Hello! I’m Dr Amy Boyington: Historian, author, presenter!
Buy my debut book 'Hidden Patrons: Woman & Architecture in Georgian Britain' is TODAY!!
I am passionate about history! Through my work, publications, TikToks, Instagram & RU-vid I am committed to bringing history to life in an engaging and exciting way.
I attained my PhD in architectural history from the University of Cambridge in 2017. My thesis explored the architectural patronage of women in eighteenth-century Britain. After completing my doctoral thesis, I worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Queens' College, Cambridge.
I have worked in a curatorial capacity at Holkham Hall, Goodwood House and Woburn Abbey. I have also worked for the National Trust, English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces.
And we thought anorexia was a modern phenomenon! Most of these girls appear to have come from poorer families, and having people come from all around to see the girls and give gifts and money to the parents would have been a lucrative way to make a living. Were any parents indicted on charges of fraud? The parents who allowed their daughter to die of starvation deserved the manslaughter verdict, but the doctors and scientists who helped perpetrate these frauds deserved to be prosecuted and punished too. The adults were all guilty of child abuse!
I find it so heartbreaking that Henry was so spiteful and cruel to Katherine that he purposefully put her into deteriorating houses and stopped her from seeing her only surviving child. She sacrificed so much for him and that was her reward… Anne should’ve taken that as a warning that if Henry was willing to do that FOR her, he was just as willing to do it TO her. And indeed he did even worse (although I don’t hold near as much sympathy for Anne because I don’t like home wreckers.)
I don’t know, tbh. While I do think she was ruthless towards anyone who crossed her (you had to be back in those days, especially because you had invasions of the Ottoman Turks to contend with and the rising power/influence of the Habsburg family) so I suspect that servants had every right to be afraid of her. That all said…there’s one fact that makes me suspect that the reports might’ve been exaggerated. Might’ve. After she died, she was first laid to rest in the castle’s church before being moved to the Bathory family crypt. Her body disappeared after that. But if she had truly been such a monster…why did they bury her in consecrated ground not once but twice? Yes, family name is powerful but no sane family would want such a ruthless person in their resting place (remember they believed in the dead rising for the Final Judgment). So…most likely innocent but it’s still plausible she was ruthless and cold to any servants who displeased her.
That quote about how her husband seemed to have lost his heart when his wife died hit home. I lost my fiancé in a car accident and he took my heart with him. It’s been 13 years and I know no other person will ever be good enough. I’ll always be comparing them to him.
She's also responsible for France retaking Alsace-Lorraine from Germany with the letters Whileim sent to her. Also she greatly improved Franco-British relation with her friendship with king Berthie. She vouched also for both Italian and Belgium military aid during their independence.
I remember Milo Foreman commenting on this when he talked about his research for Amadeus. Apparently, powdered wigs (especially tinted ones) were seen as rebellious until they took off.
As someone who was in a similar situation to Mary (mother discarded by father for a newer model) I agree that Mary never forgave her father. I was once a total Daddy’s Girl and my father doted on me. But when the truth about his affairs came out and he abandoned us, I stopped seeing him as Dad. He’s my father. A part of me will always love him. But he’s just a broken pedestal now
Henry VIII actually helped finance a ship that was intended to find the fabled North-West Passage (a mythological sea route above Russia, and down to China). He had heard from a foreign sailor that this fabled passage definitely existed, and so spent an enormous sum financing an expedition to find its whereabouts. Many monarchs, from many countries, would do the same thing over the centuries - trying, and failing, to find this fabled passage, as it would make the sea route to China much faster than sailing all the way around Africa, Arabia, and SE Asia. Of course, sadly, what happened to all of these expeditions is that they ended up stranded in frozen ice. The lucky ones managed to hold out until the thaw melted the ice and they could make it back to their country, and the unlucky ones just died out. Some expeditions just disappeared altogether - there are reports of recovery expeditions returning to find eerie scenes, such as ominous writings in the doctor’s journal, and every member of crew on board missing. But Henry VIII’s expedition was arguably the luckiest, because when they got stranded, they went for a little wander, got picked up by some Cossacks, and ended up as Ivan the Terrible’s guests of honour to wait out the winter! You see, hearing stories of remote countries like England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France, Holland, Spain, and perhaps even more exotic locals, such as Cape Town, would have been fascinating to Ivan whose knowledge of the world was very much isolated to the inlands of the Eurasian continent. Nevertheless, we know about this expedition, because some of the sailors wrote about it in journals. Even more remarkably fascinating is the fact that some of these sailors had met Henry VIII and/or other West European monarchs, and been in their palaces, and - according to the journal entries - the crew all agreed that Western European castles and monarchs didn’t hold a candle to the opulence, beauty, grace, and dignity of the palace, clothes, and demeanour of Ivan the Terrible. They described him as decked out in the most luxurious fabrics, the likes of which they had never seen, completely bejewelled, as was everyone at his court, who were all glamorous and beautiful. The palaces were richly decorated, with gold glinting in the candlelight everywhere the eye could see. Even as lowly sailors they were given pure golden goblets out of which to drink. Of course, all of this was a smart move on Ivan’s part as well. He presumably would have wanted his court to put on a show, so that when these strangers brought back tales of his distant land to Western Europe, his might, strength, and wealth, would be conveyed. Still, it’s a really interesting account. One of my favourites, as a big history geek, with a particular penchant for both Renaissance, and maritime history!
