Queen Boudica
A wronged Queen, who very nearly defeated the might of Imperial Rome Boudica (also written as Boadicea) was a Celtic queen who led a revolt against Roman rule in ancient Britain in A.D. 60/61. What we know of her comes from Roman scholars such as Tacitus and Cassius Dio. Little is known about her early life, […]
William the Conqueror
William the Conqueror was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. He is responsible for commissioning ‘The Doomsday Book’, one of the most important historical documents ever created. William was the son of the unmarried Duke Robert 1st of Normandy and his mistress Herleva. His illegitimate status and […]
Boudica – A woman scorned!
Boudica was a reluctant soldier who, until the Romans invaded England, was happily married to King Prasutagus, ruler of the Celtic tribe Iceni. Then to keep the peace, King Prasutagus agreed with the Romans that on his death half his lands and estates would go to his wife and daughters, with the other half going […]
After the Romans and before 1066 who invaded England?
During this period England was open to be conquered by any north European tribe, therefore the Germans, the Vikings and then the Danish invaded. First came the Germans As soon as the Romans left in 410AD we started to be invaded by raiding parties of Germans. It wasn’t a large invasion, just tribes, such as […]
The build up to the Battle of Hastings
At the start of 1066, England was ruled by King Edward the Confessor, he is remembered as the King who built Westminster Abbey in London. Edward ruled over England with the help of the Witan. It was made up of the top clergy in the country and acted as his council on all matters concerning […]
The Viking Pirates
Pirates have a long history, even stretching back to ancient times, when the Greeks and Romans were harassed by sea raiders, the early day pirates. However, probably the most successful pirates of all time were the Vikings. These fierce pirates terrorized the seas around Europe for nearly 400 years from around 700 AD. They didn’t just […]
The Story of Sutton Hoo
One that links Mrs Edith Pretty, a Suffolk landowner, to an Anglo Saxon warrior King, thought to be Raedwald, a powerful Anglo Saxon King. It is about one of the most influential and important archaeological discoveries ever found in Britain. It links two periods of our country’s turbulent history. One ends mysteriously 1,400 years ago […]
After the Romans and before 1066 who invaded England?
During this period England was open to be conquered by any north European tribe, therefore the Germans, the Vikings and then the Danish invaded. First came the Germans As soon as the Romans left in 410AD we started to be invaded by raiding parties of Germans. It wasn’t a large invasion, just tribes, such as […]
William the Conqueror died in France not England!
On September 7th 1087 William the Conqueror died in Rouen, but why Rouen? Even though he had conquered England, he was also Duke of Normandy and he had to spend more time in France protecting his kingdom in Normandy than he did here. In fact, it’s reported that at one point he spent five years […]
Who was the Lady of the Mercians?
You will have heard of the Warrior Queen Boadicea but have you ever heard of Aethelflaed? She led her troops in the Battle of Tettenhall. You probably haven’t heard of that Battle, have you? Well, she was described as the Lady of the Mercians, who was the oldest daughter of Alfred the Great, and […]