Indholdsfortegnelse for No. 135 i All About History

Q&A ALL ABOUT KINGDOM OF KUSH What part did the decline of the ancient Egyptian empire play in the foundation of the Kush empire at Napata in c.1069 BCE? It is clear from both the historical and archaeological record that the Nubian colony broke away from Egypt, not the other way around. After a failed attempt to seize the Egyptian throne, the last viceroy of Kush, Panehesy, retreated south to the colonial capital at Aniba. Early Kushite rulers would have been able to draw upon the old imperial infrastructure, including personnel, settlements, and a sacred (and economic) landscape of temples. They also inherited and expanded trade routes and connections stretching south to Darfur/Chad and the Red Sea, and north to Egypt and beyond, as far as Mesopotamia. It is important to…

BE CHILDLESS As with the Salem witch trials, it was not uncommon for child illness to be blamed on occult activity. And when it came to issues involving children, women in the community who had none for whatever reason were often the first accused. The supposed logic was that such women were jealous and wanted mothers to suffer. BE LEFT HANDED It might not put you in the dock, but being left handed would certainly put some suspicion on you. Sometimes known as a ‘mark of the devil’, being seen to use your left hand for common tasks could get you some unwanted attention, not just in the era of witch hunts in Europe and North America, but going back further too. BE A WOMAN In the majority of witch…

Royal Scandals Royal scandals are nothing new – since the beginning of recorded history, society’s elites have been embroiled in torrid affairs, caught up in corruption and doing anything they can to gain and stay in power. And in antiquity, things R were at times a little more… wild. In a world where blood sports were major public events, it seems like no one would bat an eye to things like murder and prostitution, but emperors and kings knew how to take things just a bit too far. Family ties often didn’t mean much, either. Read on to find out about an emperor who banished his own daughter from the empire, an empress who blinded her son in a desperate bid to keep her crown, and a king so proud…

The Special Air Service, the special forces unit within the British Army, has become legendary. No surprise then that its origins have taken on some myth-like qualities. Much of the story of the SAS’s inception during WWII circles around the ‘Phantom Major’ David Stirling. But, as Gavin Mortimer’s new book 2SAS: Bill Stirling And The Forgotten Special Forces Unit Of World War II reveals, his brother Bill and the exploits of his SAS unit are the true predecessors of the modern force. We spoke with Mortimer to learn more about the elusive Bill Stirling and the lasting impact of his exploits during WWII. Could you tell us a little about Bill Stirling and his background? Bill was born in 1911, to brigadier general Archibald Stirling and his wife, Margaret, the…

HENRY PERCY Earning the nickname ‘Harry Hotspur’ thanks to his swift and decisive leadership in battle, Henry had fought for Henry IV in his efforts to depose Richard II and been involved in battles against the Scots and French. However, increasing grievance with the new king resulted in the Percy family rebelling against Henry IV. He was ultimately killed at Shrewsbury. THOMAS PERCY The uncle of Henry Percy, Thomas was 1st Earl of Worcester and had a career in the Navy prior to the rebellion, serving as Admiral of the North and Admiral of the Kings Fleet in Ireland. He had been sent to negotiate with Henry IV before the battle, but the settlement he returned with was rejected. He was captured in battle and beheaded. ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS Henry Percy…

1848 - 1855 RUSHING FOR RUSSIAN GOLD Had California been properly consolidated and fortified as a Russian territory, the huge influx of wealth that resulted from the Gold Rush in 1848/49 would have been completely under the control of Imperial Russia. It would be the Russian, not the American, economy that would have seen the benefits. Additionally, the control of access through permits for those seeking their fortune could have further lined Russia’s pockets. With approximately 300,000 ‘gold diggers’ swarming into California it had the potential for a ready-made and wealthy state, with those settling there becoming Russian, not American, citizens. 1941 SOVIET PEARL OF THE PACIFIC Should Soviet Russia have retained its territory in Hawaii, thereby holding overall naval supremacy in the Pacific, then it would be a Soviet…

Book Film TV Podcast Games Other Certificate: 15 Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro Released: 20 October David Grann’s acclaimed 2017 non-fiction book Killers Of The Flower Moon: Oil, Money, Murder And The Birth Of The FBI (to give it its full weighty title) detailed a sickening, albeit little-known injustice against the Osage Native Americans of Oklahoma. Grann’s historic crime saga is cleverly structured like a mystery narrative, complete with jaw-dropping twists, making it both an addictive and informative read, and ripe for the Hollywood treatment. In late-1910s Osage County, on land once deemed worthless enough for it to become an Indian reservation, oil was discovered. In a short space of time, the Osage became some of the wealthiest folk in the world. They owned…

Out now! Victory in the Desert As Europe quivered beneath the boot of the German war machine, there was hope of a victory elsewhere to raise morale. The arena for battle against Nazi Germany was North Africa, where defeat would spell disaster, but triumph could be a step towards the downfall of Hitler’s regime. This is the story of how the Allies outfoxed Rommel and opened the way to invading Italy. Buy Victory in the Desert in shops or online at magazinesdirect.com Price: £14.99 Out now! The Weimar Years: Rise & Fall Author Frank McDonough Price £35 Publisher Head of Zeus McDonough has written a vibrant and vital study of an era vastly overshadowed by subsequent events. It serves as a timely and sobering reminder not to take democracy for…

