Monday 31 July 2017

The Winged Hussars Horse Shows - 26-28 August 2017

This August Bank Holiday the Royal Armouries is proud to present a spectacular horse show, featuring the Winged Hussars, a crack team of fast-riding, sharp-shooting, sabre-rattling cavalrymen from Poland.

Tickets are available to purchase on the Royal Armouries website: https://royalarmouries.org/events/cal...

Video © European History Park Foundation.

Sunday 30 July 2017

Les Mousquets du roi

When people ask me as they do is there any good Louis XIV period groups out there? I usually site this group from Canada. They are at 900 likes so pretty popular - if you go to  their FB page you can see some good impressions recreating the 1690 raid on Salmon Falls.

Friday 28 July 2017

Defending a Russian wooden fort



Клуб ВИР "Лейб-гвардии Преображенский полк, 1709"  
These are some interesting photos. They say 'It was the event in the town of Osa on Kama river, West Urals region. It used to be a small fortress on the rout to Siberia. In 1733 Vitus Bering, the famous explorer, passed through Osa during his second expedition to Kamchatka.
The wooden forts were common for the region through 16th - 18th centuries.'






Thursday 27 July 2017

Donato Spedaliere


Didn't know this artists work until today but I like it. Here's his blog.

Tuesday 25 July 2017

Killiecrankie 1689

Special event in Scotland. Webpage here
 Friday 28th July - 5.30pm - Pitlochry Street Skirmish - Pitlochry Main street will be closed at 5.30pm for a short re-enactment with commentary of the events that took place in the Pass of Killiecrankie, just before the battle proper over 300 years ago. There will infantry cavalry Scottish Government Hanoverian soldiers, Jacobite Highlanders. (Be prepared for some gun fire). Free entry as it will take place along Atholl Road, Pitlochry's main street.
Saturday 30 th July and Sunday 31 st July - each day at 9am the gates open, the program runs from 11am to 5pm program.
Venue:- Killiecrankie Battlefield (Directions:- Located just outside of Killiecrankie Village on the way to Blair Atholl).
Continuous events in the arenas, including infantry and cavalry. NEW for 2017 will be the Scots Greys (who were formed in 1673).

Thursday 20 July 2017

1689 Scots Greys at Soldiers of Killiecrankie

Killiecrankie weekend

Soldiers of Killiecrankie 2017 starts of Friday 29th July with a street skirmish along Pitlochry’s main street. On Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th July from 11am to 5pm each day. Admission £6 adult, £5 Concessions, £3 children under 16 years, family of four £16 and free car parking. Tickets can be purchased on line from www.SoldiersOfKilliecrankie.co.uk

Tuesday 18 July 2017

Monmouth Cap

The only known surviving example of a 16th-century Monmouth Cap - in Monmouth Museum  
 Presumably you all know about Monmouth caps? Nothing to do with the Duke of Monmouth but undoubtedly worn by Rebels in 1685.Wikipedia to find out more
 

Monmouth Group

Facebook page here

Sunday 16 July 2017

Gunnister Man

Monmouth cap?

On the subject of coats for the late 17thc civilian my first port of call would be the Gunnister man.
Have a look at this Pinterest page.
A pattern based on this find is here


Taunton Garrison at the Bishop's Palace in Wells 22nd - 23rd July


Here for info

What Taunton women wore

Celia Fiennes travelled the country in the late 17thc writing a diary called
. This entry from Taunton is interesting in describing what Taunton women wore
You meete all sorts of Country women wrapp'd up in the mantles Called West Country rockets, a Large mantle doubled together of a sort of serge, some are Linsywolsey and a deep fringe or ffag at the Lower End, these hang down some to their feete some only just below ye wast, in the summer they are all in white garments of this sort, in the winter they are in Red ones. I Call them garments because they never go out wth out them and this is the universal ffashion in Sommerset and Devonshire and Cornwall.

