In a kingdom recently divided by faith, Elizabeth I’s government turned to espionage to defend the Protestant crown. This is how her spymasters built a culture of fear that reshaped England’s…

Shadow of A Queen by Peter Tonkin. The exiled queen's presence in England set in motion a deadly game of faith, power, and espionage that would define Elizabeth’s reign.

The Freelance History Writer is pleased to welcome Sam Mee with a guest post “The power behind the throne”. Althouth this conjures images of Cardinal Richelieu or puppet masters, there …

The Freelance History Writer has written a guest article for the Ancient History Encyclopedia about the 7th Century Anglo-Saxon Abbess, Hilda of Whitby. I find Hilda to be an inspiration and a form…

“My health is more unstable than that of any creature and I have all the greater need to rejoice in the testimony of a pure conscience.” Letter from Mary to the council of her brother K…

By Nancy Bilyeau A mournful funeral procession made its way to St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone on Nov. 19th, 1888. Thousand...

Join Andrea Zuvich, The Seventeenth Century Lady, as she welcomes her friend and guest historian, Susan Abernethy, to chat about Catherine of Braganza, who is the subject of her new biography.…

The formation of the Burgundian Empire by the four Valois Dukes of Burgundy would not have happened without the formidable royal and aristocratic women in their

Pierronne of Brittany was a contemporary of Joan of Arc. Like Joan, she was involved in military campaigns, and was

The more I looked into the life of Eleanor of Austria, the more I felt she has not gotten her due. Born of illustrious parents, she was a valuable commodity on the marriage market and was considere…

Portrait of Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth by Henri Gascar “I should do my self wrong if I told you better than all the world besides, for that were making comparison where ‘tis impossi…

Because Nell had her horoscope cast, it is believed she was born on February 2, 1651 at 6:00 AM, probably in Oxford. She was the younger daughter of Helena Smith.  Her father is unknown but this is…

The marriage of Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales to Catherine, daughter of their Catholic Majesties Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile was a dynastic coup for King Henry VII. The Tudor dynast…

On 13 November 1553, the trial of five prisoners accused of high treason was held at the City of London's Guildhall; Jane Grey, brothers Ambrose, Guildford and Henry ('Harry') Dudley, and Thomas…

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Contemporary accounts of Elizabeth are usually hostile, mocking her for her simplicity and being out of place in her elevated role as the wife of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, rather than attacki…

By the time of Edward the Confessor the shire reeve was responsible for collecting royal taxes and collecting rents from royal lands across a hundred hides of land. With the passage of time, the…

Though Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705) wed Charles II of England (reign 1660-1685) in a union of great political consequence, her life and impact in Restoration England remain largely overlooked in...

Though Catherine of Braganza (1638-1705) wed Charles II of England (reign 1660-1685) in a union of great political consequence, her life and impact in Restoration England remain largely overlooked…

There is very little historic information on King Cnut even though he was the most powerful king in northern Europe in the early eleventh century. He was King of Denmark and England, for a time Kin…

On October 12, 1537, King Henry VIII’s beloved wife Jane Seymour finally gave birth at Hampton Court Palace to his only surviving legitimate son, the future King Edward VI. Henry was ecstatic. The …

The Freelance History Writer is pleased to welcome back Toni Mount, author of the medieval based Seb Foxley adventures. The Medieval Mystery Plays In my new Seb Foxley adventure, The Colour of Darkness, it is midsummer in medieval London, a time often celebrated with the performance of a cycle of mystery plays, telling the Bible story, from Creation to the Last Judgement. This collection of playlets was performed in the streets, blending the traditional biblical tales with local traditions to engage the public in a way that was both entertaining and educational.