History of Leith, Edinburgh

The ‘Wars of Religion’ took place in France over the course of four decades, from 1562-1598. Rather like the Hundred Years War, they consisted of a series of wars rather than one continuous conflict. But this time it was a long series of civil wars, between Catholics and Protestants (known as Huguenots – hence the wars are also referred to as the Huguenot Wars) , that led to so much bloodshed. for more click here

The ancient Franco-Scottish connection has it’s roots in a centuries-long association of the two peoples in a political and military alliance. It was an alliance of a classical pattern, many times repeated in the history of international relations. An old political commentator recommended, ‘Stand well with your neighbour, but better with your neighbour’s neighbour’. for more click here

The House of Guise was a French ducal family, partly responsible for the French Wars of Religion.

The Guises were Catholic, and Henry Guise wanted to end growing Calvinist influence. The assassination of Guise heightened passions and inspired Catholic attacks on Huguenots and their culture.

The House of Guise was founded as a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine by Claude de Lorraine, first Duke of Guise (1496-1550), who entered French service and was made a duke by King François I. Claude’s daughter, Mary of Guise (1515-1560), married King James V of Scotland and was mother of Mary Queen of Scots. Claude’s eldest son, François, became a military hero thanks to his capture of Calais from the English in 1558. for more click here

The = sign marks a marriage, with the | sign showing the children of that particular marriage underneath. Children of the same marriage are numbered but not necessarily in order of birth…..for more click here

Guelders or Gueldres (Dutch: Gelre, German: Geldern) is the name of a historical county, later duchy in the Low Countries.

The duchy was named after the town of Geldern, which is now in Germany. The present province of Gelderland (English also Guelders) in the Netherlands occupies most of the area of the former duchy. for more click here

Fifty-five years have passed away since the demolition of the venerable Trinity College Church of Edinburgh, and the controversy over the search for the remains of Mary of Gueldres, the pious foundress, is well-nigh forgot. for more click here

Trinity College Kirk was a royal collegiate church in Edinburgh, Scotland. The kirk and its adjacent almshouse, Trinity Hospital, were founded in 1460 by Mary of Gueldres in memory of her husband, King James II. Queen Mary was interred in the church, until her coffin was moved to Holyrood Abbey in 1848. for more click here

The Roman currency developed throughout the duration of the empire and was lead by the whims and desires of emperors coupled with the effects of inflation.

The Uncia formed the basis of the early Roman currency, as Rome gradually emerged from a bartering economy. It was the twelfth of a Roman pound of bronze, hence it was a ‘Roman ounce’. The smaller denominations of coins only played a part in the early part of the empire and later became obsolete due to inflation. Hence the vast range of coins. for more click here

The Changing Shape of the British Provinces. for more click here

Thomas Hamilton Architect of South Leith Church restoration in 1848. From a portrait in the Royal Scottish Academy