Carl XII (1925)

A subject for a few movies, Charles XII still holds a fascination - there's a recent news item about his grave being reopened to find out more about his death. These posters for a silent film from 1925, director John W. Brunius, look very interesting...anyone seen it?

It might be here on a database of Swedish films.

See more of Carl XII's skull and deathmask here

See his uniform here

Karoliner movie

Short movie - no idea what they're saying though - it's from Swedish tv - I think it's about Jan Stahlhammer a man whose letters to his wife have become a prime source of information on the campaigns of Karl XII. It's on quicktime - go here to see it

Woods Runner Diary

You might think that an interest in historical wilderness trekking and so forth is limited to North America - in which case you'd be wrong as this blog of the New England Colonial Living History Group testifies. It's in Australia of all places. Check it out - it's a great blog with lots of interesting pieces of use to anyone interested in the period 1680-1760. Historical trekking, living history, experimental archaeology, period living skills, primitive wilderness survival skills are all in this blog and it's a great place to learn the skills to be a 21st century Coureur de bois.

Garrison Houses of New England

A feature of colonial warfare in the late 17th/early18th century is the Garrison House. Usually there would be at least one per settlement and they would offer collective protection in times of French and Indian attack. They were generally strong enough to resist attacks though those outside of the relative safety could expect little help. Garrison Houses of New England tells you how many are still standing and those open to the public.
More info here
Deerfield 1704 site - much explanatory information and images about the whole business of raids .

'Sythes'

These weapons are from the Royal Armouries collection and are purported to be two of the weapons used by Monmouth's forces in 1685. Mounted on 8 foot poles they bear the armourer's marks and are about 29-30 inches long. These were issued to special scythe companies of a hundred men but their use gave rise to a legend that the Rebels were armed with agricultural implements which in turn gave rise to the term 'Pitchfork Rebellion'. In fact there were very few farmers or labourers amongst the ranks of the rebels - they were mostly clothworkers and the war-scythe was a commonly used weapon in the 17thc in sieges.

Queen Dowager's Regiment Of Foot

One of the best British redcoat groups for the period the Queen Dowager's recreate a battalion gun and encampment for the period 1686-1700. I am probably a bit biased in that judgment as they're old friends from the 1685 Society, but they do what they do extremely well

Article on the recreated regiment

Queen Dowager's Regiment Of Foot, & 1686 British 3 Pdr. Battalion Gun. By Rob Morgan.

Figures from 1690

These images from 1690 are a little enigmatic. Thought to be Dutch soldiers noone really knows what they represent - probably part of William III's forces. The figure on the left could be wearing a tapabord or karpus. This modern reconstruction by G Embleton gives a good interpretation of what they're trying to show.