Essential History | The people, places and events that have shaped our history and culture
The people, places and events that have shaped our history and culture
The Restoration man. This is a portrait of King Charles II attributed to Thomas Hawker. It is an oil on canvas, painted circa 1680 that you can see in the National Portrait Gallery, London. You wouldn’t think he was called the Merry Monarch from this portrait! It was painted near the end of his life [...]
This is a portrait of the 'Chief of Men', Oliver Cromwell, by Robert Walker. It is an oil on canvas and was painted in 1649 – the year King Charles I was tried and executed. Cromwell was a country gentleman who took up arms against King Charles I in order to protect the rights of [...]
Here is a glittering portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn - that you can see at the National Portrait Gallery. Elizabeth I lived from 1533-1603 and reigned from 1558-1603. This portrait was by an unknown English artist in c.1600 and is known as 'The Coronation portrait' - because [...]
This is one of a collection of buildings in Whitehall that was the centre of British naval power from the mid-1700's to the 1960's. It is officially called the Admiralty Extension, and is on Horse Guards. Completed in 1904, it was the workplace of Ian Flemming; creator of James Bond (and Chitty Chitty Bang [...]
Think you can only visit the interior of Buckingham Palace during the summer months? In fact you can visit The Queen's Gallery all year round. It may not have the magnificence of the State Rooms, but it's actually inside the Palace and shows artworks from the Queen's vast 'Royal Collection'. It's a privately owned collection; [...]