Sunday, 17 September 2023

The Saxon Army of the Thirty Years War

 I used to have booklet A5 on this subject but I can't find it anywhere now. But there is an interesting book on this subject. In German. See about it here



Castles of Henry VIII Osprey

 This looks good. I shall have to get it. Review here

In the last years of his reign Henry VIII needed a radically modern system of defence to protect England and its new Church. Anticipating a foreign onslaught from Catholic Europe after his split from Rome, Henry energetically began construction of more than 20 stone forts to protect England's major ports and estuaries. Aided by excellent illustrations, Peter Harrington explores the departure from artillery-vulnerable medieval castle designs, to the low, sturdy stone fortresses inspired by European ideas. He explains the scientific care taken to select sites for these castles, and the transition from medieval to modern in this last surge of English castle construction.

Breitenfeld 1631

 This battle in the Thirty Years War occurred today.

Thursday, 14 September 2023

Wednesday, 13 September 2023

Monday, 11 September 2023

Saint-Cast 1758

 


Today's anniversary. Here

Malplaquet 1709

 Today's anniversary. Wiki

Wednesday, 6 September 2023

Nördlingen 1634

 Today's anniversary. Wiki

By Sergey Shamenkov in the Helion book on the battle


Tuesday, 5 September 2023

New Empress Miniatures Thirty Years War cavalry

 Just a sample of the new figures. Some of the best figures for this conflict in 28mm in my opinion.. Website



Imperial v Ottoman 1688

 Michael Paradowski posted this on his blog.


Cornette de cavalerie 1743

 


Sunday, 3 September 2023

Devereux's at Malmesbury

 My old E.C.W.S group Devereux's were in their spiritual home Malmesbury in Wiltshire last evening. Next year the Roundhead regiment is 50 years old and are commemorating it with a book detailing their activities to date. Photo Jackie Peel.


Big day for Cromwell supporters

 

Cromwell at Dunbar, 1886, by Andrew Carrick Gow

Today's anniversaries are all connected to the Lord Protector. Dunbar and Worcester and the date of his death.

Saturday, 2 September 2023

THE PROMISED LAND Official Trailer (2023) Mads Mikkelsen

This looks interesting.

The poor soldier Ludvig Kahlen arrives in 1755 on the barren Jutland heath with a single goal: to follow the king's call to cultivate the land and thereby achieve wealth and honor himself. But Kahlen quickly makes an enemy. The merciless landowner, Frederik De Schinkel, who is sole ruler of the area, believes that the heath belongs to him and not the king. When De Schinkel's serf runs away with his wife Ann Barbara and seeks refuge with Kahlen, the landowner does everything to drive Kahlen away and at the same time exact a cruel revenge. Kahlen does not bow, but stubbornly takes up the unequal battle and now risks both his life, but also the bond with the small, troubled family that has arisen around him on the heath.

Sunday, 27 August 2023

Tuesday, 22 August 2023

The Perpetual Almanack of Folklore by Charles Kightly

 


This book was recommended by Steve Stanley. Only £1.17 for a hardback on Amazon.

Charles Kightly was a reenactment Roundhead Lord General I believe but before my time. 

This almanack provides an entry for each day of the year, featuring farming and gardening tips, recipes, herbal remedies, church festivals and saints' days.

Commotion Times in Cornwall

 This coming Bank Holiday Weekend, 26-28 August, Commotion Times will be returning to the Gildhouse in the sleepy Cornish village of Poundstock, near Bude, and giving a glimpse into life in 1549, the year the men of the parish marched off to fight against the government and the introduction of the new Book of Common Prayer.

Come and see us from 11-4 at this fantastic FREE event.

Friday, 18 August 2023

Sunday, 13 August 2023

Battle of Blenheim 1704

 Today's anniversary. Wiki. Picture from here


Saturday, 12 August 2023

Kunersdorf 1759


 Anniversary today of this famous battle.

Tuesday, 8 August 2023

The 1685 Society at Lyme in the Times 1999.

We were doing it for the BBC but we rang up the local paper to see if they wanted to cover it and thought nothing more about it. He must have had contacts for further afield as it appeared in the next days Times on the back page.


Monday, 7 August 2023

Friday, 4 August 2023

The Battle of Norton Saint Philip 1685

 One of my favourite battles. The Wikipedia page on it is very good indeed. See it here

Sydney R. Jones did the picture
There is a good one on the battle of Bridport too. Here

Thursday, 3 August 2023

Second Nördlingen (1645)

 


Today's anniversary is this French victory.

Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Army on the march

 Anyone know who painted this? Googling it it says that it depicts a French column in the Reapers' war

I have found out. Thanks to Alejandro Sgb.  "It is a painting made by Marek Szysko. It appears in a Spanish history magazine called DESPERTA FERRO Historia Moderna. More specifically in number 61 "La guerra de los Segadores II. Cataluña entre España y Francia"



Found this

The battle of Lutterberg 1758



Minden 1759

 



Today's anniversary. Here

Saturday, 29 July 2023

Landen/Neerwinden 1693

 

Queen Dowager's regiment

Today's anniversary. Wiki

Officier de piquiers, vers 1680

 

Sébastien Leclerc (1637-1714), [un officier de piquiers], suite dédiée à Monsieur de Boucoeur, 1679. Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon,

Thursday, 27 July 2023

Fife & Drum: Musics of the French Monarchy, Fifre & Tambour, musiques de la monarchie Française.

 All the parts are played by J. Orlandini.

