Battle of Poitiers
On the 19th of September, 1356, an English army under the command of Edward the Black Prince defeated the French army at the Battle of Poitiers. The roots of the Battle of Poitiers lie in the complex dynastic disputes that fuelled the Hundred Years' War. Edward III of...
Harald Hardrada
On the 18th of September, 1066, Harald Hardrada landed with Tostig Godwinson at the mouth of the River Humber and began his invasion of England. Harald Hardrada, King of Norway from 1046 until his death in 1066, played a pivotal role in the dramatic events of that...
Thomas Selfridge
On the 17th of September, 1908, Thomas Selfridge died when the Wright Flyer, in which he was a passenger, flown by Orville Wright crashed. Thomas Selfridge became the first person to be killed in a powered aeroplane crash. I have written about my own aviation...
Owain Glydŵr
On the 16th of September, 1400, Owain Glydŵr was declared Prince of Wales by his followers. I have posted about a later Prince of Wales, Henry Frederick, who gets a mention in my work in progress, The Favourite Murder, the fifth book in the Sir Anthony Standen...
Gilles de Rais
On the 15th of September, 1440, Gilles de Rais was taken into custody. He is one of the earliest known seriel killers. I posted recently about Jack the Ripper, it appears that he was rather restrained in comparison with Gilles de Rais. Gilles de Rais, also known as...
The Flight of the Earls
On the 14th of September, 1607, Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell departed Rathmunnel in Ireland for mainland Europe, along with nearly 100 family members, retainers, and followers. Ireland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries...
Beethoven and George Smiley
On the 13th of September, 1807, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Opus 86, premiered. It was commissioned by Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy. I am drawn to this topic for two reasons. I was interviewed by John Suchet at the 2024 Dartmouth Book Festival, and John is the great...
Battle of Marathon
The accepted date of the Battle of Marathon is the 12th of September, 490 BCE. On that day, on a sun-drenched plain near the small town of Marathon, an event unfolded that would echo through the corridors of history. It was a time when the mighty Persian Empire, under...
The Battle of Teutoburg Forest
On the 11th of September, 9CE, The Battle of Teutoburg Forest was fought. I’ve written about a few Roman Emperors, Caesar, Nero and Commodius, but not Augustus. It’s time to put that right. The Battle of Teutoburg Forest, also known as the Varian Disaster, was a...
Battle of Poitiers
On the 19th of September, 1356, an English army under the command of Edward the Black Prince defeated the French army at the Battle of Poitiers. The roots of the Battle of Poitiers lie in the complex dynastic disputes that fuelled the Hundred Years' War. Edward III of...
Harald Hardrada
On the 18th of September, 1066, Harald Hardrada landed with Tostig Godwinson at the mouth of the River Humber and began his invasion of England. Harald Hardrada, King of Norway from 1046 until his death in 1066, played a pivotal role in the dramatic events of that...
Thomas Selfridge
On the 17th of September, 1908, Thomas Selfridge died when the Wright Flyer, in which he was a passenger, flown by Orville Wright crashed. Thomas Selfridge became the first person to be killed in a powered aeroplane crash. I have written about my own aviation...
Owain Glydŵr
On the 16th of September, 1400, Owain Glydŵr was declared Prince of Wales by his followers. I have posted about a later Prince of Wales, Henry Frederick, who gets a mention in my work in progress, The Favourite Murder, the fifth book in the Sir Anthony Standen...
Gilles de Rais
On the 15th of September, 1440, Gilles de Rais was taken into custody. He is one of the earliest known seriel killers. I posted recently about Jack the Ripper, it appears that he was rather restrained in comparison with Gilles de Rais. Gilles de Rais, also known as...
The Flight of the Earls
On the 14th of September, 1607, Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell departed Rathmunnel in Ireland for mainland Europe, along with nearly 100 family members, retainers, and followers. Ireland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries...
Beethoven and George Smiley
On the 13th of September, 1807, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Opus 86, premiered. It was commissioned by Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy. I am drawn to this topic for two reasons. I was interviewed by John Suchet at the 2024 Dartmouth Book Festival, and John is the great...
Battle of Marathon
The accepted date of the Battle of Marathon is the 12th of September, 490 BCE. On that day, on a sun-drenched plain near the small town of Marathon, an event unfolded that would echo through the corridors of history. It was a time when the mighty Persian Empire, under...
The Battle of Teutoburg Forest
On the 11th of September, 9CE, The Battle of Teutoburg Forest was fought. I’ve written about a few Roman Emperors, Caesar, Nero and Commodius, but not Augustus. It’s time to put that right. The Battle of Teutoburg Forest, also known as the Varian Disaster, was a...