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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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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…
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Sicilian Vespers Revolt
The Sicilian Vespers are one of the Isle of Sicily’s most famous historical events. In the years leading up to the start of the revolt, a struggle had broken out between the House of Hohenstafen and the Papacy in Rome over the control of Italy. The former ruled Germany and claimed authority over most of northern Italy; the Papal States were situated between Northern Italy and the Island of Sicily in the south. Pope Innocent IV had declared Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, the head of the House of Hohenstafen as deposed and raised opposition against him within Germany and Italy. When Frederick died in 1250 his lands were inherited…
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The Anarchy
The period between 1135 and 1154 was a time of huge unrest in England, a Civil War which Victorian historians would later name The Anarchy. On December 1st 1135 King Henry I of England fell ill and died whilst on campaign in Normandy, supposedly after eating vast quantities of Lamprey, although poison has also been suggested as a possible cause. His only legitimate male heir, William Adelin had perished in The White Ship tragedy, 15 years earlier, and despite Henry’s hasty remarriage to Adeliza of Louvain (The King’s first wife Queen Matilda had died in 1118), no more male heirs would follow. This left only a daughter, Matilda, who had…
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Gargoyles
The name gargoyle is derived from the French word “Gargouille” and the Latin “Gurgulio”, both meaning throat. When most people think of Gargoyles they imagine hideous carved stone creatures, usually situated on the top edges of medieval buildings, mostly churches and other places of worship to ward off evil spirits. However, they originally had a much more practical use. The use of Gargoyles actually dates back to Ancient Greece or before where they were used as waterspouts to funnel rain water off the roof and out and over the edge of buildings, keeping it clear of the sides of the building in the process, in order to prevent it from…
