Historical
La Chanson de Roland
The word war derives from the Frankish term wërra. The Franks were the most famous of the barbarian peoples. Only the Franks were able to stop the Arabs, thanks to Carlo Martello, and form a kingdom almost as large as the Roman Empire. They lived in the territories of present-day France, were of Germanic origin and had mixed with the first inhabitants of that area, namely the Gauls (yes, precisely those of Asterix and Obelix) and the Romans. The Franks were among the first barbarian peoples to accept Christianity and to speak the language of Rome. The popes asked for their help against the Lombards who were defeated by the nephew of Carlo Martello, the future Charlemagne, so nicknamed because he was a great king who accomplished memorable deeds. He was master of France and had taken Italy from the Lombards. His armies, commanded by mighty warriors called Paladins, had gone very far, making him master of the lands that today are called Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Austria. Since the fall of the Roman Empire, such a vast dominion had not been seen in Europe.
By Patrizia Poli4 years ago in FYI
Treasure on Your Bookshelf
When I was a kid growing up in Montreal, we lived two doors down from an elderly couple in the antique business. Besides antiques, they also had a lot of old books. When I say old, I mean old! We're talking books from the mid to late 1800s.
By Marco den Ouden4 years ago in FYI
THE WICKED BURKERS OF VICTORIAN LONDON
The London Burkers were a gang of body snatchers who functioned in London in the 1830s and came to notoriety in 1831. They worked as a team thieving and selling dead bodies to big London hospitals, including St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and St. Thomas’ Hospital.
By Paul Asling4 years ago in FYI
LONDON’S VILE VICTORIAN BABY FARMERS
In the days when it was considered a disgrace to have a child out of marriage, unmarried mothers would regularly pay an older woman to raise their child. In lots of cases, the mother would have no further contact with the child. This permitted some dreadful crimes to be committed by evil baby farmers.
By Paul Asling4 years ago in FYI
The Most Botched Art Restorations In History
Art restoration is an important activity to preserve historical heritage, culture, and legacy for our future generations. There is no particular technique and fit-formula to restore an art form but trained art historians, chemists, and material scientists use extensive knowledge to assess art and use methods to minimally alter the original form.
By Kamna Kirti4 years ago in FYI
A SATURDAY NIGHT IN VICTORIAN LONDON
As the capital of the largest Empire in global history, London was a place of importance. Victorian London was also the biggest, most amazing city in the world. While Britain was undergoing the Industrial Revolution, London was both reaping the benefits and suffering the costs. In 1800, the population of London was around one million. That number then swelled to over four million by 1880.
By Paul Asling4 years ago in FYI
The Dark Mystery of Hart Island in the Time of Coronavirus
There is a small island off the coast of the Bronx in New York City that has long been a source of dark intrigue for those not allowed on its shores. For more than 150 years, Hart Island has been the site where hundreds of people have been interred for various reasons. Among the dead here, you will find soldiers, stillborn babies, homeless persons, prisoners, and AIDS patients. Now, there is a new addition to the masses who call this small island their final resting place—coronavirus victims.
By A.W. Naves4 years ago in FYI
Trains of Yore. Top Story - December 2021.
One of the many old books we got when some elderly antique shop owner neighbours retired many years ago was a 1917 Encyclopedia called The Wonder Book of Knowledge. It was a bit beaten up and battered but it was a treasure that I pored over many times. And one of the fascinating items was a picture gallery of steam locomotives and other vintage railroad lore.
By Marco den Ouden4 years ago in FYI
