's economy had declined by over 40% in under two years, with major food shortages, widespread malnutrition and a lack of basic goods. Castro hoped for a restoration of Marxism–Leninism in the USSR but refrained from backing the 1991 coup in that country. When Gorbachev regained control, Cuba-Soviet relations deteriorated further, and Soviet troops were withdrawn in September 1991. In December, the Soviet Union was officially dissolved as Boris Yeltsin abolished the Soviet Communist Party and introducing a capitalist multiparty democracy. Yeltsin despised Castro and developed links with the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation. Castro tried improving relations with the capitalist nations. He welcomed Western politicians and investors to Cuba, befriended Manuel Fraga and took a particular interest in Margaret Thatcher's policies in the UK, believing that Cuban socialism could learn from her emphasis on low taxation and personal initiative. He ceased support for foreign militants, refrained from praising FARC on a 1994 visit to Colombia and called for a negotiated settlement between the Zapatistas and Mexican government in 1995. Publicly, he presented himself as a moderate on the world stage.
In 1991, Havana hosted the Pan American Games, which involved construction of a stadium and accommodation for the athletes; Castro admitted that it was an expensive error, but it was a success for Cuba's government. Crowds regularly shouted "Fidel! Fidel!" in front of foreign journalists, while Cuba became the first Latin American nation to beat the US to the top of the gold-medal table. Support for Castro remained strong, and although there were small anti-government demonstrations, the Cuban opposition rejected the exile community's calls for an armed uprising. In August 1994, Havana witnessed the largest anti-Castro demonstration in Cuban history, as 200 to 300 young men threw stones at police, demanding that they be allowed to emigrate to Miami. A larger pro-Castro crowd confronted them, who were joined by Castro; he informed media that the men were anti-socials misled by the US. The protests dispersed with no recorded injuries. Fearing that dissident groups would invade, the government organized the "War of All the People" defence strategy, planning a widespread guerrilla warfare campaign, and the unemployed were given jobs building a network of bunkers and tunnels across the country.
Castro believed in the need for reform if Cuban socialism was to survive in a world now dominated by capitalist free markets. In October 1991, the Fourth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party was held in Santiago, at which a number of important changes to the government were announced. Castro would step down as head of government, to be replaced by the much younger Carlos Lage, although Castro would remain the head of the Communist Party and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Many older members of government were to be retired and replaced by their younger counterparts. A number of economic changes were proposed, and subsequently put to a national referendum. Free farmers' markets and small-scale private enterprises would be legalized in an attempt to stimulate economic growth, while US dollars were also made legal tender. Certain restrictions on emigration were eased, allowing more discontented Cuban citizens to move to the United States. Further democratization was to be brought in by having the National Assembly's members elected directly by the people, rather than through municipal and provincial assemblies. Castro welcomed debate between proponents and opponents of the economics reforms—although over time he began to increasingly sympathise with the opponent's positions, arguing that such reforms must be delayed.
Castro's government diversified its economy into biotechnology and tourism, the latter outstripping Cuba's sugar industry as its primary source of revenue in 1995. The arrival of thousands of Mexican and Spanish tourists led to increasing numbers of Cubans turning to prostitution; officially illegal, Castro refrained from cracking down on prostitution in Cuba, fearing a political backlash. Economic hardship led many Cubans toward religion, both in the form of Roman Catholicism and Santería. Although long thinking religious belief to be backward, Castro softened his approach to religious institutions and religious people were permitted for the first time to join the Communist Party. Although he viewed the Roman Catholic Church as a reactionary, pro-capitalist institution, Castro organized a visit to Cuba by Pope John Paul II for January 1998; it strengthened the position of both the Cuban Church and Castro's government.
In the early 1990s Castro embraced environmentalism, campaigning against global warming and the waste of natural resources and accusing the US of being the world's primary polluter. In 1994 a ministry dedicated to the environment was established, and new laws established in 1997 that promoted awareness of environmental issues throughout Cuba and stressed the sustainable use of natural resources. By 2006, Cuba was the world's only nation which met the United Nations Development Programme's definition of sustainable development, with an ecological footprint of less than 1.8 hectares per capita and a Human Development Index of over 0.8. Castro also became a proponent of the anti-globalization movement, criticizing US global hegemony and the control exerted by multinationals. Castro maintained his strong stance against apartheid, and at the 26 July celebrations in 1991, he was joined onstage by Nelson Mandela, recently released from prison. Mandela praised Cuba's involvement in battling South Africa during the Angolan Civil War and thanked Castro personally. Castro later attended Mandela's inauguration as President of South Africa in 1994. In 2001, Castro attended the Conference Against Racism in South Africa at which he lectured on the global spread of racial stereotypes through US film.
Battle of Ideas: 2000–2006
Mired in economic problems, Cuba was aided by the election of Hugo Chávez to the Venezuelan Presidency in 1999. Castro and Chávez developed a close friendship, with the former acting as a mentor and father-figure to the latter, and together they built an alliance that had repercussions throughout Latin America. In 2000, they signed an agreement through which Cuba would send 20,000 medics to Venezuela, in return receiving 53,000 barrels of oil per day at preferential rates; in 2004, this trade was stepped up, with Cuba sending 40,000 medics and Venezuela providing 90,000 barrels a day.
Meanwhile, in 1998, Canadian prime minister Jean Chrétien arrived in Cuba to meet Castro and highlight their close ties. He was the first Canadian government leader to visit the island since Pierre Trudeau was in Havana in 1976.
After a spontaneous march for the return of Elián González, in December 2000, a youth group named: "Group of the Battle of Ideas", was formed by the Young Communist League and the Federation of University Students. The group began organizing demonstrations across Cuba for the return of Elián González. After González's return, the group began regularly meeting with Fidel Castro to oversee various construction projects and government meetings in Cuba. Fidel Castro ensured that the group had special authorities, and could bypass the approval of various ministries. Along with domestic projects, the wider campaign known as the "Battle of Ideas" included attempts to provide medical aid to various pink tide governments.
In 2002, former US president Jimmy Carter visited Cuba, where he highlighted the lack of civil liberties in the country and urged the government to pay attention to the Varela Project of Oswaldo Payá.
Economic problems remained in Cuba, and in 2004, Castro shut down 118 factories, including steel plants, sugar mills and paper processors to compensate for a critical shortage of fuel. In September 2005, Castro established a group of medical professionals, known as the Henry Reeve Brigade, with the mission of international medical solidarity. The group were sent throughout the world to carry out humanitarian missions on behalf of the Cuban government.
Cuba and Venezuela became the founding members of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). ALBA's origins lay in a December 2004 agreement signed between the two countries and was formalized through a People's Trade Agreement also signed by Evo Morales' Bolivia in April 2006. Castro had also been calling for greater Caribbean integration since the late 1990s, saying that only strengthened cooperation between Caribbean countries would prevent their domination by rich nations in a global economy. Cuba has opened four additional embassies in the Caribbean Community including: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Suriname, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. This development makes Cuba the only country to have embassies in all independent countries of the Caribbean Community.
In contrast to the improved relations between Cuba and a number of leftist Latin American states, in 2004 it broke off diplomatic ties with Panama after centrist President Mireya Moscoso pardoned four Cuban exiles accused of attempting to assassinate Castro in 2000. Diplomatic ties were reinstalled in 2005 following the election of leftist President Martín Torrijos.
Castro's improving relations across Latin America were accompanied by continuing animosity towards the US. However, after massive damage caused by Hurricane Michelle in 2001, Castro successfully proposed a one-time cash purchase of food from the US while declining its government's offer of humanitarian aid. Castro expressed solidarity with the US following the 2001 September 11 attacks, condemning Al-Qaeda and offering Cuban airports for the emergency diversion of any US planes. He recognized that the attacks would make US foreign policy more aggressive, which he believed was counterproductive. Castro criticized the 2003 invasion of Iraq, saying that the US-led war had imposed an international "law of the jungle".
Final years
Stepping down: 2006–2008
Castro underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding, and on 31 July 2006, delegated his presidential duties to Raúl Castro. In February 2007, Raúl announced that Fidel's health was improving and that he was taking part in important issues of government. Later that month, Fidel called into Hugo Chávez's radio show Aló Presidente. On 21 April, Castro met Wu Guanzheng of the Chinese Communist Party's Politburo Standing Committee, with Chávez visiting in August, and Morales in September. That month, the Non-Aligned Movement held its 14th Summit in Havana, there agreeing to appoint Castro as the organization's president for a year's term.
Commenting on Castro's recovery, US president George W. Bush said: "One day the good Lord will take Fidel Castro away." Hearing about this, the atheist Castro replied: "Now I understand why I survived Bush's plans and the plans of other presidents who ordered my assassination: the good Lord protected me." The quote was picked up on by the world's media.
In a February 2008 letter, Castro announced that he would not accept the positions of President of the Council of State and Commander in Chief at that month's National Assembly meetings, remarking, "It would betray my conscience to take up a responsibility that requires mobility and total devotion, that I am not in a physical condition to offer". On 24 February 2008, the National Assembly of People's Power unanimously voted Raúl as president. Describing his brother as "not substitutable", Raúl proposed that Fidel continue to be consulted on matters of great importance, a motion unanimously approved by the 597 National Assembly members.
Retirement: 2008–2016
Following his retirement, Castro's health deteriorated; international press speculated that he had diverticulitis, but Cuba's government refused to corroborate this. He continued to interact with the Cuban people, published an opinion column titled "Reflections" in Granma, used a Twitter account, and gave occasional public lectures. In January 2009 Castro asked Cubans not to worry about his lack of recent news columns and failing health, and not to be disturbed by his future death. He continued meeting foreign leaders and dignitaries, and that month photographs were released of Castro's meeting with Argentine president Cristina Fernández.
In July 2010, he made his first public appearance since falling ill, greeting science center workers and giving a television interview to Mesa Redonda in which he discussed US tensions with Iran and North Korea. On 7 August 2010, Castro gave his first speech to the National Assembly in four years, urging the US not to take military actions against those nations and warning of a nuclear holocaust. When asked whether Castro may be re-entering government, culture minister Abel Prieto told the BBC, "I think that he has always been in Cuba's political life but he is not in the government... He has been very careful about that. His big battle is international affairs." In August 2010, Castro accepted responsibility for persecuting gay men in the 1960s and 70s, which included imprisonment in forced labor camps.
On 19 April 2011, Castro resigned from the Communist Party central committee, thus stepping down as First Secretary. Raúl was selected as his successor. Now without any official role in the country's government, he took on the role of an elder statesman. In March 2011, Castro condemned the NATO-led military intervention in Libya. In March 2012, Pope Benedict XVI visited Cuba for three days, during which time he briefly met with Castro despite the Pope's vocal opposition to Cuba's government. Later that year it was revealed that along with Hugo Chávez, Castro had played a significant behind-the-scenes role in orchestrating peace talks between the Colombian government and the far left FARC guerrilla movement to end the conflict which had raged since 1964. During the North Korea crisis of 2013, he urged both the North Korean and US governments to show restraint. Calling the situation "incredible and absurd", he maintained that war would not benefit either side, and that it represented "one of the gravest risks of nuclear war" since the Cuban missile crisis.
In December 2014, Castro was awarded the Chinese Confucius Peace Prize for seeking peaceful solutions to his nation's conflict with the US and for his post-retirement efforts to prevent nuclear war. In January 2015, he publicly commented on the "Cuban Thaw", an increased normalization between Cuba-US relations, by stating that while it was a positive move for establishing peace in the region, he mistrusted the US government. He did not meet with US president Barack Obama on the latter's visit to Cuba in March 2016, although sent him a letter stating that Cuba "has no need of gifts from the empire". That April, he gave his most extensive public appearance in many years when addressing the Communist Party. Highlighting that he was soon to turn 90 years old, he noted that he would die in the near future but urged those assembled to retain their communist ideals. In September 2016, Castro was visited at his Havana home by the Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, and later that month was visited by Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. In late October 2016, Castro met with the Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who became one of the last foreign leaders to meet him.
Death
Castro died in Havana on the night of 25 November 2016. The cause of death was not disclosed. His brother, President Raúl Castro, confirmed the news in a brief speech: "The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 [EST] this evening." His death came nine months after his older brother Ramón died at the age of 91 in February. Fidel Castro was cremated the next day. A funeral procession travelled 900 kilometres (560 mi) along the island's central highway from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, tracing in reverse the route of the "Freedom Caravan" of January 1959. After nine days of public mourning, his ashes were entombed in the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago de Cuba.
Ideology
Castro proclaimed himself to be "a Socialist, a Marxist, and a Leninist", and publicly identified as a Marxist–Leninist from December 1961 onward. Castro sought to transform Cuba from a capitalist state to a socialist society and ultimately to a communist society. Influenced by Guevara, he suggested that Cuba could evade most stages of socialism and progress straight to communism. According to Castro, a country could be regarded as socialist if its means of production were controlled by the state. In this way, his understanding of socialism was less about who controlled power in a country and more about the method of distribution.
Castro's government was also nationalistic and drew upon a longstanding tradition of Cuban nationalism. Historian Richard Gott remarked that one of the keys to Castro's success was his ability to use the "twin themes of socialism and nationalism" and keep them "endlessly in play". Castro described Karl Marx and Cuban nationalist José Martí as his main political influences, although Gott believed that Martí ultimately remained more important than Marx in Castro's politics.
Theodore Draper described Castro's approach as "Castroism", viewing it as a blend of European socialism with the Latin American revolutionary tradition. Political scientist Paul C. Sondrol described the approach as "totalitarian utopianism", with leadership that drew upon the wider Latin American phenomenon of the caudillo. Castro drew inspiration from the wider Latin American anti-imperialist movements of the 1930s and 1940s, including Argentina's Perón and Guatemala's Jacobo Árbenz. Castro took a relatively socially conservative stance on many issues, opposing drug use, gambling, and prostitution, which he viewed as moral evils. He advocated hard work, family values, integrity, and self-discipline. Although his government repressed homosexual activity for decades, he later described this persecution as a "great injustice".
Personal life
Religious beliefs
Fidel Castro's religious beliefs have been a matter of some debate; he was baptized and raised as a Roman Catholic. He criticized the use of the Bible to justify the oppression of women and Africans, but commented that Christianity exhibited "a group of very humane precepts" which gave the world "ethical values" and a "sense of social justice", relating, "If people call me Christian, not from the standpoint of religion but from the standpoint of social vision, I declare that I am a Christian." During a visit of American minister and activist Jesse Jackson, Castro accompanied him to a Methodist church service where he even spoke from the pulpit with a Bible before him, an event that marked a beginning of increased openness towards Christianity in Cuba. He promoted the idea that Jesus Christ was a communist, citing the feeding of the 5,000 and the story of Jesus and the rich young man as evidence.
