Have a great 2026

 

The Surrender of Breda

 

La rendición de Breda (English: The Surrender of Breda, also known as Las lanzas – The Lances) is a painting by the Spanish Golden Age painter Diego Velázquez. He painted it during the years 1634 and 1635, inspired by his visit to Italy with Ambrogio Spinola, the Genoese-born Spanish general who conquered Breda on June 5, 1625. The painting depicts the exchange of the key of Breda from the Dutch to the Spanish.

Memoirs of a Cavalier audiobook etc.

 Some fiction that you might like in audio and online.

Memoirs of a Cavalier (1720) is a work of historical fiction by Daniel Defoe, set during the Thirty Years' War and the English Civil Wars. The full title, which bore no date, was:^[1]

Memoirs of a Cavalier; or A Military Journal of the Wars in Germany, and the Wars in England. From the Years 1632 to 1648. Written threescore years ago, by an English gentleman, who served first in the army of Gustavus Adolphus, the Glorious King of Sweden, till his death, and after that in the Royal Army of King Charles the First, from the beginning of the Rebellion to the end of the War.^[2]

Kirstie Buckland

 I hear Kirstie Buckland has died aged 94. She was the authority on Monmouth caps and also made reconstructions. Here is me in one of her Monmouths back in 1988. Monmouth cap - Wikipedia

The Monmouth cap - MonLife Collections

Musketeers with rests

 This image is from an Italian Merchant's bill that's in the Vienna Army Museum. Anyone know more?

Piquier, vers 1650

 Johannes Tangena (actif 1683-1699), d'après Salomon Savery (1594-1678) et Pieter Jansz Quast (1605-1647), "Soldier in armor facing right with pike and sword, helmet fastened to belt" (1650). 

Mousquetaire, vers 1650

 Johannes Tangena (actif 1683-1699), Salomon Savory (1594-1678), Pieter Jansz (v. 1605-1647), "Soldier with musket, sword and musket rest" (1650).

Musket rests

 I am having a campaign to repopularise the musket rest. Send me your photos of you using one.

London Trained Bands 1588 by Richard Hook and John Tincey

 Thanks to Stephen Tindle.

Philip Skippon c1625

 

Battle of Inverurie 1745

 The Battle of Inverurie was fought on 23 December 1745 at Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, during the Jacobite rising of 1745.^[3]

Included the Royal Ecossais. Depicted by Gary Zaboly for the Osprey.

 

The siege of Aire-sur-la-Lys Peter Snayers - Wikipedia

Soldaat die de pan van zijn musket sluit, ca. 1645, Petrus Rucholle, after Jacques de Gheyn (II), 1645 - 1647 - Rijksmuseum

 

Jacobite Festival 2025: "Clothing of the Jacobites 1689-1719" by Jenn Scott

 Jacobite Festival 2025: "Clothing of the Jacobites 1689-1719" by Jenn Scott - YouTube

An illustrated talk by Jenn Scott (author of "I am Minded to Rise" and "Men of Warre"), examining the clothing and appearance of Jacobite soldiers in Scotland from Killiecrankie to Glenshiel. Presented as part of the Jacobite Festival, 18 August 2025.

Eilean Donan Castle Scotland

 Eilean Donan - Wikipedia Attacked in 1719

Boothose and boot hose tops (and canons)

 Costume Historian: Boothose and boot hose tops (and canons)

There are 3 new scenarios available as PDF's for the 'Twilight of..' rules.

 Divine Right: There are 3 scenarios :-

Turnham Green 1642: The historical action or a 'What if' battle.

Scottish Invasion 1643: A 'What if' battle between Newcastle's Royalist army and the Scots Covenantor army.
3rd Newbury 1644: A 'What if'battle based on a historical confrontation after the 2nd Newbury battle.

https://www.wyrehistoricbooks.co.uk/divine-rightwith-fire-sword

Clifton Moor Skirmish 1745

 Clifton Moor Skirmish - Wikipedia

Today. Rearguard action that is sometimes called the last in England.

PS 2nd Battle of Falkirk Commemoration 2026.

Date for your diary!

The Royal Oak Society will conduct the annual commemoration service for the 2nd Battle of Falkirk that took place on 17th Jan 1746, and resulted in a Jacobite victory.

The service will be held on Saturday 17th Jan 2026 at Mid-day.

Alatriste (2006) Full Movie with English Subtitles

 Alatriste - Wikipedia If you haven't seen this it's good.

Muskets with rests

 Are there any UK groups that do this? Just curious. I have seen it on the continent but not here.

