England
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The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
The name given to the regalia and robes worn by the Sovereign of the United Kingdom at a coronation and other state events are known as The Crown Jewels. The Tower of London has housed and protected these precious ceremonial objects since the early 14th century, when they were moved there from Westminster Abbey which was deemed no longer secure enough. The objects associated with the coronation ceremonies of past monarchs are referred to as the Regalia, made up of various crowns, sceptres, swords, rings, orbs and robes, all of which have a specific role during the coronation ceremony of a British King or Queen. The oldest item in the…
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The Winter Queen: Elizabeth Stuart
Born into the royal Stuart family of Scotland, Elizabeth was brought up as a princess and taught to be a future queen. It was on August 19 of 1596 that Elizabeth was brought into this world by her father, King James IV of Scotland (not yet the king of England or Ireland) and mother, Anne of Denmark. She was the second eldest child of 7, only preceded by her elder brother, Henry, Prince of Wales. If only she knew that life would not always be about pampering and extravagance, life as it were for Elizabeth was a struggle. Up until the age of 7 Elizabeth had been placed in the…
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THE DEATH OF THE BLACK PRINCE
Edward was born on 15th June 1330 at Woodstock in Oxfordshire. He was the eldest son of Edward III and as such was held the title of The Prince of Wales. During his lifetime he was a key player in his father’s military campaigns in France. When he was just sixteen he was heralded for his involvement in the Battle of Crecy and the defeat of the French army. After being appointed his father’s lieutenant he led another victory against the French at Poitiers and took the French king prisoner. In 1362 Edward married Joan of Kent. There is a love story attached to their coming together in that another…
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Battle of Britain
On the 10th July 1940, there began one of the most famous battles in History. The fight to control the skies over Britain. Defeat of the RAF would have been a disaster, leaving Britain in a weakened position in preparation for Hitler’s planned invasion. Following the failed Battle of France, which ended in June after around 5 weeks of heavy ground and air combat during which the RAF suffered massive losses, Adolf Hitler presumed the defeat and surrender of France would mean that shortly afterwards Britain would agree to negotiate peace terms. France signed their armistice on the 17th June, Hitler had already invaded and gained control of much of…
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William Tyndale
William Tyndale’s early life is somewhat of a mystery. Born in Gloucestershire sometime between 1491 and 1494, the exact date and location of his birth is unknown. There are no documents relating to him, until he received his Bachelor’s Degree at Magdalen Hall at Oxford University in 1512, when he would have been in his late teens. In the Oxford registers he uses the surname of Hychyns, which has lead historians to believe his family may have branched into two, either side of the Severn river, one side taking the Tyndale surname, the other Hychyns or Hutchins. In 1515 he was ordained as a priest in London, and he received…
