Góða Ólavsøka
“On the one side of Kalf Arnason stood his two relations, Olaf and Kalf, with many other brave and stout men. Kalf was a son of Arnfin Arnmodson, and a … Continue reading
Scotland invented the bicycle (?)
Back in 2005 the British Broadcasting Corporation invited the listeners of its You and Yours programme to vote for their favourite invention. The winner by a country mile was the … Continue reading
James ‘Jimmy’ Michael, Welsh Cycling Champion: Part 4 – Trouble with Officialdom and the Hour at Last
By early February 1897 Jimmy had settled his affairs with the National Cycling Union (NCU) and with ‘Choppy’[1], returning to the States on the 13th via Paris where he visited … Continue reading
James ‘Jimmy’ Michael, Welsh Cycling Champion: Part 3 – American Dreams and the Race that Never Was
Jimmy’s reinstatement and return to racing did not see the end of his tribulations in 1896. In late July he failed to turn up at a meet organised by Leeds … Continue reading
James ‘Jimmy’ Michael, Welsh Cycling Champion: Part 2 – Successes and Scandals, January-July 1896
Sunday 15 December, 1895, had seen Jimmy suffer a rare defeat when he fell during the fourth lap of a 100 kilometre race at the Velodrome d’Hiver.[1] The winner, Willie … Continue reading
James ‘Jimmy’ Michael, Welsh Cycling Champion: Part 1 – Delivery Boy to World Champion, 1877-1895
Herne Hill, Saturday 30 June, 1894. Twenty-two competitors line up in the Summer heat for the Surrey Bicycle Club 100 Mile Invitation Race. Among them is a seventeen year old … Continue reading
Hic:Est:Wadard
I am perhaps absurdly pleased by the fact that there is a link between the Bayeux Tapestry and my home town of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. The knight Wadard appears … Continue reading
The ætheling Æthelstan’s deathbed will of 1014
On the Friday after the feast of midsummer in 1014 Ælfgar, the son of Æffa, brought the reply of King Æthelred Unræd to his son, the ætheling Æthelstan. The ailing prince … Continue reading
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) arrived in Wittenberg in 1505 as an already accomplished artist having been appointed court painter to the Elector of Saxony Friedrich III, der Wiese. It … Continue reading
Aaron Cripps’ Fab Five: A Childhood Favorite, a Specter, a Pope & More
Originally posted on Yesterday Unhinged:
Hello, like our host my name is Aaron and I’d like to thank him for inviting us to contribute to his Fab Five series. I…
Gregor Mendel
Johann Mendel (1822-1884) was born in Heinzendorf, Austrian Silesia (Hynčice, Czech Republic). After studying at the University of Olmütz (Olomouc, Czech Republic) Johann joined the Augustinian order at the Altbrünn … Continue reading
Fab Five Series (Me first): A Khan, Rousseau, Orwell, a Sex Machine and The Greatest
Originally posted on Yesterday Unhinged:
Sgt. Pepper’s album cover. A work of art in and of itself. More than five people, but a good example of what I’d like from…
Robbing the Rich: Juraj Jánošík
The outlaw hero is a ubiquitous character in human history. England has Robin Hood, Australia has Ned Kelly, China has Song Jiang, Wales has Twm Siôn Cati, and Java has … Continue reading
Doppler
The University of Vienna, founded in 1365 by Duke Rudolf IV of Austria, is the oldest continually operating university in the German speaking world., though it was not until 1384 … Continue reading
Johannes Kepler
Between 1615 and 1621 Johannes Kepler published the seven volumes of Epitome astronomiae Copernicanae while living in Linz. In the Epitome he outlined his most famous discovery, the three laws of … Continue reading
Witch Trial
“Question I. Whether witches, hags, and sorcerers really exist? I answer, they do. Even if I know that many doubt it, even Catholics and scholars, whose names are not relevant … Continue reading
