Wednesday, 28 February 2024

Helsingborg 1710

 


Today's anniversary is this battle between Sweden and Denmark. Wiki

Tuesday, 27 February 2024

Monmouth book

 


The life, progresses, and rebellion of James, duke of Monmouth, &c., to his capture and execution : Roberts, George, 1803?-1860 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : …



Spectral drumming in the Monmouth Rebellion

From the Taylor narrative

 " And how strange 'tis to conceive, that within a certain Well near Lime, for about fourteen Nights before Monmouth landed, was heard the sound of a drum, beating exceeding Loud both Night and Day, all sorts of Poynts of Warr very distinctly.. So that no drummers in England, could have bettered it. Multitudes of people resorting thither to hear it, when Monmouth landed at that Instant it loudly beat Allarum and so continued for about one hour and then ceasing it was never heard afterwards, tho diligently observed. "







Sunday, 25 February 2024

Major Thomas Savage

 Colonial officer. Depicted in 1679. Wiki


Thursday, 22 February 2024

Empress Miniatures

 Probably my favourite 28mm ECW/TYW range

We have some new releases to our 28mm ECW range, and of course also useful for TYW.

Fully armoured cuirassiers. These guys were a dying breed across Europe and the UK at this period although still made a significant appearance in the first two years of the conflict and in the early battles. Most notably Heselrige's and Balfour's regiments both of which gradually changed to the traditional harquebusier style of armour and weapons.
However for the early battles such as Edgehill and Landsdown these guys had very significant parts to play. These are the equivalent to the tank of the 20th century.
There are 6 packs of figures with two figures in each pack. There is also a special casualty pack (great for Roundway Down.) The unit of 6 packs is also offered in a very good deal.
Most of the figures come with an option on what weapon to use. Either sword or pistol. Just slot in the hand you want.





Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Pistol shot at Sedgemoor

 Thanks to Alan Larsen for letting me post this. It's Dave Benjamin in James II Lifeguards apparel. Possibly recreating the famous shot.


Monday, 19 February 2024

Carl Röchling painting owned by Chris Maine

 What do you think? Austrian subject? Any ideas welcomed. Artist wiki


Friday, 16 February 2024

Pikeman c1650

 Michal Paradowski says "According to Rijksmuseum, original was done by Pieter Jansz. Quast, then copy by Salomon Savery - which will put original dating earlier in 17th century, as Quast died in 1647."


Sunday, 11 February 2024

Military manual from 1674



  “Schola Militaris Moderna oder Neu vermehrte Kriegs-Schule” by Georg Andreas Böcklers Archit. & Ingenieurs, Frankfust 1674

Friday, 9 February 2024

Nunney 1973

Photo Elliott James
Photo Pat Poppy from a postcard printed at the time

I was too young to participate but I did go to watch. Nunney is near Frome. (Piece on the castle). Very exciting as all those early battles were. Pics taken from Blasts from the Past reenactment nostalgia.  Organised by the King's Army in the West apparently. 
 

Thursday, 8 February 2024

Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Book I am excited to find is available from the library


 The ancient forest of Selwood straddles the borders of Somerset and Wiltshire and terminates in the south where these counties meet Dorset. Until now, a comprehensive study of its exceptionally rich history of demonological beliefs and witchcraft persecution in the early modern period has not been attempted. This book explores the connections between important theological texts written in the region, notably Richard Bernard’s Guide to the Grand-Jury Men (1627) and Joseph Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus (1681), influential local families such as the Hunts and the Hills, and the extraordinary witchcraft episodes associated with Shepton Mallet, Brewham, Stoke Trister, and elsewhere. In particular, it focuses on a little-known case in the village of Beckington in 1689, and shows how this was not a late, isolated episode, but an integral part of the wider Selwood Forest witchcraft story.


Monday, 5 February 2024

Paper soldiers by Karel M. Toman

 A Czech illustrator. Thanks to Hugo Černý for these.



Sunday, 4 February 2024

Charles II statue in Soho

 Daughter Celia is in London today. She sent me this. In Soho Square Gardens. Wiki which is interesting. Is from 1681. Soho Square was once called Monmouth square I think so people thought it was him. Monmouth House was here. Soho was a battle cry of Monmouth rebels.

From the development of Soho

Soho Square in 1700 looking south. It was originally called King’s Square after Charles II whose statue stood in the centre. At the rear of the square in this illustration stands Monmouth House, a mansion completed in 1682 by Sir Christopher Wren for the Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles. He had little time to enjoy his house before he was arrested in 1684 and subsequently executed after staging an unsuccessful coup against his father.

Monmouth House designed by Christopher Wren. Demolished in 1773
 

Saturday, 3 February 2024

Russian Pandours of the SYW.

 Kronoskaf. Anyone know anything about this subject? There are some articles here



Friday, 2 February 2024

Good excuse to visit the George at Norton St. Philip

 Unlock the fascinating tales hidden within the walls of one of Britain’s oldest inns, with parts of the building dating back to 1223! 

Our eagerly awaited history book is now available. Find this must-have souvenir behind the bar for £5


Benjamin Hewling Monmouth Rebel

 Here. Hewling and his brother William were officers in Monmouth's army. Benjamin a Captain of Horse.  Both executed. Remarkably, he managed to avoid the gruesome fate of being drawn and quartered. Instead, he was hanged after his sister paid a substantial sum of £1000

Benjamin buried Taunton. Find a grave

 Steve Carter author of Fighting for Liberty added this from his work
'Mr Hewling, the son of Benjamin Hewling mercht. In Colman Street went from Utrecht on Thursday morning for Amsterdam. It is he who tooke care of the making the purple coats, lined with red, for the souldiers that shall be imployed in the Rebells service.' BL Add MS 41812 f.72

Spectacular renaissance painting

 The Battle of Alexander at Issus (German: Alexanderschlacht) is a 1529 oil painting by the German artist Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480–1538), a pioneer of landscape art and a founding member of the Danube school. The painting portrays the 333 BC Battle of Issus, in which Alexander the Great secured a decisive victory over Darius III of Persia and gained crucial leverage in his campaign against the Persian Empire. The painting is widely regarded as Altdorfer's masterpiece, and is one of the most famous examples of the type of Renaissance landscape painting known as the world landscape, which here reaches an unprecedented grandeur.


Thursday, 1 February 2024

 Eisen, Charles, "Garde royale musketiers" (1758). Prints, Drawings and Watercolors from the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection. Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library. https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:224894/