A
Anonymous
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Tell me if I missed something in your opinion.
ca.1 000 000- 20 000 BC
Palaeolithic Age [Quest For Fire]
3032-525 BC
Pharaonic Empire [Powerslave]1
356-323 BC
Life and reign of Alexander the Great [Alexander The Great]2
15.3.44 BC
Murder of Julius Caesar [The Ides Of March]3
793
Begin of Viking Age with raid of Lindisfarne [Invasion, Invaders]4
1167-1227
Life and reign of Genghis Khan [Genghis Khan]5
1184
Begin of Medieval Inquisition [Sign Of The Cross]
1244
Siege of Montségur [Montségur]
1296-1357
Wars of Scottish Independence [The Clansman]6
1503-1566
Life of Nostradamus [Die With Your Boots On]7
14.8.1515
First known execution with an iron maiden [passim]
1584–1645
Life of Miyamoto Musashi [Sun And Steel]8
1853-1856
Crimean War [The Trooper]9
1870-1890
Peak of Indian Wars (Little Bighorn, 1876; Wounded Knee, 1890) [Run To The Hills]10
1914-1918
First World War [The Aftermath, Paschendale]11
1917
Third Battle Of Ypres [Paschendale]
1939-1945
Second World War [Aces High, Where Eagles Dare, Tail Gunner, Run Silent Run Deep, The Longest Day, Brighter Than A Thousand Suns]12
1940-1941
Battle Of Britain [Aces High]
1942-1945
Strategic Bombing over Germany and Japan [Tail Gunner]13
6.6.1944
Allied landing in Normandy (D-Day) [The Longest Day]
16.7.1945
First test of a nuclear weapon, dubbed Trinity Test [Brighter Than A Thousand Suns]
6.8.1945
Atomic Bomb over Hiroshima [Tail Gunner]
1946-1990
Cold War [2 Minutes To Midnight, Mother Russia]14
1966-1973
US Engagement in the Vietnam War [The Edge Of Darkness]15
1982
Falkland War [Como Estais Amigos]16
1985
Mikhail Gorbachev introduces Perestroika policy [Mother Russia]17
1990/91
Second Gulf War [Afraid To Shoot Strangers]18
2.10.1985/24.11.1991
AIDS epidemic gains worldwide recognition by the deaths of Rock Hudson and Freddie Mercury [Fear Is The Key]19
1992
Yugoslavia splits up; begin of Balkan Wars [Blood On The World's Hands]20
11.9.2001
Terrorist strikes on United States of America [Face In The Sand]21
---
Footnotes
GENERAL: For confirmation/reference, see The Iron Maiden Commentary.
1 See also: Powerslave album cover, loose reference to Abu Simbel; mention of "Nile" in Revelations (direct reference disproved, but impossible w/o Pharaonic empire); it is also arguable whether the Pharaonic Empire ended in 525 BC, considering the Persian Kings held the title of the Pharaoh (27/31. dynasty), and the period of independence from Persia 402-343 BC; also, Alexander the Great assumed the title of Pharaoh, and Egypt was an independent (Greek-dominated) empire until 31 BC; However, the classic entity of the Pharaonic Empire ended with Persian conquest in 525 BC.
2 Reign: 336-323 BC.
3 Instrumental, no explicit reference to Julius Caesar, but the title of the song can be regarded as a reference to his death due to the fame of the date.
4 The songs explicitly refer to Viking "invasions", which, in the sense of the word, did not happen in Britain until the late first half of the 9th century (explicit mention of the Saxons makes British tie obvious); the songs may also be a reference to the battle of Hastings (1066), but this is dubious; it is more likely about unspecified Viking invasions; taking this into consideration, it still seems fair to name the raid of Lindisfarne, as the songs are simply about the Viking Age itself instead of a direct historical event.
5 Reign: 1175-1227; 1175-1206 (as Temujin), 1206-1227 (as Ghakhan (Great Khan) with throne name Genghis). Also, this song is an instrumental.