Wealth
Forbes magazine ranked Castro as the seventh wealthiest ruler in the world at an estimated personal wealth of approximately 900 million US dollars in 2006 (going from 550 million US dollars in their 2005 list). The estimate is based on the magazine's assumption that Castro had economic control over a network of state-owned companies, including CIMEX, Medicuba, the Havana Convention Palace, and the assumption that a portion of their profits went to Castro through investments. Suggesting that Castro's fortune multiplied, growing from 103 million to 850 million euros (equivalent to 900 million dollars) in just three years, the Forbes article also referred to rumours of Castro's Swiss bank accounts with "large stashes" of this fortune. According to Juan Reinaldo Sánchez, a former personal bodyguard of Castro, his assets included Cayo Piedra, a private island; over twenty mansions; a marina with yachts; encrypted bank accounts; and a gold mine.
Marital history
The Cuban government has never published an official marital history of Castro, with most information coming from defectors and scarce details published in state media. In his earlier years in power, he showcased some of his family life, in particular his eldest son Fidelito to portray himself as a regular "family man" to the apprehensive American audience, but abandoned that as he became more concerned about his safety. Throughout his rule, Castro never named an official "First Lady" and when the need for such a public female companion was necessary, Celia Sánchez or Raúl's wife, Vilma Espín, would play such a role of la primera dama.
Castro's first wife was Mirta Díaz-Balart, whom he married in October 1948. She is the only spouse of Castro acknowledged by the Cuban Government. She was a student at the University of Havana, where she met and married Castro. She divorced him later, in 1955, while he was in prison due to the attacks on the Moncada Barracks. They had one son, Fidel Ángel "Fidelito" Castro Díaz-Balart, born in September 1949. During his first marriage, Castro briefly encountered Maria Laborde, an admirer from Camagüey, of whom very little is known and who has long been deceased. They had one son, Jorge Ángel Castro, born on 23 March 1949. It was long believed that his birth was in 1956, but Sánchez and another defector uncovered that he was in fact born earlier than Fidelito. This was also confirmed by Alina Fernández, who claimed that Fidelito told her that Jorge Angel was the "around the same age as him". While married to Mirta, Castro had an affair with Natalia "Naty" Revuelta Clews who gave birth to his daughter, Alina Fernández Revuelta, in 1956.
Castro's second and longest marriage was with Dalia Soto Del Valle, an admirer who met Castro during a speech in Villa Clara in 1961. She moved to Havana on Castro's initiative and later moved in with him at Punto Cero. Her relationship with Castro was kept secret until 2006 when she was photographed. Castro and Dalia had five sons, Alexis, Alex, Alejandro, Antonio, and Angelito. After the 1970s, Castro began a long relationship with Juanita Vera, a Colonel in the foreign intelligence service who joined his escort unit as his English interpreter. She and Castro had one son, Abel Castro Vera, born in 1983.
Castro had another daughter, Francisca Pupo (born 1953), the result of a one-night affair. Pupo and her husband now live in Miami. Another son known as Ciro was also born in the early 1960s, the result of another brief fling, his existence confirmed by Celia Sánchez.
Reception and legacy
One of the most controversial political leaders of his era, Castro inspired and dismayed people around the world during his lifetime. He ruled a single-party authoritarian regime in Cuba where political opposition was not permitted. Censorship of information was extensive, and independent journalism was repressed.
Despite its small size and limited economic weight, Castro's Cuba gained a large role in world affairs. The Castro government relied heavily on its appeals to nationalistic sentiment, in particular the widespread hostility to the US government. According to Balfour, Castro's domestic popularity stemmed from the fact that he symbolized "a long-cherished hope of national liberation and social justice" for much of the population. Balfour also noted that throughout Latin America, Castro served as "a symbol of defiance against the continued economic and cultural imperialism of the United States". Similarly, Wayne S. Smith—the former Chief of the United States Interests Section in Havana—noted that Castro's opposition to US dominance and transformation of Cuba into a significant world player resulted in him receiving "warm applause" throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Various Western governments and human rights organizations nevertheless heavily criticized Castro and he was widely reviled in the US. Following Castro's death, US president-elect Donald Trump called him a "brutal dictator", while the Cuban-American politician Marco Rubio called him "an evil, murderous dictator" who turned Cuba into "an impoverished island prison". Castro publicly rejected the "dictator" label, stating that he constitutionally held less power than most heads of state and that his government allowed for greater democratic involvement in policy making than Western liberal democracies. Nevertheless, critics claim that Castro wielded significant unofficial influence aside from his official duties. Quirk stated that Castro wielded "absolute power" in Cuba, albeit not in a legal or constitutional manner, while Bourne claimed that power in Cuba was "completely invested" in Castro, adding that it was very rare for "a country and a people" to have been so completely dominated by "the personality of one man". Balfour stated that Castro's "moral and political hegemony" within Cuba diminished the opportunities for democratic debate and decision making. Describing Castro as a "totalitarian dictator", Sondrol suggested that in leading "a political system largely [of] his own creation and bearing his indelible stamp", Castro's leadership style warranted comparisons with totalitarian leaders like Mao Zedong, Hideki Tojo, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Benito Mussolini.
Noting that there were "few more polarising political figures" than Castro, Amnesty International described him as "a progressive but deeply flawed leader". In their view, he should be "applauded" for his regime's "substantial improvements" to healthcare and education, but criticized for its "ruthless suppression of freedom of expression." Human Rights Watch stated that his government constructed a "repressive machinery" which deprived Cubans of their "basic rights". Castro defended his government's record on human rights, stating that the state was forced to limit the freedoms of individuals and imprison those involved in counter-revolutionary activities to protect the rights of the collective populace, such as the right to employment, education, and health care.
Historian and journalist Richard Gott considered Castro to be "one of the most extraordinary political figures of the twentieth century", commenting that he had become a "world hero in the mould" of Giuseppe Garibaldi to people throughout the developing world for his anti-imperialist efforts. Balfour stated that Castro's story had "few parallels in contemporary history", for there existed no other "Third World [sic] leader" in the second half of the twentieth century who held "such a prominent and restless part on the international stage" or remained head of state for such a long period. Bourne described Castro as "an influential world leader" who commanded "great respect" from individuals of all political ideologies across the developing world. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau described Castro as a "remarkable leader" and a "larger than life leader who served his people." The European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said that Castro "was a hero for many." Russian president Vladimir Putin described Castro as both "a sincere and reliable friend of Russia" and a "symbol of an era", while Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping similarly referred to him as "a close comrade and a sincere friend" to China. Indian prime minister Narendra Modi termed him "one of the most iconic personalities of the 20th century" and a "great friend", while South African president Jacob Zuma praised Castro for aiding black South Africans in "our struggle against apartheid". He was awarded a wide variety of awards and honours from foreign governments and was cited as an inspiration for foreign leaders like Ahmed Ben Bella and Nelson Mandela, who subsequently awarded him South Africa's highest civilian award for foreigners, the Order of Good Hope. The biographer Volker Skierka stated that "he will go down in history as one of the few revolutionaries who remained true to his principles".
Notes
References
Citations
Cited works
Further reading
Benjamin, Jules R. (1992). The United States and the Origins of the Cuban Revolution: An Empire of Liberty in an Age of National Liberation. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-02536-0.
Bohning, Don (2005). The Castro Obsession: U.S. Covert Operations Against Cuba, 1959–1965. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN 978-1-57488-676-4.
Roman, Peter (2003). People's Power: Cuba's Experience with Representative Government. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0742525658.
Fabian, Escalante (1996). CIA Targets Fidel: The Secret Assassination Report. PO Bo 1015, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051, Australia: Ocean Press. ISBN 978-1-875284-90-0. Retrieved 22 May 2024.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
External links
Appearances on C-SPAN
Fidel Castro's speeches
Fidel Castro History Archive at Marxists Internet Archive
Fidel Castro at IMDb
Fidel Castro (Character) on IMDb
Fidel Castro Records at FBI Records: The Vault
Fidel Castro: A Life in Pictures – slideshow by BBC News
Fidel Castro: From Rebel to El Presidente – timeline by NPR
Fidel Castro – extended biography by Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (in Spanish)
Say Brother; 914; Invitation From Cuba Date N/A, National Records and Archives Administration, American Archive of Public Broadcasting
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Gubby Allen
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Gubby Allen.
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Tell me a bio of Gubby Allen.
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Tell me a bio of Gubby Allen within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Gubby Allen with around 100 words.
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Sir George Oswald Browning "Gubby" Allen CBE (31 July 1902 – 29 November 1989) was a cricketer who captained England in eleven Test matches. In first-class matches, he played for Middlesex and Cambridge University. A fast bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman, Allen later became an influential cricket administrator who held key positions in the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which effectively ruled English cricket at the time; he also served as chairman of the England selectors.
Allen was born in Australia and grew up in England from the age of six. After playing cricket for Eton College, he went to Cambridge University where he established a reputation as a fast bowler, albeit one who was often injured. After leaving university, Allen played mainly for Middlesex. He improved as a batsman in the following seasons until work commitments forced him to play less regularly. A change of career allowed him to play more cricket, and by the late 1920s he was on the verge of the England Test team. He made his debut in 1930, and remained in contention for a place, when he was available to play, for the rest of the decade. During the controversial Bodyline tour of 1932–33, Allen was very successful for England but refused to use the intimidatory tactics employed by his teammates.
From 1933, Allen worked in the London Stock Exchange, which limited the amount of cricket he could play. Even so, he was appointed England captain in 1936 and led the team during the 1936–37 tour of Australia, when the home team won 3–2 having lost the first two matches. He continued to play irregularly for Middlesex until 1939; after the Second World War, in which he worked in military intelligence, he played occasionally for Middlesex and other teams into the 1950s. He captained England in a final Test series in the West Indies in 1947–48. As a cricketer, Allen was affected by his lack of regular play and was at his most effective during his two tours of Australia when he was able to build up his form. At other times, his bowling was often erratic but occasionally devastating. An orthodox batsman, he often scored runs when his team were under pressure.
As Allen's first-class career came to a close, he moved into administration and held considerable influence in English and world cricket. He was instrumental in the creation of a MCC coaching manual, and worked hard to eliminate illegal bowling actions. As chairman of selectors from 1955 to 1961, he presided over a period of great success for English cricket, during which he worked closely with the Test captain Peter May. In 1963, he became MCC president, and was made the club's treasurer the following year. In this role, he was deeply involved in the D'Oliveira affair, a controversy over the potential selection of Basil D'Oliveira to tour South Africa. After Allen's gradual retirement from his administrative roles, he was knighted in 1986 and spent his later years in a flat close to Lord's, where he died, aged 87, in 1989.
Early life
Allen was born on 31 July 1902 in Bellevue Hill, Sydney, Australia, the second of three children to Walter Allen, a lawyer, and his wife Marguerite (Pearl), née Lamb, the daughter of Edward Lamb, a Queensland government minister. Later rumours suggested that Allen's real father may have been the Middlesex cricketer Pelham Warner, who supported Allen in his cricket career. Both of Allen's parents had roots in England as well as Australia. In 1909, when Allen was six years old, his family moved to London—hoping that the children would benefit from an English education—where they initially lived in a flat before moving to various country villages. Finding that they enjoyed England, the family abandoned plans to return to Australia.
After being educated by a governess, Allen joined Summer Fields School in Oxford in 1912. He began to play cricket seriously at school; by his second year, he reached the school second team, from where he progressed to the first team then the captaincy. His ability attracted the attention of Eton College, where a friend of Allen's father, C. M. Wells, was a housemaster. The family had planned to send Allen to Haileybury, but Wells persuaded Allen senior to send his son to Eton instead, although it was a considerable financial burden on the family. Allen, although not initially keen on the prospect, started there in the winter of 1915–16.
At Eton, Allen played many sports, but his academic performance was no more than respectable, and he later admitted to laziness. In cricket, Allen played for his school house team and had reasonable success with bat and ball; by 1918 he was house cricket captain. After a trial match, and a spell in the school second team, he progressed to the Eton first team in 1919. The effects of a rib injury limited his bowling, and he achieved little with the bat. Even so, he was chosen to play in the prestigious match against Harrow School, played annually at Lord's in London. In his second innings, he scored 69 runs, the highest individual score of the game, and Eton won the match. His rib injury continued to trouble him in 1920, and caused him such pain that he considered abandoning bowling altogether. The new Eton coach George Hirst persuaded him to continue, and a few weeks later Allen took nine for 19 (nine wickets while conceding 19 runs) in an innings against Winchester. But other than this performance, Allen was ineffective. More successful in 1921, he opened the batting for a time; he also opened the bowling, topping the Eton bowling averages. He had some success at Lord's against Harrow and a particularly fast bowling spell in this match was seen by Hubert Ashton, who was to captain the Cambridge University team the following year—Allen had already been approved for a place at Trinity College, Cambridge beginning later that year. He was chosen to play in the annual matches at Lord's in which two teams representing the best public schoolboys opposed each other, but was forced to withdraw with sunstroke.
Towards the end of the 1921 season, Allen was invited to play first-class cricket as an amateur for Middlesex, for whom he qualified by residence. Allen believed that Pelham Warner, who often supported young Middlesex cricketers, encouraged his selection by the club, despite the potential risks to the team's position in the County Championship from playing an inexperienced cricketer. Allen made his first-class debut against Somerset on 21 August 1921 and made one other appearance that season without achieving much in either match.
First-class cricketer
Cambridge University
Allen played for Cambridge in 1922. He was left out of the team's first game; as the university was playing Middlesex, he played for the opposition instead and took six for 13. Around this time, he began to bowl fast for the first time. After success in the following games—including ten wickets in the game against Sussex—Allen was awarded his blue by being selected for the University Match against Oxford at Lord's. In that game, he had match figures of nine for 78 in a comfortable Cambridge victory. This was Cambridge's last game of the season—Allen had taken 49 first-class wickets at an average of 15. There were suggestions in the press at the time that Allen illegally threw, rather than bowled, the ball. In his biography of Allen, E. W. Swanton writes that these rumours were neither widespread nor repeated later in Allen's career, and that they may have resulted from a one-off lapse. Towards the end of the season, Allen returned to the Middlesex team and his 15 wickets placed him at the top of the county's bowling averages.
