Table of contents for No. 129 in All About History

SCAN TO GET OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER At the time of writing, we're inching our way closer to the coronation of Charles III here in the UK. I imagine a few of you, dear readers, were fortunate enough to witness our last coronation on TV. However, for most of you, like myself, this is our first experience of such an event. The monarchy doesn't mean or represent the same things in the modern world as it once did, but any moment of change is also a time for reflection. As such I thought it would be interesting to look at the last time a Charles was on the throne of England and… oh dear. Plagues, fires in the capital and disastrous wars overseas. He got dealt a rough hand, to say…

Since ancient times, bread has been a vital staple of diets for people all over the world. Medieval Europe was no different. Both the rich and the poor relied on bread as an integral part of their nutrition and bakeries were a crucial aspect of people being able to access it. In towns and cities, bakeries existed not only as a business for the bakers themselves to make and sell their product to the local population, but also as communal spaces where locals could bake the dough they had made at home. Bakers operated as part of a guild system throughout most of Europe in the Middle Ages, which regulated the prices and weight of bread that could be sold. The master bakers had to serve their community, as well…

In 1066, William I (the Conqeuror) was the first English monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey. 957 years later, Charles III is the 40th monarch to hold their coronation in the iconic Central London church – and not much about the ceremony will have changed. From the days of the Norman Conquest to now, the way in which England and then Great Britain has chosen to celebrate its new monarchs has remained largely the same. The rites and rituals have long histories, many dating back long before 1066, and so do many of the objects and artefacts that play key symbolic roles in the ceremony. It’s not all just pomp and pageantry, as we’re about to reveal. The Crowns For the coronation of Charles III, St Edward’s Crown is…

Upon hearing the name Annie Oakley, your mind might conjure up an image of a rough and ready American gunslinger: the woman who defied the norm and became the epitome of the Wild West. This image has accompanied the memory of Oakley since her death and is far more familiar to us than the truth because, even in her own lifetime, she was elevated to such a legendary status that many people only remember her as the great sharpshooter of her time. But the reality of Oakley's life is, in many ways, much more impressive than her public persona lets on. EARLY LIFE On 13 August 1860 in Darke County, Ohio, a young girl was born who would go on to astound the world with her talent. Phoebe Ann Moses…

The First Inca The Inca Empire was the largest of the ruling civilisations that existed before Christopher Columbus ushered in a period of Western colonisation in the region. Long before his arrival there was Manco Cápac: founder, son of the Sun and the guiding force of his ancestor-siblings. Fearsome and perhaps cruel, Manco is preserved in myth in worshipful remembrance. Central to Inca beliefs about the dawn of civilisation, historians are fairly convinced of his existence, yet our knowledge of him remains hazy. Manco Cápac is said to have been the founder and first governor of the Inca people, the Sapa Inca. Born into a nomadic lifestyle in the ancient city of Tamputoco, he was of the Tambu tribe, for which his father, Apu Tambo, was a captain. When his…

Lucky Luciano quietly entered Cuba in October 1946 and moved into an upscale Miramar neighbourhood. Cuban officials, some in collusion, were very much aware of Luciano’s presence. Things went smooth until February 1947 when a burgeoning columnist named Robert Ruark heard an infamous American gangster living it up in Havana’s night life. Ruark, who in later years admitted as much, knew immediately the scoop could be life-changing. Ironically though, Ruark wasn’t even sure he could positively recognise the mobster, so he asked around, finally landing on Connie Immerman – a guy who knew everyone. Probably with no maligned thought whatsoever, Immerman simply pointed out which fellow was indeed Lucky. The first (of many) articles written by Ruark about the Luciano-Sinatra intrigue was published in American papers on 20 February 1947…

REVIEWS The books, TV shows and films causing a stir in the history world this month Certificate: 16+ Director: Matt Ruskin Cast: Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, Alessandro Nivola Released: Out now on Disney+ Between 1962 and 1964 the city of Boston, Massachusetts was rocked by a series of vicious murders. Written and directed by Matt Ruskin, this is not the first cinematic take on the city's most famous serial killer. However, unlike earlier versions Ruskin chooses not to focus on the efforts of the Boston constabulary to catch the strangler, but instead on Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole. A pair of trail-blazing reporters for the Record American who were responsible for dubbing the killer 'The Boston Strangler’. Loretta McLaughlin is portrayed by Keira Knightly who delivers a fine, if somewhat…

