Tag: 19th century

A photo of the Tour Charlemagne - Tours, France

Charlemagne and St Martin

With an empire so vast it redefined Europe, Charlemagne found his heart anchored to a humble soldier who lived four centuries earlier. This is the little-known story of the visionary emperor and his profound connection to Saint Martin of Tours.
A photo of Arbes square - Prague, Czechia

The lost church of St Philip and St Jacob

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In the city of a hundred spires, it's hard to imagine that there were more belfries, towers and churches than there are today. The church of St Philip and St Jacob in Prague's Smichov district is one of the churches that no longer exists.
A photo of the Fruttuaria Abbey - Piedmonte, Italy

The Fruttuaria Abbey

A King Died Here. Then the Church Buried It. Then a Plumber Found It Again. The Abbazia di Fruttuaria has been a monastery, a political pawn, a makeover project, and a school. What lies beneath the floor is one of the most remarkable archaeological finds in northern Italy — and almost nobody knows about it.
A photo of the road leading to Andorra from France

Andorra

Microstates are fascinating. There’s always a story behind them, and their continued existence in today’s world for that matter. Andorra, sandwiched between Spain and France, is one such microstate. For that, we've a strategic masterstroke born of military need and religious pragmatism.
A painting of the French fleet in the grand harbour

When Napoleon Conquered Malta in 72 Hours

Think the fall of powerful nations takes months? Napoleon Bonaparte dismantled 268 years of Knights' rule over Malta in three days. If you want to understand how empires truly fall, keep reading.
A photo of the Archeological museum of Macedonia - Skopje, Macedonia

Macedonia and the Bulgarian Horrors

During my travels in North Macedonia, I was puzzled to see lots of references and mentioned to ex-UK Prime Minister William Gladstone. What would a 19th-century British statesman have in common with a modern nation-state? The answer focuses on the interdependencies of foreign policy and 19th century realpolitik.
A photo of Abu Dhabi today

Creating the Emirates

The United Arab Emirates exist because of a reaction to Britain's loss of power, post-Word War II. That power, in turn, came about because of geography, rather than outright politics. It's strange to think a modern country exists because of a random geographical feature. This article explains the whole story.
A photo of the facade of the church of St James - Valletta, Malta

St James’ Church, Valletta

St James' Church on Valletta's bustling Merchants' street never attracted my eye the same way the other churches in the city do. When I found out my ancestors married there so I thought I'd take a closer look at this historical building.
A photo of the organ and choir at St Clementine's - Prague, Czechia

St Clements in Pořiči

Near Prague's city centre, but not quite close enough, St Clement's church is possibly one of the oldest religious structures in the city. It is more than 1000 years' old.