Allen played rugby for the Trinity team before resuming cricket for the 1923 season. He began well, reaching fifty in a first-class match for the first time against Middlesex, in which he shared a stand of 120 for the ninth wicket with Ralph Huband, and taking six for 89 in the same game. Further bowling success followed but before the University Match, he once more injured his rib muscles. Persuaded to play anyway, Allen could only bowl short spells which lacked incisiveness and Cambridge lost heavily. Several critics, including some teammates, believed he did not try. During the match, Allen consulted a specialist over his frequent rib injuries; the specialist's treatment and a period of rest cured the problem for the remainder of his career. Allen's Cambridge season was further marred by differences with his captain, Claude Ashton, over team selections and tactics. The 1923 University Match was his final game for Cambridge as Trinity, unhappy with his lack of academic work, rusticated him in the summer.
Later in the 1923 season, Allen was recalled by Middlesex and played five games for the county. At the end of the season, he was chosen in two Scarborough Festival games; one of these was the prestigious Gentlemen v Players match, in which he appeared for the amateur "Gentlemen". This was the first of Allen's 11 appearances for the Gentlemen in this fixture between 1923 and 1938. In the whole season, he took 66 wickets at 19.50 and scored 528 runs at an average of 24.00.
Middlesex
In late 1923, having decided not to return to Cambridge, Allen took a job in the City (London's financial district) working for the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation as an underwriter. Not particularly well-off financially, he had to work full-time and throughout his career could not afford to take too much time away from business. He played cricket as often as he could in the summer; when unable to play for Middlesex, he played weekend club cricket—including for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)—and country house cricket.
Allen was free to play regularly for Middlesex in 1924. The team was involved in a close race for the County Championship with Yorkshire, and Allen had several successful matches. He ended the season with 568 runs at 21.84 and 50 wickets at 17.48. Playing less often in 1925, he scored 392 runs, took 39 wickets, and scored his maiden first-class century in the Gentlemen v Players match at the Oval. He was also chosen for the first time to represent the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's, where he scored 52, and his reputation grew steadily. By the beginning of the 1926 season, he and fellow fast bowler Harold Larwood were tipped in the press to be chosen for the England team against Australia that summer. Allen began well for Middlesex but was less successful in a trial match to help choose the England team. Larwood was chosen for the Test series; Allen was not. In county cricket, Allen scored his first century for Middlesex, and began to open the bowling occasionally, having been the third or fourth bowler in previous seasons. Overall, he scored 771 runs, the highest seasonal aggregate of his career, at an average of 29.65 and took 44 wickets at 28.27.
During the northern winter of 1926–27, Allen toured Argentina to play first-class cricket with an MCC team. When he returned to England, he played eight matches before the end of June, including a game for the MCC against the touring New Zealand team in which he scored a century and took ten wickets. In total, he scored 482 runs at an average of 43.81 and took 19 wickets; this was his last regular cricket until 1929. He declined an invitation to tour South Africa with an MCC team, and work limited him to two first-class games for Middlesex in 1928.
Through Vivian Hugh Smith, the father of some old school-mates, Allen had the opportunity to work in France. He moved to Lyons for 18 months to work for a silk company. During his time there, Allen became aware that the firm's finances were unsound; he warned Hugh Smith, who after some enquiries, withdrew from the business, along with his fellow investor Sir Frederick Richmond. The latter subsequently offered Allen work at Debenhams, of which he was chairman. Allen worked at Debenhams until 1933, initially as first assistant to the Works Department manager, then as the assistant to the assistant general manager.
While at Debenhams, Allen was allowed leave to play cricket. During his first appearance of the 1929 season he performed well but suffered a strain in his next game, which reinforced an impression in the press—articulated by Pelham Warner among others—that he was injury-prone and inclined to hypochondria. His next appearance came a fortnight later, at Lord's against Lancashire; that team had won the County Championship every year since 1926. Owing to work commitments, Allen arrived by prior agreement around 20 minutes after play started. He took the first three wickets, but Lancashire were batting comfortably at 215 for three wickets. Around the tea interval, Allen took the last seven wickets in 69 deliveries while conceding 13 runs from his bowling, including the last four wickets in five balls. In total, he took all ten wickets at a cost of 40 runs, to become only the second man to take all ten wickets in a first-class match at Lord's since 1874, and the last to date. He was praised in the press, although the Manchester Guardian correspondent suggested that a weak batting performance helped him, and Wisden merely described this as one of several good performances in the game. Despite his success, the England selectors preferred Larwood in the Test team against South Africa; even when Larwood was injured, Allen was passed over. Swanton suggests that Allen's bowling was inconsistent throughout the season; he finished with 31 wickets at 25.87 and scored 544 at 45.33.
Test match career
Debut
During 1930, Allen again had leave in which he could play cricket, and was among the front-runners for a place in the England team. His first appearance of the season was for the MCC against the Australian touring team. Although he took four for 28 on the last day, his rivals for an England place were also successful. Playing for Middlesex against the Australians, Allen took six for 77 but was overlooked for the first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. England won the match during the course of which Larwood, the incumbent fast bowler in the team, fell ill. Allen opted to play for Middlesex against Northamptonshire while the team for the second Test was being chosen, and took six for 77. His subsequent inclusion in the squad of 13 for that game was not particularly well received by the press.
On the morning of the match, Larwood was unfit and Allen played. England batted first, and Allen scored three runs before being dismissed on the first afternoon. On the second morning, an article in the Daily Express by Trevor Wignall, a popular journalist who wrote sensational sports stories, suggested that the crowd's enjoyment of the day was marred by Allen's inclusion on the grounds of his Australian birth. Wignall claimed that the public felt Allen should have been omitted, and that the selectors were rumoured to be ignorant of his birthplace. That day, Allen opened the bowling for England; after a slow start, the Australian openers added 162 runs before the first wicket fell. Like the other bowlers, Allen then rapidly conceded runs to Donald Bradman, who scored 254 runs. Australia scored 729 for six declared in reply to England's 425, and Allen returned bowling figures of none for 115 from 34 overs. England lost early wickets in their second innings, and when Allen came in to bat, the score was 147 for five wickets, still 167 behind the Australians. He scored 57 and shared a partnership of 125 with his captain, Percy Chapman, to take England into the lead but Australia won the match by seven wickets. In contrast to the reaction to his bowling, Allen's innings was praised in the press. This was his only Test of the series.
Allen was unsuccessful in the Gentlemen v Players game, but performed effectively with the ball for Middlesex. He continued to struggle when batting, and his highest innings of the year was 77 runs scored in the end-of-season Scarborough Festival. In total, he scored 281 runs at 17.56 and took 42 wickets at 22.19. He was not invited on the MCC tour of South Africa.
Success
Allen's cricket remained limited in 1931. Despite all-round success in several early games for Middlesex, he was initially omitted from the team for the first Test against the New Zealand team. When Larwood withdrew with an ankle injury, Allen was added to the team; according to Anthony Meredith, writing in The Cricketer in 2002, Pelham Warner made this decision himself without consulting his fellow selectors, to their considerable annoyance. Allen did not have a particularly good match as a bowler, but was successful with the bat. When he started his innings at the beginning of the second day, England had scored 190 for seven wickets in reply to New Zealand's 224. He scored 98 in the 150-minute first session, and went on to score 122; with Les Ames, he added 246 for the eighth wicket. This was a record partnership in Test matches for the eighth wicket until 1996, and an England record for that wicket until 2010. England scored 454, but New Zealand replied with 469 and the match was drawn on the third and final day. This was Allen's only innings of the series.
After a gap of three weeks with no cricket, Allen took six wickets in his first match back. Meanwhile, Larwood was ruled out of the England team after an injury in a car crash; Allen played in the second Test and took five for 14 in New Zealand's first innings. England won that game, and the next was drawn after rain washed out the first two days; Allen neither batted nor bowled. In the series, he took eight wickets at an average of 16.12. He ended the season with 401 first-class runs at 30.84 and 40 wickets at 18.77.
Allen played less frequently in 1932, even though he wanted to secure a place in the MCC team to tour Australia during the 1932–33 season. He played four times for Middlesex and played in two Test trial games, but did not play in the season's only Test match. His most important game of the season was the Gentlemen v Players match, in which many of those involved were potential selections for the touring team; he took eight wickets in the game, and after the second trial was named in the MCC team. The press reaction to his inclusion was mixed, and there were several who criticised the selectors. He was low in the national batting and bowling averages; critics pointed out his infrequent appearances in first-class cricket and questioned his stamina for a long tour. Having been named in the team, Allen did not play again in the season. In eight first-class matches, he scored 113 runs at 11.30 and took 25 wickets at 25.36.
Bodyline series
The MCC tour of Australia during the 1932–33 season was highly controversial owing to the England team's use of what came to be known as Bodyline bowling. The tactic involved bowling at leg stump or just outside it, pitching the ball short so that it reared at the batsman's body and with a ring of fielders ranged on the leg side to catch any defensive deflections from the bat. Bodyline bowling was intimidatory, and was largely designed and implemented by Douglas Jardine, the MCC captain, in an attempt to curb the prolific scoring of Bradman. Allen was one of four fast bowlers chosen for the tour, but did not go along with Jardine's instructions to "hate" the opposition. Nevertheless, the two men got along, and Allen later claimed to be Jardine's "best friend" on the tour. Allen also wrote home that Jardine was "the stupidest man I know", claimed to be terrified of him and suggested that at times he felt like killing him.
Jardine did not initially plan to include Allen in the Test team, but the latter's bowling in the opening tour matches brought him into the frame. In his first game, he unsettled and dismissed Bradman with his pace; in later years Jack Hobbs, who reported on the game, suggested that Bradman was intimidated by Allen, and Jack Fingleton, who played in the team with Bradman, claimed that he refused to face Allen's bowling. Allen later wrote to his father that Bradman was a "terrible little coward of fast bowling"; the two men later became friends, and Bradman was never made aware of what Allen wrote.
Allen played in England's victory in the first Test but took only one wicket. He retained his place as part of a four-man pace attack in the second Test, took four wickets and was one of the most successful English batsmen in the match. Australia levelled the series after Bradman scored a century, but England won the remaining three matches of the series. In the third game, Allen opened the bowling and took four wickets in each innings. His performance was praised by critics and enhanced his reputation. As Voce missed the fourth Test with injury, Allen bowled more in that game and took five wickets, but suffered a side-strain in the second innings. The injury prevented Allen bowling at full pace in the final Test; he played despite his own reservations and struggled throughout. In total, Allen took 21 Test wickets at an average of 28.23 and scored 163 runs at 23.28. In his review of the tour for Wisden, Sydney Southerton wrote: "G. O. Allen, about whose selection many hard things were at the time said, fully justified his choice ... He accomplished great work, often getting rid of batsmen likely to be dangerous; his fielding close in on the leg side was uniformly good and he played several excellent innings. Altogether a most useful man in the team." Jardine praised his contribution after the tour, both to Allen's family and in his official report. In all first-class matches, Allen scored 397 runs at 24.81 and took 39 wickets at 23.05. In his biography of Jardine, Christopher Douglas suggests: "[Allen] thrived on the intensive programme of matches and was able to build up his form and consistency to a standard that he hardly ever matched in England."
Throughout the series, Allen refused to use Bodyline tactics, and openly said so within the team. His attitude made him popular with Australian spectators. Jardine twice tried to force the issue. Before the first Test, he asked Allen to bowl more bouncers with fielders on the leg side; Allen refused, saying he did not want to play cricket like that and that Jardine should leave him out if he was not happy. Prior to the second Test, Jardine again approached Allen and said that Larwood and Voce wanted him to bowl short, and believed that he only refused because he wanted to maintain his popularity. Allen wrote home: "Well, I burst and said a good deal about swollen-headed, gutless, uneducated miners." Allen threatened not to play, and to go home to relate the events of the tour to the press. Jardine did not pursue the matter. Others in the team also opposed Bodyline. The Nawab of Pataudi refused to field in the "leg trap"—the ring of fielders positioned on the leg side to catch deflections from short deliveries—during the first Test. Allen had no compunction fielding there; at short leg he held five catches from Larwood's bowling in the series. Upon his return to England, Allen continued to oppose Bodyline tactics, making his opinion known to senior figures in the MCC, and leading a debate among county representatives which resulted in legislation to ban the tactic after the 1934 season.
Change of career
During the Bodyline tour, his first visit to Australia since the age of six, Allen spent time visiting friends and family. Before returning to England, the MCC played two Tests in New Zealand. Allen played in both, but batted just once and, still feeling the effects of his injury, took only two wickets. The team returned to England via Canada, but Allen parted company in Vancouver to meet friends in Los Angeles. During his trip, he met several Hollywood stars and passed through Chicago and New York on his way back to England. In New York, he met and fell in love with Norah Grace, the daughter of a shipping magnate. She travelled to England in 1934, and the pair wrote frequently to each other, but Grace died from Bright's disease in 1935.
Allen did not feel suited to working in a department store, and on his return home took a job with the stockbroking company David Bevan and Co. Consequently, he played little cricket in 1933. He planned to be unavailable for the Test matches against the West Indies, but Larwood was injured and Voce out of form, so he was persuaded to play in the first Test. He played little thereafter that season and declined an invitation to tour India with an MCC team. In three games that season, he scored 199 runs and took 13 wickets. That December, he was elected as a member of the Stock Exchange.
As the 1934 season began, Allen was recovering from an operation to repair a rupture and played only once before that summer's Ashes series, in which Bob Wyatt captained England. Injury ruled him out of the second Test, but he was fit for the third. In a drawn game, he scored 61 runs but took no wickets; troubled by uneven footholds, he bowled three wides and four no-balls during his first over, which lasted for 13 deliveries. He was selected for the fourth Test but, unhappy with his fitness, withdrew to play for Middlesex. He was successful in several games preceding the final, deciding Test, and was included in the team. Australia won comfortably after scoring 701 in their first innings; Allen took four for 170 and was wicketless in the second innings. In two Tests, he took five wickets at an average in excess of 70 and scored 106 runs at 35.33. In all first-class games that season he scored 438 runs at 25.76 and took 51 wickets at 27.49. Amid growing speculation that Allen would be chosen as the next England captain, Warner arranged for him to captain a low-key tour to Gibraltar in early 1935. During the return journey, Allen pulled a muscle when his ship pitched unexpectedly; the injury limited his cricket during 1935. He played twice before withdrawing from the rest of the season on medical advice. Off the field, Allen was elected to the MCC Committee at the unusually young age of 32.
