#defeat of the spanish armada

[athenepromachos]

Want this soooooo badly (but it would probably bankrupt me 😖😖)

Made in 1988 by Royal Worcester to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada - "Queen Elizabeth reviews her troops at Tilbury". Only 100 were ever made, but this is just beautiful ♥️👑

[czolgosz]

10. For England, the primary result of the 16c wars with Spain was that it?: A. made her Europe’s strongest power. B. forced England to tolerate her Catholic minority. C. resulted in the immediate death of its main colonial rival, Philip II of Spain. D. bankrupted her treasury, forcing Elizabeth to become more and more dependent on parliament. E. assured her national independence and promoted an intense national spirit.

i love the implications of option c here

[whiskeysorrows]

ate and devoured that history paper the questions were so good

[isabelleneville]

♕ @dailytudors: TUDOR WEEK 2024 ♕

Day Seven: Favourite Tudor-related Location >> 2/3 - SUDELEY CASTLE After the battle of Bosworth the property was gifted to Henry VII's uncle Jasper Tudor. Sudeley Castle was later granted to Thomas Seymour on his ascension as Baron Sudeley during the reign of Edward VI, Thomas married the late King's widow Catherine Parr and it was to be her last home where her daughter was born. Catherine died of childbirth complications while residing at the castle and was later buried in the castle's church and is the only English Queen to be buried at a private residence. Her stepdaughter Elizabeth I is said to have celebrated the defeat of the Spanish Armada at the castle.

[scotianostra]

On August 29th1930 the population of St Kilda were evacuated from the island.

There is a common misconception that they were forced to leave their homes but after struggling to make ends meet and a dwindling population making matters worse they asked to be evacuated, the population fell from 73 in 1920 to 37 in 1928, the loss of four men to influenza in 1926 hit the islanders hard. Another fact that many don't know is that St Kilda is actually the name of the archipelago, the main island of Hirta is where they loved but there are three more islands, Dùn, Soay and Boreray.

Dùn is nearly a mile long. Its name simply means "fort" in Scottish Gaelic but the fort itself has been lost - old maps show it on Gob an Dùin, which is at the seaward end. The small island is home to the largest colony of fulmars in Britain. Dùn was at one point joined to Hirta by a natural arch, a romantic tale says it was struck by a galleon fleeing the defeat of the Spanish Armada but the general consensus is it was simply swept away by one of the many fierce storms which batter the islands every winter.

Soay is the westernmost point of land in Scotland, and also the westernmost point in the British Isles, excluding Rockall. The name is from Old Norse Seyðoy, meaning "Island of Sheep". It is unlikely that this island ever had permanent habitation. Men from Hirta would stay for a few days while gathering wool. There are two sea stacks, Stac Biorach and Stac Shoaigh between Hirta and Soay.

Boreray has the Cleitean MacPhàidein, a "cleit village" of three small bothies used on a regular basis during fowling expeditions from Hirta. Boreray is recognisable for the stacks Stac an Armin, Stac Lee that are close to it, a remarkable story about Stac an Armin, on the far left in picture two is that three men and eight boys from Hirta were marooned here from about 15 August 1727 until 13 May 1728. As luck would have it, Hirta suffered a smallpox outbreak while the eleven were on the stack, and thus the islanders were unable to man a boat and retrieve them until the next year.

Hirta is the largest island at just over 2 miles long, it was populated from prehistoric times until this day in 1930 when the 36 inhabitants were removed to Morvern on the Scottish mainland at their own request. I will leave you with this description of the day.....

"The morning of the evacuation promised a perfect day. The sun rose out of a calm and sparkling sea and warmed the impassive cliffs of Oiseval. The sky was hopelessly blue and the sight of Hirta, green and pleasant as the island of so many careless dreams, made parting all the more difficult. Observing tradition the islanders left an open Bible and a small pile of oats in each house, locked all the doors and at 7 am boarded the Harebell. Although exhausted by the strain and hard work of the last few days, they were reported to have stayed cheerful throughout the operation. But as the long antler of Dun fell back onto the horizon and the familiar outline of the island grew faint, the severing of an ancient tie became a reality and the St Kildans gave way to tears."

[olympeline]

Headcanon for pirate-era Hetalia is that both Antonio and Arthur were “marked” by each other during the Anglo-Spanish Wars. Antonio lost a leg to Arthur when England defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588. But he paid it back in full a year later by slashing out Arthur’s eye when Spain defeated England in 1589.

The loss of their respective armadas was such a big blow to Spain and England that the wounds left on their national personifications took years to heal. To the extent that their peoples had started to worry they were permanent. That Spain would be a country that limped and England one half-blinded for the rest of their days. Even now, in a time when their once deep held enmity has turned to warmer feelings, Antonio still sometimes feels a sharp twinge in his leg and Arthur a maddening itch in the back of his eye when the other is close. Particularly if they happen to be near the sea

[maximumphilosopheranchor]

There have been attempts, at the time and more recently, to argue that the outcome [of the Armada campaign] was just due to luck, or weather, or more in the nature of a draw, since Spain rebuilt a substantial navy in the early 1590s. Those arguments are unconvincing. The campaign of summer 1588 was an outstanding English victory. It was hard fought, and by the end, the English were almost out of ammunition. However, Drake’s fireships were a brilliant tactical device and Gravelines must count as one of the greatest English naval actions. It is clear from the profusion of pamphlets across Europe that everyone accepted Spain had been resoundingly defeated. Philip II never again considered an invasion of England by combined sea and land forces: the best his rebuilt navy could do was to raid Cornwall. The outcome of 1588 was a European turning point. England’s successful resistance showed that Spain was not invincible, encouraging Protestants in the Netherlands and France to continue their struggle. The Dutch threw off Spanish rule and Henri of Navarre became king of France, bringing religious peace and economic recovery. The young James VI of Scotland, bound to England by the treaty of Berwick in 1586 but alienated by the execution of his mother Mary Queen of Scots in 1587, shrewdly seized the Armada moment to emphasize his claim as Elizabeth’s heir. He wrote at the height of the crisis of summer 1588, assuring her of his support “as your natural son and compatriot of your country”.

