Tabla de contenidos para No. 4 en Explore History

Is there another civilisation as evocative and exciting as the Romans? Given the chance, I’m sure most of us would love to spend a day or two in Ancient Rome, and with this issue’s City Guide (page 20) you can get close to doing just that. Discover the history of the Pantheon (pictured), the Colosseum and some of Rome’s lesser-known ancient spots. You’ll find yourself at the heart of the Jacobite rising of 1745 on page 32, in the fortress that refused to allow Bonnie Prince Charlie and his troops inside. It’s a fascinating story, with an equally fascinating building at its centre. On page 48, you’ll discover what awaited the millions who passed through Ellis Island’s immigration centre, as well as discovering how easy it is to look for…

TomTom Bandit Action Camera This compact and durable camera from TomTom makes editing your films a breeze with their free companion app. Built-in motion sensors track big moments to make editing simple, as does the integrated SD reader. Price: £299.99/ $389.99 Summer of Darkness iPhone app This iPhone app tells the story of the summer Byron, Percy Bysshe-Shelley and Mary Shelley spent in Switzerland in 1816 when the idea for Frankenstein was born. Notifications and text help bring the story to life. Price: £0.79/$0.99 UST Survival Beast 0.5 tool If you’re one for outdoor adventures, this handy keyring-sized multi-tool could be just what you need on your keys. It features an LED light, screwdriver, a bottle opener and a small blade. The attached carabiner adds convenience. Price: £8/$7.99 Life In…

CONWY CASTLE The last castle I visited was Conwy Castle in Wales. It’s such an atmospheric castle, and while we were visiting, there were lots of events going on with birds like hawks and falcons, and there were people dressed as knights. That made it all the more evocative. It’s also in a really lovely location looking out over the water. ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM I’ve just visited the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford as it’s on my doorstep and I love it. It’s the oldest museum in England and because it’s connected to the university, it’s a real scholar’s museum. It has everything an academic would want to know, rather than just glitz and glamour. It’s great for children too. SEVILLE My favourite city is Seville. My husband is a flamenco guitarist…

Killiecrankie The beautiful Pass of Killiecrankie is a wooded gorge on the River Garry in Perthshire. It was the site of the first major battle of the Jacobite Risings, which took place on 27 July 1689 between government forces led by General Hugh Mackay and a large Jacobite army led by Viscount Dundee (‘Bonnie Dundee’) who was killed in the battle. Glenfinnan It was here, on 19 August 1745, that Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard signalling the start of the last Jacobite Rising. The Glenfinnan Monument commemorates this event. Erected in 1815 at the head of Loch Shiel, the 18-metre column is topped with the figure of a lone kilted Highlander. Visit nts.org. uk/Property/Glenfinnan-Monument/ for more. Skye With bruised pride, Bonnie Prince Charlie sailed to Skye shortly after his…

It was Flora MacDonald, stepdaughter of a captain in the government army, who famously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie to evade capture following the Jacobite defeat at Culloden. Her cousin asked her to help the prince and they set off in Flora’s boat from Culla Bay on the tiny island of Benbecula, to sail “over the sea” to Skye. The prince was disguised as an Irish servant girl, under the name of Betty Burke. Flora later told that it rained heavily on the crossing and the prince sang to her to keep her spirits up. He said farewell to her on Skye and escaped into exile, however Flora was arrested and taken to London where she was imprisoned. She was released in 1747 and became quite a celebrity. She got married…

On a horseback tour of the stark Anatolian countryside in 1907, French Jesuit priest, geographer and photographer Pere Guillaume de Jerphanion stopped amid an area of rolling valleys scattered with cones, spires and spikes of thrusting rock. He’d arrived in Cappadocia, where the region’s geological foundations had been laid by volcanic force, a façade of weird and wacky rock formations fashioned by millennia of wind and water erosion. The geological make-up of this region has always encouraged its inhabitants to carve dwellings out of the soft tuff (consolidated volcanic ash) rock and in the early days of Christianity, a new wave of settlers made up of monks and priests seized this vernacular architecture and created an astonishing array of chapels, churches and monastery complexes that seemed to be half-swallowed by…

