Although his paternal great-grandfather had been a priest in the Russian Orthodox Church, and his pious mother did have him baptised, he was an atheist in later life.

Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis (" Southern Land ") date back to antiquity, the first confirmed sighting of the continent of Antarctica is commonly accepted to have occurred in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny.

Although earlier precursors to this presentation exist, its invention is generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, who intended the table to illustrate recurring trends in the properties of the elements.

Although all three languages share a common ancestor, Proto-Indo-European, English and German also share a more recent common ancestor, Proto-Germanic, while Russian does not.

Although the Finns had accepted the liberating manifesto ( from the period of 1908-1916 ) of March 1917 issued by the Russian Provisional Government, they planned at least an expansion of the former autonomy.

Although some 60, 000 to 80, 000 Russian soldiers of the former Tsar's army remained stationed in Finland at the start of the Civil War, the Russian contribution to the Red Guards ' cause was to prove negligible.

Although the Soviet government denied these charges as recently as 1987, in recent years the Russian government has acknowledged the practice.

Although there still were battles such as Maloyaroslavets the Napoleonic army left Russia in late 1812 annihilated, most of all by the Russian winter, exhaustion, and scorched earth warfare.

Although the Russian Empire would play a leading political role in the next century, secured by its defeat of Napoleonic France, its retention of serfdom precluded economic progress of any significant degree.

Although it was intended to attract writers from both France and the German states, the Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher was dominated by the latter, with the only non-German writer being the exiled Russian anarcho-communist Michael Bakunin.

Although Trotsky stated in his autobiography My Life that he was never perfectly fluent in any language but Russian and Ukrainian, Raymond Molinier wrote that Trotsky spoke fluent French.

Although most felt the Russian Revolution was working class in character, they believed that, since capitalist relations still existed ( because the workers had no say in running the economy ), the Soviet Union ended up as a state capitalist country, with the state replacing the individual capitalist.

Although these spontaneously created popular forces had participated in several major wars of the Russian Empire, including in combat, they were not obligated to serve for more than one year, and notably departed for home during the 1813 campaign in Germany.

Although Bukharin had not challenged Stalin since 1929, his former supporters, including Martemyan Ryutin, drafted and clandestinely circulated an anti-Stalin platform, which called Stalin the “ evil genius of the Russian Revolution ”.

Although European navigators visited the islands and explored their coastlines thereafter, little was known of the inhabitants by Europeans until the 1870s, when Russian anthropologist Nicholai Miklukho-Maklai made a number of expeditions to New Guinea, spending several years living among native tribes, and described their way of life in a comprehensive treatise.

Although precursors to this table exist, its invention is generally credited to Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869.

Although early Pan-Slavism had found interest among some Poles, it soon lost its appeal as the movement became dominated by Russia, and while Russian Pan-Slavists spoke of liberation of other Slavs through Russian actions, parts of Poland had been ruled by the Russian Empire since the Partitions of Poland.

Although not instantly received into the group, Diaghilev was aided by Benois in developing his knowledge of Russian and Western art.

Although most council communists felt the Russian Revolution was working class in character, they believed that the Soviet Union was a state capitalist country, with the state replacing the individual capitalists ( an additional argument in favour of that was the continued existence of capitalist relations, as manifested e. g. in the New Economic Policy ).

Although he published mostly in Russian which was not understood by most Western European chemists, the 1870 article in which he first stated his rule was written in German.

" Although a Greek, he may have been a soldier of the Persian army when Clazomenae was suppressed during the Ionian Revolt.

Although Pompey was strongly against it-he wanted to surround and starve Caesar's army instead-he eventually gave in and accepted battle from Caesar on a field near Pharsalus.

Although Villeroi had the option of enveloping the flanks of the Allied army as they deployed on the plateau of Jandrenouille – threatening to encircle their army – the Duke correctly gauged that the characteristically cautious French commander was intent on a defensive battle along the ridge-line.

Although it remained a distinct military body for several years, FAT was eventually reduced to the status of a regional army representing the south.

Although besieged on numerous occasions by various peoples, it was taken only in 1204 by the army of the Fourth Crusade, in 1261 by Michael VIII, and in 1453 by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II.

Although he did not hold a formal executive position in the government, Chiang continued to issue orders to the army, and many officers continued to obey Chiang rather than Li.

Although the Romans inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, two-thirds of the Caledonian army escaped and hid in the Scottish marshes and Highlands, ultimately preventing Agricola from bringing the entire British island under his control.

Although made secure in his position as ruler by virtue of support from the army which was created by his father, Habibullah was not as domineering as Abdur Rahman.

Although the Romans won a clear victory over the Carthaginian relief force at the Battle of Agrigentum, the Carthaginian army defending the city managed to escape.

Although the Romans defeated the Carthaginian fleet and were successful in rescuing its army in Africa, a storm destroyed nearly the entire Roman fleet on the trip home ; the number of casualties in the disaster may have exceeded 90, 000 men.

Although seizing Viipuri offered major advantages, the lack of combat skills of his army and potential for a major counterattack by the enemy in the area or in the south-west made it too risky.

Although Washington never gained the commission in the British army he yearned for, in these years the young man gained valuable military, political, and leadership skills.

