The Stuarts

The Restoration and reign of Charles II are both notorious for their associations with excess: gambling, drinking and of course, women and sex. This series of posts will explore Charles…

This year marks the 100th anniversary of (some) women getting the vote in England, thanks to the Suffragette movement. They made feminism a topic not to be ignored and due…

In the almost-1000 year history of the Monarchy, Elizabeth II is the 41st Monarch to reign, and the 12th Sovereign of Great Britain. But how do you keep track of them…

Everyone has heard of the King who lost his head, Charles I. He is considered by some to have been a reckless ruler, who thought only of himself, also being…

One of the most famous events in England’s history was the Great Fire of London, which began on this day 350 years ago. What happened? Following a particularly dry summer,…

Continuing from part I of “The relationship of Elizabeth I & Mary Queen of Scots in letters” We have already established that Elizabeth’s relationship with her cousin Mary had already…

Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I’s letters to each other were their only sources of communication, and they remain to this day historians’ most insightful and formative sources on…

An unusal celebration that is only found in the UK, Bonfire Night is celebrated on 5th November each year. But what is Bonfire Night and why do we celebrate it? “Remember,…

A panel of experts have re-examined the information regarding the death of Lord Darnely, husband of Mary Queen of Scots, and have concluded she wasn’t guilty of ordering his murder. The inquiry,…

With the death of the childless Queen Elizabeth I, came the end of the infamous Tudor Dynasty. The crown then passed to James VI, King of Scots in a move…