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.
The Great Fire of London
The people of London who had managed to survive the Great Plague in 1665 must have thought that the year 1666 could only be better, and couldn’t possibly be worse! Poor souls…
Henry VIII’s Deteriorating Health 1509-1547
One of the most famous images of Henry VIII is the portrait by Holbein The Younger, painted around 1540, depicting a huge lion of man. And yet in his youth, Henry was a passionate sportsman…
Great Fire of London 1212
Mention ‘The Great Fire of London’ and most people think of the 1666 disaster. However more people were killed in the Great Fire of 1212…
Why has there only been one King John?
In the history of Britain, there has only been one King John. Why have no other monarchs taken the name John?
Boudica and The Slaughter at Camulodunum
Camulodunum (Colchester) was the capital of Roman Britain, and the site of the first battle of the Iceni rebellion, led by Boudica. What happened at Camulodunum deserves special mention as it was not simply a battle, but a systematic slaughter of every Roman who lived there…
The Mysticism and Madness of Margery Kempe
Margery Kempe must have cut quite a figure on the pilgrimage circuits of Medieval Europe: a married woman dressed in white, weeping incessantly, and holding court with some of the greatest religious figures of her time. She leaves her life story with us in “The Book”, often thought of as the oldest example of an autobiography in the English language.
The St Brice’s Day Massacre
The St Brice’s Day Massacre earned King Aethelred the nickname Aethelred the Unready (or ill advised), and took place on 13th November 1002. It resulted in widespread violence, upheaval and invasion…
The Yeomen of the Guard
The first part of the ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament takes place out of public sight, when the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster are searched by the Yeomen of the Guard, resplendent in their Tudor-style uniforms…
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?….