On 14 January 1507 Queen Joanna of Castile gave birth to her final child, a daughter whom she named Catarina after the baby’s aunt, Catherine of Aragon, who was languishing as an unmarried widow in England at the time. Queen Joanna would soon know something of captivity and hopelessness as well. Her husband, of King… Read more Catarina of Austria, Queen of Portugal
There was a fascinating study about Bombus terrestris — European buff-tailed bumblebees — that was recently published in Royal Society Open Science: Social insects are well known for their high level of cooperation. Workers of the primitively eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris are able to produce male offspring in the presence of a queen. Nonetheless, they… Read more Circumstances of Usurpation
One of the earliest examples of a Northern European chess set is the 12th century Lewis Chessmen, gaming pieces found on the Isle of Lewis in the Hebrides of Scotland. Several pieces are on display at the British Museum in London. They are amazing. Carved sometime between 1150-1200 AD of walrus ivory, they were probably… Read more The Lewis Chessmen
Anna Lætitia Aikin Barbauld was a renown English poet and author, and her works were eagerly anticipated. She was one of the most admired female writers in the Georgian era, and was lauded both at home and abroad. (In the below picture, Nine Living Muses of Great Britain by Richard Samuel, Barbauld is the one… Read more Eighteen Hundred and Eleven, a Poem
Anne of Brittany, sole heiress to the Duchy of Brittany and therefore much desired by the French crown, was forced to marry King Louis XII of France on 8 January 1499. It was a personal tragedy for Anne, and a source of grief for her duchy. Anne thought she could escape marrying a French king… Read more Forcibly Wedded, Forcibly Bedded
The only legitimate child of George, Prince of Wales, and his estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick, was born on 7 January 1796 – almost nine months exactly after her parent’s wedding night. It was fortunate the royal newlyweds conceived then, because they loathed each other so instantly and profoundly they would never have sex with… Read more Princess Charlotte of Wales
The future King Richard II of England was born on 6 January 1367, the second son of Edward, the Black Prince and Joan, The Fair Maid of Kent. The Black Prince had been made Prince of Aquitaine (the dower lands of Eleanor of Aquitaine when she wed King Henry II) by his proud father, King… Read more King Richard II
On New Year’s Day of 1511, Queen Katherina of Aragon gave birth to the son she and King Henry VIII had been yearning for. The newborn was named Henry after his father and he appears to have been a normal and healthy baby, prompting widespread and prolonged celebration. Henry and Katherina were thrilled with their new son, whom… Read more The New Year’s Day Prince