British Culture - User contributions [en]

Macbeth, Drama by William Shakespeare

2010-07-12T08:28:05Z

PrincessKingstiger: moved Macbeth to Macbeth, Drama by William Shakespeare

Play by William Shakespeare first performed in 1606. It is set in Scotland and England in the 11th century.
The plot is not only based on Shakespeare's fantasy, but takes up some pieces of Scottish history (with occasional nods towards the new Stuart king [[James I]]).
In this tragedy Shakespeare created an atmosphere of evil and cruelty.

In the Restoration (in 1663 to be precise), the play was turned into a semi-opera by William Davenant with music, flying witches and spectacular scenes.

There is a persistent superstition in English-speaking countries that using the name "Macbeth" (except when you are in a performance of the play proper) in the theatre brings bad luck. One is supposed to use the term "Scottish play" instead. In Germany, however, this superstition is not known. It is replaced by the unorthodox belief that giving away the full plot of the play (or even worse: reading the play) brings on spontaneous nosebleeds and headaches.

Literature:
Shakespeare, William: ''Macbeth''. Edited by Rex Gibson. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Mary Queen of Scots

2010-06-01T18:25:58Z

PrincessKingstiger: Created page with 'Mary Stewart'

[[Mary Stewart]]

Honours of Scotland

2010-06-01T18:23:39Z

PrincessKingstiger:

The Scottish Crown Jewels consisting of a crown, a sword and sceptre, are known as the Honours of Scotland.
According to the Royal Government, the Honours of Scotland are the oldest regalia in the British Isles.
The crown, the sword and the septre have been build in the late 15th and in the early 16th century, during the regency of [[James IV]], followed by [[ James V]], the Grandfather and the father of [[Mary Queen of Scots]].

The sword of state has been a gift from the pope to James IV in 1507. It is almost 1.4 metres long and constists of a silver-gilt handle, a scabbard of wood covered in dark red velvet and mounted with silver gilt, and a belt of woven silk and gold thread decorated with the arms of Pope Juliu. The handle is decorated with oak leaves and acorns which are symbols of the risen christ and two stylised oak leaves overlapping the blade at the bottom.

The septre was also given to James IV by pope Alexander VI. It has been remodelled and lengthened in 1536.

The crown comprises Scottish gold from the Crawford Moor mine, is encrusted with 22 gemstones and 20 stones taken from the previous crown. It was made in its present form for James V. In order to recover damages, it has been refashioned in 1540 by a Goldsmith named John Mosman. It weighs 1.64kg.

Today, the Honours of Scotland are on public display at the Edinburgh Castle.
[http://www.edinburgh-royalmile.com/castle/castle-crownjewels.html]
[http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/TheHonoursofScotland.aspx]

Honours of Scotland

2010-06-01T18:22:42Z

PrincessKingstiger:

The Scottish Crown Jewels consisting of a crown, a sword and sceptre, are known as the Honours of Scotland.
According to the Royal Government, the Honours of Scotland are the oldest regalia in the British Isles.
The crown, the sword and the septre have been build in the late 15th and in the early 16th century, during the regency of [[James IV]], followed by [[ James V]], the Grandfather and the father of Mary Queen of Scots.

The sword of state has been a gift from the pope to James IV in 1507. It is almost 1.4 metres long and constists of a silver-gilt handle, a scabbard of wood covered in dark red velvet and mounted with silver gilt, and a belt of woven silk and gold thread decorated with the arms of Pope Juliu. The handle is decorated with oak leaves and acorns which are symbols of the risen christ and two stylised oak leaves overlapping the blade at the bottom.

The septre was also given to James IV by pope Alexander VI. It has been remodelled and lengthened in 1536.

The crown comprises Scottish gold from the Crawford Moor mine, is encrusted with 22 gemstones and 20 stones taken from the previous crown. It was made in its present form for James V. In order to recover damages, it has been refashioned in 1540 by a Goldsmith named John Mosman. It weighs 1.64kg.