“A tree trunk had been moved to stop the roof collapsing. It was something of an 1870s cowboy-builder job. The decision was made to repair the roof and rebuild it exactly as it was – tree trunk and all” Ightham Mote isn’t an opulent palace or a bloodied castle ruin, it is something much more rare –›it is a building that is a standing monument to change and the lives of people more ordinary than kings and queens. It might at first seem fairly unremarkable, but this very ordinariness, coupled with its mammoth restoration project, brings it firmly into the realms of the extraordinary. The house itself is a picturesque timber-framed manor house surrounded by water, nestled close to Kent’s western borders with Surrey and Greater London. The oldest part…

Padlock unearthed in Japan Archaeologists have uncovered the shackle of an ancient padlock during excavations at the site of Asuka in Kashihara, the oldest imperial palace in Japan. The shackle dates back 1,300 years and was found with its lacquered surface still intact due to being buried in a layer of clay in a watery area. Irish brooch found on tour A student on a trip to Ireland was walking the shore on Omey Island, Connemara, when she found a 12th-century brooch. McKenna McFadden was on a tour with local archaeologist Michael Gibbons. The kite-shaped artefact is now with the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. Belgian king’s blood verified Blood-stained leaves from the site where Belgian king Albert I died have been verified using DNA testing, proving that they do…

The capital city of modern-day Italy was once the centre of a mighty empire, which stretched all the way from the Egyptian pyramids to Hadrian’s Wall. From the might of the Colosseum to the splendour of the Pantheon, Rome could be described as one giant museum. Down every street and in almost every building there is history to behold. Even the drain covers still bear the ancient Roman insignia SPQR – Senatus Populusque Romanus, or the Senate and people of Rome. The story of the city is an epic tale of violence, murder, betrayal and tyranny, yet also glory, splendour and triumph. Roman legend has it that the city was founded on 21 April 753 BCE by Romulus and Remus, though there is, of course, no documentary evidence that this…

Listen to: BBC Radio 4, In Our Time These 43-minute radio documentaries are presented by Melvin Bragg and investigate different aspects of Ancient Rome, from Roman satire to Julius Caesar. Available on iPlayer Radio. Read: SPQR by Mary Beard Mary Beard’s highly accessible history of Ancient Rome is a 562-page roller coaster ride through the history of the city, from its earliest origins as a lowly Italian village to an imperial capital. Watch: Meet The Romans Mary Beard’s programmes on the ancient city complement her books. This series examines the lives of ordinary Romans and questions whether they were really that different from us.…

The National War Museum Edinburgh Castle is a fitting home for Scotland’s museum dedicated to war. Within the building, you’ll discover the stories of Scotland’s military past, through artefacts and exhibits including personal items owned by soldiers. Mons Meg This is one of only two surviving bombard guns gifted to James II in 1457. The name refers to Mons in modern-day Belgium, where they were made. Royal Scots Museum This museum is entirely free to enter and is dependent upon the donations of visitors. It displays exhibits and information about the Royal Scots, the oldest infantry regiment of the line of the British Army. Saint Margaret’s Chapel This chapel is the oldest remaining part of the castle. It was built in 1130 by King David I, to commemorate the death…

Charles Edward Stuart Born in Rome in 1720, Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart was the grandson of the exiled James VII/II. Although the Jacobite Risings in support of his grandfather and father – James Francis Edward Stuart (the ‘Old Pretender’) – had been unsuccessful, they still gave him hope that with French assistance he would one day be able to, “…play a role worthy of my birth.” After defeat at Culloden, he abandoned what was left of his army and escaped to Skye. He died in Rome in 1788. Lord George Murray Lord George Murray (1694-1760) was born at Huntingtower, near Perth. He had supported the Jacobites during the risings of 1715 and 1719, but was initially reluctant to support Prince Charles and signalled his willingness…

