How Dick Turpin was Found.

Yep, Dick is definitely a murderer.

Dick Turpin was the focal point of a legend. He was supposed to be handsome and the center of a story full of romance. But this was not how it happened. He acted as a fictional hero a popular William Ainsworth novel and other famous fictitious accounts, and soon fiction mingled with fact and 'eclipsed' his real life. He wasn't and isn't a murderer and robber anymore in the public eye, and this could act as the time of glory he never had. However, you have me to set you straight.
So here is the daunting account of his arrest and subsequent death.
Dick was a highwayman (a person who robbed people by force on roads) and a murderer of a man who threatened to turn him in. He was a wanted man by the police and disguised himself as John Palmer.  And there is where the fun part comes in.

The "letter being returned, unopened, to the Post-Office... because the brother would not pay the postage of it."(1) Then by sure coincidence Mr. Smith saw the letter, see Mr. Smith had taught Dick to write and knew in fact that John Palmer was actually Dick Turpin. He told the authorities and Palmer alias Turpin was hung.

Sources:
1. Richard Turpin: http://www.exclassics.com/newgate/ng193.htm
2.Dick Turpin: http://www.stand-and-deliver.org.uk/highwaymen/dick_turpin.htm

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.