England captain
Selection as captain
Prior to the 1936 season, Allen was the leading contender to replace Wyatt as England captain; under Wyatt's leadership, the team had lost three successive Test series. Although still unable to appear regularly, Allen played 16 first-class matches, his most in a season since 1926; he scored 598 runs at an average of 35.17, and took 81 wickets, his best return in a season. When selected to lead one of the teams in a Test trial match, he was effective enough for the selectors to name him as England captain for the series against India. England won the first Test by eight wickets. Allen took five for 35 in his first innings as captain and a further five wickets in the second innings, making this the only Test in which he took ten wickets. The selectors at this time set about choosing a captain and team for the MCC tour of Australia in the 1936–37 season. At least one selector favoured Claude Ashton, who played first-class cricket infrequently; Allen informed the selectors that, were Ashton to be made captain, he would not take part in the tour. Soon after the first Test, Allen was chosen to captain the Gentlemen against the Players, the only time he did so, and the MCC announced that he would captain the MCC in Australia. Allen believed that Warner was influential in securing his appointment, but that his Australian background was also important given that the tour had to repair tensions left over from 1932 to 1933.
Allen captained England in the remaining two Tests against India. The second game was drawn but England won the third and Allen took seven for 80, his best figures in Test matches. In the Tests, Allen scored 27 runs in three innings, and took 20 wickets at 16.50. His good form for Middlesex continued throughout the season and he performed well against some of the strongest opposition; he topped the county's batting averages and came second in bowling. The MCC team for Australia was chosen in several stages with input from Allen. Larwood was not considered; he had spoken out in the press against Australia and opponents of Bodyline, and like Voce, had not played a Test since the 1932–33 series. The selectors wished to include Voce but Allen at first threatened to resign were he to be included. He met Voce to discuss matters and the latter agreed to sign a statement in which he apologised for the past and in effect promised not to bowl Bodyline. He was therefore named in the touring team.
Tour of Australia, 1936–37
The inexperience of the tour manager, Rupert Howard, and Allen's vice-captain, Walter Robins, left Allen with a heavy workload for the 1936–37 tour; he later suggested to the MCC that this affected his form. In the early part of the tour, Allen selected the team by himself, but later used Robins, Bob Wyatt, Wally Hammond and Maurice Leyland as a selection committee.
The team was hampered throughout by injuries—at one point, seven of the sixteen players were unfit—and the absence of senior players meant that Allen had to play more matches. He played well in the early games, but the team's results were poor as players struggled to adapt to the Australian pitches. When the Test series began, Australia were clear favourites. In the first Test, in reply to England's first innings of 358, Australia were bowled out for 234. When England batted again, Allen top-scored with 68, an innings he later rated the best of his career. England made 256 and, on a pitch affected by rain, Allen took five for 36 as Australia were bowled out for 58 to lose by 322 runs. Allen's team also won the second Test. England scored 426 for six on the first two days before rain prompted Allen to declare. On a damaged pitch, he took three for 19; Australia were bowled out for 80 and eventually lost by an innings. During the second Australian innings, Bradman, the Australian captain, who went on to score 82, was at one point dropped by Robins. The latter apologised, but Allen replied: "Oh, forget it, old boy, it's probably cost us the rubber, but what the hell!"
Rain affected the third Test; on the second day, Australia declared having scored 200 for nine in their first innings. In reply, England lost regular wickets as the effects of rain made the pitch almost impossible to bat on. Several critics, including members of his own team, suggested Allen should have declared to force Australia to bat when the pitch remained very difficult. Allen considered the risk to be too great and did not declare until the score had reached 76 for nine. Bradman then reversed his batting order to protect his main batsmen until the conditions eased; the tactic worked, as he and Jack Fingleton shared a partnership of 346 for the sixth wicket. Bradman scored 270 and England were defeated by 365 runs. In the fourth Test, Australia were bowled out for 288 in their first innings, when several of Allen's tactical moves worked well. England replied with 330, and Australia scored 433 in the second innings. Needing to score 392 to win, England were bowled out for 243, and the series was level at 2–2.
Complaining of exhaustion, and struggling with an injury, Allen rested from the MCC's next tour games. He was criticised for this, by Warner among others, particularly when the team lost in his absence. Allen proposed that he miss the final Test, but the other selectors insisted he play. For the game, Australia chose a fast bowler, Laurie Nash, who had returned to first-class cricket after a three-year absence to play for Victoria against the MCC. Allen, concerned over the possible use of Bodyline by Nash, who had bowled short against the MCC, spoke to Bradman before the game. Bradman replied that an opposing captain could not veto members of his team, at which Allen went to the umpires and threatened to bring his team off the field if Bodyline was used. Struggling with a leg injury, Allen was below his best. Australia won the toss, scored 604 and, assisted by rain, bowled England out for 239 and 165 to win the match and series; Nash did not bowl too short, although the occasional one did "nip up" to hit the batsman.
The series was watched by over 900,000 people in total; the MCC took home a larger profit than on any previous tour. Allen was treated sympathetically by press and public. The Wisden review of the tour suggested: "It would be churlish to criticise Allen's captaincy. During the first two Tests, almost every one of his moves succeeded instantly ... No doubt, Allen had studied his opponents carefully and knew their weaknesses, and if his tactics were not always dictated by accepted principles they certainly proved very successful. Those who attributed so much of the England captain's success to good luck were inclined to overlook the many stratagems exploited by him". In the Test series, he scored 150 runs at 18.75 and took 17 wickets at 30.94. During the tour, Allen struck up a friendship with Bradman and encouraged his team to fraternise with the Australian team. He clashed over tactics with one of his team, Joe Hardstaff; the pair never got along thereafter.
The team played three games in New Zealand before returning home via America; Allen left the team early and spent time in Hollywood. In all first-class games, he scored 380 runs at 25.33 and took 38 wickets at 26.23.
Later career
Before the war
A combination of fatigue from the Australian tour and his need to return to work reduced the amount of cricket Allen played in 1937, and he announced his unavailability for the summer's Test series against New Zealand. He played just four first-class games that season, scored 161 runs and took 15 wickets. When the following season began, he remained in contention for the England captaincy for the 1938 Ashes series. Wally Hammond, formerly a professional, became an amateur before the season, immediately making him another candidate. Allen played several times in the early season for Middlesex and performed well with bat and ball, but injured his back. Even so, he was selected to captain "the Rest" against England in a Test trial, but was annoyed that Hammond was preferred as captain of the England team, particularly as Warner had not discussed the matter with him. In the event, Allen withdrew on the grounds of fitness, and did not play again for over a month. When he returned, his form was good but a succession of injuries plagued him for the rest of the season. In 13 first-class games, Allen scored 431 runs, with a highest score of 64, at an average of 26.93. He also took 23 wickets at 25.00. In July 1938, Allen was commissioned into the Territorial Army as a second lieutenant. He joined the City of London Yeomanry along with several friends and colleagues, and this took up much of his time in 1938 and 1939. He had time for five first-class games in 1939, scoring 164 runs and taking 16 wickets, before he was called up to the regular army on 24 August 1939.
War service
Allen's regiment was part of the Royal Artillery; he quickly became involved with Anti-Aircraft Command and began to associate with Royal Air Force (RAF) officers. In 1940, he was appointed as an Anti-Aircraft (AA) liaison officer to RAF Hawkinge, part of an initiative to share intelligence on German AA operations with bomber groups; these posts were controlled by a branch of Military Intelligence, MI14E. Later that year, Allen's brother Geoffrey was killed fighting in France.
In June 1940, Allen was appointed as a flak liaison officer to Five Group, an RAF Bomber Command group responsible for distributing intelligence on German air defences collated by MI14 to bomber stations. Through this position, Allen became friends with Arthur "Bomber" Harris, who commanded Five Group at the time. As part of his work there, Allen accompanied one bombing mission to the Ruhr, to gain first hand experience of AA defences. In December, Allen was appointed to lead the MI14E section which collated AA intelligence; aside from appointing flak liaison officers, Allen received sensitive intelligence data from a variety of sources on German air defences. He remained in this position for the rest of the war, being promoted to lieutenant colonel when MI14E became MI15. Throughout the war, he also found time to play regular charity cricket matches. Allen left the army in July 1945.
Last years as a cricketer
After the war, Allen dedicated most of his time to stockbroking and was made a partner by David Bevan and Co. He had little time for cricket, although he appeared twice for Middlesex in 1946. The following season, he played once for Middlesex, and captained their second team. He also played twice for the Free Foresters, a club of wandering amateurs, in first-class games. Late in the 1947 season, Allen was asked to captain and manage an MCC team which was to tour the West Indies that winter. The young and experimental team suffered badly with injuries; Allen missed several matches himself through strains. In first-class games on the tour he scored 262 runs and took six wickets, but writing in Wisden, Norman Preston judged: "Allen was too old." Allen also clashed with several members of his team; he did not get along with Ken Cranston, his vice-captain, nor Joe Hardstaff, his senior professional. When Allen tried to impose discipline on the team to prevent his players staying out late to drink alcohol, neither Cranston nor Hardstaff backed him.
With many players indisposed and his options limited, Allen requested reinforcements and the MCC sent out Len Hutton in time for the third Test; in the meantime, Allen asked S. C. Griffith, not a highly regarded batsman, to open the batting for England in the second Test. Griffith responded by batting the entire first day and scoring 140 runs in total, his maiden century in first-class cricket. The West Indies won the last two Tests (the first two having been drawn) to win the series; the MCC team did not win a single match on the tour. Allen later regretted accepting the invitation to lead the team. In three Tests, he scored 94 runs and took five wickets. Allen did not play any more Test cricket; in 25 matches, he scored 750 runs at an average of 24.19 and took 81 wickets at 29.37.
Although Allen appeared four times for Middlesex in 1948, most of his remaining cricket was played for the Free Foresters against Cambridge University. On very good batting pitches, the matches lacked a competitive edge, but in 12 games between 1948 and his retirement, he scored four centuries and averaged over 80 with the bat. In 1948, he scored 180 in the fixture, the highest score of his career; in combination with his success in Middlesex matches, he finished on top of the English batting averages that season. He played his final Middlesex games in 1950, captaining the team in four matches in the absence of the regular captain, and made his final first-class appearance for the Free Foresters in 1954. In all first-class cricket, he scored 9,233 runs at an average of 28.67 and took 788 wickets at 22.23.
Cricketing technique
Allen was capable of bowling unusually quickly. Critics judged him to have an excellent bowling action, through which he achieved his pace. He bowled from sideways on, and according to his Wisden obituary, had "a rhythmical run-up and full follow-through". R. C. Robertson-Glasgow described Allen in 1943: "Of no more than medium height, he has a solid yet elastic strength, every unit of which is used in the delivery and in a follow-through which is the finest I have ever seen." Robertson-Glasgow continued: "His bowling, though it varies from piercing accuracy to almost ludicrous irrelevance, has often touched greatness." Although opposed to Bodyline tactics in Australia, Allen often bowled short to intimidate batsmen in county cricket—for example, he once struck Wyatt over the heart with a fast ball.
During the early part of his career, Allen was often in competition with Larwood. Swanton suggests that, had he played regularly, Allen may have matched the achievements of Larwood. Other critics had reservations. Alan Gibson, in his study of England captains, wrote that Allen "was a fast bowler, not quite of the highest class"; he noted that Allen became more accurate as he got older, but this was offset by a loss of pace. Robertson-Glasgow believed that Allen suffered from not bowling regularly. When called upon to play while lacking practice, he often "bowled wildly or inconsistently". But Woodcock and Robertson-Glasgow believed that, in this period, only Larwood was capable of more devastating spells of fast bowling among Englishmen.
As a batsman, Allen was technically sound. Robertson-Glasgow described him as a "correct, strong and courageous" batsman who was at his best when his team most needed runs. Gibson called him as a "hard-hitting batsman in the middle of the order". In later years, his understanding of batting technique enabled him to co-write the MCC coaching book. Gibson described Allen as an unlucky captain, affected by injuries and poor selection, who had little opportunity to lead teams. He judged him to be an orthodox tactician, possibly influenced by the fact that his two predecessors, Jardine and Wyatt, often used highly unusual tactics. Gibson stated that Allen was popular with his teams and that his influence during the potentially difficult Australia tour of 1936–37 was crucial. Wyatt rated him as a good captain, and stated: "As a captain, he was a disciplinarian but was always most considerate to the members of his side".
Administrative career
Allen's Wisden obituary stated: "[He] had a stronger influence on the welfare and development of cricket than anyone since Lord Harris [who died in 1932] over a period of more than 50 years." Gibson, writing in 1979, described Allen as "a patriarchal, though not aloof, figure at Lord's". Ian Peebles, a teammate of Allen's at Middlesex and later a journalist, said of him: "Allen's impact [as an administrator at Lord's] was immediate and it was the foundation of a remarkable career in the course of which he was to initiate and sponsor measures which affected every possible aspect of the game."
After the Second World War
In the final stages of his playing career, Allen became increasingly influential off the field. After the war, he rejoined the MCC Committee. One of his first actions, prompted by a conversation with Hutton on the West Indies tour, was to secure honorary membership of the club for prominent retired professional cricketers. Allen was heavily involved in an MCC drive to improve youth cricket in the early 1950s. Unlike many of the cricketing Establishment, who saw improved public school and amateur cricket as a priority, Allen wanted the MCC to focus on state schools and boys who did not have access to top-class facilities. In 1951, the club formed the MCC Youth Cricket Association, of which Allen was a member. Another part of the process was the compilation of the MCC coaching book in 1951, which aimed to improve coaching standards throughout the country. Allen worked in collaboration with Harry Altham; Allen was responsible for the technical aspects of the publication. In later years, Allen judged this work to improve youth cricket as one of his proudest achievements as an administrator. In his survey of English cricket in the 1950s, Tim Quelch states that the coaching drive, and other similar initiatives at the time, achieved little owing to the limited resources available and because the boys coached had little opportunity to play cricket.
Test selector
In July 1954, Allen was involved in the selection of the MCC team to tour Australia in 1954–55, as the MCC's representative. That winter, he travelled to Australia to expand his business contacts and was present when England won three Test matches, which ensured victory in the series. Before the 1955 season, he was nominated as the Chairman of Selectors, and as his senior partner at David Bevan had no objection, he accepted. The workload of the post brought his playing days to an end.
Allen served as chairman from 1955 to 1961; under him were three other selectors, who varied throughout his period as chairman, and the serving England captain. Among Allen's priorities were to promote attacking batsmanship, good fielding, and for the team to bowl overs more quickly. While looking for new batting talent, Allen often promoted young amateur batsmen; several emerged in this period, including Ted Dexter and Colin Cowdrey, who had successful careers and were part of a strong English batting line-up. At least one member of the England team, Jim Laker, resented the preference of amateurs, whom he believed were paid more for playing than the professionals. Many professional cricketers thought that Allen was a snob who preferred to keep them in their place; critics believed that he deliberately restricted the career of Les Jackson for reasons of class. Allen also played the role of disciplinarian. Several of the England players enjoyed a hectic social life; it was often left to Allen to issue warnings when they transgressed. He played an active role in home Test matches, generally attending at least three of the five days of every game, discussing tactics with the captain, and speaking to the press. In his first season, Allen was involved in the appointment of a new captain; Len Hutton, the serving captain, retired from the team with injury. In his place, the selectors appointed May, who served until 1959 and again in 1961; he and Allen established a good working relationship. When May was absent from the team with illness during parts of 1960 and 1961, Cowdrey replaced him.
