Month: June 2014

Early modern history

Fighting in foreign wars: fears over English Catholics in the Netherlands’ war with Spain

Events in Iraq and Syria have led Dr Andrew Thrush, editor of the Lords 1603-1660 section, to reflect on a similar situation at the turn of the 17th century… The recent news that several hundred British nationals are fighting alongside Islamic extremists in Syria and Iraq has given rise to fears for British domestic security, and that the ISIS fighters of today might become the … Continue reading Fighting in foreign wars: fears over English Catholics in the Netherlands’ war with Spain

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Medieval history

Parliament and Bannockburn

In the run up to September’s Scottish independence referendum, we’re publishing a series of blogposts on the relationship between England and Scotland over the centuries. We start with a guest blog from Dr Andrew Spencer of Christ’s College, Cambridge, who marks the 700 year anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn… ‘The earls said they would not come to fight without parliament, in case they infringed … Continue reading Parliament and Bannockburn

The History of Parliament6 Comments
19th Century history, 20th century history, Conferences/seminars, Social history

Parliaments, politics and people seminar: Dr Geoff Hicks on ‘Memorialising Britain’s politicians: the politics of Parliament Square’

Our latest ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar paper report, thanks to Kathryn Rix of the Victorian Commons… Geoff Hicks of the University of East Anglia gave a very engaging talk on ‘Memorialising Britain’s politicians: the politics of Parliament Square, c. 1867-1917’. With its focus on the statues of Victorian politicians erected in Parliament Square, his paper provided an excellent complement to last term’s paper from … Continue reading Parliaments, politics and people seminar: Dr Geoff Hicks on ‘Memorialising Britain’s politicians: the politics of Parliament Square’

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20th century history, Oral history, Post-1945 history

MPs and the IRA

Thirty years ago today (17 June 1974) a bomb exploded in Westminster Hall at about 8.28am, which led to a large fire in the medieval hall. Six minutes before police had received a warning using a recognised IRA code word. David Steel, then Liberal chief whip, was in the Palace of Westminster at the time and later told the BBC: “the whole hall was filled … Continue reading MPs and the IRA

The History of Parliament2 Comments
Medieval history, Social history

Dangerous Liaisons in 15th Century England: Sir John Butler

In June 1477 one parliamentarian who had successfully avoided the dangers of the Wars of the Roses met a violent end thanks to more domestic troubles. Dr Charles Moreton, senior research fellow of the Commons 1422-1504 project tells us more… Notwithstanding the turbulence of their times, many 15th-century knights successfully avoided factionalism and civil war. For every William Cotton (a Lancastrian household servant felled at … Continue reading Dangerous Liaisons in 15th Century England: Sir John Butler

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20th century history, Conferences/seminars

Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Harshan Kumarasingham on ‘The quest for “Eastminster”: the British parliamentary system and the foundation of independent south Asia’

Dr Kathryn Rix of the Victorian Commons reports back from our latest ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar… The ‘Parliaments, Politics and People’ seminar recently moved beyond the British Isles and indeed beyond Europe with a paper from Dr. Harshan Kumarasingham, who is currently Smuts Research Fellow in Commonwealth Studies at the University of Cambridge and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University … Continue reading Parliaments, Politics and People seminar: Harshan Kumarasingham on ‘The quest for “Eastminster”: the British parliamentary system and the foundation of independent south Asia’

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