by Heather R. Darsie A second poem is attributed to Anne Boleyn, and perhaps written shortly after her trial on 15 May 1536. Despite bravely defending herself against slanderous claims, Anne was found guilty of adultery and incest. It was obvious to her that the charges were a way for Henry to rid himself of Anne Boleyn so Henry could marry the more passive Jane … Continue reading The Poetry of Anne Boleyn: Second Poem
by Heather R. Darsie Anne Boleyn, Queen Consort of England and mother of Elizabeth I, was arrested on 2 May 1536 for allegedly committing adultery whilst married to Henry VIII of England. Anne’s trial came on 15 May, where she was found guilty of the charges. On 19 May 1536, Anne Boleyn was executed. During her time in the Tower, Anne may have written two … Continue reading The Poetry of Anne Boleyn: First Poem
by Heather R. Darsie 6 May 1527. Pope Clement VII had been sitting on St. Peter’s Chair since 19 November 1523. An illegitimate member of the Medici clan, he was raised by his uncle Lorenzo de’ Medici, known as Lorenzo the Magnificent. His cousin was Pope Leo X, second son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and another Medici. Clement VII was originally trained for military service, … Continue reading 1527: ROME HAS BEEN SACKED!
by Heather R. Darsie “Am I politic, am I subtle, am I a Machiavel?”** On 3 May 1469, Bartolomea and Bernardo welcomed their first son, Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, in Florence, Italy. By the time of Machiavelli’s birth, Florence was the cultural capital of the Tuscan region and is today regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Starting in 1434, the famed Medici … Continue reading Il Politico: Niccolò Machiavelli
by Heather R. Darsie Dear Reader, thank you so much for your support and interest during my journey to write a biography about Anna of Cleves from the German perspective. My travels took me all over Europe and parts of the US. Below are pictures of me doing Anna-related things, which I would like to share with you. Here I am at the Louvre, … Continue reading My Adventures with the Duchess of Cleves!
by Heather R. Darsie Je souhaite exprimer, par ces quelques lignes, mes pensées et mes sentiments à propos du brasier infernal de Notre-Dame. Je ne parle pas bien le français, mais j’espère que vous pourrez me comprendre. Ces dernières années, la France a beaucoup souffert. Il y a eu d’épouvantables actes de terrorisme et des troubles civils horribles. Malgré cela, la France en tant que … Continue reading La tragédie de Notre-Dame
by Heather R. Darsie Be sure to stop by the following places on the following days to enjoy the book tour! The articles feature information that did not quite make it into Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s ‘Beloved Sister’, plus interviews with me and a couple excerpts with anecdotes. Don’t forget to enter the Swag Giveaway! Continue reading The Virtual Book Tour is Begun!
By Heather R. Darsie I am delighted by the release of my first book, Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s ‘Beloved Sister,’ and want to celebrate with you! What better thing to do than have a giveaway? TudorsDynasty.com provided me with two Anna of Cleves tote bags, an Anna of Cleves mug, and a Six Wives mug from the Tudors Dynasty Zazzle store. Here are the official … Continue reading Time to Celebrate with a Swag Giveaway!
by Heather R. Darsie* (with help from Burns Darsie III) My father observes his 75th birthday this year. He asked me to write an article about the Ark Royal to commemorate his birthday. When he was a young man, my father purchased a remarkable hand-made paper replica of the Ark Royal and gave it to my grandfather. It now sits in my father’s office. I did not understand the significance of that … Continue reading The Ark Royal
by Heather R. Darsie The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by Osman Uthman. Uthman’s name was transliterated into “Ottoman,” giving the Empire its name. For perspective, Edward I, known as Longshanks, was King of England. Philip IV, known as the Fair, was King of France, and Albert I was the Holy Roman Emperor. No one had given any thought to the Tudors, the Valois, … Continue reading Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Turks? Part I: Background of the Turkish, Ottoman Empire