Saturday 15 July 2017

New project

Abraham Holmes' biography. Started a Facebook group to start the process of recreating this in living history. Probably won't take the field until 2018. Here


Execution of the Duke of Monmouth

Today in 1685

Friday 14 July 2017

Peter the Great's Army book (in English)

Helion books write: 'new art work by Steve Noon for a forthcoming book on the Russian Army of the Great North War by Boris Megorsky due out by November'

Denis Van Alsloot


This image of Brussels in 1615 is very interesting. Wiki on the artist

La Battaglia dell'Assietta, 270° anniversario. 15 July–16 July · Colle dell Assietta · Pragelato, Italy

The death of Louis Charles Armand Fouquet De Belle-Isle, General Commander, the French attack against the entrenchments of Assietta, July 19, 1747.
More info here
Assietta wiki

Thursday 13 July 2017

Earl Of Dumbarton's Foot Pikeman 1684 Ralph Mitchard

Reviewed on Putney Heath  in 1684 Nathan Brooks wrote this about them:
'twenty-one companies, two lieutenants to each company, three serjeants, three corporals, and two drums, established: distinguished by red coats lined with white; sashes white, with a white fringe; breeches and stockings light grey; grenadiers distinguished by caps lined white, the lion's face, proper, crowned; flys St Andrew's cross. with thistle and crown circumscribed in the centre 'Nemo me impune lacesit'
“I know these men, they will fight. If I had but them all would go well.”

- Monmouth at Sedgemoor, 1685

New from Caliver books

It is now over 30 years since the first edition of Old Robin's Foot. In the interim, research has revealed exciting new information, particularly about clothing, and thrown some doubt on the accuracy of previously well-thought-of secondary sources. Of most significance is the publication in 2014 of the 26-volume Clothes of the Common People in Elizabethan and Early Stuart England, which has shed new light on what soldiers of the period might have worn. This second edition of Old Robin brings the research right up-to-date, including major revisions of the text where this seemed necessary. The result is a book presenting all the latest research in the context of Essex's infantry units.
(With illustrations by Alan Turton, color plates by Bruno Mugnai, and color flags by Lesley Prince)

Monday 10 July 2017

Battle of Langport 1645

Rick Scollins I think
Today's anniversary is this action in Somerset
Wargaming Langport

Sunday 9 July 2017

Marching to Inverlochy - A 17th Century Highland Hike

If you are a 17thc reenactor  this might be your thing if you have an interest in Montroses' Inverlochy campaign. Fear not no camping involved it's a winter hike. Go here to find out more

Admiral Sir Joseph Jordan

By Sir Peter Lely 1660-5 ish


I am not that interested in Naval history but this Landguard has got me a little curious. This man had an interesting career. Have a look

Monmouth Rebellion

I have a Facebook group for the Monmouth Rebellion and its fun and useful. Bruce found this image in the Roxburgh ballads. 

Saturday 8 July 2017

Landguard Fort Book

Thanks to a tip-off from Alan I bought this book off Amazon - it was only a quid - and it is very detailed - a must read if you like the period.


Thursday 6 July 2017

Régiment de Douglas/Dumbartons by Ralph Mitchard

c1672 - to read about the late 17thc history of this regiment go here

Sedgemoor

“Oh Lord, where is my husband now –
    Where once he stood beside me?
    His body lies in Sedgemoor
    In grave of oak and ivy;
    Come tell me you who beat the drum,
    Why am I mistreated?
    To stand alone, a traitor’s wife,
    My will to live defeated.
    He swore to me he would be gone
    For days but two and twenty –
    And yet, in seven years and more
    his bed lies cold and empty.”

-Folk ballad, circa 1692 from here
http://www.andreazuvich.com/history/battlefield-of-sedgemoor/

Jacques Courtois Infantry on the march

Courtois was a battle painter but he also developed a speed sketching technique seen here.
Wiki

Wednesday 5 July 2017

Tuesday 4 July 2017

More 1670s New France


Pic from the French in Wisconsin
http://frenchinwisconsin.com/#jp-carousel-83

Franco-Dutch War

Forces of Louis XIV before Schenkenschanz, 1672

French army of late 1660s and early 70s



Been looking at this period again. Here's a good quote on the subject of uniformity in the French forces.

Interesting description of the French army 1671

'Of the French army, the common foot were most set out with cruel ribbons; the horse appeared more gallant, not so much for the richness as variety, all of the same troop being of the same garb, and yet most troops distinguished by a different habit. They observe an exact discipline, and hang by martial law, whereby some have already suffered, among others one of Lord Douglas's regiment'
Newsletter to Robert Aldworth 11-18 May 1671