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Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger has a place in the history of Byzantium as the author of one of the works devoted to the Komnenos family coming to power. This outstanding observer and talented leader, who was fascinated by the person of his father-in-law Alexius I Komnenos, came from a family whose ambitions were no less than the those in the one into which Nikephoros himself married. His father and grandfather, also his namesake, were those who dreamed of an imperial crown for themselves and tried to reach for it armed. Apart from defeat, they both faced punishment which was blinding. One of those who captured and ordered the father of Nikephoros the Younger to be blinded was his future father-in-law. Like the later marriage with Anna Komnene, this had an impact on the respect he had for the new dynasty. However, the question is whether this respect should be explained by the man's reluctance to participate in a plot against his brother-in-law that his ambitious wife and her mother planned.

Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger has a place in the history of Byzantium as the author of one of the works devoted to the Komnenos family coming to power. This outstanding observer and talented leader, who was fascinated by the person of his father-in-law Alexius I Komnenos, came from a family whose ambitions were no less than the those in the one into which Nikephoros himself married. His father and grandfather, also his namesake, were those who dreamed of an imperial crown for themselves and tried to reach for it armed. Apart from defeat, they both faced punishment which was blinding. One of those who captured and ordered the father of Nikephoros the Younger to be blinded was his future father-in-law. Like the later marriage with Anna Komnene, this had an impact on the respect he had for the new dynasty. However, the question is whether this respect should be explained by the man's reluctance to participate in a plot against his brother-in-law that his ambitious wife and her mother planned.

One of the most important Irish historical sources, which are the Annals of the Four Masters, written in the modern period, provide us with unusually valuable information about the history of the Emerald Island. In addition to data from the ancient or medieval periods, it also contains material from the difficult 16th and 17th centuries for Ireland, when it came under the yoke of English Protestants, who were initially represented by the Tudors and then by the Stuart dynasty. The Annals of the Four Masters also witnesses the resistance of the Irish, both those from Hiberno Normans and Gaelic Irish, to the demands of new authorities, including the rejection of Catholicism and total submission to the power of the kings of England. One such attempt, although unsuccessful, was the Kildare rebellion undertaken by Silken Thomas Earl of Kildare in the late 1630s. The laconic nature of Annales' accounts, as well as the omission by this source of many important data, makes it an auxiliary material related to military history in the case of the Kildare rebellion. This is interesting because, in the context of later revolts that broke out in Ireland against the authority of the Tudors or Stuarts, in the era of further conquest of the island, this source is very valuable research material in this field.

Abstract
Isaac Komnenos (1007-1060) was the son of Manuel Eroticos Komnenos (955/960-c.1020), one of the associates of Basil II. Thanks to his education, Isaac later joined the imperial army (around 1042). He held the post of stratopedarches of the East and the ranks of magistros. At Easter 1057, the delegation of many military commanders presented itself before the emperor. This delegation was led by Isaac, and along with Katakalon Kekaumenos he tried to convince Michael VI to give them both the title of proedros, but the new emperor rejected their demands. They did not receive the money they counted on the part of the emperor, and he insulted them. This, in turn, became the causative factor of the rebellion, which culminated at the battle of Petroe. The attitudes and actions of Isaac Komnenos at the beginning of the rebellion cannot be unequivocally assessed. It is also difficult to say that it was his skills that were decisive for the success during the battle of Petroe, since he had a moment of breakdown, during which he wanted to leave his army and hide behind the walls of nearby Nicaea. He had a cunctator attitude and faith in the good omens. These qualities also do not reflect well on him.

The Empire of Nicaea was a successor of the Byzantium shattered in 1204. In the newly established state marine traditions of Byzantines, remain alive. The best testimony to this, are the evidence contained in the chronicle of Georgios Akropolites, devoted to activities of the rulers of Nicaea, aimed to build their own naval forces. In this paper I'll also try to answer, where was beating the heart of the Nicean shipbuilding industry and how large was the navy of this state. This is important from point of view of the maritime history, because of the fleet of the Empire of Nicaea, filled the gap created after the fall of Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire, which was the local naval power in previous centuries. Akropolites give us a clear and direct answer to a question, where we should search for a center of Nicaean shipbuilding industry. Georgios Akropolites suggest us, that was in two towns, Holkos and Smyrna. The above-mentioned fleet consisted of the few squadrons, each counting 5-6 ships. We can only guess that a fleet of the John III, could count about 50 warships, whose quality was worse to that belonging to the Venetians. We must say that the fleet of the Empire of Nicaea, which we see in the chronicle of Akropolites, was the force, that lent itself to the support of ground forces. And in this role worked well. The situation was different when it comes to clashing with the Venetians, with the experienced crews of their ships, who surpassed Nicaean in this matter. Even with the advantage of numbers, Nicaean was unable to overcome at the sea, the citizens of the Republic of St. Mark. The plan to build their own naval forces, which was taken by the emperors of Nicaea, was a good direction.

