After a recent post (July 28, No comment serie: The last of the famous), a friend of mine asked me who was Zengi and what was the link between myself and Zengi. The picture was taken in the very place where Zengi was supposely assassinated. Hope this will clarify the situation.
Imad ad-Din Atabeg Zengi (al-Malik al-Mansur) (also Zangi, Zengui, Zenki, or Zanki; in Turkish İmadeddin Zengi, in Arabic: عماد الدین زنكي) (c. 1085–September 14, 1146) was the son of Aq Sunqur al-Hajib, governor of Aleppo under Malik Shah I. His father was beheaded for treason in 1094, and Zengi was brought up by Karbuqa, the governor of Mosul.Zengi became atabeg of Mosul in 1127, and of Aleppo in 1128, uniting the two cities under his personal rule, and was formally invested as their ruler by the Sultan Mahmud II of Great Seljuk. Zengi had supported the young sultan against his rival, the caliph Al-Mustarshid.
In 1144 Zengi besieged the crusader County of Edessa. Edessa was the weakest and least Latinized crusader state, and Zengi captured it on December 24, 1144. This event led to the Second Crusade, and later Muslim chroniclers noted it as the start of the jihad against the Crusader states.
Though he continued his attempts to take Damascus in 1145, Zengi was assassinated by a Frankish slave named Yarankash in 1146. The Christian chronicler William of Tyre said that he was killed by a number of his retinue while he lay drunk in his bed.
Zengi's sudden death threw his forces into a panic. His army disintegrated, the treasury was looted, and the crusader princes, made bold by Zengi's demise, plotted to attack Aleppo and Edessa.
He was the founder of the eponymous Zengid dynasty. In Mosul he was succeeded by his eldest son Saif ad-Din Ghazi I and in Aleppo he was succeeded by his second son Nur ad-Din.
Zengi was courageous, strong in leadership and a very skilled warrior according to all of the Islam chroniclers of his day. The conquest of Edessa being his greatest achievement. These same chroniclers however, also relate Zengi as being a very violent, cruel, and brutal man. Muslims, Byzantines, and Franks all suffered at his hands.
“The atebeg was violent, powerful, awe-inspiring and liable to attack suddenly… When he rode, the troops use to walk behind him as if they were between two threads, out of fear they would trample over crops, and nobody out of fear dared to trample on a single stem (of them) nor march his horse on them… If anyone transgressed, he was crucified. He (Zengi) used to say: ‘It does not happen that there is more than on tyrant (meaning himself) at one time.’” By Ibn al-‘Adim (Source: Ibn al-‘Adim, Zubda, vol. 2, p. 471)
France's President has successfully introduced the new first lady. OK magazine and Voici have replaced the late "ORTF" and even blindsided the official "porte-parole" de l'Elysee. Where is this country going to ? Will anybody finally say anything ? What happened to the media ? They must be kindin' us ? We are in desperate need of a talented lopsided poet. Where are you Jacques Brel ? 
In the following days, Bardizag will launch the "Year that was" series. The worst and the best, Ups and Downs of 2007. So stay tuned ......
The legacy of Joe Strummer (1952-2002) continues to live on, grow louder and shake up the establishment with the summer 2007 release of Fender’s new Joe Strummer Telecaster, modeled after the beat up and battle-hardened ’66 Tele® he wielded as leader of “the only band that matters”—seminal Brit punk commando unit the Clash
A Yerevan-based American-Armenian political analysts spoke today about weak signals coming from the Turkey’s government and its army, which he said indicate that they have started to comprehend the wisdom of lifting the blockade of Armenia. 
Oskanian said in an interview with the Iranian-based Armenian newspaper Huys: "Introduction of dual citizenship institute by Armenia can be only welcomed and assessed as a positive step". 
Les Boyadjian photographes arméniens à la cour du Négus du 19 juin au 2 septembre 2007 à l'Hôtel de Sully dans le cadre de « Arménie, mon amie », Année de l'Arménie en France
Un pan d'Histoire vu par une petite histoire
Check the lastest adlerouglou's article about his favourite country ! 
Nicolas Sarkozy prépare son futur gouvernement "d’ouverture". Patrick Devedjian risque de devoir se contenter de la présidence du conseil général des Hauts-de-Seine (92) pour laisser la place au Gouvernement à des personnalités venues de la gauche et du centre. Ce qui a fait dire à l’intéressé sur le ton ironique devant le conseil national : ’’Je suis pour aller très loin dans l’ouverture, y compris parmi les sarkozystes’’.
Read this moving interview of Alice Cirganyan, a fellow bardizagtsi, realized on December 9, 2005 in Melbourne.
Symbole 1: Un établissement populaire ou les français moyens ont l’habitude de se retrouver pour prendre un café. Quel est le signal donné au pays ? a ceux qui sont dans la précarité ? A près des 53% des Français qui gagnent moins de 800 euros et qui ont voté pour lui ?
Andranik Teymourian scored two second-half goals to keep Bolton on course for Europe in a 3-1 win that piles the relegation pressure on Wigan.Emile Heskey's 100th league goal of his career was in vain as Sam Allardyce's side produced a stirring comeback at the JJB Stadium.
Kimberly Noel Kardashian (born October 21, 1980 in Los Angeles, California) is an American socialite and is one of the three daughters of the deceased O. J. Simpson attorney, Robert Kardashian. Kardashian's media attention has primarily been attributed to her close friendship with Paris Hilton.
A biopic about the life of The Clash frontman Joe Strummer is set to be released in UK cinemas.Entitled 'Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten', the documentary contains never-before-seen footage of the singer and his legendary band including studio sessions, archive and early childhood footage along with interviews with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Bono, Red Hot Chili Peppers and bandmate Mick Jones.The biopic, which is directed by Julien Temple, the man behind the 'Glastonbury' film and The Sex Pistols flick 'The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle', is narrated using old audio recordings of Strummer himself.A soundtrack of the film will also be released on May 14, and includes unreleased material by The Clash, plus tracks from Strummer's other projects, from The 101ers to The Mescaleros, along with the music that influenced him including reggae, rock 'n' roll and world music. 'Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten' will hit UK cinemas on May 18.
A l’heure où l’Union européenne envisage de pénaliser le
Please check out this article by Lilit Avagyan.
The government, after 15 years of independence of Armenia, finally granted us with the eternal right to become citizens of Armenia.
Many of us know about it, but for those who don’t……. Since Sept06 until July 07, France is celebrating Armenia. It’s call “l’année de l’Arménie en France” (the year of Armenia in France). A lot of manifestations, concerts, expos (ancient & modern art, paintings, photos…) all over the country, including the most prestigious at the Musée du Louvres.
