Tag: History Blog

  • Shakespeare’s First Folio: from London to the world -and Leeds! Lecture by Professor Emma Smith

    Shakespeare’s First Folio: from London to the world -and Leeds! Lecture by Professor Emma Smith

    Earlier this week I attended a brilliant lecture at the University of Leeds about Shakespeare’s First Folio, the first printed collection of his many works. 2023 marks marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of the first folio, so an apt time to learn more about it and how it arrived in Leeds’ Special Collections.…

  • Vasa Museet

    Vasa Museet

    One of the best museums I have visited in recent years was the Vasa Museet in Stockholm, Sweden.  The museum is dedicated to the story of the Vasa, a royal warship that sunk less than 2000 metres into its maiden voyage in 1628. The museum is a large, impressive building, and it has to be,…

  • The Yearlong Queen

    The Yearlong Queen

    As the youngest of the Provence sisters, Beatrice observed her elder sisters Marguerite, Eleanor and Sanchia make glittering dynastic matches. They were a close-knit family, and despite the political stage on which they all walked, their family loyalty was notable. When their father Ramon Berenguer IV died in August 1245, the still unwed Beatrice was…

  • A Queen in Name Only

    A Queen in Name Only

    Sanchia of Provence was the third daughter of Raymond Berengar V, count of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy. Her elder sisters Marguerite and Eleanor made noteworthy marriages to Louis IX of France and Henry III of England respectively, opening the door for Sanchia to make an equally advantageous match herself. Although not a king, she…

  • The Hated Queen

    Her elder sister Marguerite’s marriage to the King of France, paved the way for Eleanor of Provence to make a glittering dynastic match of her own. In 1236 she married Henry III of England becoming Queen of England. Yet despite building a close loving family with Henry and their five children, she was one of…

  • Crusader Queen

    Marguerite of Provence like another Queen of France before her, the famous Eleanor of Aquitaine, joined her husband Louis IX on a crusade to the Holy Land. The crusades are described by historian Dan Jones as “a series of interconnected Christian ‘holy wars’ fought against a wide variety of foes”, with the motivations for these…

  • Sisters & Queens

    In 13th century Provence there lived four sisters. Daughters of Count Raymond Berengar V of Provence and his wife Beatrice of Savoy, all would rise to greatness becoming Queens of France, England, Germany and Sicily respectively. These sisters had a huge impact on Western Christendom, and this month we’ll explore how the personal affected the…

  • A Guide to Joining the Heritage Sector

    Want to get a job in the heritage sector but don’t know where to start? Then check out this quick guide to get started! This guide will focus on the UK heritage sector and is based on my own experience volunteering and working in the sector. You can download it for free below: I hope…

  • Recommendation | A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes

    “This was never the story of one woman, or two. It was the story of all of them…” Re-telling of Greek myths have had something of a renaissance in recent years, with highlights including the Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Ariadne by Jennifer Saint and the Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker. Today…

  • Laocoön and His Sons: Art and Myth (Guest post by Analisa Soverns-Reed from Accessible Art History)

    Throughout history, myths and legends have provided endless subject matter for works of art. The stories of gods, heroes, war, and love have served as inspiration for many of the great works we have come to know and love! One of these great works is a sculpture group called Laocoön and His Sons. Created during…

Blog at WordPress.com.