Although he lost many of his battles, he never surrendered his army during the war, and he continued to fight the British relentlessly until the war's end.

Although Aristide accepted the plan, it was rejected by the opposition, which mostly consisted of Haitian businessmen and former members of the army ( who sought to reinstate the military following Aristide's disbandment of it ).

Although a Franco-Scottish army was successful at the Battle of Baugé ( 1421 ), the humiliating defeats of Poitiers ( 1356 ) and Agincourt ( 1415 ) forced the French nobility to realise they could not stand just as armoured knights without an organised army.

Although Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered four days earlier, Booth believed the war was not yet over because Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's army was still fighting the Union Army.

Although the undeniable tactical success left the Roman army in control of the battlefield, the Persian capital was not taken, the main Persian army was still at large and approaching, while the Romans lacked a clear strategical objective.

Although the first intake were called up, the war broke out soon after, and the militiamen lost their identity in the rapidly expanding army.

Although officially denied by the Nigerian government, Nigeria is known to have also provided secret military training at the Kaduna first mechanized army division and provided other material support to Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe's guerrilla forces during the Rhodesian Bush War ( Renamed Zimbabwe in 1979 ) of independence against white minority rule of Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith which was armed and financed by the regime in South Africa.

Although she appeared more subdued and defeated, Jones knew she was growing more dangerous.

Although the proposal seemed to have been approved, the plans of the British were thwarted by the uprising of Dost Muhammad's son Muhammad Akbar Khan, who defeated and annihilated the British-Indian garrison at Gandamak on its retreat from Kabul in January 1842.

Although, Prince Mstilav defeated the royal armies, but finally he agreed to cede the government of the principality to the Hungarian prince.

Although initially victorious at the Battle of Pea Ridge ( Elkhorn Tavern ) in March, Pike's unit was defeated later in a counterattack, after falling into disarray.

Although each variant of bridge has its own particular scheme for awarding and accumulating points, all are based upon whether or not the contract for each deal was made or defeated and by how many tricks.

Although Stalin had received warnings from spies and his generals, he felt that Germany would not attack the Soviet Union until Germany had defeated Britain.

Although he sympathised with the Greeks, and held a deep mistrust of the defeated Muslims, he was reluctant to support America's involvement in continuing wars far from home.

Although Tim Smith stepped down from the House of Commons at the 1997 General Election, both Neil Hamilton and Jonathan Aitken sought re-election for their seats, and were both defeated, in Hamilton's case by the former BBC Reporter Martin Bell, who stood as an anti-sleaze candidate, both the Labour and LibDem candidates withdrawing in his favour, amidst further publicity unfavourable to the Conservatives.

Although the details are vague, both authors make it clear that the Achaeans were defeated and that Aratus was killed shortly thereafter.

This conjecture seems to be confirmed in the introduction of the first volume of the chronicles of Gallus Anonymus concerning the Pomeranians: Although often the leaders of the forces defeated by the Polish duke sought salvation in baptism, as soon as they regained their strength, they repudiated the Christian faith and started the war against Christians anew.

Although ultimately defeated the strength of resistance convinced the British to make concessions to the indigenous inhabitants allowing them to preserve inheritance, property and marriage rights and customs throughout most of the period of the British rule.

Although its opponents would include winners of 9 of the last 15 NFL MVP awards, the team advanced to the 2010 NFC Championship game where they defeated the Minnesota Vikings, led by Brett Favre, 31 – 28 in overtime ( at 9: 19 CST ), and then went on to win their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

Although outnumbered, the Holy League famously defeated the Ottoman Empire, which had threatened to overrun Europe, at the Battle of Lepanto.

Although the Allies defeated the French, they lost over twenty thousand men, compared with only ten thousand for their opponents.

Although Nasser and his Arab allies had been defeated, Arafat and Fatah could claim a victory, in that the majority of Palestinians, who had up to that time tended to align and sympathize with individual Arab governments, now began to agree that a ' Palestinian ' solution to their dilemma was indispensable.

Although nationalist forces managed to retake the city in February 1921, and successfully released all the political leaders, the city's nationalist elite were once again defeated by Soviet forces on 2 April 1921.

Although Ibrahim was defeated in Mani, he had succeeded in suppressing most of the revolt in the Peloponnese and Athens had been retaken.

Although the Cossacks were defeated in 1651 in the battle of Beresteczko, Khmelnytsky sought help from Russian tsar, and by the Treaty of Pereyaslav Russia dominated and partially occupied the eastern lands of the Commonwealth since 1655.

Although the Swedes were finally driven back in 1657 and the Russians were defeated in 1662, most of the country was ruined.

Although Xiang Yu proved to be a capable commander, Liu Bang defeated him at the Battle of Gaixia, in modern-day Anhui.

Although the Yellow Turbans were defeated, many generals appointed during the crisis never disbanded their assembled militia forces and used these troops to amass power outside of the collapsing imperial authority.

Although the some 5, 800-man force under his command ( mostly hundred-days ' men amalgamated from the VIII Corps ) and the division of James B. Ricketts from VI Corps was defeated by Confederate General Jubal A.

Although Russian forces defeated the Golden Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, Mongol domination of parts of Rus ' territories, with the requisite demands of tribute, continued until the Great stand on the Ugra river in 1480.