Now You Know — Heroes, Villains, and Visionaries : Now You Know Pirates / Now You Know Royalty / Now You Know Canada's Heroes / Now You Know The Bible [1 ed.] 9781459724778

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Now You Know Pirates 3

PREFACE The current popularity of actor Johnny Depp’s incorrigible Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films is just the latest example of the public’s long-standing fascination with tales of swashbuckling adventure on the high seas. Movies like The Sea Hawk and Captain Blood made Errol Flynn a Hollywood star. Robert Newton’s Long John Silver in Treasure Island and Long John Silver gave moviegoers the quintessential pirate — a one-legged scoundrel with a salty vocabulary held together by exclamations of “Arrr!” Other Hollywood stars who made memorable appearances as pirates were Tyrone Power (The Black Swan), Yul Brynner (The Buccaneer), Burt Lancaster (The Crimson Pirate), and Anthony Quinn (A High Wind in Jamaica). One of the most dastardly villains ever seen in animated film is Peter Pan’s arch-enemy, Captain Hook. Even before the coming of motion pictures, writers from William Shakespeare to Robert Louis Stevenson found in the pirate the classic example of a colourful but thoroughly bad ne’er-do-well. But there was a time when pirates weren’t just characters on a movie screen or figments of a writer’s imagination. They were real people who posed a genuine threat to commerce and to the lives of honest mariners and other people who ventured out on the sea in ships. They stole, they murdered, and at times they struck at the very foundations of nations and empires. Some pirates were little more than seagoing vagabonds who plundered any small vessel that fell into their

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hands. Other pirates sailed under leaders who commanded entire fleets of ships and dealt as equals with monarchs. The names of some pirates are well known even today: Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Black Bart, and Jean Lafitte, for example. However, they represent but a few of the many men who sailed under the black flag and for whom piracy was more than just a criminal activity; it was a way of life. One of the earliest books about piracy was A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates, published in 1724 under the pen name Captain Charles Johnson. (Some believe that Daniel Defoe was the real author of this book, but not all historians accept the theory.) Since then hundreds of books have been written on the topic. The information in this book has been thoroughly researched. I hope you’ll find it an informative and entertaining look into the incredible world of pirates.

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EARLY PIRACY What is the origin of the word pirate? Pirate comes from the Latin word pirata, which means “to attack or assault.” The word can be a noun, a verb, or an adjective. To pirate something is to steal it. How old is piracy? Piracy is as old as navigation. Pirates robbed the ships of the ancient Assyrians and Egyptians. The ancient Greeks were pirates before the rise of city states like Athens and Sparta. Pirates raided the supply ships of Alexander the Great, waylaid the grain ships of Rome, and kidnapped Roman aristocrats like Julius Caesar to hold them for ransom. However, the Romans didn’t always take this lying down. Julius Caesar returned with a force of soldiers to the pirate 6

island where he had been held captive. He sacked the pirate stronghold and crucified every single pirate. In 67 BC the Roman general Pompey the Great swept the Mediterranean Sea clear of pirates. Instead of crucifying the survivors, he established them in colonies — all at least eighty kilometres from the sea. What did pirates have to do with St. Patrick? In the fourth century the person now known as St. Patrick was the son of an aristocratic family in the Roman province of Britannia, which by that time was Christian. The teenage boy was kidnapped by Irish pirates who carried him off to Ireland, where he was made a slave. The boy’s real name has been lost to history. Because he was a Roman aristocrat, or patrician, his captors simply called him padraig, their word for patrician. The name has been anglicized to Patrick. After six years of captivity, Patrick escaped and returned home. He went back to Ireland as a missionary and converted the pagan Irish to Christianity. Why were the Vikings called pirates? The Vikings, also called Northmen or Norsemen, were both traders and raiders. These fierce warriors, who were also superb sailors, swept down from their homelands of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries to pillage the British Isles and western Europe. Travelling by sea and by the great rivers of Europe, they traded in centres as far off as Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), often dealing in merchandise they had acquired in their plunders. There was a story about a prince who met a Viking chief and was impressed with the luxurious, fur-trimmed tent in which the 7

Northman received him. The prince said he had a tent just like it. The tent was, in fact, the prince’s — or at least it had been. The Vikings had taken it from one of the prince’s ships a short time earlier. Who were the Barbary Corsairs? The Barbary Corsairs were pirates who roamed the Mediterranean from Algiers, Tunis, Sale, and other ports along North Africa’s Barbary Coast. In fast ships propelled by sails and oars (manned by slaves), these Muslim pirates preyed upon the shipping of Christian Europe. The Corsairs wanted not only the cargoes in the ships’ holds but also the crewmen, who were carried back to North Africa to be sold into the lucrative white slave trade. Important passengers would be held for ransom. The Barbary Corsairs were a menace to European shipping until 1816, when an allied fleet of European warships bombarded Algiers. Who were the pirates of the Middle Ages? During the Middle Ages, as European towns grew in importance and trade increased, there was a corresponding growth in piracy. A Flemish pirate known as Eustace the Monk plundered French and English shipping in the thirteenth century. He was captured by the English in the Straits of Dover in 1217 and beheaded. In England and Wales many fishermen and inhabitants of coastal communities engaged in a little piracy and smuggling on the side. Some noblemen, like Sir John Kelligrews, operated vast pirate syndicates. Who were the Holy Pirates?

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From the eleventh to the fourteenth centuries, while the Muslim Barbary Corsairs raided Christian shipping, marauders of several Christian orders prowled the Mediterranean in search of Islamic prey. The Knights of Rhodes, the Knights of Malta, the Knights Hospitallers, and the Knights of St. Stephen all carried out pirate attacks on North African shipping and believed themselves to be doing the Lord’s holy work.

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THE GREAT AGE OF PIRACY When was the Great Age of Piracy? Almost as soon as Spanish ships began transporting gold and silver from the New World to Spain in the early sixteenth century, pirates began to prowl the Caribbean. In 1523 a French pirate named Jean Fleury became the first adventurer to pillage Spanish treasure ships. But piracy was at its peak from the middle of the seventeenth century until about 1725. How many pirates roamed the Caribbean during the Great Age of Piracy? In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, there were an estimated two thousand pirates in the Caribbean. Historians

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base that figure on documents left by colonial administrators and other officials of the time; the pirates themselves left behind very little documentation. What was the Spanish Main? The Spanish Main was the mainland coast of the Spanish Empire around the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It was made up of Florida, Mexico, Central America, and the north coast of South America. What was the Pirate Round? It was a route that pirates cruised in search of plunder. A typical pirate voyage began in the waters off North America or in the Caribbean. The pirates would cross to the southern tip of Africa. From there they might sail westward across the Atlantic again, or they might continue on to the pirate island of Madagascar off Africa’s east coast. Then they might go on to the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, or the Indian Ocean. Eventually, the pirates would return to their home base — if they didn’t meet with some misfortune along the way. Why did the Spanish call Francis Drake a pirate? Francis Drake (circa 1540–1596) plundered the Spanish Main with impunity. He called himself a privateer, even though England and Spain weren’t at war. The Spanish, however, didn’t consider Drake, or any of the other English “sea dogs,” a legitimate privateer. As far as the Spanish were concerned, Drake was nothing but a pirate. If they had captured him, they would undoubtedly have executed him. King Philip II of 11

Spain put a price on Drake’s head that was the equal of a king’s ransom. Drake avoided capture and sailed home to share his loot with England’s Queen Elizabeth I, who knighted him. What was the difference between a “pirate” and a “privateer”? A pirate was a criminal, an outlaw of the sea. A privateer was commissioned by his government to raid enemy shipping in times of war. He carried a licence called a letter of marque and was required to share a portion of his spoils with the government. If captured by the enemy, the captain and crew of a privateering vessel could expect to be treated as prisoners of war, not as pirates. If they were released in a prisoner exchange, they were usually required to swear an oath that they would never again sail against the foe that had captured them. If a man who had sworn such an oath did participate in future privateering voyages and was captured again, he was looked upon as a parole violator and could be imprisoned or even hanged. Who were the buccaneers? The buccaneers, or the “Brethren of the Coast,” as they called themselves, were men who lived in the wild region of the north coast of Hispaniola, the island now occupied by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Later they moved to the island of Tortuga. Their name came from their practice of smoking meat on a green wood grill called a boucan. The men were called boucaniers, or buccaneers. At first the buccaneers lived by hunting wild pigs and trading meat and hides to visiting pirates and privateers. Then they 12

learned that they, too, could engage in piracy by striking out in small, swift boats to attack Spanish ships. Quickies Did you know … • that during the War of 1812, Nova Scotian privateers brought American shipping to a standstill? One Nova Scotian ship, the Black Joke, took so many American prizes that the money from the sale of the vessel’s captures helped found the Bank of Nova Scotia (now called Scotiabank). The ship’s owner, Enos Collins (1774–1871) of Liverpool, Nova Scotia, reputedly became the wealthiest man in British North America. What were “pieces of eight” and “doubloons”? All Spanish silver coins were called reales. A piece of eight was an eight-reale silver coin. In English money it was worth four shillings and sixpence. In buying power that would be the equivalent of about $25 today. All Spanish gold coins were called escudos. A doubloon was an eight-escudo coin, and the most valuable Spanish coin in circulation. A pirate with a chest full of doubloons was set for life. What was a “galleon”? A galleon was a multi-decked sailing ship bearing three to five masts that was used by Europeans for both trade and military purposes. The Spanish used galleons to transport the gold, silver, and gems of the New World across the Atlantic to Spain. A galleon was very expensive to build, but its hull

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was almost cannonball-proof, and the ship could be armed with heavier guns than other warships could mount. What ships did pirates attack? Every pirate dreamed of capturing a Spanish treasure galleon. But treasure galleons were heavily armed, carried large companies of soldiers, and travelled in convoys escorted by powerful warships. It took a well-armed, well-organized squadron of pirate vessels to separate a treasure ship from the convoy and get away with the goods. However, some pirates managed to do just that. Most pirates stole anything they could lay their hands on. Any cargo, from sugar to salted fish to bolts of cloth, could be taken ashore and sold. Eric Cobham (circa 1700–1760) made his fortune robbing French fur ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The slave trade was in full operation, and many slave ships were captured by pirates and their unfortunate passengers sold off in the nearest port. Pirates also stole what they needed for their own survival and the maintenance of their ships: food and drink, clothing, guns and ammunition, medical supplies, sails, tools, ropes, and rigging. Quickies Did you know … • that in 1692, four years after Henry Morgan’s death, an earthquake shook Jamaica and destroyed much of the city of Port Royal? A large part of the city disappeared beneath the waves, and with it went the grave of Henry Morgan.

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Ironically, the bones of the famous privateer now lie in Davy Jones’s locker. Why did pirates attack fortified towns? Many towns of the Spanish Main had great caches of treasure. Town merchants had grown wealthy from such enterprises as the sugar trade. Also, the towns themselves could be held for ransom, as Francis Drake did with Santo Domingo on the island of Hispaniola. Perhaps no one was better at sacking Spanish towns than the Welshman Henry Morgan (1635–1688), who terrorized the Spanish Main in the seventeenth century. Like Drake, Morgan considered himself a privateer, but the Spanish considered him a pirate. Morgan organized a mob of unruly buccaneers into an army and then swooped down on strongholds like Panama City. Not only did Morgan’s exploits make him wealthy, but he was also knighted and made governor of Jamaica. Ten Pirates Whose Bodies Were Gibbeted • William Kidd • Jack Rackam • Charles Vane • John Gow • John Prie • Captain Finn (first name not known)

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• John Rose Archer • William White • William Fly • Edward Jordan (executed in Halifax in 1809, the last man in Canada to be hanged for piracy) What brought about the end of the Great Age of Piracy? Several factors contributed to ending the Great Age of Piracy. The Act for the Suppression of Piracy, passed by the British Parliament in 1700, allowed Vice Admiralty courts in the colonies to try pirates. The criminals no longer had to be taken to England for trial. The Treaty of Utrecht, signed in 1713, terminated a long war between Britain and France. The Royal Navy was now free to go pirate hunting. Quickies Did you know … • that in 1740 William Duell was hanged in London, England, for piracy? His body was then taken to Surgeon’s Hall for dissection. As doctors washed the body, they noticed that Duell was still breathing. Soon Duell was wide awake and sitting up in a chair. The court that had condemned him decided that since he had already been hanged once, it wouldn’t be right to hang him again. Instead he was transported to the colonies.

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Many pirates, including those in the pirate town on New Providence in the Bahamas, took advantage of sweeping royal pardons to give up the outlaw life. The offer of rewards for the capture and conviction of pirates meant the robbers had to worry about bounty hunters, as well as the Royal Navy. The mass hangings of not only pirate captains but also their crews, and the gibbeting of pirate leaders, had a sobering effect on sailors considering “going on the account.” Between 1716 and 1726 more than four hundred men were hanged for piracy in British territories alone.

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ROGUES GALLERY Who was Blackbeard? Blackbeard’s real name was probably Edward Teach (circa 1680–1718). He was an English pirate who cut a swath from New England to the Caribbean. Teach was a huge man with a massive black beard. He was the image of what everyone thought a pirate should be. Blackbeard went into battle armed to the teeth with pistols and blades. He even had slow-burning fuses sticking out from under his hat to make him appear more demonic. Blackbeard’s own men were scared to death of him. Why were Blackbeard’s men in such dread of him? Blackbeard was the embodiment of all that was frightening about pirates. He was strong, fearless, and ferocious in a fight. 18

He drank rum by the gallon and was said to lace it with gunpowder. He challenged his men to brutal and bizarre tests of physical endurance — such as sitting in a locked hold with pots of burning brimstone — from which he always emerged victorious. Blackbeard once shot his navigator in the knee, crippling him for life. The arch-pirate said that if he didn’t occasionally kill one of his own crew, they might forget who he was. Ten Pirate Captains and Their Ships • William Kidd (Adventure Galley) • Peter Easton (Happy Adventure) • George Lowther (Happy Delivery) • Thomas Tew (Amity) • Henry Avery (Fancy) • Blackbeard (Queen Anne’s Revenge) • Bartholomew Roberts (Royal Fortune) • Henry Mainwaring (Princess) • John Phillips (Revenge) • Jack Rackam (William) How was Blackbeard killed?

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A Royal Navy lieutenant named Robert Maynard, commanding the sloops Jane and Ranger, caught up with Blackbeard at Oracoke Inlet on the North Carolina coast. Blackbeard, who was drunk, roared at the English officer, “Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarter or take any from you!” The battle that followed was one of the bloodiest that ever occurred between pirates and the Royal Navy. On the deck of the Jane, Blackbeard was killed while fighting Maynard and two of the lieutenant’s men. The body of the legendary pirate captain had five bullet wounds and twenty sword wounds. Maynard cut off Blackbeard’s head and hung it from a yardarm. Quickies Did you know … • that Blackbeard allegedly had fourteen “wives,” the youngest of them only sixteen years old? When Blackbeard grew tired of the girl, he passed her off to his crew. • that according to legend, after decapitating Blackbeard, Lieutenant Maynard threw the headless body overboard and it swam around the sloop several times before finally sinking? How much did a pirate’s head earn? In 1718 Alexander Spotswood, the governor of Virginia, offered a proclamation that listed the rewards the colonial government would pay for pirates brought in dead or alive. The head of Edward Teach (Blackbeard) would fetch £100. The heads of every other commander of a pirate ship, sloop, or other vessel would earn £40, while the heads of pirate 20

lieutenants, masters, quartermaster boatswains, and carpenters would secure £20. Inferior officers were worth £15, and every private man taken from a pirate ship, sloop, or other vessel would fetch £10. Who was Captain Kidd? William Kidd (circa 1645–1701) was a respected Scottish sea captain. In 1695 he was commissioned to hunt down pirates. After a two-year search during which he failed to find a single pirate ship, Kidd seized an Armenian vessel, the Quedah Merchant, which was carrying a rich cargo. Kidd believed, mistakenly, that the ship was a legitimate prize. When Kidd arrived in Boston, he was arrested as a pirate. He was also charged with murder; during a quarrel he had killed one of his crewmen by striking him on the head with a bucket. Kidd was taken to London in chains and hanged for piracy and murder. His body was gibbeted (publicly displayed in an iron cage) as a warning to others. Quickies Did you know … • that Captain Kidd languished in prison for almost two years before he was tried? • that documents that might have cleared him of the charge of piracy mysteriously disappeared? • that Kidd wasn’t represented by counsel?

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• that Kidd was ill when taken to trial and was barely able to defend himself? • that when Kidd was taken to the gallows, he was drunk? • that Kidd had to be hanged twice, since the first time the hangman dropped him, the rope broke? Why did Captain Kidd become such a legend? Captain Kidd was a victim of what would now be called bad press. The British Admiralty wanted to make an example of him to discourage other captains from “going on the account.” There was also some pretty dirty political fighting going on in which Kidd was a pawn to be sacrificed. The Tories used Kidd to discredit the Whigs — several of whom had sponsored his voyage. Kidd’s former Whig friends abandoned him. His arrest, trial, and execution were highly publicized. No other pirate received as much coverage in the press as the unfortunate Kidd, whose name and reputation were thoroughly vilified. One story even said he kicked his family bible into a hole and buried it. How did the legend of Captain Kidd’s buried treasure originate? Captain Kidd’s one big prize, the Quedah Merchant, was a very rich one. When Kidd arrived in Boston, he gave some valuable gifts to friends before he was arrested. After Kidd’s arrest, authorities confiscated the bulk of the Quedah Merchant loot but learned that Kidd had, in fact, buried a stash of gold coins and gems on Gardiner’s Island in Long Island Sound. They quickly recovered it and quite likely that 22

was the only treasure Captain Kidd ever buried. However, stories have persisted over the centuries that somewhere there is still a hoard of Captain Kidd’s buried gold waiting for some lucky treasure hunter to dig it up. What famous pirate was the most inept? Some historians would say Captain Kidd was the most inept, though not all agree that he deliberately turned pirate. Stede Bonnet (1688–1718), however, did go into piracy willingly, though he wasn’t at all cut out for the role. He was a reasonably well off Barbados planter who suddenly decided he wanted to be a pirate. Allegedly, he wished to escape a shrewish wife. He bought a ship — any self-respecting pirate would steal one. He paid his crew wages instead of making them agree to shares of plunder. He had no knowledge of sailing or navigation. He was a dandy who wore a powdered wig. Blackbeard laughed out loud when he met Bonnet. The unlikely pair were partners for a while, then Black-beard took over Bonnet’s ship. Bonnet was an amateur pirate at best. Nonetheless, he was hanged for piracy at Charleston, South Carolina, after begging the governor for mercy — something else no real pirate would do. Thirteen Places Reputed to Be Burial Sites for Captain Kidd’s Treasure • Higuey River, the Dominican Republic • Clarke’s Island, Connecticut River, Massachusetts

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• No Man’s Land Island, Massachusetts • Fire Island, New York • Block Island, Rhode Island • Cape May, New Jersey • Sandy Hook, New Jersey • Barnegat Bay, New Jersey • Oak Island, Nova Scotia • Shediac, New Brunswick • Belleisle, New Brunswick • Brudenell River, Prince Edward Island • Red Bay, Newfoundland Who captured the most plunder from a single ship? In September 1695, at the mouth of the Red Sea, Captain Henry Avery (circa 1653–?), a former English naval officer who had turned pirate a little over a year earlier, hit the jackpot. He captured the Ganj-i-Sawai, a ship belonging to the Great Mogul of India. This vessel was a pirate’s dream come true. She was carrying £50,000 to £60,000 in gold and silver, a fortune in ivory, and other valuable goods, even a large number of Turkish slave girls. The swag added up to over half a million dollars — more than $50 million in

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today’s terms. Even the boys among the pirates who were entitled to only a half share each received £500 pounds — more money than most people saw in a lifetime in those days. Avery disbanded his crew soon after this coup. Several of them were caught and hanged, but Avery himself changed his name and vanished. Ten Memorable Monikers for Ten Colourful Rogues • Edward Teach — Blackbeard • Jack Rackam — Calico Jack • Oliver le Bouche — The Buzzard • Bartholomew Roberts — Black Bart • Henry Avery — Long Ben • Samuel Bellamy — Black Sam • Stede Bonnet — The Gentleman Pirate • François le Clerc — Jambe-de-Bois (Wooden Leg) • Simon Simonson — Delli Reis (Captain Devil) • François L’Ollonais — Flail of the Spanish Who were the most successful pirate captains? Bartholomew Roberts was the most prolific, taking more than four hundred vessels in a rampage that swept the seas from

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Newfoundland to Brazil and across to Africa. But Roberts was killed in battle, so he didn’t get to enjoy his plunder. Peter Easton seized a fortune in gold and silver from Spanish treasure ships and then bought his way into the French aristocracy. Like Henry Avery, he retired from piracy with booty that today would be counted in the millions of dollars. Henry Mainwaring also became rich plundering Spanish treasure ships. He bought a pardon from King James I of England and then became an admiral in the Royal Navy. However, Mainwaring lost his fortune supporting the Royalists in the English Civil War and died a pauper. What was the average length of a pirate captain’s career? Once a pirate captain became notorious, his days were usually numbered. Blackbeard’s reign of terror lasted but two years before he was killed in battle. Bartholomew Roberts stretched his criminal career to three years before he was slain in a fight with the Royal Navy. Edward Low also plundered the seas for three years before he was deposed by his own men and subsequently captured and hanged. Calico Jack Rackam’s exploits ended after two years when he was captured and hanged.

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BECOMING A PIRATE Why was the expression “going on the account” used for people who turned pirate? To “go off on your own account” meant that you were working for yourself instead of a ship owner or some other legitimate master. Since the “work” was usually something illegal, like stealing, when you went on the account you placed yourself outside the rule of law and were therefore an outlaw. Why did men become pirates? The great majority of pirates were sailors who deserted their countries’ navies or could no longer tolerate the harsh conditions aboard merchant vessels. Pirate captains never had trouble recruiting men from the fishing fleets that 27

worked the Grand Banks of Newfoundland every year. Many pirates were escaped slaves or indentured servants who had fled abusive masters. Some were outcasts from colonial settlements. Pirate life wasn’t easy, but it offered a greater degree of freedom than the average sailor could expect to enjoy in legitimate employment. And there was always that chance of taking a rich prize. Quickies Did you know … • that flogging on both merchant and naval vessels of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was so common that sailors had sacred images such as a cross or the face of Jesus or the Virgin Mary tattooed on their backs in the hope that the lash would fall lightly? Why were some men forced into piracy? If a pirate captain felt his ship was short-handed, he might force sailors from a captured vessel to join his crew. Pirate ships were frequently in need of men with specialized skills such as carpenters, coopers, and ship’s doctors. Men who could play musical instruments were also forced onto pirate ships to entertain the crew. Forced men were usually released after a period of time. If a forced man was arrested along with the pirates, he had to prove he had been taken against his will. This usually depended upon the pirates supporting his story. If they didn’t, the forced man was hanged along with the rest of them. Some pirate captains actually gave forced men signed documents attesting to the fact that they had been taken aboard the pirate ship unwillingly. 28

What nationalities were the pirates of the Caribbean Sea? The majority of pirates roaming the Caribbean Sea were British (including English, Scots, Welsh, and those born in Britain’s American colonies), French, or Dutch. There were also many Spanish, Portuguese, Irish, and Basque freebooters. It has been estimated that as much as a third of the pirate population was black, but how many of those men were pirates by choice and how many were slaves aboard pirate ships is impossible to say. Pirate crews often included a few Central and South American Indians. Many a pirate, if asked his nationality, simply said he was “from the sea.” What qualities did a man need to be a pirate captain? First he had to be a good seaman and navigator. He had to be courageous not only in the face of an enemy but also in dealing with his own crew. A pirate captain needed a strong will and an assertive nature. It helped, too, if he was skilled in the use of firearms and swords. There were a few pirate captains who were educated men, but most rose from the ranks of common seamen. Although most pirate captains were barely literate, they generally had to be — if not more intelligent than the average Jack Tar — at least more cunning. Quickies Did you know … • that many pirates practised a form of democracy by electing their captains? An unsuccessful captain or a captain who had, for whatever reason, lost the respect of his crew could be

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quickly deposed. He might even be set adrift in a small boat, as happened to Captain Edward Low (?–1724). Who were the female pirates? Most pirate captains forbade women aboard their ships because they might become causes of jealousy and fighting. However, a few women did succeed in making names for themselves as pirates. The two most famous female pirates were Anne Bonny (circa 1700–1782), who was the lady love of Captain Jack Rackam (1682–1720), and her partner-in-crime, Mary Read (circa 1690–1721). Both dressed in male attire and were said to be ferocious in battle. Captain Eric Cobham’s sweetheart was Maria Lindsay, who liked to use prisoners for pistol practice. The west coast of Ireland was once the haunt of pirate queen Grace O’Malley (circa 1530–1603). In the early nineteenth century, the South China Sea was terrorized by no fewer than forty thousand pirates whose leader was a former Canton prostitute named Mrs. Cheng. How old were most pirates? Piracy was a young man’s game in an age when people in their forties were considered elderly. Most pirates were in their twenties, and a large number were teenagers. It wasn’t uncommon for boys as young as twelve to go to sea, and such lads were often lured into piracy. The average age for seamen in the Royal Navy and mariners aboard English merchant ships was twenty-seven. The average age for a pirate was probably about the same. Pirate captains were generally older, more experienced seamen, but because of the nature of their trade, few lived to a ripe old age. The dates of the deaths of 30

most of the well-known pirate captains are well documented, but in many cases their birthdates are obscure. A Selection of Bartholomew Roberts’s Articles • No fighting on board ship. Quarrels to be settled ashore with pistols or cutlasses. • All to have equal shares, but clothing in addition if a man should need it. • Anyone who should defraud the company of even a single dollar should be marooned. • Anyone who should rob a shipmate should have his nose and ears split and be put ashore where he would be sure to suffer hardship. • No lights or candles after eight at night. Drinking at night only on deck and without lights. • No smoking of uncovered pipes or carrying of lighted candles below deck. • No gaming for money, either with dice or cards. What were pirate “Articles”? These were the rules a pirate agreed to with his signature or his mark when he joined the crew of a pirate ship. The Articles stated how the loot from a prize would be divided among captain and crew. This was to prevent quarrels and fighting. The Articles also governed life aboard ship. Life at

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sea was dangerous at the best of times, so even aboard pirate ships there were rules that were agreed to and enforced for the common good.

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WELCOME ABOARD, MATEY! What types of sailing ships did pirates use? The buccaneers of Hispaniola and Tortuga favoured small, fast sloops in which they could dart out from hidden coves to ambush their prey. Many pirate captains liked the schooner because it was fast, manoeuvrable, and big enough to mount eight cannons and four swivel guns. The schooner could carry up to seventy-five pirates, more than enough men to overpower the crew of a merchant vessel. Some pirate captains preferred a two- or three-masted square-rigger. This ship wasn’t as fast or as manoeuvrable as a schooner, but it could carry twice as many big guns, transport up to two hundred men, and had plenty of cargo space for storing loot. Why would a pirate captain want a crew of two hundred men? 33

Sometimes pirate captains kept captured ships so they could command fleets of two, three, or more vessels. This gave them greater power as seagoing bandits and a better fighting chance if they ran into the ships of a country’s navy. Pirate captains needed sailors to man those ships, and so took along as many pirates as they could. The crewmen of the captured ships who didn’t want to join the pirates might be forced into piracy, put ashore, set adrift, or killed. Where on the ship did pirates sleep? The captain, and usually the quartermaster, had their own cabins. The crew’s quarters below deck were often too small for the number of men on a pirate ship. Men often slept anywhere they could sling a hammock or curl up on deck that was out of the way of the sailors on duty. If a man was unpopular with the rest of the crew, he was told, “Sling your hook,” which meant to find a place to sleep away from the other men. Where was the pirate ship’s toilet? There wasn’t one. The men simply urinated over the side. At the bow of the ship there were a few seats called “heads” or “seats of easement” that projected somewhat from the vessel and had holes in them. The pirate who had to answer nature’s call sat down and let bodily waste fall into the sea. Toilet paper was unknown. A rag was kept there for the use of all. What was it like below deck on a pirate ship? The first thing a person noticed was the smell. The air below deck was fetid and stunk of bilge 34

water, mildew, and tar. The space was very cramped, with low, narrow passageways. Because not much sunlight reached below deck and the only illumination came from candles or lanterns, it was very gloomy. The most common sounds heard were the creaking of timbers and the squeaking and scampering of rats. Those rats, by the way, were the only available meat once salted beef ran out. Order of Ranks on a Pirate Ship • Captain: He was elected but his authority was limited. He had to be tough, cunning, and successful. • Quartermaster: The first mate on most pirate ships, he relayed orders from the captain to the crew and was in charge of dispensing food and drink. The quartermaster also carried out punishments and oversaw the division of loot. • Boatswain (Bosun): The bosun’s job was to assign men to the sails and rigging and to keep the decks cleared. • Carpenter: Responsible for keeping the ship seaworthy, he repaired timbers, plugged holes, and even mended rigging and sails. If he was lucky, he was assisted by a cooper, whose job was to keep in good order the barrels in which everything from water to gunpowder was stored. • Gunner: The men who loaded and fired the cannons had to be good at it, because cannons had a habit of blowing up if improperly handled. Hitting a moving target from a pitching deck was difficult and took years to master.

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• Deckhands: These men made up the bulk of the crew. They went aloft to furl and unfurl the sails, went below to man the pumps, and did all the hard jobs in between. • Cook: The standing of the cook depended on how well he did his job. What did pirates eat? In the Caribbean Sea, pirates had access to a variety of foods: fish, fresh meat (especially turtle meat), sea birds’ eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables, and items like flour and sugar that they either stole from ships or bought from settlements. On long voyages their diet was very poor. The staples were salted and pickled meat and hardtack sea biscuits. After a few weeks at sea, the biscuits crawled with so many weevils that the men ate them below deck in the dark so they couldn’t see the vermin. Pirates cut their meat with the same daggers they used to slit throats. What was “salmagundi”? Salmagundi was a popular pirate dish. The ingredients were the meat of any or all of turtle, pork, chicken, duck, pigeon, and corned beef, if available. The meat was roasted, chopped up, and marinated in spiced wine. It was then cooked with hard-boiled eggs, cabbage, anchovies, pickled herring, olives, grapes, mangoes, palm hearts, and onions. The pirate cook seasoned the dish with plenty of salt, pepper, garlic, and mustard seed. Oil and vinegar were added when the meal was served. Salmagundi was Bartholomew Roberts’s last meal before he was killed in battle.

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What was meant by the saying “If a seaman carries a millstone, he’ll have a quail out of it”? This expression was a compliment to a ship’s cook who could work wonders with a rather monotonous larder. Sailors on merchant vessels had no choice but to endure whatever swill the cook prepared. On a pirate ship the cook was well advised to serve the men food that tasted good, even if it lacked nutrition. A Typical Pirate Menu • Canky: Indian meal and water or palm wine made into bread or cakes • Dogsbody: sea biscuits soaked to a pulp in water and mixed with sugar • Doughboys: hard dumplings made of flour and boiled in sea water • Lobscouse: a stew made from chunks of salt meat, crumbled sea biscuits, onions, potatoes, and spices • Loblolly (also called burgoo): an oatmeal porridge served with butter, sugar, salt, or molasses • Junk (also called salt horse): poor-quality cuts of meat kept in brine • Scotch coffee: salt beef boiled with sea biscuits, onions, potatoes, and vinegar

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• Sea pie: meat or fish in a crust of sea biscuits • Skillygolee: oatmeal boiled in water that had already been used to boil salt meat • Galley pepper: soot and ashes from the cook’s fire that fell into the food

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PIRATE FASHION How did a pirate captain dress? Many pirate captains liked to dress in the style of the upper-class gentlemen of their times. Peter Easton, for example, was fond of wearing doublet and hose, silver-buckled shoes, a shirt with lace cuffs, and a fashionable cloak. Bartholomew Roberts wore a scarlet damask waistcoat and breeches, a hat with white plumes, silk sashes from which he could hang pistols, and a diamond-studded gold cross with a gold chain. Jack Rackam earned the nickname “Calico Jack” because of the colourful clothing he liked to wear. How did the average pirate crewman dress? The cocked hats and frock coats worn by pirate captains would have gotten in the way of the common pirate as he 39

went about his duties. Of course, like other mariners, pirates dressed according to the climate. In the heat of the Caribbean, that meant putting on just a few ragged clothes for modesty’s sake and for protection from the sun. Pirates did, in fact, wrap their heads with colourful bandanas. If a pirate wore a shirt at all, it was generally a plain cotton one. Should the nights be cool, he would quite likely have a woollen, waist-length sailor’s jacket called a fearnought. His pants were made of the same durable canvas used to make sails, and they might be cut away at the knees. A sash helped hold the trousers up and was a convenient place to carry pistols and knives. Aboard ship, unless the weather was very cold, most common pirates went barefoot, since that made it easier to climb the rigging and get better footing on a yardarm. When going ashore to carouse in the taverns and brothels, a pirate might dress up in a silk shirt, high boots, brightly coloured breeches, beaver hat, and frock coat — all stolen, of course. Why is the typical pirate often shown with a parrot perched on his shoulder? Many sailors were fond of pets, and pirates were no exception. The men often took dogs, cats, and monkeys aboard their ships. Parrots were popular because they were easy to care for, they were colourful, and they could be taught to talk, which many people in days of old found amusing — even astonishing. Moreover, because parrots were considered exotic birds, they were valuable. If a pirate ran out of money, he could always sell his parrot. The superstitious pirates also believed parrots brought good luck. Why did pirates wear earrings?

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Many pirates probably wore earrings simply as an indulgence in vanity. However, there was a widespread belief that wearing earrings improved one’s eyesight, possibly by drawing the glare of the sun away from the eyes. It is also believed that pirates wore gold earrings so their funeral expenses would be covered if they died on land. How common was it for pirates to wear eye patches? A pirate could easily lose an eye in battle, or at the tip of a dagger in a tavern brawl. However, “keeping an eye peeled” while standing in the crow’s nest and scanning the horizon for a sail under the tropical sun was also damaging to eyes. So was using a sighting stick, which required a navigator to look directly into the sun’s glare to measure the sun’s height above the horizon in order to determine latitude. Why did pirates wear their hair in pigtails? Pigtails, or “queues,” as sailors called them, were fashionable in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The style had the added advantage of keeping a sailor’s hair out of his face. The hair was stiffened with a mixture of flour and water, or with tar. A sleeve of pickled eel skin was then slipped over the pigtail and tied in place with a bit of ribbon. How common was it for pirates to have peg legs and hooks? In days of old the only treatment for badly injured limbs was amputation. There were no anesthetics, except maybe a few good belts of rum. The surgeon, or ship’s carpenter, went to work with a saw (he knew nothing about sterilization) and 41

hacked off the injured body part. Then doctor and patient could only wait to see if the wound became infected, which more often than not it did. If infection set in, the patient had little hope of survival. There is no evidence that any pirate ever wore a hook in place of a missing hand, though it is entirely possible some did. It is a documented fact that some pirates had peg legs. There probably would have been a lot more of them if they’d had antibiotics. Quickies Did you know … • that no portraits or drawings made from life of any of the most infamous pirates are known to exist? There are portraits of Francis Drake, but only the Spanish considered him a pirate. A sketch was made of William Kidd at his trial, and a portrait was based on that, but Kidd’s status as a real pirate is still debated. There are only written descriptions of characters such as Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts, Stede Bonnet, and Anne Bonny, and those often come from second-hand sources and aren’t reliable. Today nobody knows what those people actually looked like. What is the origin of the word sloppy? Pirates and other mariners often wore loose-fitting, one-size-fits-all clothing called slops. These clothes gave a person a very untidy, scruffy appearance. In the Royal Navy, slops were kept in a slop box and were nearly always damp and mildewy. The word eventually was used to describe an unkempt or messy-looking person, or work that was below standard. 42

YO-HO-HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM! Why do the pirates of legend and literature always drink rum? Sugar was the main cash crop of the Caribbean Sea, and sugar is used to make rum. Therefore, rum was the cheapest and most readily available alcoholic beverage in the region. It was served in every grog house and was part of the provisions of every ship that sailed from a Caribbean port. However, most pirates would drink any alcoholic beverage they could get their hands on. How did the word rum originate?

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The Latin for sugar cane is saccharum officinarum, and the name of the alcoholic beverage quite likely comes from that. However, the English word rum originally meant odd, as in “He’s a rum fellow.” Possibly, the colonists in the Caribbean thought it was odd, or “rum,” that this potent, popular drink could be made from the waste parts of sugar cane. Why was alcoholic consumption so prevalent among pirates? Sailors in general were notorious boozers — when ashore. On naval and merchant vessels the officers kept drinking under strict control. That wasn’t always possible on a pirate ship, where the captain’s authority was limited. A long voyage could be very monotonous, and pirates drank to fight the boredom. Also, beer, cider, and wine were taken aboard ships because they kept better than fresh water, which turned scummy after weeks at sea. What was “bumboo”? Bumboo, also called bumbo, was a popular pirate drink. It was a mixture of rum, sugar, nutmeg, and water. A pirate had to be incredibly brave to knock back rum neat (uncut) because the rum of that time was extremely potent. A pint of eighteenth-century rum mixed with a pint of water still had twice the kick of modern rum. What were “rumfustian,” “rumbullian,” and “arrack”? Rumfustian was another drink pirates liked. It was made with gin, sherry, beer, sugar, and raw eggs, and was served up hot. Rumbullian was a type of pirate moonshine. A concoction of 44

molasses, overripe fruit, sulphuric acid, and water was allowed to ferment for eight days. Then it was distilled, caught in mugs as it dripped from the homemade still, and consumed on the spot. An observer who saw Bartholomew Roberts’s crew make and drink rumbullian wrote that only the most foolhardy drank more than one mug. Arrack was yet another pirate version of white lightning. It was a powerful liquor brewed from coconut juice, rice, and sugar. Quickies Did you know … • that the lines “Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest / Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum” first appeared in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, originally published in serial form in a magazine in 1881–82? Stevenson may have created the verse himself, or it might have been an authentic sea shanty he found in the course of his research. Dead Man’s Chest was the name given to a small island where Blackbeard marooned fifteen crewmen he suspected of plotting a mutiny. How did alcohol contribute to the demise of Bartholomew Roberts? Black Bart was a teetotaller, but his crewmen were all rum guzzlers. One morning in February 1722 the men were sleeping off the effects of the previous night’s booze-up when the captain saw the Royal Navy warship Swallow bearing down on them. Roberts tried to rouse his stupefied crew, but he couldn’t get enough men on their feet to either flee from the British ship or put up a respectable fight. Roberts was killed when the Swallow opened fire on his vessel. His first 45

mate threw Roberts’s body overboard so it couldn’t be gibbeted. Those of Roberts’s men who survived the battle (and the dungeon in which they were imprisoned) were hanged or sentenced to slavery. Quickies Did you know … • that Captain Chaloner Ogle, commander of the Swallow, was knighted for ending Black Bart’s reign of terror? He was the only Englishman ever knighted for fighting pirates. What did pirates drink from? Most pirates just knocked the neck off a rum bottle with a cutlass, or broke it on the nearest hard object. More refined pirates drank from pewter mugs they called “rummers.” Coconut shells were also used for drinking. What primary source evidence is there of pirate drinking? A fragment of a journal, believed by some historians to be Blackbeard’s, has the following entries: “Such a Day — Rum all out: — Our Company somewhat sober: Rogues a plotting; — great Talk of Separation: — So I looked Sharp for a Prize.” These entries were followed by: “Such a Day took one, with a great deal of Liquor on board, so kept the Company hot, dam’d hot, then all Things went well again.” Nine Other Names for Rum • Grog

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• The pirate’s drink • Kill-devil • Nelson’s blood • Pirate piss • Demon water • Barbados water • Panther piss • Kill grief What was meant by the expression “Drink till you give up your half-penny”? A pirate who “drank until he gave up his half-penny” drank until he vomited with such force that his half-penny (anus) came up along with the contents of his stomach. Why did pirates (and other sailors) say, “Good liquor is preferable to warm clothing”? In rainy or otherwise damp weather a mariner’s clothing was constantly clammy, if not sodden. Because the shipboard diet was poor, a man usually didn’t get enough nutrition from food to give him the energy required for body warmth. About the only way he had of warming himself up, body and spirit, was to drink a dram of potent liquor.

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What were “snapdragon” and “syllabub”? Even pirates occasionally liked a change from high-proof, brain-deadening, liver-pickling concoctions such as rumbullian. One beverage enjoyed by those pirates who were more given to social drinking was called snapdragon. This was a punch made with raisins soaked in brandy or rum. It was usually set alight before serving. Syllabubs were made by mixing curdled milk or cream with spirits, wine, or cider. The curds were then blended with gelatin and sugar, or a fruit flavour was added. What was the meaning of the expression “He pisses more than he drinks”? The expression was used to describe a pirate who boasted a lot about very little. A modern equivalent would be “He’s all talk and no action.”

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PIRATE WATERS Why was the Caribbean Sea so attractive to pirates? The Caribbean Sea was a rich hunting ground. There was loot to be plundered from Spanish ships and towns, as well as from the ships of Britain and France, which had captured islands originally claimed by Spain. There were plenty of isolated islands where pirates could hide. Of course, the tropical climate was an important factor. Many pirates raided as far north as Newfoundland in the summer and then spent the winter pillaging in the sunny, warm Caribbean. Where was the first “pirate town”? In the seventeenth century, Port Royal, Jamaica, was a notorious pirate hangout. Governors of the British colony not only tolerated pirates but also encouraged them to come to 49

Port Royal. The pirates spent their ill-gotten loot in Port Royal’s taverns, brothels, and shops. The presence of their heavily armed ships in the harbour was a deterrent to Spanish or French attack. For their part the pirates welcomed the relative safety of Port Royal as a place where they could careen and repair their ships and squander their money. What ended Port Royal’s pirate days? In 1692 an earthquake destroyed much of Port Royal. Most commercial activity moved across the bay to Kingston. By the time Port Royal recovered, the pirates were no longer welcome. The British government couldn’t continue looking the other way while pirates sailing in and out of Jamaican ports robbed the Spanish. English warships started hunting pirates down. Ironically, Port Royal was the place where many captured pirates were taken to be hanged. Where was the most notorious pirate town? Sometime around the turn of the eighteenth century a pirate captain named Henry Jennings found the perfect spot for a pirate base on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. The place had a good harbour that was deep enough for small pirate vessels but too shallow for big navy warships. The hills around the harbour provided lookout points from which the pirates could watch for potential prizes — and approaching naval vessels. There was plenty of fresh water available, and the sea and forest provided food. The location was a prime one for pirates who wanted to raid south into the Caribbean or north along the American coast. The pirate town that grew on New Providence eventually became the city of Nassau. 50

What was life like in the pirate town on New Providence? The pirate town was a ragged community made up mostly of tents. The only wooden buildings were a few ramshackle taverns made from the timbers of derelict ships that lay rotting in the harbour. It was a wild, wide-open town with no law but the gun and the sword. Pirates drank, brawled, gambled, and whored. There was a saying among the pirates that when a man died his soul didn’t go to heaven; it went to New Providence. Why did Madagascar become a major pirate island? Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa, provided food, water, and safe anchorage for pirates doing the round between the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. The natives were (usually) friendly. The island was in a prime location for pirates raiding into the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. From Madagascar pirates could strike fleets carrying pilgrims loaded with gold and silver who were on their way to Mecca and Jeddah; Portuguese ships transporting precious cargoes home from Goa; and British, French, and Dutch East India Company ships packed with spices, silks, and jewellery. Who were some of the pirates who visited Madagascar? Captain Kidd, Henry Avery, Thomas Tew, and Edward England were among the many pirates who spent time on Madagascar. It was at Madagascar that some of Captain Kidd’s crew deserted him, preferring to join the companies of captains they considered to be real pirates. Captain Tew (?–1695), one of the pirates Kidd was supposed to hunt down, was the man who established trade connections between the 51

pirates of Madagascar and corrupt colonial officials in New York. He was killed in an attack on an Indian ship when a cannonball disembowelled him. What was the main Madagascar pirate lair? In 1691 a former buccaneer named Adam Baldridge established a trading post on St. Mary’s Island on the northeast coast of Madagascar. He fortified the place, and it became one of several pirate “kingdoms” in the region. Under the protection of about forty big guns in Baldridge’s “castle,” pirates traded their loot for food, water, liquor, and other supplies. Baldridge then sent the plunder, which included slaves, to merchants in the American colonies. Baldridge lived like a king for several years but had to clear out when he incurred the anger of local natives by raiding their villages for slaves. What became of the pirate kingdoms on Madagascar? Madagascar declined as a pirate haven because the leaders of the various “kingdoms” began quarrelling among themselves. Tropical diseases and conflicts with increasingly hostile natives took their toll on the pirate population. Then British warships began to patrol the seas around Madagascar. Pirates generally didn’t like to tangle with the Royal Navy. In 1700 there were some fifteen hundred pirates on Madagascar. By 1711 there were only about sixty or seventy, “most of them very poor and despicable, even to the natives, among whom they had married.”

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BLOOD, THUNDER, AND PIRATES How were pirates armed for battle? Depending on the size and type of the vessel, a pirate ship could carry an assortment of heavy cannon and light swivel guns. Ammunition ranged from iron cannonballs to canvas bags packed with musket balls and lengths of chain that tore through an opposing ship’s sails and rigging — and crew. Pirates also raked other ships with blunderbuss and musket fire. A pirate preparing to board a ship under attack had several loaded flintlock pistols in his sash. He also carried a boarding axe, which was both a weapon and a tool for hacking through wooden defences. Cutlasses, as well as several dirks and daggers, were also in the pirates’ boarding arsenal. What is a cutlass? 53

A cutlass is a short, heavy sword with a curved blade. It was specially designed for fighting aboard ship where a longer sword might become entangled in rigging. Cutlasses have sharp points for stabbing and single sharp edges for slashing. There is a basket-like guard to protect the hand. How is a dirk different from a dagger? The dagger, a long knife with a sharp point, was a pirate’s backup weapon in case he lost his cutlass or it was broken. The dagger was also useful in fighting below deck where there might not be room to swing a cutlass. The dirk is a shorter dagger that was used as a throwing knife by pirates. It came in handy in the middle of battle when a pirate didn’t have time to reload a pistol. What was the black flag? The black flag, sometimes called the Jolly Roger, was the universally recognized banner of piracy. The flag was usually (but not always) black and carried an image that was designed to strike terror into the hearts of victims. Many pirate ships flew a simple skull and crossbones, but some pirate captains flew customized flags that immediately identified them to their prey. Jack Rackam’s flag had an image of a skull and crossed cutlasses. Edward Low’s black flag had a full skeleton coloured blood-red. Blackbeard’s flag had a demonic figure that held a spear in one hand, pointed at a bright red heart. In the other hand was an hourglass, which told the victims their time was running out. The first pirate known to fly the black flag was Emmanuel Wynn in 1700. Quickies 54

Did you know … • that a pirate going into action wore a bandolier that held ready-to-use cartridges (a packet that contained a bullet and a charge of gunpowder)? Because the bandolier held twelve of these cartridges, they were called “apostles.” What was a typical encounter between a pirate ship and a merchant vessel like? Encounters between pirate ships and merchant vessels depended very much on the captain of the merchantman. If he decided to make a run for it, the pirates tried to chase him down. A few cannon shots might convince him to surrender. If the merchant captain chose to fight, the pirates attacked. They either battled until the merchant ship was theirs or, if resistance was too stiff, broke off and looked for easier prey. How did a pirate ship attack on the high seas? First, there was a lot of noise. Pirates blew bugles, pounded drums, and shouted threats and curses to unnerve the crew of a targeted ship. As they came within range, the pirates tried to pick off the victim ship’s captain and helmsman with musket fire. If the other ship had cannons, the pirates attempted to knock them out with their own big guns, taking care not to sink the ship. When they were close enough, the pirates threw grappling hooks at the victim ship so they could pull the vessels together. Then the pirates swarmed aboard the ship for hand-to-hand combat. How did merchant crews defend their ships?

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If the crew of a merchantman couldn’t outrun a pirate ship or drive it away with cannon fire, they often went to “close quarters.” First, the merchant crew covered their deck with iron devices called caltrops, which had sharp spikes and looked something like the pieces from a game of jacks. These could easily pierce the sole of a shoe and were very effective against pirates, who were almost always barefoot. The merchant crew then retreated to the ship’s cabins behind barricades that had been erected on deck. Loopholes in walls enabled them to shoot at the pirates. Quickies Did you know … • that in 1722 off the coast of the Carolinas pirate Captain George Lowther had so many of his men killed or wounded by a broadside from a ship he had attacked that he had to take his crew ashore so they could recuperate? The pirates had to spend the winter in the woods hunting cattle and hogs. How did buccaneers approach potential prize? Buccaneers pursued a targeted vessel in small, fast sloops. While buccaneer marksmen tried to pick off the victim ship’s helmsman and any sailors on the rigging, the other pirates lay low so they wouldn’t be hit by musket balls or grapeshot. When they reached the victim ship, the buccaneers jammed the rudder, effectively rendering the vessel inoperable. Then they swarmed up the sides of the target ship to attack its crew. Buccaneers also liked to ambush their victims at night,

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stealing out from places of concealment and clambering aboard ships riding at anchor. How were the crews of merchant ships armed? Most merchant vessels carried at least a few cannons, though ship owners were reluctant to sacrifice precious cargo space. There might be some firearms and swords kept in a secure place to which only the captain had a key. This was a precaution against mutiny. If the ship came under pirate attack, the captain passed out the weapons. Often merchant sailors had nothing to fight pirates with except shipboard tools such as marlin spikes, long, sharp iron pins similar to ice picks. They would also use belaying pins, thick wooden pegs that held ropes in place. Belaying pins made very effective clubs. Insurance for Pirates • For the loss of an eye, 100 pieces of eight. • For the loss of the right arm, 600 pieces of eight. • For the loss of the left arm, 500 pieces of eight. • For the loss of the right leg, 500 pieces of eight. • For the loss of the left leg, 400 pieces of eight. What sort of injuries did pirates risk in battle? There was always the risk of being hit by musket or cannon fire, or being stabbed or slashed, or having one’s skull

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cracked with a belaying pin. A hazard often overlooked by novelists and filmmakers was the long splinters of wood that flew through the air like daggers when cannonballs crashed through timber. How were pirates compensated fo injuries received in battle? A pirate who lost a leg in battle and could no longer participate in raids as a fighter might be given a job as ship’s cook and still receive a full share of plunder. Disabled pirates were also given slaves to look after their needs.

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PIRATE WAYS What happened to surviving crew members if the pirates captured a ship? The fate of the survivors of a pirate attack depended very much on the pirate captain and his men. Some pirates were incredibly bloodthirsty and held to the policy of killing all captives because “dead men tell no tales.” Other pirates reasoned that merchant crews might be more willing to surrender without a fight if they believed they wouldn’t be killed or otherwise mistreated. Most of the underpaid, overworked, and much-abused merchant sailors were reluctant to fight to protect cargo. But they did fight desperately for their own lives. Who were the cruellest of the pirate captains?

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Nearly all pirates had a cruel streak running through them, but some certainly took a special joy in torturing and maiming captives. The buccaneer François L’Ollonais cut a prisoner’s heart out and chewed on it before the dying man’s eyes. Edward Low had the lips cut off the captain of a Portuguese ship. He had the lips boiled, then forced the captain’s first mate to eat them. When this entertainment was done, Low’s men slaughtered the whole crew. George Lowther cut off a New England captain’s ears, sprinkled salt and pepper on them, and forced the man to eat them. Five Nasty Pirate Punishments • Keelhauling — being tied with ropes and dragged under a ship’s keel from end to end • Kissing the gunner’s daughter — being tied over the back of a cannon and lashed • Pickling — having the salt brine used to preserve meat rubbed into the wounds made by a lash • Kissing the wooden lady — being tied face first to a mast and lashed • Having one’s tongue pierced with a marlin spike Why did pirates exhibit such cruelty? In many ways, the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were barbaric times, and life at sea was especially brutal. Naval and merchant ship captains alike meted out horrendous punishments that included lashing, branding, and keelhauling.

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The cruelty exhibited by pirates was often learned at the hands of former masters. Pirates tortured captives to force them to reveal where riches were hidden. Sometimes the savage treatment of a captured captain was an act of revenge if a member of the pirate crew had once suffered under that man’s command. What was “blooding and sweating”? Pirates often asked the crewmen of a captured ship what sort of master their captain was. If the crewmen vouched for him as a good fellow, the captain wasn’t ill used. If the men complained that he was a bullying tyrant, the pirates might use the captain for a little exercise they called “blooding and sweating.” The captain was stripped naked and forced to run a gauntlet of pirates who stabbed at his buttocks with the long needles used for mending sails. The crew of the captured ship was invited to join in this sport. The only mariners who accepted the invitation were those who had already decided to sail away with the pirates. Did pirates force prisoners to walk the plank? There is no primary source evidence that pirates ever made anybody walk the plank. Some secondary sources of dubious authenticity claim that Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts, Edward Low, and a few other pirate captains engaged in this form of torture to extract information or simply murder prisoners in a dramatic manner that would have been entertaining to the crew, especially when one remembers that sharks frequently followed sailing ships. Most historians agree that walking the plank was the invention of 61

fiction writers and probably never happened. After all, why would pirates go to such trouble when they could simply hack a victim to pieces or just toss him overboard? How did pirates treat female captives? As with so many other things, the treatment of captured women varied from one group of pirates to another. A well-born lady captured on a ship on the high seas might be protected from molestation by a gallant pirate captain and perhaps held for ransom. Women of lower social status were usually considered part of the spoils. After the capture of the Ganj-i-Sawai, Captain Henry Avery claimed that the Turkish slave girls onboard weren’t mistreated in any way. However, a member of Avery’s crew confessed several years later that the pirates indulged in an orgy of rape and that some of the young women committed suicide by jumping into the sea. Buccaneers, when sacking a Spanish town, made no class distinctions. They raped aristocratic ladies just as viciously as they did the ladies’ servant girls. What was the best way to survive the aftermath of a pirate attack? Unless pirates had a reason to depart quickly, they usually took their time looting a ship. It could take three or four days to transfer the cargo from a captured ship to a pirate vessel. The best way to avoid trouble was to keep quiet and not draw attention to oneself. Pirates were often very unpredictable, especially when they were drinking. A wrong word or even a wrong look could bring about serious consequences.

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Did any pirate captain ever lose his position for being too kind to prisoners? Captain Edward England (?–circa 1720) was somewhat less brutal than some of his colleagues, but he was by no means a saint. When his crew captured a ship whose captain had once abused and cheated a man who was now in England’s crew, the pirate captain allowed his men to tie the culprit to a mast and pelt him with broken bottles until he was a mass of bleeding cuts. Then England shot him in the head. But when England’s men suffered a lot of casualties capturing the English ship Cassandra off the Malabar Coast of India, he didn’t allow his men to kill the captured English captain, James McRae. Instead, perhaps because he admired McRae’s courage, he let the captain go. England’s crew were so angry when they learned of this that they deposed England as captain and left him and a few followers on the island of Mauritius. England made his way back to the pirate island of Madagascar where he was reduced to begging and soon died.