Seit der ersten Auslandsreise, die mit der Pilgerfahrt ins Heilige Land verbunden war, führte Ludwig II., der Herr von Brieg und Liegnitz, ein ziemlich verschwenderische Finanzpolitik. Er benötigte diese für seine zahlreichen Auslandsreisen und für sein üppiges Leben am Hof Sigismunds von Luxemburg. Es ist schwer ihn als Tugendideal zu charakterisieren, obwohl er am Anfang seiner Regierung so gesehen werden wollte. Die Schulden, die er im Laufe des Lebens machte – bei schlesischen Fürsten, den Kirchenvertreter und eigenen Untertanen – führten zum Bankrott der Länder des ehemaligen Fürstentums von Brieg-Liegnitz, das unter der Herrschaft von seinem Großvater Ludwig I. florierte. ; From his first foreign expedition, combined with the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Louis II, the ruler of Brzeg and Legnica, conducted a fairly extravagant financial policy. His numerous foreign trips and lavish lifestyle at the court of King Sigismund of Luxembourg consumed a huge amount of money. Despite his best efforts, Louis II definitely cannot be regarded as an ideal of virtues. The debts he owed to the Silesian princes, representatives of the Church and his subjects led the territories of the former Duchy of Brzeg-Legnica, which had been quite prosperous under the reign of his grandfather Louis I, to bankruptcy.Translated by Agnieszka Chabros ; Książę Ludwik II z Brzegu (1384–1436). Władca – pielgrzym – bankrut(streszczenie)Od momentu pierwszej wyprawy zagranicznej połączonej z pielgrzymką do Ziemi Świętej Ludwik II, władca Brzegu i Legnicy, prowadził dość rozrzutną politykę finansową. Wiele kosztowały go także liczne podróże zagraniczne oraz wystawne życie na dworze Zygmunta Luksemburskiego. Trudno Ludwika II uważać za ideał cnót, chociaż książę próbował w początkach swego panowania za takiego uchodzić. Długi, które w ciągu swojego życia zaciągnął – u książąt śląskich, przedstawicieli Kościoła oraz własnych poddanych – doprowadziły do bankructwa ziemie dawnego księstwa brzesko-legnickiego, które znakomicie prosperowały pod panowaniem jego dziadka Ludwika I.

Książę Ludwik II z Brzegu (1384–1436). Władca – pielgrzym – bankrut(streszczenie)Od momentu pierwszej wyprawy zagranicznej połączonej z pielgrzymką do Ziemi Świętej Ludwik II, władca Brzegu i Legnicy, prowadził dość rozrzutną politykę finansową. Wiele kosztowały go także liczne podróże zagraniczne oraz wystawne życie na dworze Zygmunta Luksemburskiego. Trudno Ludwika II uważać za ideał cnót, chociaż książę próbował w początkach swego panowania za takiego uchodzić. Długi, które w ciągu swojego życia zaciągnął – u książąt śląskich, przedstawicieli Kościoła oraz własnych poddanych – doprowadziły do bankructwa ziemie dawnego księstwa brzesko-legnickiego, które znakomicie prosperowały pod panowaniem jego dziadka Ludwika I. ; Seit der ersten Auslandsreise, die mit der Pilgerfahrt ins Heilige Land verbunden war, führte Ludwig II., der Herr von Brieg und Liegnitz, ein ziemlich verschwenderische Finanzpolitik. Er benötigte diese für seine zahlreichen Auslandsreisen und für sein üppiges Leben am Hof Sigismunds von Luxemburg. Es ist schwer ihn als Tugendideal zu charakterisieren, obwohl er am Anfang seiner Regierung so gesehen werden wollte. Die Schulden, die er im Laufe des Lebens machte – bei schlesischen Fürsten, den Kirchenvertreter und eigenen Untertanen – führten zum Bankrott der Länder des ehemaligen Fürstentums von Brieg-Liegnitz, das unter der Herrschaft von seinem Großvater Ludwig I. florierte. ; From his first foreign expedition, combined with the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Louis II, the ruler of Brzeg and Legnica, conducted a fairly extravagant financial policy. His numerous foreign trips and lavish lifestyle at the court of King Sigismund of Luxembourg consumed a huge amount of money. Despite his best efforts, Louis II definitely cannot be regarded as an ideal of virtues. The debts he owed to the Silesian princes, representatives of the Church and his subjects led the territories of the former Duchy of Brzeg-Legnica, which had been quite prosperous under the reign of his grandfather Louis I, to bankruptcy.Translated by Agnieszka Chabros

The turn of the V and VI century AD was an important period in the history of the Roman Empire fleet. The Mediterranean Sea once again became, a body of water full of competitive fleets, threatening the remnants of the Western Roman Empire and the provinces of Byzantium. On the emperors of the East, in Constantinople, fell to conserve the heritage of Rome, and the conduct of maritime policy in the Mediterranean. They had to contend with the fleets of Vandals, Goths, who quickly discovered the benefits of having their own naval forces, which helped them to master most of the islands in the western Mediterranean. Only Justinian I broke the losing streak of the Roman fleet, going on the offensive on the sea, in his attempt to reconstruct the old empire. It was a very long process that ended successfully.