00:01: "Vive Henri IV" : chanson écrite en l'honneur d'Henri IV. Le thème musical est emprunté à un noël populaire du XVIe siècle figurant dans le recueil de Christophe de Bordeaux (1581), mais dont une partie appartient à une danse plus ancienne également du XVIe siècle : "Les Tricotets". Il est réutilisé dans le "branle coupé Cassandre " de L'Orchésographie de Thoinot Arbeau (1588) datant d'avant l’avènement d'Henri IV (1589). Son premier couplet anonyme est composé du vivant du roi vers 1600 sur le même thème, probablement adapté pour l'occasion par le maître de la chapelle royale Eustache du Caurroy. 02:10: "Marche du Prince d'Orange" : Marche étrangère présente dans le recueil de Philidor publié en 1705. 03:35: "Marche des Gardes Françaises" 04:18: "Marche des Dragons du Roy" : J.B. Lully 05:05: "Les Drapeaux" 06:19: "La Retraite". la batterie emprunte largement à certaines variations des "Pfeifer Retraite". 07:17: "Erymanthe" : marche jouée à la fin du prologue de la tragédie lyrique "Hyppolite et Aricie", écrite par J.P. Rameau en 1733. Le prologue se passe dans la forêt d'Erymanthe, d'où le titre. La batterie est le célèbre "Crazy Army". 09:19: "Auprès de ma Blonde" : Composée en 1704, sous Louis XIV, et attribuée, selon une tradition locale, à André Joubert du Collet. 10:12: "Second Air pour la Musique" : composée par Jean-Jacques Rousseau. La batterie moderne s’inspire largement de "Swallow's Tail", des "Old Guards Fifes and Drums". 12:09: "Rigaudon du Roy" : Esprit Philippe Chédeville (1696-1762) La batterie est emprunte deux motifs d'une batterie moderne, "Rythm Parade", de T. Labille. 13:54: "Il Court le Furet" : 1710-1720. Arrangement inspiré de la version des "Tippecanoe Ancient Fife & Drum Corps". 15:08: "Tambourin d'Osman": extrait de l'opéra de Jean-Philippe Rameau "Les Indes Galantes", acte premier, scène 5. La batterie, moderne, est basée sur des schémas rythmiques largement inspirés de "RIFF", écrit par Yvonnick TANGUY. 17:22: "Cotillon du Roy": d'Esprit Philippe Chédeville (1696-1762) 20:07: "Marche des Mousquetaires Noirs", attribuée à J.B. Lully. 20:57: "Morisque" : de Tielman Susato (Danserye). Batterie inspirée de "Taptoe", de R. Goute. 21:53: "L'Oiseau Royal" : tiré du recueil pour le régiment de Saintonge, manuscrit des Trois-Rivières, 1776. Les parties de tambour et de tambour basse sont de G.P Caroll. 23:39: "Marche de Colinette à la Cour": Extrait de l'opéra comique "La double épreuve, ou Colinette à la cour", en 3 actes, écrit par André Grétry en 1782 sur un livret de Jean-Baptiste Lourdet de Santerre. 25:13: "Marche de Lorenne" : Compositeur: Henry DESMAREST, surintendant de la musique du duc de Lorraine (1661-1741) 26:27: "Marche Tactique" : composée en 1767 par le Chevalier de Lirou, de la 2e compagnie des Mousquetaires du Roi. Elle est exécutée pour la première fois lors d’une revue sur la plaine des Sablons la même année. 28:29: "Marche Royale" : Composée par Philidor Lainé en 1679. 29:22: "La Descente des Armes" : batterie de tambours de Lully [LWV 75/1-5], air des fifres par André Danican Philidor dit Philidor l'Ainé. 30:36: "Marche du Régiment de Turenne" : attribuée à Lully. 31:54: "Marche des Mousquetaires" : Lully [LWV 44/1], air des fifres de Philidor en 1670 32:59: "Générale de la Garde Française" : batterie de tambours de Lully, air des fifres de Philidor lainé.

Killiecrankie 1689

Image by Sean O'Brogain from the book I am Minded to Rise by Jenn Scott

 Today's anniversary. Wiki

Monday, 24 July 2023

The Glorious Victory: Soldier and Spy Book 2

 Novel set in the WSS. Intrigue leading up to the Battle of Blenheim.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CCLRW9XC

Grüne Kroaten, Freikorps von Kleist, ungarische Bataillon.

 Photo by Christin U Sven. Excellent reconstruction.

At Fenstungsspektakel Senftenberg 2023 

Denain 1712

 


Today's anniversary is this victory for the French.

René Duguay-Trouin at Saint-Malo 1697

 Photo by https://www.facebook.com/JulienDanieloAuteurPhotographe

René Duguay-Trouin was born in Saint-Malo in 1673, he came from a family of Malouian shipmen. Earlier, at age 18, he takes command of a Corsair ship and rapidly rises into the maritime hierarchy. It was in 1697 that he became frigate captain on the king's ships during the War of the League of Augsburg whose main enemy was England. During his first 9 years at sea, he chains in the catch of enemy ships but is caught only once by the English. Plymouth prisoner escapes in rocky conditions.
In 1702, the conflict resumed with the Spanish Succession War. Until 1711, he made his greatest achievements including the famous expedition where he took Rio de Janeiro, earning him 92% profit and the congratulations of Louis XIV. It is estimated that Duguay-Trouin took part in the number of fights and approaches is a little more than ninety. He died in 1736 and his memory is still alive in his hometown of Saint-Malo.
Wiki on the famous Corsair.. Featuring Victor Leparc.

Sunday, 23 July 2023

Cavalry skirmish Lamberdt de Hondt

 Artist wiki



Strelets British artillery 1745 reviewed

 This Ukrainian manufacturer gets the Plastic Soldier Review treatment here


The History of Henry Esmond

 


Novel by Thackeray. Wiki here. About a colonel in Queen Anne's service written by the man who wrote Barry Lyndon. Read it free here at Project Gutenberg. I have it in the edition illustrated. Good historical fiction. Audio book here