Nestled in picturesque Belgian hills near Namur, Crupet Castle (also called Carondelet Castle, for reasons I’ll explain shortly) is one of the greatest standing examples of a fortified medieval tower – or donjon. — — 📖 History, 🎨 art, &…
Paul Delaroche (1797-1856) was a renowned French painter known for his dramatic depictions of historical events. Here we see his version of a pivotal moment from the French Wars of Religion that spanned the late 1500s. — — 📖 History,…
Consider the important characters of the Dutch Revolt. It’s quick to think of figures like Prince William of Orange, Philip II, a cartoonish villain like Cardinal Granvelle, or even Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Leicester. But what of other,…
My order of 3d-printed 10mm scale pikemen from the Theatrum Europaeum range from Warprinter has arrived, courtesy of Etsy printer MarvelousMinipaints (who prints and ships quickly; I would recommend). If I’m to have any luck keeping momentum going with this…
For those who follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram, you have probably seen some recent posts there of my 10mm scale project to wargame the late 1500s era of the Dutch Revolt, French Wars of Religion, and even the Elizabethan…
This is nothing else than a swag appreciation post for the costume and set design in Roland Emmerich’s 2011 film Anonymous. The plot itself is a load of conspiracy theory drivel, but I can overlook it to get my 1500s…
This piece by Giuseppe Aureli (1858-1929) is all about the mood than any attempt at historical accuracy in costuming or weaponry. And wow, it delivers on mood. 🤩 That’s why I like it so much. One of the elements of…
Black powder choked lungs and ears rang with the sounds of gunfire and dying men. On the moors near Nijmegen, the rebel army of Louis of Nassau was being crushed. Escaping on foot through the heath would have been slow…
Sorry I’ve been missing lately! Professional work commitments have kept me busy – and then for the last week I’ve been waylaid by some sorta chest infection that’s still got me down. (In fact, I’m still living my best life…
As the morning sun filtered through the leaded glass windows of her chamber, Jonkvrouw Margaretha’s chambermaid delicately affixed her her mistress’ prized possession to her hat—a golden and enameled pin in the design of woman gazing upon her reflection. The…