Pauline Croft

[thevibraniumveterans]

S2 of WHAT IF…

Ep1- “…Nebula joined the Nova Corps?”

Love the bleak opening sequence

Fascinating how Nebula narrates the context. Her “five years of isolation” hits hard.

Nova Prime siding with Ronan was a surprise

Ep2- “…Peter Quill Attacked Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?”

Cool intro; Peter leaning into his inherent powers is interesting…

The Winter Soldier being Gorbachev’s tool to contain Peter is surprising, but not unexpected…

“Does anyone have a plan?”/“I have a plan; retreat.” 😂

Thor announcing that Peter killed off all the Nine Realms except Earth; Peter needed containment to prevent him being too powerful.

Hope breaking Peter out is unexpected.

But Peter defeating his dad is a great ending.

Ep3- “…Happy Hogan Saved Christmas?”

Cool X’mas riff in the beginning music

Avengers Tower… looking festive.

Happy getting accidentally injected with Banner blood is unexpected.

Beethoven’s 9th riff playing when Darcy discovers a whole collection!

“Time for the Hammer to get nailed” 🤣

Overall, great X’mas episode.

Ep4- “…Iron Man Crashed into the Grandmaster?”

Cool that the Guardians of the Multiverse (from S1) are back!

Gamora’s origin story is a Tony Stark episode that looks to focus a bit on Valkyrie? Interesting…

Wonder what Gamora is doing there.

The little Chinchilla is adorable.

Tony with the nicknames (“Technicolor Dream Coat” is a Andrew Lloyd Webber musical reference) is hilarious

Also, Tony building a suit that reforms into a race car on command, and back, is AWESOME

Turns out, Tony inspired Gamora to be a hero.

Gamora melting Thanos, did not see that coming.

Ep5- “…Captain Carter Fought the Hydra Stomper?”

Cool Avengers team; with Carter and Janet instead of Steve and Banner.

It’s kind of what if 2012’s Battle of New York went differently. Then we pick up kind of CATWS but it’s Peggy and Nat.

Peggy’s spin-twist was really cool.

The whole reverse-CATWS but instead of Bucky gone bad and Steve finding out, it’s Steve gone bad and Peggy finding out.

Bucky as a Secretary of State? Did NOT see that coming. But makes sense that Bucky would be the one to try to bring Steve back. Truly a reverse CATWS.

The Stomper Suit keeping Steve alive, I wonder how.

Carter’s hilarious Star Wars reference to carbonite.

Also, the camera panning around Steve and Peggy, is a mirror of the Tony/Pepper one in Endgame.

Melina being part robot is also kind of creepy.

Captain Carter having a musical is hilarious too

Also, the emotional vibes kind of veering into CACW and “Black Widow” territory is quite fascinating.

Peggy disappears thru a portal, only to be greeted by Wanda.

Ep6- “…Kahhori Reshaped the World?”

Ragnarok comes early…

Also, this episode isn’t the first time we see the horrors of Spanish conquistadors invading on native land; we last saw that in Wakanda Forever a few years ago.

But when the Watcher narrates the context, it mirrors the Black Panther movie’s narrative about how the Vibranium came to Earth and ended with the peacemaking between various tribes.

Also great to note that this is the first MCU entry where nobody, except the Watcher (and Stephen Strange at the end) speaks English.

It’s really awesome that the Space Stone energy gives the people from the Sky World (who are formerly Mohawk natives from Earth) and Kahhori very, VERY interesting powers.

KAHHORI MOVED THE PORTAL TO THE LAND!! That is an insane amount of power and strength! That’s wonderful!

Kahhori and her people sinking the Spanish Armada is a sight to behold.

Ep7- “…Hela Found the Ten Rings?”

Hela suddenly being able to speak Putonghua was a surprise.

Odin says that the bearer of Hela’s crown be merciful, which explains why Hela is at first unable to lift it. Just like the first Thor movie.

I kind of wonder why Wenwu would invite Hela to wear a traditional dress; but more importantly, why does he have one ready?

MORRIS RETURNS!! Best fuzzy thing.

Hela visits Talo.

Folding paper. That’s basically Origami. IRL history has it that China has its own paper folding traditions long ago, just like Japan, but separately.

Hela being upset that Fenrir as a puppy was taken from her, is something interesting too.

Asgard, a realm of Norse legend, and Ta Lo, a fictitious Chinese fantasy realm, coming together to free the cosmos, is something I did not see coming.

Ep8- “…the Avengers Assembled in 1602?”

Tom Hiddleston as Loki narrating Hamlet? Not surprising.

Wanda summoned Carter from three episodes ago, and turns out Thor knew about this here.

But what are those portals? Wanda warns to stop them.

Wanda speaks of a lost traveler…

Tony says “Forerunner” but the caption says “person”.

Loki speaking of William Shakespeare writing about Iago in the play Othello.

Rogers Hood. Hilarious combo of Steve Rogers and Robin Hood.

Rogers and Carter double-teaming with the shield is really cool.

Where did the Destroyer come from?

Hogan throwing out all manner of old fashioned insults is hilarious 😆

Also, why is Hogan a hulk in this episode? He was one in the Christmas episode but this one?