Allen and May's first series in control resulted in a 3–2 win over South Africa. In 1956, the Australians toured England. The home team won the five-match series 2–1. The selectors made several important decisions throughout the series. In the third Test, Allen pushed for the inclusion of Cyril Washbrook, who was then 41 years old and had not played a Test for five years. The decision was controversial, and Quelch suggests that, with the series in the balance after England lost the second Test, Allen was feeling the pressure. He was also criticised in the press by Bill Bowes, a former England teammate, for forcing one of the England team, Fred Trueman, to bowl at a handkerchief during practice before the match, in an attempt to improve his accuracy. The incident took place before a large crowd; although Trueman kept his counsel at the time, he felt humiliated and believed that Allen and the Establishment intended to keep him in his place. Washbrook scored 98, and England won the match. In the fourth game, David Sheppard, who had barely played in 1956, was selected and scored a century, and in the final Test Denis Compton was recalled after a long-term injury and scored 94. The Wisden editor Norman Preston judged the selectors to have done a good job that season, making choices with which critics disagreed. He wrote: "I think it is appropriate, therefore, that tribute be paid to [the selectors] for the time and patience they devoted to their task last summer. Nothing was too much trouble for them." Allen was involved in one controversial episode, when the Australians accused him and other selectors of arranging for the pitches during the Test matches to give a lot of assistance to spin bowlers, which led to Laker's extraordinary success in the series. Allen denied any involvement. During the winter, Allen was part of an advisory group which looked for ways to revitalise county cricket.
England won the 1957 Test series against the West Indies 3–0 and the 1958 series against New Zealand 4–0. But despite having what was regarded as a strong team, England lost 4–0 in Australia in 1958–59. The team was more successful afterwards, beating India 5–0 in 1959, defeating West Indies 1–0 in 1959–60 and South Africa 3–0 in 1960. Allen's final series as chairman was against Australia in 1961; England lost after making tactical mistakes in the fourth Test.
Influence behind the scenes
In 1956, Allen became chairman of the MCC's Cricket Committee. The committee looked at ways to improve cricket, for example analysing whether reducing the size of the ball would help bowlers. Allen also began to pursue bowlers with illegal bowling actions; commentators were aware that this was a growing issue but no action had been taken, and Allen took the lead. Three English bowlers were no-balled for throwing in 1959 and another five in 1960. Geoff Griffin, a bowler who toured England with the South African team in 1960, was perceived to have a suspect action; when the bowler was no-balled for throwing in a Test match, the South African press suggested that Allen had played a prominent part. Later that year, Allen met Bradman, Australia's representative at the Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC); the pair wanted to ensure that bowling actions would be fair in future, and the ICC agreed to take action. When Australia toured England in 1961, no bowlers whose actions had been questioned were included in either team. Allen later took the lead in re-drafting the law on throwing.
When the MCC abolished amateur status in cricket in 1963, making all cricketers paid professionals, Allen opposed the change. In 1963, he was appointed as MCC President. When his one-year term of office ended in late 1964, he was appointed to the influential role of MCC Treasurer, a position he filled until 1976. During this period, Allen instituted several reforms, including limiting the terms of office of key positions. He streamlined the MCC administration and recruited new people to key positions. Less successfully, he opposed the relaxation of eligibility rules for the County Championship to allow overseas players from 1968. He was heavily involved in a change in the relationship between the MCC and English cricket in 1968. The newly formed Sports Council required that, to receive financial support from the government, cricket be more democratically organised and not run by a private members' club. Allen and S. C. Griffith, the MCC secretary, liaised with the Minister of Sport to set up a new Cricket Council, comprising representatives from the MCC, the new Test and County Cricket Board and the National Cricket Association. This move significantly reduced the influence of the MCC, and at Allen's suggestion, the club's influence within the Cricket Council was further reduced in 1974.
Allen was prosperous by this stage of his life. An inheritance from his mother, his earnings on the Stock Exchange and the success of investments he had made in Australia left him affluent—his knowledge of Australian markets was respected in the City. In 1965, Allen underwent the first of four hip operations spread over the following 14 years; he believed that his fast bowling may have brought about his hip problems.
D'Oliveira affair
In 1968, the MCC was involved in controversy over the non-selection of the mixed-race cricketer Basil D'Oliveira to tour South Africa, which was then under apartheid. The South African government did not want D'Oliveira, himself South African-born, in the England team because of his colour. The MCC were aware that there was opposition to a tour taking place, and that D'Oliveira's place in the team would be an issue, but wanted the tour to go ahead. The Shadow Foreign Secretary and former MCC President Sir Alec Douglas-Home visited South Africa in January 1968 and met the South African Prime Minister B. J. Vorster, who privately did not want D'Oliveira to come to South Africa under any circumstances. Vorster suggested to Douglas-Home that the MCC should not explicitly ask whether D'Oliveira's selection would be acceptable, but that it was likely no protest would be made. Douglas-Home passed this information to the MCC and advised them not to push for an answer. They had earlier written to the South African Cricket Association to establish whether they had a free hand in choosing a team, but their change of strategy meant that when the official reply arrived Allen refused to take receipt of it. In his biography of D'Oliveira, Peter Oborne writes that Allen and the MCC secretary Billy Griffith wished to hide any South African reply from the full MCC Committee to avoid raising awkward questions over Vorster's intentions.
In March 1968, Lord Cobham, an MCC member who wanted the tour to go ahead, met Vorster, who told him that D'Oliveira would not be an acceptable selection to the South African government. Cobham communicated this information to an MCC Committee member, whose identity has never been made public, by private letter. Other than the recipient, only Allen, Griffith and the then-President Arthur Gilligan were aware of the letter, but they chose to keep its contents from the rest of the committee. Allen's justification was that Douglas-Home, a statesman and former Prime Minister, had given advice which contradicted this; also, other Committee members were Test selectors and Allen believed that the information would place non-cricketing pressures on their choices for the England team. Oborne suggests that Douglas-Home's advice was made redundant by Cobham's letter, and that Allen's supposed desire to protect the other selectors was "preposterous" as the tour would have been cancelled.
When the English selectors met to choose the team, Allen, Griffith and Gilligan were present to represent the MCC; they had no official say in the selection, but Oborne suggests that Allen made it clear that he considered D'Oliveira unworthy of a place on the team on cricketing grounds. D'Oliveira was eventually left out, to considerable anger and controversy. When he was later added to the team following an injury to another player, Vorster said that the MCC would not be welcome and the tour was cancelled. Some of the events leading up to D'Oliveira's exclusion became public knowledge the following year; the MCC came under heavy public pressure, and the press called for Allen to resign. Oborne suggests that Allen, although not a supporter of apartheid, wished to maintain the traditional links between England and South Africa; he regarded opponents of apartheid as enemies of the MCC and the Establishment.
In 1970, the proposed visit of a South African team to England was subject of widespread public opposition. The MCC was no longer solely responsible for any decisions, being only a part of the Cricket Council, but Allen pressed the government to intervene and decide whether the tour should go ahead. He believed it was a political matter outside the scope of cricket authorities; the government eventually became involved and the tour was cancelled.
Final years
Allen retired from the Stock Exchange in 1972, resigned as MCC Treasurer in 1976 and left the Cricket Council in 1982. He was appointed a CBE in 1962 and knighted in 1986. In 1968, Allen moved to a flat directly behind the Pavilion at Lord's, where he lived until his death. Following his retirement, he spent much of his time in the MCC Committee room, watching cricket at Lord's. He never married, and died at home on 29 November 1989, suffering from the effects of a stomach operation earlier in the year. He is buried at Brookwood Cemetery in Brookwood, Surrey, England.
Notes
References
Bibliography
Douglas, Christopher (2002). Douglas Jardine: Spartan Cricketer. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-77216-0.
Frith, David (2002). Bodyline Autopsy. The full story of the most sensational Test cricket series: Australia v England 1932–33. London: Aurum Press. ISBN 1-85410-896-4.
Gibson, Alan (1979). The Cricket Captains of England. London: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-29779-8.
Marshall, Michael (1987). Gentlemen and Players: Conversations with Cricketers. London: Grafton Books. ISBN 0-246-11874-1.
Oborne, Peter (2004). Basil D'Oliveira. Cricket and Conspiracy: The Untold Story. London: Little, Brown. ISBN 0-316-72572-2.
Quelch, Tim (2012). Bent Arms & Dodgy Wickets: England's Troubled Reign as Test Match Kings during the Fifties. Durrington: Pitch Publishing. ISBN 978-1-909178-39-7.
Robertson-Glasgow, R. C. (1943). Cricket Prints: Some Batsmen and Bowlers, 1920–1940. London: T. Werner Laurie Ltd. OCLC 3257334.
Swanton, E. W. (1985). Gubby Allen: Man of Cricket. London: Hutchinson/Stanley Paul. ISBN 0-09-159780-3.
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Funke Abimbola
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Funke Abimbola.
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Tell me a bio of Funke Abimbola.
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Tell me a bio of Funke Abimbola within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Funke Abimbola with around 100 words.
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Funke Abimbola MBE is a Nigerian businesswoman and lawyer. She advocates for diversity across UK society, specifically focusing on the legal profession.
Abimbola attended Newcastle University to study law. Funke Abimbola is a mother of a 19 year old who is presently at Newcastle University studying Software Engineering.
Early life and education
Abimbola comes from a family of medical doctors. She was educated at Burgess Hill Girls. She did not study medicine because of her fear for "pains and blood" (algophobia and hemophobia).
She obtained her law degree from Newcastle University and returned to Nigeria to sit for the Nigerian Bar examination. Abimbola became a mother at the age of 28 years while working with Campbell Hooper. In the year 2000, she qualified as an in-house solicitor. Her father died in 2012 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Career
Abimbola became the most senior black solicitor for Roche's pharmaceutical operations in the UK, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta. She qualified as a solicitor in-house in 2000.
She went to Nigeria for the preparation for the Nigerian Bar examination. While there, she worked with F. O. Akinrele & Co.
After her return to the UK from Nigeria in the mid-1990s, she worked with Wembley Plc where she qualified as a corporate/commercial lawyer. She later moved to Campbell Hooper where she became a solicitor. In 2012, she joined Roche UK with the position of Managing Counsel (UK and Ireland). She also served as UK Data Protection Officer. In December 2015, she became the general counsel and company secretary of the same organization and was promoted to general counsel and head of financial compliance in January 2017.
She encountered challenges securing an entry-level job in the UK. According to First 100 Years, "I found it extremely difficult to secure an entry-level position when I finished the QLTT (now QLTS) transfer test and needed to gain experience before qualification. To get my foot in the door, I drew up a list of the top 100 law firms specializing in corporate law and did the same with the top 50 in-house teams. I then proceeded to cold-call the heads of department at all 150 organizations. This led to several interviews, including one with a major, fully listed PLC. At that interview, the head of legal (who is English but whose partner is of Asian descent) asked me if I thought my race had been a factor in me not getting interviews with other organizations. That was, honestly, the first time I had even considered race as being something that could inhibit my progress. Thankfully, I was offered a role by her and was able to qualify as a solicitor in-house."
Abimbola is a strong advocate of corporate and social diversity. As a public speaker and legal practitioner, she was recognised and won many awards for her work. In 2013 she was featured in Diversity League Table publication as one of the Black Solicitors. In 2014, she was nominated for a National Diversity Award, and in the same year she was nominated for the Law Society Excellence Awards. In 2015, she won a Positive Role Model Award. In 2010, she was appointed governor of Uxbridge College, London, on a four-year term.
She received a 'Point of Light' award from the UK Prime Minister in October 2016, recognising the impact of her voluntary diversity work in the UK. In June 2017, she was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to diversity in the legal profession and to young people.
She received an honorary doctor of laws from the University of Hertfordshire in September 2019, recognising her contributions to social and corporate diversity.
Awards and recognition
Sources:
See also
Ifeoma Malo
Ade Hassan
Ade Olufeko
References
External links
Official website
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Bir Hambir
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Bir Hambir.
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Tell me a bio of Bir Hambir.
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Tell me a bio of Bir Hambir within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Bir Hambir with around 100 words.
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Hambir Malla Dev (also known as Bir Hambir, Beera Hambeera, and Veer Hambir) was the forty-ninth king of Mallabhum, primarily in the present Bankura district in Indian state of West Bengal. He ruled from 1565 to 1620 AD.
Personal life
Hambir was the 49th ruler of the Malla dynasty who flourished around 1586 AD and ruled in the 16th-17th century and was a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Akbar. He fought on the side of Akbar against the Afghans and paid an annual tribute to the Mughal governors of Bengal and thus acknowledged their suzerainty.
Bishnupur and his alliance with the Mughals
In the late 16th century, during Akbar’s campaign against Qutlu Khan Lohani, the Afghan ruler of North Orissa, Bir Hambir, the ruler of Bishnupur, allied with Mughal general Man Singh. Qutlu Khan had expanded his influence over Midnapore and Bishnupur, prompting Mughal intervention. Bir Hambir supported Man Singh’s son, Jagat Singh, with troops and strategic advice. However, Jagat Singh ignored his warnings and was caught off guard by a surprise Afghan attack. Displaying remarkable courage, Bir Hambir rescued Jagat Singh from the battlefield and ensured his safe return to Bishnupur. This act strengthened the alliance between Bir Hambir and the Mughal Empire. His loyalty not only protected Bishnupur but also enhanced his reputation as a wise and brave leader. Bir Hambir’s strategic decisions during this turbulent period showcased his exceptional leadership. His legacy remains a testament to his political acumen and valor. This incident is documented in the Akbarnama.
Baro-Bhuyan
Bir Hambir was a notable king of Bishnupur in the 16th century, and his reign is often linked to the Baro-Bhuyans, a group of twelve powerful landlords in Bengal. Although not one of the Baro-Bhuyans himself, Bir Hambir's role as a regional ruler put him in direct opposition to the expanding Mughal Empire. Like the Baro-Bhuyans, he sought to maintain the autonomy of his kingdom and resist central control. His military strength and strategic alliances with other local chiefs played a vital role in defending his territory from external threats, including Mughal forces.
