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Three stacks of French love letters bound together by a ribbon, were finally opened by Cambridge University professor Renaud Morieux at the national archives, Kew. Source: The National Archives / Renaud Morieux

18th Century Love Letters Written to French Sailors Finally Opened and Read

More than two-and-a-half centuries after they were originally composed, more than 100 letters sent to members of the French navy by their loved ones have finally been opened and read. The messages...
Palace of Versailles, France. Source: Mistervlad /Adobe Stock

The Hidden Secrets of the Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most magnificent and historically significant buildings in the world. This stunning palace was once the residence of French kings and queens, and it has a rich...
French nobles. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock.

The Weirdest Rules of Royal French Etiquette (Video)

Step into the grandeur and luxury of the Palace of Versailles, the opulent seat of French royalty that became the epitome of the glamorous life of a king. But behind the dazzling facade lay a world...
The Montgolfier brothers were the first to launch a hot air balloon and their first public demonstration of a hot air balloon took place in Annonay, France on June 4, 1783.		Source: Public domain

The Naked Hot Air Balloon Aeronauts Who Conquered High Altitude Mayhem

In the 15th century, Leonardo da Vinci dreamed of people flying through the air, but it wasn’t until 19 September 1783 that history’s first aerostatic flight was achieved by the Montgolfier brothers...
The conserved Mary Rose ship on show.        Source: Mary Rose Trust / University of Warwick

How Will Scientists Save the Mary Rose?

The Mary Rose is one of the most famous shipwrecks in all of history, but a study in 2021 showed that the favorite warship of King Henry VIII is being destroyed by tiny specks of acidic iron and...
Why are Democrats ‘Left’ and Republicans ‘Right’? The Surprising History of Political Affiliations

Why are Democrats ‘Left’ and Republicans ‘Right’? The Surprising History of Political Affiliations

The terms right and left refer to political affiliations that originated late in the eighteenth century (1789–1799) in relation to the seating arrangements in the various legislative bodies of France...
The Battle of Trafalgar, oil on canvas by John Christian Schetky, c. 1841.        Source: Yale Center for British Art / Public Domain

The Battle of Trafalgar and the Deafening Thunder of English Cannons

There have been crucial periods in the modern history of Europe that shaped its future and dictated the destinies of many nations. Sadly, these periods were often marked by wars and conflicts in...
Representation of Jeanne de Clisson, the Lioness of Brittany

The Revenge of Pirate Jeanne de Clisson, The Lioness of Brittany

In the midst of the Hundred Years War between England and France, an enraged French noblewoman turned pirate named Jeanne de Clisson took to the sea with a fleet of warships. She mercilessly hunted...
Does the Buache Map show Antarctica without ice?

The Buache Map: A Controversial Map That Shows Antarctica Without Ice

The Buache Map is an 18th century map commonly claimed to accurately depict the continent of Antarctica before it was buried by ice. By extension, it has been claimed that this map is evidence that...
Zinder old town Source: CC BY 2.0

Zinder Old Town, Celebrated Cultural Capital of Niger

The history of the Sahel in Africa is a rich and exciting one. Many remains of great empires and cultures have been found in the region, but one of the most remarkable sites is the old town of Zinder...
Man on fire showing representation of one of the victims at the Ball of the Burning Men (‘Bal des Ardents’)     Source: Daniele Depascale / Adobe stock

Ball of the Burning Men: Temperatures Rose at Hot Royal Party

The world of medieval aristocracy was always plagued by extravagance, power, and eccentricity. Where there was an abundance of power and wealth, the great leaders and kings of the world descended...
Bunce Island, Sierra Leone, West Africa         Source: robertonencini/Adobe Stock

Bunce Island and the Gate of No Return

One of the greatest atrocities committed against humanity throughout history was the slave trade which involved the enslavement of millions of men, women, and children. Many monuments have been...
Meridian Gate, The Imperial City of Hue	Source: Michele / Adobe Stock

The Imperial City of Hue and the Nguyen Legacy of Vietnam

Although there are many popular historic sites in the beautiful country of Vietnam, one of the most visited is the Imperial City at Hue. As well as being the stronghold of the last independent...
The Gate of Imperial Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc in Hue, Vietnam.

The Buried Secret of Tu Duc’s Tomb, Vietnam

Vietnam was ruled by many emperors during its long and turbulent history. Emperor Tu Duc, one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the nation’s history, constructed a tomb complex which is truly...
Representation of Nicolas Flamel. Source: Maya Kruchancova / Adobe Stock.

Nicolas Flamel – Learned Scribe or Mysterious Alchemist?

Nicolas Flamel was a Frenchman who lived between the 14th and 15th centuries. According to contemporary sources, he was a scribe and manuscript seller. Later sources, i.e. those from the 17th century...
Fort George magazine (Kirsch, D / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Fort King George - Many Names, Many Rulers, But Never Besieged

The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, which consists of islands situated just off the coast of South America together form one of the most populous countries in the Caribbean . The two islands have a...
Fort Hamilton, Bequia

Fort Hamilton: Black Caribs vs The British on Strategically Important Island in the Caribbean

St Vincent and the Grenadines are a group of 32 small island with a long history. The main island of Saint Vincent is the sovereign state and was named by Christopher Columbus in 1498. One of its...
Fort Diamant.

Fort Diamant, A Little French Gem in South America

The presence of France has been documented in the Caribbean and Latin America for centuries. Today, French Guiana, located in South America , is part of France and the only territory of the mainland...
Soldier’s barracks at Fort Rodney 		Source: Hunkeler, C / CC BY-SA 2.0

Battles of the Caribbean: Fort Rodney, St Lucia – Built by the British to Spy on the French

Today, we think of the Caribbean as a tropical paradise, however, the area was once of strategic importance for the European Empires and a key battleground from the 17 th to the 19 th century. There...
Fort George with artillery cannons overlooking St. George’s   Source: Eqroy / Adobe Stock

Fort George - Slaves’ Gateway to the Spanish Colonies

While Grenada is a popular tourist destination and one of the most beautiful islands in the West Indies , it is also a historic island, once one of the most strategic islands in the Caribbean . Fort...
Fort Shirley 		Source: Gail Johnson/ Adobe Stock

Fort Shirley, Where A Mutiny Led to Emancipation of the British Slave Soldiers

Dominica is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean . Its beauty, however, belies a somewhat violent past when it was often a center of violent conflict. One of the best-known historic...
Medieval King Louis IX refused to eat his greens. Credit: diter / Adobe Stock

Crusader King Died Because He Refused to Eat His Greens

A French sleuth may have solved the mystery of the death of France's famed King Louis IX, better known as Saint Louis. He was the last of the crusader kings and it was believed that he died of plague...
Medieval Carcassonne town view, France. Source: Nejron Photo / Adobe

Carcassonne: Europe’s Largest Medieval Fortified City Was Defended by Straw Soldiers

Carcassonne is Europe’s largest fortified city that still stands today. It is located in Aude, a department in the southern French region of Occitanie . The city is divided into two parts by the Aude...
Napoleon's Return from Elba, by Charles Auguste Guillaume Steuben. Napoleon walk between the two forces and said if they were to kill their emperor; they were to do it now. Chauvinism was originally a term applied to veteran soldiers who served under Napoleon

What is Chauvinism? Tracing the Term from the Legendary Nicolas Chauvin to Misogyny

In the modern world, a chauvinist is a person who has “excessive or prejudiced support for one's own cause, group, or sex”. Before this, the word ‘ chauvinism ’ had a narrower scope, and was used...

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