English History – Page 20 – General History

The Crusades in brief

Probably the best known of all the crusaders – Richard I ‘Lionheart’ / masonicsourcebook.com

They were a series of military expeditions ranging from the 11^th to the 14^th centuries, meant to secure Christian rule over the holy places of Palestine controlled by the Muslims. It would not be too much to say that Islam has never forgiven the European Christian kings for what is still seen as presumption. In modern times, the term is extensively used to describe any war encouraged by a moral, religious or political movement. There was a ‘crusade’ recently when the West decided to assist Iraquis in their successful move to dislodge Saddam Hussein. George Bush Senior thought his defence of Kuwait against the same man and country was a ‘crusade’. It seems likely that the woman C. Kirchner, installed as President of Argentina, will shortly embark on a ‘crusade’ firmly to replace the term ‘Falkland Islands’ with ‘Las Malvinas’. Equally, Mr David Cameron will resist this, and employ the word ‘crusade’ as he launches what is left of the British Army and Fleet towards the South Atlantic. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-03-02T09:45:53+00:00 March 2nd, 2012|English History, French History, German History, Jewish History, Philosophy, Today, World History|1 Comment

De Gaulle, a great Frenchman

/ balearoculta.blogspot.com

Charles A.J.M. de Gaulle was born in Lille in 1890. An average schoolboy (apart from his great height), he graduated from the Military Academy at St. Cyr in 1909, and was gazetted lieutenant in the 33^rd Infanty Regiment under the command of Pétain (of whom he was an admirer).

In 1916 he was a captain in the French army fighting at Verdun; he was taken prisoner, but released quickly because by 1919 he was serving in the military mission in Poland. After two years of administrative work he was taken on as a lecturer at the French Staff College, where he was a clear and popular speaker with highly developed theories on the offensive use of tanks and aircraft, two potentially important weapons first seen in action in the First War. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-29T09:39:40+00:00 February 29th, 2012|English History, French History, German History, US History, World History|6 Comments

The Communist Parties

The word itself – ‘Communist’ – was certainly first heard as long ago as the 1840s. Both Karl Marx (q.v.) and his promoter Engels used the word, but it was not until after the Russian Revolution (q.v.) of 1917 that fervid Marxists detached themselves from the more moderate Social Democrat Parties, to form groups (and committees) called Communist Parties. In Russia, Bolsheviks did not officially adopt the term until 1918. When the news of the shooting of the royal family spread, it was considered wise to tone down the ‘Ekaterinburg/Bolshevik’ connection, replacing ‘bolshevik’ by a little-known word. There had been ‘Communes’ in Europe, especially in France, but ‘Communists’ was something new. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-27T12:05:00+00:00 February 27th, 2012|Asian History, Czech History, English History, French History, German History, Italian History, Russian history, South American History, Spanish History, Today, US History, World History|0 Comments

The Battenbergs and Mountbattens

Prince Louis of Battenberg / papermag.com

With Prince Philip heading for his century, the Battenberg/Mountbatten dynasty is well worth examining. Who were they? Why were they related to everybody? How did a penniless, sharp-witted and seriously good-looking youth collar the future queen of England? (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-22T17:15:27+00:00 February 22nd, 2012|English History, German History, Greek History, History of India, Russian history, Today, World History|0 Comments

The US Senate & the House of Lords

The Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress. The first, or lower is called the House of Representatives; both represent all States of the Union. Senators first met officially in 1789, by coincidence at the beginning of the French Revolution. The powers and composition of the Senate are to be found in Article I of the US Constitution. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-16T09:58:42+00:00 February 16th, 2012|English History, US History, World History|0 Comments

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552 – 1618): a life of frustration

Sir Walter, not a lucky man / biography.com

He was an explorer, courtier, navigator, cartographer and part-time corsair. Young Walter took part in privateering expeditions to the West Indies, an increasingly important staging post between the newly opened-up North America and Britain, hub of the fledgling empire.

He was sent by Queen Elizabeth I to suppress rebellion in Ireland. On his return from this mostly unsuccessful sortie he became a favourite with the Queen, though he had failed in Ireland. The Queen knew her history; all English attempts to sort out the Irish Question had failed, sometimes spectacularly. Always had, always have and always will. So Elizabeth, never lacking in a sense of humour, rewarded Raleigh for what he had done in Ireland with a gift of land – in Ireland. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-14T09:27:46+00:00 February 14th, 2012|English History, English Language, US History|0 Comments

James I and VI, a survivor 1567 – 1625 (updated)

This King of England was also King of Scotland. He had a French wife, seven children, a mother who was beheaded, a father murdered, a son executed and several favourites, all male and famous for one reason or other.

James’s mother was Mary, Queen of Scots, who came from France to Scotland, then famously escaped from Scotland to England seeking protection and friendship with Queen Elizabeth I. Sadly, she was a natural plotter, and much used by other plotters of lesser rank. One of the things no Tudor could allow was plotting. James was young when they cut off his mother’s head. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-13T09:12:13+00:00 February 13th, 2012|English History, Spanish History, World History|0 Comments

British barons & the Barons’ Wars

A ‘Baron’ indicates the lowest rank in the British peerage*, though the title itself is one of the oldest. A Barony meant land that went with the title. Barons were originally the military tenants-in-chief of the Crown. The name is French, and came with the Norman Conquest that began (and triumphed under William, Duke of Normandy) in 1066.

The word means ‘vassal of the Lord’. If it had any limitation – that limitation was confined to those who held (or were awarded) land directly from the King in return for military allegiance and service. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-12T16:09:05+00:00 February 12th, 2012|English History, World History|0 Comments

The English Civil War 1642 – 1649 (updated)

Cavalier (left) and roundhead / talonsanthony.edublogs.org

The history of Britain includes only one genuine civil war. The Wars of the Roses (q.v.) do not come into this category because they were a private struggle between families, including dethroning of kings, usurpation of the throne, terrible violence, vengeance, and settling of accounts. Warlords sought to put their favourite in the Number One Spot, and thousands died as a result, but they were not necessarily civilians. In fact usually they were foreign mercenaries hired by the barons. The people of Britain watched with horror as the flower of the aristocracy tore into each other like wolves. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-12T11:53:23+00:00 February 12th, 2012|English History, Philosophy, World History|1 Comment

Merry King Charles II and his Ladies

Charles II – VERY popular with the ladies / historical-nonfiction.com

At the same time as Felipe IV reigned in very grand Spain, and Louis XIV in very rich France, the ‘Sun King’s’ cousin Charles II was living a double life in England. He had regained the throne in The Restoration, had punished a few of those who had signed the death warrant for his father’s execution in 1649, and was now suffering a certain amount of stick from his wretched parliament. More intelligent, tactful and resourceful than Charles I had ever been, merry Charles II knew how to deal with irritating Members of Parliament. When they became irksome, he simply closed Parliament and ruled with a cabal of his chosen ministers instead. And the MPs let him. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-10T11:11:34+00:00 February 10th, 2012|English History, French History, Humour|0 Comments