By the mid-C15th Florence had become the centre of an artistic, architectural, philosophical, and scientific golden age we now call the Renaissance. And all this had happened under the stewardship of one man, Cosimo de’… Read More »The Medici – Part 2 – Machiavellian Intrigue
As the C15th dawned, the Renaissance was on the brink of transforming Europe forever. It was a revolution in art, culture, and learning. The old Medieval world was slowly disappearing. In its place, a new,… Read More »The Medici and the Italian Renaissance – Part 1
Modern British democracy was born in the medieval parliament. However, in their nascent form, early parliaments were very far from democratic. Indeed, originally, they weren’t even called ‘Parliament’. Instead, they began life as the… Read More »Parliament and the Birth of Democracy
It was 22nd July 1403. Henry IV had just won the battle of Shrewsbury. He had been in power for less than four years and already endured considerable dissent and rebellion. Nevertheless, in defeating Hotspur… Read More »Henry IV Part 2 – The Founding of a Dynasty
Henry IV became king in the autumn of 1399 after the violent overthrow of Richard II. At the time he assumed the throne with huge popular support. However, much of this support was born… Read More »Henry IV Part 1 – The Elected King
In the late 1398, Henry Bolingbroke fell out of favour with King Richard II and was exiled. Within a year he returned and seized the throne to become King Henry IV. The story of… Read More »The Adventures of Young Henry of Bolingbroke
In this last article in my series on the legend of Robin Hood, I’ll try to answer the question I set out to investigate – was Robin an historic figure, or just a myth? In… Read More »Robin Hood Part 4 – The Real Robin Hood
On 4th September 476 CE, the barbarian warlord Odoacer deposed the boy Emperor, Romulus Augustulus. Convention has it that this act marked the end of the Roman Empire in the west. Odoacer would go on to… Read More »After Rome: The New Western Empire
Between 3 February and 4 June 1388, the so-called Merciless Parliament effectively stripped Richard II of power. The Parliament asserted that the 21-year-old monarch was too immature and too easily influenced by corrupt hangers-on to… Read More »The Tyranny of Richard II
Who was Robin Hood? Was he a real person, or just a myth? Medieval accounts are surprisingly consistent in what they say about when Robin Hood lived. They all agree that Robin Hood was an… Read More »Robin Hood Part 3 – Rebel Turned Robber