Check out THE ULTIMATE HISTORY COOKBOOK available now Did you know? Gingerbread cake like this was sometimes used as a stomach settler in 17th century America. Ingredients • 250g plain flour • 230ml water • 1 egg • 100g granulated sugar • 115g butter • 340g molasses • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp ground ginger • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • ¼ tsp ground allspice • Pinch of salt Gingerbread remains a popular dish in Europe and America and has become synonymous with celebratory occasions in the autumn and winter months. Since ancient civilisations like the Greeks and Romans made the first versions of gingerbread, recipes for different incarnations of the spiced treat have evolved across the world. This gingerbread recipe from America…

Over 50 per cent of the girls and young women who made accusations at Salem in 1692 seem to have put the past behind them, marrying and having families of their own. Betty Hubbard moved away, marrying in 1711, Abigail Hobbs likewise married and had children, as did Mary Walcott and Betty Parris. Ann Putnam Junior was the only one of the girls to not only admit wrongdoing but also beg for forgiveness in 1706. She claimed the devil had tricked her into speaking out falsely against innocent people, and she expressed great remorse for her part in the Salem trials. She died in 1715, unmarried and childless. Susannah Sheldon faced a turbulent future. Moving to Providence, Rhode Island, she was known as a person of ‘ill fame’, and was…

One of the most unlikely men to come to power in Renaissance Italy, Alessandro de’ Medici, ruler of Florence from 1531 O to 1537, was probably born in Rome around 1512. He was illegitimate, and most contemporary writers say that his father was Lorenzo de’ Medici, duke of Urbino (grandson of the famous patron Lorenzo ‘the Magnificent’). A minority of sources point instead to Giulio de’ Medici, the future Pope Clement VII and Lorenzo’s cousin once removed. Others, perhaps more honestly, say it is impossible to know. Alessandro may not have been certain himself. Information about his mother is no easier to come by. She is generally known as Simunetta, though one source gives her the name Anna, and the most likely scenario is that she worked as a maid…

In 2004, Mary Seacole was voted the greatest Black Briton. Remembered for her work nursing the sick and wounded during the Crimean War, she is idolised by many who view her as a pioneer of nursing and as an inspirational Black female figure in British history. Often compared to and overshadowed by the Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale, little is known about much of Seacole’s life. However, what we do know about her paints a picture of a hugely enterprising and generous woman who made her mark in a way that no other Black woman of her time was able to. So, who really was Mary Seacole and how did she come to occupy such a prestigious position in Victorian England? Life in Jamaica Historians know very little about…

Price: £20 Released: Out now As the UK seeks to answer pressing questions of community, equality and belonging, the legacies of Empire and Colonialism are once again under the microscope. In The Shoulders We Stand On, Preeti Dhillon considers these questions as part of a broad history of the United Kingdom, which gives voice to the part played by the Black and Asian communities. Through ten individual examinations of movements and events including the Indian Workers’ Association, Brixton Black Women’s Group and the Battle of Brick Lane, Dhillon charts the history of Black and Brown communities from the 1960s to the 1980s, turning the spotlight on the movements and figures who have been unjustly forgotten. By focusing on these narratives, Dhillon offers a portrait of an inspiring history that offers…

ALL ABOUT KINGDOM OF KUSH 1070 BCE KUSH BREAKS AWAY The death of Ramesses XI ends the New Kingdom in Egypt and sees Kush regaining its independence. It centres itself around the city of Napata. While this new power base is further south than Kerma, many Egyptian customs and culture remain influential. The pharaohs of this period claimed to be sons of the god Amun, looking to reunite his domain. 690 BCE NILE RENAISSANCE Under Piye and then Taharqa a golden age for Kush and Egypt is created. Work is done to restore many of Egypt’s temples and buildings as well as build new monuments and pyramids. Religion and art flourish as the region becomes a major power again. EARLY CIVILISATION c.3500 BCE People moving from what is now the Sahara make…

Amanirenas Reigned: c.40 BCE c.10 BCE The second of the eight Kandakes of Kush, Amanirenas ruled over the kingdom at the same time as Cleopatra and Mark Antony were reigning over Egypt. However, when the Roman Emperor Augustus seized power in Egypt, Rome also made their claims to Nubia. Amanirenas, who lost her husband in a battle against the Romans in the early stages of the Roman occupation, led troops in attacks on cities in Roman-occupied Egypt in order to defend Nubia’s sovereignty. The war between Rome and Kush finally ended when Amanirenas helped broker a peace treaty that established the kingdom’s ongoing independence and autonomy. Amanirenas was reported to have lost an eye in battle against the Roman forces. PIYE REIGNED: C.744 BCE - C.714 BCE Piye, also sometimes…

