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Poignard
A poniard or ''poignard'' ( Fr.) is a long, lightweight thrusting knife with a continuously tapering, acutely pointed blade, and a cross-guard, historically worn by the upper class, noblemen, or members of the knighthood. Similar in design to a parrying dagger, the poniard emerged during the Middle Ages and was used during the Renaissance in Western Europe, particularly in France, Switzerland, and Italy. The archaic word "spud" in English could refer to a poignard. The armed forces of Safavid Iran (1501–1736) used the poniard; it was considered a weapon the ownership of which was especially typical of soldiers who originated from the Caucasus region, particularly Circassians, Georgians, and Armenians. Modern use In modern French, the term ''poignard'' has come to be defined as synonymous with ''dague'', the general term for "dagger", and in English the term ''poniard'' has gradually evolved into a term for any small, slender dagger. In literary usage it may also mean the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fairbairn–Sykes Fighting Knife
The Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife is a double-edged fighting knife resembling a dagger or poignard with a brass or wooden foil grip. It was developed by William Ewart Fairbairn and Eric Anthony Sykes in Shanghai based on ideas that the two men had while serving on the Shanghai Municipal Police in China before World War II. The F-S fighting knife was made famous during World War II when issued to British Commandos, the Airborne Forces, the SAS and many other units, especially for the Normandy landings in June 1944. With its acutely tapered, sharply pointed blade, the F-S fighting knife is frequently described as a stiletto, a weapon optimised for thrusting, although the F-S knife can be used to inflict slash cuts upon an opponent when its cutting edges are sharpened according to specification.Cassidy, William L., A Brief History of the Fairbairn–Sykes Fighting Knife'' The Wilkinson Sword Company made the knife with minor pommel and grip design variations. History The F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thinktank, Birmingham
Thinktank, Birmingham (formerly known as simply Thinktank) is a science museum in Birmingham, England. Opened in 2001, it is part of Birmingham Museums Trust and is located within the Millennium Point complex on Curzon Street, Digbeth. History The Birmingham Collection of Science & Industry was started in the mid-19th century, initially consisting of collections of weapons from the gun trade and the Birmingham Proof House. The Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery opened in 1885, including science collections. In 1951, the Museum of Science and Industry opened at Elkington Silver Electroplating Works, Newhall Street. Over the following years, the museum acquired individual artefacts, as well as entire collections, that were related to local industry and the history of science and technology. Birmingham City Council decided in 1995 to relocate the museum when it was given an opportunity by the Millennium Commission to construct a new building. The former museum closed in 1997, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barbary Horse
The Barb horse, also known as the Barbary horse (), is a breed of riding horse with historic roots in North Africa. Known for its hardiness and stamina, it has influenced a number of modern breeds, including many in northern and western Africa. Etymology The first recorded use of the name "Barb" appears in the translation of the work Description of Africa by Hassan al-Wazzan (better known as Leo Africanus), which predates its adoption across Europe. The Barb horse breed derives its name from the Barbary Coast states, according to French historian Jean-Marie Lassère, who attributes the name to the tradition of naming animals based on their geographical origin. Jean-Louis Gouraud, on the other hand, connects the Barb to the Berbers (the European name for the '' Imazighen''), stating that "their histories and fates are inseparable". European sources also referred to this regional horse as "Berber," in reference to a region known under Roman rule as "Berberia" or "Barbaria". ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daggers
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually one or two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a cutting or thrusting weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use definition of a dagger, which has been used to describe everything from an ice pick to a folding knife with a pointed blade as a 'dagger'. The Missouri Supreme Court used the popular definition of 'dagger' found in Webster's New Universal Dictionary ("a short weapon with a sharp point used for stabbing") to rule that an ordinary pointed knife with a four- to five-inch blade constitutes a 'dagger' under the Missouri criminal code.California Penal Code 12020(a)(24):"dagger" means a ''knife or other instrument'' with or without a handguard that is ''capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon'' that may inflict great bodily injury or death. The State of California and other jurisdictions have seized upon the popular-use definition of a dagger ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, particularly of science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has worked as an editor and is also a successful musician. He is best known for his novels about the character Elric of Melniboné, which were a seminal influence on the field of fantasy in the 1960s and 1970s. As