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SCUTTLEBUTT Did pirates really bury treasure? Most stories of buried pirate treasure originated with the legend of Captain Kidd. However, a Dutch pirate named Roche Brasiliano, under torture, told the Spanish of a hoard he had buried on Isla de Pinos off the coast of Cuba. The Spanish found more than a hundred thousand pieces of eight. There is also a legend that Bartholomew Roberts hid a fortune on Little Cayman Island. However, pirates in general weren’t known for putting something away for a rainy day. In fact, they were contemptuous of the very idea. Pirate philosophy was “live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself.” They squandered their money as soon as they got it on women, alcohol, and gambling. When the booty was gone, they sailed out in search of another prize.

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What is the biggest pirate “treasure” ever found? In February 1717, Captain “Black Sam” Bellamy captured the slave ship Whydah and transformed it into his own flagship. Weeks later, in April, the Whydah went down in a storm off Cape Cod. Captain Bellamy and 143 of his men drowned. In 1885 the wreck of the Whydah was found — the only wrecked pirate ship ever to be discovered. Since then thousands of artifacts, including two thousand coins, have been recovered. What president of the United States had an ancestor who was kidnapped by pirates? Millard Fillmore, the thirteenth president of the United States, was a descendant of John Fillmore, a fisherman. The sloop John Fillmore was working on was captured by pirates, and Fillmore was forced to go aboard the pirate vessel as a seaman. He refused to join the pirate crew and was badly treated. Fillmore endured several months of abuse before he got his chance to escape. While the pirates were drunk, Fillmore and two other forced men killed four pirates and took six others prisoner. They sailed to Boston, where they turned the pirates over to authorities. The pirates were hanged, and John Fillmore was rewarded with the pirate captain’s gun, sword, gold rings, and silver shoe buckles. Why did pirates hold mock trials? The mock trial was a favourite form of pirate entertainment. One man played the defendant, another was the magistrate, while still others took the parts of the various officers of the 65

court and the jury. “Evidence” was presented, the accused tried to defend himself, and the jury decided whether the prisoner went free or was hanged. This was the pirates’ way of holding up to ridicule a legal system that allowed the wealthy to run roughshod over the poor. It was also a means of coming to terms with the possibility that one day they could be in a real court of law and in the shadow of a real gallows. What was the Act of Grace of 1717? The Act of Grace was a general pardon offered to pirates who sailed into any British port and swore to give up piracy. It was thought to be the most effective and inexpensive way to rid the seas of desperadoes. The Act came with a warning: it was the last chance for pirates to give up the outlaw life. Any pirates who didn’t take advantage of the amnesty were hunted down and killed. What was the Piracy Act of 1721? The Piracy Act of 1721, passed by the British Parliament, stated that anyone who traded with a pirate or helped a pirate to fit out, provision, and arm a ship would be treated as a pirate. The Act’s intent was to make it difficult for pirates to dispose of stolen goods and purchase equipment and supplies for their ships. Who were “wreckers”? Wreckers were pirates without ships. They used false lights to lure unsuspecting ships into dangerous, shoal-ridden waters where the vessels were certain to meet destruction. After a 66

crew abandoned a stricken ship, the wreckers rowed out and stripped the vessel clean. Wreckers were known to murder sailors trying to make the safety of shore. Sable Island, 180 kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia, was a notorious wreckers’ lair. Quickies Did you know … • that Long Point, a thirty-two-kilometre-long peninsula jutting into Lake Erie from the Canadian shore, was once the haunt of wreckers known as “blackbirds”? One of their victims was the schooner Greenbush, which was lured onto Long Point’s deadly shoals in December 1860. The entire crew of thirteen perished. What was the Declaration of Paris of 1856? The seafaring nations of the world got together to outlaw privateering officially in 1856 with the Declaration of Paris. However, the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, and Spain refused to support the declaration. A few years later, during the American Civil War, Rebel raiders sailed with letters of marque issued by the Confederate government in Richmond, Virginia. President Abraham Lincoln’s administration didn’t recognize the authority of these documents, and captured Rebel privateers were treated as pirates. What illnesses affected pirate crews? Pirates suffered from all the diseases rampant in former centuries — smallpox, cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, et

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cetera. Like all mariners of that age, they were ravaged by scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C in the diet. Because of their carousing ways when ashore, pirates were often infected with syphilis. When pirates captured a ship, they frequently went straight for the medicine chest for the mercurial compounds that were used to treat the disease. Who was the most famous (or infamous) American pirate? America’s most famous pirate was Jean Lafitte. His date of birth is uncertain, as is his native country. He might have been born in France, in the Caribbean, or in the city with which his name is most closely associated, New Orleans. Lafitte was a smuggler and a pirate who based his operations in Baritaria, a robbers’ roost in the bayous near New Orleans. His chief business partner was his brother, Pierre, who looked after the commercial operations while Jean kept the Lafitte corporation supplied with stolen goods. Even though Lafitte helped General Andrew Jackson defeat the British at the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815, the American navy drove him out of Baritaria. Lafitte relocated to Galveston, Texas. There, among other things, he ran a slave-smuggling operation with frontier hero and Alamo martyr Jim Bowie. Lafitte was again forced out by the American military and his ultimate fate is unknown. Who was the most famous (or infamous) Canadian pirate? Canadian-born Bill Johnston (1782–1870) gained notoriety as the Pirate of the Thousand Islands in the St. Lawrence River. In addition to being a pirate and smuggler, Johnston 68

was a traitor who went over to the American side in the War of 1812. During the Rebellions of 1837–38, Johnston participated in the Battle of Windmill Point near Prescott, Ontario. It was also during this period that Johnston committed his greatest act of piracy when he captured, looted, and burned the steamer Sir Robert Peel. Where is Canada’s only known pirate graveyard? Newfoundland was the base of operations for Peter Easton, the “Pirate Admiral,” from 1611 to 1614. He built a fort at the site of present-day Harbour Grace. Easton returned from one of his voyages of pillage against the Spanish Main to find his fort in the hands of Basques. The pirates had to fight a battle to evict the Basques from their fort. Forty-seven pirates who were killed in the engagement were buried at Bear Cove, just north of Harbour Grace. The place is still called the Pirates’ Graveyard.

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PIRATES ON PAGE, STAGE, AND SCREEN Why, if pirates are so cruel and threatening, are they so romantic? The publication in 1724 of A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson (whom some say was really Daniel Defoe) was a sensation. It made the public familiar with names such as Blackbeard, Bartholomew Roberts, and Edward Low. People were thrilled by the tales of the outlaws’ daring and bloody deeds. Then, in 1814, Lord Byron published his epic poem The Corsair, which tells the romantic story of a pirate named Conrad. The poem was a tremendous success, selling an unprecedented ten

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thousand copies on the day of publication. The poem later inspired composer Giuseppe Verdi to write his opera Il Corsaro. The pirate was well on his way to becoming an intriguing figure of romance. What immensely popular theatrical production opened on Easter Monday, 1798? A play entitled Blackbeard, or the Captive Princess by James Cross became one of the most successful melodramas ever performed on a London stage when it opened in the city’s Royal Circus. The story about a princess kidnapped by the evil Blackbeard and then rescued by the gallant Lieutenant Maynard was action-packed and full of rousing, patriotic British sea songs. The play was revived again and again throughout the nineteenth century. What T.S. Eliot poem features a pirate cat? “Growltiger’s Last Stand,” from T.S. Eliot’s 1939 collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, tells the story of a “Bravo Cat” who lives on a barge and is known as “The Terror of the Thames.” Growltiger, who has made many a victim walk the plank, gets his comeuppance when his arch-enemies, Siamese cats, swarm aboard his barge and make him take the fatal plunge. Growltiger may be familiar to many theatregoers from the immensely popular Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, which was first performed at England’s New London Theatre on May 11, 1981. What was the first important novel about pirates?

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In 1822 Sir Walter Scott, creator of Ivanhoe, wrote The Pirate. The main character, Captain Clement Cleveland, was based on a real-life Scottish pirate named John Gow. But even though Scott was one of the most popular writers of his time, it was Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, first published in serial form in 1881–82, that captured the reading public’s imagination. One critic stated: “I think Robert Louis Stevenson shows more genius in a page than Scott in a volume.” Why has Treasure Island been so important to pirate lore? Robert Louis Stevenson intended Treasure Island as a book for boys; in fact, it was originally published in serial form in a children’s magazine. However, the novel found a wide readership among adults. British Prime Minister William Gladstone and author Henry James praised it. Real-life mariners vouched for the authenticity of the language used by Stevenson’s characters. The novel introduced readers to Long John Silver (the model for the stereotypical pirate) as well as to such literary props as treasure maps, black schooners, and parrots perching on pirates’ shoulders. The map with a cross marking the location of buried treasure has become one of the most recognizable features of a pirate story, and it is a fictional device created by Stevenson. Treasure Island has been adapted for the stage many times, and there are several versions of the story filmed for the big screen and for television. Quickies Did you know …

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• that Robert Louis Stevenson based Long John Silver on his friend, writer and editor William Ernest Henley? As a boy, Henley lost a foot because of illness and was forced to use a crutch. He was a large man with a red beard, a strong personality, and a sense of humour that made him beloved by all who knew him. Stevenson often said that Long John Silver was Henley deprived of his finer qualities. What Hollywood legend became an overnight sensation as a pirate? Errol Flynn was an unknown actor until he was cast as the main character in Captain Blood in 1935. Some Hollywood insiders thought the movie was too violent for women and children. But the film was a huge success and it catapulted Flynn into stardom. It also left him somewhat stereotyped as a swashbuckling action hero. Five years later Flynn trod the deck of a pirate ship again in The Sea Hawk. What was the first movie about pirates? The first known movie about pirates was likely the first film version of Treasure Island, released as a one-reel silent short in 1908. In 1912 actor Charles Ogle played in another, longer version of Treasure Island and later, in 1920, performed as Long John Silver in yet another cinema adaptation of the story. Ogle was a hugely prolific silent film actor who played in more than three hundred movies from 1908 to 1926, including the very first screen depiction of Mary Shelley’s monster in Thomas Alva Edison’s Frankenstein in 1910. Ten Movie Actors Who Were Long John Silver

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• Charles Ogle (1920) • Wallace Beery (1934) • Robert Newton (1950 and 1954) • Orson Welles (1971) • Anthony Quinn (1987) • Charlton Heston (1990) • Richard E. Grant (1993) • Tim Curry (Muppets version of Treasure Island, 1996) • Jack Palance (1999) • Lance Henriksen (2006) What real-life pirate is believed to be the model for Captain Hook? Although J.M. Barrie, the British creator of the play Peter Pan, stated that Captain Hook’s clothing and hairstyle were inspired by portraits of England’s King Charles II, pirate historians have noted some close resemblances to Bartholomew Roberts. Like Black Bart, Captain Hook is an impeccable dresser and has the polished manners of a gentleman. Roberts was known to be a lover of poetry. Captain Hook also enjoys a volume of poetry when he isn’t making some poor victim walk the plank.

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What literary character was allegedly afraid of Captain Hook? According to J.M. Barrie’s script for Peter Pan, Captain Hook was the only man Long John Silver ever feared. In Barrie’s play Long John is referred to as “the Sea Cook” and “Barbeque.” Barrie’s story also says that Hook was once a member of Blackbeard’s crew. Long John’s influence continues. In the film Pirates of the Caribbean, we discover that Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow learned all he knows about pirating from Long John Silver. Top Ten Worst Pirate Movies • Carry on Jack (1963, starring Britain’s Carry On Gang) • Scalawag (1973, directed by and starring Kirk Douglas) • The Island (1980, starring Michael Caine) • The Pirate Movie (1982, starring Kristy McNichol) • Pirates (1986, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Walter Matthau) • Sky Pirates (1986, starring John Hargreaves) • Hook (1991, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Dustin Hoffman) • Magic Island (1995, starring Zachary Ty Bryan)

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• Cutthroat Island (1995, directed by Renny Harlin and starring Geena Davis) • Treasure Planet (2002, starring the voices of Emma Thompson and Martin Short) Top Fifteen Pirate Movies • The Black Pirate (1926, starring Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.) • Captain Blood (1935, starring Errol Flynn) • The Sea Hawk (1940, starring Errol Flynn) • Treasure Island (1950, starring Robert Newton) • Blackbeard the Pirate (1952, starring Robert Newton) • Peter Pan (1953, starring the voices of Bobby Driscoll and Hans Conried) • Long John Silver (1954, starring Robert Newton) • Peter Pan (1960, starring Mary Martin) • A High Wind in Jamaica (1965, starring Anthony Quinn and James Coburn) • The Light at the Edge of the World (1971, starring Kirk Douglas) • The Pirates of Penzance (1980, starring Kevin Kline)

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• Yellowbeard (1983, starring Graham Chapman and Peter Cook) • Nate and Hayes (1983, starring Tommy Lee Jones) • The Princess Bride (1987, starring Robin Wright and Cary Elwes) • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, starring Johnny Depp) What are the most common mistakes made by filmmakers in pirate movies? Moviemakers assume that all wooden sailing ships had steering wheels. Actually, steering wheels on ships didn’t come into use until sometime in the first quarter of the eighteenth century. Until that time ships were steered by means of a tiller on the right (steering board or starboard) side of the ship. It is also an error to show all of the pirates wearing shoes or boots. The captain might have worn a pair of fashionable boots, but the crewmen were usually barefoot. Having pirates armed with rapiers, the swords that are used in fencing, is a mistake, too. A pirate used a cutlass, which would have whittled a rapier into toothpicks. If someone had confronted Blackbeard with a rapier, the best thing would have been to stab him quickly while he was still laughing. Five Memorable or Not-So-Memorable Comic Pirates • Yosemite Sam in the animated Buccaneer Bunny, featuring Bugs Bunny (1948)

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• Charles Laughton as Captain Kidd in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) • Burt Lancaster as Captain Vallo in The Crimson Pirate (1952) • Robert Shaw as Ned Lynch in Swashbuckler (1976) • Tim Curry as Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

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PIRACY TODAY Does piracy exist in the twenty-first century? There are indeed modern pirates. They attack everything from private yachts to the largest tankers in the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Ninety-five percent of the planet’s international commerce is carried in the holds and containers of ships. As in days of old, any cargo is vulnerable to hijacking by pirates. Where do modern pirates operate? Hotbeds of modern piracy are the coast of Africa, the Red Sea, the coast of Brazil, the waters of the Philippines, the Mediterranean Sea, the South China Sea, and, yes, the Caribbean Sea. Perhaps the most pirate-infested waters in the world today are the Straits of Malacca. 79

How much has piracy increased in the twenty-first century? Records kept by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which has headquarters in London, England, show that piracy in the world’s shipping lanes tripled between 1993 and 2003 and showed no signs of declining. In 2003 pirates made 445 attacks on ships, killing 16 innocent people. In the first quarter of 2006 there were 61 attacks on vessels, five more than in the same period the previous year. Nineteen of those attacks happened in Indonesian waters. Annually, 25 to 30 percent of pirate attacks take place off Indonesia. Why are the Straits of Malacca so dangerous? Ships have to slow down to navigate the narrow straits. When a ship is moving slowly, it is vulnerable to armed men travelling in small, fast boats. Night is the most dangerous time, as most modern pirates prefer to strike under the cover of darkness, but the boldest of them have been known to attack in broad daylight. What kind of loot are modern pirates after? Like pirates of old, modern pirates take anything they can lay their hands on. They rob fishermen and sailors of the money in their wallets and hijack entire ships. Pirated ships vanish without a trace and turn up months or years later in another part of the world, repainted and under forged registration papers, often being used as drug runners or for transporting illegal immigrants. Crews are sometimes held for ransom. Sometimes they are murdered. Pirates have even attacked

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ships carrying food and medical supplies to victims of disasters such as the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. Who are the modern pirates? Many of today’s pirates are men from impoverished communities who see opportunity in the rich, slow-moving tankers and freighters that sail past their homes every day. These are the low-end pirates who will swarm aboard a ship, filch whatever they can carry off, and then make their getaway. At the other end of the pirate spectrum are well-organized gangs backed by international crime syndicates, corrupt governments, warlords, and terrorist cells. These criminals seize and take control of ships as large as supertankers. How do modern pirates compare with the pirates of the seventeenth century? Modern pirates are, if anything, even more vicious and cold-blooded than the likes of Blackbeard and Edward Low. They murder entire crews of captured vessels and toss the bodies overboard. Modern pirates have been responsible for the murders of helpless fishermen, ferry boat passengers, and innocent tourists. Many yachtsmen who have been listed as missing have undoubtedly been the victims of pirates. As the 1992 attack on the tanker Valient Carrier proved, today’s pirates aren’t inclined to show mercy to women and children. In that incident a baby in its mother’s arms was stabbed in the head. Miraculously, the child survived. What tactics do modern pirates use?

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Today’s pirates sneak aboard a ship (or may already be on board as one of the crew) and start a fire. While the crew is distracted trying to put out the blaze, other pirates board and take control of the victim ship. Modern pirates also lure ships into ambushes by setting off distress flares. In another tactic, a small pirate boat attacks from the front. While the helmsman of the target ship tries to avoid a collision, other pirate boats strike from the rear. Today’s pirates use grappling hooks and lines to climb up the sterns of ships and overpower unarmed crews. How are today’s pirates armed? Many of the pirates from poverty-stricken communities carry knives, machetes, and a few firearms. However, today’s well-organized pirate gangs have arsenals that make the cutlasses and muzzle-loading pistols of Captain Kidd’s time look like toys. They have high-powered automatic and semi-automatic rifles and pistols, grenade launchers, anti-tank missiles, and plastic explosives. Why has piracy been able to flourish in the twenty-first century? The police and naval forces of Third World countries that have jurisdiction over pirate waters often lack the means to deal effectively with pirates; in some instances their officials are in cahoots with the pirates. Some private groups that were organized to fight piracy, such as the National Volunteer Guard of Somalia, have actually engaged in piracy themselves. Acts of piracy that take place in international waters are very difficult to prosecute. Many acts of piracy go

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unreported because ship owners don’t want their vessels tied up by legal proceedings. What measures have been taken to counter modern piracy? Ships of the U.S. Navy have begun to patrol such pirate hot spots as the coast of Somalia as part of their anti-terrorism strategy. Captains of freighters and tankers try, wherever possible, to give pirate waters a wide berth. However, there are some places, such as the Straits of Malacca, that can’t be avoided. In those dangerous waters ships run at night with their decks fully illuminated. Fire hoses are kept in readiness to drive off small pirate craft. Sailors equipped with cellphones regularly patrol decks. Doors are kept locked. Some vessels are protected by nine-thousand-volt electric fences that enclose all decks. Ships are equipped to send pre-formatted pirate attack messages via satellite to the Piracy Reporting Center, a worldwide organization based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ships have been known to deliberately run down any small craft that ventures too close. What is the greatest fear concerning modern piracy? Scientists are concerned that the hijacking of a supertanker loaded with petroleum, or a ship with a cargo of deadly chemicals, could result in one of the worst ecological disasters the world has ever seen. There is a great concern, too, that pirates could commandeer a ship transporting nuclear materials that could then be turned over to terrorists.

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Now You Know The Bible 84

preface The first thing to be said is that this is a work of entertainment. Although I certainly acknowledge the central place the Bible has in the lives of many believers, and the reverence with which it is held, this book does not attempt to address the deeper ideas that shape the faith of so many. What these pages contain are the interesting facts, amusing details, and cultural influences that swirl around the ancient volume. Because the Bible has so long and so profound a cultural history, this is not an easy task. It has been around, in some form or other, for over two thousand years and has informed Western culture for a good part of that time. Prior to the twentieth century, most people in the Western world, regardless of their beliefs, would have been familiar with the stories and the symbols of the Bible. In art, for instance, biblical and Classical subject matter was almost all artists painted — if they wanted acceptance. With the exception of the genre painting by artists such as Vermeer and Van Eyck and the portraits of the wealthy and powerful, it is hard to find anything other than religious or classical depictions prior to the nineteenth century, as you may have noticed in a stroll through any art gallery. While subject matter in literature roamed more widely, religious allusions were still everywhere. It is almost impossible to study the history of Western art or literature without knowing something about the Bible.

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Obviously, the problem with a book such as this is not lack of material but too much material. I admit freely, then, that the choices of what to discuss are totally individual — dare I say eccentric — and are not consciously weighted in any way. As an organizing principle, I've followed the Bible itself and divided the book into Old Testament and New Testament sections. Within those sections, the chapters follow, for the most part, the order of the books of the Bible. An exception would be the grouping of the books of Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel into a chapter dealing with the captivity of the Israelites in Babylon and their return to Israel. The books all deal with a similar period but don't fall together in the Bible. Another exception is the grouping of the wisdom literature and poetry of the Old Testament. In this, the book follows the organization of the The Bible for Dummies, which is excellent (yes, really). The Old Testament section moves from the story of Adam and Eve through Noah and the flood, to the flight of the Israelites from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Then comes the settling of the Israelites in the Promised Land, the establishment of a priesthood and the anointing of a king, the rules of David and his son Solomon, the warnings of the prophets, the captivity of the Jews and their exile in Babylon, and the return to Israel. The final chapter looks at the amazing collections of poetry and wise saying collected in Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs/Solomon — oh yes, and in Job, which deals with that eternal question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The New Testament section starts with the four gospels (find out what gospel means) that recount the life and works of 86

Jesus, moves on to the story of the missionary work of the apostles and the founding of the early church, and ends with that head-scratcher, Revelation. Don't expect any illumination on weighty subjects. This is the book that will ask such questions as: • “What was the fruit that Adam and Eve ate in the Garden of Eden?” • “How big was the Ark?” • “Who was only left-handed person mentioned in the Bible?” • “Who were the wise men anyway?” • “Did John the Baptist found the Baptist church?” • “What happened to the twelve apostles?” We will also look at the way the Bible has become part of our language. Any book that plays such a large role in history and culture will inevitably enter the language, both in specific words and in expressions. We will examine the biblical roots of such words as scapegoat, maudlin, and petrel, and the names of holidays such as Easter, but particularly striking are the number of expressions and sayings that we use every day, sometimes without being aware that they come from the Bible. Some examples are: • • • • • •

“At one's wits’ end” “By the skin of your teeth” “Eat, drink, and be merry” “A fly in the ointment” “No rest for the wicked” “The apple of your eye”

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Then there are all those ways that the Bible informs culture. Here are works of art, books, movies, and songs (particularly spirituals and hymns) that draw on the Bible for inspiration, or simply use biblical phrases and names to link the work to deeper themes, as with Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. Sure, it's about whaling, but it's also about false gods and the destructive choices one makes. Needless to say, in this area, we can only scrape the surface. With the deepest of respect to the Jewish reader — and to the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox readers as well — the Bible that has been referred to throughout is the King James Bible. The Hebrew Bible and the Apocrypha are touched on, but I've chosen not to cover them in detail, in case the subject balloons out of control. Although its language is not the language of today, I have also chosen to quote from the King James Bible, because its influence has been so all-pervasive. Admittedly, there have been countless fine translations done since the advent of the King James Bible in 1611, but many of the phrases I will discuss and the references to other works that will pop up reflect the wording of the good old KJV (King James Version). I will also use the traditional method of citing chapters and verses: the chapter first, followed by a colon and then the verse. For example, John 3:16 refers to the third chapter of the book of John, and the sixteenth verse. I will also use the dating designations B.C.E. (before the common era) and C.E. (common era). The years are exactly the same as they would be if B.C. and A.D. were used.

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My heartfelt thanks to the many scholars who have done the heavy lifting. They are the ones who can tell us the meaning of phrases and words in translation, who can explain the customs of the ancient world, and who can explain whether the evidence backs up a particular reading of the text — and when it come to the Bible, there are as many multiplied errors, crackpot interpretations, and conspiracy agendas as there are words in the Bible itself. With the help of these scholars and their work, I hope I have avoided passing on any of these more original theories. The facts are interesting enough!

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the Book What does the name Bible mean? You're probably used to talking about the “books” of the Bible. This is a clue to the origin of its name, because the Bible is not really one book but a collection of books or writings by a number of authors, which were brought together much later to form the Bible we know. Because the Bible is a library, its name comes from ta biblia, which is Greek for “the books” or “the scrolls.” 90

What is the Hebrew Bible? This refers to the books of the Hebrew Scriptures, which are the same books that make up the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, and which were almost all written originally in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible, however, a number of the books are in a different order than they are in the Christian tradition. The first five books of scripture — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — make up the books of the the Torah, from a Hebrew word for “law.” These same books are also called the Pentateuch, from the Greek for “five scrolls.”

Who first collected the books of the Old Testament? When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E., they carried many of the people off to Babylon, levelled the palace and temple in Jerusalem, and destroyed a rich library of recorded material — a popular pastime among conquerors. What remained of the writings, however, were saved and taken to Babylon by the captives. The Israelites struggled to keep their culture alive in exile, and a project was mounted to pull the material together and edit it. The priest Ezra has been credited with organizing this effort and carrying the scrolls back to Jerusalem when it was rebuilt.

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When was the Bible first translated? The Old Testament was first translated from Hebrew into Greek around 250 B.C.E. By this time, Alexander the Great had rampaged over much of the known world, spreading Greek culture far and wide. Because of this, fewer Jews were able to read Hebrew, and a Greek translation was prepared. It was known as the Septuagint, Greek for “seventy,” because of the belief that seventy scribes independently produced identical translations of the Torah.

How many passages do some claim were written by God? Because the Bible says some thirty-eight hundred times that “God said” or “thus says the Lord,” there are those who believe these passages were written by God. Ditto for the Ten Commandments.

How many versions of the Bible are there in English? This sort of question is almost impossible to answer definitively, but it has been estimated that there have been over 450 versions.

When was the Bible first translated into English? The first translation of the whole Bible into English (from Latin) was done by John Wycliffe (et al.) in the late fourteenth century. The Church was very opposed to this, fearing that those who weren't specially trained might 92

misunderstand the text once they got their hands on it. John Wycliffe managed to die a natural death, but soon after, his bones were dug up and burned for heresy. This must have given others something to think about, because it wasn't until approximately 150 years later, in 1526, that William Tyndale made the New Testament available. Tyndale wasn't as lucky as Wycliffe. In 1536, in Antwerp, he was strangled at the stake and then his body was burned. In 1535, Miles Coverdale produced the first complete Bible to be printed in English, translating from Latin, Wycliffe's English, and Martin Luther's German. History doesn't record what Coverdale thought when he heard about Tyndale's fate, but when Tyndale's friend John Rogers brought out another translation in 1537, he was shaken enough to call it the Thomas Matthew Bible. Quick thinking, John. Nonetheless, it seems the tide had turned. In 1539, when Coverdale revised the Matthew Bible to produce the Great Bible, it became the first authorized Bible printed in English. King Henry VIII, no less, ordered that it be put in every church.

Which Bible did Shakespeare use? After King Henry VIII and his sickly son Edward VI had died, his eldest daughter, Mary Tudor, came to the throne. Although her father had broken with Rome to found the English church, Mary remained a staunch Roman Catholic, 93

and she lost no time in persecuting Protestants in England, earning her the nickname “Bloody Mary.”

Quickies Did you know… • that the second edition of the Geneva Bible reads, “blessed are the placemakers,” instead of “blessed are the peacemakers.” Some of the Protestants who fled England during her reign ended up in Geneva, where, in 1560, they produced the Geneva Bible, a revision of the English Bible. (Interestingly, Mary was already dead by this time, and had been succeeded by her Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth.) The Geneva Bible is significant for several reasons. It is the first edition of the Bible in which the now-familiar numbered verses appear. The New Testament, according to legend, was first divided into chapters and verses in 1544 by a printer named R. Stephens. When the early pilgrim fathers (and mothers) stepped ashore in the New World in the 1620s, it was the Geneva Bible they were carrying. Although the King James Bible had been published by then, it was a production of the monarchy and the official English church, with which they were at odds. This was also the Bible that was used and quoted by Shakespeare, along with Coverdale's Great Bible.

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When was the King James Bible published? King James I succeeded Elizabeth I on her death in 1603. Not wasting any time, in 1604 he issued a command for the production of a new translation of the Bible. Fifty-four scholars worked from Greek and Hebrew manuscripts and English editions, and they completed the Bible by 1611. It blends scholarship and poetry in a version of the Bible that is still widely loved, although countless translations have followed.

The Books of the Bible (As found in the King James Version) Old Testament • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth I Samuel II Samuel I Kings II Kings I Chronicles II Chronicles Ezra

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

The New Testament • • • • • •

Matthew Mark Luke John Acts (the Acts of the Apostles) Romans (the Epistle to the Romans)

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

I Corinthians II Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians I Thessalonians II Thessalonians I Timothy II Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews (Epistle to the Hebrews) James (Epistle of James) I Peter II Peter I John II John III John Jude Revelation

Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles include the Apocrypha.

What is the Apocrypha? Many who are familiar with the King James Bible and other Protestant versions will not know the Apocrypha. That is because it appears only in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions, not in the Protestant Bible or in the Hebrew Bible. Between the times the Greek and Latin translations of Hebrew scriptures were done, Jewish scholars decided that

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some of the books included in the Hebrew Bible were, though important, not divinely inspired and should not be included. When Saint Jerome translated the Greek translation (Septuagint) into Latin (Vulgate), he agreed with the decision, but there was much disagreement. As a result, they weren't removed until the Protestant Reformation, and appear in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox versions, where they are placed at the end of the Old Testament. This explains the name: Apocrypha means “hidden” in Greek.

How many books are there in the Protestant Bible? There are sixty-six books, thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament.

Quickies Did you know… • that the Bible is the most shoplifted book in the world, while approximately fifty Bibles are sold every minute. Presumably those who aren't buying their Bibles are shoplifting. Perhaps they should read the Ten Commandments first.

What did Voltaire get wrong? The French Enlightenment writer and philosopher Voltaire (1694–1778) said that, within a hundred years of his day, Christianity would pass into the obscurity of history.

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Ironically, within fifty years of his death, the Geneva Bible Society was using Voltaire's house and printing press to produce Bibles.

How many Bibles are distributed in the United States every day? According to statistics given out by the Gideons, the International Bible Society, and others, there are about 128,000 Bibles distributed every day.

The Apocrypha Even though the Apocrypha does not appear in the Hebrew Bible, the material it contains deals with many stories of great importance in Hebrew tradition, such as the Maccabee Rebellion. It is also important to students of art history, since a number of works of art represent, or allude to, material taken from the Apocrypha. One popular subject was the story of Susanna and the Elders, in which a virtuous woman was spied on by elders of the church as she bathed. This gave artists the chance to paint a luscious nude while sticking to a biblical theme. The books of the Apocrypha • • • • •

Tobit Judith Additions to Esther Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus

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• • • • • • • • • •

Baruch Letter of Jeremiah Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews Susanna Bel and the Dragon I Maccabee II Maccabee I Edras II Edras Prayer of Manasseh

To these, the Eastern Orthodox church adds: • III Macabees • IV Maccabees • Psalm 151

What is bibliomancy? Bibliomancy is the word for the use of books in divination. The book used is usually a sacred book, and for Christians the Bible is most commonly used. To determine the will of God or to gain guidance for some action, people close their eyes, let the chosen book fall open at random, open their eyes, and hope to be guided by the first words they see. In early Christianity, the believers would sometimes pay special attention to whatever was being sung as they entered the church. The more formal method however, was to open the scriptures and read the first thing they saw. This was called the Sortes Sacrae, or the “Holy Lots.”

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Although most Christian groups disapprove of divination, somehow this method has survived, though it has no official sanction. While it has nothing to do with sacred texts, another method is to choose a book and passage at random. That is how poet Robert Browning found himself consulting Cerutti's Italian Grammar for guidance in his courtship of fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett.

Bible Stats • Number of chapters in the Bible: 1,189. (929 in the Old Testament, and 260 in the New Testament) • Number of verses in the Bible: 31,173 (23,214 in the OT, and 7,959 in the NT) • Number of words in the Bible: 774,746 (593,493 in the OT, and 181,253 in the NT) • Longest verse: Esther 8:9, with 78 words • Shortest verse: John 11:35, with two words • Shortest book (by number of words): III John • Longest book: Psalms, with 150 chapters • Longest chapter: Psalms 119, with 176 verses It is estimated that the Bible should take seventy hours to read, though when the American Foundation for the Blind recorded the entire King James Version in 1944, it took eighty-four and a half hours. Slow readers?

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What was the first major book printed with movable type? The Gutenberg Bible, also called the 42-Line Bible or the Mazarin Bible, is an edition of the Latin text and was printed in 1454–55. Its appearance marked a revolution in printing history: the beginning of the era of the printed book, which is referred to as the Gutenberg Revolution. This Bible is the result of much experimentation on the part of Johannes Gutenberg. During the printing he had to develop a new kind of oil-based ink that would stick to the metal type, and his efforts to print in two colours had to be suspended. The red detailing was continued by hand. It is thought about 180 copies were printed, of which 135 were on paper and 45 were on vellum. As of 2009, only 48 copies were thought to exist. The last complete copy sold in 1978 for $2.2 million.

What is the most expensive modern Bible? In 1998, St. John's Abbey and University in Minnesota decided to pay tribute to an ancient Benedictine tradition by commissioning calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a hand-written and hand-illuminated Bible. The final result, named the St. John's Bible, is a work of art that is written on vellum using hand-ground pigments and inks. On the completion of the St. John's Bible, the College began producing a 360-copy Heritage Edition. While the original

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Bible is not for sale, a copy of the Heritage Edition sells for $130,000.

What is the largest printed Bible? In 1928, Louis Waynai of Los Angeles began to print the entire King James Bible using a large rubber-stamp press that he had made. When he finished the job two years later, he had produced the world's largest Bible, measuring nearly four feet tall (43.5 inches), and over eight feet (98 inches) across when the book is open. When the book is closed, the spine is almost three feet (98 inches) thick. It has 8,048 pages and weighs 1,094 pounds. In 1956, the Waynai Bible was donated to Abilene Christian College, where it is still on display. Some claim the title of largest Bible belongs to the Macklin Bible of 1800, which was printed in seven volumes. However, each volume is a mere two feet high and 130 pounds, falling far short of the sheer mass of the Waynai Bible. It may, however, be the largest Bible to be mass-produced using a printing press.

What is the world's smallest Bible? In 1901, David Bryce and Company, Glasgow, produced a tiny Bible, known at the time as the “mini mite” or “thumb Bible.” Just about one inch wide and less than half an inch thick, it could sit in the bowl of a spoon. It came in a case with metal hinges and included a magnifying glass to help the reader make out the type.

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The Bryce Bible was not an eccentric production at the time. It was printed at a time of new developments in lithography and photo reduction, and typesetters were trying out the technology by creating a number of tiny books. The nineteenth century was seen as a pinnacle of achievement for the production of miniature books. In 2007, the Bryce Bible was in the news again when renovators working on a cottage in Ewerby, Lincolnshire, made a discovery in the chimney. Stuffed in the brickwork was a child's boot, and inside the boot was a copy of the Bryce Bible, still encased in fragments of the hinged case. According to local antiquities experts, this was probably intended to ward off evil. The use of shoes as a sort of spirit trap dates back to the fourteenth century, and lingered on long after people lost track of the history.

Bibles with Errors Yes, typos happen — and so do questionable translations. There are Bibles out there that are named after the amusing or head-scratching irregularities that made them famous. Some of the best known, in a very long list, are: • The Bug Bible: The 1535 Bible produced by Myles Coverdale translates as “bugge” what the KJV translates as “terror.” Therefore Psalm 91:5 reads, “Thou shalt not be affrayed for any bugges by night.” Tell it to a camper. In fairness to Myles, in his day bugge meant “spectre” or “ghost.” • The Treacle Bible: Also known as Beck's Bible. This 1549 edition of the Great Bible translated as 104

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• • •

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“treacle” what modern translations translate as “balm.” Jeremiah 8:22 therefore reads “Is there no treacle in Gilead?” The Placemaker's Bible: In addition to the typo for “peacemakers” that gave the second edition of the Geneva Bible (1562) its nickname, the heading for Luke 21 reads, “Christ condemneth the poor widow.” That's “commendeth” when they get it right. The Breeches Bible: In this 1579 edition of the KJV, Adam and Eve make themselves “breeches.” The more acceptable translation is “coverings.” The Wicked Bible/Sinner's Bible/Adulterer's Bible: This 1631 edition of the KJV positively commands people to commit adultery. The Unrighteous Bible: A missing “not” in this 1653 KJV makes I Corinthians 6:9 read, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God?” The Sin On Bible: In this 1716 edition of the KJV, John 8:11 reads “Go and sin on more.” The Vinegar Bible: Instead of the Parable of the Vineyard, this 1717 edition of the KJV announces the Parable of the Vinegar. The Rebecca's Camels Bible: In one place in this 1823 edition, the word camels replaces “damsels.” As a result, in Genesis 24:61, “Rebecca arose, and her camels, and they rode upon the camels.” The Affinity Bible: In a list of family affinities, this 1927 edition tells us that “a man may not marry his Grandmother's wife.” Glad that's cleared up.

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THE OLD TESTAMENT

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the beginning: Genesis What was the order in which God created the elements of the earth? There are two creation accounts in the Bible — in Genesis 1 and 2, and the order is different in each account.

TEN LONGEST NAMES IN THE BIBLE 1. Mahershalalhashbaz, “making speed to the spoil; he hastens to the prey” (Isaiah 8:1–3) 107

2. Chushanrishathaim, “blackness of iniquities” (Judges 3:8–10) 3. Bashanhavothjair, “the towns of Jair” (Deuteronomy 3:14) 4. Chepharhaammonai, “town of Benjamin” (Joshua 18:24) 5. Kibrothhattaavah, “the graves of lust” (Numbers 11:34; Deuteronomy 9:22) 6. Selahammahlekoth, “rock of divisions” (I Samuel 23:28) 7. Abelbethmaachah, “mourning to the House of Maachah” (I Kings 15:20; II Kings 15:29) 8. Almondiblathaim, “hidden in a cluster of fig trees” (Numbers 33:46–47) 9. Apharsathchites, “dividing or rending” (Ezra 4:9) 10. Helkathhazzurim, “the field of strong men, or of rocks” (II Samuel 2:16) And the runners up: • RamathaimZophim, “the two watch-towers” (1Samuel 1:1) • Zaphnathpaaneah, “one who discovers hidden things” (Genesis 41:45) In Chapter 1, God creates the earth, then the plants, and then the animals, rather as if he's getting the earth ready for Adam and Eve, who comes last. In Chapter 2, God creates Adam and then plants a garden watered by rivers for Adam's use. Then come the animals and birds, and Adam is given the task of naming them. It is only when Adam still lacks a companion that God creates woman out of Adam's rib.

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Some Biblical scholars think that this is a result of two different accounts being later combined by a compiler. Others feel that the two accounts are simply included to underline the importance of the event by the use of a literary device: first comes the big picture, then the detail.

What does the name Adam mean? Adam means “man” in Hebrew. Interestingly, however, the name is a bit of a play on words. In Chapter 2 of Genesis, man is created “out of the dust of the ground.” In Hebrew the word for ground is adamah.

What does the name Eve mean? Adam first names his companion “Woman,” because she was taken out of Man. However, after God announces that her punishment for her role in the Fall is, among other things, to bear children and to suffer while doing so, Adam renames her. He calls her “Eve,” because “she was the mother of all living.”

How did God create a woman out of Adam's rib and do men have fewer ribs? Men don't have fewer ribs, though this has been suggested at times by the very literal. In fact, the creation account uses a Hebrew word that means “side” rather than “rib.” A more widespread interpretation is that the rib incident simply underlines that man and woman are two halves of a whole, flesh of one flesh. In the creation account in Chapter 1, man and woman exist together from the first.

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Adam's Rib The movie Adam's Rib, released in 1949 and directed by George Cukor, was a vehicle for Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy (in private life a couple equally matched in strength of character). Husband-and-wife lawyers, they end up battling on opposite sides in the trial of a wronged wife accused of taking a poorly aimed shot at her philandering husband. The “battle of the sexes” in the courtroom eventually spills over into the private lives of the married lawyers and comes close to “expelling” them from their heretofore happy marriage. The snake in this case is a predatory neighbour with an eye on Hepburn's character. Spencer Tracy, by the way, plays Adam Bonner. Get it?

How does “Adam's rib” relate to relations between the sexes? Some people have interpreted the fact that Eve was created from Adam's rib to indicate that God intends woman to be subservient to man. Therefore, “Adam's rib” has often been invoked in the battle of the sexes.

Why was the fruit that Adam and Eve ate an apple? The fruit that Adam and Eve ate is never identified. It is simply the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and was forbidden to them by God's order. However, traditionally the fruit has been identified as an apple, and it's portrayed as an apple in songs, stories, and paintings. This

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idea was perhaps propagated by the fact that the Latin for evil and apple is the same word, differentiated only by accent.

Where did the term Adam's apple come from? It was said that the forbidden fruit stuck in Adam's throat. Since the identification of the forbidden fruit with an apple has been so established, that lump in the male throat became known as an Adam's apple.

Why did God plant the tree in the Garden of Eden if he didn't want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit? Theologians have suggested that this is much more than a tease. By giving Adam and Eve the choice to obey or disobey, God has emphasized a principle that is central to their humanity and, many would suggest, to their relationship with God: free will.

Where do we get the term forbidden fruit? This now can be applied to anything that is not allowed. Although these exact words do not appear in the Bible, forbidden fruit refers, of course, to the fruit that God forbade Adam and Eve to eat in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2). We all know how that turned out.

What other trees were in the Garden of Eden? Well, only three are named. With the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, in the very centre of the garden, was the 111

Tree of Life, which promised everlasting life. In addition, we know that there was a fig tree, because Adam and Eve whip up “aprons” of fig leaves when they hear God approaching and realize they are naked. Before expelling them from the Garden of Eden, God replaces the fig leaves with coats of animal skins.

Why do snakes slither, according to the Bible? For his part in tempting Eve, the serpent is sentenced by God to move on his belly forever (“upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life”). God also ordains that there will be “enmity” between the woman, her offspring, and the snake. Over the years some have suggested that this explains why so many people fear snakes, but theologians think there is more going on. Many of them believe the serpent represents Satan and the evil that must be struggled against.

What is the first incident of sibling rivalry in the Bible? After Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden, they have two sons: Cain and Abel. Cain works the land and Abel is a shepherd. Cain brings some of his crops to offer to God, but Abel brings the firstborn of his flock, and the fatty portions at that. When God favours Abel's offering, Cain becomes jealous and later, when they are alone in the fields, he strikes his brother and kills him. Two things are interesting here. First, it's strongly implied that God favours Abel's attitude over Cain's. Also, though it is

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often left out of the story, God takes Cain to task for his jealousy and points out that, if he does a better job, his offering will also be accepted. In spite of this, Cain proceeds with Plan A, proving that, like his parents, he hasn't learned to handle free will.

What is the Mark of Cain? Am I My Brother's Keeper? It's obvious what the expression “am I my brother's keeper” now means: am I responsible for others? It should also be obvious that the desired answer is yes. The use of the question in Genesis 4:9 is more sinister. Cain has just murdered his brother, Abel. When God asks where Abel is (knowing full well), this is Cain's “Who, me?” response. After he has murdered his brother, Cain is cursed by God, who also tells him that he is now doomed to be a fugitive and a vagabond. Ever the whiner, Cain argues that the punishment is too much for him, since he will have no protection and will be set upon and killed by anyone he encounters. God places a mark (undefined) on Cain, so that those he encounters will know not to kill him for fear of drawing God's curse on themselves.

The Mark of Cain The Mark of Cain is a well-reviewed British TV film that was first broadcast in 2007, three years after the revelations of torture at Abu Ghraib prison. It tells the story of soldiers on duty in Iraq who take part in the beating and sexual

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humiliation of Iraqi prisoners. When their deeds follow them home to England and a scandal erupts, one of the young men commits suicide, while the lives of the others are marked forever. It is interesting that what was intended as a mark of protection has come to be used through the years as a sign of sin or evil, perhaps through confusion with the curse put on Cain by God. Unfortunately, some traditions have used this confusion to identify the mark as black skin, although the mark is never described in the Bible. This, of course, has proved useful through the years in defending slavery and prejudice.

Who founded the first city? Quickies Did you know… • that East of Eden was used by John Steinbeck as the title for his novel in which one of the central themes is the betrayal of a brother? After Cain is banished for the murder of Abel, he goes into “the land of Nod, on the East of Eden,” and there he marries and has a son named Enoch. He also builds a city, which he names after his son.

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How is the Land of Nod associated with children's nursery rhymes? The use of the word nod for the bobbing or dipping of the head is Old English. In the eighteenth century, Jonathan Swift put the nodding of the head together with sleep for the first time and used “nod off” in Gulliver's Travels to mean to go to sleep. However, the pun on the Bible's Land of Nod was probably most memorably associated with children's bedtimes when Robert Louis Stevenson wrote his poem “The Land of Nod,” in A Child's Garden of Verses (1885).

How many children did Adam and Eve have? Although he certainly doesn't share billing with his brothers, Cain and Abel, another son, Seth, was born when Adam was 130 years old. Adam then lived another 800 years, begetting sons and daughters all the while. That's a lot of begetting.

Who is the oldest man recorded in the Bible? Some of the ages given in the Bible, especially the early part, are staggering. The oldest man in the Bible is Methusaleh, a descendant of Seth, who is recorded as living 969 years. That's why we say “as old as Methusaleh” to describe someone or something that's very old.

What kind of boat is an ark? Ark is an old-fashioned English word for a chest and was used to translate the Hebrew word aron. What that means, and what God wanted Noah to build, is a large box. 115

How large was the Ark in the Bible? God is very particular about the size of the Ark. Noah is told to build an Ark of gopher wood and to line it with pitch or tar. It is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, with three storeys, large rooms, a door in its side, and a nice window. How long is a cubit? This is an ancient measurement that's no longer used. It was arrived at by measuring from the tip of the elbow to the tip of the fingers (rather the way a yard was measured by the distance from the nose to the end of the outstretched arm). Those who have tried this say that a man of average size measures 18 inches from elbow to fingertip, which would make the Ark approximately 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Still pretty cozy.

How many of each living thing did Noah take with him on the Ark? According to persistent tradition and toys, pictures, songs, and nursery wallpaper, Noah took two of every living thing, male and female, onto the Ark, as is written in Genesis 6. However, if you keep reading, God gets more specific in Chapter 7. “Unclean” beasts are to be taken in twos, but “clean” creatures and “birds of the air” are to be taken by sevens (this seems to suggest that one of those clean beasts is going to be very lonely, but it actually means seven pairs). Also in attendance, of course, were Mrs. Noah (no name was ever given), his three sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives.

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How long were Noah and his family on the Ark? Forty days and forty nights were how long the rain fell. After that, Noah had to wait for the land to dry, which took about another year. Family togetherness must have been wearing thin.

Where did the Ark “land”? According to the Bible, the Ark came to rest “upon the mountains of Ararat.” In the Armenian and Western Christian traditions, the Ark landed on the highest peak in the Ararat range, Mount Masis (which is accordingly now known as Mount Ararat), located on the border of Turkey and Armenia. Eastern tradition identifies the mountain as Mount Judi in northwestern Iran.

Quickies Did you know… • that the dividing of the beasts on the Ark into clean and unclean referred to whether they were Kosher, or proper, to eat — not to their hygiene.

Why is the dove with an olive branch in its beak a symbol of peace? Noah, anxious to go ashore, had to make sure that the land was dry. First he sent out a raven. At the same time, it seems, he sent out a dove. The first time he sent it out, the dove was unable to find anywhere to land, and returned to the Ark.

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After seven days, Noah sent it out again, and this time the dove came back with an olive leaf. This showed Noah that the water was going down. After seven more days, he sent the dove out a third time, and she didn't return. This proved to Noah that the earth was dry, and they could disembark.

Quickies Did you know… • that the story of an immense flood covering the earth appeared elsewhere in the ancient world. The account that comes the closest to the story of Noah is from Mesopotamia, and is recounted in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Once the family stepped onto dry land, Noah built an altar and offered thanks to God for their deliverance, making sacrifices from among all the “clean” beasts (now you know why he took extras). Pleased by this, God made a covenant with Noah never again to destroy mankind, and he set a rainbow in the sky to mark the fact that he had made peace with man. So why has the dove become the symbol of peace and not the rainbow? Good question. Maybe it's easier to draw.

Why does the word babble refer to “confused or incoherent” speech? After the flood, God commands Noah and his sons to “be fruitful and replenish the earth” (Genesis 9:1). By this, he means for them to spread out, but the boys and their 118

descendants cluster together and build a city with a great tower. In an effort to make them disperse, God confuses their speech, so that they can no longer understand one another, and this ends the building projects. Finally the people scatter through the world, as God had planned.

Quickies Did you know… • that the word used for Babel is the same word that is used later in the Bible for Babylonia, a country that caused the Israelites much confusion by warring with them and finally taking them into captivity. The city became known as Babel “because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth” (Genesis 11:9), and balal is the Hebrew word for “confuses.” The tower in the city is known as the Tower of Babel.

What is tithing, and where did it come from? This standard of giving, in which people are expected to give to God one-tenth of their earnings, is referred to in several passages in the Bible, but the first mention is in Genesis. Abraham (“father of many”), the patriarch to whom God promised the Promised Land, is approached by a priest-king named Melchizedek who never appears again. Wordlessly, Melchizedek presents bread and wine and gives Abraham a blessing. Abraham responds by giving the priest one-tenth of the spoils he has just taken in battle.

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Where did the practice of circumcision come from? God has made a covenant with Abraham, promising that he will found a great nation and be blessed with land, riches, and descendants. As one of the tokens of this covenant, God commands that every “man child” in Abraham's household be circumcised (we won't go into details) at the age of eight days. One might think that Abraham, who is pushing one hundred at the time, might plead an exemption, but he doesn't. He and all the males of his household comply, and the rest is history. It isn't clear why circumcision was part of Abraham's covenant with God. Both hygiene and an aid to fertility have been suggested.

Why are the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah a symbol of sin and loose living? One day, three mysterious visitors appear on Abraham's tent-step. They have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Sarah, Abraham's wife, is finally to bear a son. The bad news is that they have come down (yes, they're angels) to investigate reports of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah, two nearby cities that are notorious for the shenanigans of their inhabitants. This is bad news for Abraham, since his nephew, Lot, now lives in Sodom and Gomorrah with his family. A good uncle, Abraham pleads with God to spare the cities, finally

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extracting a promise that God will spare them if He can find ten righteous souls living there. It seems, however, that this was asking too much of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, for, after angels warn Lot and his family to flee, God sends “fire and brimstone” to destroy the cities. The names Sodom and Gomorrah are now shorthand for wickedness, and the phrase fire and brimstone has entered our language.

Lot's Wife Although Lot and his family were warned not to look back as they fled Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife could not resist and was turned instantly to a pillar of salt, which is still pointed out by enthusiastic and imaginative tour guides. In fact, it is thought the cities lay near the Dead Sea, which has a very high salt content. Salt deposits form a number of “pillars” in this region. Just pick one.

Why do we say someone has “sold their birthright for a mess of pottage”? Well, we don't say it much any more, though it's more common in England. This expression means that someone has foolishly exchanged something valuable for something much less valuable, and it comes from the story of Isaac, Abraham's son.

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Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, have twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Because Esau emerged first, he was technically the elder son, and in line to inherit the largest share of the family estate. As they grow up, the two brothers show different interests. Esau spends time out hunting, while Jacob stays close to home. One day, Esau comes in from hunting very hungry and finds Jacob cooking red lentil stew, or pottage. An impetuous fellow, Esau decides he's fading fast and must have some of the stew right away, so the wily Jacob says he will sell it to Esau for his birthright. “What good is my birthright if I starve to death?” says Esau and chows down, thus losing something of great value.

Why is the flexible ladder on a ship, which allows people to climb up to the deck from a small boat, called a Jacob's ladder? Jacob does not only acquire Esau's birthright, but he also cheats him of their father's blessing, which was one of the most precious things a father could bestow in the ancient world. He did all this with the help of their mother, showing a pretty impressive example of early parental favouritism. Needless to say, when Esau finds out he swears vengeance, and, to get Jacob out of town, Rebekah suggests he go from Beersheba to her brother's place in their ancestral homeland to find a wife. While sleeping out en route, Jacob has a dream in which a stairway (in some translations a ladder) appears, stretching from heaven to earth. Angels climb up and down on the ladder and God stands at the top, blessing Jacob and

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promising him the land on which he has been sleeping. This causes a major change of heart in Jacob. The term Jacob's ladder has entered popular culture, perhaps most notably in the spiritual “We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder,” where it represents a longing for Heaven, and in the titles of songs by rock groups (Rush is one example). It was also the title of a 1990 movie thriller.

Quickies Did you know… • that Jacob's Ladder was represented in Season 6, Episode 4, of the hit TV series Lost. The episode was entitled, “The Substitute.” And of course, for obvious reasons, it has given a name to that ladder up the side of a ship.

What colour was Joseph's coat — really? Jacob repeated his mother's parenting mistake. Among his twelve sons, he favours Joseph, his first son by his favourite wife, Rachel (things got complicated in those large families). As a mark of this favour, he gives Joseph a fine coat. What colour was it? No one knows for sure, since no one knows the meaning of the Hebrew word that described it. Most often, it has been said to be “multicoloured,” or “a coat of many colours.” Andrew Lloyd Webber was making a reasonable guess when he called it “Technicolor” in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

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Where did we get the expression “Living off the fat of the land”? This originally meant living off the best and most abundant crops, but it has come detached from agriculture and now means living well and taking advantage of the best there is. The earliest promise of high living came from the pharaoh of Egypt to Joseph (he of the many-coloured coat). In Genesis 45:18, Pharaoh tells Joseph to bring his family from Canaan to Egypt “and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.”

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the books of Moses: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Why did the Egyptian king (Pharaoh) order all newborn male babies born to the Israelites to be thrown into the Nile River? When Joseph's father and brothers first came to Egypt they were protected by Joseph's high-ranking position. However, years passed and Joseph and his generation were forgotten. 125

The descendants of Joseph and his brothers have multiplied, and now are threatening to become what we might call a “critical mass.” The new Pharaoh is worried that they will one day rise up and take over the country or will join with one of Egypt's enemies to fight against their adopted country. First he tries oppressing them by making them slaves to work on his projects, but they continue to multiply. Pharaoh takes sterner measures (Exodus 1). He orders the midwives to kill every newborn Hebrew male that they deliver. Cleverly, the midwives claim that Hebrew women are so quick to give birth that the babies have been delivered before the midwives arrive. Growing even more frustrated, Pharaoh instructs his people to throw any male Hebrew babies into the Nile.

What does the name Moses mean? Moses is a name that means something in both Hebrew and Egyptian. To save Moses from death, his mother puts him in a reed basket lined with pitch to keep it afloat and places him in the bulrushes by the river's edge. There he is found by Pharaoh's daughter, who is moved by his cries and spares his life. Later she adopts him, giving him the name Moses, from the Hebrew word for “to draw out,” since she drew him out of the water. It is interesting that Pharaoh's daughter gives Moses a name of Hebrew origin, since Moses was also a common Egyptian 126

name, meaning “son of.” Given Moses’ youth growing up in Pharaoh's court, this worked out well.