Turns out the Forerunner is mainMCU!Steve?

The main effect is that Carter is alone again.

Strange Supreme makes an appearance. Which we leave on a “TBC” for next episode. The fact that he went to fetch Kahhori in Ep6 must mean something big is in the finale…

Ep9- “…Strange Supreme Intervened?”

Interesting; we get the full MCU theme for the title card. We never got the full theme in previous episodes.

Peggy speaks with Strange, who keeps dangerous beings inside their own little crystals.

If the Watcher is a metaphor for us, and Strange implying that the Watcher may not always be right, that means that we might not also always be right about certain things.

Peggy enters South Dakota… where Red Skull (HYDRA) exploded the Tesseract. But why would Kahhori be a danger to the Multiverse, considering Strange net with her last episode? Why is she considered a danger in this one?

Also, Kahhori now speaks English. Not odd, per se, but it helps. She says Strange is “a universe killer.” Which, in some way, he is.

Also, a dragon from Ta Lo, which kinda sells the point.

Hela being insulted that Kahhori sent the swords back is hilarious 😆

Peggy gets an Infinity Armor is pretty to cool. Also, Peggy and Kahhori vs Strange? That’s also really cool.

Peggy gets sent back to her home, but it’s an illusion, and she sees right through it.

Though, playing with the lives of so many people to face Strange, that’s a weird effect, perhaps meant to be “comedic” in a way, but comes off as cruel, which might have been the more intended effect.

Also, the characters falling to the portal just basically overpowering Peggy with their weapons? It’s very interesting because it’s not overpowering her for no reason, she NEEDS to be overpowered to stop an already over-powered Strange. She needs to be MORE than him to win.She gets Hela’s crown, a large sword, and multiple other weapons, while Kahhori uses her powers to lift Thor’s hammers and also uses the Ten Rings. Both Peggy and Kahhori MUST be overpowered to overpower Strange and stop him.

Strange becomes a huge devil monster and falls into the Forge.

Peggy goes to the Watcher.

S2E9 ending exactly as Loki S2E6 did, that’s interesting.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Francis Drake: Destiny in Motion

Not 100% accurate.

Translation under the cut.

Fate always moves before you know it, and by the time you realize it's too late, the waves have already swallowed you up.

Mitsuki: "Historical Figures Who Shaped the World. I didn't know there was a book like this."

Sebastian and I were sorting through the bookshelves in the library when I found a history book.

Mitsuki: "Napoleon's great achievements are featured here."

Sebastian: "Napoleon is a hero among great men."

(Sebastian, you're such a fanboy when it comes to Napoleon.)

Smiling and flipping through the pages, I found a list of soldiers, musicians, painters, scholars, and other historical figures, but among them一

Mitsuki: "The Pirate who moved the world?"

When I saw a guy with an unusual nickname, I tilted my head, and Sebastian peeked at the book.

Sebastian: "Oh, you mean Francis Drake of England."

Mitsuki: "So he was a pirate. Did he do something amazing to be called a great man?"

Sebastian: "Yes. Drake was a 16th-century pirate-turned-naval admiral in the service of Queen Elizabeth I."

Sebastian: "While sailing around the world, he discovered the Drake Passage and brought back looted goods to enrich the nation's finances."

Sebastian: "He also defeated the invincible Spanish Armada, seized control of the seas, and made England a powerful nation.”

Mitsuki: "Does that mean the country and the pirates were in cahoots!?"

I'm genuinely surprised.

Sebastian: "History isn't always pretty, and I'm sure this was a historic milestone."

Sebastian: "One pirate changed the balance of power in the world."

That afternoon一

As I went shopping, I recalled my conversation with Sebastian.

(I guess not all heroes like Napoleon run the world.)

(Pirates have a rough and scary image.)

???: "Yo, missy."

(Yup, yup, like this one一huh?)

I looked up and saw a large red-faced drunk man standing in front of me.

Drunk Guy: "Are you a foreigner? You're pretty cute. Why don't you pour me a drink?"

Mitsuki: "Sorry, but I'm still working."

I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my wrist tightly.

Mitsuki: "Let me go!"

Drunk Guy: "Just come with me."

(I can't shake him off. Somebody!)

I called out for help in my heart, and then一

???: "It's ungentlemanly to force yourself on a lady."

(Huh?)

I turned at the sound of the voice and saw a man with a half-up hairstyle and a hat standing there smiling.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Miss, if you're in trouble, I can help you."

(I don't know who he is, but一)

Mitsuki: "Please help me! This guy is bothering me!"

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Yes. As you say, Your Majesty."

Drunk Guy: "What the hell are you doing? Don't just butt in here all of a sudden!"

The drunk guy pushed me and punched the guy with the hat, but he dodged his fist and tripped him up, knocking him down.

(Wow.)

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Can you run?"

Mitsuki: "Y-Yes!"

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Okay, this way then!"

He took my hand, and we ran out of the place.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "I don't see him. It looks like we lost him."

Mitsuki: "Haa... Thank God."

I let out a deep breath, and the man with the hat bent over to look into my face.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "You okay? You're shaking like a deer."

(I didn't notice it.)

Mitsuki: "Don't worry! I'll calm down in a bit."

I felt bad worrying the stranger, so I managed to smile and hide my trembling hands.

Then he squinted his eyes with his gaze locked on me.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "There, there. It's fine now. Take it easy, little fawn."

(.............)

My heart beat loudly as he patted me on the head.

(He's treating me like a child, but that's actually helping.)

(His smile makes me feel at ease.)

I felt relieved for a short time.

Drunk Guy: "I finally found you. How dare you!"

