The History of England Magazine
Every month we present new feature articles relating to the history of this green and pleasant land. From ancient battlefields to famous people, hangings to national celebrations, we’ve got something to interest everyone.
Barbary Pirates and English Slaves
For over 300 years, the coastlines of the English Channel and south west of England were at the mercy of Barbary pirates. Men, women and children were kidnapped to be sold as slaves…
Catherine Parr or Anne of Cleves – the real survivor of Henry VIII
Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived; the tale of Henry VIII and his six wives. The rhyme suggests that his final wife, Catherine Parr was the survivor of the notorious womanizer, but is that really true? What of his fourth wife, his ‘belov’d sister’ Anne of Cleeves?….
A Good Death – An Early Modern Obsession
In Early Modern England, the deathbed was a spiritual drama, a battle for the dying individual’s soul between the forces of God and the demons of Satan. If the individual died well, peacefully, with family and priest, then salvation was assumed to be theirs. A bad death, alone or in agony or without a holy man’s sacrament, was to be avoided at all cost…
Samuel Pepys and His Diary
Samuel Pepys is best known for his diaries, written between 1660 and 1671, and his eyewitness accounts of major events such as the coronation of Charles II, the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague…
Emma of Normandy
Queen consort to two kings of England, mother of two kings and stepmother to another, why is Emma of Normandy not better known in English history?
Lady Jane Grey
Poor young Lady Jane Grey is famous for having the shortest reign in England’s history… just nine days.
Sweyn Forkbeard
Most people have heard of the Danish king of England Canute who according to legend, tried to command the waves. However it was his father Sweyn (Svein) who was the first Viking king of England…
The Tragic Demise of Edward II
The events that led to the deposition, abdication and murder of Edward II…
The Life and Death of William Laud
William Laud was a significant religious and political advisor during the personal rule of King Charles I . He was considered one of the key instigators of the conflict between the monarchy and Parliament, which ultimately paved the way for the English Civil War…