Tag: renaissance

Did Chaucer die a natural death….?

  Here is an extract from Terry Jones’s exquisitely researched book Who Murdered Chaucer? This extract deals with the first Lancastrian usurpation of the throne of England. The usurper was Henry of Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV, and the king he usurped and killed was his first cousin Richard II. I think Terry Jones’s words… Continue reading Did Chaucer die a natural death….?

Royal Autopsy, a documentary series dealing with the recreated post-mortems of Charles II and Elizabeth I….

  I confess to having doubts about watching this two-part series on the Sky History channel because I envisaged CGI overkill with odious (but hopefully by then dead) parasites etc., and so I started viewing with the firm intention of stopping the moment it became too horribly wriggly and gory. No wriggles, but the gory… Continue reading Royal Autopsy, a documentary series dealing with the recreated post-mortems of Charles II and Elizabeth I….

Born back Ceaselessly into the Past: the History of the Fitzgeralds

When most people think of the beautiful Scott and Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, they tend to think of the Jazz Age. That is the epithet coined by Scott to explain the wild ride of the 1920s – the drinking, the music, the partying, the real estate and stock market boom. And let’s not forget literary genius.… Continue reading Born back Ceaselessly into the Past: the History of the Fitzgeralds

The Renaissance, wedding dresses….and Robert de Vere….

  Well, I wasn’t looking for observations on when the Renaissance commenced, rather was I trying to find information on the wedding of Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, Marquess of Dublin, and 9th Earl of Oxford KG. The wording of my Google search brought up a site in which I found the following: “….During… Continue reading The Renaissance, wedding dresses….and Robert de Vere….

Guess what? Henry VII invented the London Watch….!

“….Watchmen were organized groups of men, usually authorized by a state, government, city, or society, to deter criminal activity and provide law enforcement as well as traditionally perform the services of public safety, fire watch, crime prevention, crime detection, recovery of stolen goods. The streets in London were dark and had a shortage of artificial… Continue reading Guess what? Henry VII invented the London Watch….!

Gainsborough Old Hall was built in 1460…therefore it HAS to be Tudor….!

Well, if Richard III was entertained there, Gainsborough Old Hall can’t have always been Tudor! This article even says as much in a heading: “….Lincolnshire house, built in 1460, has been a theatre, preaching house, pub and masonic temple….” Excuse me, but 1460 was Plantagenet, not Tudor. Maybe it’s a Guardian error. (Perish the thought.)… Continue reading Gainsborough Old Hall was built in 1460…therefore it HAS to be Tudor….!

The Traitor’s Arms?

In 1840 workmen carrying out repairs to St Bartholomew’s Church, Ashperton, Herefordshire were collecting stones from the ruins of a nearby manor house when they discovered a heavy stone plaque, carved with an elaborate coat of arms, among the rubble. The stone was taken to the church for safekeeping and has hung on the wall… Continue reading The Traitor’s Arms?

No, the Tudors DIDN’T bring the Renaissance to England, it was here already….!

Tudorites are always very keen to claim the introduction of the Renaissance to England as their territory. Anyone who went before the blessed Henry VII had nothing whatsoever to do with it. Right? No, very wrong. Lady and gentlemen, I give you the Wilton Diptych (see here and also this video), which was created for… Continue reading No, the Tudors DIDN’T bring the Renaissance to England, it was here already….!

Columbus didn’t discover America, Henry Tudor got there first . . . !

I know this book (cover pictured below) is serious, well researched and is no doubt an excellent read . . . but come ON, forget Columbus, the Vikings and early Irish holy men, we all know Henry VII got there first, on his way to settle the small obstacle of Richard III. The Tudor proboscis… Continue reading Columbus didn’t discover America, Henry Tudor got there first . . . !