Who wrote the song “Oh! Let My People Go”? This is a traditional spiritual inspired by Moses’ request to Pharaoh in Genesis 5: “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go.” However, the first recorded use of the song was as a rallying song for the Contrabands, a large encampment of escaped slaves who gathered in Fort Monroe, Virginia, early in the Civil War. It had been the law that escaped slaves were to be returned to their owners, but the commander of the fort, General Butler, refused to return them, arguing that since Virginia had just declared itself a foreign power from the United States, the escaped slaves were contraband of war. Sheet music followed, entitled The Song of the Contrabands: “O Let My People Go,” though it was stated at the time that this was an arrangement of an 1853 song. “Go Down Moses,” a traditional spiritual, contains “Let my people go” as a refrain, so it's easy to assume that the roots of both songs are connected (the titles are used interchangeably on occasion). The opening verse of this song was published by the Jubilee Singers in 1872. William Faulkner's book of linked stories about a Southern family was entitled Go Down Moses, after the song. The connection of the phrase with a release from slavery is obvious.

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Which Pharaoh is it that “lets the people go”? Like so much else, this is a matter that scholars debate. One theory holds that the exodus takes place during the reigns of Seti I or his son, Rameses II, since at this time major building was taking place. Not only does the Bible describe this sort of activity, but slaves would have been necessary for the projects.

Where did the expression “Bricks with no straw” come from? To make bricks with no straw means to be expected to accomplish something without being given the proper means to do so. When Moses returned to Egypt, after living in Midian, God commanded that he ask Pharaoh to let his people, the Jews, go (thus giving rise to another well-known saying). Pharaoh, who counted on the labour of the Jews, did not react well to this. Instead, he ordered that conditions be made even more difficult for the Jews. For one thing, they were not to be supplied with the straw needed to make the bricks they used for building; they would have to cut their own straw. To make bricks without straw has therefore come to describe a task that has been made even more difficult because the necessary materials have been withheld. To quote Pharaoh in Genesis 5:7 and 9: “Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves” and “let there more work

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be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein….” Sound familiar, Dilbert fans?

What failing does Moses claim in order to get out of the task of confronting Pharaoh? Moses claims that he doesn't have the “gift of the gab.” In Exodus 4:10, he says, “I am not eloquent…I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” This might be rather endearing to some, but it simply irritates God. “Who do you think made your mouth?” He says, in effect. (It has been suggested that Moses was, in fact, a stutterer.)

Quickies Did you know… • that in his famous movie The Ten Commandments (1956), Cecil B. DeMille considered having Charleton Heston's Moses stammer, but Heston couldn't pull it off. They settled on having him speak slowly. God then suggests that Moses take his brother along: “Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well.” Thus Moses and Aaron become a brother act.

What are the plagues that God inflicts on Egypt? In order to force Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, God visits ten plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7:12): 1. The Nile is turned to blood. 129

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Frogs come out of the Nile and cover the land. Egypt is swarmed by lice. Egypt is swarmed by flies. The livestock is killed by an unspecified disease (but not the livestock of the Israelites). The Egyptians and their animals break out in boils. Hail destroys most of the Egyptians’ crops and their livestock. Locusts descend on any of the crops that escaped the hail. A darkness “that can be felt” covers Egypt for three days, though the homes of the Jews have light. The firstborn of all the Egyptian families is slain, even Pharaoh's firstborn, by an angel of death. Each firstborn calf is killed as well.

What is the origin of Passover? On the night before the firstborn are to be slain, Moses tells the Israelites to kill a lamb, take the blood, and place it on the two sideposts and the lintels of each home, and then to stay indoors until morning. The blood marks the homes of the Israelites, so, when God's destroying angel comes to strike the firstborn, the homes of the Israelites are passed over. God commands that this sacrifice be re-enacted in perpetuity, in commemoration of his act of deliverance.

How long were the Israelites in Egypt? According to the Bible, the Israelites spent 430 years in Egypt. The Bible also says in Exodus 12:41 that they left on

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the anniversary of the day they went into Egypt: “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.”

Quickies Did you know… • that the exodus is called the Exodus because it's taken from a Greek word for “exit,” and that's certainly what the Israelites did.

How many Israelites left Egypt? According to Exodus 12:37, the Israelites numbered about 600,000 on foot, plus children and “a mixed multitude.” All told, the group that Moses led out of Egypt seems to have been pushing one million.

What is the body of water the Israelites cross to finally escape from Pharaoh's pursuit? After the Israelites leave, Pharaoh has second thoughts. Perhaps his memory of plagues and death is short. Also, his own people are complaining, since the Israelites, who did most of the heavy work, are gone. “Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” they ask. These people are very slow learners. And so Pharaoh set out after the Israelites with six hundred chariots and his army and comes upon them camped by a

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body of water. The Israelites are terrified, but Moses, commanded by God, holds his rod out over the water and God holds the Egyptians back with his pillar of fire and sends a strong wind that parts the water. The Israelites pass through, but when the Egyptians try to follow, God again tells Moses to stretch out his rod, and the waters cover the Egyptians, drowning them all. There has been considerable debate about what body of water is involved in this story. Tradition says it was the Red Sea, since that was the way the name was translated in Greek. However, the Hebrew Bible calls the water in question “the sea of reeds.”

What is manna? As the Israelites wandered in the desert, they complained constantly, and one of the things they complained about was the lack of food. When Moses raised the issue with God, God promised that He would send flesh in the evening and “bread” in the morning. Sure enough, according to Genesis 16:14, the next morning the ground was covered with “a small, round thing,” for want of a better description.

TOP 10 MOST MENTIONED ANIMALS 1. 2. 3. 4.

Sheep: 188 times Lamb or lambs: also 188 Horse or horses: 154 Ram or rams: 175

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5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Ox or oxen: 166 Cattle: 153 Goat or goats: 132 Lion, lions, or lioness: 146 Ass or asses: 154 Bull, bulls, or bullock: 119

If we combine those that are similar, such as sheep and lambs, the next in line are: Types of snakes — Serpent, serpents, viper, vipers, asp, asps: 66 Camel or camels: 62 Eagle or eagles: 34 As an interesting aside, the Bible also mentions these little-considered “biblical” animals: ferrets, chameleons, moles, cormorants, owls, and ravens. Mystified, the Israelites asked, “What is it?” which in Hebrew is “Manna?” Since they were to eat it for the next forty years, one hopes it was tasty. Exodus 16:31 says that “it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” Not bad.

Quickies Did you know…

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• that though manna seems to get top billing, God also promised “flesh” at night. This took the form of quails, which covered the Israelite camp.

Where did the word fleshpots come from? The Israelites have been in the desert for a while, and they're hungry. They start complaining that they were better off in Egypt. As they say, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full” (Exodus 16:3). The flesh pots in Egypt were large cauldrons in which meat was boiled, and it is understandable that the Israelites, when longing for food, would think of these. More recently, the word has come to mean (when it is used at all) the temptations of the flesh, particularly human flesh, as in “I hear you spent a weekend enjoying the fleshpots of Toronto.”

Why did Moses break the first two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments? While Moses is spending forty days and forty nights receiving the laws from God on Mount Sinai, or, according to some, on Mount Horeb, his brother Aaron is back in camp, dealing with the unruly Israelites. Starting to believe that Moses has let them down and is not coming back, they plead with Aaron to make them “gods” to lead them — thus showing that Pharaoh wasn't the only slow learner.

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Without further ado, Aaron collects all the gold earrings in the camp and fashions a golden “calf” (actually a bull; ancient peoples didn't fool around with calves), to which the people bring offerings. One thing leads to another, and soon a rip-roaring party is going on.

Quickies Did you know… • that the Ten Commandments are not the only laws Moses received from God on Mount Sinai? In fact, God laid out a heavy-duty roster of 613 laws. Of course, this is when Moses returns from the mountain, clutching the two tablets on which are the Ten Commandments, “written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18). Moses, in a fit of anger, throws down the tablets of stone and smashes them. Luckily, after Moses has calmed down, God makes him two more tablets. But Moses doesn't stop there. He then burns the golden calf, grinds it to powder, sprinkles it on water, and makes the people drink the mixture.

What is the order of the Ten Commandments? For a confirmation of this handy checklist, see Exodus 20. 1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

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2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image (meanwhile the Israelites are breaking #2 back in camp). 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain (something to remember next time you drop something on your foot). 4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 5. Honour thy father and thy mother (even if they ground you). 6. Thou shalt not kill. 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 8. Thou shalt not steal. 9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour (i.e., lie). 10. Thou shalt not covet (anything belonging to anyone else).

Why does Michelangelo's famous statue of Moses have horns? This is especially confusing to modern viewers, who connect horns with the devil and something bad. However, this is a result of a hiccup in translation. When Moses comes down from Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets, the King James Version reads: “and when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him” (Exodus 34:29–30). The Hebrew word that the KJV translated as “shone” is qaran, which usually meant “horns,” but could

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also mean “radiant.” The Latin Vulgate Bible was the Bible with which Michelangelo would have been familiar when he was sculpting Moses in 1515. Hence the horns.

The Wicked Bible In 1631, thanks to a careless typesetter and a missing “not,” people in England were briefly commanded to commit adultery. As soon as the error was discovered, Charles I ordered the printing destroyed (spoilsport). This edition has since been dubbed, “The Wicked Bible.”

Quickies Did you know… • that the famous 1956 movie The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston as Moses, was the second movie by that name directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The first was filmed in 1923.

What was the Ark of the Covenant? The Israelites repent of their mistake with the golden calf/ bull, and God restates his pledge to protect them. He then orders that they make a tabernacle, or sort of tent, that would become the centre of their worship of Him, and a sort of “residence” for God on the journey. Only priests could enter the tabernacle, and even they could enter the back section of the tent (called the Holy of Holies) only once a year. In the Holy of Holies rested the Ark of the Covenant.

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Quickies Did you know… • that, although the Hebrew word cherubim is translated in English as “cherubs,” cherubim are not pretty, chubby angels, but fierce spirits armed with swords that are set to guard holy things. Back in Genesis, God sets cherubim to guard the entrance to Eden and the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve are expelled. This was a box of wood (acacia wood, if anyone was wondering) covered with gold, with a gold lid and two cherubim to guard it, one at each end facing each other. Inside were the Ten Commandments.

How did the book of Leviticus get its name? This book is concerned mainly with the laws and special rituals that marked out the people of Israel as God's Chosen People, and it was the priestly tribe of Israel, the Levites, that put them into effect.

What is a scapegoat? Leviticus 16:7–10 describes how, on the Day of Atonement, Aaron the High Priest is to take two goats and cast lots on them, one for God and one for the scapegoat. The goat on which God's lot falls is to be sacrificed as a sin offering, while the scapegoat is presented to God alive to make atonement and then sent into the wilderness carrying the sins of the people. No good news for the goats. 138

Today the term has come to mean one person in a family or a group who is singled out for undeserved blame or punishment, often to absolve the others from any sense of guilt.

Indiana Jones and the Ark of the Covenant In the 1981 Steven Speilberg film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, professor and archaeologist Indiana Jones is contacted by U.S. Army intelligence officers. It is 1936, and the Nazis, in an effort to enlist its occult power in their rise to supremacy, are searching for the lost Ark of the Covenant. The agents enlist Indiana Jones to find the Ark and recover it before the Nazis, promising that it will be finally displayed properly in a museum. As those who have seen the film know, Indiana finds the Ark in Tanis, Egypt, but the Nazis eventually end up with it in their possession. There they make a mistake. While our hero and his companion cover their eyes, the Nazis open the Ark and are destroyed by its power. When Indiana Jones carries the Ark back to the United States, government officials tell him that it has been taken “somewhere safe” for study. In reality, it has been stored in a government warehouse in an anonymous crate, and in effect lost again. The Ark in the movie resembles very closely to the Ark described in the Bible, and the Israelites believed that carrying the Ark into battle made them invincible, since it was a sign that God was with them. This ties in with the efforts of the Nazis to acquire the Ark as the world drew closer to war.

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The movie also draws on Biblical and archaeological scholarship when it has Indiana Jones discover the Ark in Tanis in Egypt. Scholars speculate about the location of the Ark of the Covenant, but in fact no one is sure. Because a later pharaoh, Shishak I, is said to have attacked Judah and “taken away everything,” one theory is that he took the Ark to his capital in Egypt: Tanis. This is the theory that Spielberg chose. The Talmud suggests that the Ark was hidden under the Temple in Jerusalem, and is presumably still there, while an account in the Apocrypha has Jeremiah the prophet hiding it on Mount Nebo. Meanwhile Ethiopian Christians, drawing on an Ethiopian source, believe that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a son, Menelik, who carried the Ark to Ethiopia. This tradition has it resting under the Church of Mary Zion in Aksum.

What is kosher? As mentioned earlier, Noah was to take extra animals into the Ark if they were “proper.” This is the meaning of the word kosher, and it also means that they are fit to be eaten. The dietary laws in the Bible are very specific about the animals, birds, fish, and “creeping things” that meet with approval. It is also only “clean,” or proper, animals that can be offered as a sacrifice to God. What is considered kosher?

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Quickies Did you know… • that chickens never appear in the Hebrew Bible. Why? Chickens for the pot did not show up in the area until approximately 500 B.C.E. No animals that have died of natural causes or are less than eight days old can be eaten. Animals that are ruminants and ungulates (translation: has an extra stomach and chews its cud, and has a split, or “cloven,” hoof) are fair game. There are a few animals that try to pass for kosher, but aren't, such as rabbits, camels, and pigs. Only water critters that have fins and scales are kosher, and birds that don't eat flesh. Reptiles are out — though few are sorry about that. Some insects made the grade, but only if they have wings and leg joints that allow them to hop. In addition, those who keep kosher do not eat meat and milk products together. One aspiring but insensitive politician won a place on the news when, on a tour of New York's garment district, he stopped for a corned beef sandwich and a glass of milk. This can be traced to a prohibition that appears three times in the Bible against boiling a baby goat in its mother's milk (although there have been several explanations for the reason behind this).

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Why do we say, “An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth”? This phrase ends several of the laws given to Israel. On the face of it, this seems to mean that every wrong that is done should be met with a corresponding punishment, and it is often used to justify vengeance. Interestingly, however, the phrase was originally meant to limit retaliation. One was forbidden to do more in retaliation than the wrongdoer had done initially. Later, in the New Testament (Matthew 5:38), Jesus quotes this teaching. However, those who (mis)use it often misunderstand that Jesus, far from recommending the practice, is saying that people should go further and not retaliate at all. Jesus is saying, “Don't do this. Instead, turn the other cheek.”

Who had the longest bed in the Bible? Deauteronomy 3:11 tells us that “only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bed was a bedstead of iron…nine cubits was the length was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it.” Taking our calculations from the measurement of the Ark in the last chapter, we know a cubit is roughly 18 inches long. That makes Og's bed some thirteen and a half feet long.

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Why do the logos of many medical organizations use a snake curled around a rod? As they wander in the desert, the Israelites continue to complain about their fate (forty years is a long time, after all). As a punishment for their lack of faith, God sends fiery serpents to bite the people, causing many deaths. Yet again, the Israelites repent, and they go to Moses to intervene with God on their behalf. God tells Moses to make a serpent and put it on a pole. Anyone who is bitten and looks at the serpent will be saved. Moses obediently fashions a serpent out of brass and sets it on a pole, “and any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” Many believe this is the origin of the association of the serpent on the rod with healing and therefore with medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association. There is an alternate explanation, however. The symbol of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, is a snake and staff. In fact, the snake and staff is known in the language of symbols as “the rod of Asclepius.” Complicating matters further, the caduceus, which is two snakes wrapped around a wand, is often used mistakenly as a symbol for doctors and medicine, although it has no association with healing and medicine. It is associated in Greek myths with Iris, the messenger of Hera, and with Hermes, the messenger of the gods (and with Mercury in Roman myth).

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Quickies Did you know… • that there are two different reasons given in the Bible for keeping the Sabbath. The version of the Ten Commandments that appears in Exodus explains that the Sabbath is holy because on the seventh day God rested from his work of creating the world. Deuteronomy 5:15 says that a day of rest must be kept because God released the Israelites from their servitude and labours in Egypt.

What does the name Deuteronomy mean? The actual meaning is “second law,” but “second” means “repeated” in this case. Before Moses dies, he addresses the people he has led so long, reminding them of God's deliverance and the laws that have been settled on as part of their covenant with God. This means that Deuteronomy serves as a sort of review of the previous forty years and a recap of important laws, such as the Ten Commandments.

Where is Moses buried and who buried him? Moses is forbidden by God to enter the Promised Land of Canaan, but as a mark of favour, God allows him to see it before he dies. Moses climbs Mount Nebo in Moab, God shows him the land that he will give to the Israelites, and then Moses dies at the age of 120. As a sign of their bond, God himself buries Moses in Moab, but “no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day” (Deuteronomy 34:6).

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getting settled: the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles What do the judges Samuel and Samson have in common? Like Samson, Samuel is dedicated to God at his birth. In doing so, their mothers took what is known as a “Nazirite vow” on behalf of their children. As with Samson, Samuel is forbidden to cut his hair, eat meat, or drink alcohol.

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It has to be said that Samuel does a much better job of keeping his vow than Samson the party boy.

What was King Saul's most noticeable physical characteristic? The Bible makes very clear that Saul was unusually tall. In I Samuel 9:2, it is recorded that “from his shoulder and upward he was higher than any of the people.” Shortly after, in I Samuel 10:23 Saul is brought before Samuel, and “he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.” Even in the Bible, it seems, tall men are more successful.

What do we mean by “a man after one's own heart”? We use this to refer to someone who shares one's views and values. It comes from I Samuel 13:14, where Samuel, the high priest, delivers a warning to King Saul. Saul has messed up big time, and God has sought out someone to take his place — someone who lives according to God's laws. He is a man after God's heart. This refers to David, who is soon anointed king.

What was David's special talent? David, who would succeed Saul, was well-known for his musical ability. In fact, this is what earns him a place in the royal palace (according to one version of the story).

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By this point Saul has angered God, and God has sent an evil spirit to torment him. His servants decide that “a man who is a cunning player on an harp” should be called in to play for Saul and soothe him in his worst moments. Word of David's talent has spread, so he is summoned to the royal household — with his harp. He and Saul hit it off right away, and David's playing has the desired effect, calming Saul. He is promoted to armour-bearer for Saul, and plays for him whenever the evil spirit takes possession of him. (Scholars have speculated that Saul was suffering some form of mental illness.) The harp in question, by the way, was not the grand and bulky instrument we know today, but a lyre, a small, portable harp.

What do we mean by a “David and Goliath” contest? Quickies Did you know… • that it is traditionally believed that many of the Psalms were written by David. They are, after all, This refers to a contest in which the two religious verses set to music. This refers to a contest in which the two protagonists are far from evenly matched. There is also an implication that the smaller of the two is the favoured one, and the underdog will be victorious. Julia Roberts doing battle with polluting corporations in the movie Erin Erin Brockovich would be a prime example. 147

Quickies Did you know… • that in the 1953 film David and Bathsheba, Goliath was played by a Polish wrestler named Wladyslaw Talun? The expression comes from I Samuel 17, in which the Israelites are (again) fighting the Philistines. The Philistines have put forward a champion, Goliath, who is challenging the Israelites to send someone to battle with him one-on-one. If the Israelite champion wins, the Philistines will become servants of the Israelites, but if Goliath wins, the Israelites will serve the Philistines. Now, Goliath is no ordinary contender. First of all, he is enormous. The Bible sets his height at “six cubits and a span.” Depending on whether you accept the Hebrew or the Greek interpretation of this, he is either 9 feet 9 inches tall or a puny 6 feet 9 inches. On top of that, he is armoured and armed to the teeth, like something out of Terminator. Goliath has been strutting around and trash-talking for forty days when David, who has been home visiting the family, arrives in the Israelite camp with supplies for his soldier brothers. Outraged at the insult to Israel, he asks Saul if he can take up Goliath's challenge. Although Saul offers his royal armour, David declines and goes out to meet Goliath armed only with a staff, a sling, and five smooth stones.

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Goliath, of course, can hardly believe his eyes, but David runs towards him, places a stone in his sling, and hurls a stone straight at Goliath's forehead. When Goliath falls to the earth, David cuts off his head with Goliath's own sword. Exit Goliath. David takes Goliath's head back to Saul as a token of victory. Though this was a gruesome souvenir, it was probably not as cringe-making as the two hundred foreskins that he was to bring back from another battle. When Michelangelo sculpted his famous figure of David for the city of Florence, Italy, it is this chapter in David's history that he chose to portray: David stands, looking determined, his sling thrown over his shoulder. Of course, Michelangelo has taken certain artistic licence, since in the sculpture David is naked (Donatello takes the same licence with his statue of David). Although he declined Saul's armour, there is no evidence that David went into his contest with Goliath au naturel. Interestingly, the Florentines, fiercely independent, placed the statue so it glared in the direction of Rome.

How did Saul's children save David's life? Quickies Did you know… • that, David and Goliath were also portrayed by Caravaggio and Gustave Doré?

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As David's fame as a fighter grows, so does Saul's jealousy — and Saul is not one to keep his feelings to himself. In fact, once, as David plays the lyre in his presence, Saul throws a javelin at him. It misses, but David gets the message. Luckily for David, Saul's children are on David's side. David had married Saul's daughter Michal. (In fact, he had brought back the two hundred foreskins to win her hand. So romantic.) When Saul sends “messengers” to David's house to kill him, Michal lets David down to safety out a window and then places a bolster in his bed to deceive them, simultaneously influencing the plot of countless suspense thrillers in the process. Jonathan, Saul's son, is David's best friend. At one point, David is (wisely) hiding out “in the field.” Jonathan says he will feel out his father out on the subject of David and then let David know if it is safe to return. He plans a signal. When he determines his father's feelings, he will come out and fire three arrows. If he tells his servant that the arrows have fallen on the near side of David's hiding place, David (who is listening) will know it is safe. If, however, he tells the servant to fetch the arrows from beyond David's hiding place, David will know to get out of town. Saul's mood, unfortunately, has not improved, so David flees. Jonathan's farewell — “The Lord be between thee and me for ever” — became a much-used expression.

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Who is the Witch of Endor? Quickies Did you know… • that “David and Jonathan” was once commonly used to describe a pair of devoted male friends. The expression seems to have fallen out of use. Samuel, the priest/judge who anointed Saul king, dies, and on the verge of another battle with the Philistines, Saul is feeling a bit insecure (and a little lonely, no doubt, given the way he's alienating people). He decides to seek out a medium to try to contact Samuel in the afterlife to ask how the battle will turn out. On inquiring of his servants, he learns that there is a medium at Endor, so he puts on a disguise (not out of fear, but because he himself had outlawed all supernatural practices) and approaches the woman. Samuel is not very happy to be hauled back. “Why hast thou disquieted me?” he asks (I Samuel 28:15). Nor does he have good news for Saul. Saul has lost God's favour, and in the battle the Philistines will triumph and Saul and his sons will be killed. Obviously they don't pull their punches in the afterlife.

Quickies Did you know…

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• that Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem called “En-Dor,” which deals with the subject of communicating with the dead. The woman is actually never called the Witch of Endor in the Bible. She is referred to as “a woman that hath a familiar spirit.” However, she seems to have caught the imagination of writers and artists throughout the centuries, and the Witch of Endor she will remain.

Where do we get the expression “How are the mighty fallen”? This is used to mean that those who were once powerful are now over-thrown or reduced in circumstances. Though it is sometimes tempting to quote this phrase when a notoriously offensive person falls on hard times, in the Bible it was part of a lament, and a particularly beautiful one at that. In II Samuel 1, David is brought word that both King Saul and his son Jonathan are dead. Now, although Saul resented David and had tried to have him killed, he had once been good to David, and Jonathan and David were dear friends. What is more, Saul was God's anointed king. So David tears his clothes and mourns, saying (Verse 19), “The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen.”

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When did Jerusalem become the capital of Israel? TOP 10 MOST COMMON NOUNS IN THE BIBLE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Lord: 7,365 occurrences God: 4,293 Man: 2,747 Israel: 2,509 People: 2,271 King :2,124 Son: 1,980 Men: 1,860 House: 1,840 Day: 1,759

Establishing his capital in Jerusalem (c. 1000 B.C.E.) is one of David's first moves when he becomes king. David is uniting Judah and the northern tribes to form one kingdom, the Kingdom of Israel, and moving the capital from Hebron in Judah to a city that is close to the border between the two territories is wise practice. He also transfers the Ark of the Covenant, the centre of religious life, to Jerusalem.

Who was the original heir to David's throne? If you thought it was Solomon, you're not alone — but you're wrong. The heir to David's throne is originally the crown prince, Amnon. However, Amnon makes the mistake of falling in love with his half-sister Tamar. He then makes the even

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bigger mistake (to put it mildly) of arranging to have Tamar come to his room, and raping her. A slimeball to his fingertips, he then turns on Tamar, saying, “Arise, be gone,” and ordering his servants, “Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her” (II Samuel 13:17). A real prince. When he finds out about this, Absalom, Tamar's full brother, plots revenge. He bides his time, waiting two years, then holds a big shindig. When Amnon is “merry with wine” Absalom has his servants kill him.

Who is Zadok the Priest, and why did Handel write an anthem about him? Quickies Did you know… • that one of the soldiers with which David did battle had twelve fingers and twelve toes? II Samuel 21:20 reads: “And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number.” When David moves the capital to Jerusalem and unites the Kingdom of Israel, he also has to decide which of two groups of priests should have precedence. One group is led by Abiathar, and traces its roots back to Moses, and the other group is led by Zadok, and claims descent from Aaron, Moses' brother. David wisely refuses to choose, and appoints both Abiathar and Zadok as High Priest.

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Time passes. As David lies dying, two of his sons are jockeying for position: Adonijah, now the eldest son, and Solomon, who has the backing of his mother, Bathsheba. As the favourite wife, Bathsheba still has influence with David, and she convinces him to name Solomon as his successor, throwing Adonijah and his followers into confusion.

Absalom and Literature Absalom has come to represent the rebellious son. After the death of the crown prince — and Absalom's half-brother — Amnon, Absalom sets out to depose his father, King David. When he feels he has enough public support, he declares himself king, forcing David to flee from Jerusalem. As if that isn't enough, in a calculated act of disdain, he proceeds to sleep with David's concubines. In public. Finally, however, his troops are defeated by David's, and it is Absalom's turn to flee. Even then, David, the fond father, pleads with his soldiers to treat Absalom gently, and when Absalom is nevertheless killed by the captain of the army, Joab, David mourns with the famous words, “O my son Absalom, my son! my son! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” This theme of struggle and tortured affection between father and son seems to have spoken to a number of writers — interestingly, most of them men. Perhaps the first was John Dryden, writing in 1681–82. He fashioned the story into an allegorical political satire in verse, Absalom and Achitophel, in which he deals with political events of the day, such as the Monmouth Rebellion. In his 155

work, the Duke of Monmouth, Charles II's illegitimate son who had attempted to seize the throne, becomes Absalom, and the fond king and father, Charles II, is portrayed as David. There are quite a few other renditions: • Rainer Maria Rilke makes reference to Absalom in two poems, “Absalom's Rebellion” and “Absalom's Abfall.” • William Faulkner explores the theme of a son, Henry Sutpen, rebelling against his father's values in Absalom, Absalom! (1936). • Popular novelist Howard Spring deals with a father's devotion to a spoiled and selfish son in his 1940 novel My Son, My Son! which was made into a film by the same name, also in 1940. The novel's original title was O Absalom. • In Alan Paton's 1948 novel Cry, the Beloved Country, Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom struggle over many issues in pre-apartheid South Africa. Like the biblical Absalom, Absalom Kumalo dies an untimely death, executed for murder. • In The Manticore (1972), the middle volume of his Deptford Trilogy, Robertson Davies uses the David-Absalom story throughout to comment on the fraught relationship between the protagonist and his father. He even introduces a new term, “Absalonism,” to describe a son's rebellion against his father. These are just some of the better known references to the Absalom story in literature. For a thorough rotter, Absalom seems to have made quite a mark.

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Unfortunately for Abiathar, he has backed the wrong candidate and is stripped of his office, leaving Zadok as High Priest.

Quickies Did you know… • that, in his poem “A Prayer for Sunset,” Leonard Cohen describes the sunset as “raving like Absalom.” In I Kings 1:39, “Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon.” Although he shared the task with Nathan the prophet, Zadok seems to have received top billing. In 1727, George Frideric Handel used this text for one of four anthems he composed for the coronation of George II of England. It has been used in every coronation service since then, traditionally during the anointing of the new monarch.

Why is a wise person referred to as a “Solomon”? Quickies Did you know… • that a sling in biblical times was no child's toy. In fact, whole contingents of soldiers armed with slings used to accompany armies. When Solomon became king of Israel, God asked him what gift he would like. Solomon answered that he wished for “an

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understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad” (I Kings 3:9). This pleases God, who grants his request. Solomon's wisdom is soon put to the test in one of Bible's better known stories. Two women come to him. They are “harlots” (they didn't mention that in Sunday school, did they?) who live in the same house and both had infants sons. One of them claims that the other woman rolled on her own son in the night, killing him. Then she took the first woman's boy secretly from her while she slept and claimed that it was hers. The second woman protests that this is a lie, and that the living child is her own. What to do? Solomon calls for a sword. “We'll cut the boy in half,” he says reasonably, “and then you can each have one part.” One of the women is fine with this plan, but the other protests, saying that she will give up her claim if Solomon lets the child live. “This is the mother,” Solomon declares. As the Bible then says, “And all Israel heard of the judgement that the king had judged.” From then on, Solomon was known far and wide for his wisdom. I Kings 4:30–31 says that Solomon “was wiser than all men…and his fame was in all nations round about.” He spoke 3,000 proverbs, had 1,005 songs in his repertoire, and could talk about animals, birds, trees, “creeping things,” and fish. Too bad Trivial Pursuit wasn't invented.

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Today, the Oxford English Dictionary lists an adjective, “Solomonic,” taken from his name.

How many wives did Solomon have? This is one place where Solomon's wisdom can be questioned. He had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, in case seven hundred wives weren't enough.

When did Jerusalem?

Solomon

build

the

Temple

in

As usual with these things, there is some debate, but many scholars put the construction of the Temple around 960 B.C.E.

Was Solomon married to the Queen of Sheba? There's nothing in the Bible to suggest a romance, let alone a marriage, though no one seems to have told this to Hollywood. The tales of Solomon's wisdom and wealth travel as far as the kingdom of Sheba (thought to have been in modern-day Yemen or in Ethiopia), where the queen hears of him. In the biblical account, she is known only as the queen of Sheba, but she also appears in other traditions. The Ethiopians call her Makeda, and in the Islamic tradition of Arabia she is known as Balqis, in Roman history, Nicaule. What seems evident is that she was a rich and powerful queen, who probably reigned in her own right (a queen

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regnant) and was not simply the consort of a king. She was also of an inquiring nature. When the accounts of Solomon reach her, she decides to find out for herself if they are true and sets out north in a sumptuous procession, carrying gold, jewels, and spices. When she arrives in Jerusalem, she doesn't waste any time but goes to Solomon and speaks to him “of all that was in her heart.” In her heart, apparently, are ten questions, all of which Solomon answers frankly.

The Queen of Sheba in Film It's no wonder that misconceptions surround the Queen of Sheba. In popular culture, she has been transformed from a powerful queen, willing to travel in search of wisdom, to a sultry temptress, ready to use men like Kleenex in pursuit of her desires. The Queen of Sheba (1921), a silent film originally intended as a vehicle for famous vamp Theda Bara, stars Betty Blythe as a very scantily clad Queen, who looks more like a harem dancing girl than any sort of monarch. Blythe seems to have had a sense of humour about the whole thing, reportedly saying, “They made forty costumes for me, and if I had them all on at once, I would still be chilly in the desert.” Solomon and Sheba (1959) completely revised the story, having Sheba as an ally of the Egyptian Pharaoh in opposition to Solomon. She plots to seduce Solomon and introduce a pagan form of worship from her own country. The orgy scene shocked audiences of the day. The Queen, played by sultry Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, is resolutely scantily clad, and the promotional material is plastered with Lollobrigida and co-star Yul Brynner (Solomon) in steamy poses. Tyrone 160

Power was originally playing the role of Solomon, but dropped dead of a heart attack while filming a scene. He can apparently be seen in long shots in the movie. In more recent years, the sultriness has been toned down, but the talespinning continues. Solomon and Sheba, a TV movie of 1995, stars Halle Berry as a plucky Queen Nikaule. Solomon has taken over her country's frankincense trade, and she sets off not to visit but to confront him. Berry's wardrobe is more modest (in fact, she dresses as a man at one point), but inevitably she and Solomon (Jimmy Smits) fall in love. By the way, Halle Berry was the first black woman to play the Queen of Sheba; Viveca A. Fox was next, in 1997, starring opposite Ben Cross as Solomon. The queen is more than pleased. She confesses that she had not believed the accounts of Solomon's wisdom, but was now convinced. As she says, “the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard” (I Kings 10:7). With these words, she makes a gift to Solomon of the gold, precious stones, and spices that she has brought with her. He, in turn, grants her anything she wishes “from his bounty.” And she returns home. Ethiopian tradition, on the other hand, does suggest a relationship between Solomon and the Queen, which produced a son, Menelik.

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Why is a very large bottle of wine called a “Jeroboam”? Quickies Did you know… • that Handel composed his much-loved “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” for his Oratorio Solomon in 1749. In his later years, Solomon starts to alienate some of his people, specifically the northern tribes that his father, David, brought into a united kingdom with Judah. Finally they rebel, under their leader, Jeroboam. The rebellion is put down, and Jeroboam flees to Egypt (doesn't everyone?) until Solomon dies. However, he eventually becomes the first king of a separate Israel. How does this relate to bottles of wine? No one is exactly sure, but biblical names have been applied to a number of the larger bottles. A magnum, as most know, is the rough equivalent of two bottles of wine, and the Jeroboam (also known as a double magnum) contains approximately four bottles. Other biblically named wine bottles are the Rehoboam (six bottles), the Methuselah (eight bottles), the Salmanazar (twelve bottles), the Balthazar (sixteen bottles), the Nebuchadnezzar (twenty bottles), the Melchior (twenty-four bottles), the Solomon (approximately twenty-eight bottles), and the Melchizedek (forty bottles). Today, the only term that can be used officially on a bottle of wine is the magnum.

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The Jeroboam is one of the oldest of the terms, being used as early as 1725 in Bordeaux. One theory for the name is that Jeroboam is described as a “mighty man of valour” (I Kings 11:28), “who made Israel to sin” (I Kings 14:16).

Why is a wicked woman referred to as a “Jezebel”? After David dies, things go downhill, with turmoil, wars, assassination, and other bad behaviour. The tenth King of Israel is a particularly nasty specimen named Ahab. What's more, he marries a Phoenician princess named Jezebel, who is as vile as her new husband. Not only do they encourage the worship of the Canaanite storm god, Baal, but they exploit their people terribly. Of the two, Jezebel seems even more ruthless than her husband. On one occasion, Ahab is coveting a choice vineyard belonging to his neighbour, Naboth. “No problem,” says Jezebel, and she bribes two men to testify that Naboth has cursed not only Ahab the king, but God. Naboth is executed and Ahab is happy. However, while Ahab is inspecting his new property, God sends the prophet Elijah to confront him, predicting that “dogs will lick up your blood.” This is exactly what happens to Ahab and Jezebel. First, Ahab is killed in battle, dying in his chariot. As his chariot is being washed, dogs lick up his blood.

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Jezebel's death is even more spectacular. During a bloody rebellion, Jezebel is trapped in the city of Jezreel by the new king, Jehu. As he rides into the city gate, Jehu sees Jezebel looking out a window. He orders some eunuchs who are with her to throw her out of the window, which they do. In a strikingly bloody scene, “some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses: and he trod her under foot” (II Kings 9: 33). Even more gruesome is the scene when they return to bury “this cursed woman.” All they find are her head, hands, and feet. She has been eaten by dogs. One of the major strikes against Jezebel in the Christian tradition is her devotion to Baal, but there are also her idolatrous practices, and her evil influence in encouraging the king to turn away from God. However, in popular culture, she has become the symbol of an evil woman — particularly one that is dominating or sexually promiscuous (“a painted Jezebel”). This may be because she does her hair and puts on makeup when she sees Jehu (and her death) approaching. Some think this is an ill-fated attempt to seduce Jehu, but it was more likely a way of meeting death with dignity. She is a princess, after all. In Jezebel (1938), Bette Davis tones down the promiscuity, playing a headstrong Southern belle whose hurtful choices ruin her chances at happiness. The Jezebel comparison is likely drawn from her controlling behaviour and from a ballroom scene in which she shows up in a scarlet dress to humiliate her fiancé, Henry Fonda. Young, unmarried women in the time didn't wear red unless they were of questionable morality, and the shameless dress brings the ball to a halt.

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In his 1951 hit “Jezebel,” Frankie Laine plays with the wicked image when he sings, “If ever the devil was born, / Without a pair of horns / It was you.”

Who was the fastest sprinter in the Bible? God's prophet, Elijah, challenges King Ahab's priests of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel, where he defeats them roundly. He then slaughters them. Not surprisingly, Ahab leaves to ride back to the city of Jezreel, but Elijah (who is no spring chicken) “girds up his loins” and beats the king to the city gate.

Why is a reckless driver known as a “Jehu”? Jehu, formerly a military leader and then King of Israel, was known for his driving — but not in a good way. At one point, a watchman is standing on the walls of Jezreel, when he sees a “company” approaching. In answer to questions about who it is, he answers “the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously” (II Kings 9:20). Coachmen used to refer to a colleague who drove too fast or recklessly as a “Jehu.”

Who was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot? This is another popular misconception. The prophet Elijah is travelling with Elisha, who is to be Elijah's successor, when they come to the Jordan River. In a scene reminiscent of the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land, Elijah parts the

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river, so that they can cross over. Once they have done so, a fiery chariot drawn by horse of fire separates the two men, and Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Nonetheless, it is the chariot that lives on in songs and stories.

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” “Swing low sweet chariot Coming for to carry me home” This well-known spiritual, which enjoyed new popularity during the folk revival and civil-rights struggle of the 1960s, has a complex history. Although there is a belief that it was composed by an elderly black woman in Tennessee to comfort a fellow slave, the official story of its com-position (c. 1862) attributes it to one Wallis Willis, a freedman who lived in the Choctaw Nation. He is said to have drawn inspiration from the Red River, which made him think of the Jordan River. A minister at the Choctaw school, Alexander Reid, wrote down the words and music after hearing Willis singing this and an equally famous song, “Steal Away.” Reid then sent both songs to the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville, and they were the first group to record it in 1909. Did Willis compose it, or was he singing a traditional song that he remembered from his youth? History does not answer that question. Opinion is divided on the meaning of the song as well. The spiritual interpretation would suggest that it is a longing to be taken home to Heaven by God, rather like the message in 166

“Roll, Jordan, Roll.” On the other hand, references to the Underground Railroad were often concealed in spirituals. It has been argued that “chariot” might refer to the Underground Railroad, “Jordan” to the Mason-Dixon Line, and “home” to freedom in the North. John Lovell Jr., author of Black Song, points out that Harriet Tubman, one of the leaders of the Railroad, was known by the nickname “Old Chariot.” The song has been sung by an impressive number of famous voices, including Benny Goodman (1936), Fats Waller (1938), Paul Robeson (1939), Peggy Lee (1946), Johnny Cash (1959), Harry Belafonte (1960), Stevie Wonder (1968), Joan Baez (1970), Eric Clapton (1975), Willie Nelson (1996), and Etta James (2000), and many others. For decades, interestingly, the song has been used by English rugby fans.

Who is the grouchiest bald man in the Bible? One day, the prophet Elisha is going to Bethel. As he approaches it, “little children” (most likely youths with too much time on their hands) come out of the city and start to make fun of him, saying, “Go up, thou bald head.” Does Elisha preserve a dignified silence? He does not. Instead he curses them, and two “she-bears” come out of the woods and tear forty-two of the children limb from limb.

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Who had the longest reign of any king of Judah or Israel? Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah, reigned for forty-five years, from 687 to 642 B.C.E.

When are the city of Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed and when does the Babylonian captivity begin? The Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar have been warring with Israel and Judah for some time, and have been taking the elite of the land captive (at one time 10,000 were exiled). However, it is in 586 B.C.E. that the Babylonians finally conquer the city, raze the Temple built by Solomon, and carry off much of the population to Babylon. There they stay until King Cyrus gives them permission to return home in 539 B.C.E. By that point, almost two generations have passed, and only some take him up on his offer.

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judges and priests: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth Who was the prostitute who helped the Israelites conquer the Promised Land? Moses’ leadership is assumed by his right-hand man, Joshua, whose task it is to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. One catch is that the land already has people living in it. In

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fact, right across the Jordan River from the Israelite camp is the Canaanite city of Jericho. A canny leader, Joshua realizes that the inhabitants will not willingly surrender what they consider their property, so he sends two spies into Jericho to assess the situation. They, for reasons that remain speculative, take shelter in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Things do not go well. Someone tells the king of Jericho that there are Israelite spies in town. What is more, he seems to have fairly accurate information, because he sends a message to Rahab, ordering her to surrender the men. Rahab thinks quickly. She hides the men on the roof of the house among some flax that she has set to dry. Then she says, in effect, “Sure, they were here, but they've gone. You'd better chase them.” As soon as the search party leaves the city in pursuit of the spies, Rahab, whose house is on the city wall, lets the two spies down to safety from a window. Why does she do this? She — and everyone else — has heard of the Israelites’ successes in battle, and she is convinced that God is with them and will deliver Jericho into their hands. She asks that she, her family, and all their possessions be spared when the Israelites take the city. The spies tell her to take the scarlet cord she used to let them down outside the walls and tie it in her window, and she and her family will be safe.

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Why has crossing the Jordan River become associated with dying? The Israelites are at this point not yet in the Promised Land, but they are camped on the shores of the Jordan River. All they have to do to enter the Promised Land is to cross the river. In a scene that harks back to the Israelites’ crossing of the Red/reed Sea, God tells Joshua to send priests ahead, carrying the Ark of the Covenant. As soon as their feet touch the water, the river parts to let the people walk across. Particularly in countless spirituals, such as “Roll, Jordan, Roll” and “Cross Over to the Other Side of Jordan,” this crossing has come to mean the passage from this life to the everlasting life of Heaven. To people for whom life was difficult, the prospect of the joys of Heaven must have appeared as much a deliverance as the passage of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land of “milk and honey.” Underlining this meaning is a couplet that appears in many spirituals: “Jordan's River is chilly and cold / Chills the body but not the soul.” This is called a floating or zipper verse, since it can float from song to song and be “zippered in.” Interestingly, later in the Bible, the prophet Elijah parts the River Jordan so he and his successor, Elisha, can cross over Jordan. Elijah is then taken up to Heaven.

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Who did the Israelites finally bury in the Promised Land? Several hundred years before, back in Genesis 50:24-26, Joseph predicts that God would eventually deliver the Israelites into the land that God promised to Abraham, and he asks the Israelites “to carry up my bones from hence.” He is embalmed, and the Israelites are as good as their word, carrying him with them out of Egypt and into the desert, and finally burying him in their new land.

Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho The walls of Jericho were famous in the ancient world for their sturdiness, and Joshua must have wondered how his men would ever break through. However, God has instructions. The entire army is to circle the city once a day for six days. With the army should go seven priests with ram's-horn trumpets, leading the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they are to circle seven times, and then the priests are to make a loud blast on the trumpets, the people are to shout, and the walls will collapse. And that's what happens. “Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho” is an African-American spiritual that recounts the story of the fall of Jericho. Probably a product of the early nineteenth century, it reflects the slaves’ dialect. Since the spirituals very often expressed a longing for freedom, the symbolism of the walls falling would have been significant. This song was one of those popularized by singer Mahalia Jackson.

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What is meant by judges in the Book of Judges? TOP 10 LONGEST-LIVED PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Name Methuselah Jared Noah Adam Seth Kenan Enos Mahalalel Lamech Shem

Age 969 962 950 930 912 910 905 895 777 600

The word in this context has nothing to do with Judge Judy and those like her. Judges in the ancient world were impressive leaders who ruled by force of personality and were also military commanders. Okay, so they might have heard a case now and again. Judges weren't kings, however, because the title (in Hebrew, shofet) died with the individual judge, and a judge did not lead all the tribes of Israel at one time.

Who is the only left-handed person mentioned in the Bible? In the course of the Book of Judges, the people of Israel continually turn to other deities, God punishes them by

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allowing them to be conquered by a foreign power, they repent, and God appoints a judge to save them. In the course of one of these periods of foreign oppression, the Israelites are labouring under the yoke of a Moabite king named Eglon, and their calls for deliverance cause God to send a judge named Ehud, who is left-handed, to liberate them. At one point the Israelites must send a “present” (tribute) to Eglon. Ehud takes on the task of delivering the tribute, and fashions a cubit-long (eighteen inches), two-sided dagger, which “he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh” (Judges 3:16). The point here is that the guards who let Ehud into the presence of the king are going to check on Ehud's left side for a weapon, since that's where most (right-handed) men carry theirs. Once they are alone, Ehud stabs the king and then locks the door to the room, allowing enough time to escape.

Who is the first woman to lead the Israelites? One of the major judges of Israel is a woman named Deborah, who is also a prophetess. Not only does she hear cases that are brought to her for judgment as she “dwells under the palm tree of Deborah,” but she is also a military leader. For twenty years, Israel has been subjugated by the Canaanites under their king, Jabin. Deborah clearly decides, prompted by God, that enough is enough. She calls the Israelite general, Barak, and tells him that it is God's will that he wage war on Jabin, and God will grant him victory over Sisera, Jabin's general. It is evidence of Deborah's power that Barak says, “If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with 174

me, then I will not go” (Judges 4:8). She's clearly quite a woman.

Who is the woman that Deborah credits with aiding the Israelite victory over the Canaanites? Despite the fact that they are outnumbered in the battle against Jabin, the Israelites, supported by God, put the Canaanites to flight. Jabin's general, Sisera, flees on foot and takes refuge in the tent of a woman named Jael, a Kenite. Since the Kenites are not at war with the Canaanites, he thinks he's home free, but Jael has other ideas. She offers Sisera a drink and invites him to rest. Needless to say, after fighting a battle and fleeing on foot, Sisera is ready for a nap, so, after setting Jael to keep watch at the door of the tent, he falls asleep. Big mistake. As he snoozes, Jael takes a “nail of the tent” (tent peg) and a hammer, and proceeds to nail Sisera to the ground through his temples. As the Bible says, “So he died” (Judges 4:21). In her song of victory, known as the Song of Deborah, the prophetess gives Jael generous credit for her role in defeating the Canaanites. The title of Aritha van Herk's second novel, The Tent Peg (1981), is taken from this story.

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Why did Samson not cut his hair? Samson is one of the judges of the Israelites during a period when they are oppressed by the Philistines. He is also the original legendary strongman. In the course of his active life he kills a thousand men with the “jawbone of an ass,” carries a city gate forty miles, and catches three hundred foxes, ties torches to their tails, and sends them into the Philistines’ corn crop to burn it. The source of his strength is his hair, which he never cuts. Disaster ensues when he succumbs to the charms of a hussy named Delilah, who is in the pay of the Philistines. Three times she asks him the source of his strength, three times he gives her a different answer, three times she binds him in a way she thinks will render him helpless, and three times the Philistines pounce out on him, only to be thrown off. The fourth time Delilah asks, Samson (proving himself less than bright) confesses that his uncut hair is the source of his strength. Delilah cuts off his hair while he sleeps, and the Philistines at last take Samson captive.

The Gideon Bible On checking into a hotel, most people have found a bible, popularly known as a Gideon Bible, in the room. The name comes directly from the evangelical “parachurch” Christian group that distributes the Bibles: Gideons International. But why the name? In Judges 6, the Israelites are under the yoke of the Midianites (again). Gideon, a poor man, is busy threshing wheat, but is doing so hidden by a winepress to hide

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the grain from the Midianites. He seems an unlikely hero. In fact, when the angel of God visits him to say that he is to deliver Israel, even Gideon is astonished. However, he does what God asks of him and the Israelites triumph. Gideons International chose the name for their organization because Gideon did God's bidding despite any doubts or fears he had himself. This is the spirit that the Gideons want their members to demonstrate, and thus the name. Gideon's army triumphs over the Midianites by surrounding their camp at night, and then, on God's instructions, blowing on trumpets and breaking ceramic vessels in which were lighted torches. Therefore, the logo of Gideons International contains a two-handled pitcher and a torch. Formed in Boscobel, Washington, in 1899, Gideons International placed their first Bibles in the rooms of the Superior Hotel, in Superior, Montana, in 1908. But there's more to it than that. Samson was dedicated to God by his mother at birth. As such, he was forbidden to do a number of things (set out in Numbers 6), including cutting his hair. The hair was the source of his strength because it was part of that bond with God.

Samson and Delilah (1949) Directed by Cecil B. DeMille, this film is a wonderful example of how Hollywood plays fast and loose with biblical stories. In this version, Samson (Victor Mature) is engaged to a Philistine woman named Semadar (Angela Lansbury, long before Murder, She Wrote). At their wedding celebrations, 177

Semadar is killed, and Samson has to flee. The questionably named Saran of Gaza (George Sanders) imposes taxes on the people to get them to give Samson up, and it works. They hand Samson over, but Samson breaks free as he is being taken to the Saran and slaughters the Philistine force that had him captive, using a handy jawbone of an ass that was lying nearby. Enter Delilah, Semadar's sister (Heddy Lamarr). She suggests to the Saran that she might seduce Samson and get him to reveal the secret of his strength (they kept this part from the Bible). The plan works, but of course she has fallen in love with Samson. Blinded, he is displayed in the temple of Dagon (Hollywood loved those temple scenes) for the pleasure of the Philistines, and Delilah is given a chance to whip him, but instead she guides him to the supporting pillars of the temple. As she flees, Samson brings the building down on the crowd. Having kept about two of the major plot points from the Bible, Hollywood gets its big finish. The following year, DeMille had a cameo in the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, in a scene where Joan Crawford's character Norma Desmond meets with a director on a film set at Paramount. Amusingly, inuickies DeMille's scene, the movie being shot is Samson and Delilah.

What is the first riddle in the Bible? Samson, to the horror of his mother and father, marries a Philistine woman. At what sounds suspiciously like a stag party, Samson poses a riddle and asks thirty young men to solve it before the seven days of the feast are over. If they do so, he will give them “thirty sheets and thirty change of 178

garments” (Judges 14:12). If they can't give an answer, they owe him the sheets and the garments. The men go to Samson's wife and beg her to find out the solution to the riddle, and she nags Samson until he tells her. She, of course, tells the young men, who come to Samson with the solution. Samson is not pleased. As he says to them, “If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.” Ouch. The riddle: “Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” The answer is “a lion” and “honey,” referring to the fact that Samson had earlier killed a lion and then found a hive of bees in the carcass. You had to be there.

Quickies Did you know… • that the story of Samson was also made into a movie in 1949, starring Victor Mature as the strongman.

Who is descended from Ruth and Boaz, her second husband? Ruth and Boaz are the grandparents of Jesse, the father of David, probably the greatest king of Israel. Because their town, Bethlehem, is therefore associated with King David, prophecies in the Old Testament linked Bethlehem with the birth of king who would save Israel. In the New Testament,

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the gospels of both Matthew and Luke use Jesus’ Bethlehem birth as evidence that he is the promised “king,” the Messiah.

What does footwear have to do with giving a pledge? Removing a sandal and giving it to the other party is the sign of a pledge. This what happens in the Book of Ruth, when the kinsman of Ruth's husband relinquishes his rights to Ruth. He removes his sandal and gives it to Boaz, thus sealing the deal.

Ruth, Henry VIII, and Levirate Marriage The widowed Ruth follows her mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Naomi's home of Bethlehem, and there she meets Naomi's wealthy kinsman Boaz. One thing leads to another and Ruth and Boaz wish to marry, but there is an obstacle in their way: levirate marriage. In Deuteronomy 25:5, the law says that if a man dies, his brother (or nearest kinsman) must marry his widow and name their first son after his dead brother. The intention of this law is to keep the lineage and name of the dead man alive and his property in the family, but it now presents a problem to Ruth and Boaz, because there is another kinsman that has a more legitimate claim to Ruth. Luckily, the kinsman backs off when reminded of his other responsibilities, such as providing a home for Naomi, and the story has a happy ending. The waters get muddier in the case of Henry VIII. Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, was initially married to Henry's brother Arthur, but Arthur died, leaving Catherine a

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widow. Henry stepped up to marry Catherine and keep the connection between England and Spain intact, but he needed special permission from the Pope to do so. This was because, at the time, ecclesiastical law didn't just not support levirate marriage, but forbade it on the grounds that it constituted incest. Henry pointed to Deuteronomy to strengthen his case. The Pope came through, Henry and Catherine were married, and some twenty years go by. At the end of that time, the match had produced only a daughter (Mary, later “Bloody Mary”), and Henry is hankering after an heir. He has also cast his eye on a particularly toothsome lady of the court, Ann Boleyn, who is presumably fertile and attractive to boot. This is where Henry turns against the concept of levirate marriage. The lack of an heir proves God's displeasure at the “incestuous” marriage, he claims. What is more, he drags up another verse, Leviticus 18:16, that forbids a man to marry his brother's wife. The marriage to Catherine must be annulled. This time the Pope is less pliable (and very aware of Catherine's Spanish Catholic family). And so, to massively simplify matters, Henry VIII starts his own church.

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the prophets, major and minor What does the word prophet mean? The word prophet is taken from Greek, and means “to speak on behalf of another.” The biblical prophets, of course, speak on behalf of God, and because they bring news of God's plans, divining the future and warning people what is to come (usually bad) are big items in their skill set.

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Were there women prophets? Though they are certainly less plentiful than male prophets, not only are there women prophets in the Bible, but some of them were among the most revered. Miriam, Moses’ sister, not only stands guard over the infant Moses in the bulrushes, but joins her brothers Moses and Aaron in leading the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. She is a noted prophetess and a major spiritual leader during the years the Israelites spend wandering in the wilderness. After the parting of the Red Sea, she leads the women in celebration: “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.” (Exodus 15:20). As we saw earlier, the prophetess Deborah also acts as a military leader, supporting the Israelite general — who will not go to battle without her — against the Canaanites. When King Josiah is told that the book of the law predicts Jerusalem's destruction, he sends for the prophetess Huldah (II Kings 22:14 and II Chronicles 34:22). Huldah confirms the coming destruction, but tells Josiah that, because he cared for his people, he will die before it happens. Good news, bad news. There are other prophetesses referred to, such as the daughters of Philip in the New Testament, as well as Noadiah, Elizabeth, and Anna. These three seem to have had particular influence.

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In addition, when the prophet Isaiah decides to procreate, he sleeps with a prophetess, who gives birth to a son.

How are the words of the prophet Isaiah represented at the United Nations headquarters in New York? One of Isaiah's most famous prophecies is a description of a coming day of peace in the “latter days.” In Isaiah 2:4, he writes, “They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” These words are carved on the Isaiah Wall in Ralph Bunche Park, which is across United Nations Plaza from the U.N. building. Artwork given by member states is also displayed within the precincts of the U.N. headquarters. In the gardens is a sculpture entitled “Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares,” given to the U.N. in 1959 by the Soviet Union.

