Richard Plantagenet was never meant to rule England. His surviving elder brother Henry had been crowned in 1170 to secure the Angevin succession, but the medieval world was a deadly place and his brother died of dysentery in 1183. This led to Richard becoming his father Henry II’s primary heir. Richard Plantagenet With so many … Continue reading A Good King of England? Re-Evaluating the Lionheart.
Tag: Monarchy
Henry II: The Creator of a Dynasty
On the 19th December 1154, Henry was crowned King of England. His accession marked the beginning of the Angevin dynasty, the end of the Anarchy and the expansion of the Anglo-Norman empire. Henry II Born on the 5th March 1133, Henry was the eldest son of Empress Matilda and her second husband Count Geoffrey of … Continue reading Henry II: The Creator of a Dynasty
A Tale of Two Matilda’s
When exploring the Anarchy, the majority of attention understandably goes on the two key rivals for the throne King Stephen and Empress Matilda. However, there was another Matilda who was an incredibly important figure in this period of history: Matilda of Boulogne, wife of Stephen and Queen of England. As Sharon Bennett Connolly said in … Continue reading A Tale of Two Matilda’s
Heir and Spare
What did it mean to be the heir to a royal house and know your future was to be King? Well Prince Arthur had some experience in this area. He was the firstborn son of King Henry VII of England and his Queen Elizabeth of York. Born in 1486, only a year after his father's … Continue reading Heir and Spare
Heart over Head: The Doomed Marriage of Lady Katherine Grey
Most people know of the tragic ‘nine day’s queen’ Lady Jane Grey, but her younger sisters Katherine and Mary often get overlooked. However, in 2012 Katherine was brought vividly to life in Alison Weir’s historical fiction novel A Dangerous Inheritance, which throws to light Katherine’s life in the vicious Tudor court and her doomed marriage … Continue reading Heart over Head: The Doomed Marriage of Lady Katherine Grey
Snapshot of History: Queen Victoria ‘Grandmother of Europe’
On this week's Snapshot of History* we'll be exploring Victoria's legacy as the 'Grandmother of Europe'. With her most politically prominent grandchildren including: George V, Wilhelm II and Alexandra of Russia! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoIPXoLIa88&feature=youtu.be If videos aren’t accessible to you, or they’re just not your thing, you can read the full script below. VIDEO SCRIPT Recently on … Continue reading Snapshot of History: Queen Victoria ‘Grandmother of Europe’
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