France briefly declared a Goddess of Reason during the Revolution

historyWikipedia1793 · Paris, France

France briefly declared a Goddess of Reason during the Revolution

the gist

On 10 November 1793 the French revolutionary Convention proclaimed a Goddess of Reason, on the suggestion of Pierre Gaspard Chaumette. The Cult of Reason was France's first state-sponsored atheist religion, meant to replace Christianity during the Revolution, and a festival was held in Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, which was renamed a Temple of Reason. After barely a year it was replaced by the rival Cult of the Supreme Being, promoted by Robespierre, a deist cult. Napoleon banned both in 1802.

so what

The cults show how far the Revolution went in trying to remake society, and how its leaders disagreed about religion. The attempt did not last, and Napoleon restored the Catholic Church by the Concordat of 1801.

the bigger pattern

Revolutions often try to replace old religions with new civic ones, as in the Soviet campaigns against religion. These replacements usually fade quickly, while older faiths return.

fun fact

The festival used an actress or opera singer to represent the Goddess of Reason.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