by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
Few English kings left such a paradoxical legacy as Henry VI. He was deeply religious, thoughtful, and devoted to learning. Unlike many medieval rulers, he preferred prayer and scholarship to warfare or political intrigue. His personal piety was widely admired, and he...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
Visitors entering Leicester Cathedral often pause near a simple stone tomb set into the floor of the choir. The inscription bears only a name: Richard III. For centuries Richard’s reputation has been anything but simple. Few English monarchs have inspired such...
by Helen Kain | Jul 3, 2026 | Act III - The Stress Test, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act III — The Stress Test, Medieval (1066–1485)
At Warwick Castle the past occasionally interrupts the present. During our visit, one of the guides suddenly shouted across the courtyard: “A Warwick! A Warwick!!” Another voice answered the call, and within seconds two figures were racing up the castle walls,...
by Helen Kain | Jul 2, 2026 | Act II - Building, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act II — Building The Kingdon, Medieval (1066–1485)
Most people know Harold Godwinson for one thing: losing the Battle of Hastings. History has not been especially kind to Harold. Overshadowed by William the Conqueror’s victory, he is often remembered simply as the last Anglo-Saxon king—the man standing in the...
by Helen Kain | Jul 1, 2026 | Act I - Inheritance, Carousel Fascinating People, Early Middle Ages (410-1066), Fascinating People, FP Act I — Inheritance
Some rulers inherit a system and try to preserve it. Others inherit fragments and attempt to rebuild what has been lost. In the 6th century, Justinian I chose the second path. An Empire That Had Not Disappeared By the time Justinian came to power in 527, Rome had not...
by Helen Kain | Jul 1, 2026 | Act II - Building, Carousel Fascinating People, Fascinating People, FP Act II — Building The Kingdon, Medieval (1066–1485)
Most people associate William the Conqueror with England, but his story begins across the Channel in Normandy. A duke known to his contemporaries as William the Bastard inherited a fragile duchy and transformed it into one of the most formidable powers in Europe. Born...