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Wow, you're a persistent old man."

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Sorry about this, little fawn."

Mitsuki: "Huh? Kyaah!"

Before I could answer, he suddenly lifted me and got into a boat parked on the Seine.

(What is he doing? I mean, can we just ride on it without permission!?)

Lots of things were running through my mind, but then he suddenly put his hat on my head and said一

Man with half-up hairstyle: "I'm going to fly this thing for a bit, so take care of it. Hold on tight, okay?"

As soon as he chuckled, he started rowing the boat.

The drunken man ran after us along the riverside for a while, but eventually, he disappeared, and we escaped.

But then一

Mitsuki: "Um, where are we!?"

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Haha, I wonder where?"

I had no idea where we were, but this place was so peaceful.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Sorry, I guess I got carried away and rowed too far."

(I think he rowed a bit too energetically because he was having fun along the way.)

He laughed so openly that I was taken aback, but I started laughing too.

Mitsuki: "Pfft一ahahaha!"

Man with half-up hairstyle: "What's wrong?"

Mitsuki: "I didn't expect this kind of escapade, so I was a little bit excited."

Mitsuki: "But thanks for your help."

As I bowed my head, he smiled again.

Man with half-up hairstyle: "No need to be so stiff. What's your name?"

Mitsuki: "My name is Mitsuki."

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Mitsuki, the trembling fawn."

Mitsuki: "I'm not shaking anymore, and I'm not a fawn, Monsieur."

Man with half-up hairstyle: "No honorifics, please."

Mitsuki: "Oh, um, I'm not a fawn."

Man with half-up hairstyle: "Hahaha! You’re so honest, cute, and sweet."

I was a little embarrassed by his carefree words, but it looked like his easygoing tone conveyed his personality.

Mitsuki: "Can you tell me your name too?"

Drake: "Me? I'm Drake."

Drake: "I've been working on a sightseeing boat on the Seine River lately. Fuwaah..."

He yawned and lay down on the boat.

Drake: "The weather is so nice. The boat is rocking nicely, so I'll take a nap."

Mitsuki: "Really? Here?"

Drake: "Yup, here."

Drake: "I'm the kind of guy who doesn't hold back on his desires, even if the world could end at any moment."

Drake: "I'll get you home before dark, I promise."

I just shrugged my shoulders as he fell asleep.

(I'm getting caught up in his pace, but strangely, I don't mind it.)

Perhaps it was his easygoing attitude that made me think so.

Suddenly, the wind ruffled Drake's hair.

(Huh? Wait a minute.)

(Drake is the same name as the pirate I saw in the book.)

As I was thinking about this, I also laid my body down on the boat and was lulled to sleep.

There was a roaring, swirling sound of waves.

(Where am I?)

My blurry vision gradually became more vivid, and the view of the rough sea and large boats appeared before me.

(Why am I here? Is this a dream?)

Feeling like I was in a movie, a man's voice suddenly reached my ears.

Crew: "He's a monster! Sir Drake's a monster!"

Crew: "Bloodthirsty vamp一guh!"

Moments later, a knife flashed, and with a grunt, the person fell.

The person who wielded the knife wiped off the blood and slowly looked up.

???: "Even though I hunted, and hunted..."

???: "Hahaha! Yeah, a place where it's a do-or-die suits me."

???: "Nobles, pirates, humans, and vampires. They're all just a bunch of selfish, greedy bastards when you take their skin off."

???: "It's in the nature of all creatures to kill and destroy each other."

(That guy...)

!!!

Mitsuki: "Hm? Huh?"

Drake: "Oh. Are you awake?"

I opened my eyes and saw the sky, the familiar Parisian landscape, and Drake's face peering at me from above.

Mitsuki: "S-Sorry, I fell asleep, too! Wait, we're back in town?"

Drake: "Well, yeah, just in case."

I got up in a hurry and returned the hat I was holding.

(I can't remember exactly, but I think I had a weird dream.)

(There was this guy wearing this hat, who looked like a pirate, and he was yelling.)

Drake: "Mitsuki, what's wrong?"

Mitsuki: "Nothing! Thanks again for today, Drake. See you."

(Will I see him again?)

I swallowed the words, and Drake, who had received the hat, spoke.

Drake: "Let's play when we see each other again, little fawn."

I said goodbye to Drake and started to head back to the mansion, hoping to get home before nightfall.

(Drake is very carefree.)

I looked back on a bumpy day and smiled.

The rescue, the boat getaway, his pace, and the strange dream I had when we parted...

(Pirate "Francis Drake" and Drake the Sailor)

(It's just a coincidence, right?)

Convincing myself of this, I quietly put my encounter with him away in the treasure chest of my heart.

Drake: "If we ever see each other again, huh?"

Gazing at Mitsuki's back as she walked away, Drake chuckled to himself.

Drake: "Only if your and my fate will ever overlap."

Drake: "Oh man. If only I had my boat, I would have snatched her away."

He muttered a regret for the fine treasure he had found and put his hat back on.

The smell of the seeping tide grazed Drake's nose and melted into the Parisian sky.

Unaware of each other, Francis Drake and Mitsuki met over time.

Fate eventually hits them both like an irresistible wave, but that is another story.

-

[needcake]

@hetaberia-week

Day 8: extra

.

.

1588,

Madrid

No bad news ever came unaccompanied.

“Let me through,” he ordered at first, pushing against the barrier of servants, nurses and surgeons trying to keep him from entering the room, hands on his arms and shoulders, telling him their young Lord had just undergone extensive surgery, he needed to recover, he needed rest, he needed – “Let me through!”

A path opened, their voices fading into silence in face of Portugal’s ire and he crossed the threshold in hard stomps, locking the doors behind himself.

