Once Upon A Time...

...there was a King and a Queen.

Okay, admit it everyone. Compared to European history, American History is just a baby, an infant, barely weened from it's Mother! Okay, maybe by now a pre-teen, just starting to discover rebellion. I love history, but I love European history even more! I love learning how it all unfolded, how we came to where we are now. Because, really, American history started with European history. I Love how things work out! :)

From the Renaissance, to King Henry VIII (who actually is a distant ancestor of mine), to the printing press and the religious Reformation. Spending some significant time in Switzerland and Austria, I gained a perspective of Martin Luther, one of the main religious Reformers (not to say there weren't others) and his influence of leading people away from the corruption that was with Catholicism at the time and some of their traditions, even on pain of death. It was a great quest among the missionaries in Germany/Switzerland/Austria to obtain a Luther Bible. These Bibles were some of the first bibles translated into any other language than Latin. Basically, because of Luther and men like him, the Bible was available for anyone who could read their native language (beginning in German, later English/Spanish/French/Italian). The first copies were done by Luther himself, writing word for word by hand, later with the ever-wonderful Printing Press! Isn't technology beautiful?

Also, aside from the scandal Anne Boleyn caused, did you know she was also influential in England's Reformation? In more ways than one (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)! I spent a good deal of time reading over the last few months about different European history topics then became enthralled with King Henry VIII and his reign and the reigns of his children, especially Elizabeth I. Fascinating and yet so very sad. Truth be told, included in my self-education was "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Tudors" seasons 1 and 2 :) Yes, some creative liberties were taken, but it was still interesting to put faces to the famous (and infamous) characters. I guess it's like my sister's passion with Jane Austin's novels, but these are real people and this stuff really happened (loves to my Sis)! Truly enjoyable was the movie "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" where Cate Blanchett played Elizabeth. Loved it. I guess that movie really spurred my interest for learning more...and more, and more.
And now you know...the start of the rest of the story :)