I have consider a thread about what we are reading or maybe what we are planning to read. I make this thread in the general history section and I think we can use it as a suggestion to read regardless of what war or any other social events or thoughts we prefer to read about. I think we can help each other to find good reads by historians we can increase the knowledge about certain events. It doesn't matter if it is about ancient military events like the destruction of Carthage, the one hundred years war, the Joan of Arc (BritinAfrica knows all about her and her conquests, he was there) Just kidding, mate. I presume you all get my point. Whatever you are reading, let us know about what you are reading.

I am currently reading the literature by the English historian Dan Jones. I have read his books "The Wars of the Roses" and "The Templars" I am waiting to get his book "The Plantagenets" I really want to find good the literature about the English Civil war. The war between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians during the 17th century while the rest of Europe was plagued by the 30 years war. If you have suggestions about great historians writing about the US revolutionary war ( I call it the war of independence) or the US civil war, don't hesitate to provide with it

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I have consider a thread about what we are reading or maybe what we are planning to read. I make this thread in the general history section and I think we can use it as a suggestion to read regardless of what war or any other social events or thoughts we prefer to read about. I think we can help each other to find good reads by historians we can increase the knowledge about certain events. It doesn't matter if it is about ancient military events like the destruction of Carthage, the one hundred years war, the Joan of Arc (BritinAfrica knows all about her and her conquests, he was there) Just kidding, mate. I presume you all get my point. Whatever you are reading, let us know about what you are reading.

Only one thing wrong with Joan of Arc, she only spoke French, I couldnt understand a word she said.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I am currently reading the literature by the English historian Dan Jones. I have read his books "The Wars of the Roses" and "The Templars" I am waiting to get his book "The Plantagenets" I really want to find good the literature about the English Civil war. The war between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians during the 17th century while the rest of Europe was plagued by the 30 years war. If you have suggestions about great historians writing about the US revolutionary war ( I call it the war of independence) or the US civil war, don't hesitate to provide with it

Its strange that you mention the Plantagenets, they are regarded by many as the true Royal Family of England, if I remember my school history, the Windsors have links to the house of Hannover and have no right to the throne of England. The true King of England who's forefathers were Plantagenets died recently in Austalia aged (I think) in his early 60's. Note said England, the Plantagenets ruled(Richard 111 or Richard the turd or Dick the shit) before the Kingdoms became united.

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Its strange that you mention the Plantagenets, they are regarded by many as the true Royal Family of England, if I remember my school history, the Windsors have links to the house of Hannover and have no right to the throne of England.

The House of Hannover changed their name to Windsor during WWI since it would seem odder for the House of Hannover to be warring with Germany, I guess the Kaiser would still be their cousin though.

Originally Posted by George

The House of Hannover changed their name to Windsor during WWI since it would seem odder for the House of Hannover to be warring with Germany, I guess the Kaiser would still be their cousin though.

The House of Windsor is the reigning royal house of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The dynasty is of German paternal descent and was originally a branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, itself derived from the House of Wettin, and it succeeded the House of Hanover to the British monarchy following the death of Queen Victoria, wife of Albert, Prince Consort. The houses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Windsor have provided five British monarchs to date, including four kings and the present queen, Elizabeth II.

The name was changed from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor (from "Windsor Castle" in 1917 because of anti-German sentiment in the British Empire during World War I. During the reign of the Windsors, major changes took place in British society. The British Empire participated in the First and Second World Wars, ending up on the winning side both times, but subsequently lost its status as a superpower during decolonisation. Much of Ireland broke with the United Kingdom and the remnants of the Empire became the Commonwealth of Nations.

Kaiser Willhelm was Victoria's Grandson.

The recent death of 71-year-old Mike Hastings in a quiet town in New South Wales highlights the genetic lottery of monarchy and how dynastic fortunes hang by a thread.

The unassuming Mr Hastings, who had worked variously as a forklift driver, a door-to-door encyclopaedia salesman and an agronomist, shot to fame in 2004 when he was tracked down by actor Tony Robinson for the Channel 4 documentary, Britain’s Real Monarch.

The genealogical research presented by the documentary provided strong evidence that Mike Hastings should rightfully have been: His Majesty Michael I, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of His Other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.

His claim to the throne, which he cheerfully rejected when he discovered it, goes back to medieval England and the reign of King Edward IV. Edward ruled England from 1461 to his death in 1483, a period marked by the Wars of the Roses. These were a series of violent dynastic squabbles between two rival branches of the Plantagenet family – the houses of Lancaster and York (whose heraldic symbols were the red and white roses) for the English Crown.

Edward was born 28 April 1442 in Rouen, France, where his father, Richard of York, was on campaign. The documentary presented doubts that Richard was Edward’s biological father. Those doubts were nothing new. Even during Edward’s own lifetime it was noted that he showed little resemblance to his father; Edward had a large round face and lantern-jaw, whereas Richard of York had thinner, pointed facial features. Edward, at over 6 feet, was also exceptionally tall for the period, which was unusual for the House of York. The documentary cited records found in Rouen Cathedral’s archives which revealed that, from 14 July to 21 August 1441, the 5-week period in which Edward must have been conceived, Richard was away fighting at Pontoise, several days’ march from Rouen (where Edward’s mother Cecily of York was based). It is unlikely that Edward was born premature, as there is no evidence from the time to suggest that he was (premature babies with a claim to the throne were a risk and therefore almost certainly would have had their births recorded). Also, the christening of Edmund, Earl of Rutland, Richard and Cecily’s second son, was a lavish public celebration in Rouen Cathedral, whereas Edward’s christening was a low key and private ceremony in a side chapel, despite being the firstborn son.

