Images Dated 16th December 2005

Illuminated red star sits atop Christmas tree in southern Russian city of Stavropol

A illuminated red star sits atop a Christmas tree in the southern Russian city of Stavropol December 16, 2005. With Christmas being celebrated on January 7 in Orthodox Russia, cities like Stavropol only start preparing for the winter holidays around mid-December. Russia launches into the festive season on December 31 and celebrates throughout the first week of January until the Orthodox Christmas Eve. REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko - RP2DSFHWPSAB

Cortez, 19th century. Artist: William Holl

Cortez, 19th century. Hernan Cortes (1485-1547), Spanish conquistador who conquered Mexico. Cortes landed in Mexico in 1519. With a force of only some 600 men, he succeeded in overthrowing the empire of the Aztecs, a civilization numbering 5 million. He was able to achieve this partly due to the natives being terrified of the Europeans horses and firearms, neither of which they had seen before. In addition, the Aztecs believed a prophecy that they would be visited by a light-skinned bearded god, the Quetzalcoatl, who had taught them agriculture and government in the past, and whose return they were to welcome with great ceremony. Cortes was able to exploit his resemblance to the Quetzalcoatl to great effect

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Rembrandt, 19th century. Artist: Woodman

Rembrandt, 19th century. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669) is generally considered one of the greatest painters in European art history and the most important in Dutch history. Rembrandt was also a proficient printmaker and made many drawings. His contributions to art came in a period that historians call the Dutch Golden Age (roughly equivalent to the 17th century), in which Dutch culture, science, commerce, world power and political influence reached their pinnacles

© The Print Collector / Heritage-Images