“You scare them,” came a frail voice from the bed, weak and flickering like the candlelight on his bedside table. Spain was a ghost against the pillows, his face ashen and pale, forehead feverish to the touch of Portugal’s hand, eyes unfocused. The mattress dipped under Portugal’s weight as he sat on the edge, and Spain attempted a smile that came out too shaky.

“England did this to you?”

He shook his head, stubbornly. “There was a storm,” he licked his lips, blinking slowly, “the men got confused, the English kept firing at us. If we could’ve boarded them, I would’ve won.” He coughed and Portugal helped him to a glass of water, holding it steady against his lips as he took small sips. “He’s coming for you next,” Spain said, turning his eyes to the pamphlets on his bedside table, jutting his chin at them for Portugal to take a look.

He put the glass of water down and gingerly took the pamphlets in his hands, his frown deepening as he flipped through the pages.

“He’s negotiating an alliance with the Ottomans,“ Spain said, and Portugal abandoned the printed lines of English excuses for stealing his people’s grain and supplies from Lisbon’s harbors justifying it as a just cause in their conflict against Spain and looked directly into Spain’s weakened but resolute olive green eyes, seeing the Turk smirking in the corner of his Moroccan prison cell, his stupid mask glinting in the dark. “Morocco too, he’s been trading freely with her, sending ambassadors—”

“Yes, I already know about that,” Portugal cut him off dryly, looking down at the pamphlets in his hands. He had known England had been dealing with Morocco behind his back, but the Ottoman Turks. That hurt more, cut deep into his flesh, stung like the devil. He could feel Spain’s eyes on him, but didn’t dare look up when his chin trembled so and his eyes watered with angry tears.

A cold hand was laid gently on top of his trembling fist still holding the pamphlets, crinkling the pages. At this he did look up, finding Spain’s eyes so much softer than he expected.

And here he felt it again, the strange urge to pull his injured body in his arms, the pull of kinship on the bottom of his stomach too strong to resist this time, and when he opened his arms, Spain came all too easily, bandaged arms circling his torso and face pressed into his clavicle, allowing Portugal to embrace his shoulders, mindful of the bruises, careful when he tucked him under his chin.

“We’ll show them,” Spain mumbled into his doublet, “We’ll make them pay,” he said, his hoarse voice vibrating with anger, but all it did was make Portugal press his eyes tighter, trying to keep himself from crying harder. I’m sorry, he wanted to tell him, but didn’t, cradling his soft hair in his palm, hiding in the crook of his neck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you’ll never be a boy again after this, that once he left this bed Spain would be forever changed.

No bad news ever came unaccompanied.

---

After the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the English poured all their resources into a counter-attack the following year aiming to “liberate” Portugal and install António, Prior of Crato, as its King. They blockaded Lisbon’s harbors and confiscated their grains and supplies, which were carried by ships from the Hanseatic League that had nothing to do with the conflict. To justify their actions, the English issued pamphlets explaining their position, which you can read here. This resulted in the Portuguese population rejecting this liberation and the English Armada of 1589 also ended in failure, nearly bankrupting Elizabeth I. Concomitantly, the English, isolated as a Protestant nation amongst Catholic neighbors, sought out Islamic allies in Morocco and the Ottoman Empire, which further angered Spain and Portugal.

[best-habsburg-monarch]

Results of the First Set of Polls:

Ferdinand I has triumphed over Leopold II of Tuscany. He moves on now to face Mozart's emperor himself: Joseph II.

Carlos II - with all his particular quirks - has defeated John on Austria and will face Mary of Hungary (Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Governor of the Netherlands) in the next round.

Napoleon II (honorary Habsburg) has made it to the main bracket and will face Philip II of Spanish armada fame.

[athenepromachos]

Her Majesty on film...👑

Bette Davis in "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" 1939

And "The Virgin Queen" 1955

And one of my personal favourites. Dame Flora Robson in "Fire over England" 1937

And again in "The Sea Hawk 1940

Here, her Majesty gives her view on English ships and the Spanish Ambassador 😁

Vivat Regina Elizabetha 👑👑♥️

[jezabelofthenorth]

Engravings of medallions of Elizabeth I (and Robert Dudley) about her involvement in the Eighty Years War in the Netherlands

When it comes to the subject of Elizabeth, the “coded iconic message” of these images is not necessarily aligned with the tropes that characterized Counter-Reformation propaganda under Philip II.39 If Counter-Reformation imagery often portrayed the Spanish Monarch as the champion of the Catholic faith who by divine intervention was entrusted with the creation of a Christian Republic against heresy, Elizabeth I, as the head of the Protestant Church, could have been “depicted as the Jezebel of the North, the scourge of Catholic martyrs,” as Roy Strong assumes.40 However, conceived from the outskirts of the empire, these metal artifacts create a parallel narrative that, instead of degrading the image of Elizabeth as a vain and ruthless heretic, offer a critical comment on Spain, its monarchy, and its policies in the Netherlands.

