New Year, oldest of all holidays, first observed in 2000 BC. Babylon celebrated the new year on what is now March 23 although they had no written calendar.
Jan 4: Medieval catalogue of flowers for each day of the year
Jan 23: A Great Wonder in Heaven, 1647
Apparition of battle 2 months ago between King and Parliament. Vision lasted until 3 a m complete with drums, clashing arms, groans of dying. Final appearance witnessed by King's emissaries. Experienced witnesses recognized combatants involved in the battle.
Feb 16: No one of note entered the world on this day!
MIDSUMMER'S EVE June 23
A LEARNED COD FISH 1626 large codfish cut open at Cambridge market in England found with a copy of John Frith's book of religious treatises.
RAISING THE DEVIL Medieval England believed it possible to raise the Devil by running backwards around ancient druid stones. The Devil would arrive with a bowl of porridge in exchange for each runner's soul.
MADNESS, DEATH OR POETRY To sleep in an encirclement of druid stones tonight would bring death, madness or poetry.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (Day of the Dead)
All Saints Day Nov 1 - 2. Colorful Latin American feast. Church bells toll Oct 31 to announce visits of child spirits, Nov 1 to announce adults. Day of the Dead is the most spectacular and closest to indigenous spirit, strengthening family and community relationships. Placing offerings on graves and family altars continues a preHispanic tradition. Aztecs, the People of Death, believed that after a fleeting encounter with life man entered the realm of 9 underworlds in the infinite cosmic cycle. 2 months a year they worshipped the dead, one for departed children, one for adults. Families build elaborate home altars, placing traditional dinners of mole, tamales and desserts on them. Bakers and confectioners create candy coffins and animals. Markets carry inventive foods and goods from decorative candles, candlesticks and wreaths to incense burners, pots and sugar calaveras (skulls)
Families tend relatives' graves, welcoming them home with food and flowers. Properly honoring the dead traditionally prevents illness, bad luck and crop failure the coming year. The Feast of All Souls originated in 900s Europe. The Church set Nov 2 as a special day commemorating the dead. In Santiago de Sacatepequez, Guatemala (Santiago) as elsewhere in Latin America and Mexico families at sunrise Nov 1 decorate doors and windows with marigolds and prepare offerings of food and drink for ancestors, then decorate family graves. On windy Santiago days tissue-paper kites 10 - 20 feet in diameter and requiring 4 or 5 strong men to control them, are flown over cemeteries until the wind dies down at sunset. Nov 2, All Souls' Day, kites fly again. At daysend the kites are burned, honoring the spirits of the dead.
Halloween began in Celtic Ireland 5th century BC. Summer officially ended on Oct 31, Samhain, beginning the new year. Spirits of those who died that year would return and possess the living. People, making their homes undesirable and unwelcoming, didn't light fires. They paraded in scary costumes to scare spirits away. Irish immigrants brought Halloween to America in the 1840s. Souling - Nov 2 Europe's Christians asked door to door for soul cakes, promising to pray for dead relatives of those giving them cakes and hoping spirits would linger to accumulate enough prayers to get them to Heaven. Jack-o-lantern - in Ireland Jack tricked the Devil into climbing a tree, then carved a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping the Devil in the tree. Jack kept the Devil in the tree until he promised to leave Jack alone. The Devil gave Jack a hollowed-out turnip with a light inside so Jack could see in the total darkness between Heaven and Hell. Pumpkins, easier to light, eventually replaced turnips.
* The number after a King's name *
Historical designation only. King Henry VIII, son of King
Henry VII, wasn't related to kings Henry I - VI. Son must be family's 8th [name] to have VIII after his name.
* Prince of Wales *
* Last Welsh Prince of Wales: Llewelyn apGruffydd named himself, unsuccessfully trying to recapture territory lost to King Edward I in 1277. Edward I bestowed the title on his son Edward II in 1301.
* Prince Charles 21st English Prince of Wales. Title intended for male heir apparent to the throne with no automatic succession and renewed only at the sovereign's pleasure.
* Title carries no established or formal role. Princes of Wales interpret it as they wish.
* Heraldic badge 1300s Edward the Black Prince. 3 silver feathers rise through a gold coronet of crosses and fleur de lis above motto Ich Dien (I Serve)
* 6 Princes of Wales died before becoming King. Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, died in 1502 leaving the title to younger brother Henry VIII who changed the course of English history.