Bir Hambir's connection to the Baro-Bhuyans lies in their shared resistance to Mughal domination. During a time when Bengal was divided among various local rulers, the Baro-Bhuyans were significant players in regional power struggles, often acting as a collective force against the Mughals. Bir Hambir's efforts to preserve the sovereignty of Bishnupur reflected the broader aspirations of the Baro-Bhuyans, making his reign an important part of the local resistance against the Mughal centralization of power in Bengal.
Midnapore Raj
In 1589 AD, with Shyam Singh's help, Isha Khan of the Lohani Dynasty killed Laxman Singh of Karnagarh and installed Shyam Singh as a puppet ruler. However, their rule was short-lived, as they were defeated by an alliance of Bhurshut, Mallabhum, and the Mughals. Laxman Singh's grandson, Raja Chhotu Roy, was then enthroned. During Bir Hambir's regime, the kingdom regained strength and stability. Bir Hambir's leadership solidified Karnagarh's power and expanded its influence.
Vaishnavism
Bir Hambir was a pious man who started following Vaishnavism. A story in two Vaishnava works (Prem-villa of Nityananda Das (alias Balaram Das) and Bhakti Ratnakara of Narahari Chakrabarti) recounts how Srinivasa and other devotees were robbed by Bir Hambir while traveling from Vrindavan to Gaur with several Vaishanava manuscripts. However, Bir Hambir was so moved by Srinivasa's reading of Bhagavata that he converted to Vaishnavism and gave Srinivasa a rich endowment of land and money. He introduced the worship of Madan Mohan to Bishnupur.
Dev title
During his regime (1565 to 1620), Dev title was suffixed after the title Malla and Mallabhum was very safe and secured.
Battle of Mundamala Ghat
During the Pathan rule of Sulaiman Khan Karrani in Gaur, the kingdom of Bishnupur stood in a unique glory in the Rarh region of Bengal. His reckless son Daud Khan Karrani dreamed of seizing the whole of Bengal. In this situation, in 1575 AD, Daud Khan attacked Bishnupur with a large number of Pathan troops.
Revered Fakir Narayan Karmakar Mahasaya writes - "Dawood Khan suddenly came and encamped at a village called Ranisagar near Bishnupur with more than one lakh soldiers and similar ammunition."
The people of Ranisagar were embarrassed by the sudden attack of Dawood Khan's army of lakhs. The Bishnupur army was still not ready for battle. At this moment, the heroic prince of Bishnupur, Hambir Malla, started the war by arming the army. The army of Bishnupur, intoxicated with the dream of victory, proceeded to subdue the enemy by worshiping the Maa Mrinmayee, the kuladevi of Mallabhum.
The state of Bishnupur had a total of twelve forts, one of which was the Mundmal fort. Near this Mundmal Garh, the Mallabhum army attacked the Pathan forces. After a fierce battle between the two sides, Hambir Malla defeated the Pathan forces in such a tragic manner that the battlefield at the eastern gate of the fort was filled with the corpses of Pathan soldiers. The defeated Dawood Khan was taken prisoner. He waited for death in a state of siege. But the noble Hambir arranged for his release and reached a safe place.
"There were so many corpses of the dead Nawab's soldiers at the eastern gate of the fort that it was called" Mundmalaghat.
It is said that Hambir Malla cut off the heads of the invading Pathan soldiers, made a garland (mundamala), and offered it as a gift to the demon-destroying Maa Mrinmayidevi. He was awarded the title of "Bir Hambir" for accomplishing that difficult task.
Rashmancha
The Rashmancha is a historical building located at Bishnupur. It was commissioned by Malla king Bir Hambir in 1600 CE. During the Vaishnava Ras festival, all the Radha Krishna idols of Bishnupur town used to be brought here to be worshipped by the citizens.
Dalmadal kaman (cannon)
During the reign of Bir Hambir the Dal Madal, one of the largest-bored cannons ever made, was founded, demonstrating the skill of artisans of that time. Dal Madal was made by Jagannath Karmakar. "Dal Madal" means "destruction of enemy".
Historian Maniklal Sinha writes, the well-known Dalmadal of the Malla Rajas. There are distinct critiques regarding the name of the cannon. Common people think that Dal and Madal are two cannons. The concept of Sanskrit-educated people is Dalmadal, which came from the Sanskrit name Dalmardan. However, each of the above thoughts is incorrect. Mallabhum, the kingdom of Malla Rajas was dominated by Dharmathakura and a Dharamshila is known as Dalmadal. His study also suggests that the ancestor of the Karmakar family, Jagannath Karmakar who built the Dalmadal cannon and named the cannon as Dalmadal.
In popular culture
Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata, presented a video on the dhrupad gharana of Bishnupur kingdom.
The film Bir Hambir (film) is based on his real-life story.
See also
History of Bankura district
References
Sources
website on Bankura
Kumkum Chatterjee. "Cultural flows and cosmopolitanism in Mughal India: The Bishnupur Kingdom" in Indian Economic and Social History Review Vol. 46 (2009), p. 147-182.
Dasgupta, Gautam Kumar; Biswas, Samira; Mallik, Rabiranjan (2009), Heritage Tourism: An Anthropological Journey to Bishnupur, A Mittal Publication, p. 22, ISBN 978-8183242943
O’Malley, L.S.S., ICS, Bankura, Bengal District Gazetteers, pp. 21–46(25), 1995 reprint, first published 1908, Government of West Bengal
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Sayuri Yamauchi
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Sayuri Yamauchi (山内 小百合, Yamauchi Sayuri; May 28, 1956 – March 6, 2012), also known by the stage name Sayuri (紗ゆり), was a Japanese voice actress. Yamauchi voiced Itchy and Maude Flanders on the Japanese dub of The Simpsons. She was formerly affiliated with Kyu Production and affiliated with Aigumi at the time of her death. Yamauchi died of cancer on March 6, 2012, at the age of 55.
Filmography
Anime
The Big O: Vera Ronstadt
The Brave Fighter of Legend Da-Garn: Hikaru Kosaka
City Hunter: Dress Store Clerk
City Hunter: The Motion Picture: Performer #2
Crayon Shin-chan: Nanako Ohara, Lulu Lu Lulu
Cyborg 009: 0012
Detective Conan: Woman
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: Satella
The King of Braves GaoGaiGar: Primada, Ikumi Kaidou, Ai Amami
Saint of Braves Baan Gaan: Astral
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing and Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz: Lady Une
Outlaw Star: "Twilight" Suzuka
Samurai Champloo: Osuzu
Shaman King: Maya
Shamanic Princess: Tiara
Video games
Baten Kaitos Origins: Gena
Dragon Force II: Bjorn, Medea
Robot Alchemic Drive: Tomoe Kawasaki
Super Robot Wars Alpha 2: Ai Anami, Primarda
Super Robot Wars Alpha 3: Ikumi Kaidou, Palus Abel
Super Robot Wars T: Ikumi Kaidoh
Xenoblade Chronicles: Lorithia
Dubbing
Live-action
A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Monica Swinton (Frances O'Connor)
Erin Brockovich: Donna Jensen (Marg Helgenberger)
The Long Kiss Goodnight: Trin (Melina Kanakaredes)
Love, Honour and Obey: Sadie (Sadie Frost)
The Matrix: Switch (Belinda McClory)
Mission: Impossible: Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Béart)
Pecker: Precinct Captain (Mink Stole)
The Sea Inside: Rosa (Lola Dueñas)
Suspiria (1998 DVD edition): Miss Tanner (Alida Valli)
Twin Peaks: Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn)
Animation
The Simpsons: Itchy; Maude Flanders
References
External links
Sayuri Yamauchi at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Aigumi
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Avraham Eilam-Amzallag
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Avraham Eilam-Amzallag (Hebrew: אברהם (אבי) אמזלג עילם; born 28 September 1941) is an Israeli musician and composer.
Biography
Avraham (Avi) Eilam-Amzallag was born in Casablanca, Morocco. He immigrated to Israel as a child. He first studied the flute and later compositional studies at the Buchman-Mehta Music Academy in Tel Aviv.
Music career
He is the founder of an ensemble that performs oriental music. His compositions are described as a fusion of oriental Jewish music with contemporary technique.
Selected compositions
Desolation [3:33 minutes]
(composition for flute) (Mawal) [5:13 minutes]
Music for flute and percussion (1975)
Composition
Published works
Music for flute and percussion (1975).
See also
Music of Israel
== References ==
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Date Narikuni
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Date Narikuni (伊達斉邦; DAH-tay; 6 November 1817 – 9 September 1841) was an late-Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 12th daimyō of Sendai Domain in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan, and the 28th hereditary chieftain of the Date clan.
Biography
Narikuni was the son of Date Munemitsu of the Tome-Date clan, a subsidiary branch of the main Date clan, and was the grandson of Date Yoshimura, the 5th daimyō of Sendai. His childhood name was Kōgorō (幸五郎) later Tosaburō (藤三郎) and become Sojirō (総次郎).
In 1828, with the death of Date Nariyoshi, Sendai Domain faced a major crisis. His son, the future Date Yoshikuni was only two-years-old. The Tokugawa shogunate had taken extraordinary measures to ensure the continuation of the Date line in the case of his predecessors Date Chikamune and Date Narimune; however, the patience of Shōgun Tokugawa Ienari had worn thin over Sendai Domain succession problems, and the domain faced the possibility of attainder. The rōjū, Mizuno Tadaakira, initially proposed a solution whereby Nariyoshi’s 4-year-old daughter, Masahime would be married to a son of Tokugawa Ienari; however, negotiations did not proceed and instead she married Date Narikuni, from one of cadet houses of the Date clan. Date Narikuni would then adopt the infant Date Yoshikuni as his heir. Events went as planned and in 1828 Narikuni received Court rank of Junior Fourth, Lower Grade and the courtesy title of Mutsu-no-kami. His ranks were raised to Junior Fourth, Upper Grade and Sakonoe-chūshō in 1831.
Narikuni was noted for his scholarly disposition and knowledge of literature. However, during the sankin-kōtai to Edo in 1840 he fell ill, and died in Edo the following year at the age of 25.
Family
Father: Date Munemitsu (1787–1843)
Mother: Tsuneko-hime
Wife: Masahime (1824–1861)
References
Papinot, Edmond. (1948). Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. New York: Overbeck Co.
External links
Sendai Domain on "Edo 300 HTML" Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine (3 November 2007) (in Japanese)
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Nonzee Nimibutr
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Nonzee Nimibutr (Thai: นนทรีย์ นิมิบุตร, RTGS: Nonsi Nimibut; Born: 18 December 1962) is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. Best known for his ghost thriller, Nang Nak, he is generally credited as the leader among a "New Wave" of Thai filmmakers that also includes Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Wisit Sasanatieng and Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Biography
Education
Nonzee is a relative of Lieutenant General Phachoen Nimitbutr (เผชิญ นิมิบุตร), Director of the Signal Department of the Royal Thai Army and the founder of Thailand's first television station, Army TV Channel 5. Nonzee graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in visual communication design from the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Silpakorn University in 1987. Classmates included Wisit Sasanatieng and production designer Ek Iemchuen. He started his career as a director of television commercials and music videos.
First films
He made his feature-film debut with 1997's Dang Bireley's and Young Gangsters, with a screenplay by Wisit Sasanatieng. The story was set in 1956 in Bangkok and follows the adventures of a gang of young criminals, with the action showing the influence of John Woo films. It was named best picture at the Thailand National Film Awards and was nominated for a Dragons and Tigers Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
His next film was Nang Nak, a thriller based on a popular Thai ghost story, also scripted by Wisit. A famous ghost story that has been depicted in many Thai films and television series, the story is about a husband comes home from war and takes up living with his wife and newborn son who, unbeknownst to him, have died while he was away. The moodily framed horror film won numerous awards, including best picture at the Thailand National Film Awards.
Both Young Gangsters and Nang Nak were hits at the box office and were credited with reinvigorating the Thai film industry.
Pan-Asian production
With his third film, Jan Dara, Nonzee began a trend of pan-Asian film production in the Thai industry, bringing in Hong Kong actress Christy Chung to star in the erotic drama. He also sought funding from studios outside Thailand.
Ahead of its release, Jan Dara was controversial because its sexual subject matter, involving incest, rape and abortion, tested the bounds of Thailand's 1930 Censorship Code. The film was released with the board's cuts for the film's commercial run in Thailand, but it was available uncut for film festivals.
Nonzee also became quite active as a producer, putting his name on such films as Bangkok Dangerous by the Pang Brothers; Tears of the Black Tiger by Wisit Sasanatieng; the historical battle epic, Bangrajan by Thanit Jitnukul and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's Monrak Transistor.
He co-founded his own production company, Cinemasia, with his production partner, Duangkamol Limcharoen. She died in 2003.
Continuing on his path of pan-Asian production, Nonzee initiated the horror trilogy, Three, in which he and two other directors, Hong Kong's Peter Chan and Korean director Kim Ji-Woon, each directed a segment.
Recent work
While keeping busy as a producer, he directed 2003's OK Baytong, a topical, contemporary drama about a young man who must leave the Buddhist monkhood and go to Muslim-dominated southern Thailand to attend to the affairs of his sister, who was killed in a train bombing.
In 2005, he directed a short film, The Ceiling for the Asian Film Academy, in conjunction with the Pusan International Film Festival. The 18-minute, English-language film starring South Korean actors is the story of a young writer who climbs into the crawlspace above her apartment and spies on the woman living next door.
His next film, Queens of Langkasuka, is an epic historical-fantasy involving pirates and three princesses who must protect their realm, Langkasuka. The film was originally to be called Queens of Pattani, but the name was changed to avoid possible political overtones stemming from the South Thailand insurgency and Pattani separatism. Shooting began in August 2006. The film stars Jarunee Suksawat, Ananda Everingham from Shutter, Dan Chupong from Kerd ma lui, Jesdaporn Pholdee, Winai Kraibutr and Sorapong Chatree.
Another film mentioned as being in development by Nonzee is a ghost thriller, Toyol, a Singaporean co-production about a pair of Hong Kong children who move with their father to Bangkok and are introduced to a stepmother they do not like, in a house that has some problems, namely, the toyol.
He has also produced Noo Hin: The Movie, a live-action adaptation of the popular Thai comic book (or manga) by Padung Kraisri, about a plucky Isan woman who works as a maid in a middle class urban Thai home.
In 2008, Nonzee became the fifth filmmaker to be honored with the Thailand Culture Ministry's Silpathorn Award, an honor previously bestowed on Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Wisit Sasanatieng and Thunska Pansittivorakul.