What is a plowshare? The plowshare is the bent cutting or leading edge of a plough. It is extremely sharp and cuts the top layer of the soil.

Isaiah and Handel's Messiah One of the best-loved musical traditions of the Christmas season, Messiah, was actually composed for the theatre and premiered in Dublin during Lent, April 13, 1742.

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Although Handel composed the music, the libretto was assembled by Charles Jennens, a patron of the arts, and was planned to tell the Christian story of Christ, the Messiah. The first part of the three-part oratorio deals with many of the prophecies that have been interpreted as pointing to the coming of the Messiah. Jennens drew heavily from the King James Bible for this section (though he also used the Great Bible). One of the main sources of his text was the book of Isaiah, and anyone who has enjoyed a performance of the Messiah will recognize quotes such as, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”(Isaiah 7:6); “For unto us a son is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be call be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6); and “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” It's all Isaiah!

Where do we get the expression “Holier than thou”? Nowhere is this a good thing. In common usage, of course, it means people who look down on others, thinking themselves superior. In Isaiah 65:5, this is one of the qualities that God sees in his people and that He complains about to Isaiah. In fact, He goes on to say “these are a smoke in my nose.” See, He doesn't like those people either.

What does the name Immanuel mean? This name means “God with us.” Scholars point out that Isaiah, in prophesying the birth of a child to be called

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Immanuel, is assuring the king of God's presence and help. In the New Testament, the writers of the gospels take this verse as a prophecy about the coming of Christ, and the name Immanuel is applied to Christ as God on earth.

Does the word virgin in the Bible refer to…well, a virgin? This is another point over which scholars argue. Isaiah uses the Hebrew word alma, and this is what the Bible translates as “virgin.” However, in Hebrew, there is no necessary relationship between the word alma and virginity. In fact, the word alma is often used to indicate a young woman of child-bearing years. The Hebrew word that could mean only “a virgin” is betulah.

Where do we get the expression “A lamb to the slaughter”? This phrase refers to someone who walks into disaster without realizing what has been planned; an innocent. It is particularly useful in times of corporate downsizing. There are a number of references to animals going “to the slaughter” in the Bible, but perhaps one of the most significant is in Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” In Christian tradition this verse is seen to be a prophecy of the death of Christ, as anyone who has listened to Handel's

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Messiah will know. The allusion to blood sacrifice is clearly intended.

Who is the Bible's first nudist? Isaiah at one point takes off all his clothes and goes around naked for three years. The explanation given is that he is warning the people around about that the Assyrians will conquer all, and that Judah can't trust Egypt to come to its aid. To deliver this warning, he dresses (or rather, undresses) like a prisoner of war. But three years!

Where did we get the expression “No rest for the wicked”? The literal meaning of this is just what one would think: the wicked have no peace. In fact the biblical verse from which it is taken, Isaiah 57:21, reads: “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” However, this saying has altered over time. It is now used in a more humorous way, such as when a husband, enjoying the game on television, is rousted out by his wife to cut the grass. “No rest for the wicked,” he might exclaim, casting his eyes heavenward. This change of tone, some suggest, seemed to become more common in the 1930s. Could it be that Harold Gray, creator of Little Orphan Annie, hastened the change in 1933, when he used it as the title for one of his comic strips?

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What do we mean by “put your house in order”? This is often used to mean the need to wrap up one's affairs before death. As it happens, that's just how it is used in the Bible. In Isaiah 38:1, Hezekiah, king of Judah, is ill, and the prophet Isaiah comes to him to say: “Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.” However, there is a happy ending. Hezekiah “turns his face to the wall” and prays to God, who takes pity on him and grants him fifteen more years of life. Interestingly, turning one's face to the wall has come to refer to someone giving up on life, rather than buying themselves more time.

How does Isaiah die? No one knows for sure, but traditionally he is thought to have been sawn in two by the wicked King Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah.

Where do we get the expression “A drop in the bucket”? This used to describe something that is totally minuscule in comparison to the whole, or insignificant, especially in view of the larger picture. It is taken from Isaiah 40:15, where the prophet Isaiah reminds King Hezekiah of the power of God: “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket [to God].”

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Who is the Bible's most noted depressive? The prophet Jeremiah is such a downer, he is known as the “Weeping Prophet.” To be fair, he lived during the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and no one listened to his warnings. It's enough to depress a prophet.

Why do we ask, “Can a leopard change its spots?” This is a question about whether someone can change their essential nature. It is usually used when someone who has always acted one way suddenly starts acting another, and the implied answer is “No.” This is the way that cheery prophet Jeremiah used it (Jeremiah 13:23) when foretelling the punishment of God upon the people for their sinful ways.

What do we mean by “sour grapes”? Both Jeremiah and the prophet Ezekiel, writing in a difficult time, quote a proverb that was seemingly common in their day: “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge” (Jeremiah 31: 29 and Ezekiel 18:2). The meaning here is that the suffering of the people is a result of the mistakes or sins of previous generations. “Dem Dry Bones” This well-known traditional spiritual is based on Ezekiel 37, in which the prophet has a vision of a valley of dry bones. God instructs him to prophesy that the bones will live and, before his eyes, the bones come together to create skeletons,

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and then grow muscles, tendons, and flesh. Despite the gruesome nature of the vision, it is meant to convey a message of hope that the Israelites, scattered and in exile, will eventually be brought back together and their nation will live again. It is understandable that this theme would appeal to those who are also captive and in slavery. Although the song is traditional, the melody was written by the African-American songwriter James Weldon Johnson. Because the verses run through the bones of the body (inaccurately) — “Toe bone connected to the foot bone, / Foot bone connected to the heel bone, / The heel bone connected to the ankle bone,” and so on — the song was allegedly used to teach anatomy to children. The Simpsons episode “Homer's Triple Bypass,” in which the doctor tries to jog his memory of anatomy in the middle of an operation by singing this song, echoes this usage. The song has been played by a variety of musicians over the years, including, among many others, Fats Waller, The Delta Rhythm Boys, The Four Lads, the Mills Brothers, and Rosemary Clooney. Even The Kinks used the chorus in their own song “Skin and Bone” (1971). Fans of the cult hit The Prisoner will remember that the song features prominently in the final episode, “Fall Out,” and it is sung by Peter O'Toole in the film The Ruling Class (1972). Although many point to this as the source of our own use of “sour grapes,” the meaning is quite different. Today we use the expression when someone has lost something they wanted, and so disparage it, pretend that they didn't want it at 190

all. It is much more likely that this usage comes from Aesop's fable of “The Fox and the Grapes.”

Who does God order to marry a prostitute? Symbolism is very important in the Bible, and in the lives of the prophets. The prophet Hosea may have been puzzled when God told him to marry a prostitute named Gomer (yeah, really). He would have been within his rights to be ticked off when Gomer was unfaithful to him. However, God meant this to symbolize the “unfaithfulness” of Israel towards God and his commandments.

What is the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible? The book of Obadiah is the shortest at a brisk twenty-one verses.

What was it that swallowed Jonah? If you said Jonah was swallowed by a whale, you are certainly in line with popular tradition but you're not absolutely correct, though we can agree that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. In fact, the phrase used in Hebrew is dag gadol, which translates exactly as “big fish.” The Hebrew language, in fact, has only one word for water creatures, dag, since the Israelites were not noticeably nautical.

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Which prophet was instrumental in the magi finding Jesus? When the magi come to the court of King Herod looking for the “King of the Jews,” the wise men of the court consult their writings. In the book of the prophet Micah, they find the verse “But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2). That's good enough for the magi.

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exile and homecoming: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel

Who are the first in the Bible to choose vegetarianism? In the sixth century B.C.E., the Israelites find themselves exiled to Babylon. Since many of those carried off by the Babylonians are from the educated class, King Nebuchadnezzar decides that he can use some of the young men in his service in the palace. Four of those chosen for this “privilege” are Daniel and his three buddies, Shadrach,

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Meshach, and Abednego. One snag is that, during their training, they are expected to live and eat like their Babylonian compatriots. The Babylonians don't observe the same dietary laws as the Israelites, and the meat and wine that Daniel and his friends are expected to eat is far from kosher, so they request that they be allowed to drink water and eat lentils (also known as “pulses”). At first there is resistance to this, since the king has no interest in pale, droopy servants. However, Daniel proposes a ten-day trial, and at the end of that time he and his friends are even more fit and peppy than all the other trainees. They get their water and pulses. Yum.

Why do we speak of someone having “feet of clay”? An esteemed figure who turns out to be flawed is said to have “feet of clay.” The expression comes from Daniel 2, in which Daniel interprets a dream of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel, like Joseph, has the gift of dream interpretation). The king has dreamed of a mighty statue of precious metals: its head is gold, its body is silver and bronze, but its feet are of clay and iron. When a stone hits the feet, they crumble, breaking the statue in pieces. Daniel interprets this as foretelling the break-up of powerful empires. Although in Daniel the interpretation was intensely political, to the average person the moral is that no matter how great and powerful something or someone may be, a weak foundation will lead to destruction.

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Who was thrown into the “fiery furnace”? In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar sets up a ninety-foot-tall gold statue and orders that the people all worship it. Three of Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refuse to worship this idol and are thrown into a “fiery furnace” to be burnt to cinders. So hot is the furnace that the men who are doing the throwing are struck dead by the heat. But not the three friends. What is more, when Nebuchadnezzar looks into the furnace, he sees four men walking around in the middle of the flames, and “the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” The king orders them to be taken out of the furnace, and they walk out without the slightest mark of burning on them or their clothes. Nebuchadnezzar therefore orders that no one can say anything bad about the god of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, on pain of death and of having their homes reduced to a “dung heap.” This story has entered our culture. It is alluded to in a hymn sung regularly in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and “The Burning Fiery Furnace” is one of the three parables in Benjamin Britten's Parables for Church Performance. “The Fourth Man in the Fire” is a song by Johnny Cash, the Beastie Boys sang “Shadrach” in 1989, and Sly and the Family Stone sing the names of the three friends over and over in their song “Loose Booty.” A character in Toni Morrison's Sula is named Shadrack, who is seen as a prophet.

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Where did the expression “The writing is on the wall” come from? This is used to mean that something (usually interpreted as something undesirable) is about to take place, and the signs are clear. It comes from the story of another occasion when Daniel was called on to interpret a dream. In Daniel 5, Belshazzar, son of Nebuchadnezzar, is hosting a wingding of a party. He and his sons and wives and concubines are eating and drinking and making merry, using the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar “liberated” from the Temple in Jerusalem. While they are doing this, the fingers of a man's hand appear and write on the wall. What's that about? TOP 10 OCCUPATIONS IN BIBLICAL TIMES

Since the Bible covers around two thousand years of history, the occupations varied over time as the population made the transition from nomadic herders to settled agriculturists. By the time of the New Testament, most people worked in villages or the surrounding farmlands. 1

Farmer: This was the largest employer in biblical times, as food was necessary for the Israelites’ survival, and, since farming was done manually, it required a very large labour force. Farmers supplied the population with olives for olive oil, grapes for wine, wheat and barley for flour, lentils, peas, dates (an important early source of sugar), and figs.

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Shepherd: Shepherds generally did not own the flock, but took care of the animals for their owner. The shepherd had to ensure the flock had sufficient food and water and had to protect the flock from predators (including wolves, hyenas, jackals, lions, and bears) and thieves. Should an animal be lost, the shepherd had to pay the owner for the cost of the animal, a large incentive indeed to take care of the flock. Builder: During the centuries covered by the Bible, the population moved to villages with buildings of various types, so builders were required for houses, shops, temples, and eventually palaces and fortresses. Weaver: People needed clothing to wear, and that is where weavers came in. Clothing production was predominantly handled by women. The fabrics were made of wool — harvested from sheep in the spring — and of goat hair and flax. Various vegetable dyes were used to add some colour to the clothing. Fisherman: Since the Philistines controlled the coastal areas, this occupation was only significant near large inland bodies of water such as the Sea of Galilee. Fishermen and the sea do however figure prominently in the stories of the New Testament: four of the apostles were fishermen, and Jesus’ miracles included walking on the water, feeding 5,000 people with two fish (and seven loaves of bread), and calming the stormy water when out in a boat. Scribe: Since the law was of paramount importance to the Israelites, it was necessary to have people employed in studying and interpreting the law. Initially this was handled by the priests, but over time a new class of worker arose to take over this function. These were the

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scribes, equivalent to today's lawyers. Eventually the scribes became an extremely influential group in the Israeli society. 7. Government Worker: As the Israelites made the transition from a nomadic to a more settled lifestyle, the tribal system, they required tribal clerks and tax collectors (the profession of one of the apostles) as leaders. 8. Soldier: Initially the Israelites, following their nomadic tradition, had no permanent army, but each tribe of Israel provided a militia force when necessary. After King Saul, the militia was discarded in favour of the more usual army model used by their enemies. The soldiers themselves comprised four groups based on the weapon they used: slings (as David used with Goliath), bows, swords/axes/maces, and spears/ javelins. Every male member of the tribes of Israel over twenty years old was expected to perform military service. It is interesting to note that, as the Israeli army was small compared to its aggressive neighbours, the army tended to engage in more guerrilla tactics than outright campaigns. 9. Miller: An important part of the food business, this was initially done by women at home as part of a normal list of chores, but with larger villages and cities it became an important industry in itself. 10 Potter: Making pottery is one of the world's oldest crafts, with the oldest examples made by the ancient Egyptians. In biblical times, the making of various earthenware containers was a thriving industry, and Jerusalem in fact had its own ceramics district. Pottery

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was mainly used for cooking, for storing liquids (oil, wine, water), grains, and fruits. The queen remembers that Daniel has gifts in this area, and he is called on to interpret. As may be expected, the news is not good for a king who has defiled the holy vessels from Jerusalem. Daniel interprets the phrase that has been written — “Mene, mene, tekel, uparsin” — to mean that the kingdom will be divided between the Medes and Persians. To get the ball rolling, the Persians take over Babylon that very night, and kill Belshazzar.

Why do we refer to someone facing an intimidating experience as “Daniel in the lions’ den”? King Darius of Persia, who is now in charge in Babylon, promotes Daniel to a high position in court. Unfortunately, some of the other officials are jealous of Daniel and also know of his religious beliefs. They convince the king to command that, for a month, no one can ask anything of another god or — or human — other than Darius himself.

Quickies Did you know… • that the expression “one's days are numbered” comes from the same source as “the writing is on the wall” — Daniel's encounter with Belshazzar? As Daniel says in his prediction of Belshazzar's downfall, “God

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has numbered they kingdom, and finished it” (Daniel 5:26).

Daniel, Shakespeare, and Rumpole of the Bailey Fans of John Mortimer's irascible lawyer, Rumpole of the Bailey, will no doubt be familiar with his love of referencing Shakespeare. He gives his esteemed female colleague, Phyllida Erskine-Brown, the name of “Portia” after Portia in The Merchant of Venice (who disguises herself as a law clerk to argue a case and save her beloved Bassanio). When he hears a legal decision he likes, he echoes Shylock's words, “A Daniel come to judgment! Yea, a Daniel.” But where did Shakespeare get this expression? It is very probable that he was alluding to the biblical Daniel. As the king Belshazzar said (Daniel 5:14), when he called Daniel to interpret the mysterious writing on the wall (see above), “excellent wisdom is found in thee.” Daniel cannot deny God, and he continues to pray three times a day, facing Jerusalem. In the way of such sneaks, the jealous officials immediately scuttle off to Darius and inform on him. Darius is upset, since he quite likes Daniel, but an edict is an edict. Into the lions’ den goes Daniel, and the king has a sleepless night, imagining the carnage taking place. God, however, is looking out for the faithful Daniel, and has prevented the lions from attacking him. Come the morning, Darius finds Daniel alive and well. To celebrate, he orders the jealous officials and their families thrown into the lions’ den, 200

and the lions, denied their bedtime snack the night before, make short work of them.

What is Esther's connection with Haddassah, the Jewish volunteer women's organization? In the book of Esther, it is the fifth century B.C.E. and the Persian king Ahasueris (most likely Xerxes) rules over Babylon, and those Jews who have not returned to their homeland are working hard to avoid being assimilated. Many of them have Babylonian names, but also keep their Hebrew names. The name Esther is derived from the Babylonian fertility goddess, Ishtar, but Esther's Hebrew name is Haddassah. As her story opens, the king is furious at his wife, Vashti, for defying him, and determines to find a new wife. He sets up an elaborate contest to try out the virgins of the kingdom, and Esther, who has to this point concealed her Jewish roots, wins his favour and becomes queen. Meanwhile, her cousin Mordecai has been hanging around the palace to keep an eye on her. Unfortunately, Haman, a top palace official, is insulted that Mordecai the Jew will not bow to him, and hatches a plot to destroy him. Not naming the Jews specifically, he convinces the king to sign an edict to destroy “a certain people” who are undermining the king's law, and the king gives Haman the authority to carry out the persecution. Haman casts dice, “purim,” to decide on which month to eliminate the Jews, and settles on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (this becomes important later).

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Mordecai pleads with Esther to intervene for her people, and, despite her fear of approaching the king without being invited, Esther agrees. She builds up to her big request. First she invites the king and Haman to dinner, and there the charmed king grants her a wish. She asks for another dinner with the same guests the next day. Then, at the second dinner, she asks that she and her people be spared. The king is shocked. “Who would threaten you?” he asks, and Esther fingers Haman, confessing to the king her relationship to Mordecai. Haman is summarily hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, but the king cannot undo an edict that has been issued. Instead, the king allows Mordecai to issue another proclamation, urging the Jews to defend themselves on the day Haman set for their destruction and encouraging other people to help. The Jews triumph and are saved. On the fourteenth and fifteenth of the twelfth month, the Jews celebrate their triumph and resolve to celebrate it every year thereafter. This is the Jewish celebration of Purim, which is still celebrated on the fifteenth day of the Jewish month of Adar. Hadassah was established by Henrietta Szold and the Daughters of Zion in New York City in 1912. Because the founders’ meeting took place at the same time as the holiday of Purim, the group took Esther's Hebrew name, Hadassah.

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What book of the Bible never mentions God? Esther not only doesn't mention God, but doesn't record any religious practices. Because of this, the compilers of the Bible hesitated over the inclusion of Esther.

When was the Second Temple in Jerusalem built? In 539 B.C.E., Cyrus the Great of Persia allows those Jews who wish to do so to return to their homeland. Resettling takes quite a bit of work, however, and although the returnees lay the (smaller) foundation of a new temple (Ezra 5:16), it takes the nagging of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, and the funding of the new Persian king, Darius, to get the job done. It isn't until 515 B.C.E. that the Second Temple is dedicated.

Quickies Did you know… • that Ezra 7:21 contains every letter of the alphabet except j?

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writings, poetry, and songs: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs What is meant by the word proverb? Proverb is the translation of the Hebrew word mashal, which means “to rule” or “to govern.” A proverb is a rule or a saying that helps us to run, or govern, our lives.

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Who wrote the book of Proverbs? This is another case of tradition versus what can actually be proved. Tradition says that Solomon wrote Proverbs, and that is an appealing thought, given Solomon's reputation for wisdom and the fact that he is reported to have written some three thousand proverbs. Some of the chapters actually begin with a claim that they are the work of Solomon. For instance, the first words in Proverbs 1:1 are, “The proverbs of Soloman the son of David, king of Israel.” At the same time, other proverbs are attributed to other figures, none of them traceable. It seems that Proverbs, like the Bible itself, is a compilation of works, in this case a collection of wise sayings.

What does Proverbs have to do with the Humane Society? In direct contradiction of those who argue that concern for animals is a modern affectation, Proverbs 12:10 states, “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

Where do we get the expression “Pride goes before a fall”? This is taken from Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” In Proverbs it means just what it means today: those who are filled with pride and self-satisfaction will fail.

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Where does it say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”? It doesn't say exactly that in the Bible, but that's where we get the expression. Proverbs 13:24 reads, “He that spareth his rod, hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Interestingly, this seems to have been a piece of general wisdom in the ancient world. Passages from both Proverbs and Ecclesiastes bear a striking resemblance to The Words of Ahiqar, supposedly written by an official in the Assyrian court. There the similar passage reads, “withhold not the rod from your son, or else you will not be able to save him.” It seems the ancient jury on permissive parenting is in.

What does the name Satan mean? The Hebrew name Satan actually means “the adversary,” and that's certainly the role he plays in the Book of Job, standing as Job's adversary in the court of heaven. In Greek, the word “adversary” is diabolos, from which we get “devil.” Please note, there is not a cloven hoof or a forked tail on Satan in the entire Bible. Another name for Satan is Beezebul, or “Prince Baal.” Our more familiar Beelzebub is a pun on Beezebul, and its English translation is “Lord of the Flies.” William Golding chose this as a title for his 1954 novel about the innate evil in human nature.

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Quickies Did you know… • that the 2009 film A Serious Man by the Coen brothers is a modern retelling of the Book of Job?

What is meant by a “Job's comforter”? Job is an upright and virtuous man, but he has had terrible misfortune piled on him. His donkeys, oxen, and camels have been stolen, his sheep burned in a fire, his servants have been slain, and his ten children have been killed in the collapse of the house they were in. In addition, he has broken out in painful boils all over his body. From a wealthy and respected man, he has been reduced to a suffering wretch, sitting on a pile of ashes. Three of his friends come around to be with him, but after sitting silently and observing his terrible pain, they start trying to come up with an explanation for his misfortune. He must have sinned somehow, so that God is punishing him, they insist. Job knows he is innocent, so their intervention is less than useless; it is an added pain. A Job's comforter has come to mean someone who, though attempting to comfort someone, only succeeds in making them feel worse.

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Quickies Did you know… • that the Behemoth and the Leviathan mentioned in Job are thought by some scholars to represent the hippopotamus and the crocodile.

Where do we get the expression “By the skin of your teeth”? This means “by a narrow margin” and is often used to describe a close call of some sort. In the Bible, the phrase appears in Job 19:20, as Job enumerates his many losses: “My bone cleaveth to my skin, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” Since teeth don't have skin, he seems to be saying that he has escaped with nothing. Note: Job says “with,” not “by,” but the Revised Standard Version of the Bible translates the phrase as “by the skin of my teeth,” suggesting that the modern usage is correct.

What does the word vanity mean in Ecclesiastes? The book of Ecclesiastes is not exactly a million laughs, but then it does set out to discover meaning in life, which is a serious study. It wastes no time in getting down to business. In the second verse (Ecclesiastes 1:2) it sets the tone with the well-known line, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” But what does vanity mean? It doesn't mean “I think I'm special” in the way it does today.

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The Hebrew word used is hevel, which literally means breath or vapour, but because it is used as a metaphor, it could be — and is — translated to indicate general futility. Various translators have rendered it as “futile,” “meaningless,” “senseless,” and “pointless.” Break out the party hats.

Where do we get the expression “Nothing new under the sun”? This world-weary expression is taken from Ecclesiastes 1:9: “and there is no new thing under the sun.” The meaning is clear, and exactly what one might expect from a writer who thinks everything is futile.

Where does it say, “Eat, drink, and be merry”? On the face of things, it's pretty clear what this means. However, the phrase comes from Ecclesiastes (8:15), the same book that reminds us that “all is vanity.” So, before you break out the lager, remember that the common continuation of the saying — “for tomorrow you may die” — is more in keeping with the spirit of Ecclesiastes.

Quickies Did you know… • that the command “cast your bread upon the waters,” which is often thought to call for charity (or even prayerful investing), may refer to beer-making. This

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may just be another way of saying, “Eat, drink, and be merry [for tomorrow you may die].”

Where do we get the expression “A fly in the ointment”? This describes a small flaw or glitch that manages to spoil the entire thing. It is taken from Ecclesiastes 10:1, where a touch of folly is said to spoil a reputation for wisdom. Ointment, by the way, refers to perfume, not your favourite antibiotic cream.

To Every Thing There Is a Season This very well-known expression, meaning that there is a right time for everything, comes from Ecclesiastes 3 and probably owes much of its familiarity to folk artist Pete Seeger, who set the verse to music in 1959. “To Everything There Is a Season” was released by both the Limeliters and by Pete Seeger himself in 1962. In 1963, Judy Collins recorded the song, re-titling it “Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There is a Season).” This is the title that was used by The Byrds when they recorded it in 1965. If, as tradition has it, King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes (though tradition has him writing just about everything), this would make him the oldest songwriter with a number-one pop hit. Seeger donated 45 percent of his royalties to Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, keeping 55 percent because, as he pointed out, as well as the music, “I did write six words.”

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What is the publishers?

advice

Ecclesiastes

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Ecclesiastes 12:12 reads, in part, “Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” Amen.

TOP 10 MOST MENTIONED NAMES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

David: 1,139 times Jesus: 983 Moses: 848 Saul: 425 Jacob: 345 Aaron: 350 Solomon: 306 Abraham: 250 Joseph: 250 Joshua: 216

The name Judah appears 817 times, but, although he was one of Jesus’ ancestors, the name was not included in the list because it also appears as the name of a tribe and a kingdom. Also, God appears 4,473 times, and the Lord appears 7,970 times. The lowly Satan appears only 56 times.

Why is the “Song of Songs” also called the “Song of Solomon”? This ancient love poem is known as the “Song of Songs,” “the Song of Solomon,” “Solomon's Song,” or as “Canticles.” The name is a form of superlative, meaning this is the best of all 211

the songs, while “Canticles” is the short form of the Latin, Canticum Canticorum. The connection with Solomon comes from the first verse, “The song of songs, which is Solomon's,” but his authorship is by no means certain, even if he is said to have written 1,005 songs.

What is an orphaned psalm? Many of the hymns of praise recorded in Psalms have a note on them, saying when they were written or who is supposed to have composed them. Many of them are attributed to King David, especially because of his close identification with music, and specifically the lyre. Of the 150 Psalms, only 34 have no notation, and are referred to as “orphaned psalms.” Of course, scholars still debate the accuracy of the notations on the others.

Quickies Did you know… • that the title of Lillian Hellman's 1939 play, The Little Foxes, was taken from Song of Solomon 2:15: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines,” while in The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck named his character Rose of Sharon from Song of Solomon 2:1: “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”

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Where do we get the expression “The apple of my eye”? Literally, this means the very centre of the eye, but symbolically it means something or someone that is valued, and usually loved, more than any other. Given the prevalence of eye imagery in many cultures, it is no surprise to find it loaded with significance. The expression is used more than once in the Bible, but perhaps the best known is Psalms 17:8: “Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings.”

What Psalm did Jesus quote on the cross? According to Matthew 27:46: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” This is a direct quote from the lament in Psalm 22.

Where do we get the expression “From strength to strength”? This means to move from one success to another. In Psalms 84:7, the psalmist is describing the lives of the righteous. “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”

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What were the most common instruments used in the Bible? In its injunction to praise God, Psalm 150 presents a handy list of common instruments. It mentions trumpets, harps, tambourines, strings, pipes, and cymbals. Judging from this and other sources, drums and tambourines seem to predominate (remember Miriam and her timbrel, or hand drum?), while the lyre and flute are also plentiful. Interestingly, the percussion instruments seem to be used by women, while lyres are played by men, the opposite of present-day expectations.

Which psalm inspired Martin Luther's famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”? This is probably the most famous of Martin Luther's hymns. Written between 1527 and 1529, it was first translated into English from German by Myles Coverdale (of the Coverdale Bible) in 1539. Since then some seventy English translations have been done, the most popular being Frederick J. Hedge's 1853 translation: “A mighty fortress is our God / a bulwark never failing.” It is said that King Gustavus of Sweden played it as a battle hymn for his forces in the Thirty Years War, and it was sung at the funeral of President Dwight Eisenhower. The words are a paraphrase by Luther of Psalm 46.

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Where do we get the expression “At one's wits’ end”? This expression, meaning that one is out of ideas and unable to think of a solution, is taken from Psalms 107:27: “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.” Perhaps this is a clue to why they are at their wits’ end.

By the Rivers of Babylon “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1). One of the best-known of the psalms, Psalm 137 clearly refers to the exile of the Jewish people in Babylon — making it clear that all the writings in Psalms can not be dated to the same period and that David did not write them all. The rivers referred to are the Euphrates and its tributaries. It has been set to music by, or has influenced, a wide variety of musicians, including Palestrina, Verdi (for whom it inspired the slave chorus from Nabucco), William Walton, as well as Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of The Melodians. McNaughton and Dowe's “Rivers of Babylon” (1972) was heard in the soundtrack of the movie The Harder They Fall, but is probably better known for Boney M's 1978 cover version. “Babylon” was the last track on Don McLean's 1971 album, American Pie. The title of William Faulkner's 1939 novel, If I Forget Thee Jerusalem, is taken from Verse 5, and Stephen Vincent Benet

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entitled a 1937 short story “By the Waters of Babylon.” Other authors have played with the words of the Psalm. In The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot writes, “By the waters of Leman [Lake Geneva] I sat down and wept,” while Elizabeth Smart's 1945 novel in prose poetry is entitled By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept. Clearly the Psalms continue to inspire.

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THE NEW TESTAMENT

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the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually write the gospels? That hasn't been definitely established. These names were certainly not attached to the original writings, but they were added early in the days of the Church, based on internal evidence and early church beliefs about who wrote them. All

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the books deal with much of the same material — the life of Christ — but from slightly different angles.

Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John know Jesus personally? Matthew and John were among Jesus's inner circle of twelve disciples. Luke and Mark were not among this group, but were friends of the apostle Paul, who was immensely influential in the early church. In addition, there is a belief that Mark did know Jesus, and was present when Jesus was arrested.

What are the symbols of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Christian tradition for centuries has used four symbols to represent the “four evangelists.” These symbols are taken from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, in which he sees four heavenly creatures with four faces each: “As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:10). In Christian iconography Matthew is represented by the figure of a man (or angel), Mark by a lion, Luke by an ox, and John by an eagle. These symbols of the evangelists are so widespread in Western art that a knowledge of the symbolism is essential to the study of art and sculpture.

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What does the word gospel mean? The actual source of this word is the Greek work euangelion. What's the connection? Euangelion means “good news,” which is how the early Christian writers viewed the story of Jesus. This is the source of the words evangelist and evangelism, referring to the spreader and the spreading of the “good news.” The Anglo-Saxon for “good news” is god-spell, and that has become “gospel.”

Godspell This upbeat off-Broadway and Broadway hit, which uses the ancient form of “gospel” for its title, started life as the master's thesis of John-Michael Trebelak, and was first performed at Carnegie Mellon University. The show traced the arc of Jesus's life from his baptism by John to his death, and ends in a joyful finale. Trebelak based his work on the gospels of Matthew and Luke and, when members of the college's music department wrote songs for it, they borrowed heavily from the Episcopal Hymnal for the lyrics. When the show moved to New York in 1971 for a short run at an experimental theatre, it caught the eye of producers James Beruh and Edgar Lansbury (Angela Lansbury's brother), who hired Stephen Schwartz to write new songs. Schwartz wrote new lyrics, but kept material from the Episcopal Hymnal. Godspell became one of the longest-running off-Broadway productions and then moved to Broadway in 1976, where it ran for over a year.

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Meanwhile, the show was also being performed in cities around the world. The Toronto production helped change the face of the city's theatre scene and launch the careers of such present-day household names as Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, and Dave Thomas. Godspell was also made into a film in 1973. It has now permeated our culture. For instance, Ford Prefect in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy keeps a copy of the script of Godspell at hand in order to make people think he's an actor.

Who is the famous ancestor of Mary and Joseph? According to the gospels, Mary and Joseph are said to descend from King David. This is important, since at the time of Jesus's birth Israel was under the rule of Rome, and many Jews were longing for a “king” to deliver them.

Where do the names Messiah and Christ come from? Messiah is derived from a Hebrew word meaning “anointed one,” and refers to the king that the Jews were expecting. The Greek version is Christos, from which we get Christ.

Was Jesus really born in a cattle shed? Debate swirls around this one. The common Christmas picture has Mary and Joseph out in what seems to be a stable, because it is said that Mary laid the infant Jesus in a “manger,” and a manger is a trough for feeding animals.

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However, there is no evidence in the gospels that this is actually what happened. The word that is translated as “inn,” is the Greek kataluma, which has a number of meanings. It can also mean the guest room of a house. (In fact, the only other time the word is used in the New Testament, it refers to the upper room where Jesus and his disciples celebrate the Last Supper.) Because of this, and because Mary and Joseph are returning to their hometown, some scholars suggest that it meant the guest room in a family home, which was crowded with other family members due to the census. There is, by the way, also no friendly innkeeper who ushers the young couple into the barn. He's a later addition. What is a feeding trough doing in a house? In the ancient world, animals were often kept inside homes. Ground-floor rooms would house animals, tools, animal feed — and mangers. The family would sleep on the second floor. This was a very practical arrangement. The animals were indoors and protected from weather and thieves, while the sleeping homeowners benefitted from the body heat of the animals and ready access to milk and other necessities.

Quickies Did you know… • that the scene in which Gabriel announces to Mary that she is to bear the son of God — the Annunciation — appears only in the gospel of Luke. So, according to many scholars, we can scratch the inn, the innkeeper, and

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the barn, and place Mary and Joseph in the ground-floor of an overcrowded family home. Today, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem marks the supposed site of the birth — be it home or stable.

Quickies Did you know… • that the population of the world at the time of Christ is estimated at 200 million?

What year was Jesus born? More controversy. The present calculation of B.C.E. and C.E. was based on a sixth-century calculation, which is now thought to have been a few years off. The census that takes Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is recorded as occurring in 6 B.C.E. Matthew and Luke both place the birth during the reign of Herod the Great, and Herod died in 4 B.C.E. As a further complication, Herod's command to kill all boys under two years of age suggests that Jesus might have been as old as two when the order was given. As a result of all this, most scholars think that Jesus was born around 6 or 5 B.C.E.

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Was Jesus actually born on December 25? No one knows what time of the year Jesus was born, and the New Testament isn't telling. The choice of December 25 came later, after Christianity had spread and had been exposed to other religious traditions. The early Christians were very adept at using these traditions and fitting them into a Christian context. This made the early church stand out less, and it also made it easier for foreign converts to adapt. Scholars think that the early church settled on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Christ because that was the date of the Roman festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia marked the winter solstice, when the days began lengthening and the new life of spring was near, so the symbolism worked well. While the Romans were celebrating the return of the sun, the Christians were celebrating the birth of the Son.

Quickies Did you know… • that the use of evergreen trees, holly, and mistletoe, as well as the lighting of candles at Christmas are leftovers from the pagan celebrations of Saturnalia. The candles symbolize the return of the light of the sun, while the holly, mistletoe, and evergreens, because they are…well, ever green, are reminders of

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the coming new life to the earth. Pagan or Christian, the symbolism still works.

Who were the three wise men? Only one of the gospels — Matthew — mentions the wise men, and it calls them only “wise men from the east.” They themselves tell Herod that they are following a star. Because of this, the majority opinion among scholars seems to be that they were Zoroastrian priests from Babylon, which was the centre of astrology. There they might also have encountered Judaism. They are often also referred to as the Magi, since this title is related to the priestly caste of Zorastrianism (founded by Zoroaster in the sixth century B.C.E.). There is no evidence that there were three of them. Because three gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — are mentioned, it has been traditional to assume there were three wise men. There may have been a battalion. The gifts, by the way, were the sort of tribute one would present to a king. There is also no reason to think that the wise men were there in the manger with the shepherds. Matthew and Luke, who record the nativity story, have conflicting agendas. Luke wishes to portray Jesus as a man of the people, while Matthew wishes to emphasize Jesus's kingship. Therefore Luke brings in the lowly shepherds, while Matthew emphasizes the visit of the wise men who wish to pay tribute to a king. Nowhere are they present at the same time. Western Christian tradition has named the wise men Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior, but this has nothing to do

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with the Bible. These names come from a Greek manuscript, probably written in Alexandria circa 500 C.E.

Why did King Herod have mother-in-law issues? Although this doesn't appear in the Bible, it does shed some light on Herod's biblical shenanigans. Herod married Mariamne, a princess of the Hasmoneans, a ruling Jewish family in Israel. The plan was that this would legitimize his reign. However, suspecting her of adultery, Herod — ever the hot-head — had Mariamne killed.

Quickies Did you know… • that myrrh is an anointing oil, used at the crowning of kings. It is also considered by the Eastern Orthodox Church to be a holy oil, used when confirming someone into the church or anointing the dying. Because of this, receiving either sacrament is known as “receiving the Myrrh.” Understandably, Mariamne's mother took offence and entered into a plot with Cleopatra of Egypt (she was a busy lady) to unseat Herod and put one of her grandsons on the throne. So Herod killed her too.

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• that “The Gift of the Magi” is probably the best-known of the short stories of writer O. Henry.

We Three Kings of Orient Are This well-known American carol was written in 1857 by Reverand John Henry Hopkins, reportedly for a Christmas pageant at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. Reverand Hopkins, who one presumes had theological training, works into his verses the spiritual meaning of the gifts of the wise men. Gold symbolizes kingship: “Gold I bring to crown him again / King forever, ceasing never / Over us all to reign.” Frankincense (an incense) symbolizes priesthood: “Frankincense to offer have I / Incense owns a deity nigh / Prayer and praising, all men raising / Worship him God most high.” Myrrh (an embalming oil), symbolizes death: “Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume Breathes of life of gathering gloom / Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying / Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

What is Jesus's relationship to John the Baptist? John the Baptist is the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Elizabeth is Mary's cousin. Therefore, John and Jesus are second cousins.

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After the Annunciation, Mary goes to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth is six months pregnant with John, and when she hears Mary's greeting, “the babe leaped in her womb”(Luke 1:44). This prefigures John's role as the one who is to prepare the way for Jesus.

What did John the Baptist eat? John the Baptist may have been holy, but he also sounds a bit like the original “hippy.” As Matthew 3:4 tells it, he “had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”

Where do we get the expression “Separate the wheat from the chaff”? This means separating important things from the unimportant and is an agricultural image, referring to the separation of the valuable kernel of the wheat from the light, inedible part of the head of wheat. In biblical times (and later), this was done by tossing the grain into the air. The wind carried the lighter, useless part away, leaving the heavier kernel. In both Matthew 3:12 and Luke 3:17, John the Baptist warns that God will eventually separate the wheat from the chaff (the good from the evil) and then burn the chaff.

Does John the Baptist have anything to do with the Baptist church? The origin of the name is the connection. Both the Anabaptists (rebaptizers), from which the Baptists derive the name, and John the Baptist take their names from the Greek 228

word baptizo, “to baptize, immerse, dip,” and both John the Baptist and the Baptists baptize by immersion. The methodology is not the point, however. The Baptists do not believe in infant baptism, holding that one should understand and choose before being baptized.

How did John the Baptist die? John the Baptist is a plain-speaking prophet. When Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) marries Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, John doesn't hesitate to speak out, reminding Herod that, by law, the marriage is forbidden. Truly his father's son, Herod Junior has John seized and thrown into prison. However, not having quite the nerve of his father and being wary of the possible reaction among those who revere John as a prophet, he hesitates to have John killed. Herodias, who deeply resents John's accusations, is ticked but bides her time. Herod's birthday arrives and Herodias lays on a little treat. She has her daughter, Herod's stepdaughter, dance at the birthday celebrations. The girl must have put on quite the show, because the delighted Herod takes an oath to give her anything she desires. A dutiful daughter, she runs back to her mother for instructions. This is the moment Herodias has been waiting for. Without blinking an eye, one presumes, she tells her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a charger (platter).

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Even Herod is a little stunned by this, but he can't go back on his oath — especially with everyone at the banquet watching. So he sends word to behead John who is still in prison, and the head is brought in on a platter and given to Herodias's daughter. She immediately hands it over to her mother, who was the one who wanted it in the first place.

How many days does Jesus spend in the desert before starting his ministry? Jesus spends forty days fasting in the desert. This is no accident. Forty seems to be attached in the Bible to periods of testing, before a new beginning. It rained for forty days and forty nights when the Great Flood covered the earth. Noah waited forty days before opening a window in the Ark. Moses spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain with God. The Israelites spent forty years wandering in the desert before they entered the Promised Land. Jonah warned the people of Nineveh that they had forty days to repent — and they were reconciled with God. And Moses and Elijah, like Jesus, fasted for forty days before undertaking a great task.

Salome Herodias's daughter has taken on a life of her own since the biblical account. I suppose that's to be expected when a nubile young dancing girl enters the scene. She was never named in the Bible (though some ancient versions of Mark call her Herodias, like her mother). It was the Jewish historian Josephus who gave her name as Salome,

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though she was not called that regularly until the nineteenth century. Neither was there anything approaching the “dance of the seven veils” in the Bible. Interestingly, there is a suggestion that this originated in a tale of the Assyrian goddess Ishtar, who was trying to visit her sister in the underworld. To get through the seven gates of the underworld, she was forced to drop a piece of clothing at every one, finally arriving in the underworld naked. How this story might have attached itself to the figure of Salome is a mystery. It seems to be various traditions and cultures that transformed Salome into the epitome of seductiveness and placed her in the pantheon of femmes fatales. Oscar Wilde, for instance, in his play Salomé (1896), portrays her as a schemer who lusts after John the Baptist and has him killed when he spurns her. Aubrey Beardsley's illustration for the play was fittingly decadent. Both the Wilde play and Richard Stauss's opera Salome (1905) make the most of the “dance of the seven veils.” Hollywood cast the archetypal vamp Theda Bara in the role of Salome in 1918, and the film image of Salome was set. In the 1953 film Salome, Rita Hayworth performs the dance as a striptease (though never removing her flesh-coloured dress), and in the 1961 film King of Kings, which was generally panned, Brigid Bazlen drew attention for her voluptuous Salome. Something has truly become a cultural item when it appears as a reference in other works. In 1950's Sunset Boulevard, 231

fading film star Norma Desmond is writing a screenplay of the Salome legend, and it is a scene from this that she performs after she goes mad. In 1974's disturbing The Night Porter, Charlotte Rampling dances for the guards at a concentration camp, wearing pieces of an SS uniform, and is rewarded with a severed head, a clear reference to the story of Salome. The story of the actual Salome is a bit anticlimactic. Josephus records that, after her moment of dubious celebrity, she married twice (presumably the first husband died a natural death) and lived a long life.

What is the origin of the saying “Get thee behind me, Satan”? This is used to indicate that one is rejecting temptation. Although today the phrase is often used humorously, in reference to such things as cigarettes and chocolate cake, there was nothing humorous about its use in the Bible. At the beginning of Jesus's ministry, he fasts in the desert for forty days. When Jesus emerges, the devil tempts him three times but Jesus stands firm. In Luke 4:8, Jesus says, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Just before his crucifixion, he uses the same expression again. He has been preparing his disciples for his inevitable suffering and death in Jerusalem. When Peter protests that this shall not be, Jesus turns to him with the same command: “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33).

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This seems a little harsh, but Peter is charged with not understanding the plans of God.

What are the three temptations that Satan offers Jesus? When Jesus comes out of the desert after fasting for forty days, he is no doubt ready for a snack, so Satan first challenges him to turn stones into bread. Then he takes Jesus up to the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem and challenges him to leap off. If he is the son of God, Satan argues, God will protect him. Then he takes Jesus to a mountain and shows him the kingdoms that he could have if he consents to worship Satan. These temptations represent three major desires: goods and provisions, power, and wealth, but more than that they are all tests of God, which Jesus resists. This shows that he is ready to start his ministry.

How old was Jesus when he began his teaching? Luke 3:23 says, “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph.”

What was Jesus's first miracle, and who asked him to perform it? Early in his career, Jesus is at wedding in Cana in Galilee (John 2:1-11). It might well have been a family affair, because Jesus's mother is there too (though she is not referred to by name).

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At some point they run out of wine at the wedding (oh no!), and Jesus's mother comes to Jesus and says, “They have no wine.” Interestingly, there seems to be an unspoken message here, because Jesus answers, in effect, “Why are you asking me? It's not time yet.” Jesus's mother — let's call her Mary — persists, and says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” According to the Bible, of course, Mary has known all along who Jesus is and what he can do, but here she seems to be nudging him into revealing his gifts. And it works. Jesus asks that six water pots be filled to the brim with water, and then tells the servants to draw from the pots. When they take the result to the governor of the feast (the person in charge, or host), it is wine of such quality that the governor of the feast calls in the bridegroom to complain. It was the custom to serve the best wine first, and then move on to the poorer. Presumably by then no one would be noticing the quality. He scolds the bridegroom for holding out on his guests. There's something interesting about a mother pushing her son to supply alcohol.

Where do we get the expression “Physician, heal thyself”? This now is used to mean that one should mend one's own faults, rather than pointing out those of others. It seems to have been a Hebrew proverb.

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In Luke 4:23, Jesus, who has returned to his hometown of Nazareth after his fame had begun to spread, says to those gathered around him in the synagogue: “Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.” This is usually thought to mean that Jesus expects the crowd to ask him to prove himself. After all, they know him as the carpenter's son. This seems to be borne out when he then says, “No prophet is accepted in his own country.” Oh, those hometown audiences.

What was the significance of Jesus choosing twelve followers for his inner circle? The choice of the twelve apostles would have had a great deal of significance for the people. The twelve sons of Jacob, including Joseph, became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. By choosing twelve disciples, Jesus is showing that his teachings are for all Israel.

What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle? Since the twelve are referred to as both disciples and apostles, this can be confusing. Disciple means a student or learner, and applies to anyone who follows the message of a teacher. Apostle is taken from the Greek word apostello, “to send forth” or “to dispatch.”

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So, the twelve were disciples of Jesus. After Jesus returns to heaven, he delegates the task of spreading his message to the twelve, who then officially become apostles. At the same time, any follower of Jesus, then or now, could be termed a disciple, and any of those in the early church who were “called” to spread the word could be termed apostles. Bottom line: the twelve can be called both disciples and apostles. Though their special commission from Christ means that they have traditionally been called the Apostles, today the terms seem to be used interchangeably.

TOP 10 TREES MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE 1. Olive trees: Used mainly to produce olive oil. The oil was used for food and cooking, as the major source of fuel for oil lamps at night (the major source of lighting), and for religious ceremonies (anointing). At the end of The flood, when the dove returned to Noah's ark with the leaf of an olive tree, Noah knew that the waters were receding. 2. Shittah tree (Acacia): A very common tree in the desert. Used for cabinetry, it is also the tree the Lord commanded Moses to use to build devotional structures, including an altar and a tabernacle, and the Ark of the Covenant. 3. Evergreen cypress: a tree noted for its height, this is considered by some scholars to be the elusive source of the “gopherwood” that God commanded Noah to use in building the ark. 4. Date palms: An extremely important tree with a multitude of uses. The fruit is eaten as is, or can be 236

made into cakes, spreads, paste, “honey” (date syrup), vinegar, or alcohol. Dried dates are also fed to livestock. The young date leaves can be cooked and eaten. The seeds can be ground and mixed with flour when wheat is scarce, or just used as animal feed. The fruit clusters (sans fruit) can be used as brooms. The leaves can be used to make mats, baskets, and roofing materials. Rope can also be made from this tree. 5. Fig trees: The tree's “fruit” (actually a flower of the fig tree, rather than a real fruit) is used as a food source and for traditional medicine. The trees produce two to three crops a year. 6. Evergreen carob (or locust tree): This is another important tree. The seed pods are used as food for humans and livestock, and were an important source of sugar. It is also known as St. John's Bread, as John the Baptist is believed by some traditions to have lived off them in the wilderness (they were referred to as “locusts,” and the hopeful theory is that this is what John ate rather than hopping insects). Carob is also infamous as the usual replacement for chocolate in recipes. Also interesting: the term “carat,” used for measuring the weight of diamonds, is derived from the ancient practice of using carob seeds as a standardized weight in transactions. 7. Cedars: Used for building. The famous Cedars of Lebanon grow to over 120 feet and were plentiful in biblical times, being widely used by the Phoenicians to construct ships and buildings (a cedar tree is shown on the Lebanese flag). The wood was also used by the Israelites in the construction of important temples and palaces. 237

8. Almonds: Almond trees are actually native to the Middle East, and are believed to be one of the very first cultivated fruit trees. For Israelites, the almond blossom was also a model for the construction of the temple menorah (see Exodus 25:31-35), the seven-branched candelabrum made of gold and used for the Tabernacle. 9. & 10. These have been combined for a reason: No mention of trees would be complete without the two most famous trees: The Tree of Life , and The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, that Genesis mentions were in the centre of the Garden of Eden.

What are the names of the twelve apostles? This can sometimes be hard to pin down, since a few of the apostles, like Peter, have alternate names. The twelve are: Peter, also known as Simon, Simon Peter, or Cephas; Andrew, who is Peter's brother; James and his brother John (the sons of Zebedee); Matthew, who is also Levi; Philip; Bartholomew, who is most likely the same person as Nathanael and possibly the brother of Philip; Thomas; James (sometimes called James the Less to distinguish him from James the brother of John); Thaddaeus (sometimes called Judas, but not to be confused with Judas Iscariot); and, finally, Judas Iscariot.

Apostle Spoons Apostle spoons originated in Europe in the early fifteenth century. They are usually of silver, but sometimes of pewter,

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and the terminal of each spoon consists of the figure of an apostle holding his emblem (usually a symbol of his martyrdom). A full set includes thirteen spoons, bearing the figures of the twelve apostles and Jesus. They were originally used as serving spoons, but by the sixteenth century they were being given as presents at the christening of godchildren. In fact, in Shakespeare's Henry VIII, when Cranmer balks at being made godfather of Princess Elizabeth because of the expense, the king teases him by saying, “Come, come my lord, you'd spare your spoons.” This tradition faded by the end of the seventeenth century, but didn't die out completely. Apostle spoons are still around — and are considered very collectible. Apostle spoons have become heirlooms in many families. In The Tangled Web by Lucy Maud Montgomery, “Aunt Becky,” wishing to cause as much discord as possible, announces to whom she plans to leave her treasures. The apostle spoons are a coveted item.

How many of the Apostles were fishermen? Because we don't know the occupations of some of the apostles, this question cannot be answered definitively. Certainly four of them were: Peter, Peter's brother Andrew; and the brothers James and John. It is thought some of the others were as well, but the Bible doesn't mention it.

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Not only are at least a third of the Apostles fishermen, but when he called them to be his disciples, Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Because of this, the fish was used as a symbol of early Christianity.

Quickies Did you know… • that, according to Colossians 4:14, Luke, the writer of the Gospel of Luke (and possibly Acts), was a physician? In addition, the Greek word for “fish,” ichthys, can be read as an acrostic for “Jesus Christ, God's son, saviour” in Greek, and the symbol of a fish, represented by two intersecting arcs that overlap at one end to form a sort of tail, is now popularly known as the “Jesus fish” or the “sign of the fish.” This symbol has a fascinating history. Early Christians, who were persecuted by the Romans in the first few centuries after Christ, used the symbol to mark their meeting places and to indicate tombs of Christians. It can, in fact, be seen in the catacombs in Rome that date from the first century C.E. It was also used to determine if a person was friend or foe. When a Christian met a stranger, the Christian might draw one arc of the fish symbol on the ground. If the other person drew the other arc, they both knew they were safe. At a time

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when exposure as a Christian could mean a gruesome death, such a sign was invaluable. Today, the symbol can be seen in such things as jewellery or bumper stickers and still is used to identify the wearer (or driver) as a Christian.

Which of the Apostles was a tax collector? Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector. This was a particularly unpopular profession at the time, since tax gatherers or “publicans” (from the Latin publicanus) were Jews that collected taxes from their own people to hand over to the Roman rulers. This can be seen in the Luke 5 when Jesus sees Mattew/Levi “sitting at the receipt of custom,” and calls him to follow. After accepting the call, Levi throws a feast for Jesus in his own house to celebrate, “and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.” The position of tax collectors in the pecking order is clear when the Jewish leaders grumble and ask the disciples, “Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?”

What name does Jesus give to Peter? In John 1:42, Jesus, having just called Simon Peter and Andrew to follow him, says to Simon Peter, “Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.” In Matthew 16:18, he says, “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.”

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Because of this, Catholic tradition holds that Peter was, in fact, the first Pope.

Why is Peter pictured as the gatekeeper of Heaven? We've all heard the jokes: “So, this man dies. And he goes up to the gate of Heaven and St. Peter says…” This taken from Matthew 16:19, in which Jesus says to Peter, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Because of this, in paintings and sculptures, Peter is often portrayed holding keys.

What nickname does Jesus give the brothers James and John? Jesus calls them “The Sons of Thunder.” The Bible never says exactly why this is, but they seem to have been hot-headed. For instance, when Jesus is travelling to Jerusalem, he sends messengers ahead to a Samaritan town to find lodgings. The Samaritans have no love for Jerusalem, so they reject him. James and John immediately want Jesus to “command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them,” and Jesus has to point out that he came to save lives, not take them. He must have heaved a sigh of frustration, but on the other hand, James and John were his loyal defenders.

What bird is named after Peter? At one point in the gospels, the disciples are in a boat on the Sea of Galilee when they see Jesus walking towards them on 242

the water. While the others watch, Peter jumps out of the boat and starts to walk towards Jesus. Because of this he lends his name to the petrel, a seabird that flies low over the waves. Its dangling legs make it appear to be walking on the water.

Why do we talk about “hiding one's light under a bushel”? Today this phrase is used to encourage to those who do not flaunt their gifts, and in fact do not do justice to their abilities through excessive modesty. The phrase comes from Matthew 5:15. Jesus is preaching to his followers, and is indeed advising them not to hide their lights. However, he's not talking about abilities but about the message he is giving. As he continues in Verse 16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” In other words, a command that originally meant to reflect praise on God is now used to mean that one should not hide one's own gifts.

Where do we get the expression “Straight and narrow”? This refers to the difficult path of virtue, as opposed to the wide and easy path of transgression. In Matthew 7:14, the phrase was actually “strait and narrow,” since strait means narrow or tight (as in, a strait between two pieces of land or to be in “straitened circumstances”). As more subtle usage has

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fallen out of favour, the phrase has been changed to “straight and narrow.” Either phrasing emphasizes the point that living a virtuous life is more difficult.

Quickies Did you know… • that the word miracle comes from the Latin mirari? This means “to wonder at.”

Where did we get the expression “The blind leading the blind”? This describes a situation in which those who know nothing are leading others who know nothing. Jesus knew what happened when this occurred. In Matthew 15:14, referring to the Pharisees that had just criticized his teaching, he said to his disciples: “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Sub-prime mortgages are a good example of this.

Which of the disciples had a “stage mother”? It seems the sons of thunder, James and John, come by their personalities honestly. In Matthew 20:20-28, their mother approaches Jesus, accompanied by the boys. When Jesus asks what she wants, she says, “Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on they right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.” Needless to say,

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the other ten disciples are pretty ticked off at this naked jockeying for position. Jesus heaves another sigh and explains that they've missed the point. The way to be great is to serve others.

