At the heart of this blog (and most of what I do) is history. If I could, I would make a career out of it but in the meantime I will continue on sharing some of my favourite bits and pieces of history with you dear readers! My goal for An Historian About Town will always be to make history accessible and enjoyable for all, and to remove any barriers that hinder. I’ve shared several different series and posts this year that I am particularly proud of, and I’ve chosen my favourite 2023 history posts today!
My Favourite 2023 History Posts
This year I spent much of the first five months focusing on Coronation-related history, and I have to say, I learned a lot. (And my area of study is royal history!) Coronations are actually fairly rare events, and a lot of things that we “know” are actually a game of historical telephone. However, I did have other series on the go, and several different topics that I had been wanting to cover for ages!
Consort of the Month: Catherine de Medici
My Consort of the Month series is a spin-off of my Monarch of the Month series, and I am very much enjoying this one. So many consorts from history have played significant roles in history but are ignored for their royal spouse (and/or royal children). I’ve got nearly two years scheduled out, I am truly spoilt for choice.
Catherine de Medici has been one of my favourites in the first year of the series. She is somewhat well-known in historical circles (what I refer to as the second-tier- still known by some of the general public but not on the level of Marie-Antoinette or Anne Boleyn), but much of what is “known” is actually hearsay. She led a jam-packed life and was a significant presence during several French reigns.
The History of the Real-Life Sanditon
Heartbreakingly, 2023 saw the end of Sanditon. This is a beloved period drama, and although I was sad to see the last episode air, I am truly grateful that we were able to have three seasons. While we regularly get new adaptations of Jane Austen novels, we do not get that much in the extended “universe”. Having a peek into a possible Austen-ish world with a new story was brilliant.
The fictional town of Sanditon had several real-life counterparts, including Lyme Regis. While the show focuses on the drama of the characters with the town in the background, I specifically looked at the town itself and of course, Jane Austen’s own connections with the town.
The History of Georgian Coronations
May 2023 was Georgian History Month on the blog, and because it was also the month of King Charles III’s coronations, I decided to do a deep dive on Georgian coronations. What I find fascinating about the Georgian coronations is that we have five very distinct coronations that took very different approaches to what we often consider a “set” ceremony. From the first Georgian king, King George I, who could not speak English, all the way through to the last, King William IV, who essentially had to be forced to even have a coronation, we have over a century of coronation history!
The 10 Best Audiobooks for History Lovers
Quite simply, if you enjoy history and like listening to your books (via audiobooks), these might be the books for you! I’ve gathered both historical fiction and non-fiction books that span a variety of time periods and topics- hopefully there is something for you!
History From Afar Series: Intro, Books, History Talks, Online Exhibitions, Courses, Networking
This series is one of my proudest accomplishments on the blog, and given that we are quickly approaching my nine-year anniversary, that is saying something! I fully admit- being that I live in the middle of Canada and am very limited geographically, I am often very jealous of my peers who live in Europe and have direct access to the historic sites, museums, and archives that I would love to be able to visit regularly. However, being realistic, I cannot.
Luckily though, technology has made history far more accessible. Throughout this series (I’ve linked all six posts above), I cover how you can access free (or very low cost) history books, courses, talks, and exhibitions, as well as how you can network with other historians no matter where you are. A lot of readers express to me that they feel that they aren’t historians because they either do not have a degree or live somewhere remotely, but neither of those factors stop you from being an historian. Do we sometimes have to get creative? Yes, but hopefully this series will help you make the most of the resources available to us!
Of these 2023 history posts on the blog, which was your favourite?
Cheers,
The Historian
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