Karanl1k Kilise (Dark Church) The highlight of Göreme Open Air Museum is this stunning church, reached by a narrow tunnel and named after the lack of natural light inside. Extensively restored, the church hosts some of the most famous and richly decorated frescoes in Cappadocia, which date from the 12th and 13th centuries. Tokal› Kilise (Buckle Church) The Tokali Kilise’s vivid frescoes boast lavish use of indigo pigment (this is created by using lapis lazuli). The church is laid out in two parts; the ‘old church’, which dates back from the 10th century and the ‘new church’ that is just behind it, which dates from the 11th century. The depicted fresco scenes mostly relate to the life and ministry of Christ. Eski Gümüşler Monastery This monastery complex is carved out…

It’s the early hours of a cold spring morning. Mist hangs thick atop the calm waters of the Upper New York Bay. The liner that you’ve been sailing on has been at sea for 16 days, beaten relentlessly one moment by choppy waves and left to carve the Atlantic in peace the next. It’s not been a pleasant journey – more than two weeks below deck in steerage while those with a little more money to their name enjoy the breathing space offered in first and second class. But all of that doesn’t matter anymore, because a new life is sitting just a few miles away from you. Then, the mists begin to part, seemingly banished by an unseen hand. What remains strikes the heart with both apprehension and excitement.…

Thomas Cawne The first known resident to roam the halls of Ightham Mote moved in about 40 years after it was built. Thomas Cawne was a well-respected figure, who rose to prominence during the Hundred Years’ War and was knighted for his services to the king. The same however, cannot be said of his son, Robert, who was imprisoned in the Tower of London after trying to kill his wife by throwing her into a well. Richard Clement Clement rose from a relatively humble birth to become a courtier to Henry VII and Henry VIII. He was a man who watched the coronation of Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, and served at the time of her execution. Clement purchased Ightham Mote in 1521 and spent the next 17 years adorning…

On the evening of 26 February 1815, the harbour at Portoferraio, Elba, was crowded with onlookers, eager to say their farewells to their governor, and emperor of France, Napoleon. For ten months he had served as the governor of this little picturesque Mediterranean prison. He worked on improving its infrastructure, reforming its agriculture, as well as reorganising its tiny navy and army. Of course, this was a drop in the azure sea compared with what Emperor Bonaparte was used to. After his surrender and abdication from the French throne in April 1814, Napoleon’s enemies – the allied powers predominantly made up of Russia, Prussia, and Austria – wrote up the Treaty of Fontainbleau. The agreement stripped Napoleon of his military and governing powers. He and his wife, Marie-Louise, were permitted…

Gozo is known in Maltese as Ghawdex, meaning ‘joy’. It’s a fitting name – the small island may not be as well known as its next door neighbour, the larger island of Malta, but to those who know it, it’s a rare paradise. It has remained unspoilt, sparsely populated and honours the relaxed pace of life that has made it the perfect retreat for Maltese holidaymakers and travellers from across the world. Along with its idyllic views and relaxed lifestyle, azure sea and stunning sheer cliff faces, Gozo holds a wealth of historically important sites. The Ġgantija temples are some of the world’s earliest man-made religious structures, still standing after some 5,500 years, second only in age to Turkey’s Göbekli Tepe archaeological site (though the original purpose of this site…

Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum In 2016, the FDR museum marks its 75th birthday with free events in celebration of the wartime leader. Visitors can browse interactive exhibits that tell the compelling story of Roosevelt’s dramatic presidency, with many original papers and artefacts. EXPLORER’S ESSENTIALS fdrlibrary.org Mon – Sun: 9am – 6pm Admission: $18 (£14), concessions available. Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum The controversial president was laid to rest in the grounds of the museum complex, and also his birthplace. In addition to a fascinating archive, the museum holds the presidential helicopter in which Nixon took his historic post-resignation flight in 1974. nixonlibrary.gov Mon – Sat: 10am – 5pm, Sun: 11am – 5pm Adults: $6 (£5), Children: $2.50 (£2) Concessions available. John F Kennedy Presidential…