6 See also: Image of Eddie as Scottish Clansman. Song more likely inspired by the film [a URL=http://imdb.com/title/tt0112573/]Braveheart[/URL] (1995), itself inspired byThe Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace (a.k.a. The Wallace or Blind Harry's Wallace) by Blind Harry (or rather by William Hamilton's adaption of 1859).
7 No explicit mention, however the line 13 the beast is rising, the Frenchman did summise is interpreted to be about Nostradamus.
8 Could also be about the Samurai in general.
9 Actually about the Battle of Batlaclava (see also the sleeve of the single, and the Thin Lizzy song Massacre covered by Maiden for a B-Side to Can I Play With Madness) of this very war.
10 No explicit mention of the historical context, but the described setting (e.g. soldier blue) gives obvious implications.
11 Again, only implications in The Aftermath, but the context is obvious (e.g. mustard gas, which was not used in any other war).
12 Not explicit (but likely) in the case of Run Silent Run Deep; Where Eagles Dare actually based on a film based on a book.
13 Japan not explicitly mentioned, only with reference to Enola Gay (also in next date, Hiroshima bombing).
14 Two Minutes To Midnight is actually about the "Hot Wars" during the Cold War (i.e. Korea, Vietnam, Angola etc) and those of the era not directly related to the Cold War (e.g. First Gulf War [=Iran-Iraq War]). See also Sleeve of the "Two Minutes..." single.
15 Actually based on the film Apocalypse Now.
16 No direct mention but official confirmation of the song's topic.
17 Arguable but obvious considering the political context of the time.
18 No explicit mention, but obvious considering the historical context (plus official confirmation).
19 Official confirmation, no obvious mention.
20 Arguable, but strong hints considering the political/historical context.
21 Might as well be about the Third Gulf War (a.k.a. "Iraq War").
ca.1 000 000- 20 000 BC
Palaeolithic Age [Quest For Fire]
3032-525 BC
Pharaonic Empire [Powerslave]1
356-323 BC
Life and reign of Alexander the Great [Alexander The Great]2
15.3.44 BC
Murder of Julius Caesar [The Ides Of March]3
793
Begin of Viking Age with raid of Lindisfarne [Invasion, Invaders]4
1167-1227
Life and reign of Genghis Khan [Genghis Khan]5
1184
Begin of Medieval Inquisition [Sign Of The Cross]
1244
Siege of Montségur [Montségur]
1296-1357
Wars of Scottish Independence [The Clansman]6
1503-1566
Life of Nostradamus [Die With Your Boots On]7
14.8.1515
First known execution with an iron maiden [passim]
1584–1645
Life of Miyamoto Musashi [Sun And Steel]8
1853-1856
Crimean War [The Trooper]9
1870-1890
Peak of Indian Wars (Little Bighorn, 1876; Wounded Knee, 1890) [Run To The Hills]10
1914-1918
First World War [The Aftermath, Paschendale]11
1917
Third Battle Of Ypres [Paschendale]
1939-1945
Second World War [Aces High, Where Eagles Dare, Tail Gunner, Run Silent Run Deep, The Longest Day, Brighter Than A Thousand Suns]12
1940-1941
Battle Of Britain [Aces High]
1942-1945
Strategic Bombing over Germany and Japan [Tail Gunner]13
6.6.1944
Allied landing in Normandy (D-Day) [The Longest Day]
16.7.1945
First test of a nuclear weapon, dubbed Trinity Test [Brighter Than A Thousand Suns]
6.8.1945
Atomic Bomb over Hiroshima [Tail Gunner]
1946-1990
Cold War [2 Minutes To Midnight, Mother Russia]14
1966-1973
US Engagement in the Vietnam War [The Edge Of Darkness]15
1982
Falkland War [Como Estais Amigos]16
1985
Mikhail Gorbachev introduces Perestroika policy [Mother Russia]17
1990/91
Second Gulf War [Afraid To Shoot Strangers]18
2.10.1985/24.11.1991
AIDS epidemic gains worldwide recognition by the deaths of Rock Hudson and Freddie Mercury [Fear Is The Key]19
1992
Yugoslavia splits up; begin of Balkan Wars [Blood On The World's Hands]20
11.9.2001
Terrorist strikes on United States of America [Face In The Sand]21
---
Footnotes
GENERAL: For confirmation/reference, see The Iron Maiden Commentary.
