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And so it begins. Just bought this and vol II. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199246769/ref=ox_ya_os_product
When you finish the book you should write a review of it and put it up on my blog. It is turning into a history book review site anyway since the only thing I seem to have time to write is reviews of the books I read. You can post it yourself or email it to me and I will post it under your name since you already have an account.As a matter of fact I would ask everyone to do the same that I have invited to contribute to my blog such as Phid and Notch.
If I do, I'll shoot it by you first. Almost a third of the way done with the 1st volume. So far, I think it's excellent and quite interesting!I think the reason the British Navy became dominant in the latter half of the 17th century is because the warships were financed by privateers rather than the Crown (which was the case with Spain and Portugal). Also, the early British naval leaders were the shipbuilders, merchants, and enterpreneurs so they knew their ships' capabilities and it was these people, not the Queen, who were more interested in colonization. The Royals' main focus of colonization at this time was on the plantations of Ireland and relations with northern European nations but they were cetainly happy with and supportive of British piracy and taking from the Spanish.
Why would the private parties be responsible for building ships in Portugal and Spain? Interesting if that is what you are saying.
Just briefly. So I'm up to about the latter half of the 17th century in my reading. Great Britain was really starting to get legs and coming into power as far as naval and economic strength and were beginning to find success in colonization. They were also wrestling with the idea of “Empire” which to me is incredibly interesting. There was some sentiment of anti-imperialism going on though (I did not know that Paradise Lost was an anti-imperialism epic). I stopped and found this journal entry called “The Rise of Anti-Imperialism in England” available at j-stor. I am slightly surprised to find that Adam Smith was quite against the idea of an English empire.
Something you may find of interest: I am going through a lecture series on the history of Italy, and yesterday the lecture was on the city of Genoa. Genoa was a great maritime city in the medieval period, and its patron saint was St. George. Because the British fleet was relatively weak at this point in time, they would fly under the Genoese St. George flag (white with red cross) so as to make others think the fleet was part of the more powerful Genoese fleet.
The Union Jack? Around 1606 (at least some variation of it).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Jack#HistoryInteresting - I did not know that the Union Jack was a combination of the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick.
Interesting - I did not know that the Union Jack was a combination of the crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick.
I am shocked and surprised that you did not know that. I thought it was common knowledge, at least among the informed, of which I count you and the rest of the regular posters as being among that group. Maybe I just think so because my Mom is English?
The Union Jack? Around 1606 (at least some variation of it).
No. St George's Cross is an England only flag.I would also like to stress the word UNION in the name Union Jack (sorry, couldn't resist 😀 )Now here's some trivia to throw you all off. Why no representation of the Wales flag (dragon) in all this?
The Union Jack is a combination of all three. Why would they have anything about Wales on there? The Welsh are a stubborn lot who fail to admit that they were crushed almost a thousand years ago. They exist only as a courtesy and in the name of the traditional Ducal seat of the Heir Apparent.
Theoretically, that's probabaly correct, and they are also snobby as well as stubborn. (But I'll give them this, this year they do have a better national rugby team than England) It is because the first Union flag was created after Wales became a principality of the Kingdom of England.
I am shocked and surprised that you did not know that. I thought it was common knowledge, at least among the informed, of which I count you and the rest of the regular posters as being among that group. Maybe I just think so because my Mom is English?
I have not studied British history in very much depth (especially recently, as my area is Italy) and I have never visited the country aside from brief stops at Heathrow (I know, that doesn't really count anyway). I have been to Ireland a few times, and since I am half Irish, Hibernia is where my heart is.
Don't feel bad. I have spent 10 of the last 17 years in Germany and have not been to England. I have family there too, I have not seen my Aunt since I was 5, sometimes I fell bad about it but not very often. The biggest thing I remember about living in England as a child is being chased by my Grandmother with her cane who wanted to beat me for some infraction, and my older brother getting hit by a car.
