French History – Page 23 – General History

The unfortunate House of Stuart

Stuart James VI of Scotland (and Ist of England) / luminarium.org

Genealogy: The Stuart dynasty was important in the shaping of Britain and brought little luck to the family; they started as Stewards of Dol in Brittany around the end of the 11^th century. Two of them became Stewards-Guardian of Scotland in the 13^th century. Roberts I & II and David II were kings. James I of Scotland married Joan Beaufort, a granddaughter of John of Gaunt: their son James became IInd of Scotland. The English connection thus began, because John of Gaunt was a younger son of an English King (Edward III), and father to another English King (Henry IV). (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-03T11:20:56+00:00 February 3rd, 2012|Dutch History, English History, French History, Today, World History|2 Comments

Two very different Retz (or) Rais (or) Rays; Gilles & Paul

Gilles de Rais (or Retz etc) / deviantart.com

These two Frenchmen are joined by their blood, as in family ties, but there is a major difference in their characters. Gilles de Retz lived and died in the fifteenth century. His family owned more castles in France (especially in Brittany) than even the Capets or the Orlèans. Gilles was therefore very rich indeed, young, brilliant, untrustworthy (though Joan of Arc trusted him enough), and unusually fond of the boys.

Paul de Gondi Retz lived and died in the seventeenth century. He became a cardinal, and was so pushed by personal ambition he wished to replace Mazarin as chief minister of France. He left a priceless book of memoirs for students of personalities and intrigues of 17^th century France. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-02-01T10:50:18+00:00 February 1st, 2012|French History|4 Comments

Four Murdered Monarchs

Regicide is the killing of a ruling king by his subjects. In a multitude of events throughout history the regicide has been perpetrated by members of the ruler’s family. This was especially the case in Roman history. In some South American Indian cultures the king was deliberately sacrificed in order to please Gods. In Europe, where our four subjects were killed by the people in one guise or other, kings have been removed because their politics were unsound, or because their politicians felt there was no other way.

Feminists will complain because a woman does not appear in our list. Many important queens have indeed been eliminated by their own subjects, Mary Queen of Scots springs to mind, though it was an English queen and cousin who ‘took her out’, very much persuaded by her councillors. General-history.com will examine prominent examples of female regicide soon. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2025-03-06T21:37:10+00:00 January 30th, 2012|English History, French History, Russian history, World History|0 Comments

1805 – 1815

Here for students of history is a plan of events between the naval battle of Trafalgar and the final battle in the European conflict against Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. The career of Arthur Wellesley, the boy from Eton who became Duke of Wellington marches alongside the campaigns. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-01-28T18:17:04+00:00 January 28th, 2012|English History, French History, German History, Russian history, Spanish History, US History, World History|0 Comments

Nancy Mitford on French XVIII doctors

“Presque tous les hommes meurent de leurs remèdes et non de leurs maladies” (Molière)

Here is English authoress Nancy Mitford on seventeenth century French doctors: (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-01-24T16:47:07+00:00 January 24th, 2012|French History, World History|0 Comments

Battles at Crècy and Poitiers; and The Jacquerie

Crecy / historywarsweapons.com

The two armed conflicts took place respectively in 1346 and 1356. Ten years separate them, though were similar in tactics and spirit. Both were part of King Edward III of England’s ambition to rule France through military might and expertise. Students of history might remember that Edward was the son of a weak father whose grip on the throne was made even weaker by his mother’s affaires, notably the longest (with Roger Mortimer) which ultimately led to the dethroning and murder of Edward II. His son became king in his teens, and promptly showed his determination and courage, aided by an indefatigable spirit, by arranging for the execution of Mortimer, and shutting his mother up in a friendless prison. The fourteenth century was not a good time to live unless you faced whatever life you had with fortitude. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-01-24T12:15:44+00:00 January 24th, 2012|English History, French History|0 Comments

Palmerston and Canning

Lord Palmerston / yalebooks.wordpress.com

Henry John Temple, 3^rd Viscount Palmerston was born in 1784. George Canning was born in 1770. Neither man saw much point in the other, and the difference of fourteen years in their age did not prevent them from internecine conflict. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-01-19T18:29:47+00:00 January 19th, 2012|English History, French History, Greek History, Russian history, South American History, Spanish History, US History, World History|0 Comments

The U.S.S.R.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (also known as the Soviet Union) used to occupy all the northern part of Asia, and a substantial part of Eastern Europe. Under that name, what was before, and is now again Russia lasted from 1936 to 1991. It comprised fifteen constituent republics. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2011-12-22T18:17:06+00:00 December 22nd, 2011|French History, History of Afghanistan, History of Korea, Italian History, Romanian History, Russian history, US History, World History|0 Comments

The University

A corner of the University of Santiago, Spain, one of the oldest universities in the world / tuhostal.com

It is an institute of higher education, responsible for taking students from the schools and giving them, through teaching, research and studies, an extended education which may lead to a Degree. The difference between a College and a University is that there may be many colleges in one university campus, each teaching different disciplines. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2011-12-20T09:21:52+00:00 December 20th, 2011|English History, French History, German History, Italian History, Today, US History, World History|0 Comments

Waterloo

The struggle for the farmhouse at Hougoumont, Waterloo 1815 / handpaintedsoldiers.com

The battle that brought the Napoleonic Wars to a much awaited end took place around 18 June, 1815. Those involved in the bloody conflict were French, Prussian, Belgian, Dutch and British. The battle takes its name from a small Belgian village that stands nearby. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2011-12-05T18:17:29+00:00 December 5th, 2011|English History, French History, German History|2 Comments