The many abdications and occasional depositions of the Kings of Norway

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

July 13, 2021January 25, 2023 SarahLeave a comment

Breaking the Titanic

Have two different versions of the Titanic’s final moments… The first from A Night to Remember (1958) The second and arguably more iconic from Titanic (1997)…

April 21, 2020January 25, 2023 Sarah7 Comments

The Nine Days of the Nine Day Queen

While we know her as the ‘Nine Day Queen’, Lady Jane Grey would probably have passed into history as an irrelevant, albeit intelligent, Tudor cousin had it not been for the ambitious machinations of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Having schemed his way to the position of Lord Protector during the reign of young Edward… Read More The Nine Days of the Nine Day Queen

March 5, 2016November 16, 2021 Sarah

The History of Cersei’s Walk of Shame

Spoiler warning: Game of Thrones Season 5 finale.

June 16, 2015November 16, 2021 Sarah

Katherine of Alexandria/Decline of an Empire

I have a lot of time to catch up on films and television series at the moment, so there’s that at least. Recently I watched Katherine of Alexandria (or Decline of an Empire depending on which part of the world you are from). I was really looking forward to watching this as female hagiography (saints’… Read More Katherine of Alexandria/Decline of an Empire

October 1, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah5 Comments

Anne Boleyn’s Love Letters

Part of Anne Boleyn’s mystery is that we have so little evidence directly relating to Anne from which we can draw conclusions about what she was like as a person. Even though she became Queen of England what we don’t know about Anne Boleyn could fill volumes compared to the surprisingly little we do know.… Read More Anne Boleyn’s Love Letters

May 27, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah4 Comments

The Mistresses of Henry VIII – Kelly Hart

The Mistresses of Henry VIII (2009) The Mistresses of Henry VIII attests that while the lives and personalities of Henry VIII and his six wives are well documented, Henry was involved in numerous affairs with women who have been largely forgotten by history. Hart’s book claims to ‘rescue’ these women from ‘obscurity’ relating the tales… Read More The Mistresses of Henry VIII – Kelly Hart

March 13, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah1 Comment

The Mistresses who would be Queen

The position of royal mistress, even a recognised maîtresse en titre was fraught with difficulties. The lucky, or perhaps more aptly, unlucky woman would have to work tirelessly to maintain the king’s interest. She would have to dispose of rivals without reducing herself to nagging the king or displeasing him in any way lest she… Read More The Mistresses who would be Queen

March 9, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah

The Encyclopedia of Mistresses – Dawn B. Sova

The Encyclopedia of Mistresses: An Under-the-Covers Look at the “Other Women” of History’s Most Influential Men. (2001) In an ambitious project, Dawn B. Sova put together The Encyclopedia of Mistresses in 1993, which as you might expect is a collection of encyclopaedic-esque entries for women who have gone down in history as ‘the other woman,’… Read More The Encyclopedia of Mistresses – Dawn B. Sova

March 6, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah1 Comment

The Courtesans of Charles II

‘The Merry Monarch’ was very merry indeed. Known for his love of partying and women Charles II brought fun back to England in a big, big way. Even before his return to England however, Charles was having fun in his own way, mostly with women. He acknowledged over a dozen illegitimate children with several mistresses,… Read More The Courtesans of Charles II

March 2, 2014November 16, 2021 Sarah2 Comments

History in the (Re)Making

History, Historical Fiction and everything in between

Tag: Non-Fiction