The Image of Elizabeth I in Early Modern Spain

More details under the cut

Fig. 23. Among the nine medals registered in Hawkins’s Medallic Illustrations that directly celebrate the Armada’s defeat between 1588 and 1589, only one includes an image of Elizabeth.59 This 1589 silver counter struck in Holland relies on classical Roman imagery to convey the celebration of Elizabeth’s greatest military accomplishment.60 The obverse side portrays Elizabeth regally seated on a triumphal cart: with one hand she holds a palm branch and with the other a Dutch prayer book. The legend conveys a sense of righteousness regarding the recently achieved victory likely shared by the Dutch rebels: “Tandem. Bona. Cavsa. Trivmphat. 1589” (At length the good cause triumphs).61 The reverse side is dominated by the presence of a leafy tree in which a voracious bird of prey (Spain) is trying to attack a nest full of chicks (the rebels). The inscription, “Bellv Necess” (Necessary war), runs across the surface of the composition and once again is intended to justify the Dutch struggle and Elizabeth’s success against the Spaniards. The inscription on the reverse side declares, “Si. Non. Viribvs. At. Cavsa. Potiores” (If not in strength, yet in our cause more powerful).62 The imagery of the medal presents Elizabeth as a fair ruler guided by moral principles while also stressing the defenseless state of the rebels in the Low Countries vis-à-vis the powerful but morally questionable Spanish Empire. Fig. 19. a year earlier, a 1586 commemorative medal that depicted Leicester by Elizabeth’s side helps to illustrate the support that the queen provided to the United Provinces and the dynamic involved in the representation of the royal image. On the obverse side of the medal, Elizabeth appears crowned and seated.49 The Virgin Queen is metaphorically embracing the struggle of the Dutch rebels by holding a double-edged sword in her right hand. The Earl of Leicester stands on her left side and presents a scroll or a book to her. Hawkins convincingly argues that the presence of Leicester seems appropriate to the context since he was “considered the great champion of Protestantism” (133). On the right side, two deputies from the Provinces kneel out of respect. The inscription says, “E. R. Est. Altrix. Esvrientivm. Evm. 1586” (Queen Elizabeth is the nourisher of those who hunger after Him, i.e., God) (133). On the reverse side, a close-up of Elizabeth’s sword points toward a cloud that bears the name of Jehovah in Hebrew and the words, “Sermo. Dei. Qvo: Ense. Ancipi: Acvtior” (The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword) (133). The iconography of this particular medal reinforces the well-established trope of the Book and the Sword within Tudor political culture. According to John King, English monarchs starting with Henry VIII often used this motif to position themselves as the head of the church.50(Page 197). Among the metal portraits of Elizabeth that inform the understanding of relations between Spain and England through the lens of the Netherlands, a 1587 silver medal stands out. In the composition, Elizabeth appears seated on a throne with her feet resting on the Beast of the Apocalypse to signify her control over the Church of Rome. On the left side, the Earl of Leicester presents Elizabeth with a Royal Mantel. The expectation is that the queen will drape the Mantel over the five attendants, each representing a rebel province identifiable by their respective coat of arms: Gelderland, Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, and Friesland. The inscription states, “Deo. Opt[Imo]. Max[Imo]. Laus. Et. Honor. In. O[Mn]E. Aevun. Quod” (To the best and greatest God be praised and honour for ever, because).63 The reverse side of the medal dramatically displays the fall of the Antichrist. Like the medal that exhibited Elizabeth with the sword, the name of Jehovah in Hebrew appears inside a cloud. Below the cloud, the pope, cardinals, other members of the clergy, and a variety of ecclesiastical objects hurtle downward. The inscription states, “Quem. Deus. Conficiet. Spiritu. Oris. Sui” (Which God will consume by the breath of his mouth) (139). Van Loon notices that the legend, “Deo. Opt[Imo] . . . Quod” (To the best . . . because), is interrupted and thus it calls for an explanation. One could ask, because of what? Van Loon’s suggestion is that the commissioners of the medal—some sincere reformers and supporters of Leicester who were interested in offering the government of the Provinces to Elizabeth—seemed overly cautious with the request and left unsaid what they truly meant.64

Fig 17.  For example, the obverse side of a satirical 1585 copper piece, now at the Museo Naval in Madrid, shows Queen Elizabeth in profile seated on a throne. With a symbolic gesture, the queen offers Tudor roses to the deputies of the United Provinces to indicate the help that they are about to receive.43 The legend reads, “Macte. Animi. Rosa. Nectare. Imbvta” (Be encouraged, the rose is full with nectar).44 On the reverse side, a donkey and a horse (exemplifying the cities of Antwerp and Nijmegen, respectively), share the straw in a manger with two Spanish gentlemen. The human figures represent the Spanish king and the Duke of Parma. The legend ironically comments on the current state of the cities under Spanish rule: “Spreta. Ambrosia. Vescitor. Feno. 1585” (Despise ambrosia, ‘ye feed on straw).45 The clash between the dignified image of Elizabeth presenting the roses to the representatives of the Provinces, and the Spaniards relegated to the odor of a manger, satirize Spain’s policy in the Low Countries in particular with respect to Antwerp, which was under siege. Originally, the United Provinces sought help in their struggle from Henri III of France (1551–89), but, confronted with his refusal, they turned to Elizabeth for support.46 The precarious situation of Antwerp is reproduced in a medal that

Fig. 24.

Among the metal portraits of Elizabeth that inform the understanding of relations between Spain and England through the lens of the Netherlands, a 1587 silver medal stands out. In the composition, Elizabeth appears seated on a throne with her feet resting on the Beast of the Apocalypse to signify her control over the Church of Rome. On the left side, the Earl of Leicester presents Elizabeth with a Royal Mantel. The expectation is that the queen will drape the Mantel over the five attendants, each representing a rebel province identifiable by their respective coat of arms: Gelderland, Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, and Friesland. The inscription states, “Deo. Opt[Imo]. Max[Imo]. Laus. Et. Honor. In. O[Mn]E. Aevun. Quod” (To the best and greatest God be praised and honour for ever, because).63 The reverse side of the medal dramatically displays the fall of the Antichrist. Like the medal that exhibited Elizabeth with the sword, the name of Jehovah in Hebrew appears inside a cloud. Below the cloud, the pope, cardinals, other members of the clergy, and a variety of ecclesiastical objects hurtle downward. The inscription states, “Quem. Deus. Conficiet. Spiritu. Oris. Sui” (Which God will consume by the breath of his mouth) (139). Van Loon notices that the legend, “Deo. Opt[Imo] . . . Quod” (To the best . . . because), is interrupted and thus it calls for an explanation. One could ask, because of what? Van Loon’s suggestion is that the commissioners of the medal—some sincere reformers and supporters of Leicester who were interested in offering the government of the Provinces to Elizabeth—seemed overly cautious with the request and left unsaid what they truly meant.64(Page 203). 

