Books · Monarchies · Observations · People

I deliberately refrained from calling Yaroslav Vladimirovich "the Wise", so as to preserve the truth of the chronicles and sagas, in which nobody ever called him wise

I deliberately refrained from calling Yaroslav Vladimirovich "the Wise", so as to preserve the truth of the chronicles and sagas, in which nobody ever called him wise. The Wise would be invented centuries later by Karamzin. I should like to say how precious the sagas are to us,

Aristocracy · Monarchies

The descendants of Yaroslav's eldest daughter Anastasia and King Andrew will rule Bohemia, Poland and the neighbouring principalities for many generations

The descendants of Yaroslav's eldest daughter Anastasia and King Andrew will rule Bohemia, Poland and the neighbouring principalities for many generations. Many of them will enter into dynastic marriages with the Rurikids.

Monarchies · Mores · People

Descendants of Princess Anna Yaroslavna of Kyiv ruled France until the late 18th century

The marriage of the Kyivan princess Anna Yaroslavna to Henry I of France, childless in his first marriage, produced three sons, Philip I, Robert and Hugh, and a daughter, Emma. Anna's descendants would rule France until the end of the eighteenth century: all three dynasties that succeeded one

Aristocracy · Archive · Books · Monarchies

Russo-Scandinavian marriages of the 11th and 12th centuries in the sagas and Yaroslav's daughters

The saga of the Norwegian kings from roughly 1025 to 1157 is called "Morkinskinna" ("Rotten Skin"). It mentions the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of Yaroslav, Prince of Kyiv, to Harald Sigurdsson. It is believed that in reality the princess was called Olisava, and in the sagas

NB! · Monarchies · People

Bloody Mary

NB! · Monarchies · People

Henry VIII

NB! · Architecture · Faith · Rome

This Is What Santa Maria sopra Minerva Looks Like Inside

NB! · Archaeology · Architecture · Museums · Observations

The first tier of the Temple of Minerva remained underground and is used as a cellar, as can be seen from a model in Assisi's rather neglected archaeological museum, which looks more like a mere warehouse of Roman finds

Architecture · Faith · Observations · Heritage

Roman portico of the 1st century BC survives in Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Assisi

Minerva: Between the Pizzeria and the Carabinieri Station. In the birthplace of Francis of Assisi there are, oddly enough, historic sites known for no connection with the saint's life. Crowds of pilgrims file past this small church at the beginning of Piazza del Comune on their way to

NB! · Architecture · Faith · Heritage

The Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, with its Roman portico of the 1st century BC, in the Italian town of Assisi

NB! · Archive · Mores · Humour

Elegant Skating Positions from a Manual of 1830

Elegant skating positions from a manual of 1830. What is a rink without a hat and an umbrella?

NB! · Aristocracy · Monarchies · Science · Nature

Gaston of Orléans was also a naturalist: here is part of his collection at Blois, where he laid out a botanical garden in which the eminent botanists Robert Morison and Paul Reneaulme worked on the classification of plants

Alexandr Radayev