Knights Templar

Knights Templar

On the 18th of March, 1314, Jacques de Molay, the 23rd and final Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burnt at the stake. Jacques de Molay is one of the most enigmatic and tragic figures of the medieval period. As the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, he...
The Black Prince

The Black Prince

On the 17th of March, 1337, Edward, the Black Prince was made Duke of Cornwall, the first Duchy in England. Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince, was one of medieval England’s most formidable warriors. As the eldest son of King Edward III, he was...
Clifford’s Tower

Clifford’s Tower

Called to Account, the fourth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, is set against the backdrop of a pogrom against the Jewish community in Frankfurt. Yet racist violence has taken place almost everywhere, including England. In the heart of York, England, stands...
Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

The 15th of March is, of course, the Ides of March, and is the day on which Julius Caesar was assassinated. Julius Caesar is one of the most famous figures in history, a brilliant military commander and shrewd politician whose rise to power reshaped Rome forever....
Admiral Sir John Byng

Admiral Sir John Byng

I have posted about Admiral Nelson, but today is the anniversary of the death of another admiral. Admiral Sir John Byng’s name is etched in history not for naval victories but for one of the most infamous military executions in British history. His death by firing...
Battle of Oosterweel

Battle of Oosterweel

The Battle of Oosterweel was fought on the 13th of March, 1567, and marked the outbreak of the Eighty Years’ War, which ultimately led to the independence of the Dutch Republic from Spanish rule. My ancestor, the Elizabethan spy Sir Anthony Standen, was caught up in...