#williamite

Williamite soldiers from the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97, illustrated by Giuseppe Rava, shows William III's army.

Top Centre: Trooper, Royal Regt of Scots Dragoons

Bottom Left: Musketeer, Danish Royal Footguards Bn

Here’s the thing, the Victorian Era was from 1837 to 1901, that’s 64 years.  It saw the invention of the phonograph (1877), the light bulb (1879), the automobile (1886), the radio (1895), just to name a few.  Crude oil was discovered during this period, revolutionizing how the world got its energy to this day.  Locomotives became ubiquitous, thousands of miles of track infrastructure were laid to connect disparate parts of the world.  Slavery was abolished in the United States (for the most part; the 13th Amendment still allows slavery for prisoners).  The Second Industrial Revolution was kicked off, setting the course for the future we know today!  So much happened in this period, that it is bizarre that we give it a single definitive label rather than breaking it up.  

Think about it this way; since 1952 we’ve been living in the Elizabethan Era.  The world was SO different in 1952, it is laughable to say that then and now should be folded together under a single label.  Television became ubiquitous.  Computers were invented, the internet became a thing, wireless landlines gave way to cell phones gave way to smart phones.  Home entertainment became a thing; before VHS tapes, if it wasn’t on TV, you just couldn’t watch it.  Tapes gave way to DVD gave way to digital streaming.  The Cold War had only just started in 1952; the US nuclear monopoly ended in 1949, the Korean War was fought 1950-1953, the Vietnam War from 1955-1975.  The US overthrew the democratically elected government of Iran and instated a monarchy which was then overthrown by the modern theocratic government, soon followed by the Iranian Oil Crisis and the Iranian Hostage Crisis.  Germany was split in two, Europe was split in two.  The Civil Rights Movement defined the 50s and 60s, the US was desegregated.  The Space Race, we put satellites in orbit, we landed a man on the moon!  We created the International Space Station; there has been an uninterrupted human presence in space since November 2000.  The Soviet Union collapsed; a major superpower disappeared overnight, and Russia has never held as much international sway since.  The Persian Gulf War led directly to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (and soon, the war in Iran), the endless “war on terror” with no goals and no exit strategies.

So much has happened in the last 68 years, it’s crazy to imagine that anyone in the future will refer to this period as a singular Elizabethan Era.  If it refers only to the UK and not to the rest of the world, it still doesn’t make sense because the British Empire has all but ceased to exist (some overseas dependencies and territories not withstanding), they developed nuclear weapons in 1952 and thermonuclear weapons in 1957, the modern British Motorways began development shortly after World War II (analogous to the US interstate system which Eisenhower oversaw), the Troubles in Ireland lasted from the 1960s to the 1990s, China retook control over Hong Kong in 1997.   The Treaty of Rome in 1958 led the way for the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993 which saw the foundation of the European Union, which the UK is leaving in less than a month after almost 4 years of Brexit negotiations.  The UK went from Winston Churchill who is almost universally beloved, to Margaret Thatcher who is almost universally hated, to Boris Johnson who is a super villain disguised as a bumbling fool so people will laugh at him instead of being appalled.

Victorian England: 1837 - 1901 (so much shit happened)

Edwardian England: 1901 - 1910 (not a lot happened)

Georgian England: 1910 - 1936 (World War I and the start of World War II)

Edwardian England: 1936 (jack squat happened; he abdicated after 11 months)

Georgian England: 1936 - 1952 (World War II and the start of the Cold War)

Elizabethan England: 1952 - present (so much shit is happening)

Carolean England will start sometime in the 2020s and could extend into the 2040s if he lives as long as his mom

Williamite England will start soon after, and could extend into the 70s or 80s

Georgian England could extend well into the 22nd century

This Just In: The Glorious ‘King’ Threatens to Remove his Protection!

Happy New Years! As you may remember our Xmas list included more than a few items to feed Glorious Revolution collection cravings, so here is one of the gifts that turned up under out tree, hot out of the Santa’s mitten.

Titled, His Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech in the House of Lords, to the Lords and Commons Assembled at Westminster the Eighteenth Day of February, 1688/9, William issues a vailed threat to withdraw his forces to Holland unless Parliament is ‘sensible,’ reminding them of the ‘dangers’ that face them, and the importance of a ‘good settlement at home.’

The booklet consists of two pages that are bound together by applying a glue to the doubled over left edges of the sheets. It is very clean and appears to have never been bound into a larger collection of similar pamphlets, or broadsides.    

The Belfast Corporation address to King William of Orange at Belfast castle, 1690. 

Scottish and English soldiers of the Protestant/Williamite forces during the Glorious Revolution.

1) Musketeer of Hasting’s Regiment, one of only two regiments to stand firm during the Jacobite victory at Killiecrankie in 1689. 

2) Captain, Earl of Angus’s Regiment, raised from Scottish Covenanters on the orders of William of Orange. A total of 1,200 men enlisted in a single night and, unlike other regular regiments, each company had its own Presbyterian elder. The regiment defeated the Jacobites at Dunkeld.

This Just In: William Gloriously Gabs at London Aldermen!

The Glorious Revolution collecting continues, and this is our newest acquisitions hot out of the courier’s hand.

Titled, Divers of the Members of the Parliaments in the Reign of the late King Charles the Second, and the Aldermen and Common Council of The City of London, pursuant to His Highness the Prince of Orange's Desire, meeting at St. James’s the 26th December 1688, William seeks the advice on achieving his Declaration of Reasons, ultimately leading to the acceptance of the Declaration of Rights on February 13th of 1689.