Friday, 25 November 2022
Thursday, 24 November 2022
Monday, 21 November 2022
Blog post on Pirate warfare by Rene Chartrand
Interesting article about Buccaneer and Pirate warfare in the age of Louis XIV.
Soldier, Compagnies franches de la Marine of the Islands, 1675-76 Patrice Courcelle
Read the full blog here: https://helionbooks.wordpress.com/2022/11/21/the-armies-wars-of-the-sun-king-1643-1715-volume-5/
Buy the book here: https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/the-armies-and-wars-of-the-sun-king-1643-1715-volume-5-buccaneers-and-soldiers-in-the-americas.php
Thursday, 17 November 2022
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason
If you have never read this book by Christopher Duffy I will humbly suggest you give it a read. As you can see it is available as a budget paperback so it can be acquired cheaply but that doesn't reflect the contents which are first rate. It first came out in 1987 and it's been one of my favourite books of any subject since then. It will give you an insight into the world of the Prussians and their contemporaries in a way that will enlighten you as it busts several myths such as the tyrannical drill instructor or the inept aristocratic officer. It is simply the best.
Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Christopher Duffy
Lützen 1632
Today's anniversary is this battle of the Thirty Years War.
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| Artwork by Serge Shamenkov for a forthcoming Helion book on the Battle of Lützen. |
Thursday, 10 November 2022
New release from Helion
#NewRelease
We are pleased to announce The Armies & Wars of the Sun King 1643-1715 Volume 5 is now available!
✨ Save £5 off RRP until Monday 14th November – no code needed ✨
Tuesday, 8 November 2022
Monday, 7 November 2022
Fly, bold rebellion (1683) Henry Purcell
Here.
Composed for King Charles II by Henry Purcell in 1683. The "Rebellion" refers to the Rye House Plot in 1683.
1. Symphony 00:01
2. Fly, Bold Rebellion 02:00
3. Rivers from Their Channels Turn’d 04:25
4. If Then We’ve Found the want of his rays 08:29
5. Come Then, Change Your Notes, disloyal crowd 12:49
6. Be Welcome Then, Great Sir 14:09
7. Welcome to All Those Wishes Fulfill’d 17:06
Sunday, 6 November 2022
Under the blue flag
Monmouth period fiction. There seems to be a lot of books aimed at the younger reader about the Rebellion around 1900. Not complaining though.
Saturday, 5 November 2022
Today's anniversary
From here
William III Landing at Brixham, Torbay, 5 November 1688
Jan Wyck (1645–1700)
National Maritime Museum
Prince William of Orange (as he then was) wears a buff coat, a gold-fringed red sash and the ribbon and Star of the Garter. The horse is wearing a blue shabracque, or blanket, with the Orange arms in gold, and stands looking towards Torbay. The portrait dominates an image showing William's landing in Torbay on 5 November 1688 with 14,000 troops for the invasion of England.
Friday, 4 November 2022
Pretenders 1972
I loved this. Had the novelisation. Big influence on my interest in the Monmouth episode. Filmed in Somerset. You can get this series on DVD but the quality is not brilliant.
'Pretenders' premiered on 27th February 1972. The series was produced by HTV for the ITV network.
Thursday, 3 November 2022
Burrow Mump Somerset
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| Burrow Mump Taken by @usasjd 👌 Featured on the BBC West Instagram account. |
I went by this the other day. You can see it from Glastonbury Tor. Noticed on the Wikipedia entry about it it was occupied by Royal troops in 1685 - that would make a spectacular reenactment. Was also occupied by Royalists in the Civil War.
Battles of Brentford and Turnham Green 1642
Sunday 6th November 2022
Battles of Brentford and Turnham Green 1642
For the Brentford walk meet at 10:30 at the Market Place in Brentford (TW8 8AH)
For the Turnham Green walk meet at 14:00 outside Turnham Green underground station (W4 1LR)
Each walk will last approximately 2 hours.
For contact information, and details of a John Hampden Society dinner on the evening of Saturday 6th November, please visit
Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Yesterday's trip to Taunton and Westonzoyland
On the Monmouth Rebellion trail. Pics by my sister. The visitor's centre at Westonzoyland church is worth a visit if you are interested. Prisoners were confined there after the battle.
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| Taunton the town where Monmouth was crowned |
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| Art in the Westonzoyland church which houses the centre. Prisoners were kept in the church after the battle |
William Baillie
Biography of the soldier/artist here
Left; William Baillie
by Nathaniel Hone, after Robert Edge Pineetching, 1752
The infantry are from 1753 and the Officer of the 17th Light Dragoons 1761. The dragoon grenadiers 1740.
