Charles II in Exile: Brugge

-

And now, to steal a phrase from Monty Python, for something completely different...

Portrait of Henry, Duke of Gloucester at Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian

It is spring 1656, Charles II along with his brothers Henry, Duke of Gloucester and James, Duke of York arrive in Brugge. Charles had fled England in 1651 after his defeat at Worcester, he originally lived near Paris, then moved to Cologne, before ending up in Brugge.

The time that Charles spent in Brugge recently hit the headlines when Belgian fishermen tested the right to fish in British waters post Brexit: Charles had granted 50 Flemish fishermen from Brugge “eternal rights” to English fishing waters, as a way of thanking the city for its hospitality.
the time keeping apparatus on top of Huis Bouchoute

Charles was originally housed in Huis Bouchoute, which is now more famous for its role in the standardisation of Belgian timekeeping.

Grand Hotel Casselbergh is more widely known as Charles's residence whilst in Brugge. This upmarket hotel boasts a memorial to Charles, the Lifeguards, and the Grenadier Guards, who Charles founded as Royal Regiments .

Charles and his brothers became interested in the Bruges militia guilds. Charles II, his brother Henry and some English officers joined the Saint-Sebastian Guild in August 1656 and regularly took part in their archery activities.

Fireplace in the King's Hall at Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian

The Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian has a number of items celebrating Charles's connection with the guild. The King's Hall is dominated by a Charles II themed fireplace: the hall was built with the money given to the Guild by Charles after his restoration. The Guild can be visited 'by appointment only' see here for details.

Addresses for SatNavs

Huis Bouchoute, Markt 15, 8000 Brugge
Grand Hotel Casselbergh, Hoogstraat 6, 8000 Brugge
Royal Guild of Saint-Sebastian, Carmersstraat 174, 8000 Brugge

If you enjoyed reading this, or any of the other posts, please consider supporting the blog. 
Thanks.







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horse

-
Image
Here's the final (for the moment) instalment in the What Figures? series. This post looking at mounted figures.  For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig. Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. No commentary on figure size or ruler action (that's down to parts 2a and 3a).    Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot   - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm, with the obligatory ruler shots.  Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm (obligatory ruler content too)  This post. Which Figures? Part 3b: True
Read more

Coat Colours Part 1: Parliamentarian Regiments of Foot

-
Image
When I first started my Civil War gaming project I relied upon the many ECW coat colour tables on wargaming websites. As my project has progressed, my library has got bigger, my research has gone back to primary sources rather than relying upon second and third hand sources; and I have noticed quite a few errors in these lists for wargamers. I have also noticed the same errors appearing in multiple lists.     As a result of continually seeing 'the London Trained Bands and their Auxiliaries wore red coats' (there is no evidence supporting this at all, the evidence, whilst not explicit suggests that the London Trained Bands wore civilian clothes - some of the Auxiliaries might have been issued with blue winter coats) I decided to write my own list.  So here it is. If your allegiance lies elsewhere you might want to look at  Introduction   Part 2  Royalist coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Pa
Read more

Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot

-
Image
Finally, here is the first of the long promised size comparison shots. This post looking at foot figures.  For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig. Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. No commentary on figure size or ruler action (that's down to parts 2a and 3a).    Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm, with the obligatory ruler shots. This post. Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses  - I show side by side comparisons of what is available in 15/18mm (obligatory ruler content too)  Which Figures? Part 3b: True 15mm/Epic C
Read more

Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility - Foot

-
Image
My original Which Figures posts have grown exponentially, so much so that I decided to revise the information. For the full picture see:- Which Figures?   - the original post, where I ruminate about what I want from figures, and what led me to choose Peter Pig Which Figures? What is Available   - the state of play with current 'ECW' 15mm figure ranges; a continually updating look at what figures are available, and what is included/missing from ranges. Which Figures? Part 2a: Size Matters: Foot   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons  Coming Soon Which Figures? Part 2b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Foot   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility Which Figures? Part 3a: Size Matters: Horses   - I take a look at what is available in 15/18mm and show side by side comparisons Which Figures? Part 3b: True 15mm/Epic Compatibility: Horses   - a more in depth look at smaller 15mm compatibility I had a little rummage in my spares b
Read more

Celtic Soul Brothers

-
Image
Any excuse to drop a Dexy's song title into a blog entry... hopefully the earworm doesn't last too long. This post takes a long hard look at the new brace of supplements for For King And Parliament. Neither of these supplements were penned by Mr Miller, instead their authors are Bill Linhart, Peter Page, and Paul Reynolds. And they are to be commended for pushing the conflicts from the other two kingdoms (that make up the Wars of the Three Kingdoms).  Scotland and Ireland, in particular, are very much the poor relations in comparison to the English components of the Wars. The first volume is "The Celtic Fringe", a 26 page book of supplementary rules. Whilst written for For King And Parliament, they could well be an excellent starting point for those who play other rulesets. There are rules for the different troop types associated with the various Scots and Irish armies, so archers, highlanders, lancers, 'rabble'; and rules covering associated terrain for these
Read more

