Queen Elizabeth II: RIP
If you’ve been following events in the UK over the past week or so, you’ll understand that, even to the casually interested, the death of Queen Elizabeth II is a big deal. Clearly, for...
Tagged: history
40 Years in the Making
This week, I’m celebrating the achievement of a goal that has been 40 years in the making. Let me explain. From a very young age, I’ve been fascinated with English history, particularly the English...
The Reformation’s 500th Birthday
Five hundred years ago this very day, on October 31, 1517, a young Augustinian monk named Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany. He was hoping to...
A History Moment: The Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee
This past Monday, February 6th, Queen Elizabeth II of England, my former monarch, celebrated 65 years on the throne. It’s a bittersweet celebration for the Queen since this also marks the 65th anniversary of...
In the Deep Bosom of a Car Park Buried…*
Last Monday (Feb 4), the University of Leicester, England, announced that the remains of the last English king to die in battle, Richard III, have been found and positively identified. The story of this...
Nikolaos, Bishop of Myra
You all probably know that “Santa Claus” or “Father Christmas” finds his origins in the legends of Nikolaos, bishop of Myra (a city in ancient Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey). He is commonly thought to...
Queen for Nine Days
For a while now, I’ve been fascinated with the story and character of Lady Jane Grey. In case you don’t know, Jane is famous for being Queen of England for only nine days in...
Eight English Edwards
Much like the Roman Catholic Popes, English monarchs get to choose the name by which they will be known. If or when Charles succeeds his mother, Elizabeth II, to the throne, he can be...
Bonfire Night
Every November 5th, all across the UK, families gather around bonfires and watch fireworks crackle brightly against the night sky. Children wave sparklers, tracing lines of dancing light through the darkness. When I was...
It Was 945 Years Ago Today…
On October 14, 1066, Harold Godwinson, King of England, met Duke William of Normandy on the field of battle near Hastings, England. The battle was probably one of the most significant and world-changing conflicts...
