[THIS IS AVAILABLE AS A FREE PODCAST ON ITUNES] “William III died in a riding accident.” How many times have I heard this? According to the evidence, this was almost certainly not the case. William III had a constant battle with his lungs and it was a problem with his lungs that lead to his death – not… Read on
The Scottish hero popularly known as Rob Roy, was baptised on the 7th of March, 1678, by Loch Katrine. A teenaged Rob Roy has a little cameo in my book due to his involvement in Bonny Dundee’s Jacobite uprising against William & Mary. Many clans, though Presbyterian or Protestant, supported Catholic King James II on principle for he was… Read on
When you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go, even if you’re a Stuart king in the late 17th Century… Lovely, isn’t it? Red velvet, brass fittings, this loo is certainly nicer than some I’ve seen in my day. No flush, granted, but still pretty. Now, William had a hard time with his bottom, as he suffered from hemorrhoids. Poor chap.… Read on
The King’s Stairs in William III’s State Apartments in the newer half of Hampton Court Palace is a stunning example of Baroque architecture and artwork. The walls were painted (circa 1700) by Italian Baroque painter Antonio Verrio and conjure up mythological and historical figures depicting the strength of William III. Note how many allusions to warfare and might… Read on
Love the Dutch Golden Age? Then you will love the new documentary series entitled, “De Gouden Eeuw,” which will be broadcasted beginning tonight in The Netherlands. I was delighted to have been asked to participate in this major documentary, and should appear in what I believe is the last episode of the series – Episode 13, where I… Read on
During the Seventeenth Century the Villiers were one of the most socially ambitious families in England. The following are some of the most notorious of the lot… George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham Ah, the first of the ambitious Villiers. Pretty-boy George was so incredibly beautiful that he immediately came to the attention of King James I. Now,… Read on
The Little Banqueting House was made for King William III for his private entertainment – a place to get away from it all. The beautiful Dutch terraced landscape garden known as the Pond Garden is in the foreground in the picture above, and in the background, the lovely Little Banqueting House. I was able to enter this lovely… Read on
I recently contributed a guest post about William & Mary to the excellent blog of “Hoydens & Firebrands: Roaring Ladies who write about the 17th Century.” It was posted yesterday here: http://hoydensandfirebrands.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/william-and-mary.html Alternately, you can read it here and now: The story of William & Mary is one of duty, love, war, heartbreak, betrayal, and revolution. It was a… Read on
Willem Hendrik, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and King of England, was born on this day the 14th of November, 1650. It had been a dark week for the House of Orange. William II, aged only twenty-four, had died of smallpox on the sixth of November. His widow, the nineteen-year-old Mary Stuart, Princess of Orange,… Read on
Philadelphia was founded on this day 27 October, 1682 by English Quaker William Penn. Penn had been given the land first by King Charles II and then supported by Charles’s brother, the Catholic King James II of England. William Penn himself had been born on the 14th of October, 1644 in Tower Hill, London, and later baptised at All Hallows-by-the-Tower,… Read on
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 marked a profound change in the history of England, and therefore, the United Kingdom. Most of the people who are reading this now – if not all- know of this revolution and its ramifications upon the history of this nation, but what I find quite disheartening is the fact that most people one encounters do… Read on
I recently went to Exeter to visit some of my husband’s friends and also to do some research at Exeter Cathedral – which is a very impressive cathedral. William of Orange (King William III) came here during his progress during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, so it was imperative for my research to come here. I firmly believe… Read on