Filmography
Director
Dang Bireley's and Young Gangsters (2499 Antapan Krong Muang) (1997)
Nang Nak (1999)
Jan Dara (2001)
Three, segment San Geng (The Wheel) (2002)
OK Baytong (2003)
The Ceiling (2005) (short film)
Queens of Langkasuka (2008)
Distortion (2012)
Timeline 2015
The Gift 2017
Once Upon A Star (2023) (Netflix film)
Producer
Bangkok Dangerous (1999)
Tears of the Black Tiger (Fah Talai Jone) (2000) (producer)
Bang Rajan (2000)
Jan Dara (2001)
Monrak Transistor (Transistor Love Story) (2001)
Three, segment San Geng (The Wheel) (2002)
Last Life in the Universe (Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasan (2003)
The Letter (Jod Mai Rak) (2004)
The Overture (Hom Rong) (2004)
The Eye 2 (Jian Gui 2 (2004)
Noo Hin: The Movie (2006)
Queen of Langkasuka (2008)
Pro May (Atchariyah Tong Sang) (2019)
Nemesis (Kuen Yuttitum) (2020)
The Cursed Land (Dan Sap) (2024)
References
Interview (2001). "Nonzee Nimibutr - Interview". Movieseer. Retrieved December 29, 2005.
Notes
External links
Cinemasia – Nonzee Nimibutr's production company
Nonzee Nimibutr at IMDb
Nonzee Nimibutr at the Thai Film Database
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Ralph Macchio
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ralph Macchio.
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Tell me a bio of Ralph Macchio.
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Tell me a bio of Ralph Macchio within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Ralph Macchio with around 100 words.
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Ralph George Macchio Jr. ( MAH-chee-oh, Italian: [ˈmakkjo]; born November 4, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Daniel LaRusso in four Karate Kid films (1984–2025) and in Cobra Kai (2018–2025), a sequel television series. For his work in the latter, he was nominated for two Critics' Choice Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. He is also known for portraying Johnny Cade in Francis Ford Coppola's ensemble 1983 film, The Outsiders, and Bill Gambini in Joe Pesci's 1992 film My Cousin Vinny. Additional appearances include Eight Is Enough (1980–1981), Crossroads (1986), Ugly Betty (2008–2009), and The Deuce (2017–2019). Macchio received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024.
Early life
Macchio was born in Huntington, New York on November 4, 1961. He is the son of Rosalie (née DeSantis) and Ralph George Macchio Sr., who owned a few laundromats and a wastewater disposal company. Macchio has a younger brother named Steven. His father is of half Italian and half Greek descent, and his mother is of Italian ancestry. In a 1980 screen test, Macchio said that his family was from Naples. In 1979, Macchio graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills, New York.
Macchio began tap dancing lessons at age three and was discovered by a talent agent at age 16. He also had minimal training in martial arts, learning a little karate and jiujitsu in elementary school, long before getting the role of Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid film franchise.
Career
Eight is Enough and The Outsiders
In 1980, Macchio was cast as Jeremy Andretti for the final season of Eight Is Enough. He next won the role of Johnny Cade in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 cinematic adaptation of S. E. Hinton's novel, The Outsiders, and shared the screen with an ensemble cast that included Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, Emilio Estevez, Leif Garrett, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Rob Lowe, and Patrick Swayze.
Daniel LaRusso
Original Karate Kid films
Macchio's work on The Outsiders helped him win the role of Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 blockbuster film The Karate Kid. He continued to portray the character in two of its sequels, The Karate Kid Part II (1986) and The Karate Kid Part III (1989). In The Karate Kid, Macchio portrayed a "high school weakling turned bullybuster" who learns karate from his friend and mentor, Mr. Miyagi (portrayed by Pat Morita). Macchio's work in the Karate Kid series made him "stratospherically famous."
Macchio appeared in the 2007 music video for the song "Sweep the Leg" by No More Kings as a caricature of himself and Daniel LaRusso.
In June 2010, Macchio appeared in Funny or Die's online short, "Wax On, F*ck Off", in which his loved ones stage an intervention to turn the former child star from a well-adjusted family man into an addict besieged with tabloid scandal in order to help his career, with frequent references to The Karate Kid. A recurring joke in the sketch is that Macchio is confused for an adolescent. The short was lauded by TV Guide's Bruce Fretts, who referred to the video as "sidesplitting" and "comic gold."
In 2013, Macchio appeared in How I Met Your Mother. One of the main characters, Barney Stinson, asserts that Macchio's character, Daniel LaRusso, in The Karate Kid is not the real karate kid; instead, it is Johnny Lawrence, Daniel's nemesis in the film. During a celebration of the 30th anniversary of The Karate Kid at the Japanese American National Museum in 2014, Macchio said that the yellow 1947 Ford Super Deluxe convertible that his character Daniel receives from Mr. Miyagi in the first film was sitting in his garage.
Cobra Kai
From 2018 to 2025, Macchio reprised the role of Daniel LaRusso for the martial arts comedy drama television series Cobra Kai created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, and distributed by Sony Pictures Television. Cobra Kai premiered on May 2, 2018, and concluded on February 13, 2025, after six seasons consisting of 65 episodes. Originally released on YouTube Red / YouTube Premium for its first two seasons, the series later moved to Netflix. Cobra Kai re-examines The Karate Kid films as Johnny Lawrence's "redemption story" that questions his role as a villain, and also introduces the struggles that both Daniel and Johnny face with their respective father figures.
In 2022, Macchio published the memoir Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me (Dutton), where he reflects upon the legacy of the Karate Kid films and Cobra Kai.
Karate Kid: Legends
In 2025, Macchio teamed up with Jackie Chan to again reprise the role of Daniel LaRusso in Karate Kid: Legends.
Other roles
In 1986, Macchio appeared in the 1986 film Crossroads, portraying music student Eugene Martone. That same year, Macchio starred in Cuba and His Teddy Bear on Broadway, alongside Robert De Niro.
In 1992, Macchio starred opposite Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in the hit comedy film My Cousin Vinny, playing Billy Gambini, who was wrongfully accused of murder while passing through a small Alabama town.
In 1996, Macchio performed the lead role of J. Pierrepont Finch in the U.S. tour revival of the 1962 Tony Award-winning musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and received positive reviews. Referring to his performance as a chorister in a high school production of the same musical, Macchio said, "I was known as the 'Dancing Kid,' not that I was all that great. But I had been dancing since the age of three, taking lessons at the June Claire School of Dance in Babylon, Long Island."
In 2005, Macchio played himself in the HBO series Entourage. Beginning in October 2008, Macchio appeared in several episodes of the ABC Network television series Ugly Betty as Archie Rodriguez, a local politician who is Hilda's love interest.
On September 20, 2010, Macchio played the adult Carl Morelli in a staged reading of the Charles Messina play A Room of My Own presented by The Bleecker Street Theatre Company. In February 2011, it was announced that Macchio would compete on ABC's Dancing with the Stars. He was eliminated during the semi-finals, placing fourth in the overall competition. Macchio appeared in Canadian band Danko Jones' music videos for "Had Enough" and "I Think Bad Thoughts."
In April 2012, Macchio was cast in the film Hitchcock, based on the non-fiction book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho. He portrayed Psycho screenwriter Joseph Stefano.
2024–present
Macchio was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024.
Personal life
Macchio was introduced to his future wife, Phyllis Fierro, by his grandmother when he was 15. They married on April 5, 1987, and have two children together: Julia (b. 1992) and Daniel (b. 1996). Fierro is a nurse practitioner. Julia appeared in seasons 4 and 5 of Cobra Kai, portraying her father's character's cousin named Vanessa LaRusso.
Macchio is a fan of the New York Islanders hockey team and was featured as the team's celebrity captain in the 1991 Pro Set Platinum trading card series. A 2016 bobblehead promotion saw his likeness in the team's uniform donning the iconic 'crane kick' pose from The Karate Kid.
Macchio earned his black belt in karate in April 2025, a little more than 40 years after portraying Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid. In 2023, Macchio said that before the filming, he was trained in the Okinawan Gōjū-ryū defensive style of karate used by Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi character. In May 2025, Macchio and his Karate Kid: Legends co-star Jackie Chan were awarded an honorary black belt by the World Karate Federation during the film's New York premiere.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
Music videos
Video games
Book
Macchio, Ralph (2022). Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me. Dutton. ISBN 978-0593185834.
References
External links
Ralph Macchio at IMDb
THE OUTSIDERS Reunion with Francis Ford Coppola, Ralph Macchio & C. Thomas Howell – 50th American Film Institute, Life Achievement Award to Francis Ford Coppola, April 26, 2025.
Ralph Macchio of "Cobra Kai" on Memoir "Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me" – The View, October 18, 2022.
Ralph Macchio & Yuji Okumoto Present Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2020 – The Game Awards, December 2020.
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Ariel Behar
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Ariel Behar.
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Tell me a bio of Ariel Behar.
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Tell me a bio of Ariel Behar within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Ariel Behar with around 100 words.
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Ariel Behar (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈɾjel βeˈaɾ]; born November 12, 1989) is a Uruguayan professional tennis player who specializes in doubles. His career-high doubles ranking is World No. 34 achieved on 6 May 2024. He has won three ATP titles with Ecuadorian partner Gonzalo Escobar.
He has taken part of the Uruguay Davis Cup team since 2009.
Personal life
Behar played tennis for the first time at 3 years old and began playing seriously aged 10. Growing up, he admired Roger Federer and Andre Agassi. He is from a Jewish family but is "not a big fan" of religion.
Professional career
2012–2017: ATP and Grand Slam singles debut
Since the mid 2010s till 2017, Behar competed primarily on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he won 7 doubles titles.
Partnering with Aliaksandr Bury, he was a semifinalist at the 2017 Estoril Open.
He entered the main draw at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships, his first appearance at a Grand Slam.
2018–2022: Three doubles titles, 15 Challenger titles, top 40
Partnering with Ecuadorian Gonzalo Escobar, Behar won two ATP titles at the 2021 Delray Beach Open and the 2021 Andalucía Open and reached three other finals on the ATP tour in 2021 after winning two ATP Challenger Tour titles together in 2020. The pair won a total of eight Challenger titles between 2018 and 2020.
Behar entered the top 50 following the final at the 2021 Serbia Open on 26 April 2021.
He finished the year 2021 ranked No. 41, a career-high year-end doubles ranking and reached his career-high doubles ranking of No. 39 on 31 January 2022 following the 2022 Australian Open.
Also in 2022, he reached a fourth final and won his third ATP 250 title with Escobar at the 2022 Serbia Open defeating top seeds Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić.
2023: Wimbledon quarterfinal, two ATP finals, back to top 50
At the 2023 Córdoba Open he reached the quarterfinals with Nicolas Barrientos. At the next Golden swing tournament he reached the final at the 2023 Argentina Open also with Barrientos where they lost to Simone Bolelli/Fabio Fognini.
At the 2023 French Open he won his first round match with new partner Adam Pavlásek over Albert Ramos Viñolas and Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
At the 2023 Wimbledon Championships he reached the quarterfinals of a Major for the first time with Adam Pavlásek defeating former Wimbledon champions, ninth seeded pair of Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić before losing to eventual champions Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski. As a result he returned to the top 50 on 17 July 2023.
He reached his tenth ATP final and second of the season with Pavlasek at the 2023 European Open but lost to the Tsitsipas brothers.
2024: Australian Open quarterfinal and Madrid final, top 35
At the 2024 Australian Open he made the quarterfinals with Pavlasek. The Uruguayan-Czech team upset fifth seeds Santiago González and Neal Skupski in three sets to advance and face next, first time doubles quarterfinalists newly formed Chinese-Czech duo of Zhang Zhizhen and Tomáš Macháč. As a result he returned the top 40 in the rankings on 29 January 2024.
Ranked No. 39 at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open, he reached his first Masters final with Pavlasek, defeating tenth seeds Marcelo Arévalo and Mate Pavić, third seeds Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, 15th seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow and second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos by walkover. As a result he reached the top 35 in the rankings on 6 May 2024. They lost in the final to Sebastian Korda and Jordan Thompson.
Partnering with Robert Galloway, he was runner-up at the Japan Open, losing to British duo, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, in the final.
Significant finals
Masters 1000 Finals
Doubles: (1 runner-up)
ATP career finals
Doubles: 15 (3 titles, 12 runner-ups)
Challenger and Futures finals
Doubles: 56 (27–29)
Best Grand Slam results details
Doubles
a Because of a delay in schedule due to rain, the first two rounds of the competition were played best-of-three sets instead of the usual best-of-five format.
Wins over top 10 players
Doubles
Behar has a 6–12 record against players who were, at the time the match was played, ranked in the top 10.
Notes
References
External links
Ariel Behar at the Association of Tennis Professionals
Ariel Behar at the International Tennis Federation
Ariel Behar at the Davis Cup
Ariel Behar at ESPN.com
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Lou Briel
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Lou Briel.
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Tell me a bio of Lou Briel.
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Tell me a bio of Lou Briel within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Lou Briel with around 100 words.
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Lou Briel (born October 19 Santurce, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican singer, composer, comedian, record producer, pianist, and host, among other things.
Musical career
Early years with Anexo 3
Lou Briel started his career at a very young age as a singer, director and member of a pop musical group called Anexo 3. Together they recorded four albums, the first two produced by Alfred D. Herger, and reached popularity with songs such as: "Oh, Cuanto te Amo" ("Oh, how much I love you"), "Contigo" (With you), & "Por eso estoy Preso", (That's why I'm a prisoner), among others. For two consecutive years, Anexo 3 won the second prize of the local OTI Festival in Telemundo with the songs: "Tengo Vida" ("I'm full of life"), and "Más Allá de mis Canciones" ("Beyond my songs"). Both songs were written by Lou Briel and his group partner, Julio Ortiz-Teissonniere. They produced and hosted a television variety show titled Contigo... Anexo 3, (With you... Anexo 3) broadcast by Rikavisión (Channel 7). See:Anexo 3
Anexo 3 also recorded a commercial for Datsun which was very popular on Puerto Rican television at the time. In it, Briel appeared driving a Datsun car while singing the jingle, "Mirame, en esta via, Datsun es perfecto para mi" ("Look at me, in this driveway, Datsun is perfect for me")
As a solo artist
Anexo 3 broke up and Lou Briel started working on his solo career. In 1984, Briel reached popularity with the song: "Yo puedo" ("I Can"), a song written specially for Puerto Rico's Diva Yolandita an inspirational song about perseverance. He toured throughout Latin American countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Santo Domingo, and also toured the United States. He also reached one of the first places, in the song festival called "Festi-Buga" in Buga, Colombia, with this song.
Lou Briel has represented Puerto Rico four times at the International OTI Festival as a composer:
In 1983, with "Navegaré", ("Staying Afloat") sung by Edgardo Huertas in Washington, D.C.