editor of the British science fiction magazine '' New Worlds'', from May 1964 until March 1971 and then again from 1976 to 1996, Moorcock fostered the development of the science fiction "New Wave" in the UK and indirectly in the United States, leading to the advent of cyberpunk. His publication of '' Bug Jack Barron'' (1969) by Norman Spinrad as a serial novel was notorious; in Parliament, some British MPs condemned the Arts Council of Great Britain for funding the magazine. In 2008, ''The Times'' named Moorcock in its list of "The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conan The Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero created by American author Robert E. Howard (1906–1936) and who debuted in 1932 and went on to appear in a series of fantasy stories published in ''Weird Tales'' magazine. After first appearing in pulp magazines, the character has since been adapted to Conan (books), books, Conan (comics), comics, films (including ''Conan the Barbarian (1982 film), Conan the Barbarian'' and ''Conan the Destroyer''), television programs (Conan the Adventurer (1992 TV series), animated and Conan the Adventurer (1997 TV series), live action), Conan (game)#Video games, video games, and role-playing games. The earliest appearance of a Robert E. Howard character named Conan was that of a black-haired barbarian with heroic attributes in the 1931 short story "People of the Dark". Before Howard's death he wrote 21 stories starring the barbarian. Over the years, many other writers have written works featuring Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red Nails
"Red Nails" is the last of the stories featuring Conan the Cimmerian written by American author Robert E. Howard. A novella, it was originally serialized in ''Weird Tales'' magazine from July to October 1936, the months after Howard's suicide. It is set in the fictional Hyborian Age and concerns Conan entering a lost city whose degenerate inhabitants are entangled in a murderous blood feud. Due to its dark themes of decay and death, the story is considered a classic of Conan lore while also cited by Howard scholars as one of his best tales. Plot summary In the jungles far to the south of any known civilized or barbarian kingdoms, Valeria of the Red Brotherhood flees persecution after murdering a would-be rapist. She is followed into the wilderness by Conan, a fellow adventurer who wishes for an alliance with Valeria as her lover. Conan's stand-off with Valeria is interrupted by a dragon (actually a dinosaur, described with the characteristics of a ''Stegosaurus'' and ''Allosa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert E
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, renown, godlike" and ''berht'' "bright, light, shining"). It is the second most frequently used given name of ancient Germanic origin.Reaney & Wilson, 1997. ''Dictionary of English Surnames''. Oxford University Press. It is also in use as a surname. Another commonly used form of the name is Rupert. After becoming widely used in Continental Europe, the name entered England in its Old French form ''Robert'', where an Old English cognate form (''Hrēodbēorht'', ''Hrodberht'', ''Hrēodbēorð'', ''Hrœdbœrð'', ''Hrœdberð'', ''Hrōðberχtŕ'') had existed before the Norman Conquest. The feminine version is Roberta. The Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish form is Roberto. Robert is also a common name in many Germanic languages, including En ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matthew Lewis (writer)
Matthew Gregory Lewis (9 July 1775 – 16 May 1818) was an English novelist and dramatist, whose writings are often classified as "Gothic horror". He was frequently referred to as "Monk" Lewis, because of the success of his 1796 Gothic novel '' The Monk''. He also worked as a diplomat, politician and an estate owner in Jamaica. Biography Family Lewis was the first-born child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. His father, Matthew Lewis, was the son of William Lewis and Jane Gregory and was born in England in 1750. He attended Westminster School before proceeding to Christ Church, Oxford, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1769 and his master's in 1772. During his time at Westminster, Lewis's parents separated. Mrs Lewis moved to France in this period; while there, she was in continuous correspondence with Matthew. The correspondence between Matthew and his mother consisted of discussion regarding the poor state of his mother's welfare and estate. That same year, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Monk
''The Monk: A Romance'' is a Gothic novel by Matthew Gregory Lewis, published in 1796 across three volumes. Written early in Lewis's career, it was published anonymously when he was 20. It tells the story of a virtuous Catholic monk who gives into his lustful urges, setting off a chain of events that leave him damned. It is a prime example of the type of Gothic that specializes in horror. Upon publication, the novel proved scandalous. Readers were shocked by its sexually explicit content, and themes of rape and incest, leading it to become arguably the most controversial Gothic novel of the 18th century. There was public outcry, but the novel was hugely popular. Over time, Lewis came to feel that its writing had been in poor taste. Later editions were heavily censored by the author himself. ''The Monk'' is considered part of the gothic literary canon, a forerunner to the popular gothic novels of the 19th century, and an influence on the modern horror genre. It has been ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
