During the year 1719, relations between France and Spain were not looking good. Philip V, grandson of the Sun King, reigns over the people of Madrid jointly with his second wife Elisabeth Farnese. Philippe dOrleans , Regent of France, governs for the young Louis XV. Bourbon and Orléans, one family!
The conquering king, the stoic king, the brave, strong and courageous king… From the years 1680/90, the Sun King is also and above all a great sick body. Fever, gout, diarrhoea, dizziness, he is very often unwell. At 45, he already has only a few snags left. The Kings entourage admires his courage a
Get yourself Philippe dOrléans by Elisabetta Lurgo! Often described as a promiscuous drunk, totally under the influence of his cutesies, Sir would be more jealous and without any political conscience. It is a completely different character who is revealed in this biography. Elisabetta Lurgo , autho
On May 16, 1770, the marriage of Marie-Antoinette de Habsbourg-Lorraine with the Dauphin Louis-Auguste de Bourbon is celebrated at Versailles, the official royal residence since Louis XIV. Admittedly very (too) young and of diametrically opposed characters, they nevertheless carry the hope of the dy
Under the Ancien Régime, Christmas celebrations were above all religious celebrations intended for contemplation. Dangeaus description in his Journal of December 24 and 25, 1697 illustrates well the pious habits of the royal family at this time: Tuesday 24, Christmas Eve:the king made his devotions
Marie Antoinette of Habsburg-Lorraine marries the future Louis XVI May 16, 1770. Married too young, awkward with each other and uneducated about the realities of love, they will take seven years to consummate their marriage. Marie-Thérèse, nicknamed Madame Royale , was born on December 20, 1778. Sh
When Benedict XVI abdicated in 2013, the world held its breath. But he was not the first pope to give up his leadership of the Church himself. When Benedict XVI renounced Peters throne in February 2013, the world held its breath. How is that? Abdication in the Holy See? Meanwhile, the decision of
He was a brilliant scientist-inventor, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. Like a lion, he defended his views. He often pushed against the tide, making claims that were not always in accord with the mind of the general public. Galileo and his story are also proof that justice will always be d
They became famous as one of the best bankers in the world. According to legend, in a few generations they rose from a simple charcoal burner to the position of the finest family in Italy. Growing in strength, they gained one of the greatest fortunes in history. What were the Medici spending their m
Seemingly, the place of this burial does not raise any doubts. It took more than a thousand years for them to become seriously questioned. What do we know about the location of the second most important tomb in the history of Christianity? And will we ever know for sure where it is? It seems tha
When Pius XII opened the Vatican underground to archaeologists in 1940, he was not at all sure what they would find. Doubts as to whether the tomb of the first pope - the apostle Peter - was actually located under the basilica - had been growing for centuries. What was the end of the unusual investi
The emperor Constantine, most probably, laid them down in the place where they lied for centuries. They were discovered at the height of the war, under extraordinary circumstances ... and quietly moved. How was it possible to find some of the most precious relics of Christianity again and could we h
Gorden Kaye is best known to all of us for his role as René in the famous British comedy series Allo! Allo! However, his private life could not have been more different than that of a French cafe owner, sought after by women. His story is a story about hidden secrets and passing away in solitude and
We know the character of the Indian chief Powhatan from the Disney cartoon film. Who was the archetypal Indian father of beautiful Pocahontas? And what was his meeting with John Smith really like? At the beginning of the 17th century, the English followed the Spaniards to conquer America. Eager to
For 40 years he made millions of people laugh all over the world. His shows enjoyed great popularity, and he became an icon of English sense of humor. But there was sadness behind his smile. In his private life, he was doomed to loneliness. Despite his fortune, he died in a rented apartment. The bod
If someone told you that a blind person joined the army, rode a horse, drove a stagecoach and built several hundred kilometers of roads and bridges, some of which still stand today, you would probably consider it a joke. However, the life of John Metcalf, also known as Blind Jack, is proof that bein
An unmatched archery champion, devoted to King Richard the Lionheart, leader of the forest team fighting the wicked sheriff of Nottingham. Since the Middle Ages, the legend of the hero of the poor captivates and fascinates entire generations. The character of Robin Hood has evolved over the centu
He defied the Vikings and forced them to submit. He persuaded the King of the Danes, Guthrum, to be baptized. Finally - he united his country and laid the foundations for the development of his native culture. No wonder he was nicknamed The Great. But was Alfred really such an outstanding ruler?
She was the first queen to be put to death in a lawsuit. She received a sentence after several years in prison. And yet, in her youth, nothing foreshadowed such a fate. The Scottish crown had been put on her while she was still in diapers. She became the ruler of France before the age of eighteen. H
The investigator wipes the bloody mark of his hand from the glass ... so as not to frighten the family. The biggest police bigwigs hide frauds. Criminal lists are brought into the hands of the police ... nine months after they were compiled! Not surprisingly, the working methods of 19th century Scot
Ruins of the original Sudeley Castle building (photo:authors archives) When, after crossing the beautiful village of Winchombe and walking five hundred meters along a beautiful path in the English countryside, you arrive at Sudeley Castle, you cannot imagine the unfortunate fate that the successive
The concept of the mechanical worker, better known as a robot, existed in ancient Greece, whether it was realized or not, as early as heroic times. Homer shows Hephaestus served by mechanical maids. However, the first war robot or war mechanical device, if ever it existed in any form, is undoubte
The first entry of this series on the Caliphate of Córdoba ended with the defeat of Abderramán III against Ramiro II de León and his allies in the battle of Simancas, or more exactly in the Alhándega ravine, since the battle itself had no clear winner. . One of the first consequences of what happen
The ever-increasing presence in Morocco forces an unbearable economic effort and throws the country into open war. More than 65,000 soldiers are sent there from 1912, when the protectorate is established. This is a conflict that nobody favors, except for the young officers of the Africanist army, wh