Rumi, the Persian Poet

I grew up under the tutelage of an amateur historian father, one who both dissected past events and also generously passed along a wide range of historical snippets. Perhaps he had a limited knowledge of this event, or I forgot most details about that one. Whatever the reason for the more modest lessons, or memories,…

Further travels in enemy territory: Oxford

Oxford (Oxenford) is obviously a compact and historic city although visiting specific buildings at short notice is difficult at present. Christ Church Cathedral (England’s smallest for the largest diocese) and the Ashmolean Museum (currently organising a Rembrandt exhibition) were unbookable whilst the Pitt-Rivers Museum didn’t open until September. I went for the Bank Holiday weekend…

Murder and mayhem in medieval London…

UPDATED POST ON sparkypus.com A Medieval Potpourri https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/22/murder-and-mayhem-in-medieval-london/ Here is a link to an interesting map and article on the murder hotspots of medieval London.  Click on a dot and details pop up of that particular murder. Most of the culprits either just simply disappeared pronto or skedaddled into sanctuary and  frustratingly the outcomes are…

Father of a Queen: Thomas Boleyn

Two miles from Edenbridge in Kent  lies the small but attractive castle of Hever. Originally built in 1270, it was taken over 1462 by Geoffrey Bullen (or Boleyn) younger brother of Thomas Boleyn , Master of Gonville Hall, a constituent college of Cambridge. Geoffrey had a son called William and he in turn fathered Thomas…

Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge and its Royal Patrons

Originally posted on Giaconda's Blog:
? ? ? In the very heart of historic Cambridge, stands a tall and elegant late Perpendicular Gothic church, sandwiched between the colleges and market square. The church of St Mary the Virgin has stood on the site since 1205; the first recorded rector being Thomas de Chiveley who was…

A Boss from Buckingham & Crowland Connections

Henry Stafford fascinates me in a dark sort of way. I walk past the spot where he was executed almost once a week. I have always felt he is marginalised by historians because no one quite knows what to make of his behaviour, so he gets  pushed to the side as just  an unsuccessful rebel…

Perhaps they should call it …

… “Primary School Challenge”? According to one of the Cambridge teams on January 9th, Edward IV and Edward V had the same mother. According to Jeremy Paxman, Margaret “Beaufort” was married to the Duke of Burgundy. To be fair, she did marry four times, even though the first was annulled. Oh dear. Weshall have to…