The Past brought to Life
Today is the day after the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth 1’s coronation, 1559. She soon developed enduring relationships with the senior members of her Government. For example, William Cecil, Lord Burghley served the Queen for the rest of his life – from 1558 to 1598 when he died. Queen Elizabeth I gave leading members of …
Continue reading “Queen Elizabeth I’s Nicknames January 16th”
Queen Elizabeth 1 Accession Queen Elizabeth 1 ascended the throne on 17 Nov 1558. Her accession was greeted with an outbreak of joy by the Protestant population. But the supporters of her dead sister Mary 1 did not want a Protestant monarch. On hearing the news of the death, Elizabeth rushed to occupy the Tower …
Continue reading “Queen Elizabeth 1 Coronation January 15th”
The anniversary was celebrated in London with bonfires and bell-ringing. Lighted fire-barrels were rolled along Cheapside. It was, in a way, the precursor to Guy Fawkes Day (1605 onwards). Protestants celebrated it with such joy as it was the end of the reign of Elizabeth’s sister, Queen Mary I. ‘Bloody’ Mary, as she was named …
I have revised and updated three fascinating posts! The first on the legacy of the Anglo-Saxon princess who changed Scotland when she became Queen. The second is on the joy the Accession of Queen Elizabeth 1 gave to Protestants, with a description of the martyrdom of Thomas Tomkins of Shoreditch, London. And perhaps, less earth …
The beheading of Anne Boleyn began at 8am with her speech. ‘Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of …
Today, is not St George’s Day but it is Shakespeare’s Birthday (Here is a wonderful website with everything you might like to know about St George.) By tradition, Shakespeare was born on St George’s Day. April 23rd 1564, 457 years ago. He died on the same day in 1616 at age 52. Cervantes died on …
Continue reading “St George’s Day, Shakespeare’s Birthday April 23rd”
Maundy Thursday Meaning This is the last day of Lent, and the day before the Passion. It’s also called Holy Thursday when Christians remember the Washing of the Feet, and the Last Supper. And Maundy Thursday. Maundy is thought to be from the: ‘Latin word mandatum, or commandment, reflecting Jesus’ words “I give you a …
The Queen’s half share in the profits of the Golden Hind’s circumnavigation of the world, amounted to more than her normal annual income. So it is no wonder she knighted the Captain, Sir Francis Drake, in the dock in what is now South East London at Deptford. The Spanish were furious that a Pirate should …
Continue reading “Francis Drake Knighted at Deptford April 4th”
Last year, the Stone of Destiny was set up in its new permanent place. The Stone was unveiled in a room at the centre of the redeveloped Perth Museum, in Scotland. This is near to its ‘original’ home at the Palace of Scone. The Museums Association reported: ‘£27m development project ….funded by £10m UK government …
Continue reading “Stone of Destiny on display in Perth March 30th”
This is my second most popular post. March 25th is the Annunciation—the day that the Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she is pregnant. (to see some very fine paintings of this meeting, look at my other March 25th post march-25th-feast-of-the-annunciation/ March 25th is also the anniversary of the birth of Adam and Eve (and Lilith); the …