The Anglo-French struggle for mastery in India during the Seven Year’s War differed vastly from those in other theaters in one crucial respect- the British and French governments were not the primary belligerents. Those roles fell on their respective East India Companies, which were allied and somewhat dependent but quite separate entities.

While the Compagnie des Indes was from inception almost an offshoot of the government, its English counterpart was emphatically not. The Company...

Perhaps the greatest rivalry of the Modern Era, the Anglo-French rivalry has literally encompassed the entire history of both these nations bar the last hundred years. They fought the famous Hundred Years' War against each other and were bitter antagonists throughout the Middle Ages. This entry, however, focuses primarily on the Long 18th century, from the Glorious Revolution in 1688 until the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 (although the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars shall be saved for a later...

King Philip IV, also known as Philip the Fair, had three sons, and a daughter named Isabella. Their names were Louis, Philip, and Charles in that order. All of them made good marriages as befitting their station. Louis married Marguerite of Burgundy and Philip married Jeanne of Burgundy. Charles married Jeanne’s sister, Blanche of Burgundy. The two sister’s were Marguerite’s cousin, so they were all related in one way or the other. Isabella married Edward II of England. The tale of that marriage...

Collage entitled "Chic Queen Faces the Guillotine" by author. The collage image to the right is a sketch of Marie Antoinette by Jacques David, as she road to her public execution in 1793, not yet 38 years old.

Marie Antoinette was the beautiful Queen of France who became a symbol for the wanton extravagance of the 18th century monarchy,...

In honor of her birthday, I post below a close up of Marie Antoinette from the above portrait of the Queen in blue velvet by Vigee LeBrun in 1788.

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/I...box/1137403608

Below is a further image from that portrait. It was the last portrait of the Queen in life by Vigee LeBrun....