Easter Island What’s hiding beneath the island’s soil? We reveal the full story of the iconic Moai Experience Kipling’s India Discover places that reveal the life of the controversial colonial Castle of the Swan King Ludwig II’s home fit for a fairy tale, Neuschwanstein Castle Sacred places of the world The spots that have inspired faith in the world for millennia PLUS: Queen Victoria’s Isle of Wight retreat, In search of the Battle of Hastings, Treasures from the Museum of Singapore, Visiting Golden Age Amsterdam, and much more……

Alhambra James Sheppard “We went to the Alhambra first thing in the morning, which was really for the best as the sunlight, and the heat really was intense later on. It is definitely a must-see destination in Spain.” Saint Samaan Monastery Gunther Simmermacher “This is the Saint Samaan the Tanner Monastery on Mokattam Mountain in Cairo. With its large cave churches and reliefs of biblical scenes cut into the rock, it really is an otherwordly place.” Colosseum Mike Torrington “There really is nothing like a tour of the Colosseum in Rome. It has been on my bucket list for a long time.” Venice Sally Brown “Venice is such a beautiful, romantic destination to visit and I was pleased with how this shot captured the colours and iconic gondolas.” Send your…

Capability’ Brown’s Birthday Weekend: Georgian cricket match, Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire (28 August) There are plenty of birthday celebrations for all the family to enjoy at Wimpole, including this 18th century-rules game in the grounds of the National Trust estate. Horse and Carriage Rides at Blenheim Palace (19-21 August, 17-18 September) See the vision of Brown as it was intended, from a traditional horse and carriage. Geocaching with ‘Capability Brown’ (until 30 october) The Wimpole estate has created a special set of geocaches to find on site, with a ‘Capability’ Brown theme. Included in the entry price, it’s fun for all ages. A Capable Businessman Exhibition at RHS Lindley Library (5 September-28 October) An exhibition at the London library based on ‘Capability’ Brown’s accounts book.…

Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE) Originating from a modest background, this legendary Roman rose up the political ranks and famously led a botched invasion of Britain in 55 BCE. Later, he was made dictator for life, a highly controversial move that would prove his downfall. In 54 BCE, while preparing to address the Roman senators, former loyalists who were concerned that he had tyrannical ambitions set upon him. In the eponymous Shakespeare play, Caesar famously remarks of his adopted son Brutus, who was the last to stab him, “And you too, Brutus?” Cicero (106-43 BCE) Now regarded as one of the world’s greatest philosophers, Marcus Tullius Cicero was also a formidable lawyer and a successful politician, albeit one who made fatal errors. After having the main plotters in a conspiracy against…

On 15 September 1745, the sound of bells echoed throughout the city of Edinburgh. They clanged a warning; the Jacobite army of Charles Edward Stuart, ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’, was on its way south. People rushed into the streets in panic, for the city, with the exception of the castle, was ill prepared for battle. Efforts were made to improve its defences and arms were handed out to enthusiastic volunteers. But when a letter from Prince Charles arrived the next day warning citizens that he was determined to enter the city – and could not answer for the consequences if anyone opposed him – many urged capitulation. Rumours spread – one said that 16,000 Highlanders were going to take the city – and the volunteers lost their courage and marched swiftly…

The Jacobite Rebellion that would come in 1745 was the culmination of decades of disagreement about who should succeed the throne. The Jacobites, who took their name from Jacobus, the Latin for James, enthusiastically supported the Stuart succession to the thrones of Scotland and England, which had been united in 1603 when James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I. After the Stuart monarch Charles II died without any legitimate children, his younger brother James succeeded as James VII/II. However, while Charles had married a Catholic, he had been careful to establish his Protestant credentials and even arranged his niece Mary’s marriage to the Protestant prince, William of Orange. James was less politically astute and not only married a Catholic but converted to Catholicism himself. When his…