The winter of 1691-1692 was a long, hard one in Massachusetts. Fevers and colds swept through the communities of European settlers who had colonised North America’s eastern coastal strip during the past 50 years. As snow piled up in drifts, the settlers were isolated and confined. Many were Puritans – religious fundamentalists who had fled from England to build an ideal godly society in America – and they had few permitted pleasures. For most of them, the only allowable entertainment was going to church to pray and hear sermons preached by their ministers, and this was a duty rather than fun. It was in these circumstances that in February 1692 two girls living in the house of the Salem Village church’s minister Samuel Parris began to suffer fits, their bodies…

Claviceps purpurea is a fungus that grows on grains like barley and rye. Forming an unsightly mass on the grain, it is usually discarded during harvest. If it finds its way into food, however, it causes a terrifying condition known as ergotism; there are some who think that the start of the Salem witch hysteria may have been caused by this fungus. The fungus that causes ergotism grows best after a cold winter, such as that experienced by Salem in 1691, and on swampy land like that owned by Thomas Putnam. With bad weather and poor harvests, farmers are more likely to try and keep as much of their grain as they can, even those infected with ergot. People struck down by ergotism experience convulsions, fits, spasms, and feel pin…

The Medici Bank founded 1397 Florence had long been a major banking centre when Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici opens his own bank in the city. The Medici Bank will soon have branches throughout Europe. Gonfaloniere 1421 Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici takes a share in the rule of Florence in 1421 when he is appointed as one of the nine gonfalonieri, who serve as the city’s government. Duomo consecrated 1436 Florence’s magnificent cathedral took 140 years to build and was constructed on the site of an earlier, 5th century cathedral. It is finally consecrated in 1436 by the pope himself. Council of Ferrara-Florence 1439 Cosimo di Giovanni de’ Medici persuades the pope to move the Council of Ferrara to Florence in 1439. The council nearly succeeds in uniting the…

MUSTARD Proving to be a highly effective ingredient in a number of Seacole’s treatments, she used mustard seeds in several different ways. By crushing the seeds up into a paste, she could treat poor circulation and encourage warmth in her patients when the blended seeds were rubbed into the skin. She also made mustard into poultices that she would use to help treat cramps and aching joints, as well as giving it to patients as an emetic to make them vomit. MERCURY Though highly poisonous, Seacole reported that she used mercury to treat some external conditions. Though she does not give specifics, mercury was used by medics in the 19th century as a treatment for conditions like eczema and psoriasis. POMEGRANATE Used by many Jamaican doctresses and medics, pomegranate was…

HENRY IV OF ENGLAND The son of John of Gaunt, Henry had been king of England since 1399 having overthrown his cousin Richard II. Prior to Shrewsbury, he had already had to handle the Welsh uprising led by Owain Glyndŵr. However, his son the Prince of Wales took over from him in running the government from 1410 as his health failed. HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES The future Henry V would enjoy his own personal victories as monarch, but under his father he had fought against the Welsh and the Percy family, earning himself a powerful reputation on the battlefield. He began his reign proper after his father’s death in 1413, going on to win a famous victory in the Hundred Years’ War at Agincourt.…

1740s BACKDOOR TO THE NEW WORLD The Russian Empire had gradually expanded West to East until the narrow passage of sea between the Asian and North American continents was reached. In 1741 the explorers Chirikov and Bering (a Danish navigator after whom the straits and the sea between Asia and America were to be named) made land in what is modern-day Alaska, claiming it for the Russian Empire. Bering himself died soon after and any form of settlement was not immediate, but a route into a new world of possibilities had been made. 1740s - 1840s FURS AND FAITH The new world brought the opportunity for trade, and wealth. The quality of sea otter pelts offered rich rewards for the fur trade both in Russia and around the world. In…

Price: £35 Released: Out now In the streets of Europe after World War II, the people were rising up. On either side of the Iron Curtain, members of the public poured out into the open air to come together and raise their voice for change. In Beauty Is In The Street, Joachim C Häberlen examines a history of protest in the second half of the 20th century, culminating in protests that changed the history of the world. Häberlen splits the history into four parts, beginning with the 1950s and 1960s, before moving on to examine forms of protest from violence to media and everything in between, then exploring 1968 and beyond and, finally, an examination of the communes in which activists came together to strive for change. Along the way…

Price: £25 Released: Out now “A fascinating and extremely accessible work that is shocking, inspiring and deeply moving” Between 1400 and 1900, the nations of Europe sought to expand their reach into the Americas, colonising the land they found and transporting more than 12.5 million people from sub-Saharan Africa into slavery. Here, where cultures, peoples and histories were forced together, the Black Atlantic was formed. Cambridgeshire and Cambridge played a vital role in this history. Indeed, this book begins with the Fitzwilliam family, who gave their name to Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum, and bolstered their fortune with business interests in the East India Company and South Sea Company. In Black Atlantic, editors Jake Subryan Richards and Victoria Avery have gathered contributions from multiple authors to examine the history of the Black…