Fuck Yeah European History

Happy Birthday Shakespeare, you old Bard, you!

(Anybody else think he sort of looks like Paul Giamatti, or is that just me?)

historysquee:

Crown of Scotland - Scottish Crown Jewels

This crown is from the Scottish Crown Jewels and is used at the coronations of the Kings of Scotland. It was created in 1540 for James V, as the old crown had been repaired several times and needed replacing. The crown is made of solid gold and contains 22 gems, including amethysts and garnets, 20 precious stones and 68 pearls. It is decorated with fleur-de-lis and strawberry leaves around the base and oak leaves across the arches. The bonnet inside the crown was initially purple, as James V requested. But James VII changed the colour to red and it has remained that way since, although the bonnet has been replaced several times since then. 

The crown was used by Scottish monarchs for coronations, until the union with England, when the crown was then used to be taken to Scottish Parliament, as a symbol of royal authority. During the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell destroyed the English Crown Jewels, and wanted to destroy the Scottish ones too. However the Scottish Crown Jewels, including the crown, were buried and hidden until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. After the Act of Union in 1707, the Scottish Crown Jewels were sent to Edinburgh Castle, where they remained, as they were no longer needed for the parliaments of the new Great Britain. The crown has found use more recently, with the devolved Scottish Parliament, where it has been carried at official ceremonies. 

(Source: slamasaurusrex)

(Source: aplummettoearth)

Henry VII of England (1457-1509)

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658, r. 1653-1658) was ‘Lord Protector’ of the Commonwealth of England between the reigns of Charles I and Charles II. One thing he is known for is the creation of the Navigation Acts of 1651, which basically stated that British goods had to be transported on British ships, giving the British government a monopoly on British trade. This was seen as an act of war by the Dutch, who dominated Atlantic trade at this time, eventually leading to the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

John Stuart Mill, 1806-1873.

Liberal and women’s rights activist, along with his wife, Harriet Taylor. He wrote The Subjection of Women with his wife and then her daughter, which was published in 1869.

Famous Quotes:

“The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of the time.”

“All good things which exist are the fruits of originality.”