Germany

  • Sophia of Hanover

    Sophia of Hanover was born on 14th October 1630, in the Wassaener Hof in The Hague, where her parents were exiled during the thirty years war. Her father, Frederick of Bohemia and mother, Elizabeth Stuart, only surviving daughter of James VI of Scotland and I of England already had eleven children. During her young years, Sophia was courted by her cousin King Charles II in the hope of a betrothal but nothing became of the courtship. Sophia instead married Ernest Augustus of Brunswick at the age of 27, quite late for a woman of the period. The marriage was successful, although Ernest was known to have a bad temper and…

  • 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…