The Jefferson Bible In the late eighteenth century, Thomas Jefferson conceived of the idea of writing a review of the “Christian System,” in which the “principles of pure deism” taught by Jesus would be stripped of anything to do with the supernatural. (It was, after all, the Age of Enlightenment, and Jefferson, raised as an Anglican, was influenced by the English deists.) In 1804 he composed a limited version of what he had in mind, which never satisfied him, and he resolved to try again. To put together The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth (the actual title of the work), he took a razor and physically cut and arranged the verses he selected from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, putting them in chronological order and producing a straightforward narrative. Gone were the virgin birth, angels, prophecies, miracles, the Trinity, and anything about the divinity of Jesus. He called the actual moral teachings that remained “sublime.” Completed in 1820, the book was not published in Jefferson's lifetime, though he passed it around among his friends. His grandson inherited the work, and it was finally published by the National Museum in Washington in 1895. It has become known as The Jefferson Bible, and is now available in paperback. 245

Where do we get the expression “Pearls before swine”? Today this phrase refers to wasting things of quality on people that can't understand them. When it was used in the Bible (Matthew 7:6), it meant more particularly wasting the word of holy teachings on those who won't accept them. As Matthew 7:6 reads: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” A bit rough on the animals. The famous writer Dorothy Parker, renowned for her sharp wit, is said to have employed this saying to good effect one evening when she met a female rival at the door to a nightclub. “Age before beauty,” smirked the other woman, standing aside. “Pearls before swine,” retorted Parker, sweeping into the club.

Why do we talk about a “wolf in sheep's clothing”? This has become the classic description of someone who is not what he or she seems to be, who appears friendly or benign, but intends ill. Obviously, looking like a sheep is a very handy thing for a wolf, and he does not wish the sheep well. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns his followers against false prophets, “which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

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How many demons did Christ cast out of Mary Magdalene? In Mark 8:2, Jesus is travelling around preaching with the twelve disciples, “and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.” This is considered of such importance that, when Mary Magdalene is the first to meet Jesus after his resurrection, it is mentioned again: “Now when Jesus was risen early the same day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils” (Mark 16:9).

Where did the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married come from? Thanks to Dan Brown and the DaVinci Code, this idea has earned a great deal of prominence, but it is nowhere suggested in the gospels. Brown, and others like him, are working from writings of the Gnostics, a sect that was declared heretical in 388 C.E. Only fragments of their writings remain, but several — Pistis Sophia, and the gospels of Mary, Thomas, and Philip — speak of Mary Magdalene as an extremely important disciple who had a special relationship with Jesus. The Gospel of Philip does refer to her as Jesus’ companion. It is important to remember, however, that these writings are usually dated to the second and third centuries C.E.

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Where do we get the expression “A whited sepulchre”? This means a hypocrite. A whited sepulchre is a tomb that has been whitewashed to appear clean on the outside, but is full of bones and the dead. Jesus uses this phrase to describe those who profess to goodness and put on a show of sanctity, but are corrupt within.

Quickies • In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the narrator, Marlow, says “In a very few hours I arrived in a city that always makes me think of a whited sepulchre.” This seems to be Brussels, and Marlow is suggested that it is beautiful but corrupt.

Quickies Did you know… • that “Blessed are the peacemakers” was the personal motto of James I of England?

Quickies Did you know… • that J. Paul Getty, named as the richest living American by Fortune magazine in 1957, is reported to have said, “The meek shall inherit the earth, but not the mineral rights”?

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Why are the Beatitudes called the Beatitudes ? The name is taken from the Latin beatus, meaning “blessed” or “happy.” Not only does this reflect the beginning of each beatitude, “blessed [or happy] are ye…,” but the implication is that these are rules that will lead to a happy life.

Where do we get the expression “Salt of the earth”? This is from Matthew 5:13, and is used to refer to a person or persons who are of essential value and trustworthiness. Jesus, preaching to the multitudes, has just delivered the Beatitudes, listing all those who are blessed by God. He then says, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Some suggest that Jesus was referring to the great value of salt, but anyone who has eaten an unsalted dish doesn't need to look that far to understand the worth of salt, and how it gives flavour to everything. This interpretation is strengthened by the words that follow: “but if the salt has lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Where do we get the expression “A Good Samaritan”? This refers to someone who does something to help another without any expectation of payment or other reward. We often see this expression in the newspapers, in reference to someone who saved a child from a burning building, or ran to the aid of a mugging victim. But as praiseworthy as these 249

actions are, they lose something of the significance in the actions of the first Good Samaritan. Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) in answer to a lawyer (the defender of the formal code) who has been reminded that he should love God and his neighbour. He asks, “And who is my neighbour?” Most of us know the plot of the story Jesus tells in response. a man travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho is attacked by thieves, who rob him and leave him battered by the side of the road. Both a priest and Levite (another type of priest), defenders of formal codes, pass by without helping him, but a Samaritan stops, tends him, and takes him to an inn, leaving money to pay for his care. Jesus’ audience would not have missed the significance of the rescuer being a Samaritan. The Samaritans were traditional enemies of the Jews, and Jews would often go to great lengths to avoid Samaritan territory. That the Samaritan rescues the Jew when even his own religious leaders did not shows that Jesus is broadening in a significant way the definition of who one should consider a “neighbour.”

Where do we get the expression “Go the extra mile”? This means to do more for someone than is required. In Jesus's day, when the land was under the control of Rome, by law, a Roman soldier could make anyone carry his equipment for one mile. Jesus, speaking in Matthew 5:41, tells his followers to go an extra mile, thus offering help beyond what

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was compelled. He wasn't speaking, of course, simply of Roman soldiers and laws, but of offering help to others freely.

What well-known hymn was inspired by the parable of the Prodigal Son? In Jesus's parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), one of the sons of a wealthy man, not wanting to wait until his father dies, commits the offence of asking for his inheritance in advance. When he receives it, he gallivants off to a foreign country and wastes everything on wild living. Finally he is reduced to a pitiful condition, taking a job feeding pigs. a Jewish audience, to whom pigs are unclean, would see this as a sign that he had reached the lowest point possible. Realizing that even his father's servants live better than he does, he decides to return home, beg forgiveness from his father, and ask for a job as a servant in his father's house. However, when his father sees him coming, he runs out to meet him, and not only forgives him but restores him to his previous place, and holds a feast to celebrate his return. The brother of the prodigal is incensed, but the father assures him of his love and says the celebration is justified because “this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found,” thus representing God, who accepts and forgives any repentant sinner. These lines became the inspiration for the lyrics of the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace.”

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Amazing Grace “Amazing Grace, that saved a wretch like me” The lyrics to “Amazing Grace” were written by English clergyman John Newton around 1772. When writing about a wretch who had fallen to extreme depths and then been saved by faith in God, Newton wrote from experience. The Dictionary of American Hymnology describes it as his autobiography in verse. The London-born son of a shipping merchant who was often absent, Newton grew up a rebellious and profane young man. Eventually, his bad behaviour got him thrown into the Royal Navy. After deserting and undergoing punishment, he was traded to a slave ship and began a career in slave-trading. Even among this rough bunch, Newton earned the dubious distinction of being the most profane man the captain had ever encountered. In 1748, his ship, The Greyhound, was caught in a violent storm and came close to sinking. Newton called on the mercy of God, and when the ship finally limped into port, Newton began to review his life and make some changes. Though it took some time, with God's help and the love of a good woman — his wife, Polly — he managed to educate himself and to obtain a post as curate of the country parish of Olney, Buckinghamshire. There he was a great success as a preacher and began to write hymns (with a new resident of Olney, writer William Cowper) to be used at his services. These were collected and published in a volume entitled 252

Olney Hymns in 1779. The hymns were immediately successful among the evangelical churches in Britain. In America, the massive evangelical movement of the nineteenth century embraced “Amazing Grace.” It had been sung to a variety of melodies, but in 1835, American William Walker set it to a tune known as “New Britain,” and this is the melody we know today. Interestingly, John Newton, former slave-trader, became an ardent proponent for the abolition of the slave trade and a supporter of William Wilberforce, who led the campaign to abolish the slave trade in Britain. Though sung widely before then (the American Library of Commerce has three thousand versions, some recorded by folklorists Alan and John Lomax in 1932) the coming of radio and records helped the song cross over from religious to secular audiences. This crossover was so thorough that, although it was one of her most requested songs in the 1960s, singer Joan Baez didn't originally know it had once been a hymn. A 1947 recording by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson was widely played on the radio, spreading the popularity of the song along with Jackson's growing fame, and when Jackson used it during Civil Rights marches during the days of the American Civil Rights Movement, it took on a political role. Folk singer Judy Collins recalls seeing civil-right activist Fannie Lou Hamer leading marchers in Mississippi in 1964 singing “Amazing Grace.” Later it was used by protesters against the Vietnam War. It even turned up at Woodstock in 1969 during the performance of Arlo Guthrie. In subsequent years, it has been recorded by a wide variety of musicians, from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Willie 253

Nelson, and Rod Stewart to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (on bagpipes).

Where do we get the expression “Practise what you preach”? This is used to remind someone that they must act according to the standards they hold up to others. Towards the end of Jesus's ministry opposition to him starts to grow, especially from the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees, and the more powerful and priestly Sadducees. This was a rebuke that Jesus aimed directly at the Pharisees (Matthew 23:3). He saw them as hypocrites who kept the letter of the religious law publicly, but failed to behave according to its spirit.

Who anointed Jesus's feet with ointment? Though many seem to take for granted that the repentant woman who anoints Jesus's feet at the Last Supper is Mary Magdalene, one of the followers of Jesus, the gospels say nothing of the kind — though they have varying stories. In Matthew 26, Jesus is having supper at the home of Simon the Leper (cured, by the way) in Bethany, when “there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head.” The disciples are upset at the expense, saying that the money could be given to the poor, but Jesus says that they won't have him with them forever, and the woman is anointing him for burial.

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In Luke 10:37, the woman is described only as “a woman in the city, which was a sinner.” On learning that Jesus is at supper in the home of a local Pharisee, she brings an alabaster box of ointment, washes Jesus’ feet with tears, dries them with her hair, and anoints them with the ointment. Naturally, the Pharisee gets all bent out of shape, because Jesus is letting a sinful woman touch him, but Jesus points out that someone whose sins are great will receive more forgiveness. In John 11, Lazarus of Bethany is seriously ill, and his sisters Martha and Mary, send for Jesus, who is not in town at the time. Lazarus and his sisters are clearly dear friends of Jesus. In John 11:2, it says in an aside, “It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.” In the next chapter, Jesus is a guest at the home of Mary, Martha, and the risen Lazarus. Here John says quite clearly, “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair.” Now, Mary of Bethany is a respectable friend of Jesus's, far from a sinner of the town. So who did the anointing? Since the account in Luke says so clearly that the woman is a sinner, perhaps it is Mary Magdalene's purely traditional role as a sinner that fitted her for the part, although there is nothing in the Bible that says she was a sinner. The only thing in the Bible that suggests her connection with sin is the fact that Jesus cast seven devils out of her. Modern scholars connect the casting out of demons with the curing of illness, but this may be where her questionable reputation started. 255

In traditional art, Mary Magdalene is often pictured carrying a pot of ointment, but this is a reference to Jesus's burial rather than the anointing of Jesus's feet. It may be this that connected her to the sinful woman with the ointment in Matthew.

Quickies Did you know… • that we get the English word maudlin, from Mary Magdalene. Because of the tradition linking her to the weeping sinner who anointed Jesus's feet, Mary Magdalene was often portrayed in art as a weeping woman. Since Magdalene was once pronounced and sometimes spelled “Maudlin” in medieval English (and is still the way the name of Magdalen College in Oxford is pronounced), the association was made with weeping. In fairness to Mary Magdalene, she is not immediately associated with the modern usage that suggests “foolish sentimentality.”

Quickies Did you know… • that the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35? It consists of two words, “Jesus wept.” Mary Magdalene does, however, have the distinction of being the only person named who is a witness to Jesus's crucifixion, his burial, and the discovery of the empty tomb.

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What is the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey? In the Old Testament, the prophet Zechariah predicts that the Messiah, or king, will enter Jerusalem “lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9). This symbolizes someone who comes in peace, rather than riding on a warhorse. Fans of Handel's Messiah will recognize the beginning of this verse, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.”

Why do the people wave palm branches when Jesus enters Jerusalem? The palm branches are used as signs of victory and celebration. This triumphant entry takes place a week before the Crucifixion, and so the Sunday before Easter Sunday is still celebrated as Palm Sunday.

What is a “mite” in the story of the widow's mite? In the story of the widow's mite, Jesus and his followers are in the Temple. Jesus wishes to emphasize that the poor woman's offering is extremely small compared to the offerings that are being poured into the coffers of the Temple by the more wealthy (and showy), but that her sacrifice is greater in proportion. The coin in the story was probably a lepton, which was the smallest coin at the time. (And, by the way, she gave two coins in the Bible.)

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At the time that the King James Bible was being translated, there was, in fact, a coin called a mijt. It was known in the Netherlands, with which Britain traded regularly, and was the smallest of copper coins. Interestingly, both the lepton and the mijt were made from metals that were not as valuable as silver. The lepton was made of bronze, and the mijt of copper. This adds another layer to the story. It was expected that one would give a silver coin at church, and the fact that the widow gave, in the translation, a copper coin, and a mijt at that, emphasizes her poverty. Our word mite, meaning something small or modest, is taken from the name of the mijt.

Where do we get the expression “The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing”? This has come to mean that one keeps the various areas or interests in one's life compartmentalized, and does not mix them. Negatively, it has come to refer to confusion, more specifically incompetent confusion, as in: “This project is a mess; the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.” What Jesus is originally talking about in Matthew 6:3 is the giving of alms. He is urging his followers not to be like the hypocrites, who give alms just to get praise, but to give without thinking of reward.

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What event does Jesus predict? As Jesus and the disciples stand near the Temple, Jesus says, “The days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another”(Luke 21:6) Although some interpret this as a prediction of the “final days” of the world, it is also seen as a prediction of the destruction of the Temple after the Jewish rebellion in 70 C.E., approximately forty years later.

Thomas B. Costain: Canada's Author of the Grail The Silver Chalice, the top best-selling fiction title of 1953, sat on top of the New York Times bestseller for list for seven months and remained on the list for 64 weeks. Thomas B. Costain, the author, was a native of Brantford, Ontario. He started publishing novels at the age of fifty-seven, following a successful career as a journalist and editor that saw him working for Maclean's magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, and Doubleday Books in New York. Inspired by the discovery of a silver chalice from the first century C.E., found near Antioch, and reportedly tired of “all the Arthurian tripe about the Holy Grail,” (long before Dan Brown, too) he set out to write his own version. The Silver Chalice is the story of a young craftsman, hired by Joseph of Arimathea to make a silver casing for the chalice used at the Last Supper. Since it is to be decorated with the faces of the twelve apostles, along with Jesus, he sets out to meet his subjects and those who know them.

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In 1954, it was made into a feature film that marked the debut of a young Paul Newman in the starring role.

Where do we get the expression “To take someone under your wing”? This means to protect or mentor someone. This particularly maternal image comes from Matthew 23:37. Jesus has returned to Jerusalem at the end of his ministry. Knowing that he is about to be killed, he laments and says, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

What occasion are Jesus and his disciples celebrating at the Last Supper? Jesus enters Jerusalem on Passover week, and it is the Jewish celebration of the Passover — in which the Jews mark the time when the angel of God passed over the houses of the Israelites and killed the firstborn sons of the Egyptians — that they are observing in the upper room. In Luke 22:11 Jesus send Peter and John to book a room. They are to go into the city, where they will see a man carrying a pitcher. They are to follow him to his home and then say, “The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?”

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It all sounds very cloak-and-dagger, and opinion is divided as to whether Jesus foresaw this or had made previous arrangements.

Why is the number thirteen considered unlucky in some Christian traditions? Blame Judas Iscariot, the disciple who was to betray Christ. Tradition has it that Judas arrived late for the supper, and was thus the thirteenth to sit down at the table. Other cultures also consider thirteen unlucky, the Ancient Persians and the Norse among them. In fact, fear of the number thirteen is so widespread that in Abnormal Psychology, published in 1910, the fear was given a name of its own: triskaidekaphobia.

Where do we get the term Eucharist? When beginning the Last Supper, Jesus gave thanks over the bread and wine that he distributed to his disciples. The Greek word for “give thanks” is eucharistesas, so the ritual in which the meal is commemorated (or repeated) has become known in Catholic and Anglo-Catholic churches as the Eucharist.

What is Maundy Thursday? This is one name for the holy day that falls on the Thursday before Easter Sunday and commemorates the Last Supper. This term is used mainly in England and in the Anglican and

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Catholic churches, though Holy Thursday is also used more familiarly. At the Last Supper, Christ washes the feet of the disciples with his own hands. In a hot and dusty country, foot washing was important, but it was usually done by a servant. By washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus takes on that role, emphasizing that the life he represents is one of love and service.

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci Painted by Da Vinci between 1495 and 1498 for his patron Duke Ludovico Sforza, The Last Supper is probably one of the most iconic works of art of the period. The painting portrays the scene at the table when Jesus announces that one of the twelve will betray him. The reactions among the disciples ranges from surprise and shock to anger and faintness (John). Only Judas, fourth from the left, seems withdrawn, and his face is darkened. He clutches a small bag, which could represent his position as treasurer of the group or the money he was paid to betray Christ. Rumours have swirled around the painting over the years. One of these claimed that the same model was used for Jesus and Judas. It makes a good story, but isn't true. The rumour that is most prominent at the moment is that da Vinci embedded a code in the painting that hinted at a special relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The beardless figure sitting on Jesus’ right, this theory holds, is not John as previously supposed, but Mary Magdalene. 262

The figure in question is admittedly androgynous, but a quick look at other works by da Vinci show that he had a particular fondness for portraying androgynous young men. It also neglects the fact that, if this figure is Mary Magdalene, the table is one disciple short. Some even argue that the knife in Peter's hand is meant for Mary, since the Gnostic gospels portray them as having a troubled relationship. This ignores that the knife appears behind Judas's back and is also pointing toward Bartholomew, who died by flaying. These are both more likely interpretations, as is the possible allusion to Peter's impetuous attack on the high priest's servant, which is to come that very night. And yes, the chalice shown in front of Jesus is what became known as the Holy Grail. The painting can be seen on the wall of the refectory of the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Most scholars seem to agree that the name of Maundy Thursday derives from Jesus's words at the time: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). In Latin, that phrase begins with “Mandatum vobis…” Since the reign of Edward I in England, the monarch has distributed alms, known as the Royal Maundy or Maundy money, to deserving senior citizens on Maundy Thursday. (Interestingly, the recipients are one man and one woman for each year of the sovereign's age. Elizabeth II, as one of the longest-reigning monarchs, must be distributing quite a bit of Maundy by now.) Since 1822, especially minted Maundy money is given out, rather 263

than ordinary currency — though the Maundy coins are legal tender. Until the end of the reign of James I, the monarch would also wash selected deserving feet, in commemoration of Jesus's actions. The washing of feet is still a traditional part of the Maundy Thursday celebrations in many Christian churches

How much is Judas paid for betraying Christ? The religious authorities pay Judas thirty pieces of silver. At the time, this would have been equivalent to about four months’ wages.

What does the name Gethsemane mean? After the Last Supper, Jesus and the disciples move outside the city wall to what is called the Mount of Olives, and specifically to the Garden of Gethsemane. The disciples are unaware of what is to happen, but of course Jesus isn't. Thus the word Gethsemane is sometimes used to refer to a time of trial in someone's life, as in, “That was his own personal Gethsemane.” What Gethsemane actually means is “oil press,” after the oil production that gave the Mount of Olives its name.

Why do we say, “Many are called, but few are chosen”? The modern meaning of this is: anyone can try something, but not everyone can succeed. However, the biblical source is a

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little more weighty. Jesus is telling a parable about the kingdom of heaven and who will be considered worthy (Matthew 22). In the parable, a king throws out a general invitation to the marriage of his son. One guest arrives without a wedding garment, showing he is unworthy, and is cast into everlasting darkness, “where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth” (that's a clue this is not just about a wedding). Matthew 22:14 then states: “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Where do we get the expression “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”? This refers to the difficulty of always living up to the high standards one has set for oneself and also to the physical difficulty of actually pulling off something to which we are committed. No matter how much we mean well, sometimes, being human, we fail or simply fail in strength. This is taken from Matthew 26:41. Jesus has gone into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, knowing that he will soon be betrayed and will die. He asks his disciples to stay and watch with him, but they fall asleep. On finding them, he says to Peter, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Is it possible to sweat blood? As he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, preparing for what is to come, Jesus is suffering a great deal. Luke 22:44 reads, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat

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was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” The wording suggests strongly that this is not a literal description. It is interesting, however, that there is a very rare condition called hematidrosis, in which a person under extreme stress can indeed sweat blood. One such case is recorded by Leonardo da Vinci, who had scientific interests. He described a soldier who sweated blood before going into battle.

What act of violence does Peter perform when the soldiers come to arrest Christ? When the religious leaders and the temple guards come to Gethsemane to seize Christ, Peter takes a sword and cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant. Jesus stops any further violence by saying to Peter, “Put up thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matthew 26:52). This, of course, is where we get the expression “Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.” In the gospel of Luke, Jesus touches the servant's ear and heals it.

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Where do we get the expression “Turn the other cheek”? This well-known phrase comes from Jesus's command (Luke 6:29) that his followers not retaliate against violence, and, by extension, any act of aggression. This is a key verse in support of pacifism, along with “Thou shalt not kill.”

Who was the first “streaker”? There was an anonymous young man following Jesus who had “a linen cloth cast about his naked body.” When the guards seized him, he left the linen cloth behind, and “fled from them naked” (Mark 14:51-52). Mischievous scholars have suggested that, because this detail does not appear in any of the other gospels, it is Mark himself who “fled naked.” Of course, this will never be proven.

Where do we get the expression “To wash one's hands of something”? This means to absolve oneself of responsibility or disassociate oneself from something. Because Israel is under Roman rule, the Romans appoint a governor to carry out their business. In Jesus's day, the governor is a man named Pontius Pilate.

Quickies Did you know…

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• that in the gospel of Luke, Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) is involved in the sentencing of Jesus. He, of course, is the same man who was responsible for the death of John the Baptist, Jesus’ kinsman. When Jesus is brought before him to be sentenced, Pilate is in a tight spot. The religious leaders and people (influenced by the priests) clearly want to have Jesus condemned. However, Pilate is not at all sure there is a case against Jesus, and, perhaps more importantly, his wife has just sent him a message saying: “Have nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” What to do, what to do? First, since it is a custom for the governor to release a prisoner at Passover, he offers to release Jesus. The people, however, ask instead for a notorious prisoner named Barabas. Pilate passes the buck, as have so many past and present. Calling for a basin of water, he publicly washes his hands, declaring himself innocent “of the blood of this just person” (Matthew 27:24) and hands Jesus over to be crucified.

Where do we get the expression “Give up the ghost”? In the Bible, and traditionally, this means to die. The phrase is not uncommon in the Bible, but perhaps its most striking use is at the moment of Jesus's death on the cross. Matthew 27:50 says, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice,

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yielded up the ghost.” Mark 15:37 reads, “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” In the nineteenth century, the expression attached itself to inanimate objects, so that today one can speak humorously of a toaster “giving up the ghost.”

Quickies • The two names used for the place where Jesus is crucified — Golgotha and Calvary — both mean “skull” in Aramaic and Latin respectively.

Where does the name Easter come from, and why the bunnies and eggs? This is another case, like Saturnalia, where the early church borrowed from their pagan neighbours. To celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the Christian missionaries to Britain piggy-backed on an Anglo-Saxon celebration and borrowed its name. Eostre was an Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess, whose religious festival was held on the vernal equinox, when the world was bursting with new life. This suited the early Christians, because not only was the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection held on the first day of the week following the beginning of Passover, but the symbolism of new life made for a perfect fit. In contrast, the Romance languages borrowed from the Hebrew word for Passover, Pesach. This can be seen in the French word for Easter: Pâques.

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This also explains the prevalence of eggs and bunnies at Easter. Both were symbols of fertility. Eggs symbolize new life (and colouring them represents the bright colours of spring), while rabbits are noted for their enthusiastic propagation.

TOP 10 “BAD” WOMEN OF THE BIBLE 1. Eve: The first “bad girl.” As the Bible reports it, Adam and Eve were happy enjoying everything in abundance. Then Eve, with help from the serpent, has a weak moment and ignores God's instructions not to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Whoops! The story illustrates that to all actions there are consequences, some of which are very long term indeed. 2. Delilah: Ah, Delilah, a biblical “black widow.” She was hired by the Philistines (her own people, by the way) to learn the secret of Samson's almost supernatural strength. She captured Samson's heart, and by learning about his hair, caused his demise. Was this the original “bad hair day”? 3. Herodias: A Jewish Roman citizen, she had a fondness for uncles, specifically, marrying them. Both her husbands (Herod Philip and Herod Antipas) were her uncles. As we have seen, when John the Baptist denounced her marriage to Herod Antipas as unlawful, she used her daughter to get John beheaded. 4. Salome: Daughter of the aforementioned Herodias, Salome was instrumental in the plot to have John the Baptist put to death.

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5. Bathsheba: As the story goes, King David became enamoured with Bathsheba, who was married to Uriah, a Hittite. David then had an affair with Bathsheba, who became pregnant with his child while Uriah was at war, fighting for Israel. After trying to hide the misdeed with a clever ruse (which failed due to Uriah's honourable behaviour), David arranged for Uriah to die in battle. Not one of David's finest actions as king. To be fair, the Bible doesn't record what Bathsheba thought about it all. You didn't say “No” to a king. 6. Potiphar's Wife: The main player in a charming story of unrequited lust and false witness. Potiphar's wife (who is never actually named in the Bible) tried to seduce Joseph. When Joseph refused, she accused him of trying to rape her, and Joseph was imprisoned. Fate intervened, and Joseph's actions in prison (his skill at interpreting the meaning of dreams) impressed Pharaoh. This resulted in a complete turnaround in Joseph's fortunes, when Pharoah made him viceroy of Egypt. 7. Lot's Wife: Why salt? We all know that Lot's wife was the sole person of the Lot family who defied God's instructions not to turn back and look upon Sodom and Gomorrah and their destruction, and thus she became the favourite seasoning of the middle ages. Her wickedness seems fairly mild by today's standards, yet the Old Testament Bible judges disobedience very harshly. 8. Lot's Daughters: After Lot's wife is changed into a pillar of salt, his two virgin daughters, afraid that their family will have no descendants, decide that the best way to ensure children is to get their father drunk 271

and have him sire their offspring (their fiancés were killed in Sodom and Gomorrah). Two boys were born, Moab and Ammon, and these two founded nations of the Moabites and the Ammonites. Still, your wife turns into a pillar of salt and your daughters seduce you?! It would be hard to explain this to your co-workers. “Oh, yeah, and did I tell you…” 9. Jezebel: A Phoenician princess, the daughter of a Sidonian king, she married Ahab, who became king of Israel. As we have seen, Jezebel worshipped a number of gods, including her favourite, Baal, at a time when the worship of foreign gods was struggling with the worship of Yahweh to gain control of the hearts of the Israelites. After proving herself to be a ruthless and capable leader, she was finally murdered in a palace coup led by Jehu by being thrown from a high balcony. 10. Gomer: This “wicked woman” was a prostitute who married the prophet Hosea. Sometime later she had an adulterous relationship. Hosea then divorced Gomer, but in the end had a change of heart, forgave her, and took her back. Everyone likes happy endings! (By the way, it is believed this whole story is an allegory about God and Israel, represented by Hosea and Gomer respectively.)

Why is it significant that Jesus appears first to a woman, Mary Magdalene? In Jewish and Roman law, the testimony of a woman had less value.

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Some interpreters argue that the fact Jesus appeared first to a woman carries more weight, since anyone trying to falsify a case for the resurrection would have arranged to have the testimony of a man.

Why is the disciple Thomas referred to as Doubting Thomas? In John 20, the disciples (except Thomas, it seems) are all gathered together, hiding from the people who sought Jesus's death. The doors are closed, but suddenly Jesus is standing among them. His first words are “Peace be unto you.” Then he shows them his hands and his side, which bear the marks of the crucifixion. The disciples rejoice to see Jesus (John 20:20). Along comes Thomas, and the others tell him what they have seen, but Thomas is not convinced. As he says, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Okay. Eight days later, the disciples are again shut in a room, but this time Thomas is with them. Again, Jesus appears in the room and he invites Thomas to put his finger into the nail holes in his hands and to put his hand into the wound in his side. Finally, Thomas, the original “show-me” man, is convinced. But the label sticks.

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How long does Jesus remain on earth after his resurrection? Jesus remains on earth for forty days after his resurrection. This, of course, is the same length of time that he spent in the wilderness before beginning his ministry. As mentioned earlier, in the Bible the number forty seems to signal some major shift or new beginning.

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the early church: acts, Romans, letters to the churches, Revelation Where did Christ ascend to Heaven? Christ stays on earth forty days after the Crucifixion, continuing to teach his followers. Then he ascends to Heaven, after giving the disciples what in the church is called “the Great Commission” — to spread the gospel “unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

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Luke says this took place in the vicinity of Bethany. Acts 1:12 says it took place on Mount Olivet (or Mount of Olives), about a “Sabbath day's journey” from Jerusalem. They're both right. Bethany and Mount Olivet could be considered in the same area.

Who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle? At the Ascension, Jesus basically says to his followers, “Go back to Jerusalem and wait for a sign.” As they stand around gaping afterwards (and who wouldn't), two mysterious men appear and say, to paraphrase, “What are you waiting for? He'll be back.” So the disciples, now officially apostles, return to Jerusalem. It's while the eleven remaining disciples are gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem with “the women,” Mary the mother of Jesus, his “brethren” (and, according to Acts, about 120 others) that Peter points out that they're one man short. They choose two, and cast lots, and Matthias is appointed to take the place of Judas.

What is considered the birthday of the Christian church? The sign that Jesus said would come to his followers was the Holy Ghost, which would give them the power to carry out the Great Commission. At Pentecost or Shavuot, which is a Jewish holiday marking the gathering of the early crops of wheat and barley (also

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known as the Feast of the First Fruits), the disciples are again all gathered together. Suddenly there is the sound of a rushing wind, a flame appears on the head of each person, and they begin “to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). It is, of course, the promised Holy Ghost that has come. (A flame appearing on the head of a person was a sign of divine blessing to the Romans.) Because of the holiday, Jerusalem is packed with travellers from all over the Roman world, which was pretty big at the time. They are amazed to hear the disciples speaking in languages they can understand. Some of them even think the disciples are drunk, though Peter protests that “it is but the third hour of the day.” As well as being a sign of the Holy Spirit, this gift of tongues foreshadows the fact that the apostles will eventually spread out into the known world. After Peter speaks to the multitude that is gathered, those that believe are baptized, and the Bible says that three thousand “were added unto them.” The rest is history. This is why Pentecost is considered the birthday of the Christian Church.

Quickies Did you know… • that the quote “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams,” was part of Peter's address to the crowd at Pentecost (Acts 2:17). It was quoted in speeches by John F. and Robert Kennedy, 277

and was used at the funeral of John F. Kennedy in 1963.

What does Pentecost mean? Pentecost is the Greek name for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which falls fifty days after Passover. The word Pentecost in Greek means “fifty.”

Who is Gamaliel? After Pentecost, Peter and John particularly go around preaching about Christ. The two of them even heal a man who has been lame for forty years and has sat at the entrance to the temple begging alms for most of that time. Everyone in Jerusalem knows who he is. The religious authorities have them arrested, but the lame man is standing right there, saying “Yes, they healed me.” They are released under stern warnings not to preach any more, but they persist, so the religious authorities have the apostles thrown in prison. Nice try. In the night, the “angel of the Lord” releases them, and the next day there they are preaching in the temple again. The religious authorities are fed up, and they start to plot how to kill them. At that point a voice of great reason is heard. Gamaliel is one of the most respected rabbis of the time. In Acts, he is introduced as “a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law.” At this juncture, Gamaliel says basically, “Leave them alone. If what's they're doing in is human in

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origin, then it will fail, but if it comes from God, nothing you can do will stop it.” Jewish tradition would later say, “When Gamaliel died, so did the glory of the Law.”

Who is the first Christian martyr? As their numbers grow, the disciples are having trouble seeing to the care and feeding of all their followers. As they say, “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables” (Acts 6:2). So they decide to appoint seven administrators to look after the day-to-day practicalities, while they devote themselves to “prayer and to the ministry of the word.” One of the seven chosen is Stephen, “a man full of faith.” Unfortunately, while preaching that Jesus is the Messiah, Stephen offends an influential group, who takes him before the religious authorities and charges him with blasphemy. This group also stacks the deck by bribing witnesses to speak out against Stephen. When he is given a chance to defend himself, Stephen not only fails to recant, but tells the authorities that they're just like all the others through history who have rejected God. That does it. They drag Stephen outside the city walls (plugging their ears so they can't hear his blasphemy) and stone him to death.

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What future church leader witnesses the death of the first martyr? Stoning a man to death is hot work, and those who are stoning Stephen take off some of their clothes and lay them at the feet of a young man named Saul, who is watching the proceedings. This is not just a case of “Hey, kid. Hold my coat.” To lay a garment at the feet of another is a sign of respect that suggests Saul is in charge of the execution. When a wave of persecution of the Christians races through Jerusalem, Saul is front and centre, dragging people out of their homes and off to prison. Given the enthusiasm he shows in persecuting Christians (he is said to have “made havock of the church”), it is the more surprising that Saul becomes Paul, one of the most influential Christians of the first century.

Why do we speak of a “Damascus experience”? Eager to persecute Christians, Saul starts out for the city of Damascus. He is carrying letters from the high priest to the synagogues there, authorizing him to arrest any Christians and carry them in chains to Jerusalem. As he gets close to Damascus, he is blinded (literally) by a brilliant light from heaven, and a voice asking, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” When Saul asks who is speaking, the voice answers, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” When the light disappears, Saul's companions lead him into

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the city, where God sends a man named Ananias to heal him of his blindness. Saul is baptized and, from this point, he becomes as zealous a Christian as he was a persecutor of Christians. The expression “a Damacus experience” or a “Damascus road experience” is used to describe a life-changing event or realization, one that totally changes a person's life from the course it was on. This dramatic scene has been portrayed by many artists, but perhaps the most striking is the depiction by Caravaggio.

When did Saul become Paul? He always was Paul. Paul is the Roman form of the Semitic name Saul, and Saul was both Jewish and a Roman citizen. Acts calls him Saul until he sails to Cyprus and meets a Gentile convert. After that point he is called Paul.

When was the name Christian first used? The followers of Christ are first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Before that, the church is known only as “the Way.”

Who was the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred? In Acts 12, there is a persecution of the church by Herod. It was Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, who

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ordered the Massacre of the Innocents, and son of Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist put to death and mocked Jesus. These guys had a bad record. He has the apostle James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and seeing that this was a popular move with the crowd, he arrested Peter too. Peter escapes, thanks to divine intervention, and this is the last time he appears in Acts. James was therefore the first of the twelve apostles to die (not counting Judas).

Where do we get the expression “The powers that be”? This refers to whatever authority that is in power. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul writes: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). Remember, the early church was walking a very fine line. Although its primary allegiance was to God, the last thing it wanted was to get a reputation as a sect that wished to cause civil disobedience. The later experiences of the Roman Christians with the lions showed what happened when the “powers that be” decided to persecute the church.

Quickies Did you know…

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• that French philosopher and mathematician Rene Pascal (1623-1662) said, “I prefer to believe those writers who get their throats cut for what they write.”

What Happened to the Twelve Apostles? Being a disciple of the new church was not always a healthy thing to be in the first century. Of the twelve apostles, tradition says that only one, John, died of natural causes (though there is debate about Matthew). Only one of these deaths is actually recorded in the New Testament, that of James. The traditions that surround them are taken from other sources (e.g., Origen, Tertullian, Clement of Rome). Peter/Simon Peter Peter disappears in Acts, but the tradition is that he and Paul travelled to Rome and founded the church there. It is almost certain that he died there in 64 C.E., being martyred under the Emperor Nero, but the other details are not as firm. The Great Fire of Rome occurred that year, and it is likely that the Christians were blamed, as usual. He is said to have been crucified upside down, because he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same way as Christ. James, son of Zebedee As we have seen, James was the first apostle to die, under Herod Agrippa I. The Bible says he dies by the sword, but this more specifically means beheading. 283

The biblical record of his death in 44 C.E. hasn't stopped a belief spreading that he travelled to Spain, becoming a hero there, and in fact is buried at Santiago de Compostela. Since his symbol is a scallop shell, pilgrims to his shrine at Compostela wore, and still wear, a scallop shell. John, son of Zebedee Tradition says that John was the youngest of the Apostles, the last to die, and the only one to die of natural causes. He spent much of his later years in Western Asia Minor (what is today Turkey), apart from some years in prison on the island of Patmos. He is thought to have lived to the age of 94, and died of old age at Ephesus around 100 C.E. Andrew Andrew is said to have preached through Asia Minor and Scythia and along the Black Sea. He is also supposed to have founded the church at Constantinople. According to tradition, he was crucified in Greece on an X-shaped cross, which has become known as the St. Andrew's Cross. Since he is the patron saint of Scotland, (among other places), the St. Andrew's Cross became the national flag of Scotland and was incorporated into the Union Jack, representing Scotland. Philip Philip is said to have gone to preach in Greece and Syria. There are two stories about his death, both traditional. One is that he was crucified upside down, and one is that he was

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beheaded. Both accounts place the scene of his death in Hierapolos in Southwestern Turkey. Bartholomew (Nathaniel) Bartholomew supposedly went on a missionary tour to India and brought Christianity to Armenia. He was supposedly martyred in Albanopolis in Armenia. One account has him beheaded, but a popular tradition has him flayed alive and crucified upside down. Matthew Later in his life, Matthew is said to have preached in Ethiopia south of the Caspian Sea (not the one in Africa), Macedonia, and Persia. There is disagreement on the manner of his death. Some traditions say he was martyred, though on different dates. Thomas There is a long-standing tradition that Thomas pushed his mission as far as India, and was killed with a spear at Mylapore. James the Lesser The most credible traditions about James are that he served as bishop of the church at Jerusalem and was martyred there. Jude

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Tradition suggests that he visited Beirut and Edessa, and may have been martyred in Persia. Simon (the Zealot) Early writings seem to have him preaching widely throughout the known world, but none of the reports can be confirmed. Most agree he was martyred, some say in 74 C.E. Tradition says he was crucified and then sawn into pieces. Judas Iscariot Judas, of course, hanged himself after he betrayed Jesus.

What do we mean by “As you sow, so shall you reap”? Taken from Galatians 6:7, this is the Bible's version of “What goes around, comes around.”

Where do we get the expression “All things to all men”? This phrase is a bit slippery. In I Corinthians 9:22, Paul uses it to describe how he has made himself accessible to all those to whom he preaches, so that he might reach some. It could, therefore, be taken to mean something positive. However, there is a negative side to this phrase. It has come to mean someone who can't be trusted, since they try to please everyone. Perhaps this relates to Jesus’ words in Luke 6:26: “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you!”

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Where did the idea of celibacy for priests begin? In one of his letters to the church at Corinth, Paul recommends celibacy for those doing the work of God, so that they can focus on their service. He also acknowledges that this is difficult for some and that others like Peter can combine service and marriage with no problem. Over the centuries that followed, many took this advice seriously, but it wasn't until the eleventh century that Pope Gregory VII made celibacy a requirement for the clergy. Interestingly, the Protestant Reformation lost no time in doing away with this rule. There might be some explanation for this in the fact that Martin Luther, who had been a monk, married a former nun. He had to help her escape from her convent through a window. The other line of Paul's that is also quoted is, “It is better to marry than to burn.” This isn't exactly a ringing endorsement of marriage, but Paul was writing to the Christians in a notably licentious city. Marriage is seen as a protection against the sexual temptations that lay all around them. (In fact, in I Timothy 4:3, Paul seems to be warning Timothy against people who forbid marriage.)

Where do we get the expression “A thorn in the flesh”? This refers to a problem or annoyance that causes irritation and won't go away (and yes, that person in the next office counts). In I Corinthians 12:7, the original thorn in the flesh is

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described as the messenger of Satan, sent to keep us humble and aware of our failings. Does the person in the next office seem less annoying now?

Quickies Did you know… • that the city of Corinth, to which Paul wrote in I and II Corinthians, was so well known for prostitution that the Greeks referred to sexual relations as “to corinthianize.”

Where do we get the word bishop? In I Timothy 3, Paul lays out two levels of leadership in the church. The top level of overseers is related to the Greek word episkopos, and it is from this that we get the words bishop and Episcopal.

Where do we get the expression “The love of money is the root of all evil”? The meaning of this saying is clear, but interestingly, it is often misquoted. If you thought it was “Money is the root of all evil,” you are not alone. In I Timothy 6:10, Paul is writing to Timothy offering advice on what to watch for in the fledgling Christian community in Ephesus. His emphasis here is on the traps that money can create, and the place it takes in people's lives, rather than on money itself.

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Where do we get the expression “Fight the good fight”? Although addressed by Paul to Timothy (I Timothy 6:12), urging him to be strong in his work with the new church at Ephesus, and adopted by evangelical groups to refer to their work spreading the gospel, this phrase is also used in a more general way. It is often employed by groups striving for justice or for the triumph of a particular political outlook. More generally still, life being what it is, it is used to encourage those undergoing a particularly rough period or trying experience. Considering Paul was sitting in prison awaiting execution under the Emperor Nero at the time he wrote these words, they are even more impressive.

What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? The book of Revelation was written by the apostle John while he was in prison on the island of Patmos. It is a highly symbolic work (John says that he is recounting a dream) and purports to represent the events leading up to the end of the world.

Quickies Did you know… • that the James who wrote the Epistle of James in the New Testament was the brother of Jesus and the leader of the church in Jerusalem. The writer of Jude

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identifies himself as a brother of this James, which suggests he was also Jesus's brother. One of the enduring images, and one that has been used through the centuries to denote destruction, is that of the Four Horse men of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6). The first horseman is riding a white horse and carrying a bow. He receives a crown and sets out conquering. He symbolizes war. The second horseman is riding a red horse. He is given a giant sword and goes out to remove peace from the world and set people violently against each other. He symbolizes bloodshed and violence. The third horseman is riding a black horse and carries a weighing scale. Because the verse that follows refers to the high price of wheat and barley, he is seen to symbolize famine. The fourth horseman is riding on a pale horse and labelled Death. Hell comes with him. He is given power over one-quarter of the world, to kill by any method possible. The dramatic nature of Revelation has made it a popular subject for artists down through the centuries. One of the most famous renderings of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a woodcut done by German artist Albrecht Dürer around 1497-98. It is the third woodcut from a series entitled, fittingly enough, The Apocalypse.

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TOP 10 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE (For more details, check the text.) 1. Christmas is the day Jesus was born. 2. The forbidden fruit was an apple. 3. The Red Sea parted, à la Cecile B. DeMille's 1956 epic film, The Ten Commandments, with massive walls of water mysteriously held back for Moses and his people to pass. 4. There were three wise men…and they were kings…from the Orient. 5. Jesus was born in a stable. 6. The wise men were present at the birth of Jesus. 7. Noah's Ark had two of every animal. 8. There are Ten Commandments. Ten really does sound like a good, round number, but there are really twelve separate rules to follow. Tradition groups them into ten (given in the text). See Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:1-22. 9. Mary Magdalene was a repentant prostitute 10. “Money is the root of all evil.”

What city is symbolized by the Great Whore? John describes the Great Whore as riding on a scarlet seven-headed beast with seven horns (Revelation 17), and then says in Revelation 17:9, in case the reader didn't get it, “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth.”

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Early readers would no doubt immediately made the connection with Rome. In the ancient world, Rome was often referred to as “the city set on seven hills,” because of the seven hills within the city walls (legend says that Romulus founded Rome on one of these hills, the Palatine).

What is the Mark of the Beast? John describes a great Beast of the Earth, who will one day make everyone bear his mark on their right hand or forehead if they want to receive the necessities of life. This mark is specified as the number 666. Much debate has swirled over the identification of the Beast. To those who see Revelation as a prophecy, this identifies the great Evil One who will arise in the end times. Unfortunately, this gives many people a stick to beat anyone they don't like. Most important figures (or things) in world affairs have been identified with the Beast at some point, from Martin Luther to the World Wide Web. Others believe John was indicating Nero, who was happily persecuting Christians at the time (including John). Support for this comes from numerology. When the letters of Nero's name in Aramaic are assigned numerical values, they add up to 666. Somewhere between these two beliefs is the view that John was indicating Nero, but using him as a stand-in for any persecutor of the church, past, present, or future.

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“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” In 1861, Julia Ward Howe visited a Union Army camp and heard the soldiers singing the well-known song “John Brown's Body” as an unofficial anthem. With her at the review was Rev. James Freeman Clarke, who suggested she write more uplifting words for the soldiers to sing. During the night of November 18, 1861, she awoke with the words of the song in her mind, and leapt out of bed in near-darkness to write them down. The words of the first verse, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. / He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored,” draw on Revelation 14:14-20. The song was first published on the front page of the Atlantic Monthly in February 1862.

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the Bible and culture Note that as mentioned frequently, until the twentieth century, the influence of the Bible was so all-pervasive that a knowledge of the Bible and biblical allusions was taken for granted. We'll have to be selective.

How did Shakespeare use the Bible? Shakespeare lived at a time when any educated person had learned and absorbed the Bible. And Shakespeare was 294

educated. Despite the efforts by some to portray him as a rough-and ready rural bumpkin and playhouse rat, whose natural genius lifted him above his circumstances, Shakespeare came from a respectable — and even prominent — Stratford family, and received a solid education in the village grammar school. He would have been thoroughly grounded in both the Bible and Classical literature, to the point that they became a part of him and a constant source of examples, references, and language. His use of the Bible is organic. He doesn't so much quote the Bible as strike off it in his own way, knowing his audience would know the reference. Shakespeare was far too great an artist to lard his work with clunky quotes.

Quickies Did you know… • that French writer Victor Hugo (1802–1990) said, “England has two books, the Bible and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare, but the Bible made England.” Because of this, it is difficult to point to Biblical allusions in his work, not because they aren't there, but because they are too plentiful, as are references to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Remember too, as a modern reader, that the Bible he used the most was not the King James Bible, which was not issued until five years before his death in 1616, but the Geneva (or Great) Bible, which was the official Bible of the Church of England under Henry VIII. Some examples of Shakespeare using the Bible:

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• As You Like It (Act 2: Scene 1) reads: “Here feel we but the penalty of Adam, / the Season's difference, as the icy fang And churlish chiding of the winter wind.” The allusion to the Fall in Genesis is clear. • In Act 3: Scene 3 of Hamlet, the guilt-wracked Claudius says: “O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; / It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, / A brother's murther.” • Measure for Measure is the only one of Shakespeare's plays that comes from the Bible, and even then, it isn't a direct quote. It is drawn from Matthew 7:2 “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

Quickies Did you know… • that it has been suggested that Shakespeare was one of the translators of the King James Bible. This is probably because of a coincidence that was first pointed out in 1900 in the Publisher's Circular. Someone with too much time on their hands noticed that, in Psalms 46, the forty-sixth word from the beginning is “shake” and the forty-sixth word from the end is “spear.” Because the two words were placed in different positions in previous translations, it was suggested (inevitably) that this was a secret code indicating Shakespeare's work on the translation.

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Where did we get the idea of the Circles of Hell? Not from the Bible, that's for sure. Dante Alighieri, the great Italian writer, composed The Divine Comedy between 1308 and 1321. An allegory of the soul's journey toward God, it is divided into three parts: Inferno(Hell), Purgatorio, and Paradiso. Dante's guide in both the Inferno and the Purgatorio is the Roman poet Virgil. In the Inferno, Virgil guides him through the nine circles of Hell, in which they observe sinners suffering punishments that symbolically match their sins. Seen as one of the glories of Italian literature, The Divine Comedy had immense influence for centuries before falling out of favour during the Enlightenment. In the English-speaking world, it was resurrected (so to speak) by the Romantic writers of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. William Blake, another visionary, illustrated several passages. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow did the first U.S. translation in 1867. Among other translators was Dorothy Sayers, author of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. Many authors have drawn on it for inspiration, including T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Samuel Beckett, C.S. Lewis, and James Joyce. Today it is hard to remember that the Circles of Hell are not from the Bible.

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Where did we get the idea that Satan was a fallen angel? The title of John Milton's Paradise Lost puts us in the picture. This is a work that retells the story of the Fall of Adam and Eve, their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and the introduction of sin and suffering into the world. Milton also planned to explore the relationship of God to His creation, as Milton himself put it, “to justify the ways of God to men.” In Milton's epic poem written in blank verse (published 1667), Satan, or Lucifer, is a central character. He and some of his fellow angels have been cast into Hell for their rebellious attempt to seize Heaven from God. However, Satan is not repentant. He utters the famous line, “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.” He then volunteers to go to Earth as a spoiler to introduce sin. Assuming the body of a snake, he talks Eve into eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the rest, as they say, is history. Paradise Lost is considered one of English literature's crowning achievements. John Dryden, no insignificant writer himself, compared Milton to Homer and Virgil. Samuel Johnson was also a fan, though he said of the multi-volume, multi-line work, “None ever wished it longer than it is.” It has been quoted by writers ever since, and illustrated frequently by artists such as William Blake and Gustave Doré.

Quickies Did you know…

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• that Milton was blind when he wrote Paradise Lost. He dictated the work to a series of aides. Although the idea of Satan as a fallen angel had existed before, this is when it really took hold.

What is the Massachusetts?

official

“epic

novel”

of

On October 9, 2008, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a bill that named Herman Melville's Moby-Dick as the state's “official epic novel.” This book, written in 1851, also contains a great deal of allegory, including biblical allegory. The mysterious white whale that wreaks havoc unexpectedly, rising from the depths of the ocean to do so, is often seen as symbolizing fate or the things in life that are out of the control of human beings. Captain Ahab, the driven captain of the whaling boat is clearly named after the wicked King Ahab in the Bible, who followed false gods. In his single-minded obsession with the pursuit of the whale Moby-Dick, and his determination to have revenge on Moby-Dick for the loss of his leg, he brings death and destruction on everyone and everything around him. The narrator, Ishmael, a lonely outsider who is the sole survivor of Ahab's crew, is named after Ishmael, Abraham's son by the slave Hagar. When Isaac, the son of Abraham and his wife, Sarah, is born, Sarah has Hagar and Ishmael banished into the desert. Thus the name has come to stand for orphans and exiles. 299

Quickies Did you know… • that the (1956) film adaptation of Moby-Dick starred Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab. Director John Huston had intended to cast his grizzled father Walter Huston in the role, but Huston Senior had died. • The movie poster carried the blazing headline “Before the Shark, there was the Whale.” There is also, of course, the parallel with Jonah and the whale in the book of Jonah. In his later novel Billy Budd (found unfinished among Melville's papers and published in 1924), Melville, in his use of language, takes great pains to identify the sunny-natured and innocent Billy as a Christ figure. The 1962 movie, directed by Peter Ustinov, starred a young and dewy Terence Stamp as Billy Budd.

What are the four biblical films that have made it into the top hundred highest-grossing films in the United States and Canada — adjusted for inflation? The four films are: The Ten Commandments (1956) at #4; Ben-Hur (1959) at #13; The Robe (1953) at #44; and The Passion of the Christ (2004) at #57.

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The Ten Commandments (1956) — estimated tickets sold, 131,000,000; $996,910,000 adjusted gross. This retelling of the story of Moses was Cecil B. DeMille's final film before ill health forced him to give up directing. In fact, it is partly a remake of DeMille's 1923 film of the same name (although the earlier film was only half biblical; the other half was a morality tale that was set in modern times), and some of the cast and crew of the 1923 version were “recycled” in the 1956 version. The film starred Charlton Heston as Moses, and legend has it that DeMille chose Heston for the role because he thought Heston resembled Michelangelo's famous statue of Moses (without the horns, that is). Heston, in turn, was a great admirer of DeMille, who had directed him in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). As he said, “If you can't make a career out of two DeMille's, you'll never do it.” Yul Brynner was Pharoah (identified in the film as Ramses II, almost certainly inaccurately); Anne Baxter was Mrs. Pharaoh, Nefretiri; Edward G. Robinson was bad guy Dathan. Others in the cast were Yvonne de Carlo, John Derek, Sir Cedric Hardwicke (as Yul Brynner's father), Nina Foch, and Vincent Price. Labouring in bit parts were unknowns Herb Alpert and Robert Vaughan. Heston's newborn son, Fraser, did a float-on as the infant Moses (and reportedly, a diaper pin also made an appearance). DeMille and his committee of writers did extensive historical research, supplementing biblical accounts with the Koran, 301

which includes details that are left out of Bible, and the writings of Josephus. One interesting coincidence was that the robe striped with white, black, and rust that was worn by Moses was designed to be impressive. Only later was it discovered that these were the actual colours of Moses' tribe, the Tribe of Levi. The film won an Oscar for its visual effects. One of these was the parting of the Red Sea, which was actually arrived at by filming water pouring from tanks on the back lot, and then running the film in reverse. In the 1923 version of the Ten Commandments, the same scene had been created by slicing a slab of Jell-O in two and filming the quivering mass in close-up. Combined with a shot of the Israelites walking into the distance, this proved very effective. The Library of Congress selected the film to be preserved in the United States National Film Registry in 1999, citing its significance “culturally, historically, or aesthetically.” In June 2008, the American Film Institute acknowledged it as the tenth best film in the epic genre. The fact that it treats biblical accuracy rather offhandedly has never dimmed its popularity. And as Charlton Heston said, “There's a special excitement in playing a man who made a hole in history large enough to be remembered centuries after he died.”

Ben-Hur (1959) — estimated tickets sold, 98,000,000; $745,780,000 adjusted gross.

