Please keep in mind that I’m not a trained historian – I’m just an amateur, an enthusiastic history buff. However, as history figures prominently in my books. I have attempted to ensure the historical facts are as correct as possible, and where necessary I have written a historical note so as to answer the most obvious questions.
Historical Note, Whither Thou Goest The closing decades of the 17th century saw a return of unrest to England. After two decades of relative calm following upon the restoration of Charles II, the ugly head of religious discrimination reared its head again, starting with the obnoxious Titus Oates and his unfounded accusations against a number […]
Being a staunch member of the Scottish Kirk was not easy in the decades following upon the restoration of Charles II. While Charles himself seems to have done his utmost to retain a neutral approach to religion – growing up in the shadow of the religious conflicts that fanned the fires of the Civil War
Historical note, Like Chaff in the Wind When the first English colony was established in Virginia (and I don’t count the Roanoke debacle) in 1609, the eager participants came with dreams and hopes of easy riches, something akin to what the Spanish had discovered down in South America. Sadly, Virginia had no mountains of almost
Historical Note, A Rip in the Veil I have always found the period of almost a decade when England, Scotland and Ireland were ruled by Cromwell fascinating. Initially, this fascination sprang from the idea of Roundheads and Cavaliers facing off in bloody but honourable battle (I was quite young at the time), but over the
Historical Note, There is Always a Tomorrow In 1632, the Colony of Maryland was founded by Cecil Calvert, a Catholic nobleman who thereby hoped not only to increase his own wealth but also to offer his co-religionists a refuge from the anti-papist sentiments in England. In 1634, the first shiploads of colonists arrived to what
Historical Note, Under the Approaching Dark In February of 1327, a very young Edward III was crowned, thereby beginning what would become one of the longer and more successful reigns in English history. But the early years were difficult, especially as the former king, Edward II, was still alive, if imprisoned. Being only fourteen, Edward
Historical note, To Catch a Falling Star When Matthew Graham decided to return to Scotland in 1688, he picked a really, really bad year for a nostalgic trip back home. In 1685, Charles II died – an awful, lingering death during which the poor man was subjected to a series of horrific medical treatments –
Historical Note, Revenge and Retribution When Matthew Graham decided to move his family from Scotland to the Colony of Maryland, he based that decision to a large extent on Maryland’s Act of Toleration, which allowed for all Trinitarian faiths to co-habit in peace in the colony. After years hearing his church and beliefs vilified back
Historical Note, Serpents in the Garden The 17th century is generally considered as the start of the Modern Era, breaking away from the preceding Renaissance. It is a time of discovery, of burgeoning trade – and constant religious conflicts. It is also the time when the European countries began to see a growing emigration, with
Historical Notes Please keep in mind that I’m not a trained historian – I’m just an amateur, an enthusiastic history buff. However, as history figures prominently in my books. I have attempted to ensure the historical facts are as correct as possible, and where necessary I have written a historical note so as to answer the most