Saint Basil the Great, the Bishop of Caesarea Born and brought up in Pontus (the eastern Black Sea region of modern-day Turkey) Saint Basil abandoned a career in law and teaching in Caesarea (Kayseri) to become a priest. After studying asceticism in both Egypt and Syria, he returned to Anatolia and began his most influential work – setting out the rules and practices of communal monastic life that would lead to him being recognised as the father of eastern monasticism. In 370, he was ordained bishop of Caesarea; a title he held until his death in 379 and during which time he concentrated on helping the poor and destitute of the area. Bishop of Nyssa, Gregory of Nyssa Saint Basil’s younger brother and the second of Cappadocia’s fathers, Gregory of…

Over its 50-something years as a gateway for the incoming immigrant population, Ellis Island saw many a soul recorded on its shipping manifests. However, not every passenger was attempting to gain a piece of the American dream – in fact, many were already famous in their own right and were simply travelling through the bay in luxury. And you don’t get more famous than the very top seat of office in the United States. Ellis Island saw a total of six presidents travel on the journey to Manhattan including Theodore Roosevelt, William H Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight D Eisenhower. All of these presidents made the iconic trip prior to their time in office (including Eisenhower, who was still serving as a major in the US…

In the 1870s, the residents of Ightham Mote became so fed up with a cold draught that they brought in workmen to find the source of the problem. However, they made a macabre discovery – behind one of the walls, in a small space or closet, was a female skeleton sitting on a chair. Local hearsay identified the woman as Dame Dorothy Selby, an Ightham Mote resident whose memorial in the local church noted that she was a woman, “…whose art disclosed that Plot”. Dorothy supposedly sent her cousin, Lord Monteagle, an anonymous letter warning him not to attend parliament on 5 November 1605. When the letter was intercepted, and the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, Catholic sympathisers seized her and walled her up in Ightham Mote, leaving her to die…

Despite living in relative peace and tranquillity on Elba, the emperor quickly grew tired of his new tiny empire, its isolation and its lack of opportunities for more conquests. Also rather pressing was his severe lack of money to continue living the life of imperial luxury he was used to – he had not yet seen a penny of the annual 2 million-franc pension awarded to him in the Treaty of Fontainbleu. However, the man who had once sat with Europe at his feet was still greatly feared across the continent, and nowhere more so than in the newly restored Bourbon court, which was deeply unpopular with the French people. The Congress of Vienna, tasked with mopping up the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, was also busy discussing whether or…

“These remains of Roman luxury have lain undisturbed for 400 years ” JOHN CLAYTON John Clayton is a name connected to one of the most well-known and beloved sites of English heritage, yet he is, on the whole, an unsung hero. However, Clayton remains, to this day, one of the most important figures in the history of Hadrian’s Wall. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1792 , John Clayton was thrust into the world of politics and business from an early age, as his father, Nathaniel Clayton, served as town clerk. His childhood was typical for an upper-class boy: he was classically educated at Uppingham and went straight into the family business, working in their solicitors firm. He qualified as an attorney and followed in his father’s footsteps by…

Bory Castle Situated in Székesfehérvár, this concrete castle was constructed by architect Jenő Bory as a love letter to his wife. More than three decades in the making, Bory Castle houses an art gallery and the studio and apartment where the devoted couple lived and worked. EXPLORER’S ESSENTIALS Mon – Sun: 9am – 5pm Adults: 800HUF (£2/$3), Children: free Concessions available. Visegrád Citadel All that remains of what was Charles I’s magnificent palace is some extensive ruins. These ageing remains offer a tantalising glimpse of the Medieval stronghold’s Gothic splendour. Visitors can spend a day exploring what remains of the citadel and enjoy one of the finest views of the Danube that Hungary can offer. Tues – Sun: 9am – 4pm Adults: 1,100HUF (£3/$4), Children: free, concessions available. Buda Castle…