First, a note of English grammar: the phrase is correct; the word ‘years’ does not need a possessive apostrophe, as the term clearly means “The war of a…
Category: French History
Figures in a Revolution: Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Louis (1754 – 1793) was the last (Capet) King of France. He reigned, not well but to the best of his limited capabilities, from 1774 – 92. He…
Figures in a Revolution: J-P Marat and Charlotte Corday
Two of the more interesting minor players in the French Revolution were Jean-Paul Marat (1743 – 93) and Charlotte Corday D’Armont (1768 – 93). Marat , rather strangely…
Who replaces Strauss-Khan in France?
Since the ex-Head of the IMF has been disgraced for not keeping himself under control in a New York hotel suite, the question of who French socialists can…
The Siegfried and Maginot Lines: similarities and differences
Both these resounding names refer to a national defence system. They are, respectively, German and French. The principal difference between the two is that the former was erected…
History of the Bible
The Bible is the sacred book of Christianity. There are many Christian churches, but all accept the two sections of it: the Hebrew scriptures, which we know as…
Winter of discontent followed by glorious summer?
We are now well launched into the year two thousand and eleven – eleven years after a change of century. As the infamous 20th gradually diminishes in our…
The Battle of Arnhem 1944
Arnhem is the sixth largest city in the Netherlands. It was the scene of fierce and remorseless fighting between 17 and 26 September, 1944, following the successful invasion…
Anticlericalism
Anti-clericalism is not the same as anti-Christian movements. Most Roman emperors tried to stamp out Christianity from the death of Christ under Tiberius until Constantine the Great decided…
The Ancien Régime: what was it and did it work?
Countless times as you read books and learned pamphlets on history, you will meet the French words Ancien Régime. It is an easy bet that many of us…