In this new category, I write about various interesting facts (from historic to scientific ones, or whatever I may come across while researching about topics for longer entries or while reading). Today we learn about the rise of Sargon of Akkad and female soldiers in the Prussian army during the liberation war of 1813-1814.
This is going to be a proto-version, which means a test entry to determine how it is received and whether I like this kind of format.
History
Nr. 1: The Rise of Sargon and Fall of Lugalzagesi (ca. 2375 BCE to 2350/23251 BCE)
Lugalzaggisi began his career as city prince of Umma. He defeated and conquered the territories of numerous princes, among them Urukagina of Lakash, Enschakuschana2 of Uruk and Ur-Zababa of Kisch. After he united all of Sumer (South Mesopotamia), he extended his dominion to the Mediterranean coast. His rule would last for 25 years.
Around 2325 BCE3, a man named Sargon (in akkadian: Scharrum-kin) defeated Lugalzaggisi militarily and inherited the vast territory. Sargon of Akkad founded the first Semitic dynasty and was later on considered to be the founder of Mesopotamian military tradition.
Depending on the version of the Sumerian royal inscription, his reign either lasted 40, 55 or 56 years. Same goes for the date which is normally dated during the years 2343 until 2314 BCE, though other dates have been proposed as well (2307-2253 BCE and 2288 to 2235 BCE).
1There are little contemporary sources from the early phase of the Akkadian Empire, and the legends surrounding Sargon should only be sparsely used. The primary sources for the reconstruction of the Akkad-era are economic documents and royal inscriptions.
2Names from the German source, hence you see ’sch‘.
3Date from the German source as well, the most recent one I’ve read (2013)
Sources: Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sargon)
Geschichte des alten Mesopotamien von Eckart Frahm, S. 116-118 (Reclam Verlag)
History of the old Mesopotamia by Eckart Frahm, p. 116-118 (published by Reclam)
ISBN: 978-3-15-019108-8
Nr. 2: Friederike Krüger – A female soldier in the Prussian army
During the liberation wars (1813-1814) volunteered thousands of people to defeat the napoleonic forces that occupied their territory. They made up 30,000 out of the 284,000 troop strength Prussian army, among them women who disguised as men. Due to the general hustle and bustle, no proficiency tests were done. Even after they were discovered, some of them stayed in the army. One of them was Friederike Krüger (1789-1848) who was a trained seamstress before she signed up as ‚August Lübeck‘. She cut her hair and wore men’s clothing as did the others.
She was injured by a shrapnel in Dennewitz on 6th September 1813; still on the battlefield, she was promoted to the rank of corporal and stayed in service until 1815.
She received the Iron Cross 2nd Class for her service and died in 1848.
Sources: P.M. Zu Unrecht Vergessen (Wrongly Forgotten) https://www.pm-wissen.com/zu-unrecht-vergessen/a/wer-war-die-soldatin-friederike-kruege/8183/
ZeitGeschichte, Preussen: Aufstieg und Fall einer Großmacht – von 1415 bis Heute (Prussia: Rise and Fall of a Major Power – from 1415 until Today), p. 62
Baroque 