Tag: Renaissance

This and That

Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Illness of the human body is nothing new. Humans have contended with bacterial and viral infections, and injuries, since time immemorial. One thing which has fortunately changed since the 16th century is medical treatment. Before science provided modern society with antibiotics, medical doctors relied on sometimes ancient remedies to heal their patients. This was particularly true of the 16th … Continue reading Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

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This and That, Women

The False Anna of Cleves

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna of Cleves died in July 1557, having reached her forty-second birthday weeks before. Curiously, in 1558, a woman who possessed Anna’s signet ring showed up at the court of Anna’s nephew, John Frederick the Middle. She had an interesting story for the young man, Who was this woman? Was she an illegitimate half-sister of Anna’s, or a cousin? … Continue reading The False Anna of Cleves

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Events

Anna of Cleves and the Wyatt Rebellion

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna of Cleves’ life in England improved substantially after her stepson Edward VI died in 1553. Anna and Mary I of England were very friendly with each other. Anna resumed coming to court, and even tried to help her friend Mary find a suitable husband. Mary wound up desiring a Spanish match, of which some in England unfortunately did … Continue reading Anna of Cleves and the Wyatt Rebellion

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Women

Elisabeth von Habsburg, Queen Consort of Poland and Grand Duchess Consort of Lithuania

by Heather R. Darsie, J.D. Elisabeth von Habsburg was born between 1436 and 1439 to the Austrian Archduke Albert II of Germany and his wife Elizabeth of Luxembourg. Elisabeth’s early life saw great struggle between her father, who was crowned King of Bohemia and Hungary in 1537, and the Polish prince Casimir IV Jagiellon. The Polish wished for a marriage between one of Albert II’s … Continue reading Elisabeth von Habsburg, Queen Consort of Poland and Grand Duchess Consort of Lithuania

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This and That

Gerardus Mercator: Cartographer and Geographer

by Heather R. Darsie On 2 December 1594, Gerardus Mercator died from complications related to continues strokes. He was 82 years old. Mercator was born in the small town of Rupelmonde, not far from Antwerp, on 5 March 1512 while his parents were visiting Mercator’s uncle, a priest. He was only a few months older than Sybylla of Juelich-Cleves-Berg; his parents being from Gangelt in … Continue reading Gerardus Mercator: Cartographer and Geographer

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Women

Anna of Cleves’ Early Life and Court Culture

by Heather R. Darsie, JD Anna von der Mark was born on 28 June 1515 as the second daughter and second child of Johann III of Cleves-Mark and Maria of Jülich-Berg. She followed another daughter, Sybylla, who was born 17 July 1512. Anna was named after her paternal aunt Anna, the only legitimate daughter of Duke Johann II of Cleves-Mark. Anna’s place of birth is … Continue reading Anna of Cleves’ Early Life and Court Culture

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This and That

Henry VIII Orders Medicine for Anna of Cleves

by Heather R. Darsie In the British Library, there is a collection of pharmaceutical recipes created by Henry VIII and four of his physicians. Henry and his doctors seemed to prefer herbal remedies for a lot of the recipes. It is believed that the manuscript was compiled between late 1540 and 1545. Important to dating the manuscript, there is a recipe for a plaster to … Continue reading Henry VIII Orders Medicine for Anna of Cleves

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