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« : 04 августа 2016, 12:44:04 »
Уважаемые братья и сестры! Предлагаю не только посплетничать на куртуазные темы отечественной истории, но и еще сделать ее инструментом изучения английского языка.
А начнем, пожалуй, с английских соответствий историческим названиям страны (или ее частей) в которой мы живем.
Kievan Rus - Киевская Русь
Muscovy - Московия
The Grand Duchy of Moscow - Великое княжество Московское
The Grand Principality of Moscow - Великое княжество Московское
The Tsardom of Russia - Московское царство
The Russian Empire - Российская Империя
USSR (the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) - СССР, Союз Советских Социалистических Республик
The Soviet Union - Советский Союз
RSFSR (The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) - Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика
The Russian Federation - Российская Федерация
Russia - Россия
И довеском на сегодня маленький отрывок из истории династии Романовых, конкретно об интригах при поиске жены для первого Романова - царя Михаила. Ничего не меняется под луной.
Mikhail was now in his twenties, the grown-up man. Accordingly, it was announced that by court’s will the great ruler Tsar Mikhail had reached the age of adulthood and the time had come for him to take a wife. The Tsar’s mother had found a bride for his son but Michael made his own decision.
Years ago, during his exile, he had fallen in love with Masha Khlopova, the daughter of one his guardians and promised to marry only her. The Tsar’s decision was announced and his bride to be was found rooms within the Palace. The Saltykov brothers, relatives of the Tsar’s mother were put in charge of her safety. But just before the wedding, Masha suddenly fell dangerously ill.
The palace was alive with rumor and suspicion. The Saltykovs summoned the best foreign doctors, who announced that a terrible disease was devouring the royal bride from within and no cure was possible. People were soon whispering that the Tsar’s mother was behind it, because she was opposed to the marriage.
In any event, Masha eventually recovered, only to be exiled to Siberia, for apparently concealing an illness from the Tsar’s advisers.
An investigation later concluded she’d been poisoned by the Saltykovs, who were dismissed from court. But the whole affair put Michael off any thought of marriage for many years.
When Tsar Mikhail turned 28, his relatives began to worry without an heir the future of the dynasty was in doubt. Once more his mother had a candidate. This time, reluctantly Michael agreed to the match and was married to Princess Maria Dolgorukova. But four months later, Maria fell sick and died. The cause never fully established.
After this latest disaster, Michael dismissed his mother from any involvement in his marital affairs and instead arranged for the traditional election of a Russian royal bride.