Historical Tidbits

Historical Tidbits

• King James I of England (aka: James VI of Scotland) used the term "Great Britain" for the first time on 20th October 1604. However, Parliament would pass the Act of Union over a century later.

"Seeing that there is but one head of both peoples, which is Ourself, We have thought good to discontinue the divided names of England and Scotland out of Our Regal style, and do intend and resolve to take and resume unto Us the name and style of King of Great Britain."

• The Wars of the Roses was never actually called as such. It was not until 1829 that the term was first used by Sir Walter Scott in his novel "Anne of Geierstein".

• The reign of Charles II of England did not actually start in 1660 - it began with his father, Charles I's execution in 1649 - his Restoration was conditional (see: Declaration of Breda). As such, all the parliamentary Acts of Charles I, declared illegal under the "Commonwealth" were once again legal. So simply put, the English Civil War in fact achieved nothing.

• The reforms instituted by Simon de Montfort (d.1265), which culminated in the Provisions of Oxford (1258), continued to be implemented by the man who opposed him both on the field of battle (Second Barons War) and in the Parliament - King Edward I of England.