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Based on an 1880 novel by Lew Wallace entitled Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, this movie was the top-grossing film of 1960, and went on to win eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Leading Actor for Charlton Heston, Best Supporting Actor for Hugh Griffith, and Best Director for William Wyler. The story — which could be referred to as extra-biblical — concerns a prominent Jerusalem merchant named Judah Ben-Hur. When a childhood friend Messala, now a Roman tribune, is made captain of the garrison in Jerusalem, he tries to use their previous relationship to convince Ben-Hur to inform on Jews who are against the Roman government. When Ben-Hur refuses, the friendship turns to enmity, and Messala uses an unfortunate accident to get Ben-Hur sentenced to be a galley slave. As the slaves are marching to the sea, Ben-Hur collapses from thirst in Nazareth, and Jesus, a local carpenter, gives him water and encourages him on his way. Several years pass in the galleys, and then Ben-Hur ends up on the flagship of a Roman consul, Quintus Arrius, who recognizes his sterling qualities and gives him more freedom. This is just as well, because in a battle with pirates Ben-Hur is able to save the day and Arrius’ life. The grateful Arrius adopts him. With wealth and status as a Roman citizen Ben-Hur returns to Judea to find that Messala is to be a competitor in an upcoming chariot race. Burning with a desire for revenge, Ben-Hur enters the race and wins. Messala, in attempting to sabotage Ben-Hur is fatally injured. Ben-Hur finds his mother and sister who are now lepers, but his love interest, Esther, has heard Jesus speak and suggests 303

they approach him. Unfortunately, Jesus’ trial has started, and they can't get close. It is only as Jesus is on the way to crucifixion that Ben-Hur recognizes him as the carpenter who helped him so many years before, and he attempts to return the favour by offering Jesus water. After he witnesses the crucifixion Ben-Hur is healed of his bitterness, and his mother and sister are literally healed — by a miracle. Throughout the movie, the face of Jesus is rarely shown, which was in keeping with the wishes of the original author, Lew Wallace. On the publication of the book in 1880, he resisted many requests to have the book dramatized, because he objected to any portrayal of Christ on stage. It was not until dramatist William Young came up with the idea of representing Christ by a beam of light that Wallace would agree. This is what Young did in the stage adaptation of 1899, and the show went on to run for twenty-one years. (In the 1959 movie, the role was actually played by opera singer Claude Heater, who did not get a credit for the part.) Charlton Heston was not the first choice for the role of Judah Ben-Hur. Burt Lancaster, Rock Hudson, and Canada's own Leslie Nielson turned it down. So did Paul Newman, who said he didn't have the legs to wear a tunic. In the 1925 film version, Ben-Hur had been played by silent-film star Ramon Novarro. As a massive spectacular, the movie presented many problems in filming. The galley scene was shot indoors, and first the boat had to be cut in half to allow room for the cameras, then the oars had to be shortened, then they had to be weighted to make the rowing of the slaves look sufficiently difficult. 304

Quickies Did you know… • that Lew Wallace (1827–1905), who wrote Ben-Hur in 1880, was a Union general in the Civil War? The chariot scene is legendary in movie history. Filmed outside Rome, it took three months and used 15,000 extras. Charlton Heston even spent four weeks taking chariot-driving lessons. Although there was a persistent rumour that a stuntman was killed during the filming of the sequence, William Wyler always strongly denied it. He also mentioned that no horses were injured, in contrast to the 1925 version, in which several horses were killed. In 2008, the American Film Institute named Ben-Hur as the number-two spot in its list of Top Ten Epics.

The Robe (1953) — estimated tickets sold, 65,454,500; $498,109,100 adjusted gross. Based on Lloyd C. Douglas's best-selling 1942 novel of the same name, this film tells the story of the (fictional) Roman tribune Marcellus Gallio, who was in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus. He and some soldiers cast dice for Jesus’ robe, and Marcellus wins. However, when he is caught in a rainstorm and orders his servant to throw the robe over him, Marcellus has an excruciating seizure and begins to regret the crucifixion of Jesus, a feeling that he suppresses. The servant runs off with the robe, and Marcellus is ordered by the

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Emperor Tiberius to find the robe and destroy it — oh yes, and to identify the followers of Jesus so they can be arrested. Marcellus sets out on his mission eagerly, but through the intervention of Peter the apostle and his own experiences with the Robe, Marcellus is converted to Christianity. This does not go down well with Rome, and Marcellus is arrested by Caligula (the fiancé of Marcellus's love interest, Diana). Since he will not renounce Christ, Marcellus is condemned to death, and Diana joins him. Lloyd C. Douglas was an immensely popular author from the 1930s to the 1960s, though he hadn't start to write until he retired from the ministry in mid-life (an American, he was serving in a church in Montreal at the time of his retirement). The book was inspired by a letter from one of his fans, who wrote to ask Douglas what he thought had happened to Christ's garments after his death. Matthew 27:35 reads, “And they crucified him and parted his garments, casting lots,” and the other gospels all mention the same detail. This was enough to fire Douglas's imagination, and The Robe was the result. The film starred Richard Burton as Marcellus and Jean Simmons as his beloved Diana. Victor Mature played the slave/servant Demetrius who is instrumental in the plot, while Pontius Pilate was played by Richard Boone, who went on to fame on television as the gunfighter Paladin in Have Gun — Will Travel (1957–63). Rumour has it that Richard Burton hated the movie so much that he refused a contract with 20th Century Fox. This dislike was possibly reflected in his performance, which was described at the time as “wooden.” Even he was astonished when he received an Oscar nomination. 306

Historical accuracy suffered in the film. Caligula was portrayed as the persecutor of Christians, but Roman persecution of the early church really got under way under Nero. .

The Robe was the only biblical epic that had a sequel. It was followed a year later, by Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), starring Victor Mature.

The Passion of the Christ (2004) — estimated tickets sold, 59,704,800; $454, 354,353,800. This movie begins with Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he is betrayed and ends with his resurrection. The production was directed, co-produced, and co-written by Mel Gibson, and is based almost totally on the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Gibson and his company Icon Productions also totally funded the production costs of some $30 million and the marketing costs of around $15 million, because Gibson could not find anyone else who would take it on. To the astonishment of many, Gibson decided to film the movie in Latin and Aramaic, with subtitles. He and his co-writer Benedict Fitzgerald wrote the script in English, and then Friar William Fulco SJ translated it into Latin, Hebrew, and reconstructed Aramaic. Friar Fulco, a professor of ancient Mediterranean studies at Loyola Marymount University, also served as the religious consultant on the film. The Passion of

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the Christ became the highest-grossing non-English language film ever. Reactions to the film were mixed, even among believers. Some worried that the film was anti-Semitic, others that it contained historical inaccuracies. Some were intensely moved while others felt that Gibson dwelt to a suspicious extent on the very extreme violence (in fact, the movie got an R rating because of the violence). One upset viewer summed up the latter reaction by referring to “this steak-tartare Christ.” Gibson acknowledged the violence, saying that he intended to portray the enormity of what Christ suffered.

Quickies Did you know… • that during filming of The Passion of the Christ, assistant director Jan Michelini was struck by lightning twice. As the BBC reported on October 23, 2003, the second strike also hit the actor playing Jesus, James Caviezel. Hmmm.

Which successful musical portrays Judas as a sympathetic figure? Jesus Christ Superstar, by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, was released first as an album, and many feel this was the definitive version of the rock musical. On October 12, 1971, it opened on Broadway to mixed reviews, though it was to win Andrew Lloyd Webber a 1972

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Tony Award for Best Original Score. The same year, Ben Vereen, who played Judas, won both a Theatre World Award and a Tony for Best Featured Actor. It seems somehow fitting that the actor who played Judas was singled out for attention, since the Webber/Rice script takes an unconventional approach, doing a renovation job on the character of Judas. The action covers the events of the story of Christ from the approach to Jerusalem to the crucifixion. At every juncture, Judas is portrayed as an earnest man who is deeply concerned that Jesus is (as he sees it) out of control and determined to bring down the wrath of Rome on his followers. He is disturbed that more and more people are hailing Jesus’ as a king, and warns Jesus to tone it down. An exhausted Jesus is given an oil massage by the prostitute Mary Magdalene, who is in love with him. Judas objects both to Jesus’ association with a sinner, which could bring condemnation on their work, and to the waste of the money spent on the ointment, which could have been given to the poor. This, of course, uses the common perception of Mary Magdalene as a “fallen woman,” which is nowhere supported in the Bible (along with her identification with the woman with the ointment), and transforms an act of repentance and devotion into something quite different. Judas does voice some objection to the money “wasted” on the ointment in the Bible, but many commentators feel that, as the treasurer of the group, Judas was more concerned with getting the money into his own hands.

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Judas's final betrayal of Jesus is meant to keep him from bringing suffering on the people by drawing down punishment from Rome. The priests also point out that the twenty pieces of silver can be given to charity. After Jesus is treated harshly by the authorities, Judas regrets his actions. He finally commits suicide, and the dying Jesus sees his spirit, which is saying, in effect, “Was this really necessary?” Webber and Rice were quite open about the fact that they didn't see Jesus as God, and their portrayal of a very human Jesus grows out of that. As so often happens in any treatment of a religious theme, some members of almost every faith found reason to be offended. Some Jewish groups felt the musical was anti-Semitic, while some Christian groups thought it was blasphemous. The public loved it.

Which movie portrays Keanu Reeves as a Christ figure? In The Matrix (1999), Keanu Reeves is Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer who moonlights as a hacker named “Neo.” His search for the origins of something called the Matrix connect him with a rebel group led by an underground hacker named “Morpheus” (Lawrence Fishburne). Morpheus and the rebels show him that what he thought was the world is a simulated reality called the Matrix, created by intelligent machines to keep humans docile while they harvest their body heat and electrical energy. The rebels are freed human beings.

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They help Neo break free and take him to the rebel headquarters, where Morpheus tells Neo that he believes Neo is “the One” who will fulfil a prophecy. The One is said to be a man who will finally defeat the machines and save the humans. The rest of the movie records the struggle of Neo, which is an anagram for One, and the rebels to defeat the machines and the Matrix and save humanity. Although the film cites many influences, the Christian symbolism is clear. Even the name of Reeves's character is telling. The name “Thomas” recalls “Doubting Thomas” in the Bible and is fitting for a man who doubts his own mission. The name “Anderson” translates as “son of man,” which is the term applied to Jesus in the Bible. It links Jesus to the promised Messiah who will “save humanity.” The details pile on. The rebel base is called “Zion,” the name of the hill on which Jerusalem is built. Morpheus can also be seen to parallel John the Baptist, who announced that Jesus was “the Anointed One.” Neo dies, but he is brought back to life by the love of Trinity. Need we go on? Just to nail it down, a character early in the film says: “You're my saviour, man.”

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question and feature list The Book What does the name Bible mean?, What is the Hebrew Bible?, Who first collected the books of the Old Testament?, When was the Bible first translated?,

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How many passages do some claim were written by God?, How many versions of the Bible are there in English?, When was the Bible first translated into English?, Which Bible did Shakespeare use?, Quickies, When was the King James Bible published?, The Books of the Bible, What is the Apocrypha?, How many books are there in the Protestant Bible?, Quickies, What did Voltaire get wrong?, How many Bibles are distributed in the United States every day?, The Apocrypha, What is bibliomancy?, Bible Stats, What was the first major book printed with movable type?, What is the most expensive modern Bible?, 313

What is the largest printed Bible?, What is the world's smallest Bible?, Bibles with Errors,

Genesis: The Beginnings What was the order in which God created the elements of the earth?, Ten longest names in the Bible, What does the name Adam mean?, What does the name Eve mean?, How did God create a woman out of Adam's rib and do men have fewer ribs?, Adam's Rib, How does “Adam's rib” relate to relations between the sexes?, Why was the fruit that Adam and Eve ate an apple?, Where did the term Adam's apple come from?, Why did God plant the tree in the Garden of Eden if he didn't want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit?, Where do we get the term forbidden fruit?,

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What other trees were in the Garden of Eden?, Why do snakes slither, according to the Bible?, What is the first incident of sibling rivalry in the Bible?, What is the Mark of Cain?, Am I My Brother's Keeper?, The Mark of Cain, Who founded the first city?, Quickies, How is the Land of Nod associated with children's nursery rhymes?, How many children did Adam and Eve have?, Who is the oldest man recorded in the Bible?, What kind of boat is an ark?, How large was the Ark in the Bible?, How many of each living thing did Noah take with him on the Ark?, How long were Noah and his family on the Ark?, Quickies,

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Where did the Ark “land”?, Why is the dove with an olive branch in its beak a symbol of peace?, Quickies, Why does the word babble refer to “confused or incoherent” speech?, Quickies, What is tithing, and where did it come from?, Where did the practice of circumcision come from?, Why are the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah a symbol of sin and loose living?, Lot's Wife, Why do we say someone has “sold their birthright for a mess of pottage”?, Why is the flexible ladder on a ship, which allows people to climb up to the deck from a small boat, called a Jacob's ladder?, Quickies, What colour was Joseph's coat — really?,

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Where did we get the expression “Living off the fat of the land”?,

The Books of Moses: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy Why did the Egyptian king (Pharaoh) order all newborn male babies born to the Israelites to be thrown into the Nile River?, What does the name Moses mean?, Who wrote the song “Oh! Let My People Go”?, Which Pharaoh is it that “lets the people go”?, Where did the expression “Bricks with no straw” come from?, What failing does Moses claim in order to get out of the task of confronting Pharaoh?, Quickies, What are the plagues that God inflicts on Egypt?, What is the origin of Passover?, Quickies, How long were the Israelites in Egypt?, How many Israelites left Egypt?,

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What is the body of water the Israelites cross to finally escape from Pharaoh's pursuit?, What is manna?, Top 10 most mentioned animals, Quickies, Where did the word fleshpots come from?, Why did Moses break the first two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments?, Quickies, What is the order of the Ten Commandments?, Why does Michelangelo's famous statue of Moses have horns?, The Wicked Bible, Quickies, What was the Ark of the Covenant?, Quickies, How did the book of Leviticus get its name?, What is a scapegoat?, Indiana Jones and the Ark of the Covenant, 318

What is kosher?, Quickies, Why do we say, “An eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” Who had the longest bed in the Bible?, Why do the logos of many medical organizations use around a rod?, What does the name Deuteronomy mean?, Quickies, Where is Moses buried and who buried him?,

Getting Settled: The Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles What do the judges Samuel and Samson have in common?, What was King characteristic?,

Saul's

most

noticeable

What do we mean by “a man after one's own heart”?, What was David's special talent?, What do we mean by a “David and Goliath” contest?, Quickies,

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physical

Quickies, How did Saul's children save David's life?, Quickies, Who is the Witch of Endor?, Quickies, Quickies, Where do we get the expression “How are the mighty fallen”?, Top 10 most common nouns in the Bible, When did Jerusalem become the capital of Israel?, Who was the original heir to David's throne?, Quickies, Who is Zadok the Priest, and why did Handel write an anthem about him?, Absalom and Literature, Quickies, Quickies, Why is a wise person referred to as a “Solomon”?,

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How many wives did Solomon have?, When did Solomon build the Temple in Jerusalem?, Was Solomon married to the Queen of Sheba?, The Queen of Sheba in Film, Quickies, Why is a very large bottle of wine called a “Jeroboam”?, Why is a wicked woman referred to as a “Jezebel”?, Who was the fastest sprinter in the Bible?, Why is a reckless driver known as a “Jehu”?, Who was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot?, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, Who is the grouchiest bald man in the Bible?, Who had the longest reign of any king of Judah or Israel?, When are the city of Jerusalem and the Temple destroyed and when does the Babylonian captivity begin?,

Judges and Priests: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth Who was the prostitute who helped the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land?,

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Why has crossing the Jordan River become associated with dying?, Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho, Who did the Israelites finally bury in the Promised Land?, What is meant by judges in the Book of Judges?, Top 10 longest-lived people in the bible, Who is the only left-handed person mentioned in the Bible?, Who is the first woman to lead the Israelites?, Who is the woman that Deborah credits with aiding the Israelite victory over the Canaanites?, Why did Samson not cut his hair?, The Gideon Bible, Samson and Delilah (1949), What is the first riddle in the Bible?, Quickies, Who is descended from Ruth and Boas, her second husband?, What does footwear have to do with giving a pledge?, Ruth, Henry VIII, and Levirate Marriage,

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Prophets, Major and Minor What does the word prophet mean?, Were there women prophets?, How are the words of the prophet Isaiah represented at the United Nations headquarters in New York?, What is a plowshare?, Isaiah and Handel's Messiah, Where do we get the expression “Holier than thou”?, What does the name Immanuel mean?, Does the word virgin in the Bible refer to…well, a virgin?, Where do we get the expression “A lamb to the slaughter”?, Who is the Bible's first nudist?, Where did we get the expression “No rest for the wicked”?, What do we mean by “put your house in order”?, How does Isaiah die?, Where do we get the expression “A drop in the bucket”?, Who is the Bible's most noted depressive?,

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Why do we ask, “Can a leopard change its spots?”, What do we mean by “sour grapes”?, “Dem Dry Bones”, Who does God order to marry a prostitute?, What is the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible?, What was it that swallowed Jonah?, Which prophet was instrumental in the magi finding Jesus?,

Exile and Homecoming: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel Who are the first in the Bible to choose vegetarianism?, Why do we speak of someone having “feet of clay”?, Who was thrown into the “fiery furnace”?, Where did the expression “The writing is on the wall” come from?, Top 10 occupations in biblical times, Why do we refer to someone facing an intimidating experience as “Daniel in the lions’ den”?, Quickies,

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Daniel, Shakespeare, and Rumpole of the Bailey, What is Esther's connection with Haddassah, the Jewish volunteer women's organization?, What book of the Bible never mentions God?, When was the Second Temple in Jerusalem built?, Quickies,

Writings, Poetry, and Songs — Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs What is meant by the word proverb?, Who wrote the book of Proverbs?, What does Proverbs have to do with the Humane Society?, Where do we get the expression “Pride goes before a fall”?, Where does it say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”?, What does the name Satan mean?, Quickies, What is meant by a “Job's comforter”?, Quickies, Where do we get the expression “By the skin of your teeth”?,

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What does the word vanity mean in Ecclesiastes?, Where do we get the expression “Nothing new under the sun”?, Where does it say, “Eat, drink, and be merry”?, Quickies, Where do we get the expression “A fly in the ointment”?, To Every Thing There Is a Season, What is the advice Ecclesiastes gives to publishers?, Top 10 most mentioned names, Why is the “Song of Songs” also called the “Song of Solomon”?, Quickies, What is an orphaned psalm?, Where do we get the expression “The apple of my eye”?, What Psalm did Jesus quote on the cross?, Where do we get the expression “From strength to strength”?, What were the most common instruments used in the Bible?, Which psalm inspired Martin Luther's famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”?, 326

Where do we get the expression “At one's wits’ end”?, By the Rivers of Babylon,

The Life of Jesus — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John actually write the gospels?, Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John know Jesus personally?, What are the symbols of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?, What does the word gospel mean?, Godspell, Who is the famous ancestor of Mary and Joseph?, Where do the names Messiah and Christ come from?, Was Jesus really born in a cattle shed?, Quickies, Quickies, What year was Jesus born?, Was Jesus actually born on December 25?, Quickies,

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Who were the three wise men?, Why did King Herod have mother-in-law issues?, Quickies, Quickies, We Three Kings of Orient Are, What is Jesus's relationship to John the Baptist?, What did John the Baptist eat?, Where do we get the expression “Separate the wheat from the chaff”?, Does John the Baptist have anything to do with the Baptist church?, How did John the Baptist die?, How many days does Jesus spend in the desert before starting his ministry?, Salome, What is the origin of the saying “Get thee behind me, Satan”?, What are the three temptations that Satan offers Jesus?, How old was Jesus when he began his teaching?,

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What was Jesus's first miracle, and who asked him to perform it?, Where do we get the expression “Physician, heal thyself”?, What was the significance of Jesus choosing twelve followers for his inner circle?, What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?, Top 10 trees mentioned in the Bible, What are the names of the twelve apostles?, Apostle Spoons, How many of the Apostles were fishermen?, Why has the fish become a symbol of Christianity?, Quickies, Which of the Apostles was a tax collector?, What name does Jesus give to Peter?, Why is Peter pictured as the gatekeeper of Heaven?, What nickname does Jesus give the brothers James and John?, What bird is named after Peter?, Why do we talk about “hiding one's light under a bushel”?,

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Where do we get the expression “Straight and narrow”?, Quickies, Where did we get the expression “The blind leading the blind”?, Which of the disciples had a “stage mother”?, The Jefferson Bible, Where do we get the expression “Pearls before swine”?, Why do we talk about a “wolf in sheep's clothing”?, How many demons did Christ cast out of Mary Magdalene?, Where did the idea that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were married come from?, Where do we get the expression “A whited sepulchre”?, Quickies, Why are the Beatitudes called the Beatitudes ?, Quickies, Quickies, Where do we get the expression “Salt of the earth”?, Where do we get the expression “A Good Samaritan”?,

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Where do we get the expression “Go the extra mile”?, What well-known hymn was inspired by the parable of the Prodigal Son?, Amazing Grace, Where do we get the expression “Practise what you preach”?, Who anointed Jesus's feet with ointment?, Quickies, Quickies, What is the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey?, Why do the people wave palm branches when Jesus enters Jerusalem?, What is a “mite” in the story of the widow's mite?, Where do we get the expression “The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing”?, What event does Jesus predict?, Thomas B. Costain: Canada's Author of the Grail, Where do we get the expression “To take someone under your wing”?,

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What occasion are Jesus and his disciples celebrating at the Last Supper?, Why is the number thirteen considered unlucky in some Christian traditions?, Where do we get the term Eucharist, What is Maundy Thursday?, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, How much is Judas paid for betraying Christ?, What does the name Gethsemane mean?, Why do we say, “Many are called, but few are chosen”?, Where do we get the expression “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”?, Is it possible to sweat blood?, What act of violence does Peter perform when the soldiers come to arrest Christ?, Where do we get the expression “Turn the other cheek”?, Who was the first “streaker”?, Where do we get the expression “To wash one's hands of something”?,

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Quickies, Where do we get the expression “Give up the ghost”?, Quickies, Where does the name Easter come from, and why the bunnies and eggs?, Top 10 “bad” women of the Bible, Why is it significant that Jesus appears first to a woman, Mary Magdalene?, Why is the disciple Thomas referred to as Doubting Thomas?, How long does Jesus remain on earth after his resurrection?,

The Early Church: Acts, Romans, Letters to the Churches, and Revelation Where did Christ ascend to Heaven?, Who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle?, What is considered the birthday of the Christian church?, Quickies, What does Pentecost mean?, Who is Gamaliel?,

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Who was the first Christian martyr?, What future church leader witnesses the death of the first martyr?, Why do we speak of a “Damascus experience”?, When does Saul become Paul?, When was the name Christian first used?, Who was the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred?, Where do we get the expression “The powers that be”?, Quickies, What Happened to the Twelve Apostles?, What do we mean by “As you sow, so shall you reap”?, Where do we get the expression “All things to all men”?, Where did the idea of celibacy for priests begin?, Where do we get the expression “A thorn in the flesh”?, Where do we get the word bishop?, Quickies, Where do we get the expression “The love of money is the root of all evil”?,

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Where do we get the expression “Fight the good fight”?, What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?, Quickies, Top 10 misconceptions about the Bible, What city is symbolized by the Great Whore?, What is the Mark of the Beast?, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”,

The Bible and Culture How did Shakespeare use the Bible?, Quickies, Quickies, Where did we get the idea of the Circles of Hell?, Where did we get the idea that Satan was a fallen angel?, Quickies, What is the official “epic novel” of Massachusetts?, Quickies,

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What are the four biblical films that have made it into the top hundred highest-grossing films in the United States and Canada — adjusted for inflation?, Quickies, Quickies, Which successful musical portrays Judas as a sympathetic figure?, Which movie portrays Keanu Reeves as a Christ figure?,

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Now You Know Royalty 337

preface The essence of monarchy is that the state is embodied in a living person and that the monarch’s subjects are “people” rather than “the people.” This common humanity, celebrated over generations, perhaps accounts for the fascination of most individuals with royal lives and practices. They recognize instinctively that their lives are intimately connected with the lives of the royals. As has been noted, royal activities are frequently ordinary activities carried out in extraordinary circumstances. From the philosophical underpinnings of the very nature of society, through leadership in times of crisis and adversity, to the great pageantry of communities and the customs of day-to-day living, we function, often unknowingly, in a royal world. Monarchy has been a universal experience. While focusing on Canadian and Commonwealth history and practice, this exploration of royalty considers examples from cultures around the world. Now You Know Royalty looks at the influence of kings and kingship, the language of monarchy, how monarchies function, the cultural role of kingship, the royal beginnings of everyday practices, and anecdotes involving emperors and empresses, kings and queens, princes and princesses, in the hope that it will both inform and entertain readers. In particular, it seeks to make Canadians aware of their royal heritage and the role that the Crown has played in the creation and history of their country.

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the nature of monarchy

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Kingship? Queenship? What is it? Not an ideology. Not a philosophy. It is more a directing or organizing principle. Rex, the Latin word for king, comes from the verb “to direct.” A king is someone who sets things in motion, in a constitutional sense, and in past ages in a political one. He is the legal embodiment of a nation or head of a state or multinational family of states. “A king involves an ideal of life at once social and personal.” When did kingship/queenship begin? The idea began with civilization itself. The earliest kings appear about the same time fundamentals of civilization do. “Royalties found they were representatives almost without knowing. Many a king insisting on a genealogical tree, or a title deed, found that he spoke for the forests and the songs of a whole countryside.” Monarchy has been a major force in making civilization possible, causing its development and growth. Where does the concept that “divinity doth hedge a king” originate? The earliest kings were seen as having a close relationship with divinity. Some were regarded as living gods, others as kin of the gods, still others as semi-divine. Many kings ritually impersonated or were agents of a god or goddess, executing the deity’s will, or priests — those who offer sacrifice — of a divinity. Just as the concepts of morality and law come to us from religion, so do abstract ideas of authority and beliefs about the source of power. Anointing — an act to

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separate the king from the profane and obtain for him an infusion of divine grace — in later times came to be regarded as giving a sacred sanction to a monarch and bestowing a special character on him. Quickies Did you know … • that early kings who grew old were sacrificed in a re-creation ritual to assure the continuing vitality of the community? This semi-sacramental character was thought to make the king a means of healing and led to practices such as “touching for the King’s Evil” (scrofula), a type of faith healing. Charles II, it is estimated, touched over 100,000 people. Today this royal quality is attested by the desire of people to touch Queen Elizabeth II. What kinds of monarchy are there? There are hereditary, elective, dual, theocratic, absolute, and constitutional monarchies— just about as many types as there have been societies to be governed. Sovereignties have been called empires, kingdoms, dominions, realms, principalities, grand duchies, counties, and commonwealths. What is hereditary monarchy? When the crown, on the death of a sovereign, passes automatically from one monarch to another in the same family it is known as a hereditary monarchy. In monarchies

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such as Britain/the Commonwealth, Denmark, monarchy. In monarchies such as Britain/ and Japan, the succession has gone on without legal interruption for more than a thousand years. What is an elective monarchy? In an elective monarchy the king is chosen, usually for life, by vote. Earliest elected kings were selected — mostly by battle! — from members of the extended royal family. Poland is a state that turned from a hereditary monarchy into an elective one in 1572. Its kings were chosen by the szlacta or landed gentry. But elective monarchy so weakened the Polish kingdom that it ended up being partitioned by its neighbours and disappeared as a state for over a century. Order of Succession to Queen Elizabeth II (first 12) • The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales • Prince William of Wales • Prince Harry of Wales • The Prince Andrew, Duke of York • Princess Beatrice of York • Princess Eugenie of York • The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex • James, Viscount Severn [Prince James of Wessex]

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• Lady Louise Wessex [Princess Louise of Wessex] • The Princess Anne, Princess Royal • Peter Phillips • Zara Phillips Malaysia, a Commonwealth country, and the papacy are modern elective monarchies. Nine local hereditary sultans in Malaysia meet every five years to choose one amongst them to be king (Yang di-Pertuan Agong). The pope is elected, customarily from among the cardinals of the Church, for life. Given its great longevity of nearly 2,000 years, the papacy is the most successful elective monarchy in history. Because it is impossible for the papacy to compromise its spiritual claims, bad or incompetent popes never do irreparable damage to it. The Dalai Lama, former ruler of Tibet, another elective theocratic monarchy, was chosen by reincarnation. A young child believed to possess the soul of the deceased Dalai Lama was searched for and when discovered was enthroned as the new monarch. How do absolute, authoritarian, and legislatively responsible monarchies differ? In an absolute monarchy there is no restraint on the will of the ruler. In authoritarian and legislatively responsible monarchies there are religious, customary, and legal restrictions. In a legislatively responsible monarchy the king or his ministers are, in addition, restrained by a popularly

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elected body. Edward I expressed the principle underlying the latter: “What touches all,” he said, “should be approved by all.” Have there been any absolute regimes in modern times? There have been no absolute monarchies in modern times, but there have been many absolute republics. Lenin and Stalin’s Soviet Union, Hitler’s Germany, Mao’s China, and Pol Pot’s Cambodia are examples. Monarchs Who Changed History Cyrus “the Great” Darius I “the Great” Chandragupta Maurya Alexander III “the Great” Constantine I “the Great” Tiridates IV “the Great” Clovis I Charlemagne Arpad Rurik Alexius I Comnenus Ivan Asen II Urôs Stephen “the Great”

Persia Persia India Greece, Asia Minor, Persia, Egypt Roman Empire, East and West Armenia France France, Germany, Italy Hungary Russia Byzantium Bulgaria, Thrace, Albania, Greece, Macedonia DusânSerbia

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William “the Conqueror” Alfonso I Henriques Robert “the Bruce” St. Vladimir I Pachacutec Inca Yupanquil Mohammed II Montezuma II Jan III Sobieski Peter “the Great” Napoleon I Victor Emmanuel II

England Portugal Scotland Russia Ecuador, Peru, Chile Turkey, Balkans, Mediterranean Mexico Western Europe Russia France, Europe, United States Italy

What is the difference between an authoritarian monarch and a tyrant? The clever though often pedantic King James I and VI explained the difference in his first speech to the English Parliament on inheriting the crowns of England and Ireland in 1603. “The special and greatest point of difference that is between a rightful king and an usurping tyrant is this: That whereas the proud and ambitious tyrant doth think his kingdoms and people are only ordained for the satisfaction of his desires and unreasonable appetites, the righteous and just king doth by the contrary acknowledge himself to be ordained for the procuring of the wealth and property of his people,” His Majesty said. Subjects of which sovereign prince recently voted to retain authoritarian monarchy?

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Karl Adam, Prince of Liechtenstein. In a democratic referendum held in 2003, the people of Liechtenstein chose overwhelmingly to keep the form of government in which the prince is sovereign. The principality’s government, nonetheless, operates day by day in approved democratic fashion. How does royal sovereignty contrast with republican sovereignty? In a republic, sovereignty is usually vested in “the people,” a theoretical concept. In a monarchy, sovereignty is vested in a real person. How does a monarchy differ from a republic? Under a monarchy, society is seen as an extended family. “Royalty,” a scholar has written, “forms the nuclear family of the whole nation — or even, by inter-marriage, the nuclear family that binds nations together.” Or, as Vincent Massey put it in his Coronation Day broadcast: “The queen is the head of our nation, and our nation, as we contemplate her headship, becomes a household itself.” Contrariwise republics see society only as a public corporation. How does monarchy work? In a constitutional parliamentary monarchy such as Canada, the underlying structure of the law and its imagery are that the queen/king is doing everything in person. The Crown’s function is to set the entire apparatus of government in motion. The queen creates a government, summons, prorogues and dissolves Parliament, issues election writs, 346

sends bills to Parliament to be made into laws, proclaims laws once passed, administers the laws, provides judges and civil servants to carry out her commands through her government, makes treaties, and sends her armed forces into action. All such queenly acts are done by and on the advice of ministers (minister means “servant”) who, as members of the committee of her Privy Council called the cabinet, are her only legal advisers, and are drawn from members of Parliament who enjoy the confidence (i.e. can command the majority support) of the House of Commons. At the same time this works democratically, with ultimate responsibility for giving the sovereign her advisers lying with the electorate. It is a marriage of two principles: royal authority and democratic control. If royal authority and its imagery are forgotten, however, the other parts of the system lose their meaning. That is why in recent times MPs who do not understand the Crown have interrupted the Speech from the Throne with applause or jeers and why people talk about electing a government instead of electing a Parliament. Quickies Did you know … • that the coronation is a symbolic bringing together of every role of kingship: acclamation, oath to govern justly and defend the people, ritual death and rebirth through anointing, robing in special clothes, crowning, enthronement, and “homage from great of the land”? Louis XIV’s Maxims on Kingship 347

• “The function of kings consists mainly in letting good sense take its course.” • “A king should listen rather than speak, because it is difficult to say much without saying too much.” • “Every time I make an appointment, I make one ungrateful person and a hundred with a grievance.” • “It seems to me that we [kings] must be at the same time humble on our own account, and proud on account of the office we fill.” • “A man reigns by work and it is ungrateful and presumptuous to God, unjust and tyrannical to men, to wish to reign without working.” Who originated our system of justice available to all? This cornerstone of our modern society comes directly from King Henry II, the monarch who ruled the Angevin Empire, consisting of England and the greater part of France, from 1154 to 1189. A fully part of France, from 1154 to 1189. A fully literate ruler, fluent in French and English and with a good knowledge of Latin, Henry II came to the throne after a period of bitter civil war, during which law and order had completely broken down. The king ordered his chancery to begin issuing writs that ran in his name, allowing any freeman in the kingdom to obtain a remedy in the local court, or if that failed, in the king’s court. To make sure that his justice was readily accessible, the king also sent out judges who made regular journeys around the kingdom. About the year 1180, he set up a Royal Court at Westminster, which sat 348

permanently. With the decline and disappearance of serfdom in the succeeding centuries, “freeman” came to include everyone in the kingdom. Quickies Did you know … • that as fount of justice, the queen is seen to be so dedicated to her people’s welfare that she is presumed by law never to condone wrongdoing? What is “loyal opposition”? A concept developed under constitutional monarchy. It means that if you do it peacefully and lawfully, you can oppose the measures of the government of the day without being regarded as disloyal. The Criminal Code of Canada states: “No person shall be deemed to have a seditious intention by reason only that he intends … to show that Her Majesty has been misled and mistaken in her measures.” Quickies Did you know … • that the royal prerogative is power that belongs to the queen simply in right of being sovereign and is not conferred on her by statute of Parliament? “Reason to rule, but mercy to forgive: The first is law, the last is prerogative.” Regal Remarks

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• Henry II, about his ex-Chancellor, Thomas Becket: “Who will free me from this turbulent priest?” • Rudolf I, on his approachability: “I have not become King to live in acloset.” • Edward III, about his son, the Black Prince at Crécy: “Let the boy win hisspurs!” • Louis XII, who before ascending the throne was Duke of Orleans: “The King of • France does not avenge injuries done to the Duke of Orleans.” • Sigismund: “I am the Emperor Sigismund and above the rules of grammar.” • Frederick III: “The House of Austria is destined to rule the world.” • Maximilian I: “If only we had peace we’d be sitting in a rose garden.” • Charles V, on Martin Luther: “A single friar who goes contrary to all Christianity for a thousand years must be wrong.” • Mary I: “When I am dead and opened, you shall find 'Calais' lying in my heart.”

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• Elizabeth I, in her Golden Speech to Parliament: “Though God hath raised me high, yet this I count the glory of my crown: that I have reigned with your loves.” • Philip II, on the defeat of his great armada: “I sent my ships against men, not against waves.” • James I: “No bishop, no king.” • Ferdinand I: “Let justice be done, though the world perish.” • Charles I: “I am the martyr of the people.” • Louis XIV, when his grandson became king of Spain: “The Pyrenees have ceased to exist.” • Peter I “the Great”: “I hope God will forgive me my many sins because of the good I have tried to do for my people.” • Louis XV: “After me the flood!” • Francis I, to the child Mozart: “You are a little sorcerer!” • Napoleon I: “There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.” • Nicholas II: “I do not wish for war; as a rule I shall do all in my power to preserve for my people the benefits of peace.” • Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, when compared to the “democratic” king of Sweden: “I could govern like the king of Sweden if my people were like the Swedish people.”

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How international has monarchy been? So international that it has bridged geography, race, and religion. Here is an example: Henry III, King of England, married Eleanor of Provence. One of Eleanor’s sisters was married to St. Louis IX, King of France, and yet another, Beatrix, to King Charles I of Naples. Charles and Beatrix’s son, Charles II, King of Naples, married Mary, daughter of Stephen V, King of Hungary. King Charles II’s wife’s sister, Anna, married Andronicus II Paleologus, Emperor of Byzantium. Andronicus’ half sister, Maria, married Abaqa, Il-khan of Persia, whose uncle was Kublai Khan, Emperor of China. A few simple royal and imperial relationships and connections covering about 40 years connected Henry III of England with the Emperor of China, neither of whom was even aware of the other’s existence. Which kings and queens were the only ones anointed with pure chrism? The monarchs of England and France. Chrism is a combination of olive oil and balsam blessed on Maundy Thursday. Other monarchs were anointed with simple olive oil. Who has a right to a bow or curtsy? All monarchs, Imperial and Royal Highnesses, members of sovereign or former sovereign families with the titles of Serene Highness and up. Governors general and spouses as personal representatives of a monarch are also entitled to a bow or curtsy but not lieutenant-governors who represent the sovereign at a remove. 352

For what maxim is the sagacious Louis XVIII best known? Arriving on the hour for a council meeting, the king’s ministers found Louis XVIII already sitting at the head of the table awaiting them. To their apologies for having kept him waiting and compliments on his being ahead of time, His Majesty replied: “Punctuality is the politeness of kings.” How does monarchy favour multicultural societies? In a monarchy, unity is defined through personal allegiance to the sovereign of the country or empire rather than adherence to an ideology, membership in a racial or ethnic group, or commitment to an historical revolution or event. As the Canadian historian W.L. Morton wrote, “Any one, French, Irish, Ukrainian, or Inuit, can be a subject of the Queen and a citizen of Canada without in any way changing or ceasing to be himself.” In his accession speech to the Cortés, King Juan Carlos I of Spain said: “The King wishes to be at once the King of all and the King of each one in his own culture, history and tradition.” What are the rights of a king or queen in a constitutional monarchy? Most monarchies, especially those in the British tradition, do not have specifically defined rights. The great constitutional writer Walter Bagehot suggested, however, that the rights could be best described as the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. Monarchs Who United Peoples

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Menes Edgar “the Peaceable” Kenneth I MacAlpine Canute Eric IV Margaret Ferdinand and Isabella Ferdinand I Henri IV James I Leopold I Wladislow II Jagiello Peter II

Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt English, Danes, Welsh, and Scots Picts and Scots Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, and Saxons Swedes and Goths Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes Castillians and Aragonese Germans, Czechs, and Hungarians French and Navarese English, Scots, and Irish Flemish and Walloons Poles and Lithuanians Serbs, Croats, Slovenians, Montenegrans

What is the Civil List? The Civil List is income derived from the revenue of the Crown Estates (land owned by the sovereign in right of the United Kingdom) and set aside to cover the public expenses of the Crown. The Civil List began in 1689 and originally covered the cost of the armed forces and the expenses of civil government paid by the hereditary revenue of the Crown and by some taxes. In 1760, King George III turned over the entire hereditary revenue to Parliament, which then assumed

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the full cost of government and paid an allowance to the monarch for specifically royal expenses. At the beginning of each reign this arrangement is renewed. What is the Act of Settlement? The Act of Settlement, passed in 1701, governs the succession to the throne in Commonwealth countries and requires, among other things, that the monarch be in communion with the Church of England, and not be, nor be married to, a Catholic. It was passed in the reign of King William III, who had no children, to ensure that after his sister-in-law Anne, who was next in line to the throne, the crown would not pass to the Catholic descendants of his father-in-law, King James II, whom he had overthrown in 1689. Through the principle of “received law,” the act is part of the constitutional law of Canada and can only be altered by an amendment unanimously approved by the Senate, House of Commons, and provincial legislative assemblies. What does the Royal Marriages Act require? The Royal Marriages Act, passed in 1772, requires members of the British royal family to obtain the consent of the sovereign to their marriage prior to the age of 25. They may then marry without consent if Parliament does not object within 12 months. The act was passed at the request of King George III to allow him to control the marital choices of his sons after some unsuitable alliances had been made by members of the royal family. Where does sovereignty lie in Canada?

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Canadian sovereignty is vested in the reigning monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth II). The Constitution Act, 1867, states clearly: “The executive government and authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen.” Has monarchy affected Canada? It’s no exaggeration to say that without monarchy there would have been no Canada. As well as the role monarchs generally played in its exploration and settlement, specific actions of monarchs were crucial to its creation. Had Louis XIV not made Quebec a royal province, French Canada would not have survived. If the Loyalists had not loved their king and constitution, Canada today would be the northern extension of the United States. When the American Revolution ended, George III told those negotiating the peace that he would never agree to abandon Canada, the West Indies, and Newfoundland. Sure enough, the victorious Americans arrived at the peace talks demanding all of North America. They did not get it. In 1867, only the deep loyalty felt to Queen Victoria allowed the provinces of Canada to overcome their rivalries, narrow sectionalism, and unite. How did the Fathers of Confederation view The Crown? The Fathers of Confederation were unanimous in supporting the monarchical form of government for the new country. Sir George Étienne Cartier called the monarchy the “essential element” of the constitution. People on Kingship

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“The King’s name is a tower of strength.” — Richard III, V.iii, Shakespeare ‘Tis a duteous thing To show all honour to an earthly king.” — Anonymous “Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle.” — Reflections on the French Revolution, Burke “The King never dies.” — Blackstone, book 1.17 “Is it not passing brave to be a king And ride in triumph through Persepolis?” — Conquests of Tamburlaine , Marlowe, book 1 “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” — Ecclesiastes, 8.4, the Bible “A substitute shines brightly as a king Until a King be by.” — Merchant of Venice, act 5, scene 1, Shakespeare “The King must not be under man but under God and under the law, because the law makes the King.” — Bracton “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the King.” — Epistle of St. James, 1.17, the Bible “The King is the centre of the majesty of the whole community.” — Blackstone

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“I found that monarchy was the best government for the poor to live in, and commonwealths for the rich.” — The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith “Not all the water in the rough rude sea Can wash the balm from an anointed king; The breath of worldly men cannot depose The deputy elected by the Lord.” — Richard II, act 3, scene 2, Shakespeare “’Twixt kings and tyrants there’s this difference known; Kings seek their subjects’ good; tyrants their own.” — Kings and Tyrants, Herrick “Ultimately, mercy is the surest sign by which the world may distinguish a true king.” — Corneille “The Queen’s government must be carried on.” — Duke of Wellington “What is a King — a man condemn’d to bear The public burden of the nation’s care.” — Solomon, book 3, Prior “Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?” — Exodus, 2.14, the Bible “Live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King — Else, wherefore born?” — Gareth and Lynette, 1.117, Tennyson

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“The mind is free, whate’er afflict the man, A King's a King, do fortune what she can.” — The Barrons’ Wars, Michael Drayton “There is only one species of interest felt for dethroned monarchs — how they bear their misfortunes.” — Charles Lever “There’s such divinity doth hedge a King, That treason can but peep to what it would.” — Hamlet, act 4, scene 5, Shakespeare “I believe that constitutional monarchy is the best defence of democracy.” — Yehudi Menuhin In the Confederation Debates it was resolved that the government of the new country would be carried on “by the Sovereign in person or by her representative duly authorized.” What does the inscription on the Peace Tower in Ottawa mean? The motto of the Royal Arms of Canada, A mari usque ad mare (“From sea to sea”) is taken from the 72nd Psalm — “And he [the King] shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth.” It is this psalm from which the name “Dominion of Canada” is also drawn. The beginning of the psalm is “Give the King thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the King’s son.” The cornerstone of the Peace Tower was laid in 1919 by Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, the son of King George V, and it is the first part of the 72nd Psalm that is carved on the Peace Tower. 359

Philosophers of Kingship

Plato

Aristotle Henry de Bracton St. Thomas Aquinas Niccolò Machiavelli Claude de Seyssel Sir John Fortescue John Aylmer James I Thomas Hobbes François de Mothe-Fénelon Sir Robert Filmer John Locke

“The Philosopher as King,” Books V to VII of The Republic (Athens, fourth century B.C.) Politics (Greece, fourth century B.C.) Treatise on the Laws of England (England, before 1268) On Kingship, To The King Of Cyprus (Italy, before 1274) The Prince (Florence, 1514) La Grant Monarchie de France (Turin, 1519) In Praise of the Laws of England and Monarchia An Harborowe for Faithfull and Trewe Subjects Trew Law of Free Monarchies (Scotland, 1598) Leviathan (England, 1651) La Les Aventures de Télémaque and Table de Chaulnes Patriarcha (England, 1680) Treatises of Government (England, 1690)

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Henry St. John, Viscount The Idea of a Patriot King Bolingbroke (Britain, 1738) Charles de Secondat, Baron Spirit of the Laws (France, de Montesquieu 1748) Reflections on the French Edmund Burke Revolution (Britain, 1790) Theory of Political and Louis, Viscount de Bonald Religious Power in Civil Society (France, 1796) Essay on the Generating Principle of Political Joseph, Count de Miastre Constitutions (Sardinia, 1810) The English Constitution Walter Bagehot (British Empire, 1867) Freedom Wears a Crown John Farthing (Canada, 1957)

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royal nomenclature

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What is the difference between the terms imperial and royal? Though the word royal is often used to refer to all monarchs, it correctly only refers to a monarch of a kingdom and his or her family. Thus an empire has an imperial family (Japan), a kingdom (or dominion) has a royal family (United Kingdom, Canada), and a principality has a princely family (Monaco). Quickies Did you know … • that dominion and realm are synonyms for kingdom? Where did the rulers of China and Japan get the title Emperor? The title was adopted from the West. It was the descriptive term applied to them by Europeans and, in that sense, it, too comes from the Roman Empire. The Chinese and Japanese themselves had a quite different name for their rulers — the “Son of Heaven.” What was the first imperial dynasty of China? The short-lived Ch’in dynasty, whose ruler, Shih Huang-Ti, was the first emperor. The dynasty gave its name to China. Quickies Did you know …

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• that Caesar (Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar) is the root for the titles tsar (Russia), kaiser (Germany), and shah (Iran)? Which king was styled Emperor of Britain? King Edgar, one of the Saxon monarchs. Empire does not inherently mean a geographically large entity as it is used in popular parlance. It means independent of any other sovereignty. “This England is an Empire,” declared Henry VIII by statute. Kings were originally subordinate to emperors. Was the British monarch ever Emperor or Empress of the British Empire? Although there was a British Empire, there has not been a “British Emperor” or “Empress” since 1066, and the title has remained King or Queen. Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India, though, in 1877, and the title Emperor of India was borne by the next four monarchs — Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, and George VI. India became a dominion under King George VI, and a republic before Elizabeth II came to the throne, so George VI was the last Emperor of India. What does the word king mean? King comes from the Old English word cyning. It means “scion of the kin” or “son of the kindred,” the kindred being sacral royalty who were seen as the kin of the gods. Cyning is connected with the Old Norse word konungr, a combination of kin and ung meaning “descendant.” The German word for king — kõnig — is also related and the Russian word for 364

prince — kniaz — derives from konungr too. Everyone knows that the Latin word for king is rex. From the same root come other forms of the name: the Irish ri (ard-ri is “high king”), Hindu raja (maharaja means “great king”), French roi, Italia re, Spanish rey, and so on. Kingship is a world-wide phenomenon. What does queen mean? Queen can have two meanings. A “queen regnant” is a reigning monarch in her own right. A “queen consort” is the wife of a reigning king. In many European countries women could not reign, and in those where they now can, it took centuries for women to establish their right to do so. Ranks in British/Commonwealth Peerage • Duke/Duchess • Marquess/Marchioness • Earl/Countess • Viscount/Viscountess • Baron/Baroness Who was the first English monarch officially addressed as Your Majesty? King Henry VIII was the first to be so addressed. Prior to him, the monarchs were addressed as Your Grace, and Your Majesty was reserved for the emperor. Henry VIII asserted

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that England was subordinate to no other authority than himself so that it was an empire in law, although the title itself was not adopted. How did the term Britannic Majesty originate? It came out of the Jacobite Court of the exiled King James II at St. Germaine-en-Laye. Accustomed to hearing their host, King Louis XIV, referred to as “His Most Christian Majesty,” the Jacobites took to calling their master “His Britannic Majesty.” When it became known, the term was borrowed by the Hanoverian kings of the British Empire and became official. What is a pretender? The term pretender is incorrectly used to describe a former monarch or descendant of a dethroned house who seeks to be restored to the Crown. The proper term for such a person, however, is claimant, not pretender. The individual is asserting old rights, not making a pretense of something to which he is not entitled. Pretender is rightly applied to people such as Perkin Warbeck or the False Dimitry who were imposters. Misuse of the word pretender comes from its application to the exiled Stuart claimants, James III, Charles III, and Henry IX. The ambiguity attached to it led John Byrom to write his doggerel: God bless the King! — I mean the Faith’s Defender, God bless (no harm in blessing) the Pretender! But who Pretender is, or who is King, God bless us all! — that’s quite another thing. 366

Who is the King or Queen of England? Nobody! Though beloved of the media, the title has not existed since 1707. Queen Anne (1701–1714) was the last Queen of England. With the union of England and Scotland, the titles King of England and King of Scotland disappeared. From then on the monarch was King or Queen of Great Britain. Elizabeth II is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Queen of Canada, Queen of Jamaica, etc., but not Queen of England. England, of course, is part of her realm of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Some monarchs have been called “the Great.” What are some sobriquets that have been given to others? Many rulers have been given names denoting their physical characteristics, character traits (good and bad), and record as rulers. Here are some examples: • William “the Conqueror” (England) • Baldwin IV “the Leper” (Jerusalem) • Charles II “the Merry Monarch” (Britain/Commonwealth) • Iorweth “Flat-Nosed” (Wales) • William “the Silent” (Netherlands) • Robert “the Devil” (Normandy) • Leo VI “the Philosopher” (Byzantium)

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• Eochaid “the Venomous” (Scotland) • Aedh “the Lazy-Arsed Youth” (Ireland) • Maximilian I “the last of the Knights” (Holy Roman Empire) • Juana “the Mad” (Spain) • Abdul “the Damned” (Ottoman Empire) • Ivan “the Dread” (Russia) • Albert II “the Degenerate” (Germany) • Magnus VI “Law Mender” (Denmark) • Frederick “the Winter King” (Bohemia) • Mircea III “the Shepherd” (Valachia) • Alfonso XI “the Avenger” (Castile and Leon) • Carlos II “the Bewitched” (Spain) • Edward I “the English Justinian” (England). What near idolatrous terms were applied to Elizabeth I? Among them were the Sun Queen, Second Maid, Second Sun, Virgin Queen, Gloriana, Belphoebe, Sweet Cynthia, Deborah, Beauteous Queen of Second Troy, Monarch Maiden Queen, and Astraea.

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How many titles did the emperor Charles V possess? The emperor had some 75 titles. Some of them were: Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, King of Castile and Leon, King of Aragon and Sicily, King of Naples, King of the Romans, Duke of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant, Duke of Limburg, Duke of Lothier, Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Guelders, Margrave of Namur, Count Palatine of Burgundy, Count of Artois, Count of Charolais, Count of Flanders, Count of Hainault, Count of Holland, Count of Zeeland, and Count of Zutphen. Quickies Did you know … • that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes its name from the ruling royal family, the House of Saud? Why did Maximilian I style himself Emperor Electus? On election, Holy Roman Emperors were termed Romanorum rex — “King of the Romans.” Only when crowned by the pope did they become Romanorum imperator — “Emperor of the Romans.” Maximilian I was unable to get to Rome to be crowned so he obtained from the pope the style Imperator electus — “Emperor Elect.” It was continued by his successors down to the dissolution of the empire in 1806. What is the name of the royal family of Thailand?

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The Chakri dynasty is the name of the royal family. The present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX, is the ninth sovereign of the dynasty. Pre-British emperors of India were known as Moghul emperors. What does Moghul mean? It is a form of the word Mongol. The Indian imperial Timurid dynasty was founded by Tamerlane, who conquered northern India with a Muslim Mongol and Turkish force. One of the army’s minor princes, Babur, seized Delhi and created the Moghul Empire in 1526. How will reigning descendants of Elizabeth II be numbered? Up till now they have taken the numbering of English sovereigns or used English and Scottish numbers together, i.e. James II and VII. In the future, if there are monarchs with both English and Scottish predecessors of the same name, the higher number of one of the old kingdoms will be used alone. The next King James for example will be James VIII, not III, III and VIII, nor XI (total number of Jameses). Quickies Did you know … • that the Royal House of Windsor took its name from Windsor Castle in 1917, when it was changed during the First World War from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, due to anti-German sentiment? How do the Japanese name the reigns of their monarchs?

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Following the death of an emperor, a special name is given to the reign, reflecting the ethos of the time. Emperor Hirohito’s reign is known as Showa, meaning “Enlightened Peace,” to reflect the emperor’s opposition to his government’s policies that brought Japan into the Second World War and his efforts to rebuild a peaceful Japan after its defeat. English/British/Commonwealth Dynastic Names (since 1066) Norman 1066-1154 Plantagenet 1154-1399 Lancaster 1399-1461 York 1461-1485 Tudor 1485-1603 Stuart and Orange 1603-1714 Brunswick or Hanover 1714-1901 Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 1901-1917 Windsor 1917-present Why has the name of the royal family changed from time to time? The name of the British/Commonwealth royal family has changed when the dynasty changed. The change has occurred for one of three reasons: the reigning branch of the royal family had no direct legitimate successors so a cousin from another branch of the family which had its own name took the throne (e.g. the change from Tudor to Stuart); the reigning branch was overthrown or defeated in war (e.g. York to Tudor, Bourbon to Brunswick in Canada), or a queen regnant married and her son assumed his father’s name (e.g.

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Brunswick to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). Queen Elizabeth II has decreed her desire that her successors retain the name Windsor. If this is followed then the pattern of changing dynasties would come to an end and all future monarchs would belong to the House of Windsor. What did the two great British queens, Victoria and Boadicea, have in common? Boadicea in the ancient British language means the same as “Victoria.” She led the Britons in rebellion against their Roman occupiers and is remembered in history as a great patriotic warrior queen. One of the earliest known legal codes bears a king’s name.Who was he? Hammurabi, King of Babylon, who died in 1750 B.C. The code was carved upon a black stone monument, eight feet high, and was intended to be read by all. The monument is currently on display at the Louvre museum in Paris. Canadian Provinces Named After Royalty • Alberta (Princess Louise Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria) • New Brunswick (Royal House of Brunswick) • Prince Edward Island (Prince • Edward, Duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria)

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Australian States Named After Royalty • Queensland (Queen Victoria) • Victoria (Queen Victoria) Why are British kings and queens called “Defender of the Faith”? During the Middle Ages, the king of France became known by the special designation of “His Most Christian Majesty.” All the other kings were envious of this and wished special titles for themselves. The king of Portugal became “His Most Faithful Majesty,” the king of Hungary “His Apostolic Majesty,” and the king of Spain “His Most Catholic Majesty.” King Henry VIII was no exception. In 1521, he wrote a book called Defence of the Seven Sacraments, which attacked the views of Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer. The king sent the book to the pope, Leo X, who was so pleased with it that he gave the king the title “Defender of the Faith,” or in Latin, Fidei Defensor, to be borne by Henry and his successors. Although King Henry VIII shortly afterwards broke with the pope, he and the sovereigns after him kept the title. Consequently, Mary I and James II, who were Roman Catholics; Charles I, who was a passionate Anglican; George I, who had been a Lutheran before becoming king; and Queen Victoria, who, although an Anglican, was really more sympathetic to Presbyterianism, were all known as “Defender of the Faith.” In 1953, separate styles and titles were adopted by the queen for each of her independent realms on the advice of their respective parliaments. For Canada, the queen retained Defender of the Faith but it was redefined again. The prime minister, Louis St. Laurent, explained in the House of 373

Commons that for Canada, which has no state church, but people “who have faith in the direction of human affairs by an all-wise Providence,” the title would henceforth mean “a believer in and a defender of the faith in a supreme ruler.” American States Named After Royalty • Georgia (King George II) • Louisiana (King Louis XIV) • Maryland (Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I) • New York (Prince James, Duke of York, later King James II) • North Carolina (King Charles I) • South Carolina (King Charles I) • Virginia (Queen Elizabeth I — “The Virgin Queen”) • West Virginia (Queen Elizabeth I — “The Virgin Queen”) Quickies Did you know … • that the royal title “Defender of the Faith” harks back to the most ancient days when monarch was both priest and king? Which of Canada’s monarchs was King of Scots in right of his wife?

