A beginners guide to Medieval games.

It can be argued that the face of modern Europe was changed by Kriegsspiel or “war game”.

Orgies…your first thought is so wrong. Now find out why.

As Corporal Jones often said in the long-running BBC sitcom “ Dad’s Army ”: “They don't like it up 'em!” An old soldier, a veteran of the small wars of the British Empire, Jonesy was right, although it must be said that a large quantity of lead balls or bullets to demoralise the enemy always preceded any bayonet charge. From the early 17th- to the early 20th-century bayonets were infantry melee weapons used both defensively and offensively, usually in mass chargers or human w

Despite the best efforts of historians, the internet is still awash with misconceptions about the Middle Ages. Many of these ideas were the product of Victorian writers and historians reflecting Mediæval life through the lens of their own society, as was done by antiquarians before them and by historians since. However, after more than a century in popular culture, and being taught in schools, these sometimes broad, sweeping assertions remain deeply rooted in everyday conscio

The spear’s endearing simplicity has seen it adopted by virtually all cultures and societies across the globe. Indeed, the history of the spear is [almost] as old as that of homo sapiens where it has been used as a tool for hunting and/or fishing. Along with the club, knife, and axe, it is one of the earliest and most widespread tools ever developed by early humans. Even after the invention of other hunting weapons such as the bow and sling, the spear continued to be used, ei

Correcting a documentary faux pas, discover the history behind men's braces (suspenders if you prefer).

Debunking the idea that people in the Middle Ages were ignorant and uneducated.

I wonder how many of us take the humble tin can for granted? Have you ever stopped to think of the origins of this omnipresent object as you toss another one into the recycling? As the name might imply, Tastes Of History spends a lot of time teaching history in primary schools across Great Britain. Our workshops from the Stone Age to World War 2 are also mirrored by our practical cooking demonstrations at historical events around the country. While talking with children and a

In the September edition of BBC History magazine Anatoly Liberman, professor at the University of Minnesota and author of An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology, wrote on the origin of the phrase “by hook or by crook”, meaning “to get something done, no matter how”. Although the rhyme’s derivation is far from clear, this has not stopped popular theorising. According to Professor Liberman, some people point to AD 1169, the year King Henry II invaded Ireland. This theory l

July 29th, 1588: On this day in 1588, the fearsome Spanish Armada is sighted off England’s southern coast.

Impressment, colloquially known as “ the press” or the “press gang” [1] , was a means by which European navies could forcibly compel men into service during the 17th-century and up to the early 19th-century either to crew their fleets at the outbreak of war or to replace men lost to death or desertion. Essentially no different to conscription employed by the British Army, the Royal Navy’s system began in 1664, although the practice can be traced back to the time of King Edwa

Wrecking Wrecking is the practice of taking valuables from a shipwreck which has foundered or run aground close to shore. Wrecks were frequent in Devon and Cornwall where the rocky coastline, and strong prevailing onshore winds helped scupper many merchant ships and warships. A tradition still exists that, during the 17th- and 18th-centuries, wreckers deliberately decoyed ships on to coasts using tricks, especially false lights, so that they ran aground for easy plundering. W

Pictured below is a spear recovered from an outbuilding at a former family residence, at the time called “Parthia”, in Beckhampton, Wiltshire. It has been in the author’s possession since the 1980s but in the intervening 40+ years precisely what it was or where it came from was unknown. While its origin remains a mystery, the desire to identify whether it is, as suspected, an African spear finally demanded some research. Based on the evidence so far, it appears it is a possib

Upside down Union Flags

Crucifixion?...Good. Out of the door. Line on the left. One cross each. Next... Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a tree, stake, beam or large wooden cross, and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by, among others. the ancient Greeks, Persians, Carthaginians and the Romans. Supposedly one of the keenest practitioners of crucifixion historically, to the Romans crucifixion was a punishment reserved

Recently the BBC broadcast an episode of “ Rick Stein’s Food Stories ” that stated the origin of fish and chips lay with the Portuguese who first fried fish in the 15th-century. While the fried fish claim might have a historical basis, as we will see, the connection with chips is more problematic as potatoes did not appear in Britain until the late 16th-century or early 17th-century. So, was Mr Stein correct? We set out to find out and it seems that, while now a quintessentia

In an earlier article we explored the origin of the French dish Chicken à la Marengo which was named, according to a popular myth, after the battle of the same name where the French army of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte defeated an Austrian army in June 1800. While researching and writing that article we also came across some other familiar things also reputedly named after famous battles. What follows, therefore, is a brief exploration of their origin stories starting with the

For some time we, at Tastes Of History , believed the hare was a native species in Britain belonging to the genus Lepus [1] . A recent post on social media, however, advocated the Brown Hare was introduced during Roman times and that the Mountain Hare was the only native subgenus. We were surprised so had to investigate further. The Brown Hare, more correctly called the European Hare ( Lepus europaeus ), is native to much of continental Europe and part of Asia, ranging from

February 12th , 1554 : England's forgotten queen, Lady Jane Grey, is executed for treason. In most popular histories, and as taught in probably all UK schools, succession of British monarchs in the early modern period goes Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary 1 and Elizabeth I. There is, however, a notable absence in this list of Tudor kings and queens, namely Lady Jane Grey. Admittedly the title 'lady' does not make her regal connection immediately obvious, but neither wou