Naseby - a Visitor's Guide

-
Image
Updated. As the Naseby Battlefield Project appear to want to steer you towards a guided tour of the battlefield, here's the information that you need for a self-guided tour. Back in the day when this blog was knee high to a grasshopper I wrote an entry about visiting Naseby, with a picture of the obelisk and a few postcodes for some of the landmarks on the battlefield. I also vowed to return. I have (several times). So here is a more definitive (and up to date) visitor's guide to Naseby battlefield. In my previous blog entry I suggested using a Battlefield Trail Guide from The Naseby Battlefield Project website , but this has disappeared from their website ; so, here is my guide to the locations. There were audio clips for each location (again via the Battlefield Project website) but these appear to have disappeared too. The information boards are being updated, most sites have shiny new information boards in situ; some still have QR codes for the audio guide (don't tr
Read more

Warlord Pike and Shotte Epic Battles: the infantry sprue

-
Image
Firstly a big thank you to Warlord Games who sent me a sprue of their new Pike and Shotte Epic Battles infantry. (You can see how I got on with the cavalry sprue here. ) I will try and look at these figures from three different angles: the first impression of someone completely new to the period, the button counter’s standpoint, and then from a seasoned wargamer’s point of view. In all cases I'm looking at these through Wars of the Three Kingdoms spectacles. (Wars of the Three Kingdoms is a more accurate name for the conflicts that were fought in the British Isles in the mid seventeenth century. The English Civil War was just one of these conflicts.) The obligatory next to a ruler picture (the ruler is lined up with the soles of their footwear) The 'new to the period' view This one sprue provides enough figures for one unit (a Regiment of Foot or RoF). Figures look very detailed, moulding is clean and crisp with no flash and only minimal mould lines. The pikes look a bit d
Read more

Coat Colours Part 2: Royalist Regiments of Foot

-
Image
Continuing my therapeutic blogging (write rather than rant) antidote to incorrect English Civil War coat colour tables for wargamers, I give you the Royalist Regiments of Foot. For all of my coat colour articles see: Introduction   Part 1  Parliamentarian coat colours Part 3  Scots coat colours Part 3B  Montrose and the Irish Brigade Part 4  Dragoons, Horse and the New Model Army coat colours The Trained Bands London Trained Bands Auxiliary regiments Scarves   Same rules apply here, as they did with the Parliamentarian coat colours: Regiments often got renamed when command passed to a new colonel - these regiments are listed under their first name e.g. Jacob Astley's Regiment was originally Richard Fielding's Regiment. Coat colour notes refer to contemporaneous references and some of the deductions made by Reid, Spring,  Peachey and Prince. You will also notice that some regiments have several coat colours listed. Where there is some question around a coat colour I have t
Read more

Radio 4 Real Dictators

-
Image
Jings and crivens, a bonus post on a not-Monday. Be still my beating heart. Once again the leading British talk radio station dips its toe in the preserve of North Derbyshire's premier Civil War blog. Cromwell's Statue at Parliament BBC Radio 4 has a series on dictators. Four of the latest batch of episodes cover Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. So just shy of 3 1/2 hours on such issues as the origin of the story of his abduction by a monkey as a baby. I've not ploughed my way through the three episodes currently available, but what I've listened to so far is very good, balanced and accurate.  Just ignore the inevitable gaffs such as the description of regiments of foot at Edgehill at the start of episode 2; the description of Boye; Rupert's lobsters; and a goose stepping New Model Army. You can find episode 1 here . The BBC Sounds app should automatically open the following episodes. The series will be available online until mid April 2025. If you enjoyed reading t
Read more

Livestock

-
Image
 Every agrarian economy needs livestock, even in 15mm land. So I thought I'd better provide some. My inner model railway modeller/ reader of glossy rule books with idyllic 'scenes' voice told me I needed more, yes more, battlefield clutter. First up are some piggies. These are from Hovels, and were extras from my    'Pig Sty' 18D5 (from their ancients range). Next up are some chickens. There should probably be lots more of these, but can I face painting beaks and combs on such tiny things? Yes, I can. So no doubt there will be more of these at some point, when I next place an order with Pendraken. Considering England's wealth was based upon the wool trade I thought I should have lots of sheep. Is forty sheep a lot? Enough to make a landowner fat and wealthy from the profits. Probably not. More will arrive from Pendraken at some point I'm sure. Pendraken have a very useful range of animals in a plethora of figure sizes, one of their cats is located on a Parl
Read more