A lot of History
Here you will find quite a few of my reflections on various topics related to medieval history, with a particular focus on the Wars of the Roses and other similar disputes, in any time, in any place, and in any universe.
You can also find the same articles in Italian under the category “Articoli in Italiano”
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The landscape of love stories that have shaped history is vast, immense even, but few are as poignant and intense as that of Abelard and Héloïse. Theirs was a forbidden, painful, and contested love, yet one that left an indelible mark on literature and Western thought. But who were Abelard and Héloïse?Peter Abelard was one…
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It was around 9 p.m. when Elizabeth died. After giving birth to her daughter Katherine, she endured almost two weeks of agony, excruciating pain, fever, and relentless hemorrhages led her to her death on February 11, 1503. February 11 was also her birthday. She had just turned 37. Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of King…
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We are accustomed to thinking of history as a sequence of events unfolding progressively. However, if we closely examine the past, recurring patterns emerge—events that repeat with unsettling precision, leaving us with one fundamental question: could time be circular? Various civilizations have believed in the cyclical nature of time. In ancient India, the concept of…
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It was February 4, 2013. 11:00 was fast approaching, and there was a palpable buzz at the University of Leicester. In that room, there were journalists, historians, enthusiasts, scientists… everyone, absolutely everyone, ready to bear witness. Let’s go back six months. On August 25, 2012, beneath the cold concrete of a private parking lot in…
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If I said the word “godemiché” what would come to mind? Wait, let’s take a step back. In ancient Greece and ancient Rome, sexual satisfaction was considered a fundamental aspect of life. Even then, objects designed exclusively for female pleasure existed, often with purposes that were not even too subtly voyeuristic. In short, pleasure was…
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Today, on instinct, I decided not to write about history, but to share a thought that is particularly close to my heart. Do you know what the paradox of the soul is? Perhaps you’ve experienced it too, without ever being able to name it. The paradox of the soul is that state in which you…
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Oggi, d’istinto, ho deciso di non scrivere di storia, ma di condividere un pensiero che mi sta particolarmente a cuore. Sapete cos’è il paradosso dell’anima? Forse lo avete vissuto anche voi senza riuscire a dargli un nome. Il paradosso dell’anima è quella condizione in cui ci si sente pieni e vuoti allo stesso tempo, traboccanti…
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The Middle Ages, as we know, were a time when having many children was considered almost an obligation (let’s put it that way!). Because of this, the mortality rate for women due to pregnancy and childbirth was extremely high, around 50%. In other words, you either survived or died; there was no middle ground. Today,…
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In the Middle Ages, kings and queens used perfumes both to distinguish themselves and for hygienic purposes. However, the fragrances of the time were generally simple, often derived from natural ingredients that were either locally sourced or imported from distant lands. There is historical evidence and references to the use of perfumes, essential oils, and…
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I have always found the concept of a motto fascinating, a short phrase that encapsulates everything a person represents and wants to convey to others. In royal families, every member had a motto, and often more than one, as these would change depending on the role they held. It was not uncommon, for example, for…
Beyond Death 