That they used bum pads and tailoring to make the illusion. Tight lacing was rare and using all this is bs. Chilren wore stays. Also the BBC never had the actresses wear anything underneath is COMPLETELY wrong. Trying to change history won't work. Talk to actul dress historians like: Abby Cox, Nicole Rudolph, and Bernadette Banner for actual proper history and clothing instead of this dreak. 🙏 🙏🙏 Please they are awesome, there are more check the out.
I stopped listening to Bernadette Banner a while ago. I don't think she appreciates the (clothing) customs of other cultures. Although, the knowledge she does have in her field is top notch!
It's like a backbrace but more comfortable, so there is no problem with them growing. Children wear backbraces all the time if they have issues with their posture. Also corsetts today are diffrent to stays back in the day and they where also made to size so they don't restrict movement they are there to keep your back more straight while you bend and also they support the heavy garments
I wouldn't exactly call Catherine Parr lucky. She died of childbirth only one year after Henry. And Thomas Seymour wasn't the best husband. But Anne of Cleves was indeed lucky. She had a good relationship with her stepdaughters, lived a wealthy lifestyle and benefited greatly from the annulment.
Also important to note that despite popular belief, a properly fitting corset was never intended to alter ribs, etc. And could even provide relatively comfortable support if it wasn't tight laced as was popular among the very wealthy during part of the latter 1800s. Most women had chores or work to do, and used it as a support garment.
I don’t know, Catherine Parr was able to marry Thomas Seymour but there’s evidence to suggest that he sexually abused Elizabeth (she was living with Catherine Parr for some time after Henry’s death). After Catherine (who was several months pregnant at this point) caught the two in an embrace, Elizabeth was sent away (probably for her own safety because Parr recognized her stepdaughter was in danger around Seymour). Catherine died in childbirth. Her body was barely cold when Seymour proposed to Elizabeth (who was still a teenager) but she declined. Seymour himself got his head chopped off for treason and his and Catherine’s daughter, Mary, was given to the care of relatives. She then disappeared from history.
I think the saddest part was realizing the Marie Antoinette statue's chest has changed color like that from someone grabbing her...like how statues of dogs fade from getting petted.
As the executioner held up her head by her auburn tresses, the crowd got a nasty shock. What most of the crowd didn’t know is that Mary’s glorious auburn hair was actually a wig (IIRC, her natural hair had gone gray). So her head fell to the scaffold and rolled about.
Yes I couldn't understand why publications did not admit she was racially so unattractive, as it was obvious from the photos. She had a a tall elegant figure though, and was intelligent and patient. Elizabeth was too young to marry it would turn out and she exhibited behaviour of psychological disturbance after several years from the strain of monarchical demands and isolation from her family.
@history_with_amy I think her hair might have been heavy due to cimplicated hairstyles and stress rather than just the length and thickness of the hair
I find it really sad that the King was so deep into his illness that they had to use straw to muffle the sounds of the procession lest it upset him. From what I understand, he and Charlotte adored each other despite the troubles their reign brought them
What a terrible death. The Natzi Regime was a disgusting bunch of Murderers. How anyone can claim to be supporters of Facsium is beyond all Normal moral thinking. Thank you for sharing this story. Left we forget how horrible and Blood thirsty these mongrel dogs were and their followers TODAY are no less Dangerous. 80 years and the World has not eradicated this disgusting political idealism of Hate ,White Supremacy and Death of those not like their sorry selves. You are Educating this generation as they know Nothing of what their Great Grandparents of All the worlds country's were subjected to by One Mentally Deranged man and his Deluded Followers. Thank God Edward abdicated the throne of Great Britain for "the love of his life". He supported Hitler before and After his short reign as King with Wallis Simpson besotted by Hitler . Had Hitler Not been Stopped , Edward Vlll would have had Hitlers promise to enthrone him again and God how horrible that would have been! I beg you All ,refresh your Knowledge of the Great Wars, and why the Allies fought so hard to save this planet from the Evil that was Hitlers Fascist beliefs.As a Society we Must NOT Allow such Maniacal Egotists to gain a foot hold ever again over so many. This poor woman was Murdered . What we as a Society BELIEVE matters to All Of Our World Family's SAFTY,Growth and Survival. 🙏✌️🇺🇲🤔
IIRC, the whole reason baby farming became a thing was when a law was passed in GB stating that a man didn’t have to be responsible for the financial care and wellbeing of children born out of wedlock. This was supposed to make people (mostly women) stop engaging in premarital/extramarital affairs because they wouldn’t have a source of income for themselves and their illegitimate children. Unfortunately, as we saw, they essentially threw the baby out with the bath water.
Thomas Seymour’s actions get especially creepy when you learn that he may or may not have sexually abused her and that Catherine’s sending her away was just as much to protect Elizabeth as much as her reputation
Woman Power! Even then! We have been Pushed down for Centuries! Even In this day and Age ,Women must fight like hell as their lives depend on it to be Recognized. Anciently the Anasazi of the Southwest of America ,Women were Everything ! Judges,Rulers,Doctors,Priests, all matriarchal system. Men had 3 purposes. Protect Procreate, Provide . That was it. Where did this system go wrong? Fight on Girls! You ARE the Power behind any Man.
