Author: Dr. Zar

A Brief History On November 17, 1810, Sweden declared war on its ally the United Kingdom to begin the Anglo-Swedish War, although no fighting ever took place and there were no casualties! Digging Deeper Prior to 1810, Britain and Sweden were allies against Napoleonic France.  In 1810, however, the situation changed.  France and Sweden concluded The Treaty of Paris on January 6, 1810, forcing Sweden to join the Continental System, a trade embargo against Great Britain.  Next, after The Swedish Crown Prince Charles August died on May 28, 1810, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, a Marshal of France and husband of Napoleon’s former…

A Brief History On November 15, 1280, St. Albertus Magnus died, after having reportedly built an android and discovered the philosopher’s stone, but according to the faithful his body did not deteriorate and according to Mary Shelley, his writings influenced mad scientist Victor Frankenstein! Digging Deeper Dominican friar and Catholic bishop Albertus Magnus (Albert the Great) is today renowned as one of only 35 people to be designated a “Doctor” of the Catholic Church.  A polymath, Albert of Cologne may have been the greatest German philosopher and theologian of the Middle Ages, having dabbled in everything from alchemy to astrology…

A Brief History On November 14th, the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Theodora who once spanked a man after he talked trash about his own wife! Digging Deeper One of history’s most influential and significant empresses is Theodora (c. 500 A.D. – June 28, 548 A.D.).  Her life is also among the more difficult imperial lives to get a clear picture of because to some she is revered as a saint, whereas to others she is remembered for having possibly worked in a brothel and being the daughter of a dancer and actress (not considered classy professions in those days).…

A Brief History On November 13, 1002, English king Æthelred II the Unready ordered the killing of all Danes in England, known today as the St. Brice’s Day massacre. Digging Deeper When Æthelred became King of the English in 978, his realm had experienced repeated incursions by Danes.  The situation was so bad that the English king even had to pay tribute to Denmark’s king starting in 991.  Not surprisingly, Æthelred would eventually want some kind of way out of these humiliations.  So, he decided to take decisive action on the feast day of a fifth century Bishop of Tours.…

A Brief History On November 12, 1933, Hugh Gray took the first known photos of the Loch Ness Monster. Digging Deeper Outside of maybe Bigfoot, Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster) is probably the most well-known cryptid in the English-speaking world.  Claims of the existence of this monster date back possibly as far back as to Saint Columba (December 7, 521 A.D. – June 9,  597 A.D.).  According to legend, Columba helped rescue a man from a water beast in Scotland. Of course, humans had not yet invented photographs and so it would not be for another nearly millennium and a…