Video Transcript
Edmund: Imagine your family has lived in the same exact town for generations and generations. You and your family take pride in the buildings, the roads, the people; all the history that makes up your town. But imagine that every now and then—after a decade or two—a new ruler is announced. And now suddenly, your loyalty is demanded by a totally new king from some far-away land. It’d be like waking up with a different country’s flag on all the flag poles, but you’re still living in the same exact place.
We often think of foreign invaders in a negative context, especially for those people who are being invaded. And this is probably with good reason. But was this always the case in every situation throughout history?
Throughout early ancient history, when a kingdom or empire would conquer another territory, this would bring lots of uncertainty into people’s lives. And this was because invading conquerors might impose new laws, new taxes, or new customs; disrupting the familiar order. And these conquerors almost always needed to take this territory by force and war. Conquered lands often experienced cultural blending as the new rulers introduced their language, religion, or traditions.
For example, Alexander the Great brought Greek culture throughout the vast areas he conquered. The Greek way of life was suddenly introduced alongside the way of life of the people who were conquered and had lived there for generations.
But there were some situations where people welcomed new rulers who brought stability, advanced infrastructure, or relief from a previous empire or ruler’s oppression. If you had been living under a harsh king or an unstable government, you might welcome a new king or kingdom to expand into your territory. And in a few of these situations, a foreign invader was actually seen by the people as a liberator.
For example, in 539 B.C.E., the Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon and ended the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Babylonians had oppressed many groups—including the Jews— who had been exiled after the destruction of Jerusalem. King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. So King Cyrus was celebrated as a liberator by many, and his policies of religious tolerance and local autonomy made Persian rule relatively well-received.
And a more famous example you might be familiar with is the entry of the Allied forces into Nazi-Occupied Europe during World War II. People in occupied countries like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands saw the Allies as liberators, freeing them from Nazi oppression. And the ending of harsh policies—such as forced labor and suppression of freedom—was welcomed. The Allied troops were greeted with celebrations, and their presence helped rebuild and stabilize Europe post-war.
But it’s interesting to imagine how complicated it would feel to be in a situation hoping a foreigner would invade. I mean, you’re living under one nation’s flag, but deep down you hope that one day a foreign power—or a good and just king—might come and overthrow your leader. Maybe today we can relate to this by thinking about the hope and expectation people sometimes feel around political elections, especially when you’re hoping for your party or your political candidate to come into office and change things for the better.
It’s a fact that looking back throughout history, no kingdom, empire, country, or leader has ever been—or ever will be—perfect. And to be human means to have flaws, and that’s just what our leaders are: human. So in a way, we all can relate to this longing for a perfect kingdom, and for a good and just—and even perfect—king. And If there was in fact hope for such a thing, wouldn’t you pray for that kingdom to come soon?
