Sir Thomas More
On the 16th of May, 1532, Sir Thomas More resigned as Lord Chancellor of England. The story is that of “A Man for All Seasons”, a play which Claire and I have seen twice at the Theatre Royal Bath. On both occasions, several years apart, Martin Shaw played the lead...
Anne Boleyn
On the 15th of May, Anne Boleyn was convicted of high treason. The jury included Henry Percy, her former betrothed, and her uncle Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. She was beheaded four days later. Anne’s early life was spent in the Netherlands and France, where she...
Assassin
On the 14th of May, 1610, King Henry IV was assassinated. The assassin was François Ravaillac. Born in 1578 in Angoulême, France, François Ravaillac came from a relatively humble background. His family was of minor nobility, yet they struggled financially. Raised as a...
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...
Sir Thomas More
On the 16th of May, 1532, Sir Thomas More resigned as Lord Chancellor of England. The story is that of “A Man for All Seasons”, a play which Claire and I have seen twice at the Theatre Royal Bath. On both occasions, several years apart, Martin Shaw played the lead...
Anne Boleyn
On the 15th of May, Anne Boleyn was convicted of high treason. The jury included Henry Percy, her former betrothed, and her uncle Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. She was beheaded four days later. Anne’s early life was spent in the Netherlands and France, where she...
Assassin
On the 14th of May, 1610, King Henry IV was assassinated. The assassin was François Ravaillac. Born in 1578 in Angoulême, France, François Ravaillac came from a relatively humble background. His family was of minor nobility, yet they struggled financially. Raised as a...
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...