Before Marco Polo: William of Rubruck’s Journey to Karakorum and Nestorian Christians, 1253–1255
After a Levantian crusade in 1253, Flemish Franciscan monk William of Rubruck ventured further east on the Silk Road by way of Constantinople and the Black Sea in search of the fabled Mongolian capital of Karakorum.
Read More
Davy Crockett’s “Autobiographies”: The Life and Legend in Literature
In 1923 Charles Scribner’s Sons, the famous New York-based publishing company founded in 1846 by Charles Scribner at the start of the Mexican-American War, released The Autobiography of Davy Crockett (1786-1836) – a work about the famous Tennessee frontiersman-turned politician who died in Texas at the Battle of the Alamo.
Read More
When the Colt Revolver came to Texas: The Life of Swante Magnus Swenson
According to the esteemed historian of Texas, Walter Prescott Webb, Colonel Swante Magnus Swenson (1816-1896), an immigrant from Sweden to the United States, was the first person to introduce the Colt revolver to Texas.
Read More
The White House “Mystery” Meeting: Santa Anna meets Andrew Jackson, 1836-1837
The Texas Revolution beginning in the fall of 1835 achieved its goal of independence after defeating General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto April 21, 1836.
Read More
Eric Bloodaxe (2): The Last King of Northumbria’s Ouster from Norway
In the spring of 935 Haakon amassed a large force at Trondheim to battle Eric, and Eric attempted to do the same but realized “the leading men left him” to support his younger brother.
Read More