First Foot Guards 1685 R Mitchard and AI

 

Warlord Epic Culloden

 Culloden! John Stallard's Epic Conversion Project - Warlord Community

John Stallard's Culloden

We recently showed off our CEO John Stallard's epic Battle of Culloden collection, and the special bundle we put together to let you recreate his Jacobite force.

The reaction has been so positive that we had to do something special, so we've teamed up with author Peter Brown to produce a special PDF booklet, allowing you to re-fight the battle like never before using Black Powder!

Download it for FREE below!

https://bit.ly/4j3Fiwu

Adriaen van Ostade (1610 - 1685) The Violinist, 1673

 

Horse grenadier 1685

 The Royal Regiment of Horse was made up of three troops of 200 gentlemen and a troop of 60 Horse Grenadiers recruited from the usual commoners. Equipped with a long carbine 'strapt', sword, a pair of pistols, bayonet and grenades. Pic by me. 

On Horse Grenadiers 5 December 1683
The King had now augmented his guards with a new sort of dragoons, who carried also granados, and were habited after the Polish manner, with long peaked caps, very fierce and fantastical.

Prince Rupert's Dog

 Mark Turnbull AuthorNEW EPISODE

#CavalierCast Podcast

Professor Mark Stoyle reveals all about Prince Rupert's dog, Boye.

In this fascinating episode Mark details what we know of Boye and explains how superstition, belief, and witchcraft come together in the propaganda that made him infamous.

It's a story that takes us to the very heart of the civil wars itself.

Available now on your podcast platform - Spotify, Apple etc.

Seventeenth century boots – who owned them, who made them, what did they use them for, and what did they cost

Interesting article

 Costume Historian: Seventeenth century boots – who owned them, who made them, what did they use them for, and what did they cost

Tangier - 1680 : The diary of Sir James Halkett

 

North Star Military Figures

 

Coldstream Guards 1672 North Star 1672 - North Star Military Figures

''One of my favourite painted regiments we have in our 1672 range.
The musketeers in the regiment were uniformed in red with green facings, but then the pikemen were dressed in reverse, green with red facings.
The officers in this period were not expected to wear the regimental uniform, so we painted the Ensigns in their civilian fineries.
The flags I consider to be right for this period. They were green in a slightly later period, and then white with red cross into the 1680s. Iain at Flags of War kindly produced these for us.
Sadly, I don't think they actually fought as a regiment in the 1670s. Elements were sent to Tangiers and Virginia to fight, and also to France to be part of the 'English Regiment' in the service of Louis XIV but were uniformed in grey for that conflict.
The regimental motto 'Nulli Secundus' was created in this period. They were put into the Royal Guard following the Restoration of the Monarchy, but were placed 2nd Senior regiment of the Household Troops. Their motto was a reply to that position as they were an older regiment than the 1st Foot Guards (The Grenadier Guards), the Coldstream's history going back to the Civil War.''

Review at Putney Heath 1684

 'On the 1st of October, sixteen companies of the Royal Regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Sir James Hackett, were reviewed, with a number of other corps, by Charles II,. on Putney Heath. ''The Coldstream, my Lord Dumbarton's, and the Admiral's Battalions, successively exercised all three by beat of drum, the military postures of pike, sword, and musket, every man dexterously discharging his duties with an exact and general readiness, to the great delight of their Majesties and Royal Highnesses, who vouchsafed, all the time of exercise, to grace the arms with their presence. The other two battalions of the Royal Regiment had not fallen short of the like performance, if illness of weather, when they just intended it, had not prevented{ the day proving wet and showery was a general impediment from proceeding at that time to any other motions customary upon the like reviews: and all decamped sooner than otherwise they would have done.''

Remembering Ellie White.

 

Monday we lost Ellie. She is mostly known for her role as C.O. of the Sir Bevil Grenville regiment. She came from Frome and she was also involved locally in the theatre. I didn't know her well in my ECWS days as I was on a different side but I got her involved with the 1685 Society. She played 'Rebel's wife' in a film we did for BBC Education, complete with Frome accent. She also had a cellar of drums and armour we borrowed. An old newspaper cutting showed that when about 10 we were in the same inter schools Road Safety quiz. She will be missed. Raise a glass to her memory.

Renaissance Armies George Gush 1975

 Classic work from 50 years ago. Caliver books do a paperback reprint. 

Battle of Alton 1643

Oxford army pic by R Mitchard and AI

Battle of Alton - Wikipedia Today's anniversary. Interesting last stand.

