World History Encyclopedia

Mahatma Gandhi is an Indian political leader who believes in truth, non-violence, simplicity, and faith, among many other things including vegetarianism. He led India to its independence and inspired many people around the world with his philosophy and resistance to tyranny.

Mahatma Gandhi bio

The famous political and spiritual leader was born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869. His deep sense of political concern may have been part of being a son of a diwan, or prime minister, of Porbander state, Karamchand Gandhi. His leanings toward vegetarianism, purifying one's self through fasting, and tolerance for people of different faith, is said to be the influence of his devout mother. Gandhi practiced Hinduism and is known for his philosophies that some people consider as life's most important teachings. He studied law in London, England and went back to India. In India, he failed to establish a successful law practice and was denied a job as a high school teacher. He made a living by drafting petitions for some litigants, before becoming a well-known civil rights figure years after.

Contributions of MahatmaGandhi

MahatmaGandhi is known worldwide as a freedom fighter. He had a mass following who believed in his non-violent means of appealing for independence through protests. Apart from his political ideologies, he's also known for his faith and religious practice. Despite this,Gandhi strives for harmony among different faiths. He fought against the British rule and led the country to independence. He was dubbed as the "Father of the Nation. "

On the night of January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by his assassin, Nathuram Godse. The Hindu nationalist who is associated with the extremist Hindu Mahasabha accused Gandhi of "weakening India." The death of the renowned leader was mourned by many, but his ideologies were never buried in his grave. He was an influence to many countries who continue to fight for their autonomy and against oppression.

Alexander the Great is considered one of Greek's greatest leaders because of his contribution to the expansion of the Greek Empire during his reign as the king of Macedon. Read on to know more about the deeds of Alexander the Great.

Alexander the Great as the conqueror

During his reign, Alexander the Great lead his army to conquer several empires and nations, including the Persian Empire, Syria, Egypt, Assyria, and Babylonia. His quests were fueled by his dream to expand the Greek empire and make a name for himself. Through force and by diplomatic means, Alexander the Great was able to spread Greek civilization into the East. He is also known for this tactical skills, which made him a renowned army leader. The siege of Tyre was probably one of Alexander's greatest achievements as he conquered Persia. Because of Tyre's unique geographical location, Alexander used his brilliant tactical skills and created a causeway to gain entrance to Tyre.

The defeats of Alexander the Great

However, his quests were defeated by plots and schemes against his life. Because of his achievements, several members of his own army tried to kill him. In the end, Alexander the Great died at the young age of 32.

Despite his short life, Alexander the Great had contributed greatly to the proliferation of Greek civilization. Because of this, he has been the subject of many movies. One of the most recent films that depicted the life of Alexander the Great was Alexander, which was directed by Oliver Stone and starred Colin Farrel as Alexander and Angelina Jolie as Alexander's mother, Queen Olympias.