Europe

Excerpt from an interview with Jeremy Harte by Alicia McDermott

Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most successful and celebrated queens in British history. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she came to the throne on November 17, 1558, following the death of her older half-sister, Mary I. While Elizabeth's reign is widely recognized for ushering in a golden age, she herself has also been remembered for her iconic fashion choices and style.

From lavish clothing adorned with intricate details to elaborate hairstyles and cosmetic rituals, the high fashion of ancient Rome was an exquisite tapestry that reflected the societal norms and values of its time.

During the 19th century, Mary Anning (1799 to 1847) was an enigma. A self-taught fossil-hunter and paleontologist—during a time when science was most definitely a man’s world—in the 21st century Anning has finally started to get the attention she deserves for the role she played excavating glimpses into prehistory at the Jurassic coast near her home town of Lyme Regis in Dorset, England.

There is an inexplicable pleasure to be gained from delving into the past through the written words and hand-drawn images of a personal travel journal. Inspired by the human instinct to keep a record of one’s life, they provide intimate insight into private thoughts, helping us to understand the passions and prejudices of historic individuals.

Thomas Blood is an infamous Irishman known as the ‘Man Who Stole the Crown Jewels.’ The self-styled colonel lived during the 17th century and established his reputation as a rogue and trickster during the time when England was embroiled in a civil war. Blood cemented his place in history with his audacious attempt to steal the Crown Jewels. But what are the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom?

In recent years, there have been calls for the British Museum to return the Parthenon Marbles in its collection to Greece for display in a new museum on the Acropolis. The museum would be designed to showcase the Marbles in their original context, alongside other ancient artifacts. But what exactly are the Marbles and why are they important?

Here are seven facts, a video describing the art, and a collection of images of these controversy-sparking artifacts.

King Arthur is undoubtedly one of the most enduringly popular heroes to come out of the medieval era, and he has meant many things to many people for hundreds of years. Over time, the mythology of Arthur grew as new stories were added to the existing ones and his fame spread throughout Britain and beyond.

Joan of Arc was a young peasant woman who lived during the last phase of the Hundred Years’ War. This war was a series of military conflicts between France and England which began in 1337 due to an inheritance dispute over the French throne. It ended in 1453. The 116 years of the war saw the rise and fall of several kings and nobles, many of whom are noteworthy in their own right.

These days we're starting to see a huge variety of books which bring women and girls to the fore, creating positive female role models to aspire to, rather than the never-ending tales which make it appear as if only men ever did anything of note. As a mother I now revel in the wide selection of books available for my reading time with the girls. We particularly enjoy reading about women throughout history who have achieved great things against all odds.