Battle of Langside
On the 13th of May, 1568, Mary Queen of Scots was defeated at the Battle of Langside. My ancestor, Sir Anthony Standen, was Master of Horse to Lord Darnley, and accompanied him to Edinburgh in February 1565. Standen was knighted by Mary for saving her life during the...
Thomas Kyd
On the 12th of May, 1593, London playwright, Thomas Kyd, was arrested and tortured for suspected heretical and treasonable activity. The world of Elizabethan drama was one of intense energy and creativity, a time that produced some of the greatest playwrights in...
Spencer Percival
On the 11th of May, 1812, Prime Minister Spencer Percival was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons. John Bellingham, a merchant with personal grievances against the government, shot Perceval at point-blank range. This shocking event sent ripples through...
Book Burnings
On the 10th of May, 1933, the Nazis staged massive public book burnings. These events, infamous for their brutality and intolerance, were not merely acts of destruction but served a wider agenda of ideological control and suppression of dissenting voices. The book...
Crown Jewels
On the 9th of May, 1671, Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, attempted to steal the Crown Jewels. Thomas Blood, often referred to as Colonel Blood, was a man of many faces—an officer, a thief, and a master of disguise. Born in Ireland in 1618, Blood initially...
Antoine Lavoisier
Antoine Lavoisier was guilotined on the 8th of May, 1794, during the French Revolution. In the annals of scientific history, few figures have left as profound an impact as Antoine Lavoisier. Often revered as the 'Father of Modern Chemistry,' Lavoisier's contributions...
RMS Lusitania
On the 7th of May, 1915, the German U20 sank the RMS Lusitania off Kinsale in Ireland. The story of the RMS Lusitania is a tragic chapter in maritime history, forever echoing the perils and politics of early 20th-century travel. Launched on 7th June 1906 by the Cunard...
Sack of Rome
On the 6th of May, 1527, the third (and hopefully last) Sack of Rome started. The 1527 plundering of Rome was orchestrated by forces supposedly loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, during the War of the League of Cognac. The Imperial army, consisting largely of...
Estates General
On the 5th of May, 1789, the Estates General in France convened for the first time since 1614. The Estates General is a key event in my work in progress, the fifth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. The Estates General, a pivotal institution in the history of...
Battle of Langside
On the 13th of May, 1568, Mary Queen of Scots was defeated at the Battle of Langside. My ancestor, Sir Anthony Standen, was Master of Horse to Lord Darnley, and accompanied him to Edinburgh in February 1565. Standen was knighted by Mary for saving her life during the...
Thomas Kyd
On the 12th of May, 1593, London playwright, Thomas Kyd, was arrested and tortured for suspected heretical and treasonable activity. The world of Elizabethan drama was one of intense energy and creativity, a time that produced some of the greatest playwrights in...
Spencer Percival
On the 11th of May, 1812, Prime Minister Spencer Percival was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons. John Bellingham, a merchant with personal grievances against the government, shot Perceval at point-blank range. This shocking event sent ripples through...
Book Burnings
On the 10th of May, 1933, the Nazis staged massive public book burnings. These events, infamous for their brutality and intolerance, were not merely acts of destruction but served a wider agenda of ideological control and suppression of dissenting voices. The book...
Crown Jewels
On the 9th of May, 1671, Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, attempted to steal the Crown Jewels. Thomas Blood, often referred to as Colonel Blood, was a man of many faces—an officer, a thief, and a master of disguise. Born in Ireland in 1618, Blood initially...
Antoine Lavoisier
Antoine Lavoisier was guilotined on the 8th of May, 1794, during the French Revolution. In the annals of scientific history, few figures have left as profound an impact as Antoine Lavoisier. Often revered as the 'Father of Modern Chemistry,' Lavoisier's contributions...
RMS Lusitania
On the 7th of May, 1915, the German U20 sank the RMS Lusitania off Kinsale in Ireland. The story of the RMS Lusitania is a tragic chapter in maritime history, forever echoing the perils and politics of early 20th-century travel. Launched on 7th June 1906 by the Cunard...
Sack of Rome
On the 6th of May, 1527, the third (and hopefully last) Sack of Rome started. The 1527 plundering of Rome was orchestrated by forces supposedly loyal to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, during the War of the League of Cognac. The Imperial army, consisting largely of...
Estates General
On the 5th of May, 1789, the Estates General in France convened for the first time since 1614. The Estates General is a key event in my work in progress, the fifth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. The Estates General, a pivotal institution in the history of...