It is possible of course that Richard could have returned to Rouen from Pontoise, or that Edward could have been born premature. Richard never contested his paternity. However, the documentary considered that, if Edward was indeed illegitimate, then every single monarch who came after him followed the wrong bloodline to the throne.

The crown should have gone to Edward’s younger brother George, the Duke of Clarence. As George was the direct ancestor of Mike Hastings then, under the strict rules of succession, Mike should have been on the throne, not Elizabeth II.

Instead of the Tudors, Stuarts, Hannoverians and Windsors, this intact Plantagenet lineage, whose fortunes waxed and waned over the centuries, would have thrown up some interesting alternative Kings and Queens of England.

The Plantagenet ‘Henry VIII’, Henry Hastings, was a key political player in the courts of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, where the stakes were very high; he was imprisoned in the Tower of London by Mary I for his support for Lady Jane Grey‘s 9 day ‘reign’, and Elizabeth I, who was aware of Henry’s own genuine claim to the throne, never fully trusted him either. However, he was politically useful to all of them and garnered titles, honours and influence as a result. The exotically named Ferdinando Hastings (‘Ferdinando I’) saw his family seat, Ashby de la Zouch Castle, destroyed by Oliver Cromwell’s troops in the English Civil War in 1646. Francis Rawdon-Hastings (‘Francis II’) found fame as a soldier in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars and went on to become Governor-General of India from 1813 to 1823. His son, George Rawdon-Hastings (‘George IV’) continued the family’s uneasy relationship with the ‘official’ royal family when he publically denounced the young Queen Victoria and her courtiers for insulting and disgracing his unmarried sister, Lady Flora Hastings, in 1839 by concocting a rumour that she was pregnant, when she was in fact seriously ill with liver cancer. A generation later the habitual drinker and compulsive gambler, Henry Rawdon-Hastings (‘Henry X’), blew the family’s considerable fortune, on a mind-boggling scale, on horse racing.

As I've stated a few times, I hated English history at school, because its so complicated.

As I've stated a few times, I hated English history at school, because its so complicated.[/QUOTE]

It's not so complicated. When you weren't fighting the French, you were fighting other Englishmen.

I watched a doc about Richard III (the king who was parked beneath a car park) His death at Bosworth Fields 1485 and the battle was the ending battle of the Wars of The Roses. The Tudors won the throne. Anyway, they found living relatives to Richard III. I don't know if you are referring to him, Brit. It would be interesting to see if they open the graves after the two young boys found the Tower of London. According to the rumor. Richard III killed them when they were a threat to him and the throne of England. There are also rumors about one of them survived and fled with help of the guards in the Tower.

After reading a lot of your history. You have a lot of Richards, Georges, Henry's, Charles, and Edwards. Kings liked to name their sons after themselves, which is a bugger when you are trying to keep track of them.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

It's not so complicated. When you weren't fighting the French, you were fighting other Englishmen.

Before we fought each other we fought the Scots, Paddy's and the Taffys, I think the Dutch crept in there once or twice, they once had the audacity to sail down the River Medway. I mean, HOW DARE THEY!!!!

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I watched a doc about Richard III (the king who was parked beneath a car park) His death at Bosworth Fields 1485 and the battle was the ending battle of the Wars of The Roses. The Tudors won the throne. Anyway, they found living relatives to Richard III. I don't know if you are referring to him, Brit. It would be interesting to see if they open the graves after the two young boys found the Tower of London. According to the rumor. Richard III killed them when they were a threat to him and the throne of England. There are also rumors about one of them survived and fled with help of the guards in the Tower.

Yes It was Richard 111 I was referring to, he was the last King of the House of York and last Plantagenet King pf England. If I remember correctly the graves of the two boys were found during building work at the Tower of London. I seriously doubt that one of the boys survived.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

After reading a lot of your history. You have a lot of Richards, Georges, Henry's, Charles, and Edwards. Kings liked to name their sons after themselves, which is a bugger when you are trying to keep track of them.

On top of that is the English Civil War to confuse matters even more

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Before we fought each other we fought the Scots, Paddy's and the Taffys, I think the Dutch crept in there once or twice, they once had the audacity to sail down the River Medway. I mean, HOW DARE THEY!!!!

They did have a wonderfull Bonfire, didn't they!

Originally Posted by BritinAfrica

Before we fought each other we fought the Scots, Paddy's and the Taffys, I think the Dutch crept in there once or twice, they once had the audacity to sail down the River Medway. I mean, HOW DARE THEY!!!!



Yes It was Richard 111 I was referring to, he was the last King of the House of York and last Plantagenet King pf England. If I remember correctly the graves of the two boys were found during building work at the Tower of London. I seriously doubt that one of the boys survived.



On top of that is the English Civil War to confuse matters even more

I don't think Richard III was the last King of the house of York. The two houses (York and Lancaster) were mixed so much. The Tudors were related to both.

Btw, I have read about Elizabeth I's spy master Francis Walsingham. He was in Paris during the St. Bartholomew's day massacre. He later created a spy network across Europe and in Britain. The Brits knew the Spaniards were coming, because of his network. However, Elizabeth wasn't happy about him executing Mary, the Queen of Scots after he and his network broke the code Mary was using to communicate with her fellow Catholics.

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

I don't think Richard III was the last King of the house of York. The two houses (York and Lancaster) were mixed so much. The Tudors were related to both.

You could be right, It could be King Edwartd 1V

Originally Posted by I3BrigPvSk

Btw, I have read about Elizabeth I's spy master Francis Walsingham. He was in Paris during the St. Bartholomew's day massacre. He later created a spy network acrossIEurope and in Britain. The Brits knew the Spaniards were coming, because of his network. However, Elizabeth wasn't happy about him executing Mary, the Queen of Scots after he and his network broke the code Mary was using to communicate with her fellow Catholics.

An interesting subject is the Witch Finder General, interesting reading.