#OTD 500 years ago, Francis I of France was defeated and captured at the Battle of Pavia. Poor Frankie boy.
(I had hoped that my book on Pavia would have been out in time for today, but will come out in the anniversary year, in the autumn).

No, BBC News, Australia Day does NOT mark the 'anniversary of Captain Cook's landing at Botany Bay in 1770'. It marks (for better or worse) the arrival of the First Feet in what was named Sydney Cove on or just before 26 January 1788. Can you please update your 12-year old producers? Thanks.

#OTD in 1525 Francis I of France was celebrating the 10th anniversary of his coronation at Saint-Denis. He was then besieging the city of Pavia in northern Italy His ally Ludovico Giovanni de' Medici was that day shot in the leg.He had to withdraw from the campaign.

#OTD Cardinal Wolsey died at Leicester Abbey, en route to London from York, under arrest. He was England's greatest cardinal, while also Henry VIII's Chancellor, and the Archbishop of York as well. The reasons for his arrest and his significance in England's history are still debated by historians.

Foxes are still being hunted nearly 20 years after the Hunting Act! Loopholes like “trail hunting” allow hunts to continue killing wildlife with impunity. This is a disgrace.
It’s time to end ALL hunting for good.

We're excited for our final 2024 Digital Seminar Series session! Join us on December 17 at 5pm UK time for our Winter Social 🧣⛄️❄️

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I will be one of the three guests discussing the Hanoverian Succession tomorrow morningn on 'In Our Time' on BBCR4. Looking forward to hearing the programme! #skystorians #c18th
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Francis I, as a boy, with his back turned to us, playing chess with his older sister Marguerite, who would become a major figure in his regime and in the French Renaissance and early Reformation 🦊 ( I don't know the dog's name) It's from a book about games of chance.

A nice pic of one of my favourite subjects, Francois Ier of France.