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 body…

defining moments

DEATH OF A PRESIDENT The 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 WAR OF THE WORDS Orson 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 incidents seized upon and…

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 employed some Germanic tribes in roughly 416 CE, to drive out other German invaders 711 ISLAMIC SPAIN Muslim forces from North Africa quickly overpowered the Visigoths…

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 the 16th century. The military zone The Alhambra…

matador de toros

THE SYMBOLIC HAT Matadors wear a distinctive black hat called a montera which was introduced in 1835 by bullfighting great Francisco Montes Reina. Covered in astrakhan fur, lined with velvet and kept on the head via an artificial ponytail, it had been widely worn by men and women living on the Iberian Peninsula. Matadors toss the hat to dedicate a kill to a particular person or the general public. NARROW NECKTIE As well as the short jacket (chaquetilla) with its reinforced shoulders, the upper body section of the traje de luces includes a vest, white shirt (camisa) and a narrow necktie (called a corbatín in Spanish). This is typically black but other colours are also used. In all cases, it slips over the shirt, with the bottom part covered by the vest. PAIRS OF…

how to  flamenco dance

Flamenco is a form of art which originally came from Andalusia in southern Spain. It comprises music, singing, hand clapping and dancing and it draws great influence from the Romani and Arabic cultures going back as far as the 9th century. Over time, flamenco has evolved from being performed in private gatherings into a professional, commercial pursuit, with the dancing involving much hand and footwork in a highly emotional and focussed display of expression. More than 50 different flamenco styles, or palos, have emerged dealing with themes as varied as religion and death, although the timing of the dance moves depends on the rhythm of the accompaniment. Playing music The playing of a guitar during flamenco is known as toque. Flamenco guitars produce notes at a higher volume to be heard over…