[longwindedbore]

What fresh (Catholic) Hell has the oblivious or brain-dead (Protestant) Evangelical leadership cabal delivered themselves and the rest of us into?

I ask as an ex-Catholic - are you punch-drunk fools aware that you have engineered the take over of the Supreme Court by Opus Dei, a secretive world-wide Catholic organization?

Apparently you thought you were using the Catholic Church to increase YOUR political power.

Maybe you Evangelicals should re-evaluate who used who.

YOUR local pro-White Evangelical Patriarchy State GOP politicians are bankrupt and facing being swept from office in a tidal wave backlash that has already begun.

Trump GAVE Opus Dei a majority on SCOTUS potentially for decades. While you and Faux News watched.

It’s one thing to co-opt the “Catholic issue” of abortion to use it for the White Christian Nationalist & Patriarchal code language “secret” goal of “overturning Affirmative Action and getting women and minorities out of the White man’s workplace.” That’s political. Ugly. But political.

But doesn’t it defeat all your plans to hand the supreme court over judges indebted - in all senses of the word - to Opus Dei, an organization that reports directly to, and only to, the Pope in Rome?

As an ex-Catholic I see that we now have six very very alt-right to fanatical lunatic fringe of Catholicism Supreme Court Justices: Roberts, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett. It terrifies me. But you’re OK with it?

These aren’t the Biden or Pelosi Catholics who will be excommunicated for fulfilling their oaths to the Public.

Three of the Catholic SCROTUS were nominated by your Evangelical “New Cyrus”, Trump. Then shoved through by McConnell and the GOP Senators elected by Evangelicals.

Opus Dei is a secular Catholic organization of economic elites operating worldwide.

Organized like SPECTRE (meeting in Rome) in the Bond movie of the same name.

Was used as the NAME of the sinister organization in “The DaVinci Code”.

Opus Dei has its origin and philosophy in the Spanish Fascist regime of Francisco Franco. Heir to the inquisition and Armada.

Currently the Pope is liberal and ecumenical. So unlikely to exploit SCOTUS other than try to persuade.

But the papal pendulum can swing in a heart beat followed by a puff of white smoke.

Also, the ‘explosive growth of new evangelical churches in Latin America’ you crow about results from ‘poaching’ members from the Catholic Church. The current Pope is, after all, South American. So not an admirer of Evangelicals.

What we’re you thinking? Assuming you thought.

Opus Dei doesn’t publish a list of members but influential secular Catholics, like Leonard Leo of the Heritage Foundation, have been instrumental in the nominations of five of the six current Judges. As well as many in lower benches.

[Opus Dei doesn’t publish a list of members for the same reasons that are typically expressed by the KKK and the marching virgins of the Patriotic Front.]

Trumped effed us all on this one by handing over control of the Court - at best - to a fringe group of devotees. Or - at worst - to an international theocratic cabal.

Maybe he did so because, like Russia, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea, the Vatican City micro-county does not have an extradition treaty with the US?

In any event nothing good has ever come from the far far far right of the Catholic spectrum. Devotees who are, still today, big fans of hair shirts, daily attendance at mass, self-flagellation, and sleeping on wood boards.

Hoping all you Evangelicals know the properly tonal response to “Dóminus vobíscum”

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 10.18 (before 1900)

33 – Heartbroken by the deaths of her sons Nero and Drusus, and banished to the island of Pandateria by Tiberius, Agrippina the Elder dies of self-inflicted starvation. 320 – Pappus of Alexandria, Greek philosopher, observes an eclipse of the Sun and writes a commentary on The Great Astronomer (Almagest). 614 – King Chlothar II promulgates the Edict of Paris (Edictum Chlotacharii), a sort of Frankish Magna Carta that defends the rights of the Frankish nobles while it excludes Jews from all civil employment in the Frankish Kingdom. 629 – Dagobert I is crowned King of the Franks. 1009 – The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the Church's foundations down to bedrock. 1016 – The Danes defeat the English in the Battle of Assandun. 1081 – The Normans defeat the Byzantine Empire in the Battle of Dyrrhachium. 1281 – Pope Martin IV excommunicates King Peter III of Aragon for usurping the crown of Sicily (a sentence renewed on 7 May and 18 November 1282). 1356 – Basel earthquake, the most significant historic seismological event north of the Alps, destroys the town of Basel, Switzerland. 1540 – Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto's forces destroy the fortified town of Mabila in present-day Alabama, killing Tuskaloosa. 1561 – In Japan the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima is fought between the forces of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen, resulting in a draw. 1565 – Ships belonging to the Matsura clan of Japan fail to capture the Portuguese trading carrack in the Battle of Fukuda Bay, the first recorded naval battle between Japan and the West. 1597 – King Philip II of Spain sends his third and final armada against England, but it ends in failure due to storms. The remaining ships are captured or sunk by the English. 1599 – Michael the Brave, Prince of Wallachia, defeats the Army of Andrew Báthory in the Battle of Șelimbăr, leading to the first recorded unification of the Romanian people. 1630 – Frendraught Castle in Scotland, the home of James Crichton of Frendraught, burns down. 1648 – Boston shoemakers form the first American labor organization. 1748 – Signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends the War of the Austrian Succession. 1775 – African-American poet Phillis Wheatley is freed from slavery. 1775 – American Revolutionary War: The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine). 1779 – American Revolutionary War: The Franco-American Siege of Savannah is lifted. 1797 – Treaty of Campo Formio is signed between France and Austria 1851 – Herman Melville's Moby-Dick is first published as The Whale by Richard Bentley of London. 1860 – The Second Opium War finally ends at the Convention of Peking with the ratification of the Treaty of Tientsin, an unequal treaty. 1867 – United States takes possession of Alaska after purchasing it from Russia for $7.2 million. Celebrated annually in the state as Alaska Day. 1898 – The United States takes possession of Puerto Rico from Spain. 1900 – Count Bernhard von Bülow becomes chancellor of Germany.

