The Battle of Glen Shiel, fought on the 10th June 1719, is as a key moment in the protracted struggle to restore the Stuart dynasty, yet it still remains largely unacknowledged. … More Through the Smoking Heather: The Battle of Glen Shiel, 1719
Fought on 10th September 1547, the Battle of Pinkie is a notable event in British history as it marks the final pitched battle between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England before the Union of the Crowns. … More On the Banks of the Esk: The Battle of Pinkie, 1547
The invasion and capture of Singapore by imperial Japanese forces in February 1942 was a failure of cataclysmic proportions. … More The Battle of Singapore: A Nail in the Empire’s Coffin
On this day, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to journey into outer space. … More On This Day, 1961: Yuri Gagarin Becomes The First Human to Journey into Outer Space
Julius Caesar is said to have once remarked ‘it is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience’. During its early years, the Roman Republic was forced to endure a recurring cycle of conflict, bloodshed and pain. The Romans were more than … More Rome: Origins of the Empire, Part Two
Lying some 20 miles outside of Edinburgh, the unassuming village of Athelstaneford is home to one of Scotland’s most legendary historical events; one that would see Scotland gain a new patron saint and a national emblem. As with many origin stories, how Scotland came to adopt its national symbol, the Saltire, is shrouded in myth … More Athelstaneford: Origins of the Saltire
John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, is one of the most iconic political figures of 20th century history. The modern, maverick president who would change the world for the better. Young, attractive and the quintessential American – he was the American Dream. Sadly for JFK, however, he is remembered largely for … More JFK: The Dawn of the Modern Politician
Nestled along the banks of the Tiber river, in its early years Rome can be considered as nothing more than inconspicuous; tidily hidden away from the prying eyes of the world. Sharing the Italian peninsula with a host of other small tribes and peoples, with the Etruscans to their north, it would be a long … More Rome: Origins of the Empire
On 28th January 1829, a sizeable crowd gathered in the Lawnmarket area of Edinburgh. Standing before them, one of the most infamous killers in Scottish history awaited execution. William Burke, an Irishman born in County Tyrone in 1792, was one of two boys born into a middle-class family. By all accounts, he had a comfortable … More Who Were Burke and Hare, Edinburgh’s Infamous Killer Duo?
Lying just outside of Edinburgh, the now picturesque town of North Berwick was the site of one of Scotland’s most infamous witch trials. … More The North Berwick Witch Trials
