Queen Elizabeth's Insights and Reflections Queen Elizabeth II, whose full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, was born on April 21, 1926, in London, England. She is the eldest daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and belongs to the House of Windsor. Elizabeth became queen at the age of 25, following the death of her father on February 6, 1952. Her coronation took place on June 2, 1953. She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history, surpassing the previous record held by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, in September 2015. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth has witnessed significant changes in the world and played a symbolic role in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Her reign has been marked by various milestones and events, including the decolonization of Africa and the Caribbean, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and the transformation of the British Empire into the Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth has been a con...
9th Century The Chola dynasty became the dominant power in the region in the 9th century. They were a Tamil dynasty that ruled over southern India from their capital at Thanjavur. The Cholas were originally a minor dynasty, but they rose to prominence under the leadership of Vijayalaya Chola in the early 9th century. Vijayalaya Chola conquered the Pallava dynasty, which had been the dominant power in southern India, and established the Chola Empire. The Chola Empire reached its peak under the rule of Rajaraja Chola I (985-1014) and Rajendra Chola I (1014-1044). Rajaraja Chola I conquered the Pandya dynasty, which had been a rival of the Cholas, and extended the Chola Empire to its greatest extent. He also built the Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur, which is one of the largest and most impressive temples in India. Rajendra Chola I further extended the Chola Empire by conquering Sri Lanka and parts of Southeast Asia. He also built a large navy and used it to assert the Chola Empi...