Всеобщая история и международные отношения

The article discusses the development of book printing in the Czech in the 16th – early 17th centuries, two periods in the development of Czech book printing are distinguished: 1501–1547 and after the events of 1547 until the Battle of White Mountain. The author reveals the changes that have taken place in the working conditions of printing houses, the attitude of the royal authorities to book printing, the repertoire of Czech printed books, the number of published products. 

The article is devoted to the study of medieval Scandinavian and domestic narrative sources for information about the peculiarities of the military confrontation and interaction between the Varangians and Ancient Rus.

The article discusses the development of the English arms and armour during the reign of Henry VIII. The research was done by the British scientists.

The article discusses the process of the European Parliament’s empowerment and strengthening its role in the system of the European institutions. Introducing of direct universal suffrage to the European Parliament gave the strongest impetus to this process, guaranteeing its transformation into real democratic institution. The key role in the process of the Parliament’s strengthening played its member – Altiero Spinelli who drafted the Treaty establishing the European Union in 1984.

The article focuses on the comparative analysis of the image of the enemy in propaganda of the countries of Entente at the beginning of the First World War. On the basis of the wide range of primary sources the key elements of this image, certain stages in its development, its common and distinguishing features in each of the countries of Entente are examined.

In the article the issue of a contradictory perception of Balkan Slavs by Russians in the second half of 19th century is considered. On the one hand, the idea of Slavic unity has become stable in Russia which was actively supported by many Russian social and political public figures. On the other hand, when directly contacted Russians and southern Slavs appeared to be alienated and far from mental solidarity.

The article describes the image of Prussian king Frederick II in perception Saxon, English and French ambassadors examined their estimations of internal and military policy of monarch, defined the role of stereotype presentations in forming of image of king.

The article analyses representations on the feudal base of political economy in the Highlands of Scotland in the public sphere of Great Britain between the Jacobite rebellions in 1715–1716 and 1745–1746 in the context of solution of the «Highland Problem» through the appeasement, modernization of the region and strengthening loyalty of the Highlanders to the Hannover dynasty and the government in London. 

The article gives the most important examples of classicism in the culture of Saratov province namely in architecture and education. The author focuses his attention on the activities of Ivan F. Sinaisky (1799–1870) as a teacher in Greek both in Gymnasium and in Orthodox Theological Seminary in Saratov. Works translated by I. Sinaisky from Greek, his manuals and dictionaries for those who learned Greek, as well as his articles on Greek and Greek authors are being considered in the context of Russian and European classicism.

The article is devoted to the study of the problem of the Clinton administration participation in the process of the Taliban movement coming to power in Afghanistan. Geopolitical and economic reasons of the American interest in the formation of a strong regime in the country along with the influence of other countries and private corporations on this process are also analyzed.