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King François II of France was married to Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1558 when he was a prince. At his marriage he became King of Scots. In 1559, he succeeded his father as the king of France, but died in 1560. What is a Crown Victoria? The Crown Victoria is a full-size automobile made by the Ford Motor Company in St. Thomas, Ontario, and favoured by police forces throughout North America as their standard cruiser. The name originated in a style of carriage designed in France in the 1830s and named after the then Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria) that featured an elegant low body. The name was eventually passed on to horseless carriages (automobiles) of a similar style. Quickies Did you know … • that George VI’s dramatic and moving broadcast on D-Day calling his people to prayer for victory was an exercise of the monarch’s ancient priestly role? Who was the city of New York named after? Arguably the greatest city in the world, New York was settled by Dutch explorers in 1624 and originally called New Amsterdam. When it was ceded to the British Crown in 1664 it was renamed New York in honour of the brother of King Charles II, Prince James, Duke of York, who later became King James II.

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Quickies Did you know … • that Rotten Row, the famous bridle path for horses in the heart of London, is a corruption of the original French name Route du Roi or “King’s Way”? What was the first ship to cross the Atlantic mostly under steam? The Royal William, constructed and christened in Quebec City in 1831, with engines built in Montreal, was named in honour of King William IV. In 1833 it sailed from Pictou, Nova Scotia, to Gravesend, England, in 25 days with a crew of 36, seven passengers, and a cargo of coal. Every four days she had to stop and clear her boilers of salt. Quickies Did you know … • that Constitution Hill in London is not named to mark a political milestone but because it was the path along which King Charles II took his daily “constitutional” (walk)? What does the motto of the Prince of Wales, “Ich Dien,” mean? Ich dien is German and means “I serve.” It is actually the motto of the heir to the throne, whether or not he, or she, is the Prince of Wales, and was thus the motto of Queen Elizabeth II when she was Princess Elizabeth.

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Why does the Prince of Wales sign his name Charles P.? “Charles P.” is short for Charles Princeps. Princeps is the Latin word for prince. This is how the heir to the throne has signed his name for hundreds of years. He is the only son of the sovereign who uses the p, which he does because he is the Prince of Wales. The word princeps is used because Latin was the language of the law and diplomacy when the practice began. In Canada, this princely signature gave rise to the name E.P. Ranch for the High River, Alberta, property owned by Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII. The present Prince of Wales signed “Charles P.” for the first time when he signed the register for his wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981. Which British dukedoms are held by the heir to the throne? Upon the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles automatically became Duke of Cornwall in England and Duke of Rothesay in Scotland. Incognitos and Aliases of Royalty Charles I Charles II Peter “the Great” Anne (Jacobite) James III (Jacobite) Charles III Louis XVI

Jack Smith William Jackson Peter Mikhailoff Mrs. Morley Chevalier de St. George Betty Burke, Lewie Cawe, James Thompson Durand, a steward

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Marie Antoinette Louis Philippe Victoria Edward VII

Madame Rochet Chabaud de la Tour Lady Churchill, Countess of Balmoral, Countess of Kent Lord Renfrew

Which king named his eldest son and intended heir Arthur? Henry VII. Prince Arthur died in his teens. So strong was the influence of the Arthurian legend that speculation is that had the prince succeeded to the throne it would have been as Arthur the second. Quickies Did you know … • that since the creation of the kingdom of Italy in 1860, the names of the kings of the House of Savoy have alternated between Victor Emmanuel and Umberto? Who gave the word Canadian its modern meaning? In the days of New France, Canadien referred to the ancestors of modern French Canadians. After the Treaty of Paris in 1763 transferred New France to the British Crown, and English and Scottish settlers established themselves, the name continued to refer to those of French descent. The first known use of Canadian in its modern civic sense, meaning a resident of Canada regardless of ethnicity, dates from the first election to the Assembly of Lower Canada in 1791. The 23-year-old Prince Edward, son of the king and future father of Queen

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Victoria, who was then resident in Quebec City, broke up a riot between English and French voters and demanded of them, “Part then in peace. Let me hear no more of the odious distinction of English and French. You are all His Britannic Majesty’s beloved Canadian subjects.” Quickies Did you know … • that the name of the famous Spanish soccer team Real Madrid means “Royal Madrid,” an honour which King Alfonso XIII of Spain granted to the Madrid football club in 1920? Quickies Did you know … • that Georgian Bay in Ontario was named after King George IV? What does “True North” mean in the English version of the anthem “O Canada”? “True North” was borrowed from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem in which he refers to Canada as “That True North whereof we lately heard” in reference to its loyalty to Queen Victoria. It does not mean the North Pole or the real north, implying that the northern lands of other countries are false. It is the use of true in its other context of meaning loyal or faithful, as, for example, lovers are described as “true to each other.” The line of the anthem is describing Canada as loyal

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to the Crown: “We see thee rise / The True North strong and free.” Quickies Did you know … • that Coronation Gulf in the Northwest Territories was named in honour of George IV’s coronation in 1821? Named After Elizabeth II in Canada •Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal •Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver •The Queensway, Ottawa •Place Reine Elizabeth II, Trois-Rivières •Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edmonton •Queen Elizabeth Building, Toronto •Queen Elizabeth II Park, Windsor •Queen Elizabeth Island, Northwest Territories •Queen Elizabeth II Court, Regina •Queen Elizabeth II Canadian Fund to Aid in Research on the Diseases of Children •Parc Reine Elizabeth II, LaPocatière 380

•Queen Elizabeth School, Perth •Golden Jubilee Park, Haliburton •Queen Elizabeth Ranges, Alberta •Queen Elizabeth Planetarium, Edmonton •Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Winnipeg •Queen Elizabeth Foreland, Northwest Territories •Queen Elizabeth II Admission Scholarships •Queen Elizabeth II Cup for show jumping •Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee EndowmentFund What Canadian post-nominals does Elizabeth II have the right to? Her Majesty has the right to the letters U.E., which stand for Unity of the Empire. In 1789, the governor general, Lord Dorchester, decreed that Loyalists from the American Revolution who had “adhered to the unity of the empire and joined the royal standard in America, before the treaty of separation in the year 1783” would be entitled to a “Mark of Honour” and could designate themselves “United Empire Loyalists.” Queen Elizabeth II is descended from two Loyalists, one on her mother’s side and the other on her father’s, and could designate herself “U.E.” if she so wished. Quickies

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Did you know … • that Crown Royal whisky was created by Seagram’s to mark the 1939 tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth? Quickies Did you know … • that Canada is the only country to have two capitals named after Queen Victoria — Victoria, British Columbia, and Regina (“Queen”), Saskatchewan? What are the words of the Loyal Toast? The only proper words for the Loyal Toast are “The Queen.” Some Canadians like to say “The Queen of Canada” to emphasize the Canadian status of the queen, but correctly one only mentions a country if it is a monarch foreign to the person proposing the toast. Thus, only a foreigner should toast “The Queen of Canada.” What are royal warrant holders? They are companies that supply goods and services to Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, or the Prince of Wales, and have been granted the honour as formal recognition of the fact. Having achieved the status they can display on their products “By Appointment to …” Quickies

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Did you know … • that the capitals of five Canadian provinces are, or were, named after royalty — Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Fredericton, New Brunswick; Toronto (formerly York), Ontario; Regina, Saskatchewan; and Victoria, British Columbia? What is “dontopedalogy”? The term was used by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to describe the science of “firmly implanting one’s foot in one’s mouth.” Mnemonic Sequence of English/ British/Commonwealth Monarchs Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee, Harry, Dick, John, Harry, three; One, two, three Neds, Richard two, Harrys four, five, six … then who? Edwards four, five, Dick the bad, Harrys twain and Ned the Lad; Mary, Bessie, James the Vain, Charlie, Charlie, James again …

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William and Mary, Anna Gloria, Four Georges, William and Victoria; Edward seven next, and then George the fifth in 1910; Ned the eighth soon abdicated Then George the sixth was coronated; After which Elizabeth And that’s the end until her death.

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monarchies in action

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What are the most common misconceptions about monarchy? 1) That Canada has ties with the monarchy. Canada does not just have ties, it is a monarchy itself. 2) That Canadians send money to Queen Elizabeth II in England. Her Majesty receives no money whatever from Canadians and never has. Expenses entailed by the monarchy are all connected with public duties and ceremonies such as tours and executive acts. 3) That Her Majesty represents the Crown. It is the other way round. A symbol represents a person, not vice versa. 4) That the king gave up the exercise of all royal powers in Canada by the Letters Patent of 1947 reconstituting the office of governor general. The St. Laurent/Diefenbaker governments got the queen to open Parliament in 1957 as did the Trudeau government in 1977. 5) That the Crown is not only the monarch but “a team of governors.” The Crown is defined by the Interpretation Act as being Her Majesty the Queen or His Majesty the King as the case may be. The “team of governors” is a political science description of how the Crown works and has no basis in law. Countries Elizabeth II Crowned Queen of in 1953 • Australia • Canada • Ceylon • New Zealand • Pakistan

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• South Africa • United Kingdom Is the idea that “kings reign but do not rule” a fiction? This expression is used to convey the fact that while laws are enacted in the name of the king/queen (reigns), the political decisions behind them are made by ministers (rules). In most monarchies, including Commonwealth ones, the distinction is not written down in law. Linguistically the two words mean the same thing, as well, but political convention has given them a distinction that is now readily understood. Is constitutional monarchy only an emasculated form of real monarchy? People have the idea that all kings were originally absolute. That is incorrect. Medieval monarchs for the most part possessed no standing army, bureaucracy, or adequate revenue. They had power only over the king’s personal domain; that is, the lands he himself owned. Their authority over the whole kingdom was recognized, but because it was not based on brute power, their will could not be everywhere enforced. While there were many cases of monarchs abusing power, the concept of the absolute king was both classical and renaissance, and when constitutional monarchy evolved in the 17th through the 20th centuries it was a fulfillment of earlier kingship, not a repudiation or diminution of it. Constitutional monarchy is an advanced version of medieval kingship. Many of its attributes, such as Parliament, habeas corpus, and trial by jury, were medieval innovations.

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Current Realms of Queen Elizabeth II • Antigua and Barbuda • Australia • Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Canada • Grenada • Jamaica • New Zealand • Papua New Guinea • St. Christopher and Nevis • St.Lucia • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Solomon Islands • Tuvalu • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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How did we come to send people to represent us in Parliament? Between 1275 and 1307, King Edward I of England established the practice of summoning knights from the counties and men from the towns to his High Court of Parliament. These knights and townsmen were to discuss the affairs of the kingdom with the great nobles, who alone had previously met with the king in parliament. The knights and townsmen represented the “communities” of the kingdom — hence the term “House of Commons.” King Edward I’s Parliament of 1295, with its lords, knights, and townsmen, is known to history as the “Model Parliament,” and after 1307, Parliament organized in this way became the distinctive feature of English politics. Ever since, the representation of communities has been one of our chief constitutional principles. It remained only to expand the actual number of people who chose these members of Parliament over succeeding centuries, until in the 20th century universal suffrage was introduced. Who make up the Parliament of Canada? The Parliament of Canada consists of the reigning queen or king, the Senate, and the House of Commons. It was created in 1867 by the Constitution Act 1867 (formerly the British North America Act 1867), Section 17. Quickies Did you know …

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• that Canada is, geographically, the largest monarchy in the world? What are the central gates of Parliament Hill in Ottawa called? They are called the Queen’s Gates and face onto Wellington Street. They are only opened for the arrival of the sovereign or the representative of the sovereign, generally at the opening of Parliament for the entrance of the state landau and escort. What is royal assent? A nod. Literally. Much as the media loves to talk about monarchs or their representatives having signed bills into law, the historic legislative act was a nod from the throne. Only afterwards did the sovereign or viceregal representative sign anything. Following the nod by the person sitting on the throne, it was announced that the king, queen, governor general, or lieutenant-governor had consented to the bills. With that, the measures instantly became Acts of Parliament or Legislature. The old Norman French formula of assent was le roi le veult or “the king wills it” and refusal of assent le roi s’avisera, “the king will think it over.” The formula for assent to money bills was different. When King George VI gave royal assent to a Commons supply bill in the Senate in Ottawa on May 19, 1939, the clerk of the Senate declared, “His Majesty the King thanks his loyal subjects, accepts their benevolence, and assents to this bill.” Since passage of the Royal Assent Act in 2002 the traditional procedure in Canada is followed at least twice each calendar year, once for a supply bill and once for an ordinary bill. On other occasions a 390

written declaration of royal assent is provided to the Speakers of the Senate and Commons who read it out to their respective houses. In either practice the procedure remains the sovereign’s legislative act not an executive one. How did the sovereign give assent in the Scottish kingdom (prior to 1707)? Prior to the union with England in 1707, Scotland had its own parliament with its own royal traditions. The monarch gave royal assent by touching the bill with the sceptre, the symbol of royal authority. Which king gave the royal assent in Parliament in person only once in his life? King George VI, when he met his Canadian Parliament in 1939. He never performed this act in person in any of his other parliaments or legislatures. Queen Victoria was the last monarch to give royal assent in person in Britain and that was in 1854. Laws Enacted, Proclaimed, or Otherwise Made by Monarchs Code of Hammurabi Edict of Milan Theodosian Code Corpus Juris Civilis Siete Partidas Magna Carta

Hammurabi Constantine “the Great” Theodosius II Justinian I Alfonso X John

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Statutes of Winchester, Edward I Mortmain Wislica-Piotrków Statutes Casimir III “the Great” Statute of Praemunire Richard II Act of Supremacy, Act of Henry VIII Words Act of Supremacy Elizabeth I Western Charter for Charles I Newfoundland Habeus Corpus Act Charles II Act of Succession William III Constitutional Act 1791 George III Code Napoléon Napoleon I Emancipation of Slaves William IV British North America Act Victoria Statute of Emancipation of Alexander II Serfs Statute of Westminster George V Constitution Act 1982 Elizabeth II Who is Black Rod? The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, in the United Kingdom, or the Usher of the Black Rod, in Canada, is the chief usher to the sovereign or her representative and is seen most frequently as the monarch’s messenger at the opening of Parliament. The name comes from the colour of the rod of office that is carried. What is the mace? 392

Originally a weapon for the close protection of the sovereign by his or her personal bodyguard, the mace evolved into a symbol of the sovereign’s authority in Parliament and other legislative bodies. In the evolution the handle with the crown on it grew larger as the mace’s symbolic role increased and its defensive role diminished. What does the legal maxim “the king can do no wrong” mean? Not that he is infallible! Nor that wrong is not sometimes done in the king’s name. It means that the king countenances no wrong and wishes all wrongs to be corrected. As Jowitt in his Dictionary of English Law states: “if an evil act is done, it, though emanating from the king personally, will be imputed to his ministers, for whose acts the king is in no way responsible.” Quickies Did you know … • that a draft accession declaration accompanied Princess Elizabeth on her October 1951 tour of Canada in case her father, the ailing King George VI in London, should have died during the tour? Who was the first governor general of Canada? Not Samuel de Champlain as often stated. A governor general is the personal representative of the monarch. The first person in Canada to be so was Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle who became the king’s representative when Louis XIV made

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Quebec a royal province. Champlain was more like the later governors of the Hudson’s Bay Company. What was the Royal Proclamation of 1763? Issued by the king, it contained George III’s policy for incorporating the new territories in North America and the West Indies obtained by the Treaty of Paris into the governance of the royal dominions. It recognized the aboriginal treaty rights and promised a legislature to Quebec. Who first suggested a federal union of the North American provinces? It was suggested by the Duke of Kent in 1814. His letter to Jonathan Sewell, Chief Justice and Speaker of the Legislative Council in Lower Canada, anticipating Confederation by over 50 years, was cited by Lord Durham, in his report, and in the Confederation debates. What carefully recorded words did Sir John A. Macdonald say to Queen Victoria on the eve of Confederation? Queen Victoria granted Macdonald an audience at Buckingham Palace at noon on March 21, 1867. After kneeling and kissing her hand, Sir John told Her Majesty that the purpose of Confederation was “to declare in the most solemn and emphatic manner our resolve to be under the sovereignty of Your Majesty and your family forever.” Quickies Did you know …

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• that Canada is one of only three of the queen’s realms outside the United Kingdom (where it is called Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council) to have a Queen’s Privy Council? The other two Privy Councils are in Jamaica and Northern Ireland. Who appointed Canada’s first foreign representatives? King George V appointed the Canadian delegate to the League of Nations in 1920 and the Canadian minister to the United States in 1926. What is a minister in attendance? When visiting a Commonwealth country of which the queen is sovereign, members of the royal family are always accompanied by a member of the host government, known as the minister in attendance. Did Queen Elizabeth II “sign over” Canadian independence on April 17, 1982, in Ottawa during the patriation of the Canadian Constitution ceremony on Parliament Hill, as is sometimes claimed? No, she did not. Queen Elizabeth II is both Queen of the United Kingdom and Queen of Canada. In 1982, she first gave royal assent in London to the Canada Act, passed by the British Parliament, which transferred the last remaining areas of jurisdictions over Canada held by Britain. Her Majesty then travelled to Ottawa, where, as the Queen of Canada, she signed a proclamation accepting these authorities on behalf of Canada and establishing the Constitution Act, 1982. In effect,

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she transferred powers from herself as the British queen to herself as the Canadian queen. Royal Governors General and Chatelaines of Canada • John, Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada 1878–1883 • Princess Louise, wife of Marquis of Lorne, Chatelaine 1878–1883 • Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Governor General 1911–1916 • Princess Louise, Duchess of Connaught, Chatelaine 1911– 1916 • Earl of Athlone, formerly Prince Alexander of Teck, Governor General 1940–1946 • Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, Chatelaine 1940–1946 Has Queen Elizabeth II ever represented Canada abroad? Yes, on many occasions. As the embodiment of the Canadian State, Her Majesty always represents Canada, as well as all her other realms, at all times. But Elizabeth II has specifically represented Canada in the United States in 1951 (as a princess), 1957, and 1959, and in France in 1984, 1994, and 2007, for example. When did beginning a monarch’s reign from the death of his predecessor start?

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In British/Commonwealth practice it began with the accession of Edward I to the throne in 1272. Edward was in Palestine when his father died. His return would take months, so the barons put their hands on the old king’s coffin, swore allegiance to Edward, and issued a proclamation stating that he reigned “by hereditary succession and by the will and fidelity of the leaders of the realm.” The accession of the king who followed Edward took place the day after his father’s death. This innovation superseded the old practice of “electing” a king (from among the royal family) and dating his reign from his coronation. Members of the Royal Family Who Wanted to or Almost Became Governor General of Canada • Duke of Kent 1811 • Duke of Albany 1881 • Prince Alexander of Teck 1914 • Duke of York 1930 • Duke of Windsor 1921 and 1944 • Duke of York 1990 Are there countries in the Commonwealth which are monarchies but which do not have Queen Elizabeth II as monarch? There are five: Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, Swaziland, and Tonga. Their current monarchs are Sultan Haji Hassanal

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Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, King Letsie III, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, King Mswati III, and King George Tupou V, respectively. Before being unified under a single ruler, did some nations have more than one king? Ireland had 90 kingdoms, large and small, with three grades of kings. In Norway there were 29 local kings. What country had more than one king at a time? Sparta had two kings and was known as a diarchy. In the Irish Free State in 1936, the proclamation of King George VI by error took effect before the time set for the abdication of Edward VIII to become operative had come. For those few hours Ireland had two kings. Queens Regnant Commonwealth

of

Scotland/

• Margaret (Scotland), 1286–1290 • Mary (Scotland), 1542–1567 • Mary I, 1553–1558 Elizabeth I, 1558–1603 • Mary II, 1689–1694 • Anne, 1702–1714 • Victoria, 1837–1901

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England/Britain/

• Elizabeth II, 1952–present What do the Royal House of Spain, the Grand Ducal House of Luxemburg, former royal, imperial, or ducal houses of France, Brittany, Burgundy, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, Hungary, Parma, Etruria, and Brazil, and the Latin emperors of Constantinople have in common? Unlike the crowns of other kingdoms that have passed through several families, these dynasties were all different male lines of the one royal house called after Hugues Capet, king of France in the year 987. For what imperial reason was Venice founded? The famed city on the Adriatic was established by Venetians who wanted to remain subjects of the Byzantine emperor rather than the new revived Roman emperor of the West. Who made the most famous gibe about the Holy Roman Empire? The Holy Roman Empire saw itself as the successor to the original Roman Empire. The official name was the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and it mainly embraced the Germanic areas of Europe. The sceptic Voltaire said it was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire. How did the king of Hungary categorize the Habsburgs’ amazing ability to collect lands, not by war, but through marriage?

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Matthias Corvinus of Hungary originated one of history’s cleverest tags. It went: “By others let the wars be waged, thou, happy Austria, get engaged!” Perhaps it was envy on his part for, unlike the Habsburgs, Matthias Corvinus pursued the usual means of war to build up his kingdom, defeating both the Turks and the Bohemians in the process. But his success was short-term whereas the Habsburgs’ matrimonial aggrandizement continued, bringing them the great Burgundian inheritance and allowing them to flourish until the end of the Holy Roman Empire and even afterwards. Which two 20th century monarchs saved their countries at moments of grave crisis and peril? King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and King Juan Carlos I of Spain did so. In 1943, Italy, one of the Axis powers of the Second World War, was reeling from defeat on land, sea, and air on every front. Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator-prime minister, stiffened in his resolve by Adolf Hitler, was unwilling and unable to alter course. Using the royal power, Victor Emmanuel III dismissed Mussolini as prime minister, arrested him, and appointed a government that took Italy out of the alliance with Germany and into the Allied camp. The crucial nature of the king’s action is understood when the Italian situation is compared with the German. No monarch existed in Germany to dismiss Hitler, and the German fûhrer prolonged the war to its bitter end, ensuring the deaths of millions more victims and bringing about the devastation of his country. Arguments over whether King Victor Emmanuel III should have entrusted the Fascists with office in Italy in the first place — he thought he was preventing civil war in which Mussolini would have seized the government anyway — will never be resolved, but the decision and courage of the 400

king’s action in 1943 cannot be denied. Unfortunately, instead of being acclaimed for saving his country, the king’s royal house, which the previous century had unified Italy as one state, was made the scapegoat for the Mussolini years. In 1946, in a plebiscite of highly questionable fairness and legality, in which the anti-democratic Communist Party and United States hostility to monarchy played their role, Italy by a very slim majority rejected the monarchy and became a republic. The second monarch who saved his country was King Juan Carlos I of Spain. On the death of the Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, in 1975, the monarchy was restored in Spain in the person of Juan Carlos I. After Spain had undergone a savage civil war and nearly 40 years of dictatorship, the restored monarch peacefully reintroduced democracy to the country’s political and civil life. After the transition was made, dissidents in the armed forces staged an attempted coup d’état on February 23, 1981, filling the streets with troops and taking the Cortes, the Spanish parliament, hostage. The next day, Juan Carlos I appeared on television and broadcast to the country, telling Spaniards he would not tolerate interruption of the newly ratified democratic constitution. As head of the armed forces, the king warned the rebels of the risk of civil war and said he would not abdicate or leave the country and that the only way they would prevail was by shooting him. Faced with the king’s bold action and determined resolve, the rebellion collapsed. The king single-handedly saved Spanish democracy. Modern Monarchies (other than those of Queen Elizabeth II) • Andorra 401

• Bahrain • Belgium • Bhutan • Brunei • Cambodia • Denmark • Japan • Jordan • Lesotho • Liechtenstein • Luxembourg • Malaysia (electivemonarchy) • Monaco • Morocco • Netherlands • Norway • Qatar

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• Saudi Arabia • Swaziland • Sweden • Thailand • Tonga • United Arab Emirates (elective monarchy) • Vatican City (electivemonarchy) Of what country besides Britain/Commonwealth is “God Save the King” the royal anthem? “God Save the Queen” inspired many royal anthems around the world but in the case of Norway it was actually adopted as the tune for the Norwegian royal anthem, “Kongesangen.” The originally words were written by Henrik Wergeland and the current version was composed by Gustav Jensen for the coronation of King Haakon VII in 1906. When Norway became independent, the country approached a Highland chieftain about being its king.Why? The Norwegians offered their throne to The McLeod, Chief of Clan McLeod. Centuries before, the McLeods had been kings of the Isle of Man and claimed to be a branch of the medieval royal house of Norway. (The McLeod declined.)

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Quickies Did you know … • that Queen Victoria’s Canadian prime minister, Sir John Thompson, died at her dinner table at Windsor Castle? What is one of the first things we find out about each new American president? The media always reports on whether the new president has a royal descent. George Bush the elder, on being elected in 1988, was reported as having more royal ancestors than any other United States president. A royal descent was forged for Abraham Lincoln. Barack Obama is said to be the descendant of African kings. Canadian Prime Ministers of Queen Elizabeth II • Louis St. Laurent (1952–1957) • John Diefenbaker (1957–1963) • Lester Pearson (1963–1968) • Pierre Trudeau (1968–1979; 1980–1984) • Joseph Clark (1979–1980) • John Turner (1984) • Brian Mulroney (1984–1993)

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• Kim Campbell (1993) • Jean Chretien (1993–2004) • Paul Martin (2004–2006) • Stephen Harper (2006–present) What was Field Marshal Jan Smuts’s advice to Princess Frederica of Greece? Jan Smuts had been a leader of the Boers in the war against Britain but became a staunch supporter of the monarchy after South Africa became a British dominion. He told Princess Frederica, “If a nation does not want a monarchy, change the nation’s mind. If a nation does not need a monarchy, change the nation’s needs.”

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monarchy and the military

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How can one tell the seniority of the regiments in the Household Division? The seniority is indicated by their tunic buttons. The Grenadier Guards (first) have evenly spaced buttons. The Coldstream Guards (second) have pairs of buttons. The Scots Guards (third) have their buttons in groups of three, the Irish Guards (fourth) in groups of four, and the Welsh Guards (fifth) in groups of five. The system is not used in Canada where the regiments copy their British affiliates instead of using Canadian seniority. Thus, the Governor General’s Foot Guards are senior to the Canadian Grenadier Guards but they are affiliated with the Coldstream Guards so they have buttons in pairs, and the Canadian Grenadier Guards wear evenly spaced buttons although they are junior. The foot guards in London mount a guard in front of Buckingham Palace. Why are there also two mounted troops of the Household Cavalry at the Horse Guards building on Whitehall Road? While it appears to visitors that the grounds of Buckingham Palace begin at the gates of the palace, all of St. James’s Park in front of the palace and Horse Guards Parade up to Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square is actually part of the grounds of the palace, though open to the public. is actually part of the grounds of the palace, The central gateway through the Horse Guards building, not Admiralty Arch, is the official entrance to the grounds, so the mounted troops are guarding the entrance to the grounds of the palace and the foot guards are guarding the palace within the grounds.

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Quickies Did you know … • that the celebrated bearskin headdresses used by the Queen’s Guards regiments are made from Canadian bears? Why is there a changing of the guard in Ottawa? After Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952, she adopted the separate style and title “Queen of Canada.” Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, Chief of the Canadian General Staff, advised that in keeping with the queen’s new style, a regiment of Canadian Guards be created. This took place in 1953. When the queen took up residence at Government House, Ottawa, in the summer of 1959, a mounting and changing of the guard similar to that carried out at Buckingham Palace was arranged. It proved such a popular spectacle that it has been continued ever since during the summer months of the year. To allow as many people as possible to view the ceremony, the changing takes place on Parliament Hill before the guard marches to Rideau Hall to mount guard. Why is the ceremonial troop of the Royal Horse Artillery known as the King’s Troop and not the Queen’s Troop? In 1939, the last battery of the Royal Horse Artillery was mechanized. King George VI wished, however, that after the war a mounted troop would be reformed in traditional dress. Through the king’s interest, the Riding Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, was created and His Majesty inspected it personally in 1947. While signing the guest book, the king crossed out 408

“Riding Troop” and substituted “The King’s Troop.” When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne, she decided that the troop would retain that name in honour of her father’s special role in creating it. Royal Colonels-in-Chief in Canada The colonel-in-chief of a regiment is its (usually royal) patron. They do not have an operational role, but are kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its operational units. Their chief purpose is to maintain a direct link between the regiment and the royal family. • Queen Elizabeth II (16 units) • Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (6 units) • Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (6 units) • Prince Andrew, Duke of York (3 units) • Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (3 units) • Princess Anne, Princess Royal (7 units) • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1 unit) • Prince Michael of Kent (1 unit) • Princess Alexandra, Hon. Lady Ogilvy (2 units) • Sophie, Countess of Wessex (1 unit)

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• Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (1 unit) Household Regiments of the Queen • The Life Guards (United Kingdom) • The Blues and Royals (United Kingdom) • The Governor General’s Horse Guards (Canada) • The Grenadier Guards (United Kingdom) • The Coldstream Guards (United Kingdom) • The Scots Guards (United Kingdom) • The Irish Guards (United Kingdom) • The Welsh Guards (United Kingdom) • The Canadian Guards (Canada) (on supplementary order of battle since 1970) • The Governor General’s Foot Guards (Canada) • The Canadian Grenadier Guards (Canada) • The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery (United Kingdom) (assigned to household duties) • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Canada) (assigned to household duties) Who was the last British/Commonwealth king in combat? 410

King George II led his troops at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743. Subsequently King William IV, King Edward VIII, and King George VI served in combat before they became monarchs. King George II’s action is therefore regarded as the last occasion on which a monarch served in combat. But it has been noted by some that since the home front in the Second World War was also the front line, especially during the blitz on London, King George VI could also be said to have led his people in battle. What was Queen Victoria’s view of honouring the troops? When she wanted to telegraph a message to her troops in South Africa following the uncertain Battle of Colenso, her private secretary said the sovereign only did so when they had won a victory. Replied Queen Victoria: “And since when have I not been proud of my troops whether in success or defeat? Clear the line!” Quickies Did you know … • that the modern expression of the monarch’s ancient role of leader of the people in battle is the constitutional vesting of the Command in Chief of Canada in the queen? Members of the Royal Family Holding the Canadian Forces Decoration • Queen Elizabeth II (from King George VI)

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• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (from Queen Elizabeth II) • Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (from Queen Elizabeth II) • Prince Andrew, Duke of York (from Queen Elizabeth II) • Princess Anne, Princess Royal (from Queen Elizabeth II) • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (from Queen Elizabeth II) • Princess Alexandra, Hon. Lady Ogilvy (from Queen Elizabeth II) • The Countess Mountbatten of Burma (from Queen Elizabeth II) What is the difference in appearance between the modern British and Canadian Victoria Crosses? As part of its policy of “Canadianizing” its honours system, the Victoria Cross was readopted as a Canadian decoration in 1992. It is almost exactly the same in appearance. However, the Canadian version of the Victoria Cross has the original motto “For valour” translated into Latin, as Pro valore, to accommodate Canadian bilingualism by using a neutral third language. Some Latin scholars claim, however, that it is a poor translation, that looks right but is incorrect, and that Pro valore actually translates as “For value.” In old age, Queen Victoria created a very personal award for heroism. What was it?

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Fired by the valour of her troops in the Boer War, Queen Victoria, who decades earlier instituted the Victoria Cross, the world’s most famous honour for gallantry, crocheted eight scarves with the royal cipher VRI cross-stitched in one corner. The scarves were for distinguished soldiers of the Canadian, Australian, South African, and New Zealand forces serving in South Africa. The Canadian commander nominated Private Richard Rowland Thompson, an Irishman who came to Canada in 1897 and had risked his life saving fellow soldiers, for a scarf. It was duly awarded. On Victoria Day 1965, Thompson’s family presented the precious scarf to the Canadian War Museum where it is on display. Why is the gun carriage at a royal funeral drawn by men and not horses? This practice originated at the funeral of Queen Victoria on February 2, 1901. The weather on that winter’s day was so cold that one of the horses, ready to draw the gun carriage with the queen’s coffin from Windsor station, shied and snapped the traces. No one knew quite what to do until Prince Louis of Battenburg (husband of one of the queen’s granddaughters), with great presence of mind, ordered his sailors to drag the gun carriage along the route using the royal train’s communication cord. What began as a makeshift arrangement became a venerable tradition of subsequent royal funerals. What does NCSM stand for? Canadian warships are designated Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship or HMCS. Following the adoption of official bilingualism in Canada, no designation was officially used in 413

French for Canadian ships. After 1984 this was corrected and HMCS was translated into French as Navire Canadien de Sa Majesté or NCSM. Why do Canadian naval officers drink to the queen’s health seated? King Charles II dined with the officers of the ship on which he was returning to England in 1660 from exile, to assume the throne that he had legally held since 1649. His health was proposed. As the king rose to accept the toast, he struck his head against one of the low deckhead beams. He immediately declared that all future naval toasts to the sovereign should, for safety’s sake, be drunk seated. Naval Reserve Divisions in Canada with Royal Names • HMCS Brunswicker (Saint John, New Brunswick) • HMCS Queen (Regina, Saskatchewan) • HMCS Queen Charlotte (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) • HMCS York (Toronto,Ontario) What daring royal commando operation was contemplated from Canada? Sir David Kirke, the half-English half-French adventurer, who captured Quebec for his king in 1629, received a grant of land in Newfoundland from the Crown when he had to restore the spoils of war. At Ferryland in the south-eastern part of the

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Avalon Peninsula, he took over the mansion abandoned by Lord Baltimore a short while before. When the Great Rebellion against Charles I broke out, Kirke wrote to His Majesty offering him a refuge in Ferryland. To better receive the king, he added towers to his mansion. He busily fitted out a fleet of heavily armed ships with which to invade England in conjunction with the king’s cousin, Prince Rupert, to rescue Charles I. In the end, Kirke’s plans fell through and the king went to his death on the scaffold. Did King George VI see combat in the First World War? As the second son of the king, and not expected to succeed to the throne, Prince Albert (as King George VI was then known) was not kept out of harm’s way. He was a serving officer in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Cumberland, a cruiser. In 1916, the future king’s ship fought as part of the Grand Fleet in the famous Battle of Jutland against the German High Seas Fleet. Quickies Did you know … • that the HMS Prince of Wales, the Royal Navy battleship named in honour of the future King Edward VIII, who would abdicate, was considered a “bad luck” ship? It had an accident on launching, was present when HMS Hood was blown up by the German battleship Bismarck, and then was itself sunk by Japanese aircraft, the first battleship at sea to be destroyed from the air.

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Why does the former Royal Yacht Britannia (now a museum) have a collapsible mast? The Britannia had a fixed mast when it was constructed in 1952. In 1959, Her Majesty the Queen opened the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the Britannia sailed through the Great Lakes with the sovereign on board. The yacht’s mast was higher than the hydro wires over the St. Lawrence River section of the seaway. In order to allow the Britannia to pass through, the mast was hinged for lowering and raising. It has remained so to this day. What was the name of the ship that Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, once commanded? For five years, from the autumn of 1971 until the end of 1976, the Prince of Wales was a serving officer in the Royal Navy. He was posted to HMS Norfolk, HMS Minerva, and HMS Hermes during those five years. In 1976, the Prince of Wales’s final posting was as commanding officer of the minehunter HMS Bronington. Commonwealth Police Forces with Royal Designations (current) • The Royal Bahamas Police Force • The Royal Barbados Police Force • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police • The Royal Gibraltar Police

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• The Royal New foundl and Constabulary • The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force Quickies Did you know … • that of the aircraft carriers existing or planned in the navies of the world, six are named after royalty — Principe de Asturias (Spain), Juan Carlos I (Spain), HMS Queen Elizabeth (United Kingdom), HMS Prince of Wales (United Kingdom), HTMS Chakri Naruebet (Thailand), and INS Vikramaditya (India)? What is a Queen’s Colour? Each infantry regiment in the queen’s realms has two colours, or flags. The junior one represents the regiment (the Regimental Colour) and the senior one represents the queen’s authority (the Queen’s Colour). Except for guards regiments, which reverse the pattern, the former is based on the regimental badge and colours and the Queen’s Colour is based on the Royal Union Flag or the National Flag and the regimental badge. What is the difference between the Yeomen of the Guard and the Yeomen Warders of the Tower? Yeomen of the Guard are retired non-commissioned officers from the British Army who serve as ceremonial personal guards to the queen on various state functions. Yeomen Warders of the Tower are similarly drawn from retired

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soldiers but serve only at the Tower of London. Because they were both established by King Henry VIII and still wear Tudor uniforms, they are frequently thought to be the same unit. The confusion was not helped by Gilbert and Sullivan, who wrote their famous operetta about the unit at the tower but erroneously called it The Yeomen of the Guard. Royal Colonels-in-Chief in the United Kingdom • Queen Elizabeth II (16 units) • Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (4 units) • Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (6 units) • Prince Andrew, Duke of York (4 units) • Princess Anne, Princess Royal (4 units) • Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (2 units) • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (1 unit) • Sophie, Countess of Wessex (1 unit) • Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (1 unit) Who approved a plot to kidnap the first member of the British royal family in North America? During the American Revolution, General George Washington, commanding the rebel forces, authorized a 1781 abduction attempt on Prince William (William IV) at New

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York. The prince was serving with the Royal Navy during the rebellion. The kidnapping failed to come off and Prince William continued his naval career. Quickies Did you know … • that William IV appointed a son of Benedict Arnold, the American “traitor” but Canadian “Loyalist,” as his aide-de-camp? Is it true that when King George III’s army surrendered to the colonial rebels at Yorktown in 1781 they were so disconsolate that their band played “The World Turned Upside Down”? The band did in fact play the tune used for the song “The World Turned Upside Down,” so the story, recounted in American independence mythology, may be true. But the same tune was also the music for another song well known at that time entitled “When the King Enjoys His Own Again,” providing the alternative Loyalist belief that the troops surrendered with defiance, not despair. When was Trooping the Colour on the sovereign’s birthday first held? The Trooping the Colour parade is one of the most recognized ceremonial events held each year in London. To many tourists it is the royal event to see. The ceremony is held on the official birthday of the monarch, not the actual birthday. The first trooping on the sovereign’s birthday was held in 1785 for the birthday of King George III.

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Why was the Duke of Kent’s residence in Canada abruptly interrupted in 1794? Prince Edward, the young major general, was sent at his own request on active service to the West Indies where he commanded a brigade of guards at the taking of Martinique and St. Lucia. On his return to Canada following the successful military expedition, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. For what occasion was a general amnesty granted to the rebels of 1837? Various local grievances in Lower Canada led to armed rebellion in 1837. Most of the rebels (such as George Étienne Cartier) remained loyal to the young queen who had just acceded to the throne, however, and insisted they were only resisting local authorities. The following year, to mark the coronation of Queen Victoria on June 28, 1838, a general amnesty was granted to the rebels. Who thought up the military jackboot? George T. Denison of Toronto, founder of what became the Governor General’s Horse Guards, got the idea from the boots worn by Canadian lumberjacks. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, Commander-in-Chief of the forces, read about Denison’s idea in the latter’s book Modern Cavalry. The duke had the jackboot adopted for all cavalrymen in Queen Victoria’s forces in place of booted overalls. When did Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and governor general of Canada from 1911–1916, first go to Canada? 420

Prince Arthur, the third son of Queen Victoria, was a professional soldier. In 1869 he was stationed in Canada as an officer with the 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade, and fought at the Battle of Eccles Hill against the Fenian invaders of Canada, for which he received the Canadian Fenian Medal. In later years, as governor general, he cited his military service, saying, “I merely mention this as I should not like you to think that I am a relatively Canadian.” Royal Colonels-in-Chief in the Commonwealth • Queen Elizabeth II (9 units — 5 Australia, 4 New Zealand) • Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (2 units — 1 Australia, 1 New Zealand) • Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (2 units — 1 Australia, 1 Papua, New Guinea) • Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1 unit — New Zealand) • Princess Anne, Princess Royal (3 units — 1 Australia, 2 New Zealand) • Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (2 units — 1 Australia, 1 New Zealand) • Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (3 units — 1 Australia, 1 Bermuda, 1 New Zealand) Who is the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry named after?

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The regiment was raised in 1914 at the start of the First World War and was the first Canadian regiment to go overseas in that war. It was named after the daughter of the Duke of Connaught, who was governor general of Canada at the time. Princess Patricia was living at Rideau Hall with her parents and was very popular with Canadians. She later gave up her royal title when she married and became known as Lady Patricia Ramsey. Which Canadian was knighted by his king on the battlefield? Sir Arthur Currie, commander of the Canadian Corps, was knighted by George V after the capture of Vimy Ridge in 1917. Which two Canadian regiments have confusingly similar royal names? The Royal Canadian Regiment, a regular and reserve force unit based in Petawawa, Ontario, Gagetown, New Brunswick, and London, Ontario, of which Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is colonel-in-chief and The Royal Regiment of Canada, a reserve unit based in Toronto, of which Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, is colonel-in-chief. Quickies Did you know … • that Canadian Vivian Tremaine was the nurse who cared for George V during his convalescence from the serious accident he sustained on the Western Front during the First World War?

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What organization placed the statue of King George VI at the University of British Columbia? The local branch of the War Amps of Canada. Who was Burmese? She was a black mare, born in 1962, and given to Queen Elizabeth II by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The queen rode her for 18 consecutive Trooping the Colour parades on her official birthday in London, from 1969 to 1986. Burmese died in 1990. Who was the only monarch to be decorated for valour while serving with the British Forces in the field? King George II of the Hellenes (Greece), a first cousin of the Duke of Edinburgh, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) for service in Crete in the Second World War. When the Nazis invaded Greece and seized Athens, King George II and his government went to Crete and organized resistance from there until that island was also overrun. Canadian Warships Named (Directly or Indirectly) After Royalty • HMCS Annapolis [Second World War destroyer] • HMCS Annapolis (2nd) [post-war destroyer escort] • HMCS Charlottetown [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Charlottetown (2nd) [Second World War frigate]

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• HMCS Charlottetown (3rd) [current frigate] • HMCS Cobourg [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Dauphin [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Fredericton [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Fredericton (2nd) [current frigate] • HMCS Georgian [Second World War minesweeper] • HMCS Guelph [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Kentville [Second World War minesweeper] • HMCS Kingston [current maritime coastal defence vessel] • HMCS Louisburg [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Louisburg (2nd) [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Montreal [Second World War frigate] • HMCS Montreal (2nd) [current frigate] • HMCS Port Arthur [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Port Dauphine [post-war auxiliary] • HMCS Port de la Reine [post-war auxiliary] • HMCS Port St. Louis [post-war auxiliary]

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• HMCS Prince Rupert [Second World War frigate] • HMCS Regina [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Regina (2nd) [current frigate] • HMCS Royalmount [Second World War frigate] • HMCS Victoria [current submarine] • HMCS Victoriaville [Second World War frigate] • HMCS West York [Second World War corvette] • HMCS Windsor [current submarine]

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pomp and pageantry

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What does it mean to be “born in the purple”? This is an expression, now meaning to be well born, given to the language by monarchy. It derives from the Byzantine Empire. The family of the emperor of Byzantium were said to be porphyrogeniti — translated “born in the purple.” A dynasty of Byzantine emperors was even called the Porphyrogenitus family. Why are the colours of Canada red and white? Following the terrible ordeal of the First World War, King George V wished to honour the gallant sacrifice made by his Canadian subjects. He therefore assumed Royal Arms for Canada and, in doing so, assigned red and white as the royal livery colours. Red represented the blood shed by Canadians in the war and white represented the bandages that were also associated with that sacrifice. In later years, when the national flag was adopted for Canada, they were made the colours of the flag. In addition to being the royal livery colours of Canada, what other royal association is there with the colours red and white? The red rose was the badge of the Royal House of Lancaster and the white rose the badge of the Royal House of York. The civil war between the two houses is known as the War of the Roses. When the war ended with the victory of the Lancastrian King Henry VII who married Elizabeth of York, the two houses were united as the House of Tudor, and the red and white Tudor Rose became the badge of the royal

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family and is Commonwealth.

still

in

use

today

throughout

Symbols of Monarchs Double crown, royal uraeus (representation of sacred asp Egypt or snake) Lion Sri Lanka Umbrella Assyria, Persia, Tonga Fleur-de-lys France Harp, red hand Ireland Ostrich feather fans Persia Chrysanthemum Japan Peacock Mogul India, Burma Wheel Vedic royalty of India Triple crown Papacy Bundle of arrows Aragon Dove Saxon England Raven, elephant Denmark White hart (deer), broom plant, sunburst, white swan, Plantagenet England boar Thistle Scotland White eagle Poland Pomegranate Granada Red dragon Wales

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the

Double eagle

Holy Roman Empire, Austria, Russia China Bavaria Jacobite kings Bonapartist France Canada

Golden five-clawed dragon Swan White rose Bees, violets Maple leaf Magen David (first and last letters of name of King David Israel interlaced)

To which Ontario church did the queen give permission for its clergy and choir to wear red cassocks? Permission was given to St. Mark’s Church in Port Hope. The custom is that royal scarlet can be worn in any church where the sovereign has attended a service. Queen Elizabeth II attended St. Mark’s in 1959. What did kings of Egypt wear that connected their office with its priestly origins? A mock lion’s tail such as is shown on magicians in the prehistoric cave drawings. How often does Queen Elizabeth II wear her crown? The queen actually has two crowns. St. Edward’s Crown (the coronation crown and the official crown for all Commonwealth realms of the queen) is only worn for a few minutes in her life, at the actual crowning during the coronation ceremony. The Imperial State Crown, based on the 429

design of St. Edward’s Crown was also worn by the queen during the coronation and is worn by her at every state opening of Parliament at Westminster. There have been suggestions over the years that comparable state crowns should be created for Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other realms of the queen for use in those countries, but nothing has yet come of the idea. So the queen wore the tiara passed to her from Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary when she opened the Canadian Parliament in 1957 and 1977. Crowns in the Tower of London • St. Edward’s Crown,1661 • Crown of Mary of Modena,1685 • Prince of Wales’ Crown,1728 • Imperial State Crown,1837 • Small Crown of Queen Victoria, 1870 • Prince of Wales’ Crown,1901 • Queen Mary’s Crown,1911 • Imperial Crown of India,1911 • Crown of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, 1937 What ancient victory song followed coronations of Holy Roman Emperors?

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The Laudes Regiae or Royal Praises. “Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ rules!” Sumerian salutations from the fourth millennium B.C. or earlier turn up in the royal psalms of King David in this hymn that Holy Roman Emperors offered to their Redeemer King after they were anointed and crowned. The Laudes Regiae were most recently sung at the installation of Pope Benedict XVI, an elective monarch, in 2005. What unusual custom was observed at the crowning of kings of Hungary? The king rode on horseback up a mound of earth created for the occasion from soil brought from every county of the kingdom of Hungary. At the summit he brandished the Sword of St. Maurice, which he had just been invested with, flourishing it at each point of the compass in token of his sovereignty and will to defend the kingdom. The gesture was an appropriate custom for a people who in origin were Asiatic horsemen. How was the consort of Ethiopian emperors crowned? Customarily, the empress consort was crowned at the palace in a ceremony entirely separate from that of the emperor. In the modern period, however, the coronation of the empress consort began to take place in church. Emperor Menelik II, for instance, crowned his wife the Empress Taitu on the second day of his five-day coronation festival in the Entoto Marian Church. But not until the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie were the ruler and consort (Empress Menen) crowned together at the Cathedral of St. George in the capital, Addis Ababa.

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What is the prototype of the royal throne? The Throne of Solomon, the true King of Peace in the Bible. Charlemagne’s stone-seated throne at Aachen and St. Edward’s Chair, with the place for the Stone of Scone, by legend Jacob’s pillow, at Westminster Abbey, make a conscious connection with it. At the same time, the throne is the one symbol common to monarchy everywhere. Not all kings and queens had crowns but all possessed a throne. What did Charles I wear at his coronation? The king dressed all in white for his crowning, which took place on February 2, 1626. People interpreted Charles I’s choice of white as a declaration that he was distancing himself from the moral murkiness of his late father James I’s court. What is the Stone of Scone? It is the coronation seat of kings of Scotland. The coronation chair (St. Edward’s Chair) was built in 1301 to encompass the stone for English coronations after King Edward I captured it in 1296. The stone was kept with the chair at Westminster Abbey between coronations until 1996, when it was moved to Edinburgh Castle. Quickies Did you know …

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• that the supertunica (over garment) worn by British/ Commonwealth monarchs at their coronations is modelled on the dress of a consul (and later, emperor) of ancient Rome? Which of the 1953 coronation regalia was provided by the Commonwealth? The Armills or Bracelets of Sincerity and Wisdom “for tokens of the Lord’s protection embracing you and every side and also for symbols and pledges of that bond which unites you to your peoples” were presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the Commonwealth countries, replacing the earlier set from the coronation of King Charles II. The bracelets derive from the Scandinavian practice of swearing oaths on a ring and afterwards wearing it. The Commonwealth coronation is the only one in which they have been used from earliest times to the present. Coronations from the Tudors • October 30, 1485 — Henry VII • June 24, 1509 — Henry VIII • February 20, 1547 — Edward VI • October 1, 1553 — Mary I • January 15, 1559 — Elizabeth I • July 11, 1603 — James I • February 2, 1626 — Charles I

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• April 23, 1661 — Charles II • April 23, 1685 — James II • April 11, 1689 — William III and Mary II • April 23, 1702 —Anne • October 20, 1714 — George I • October 11, 1727 — George II • September 22, 1761 — George III • July 19, 1821 — George IV • September 8, 1831 — William IV • June 28, 1838 —Victoria • August 9, 1902 — Edward VII • June 22, 1911 — George V • May 12, 1937 — George VI • June 2, 1953 — Elizabeth II Who carried the Canadian banners in the coronations of 1937 and 1953? By the Statute of Westminster in 1931 the dominions in the British Empire were recognized as realms of the king equal to the United Kingdom. At the two coronations since then the 434

dominions have had an official role in the ceremony. The banner of the king (1937) and the queen (1953) in right of each dominion was carried in the procession along with the banners for the United Kingdom. These banners were carried by the high commissioners, namely Vincent Massey (1937) and Norman Robertson (1953) for Canada. Who was the King’s Champion? In coronations from 1377 (King Richard II) to 1820 (King George IV) the King’s Champion (an hereditary appointment in the Dymoke family) rode into the dining hall at the coronation banquet on horseback and dressed in armour and challenged any pretender to the throne. “Here is [the King’s] Champion” he said “ready in person to combat … and will in this quarrel adventure his life.” The banquet has not been held since 1820, but a Dymoke still takes part in the coronation. In 1953, Captain J.L.M. Dymoke carried the Royal Union Banner in the coronation procession in Westminster Abbey. Have there been English/British/Commonwealth coronations elsewhere than at Westminster Abbey since 1066? Thirty-nine of the 41 monarchs had coronations held at Westminster Abbey. Two kings were not crowned; King Edward V, murdered in the Tower of London before he was crowned, and King Edward VIII, who abdicated before his coronation. In addition, King Henry III was crowned as a child at Gloucester Cathedral, and again, when older, at Westminster Abbey, King Henry VI was crowned king of France in Paris, and kings James I, Charles I, and Charles II were crowned kings of Scotland (at Stirling, Edinburgh, and Scone respectively), separate from their English coronations. 435

Was there a Scottish coronation in 1953? The answer is no, but Queen Elizabeth II was crowned on St. Edward’s Chair, underneath which was the Stone of Scone, upon which Scottish kings were traditionally crowned. Following the coronation, the queen travelled to Edinburgh, where she was presented with the Scottish crown jewels (the Honours of Scotland). But she was not invested with them, nor crowned. What are the “Honours of Scotland”? This is the name given to the crown jewels of Scotland, which consist of the crown, the sceptre, and the sword of state. They are kept in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle. The crown was remodelled by King James V in 1540 but may date from Robert the Bruce. The sceptre was a gift to King James IV from Pope Alexander VI in 1494, and the sword of state was presented to King James IV by Pope Julius II in 1507. When was the last Scottish coronation? The last coronation in Scotland was held in 1651. It was the crowning of King Charles II, who was fighting to obtain the thrones to which by law he had succeeded the previous year after the judicial murder of his father, King Charles I, by Cromwell. The ceremony took place at Scone on January 1. The Marquis of Argyll, a Covenanter and head of Clan Campbell, placed the ancient Scottish crown on the king’s head. At the insistence of the ascendant Presbyterians, the coronation was “purged of superstition,” that is to say, there was no anointing. Charles II had to wait to receive the holy unction until his restoration, when he was crowned as king of 436

England at Westminster Abbey on St. George’s Day, April 23, 1661. Quickies Did you know … • that King Edward VII’s coronation in 1902 was postponed because the monarch developed appendicitis? Appendicitis, at that time, usually caused death, but the elderly, yet courageous monarch successfully underwent one of the earliest operations for the condition. When has the Gold State Coach been used during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign? Created in Dublin for King George III in 1762, the Gold State Coach has only been used by Queen Elizabeth II on three occasions — the coronation procession in 1953, and the Jubilee processions in 1977 and 2002. What is the Australian State Coach? In 1988, to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s bicentennial visit to Australia (celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of settlers there), Her Majesty was presented with the Australian State Coach. It is similar in design to the Irish State Coach built in 1852. The gift was privately arranged and financed by Jim Frecklington of New South Wales, but with the endorsement of the Australian government. Australian materials were used in its construction, and the design features the Royal Arms of Australia and other Australian heraldic images. The coach is kept at the Royal Mews in

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London, and is used in royal processions along with the other carriages belonging to the queen. Who are the Crown Jewellers? The people responsible for the care and maintenance of the Crown Jewels and preparation of regalia for a coronation are known as the Crown Jewellers. Only two companies have held the title — Rundell, Bridge and Rundell (1830–1843) and Garrod and Company (1843–present). Which of the royal crowns forms part of Charlottetown’s coat of arms? Charlottetown is the capital city of the province of Prince Edward Island and is named after Queen Charlotte, the consort of King George III. Queen Charlotte’s state crown is featured in the city’s coat of arms. What is distinctive about the Serbian crown? The rim of the Serbian crown is decorated with the double-headed silver Serbian eagle with shield of arms. The eagle, suggesting a link with Byzantium, was the emblem of the Royal House of Karageorgevich, founded by George Petrovich, known as Kara George (Black George), the first hereditary prince of modern Serbia, in 1804. The crown is made of brass from cannon captured by Kara George himself when he led the Serbs in rebellion against the occupying Turks. The crown was created for King Peter I, Kara George’s descendant, in 1904.

