Author: Heather R Darsie

This and That

Dashing through the Snow: Dangers of Alcohol Consumption in Reformation-Era Augsburg

by Heather R. Darsie The Imperial City of Augsburg is known for the important German Reformation document of the Augsburg Confession. The wealthy banking family, the Fuggers, are from Augsburg and some of their buildings still stand. This includes the Fuggerei, named for the Fuggers, which is one of the oldest social housing buildings in the world. In the early 16th century, during Anna of … Continue reading Dashing through the Snow: Dangers of Alcohol Consumption in Reformation-Era Augsburg

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Events

The Armada is Coming!

by Heather R. Darsie Please note that this post originally appeared on TudorsDynasty.com. It was 29 June 1588. The Spanish Armada sailing in its customary crescent shape was spotted off the coast of Cornwall. After many years of waiting, the time had finally come: Spain was invading England to reclaim the country for Catholicism.  It is possible that Philip II, former brother-in-law to Elizabeth I previous … Continue reading The Armada is Coming!

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Illuminators and Manuscripts

A Princess of Wales Parakeet in 14th Century Manuscript?

by Heather R. Darsie Yesterday evening I was browsing through the Walters Art Museum of Baltimore’s collection of illuminated manuscripts. I was viewing a late 14th century Book of Hours, created for the Use of Paris, when I thought I spied a very familiar bird: a Princess of Wales Parakeet or Princess Parrot. Princess Parrots are indigenous to Australia, so I thought that surely there … Continue reading A Princess of Wales Parakeet in 14th Century Manuscript?

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Wooing a Lady

Henry VIII’s Seventeenth Love Letter to Anne Boleyn

by Heather R. Darsie The seventeenth love letter from Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn was likely written in late September 1528 because it mentions the arrival of the papal legate, Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio. Campeggio was acting legate in Rome for Pope Clement VII after Henry’s nephew through his current marriage to Katharine of Aragon, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, sacked Rome in … Continue reading Henry VIII’s Seventeenth Love Letter to Anne Boleyn

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This and That

A History of Beer Brewing in Germany and the Low Countries

by Heather R. Darsie Happy New Year, everyone! My very best wishes to you for a prosperous 2019!  Pieter Bruegel the Elder, “The Wedding Dance,” c. 1566, via Wikimedia Commons. When asked about trades which had a large impact upon economic development and government interests during the Renaissance, twenty-first century observers might instinctively point to the wool trade between England and the Low Countries, the … Continue reading A History of Beer Brewing in Germany and the Low Countries

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This and That

ANNOUNCEMENT Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister

from Heather R. Darsie I am pleased to inform you that after almost four years of research and writing, my new biography entitled, Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister will be released by Amberley Books of the UK in Spring 2019, with release in the US a few months later. Anna remains an intriguing woman and important part of Anglo-Continental politics in the 16th century. I … Continue reading ANNOUNCEMENT Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister

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This and That, Women

Phoenix Birth: Jane Seymour and the Importance of Death and Birth in Tudor England

by Heather R. Darsie Jane Seymour, third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI, died days after giving birth. An inscription above her grave read: “Here lieth a Phoenix, by whose death Another Phoenix life gave breath: It is to be lamented much The world at once ne’er knew two such.” As queen, Jane’s motto was, “Bound to Obey and Serve.” Her personal … Continue reading Phoenix Birth: Jane Seymour and the Importance of Death and Birth in Tudor England

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This and That

A Brief Look at Jousting Armor

by Heather R. Darsie Jousting, much like Rugby or American Football, was a full-contact, dangerous sport. Severe injuries and even death were quite common. Henry II of France died in 1559 when a lance’s splinter breached Henry’s helmet and entered his brain by way of the eye.  More like American Football and less like Rugby, individuals participating in the joust wore protection. Turnierbuch Ritterspiele Most … Continue reading A Brief Look at Jousting Armor

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