All About History No. 70

welcome

Today Richard III is commonly remembered for two things: his part in the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower, and for being the ‘car park king’ whose remains were uncovered in Leicester in 2012. Less well known, however, is that he was the last English king to die in battle.Richard was a seasoned warrior whose death at Bosworth in 1485, at the hands of Henry Tudor, was his only known defeat. While the way in which Richard usurped the throne led his enemies to depict him as a monstrous villain, they couldn’t deny he was a formidable soldier. For instance, the contemporary historian John Rous, who went as far to compare Richard to the Antichrist, admitted “if I may say the truth to his credit, though small in…

editor’s picks

Finding Vinland Discover how Viking explorers were the first Europeans to reach America and why their colonies didn’t last The Dark Knight The truth about Giles de Rais revealed, the French aristocrat whose murderous rampage may have inspired the legend of Bluebeard We have lift off! From fighting in Korea to working as a test pilot, discover the personal journey that led Neil Armstrong to the Moon ■…

defining moments

DEATH OF A PRESIDENTThe assassinated President John F Kennedy lies in state in the United States Capitol in Washington, DC on 24 November 1963, two days after he was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. Kennedy was the first US president to lie in state in the rotunda – also known as the “hall of the people” – for more than 30 years. 250,000 mourners arrived to pay their respects with many waiting into the night to say a final farewell. 1963 (© Alamy) WAR OF THE WORDSOrson Welles (arms raised) rehearses his radio adaptation of HG Wells’s classic, The War Of The Worlds, ahead of its 30 October broadcast. Claims that the story of an alien invasion sparked panic across the United States are largely a myth, with minor…

spain

“In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world” García Lorca, Spanish poet ■…

reign of spain

38,000 BCE ANCIENT ART The world’s oldest known cave paintings, created by Neanderthals, have been discovered in Cantabria, Northern Spain. In particular, the prehistoric art located in the El Castillo cave dates back to over 40,000 years ago. 218 BCE THE ROMANS ARRIVE Though it took 200 years, the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula and renamed it Hispania. Ruling for seven centuries, the Romans had a lasting impact on the region’s culture, most notably on the language. 507 A NEW ERA As the Roman Empire declined, Germanic tribes took advantage and invaded Hispania. They eventually conquered the whole of the peninsula. The Visigothic king Leovigild established his new capital in modern-day Toledo. Ironically, the Romans had…

alhambra

Palacio de Comares The Palace of Comares, also part of the Nazareth Palaces complex which began construction in the 13th century, was the king’s official residence. The throne room was located inside the Hall of the Ambassadors, which itself was in the Comares Tower. It was built and richly decorated by Yusuf I, with several rooms surrounding the Court of the Myrtles. Stained glass arched windows dominated the city of Granada. Palacio del Mexuar The Mexuar was completed in 1365 but it was greatly altered in subsequent decades. Forming part of the Nazareth Palaces complex, it was originally used as a functional reception hall for the public and a meeting place for the council of ministers. An upper floor was added and it became a chapel in…