In 1984, with "Todo llega", ("Everything comes around"), sung by himself in Mexico City
In 1985, with "Represento", ("I Represent"), sung by Juan Manuel Lebrón in Sevilla, Spain
See Lou Briel video singing "Represento": [1]
In 1990, with "La Mujer que Sueño Ser", ("The Woman I long to be"), sung by his niece Ivonne Briel (now known as "Arana") in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lou Briel also wrote several songs that participated in other song festivals, such as the 1981 Festival de la Canción de Trujillo (Trujillo's Song Festival) in Perú, and the 1992 Festival de la Voz y la Canción de Mérida (Méridas's Voice & Song Festival) in Yucatán, México.
Many international Latin singers have recorded Lou Briel's compositions, such as, Yolandita Monge, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Juan Manuel Lebrón, Zeny & Zory, Jose Feliciano, Tony Vega, Johanna Rosaly, Los Chicos, Pedro Brull, Sophy, Johnny Rivera, and Grupo Marfil (band) (from Costa Rica).
Television composer
Lou Briel has also created works for television programs and telenovelas, as opening & title songs.
De Fiesta con Nydia Nydia Caro (1980s), Telemundo -Opening and closing title song-
Estudio Alegre Awilda Carbia, Juan Manuel Lebrón, Otilio Warrington (1980s), Telemundo -Opening and closing song-
El Amor Nuestro de Cada Día Johanna Rosaly 1980, WAPA-TV -Soap opera title theme song-
Y Esto Qué Es Rafael Jose (1990s), Tele Isla Opening and closing title song
Ave de Paso Yolandita Monge, (1989), Tele-Once, soap opera theme song: Nunca Te Diré Adiós
among many other variety shows, mini series, TV station promotions, movie soundtracks, television commercials, and so forth.
Acting career
Television
In 1985, Lou Briel starred, hosted and was the script-writer of a television musical-comedy show in Telemundo called En Broma y en Serio, (Joking & Seriously) together with Puerto Rican comedian and singer Dagmar, produced by Paquito Cordero. He also produced, wrote and hosted a children's television series called: Teatrimundo, broadcast by Telemundo alongside Sandra Zaiter. He characterized himself as "Lubrielito", a 7-year-old child, whose best pal and "puppy love" was "Dagmarita", a fellow child role, portrayed by Dagmar.
In 1991, he played the leading role as an actor-comedian in the TV sitcom called Cara o Cruz, (Heads or Tails), broadcast by WAPA-TV, opposite singer & actor, Edgardo Huertas, (whose first daughter Ambar, is Lou Briel's goddaughter). This show was written and directed by Spanish comedian, Joaquín Monserrat ("Pacheco").
Voces en Función
From 1995 to 2001, Lou Briel produced and hosted his own variety show titled Voces en Función, (Voices in Performance) where he presented guest stars and young new talents. The show was taped in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico at the Teatro Yagüez and broadcast by WIPR-TV. {See:VEF}
Theatre
As an actor-comedian, Lou Briel has starred in various Zarzuelas & Operettas in Centro de Bellas Artes in Santurce. Some of them are:
La Viuda Alegre (The Merry Widow)
La del Soto del Parral, (The Grapevine Thicket)
Las Leandras, (The Leanders)
El Huesped del Sevillano, (The Guest of the Sevillian)
El Conde de Luxemburgo, (The Count of Luxembourg)
La Duquesa del Tabarín (The Duchess of the Small Tavern)
Amalia Batista, (Amalia Batter), among others.
He has also interpreted Sancho Panza from Don Quixote for different theater companies.
Lou Briel has also starred in various children's musicals like:
Jack y la Mata de Guisantes (Jack and the Beanstalk)
Los Pitufos (The Smurfs)
Sueños de Niño (Child Dreams)
Las Aventuras de Lubrielito (The Adventures of Lubrielito)
La Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty)
Los Lobos Malos (The Bad Wolves)
Tarzán, el Defensor de la Naturaleza (Tarzan, Defender of Nature), among others.
Recent years
In 2004, Lou Briel reprised his role of "Lubrielito" as the leading actor in the family oriented TV film Yo Creo en Santa Claus (I Believe in Santa Claus). The film was produced by Leo Fernández III and also starred Lorel Crespo in her child role as "Lucía". The film was broadcast by Televicentro and WAPA-America. He was also the main director and composer, performing also on the soundtrack and title song of the movie.
In 2005, he directed and performed in the inspirational video clip Dios Alumbra a Puerto Rico (God Enlightens Puerto Rico). It was the first time that 40 Latin pop and Christian gospel music celebrities joined for a laudable purpose, the eradication of child abuse.
In 2006, Lou Briel carried out a nine-month engagement at the Show Time nightspot, with his club act, Bohemia Live.
As of 2007, Lou Briel has been performing in Solo para Hombres.. y para Mujeres tambien, in New York City, Puerto Rico, and Santo Domingo, as a singer, pianist, and musical director alongside, Nancy Alvarez, host of ¿Quién Tiene La Razón?, broadcast by Telefutura.
Briel's presently featured as an MC and singer in the Puerto Rican Folkloric Revue, (designed for tourists), and including native folkloric music and dance, for English-speaking audiences. This spectacle is staged throughout the island and it also has a Spanish version. This performance is produced by Entertainment Concepts Inc. As of 2008, Briel is featured, along Yoyo Boing, Shorty Castro, Dreuxilla Divine, Jose Miguel Class, and Francisco Rosa, at the La Receta de la Abuela Tour (Grandma's Recipe Tour), throughout the island of P.R., sponsored by MCS Classic Care, and produced & MC'd, by Luisito Vigoreaux.
Discography
Solo Por Fin (1981, CBS)
Yo Puedo (1984, Global-K-Tel)
Olas (1987, Velvet)
En Broma y en Serio en la Navidad con Dagmar (1986, TeleCumbre)
Reflejos (1988, LBM)
Sigamos Brindando con Ivonne Briel (1988, LBM)
En Otra Frecuencia (1991, LBM)
Edición Especial (1996, LBM)
Aplauso à la Bachata con Pascual (2004, GOGO)
Lou Briel con La Maphia Boba... Adondequiera (2008, JODIBA)
See also
Voces en Función
Teatrimundo
List of singer-songwriters
List of notable residents of San Juan, Puerto Rico
List of TV theme song composers
List of composers by nationality
Puerto Rican songwriters
References
External links
Biblioteca Virtual
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Joseph Jaquet
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Joseph Jaquet.
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Tell me a bio of Joseph Jaquet.
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Tell me a bio of Joseph Jaquet within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Joseph Jaquet with around 100 words.
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Joseph Jaquet, sometimes written Joseph Jacquet, (30 January 1822 - 9 June 1898) was a Belgian sculptor.
Biography
Joseph Jaquet, born in Antwerp in Belgium, was the son of a baker.
He studied with Guillaume Geefs at the Brussels Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts and was the friend of Peter Ludwig Kühnen (1812–1877), a painter originating from Aachen, specialised in painting romantic landscapes.
He called from Antwerp to Brussels his brother Jacques (1830 - 1898) who assisted him throughout his lifetime.
Jacques actively took part in sculpture by his own productions for the Brussels art salons of 1843, 1854, 1860, 1866, 1872 and 1873.
For the 1842 Brussels Art Salon, Joseph Jaquet exhibited a marble bust, three plaster busts, a Moses Saved from the Waters and a Meditating Saint Paul which brought him notoriety.
His contribution for the 1845 Salon was more important and especially a model for a bronze statue of Froissart for Chimay but he acquired a definitive notoriety in 1854 with The Golden Age.
At that time, he lived in Goffard street then he moved for Charles Quint street.
In 1864, he secured his first commission in Amsterdam: The Victory for the Paleis voor Volksvlijt, then a second commission for the decoration of the national monument in The Hague Willemspark.
The equestrian statue of Baldwin I of Constantinople was created in 1868 in Mons, then the pediment and lions on the Brussels Stock Exchange in 1872.
In 1879, Joseph Jaquet designed a statue of Louise of Orléans, first Queen of the Belgians: this statue was on the Place d'Armes in Philippeville then was moved to the old École moyenne, Namur street.
He was a professor at the Brussels Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts and a master of Charles Samuel.
He died in 1898 in Schaerbeek in the Brussels-Capital Region.
Honours
Officer of the Order of Leopold
Officer of the Order of the Oak Crown
Member of the Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium.
Notes
== References ==
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DeAnna Bennett
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about DeAnna Bennett.
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Tell me a bio of DeAnna Bennett.
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Tell me a bio of DeAnna Bennett within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of DeAnna Bennett with around 100 words.
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DeAnna Danielle Bennett (born November 18, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Flyweight division. A professional since 2012, she has previously competed for Bellator MMA, Invicta Fighting Championships, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Background
Bennett wrestled and played water polo for American High School before graduating in 2002. Bennett briefly attended an art college, but dropped out. She credits her "being a fat kid" for motivating her to join a kickboxing gym to stay in shape, and eventually competing in Muay Thai kickboxing.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
After a short amateur MMA career in 2011, Bennett made her professional MMA debut in February 2012 for Showdown Fights. She competed for the promotion four times over the next two years, winning all of her bouts. Notably beating stand outs Sharon Jacobson, Colleen Schneider and Julianna Peña respectively.
Invicta FC
Bennett made her Invicta FC debut on September 6, 2014, at Invicta FC 8, where she defeated Michelle Ould by TKO in the second round.
In her second fight for the promotion, Bennett faced Jennifer Maia on December 5, 2014, at Invicta FC 10. She won the fight by unanimous decision.
Bennett next faced Norma Rueda Center on February 27, 2015, at Invicta FC 11. She again won the fight by unanimous decision.
The Ultimate Fighter
In August 2017, it was announced that Bennett would be one of the fighters featured on The Ultimate Fighter 26, where the process to crown the UFC's inaugural 125-pound women's champion will take place. Bennett was selected seventh by coach Eddie Alvarez. She faced Karine Gevorgyan in the opening round and won via TKO in the first round. In the quarter-finals Bennett faced Sijara Eubanks losing via first round knockout.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Bennett faced Melinda Fábián on December 1, 2017 at The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion#The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale. The fight ended as a majority draw and Bennett was subsequently released from the promotion.
Return to Invicta
Bennett returned to Invicta to face Karina Rodríguez on March 24, 2018 at Invicta FC 28: Morandin vs. Jandiroba. She won the fight by split decision. Bennett then entered a flyweight tournament where she defeated Miranda Maverick by unanimous decision but lost in the final in a rematch against Karina Rodriguez.
Bellator
Bennett made her promotional debut against Liz Carmouche at Bellator 246 on September 12, 2020. She lost the bout via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round.
Bennett was scheduled to face Alejandra Lara on July 31, 2021 at Bellator 263. The bout was rescheduled for unknown reasons to take place on August 20, 2021 at Bellator 265. On August 13, it was announced that the bout was moved once again, this time to Bellator 266. At the weigh-ins, Bennett missed weight for her bout. Bennett weighed in at 129.2 pounds, 3.2 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Bennett was fined a percentage of her purse which went to Lara. Bennett won the bout in dominant fashion via unanimous decision.
Bennett faced Justine Kish on February 19, 2022 at Bellator 274. She won the bout in dominant fashion via unanimous decision.
Bennett rematched Justine Kish on August 12, 2022 at Bellator 284. At weigh ins, Kish came in at 128.4 lbs, 2.4 pounds over the weight limit, for the flyweight bout, resulting in her being a fined a percentage of her purse which went to Bennett and the bout proceeded at catchweight. Bennett won the bout again via unanimous decision.
Bennett faced Liz Carmouche in a rematch for the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship on April 21, 2023 at Bellator 294. At the weigh-ins, Bennett weighed in at 126.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the title flyweight fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight with Bennett being fined 30% of her purse, which went to Carmouche. Carmouche also chose to keep the title on the line, meaning if she lost the fight, the title would have become vacant. She lost the fight by an arm-triangle choke submission in the fourth round.
Professional grappling career
Bennett was booked to compete against Marissa Pacelli at Fury Pro Grappling 7 on May 27, 2023. She lost the match by unanimous decision.
Mixed martial arts record
Mixed martial arts exhibition record
See also
List of female mixed martial artists
References
External links
DeAnna Bennett at Invicta FC
Professional MMA record for DeAnna Bennett from Sherdog
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Jennifer Paz
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Provide me a one-sentence fact about Jennifer Paz.
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Tell me a bio of Jennifer Paz.
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Tell me a bio of Jennifer Paz within 100 words.
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Tell me a bio of Jennifer Paz with around 100 words.
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Jennifer Paz-Fedorov is a Filipino actress. She is mostly known for her recurring role as Lapis Lazuli in Steven Universe and Steven Universe Future.
Career
The youngest of four children, Paz moved with her family at the age of 5 from the Philippines to Seattle, where her mother's brother was living at the time.
After completing her freshman year at the University of Washington in Seattle, Paz - then at the age of 21 - played the alternate of the lead role of Kim in the 1st National Miss Saigon US Tour. Since this professional debut, Paz has received multi-award nominations and wins including a 2008 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress, and has since reprised her role in Miss Saigon in various regional productions. She appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables and in the pre-Broadway run of David Henry Hwang's revised Flower Drum Song at the Los Angeles Mark Taper Forum in the role of Mei-Li during the production's celebrated 5-week extension.
In 2013, Paz returned to playing the lead role of Kim in Miss Saigon at the Casa Mañana theatre.
Paz is known for providing the voice of Lapis Lazuli and part of the voice of Malachite on the Cartoon Network
television series, Steven Universe. Paz is a recipient of the 2022/23 NAMT (National Alliance of Musical Theatre) Writers Residency Grant and winner of the Outstanding Screenplays TV Pilot Competition 2021 for her original comedy "Proud Marys."
Personal life
Paz became engaged to boyfriend Anthony Fedorov on December 25, 2012. Their son, Julian Paz Fedorov, was born on April 1, 2013.
Filmography
Recordings
The Lost Chords: Cinderella - "I Lost My Heart At the Ball", "The Face That I See in the Night"
Walt Disney Records The Legacy Collection: Cinderella - "I Lost My Heart At the Ball", "The Face That I See in the Night"
Awakening - Featured Vocals
The Lost Chords: The Rescuers - "The Need to Be Loved"
Steven Universe, Vol. 2 (Original Soundtrack) - "That Distant Shore"
Steven Universe the Movie (Original Soundtrack) - "Happily Ever After", "Who We Are", "Finale"
Steven Universe Future (Original Soundtrack) - “Shining Through”
References
External links
Jennifer Paz at IMDb
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