Tag: Early Modern History
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Were The Reigns of Catherine de’ Medici and Mary I of England as violent as popular historic thought have allowed us to believe?
Written by Sophia Aiello. The reigns of both Catherine de’ Medici and Mary I have been largely defined by the extraordinary violence of their rules. However, exploring the position of contemporary religious dissenters can help shed light on their egregious reputations.
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‘Black Terror’: Black Masculinity and Identity Formation in Eighteenth-Century England
Written by Boryana Ivanova. Through employing a ‘history from below’ approach, Boryana Ivanova examines the notions of Black British identity and masculinity in Early Modern History, highlighting the historiographical shortcomings that have plagued the discipline.
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The Dancing Plague of 1518: The Worst Dance Party Ever?
Written by Eva Campbell. The Dancing Plague of 1518 is often regarded as one of the most bizarre events in social and cultural history. But are we any further towards understanding why this happened to the people of Strasbourg?
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Kitty Fisher – A Modern Celebrity?
Written by Sophie Whitehead. Obsession with celebrity is thought to be a trend of the modern era, yet, can we call Kitty Fisher the first celebrity? Sophie Whitehead examines the life of Fisher, considering whether she can be called a celebrity in her own right.
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Divorced, Beheaded, Survived: Who was Catherine Parr?
Written by Eva Campbell. Catherine Parr is perhaps the least discussed of Henry VIII’s wives, dismissed as the carer or nurse that comforted Henry at the end of his life. But did the woman who survived have a more complex relationship with the King? How do we restore the life of Catherine Parr in popular…
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The Order of the Thistle: A Symbol of Positive Anglo-Scottish Relations from the Medieval to the Modern Period
Written by Sophia Aiello. Anglo-Scottish relations have been tense at the best of times, but how can a royally gifted honour help this relationship? And how has the history of the Order of the Thistle run parallel to Scottish history?
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The Favourite: Gender and Historical Revisionism
Written by Boryana Ivanova. The 2019 film, ‘The Favourite’ took a bold new approach to historical representation in film. Prioritising the psychological realities of the characters over historical accuracy, is this the future of period drama?
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Michelangelo and the Temporality of Art
Written by Ruth Cullen. In this piece, Ruth Cullen reflects on art as a record of history, through the lens of Michelangelo. It is a treacherous terrain, a paradox that a considerable portion of our understanding of something comes from that understanding being non-definitive.
Retrospect Journal 