Today, the Honours of Scotland are on public display at the Edinburgh Castle.
[http://www.edinburgh-royalmile.com/castle/castle-crownjewels.html]
[http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Symbols/TheHonoursofScotland.aspx]

Honours of Scotland

2010-06-01T18:21:50Z

PrincessKingstiger: Created page with 'The Scottish Crown Jewels consisting of a crown, a sword and sceptre, are known as the Honours of Scotland. According to the Royal Government, the Honours of Scotland are the old…'

The Scottish Crown Jewels consisting of a crown, a sword and sceptre, are known as the Honours of Scotland.
According to the Royal Government, the Honours of Scotland are the oldest regalia in the British Isles.
The crown, the sword and the septre have been build in the late 15th and in the early 16th century, during the regency of [[James IV]], followed by [[ James V]], the Grandfather and the father of Mary Queen of Scots.

The sword of state has been a gift from the pope to James IV in 1507. It is almost 1.4 metres long and constists of a silver-gilt handle, a scabbard of wood covered in dark red velvet and mounted with silver gilt, and a belt of woven silk and gold thread decorated with the arms of Pope Juliu. The handle is decorated with oak leaves and acorns which are symbols of the risen christ and two stylised oak leaves overlapping the blade at the bottom.

The septre was also given to James IV by pope Alexander VI. It has been remodelled and lengthened in 1536.

The crown comprises Scottish gold from the Crawford Moor mine, is encrusted with 22 gemstones and 20 stones taken from the previous crown. It was made in its present form for James V. In order to recover damages, it has been refashioned in 1540 by a Goldsmith named John Mosman. It weighs 1.64kg.

Today, the Honours of Scotland are on public display at the Edinburgh Castle.

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:56:04Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Jane Seymour was born in 1509 and died at the 24th of October 1537 in Hampton Court Palace.
She was the third wife of [[Henry VIII]] and mother of [[Edward VI]].
Although Henry VIII married six women, Jane Seymour was the only one who fulfilled the Queens most important duty by giving birth to the heir of the english throne: Edward the VI.
Yet she never became Queen and died twelve days after she gave birth to her only son.

Jane Seymour has been the daughter and fifth child of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire († 1536) und Margaret Wentworths († 1550). Her father served the Tournai campaign of 1513 and conveyed Henry VIII to the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520. He was made a knight of the body and later a gentleman of the king's bedchamber. This honourable positions made it possible to not only talk to the king in private but also have appoinments with Henry VIII and his family at the court. Three of his eight children gained honour and prominence through out the history: His eldest son Edward as duke of Somerset and as Lord Protector, Thomas as Lord Admiral Jane by marrying Henry VIII of England.

Sources:
[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Seymour]
[http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/seymour.html]
[http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/tudor_15.htm]

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:53:58Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:51:16Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:50:02Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:49:42Z

PrincessKingstiger: /* Biography */

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:49:13Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Jane Seymour was born in 1509 and died at the 24th of October 1537 in Hampton Court Palace.
She was the third wife of [[Henry VIII]] and mother of [[Edward VI]].
Although Henry VIII married six women, Jane Seymour was the only one who fulfilled the Queens most important duty by giving birth to the heir of the english throne: Edward the VI.
Yet she never became Queen and died twelve days after she gave birth to her only son.

== Biography ==

Jane Seymour has been the daughter and fifth child of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire († 1536) und Margaret Wentworths († 1550). Her father served the Tournai campaign of 1513 and conveyed Henry VIII to the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520. He was made a knight of the body and later a gentleman of the king's bedchamber. This honourable positions made it possible to not only talk to the king in private but also have appoinments with Henry VIII and his family at the court. Three of his eight children gained honour and prominence through out the history: His eldest son Edward as duke of Somerset and as Lord Protector, Thomas as Lord Admiral Jane by marrying Henry VIII of England.

Jane Seymour

2010-05-04T16:26:00Z

PrincessKingstiger:

Third wife of [[Henry VIII]] and mother of [[Edward VI]].
Although Henry VIII married six women, Jane Seymour was the only one who fulfilled the queens most important duty by giving birth to the heir of the english throne: Edward the VI.
Yet she never became Queen and died twelve days after she gave birth to her only son.