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Shortly before the American Civil War, an attack by pro-slavery militants on the city of Lawrence prompted John Brown to try to clean up Kansas.
As the United States of America lurched towards the Civil War, the State of Kansas found herself torn into two. Two rival ‘governments’ sprang up, each with its own capital, one for a Slave-owning state and one for a Free state. In 1861, Kansas declared for the Union but it had been a close-run thing and some of her sons had not been too nice in their methods.
Posted May 5 2020
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Following the Battle of Crécy in 1346, Edward III instituted an order of chivalry in honour of St George, inspired (some said) by something he picked up in the street.
Two years after the Battle of Crécy in 1346, King Edward III instituted the Order of the Garter for twenty-six companions who had helped him to victory. Its colours were those of France, and the motto ‘Honi soit qui mal y pense’ (shame on him who thinks ill of it) was a rebuff to those who questioned Edward’s claim to the French crown. Rumours abounded as to why Edward chose a garter for the emblem.
Posted May 4 2020
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The monks of the monastery on Iona are all keeping the same secret from one another.
Columba brought twelve monks to Iona in 563. His little community supported itself by farming a fertile plain on the western side of the island, but the monastery stood on the eastern side, and to get home the monks had to trudge across a mile of tumbled upland moors. By half way, the loads they bore at harvest time felt decidedly heavy.
Posted May 2 2020
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In one of the world’s most popular legends, bold hero St George rides to the rescue of a maiden in distress.
St George was a real person, a Roman soldier martyred in 303, but the story of the Dragon is a myth. The dragon symbolises the devil, a serpent with honey on his forked tongue, whose angels (St Paul tells us) are the real rulers behind the darkness of this world. George is the Christian, who puts on the whole armour of God and stands up to them armed with unceasing prayer.
Posted May 1 2020
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In 1846, Daniel O’Connell stood up in the House of Commons to draw attention to the Great Hunger in Ireland, and to plead for a swift response.
Between 1845 and 1851, repeated attacks of potato blight led to the deaths of a million Irishmen from starvation and disease and the emigration of a million more. Had Parliament listened to Irish MP Daniel O’Connell, the worst of the Great Hunger might have been avoided; but that would have required the courage to ease up on the reins of power.
Posted April 30 2020
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With Christian Europe tearing itself apart over the Protestant Reformation, the Ottoman Turks saw an opportunity for Europe-wide domination.
The Battle of Vienna took place on September 12th, 1683 (when Charles II was on the English throne). American soldier and politician John Sobieski describes here how his namesake John Sobieski, Grand Marshal and later King of Poland, saved northern Europe from conquest by the Ottoman Turks, an event that undoubtedly changed the course of world history.
Posted April 27 2020