Denmark’s ultra-modern library hides a treasury of rare, unique books.
Standing along Copenhagen’s waterfront is the Black Diamond, a Neomodernist complex completed in 1999 as part of the Royal Danish Library. It houses numerous public facilities in addition to the library, and one of its hidden gem is the Treasury. Read more ….
Many call the fifteenth-century codex, commonly known as the “Voynich Manuscript,” the world’s most mysterious book. Written in an unknown script by an unknown author, the manuscript has no clearer purpose now than when it was rediscovered in 1912 by rare books dealer Wilfrid Voynich. The manuscript appears and disappears throughout history, from the library of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to a secret sale of books in 1903 by the Society of Jesus in Rome. Beinecke.Library
In 1491, Ercole I d’Este, Duke of Ferrara in northern Italy, threw a feast for his son’s wedding. Among the highlights of this culinary extravaganza was a series of elaborately designed sugar sculptures. HistoryExtra.com
John Wyatt Greenlee, a medieval historian focusing on cartography, never intended to become the “Surprised Eel Historian,” as he dubs himself on Twitter. AtlasObscura.com
1. Pretend to run away… then attack
2. Play dead (and keep a rotting chicken handy)
3. Don a disguise before storming the battlefield
4. Strike when the enemy’s sleeping
5. Make agreements with your fingers crossed
Sandwiched by typical Parisian townhouses, the remains of the late 12th-century city wall stands largely forgotten and little appreciated. It’s one of the few remnants of medieval Paris, built on the orders of Philip II Augustus to defend the city from the Plantagenet forces in his absence while he was away for the Third Crusade. AtlasObscura.com
The researchers compiled hundreds of records of lunar eclipses from across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, documenting 187 eclipses between 1100 and 1300.
In particular, they searched for descriptions that provided information on the brightness and colour of the Moon during the eclipse. Most of these turned out to be from European monks or clerics, writing in Latin.
Based on these descriptions, the researchers ranked the colour and brightness of the Moon reported in each total eclipse. The brighter the eclipse, the clearer the atmosphere at the time: darker eclipses indicated a higher level of aerosol particles in the upper atmosphere – a marker of recent volcanic activity. TheConversation.com
One of the most important battles in English and Welsh history took place at Bosworth during the 15th century Wars of the Roses.
As the battle swayed first one way and then the other, Richard appears to have decided to bring the encounter to a swift end by leading a charge aimed directly at Henry.
After his horse became trapped in boggy ground, the king continued to fight on foot before he was finally overwhelmed.
Richard was the last Plantagenet king of England, and the last English monarch to be killed in battle. Historic-UK.com
A long-forgotten “spooky” part of history has been found hidden under town centre shops.
The secret crypts which are believed to date back as far as 1331 are beneath Maidstone High Street. KentOnline.co.uk
Congratulations to our new, and to our returning officeholders for 2023:
President – Anita Bentley
Vice President – Jenny Gee
Secretary – Alison Carman
Treasurer – Jo-Ann Koh
Loyaulte me lie!
Richard III Society 