Lecture Friday 25th May 2012: The Times of the Blood Rains – Georgia in Shakespearian Times

At 4pm this Friday, 25th May 2o12, our lectures on the history of Georgia in Shakespearian times by Giorgi Akhvlediani continue!

The Times of the Blood Rains

Georgia in Shakespearian Times

by

Giorgi Akhvlediani

 The dramatic lives of two Royal families, rulers of the partitioned Georgian kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti include all the elements of a tragic drama. Having become the battlefield of two great empires long ago, the Georgian kingdoms applied their traditional policy of balancing between war and peace, satisfying both Ottoman and Persian interests. The Kakhetian king Alexandre was successful in this policy for two decades by accepting Ottoman suzerainty. But the policy came under increasing tension as each time the Ottoman-Persian wars would have a different outcome. Fate lured king Alexandre and three of his sons into a bloody family conflict followed by Persian intervention, which turned the rich and peaceful small kingdom into a dead land with two thirds of population killed or deported.

As opposed to the Kakhetian kingdom, Kartli was at war and largely survived owing to the personal bravery of king Luarsab and his elder son Simon “the Mad” who replaced his father after Luarsab’s strange death foreshadowed by his own dream. A number of great historical characters, the morals and manners of the century placed in an extraordinary political situation, all mixed up with destiny and meanness make the picture of The Times of the Blood Rains unforgettable for its spirit and the tragic reality of survival.

Giorgi Akhvlediani (also known as Aka Morchiladze) is the bestselling Georgian novelist with a background in history. Some of his novels, which include the Travel to Karabakh, The Others, the Madatov Trilogy, Santa Esperanza, Maid in Tiflis and Mamluk earned him the name of the most widely-read and celebrated Georgian author alive. Currently he resides and writes in London. In three lectures he will be presenting probably the most dramatic and tragic century of Georgian history.

Venue: Faculty Room (3d floor), Oriental Institute, Pusey Lane OX1 2LE, Oxford.

Friday, 25 May, 16:00.

Lecture 17th May 2012: The Times of the Blood Rains – Georgia in Shakespearian Times

The Times of the Blood Rains

Georgia in Shakespearian Times

by

Giorgi Akhvlediani

 Lecture Room 1, Oriental Institute, Thursday, 17 May, 16:00.

The dramatic lives of two Royal families, rulers of the partitioned Georgian kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti include all the elements of a tragic drama. Having become the battlefield of two great empires long ago, the Georgian kingdoms applied their traditional policy of balancing between war and peace, satisfying both Ottoman and Persian interests. The Kakhetian king Alexandre was successful in this policy for two decades by accepting Ottoman suzerainty. But the policy came under increasing tension as each time the Ottoman-Persian wars would have a different outcome. Fate lured king Alexandre and three of his sons into a bloody family conflict followed by Persian intervention, which turned the rich and peaceful small kingdom into a dead land with two thirds of population killed or deported.

As opposed to the Kakhetian kingdom, Kartli was at war and largely survived owing to the personal bravery of king Luarsab and his elder son Simon “the Mad” who replaced his father after Luarsab’s strange death foreshadowed by his own dream. A number of great historical characters, the morals and manners of the century placed in an extraordinary political situation, all mixed up with destiny and meanness make the picture of The Times of the Blood Rains unforgettable for its spirit and the tragic reality of survival.

Giorgi Akhvlediani (also known as Aka Morchiladze) is the bestselling Georgian novelist with a background in history. Some of his novels, which include the Travel to Karabakh, The Others, the Madatov Trilogy, Santa Esperanza, Maid in Tiflis and Mamluk earned him the name of the most widely-read and celebrated Georgian author alive. Currently he resides and writes in London. In three lectures he will be presenting probably the most dramatic and tragic century of Georgian history.

Venue: Lecture Room 1, Oriental Institute, Pusey Lane OX1 2LE, Oxford.

Thursday, 17 May, 16:00.

