jjares reviewed The Basques: A Captivating Guide to the History of the Basque Country, Starting from Prehistory through Roman Rule and the Middle Ages to the Present on + 3278 more book reviews
Since starting to read extensively about world history, I have been hoping that Captivating History would write about a unique ethnic minority in France and Spain called the Basques. My wish has been answered and this is a fascinating study of a very, very old ethnic group. It is amazing that this group is distinct from its neighbors of both of these countries. They do not share their language with their neighbors -- at all (incredibly, their language is a 'language isolate' having no related language).
Geneticists have now traced the DNA markers of the Basques to people from the Ural Mountains in Russia. The caves of the Pyrenees Mountains show fascinating art; the Basques were incredibly ancient peoples who drew lions, rhinoceroses, and other wildlife not seen in Western Europe since their history started to be recorded.
I was stunned to learn that the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) were formed by two Basque men, St. Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier. Ignatius was a Basque military leader who became an important Catholic Church theologian. Francis Xavier was beatified by the Church and came from Navarre. The Jesuits were some of the most important church missionaries, educational leaders, and charity dispensers for the Church.
Because the Basques are surrounded by other linguistic groups, the students have a choice in learning via these 4 choices: (1) all lessons in Spanish, (2) lessons in Spanish with Basque as a compulsory subject, (3) lessons in Spanish/Basque mix, or (4) all education in Basque. Fifty percent of the students use the fourth option only.
This book is a fascinating look at an ancient people who number about 3 million, distributed around the world. They have survived in spite of larger ethnic groups trying to change them. An amazing statement from this book is: Even today, the Basques 'haven't lost much of the purity of their ethnicity.' (p. 111)
Geneticists have now traced the DNA markers of the Basques to people from the Ural Mountains in Russia. The caves of the Pyrenees Mountains show fascinating art; the Basques were incredibly ancient peoples who drew lions, rhinoceroses, and other wildlife not seen in Western Europe since their history started to be recorded.
I was stunned to learn that the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) were formed by two Basque men, St. Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier. Ignatius was a Basque military leader who became an important Catholic Church theologian. Francis Xavier was beatified by the Church and came from Navarre. The Jesuits were some of the most important church missionaries, educational leaders, and charity dispensers for the Church.
Because the Basques are surrounded by other linguistic groups, the students have a choice in learning via these 4 choices: (1) all lessons in Spanish, (2) lessons in Spanish with Basque as a compulsory subject, (3) lessons in Spanish/Basque mix, or (4) all education in Basque. Fifty percent of the students use the fourth option only.
This book is a fascinating look at an ancient people who number about 3 million, distributed around the world. They have survived in spite of larger ethnic groups trying to change them. An amazing statement from this book is: Even today, the Basques 'haven't lost much of the purity of their ethnicity.' (p. 111)
