On January 6, 1066, England made a choice meant to preserve order—and in doing so set itself on the path to conquest. The day after the death of Edward the Confessor, the kingdom’s leading nobles and churchmen gathered in London for an emergency session…
Read MoreThomas Becket’s ascent to the pinnacle of English ecclesiastical power and subsequent assassination is a tale that profoundly shaped the historical landscape of church-state relations across Europe, but especially in Great Britain. Initially serving as a trusted confidant and Chancellor to King Henry II,…
Read MoreOn June 3, 1937, the Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, married Wallis Simpson, an American socialite. This event, held at the Château de Candé in Monts, France, changed the direction of the British monarchy forever. Edward VIII had…
Read MoreOn May 11, 973, a landmark event in English history unfolded at Bath Abbey: the formal coronation of King Edgar, known to posterity as Edgar the Peaceful. Though he had already ruled England since 959, this ceremony was not simply a public confirmation of…
Read MoreIn January 1649, England went through a radical upheaval. Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, faced execution after a tumultuous period of civil war and political upheaval. His authoritarian rule, clashes with Parliament, and attempts to impose Anglican worship across his kingdoms…
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