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British History

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HISTORY: Queen Elizabeth II

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Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II served from 1952 to 2022 as reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. She was the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

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Performers take part in the biennial Imbolc Celtic fire festival, to celebrate the end of Winter and the coming of Spring, in Marsden, northern England on February 6, 2016.

Imbolc

Origins of Imbolc The celebration of Imbolc dates back to the pre-Christian era in the British Isles. The earliest mentions of Imbolc in Irish literature were found in the 10th century. Poetry from that time relates the holiday to ewe’s milk, with the implication of purification. It’s been speculated that this ritual stems from the […]

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Arrival of William of Orange in England, 15-16 November 1688, (1903). A protestant, William of Orange (1650-1702) was invited by a conspiracy of English notables to depose the Catholic James II and assume the throne in his stead. The invasion, which was virtually bloodless, was successful and became known as the 'Glorious Revolution'. James fled to France and the Prince of Orange was crowned William III of Great Britain and Ireland on 11 April 1689. He co-ruled with his wife Mary II from 1689, continuing as sole ruler after her death in 1694. A print from The World's History, A Survey of Man's Record, by Dr HF Helmolt, Volume II, William Heinemann, London, 1903.

Glorious Revolution

King James II King James II took the throne in England in 1685, during a time when relations between Catholics and Protestants were tense. There was also considerable friction between the monarchy and the British Parliament. James, who was Catholic, supported the freedom of worship for Catholics and appointed Catholic officers to the army. He […]

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Hadrian’s Wall

Romans Invade Britain The Romans first attempted to invade the island now known as Britain in 55 B.C., while under the rule of Emperor Julius Caesar. Although Caesar’s military maneuver was unsuccessful, the armies of the Roman Empire again made a move to conquer the island, which was populated and governed by various Celtic tribes, […]

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Stories

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The Favourite

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The Real-Life Rivalry That Inspired ‘The Favourite’

The ruthless power struggle in Queen Anne’s court between her ladies-in-waiting Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham had some sexual overtones.

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The Heartbreaking WWII Rescue That Saved 10,000 Jewish Children From the Nazis

The desperate parents of Kindertransport refugees paid a terrible price for their lives.

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Canadian Independence

Canada’s Long, Gradual Road to Independence

Canada was granted the right to self-government in 1867, but did not gain full legal autonomy until 1931. 

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A Wife Auction in England, circa 1800s. (Credit: Fotosearch/Getty Images)

English Men Once Sold Their Wives Instead of Getting Divorced

Between the 17th and 19th centuries, wife-selling was a weird custom with a practical purpose.

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This Day in History

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1955

“The Guinness Book of Records” debuts

Art, Literature and Film History
2013

Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, dies

Women’s History
2011

Britain’s Prince William weds Kate Middleton

European History
2007

Three-year-old Madeleine McCann goes missing in Portugal

Crime
1854

Charge of the Light Brigade

European History
1982

Falklands War ends

Latin American History
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