The Song dynasty (960–1279 AD) was a culturally rich and sophisticated age for China.It saw great advancements in the visual arts, music, literature, and philosophy. Officials of the ruling bureaucracy, who underwent a strict and extensive examination process, reached new heights of education in Chinese society, while general Chinese culture was enhanced by widespread …

Emperor Taizu of Song (21 March 927 – 14 November 976), personal name Zhao Kuangyin, courtesy name Yuanlang, was the founder and first emperor of the Song dynasty of China.He reigned from 960 until his death in 976. Formerly a distinguished military general of the Later Zhou dynasty, Emperor Taizu came to power after staging a coup d'état and forcing Emperor Gong, …

Song, known as Liu Song (Chinese: 劉宋), Former Song (前宋) or Southern Song (南朝宋) in historiography, was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the four Southern dynasties during the Northern and Southern dynasties period. It succeeded the Eastern Jin dynasty and preceded the Southern Qi dynasty.. The dynasty was founded by Liu Yu (Emperor Wu; …

The Northern Song (Chinese: 北宋; 4 February 960 – 20 March 1127) was a Chinese imperial dynasty and the first half of the Song dynasty.The dynastic founder, Emperor Taizu, seized the throne of the Later Zhou (the last in a succession of five short-lived dynasties).The Northern Song was ruled by nine emperors for 167 years. In 1127, its capital city Kaifeng fell to Jin invaders …

Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Qingming Shanghe Tu) is a handscroll painting by the Song dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan (1085–1145) and copied many times in the following centuries. It captures the daily life of people and the landscape of the capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng) during the Northern Song.The theme is often said to celebrate the festive spirit …

"Mean" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her third studio album, Speak Now (2010). It was released to US country radio as the album's third single on March 13, 2011, by Big Machine Records.Produced by Nathan Chapman and Swift, "Mean" is a banjo-led country track with a production incorporating hand claps, fiddles, and multitracked …

A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world in which seasons last for years and end unpredictably. Nearly three centuries before the events of the first novel, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros were united under the Targaryen dynasty, establishing military supremacy through their control of dragons. The Targaryens ruled for three hundred years, continuing past the …

Taizu (r. 960–975) Emperor Taizu of Song (r. 960–975), Zhao Kuangyin, was commander-in-chief of the capital guards and jiedushi of Songzhou in the Later Zhou dynasty. In 960 he was dispatched by the Grand Chancellor Fan Zhi to fight against Northern Han and the Khitans.When Zhao's army reached Chenqiao Station, his soldiers proclaimed him emperor, and the …

Julie d'Aubigny (1670/1673 – 1707), better known as Mademoiselle Maupin or La Maupin, was a 17th-century French opera singer. Little is known for certain about her life; her tumultuous career and flamboyant lifestyle were the subject of gossip, rumor, and colourful stories in her own time, and inspired numerous fictional and semi-fictional portrayals afterwards.

The Afsharid dynasty (Persian: افشاریان) was an Iranian dynasty founded by Nader Shah (r. 1736–1747) of the Qirqlu clan of the Turkoman Afshar tribe. List of Afsharid monarchs. No. Shah Portrait Reigned from Reigned until Time in office Seal Coinage 1 Nader Shah: 8 March 1736 20 June 1747 11 years, 104 days ...

The Shah dynasty (Nepali: शाह वंश), also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty ; and the founder of Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May 2008.. The Shah dynasty traces their historical ancestor to King of Kaski, Kulamandan Shah Khand, whose …

Song Yadong (Chinese: 宋亚东; pinyin: Sòng Yàdōng; born December 2, 1997) is a Chinese mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of November 14, 2022, he is #9 in the UFC bantamweight rankings .

The Shang dynasty (Chinese: 商朝; pinyin: Shāng Cháo), also known as the Yin dynasty (Chinese: 殷代; pinyin: Yīn Dài), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and followed by the Western Zhou dynasty.The classic account of the Shang …

The Solomonic dynasty, also known as the House of Solomon, was the ruling dynasty of the Ethiopian Empire formed in the thirteenth century. Its members claim lineal descent from the biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.Tradition asserts that the queen gave birth to Menelik I after her biblically described visit to Solomon in Jerusalem. In 1270, the Zagwe …