The Greatest Showman (2017) is a musical presenting the fantastical life of Phineas Taylor Barnum, best known as the creator of the three-ringed circus. Set in the mid-nineteenth century we have a rags to riches story where Barnum transforms himself from homeless orphan to the richest and most successful purveyor of entertainment in America. After… Read More Everything wrong with The Greatest Showman (Historically at least)
The first season of The Spanish Princess ends with the death of Henry VII and thus the accession of Henry VIII. In typical Starz style, there isn’t a simple transition of power between a monarch and his heir. Oh no, there is drama! In brief: Henry VII dies suddenly forcing his mother, Margaret Beaufort, to… Read More The History of the Spanish Princess: The King is Dead, Long Live the King
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a woman excelling in History must be questioned in ways that a man is not and/or relegated to the side-lines of the history she has shaped” – Jane Austen probably. The interesting thing about researching women (and queer people, and people of colour) in history is discovering the… Read More Badass Women in History (who took no s**t)
In 872 various Scandinavian petty kingdoms unified in what would eventually become the kingdom of Norway under their first king, Harald Fairhair. As with many unifications, the first hundred years of their history is littered with depositions and internal conflicts. However, whereas most countries settle into their history, Norway’s line of kings is a rollercoaster… Read More The many abdications and occasional depositions of the Kings of Norway
It isn’t often that I open a post with memes but in this instance they’re actually pretty on point. It’s such a common theme in modern history to look back on relationships that clearly weren’t strictly monogamously heterosexual in nature and go to great lengths to explain why it simply couldn’t be true. People who… Read More ‘Just Good Friends’ : The Erasure of LGBTQ+ History feat. 3 Women who weren’t straight
Once again, I find myself looking into the stories that inspired various horror films as part of my increasingly bad decisions to read weird and unexplainable stuff before trying to sleep. The term ‘based on a true story’ or ‘inspired by true events’ can cover a pretty wide base. It doesn’t necessarily mean the film… Read More Creepy History: ‘Based on a True Story…’ Pt II
In March 1917 Nicholas Romanov, Emperor of Russia abdicated the Imperial throne giving the country’s political power to a provisionally formed Bolshevik government. The Tsar and his family were placed under house arrest while the government decided what to do with them. The family were moved around while plans were made for their future, the… Read More Dancing Bears, Painted Wings: The Mystery of Anastasia and the Romanov Pretenders
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Not so long ago, I was talking about how I was really impressed with The Spanish Princess and how well it dramatized events. I said that it altered ages and compressed events in the name of a good story, but that nothing about it had made my historian lizard… Read More The History of The Spanish Princess: Katherine’s Road to the Crown
The funeral of an HRH is usually a public spectacle with thousands lining the route and/or gathering in public spaces to pay their respects or leave flowers. The funeral of Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh on the 17th April 2021 was an altogether quieter affair due to the global pandemic which hasn’t quite gone away.… Read More Who went to Prince Phillip’s funeral?
I decided to do a sort of concise overview of the various deaths that affected the Tudor dynasty. Even though they were the ruling monarchs, the causes of their deaths is often unknown and limited by sixteenth century knowledge of medicine. Most of them died of an illness, or quietly in their sleep, at odds… Read More How did the Tudors die?
History in the (Re)Making 