Tag: mercenaries

The sack of Rome

This 1527 event, which led to a Charles V inspired papacy ultimately refusing Henry VIII‘s annulment, because Catherine of Aragon was his aunt and Clement VII almost his prisoner, was discussed on “In Our Time” this week. In turn, however, this was inspired by Habsburg mercenaries being unpaid after their victory at the seige of… Continue reading The sack of Rome

Breaking the code – Charles V

The Emperor Charles V was the grandson of Maximilian I (Richard III’s friend and step-nephew-in-law), a nephew of Catherine of Aragon (and thus by marriage to Henry VIII) and father-in-law of Mary I. In February 1547, he feared death at the hands of a Italian mercenary (Pierre Strozzi) and wrote a fiendishly coded letter to… Continue reading Breaking the code – Charles V

Richard III had the sweating sickness before facing Tudor….?

It has been argued before, especially by the late John Ashdown-Hill, that Richard’s sleepless nights and so-called ghastly appearance before Bosworth were caused by the sweating sickness. It has also been more generally understood that it was Henry VII and his army of foreign invaders who brought and spread the disease, which was new to… Continue reading Richard III had the sweating sickness before facing Tudor….?

A fully-functioning iron hand from the early 16th century….

  We’re inclined to view fully functioning prosthetic hands and so on as a modern invention. The fruits of our ever-advancing society. But we aren’t the originators. Of course, prosthetics go back a very long time, e.g. a wooden toe survives from Ancient Egypt, but the fully functioning part also goes back a fair way.… Continue reading A fully-functioning iron hand from the early 16th century….

Edward of Warwick, a “pretender” to Henry VII’s throne? Well, REALLY Mr Amin….!

  Oh dear, Nathen Amin wants us to fork out £10 to listen to him lecturing that poor old Henry VII was beset by wicked imposters and pretenders? I think not. Not even 10p! Especially as poor Edward, Earl of Warwick didn’t pretend to be anything at all, he was imprisoned as a child and… Continue reading Edward of Warwick, a “pretender” to Henry VII’s throne? Well, REALLY Mr Amin….!

Music and Metal Detecting

Here is an interview by our own Ian Churchward (The Legendary Ten Seconds) about their new song: A song for a metal detectorist, covering  history and metal detecting … {link to 27 March}

How to rile this Ricardian….!

ARGHHHHH!!!!! I was interested in this old 1999 article from a US newspaper…until I reached the penultimate paragraph, which contains the following observation: The report traces Arthurian traditions through exile in Wales to the return of “Pretanic power” with the victory of the Tudors, who won the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 under the future… Continue reading How to rile this Ricardian….!

James Tyrrell’s Ancestor

You may know or suspect from a previous post in Murrey and Blue, that Sir James Tyrrell, Richard’s henchman, was a direct descendant of Sir Walter Tyrrell, the ‘Killer Baron’, who fled during a hunting expedition with King William II (Rufus) after shooting him with an arrow. It is not known whether this was an… Continue reading James Tyrrell’s Ancestor