The Danewerk or Dannevirke, was an ancient wall of about from 30 to 40 feet high and of an equal thickness extending along the southern frontier of Schleswig for nearly 10 miles, from the North Sea to the Baltic. It was constructed in the middle of the 10th century and repaired in 1850, but was captured by the Austrians and Prussians in the Schleswig-Holstein war of 1864 and soon after destroyed. Research Danewerk
The Africander (Afrikaner) is a native South African breed of cow. It belongs to the Sanga type and is used primarily for meat production. The breed is usually red with long lateral horns. Sanga type cattle, in huge herds, were owned by the Hottentots when the Dutch established the Cape Colony in 1652. The animals were obtained by the colonists who improved them for use as draft animals. It was
Africander oxen that drew the wagons which carried Boer farmers and families on the Great Trek of 1835 - 1836 from the Cape of Good Hope to the Orange Free State, Natal and the Transvaal to escape British rule. The
Africander is South Africa's most popular native breed, comprising 30% of the cattlepopulation.
Africander cattle exhibit good resistance to heat, a high level of tick resistance, quiet temperament and a satisfactorily high level of fertility under harsh conditions. Mature cows weigh approximately 525 to 600 kg and bulls weigh 750 to 1000 kg. The Africander was used with Shorthorn in developing the Bonsmara breed and with Holstein cows in creating the Drakensberger. Research Africander
Dicheirotrichus is a genus of beetles of the ground beetle family, Carabidae, varying in colour from pale yellowish brown to completely black, and in size from 5 to 8 mm in length, but all live near salt water. They have been known to eat vegetable matter, as was found in Holstein, Germany when they attacked turnips. Research Dicheirotrichus
The Friesian, Holstein or Holstein-Friesian (Bostaurus) is a breed of black and white coloured dairy cattle that originated in North Holland and Freisland. They produce a high yield of milk which has a low butterfat content. Research Friesian Cattle
The Holstein is a German breed of horse originating prior to the 13th century and used as a warhorse during the Middle Ages and also as an agricultural horse. the modern Holstein is lighter, and is used more for competition riding, dressage and show jumping. The Holstein stands between 16 and 17 hands high and is any solid colour. Research Holstein Horse
Bernhard, Duke of Weimar, was a soldier. He was born in 1604 and died in 1639, probably as the result of murder by poisoning. He was the fourth son of Duke John of Saxe-Weimar, and entered the service of Holland, and afterwards the Danish army employed in Holstein. He then joined Gustavus Adolphus, and in the battle of Lutzen, 1632, commanded the victorious left wing of the Swedish army.
In 1633 he took Bamberg and other places, was made Duke of Franconia, and after the alliance of France with Sweden raised an army on the Rhine to act against Austria. After many brilliant exploits he captured Breisach and other places of inferior importance, but showed no disposition to hand them over to the French, who began to find their ally undesirably formidable. He rejected a proposal that he should marry Richelieu's niece, the Duchess d'Aiguillon, seeking instead the hand of the Princess of Rohan. This the French court refused lest the party of the Huguenots should become too powerful. He died somewhat suddenly in 1639 at Neuberg, the common opinion being that he was poisoned by Richelieu. Research Bernhard
Catherine I was empress of Russia. She was born in 1680 and died in 1727. She was first the mistress and then later the wife of Peter the Great. A woman of humble origin, having become mistress to Prince Menschikoff, she was relinquished by him to the czar. In 1708 and 1709 she bore the emperor the Princesses Anna and Elizabeth, the first of whom became the Duchess of Holstein by marriage, and mother of Peter III. The second became Empress of Russia. In 1711 the emperor publicly acknowledged Catharine as his wife, and she was subsequently proclaimed empress, and crowned in Moscow in 1724. When Peter with his army seemed irreparably lost on the Pruth in 1711 Catharine secured the relief of her husband by bribing the Turkish general. At Peter's death in 1725 Catharine was proclaimed Empress and autocrat of all the Russias, and the oath of allegiance to her was taken anew. Catharine died suddenly in 1727, her death having been hastened by dissipation. Research Catherine I
Edward Vogel von Falckenstein was a Prussian soldier. He was born in 1797 and died in 1885. In 1813 he entered the Prussian army, distinguishing himself at the battles of Katzbach and Montmirail, In 1848 he served in the Holsteincampaign, and he acted as colonel and chief of staff in the war with Denmark in 1864. In the war of 1866 he commanded the Seventh Army Corps. On the outbreak of the Franco-German war in 1870 he was appointed military governor of the maritime provinces. Research Edward von Falckenstein
Count Friedrich Ferdinand von Beust was a Saxon and Austrian statesman. He was born in 1809 at Dresden and died in 1886. He adopted the career of diplomacy, and as a member of embassies or ambassador for Saxony resided at Berlin, Paris, Munich, and London. He was successively minister of foreign affairs and of the interior for Saxony. At the London conference regarding the Schleswig-Holstein difficulty he represented the German Bund. He lent his influence on the side of Austria against Prussia before the war of 1866, after which, finding his position in Saxony difficult, he entered the service of Austria as minister of foreign affairs, became president of the ministry, imperial chancellor, and in 1868 was created count. In 1871 to 1878 he was ambassador in London, in 1878 to 1882 in Paris. Research Friedrich von Beust
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Convention of Gastein
