Constantine the Great
The On This Day website tells me that on 21st October 335 Constantine the Great ruled that Jews were no longer allowed to purchase and circumcise Christian slaves. Constantine was born on 27th February 272 AD, in modern-day Serbia. He hailed from a noble family, and...
The Battle of Coutras & Name
I shall come to the matter of a name, but let’s start with the Battle of Coutras. It was fought on 20th October 1587 during the French Wars of Religion. The Protestant Huguenots were led by the charismatic Henry of Navarre, and the Catholic League was commanded by the...
Oxford’s Oldest College
I recently posted about the Battle of Neville’s Cross. This was a battle fought between King David II of Scotland and the English commanded by Baron Ralph Neville. King David II succeeded Robert I (the Bruce) who had succeeded John Balliol, whose father founded...
The Battle of Neville’s Cross
The Battle of Neville’s Cross took place on 17th October 1346, a mile to the west of Durham. To appreciate the Battle of Neville's Cross, we must first understand the geopolitical landscape of 14th-century Europe. The Hundred Years' War between England and France was...
Dorothy L Sayers and the Golden Age Queens of Crime
There’s an article in October’s issue of Red Herrings titled “A Celebration of Lord Peter Wimsey”. I always find something to inspire or educate me in the CWA monthly bulletin. I already knew that Sayers had a first-class degree in Modern Languages from Somerville...
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace began on 13th October 1536, almost immediately after the suppression of the Lincolnshire Rising. One of the primary catalysts for the Pilgrimage of Grace was the religious upheaval brought about by Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church....
My Favourite Film
I’ve written in Readers Club about my favourite book, The Last Enemy, by Richard Hillary. So perhaps it’s time to identify my favourite film. The shortlist would include Casablanca, The Battle of Britain, The High and the Mighty, In Which We Serve, Robin Hood Prince...
Henry IV & Tottenham Hotspur
On 30th September 1399 King Richard II’s abdication was read in parliament by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry IV replaced him. Whether the abdication was genuine or not is a matter of debate. Richard II's reign was marred by political instability, economic...
Harold Harefoot
As I researched my last post on the Battle of Stamford Bridge, I was struck that King Harold, of Battle of Hastings fame, Harold Godwinson, was King Harold II. So who was King Harold I? He was Harold Harefoot, named after his hunting prowess. Harold Harefoot was the...
Constantine the Great
The On This Day website tells me that on 21st October 335 Constantine the Great ruled that Jews were no longer allowed to purchase and circumcise Christian slaves. Constantine was born on 27th February 272 AD, in modern-day Serbia. He hailed from a noble family, and...
The Battle of Coutras & Name
I shall come to the matter of a name, but let’s start with the Battle of Coutras. It was fought on 20th October 1587 during the French Wars of Religion. The Protestant Huguenots were led by the charismatic Henry of Navarre, and the Catholic League was commanded by the...
Oxford’s Oldest College
I recently posted about the Battle of Neville’s Cross. This was a battle fought between King David II of Scotland and the English commanded by Baron Ralph Neville. King David II succeeded Robert I (the Bruce) who had succeeded John Balliol, whose father founded...
The Battle of Neville’s Cross
The Battle of Neville’s Cross took place on 17th October 1346, a mile to the west of Durham. To appreciate the Battle of Neville's Cross, we must first understand the geopolitical landscape of 14th-century Europe. The Hundred Years' War between England and France was...
Dorothy L Sayers and the Golden Age Queens of Crime
There’s an article in October’s issue of Red Herrings titled “A Celebration of Lord Peter Wimsey”. I always find something to inspire or educate me in the CWA monthly bulletin. I already knew that Sayers had a first-class degree in Modern Languages from Somerville...
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace began on 13th October 1536, almost immediately after the suppression of the Lincolnshire Rising. One of the primary catalysts for the Pilgrimage of Grace was the religious upheaval brought about by Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church....
My Favourite Film
I’ve written in Readers Club about my favourite book, The Last Enemy, by Richard Hillary. So perhaps it’s time to identify my favourite film. The shortlist would include Casablanca, The Battle of Britain, The High and the Mighty, In Which We Serve, Robin Hood Prince...
Henry IV & Tottenham Hotspur
On 30th September 1399 King Richard II’s abdication was read in parliament by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Henry IV replaced him. Whether the abdication was genuine or not is a matter of debate. Richard II's reign was marred by political instability, economic...
Harold Harefoot
As I researched my last post on the Battle of Stamford Bridge, I was struck that King Harold, of Battle of Hastings fame, Harold Godwinson, was King Harold II. So who was King Harold I? He was Harold Harefoot, named after his hunting prowess. Harold Harefoot was the...