Canterbury
On the 29th of September, 1011CE the Danes captured Canterbury and took Archbishop Ælfheah prisoner. The Romans founded Canterbury around AD 43–50, not long after their invasion of Britain. They called it Durovernum Cantiacorum (“the fortress of the men of Kent”). I...
Wenceslaus
On the 28th of September, 935 CE, Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia was murdered by a group of nobles led by his brother, Boleslaus I. Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, is one of the most celebrated figures of early medieval Central Europe. Known in Czech as Václav, he was...
Bobby Jones
On the 27th of September, 1930, Bobby Jones completed golf’s first grand slam by winning the US Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Eagle eyed readers will note that the illustration suggests it was the US Open that completed the 1930 grand slam....
Siege of Oxford
I never miss an opportunity to post about my alma mater. The Siege of Oxford in 1142 was one of the most dramatic episodes of the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, a conflict remembered as the Anarchy. It was also a moment when the struggle for the...
Tacitus
On the 25th of September, 275CE, the Roman Senate chose, for the last time, Marcus Claudius Tacitus as emperor. I have written about several Roman Emperors, of whom Octavian was the first. We seem to be approaching the end now. Marcus Claudius Tacitus was Roman...
Routemaster Bus
The iconic Routemaster bus was introduced on the 24th of September, 1954. If it was raining when I was a child I took the 229 bus to school, otherwise I’d walk the two and a half miles. The bus was a Routemaster. I’ve written often enough about aviation, so it’s high...
Serpent’s Teeth
Today I loaded the ebook and paperback formats of Serpent’s Teeth, the fifth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, onto Kindle Direct Publishing. I have scheduled the publication date for the 1st of November. I have ordered a proof copy of the paperback so that...
Battle of Arnemuiden
The Battle of Arnemuiden, fought on the 23rd of September, 1338, was one of the opening naval engagements of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Although much smaller than later famous battles such as Sluys (1340), Arnemuiden was historically...
Battle of Zutphen
The Battle of Zutphen was fought on the 22nd of September, 1586, during the Eighty Years’ War. This was the war that my ancestor, the Elizabethan spy, Sir Anthony Standen was involved in. However he was chased out of Flanders in 1577 and was spying in Spain in 1586....
Canterbury
On the 29th of September, 1011CE the Danes captured Canterbury and took Archbishop Ælfheah prisoner. The Romans founded Canterbury around AD 43–50, not long after their invasion of Britain. They called it Durovernum Cantiacorum (“the fortress of the men of Kent”). I...
Wenceslaus
On the 28th of September, 935 CE, Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia was murdered by a group of nobles led by his brother, Boleslaus I. Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, is one of the most celebrated figures of early medieval Central Europe. Known in Czech as Václav, he was...
Bobby Jones
On the 27th of September, 1930, Bobby Jones completed golf’s first grand slam by winning the US Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Eagle eyed readers will note that the illustration suggests it was the US Open that completed the 1930 grand slam....
Siege of Oxford
I never miss an opportunity to post about my alma mater. The Siege of Oxford in 1142 was one of the most dramatic episodes of the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, a conflict remembered as the Anarchy. It was also a moment when the struggle for the...
Tacitus
On the 25th of September, 275CE, the Roman Senate chose, for the last time, Marcus Claudius Tacitus as emperor. I have written about several Roman Emperors, of whom Octavian was the first. We seem to be approaching the end now. Marcus Claudius Tacitus was Roman...
Routemaster Bus
The iconic Routemaster bus was introduced on the 24th of September, 1954. If it was raining when I was a child I took the 229 bus to school, otherwise I’d walk the two and a half miles. The bus was a Routemaster. I’ve written often enough about aviation, so it’s high...
Serpent’s Teeth
Today I loaded the ebook and paperback formats of Serpent’s Teeth, the fifth book in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures, onto Kindle Direct Publishing. I have scheduled the publication date for the 1st of November. I have ordered a proof copy of the paperback so that...
Battle of Arnemuiden
The Battle of Arnemuiden, fought on the 23rd of September, 1338, was one of the opening naval engagements of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Although much smaller than later famous battles such as Sluys (1340), Arnemuiden was historically...
Battle of Zutphen
The Battle of Zutphen was fought on the 22nd of September, 1586, during the Eighty Years’ War. This was the war that my ancestor, the Elizabethan spy, Sir Anthony Standen was involved in. However he was chased out of Flanders in 1577 and was spying in Spain in 1586....