21 April 1934 LOCH NESS MONSTER ‘SIGHTING' The ancient legend of the Loch Ness Monster has fascinated people for centuries, with supposed sightings having been reported throughout history. In 1934 the first photograph of the Monster was allegedly taken by Robert Kenneth Wilson, a doctor from England. To a clamour of international attention, the photograph was published by the Daily Mail newspaper and seemingly provided evidence that the mythical beast actually existed. However, the photo was eventually debunked as a hoax 60 years later, in 1994. 21 April 1986 AL CAPONE'S VAULT OPENED American journalist Geraldo Rivera hosted a live TV special during which the vault of gangster Al Capone (1899 - 1947), found in his old headquarters in Chicago, was opened for the first time. With a huge build…

This relatively small and unassuming object is a bread stamp that comes from the Byzantine Empire. This particular ceramic stamp would have been used to mark bread for use in religious ceremonies. Bread stamps have been used for a variety of purposes throughout the centuries, from preventing theft and fraud to marking the bread for religious ceremonies. According to the Loulis Museum in Athens, which has the largest collection, there were two forms of religious bread stamps in the Byzantine Empire. The first would be for bread used on feasts dedicated to Christ and various other important saints and were known as eulogia stamps. The second, of which the item shown here is an example, were known as Eucharist stamps and were for bread destined to be used during the…

1 HOFBACKEREI EDEGGER-TAX HOFGASSE, GRAZ, AUSTRIA The luxurious Hofbäckerei Edegger-Tax is one of Europe’s oldest bakeries. In fact, although a sign on the building’s lavish exterior suggests it first began operations in 1569, author Sarah Guy in Europe’s Best Bakeries states that it may have actually been founded an additional 200 years before. In 1880 it moved to its current location and in 1896 the carpenter Anton Irschik created Edegger-Tax’s famously ornate wooden exterior. The bakery gained the symbol of the Royal Eagle over the door in 1888, after receiving a title of the Imperial and Royal Warrant of Appointment. In 1886, they had supplied the royal court with a selection of their pastries and so impressed were they with the quality, that Royal approval was granted a mere two…

Gangster's Paradise Aregal dictator calmly addresses a crowd during a New Year’s Eve celebration; he speaks with stoic poise, hoping to make a grand exit as low key as possible. As he departs, followed by confidants and staff in step, guests process the grim reality of the situation and panic soon paints their expressions. They rapidly shuffle out and the scene cuts to ragtag rebels motoring through the streets in their own celebratory way. The Godfather Part II cinematically captured both the exotic beauty and maligned undercurrents of political turmoil and a mobbed up Havana masterfully, but that was a fictionalised tale with characters only loosely based on the actual criminal overlords. So then, who were the real people involved, and how did the organised crime’s virtual utopia in Cuba…

Greatest Battles Battle of Leyte Gulf The Battle of Leyte Gulf was a major naval engagement fought between 23-26 October 1944 across a wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean near the Philippine Islands. One of the decisive naval battles of World War II in the Pacific, it was actually a series of engagements, collectively recognised as the largest naval battle in history. After US forces mounted an invasion of the island of Leyte, the Japanese devised a complex plan of attack, hoping to destroy the US transports and escort ships that were landing and providing logistical support to American troops. The Leyte landings marked the return of American forces to the Philippines and their initial step in liberating the islands from Japanese occupation. The US Navy narrowly avoided catastrophe when heavy…

Did you know? The dish was likely inspired by Jubilee Chicken, from George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935 Check out THE ULTIMATE HISTORY COOKBOOK available now The origins of this recipe date back to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 when the culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu London, was commissioned to cater a celebratory luncheon. The prestigious event, with around 350 dignitaries from all over the world, was a huge honour for the school – and it didn’t let anyone down. The signature dish of the day was Poulet Reine Elizabeth, which translates simply as ‘Chicken Queen Elizabeth’, but today we call it Coronation Chicken. The idea for a creamy curry chicken dish, possibly inspired by Jubilee Chicken served to King George V in 1935, was proposed by…

