battles
pilltown
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As Ricardians, we’re not all that impressed with the work of Dan Jones and have long considered him to be an accomplished writer of fiction. Well, now he really is a writer of fiction, and the book described below, “Essex Dogs”, looks an exciting and excellent tale of a group of archers and others…
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The sitter of this portrait is said to be Lucy Hutchinson (born Apsley) who was the wife of Civil War General John Hutchinson, MP. Lucy was a remarkable woman. She wrote what is thought to be the first epic poem produced by an Englishwoman. She was also a translator, and as if that was not…
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695 years ago today, Edward III became King of England at the age of fourteen and was crowned a week later. His father was definitely alive for almost another eight months and probably several more years. His mother, Isabella of France is regularly described by some writers as having a relationship with Roger Mortimer, 1st…
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With all the recent publicity and very real worry over the head injuries that are part and parcel of physical sports such as boxing, football and rugby, I’ve been prompted to consider similar injuries that must have happened in earlier periods of our history, when activities such as tourneying were very much the…
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I have been reading a very interesting article from the Journal of Medieval History by E. Amanda McVitty, called False knights and true men: contesting chivalric masculinity in English treason trials, 1388-1415. (Vol. 40, No. 4, 458–477) There is an old saying that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, and by the…
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In the above illustration I do believe the illustrator has endeavoured to create the real Abbot Wheathampstead (also Whethamstede), baldness and all, if the lack of hair around the ears is anything to do by. My interest in St Albans has hitherto been concerned with the 14th century, specifically the time of Abbot Thomas…
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As supporters of Richard III, we find it only too easy to dislike Henry VII. Not only did the churl defeat and kill Richard (not even through his own martial endeavours but through treachery!) but his looks mean we wouldn’t trust him an inch. He looks cold, calculating, shifty and downright untrustworthy, nor…
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Well, after a hard, too-hot day, (This was written last summer!) it’s always refreshing to have a snigger at the Weasel’s expense. It began when I happened upon the following statement: “….One of the earliest examples is a collection of astrological texts by Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus), John Killingworth, Guido Bonatti, Plato of Tivoli.[1] On its…
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“Useful Charts” tries to answer the big question: the Roman Empire
Alexis Romanov, Andreas, Andrew Romanov, Augustus, Byzantine Empire, Charlemagne, claimants, Constantine XI, Constantinople, Czars, Dundar Ali Osman, Felipe VI, Ferdinand and Isabella, France, Habsburgs, Holy Roman Empire, Irene, Istanbul, Ivan III, Jean-Christophe Napoleon, Julio-Claudian dynasty, Karl I, Karl von Habsburg, Matt Baker, Napoleon III, Nicholas II, Ottoman Empire, Roman Empire, royal titles, Russia, Russian Orthodox Church, Spain, The Four Lads, Turkey, Useful Charts, ZoeThe Roman Empire dates back to this day in 27BC, when Augustus assumed the title Princeps, to end (in the West) with Romulus Augustulus’ deposition in 476 and (in the East or Byzantine) with the defeat and death of Constantine XI by the Ottomans at Constintinople in 1453. So, who is the hypothetical Roman Emperor…
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“….[A] proclamation to tackle unrest, 1487… stated that any person found to be spreading rumours was to be put into the pillory….” (from this site ) Oh dear, Henry VII didn’t like doses of his own medicine! I speak of rumours and lies. What’s the word….? Um, calumny. That’s it. You know, the rumours…
The New Murrey and Blue blog 