Scipio, Aemilianus (Africanus Numantius)
Scipio / makethelist.net This extraordinary Roman general was born in 185 BC, and was later adopted by Publius Cornelius Scipio. One must be careful to avoid confusion, because both adoptive grandfather Publius and [...]
Intereconomía
This broadcasting company has radio and TV channels and business channels run by experts. Beyond doubt this communications group helped Spanish people make up their minds about the nearly eight years of Zapatero’s disastrous administration, [...]
Antarctica
This is one of the planet’s biggest and most unknown continents. It surrounds the South Pole, and lies almost entirely to the south of latitude 66º 33’ S. This is called ‘The Antarctic Circle’. [...]
A brief history of jockey’s colours
It is undeniable that the jockey’s jacket or blouse, worn only during horseracing, is an inseparable part of the mystique of this Sport of Kings, and indeed it is most picturesque. Evolution has been slow [...]
Another modest proposal: Gibraltar
Gibraltar: contentious since 1704 The spiky old issue of Gibraltar is digging Spanish and British statesmen in the most tender part of their well-fed anatomies – what to do with Gibraltar? Ever since [...]
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
Anglo-Saxon men / fashion.era.com They were Jutes, a Germanic tribe whose names are preserved today in Jutland and Juteborg. They invaded Britain in the 5th century under the leadership of Hengist and Horsa. [...]
Six wives for Henry VIII
An unusual impression of the great monster when still young, playing (royal) tennis / flickriver.com “History!” snorted an ex-pupil of mine the other day, “nothing but kings and dates!” I am not even [...]
Orange and Orléans
Young William of Orange, future William III of England / journal.carlottamanaigo.com When James II made his Catholicism too ostentatious for seventeenth century Protestant politicians to stomach, a successful conspiracy was made to remove [...]
Normandy, Normans and the Norman Conquest
Normandy was once the home of Celtic tribes in north-western France. It was the kingdom of Clovis, founder of the Frankish empire (466 – 511). It came under Meringovian rule and was invaded and occupied [...]
New England and New France
Of course we have all heard of New England, though its composition may confuse us at times, but did we know that there was a New France? America first: New England is a region in [...]
A brief history of Turkey
Turkey is one of those countries where people are proud of being Asian, and at the same time dream of becoming European. Geographically the division exists; the Asian and European parts are separated by the [...]
Titus Oates (1649 – 1705): a great scoundrel
Titus Oates / findagrave.com Oates had an erratic career; he was certainly a pathological liar, and lived in a dream world of his own, people with conspirators whom he determined to stamp out, [...]
Quis? Who is the man in the ancient photograph?
The seventh in our new series of pictures from the past; can you tell us who this is? Here is the clue: His mind was full of songs of the earth.
Two proud Dukes of Buckingham (too proud perhaps?)
George Villiers (pronounced ‘Villers’) Duke of Buckingham / nowportsmouth.co.uk Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham was born around 1454 in Salisbury, Wiltshire. He was a member of the House of Lancaster, being a [...]
A brief history of Greece
Greece is a maritime, mountainous country in south/east Europe, bounded by Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the east. It mostly consists of islands, which include many from fables, such as [...]
John Brown and his body
The hanging of old John Brown / civiliansscholars.com “John Brown’s body lies a mouldr’n in his grave . . .” The words and music are American, but the song remembering Brown and what [...]
Powerful women in history: the Empress Dowager Cixi
The Dowager Empress Cixi of China / en.wikipedia.com She was the real ruler in China from 1861 – 1908. She was intelligent, literate, well able to express herself, and able in all matters. [...]
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