A Portrait Lives: Mary, Queen of Scots

I really haven't been consistent with my Portrait Lives, but I'll just do them whenever for now because I have been occupied, but I haven't forgotten!

Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots had a tragic life. She was imprisoned. One time by her own people and she fled to England where she was imprisoned, found to have plotted against Queen Elizabeth I and executed. These are just a few of the facts that make her such a tragic figure.

aged about 6

aged  about 13

aged about 15

aged about 17

aged about 17-18

in her early twenties

aged about 36

aged about 33

Her execution at aged 45

Sources: 

Cathlolic Encloypedia, Mary Queen of Scots: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09764a.htm

King James I of England and his Lover George Villiers: Quotable.

George Villiers

James I

King James nicknamed George fondly 'Steenie' because he had a handsome visage like angel-faced St. Stephen.  It was no wonder that contemporary people said that they were lovers, they lovingly stroked each other in public (among other things).  In the 17th century, homosexuality was taboo especially among kings. George Villiers was a favorite of King James I of England, who succeeded Elizabeth I as the first of the Stuart Dynasty in 1603. The King made George Earl of Buckingham, while other Scottish people hated him.
Scots attacked the Earl's house. Villiers had somehow caused Brits to damage Scottish homes so the Scots took it upon themselves to make damages on his home in St. Martin's Fields. His home was called the Glass House and it looked similar to Hardwicke Hall. The people did a very good job on damaging his Glass House, and the Earl complained to King James. King James then said to George Villiers, the Earl of Buckingham:

Hardwicke Hall

"Steenie, Steenie, those who live in a glass house should be careful how they fling stones." 

Check out

King James VI of Scotland, I of England

by Antonia Fraser

James I by the sister of Jane Austen
Click the link and see what your missing!

Quote Source
1. Paraphrased from Familiar Short Sayings of Great Men by S. A. Bent
Other Sources:
-Thy Dear Dad and Husband, The Gay Love Letters of King James I & IV, Excerpts from My Dear Boy: Gay Love Letters Through the Centuries (1998), Edited by Rictor Norton; http://rictornorton.co.uk/kingjame.htm
 -Fuel Magazine: the Coal Operators National Weekly Volume 7, page 583; http://books.google.com/books?id=ZsgcAQAAMAAJ&dq=fuel%20Magazine%20volume%207&source=gbs_book_other_versions 
-King James IV; http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/monarchs/jamesvi.html

Portrait Lives: Queen Victoria Part 2

It continues...

aged about 41

aged about 50.

aged about 64

aged about 68

aged about 70

aged 81

She died at 81 on 22 January 1901, she had the longest reign in English History (Elizabeth II should keep on living just to beat Victoria's record).

Check out more about

Queen Victoria: A Personal History

by Christopher Hibbert

Vicky is not amused, either you click the link or 

she will attack you with her fan.

The picture has inaccurate colors.

Source:
Timeline of the life Queen Victoria: https://www.royal.gov.uk/List%20Images/QV%20Education%20project/Timeline%20of%20the%20life%20of%20Queen%20Victoria%202.pdf
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html
Victoria: http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon58.html

Portrait Lives: Queen Victoria Part 1

If you gotta know something about me you gotta know I post late in the day. Yep, one of the bad things.

Frankly, many people know of Queen Victoria, but nothing about her (like me an hour ago). The only thing I really knew about her is that she loved her husband and was very powerful. Probably both true but that doesn't demonstrate a significant of an understanding of Victoria. She was actively involved in politics and extended over foreign and domestic innovations with her long reign of influence. She was a great monarch of her time.

Born on 24 May 1819.

aged 9

aged 4

aged 14

aged about 23

aged about 25

aged about 35

aged about 35

aged  about 40.

aged about 41

Part 2 tomorrow!

Quiz and Battle on History

Here is something fun I made up on the top of my head (in a rush). A battle between me and you on a Quiz on History! Beware, I am competitive!

It is 7 questions. If you get 0 right I win. You get more than 4 questions right I just lost by a little. You get more than 6 right I lose by a long stretch. You get the 7 right...which is unpractically impossible...anyway I lose.

Afterwards you can highlight next to the right of the questions to see the answer.

Ok, here are some more rules:

You can't look them up.

Try to do your best (because you're gonna need it).

1. Where was the skeleton of King Richard III found? C

A. buried in a popular place in London.  B. buried in a yard in Oxford  C. buried in a parking lot


2.  What image in the Sistine Chapel absolutely revolutionized painting? B

A. Delphic Sibyl

B. Creation of Adam

C. Expulsion of Adam and Eve

3. What medical conditions was suggested that Lisa might have in Mona Lisa? C.
A. Pregnancy and blindness
B. Scoliosis and Limb Paralysis
C. Tumor and a lump






4. Who was the one of the first child actors or actresses? E. At least that I know of.
A. Nelly Gwynn
B. Shirley Temple
C. Isa Bowman
D. Susanna Centlivre
E. Master Betty

from Arm Chair General

5. Who is this? (on the right) B.
A. Marat

B. Robespierre

C. George Washington

D. Guy Carleton

6. What did Michelangelo do when a critic said that there were too many naked people in the Sistine Chapel? A.

A. He drew him in Hell in the last judgement with a snake biting his privates

B. Slapped him

C. Made him disappear

D. Was above anger, he drew him in heaven with wings in the last judgement.

7.  Whose last reported words were "we are running on north and south?" C.

A. James Garfield

B. JFK, Jr. 

C. Amelia Earhart

D. Robert Lee

So did I win or did you!?

Check out 

National Geographic Almanac of World History, 2nd Edition

by Various
Don't you wanna support printed books? just click.

Portrait Lives: Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia

It's Portrait Lives Wednesday!
Every Wednesday features a Portrait Lives, which is a weekly post showing the age progression in specific historical figures through contemporary portraits of them. Way more fun than it sounds.

Her family:
In order from left to right: Olga, Maria, Czar Nicholas II,
Alix or Alexandra, Anastasia, Alexi, and Tatiana 

Anastasia along with her family was executed during the 1918 Revolution in Russia. She was part of the royal family, the youngest and fourth daughter of the Czar Nicholas II. Her brother was born about 4-5 years after her and he was killed when 13 years old.
For years after her execution, there were rumors that Anastasia was supposedly still alive. People even claimed that they were in fact the supposed Duchess, the most famous was Anna Anderson. Not until Anastasia's body was found did the rumors die down.
She was just a young woman aged 17 when she was killed violently. It is sad that her and her sisters and young brother had to die to surmount a revolution.

A Portrait Lives for Grand Duchess Anastasia:

1. about 1 year old

3. about 4

2. about 3 years old

4. about 5 years old with her siblings 

5. about 6 years old

6. about 8 years old with her brother

7. about 10

8. about 13 years old

9. about 14 years

10. about 14 years 

11. about 15 years

12. 15 years old, now in home arrest with her siblings. She is
the second most to the right with the dog.

13. aged about 16 years old 

14. about 17 still in captivity

15. forensic facial reconstruction at 17 years old

Maria and Anastasia making funny faces

Some Bonus Informal and Funny Photos:

her father letting her take a smoke

Anastasia with her brother, Alexi 

Check out

Sources:
Livadia.org
Romanov Collection, General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.