[scotianostra]

On October 2nd 1263 the Battle of Largs took place.

Before I go into the full details it is thought that anywhere between 1200 and 2,000 ships set sail from Norway to vanquish the Scots, can you imagine how they would have looked sailing round the islands on the West coast? It must have been an amazing, if frightening sight!

Another thing, when I posted on this before, pointing out thta there was no real winner on the battle on the day, someone came back with a comment that we di win the battle and he wished people would stop saying we didn’t. Well my understanding of it, and it seems to be backed up by many historians, is that while the Norsemen were repelled they were far from beaten. They mustered back on Orkney to regroup, however their monarch, King Håkon IV fell ill and died in the Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall, putting an end to the campaign.

Scotland took advantage of circumstances when Haakon died in, it would eventually mean the end of Viking influence over the west of Scotland.

Much more interestingly, The Battle of Largs also gave rise to the legend of how Scotland’s national flower, the thistle came about.

When the Vikings had first begun raiding across the North Sea 400 years earlier, there had been no king of Norway and no king of Scotland. Their often savage raids evolved over time into trade and settlement. By the early 1200s both countries were united under powerful and ambitious kings.

When you hear of the Hebrides most only think of the Western Isles, the Outer Hebrides, and maybe Skye but the region known as Innse Gall also included islands such as Bute and Cumbrae on The Clyde estuary, very close to the Scottish mainland. Isle of Man, Shetland and Orkney Isles were also held by the Norsemen.

Haakon IV and Alexander II of Scotland were born within a few years of each other and came to the throne around the same time. They were both ambitious and were keen to extend and maintain their Kingdoms. It was Bute and Cumbrae that Alexander II had his eyes on. Alexander however had died on Kerrera of fever after sailing the west coast with a powerful fleet in 1249 in order to meet the Norwegians in battle.

Things calmed down for a while, probably due to the new Scottish King, Alexander III being a young boy when acceding to the throne, partly due to a struggle for the Scottish throne that included the Comyns and Mac Williams.

By 1263 the infighting was over and matters turned once more to pushing for control of The Hebrides. The dispute with the Alexander III over the Hebrides induced Haakon to undertake an expedition to the islands. Having learned in 1262 that Scottish nobles had raided the Hebrides and that Alexander III planned to conquer the islands, Haakon went on an expedition with his formidable “leidang” fleet in 1263, having become accustomed to negotiating backed by an intimidating fleet. The fleet left Bergen in July, and reached Shetland and Orkney in August where they were joined by chieftains from the Hebrides and Man. Negotiations were started by Alexander following Norwegian landings on the Scottish mainland, but were purposely prolonged by the Scots.

The 59-year-old Norwegian king - an old man by the standards of the day - took personal command of the fleet. For Haakon, this was unfinished business. The chance to crush Scottish ambitions in the Hebrides once and for all.

In Orkney, a Viking stronghold, his already powerful fleet was joined by local forces. Haakon led his fleet through the Hebrides, island by island, demanding allegiance.

By the time he reached the disputed territories of the Clyde, he had around 2,000 ships and up to 20,000 men at his command. It was a force that would have rivalled the Spanish Armada of 300 years later.

Alexander, based down the coast in Ayr, knew he could not defeat Haakon at sea but if he could stall long enough then the autumn weather might do what his forces could not.

Haakon sent envoys to demand Alexander withdraw his claims but the Scottish king spun out the negotiations.

On 1st October 1263 the weather broke.

The storm was so sudden and so powerful that survivors could only imagine it had been conjured up by sorcery. Haakon’s fleet was scattered, with several ships driven ashore under the noses of local militia.

The next morning Haakon managed to get onshore with 1,000 men to salvage the ships and their cargo. That was when the Scots pounced.

Haakon’s bodyguard got the king back to the safety of the fleet but on the shore the Norsemen were collapsing in disarray. Finally a long ship managed to get ashore to reinforce the beleaguered rearguard and the Norsemen made a stand.

The Battle of Largs petered out into a long distance and sporadic shooting match. Neither side had won. There was no decisive victory, just the usual grim reckoning in warfare.

But if the skirmish fought on the Clyde coast did not decide anything, the aftermath would.

The Norse king’s options were limited. Winter was approaching, his supplies were low and his men were getting restless.

He agreed to disperse the fleet and spend the winter in Orkney. He would return in the spring to have his bloody revenge on Alexander.

As I have already said, it didn’t happen, their new monarch, King Magnus' rule brought about a change from the somewhat aggressive foreign policy of his father. In 1266 he gave up the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland, in return for a large sum of silver and a yearly payment, under the Treaty of Perth, by which the Scots at the same time recognised Norwegian rule over Shetland and the Orkney Islands.