Barry Lyndon King George and Old England forever

Today 50 years ago was the premier of this film. Barry Lyndon - Wikipedia

Yorkshire Droumes and Ffyfes 'The Scots March'.

Article on the use of the Scots March in the 30 years War here

Also see Wars of Louis Quatorze: Mackay's Regiment and The Legendary Scot's March - Kilts-n-Stuff.com

see also the pdf The Scandinavian Service of British Isles Musicians ca. 1520-1650Alexia Grosjean

Prince Rupert's March

 bumph reads

It was published by John Playford in his English Dancing Master [1] (1650-1, and all subsequent editions, through the 18th and final edition of 1728), with the exception of the second and third editions of 1652 and 1657. Playford had Royalist sympathies, but his inclusion of a march honoring a Cavalier hero, noted strategist and nephew of Charles I was a challenge to the Protectorate government then in power. He may have received wise counsel to drop the tune/dance from the Dancing Master, until after the death of Cromwell in 1658. It was one of only two pieces removed from the first edition to the second, which was issued a year later. Music publishers on the Continent were under no such constraints, and "Prince Rupert's March" was published Bellerophon (Gesangh der Zeeden, 1648, with words), and in blind recorder virtuoso Jacob van Eyck's Der Fluyten Lusthof (1649, as "Prins Robbert Masco"). Chappell (1858) points out the march resembles "British Grenadiers (The)," albeit in minor instead of major key.

Yorkshire Droumes and Ffyfes

Pike drill

 Maniement du mousquet et maniement de la pique "L'Art Militaire pour l'Infanterie [...]" de Johann Jacobi von Wallhausen (16..-17..), Leewarden, Claude Fontaine, 1630

Wars of Louis Quatorze: Musket and pike drill

To drive the cold winter away

 English. The melody was published in 1651, but may well be older: a related Scottish ballad appeared in 1567. Arranged here for tambourine, accordion, theorbo, violin, cello, tin whistle and drum.

 All Hail to the Days (Drive the Cold Winter Away) - Wikipedia

Prussians at Leuthen by Regiment Piechoty von Treskow Nr 32

 (2) Facebook

Prussian soldiers in winter uniform in the field of Leuthen. "Zugeknopfte" regimental coats with sword belts on top. Woolen breeches and woolen, white gloves, made according to the Reglement.

From left to right: Musketier of IR von Treskow, Grenadier from IR von Fouquet, Gefreiter of IR von Treskow.

NB. Each one of us here have different muskets, from left: Prussian M1723, M1740, Saxon M1745 (bought and stolen by Prussians frequently during 7YW)

fot. Mariusz Iwanowski

Royal Armouries

 A glimpse into the life of our conservation team, and how they are repairing this 17th century matchlock from the Littlecote Collection.

Reading 1688

 Today's anniversary is one of the few skirmishes in the Glorious Revolution. Wars of Louis Quatorze: Reading or the Battle of Broad Street 1688 by Daniel Defoe. 

Battle of Reading (1688) - Wikipedia

Nantwich Battle Saturday 24th January 2026

 The annual winter battle for the Sealed Knot.

Another of my ECW drawings put through AI

 Ralph Mitchard.

WALLENSTEIN (1978): parts 1-4

 No subtitles unfortunately. Wallenstein (1978) – Wikipedia

Der Pappenheimer (German, early 17th Century) - Fife & Drum

 Gottfried Heinrich Graf zu Pappenheim - Wikipedia

The battle of Breitenfeld, 1631 year. Gottfried Pappenheim's cuirassiers attack Gustav II Adolf's Musketeers.

 Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) - Wikipedia

Clear Victory - "Nun danket alle Gott" ("Leuthen Chorale") - Fife, Drum & Hautboys

 JGBaroque says

This is a fife and drum arrangement I made of the German chorale "Nun danket alle Gott" ("Now Thank We All Our God"). It is attributed to Johann Crüger, a German composer and publisher, who published it in 1647. It was allegedly sung by the Prussian troops after their victory at the Battle of Leuthen in 1757. The arrangement also includes oboes ("hautboys"), a common military instrument at the time. This is the second victory theme of a total of three, each on the same melody, but in ascending pomp.

Leuthen 1757

 

image Hessian Guard (2) Hessian GUARD, Hessische GARDE | Facebook

Today's anniversary is Frederick's famous victory. Battle of Leuthen - Wikipedia

Swarkestone Bridge 1745 by Henrik Bjørn Bøgh (photo Mark Price)

 Today in 45 was the furthest south (Derby) that Charles Edward Stuart and his army reached. They used to have an annual event commemorating it. Swarkestone Bridge - Wikipedia