Tag: Early Modern
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A Brief Moment of History: Was Queen Elizabeth I Secretly a Man?
There are many historical conspiracy theories that abound (often involving aliens…) but one of my favourite is the peculiar theory that Tudor Queen Elizabeth I was, in fact, a man. Let us explore! The theory was first written down back in the nineteenth century by Dracula author, Bram Stoker. Bram had visited the village of…
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Royston Cave: An Unexplained Enigma
Humans have been drawn to caves since their earliest days. Places of shelter, they sometimes evolved into something new: places of burial, religious ritual, to record one’s history on its walls. Many mysterious workings of humankind have been found across the world, and one English cave adds to this tradition. Royston is a small town…
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The Tale Of Alice Tankerville And The Theft Of The 366 Golden Crowns
Today we have a special guest post written by Adam LC (Grey)! Adam is the creator of the treasure hunting site Areas Grey where he writes about treasure legends around the world and his wild adventures in search of them. With a passion for travel and a keen eye for solving puzzles, combined with experience…
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The Malleus Maleficarum: The Hammer of Witches
The Early Modern witch hunts that so characterise our modern knowledge of Europe and the American Colonies, particularly in the 17th century, have captured the popular imagination for centuries. Infamous trials like that at Salem continue to lure our attention today, and our obsession with witchcraft and magic still permeates our literature, films, and television…
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Windsor Castle, Heart of the Monarchy
Windsor Castle is one of the most recognisable sites in England. Built in the 11th century just after the Norman invasion of England, it has inspired castles across the world and has been the hub of the English and British monarchy for centuries. The castle is the longest-occupied palace in the whole of Europe, the…
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From Olmecs to Cadbury: A History of Chocolate
Chocolate is a product that can be found in pretty much every cupboard. It is one of our favourite sweet treats, but few of us probably think twice about the history of chocolate when we’re having a craving. This unassuming product has been consumed for over 3,000 years, and the sweet chocolate bars that we…
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An Interview With: Rebecca Larson, Tudors Dynasty
We are back with another post in our interview series, and I am very excited to be talking today with Rebecca Larson. Rebecca is the owner of Tudors Dynasty, a fantastic historical website and podcast. Tens of thousands of listeners tune in every week to listen to Rebecca’s podcast, and she is currently working on…
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Historical Figures: Samuel Pepys, Renowned Diarist
Samuel Pepys is perhaps one of the most famous English non-royals from the 17th century. He kept a daily diary for almost ten years from 1660, meaning he is a crucial source for Britain just after the restoration of the monarchy. He covered key historical events first-hand, such as the tragic Great Fire of London,…
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Legendary People: Pocahontas, The Real History
In 1995 Disney released the film Pocahontas which earnt $346 million at the box office and received two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and a Grammy. In the subsequent years, many began to learn that Pocahontas was based on a real person who was born 400 years before the film’s release – and that her…
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Mythical Creatures: The Headless Blemmyes
Although people living in medieval Europe knew a lot more of the wider world than many initially think, with strong trade links in Asia and northern Africa, they were still intrigued about what lay beyond the land known to man, and stories of mythical creatures abounded. One such creature which fascinated for centuries was the…
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