This could be the most awesome thing ever.

Seriously, please let it be Eleanor of Aquitaine.

(I'd settle for Marjorie of Carrick, if only for the story of how she got married*, but she didn't see 40)

This image...


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I would make a massive historical epic about the Norman Conquest of England. Seriously, it's an awesome story and even though everyone knows how it ends it could still make an impressive spectacle ( Read more... )

I once went to bed with a man to see what it was like.

-Winston S Churchill. Soldier, statesman, all-round magnificent bastard.

One day I may get round to doing a big post that enlightens all you foreign types as to why Britain is better than your country. So much better.

If I do, this picture will probably be a significant part of it. Seriously ( Read more... )

The main reason most of you have never heard of Hector MacDonald probably has something to do with the fact that when teaching children about military heroes was socially acceptable, homosexuality wasn't, and now that it's cool to mention people who were accused of it, military heroes aren't ( Read more... )

Altogether around 120 people claimed the credit for killing Galba, being anxious to win Otho's favour and hoping to be rewarded. A list of their names was drawn up, which fell into the hands of Vitellius when he succeeded Otho as emperor. Every one of them was executed.
Gosh, ancient Rome was a fun place. Vitellius, by the way, ended up being ( Read more... )

Just over two weeks to St Patrick's Day, which I don't celebrate on account of not being Irish. Except that today I learned that my mother's multiple-greats grandfather was the infamous Irish patriot and world-class drinker Napper Tandy, made famous in the song The Wearing of the Green.

Does this mean I'm going to actually have to participate this

A year and a half ago, over the New Year, I learned a little more about my family history during a road trip to Orkney. In particular, about my father's father's generation. I wrote it up at the time, and I've just been going over old files.

( The Xena fan from Pakistan. )

Three historical figures you almost certainly haven't heard of, but should have.

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Stephen Fry was on TV last night, tracing his family.

To which all I can say is holy fuck.

Like the man commented, through tears, there's something about the word Auschwitz which just sets off a reaction in you. Even though he already knew that these people were dead - even though he'd only just found out their names - simply learning about it ( Read more... )