Lionel Poilâne French, 1945 - 2002 The inheritor of the Poilâne bakery from his father, it was Lionel who saw it become a world famous bread-making empire. He began as an apprentice at aged 14 and although originally despondent, soon became inspired to see the beauty in bread-making. Purportedly, Poilâne once even used his skills as a baker to bake a set of furniture constructed out of bread for the renowned surrealist artist Salvador Dali. Poilâne understood the importance of both tradition and modernity, opening a machine breadworks in 1983 but never forgetting the traditional methods. He died in a helicopter crash at the age of 57. THOMAS AND ELLEN / HENRY AND RACHEL WARBURTON BRITISH The British bread empire of Warburtons began when Thomas and Ellen Warburton hit upon…

Charles II's Cursed Reign After 338 years, another Charles is on the throne in England, so what better time to reflect on the reign of Charles II? The man who returned from exile in May 1660 to assume the reins of power after the failure of a republican coup was four days short of his 30th birthday when he landed at Dover. Up to that point his life had been a succession of - to say the least - unfortunate experiences. The second son of Charles I, he unexpectedly became heir to the throne at the age of 12, after the death of his elder brother. As the reality of his inheritance began to dawn upon him, he became aware that it was likely to be a very troubled birthright.…

1. Sunday 2 September The fire began in a baker's oven in Pudding (or Rother) Lane just north of the bridge. Driven by a stiff easterly wind it fanned out, reaching the waterfront on one side and up towards Lombard Street, Poultry and Cheapside on the other. 2. Monday 3 September By dawn on 3 September, the blaze was continuing eastwards but had also backed up along Cornhill, Fenchurch Street and Tower Street. Within hours it had reached the precincts of St Paul's Cathedral. 3. Tuesday 4 September By 4 September, the fire had passed beyond the western wall and was moving along Fleet Street, where the lawyers' district, the Inns of Court, lay. Beyond Charing Cross, it turned towards Whitehall and was only stopped by prompt action ordered by…

When the crooner landed in Havana on 11 February 1947, a newsreel team happened to be there too. A still frame shows (according to government agents at the time) Sinatra situated near Chicago gangsters Joe and Rocco Fischetti (a third Fischetti, Charlie, was also on the flight). That image furthered suspicion and narratives formulated by unfriendly columnists and agents of the FBI and Narcotics Bureau. Sinatra already bore bad blood with some gossip columnists, but the Feds to that point only had him on radar for reasons relating to the ‘red scare’ (communist rhetoric). Everything changed quickly when American writer Robert Ruark outed Lucky Luciano’s presence in Havana and implied Sinatra and the kingpin were pals. If the primary target of Ruark’s war of attrition was Luciano, with Sinatra secondary,…

Over centuries of war, betrayal, family infighting, and political manoeuvring, the Islamic stronghold on the doorstep of Christian Europe had gradually eroded. For almost 800 years the rich and refined influence of Islamic culture, architecture, customs, and law had run through the veins of life on the mainland of Europe in the Iberian Peninsula. But Islam had proven an uncomfortable neighbour for Christian Europe, and by 1492 the Christian powers were in the ascendency, determined to retake the land they believed to be theirs. And now, only Granada, magnificent in dignified isolation, stood in their way. What would have needed to change within Granada for it to have remained strong and defiant? The Nasrid emirate of Granada was victim of its own disunity. It was weakened by the almost constant…

Through History Exploring the Islamic World The Islamic world is home to some of the most splendid artistic traditions in human history, and one of the greatest collections of Islamic art can be found at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Now a new book, Museum of Islamic Art: The Collection, allows readers to delve into this world-class collection and discover more about the religion’s rich cultural traditions. The iconic museum building was designed by renowned architect IM Pei, who also designed the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The Museum of Islamic Art’s interior features 18 galleries that are filled with extraordinary examples of art from across the Islamic world, with displays of secular and religious art from Spain to…

HISTORY vs HOLLYWOOD Fact versus fiction on the silver screen Director: Jon Turteltaub Starring: Leon, Doug E Doug, John Candy Country: USA Year: 1993 01 Cool Runnings tells the story of the first Jamaican bobsleigh team to compete at the Winter Olympics, in Calgary, Canada, in 1988. It shows the team only competing in the four-man event, but two members also took part in the two-man event. 02 In the film, Jamaican runner Derice Bannock (Leon) starts the team to find a way to get to the Olympics. Two US men living in Jamaica actually came up with the idea when they saw similarities between bobsledding and the Jamaican pushcart derby. 03 The team members in Cool Runnings are runners who failed to qualify for the Olympics and a pushcart driver.…