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mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Mark Williams
@mrfw17thc.bsky.social
4.5K followers 2.3K following 1.7K posts
Reader in Early Modern History. Currently writing a cultural history of the English East India Company. He/Him. Immigrant. Academic. Father.

All opinions my own.
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mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Mark Williams @mrfw17thc.bsky.social · May 7
New article!

'Seeing Women in the Early English and Dutch East India Companies' is now available as an Advance Article with Historical Research.

It's been years of work, but I'm proud of this one. I hope #earlymodern #skystorians enjoy it!

Some context below:

academic.oup.com/histres/adva...
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academic.oup.com
Reposted by Mark Williams
implausibleblog.bsky.social
Left: Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, talking about liberty and freedom in the US in the UK parliament

Right: ICE agents attacking a dancing fox
January 20, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
julianshea.bsky.social
A year ago today Boris the Liar spaffed out this description of an event that didn't actually happen and the Daily Fail still put it on the front page because who cares about actual facts?
January 20, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Cops at her front door, holding a phone to her face, asking if that's her Facebook account.

What the fuck are we doing here?
out5p0ken.bsky.social Outspoken™️ @out5p0ken.bsky.social · 19h
A woman left a comment on Facebook criticizing the Mayor of Miami Beach,.

The Mayor of Miami Beach then sent the cops to her home.
January 19, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
eicathomefinn.bsky.social
And in contrast, in honour of Martin Luther King Day, a reminder of the dignity of the March On Washington in 1963.
The leaders of the March on Washington standing in front of the seated figure of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, in two rows. MLK is in the front row, 2nd from right.
January 19, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
alanlester.bsky.social
When “Operation Raise the Colours” started attaching flags to lampposts, you couldn’t analyse it in the media without the reply, “it’s just people innocently expressing national pride”. Now the same people are travelling to France to intimidate refugees.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
‘They’re emboldened’: British far-right activists step up harassment of asylum seekers in northern France
Aid groups say rise of far-right rhetoric in politics has fed into intimidation, vandalism and hate graffiti around migrant camps
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:02 AM
mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Don't worry people, there's something reassuringly familiar about the combination of murderous kings, Denmark, Norway, and undiscovered countries that tells me this will all end well for everyone.
sharonk.bsky.social Sharon @sharonk.bsky.social · 1d
mad king moment

from the PBS Newshour correspondent
NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials: Dear Ambassador: President Trump has asked that the following message, shared with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, be forwarded to your [named head of government/state] “Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT”
January 19, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
sharonk.bsky.social
mad king moment

from the PBS Newshour correspondent
NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials: Dear Ambassador: President Trump has asked that the following message, shared with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, be forwarded to your [named head of government/state] “Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT”
January 19, 2026 at 5:09 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
robertsaunders.bsky.social
The very stable geniuses of British politics should not be allowed to forget their sycophancy towards Trump.
Various headlines in which Jacob Rees-Mogg, Liz Truss, Daniel Hannan, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage endorse Donald Trump.
January 18, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
eicathomefinn.bsky.social
'Explaining Zitron’s thesis about why generative AI is doomed to fail is not simple: last year he wrote a 19,000-word essay, laying it out. But you could break it down into two, interrelated parts.' 1/2
Ed Zitron on big tech, backlash, boom and bust: ‘AI has taught us that people are excited to replace human beings’
His blunt, brash scepticism has made the podcaster and writer something of a cult figure. But as concern over large language models builds, he’s no longer the outsider he once was
www.theguardian.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
reformexposed.bsky.social
Reform UK council chiefs branded 'incredibly disrespectful' over £840m budget
Reform UK council chiefs branded 'incredibly disrespectful' over £840m budget
Tories are not happy
www.stokesentinel.co.uk
January 18, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Well I, for one, am glad that there have been no recent UK policy shifts that prevent us from buying European in response to this childish behaviour ...
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Trump: "Starting Feb 1, all above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, UK, Netherlands, & Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff. On June 1, it will be increased to 25%. It will be due until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."
We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question. Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused. Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important.
January 18, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
sirmichaeltake.bsky.social
I wonder why Nigel Farage has pulled out of The Laura Kuenssberg TV programme this morning?
🤔
January 18, 2026 at 9:30 AM
mrfw17thc.bsky.social
Well I, for one, am glad that there have been no recent UK policy shifts that prevent us from buying European in response to this childish behaviour ...
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Trump: "Starting Feb 1, all above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, UK, Netherlands, & Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff. On June 1, it will be increased to 25%. It will be due until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland."
We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question. Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%. This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused. Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important.
January 18, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
sandertordoir.bsky.social
The only way to stop the spiral is to hit the US hard with escalating economic weapons from Europes side.

The goal is to raise political costs for Trumps imperial project. Europe can win this game of chicken as there’s real opposition in the US to this Trump hobby.
vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu · 2d
Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty.
January 17, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
tricksterprince.bsky.social
If only there was a recent book that had some really untold stories about Seven Dials in the 1920s and 1930s to tell.

Oh, hang on...

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526181954/
January 16, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
normcharlatan.bsky.social
They are canceling youth sports across the city in Minneapolis this weekend because lawless masked armed federal paramilitaries are targeting the children and families.
walkingminnesota.com Moth @walkingminnesota.com · 4d
Minneapolis Parks and Recreation has canceled youth sports because ICE is terrorizing our community
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board This is a communication from Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board: MPRB Youth Athletics Families, Considering the alarming federal immigration enforcement activities currently taking place in and around Minneapolis and after hearing from families and teams, a decision has been made to cancel all MPRB youth athletics games and practices scheduled for Friday, Jan. 16 through Sunday, Jan. 18. All cancelled games will be rescheduled for a later date. This impacts youth athletics only. We are cancelling out of an abundance of caution for youth athletic families, officials and MPRB staff. We will reevaluate on Sunday evening and share an update early next week. Thank you for your understanding.
January 16, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
arminsamii.bsky.social
Holy shit.

Renee Good was alive when the bystander physician asked to check her pulse. She was alive when ICE refused to let him help. She was alive when they told him “I don’t care.”

www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Live Updates: Newly Released Records Detail Chaos During Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
www.nytimes.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:43 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
rezekjoe.bsky.social
Rogan compared ICE to the Gestapo. That is significant
January 14, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
factpostnews.bsky.social
New video shows ICE agents detaining a US citizen legal observer in Minneapolis.

The agents smashed his car window, dragged him out, and placed a knee on his neck.
January 13, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
noturtlesoup17.bsky.social
ICE just broke a woman’s windows and yanked her out of her car at Park and 34 in Minneapolis. This is after a crowd gathered while ICE raided a home.
January 13, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
mrfw17thc.bsky.social
God, Hamnet was a beautiful punch in the gut.
January 13, 2026 at 1:56 AM
mrfw17thc.bsky.social
God, Hamnet was a beautiful punch in the gut.
January 13, 2026 at 1:56 AM
Reposted by Mark Williams
atrupar.com
Trump's thugs are going hog wild and tossing gas around in one of the busiest commercial districts in Minneapolis, just a mile or so from where I live. Complete insanity.

(vid via Ford Fischer on X)
January 12, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
coldwarsteve.bsky.social
“We’re gonna need a bigger bus”
January 12, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Reposted by Mark Williams
bestforbritain.org
Nadhim Zahawi ‘begged’ for Tory peerage weeks before defection...

They all want to smash the establishment *right after* they stop advancing within it. ~AA
January 12, 2026 at 2:24 PM