France
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Noor Inayat Khan- The Spy Princess
Noor Inayat Khan was a mass of contradictions. She was a devout Muslim Sufi who believed in nonviolence and refused to tell a lie and disliked the British because of their involvement in India. Described as a “dreamy” and “sensitive” person who spent time writing children’s stories, poetry and music, Noor was the last person who anyone would have thought could be a spy against the Nazis. However, underneath that soft exterior was a spine of steel the Nazis could not break no matter how hard they tried. Noor Inayat Khan was born in the Kremlin in Moscow on January 2, 1914. Her father was a musician and a Sufi…
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Émilie du Châtelet
There has been a subtle prejudice against intellect since time immemorial. This was never so true as it was for young women. A lady needed to only know how to smile, look pretty and keep a household. Anything further would make her a “bluestocking” and unattractive to men. Perish the thought! 18th century France was no exception as the nobility had a deep seated aversion to educating their daughters. However, from this unlikely source came one of the great mathematicians of the century. Gabrielle Émilie le Tonnelier de Breteuil was born December 17, 1706 in Paris to Louis Nicolas le Tonnelier de Breteuil, a high ranking official of the court…
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The Green Fairy – Absinthe
Its precise origins are unknown but it has its roots throughout history. Absinthe is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (“grand wormwood”), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. It traditionally has a natural green colour but may also be colourless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as “la fée verte” (the green fairy).The medical use of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt, and is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, c. 1550 BC. Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves were used as remedies by the ancient Greeks. Moreover, there is evidence of the existence of…
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Twelfth Night and Nollaig na mBan
Traditionally, the Christmas season lasted from Christmas Day on the 25th to January 5, and there was a celebration and a holiday for each one. These were typically in honor of a specific saint. In medieval Europe, the Christmas holidays were: Day 1 (25th December): Christmas Day, which celebrated the birth of Jesus Day 2 (26th December): St Stephen’s Day. Day 3 (27th December): St John the Apostle. Day 4 (28th December): The Feast of the Holy Innocents. This celebrated the babies killed by Herod in his search for Jesus Day 5 (29th December): St Thomas Becket. Day 6 (30th December): St Egwin of Worcester. Day 7 (31st December): New…
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Diane de Poitiers
Diane de Poitiers, noblewoman and infamous mistress of King Henri II of France, was born on 2 September in 1499. Diane de Poitiers was born to Jean de Poitiers, Seigneur de Saint Vallier and Jeanne de Batarnay at the Château de Saint-Vallier in the province of the Dauphine. As a young woman, she was educated in the typical Renaissance manner for young women. She studied music, hunting, languages, and continued her love of hunting throughout the rest of her life. Diane married Louis de Brézé, Seigneur d’Anet, at the age of fifteen. Her husband was thirty-nine years older and was a grandson of King Charles VII and had served as…
