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DARK SECRETS: Henry ii | Vintage Vibes

From Queen Elizabeth's astrologer to Norway's clairvoyant princess: Royals drawn to the supernatural

From astrology and alchemy to spirit communication and angelic visions, the supernatural has fascinated royalty for centuries. Kings, queens and emperors have consulted astrologers, sought guidance from mystics and pursued extraordinary claims that promised healing, hidden knowledge or even immortality. While some of these practices were once regarded as legitimate…

The Times of India

‘There are stories of a ghost dog and a monk who walks through walls’: a day in the life of a castle keeper

For self-confessed history geek Hatty Harley, life within the walls of English Heritage site Dover Castle is made more magical by the young minds she is able to inspire through her work

The Guardian - UK

Genetic analysis: secret of Otto I, first German-Roman emperor, revealed

Just a few days after the coffin was opened, the researchers announced that the bones suggested that the man was around 60 years old. He was also unusually tall for the Middle Ages.

Euronews

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5 weird armours from history

For the medieval knight, armour was essential. It provided protection on the battlefield and signified status and rank.

The Conversation

Journal of Free Speech Law: "Gitlow Revisited: Disentangling Ideas and Crimes Via the Harm Principle," by Ronald Krotoszynski

The final article from the "Gitlow v. New York at 100" symposium, held last year at the Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.

Reason

Churchill’s desk and rare artwork among items donated to UK cultural institutions

Items worth £59.7m allocated to museums, galleries, libraries and archives as part of Arts Council England scheme

The Guardian - UK

Judge questions grand jury procedure in James Comey indictment - Roll Call

The grand jury never voted on the final indictment against former FBI director James Comey over Senate testimony, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Roll Call

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Defender of Dover: Eleanor de Montfort and the siege of 1265

After the death of her husband and son in battle, Eleanor of England held Dover Castle against the royalist army of her brother, Henry III. To this day, visitors can see exact sites where the historic blockade unfolded

The Guardian - UK

Blanche d’Alpuget on her racy new detective novel: ‘All my books have had quite a bit of sex’

The author and widow of former prime minister Bob Hawke turns from political biography and historical fiction to a crime caper set in Sydney’s eastern suburbs

The Guardian - AU

In asking Trump to show mercy, Bishop Budde continues a long tradition of Christian leaders ‘speaking truth to power’

Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon on Jan. 21, 2025, in which she appealed to President Donald Trump to have mercy toward groups frightened by his position on immigrants and LGBTQ+ people – especially children – drew reactions from both sides of the aisle.

The Conversation

The real story of how the Ford family and Ford Foundation ended their decades-long estrangement

In 1976, Henry II famously resigned from the Ford Foundation’s board of directors.

Fortune

Where is Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light filmed? Locations featured in the BBC drama

It's been a long wait, but Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light is finally here - and the filming locations are just as incredible as the acting.

Woman & Home

‘I know the adrenaline of escaping’: Henry Cockburn on turning his time on the run into a refugee rap epic

His Costa-shortlisted first book examined his own schizophrenia, from hospital breakouts to hiding from the police. Now the writer has fed this into Tale of Ahmed, a story in rap verse about a boy fleeing Afghanistan for Britain

The Guardian - UK

Musical riots, 1984 books, and extra-long bread – take the Thursday quiz

Questions on general knowledge and topical trivia, plus a few jokes, every Thursday. How will you fare?

The Guardian - UK

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Salon

We need a Trump gag order, for real

The First Amendment wasn't meant to cover a public figure's dangerous, damaging lies. But there's an answer

The Guardian - UK

The King William’s College quiz 2023 – the answers

At Christmas, we published the 119th unfeasibly tricky general knowledge paper from the Isle of Man school. Did you dare to give it a try? Here are the answers

Roll Call

Appellate court to hear arguments over Trump's rhetoric in federal trial on 2020 election - Roll Call

A federal appellate court will hear arguments Monday about whether former President Trump must restrain his language in a criminal case.

Chicago Sun-Times

Court Theatre turns ‘The Lion in Winter’ into heady hybrid of thrills, drama and occasional laughs

A chilling Henry II contends with his sons and his lovers in the 12th century family drama, alternately epic and intimate.

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The Guardian - UK

Unruly by David Mitchell review – monarchs behaving badly

Sweary realism gives colour to these accounts of England’s most appalling kings and queens

The National (Scotland)

The new King could learn some lessons from Charles II

I believe that Charles, who is a keen student of royal history, could learn lessons from his predecessor Charles II.

The Guardian - UK

Boris Johnson ‘agrees to buy’ £4m nine-bed Georgian manor house (with moat)

The 400-year-old Grade II-listed property has five acres and a moat fed by its own natural spring

Salon

"Dragon's" real-life dynastic struggle

George R.R. Martin drew from history, particularly a two-decade period known as The Anarchy for this Targaryen plot

The New Daily

HBO’s House of the Dragon was inspired by a medieval dynastic struggle over a female ruler

Author George R R Martin has made no secret of the real-life medieval inspiration for House of the Dragon.

The Conversation

HBO's 'House of the Dragon' was inspired by a real medieval dynastic struggle over a female ruler

In three decades of teaching medieval European history, I’ve noticed my students are especially curious about the intersection of the stories told in class and the depictions of the Middle Ages they see in movies and television.

Tribune News Service

Editorial: Bragg’s bad choice: A prosecutor shines new light on Manhattan DA's Trump decision

As Attorney General Merrick Garland and Justice Department professionals ponder charging Donald Trump with felony charges for his apparent crimes related to his failed putsch at the Capitol during the electoral vote count as documented in detail by the Jan. 6 committee, the great grifter has no such fears about…

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