English

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 King William III of England, also known as William of Orange, was a significant figure in European history during the late 17th century. Early Life and Background In the Early Modern Period and well into the 19th century, marriages among members of the upper echelons of European society was…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 The Palace of Versailles Starting in 1661, Louis XIV took several decades to transform a royal hunting lodge in Versailles into one of the most magnificent palaces in Europe. Following his whims, renowned architects designed, renovated and expanded the vast and ornate complex of buildings in the French Baroque…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 History and geography The United Provinces of the Netherlands grew out of the 1579 Union of Utrecht. The seven northern regions that won independence from Spain from 1568 to 1609 formed an alliance, also known as the Dutch Republic. The area comprised approximately that of the present Kingdom of the…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Fishing trade The term terreneuviers (Newfoundlanders) refers to Jersey fishermen who participated in the Newfoundland fishery during the 16th to 19th centuries. Jersey, one of the Channel Islands located between England and France, had a long tradition of fishing, and the Newfoundland fishery provided valuable opportunities for Jersey fishermen…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Les précieuses In 17th century Paris, a group of intellectual, witty women known as les précieuses developed a culture of lively conversations and playful word games. These gatherings were frequently held in a lady’s bedroom, referred to as a salon. The lady, reclining on her bed, would receive close friends…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Background After the Wars of Religion, and as Protestants in many parts of France were deliberately terrorised and pressurised to abjure their faith, many tried desperately to escape. Le refuge About 200,000 Huguenots settled in non-Catholic Europe: the United Provinces (Netherlands), Germany, especially Prussia, Switzerland, Scandinavia; and even as…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Imagine being married to a double first cousin as a peace offering. King Philip IV of Spain accepted his prime ministerial proposal that his daughter, the devout Maria Theresa, should marry the son of his sister, Queen Anne of Austria, namely the flamboyant King Louis XIV of France. The…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 Religious tension in France simmers In 1589 the Protestant Henry de Bourbon, King of Navarre, inherited the French throne as Henry IV, and later converted to Catholicism, less by conviction than as an act of political expediency. But in 1598, Henry issued the Edict of Nantes which gave the…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 A climate of art King Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” was famous for his lavish and extravagant lifestyle. He cultivated an image of personal magnificence and majesty and built several opulent palaces. He was a great lover of music, dance and actively promoted ballet and opera. History of French…

A contribution to the #AtoZchallenge 2024 During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, members of the religion prétendue réformée (so-called reformed religion) endured tremendous pressure from King Louis XIV to abjure their faith and sign a writ to say they were now Catholics. Many did this, often unwillingly. Such people were referred to as Nouveaux or…