england

  • Give me your pee and I’ll tell you who you are

    If today a doctor told you, “To understand what’s wrong with you, let me examine your urine… under the light of the Moon,” you would probably run for your life. In the Middle Ages, however, not only would you not have been scandalised… you would have considered the request perfectly normal.For centuries, in fact, the

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  • The illegitimate son of Henry VII

    Once upon a time, there was a child, born around 1474 in Brittany, who, after the assassination of Richard III at Bosworth, lived at the court of the new king, Henry VII, as a trusted knight of the Tudors. He died in 1535, leaving behind a trail of whispers that still echo today: who was

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  • Who decided that Richard III had to be the villain of the story?

    “History is written by the victors.” And never has this phrase been truer especially when it comes to Richard III. For centuries, Richard’s name has been synonymous with tyranny, treachery, and cruelty. A deformed king, power-hungry, even capable of murdering his own nephews just to cling to the throne. This is the image etched in

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  • Richard III and Harald III Hardrada: Brothers of Fate in History

    If I were to mention these two names: Richard III and Harald Sigurdsson, you might not immediately see why I have chosen to place them together in the same sentence. And yet, these two kings have far more in common than one might imagine. History is filled with rulers whose greatness was overshadowed by the

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  • What if reincarnation were real?

    How many times have we felt like we knew a place we had never visited or had a special connection with someone we just met? Or perhaps we’ve noticed striking resemblances to a historical figure or felt an inexplicable urge to act in ways that seem to belong to another era. Of course, we’d all

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  • 12 anni fa Riccardo III tornava al mondo “oltre ogni ragionevole dubbio”

    Era il 4 febbraio 2013. Le 11:00 stavano per arrivare e all’Università di Leicester c’era un fermento palpabile. In quella sala erano presenti giornalisti, storici, appassionati, scienziati… tutti, proprio tutti, pronti a testimoniarlo. Torniamo indietro di sei mesi. IL 25 Agosto 2012, sotto il freddo cemento di un parcheggio privato a Leicester, veniva rinvenuto uno

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  • WHAT PERFUMES DID KINGS AND QUEENS USE IN THE MIDDLE AGES?

    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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  • The Tudor Style (and no, we’re not talking about fashion)

    After his death, the body of Richard III was taken to Leicester, naked and with his hands bound in front of him, as if he were the worst of traitors. His body bore the marks of the blows inflicted by the Tudor mercenaries and the treacherous Stanleys, along with numerous post-mortem wounds, deliberate acts of

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  • The jewel desired by Richard III: Pilkington’s jewel

    Jewels have always been objects of immense value, and in the Middle Ages, they were also said to possess magical properties. It was believed they gathered a special energy capable of protecting those who wore them. Additionally, they were often ground into powder and used as medicine, an arguable practice, but who knows, maybe it

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