1 See also: Powerslave album cover, loose reference to Abu Simbel; mention of "Nile" in Revelations (direct reference disproved, but impossible w/o Pharaonic empire); it is also arguable whether the Pharaonic Empire ended in 525 BC, considering the Persian Kings held the title of the Pharaoh (27/31. dynasty), and the period of independence from Persia 402-343 BC; also, Alexander the Great assumed the title of Pharaoh, and Egypt was an independent (Greek-dominated) empire until 31 BC; However, the classic entity of the Pharaonic Empire ended with Persian conquest in 525 BC.
2 Reign: 336-323 BC.
3 Instrumental, no explicit reference to Julius Caesar, but the title of the song can be regarded as a reference to his death due to the fame of the date.
4 The songs explicitly refer to Viking "invasions", which, in the sense of the word, did not happen in Britain until the late first half of the 9th century (explicit mention of the Saxons makes British tie obvious); the songs may also be a reference to the battle of Hastings (1066), but this is dubious; it is more likely about unspecified Viking invasions; taking this into consideration, it still seems fair to name the raid of Lindisfarne, as the songs are simply about the Viking Age itself instead of a direct historical event.
5 Reign: 1175-1227; 1175-1206 (as Temujin), 1206-1227 (as Ghakhan (Great Khan) with throne name Genghis). Also, this song is an instrumental.
6 See also: Image of Eddie as Scottish Clansman. Song more likely inspired by the film [a URL=http://imdb.com/title/tt0112573/]Braveheart[/URL] (1995), itself inspired byThe Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace (a.k.a. The Wallace or Blind Harry's Wallace) by Blind Harry (or rather by William Hamilton's adaption of 1859).
7 No explicit mention, however the line 13 the beast is rising, the Frenchman did summise is interpreted to be about Nostradamus.
8 Could also be about the Samurai in general.
9 Actually about the Battle of Batlaclava (see also the sleeve of the single, and the Thin Lizzy song Massacre covered by Maiden for a B-Side to Can I Play With Madness) of this very war.
10 No explicit mention of the historical context, but the described setting (e.g. soldier blue) gives obvious implications.
11 Again, only implications in The Aftermath, but the context is obvious (e.g. mustard gas, which was not used in any other war).
12 Not explicit (but likely) in the case of Run Silent Run Deep; Where Eagles Dare actually based on a film based on a book.
13 Japan not explicitly mentioned, only with reference to Enola Gay (also in next date, Hiroshima bombing).
14 Two Minutes To Midnight is actually about the "Hot Wars" during the Cold War (i.e. Korea, Vietnam, Angola etc) and those of the era not directly related to the Cold War (e.g. First Gulf War [=Iran-Iraq War]). See also Sleeve of the "Two Minutes..." single.
15 Actually based on the film Apocalypse Now.
16 No direct mention but official confirmation of the song's topic.
17 Arguable but obvious considering the political context of the time.
18 No explicit mention, but obvious considering the historical context (plus official confirmation).
19 Official confirmation, no obvious mention.
20 Arguable, but strong hints considering the political/historical context.
21 Might as well be about the Third Gulf War (a.k.a. "Iraq War").
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/smile.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'smile.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/tongue.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'tongue.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/wink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'wink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/huh.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'huh.gif\' /][!--endemo--] It was just a cock up by 'Arry but we exaggerate it so much anyway.
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/lol[1].gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'lol[1].gif\' /][!--endemo--] . Yeh, just checked the IMC and wiki, there's no dinsoaurs in the film/book. Sorry. [!--emo&
--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blush.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blush.gif\' /][!--endemo--]