Category: Histories of countries and key towns and cities around the world

By Tim Lambert Viking Iceland The first people to settle in Iceland were probably Irish monks who came in the 8th century. However, in the 9th century, they were driven out by the Vikings. According to tradition, the first Viking to discover Iceland was a man named Naddoddur who got lost while on his way… Continue reading A Brief History of Iceland

By Tim Lambert Ancient Persia The Persian Empire The Persian Empire was created by Cyrus II, known as Cyrus the Great (559-529 BC). Cyrus first defeated another Iranian people called the Medes. In 547, he defeated the kingdom of Lydia (in what is now Turkey) at the Battle of Pterya and became the ruler of… Continue reading A Brief History of Iran

By Tim Lambert Early Kenya The earliest inhabitants of Kenya were hunter-gatherers but from about 2,000 BC herders came to the region. Then from about 800 AD Arabs sailed to Kenya. Some settled and intermarried and they created the Swahili culture along the coast. The first European to reach Kenya was Vasco da Gama in… Continue reading A Brief History of Kenya

By Tim Lambert Early Latvia The earliest people in Latvia were Stone Age hunters and gatherers who arrived there after the last ice age about 9000 BC. However, the ancestors of today’s Latvians were Baltic tribes who migrated to the area about 2,000 BC. In the 12th century AD, some of the last pagans in… Continue reading A Brief History of Latvia

By Tim Lambert Early Liberia It’s believed the ancestors of the indigenous people of Liberia migrated there between the 12th century and the 16th century. The Portuguese reached the coast in the 15th century and trade began in pepper, ivory, and slaves. In 1816 the American Colonization Society was formed. It aimed to resettle free… Continue reading A Brief History of Liberia

By Tim Lambert Early Lithuania The ancestors of modern Lithuanians were a people called the Balts who arrived in the area about 2,000 BC. In c.1240 AD a man named Mindaugas united the Lithuanian tribes. In 1251 he converted to Christianity. However, Mindaugas was assassinated in 1263 and his people reverted to paganism. In 1316… Continue reading A Brief History of Lithuania

By Tim Lambert Early Madagascar Until about 2,000 years ago Madagascar was uninhabited. Then the Indonesian people arrived. About 800 AD the Arabs started sailing to Madagascar. The first European to reach Madagascar was a Portuguese called Diogo Dias in 1500. However, at first, Europeans showed little interest in the island although pirates used it… Continue reading A Brief History of Madagascar

By Tim Lambert Ancient Malawi Two thousand years ago there was a simple stone-age culture in Malawi. The people lived by hunting and gathering. However, by the 4th century AD, Bantu people arrived in the area and introduced iron tools and weapons. They also introduced farming. In the 15th century, people who lived south of… Continue reading A Brief History of Malawi

By Tim Lambert The story of modern Mexico began with the conquistadores. In 1492 the Spaniards discovered the new world. The end of the Aztec Empire came when the governor of Cuba sent an army under Hernan Cortes (1485-1547) to conquer Mexico. Cortes only had about 600 men yet he managed to conquer the Aztecs.… Continue reading A Brief History of Mexico