Category: History Bites

Mary Queen of Scot's Death Warrant

1/2/2017

A warrant ordering her death of Mary Queen of Scots was signed by Elizabeth I on the 1st February 1587.

Sandor Liezen-Mayer's depicts Elizabeth 's hatred quite brilliantly.

Mary would be executed a week later and despite her famous reaction on finding out her cousin was dead, it is clear from the warrant what Elizabeth's wishes were:

“repaire to our Castle of Fotheringhaye where the said Queene of Scottes is in custodie of our right trustie servant and Counsellor Sir Amyas Poulet Knight, and then taking her into your charge to cause by your commandment execution to be done upon her person”.

Mary, on hearing of her fate, wrote to Henry III of France, the younger brother of her first husband Frances II stating

"Tonight, after dinner, I have been advised of my sentence: I am to be executed like a criminal at eight in the morning. I have not had time to give you a full account of everything that has happened, but if you will listen to my doctor and my other unfortunate servants, you will learn the truth, and how, thanks be to God, I scorn death and vow.... "

Mary Queen of Scots is one of a number of persons in history that I am known to dither about, do I like her or not? My gut feeling however is yes I do.

Below is a copy of the original warrant that disappeared following Mary execution.

More information about this is available on Lambeth Palace website.

www.lambethpalacelibrary.org/content/executionwarrant

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History Bites: Trial of the Gunpowder Plotters Begins.

27/1/2017

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By the end of the sixteenth century many followers of the Catholic faith had faced persecution, but had looked forward to a brighter future when King James I took the throne of England.

James had promised that there would be a greater tolerance and true to his word, after his coronation in 1603, he kept his promise and restrictions on Catholicism were lifted. Almost immediately after the changes took place the king had pressure placed on him by many of the Protestant faith and he soon performed a u-turn.

Angered by this, a group of men, headed by Robert Catesby, a descendant of Sir William Catesby, royal councillor and loyal friend of Richard III, plotted to blow up parliament and the king. These eight men rented a cellar below the Palace of Westminster and filled it with gunpowder, ready for the state opening of parliament on the fifth. They had previously approached Guy Fawkes who was "a man highly skilled in matters of war" and therefore an 'expert' with explosives.' The plotters plan ran smoothly, but they knew nothing of what has come to be known as the Monteagle Letter, it was this small note that was their undoing.

Fawkes was arrested and through torture gave the names of his fellow conspirators. These men whereabouts were discovered, two of the men had fled, one gave himself up but the rest, including Catesby stood their ground against the kings forces at Holbeche House in Staffordshire.

The trial of eight of the plotters began this day the 27th January 1606.

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History Bites: White Boar Graffiti

25/1/2017

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Carlisle Castle is over 900 years old, built in the time of William Rufus, it can be found not too far from Hadrian's Wall.

In the 1470's Richard, Duke of Gloucester was Lord Warden of the West Marshes, he was responsible for maintaining England's boarder with Scotland and it was Carlisle Castle that Richard would use as his base.The Duke of Gloucester had many supporters in this part of England, and as we know many wore a boar badge of loyalty.

There are a number of emblem carvings inside the castle walls that are linked to the House of York, one being a boar, these carvings are said to have been made by prisoners held at the castle.

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The Death of Sir Francis Drake

24/1/2017

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Sir Francis Drake died on the 27th January 1596 of dysentery while in the West Indies doing what he loved best, that is attacking the Spanish. Drakes body, all decked out in a suit of armour, was buried at sea in a lead coffin, just of the coast of Panama.

Sir Francis Drake, all cool, calm and collected, and handsome to boot, fits our romantic ideals as the perfect hero, and what better story to demonstrates this than his famous game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe. On being told that Spanish ships had been spotted he famously remarked that there was plenty of time for him to finish his game.

Now, that is cool, if he actually said it!

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History Bites: Birth of Edmund Crouchback

14/1/2017

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Edmund Crouchback, son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence, was born on the 16th January 1245.

14th century image of a knight, thought to be Edmund with Saint George, taken from a manuscript held at Oxford's Bodleian Library.

Edmund's nickname Crouchback is thought to be derived from the black cross he wore on his back during his time in the Crusades. However, his second son Henry of Lancaster, also went by a nick name, that of Wryneck (the same name as a bird who can turn its head almost 180 degrees.) This condition we know now of as Torticollis, where the muscles of the neck cause the head to twist to one side.

Although there seems to be no evidence of Edmund having any physical deformity, we can only wonder if he suffered from the same and passed it to his son, Henry's condition being more noticeable.

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History Bites: Richard I Captured

20/12/2016

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On this day in 1192, King Richard I was captured in the Austrian town of Vienna whilst on his way home from crusade by King Leopold V of Austria.

Following his departure from the Holy land in the October, Richard the Lionheart was travelling in a disguise when he was captured and imprisoned. The English king was held hostage until February 1194, a ransom was eventually paid to release the king, part of which was used to build the Austrian town Wiener Neusdadt.

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Mary Queen of Scot's Death Warrant

History Bites: Trial of the Gunpowder Plotters Begins.

History Bites: White Boar Graffiti

The Death of Sir Francis Drake

History Bites: Birth of Edmund Crouchback

History Bites: Richard I Captured

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Mary Queen of Scot's Death Warrant

History Bites: Trial of the Gunpowder Plotters Begins.

History Bites: White Boar Graffiti

The Death of Sir Francis Drake

﻿History Bites: Birth of Edmund Crouchback

History Bites: Richard I Captured

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History Bites: Birth of Edmund Crouchback