Convenors: Nikoloz Aleksidze & Theo M. van Lint Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies

Bags allowed in library

Following a large number of reader requests, combined with complaints regarding the obstruction to the throughfare provided by bags in the lobby, reasonably sized bags are now allowed into the library.

This means that large handbags, laptop bags and small rucksacks are now permitted – larger ‘backpacker’ style rucksacks and suitcases are still not allowed. Bags should be kept under your desk, not blocking aisles.

Bags may not be left unattended inside the library – please take them with you when you leave!

This policy change brings us in line with many other Oxford libraries.

Scan & Deliver

In the middle of April the Bodleian Libraries launched a new service, Scan & Deliver. Instead of requesting a book to be sent from the Book Storage Facility to a library, you can choose to have them scan one chapter, article or 5% of the book for you. Within 24 hours it’ll be put on a server, and you’ll be sent a link to see it online.

The service is still in it’s early days, and is currently only available for Oxford University staff & students – you have to log into SOLO with a Single Sign On account before using it. It costs £4.75 per item, and payment is taken from your PCAS account. If you’ve got any feedback about the service, please e-mail scan@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

For more details see the History Library’s step-by-step tutorial: http://historyatox.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/bodleian-libraries-launches-new-scan-and-deliver-service/ or visit the Scan & Deliver webpage: http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/services/scan-and-deliver

Trinity Term 2012

A lot of our regular readers seem to have returned now, and I know lots of you are having Oral Exams today – good luck! Ditto to anyone with Collections today or tomorrow…

All vacation loans are due back on Monday of 1st Week (23rd April), so if you had books out please remember to renew or return them over the next few days to avoid fines.

Our exciting new windows are now fully installed, with handles and everything! Apparently the scaffolding will be removed next week, so we’ll soon be all back to normal.

Easter Closing

Our pretty new windows are now installed, although we don’t yet have handles to open them – apparently they’re coming after Easter!

We’re closing for Easter tonight at 7pm (Wednesday 4th April 2012), and re-opening on Tuesday 10th April at 9:15am.

Hope you all have a good long weekend.

OI Building Work

This Easter vacation the Oriental Institute is having many of its windows replaced. This may make the library quite noisy (and sometimes possibly quite cold), but we will be trying to keep up our normal opening hours. The work will happen in 4 main stages:
- The bike chain at the front of the building will be removed this Friday (24th Feb 2012). All bikes should be removed by 3:00pm or they will be left unsecured, no longer locked to anything.
- Then through the last weeks of term scaffolding will be erected, covering the front of the building.
- During the vacation itself the windows will be replaced. The Library is scheduled to be re-windowed from Wednesday 28th to Thursday 29th of March, but this may change.
- Finally at the start of next term the scaffolding will be removed.

Exhibition: 36 Kasen: The 36 Immortals of Japanese Poetry

36 Kasen: the thirty-six immortals of Japanese poetry

3 February – 4 March 

This small display of illustrated manuscripts from the Bodleian Japanese Library will celebrate the thirty-six great poets. Despite their ancient history, the thirty-six poets, one of the most important and durable icons in Japanese culture, are virtually unknown outside Japan.

It’s in the Bodleian Temporary Displays space, the Old Library Entrance. Open 9am – 7pm Monday – Friday, 9am – 4:30pm Saturday and 11am – 5pm Sunday. Admission is free.

The Bodleian’s Exhibition website is: http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley/about/exhibitions

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! We hope you’ve all had a good break, and haven’t missed us too much… OIL has now re-opened after our winter break, and we’ll be open 9:15am to 7pm every weekday from now onwards (and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays).

Vacation loans are due back on Monday 1st Week, 16th January 2012.

Christmas closing

Just a quick reminder that we’re closing this Wednesday (21st December 2011) at 5pm. We’ll re-open on Tuesday 3rd January 2012 at 9:15am. I hope you all have a great break, and see you in the New Year!

Books borrowed as vacation loans are due back on Monday 16th January 2012, Monday 1st Week.