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When have kings worn crowns besides coronations and openings of Parliament? In the Middle Ages, monarchs had ritual crown-wearing days when they appeared in crowns and robes and other attributes of majesty and authority. Edward “the Confessor,” for example, kept Easter and Christmas as crown-wearing days. In Slavic kingdoms the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady was another day for this practice. Royal weddings were also an occasion for it. Usually a high ecclesiastic placed the crown on the sovereign’s head on the occasion. Crown-wearing suffered an eclipse in the 12th and 13th centuries. What was the crown of the Caucasian kingdom of Georgia called? The Crown of King David III “the Renovator,” who reigned from 1089 to 1125. The crown belonged to the Bagratid dynasty, which ruled Georgia as monarchs from 888 until the realm was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1810, and was kept at the Galati Monastery, where it is known to have been at the end of the 19th century. Since then it has been mysteriously lost. How did the Danish kings come to their coronations? Already crowned! After the Danish monarchy was declared to be hereditary in the House of Oldenburg in 1660, Danish kings arrived for anointing in the Chapel of Fredericksborg Castle already wearing their crown and other regalia. The reason for this was that because supreme spiritual authority was vested in the post-Reformation kings, it was considered 439

unfitting for them to receive their crowns at the hands of another person. What was the Romanian crown made of? Its name gives the answer. The crown was called the Couronne d’Acier and was fashioned from the steel of a Turkish gun captured in the War of Independence in which Romania secured its freedom from the Ottoman Empire. The Couronne d’Acier was used for the coronation of the first king of modern Romania, Charles I, in 1881, and by his successor, King Ferdinand I, whose coronation took place at Alba Julia in 1922 to mark the creation of greater Romania through the incorporation of the former Hungarian province of Transylvania. What Canadian precious stone was kept with the Crown Jewels? A large piece of amethyst from Cape Blomidon, Acadia (Nova Scotia), was kept by Henri IV with the French Crown Jewels. What is the “Last Spike” brooch? It was a brooch given to the Crown in 1987 by the Reford family, descendants of Lord Mount Stephen, first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The spike that was to have been the last spike in the CPR at Craigellachie, British Columbia, was bent when struck and was replaced. Lord Mount Stephen was given the damaged spike as a souvenir and he turned it into three jewelled brooches for ladies in his

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family. One of these was passed down to the Reford family, which donated it to be part of the “regalia” of Canada. Famous Crowns St. Stephen's Crown Iron Crown of Lombardy Theodelinda's Crown Reichskrone

Hungary Italy Italy Holy Roman Empire/ Germany Holy Roman Empire/Austria Iran/Persia Byzantium Sweden Ethiopia Hungary Russia Russia Russia France

Hauskrone of Rudolf II Pahlavi Crown Kamelaukion Eric IV's Crown Silver Crown of Tewadros Crown of László II Imperial Nuptial Crown Great Monomakh Cap Crown of Astrakhan Crown of Louis XV Imperial Crown of Catherine Russia II Crown of Augustus III Poland England/Britain/ St. Edward's Crown Commonwealth Imperial State Crown Britain/Commonwealth State Diadem of Mary of England/Britain/ Modena Commonwealth

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State Diadem of George IV Britain/Commonwealth Queen Victoria's Small Britain/Commonwealth Diamond Crown Queen Mary's Crown Britain/Commonwealth Imperial Crown of India Britain/Commonwealth Funeral Crown of Louis France XVIII Kalakaua's Crown Hawaii Tongan Crown Tonga Crown of Otto I Greece Triregnum or Tricorona of Papacy Leo XIII Crown of Peter I Yugoslavia Crown of William II Prussia Couronne d’Acier Romania Queen Marie’s Crown Romania Crown of Reccesvinthus Spain Why was a new crown made for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969? The coronet used for the investiture in 1911 was considered too theatrical, the 1728 Prince of Wales’ Crown too fragile, and the 1901 Prince of Wales’ Crown had been kept by the Duke of Windsor when he abdicated and was not returned until after his death in 1972. Is there an actual Canadian throne?

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The official throne of the queen in the United Kingdom is the chair in the House of Lords and, similarly, the official Canadian throne of the queen is the chair in the Senate. It dates from the 19th century and survived the great fire of 1916 that destroyed the original parliament buildings centre block in which the Senate Chamber is housed. The Royal Arms of the time are displayed on the back of the throne. What two historic royal dresses is the Canadian Museum of Civilization custodian of? The dress worn by Queen Elizabeth when she and King George VI met Parliament in 1939, and the “maple leaf” dress Queen Elizabeth II wore on her 1959 tour are kept at the museum Where is the largest stone-carved Royal Arms in the Commonwealth? Rideau Hall grew in a haphazardly fashion as the Ottawa residence of the sovereign and the sovereign’s representative. New wings were added at different times. The front façade of Rideau Hall, constructed in 1913 at the same time as the modern front façade of Buckingham Palace, which it resembles, boasts, over the ceremonial entrance, the largest depiction of the Royal Arms in any of the countries of the Commonwealth. What famous Canadian hotel displays the arms of King George V, Queen Mary, and other members of his family? The Fairmount Royal York in Toronto opened in 1929 and the anteroom of the Imperial Room featured coats of arms of 443

the royal family. In later years the arms were painted over but recent restoration has returned them to their original condition. The Queen's Beasts (1953 Coronation) • Crowned Lion of England (Queen Elizabeth II) • Griffon of King Edward III (House of Windsor) • Silver Falcon of the Plantagenets (House of York) • Black Bull of Clarence (House of York) • White Horse of Mortimer (House of York) • Yale of Beaufort (House of Lancaster) • Greyhound of Richmond (House of Lancaster) • Red Dragon of Wales (House of Tudor) • Unicorn of Scotland (House of Stuart) • White Horse of Hanover (House of Hanover or Brunswick) What is a herald? He or she is an officer of the queen who belongs to the College of Arms (England), the Court of Lord Lyon (Scotland), or the Canadian Heraldic Authority, and is responsible for exercising the queen’s heraldic authority in

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granting coats of arms to persons and corporate bodies and supervising heraldic matters in his or her jurisdiction. Who established the College of Arms and the Canadian Heraldic Authority? The College of Arms and the Canadian Heraldic Authority are two of the bodies that exercise the queen’s heraldic authority in granting coats of arms. King Richard III granted the College of Arms a charter in 1484 and Queen Elizabeth II authorized the creation of the Canadian Authority in 1988. What royal myth inspired the creation of the Order of the Garter? King Edward III established the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the premier order of chivalry in the Commonwealth, in 1348. The order was inspired by the saga of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The saint chosen as its patron was St. George, whose role as protector of soldiers was connected with the Crusades. Honi soit qui mal y pense or “Shame on him who thinks this evil” is the Order’s motto. What are Royal Family Orders? Dating from the reign of King George IV, the Orders are badges with miniature portraits granted by the sovereign to female members of the royal family. Marriage into the royal family does not automatically bestow the Order. Although Diana, Princess of Wales, received the Order, Sarah, Duchess of York, did not, nor has Princess Michael of Kent. Quickies

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Did you know … • that the motto of the Queen’s Order of Canada, Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam (“They desire a better country”), is taken from Hebrews 11:16 in the Bible — “But they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly one: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city”? Why was the maple leaf chosen as the national badge of Canada? The maple leaf became Canada’s national badge in direct consequence of the tour of British North America by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1860. It was in that year, during the public planning for the royal tour, that native-born Canadians voiced their desire for a badge to wear when welcoming the prince, to match the English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh leek, Irish shamrock, or French lily. By general consensus, the maple leaf was adopted. Knowing of this, the prince brought tableware with him decorated with maple leaves to use on his tour and as gifts. Later he gave the maple leaf official recognition as a royal badge by incorporating it into the design for his coronation invitation cards. Subsequently the maple leaf was introduced into the Royal Arms of Canada and from there into the National Flag. Quickies Did you know …

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• that the Cross of St. George in the Ontario royal coat of arms is in honour of the patron saint of King George III, not in honour of England? The Queen's Canadian Beasts While there is no official grouping of Queen’s Beasts for Canada separate from those used at the coronation in 1953, the following are used as supporters or crests in the Queen’s Royal Arms in right of Canada, the Provinces, and the Territories, and may be considered as part of the Dominion’s heraldic menagerie. • Antelope (Alberta) • Beaver (Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan) • Bear (Ontario) Bighorn Ram (British Columbia) • Blue Jay (Prince EdwardIsland) • Caribou (Nunavut) Deer (Ontario, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan) • Elk (Newfoundland and Labrador) • Fox (Prince Edward Island) • Horse (Manitoba) • Lion (Alberta, British Columbia, Canada, Saskatchewan) • Malamute (Yukon)

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• Moose (Ontario) • Narwhal (Northwest, Nunavut) • Salmon (New Brunswick) • Unicorn (Canada, Manitoba, Nova Scotia) • Wapiti Stag (British Columbia) Why is a crowned lion holding a maple leaf in its paw used as the symbol of the governor general of Canada? The crowned lion holding a maple leaf in its paw is the crest of the Queen’s Royal Arms of Canada. It is a Canadian variation of the lion crest on the Queen’s Royal Arms for the United Kingdom. The crests of coats of arms are frequently used to identify the staff or property of the person who possesses the coat of arms; thus the governor general uses the queen’s Canadian crest as a badge to indicate that she is one of Her Majesty’s staff as her representative in Canada. The same badge of the Canadian royal lion is used as the cap badge for all colonels in the Canadian Armed Forces in a similar fashion. What are the Prince of Wales’ Feathers? The feathers are actually the heir to the throne’s feathers, not the Prince of Wales’, as they are the badge of the heir, whether or not he has been created Prince of Wales. Originally it is thought the badge of the king of Bohemia, the three ostrich feathers encircled by a coronet and the motto Ich Dien was, according to tradition, adopted by Edward, Prince

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of Wales (the Black Prince) after he defeated the king in battle. What is inscribed on the baton of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons? The baton is a symbol of office carried on ceremonial occasions by the Speaker. It is inscribed with the words Pro regina et patria (“For queen and country”). How was the State Landau of Canada acquired? Earl Grey, Governor General of Canada, 1904–1911, bought the landau from the governor general of Australia and brought it with him to Canada. When his time as governor general ended, he left the landau in Ottawa to be the permanent official carriage. By the end of the Second World War it was no longer in use. It was brought back into service by Vincent Massey in the 1950s, when he became governor general, and it remains in use today. What spoils of battle did Queen Victoria send to Canada to mark the victorious end of the Crimean War? Queen Victoria sent cannon taken at Sebastopol, similar to the one from which the Victoria Crosses are made. They are found in Toronto, Hamilton, and Montreal. The two in Toronto are located in front of the Provincial Parliament Building at Queen’s Park. Which Canadian schools were given banners worked by royal ladies?

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The University of Toronto received a banner showing the Black Prince receiving the banner of the king of Bohemia from King Edward III done by the Princess of Wales (Queen Mary). The second went to Villa Maria Convent School, Montreal, which was given a banner also done by the princess, who had visited the school. And the third was Royal Victoria College, McGill University, endowed with The Queen’s Banner, probably worked by Queen Alexandra. Quickies Did you know … • that King George VI’s coronation took place on the same day scheduled for the coronation of his brother King Edward VIII, who abdicated six months before? Where in Manitoba is there a cairn that commemorates the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth? The cairn is located at Gimli, a community of Icelandic immigrants, north of Winnipeg. At the top of the cairn is a silver coloured oval medallion of George VI and Elizabeth wearing their crowns. What honour did kings and queens bestow on aboriginal leaders? Leaders were presented with large silver chiefs’ medals bearing the sovereign’s image. When Chief Sitting Bull came north to Canada seeking sanctuary from Queen Victoria following the battle at the Little Big Horn against the American cavalry, he was wearing one of the medals, which

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he showed to the North West Mounted Police. It depicted the image of King George III, grandfather of Queen Victoria. Sitting Bull explained that it had been given to his ancestor by the king for fighting as an ally of His Majesty against the American rebels in the American Revolution a century before, and had been passed down to him. What is “court mounting” of orders, decorations, and medals? Court mounting was introduced at the command of King George V, who thought dangling medals looked sloppy, and it is the practice in Commonwealth countries. The insignia (ribbon and medal) are glued to a stiff backing, which is then pinned to the wearer’s jacket. In which religious tradition is the wedding ceremony a coronation? Each Orthodox or Byzantine Christian bride and groom is crowned at their wedding. This royal act reflects the belief of the world’s second largest Christian community that every husband and wife are a king and queen — of creation because they are fellow workers with God, and of love because they are called in their marriage to do their part to make the world a more loving place. Royal Jubilees Celebrated • 1809 — King George III (Golden) • 1887 — Queen Victoria (Golden) • 1897 — Queen Victoria (Diamond)

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• 1935 — King George V (Silver) • 1977 — Queen Elizabeth II (Silver) • 2002 — Queen Elizabeth II (Golden) Which British/Commonwealth princes were married in a Russian Orthodox wedding as well as an Anglican ceremony? This distinction belongs to Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria, who married the Russian Grand Duchess, Marie, and George V’s third son Edward, Duke of Kent, who married Princess Marina of Greece. Quickies Did you know … • that the fabulous 54-carat Princess Pink diamond was given to Princess Elizabeth (Elizabeth II) as a wedding present by John Thoburn Williamson, Canadian financier, geologist, and owner of the Buhemba Mines in Africa?

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royal residences

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From which palace in England do heralds proclaim the accession of a new sovereign? The proclamation of the new sovereign is read from the balcony of St. James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms. St. James’s, though little remains of the buildings acquired and rebuilt by Henry VIII thanks to a devastating fire in 1810, is the official residence of the monarch in London. The accession proclamation is also read from other locations in London, in Edinburgh, and in the capitals of the sovereign’s other realms. Quickies Did you know … • that the royal residences at Thebes of the Egyptian Pharaohs were the earliest know palaces? What is the connection between the Seven Hills of Rome and monarchy? The seven hills on the east side of the Tiber River form the heart of Rome within the ancient walls. It was here that Romulus is said to have founded the city. The seven, in a clockwise spiral, are the Capitoline Hill, Quirinal Hill, Viminal Hill, Esquiline Hill, Caelian Hill, Aventine Hill, and Palatine Hill. Capitoline Hill, which became the site of the Senate, is the source for the American name for their legislative building — the Capitol. Palatine Hill was the site of the executive and is the root of the word palace for a royal residence. A royal mnemonic can also be used to remember

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the sequence of the hills — Can Queen Victoria Eat Cold Apple Pie. Quickies Did you know … • that although the queen does not live there, St. James’s Palace, not Buckingham Palace, is the official home of the sovereign in London, and that is why foreign ambassadors are accredited to the Court of St. James’s? What is Government House? Government House is the official term used in the Commonwealth to designate the residence of the sovereign’s representative. The designation is used whether the governor is a direct representative of the sovereign (governors general or state governors in Australia) or an indirect representative (Canadian provincial lieutenant-governors who represent the queen but are appointed by the governor general). Some government houses are also known by their particular names, such as Rideau Hall in Ottawa. Some Regal Castles of Europe • Akershus Castle (Oslo, Norway) • Alhambra (Granada, Spain) • Bastille (Paris, France) • Bran Castle [Dracula’s Castle] (Bran, Romania)

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• Caernarvon Castle (Caernarvon, Wales) • Dublin Castle (Dublin, Ireland) • Edinburgh Castle (Edinburgh, Scotland) •The Royal Castle (Cracow, Poland) • Harlech Castle (Harlech, Wales) • Hohenzollern Castle (Stuttgart, Germany) • Kalmar Castle (Kalmar, Sweden) • Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau, Germany) • Peter and Paul Fortress (St. Petersburg, Russia) •Tower of London (London, England) • Windsor Castle (Windsor, England) Is there a government house in every province in Canada? Originally there was a government house in every province, but no longer. In British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island there are government houses that are also residences for the viceroys. Alberta, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan maintain their historic government houses for official purposes, in which the lieutenant-governors have offices but no living accommodation. Ontario and Quebec, the two largest provinces, do not maintain government houses. The

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lieutenant-governor of Ontario has a non-residential suite at Queen’s Park, the provincial legislature. Where was the first Prince of Wales proclaimed? King Edward I presented his infant son, the future King Edward II, to the people of Wales from the ramparts of Caernarvon Castle. This act was an attempt by the king, who had just conquered the principality, to reconcile the people to his authority by giving his heir the title of Prince of Wales. Although the first prince was actually invested subsequently in Lincoln, the modern Investitures at Caernarvon Castle of Prince Edward (1911) and Prince Charles (1969) as Prince of Wales were a revival of the beginnings of the title. Quickies Did you know … • that Windsor Castle, constructed by King William I (William “the Conqueror”) following the Norman conquest of England in 1066, has been the only continuous royal residence since? Which famous queen consort lived at Glamis Castle, which figures prominently in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth? Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King George VI and more familiarly known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, lived at Glamis, the ancestral castle of her family, the Strathmores.

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Some Former Royal Residences • Brighton Pavilion (King George IV, when Prince of Wales) • Osborne House (Queen Victoria) • Marlborough House (King Edward VII, when Prince of Wales) • Fort Belvedere (King Edward VIII, when Prince of Wales and King) • 145 Piccadilly (King George VI, when Duke of York) • Royal Yacht Britannia (Queen Elizabeth II) What is the connection between Hampton Court Palace and the Bible? Hampton Court Palace was the site of the conference established by King James I, which led to the authorized English translation known as the King James Bible. Quickies Did you know … • that Westminster Abbey is a “royal peculiar,” meaning it is under the direct authority of the monarch and not under the authority of a bishop of the Church of England? What is distinctive about the architecture of Hampton Court Palace?

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One side of the palace is in Tudor architecture and the other facing the gardens, built by King William III, is in classical style. The two sides almost seem to be two separate palaces joined together. What was once the largest palace in Europe? Whitehall Palace, created by King Henry VIII in 1530 and demolished in 1698, covered 23 acres. By comparison, Buckingham Palace covers nine acres, Versailles seven acres, and the Escorial three acres. As the sovereign’s palace it was also the home of all government departments in its time. As a result the term “Whitehall” is still used to colloquially refer to the British government in general. How did the Royal Mews get its name? The home of the royal stables and royal automobiles was originally the location of the mewing (changing of plumage) grounds for the royal falcons. The site was then rebuilt as horse stables, and ultimately automobiles as well as carriages have been stored there. Some Famous Palaces of Europe • Amalienborg Palace (Copenhagen, Denmark) • Apostolic Palace (Vatican City) • Buckingham Palace (London, England) • Charlottenburg Palace (Berlin, Germany)

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• Doge’s Palace (Venice, Italy) • Grand Kremlin Palace (Moscow, Russia) • The Residenz (Munich, Germany) • Holyroodhouse Palace (Edinburgh, Scotland) • Huis ten Bosch Palace (Den Haag, Netherlands) • Louvre Palace (Paris, France) • Royal Palace of Madrid (Madrid, Spain) • Sanssouci Palace (Potsdam, Germany) • Schonbrunn Palace (Vienna, Austria) • Versailles Palace (Versailles, France) • Winter Palace (St. Petersburg, Russia) Which is the last royal castle to be built in Britain? The foundation stone for Balmoral Castle, a private home of the queen, was laid in 1853 and the building was completed in 1856. Balmoral was the creation of Prince Albert, the prince consort who acquired the property from the Earl of Aberdeen. An original castle stood on the property and dated from the 15th century but it was demolished when the new one was finished. British Royal Family Residences

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• Prince of Wales: Official: Clarence House and St. James’s Palace (London residence) • Private: Highgrove [Gloucestershire]; [Aberdeenshire]; Llwynywermod [Wales]; Tamarisk [Isles of Scilly]

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• Duke of York: Official: Buckingham Palace (London residence); The Royal Lodge [Windsor, Berkshire] (country residence) • Earl of Wessex: Official: Buckingham Palace (London residence); Bagshot Park [Surrey] (country residence) • Princess Royal: Official: St. James’s Palace (London residence) Private: Gatcombe Park [Gloucestershire] Was Buckingham Palace bombed in the Second World War? Yes, it was bombed twice in 1940. On the second occasion the king and queen were in the palace but were unhurt even though the bomb fell just 30 yards away from them. The palace chapel was destroyed by the bombing, and it was replaced after the war by the current Queen’s Gallery and a smaller private chapel. The queen remarked after the attack that she was glad to have been bombed, “Now I can look the East End in the face,” referring to the working-class part of London that had borne the brunt of the Luftwaffe’s assault.

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Which was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s favourite home? The Castle of Mey in Scotland, which she purchased in 1953, after the death of the king, remained her favourite home for the rest of her life. It is in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland. It was in a state of disrepair when acquired and the Queen Mother restored it as a holiday home, staying there every August and October, including 2001, just before her death in early 2002. In 1996 she transferred the property to the Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, which opened the castle and grounds to the public following the Queen Mother’s death. Quickies Did you know … • that Buckingham House was bought by King George III as a private country residence for his wife, Queen Charlotte, and known as “The Queen’s House” before it was rebuilt as Buckingham Palace? What monument did Queen Mary unveil in 1913 by pressing a button at Buckingham Palace? New technology allowed the queen to unveil the tower to mark the centenary of the Battle of Stoney Creek (1813), one of the decisive conflicts of the War of 1812, from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. What room in the Parliament Buildings features Canada’s French kings?

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In 1993, the original smoking room of the Senate, which had been converted into a meeting and reception room, was officially renamed Le Salon de la Francophonie — “The Francophonie Room.” It was subsequently decorated with portraits of five Canadian monarchs from the French regime — Kings Francois I, Henri IV, Louis XIII, Louis XIV, and Louis XV and a décor featuring fleurs-de-lys. The paintings were donated by Senator Serge Joyal. Where is the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat? Queen Elizabeth II gave the secretariat the use of Marlborough House in London. Marlborough House had been the London home of King Edward VII when he was the Prince of Wales and his friends were known as the “Marlborough House Set.” Where are the Canada Gates? The impressive and ornate Canada Gates are just outside Buckingham Palace, north of the Victoria Memorial, and lead to Green Park. They were erected in 1906 and partly paid for by the people of Canada as part of the refurbishment of the palace carried out under the supervision of King Edward VII. The gates have the coats of arms of the (then) six armigerous provinces and their shields conjoined as the de facto armorial bearings of the Dominion. Newfoundland in 1906 was itself a dominion, so next to the Canada Gates is the Newfoundland Gate. The symbolism of these portals to the palace is that it is the working residence of the queen of Canada as much as of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Quickies 463

Did you know … • that Chorley Park, which served as Government House in Toronto, Ontario, from 1912 to 1937, and was demolished in 1961, was described as the grandest governor’s residence north of Mexico? Which royal residence has a room panelled in Canadian maple? The Duke of Edinburgh’s former sitting room in Clarence House is lined with white maple given by Canada to Princess Elizabeth and the duke for their wedding in 1947. The duke’s desk was also made in Canada of the same material. What hideaway did King George VI and Queen Elizabeth rest in on the 1939 tour? Outlook Cabin, a lodge in Jasper Park, Alberta, was used by the royal couple for a one day “holiday” at the midway point of their historic tour of Canada in 1939. The king and queen so liked the spot that the king remarked, “Oh, if only we could stay here.” Quickies Did you know … • that Kent House on St. Louis Street, where the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) lived within the walls of Quebec City, still stands and is currently used as the consulate of France?

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In his days in Canada, the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) had two country houses. Where were they? One was a house at Montmorency Falls, Quebec, which His Royal Highness rented from General Sir Frederick Haldimand. The other, called Prince’s Lodge, was on the Windsor Road (now called Bedford Highway) outside Halifax. Prince’s Lodge has been demolished but the Duke’s Rotunda or Bandstand on the site survives. What and where is Hatley Castle? Hatley Castle is located in Colwood, a suburb of Victoria, British Columbia. It was built as a private residence in 1906 by James Dunsmuir, Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, and is now the site of Royal Roads University. Formerly it was Royal Roads Military College and the Naval College of the Royal Canadian Navy. The Canadian government, however, did not originally purchase it for the Armed Forces. It was acquired as a home for King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret if they were evacuated from Britain during the Second World War. The Canadian government urged the monarchs and the two princesses to come and live in Canada to escape the perils of enemy bombardment in those bleak days. The king refused to leave, however, and the castle was put to its subsequent uses. Quickies Did you know …

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• that King William IV, who died before it was ready for occupancy, so disliked the prospect of living in Buckingham Palace that he tried to turn it over to the British Museum as an art gallery? Which monarchs of Canada have stayed at Rideau Hall? Four monarchs have stayed at the sovereign’s Ottawa home since it was acquired by the Crown. A fifth visited the grounds. In 1860, when it was still a private residence, King Edward VII (then Prince of Wales) drove through the grounds. King George V stayed at the Hall in 1882 (as Duke of York) and in 1901 and 1908 as Prince of Wales and Duke of York. King Edward VIII was in residence as Prince of Wales in 1919, 1923, 1924, and 1927. King George VI was present as Prince Albert in 1913 and returned as king in 1939, the first monarch to be in residence as sovereign. Gustave Lanctot, the official historian of the 1939 tour, wrote, “When Their Majesties walked into their Canadian residence, the Statute of Westminster had assumed full reality, the King of Canada had come home.” Queen Elizabeth II arrived in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth and has returned to her Canadian home numerous times since her first residence as sovereign in 1957. Names of the Queen's Official Castles, Palaces, and Government Houses • Windsor Castle: Windsor, England • St. James’s Palace: London, England • Buckingham Palace: London, England

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• Holyroodhouse Palace: Edinburgh, Scotland • Rideau Hall: Ottawa, Canada • La Citadelle: Quebec City, Canada • Yarralumla: Canberra, Australia • Admiralty House: Sydney, Australia • Government House: Wellington, New Zealand • The Parsonage: Saint John’s, Antigua, and Barbuda • Government House: Nassau, Bahamas • Government House: Bridgetown, Barbados • Government House: Belmopan, Belize • Government House: St. George’s, Grenada • Government House: Kingston, Jamaica • Government House: Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea • Springfield House: Basseterre, St. Christopher and Nevis • Government House: Castries, St. Lucia • Government House: Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Government House: Honiara, Solomon Islands 467

• Government House: Funafuti, Tuvalu How did one provincial lieutenant-governor humorously explain his name and role to schoolchildren? The lieutenant-governor, using a play on the Canadian pronunciation of lieutenant (lef - tenant), said that the queen owns the government house he lived in. But when she was not in residence he was “left tenant” and looked after the building for her as her governor.

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crown and culture

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How has kingship permeated culture? Consider some names, terms, and expressions: Fit for a king!; king of beasts, King of the Castle; kingpin; king’s peace; king’s ransom; king crab; King’s court; a royal welcome; “a cat may look at a king”; king of the jungle; king’s evil; kingfisher; we treat you royally; bateau du roi (Canadian flat-bottomed river boat); King of Terrors; King of Heaven; king post; King Charles spaniel; king’s spear; King’s Counsel; King’s highway; King’s Bench; king’s bargain; King’s shilling; king bolt; royal flush; kingcraft; king of spades; royal icing; kingcup; royal fern; royal mast; kingbird; kingfish; royal tennis; royal stag; royal plural; royal road to; royal blue; royal jelly; royal burgh; Queen of Heaven; queen bee; Queen’s Counsel; queen of hearts; beauty queen; Dairy Queen; queen of the night; queen post; queen mother; Queen’s metal; Queen’s pigeon; Queen’s Ware; play queen; Queen’s delight; Queen of the May; and “queening it.” Famous Monarchical Patrons Saul Philip II Charlemagne Leo X Julius II François I Charles X

David Aristotle Alcuin Raphael Michelangelo Leonardo da Vinci Titian

What is one of monarchy’s great bequests to civilization?

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The concept of good manners is largely derived from the sovereign’s court, which fathered the ideal of the gentleman. The Renaissance Court of Federigo Montefeltro, Sovereign Duke of Urbino, for example, has been called the “mirror school of courtesies.” Baladassare Cortegiano’s book The Courtier was based on life at the Urbino Court and became a pattern book of manners. Since every courtier was outranked by the sovereign, there was a basic equality in the rules of behaviour and deportment that derived from the court, despite its differentiation by office and function. At Versailles, Louis XIV lifted his hat when he met a serving maid in the corridors and slightly raised himself when any lady approached his dinner table. Marie Antoinette apologized when she accidentally trod on the executioner’s foot on the scaffold. Queen Victoria was noted for her simple but exquisite manners when visiting the cottages of the poor. George VI was noticed to make his consort Queen Elizabeth precede him during the 1939 Canadian royal tour. Who are the four kings in a deck of cards? The four kings of the cardboard court are four legendary and representative monarchs of the world. The king of hearts is the emperor Charlemagne. He is the most majestic, with an abundant show of ermine because Charlemagne was so highly regarded for having revived the Roman Empire in the West. Hearts is always the chief suit and the king of hearts is the king of the pack. The king of spades is King David of the Bible. Spades derives from the Italian word spada meaning sword, and David was made the king of spades since he was the man of the sword. The king of diamonds is Julius Caesar (believed in the Middle Ages to have been the first emperor of Rome). The battle-axe held by the king of diamonds 471

evolved from the fasces (a bundle of elm or birch rods with a projecting axe blade) of ancient Rome. And the king of clubs is Alexander the Great (King of Macedonia and conqueror of the world). The orb of the king of clubs symbolizes Alexander the Great’s conquest of the globe. Some Operas Involving Monarchy • A Life for the Tsar (Mikhail Glinka) • Macbeth (Giuseppe Verdi) Il Rèpastore (Mozart) • Oedipus Rex (Igor Stravinsky) • Don Carlos (Giuseppe Verdi) • Boris Goudunov (Modest Mussorgsky) • Tristan and Isolde (Richard Wagner) • PrinceIgor (Alexander Borodin) • The Tsar’s Bride (Nicholas Rimsky-Korsakov) • Aida (Giuseppe Verdi) • Queen of Sheba (Karl Goldmark) • Deirdre of the Sorrows (Healey Willan) • Charles V (Ernst KØenek) • Coronation of Poppaea (Monteverdi)

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• Prince Charles and Flora (Healey Willan) Why is horseracing known as the sport of kings? Monarchs have always been keenly interested in horseracing — no doubt because of the importance of the horse in war and communications. As early as 1500 B.C. a treatise on the breeding and training of horses was written for a Hittite king. Modern organized racing, however, originated with our own kings and queens. Henry VIII had studs at Hampton Court, Malmesbury, Tutbury, and Ribon. James I was a great patron of the turf in Scotland. When he succeeded to the English throne, he took his passion along with him, and his son Charles I had 139 horses with 32 brood mares at Tutbury in 1649, the year he was murdered. Charles II is known as the “Father of the British turf” and often rode and won both match and plate races at Newmarket. Queen Anne’s patronage gave Ascot the high distinction it still retains. Queen Victoria gave her name to the Queen’s Plate in Canada along with a gift of 50 guineas to the winner, still given by the monarch today. King Edward VII’s horse Persimmon won the Derby in 1896 and Queen Elizabeth II is recognized as one of the world’s greatest authorities on bloodlines and horse breeding. Quickies Did you know … • that the Queen’s Plate, held in Toronto since 1859, is the oldest continuously run horse race in North America? Royal Plays

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• Victoria Regina (Laurence Housman) • RichardII (Shakespeare) • Victoria (Kathleen Norris) • Henry IV (Shakespeare) • Charles the King (Maurice Colbourne) • Henry V (Shakespeare) • Don Carlos (Schiller) • Henry VI (Shakespeare) • Mary Stuart (Schiller) • Richard III (Shakespeare) • Caesar and Cleopatra (Shaw) • Henry VIII (Shakespeare) • RuyBlas (Hugo) • Antony andCleopatra (Shakespeare) • A Man for AllSeasons (Robert Bolt) • Macbeth (Shakespeare) • King Lear (Shakespeare)

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• Hamlet (Shakespeare) Who wrote the first story set in Canada? Queen Marguerite of Navarre, sister of King François I, who sent Cartier to discover and settle Canada. The narrative was one Queen Marguerite wrote for her Heptameron, an anthology of tales. It told the story of a couple marooned on a desert island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Quickies Did you know … • that George III’s grandson, Sir Augustus d’Este, gave Kahkewaquonaby a steel peace pipe to use at the opening of Indian councils in Upper Canada? What legacy did the Acadians receive from their king? Louis XIII chose “Ave Maris Stella” (“Hail Star of the Sea”) for them as their hymn. Today, Acadians still use it. It is a hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The sea star of Mary is displayed on the Acadian flag. Why is a first-class chef called a “cordon bleu”? This term comes from our French kings. The cordon bleu was the blue ribbon worn by Knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the French equivalent of the Order of the Garter, founded in 1578 by King Henri III. Cordon bleu or “blue

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ribbon” came to be applied to wearers of the order themselves and then by extension to anyone of particular distinction. It was at first applied facetiously to special eminence in cooking but has now become a very serious designation for master chefs or even gifted amateur cooks. The story is told that King Louis XV so much appreciated the dinner given to him by Madame Du Barry that he wished to engage her cook for the Royal Household. He was informed that the cook was a woman and that she ought to have a reward worthy of her — nothing less than the cordon bleu. In English the term blue ribbon is derived in a way similar to cordon bleu. It comes from the blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter and was applied to anything deemed first class. This is why blue ribbons are awarded as prizes at shows, fairs, or exhibitions. What is Canada’s oldest corporation? The Hudson’s Bay Company created by King Charles II by royal charter in 1670 is the oldest. Started originally to exploit the fur trade and explore the new world, it evolved into a retail giant in Canada, operating under the commercial name of The Bay. Canada's Royal Foundations Institutions, cities, provinces, and corporations whose creation is closely identified with a monarch or member of the royal family. Quebec City Henri IV Montreal Louis XIV Congregation de Notre Dame Louis XIV

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Hudson's Bay Company Charles II/Prince Rupert Charon Brothers Order Louis XIV Trois-Rivières Louis XV Grey Nuns Louis XV Halifax George II St. Paul's Church, Halifax George II St. John's Church, Lunenburg George II Toronto (York) George III Anglican Diocese of Quebec George III Christ Church Cathedral, George III Quebec McGill University (began 1801 as Royal Institution for George III the Advancement of Learning) St. Luke's Church, Placentia William IV New Brunswick George III Saint John George III University of King's College, George III Halifax Mohawk Chapels Royal, George III Tyendinaga and Brantford St. George's Church, Halifax Duke of Kent University of Toronto George IV University of Victoria William IV College University of Trinity College, Victoria Toronto

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Queen's University, Kingston Victoria Marquis of Lorne/Princess National Gallery of Canada Louise Marquis of Lorne/Princess Royal Society of Canada Louise Marquis of Lorne/Princess Royal Canadian Academy Louise Canadian Cancer Fund George V Who wrote “God Save the Queen”? No one knows. There are many theories about its origin. The inspiration for the words is the account of the anointing of King Solomon in the Jewish sacred writings. It states that all the people shouted “God save the King!” Some claim to have traced elements of the tune to a plainsong antiphon “They Anointed Solomon” used in medieval liturgy. Another theory is that Louis XIV’s court musician Lulli was the composer. The story goes that when the king, in 1686, visited the academy for orphaned daughters of officers killed in the royal service, he was greeted by 300 voices singing “Grand dieu sauvez le roi! Grand dieu venger le roi! Vive le roi! Qu’a jamais glorieux Louis victorieux Voie ses ennemis toujours soumis! Vive le roi!” This version was believed in Quebec and by no less a person than Philippe-Joseph Aubert de Gaspé. Quickies Did you know …

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• that George V decreed “God Save the King” should be played at the “solemn speed.” But in Canada when used with “O Canada” as a viceregal salute, it is played at the speed of “O Canada”? Quickies Did you know … • that “God Save the King,” though by nature a royal, not a national, anthem, nonetheless set the pattern for the world’s national anthems? Quickies Did you know … • that “Our loved Dominion bless,” the famous Canadian verse to the Royal Anthem, was written by Robert Murray, a Nova Scotian Presbyterian minister? How long has “God Save the Queen” been used in Canada? Almost exactly as long as in the United Kingdom. “God Save the King” became popular as a song to support the Hanoverian king, George II, during Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite uprising of 1745. Soon afterwards the king’s forces began to use the tune officially. Royal troops built Halifax as a garrison town in 1749 and were stationed there. They soon introduced “God Save the King” to the new world. Canada can truly claim joint ownership of the royal anthem. The first record of its being played before a member of the royal family in Canada was when George III’s son Prince William

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arrived at Halifax in 1787. “God Save the Queen/ King” has been rendered in Canada in English, French, Mohawk, Inuktituk, sign language, and other tongues. Quickies Did you know … • that the best known setting of the Royal Anthem in Canada was published in 1934 by Toronto musician and composer Sir Ernest Macmillan? Royal Operettas and Musicals Camelot The Student Prince The King and I PrincessIda Blondel The Mikado H.M.S. Pinafore The Grand Duke Pirates of Penzance Naughty Marietta The Gondoliers Who was the first king to eat a pineapple grown in England? King Charles II was the first, in about 1670. By the 18th and 19th centuries, pineapples were being grown in heated greenhouses throughout England. They were prized by the rich and were a symbol for hospitality and luxury. They were so rare and expensive until the end of the 19th century that they were rented out as centrepieces and incorporated into architectural and design motifs. How did the monarch butterfly get its name? Settlers in the Thirteen Colonies were impressed by the beauty of the butterfly, and because its bright orange colour

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reminded them of their monarch, King William III of the House of Orange, they named the butterfly after him. Ten of Canada's Greatest Royal Treasures • FrèreLuc’s La France apportant la Foi aux Indiens de la Nouvelle-France : Ursulines Convent, Quebec City. The early Canadian painting depicts Queen Anne, the mother of Louis XIV, on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. Crowned, wearing rich robes of ermine and blue bespattered with gold fleurs-de-lys, Queen Anne incarnates the Royal House of Bourbon’s mission to Christianize the aboriginal people of the new land, one of whom kneels before her with a mission station in the background. The French Crown was interested in the Natives as people, not just objects of exploitation. • Mohawk Queen Anne Communion Plate: No object is more endowed with the pain, strife, fidelity, and adventure of Canadian history. Sent in 1711 by the Stuart Queen, Anne, to the Chiefs of the Iroquoian Confederacy after they had been received by Her Majesty at court, the double set of silver vessels by association, age, craftsmanship, and material substance is of incalculable value. When the Six Nations chose loyalty to the king at the American Revolution, they hid the silver and later brought it to Canada. Divided between the Mohawks of the Grand River and Tyendinaga in 1788, it is still in use. • Marble Head of King George III: McCord Museum, McGill University, Montreal. The head is all that remains of a full statue of George III sent by the monarch as a gift to the people of Montreal in 1766. The statue was a visible, tangible token of George III’s policy of conciliating his new 481

French-Canadian subjects acquired when King Louis XV transferred Quebec to him, making him sovereign over all Canada. But royal generosity to the new French-speaking Catholic subjects angered the English merchants of Montreal. Thugs sympathetic to the American Revolution desecrated the statue in 1776, painting it black, decking it with a mock rosary of potatoes and a mitre on the head, and adding the sign “Behold the pope of Canada and the English fool.” The rowdies later smashed the statue and dumped it in a well. Only the head was recovered, a lasting reminder of the wise royal policy that laid the groundwork for a bicultural Canada. • Portrait of Queen Victoria: Senate of Canada, Ottawa. The Parliament Buildings in Montreal, then the seat of government, were destroyed by fire in 1849. This royal portrait was the only object rescued. A mob, angered that the governor general had given royal assent to a law compensating property loss resulting from the suppression of the Rebellion of 1837, started the fire. The governor general had, the previous year, introduced the principle that the life of a cabinet depends on its ability to command a parliamentary majority. Since the Rebellion Losses Bill had the support of the majority of the members of Parliament, His Excellency assented to it despite public hostility. The portrait, therefore, is more than a reminder of the agonies of Canada’s constitutional evolution. It is the greatest tangible symbol and relic in existence of the introduction of responsible government in Canada. •Duke of Kent’s Town Clock, Halifax: Prince Edward the Duke of Kent lived in Halifax at the end of the 18th century as commander-in-chief of the Crown’s forces in North America. The astute, hard-working Duke, son of King George 482

III and father of Queen Victoria, concluded that Haligonians were very unpunctual. He resolved to remedy this and, in 1803, after returning to the United Kingdom, he sent a large clock as a gift to the city, along with an expert to set it up. It was erected outdoors on Citadel Hill, overlooking historic Halifax Harbour. Since then, it has been a timepiece for busy citizens to set their watches by, and one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. • City of Vancouver Mace: There are many maces — legislative, academic, and civic — in use in Canada. Vancouver’s is unique. It is one of only two in the Commonwealth to bear the royal cipher E VIII R of King Edward VIII who reigned for only 325 days. The other Edward VIII mace belongs to Swindon, England. • Queen Mary’s Carpet: In 1942, during the Second World War, Queen Mary, widow of George V and the Queen Mother, began work on her famous carpet. She finished the gros point carpet measuring 3.1 x 2.1 metres in 1950. The work consists of 12 panels with designs adapted, on the queen’s instructions, by the Royal School of Needlework from 18th century originals with colours chosen by Her Majesty, who did every stitch in the carpet herself. The Canadian women’s patriotic organization IODE purchased it and presented it to the National Gallery of Canada, who clearly regard it as a great treasure, for it has not been seen by the public in decades. • Portraits of the Four Mohawk Kings: During her Silver Jubilee celebrations in Ottawa, Queen Elizabeth II unveiled these paintings of the Iroquoian chiefs at the National Archives. The portraits, made by Jan Verlet at the time of the 483

kings’ visit to Queen Anne, hung for three centuries at Kensington Palace. Recognizing their importance as a part of Canadian heritage, the queen ensured them a permanent home in her Canadian realm. • Queen’s Beasts: Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa. Ten heraldic plaster cast statues, 1.83 metres in height, created by James Woodford, RA, for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. Several sets were made for use in the Commonwealth. One set stood in front of the temporary annex to Westminster Abbey. Originally only partially coloured, the Beasts, associated with figures of the royal line in the Middle Ages, where the roots of Canada’s Parliament and system of law are found, were fully painted for the centenary of Confederation in 1967. Though on display at the museum, you have to ask to see them. • Royal Arms of King George I: Trinity Church, Saint John. A beautiful polychrome woodcarving of 1714 set inside the great west doors of the church. The arms originally hung in the council chambers of the old State House of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Boston. When the Loyalists were evacuated from Boston, two Harvard graduates, Edward Winslow and Ward Chipman, took the royal arms with them. From Halifax they were sent to the new city of Saint John. Writing of the lion and unicorn supporters of the arms, Colonel Winslow noted they too had “run away when the others did, have suffered and are of course Refugees, and have a claim for residence at New Brunswick.” The arms are an enduring reminder of how the Loyalists brought to Canada belief in fidelity, rule of law, and evolution rather than revolution.

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Who was perhaps the most anti-intellectual monarch? George I is a contender for the distinction. “I hate all Boets and Bainters” he once declared in his thick German accent. But not musicians — the king loved music and the opera and was a patron of the great composer George Frederick Handel, whose famous Water Music was written for George I’s birthday. Quickies Did you know … • that “God Save the King” inspired both Haydn’s beautiful tune “Austria” and the anthem of Confederation, Muir’s “The Maple Leaf Forever.”? Monarchs in Song Anthems “God Save the King/Queen”

Britain/Commonwealth, Norway

“God Bless the Prince of Wales Wales” “King Christian Stood by the Denmark Mast” “March of the Khedive” Egypt “God Preserve our Emperor” Austria “God Save our Noble Tsar” Russia “Partant pour la Syrie” Second Empire France “William of Nassau” Netherlands “Song of Brabant” Belgium

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“The Maple Leaf Forever” Canada “O Canada” Canada “Royal March” Italy “Hawai'I Pono'i” (by King Hawaii Kalakaua) “Long Live Our Shahinshah” Iran / Persia “Song of the King of the Tonga Tonga Islands” “Greetings to Our Monaco Neighbours!” “I, Servant of His Majesty” Thailand “May Our Lord Forever Japan Reign” “Royal Hymn” Spain Why does the audience always stand for one part of Handel’s Messiah? When King George II attended a performance of Handel’s famous oratorio Messiah, he was so moved by the majesty of the “Hallelujah Chorus” that he suddenly rose to his feet and remained standing until it was finished. The rest of the audience of course stood when the king did. Audiences to this day have continued the practice begun by His Majesty King George II in tribute to Handel. George II was Handel’s faithful patron and the composer wrote some of his finest works for the sovereign, works such as “Zadok the Priest” and the “Royal Fireworks Music.” Monarchs in Song Folk Songs and Other Airs

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“Queen Eleanor was a Sick England Woman” “No One Will Tell Me the Cause of My Sorrow” (by England Richard I) “Owre Kynge Went Forth to England Normandy” “Greensleeves” (by Henry England VIII) “The King's Hunt” England “Vive Henri Quatre” France, Quebec “When the King Enjoys His England, Scotland, Ireland Own Again” “Here's a Health Unto His England Majesty” “The Vicar of Bray” Britain “Chevaliers de la Table France, Quebec Ronde” “Vive le roi! Vive la reine!” France, Quebec. “Le Fils du Roi” Quebec “Will Ye No Come Back Jacobite Scotland Again?” “Charlie is My Darling” Jacobite Scotland “Wha'll be King but Charlie? Jacobite Scotland “O Richard, O mon roi” France “Queen's Prayer and Aloha Hawaii Oe” (by Queen Lili'uokalani) Why is a certain kind of pottery known as “Queen’s Ware”?

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In 1725, Thomas Astbury invented a cream-coloured, light-bodied earthenware which he called creamware. The great potter Josiah Wedgwood brought this creamware to a high degree of refinement during the 1760s, and it became famous throughout the world. In 1762, a set of creamware was presented to Queen Charlotte, consort of King George III. After Her Majesty accepted the set, Wedgwood changed the name of the ware to Queen’s Ware, in honour of the queen’s patronage, and it has been known as such ever since. Queen Charlotte knew that Wedgwood was going to name the ware in her honour but she expected that it would be called Charlotte Ware. The wily Wedgwood, however, knew that by calling it Queen’s Ware, he would be able to present it to other female sovereigns and consorts as well. He soon did so to the Russian empress, Catherine the Great. What is inscribed on the largest bell in the tower of Trinity Church, Saint John? The words “In Memoriam the Loyalists 1783: Faithful alike to God and the King.” The church also houses a royal coat of arms that Loyalists rescued from the city of Boston during the American Revolution. Quickies Did you know … • that the first dictionary of the Huron, Algonkin, and Montagnais languages, compiled by the Recollet missionary Father Georges Le Baillif, was presented to King Louis XIII?

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What book did the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) help get published? The Quebec topographer Joseph Bouchette’s A Topographical Description of Lower Canada was encouraged by the Duke of Kent. Bouchette was one of the many French-Canadian friends the duke had acquired during his decade of residence in Canada in the late 18th century. Royalty and Books David (traditionally author) Psalms of David in the Bible Solomon (traditionally Books of Proverbs and author) Ecclesiastes in the Bible Boethius' De consolatione Alfred the Great (translated) philosophiae Anna Comnena (author) The Alexiad James I (of Scotland, author) The Kingis Quair Maximilian I (author) Memoirs Defence of the Seven Henry VIII (author) Sacraments Book of Common Prayer Edward VI (influenced) 1552 André Thevet's Henri II (dedicated to) Cosmographie universelle Queen Marguerite's Le Miroir Elizabeth I (translated) de l''me pécheresse Authorized (King James) James I (inspired) version of the Bible (author) Basilikon Doron

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Charles I (author) Louis XIV (author)

Eikon Basilike Mémoires et Réflexions Hennepin's Description de la Louis XIV (dedicated to) Louisiane Histoire de Mon Temps, Art Frederick II “the Great” de la Guerre, Historie de (author) Brandebourg, Histoire de la Guerre de Sept Ans Catherine II the Great Memoirs (author) George IV (dedicated to) Jane Austen's Emma Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands Victoria (author) (translated into many languages including Gujurati for India) Marie (author) The Country that I Love Edward VIII (author) A King's Story Frederica (author) A Measure of Understanding Muhammad Reza Shah Answer to History (author) What celebrated Canadian author was unsuccessful in dedicating a book to the king? Major John Richardson, the first Canadian novelist, asked permission to dedicate The Canadian Brothers; or, The Prophecy Fulfilled: A Tale of the Late American War about the War of 1812 to King William IV. His Majesty consented, but before Richardson was able to get the work published, the king died. 490

Quickies Did you know … • that an elegant Greek type designed by Claude Garamond on orders of François I is called les grecs du roi — “the king’s Greek type”? An explorer of Canada dedicated books to two monarchs. Who were they? They were King Louis XIV and King William III. The interesting feature is that each was the head of one of the two rival royal houses then exercising sovereignty over Canada. The explorer was Joseph Hennepin, an energetic, adventurous but mercurial Recollet priest, who accompanied La Salle in 1678 via Niagara and Detroit to Michilimackinac and then by Lake Michigan and the Illinois River to the upper Mississippi region. Hennepin dedicated his Descriptions de la Louisiane about his discoveries and his life with the Sioux, who captured his party, to Louis XIV in 1683. He experienced a sudden fall from favour with Louis XIV, however, and his 1697 account Nouvelle Découverte d’un très grand Pays was dedicated to King William III who protected him in Holland. Fortunately William III had just made peace with his foe, Louis XIV, so such a dedication could not be called treason. How did the Christmas tree come to be a regular part of Christmas festivities in Canada? Prince Albert introduced the Christmas tree for Christmas festivities at Windsor Castle. It had been a much-loved part of Christmas when he was a child in Germany. From about 491

1848, the custom of the Christmas tree began to grow in popularity among Queen Victoria’s subjects in many parts of the world, particularly after a print of the royal family and their Christmas tree appeared in the Illustrated London News. The royal family’s example has been followed ever since. How was use of the tartan revived? Before 1747, the tartan was almost universally worn by Highland Scots. Following the attempt by the Stuarts to regain their throne in 1745, however, the tartan was proscribed by an “Act for the Abolition of Highland Dress and Tartan.” By the early 19th century only a few people, regarded as somewhat eccentric, maintained the dress. But when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made their residence at Balmoral Castle in 1847, the queen and her sons set a new fashion for wearing the tartan, and it was given a new lease on life. Since then, it has continued to be worn by Scots and those of Scottish ancestry or connection everywhere. What medical innovation did Queen Victoria popularize? Queen Victoria received chloroform to ease the pain when delivering her two youngest children, Prince Leopold in 1853 and Princess Beatrice in 1857. The royal example led to doctors and patients embracing the practice that subsequently became the normal procedure for childbirth. Quickies Did you know …

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• that the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) was one of the earliest patrons of the theatre in Nova Scotia? Of which Canadian-born singer did Queen Victoria become friend and patron? Of the diva Madame Albani, a French-Canadian soprano, Queen Victoria wrote, “She is my Canadian subject, an excellent person, known to me, a splendid artiste, and I have taken much interest in her.” The queen gave her numerous gifts and the Golden Jubilee Medal. Which artist painted Queen Victoria and put himself in the picture? Frederic Bell-Smith of Toronto, in his canvas “The Artist Painting Queen Victoria,” now in the National Gallery of Canada. The queen sat for the artist, a high mark of esteem on her part. The Bell-Smith painting also includes Princess Louise. How did the dessert cherries jubilee get its name? The great French-born chef Georges Auguste Escoffier (1846–1935) created the dessert known as cherries jubilee in honour of the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, which was celebrated in 1887. Escoffier was known as “the king of chefs and the chef of kings,” and Queen Victoria’s grandson, the Emperor Wilhelm II, once told him, “I am the emperor of Germany but you are the emperor of chefs.” Quickies

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Did you know … • that a local anonymous donor gave the life-size statue inscribed “George VI. King of Canada 1936–1952. A Very Gallant Gentleman” at Niagara Falls, Ontario? How did the queen’s birthday become a national holiday in Canada? It was in reaction to the Annexation Manifesto of 1849. Already a public holiday in the Province of Canada since 1845, the sovereign’s birthday was boosted to a major celebration four years later. The citizens of Toronto, “the Queen City,” determined to show their opposition to the idea of annexation to the United States, promoted by the manifesto signed by English-speaking Montrealers that year, decided to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday in a big way. Their style of celebration spread across the country. Quickies Did you know … • that Queen Victoria’s birthday (May 24) in the modern Gregorian calendar is the same day as her grandfather King George III’s birthday (June 4) in the Julian calendar used in Britain when he was born? What is the origin of the familiar Canadian jingle about the queen’s birthday? One year, a rumour that trustees were not going to give school-goers a holiday on May 24 caused discontent. In the

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country’s first student protest, children showed their displeasure by chanting the rhyme “The twenty-fourth of May / is the queen’s birthday / If you don’t give us a holiday / we’ll all run away.” Spoilsport trustees quickly backed down. What is one of the strangest ways the queen’s birthday is marked in Canada? The holiday is marked by the 21-anvil salute at New Westminster, British Columbia. As a garrison town, New Westminster had a 21-gun salute fired by the military on the sovereign’s birthday. When the military left, the Hyack — the name is Chinook for “Hurry up!” — Volunteer Fire Department took over the practice. But there were no cannon on hand. Undaunted, the inventive fire brigade hit on placing gunpowder between two anvils, the top one upturned, and igniting the charge. The result was the “anvil salute” and ever since it has been fired at noon on Victoria Day. Crowning a local May Queen is also part of the yearly festival. What personal possession of Queen Victoria’s is at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic? The museum is home to the beautiful white barge presented to Queen Victoria on her Golden Jubilee in 1887. Queen Elizabeth II gave the barge, whose keel is made of Canadian elm, to Canada in 1959 and it was transferred to the museum in 1981. Which French-Canadian sculptor designed statues of two sovereigns?

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Louis Philippe Hébert. He created the statue of Edward VII, Hommages des Canadiens au roi pacificateur, for Place du Canada in Montreal and the Queen Victoria Memorial on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Quickies Did you know … •that early Quebec church architecture is known as the Louis XIV style? In what musical comedy are there joint kings? The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan. One of two brothers is the rightful King of Barataria but it is not known which. Meanwhile they reign jointly as “the King.” They sing together “Rising Early in the Morning” about the functions of a constitutional monarch. A fictional emperor of Japan is a somewhat grim character in which operetta? The Mikado, one of the Savoy operas by Gilbert and Sullivan, features the fictional emperor of the show title. With ponderous dignity he sings “In a fatherly kind of way / I govern each tribe and sect / All cheerfully own my sway, I’m the Emperor of Japan.” Monarchs in Prose and Epic Poetry Priam, Menelaus, Homer's Iliad Agamemnon, and Nestor 496

Ulysses Homer's Odyssey Dido and Aeneas Virgil's Aeneid Hrothgar Beowulf Charlemagne The Song of Roland Cambuscan Chaucer's Canterbury Tales Arthur The Mabinogian Arthur Mallory's Morte d'Arthur Tancred, Carlo, Pietro and Boccaccio's Decameron Saladin Shahryar The Arabian Nights Charlemagne Ariosto's Orlando Furioso Gloriana (Elizabeth I) Spenser's Faerie Queen Shakespeare's Midsummer Oberon and Titania Night's Dream Richard I “the Lion Heart” Scott's Ivanhoe Rudolf V, Flavia Hope's Prisoner of Zenda Yetive McCutcheon's Graustark Dolores Jerrold's Storm Over Europe Buchan's House of the Four John Winds Aragorn II Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Why is the bottom button of a gentleman’s waistcoat always left undone? This fashion originated with King Edward VII. As Prince of Wales he began to grow more portly when he entered middle age. He started leaving his bottom button undone to accommodate his girth, then decided it looked elegant to do

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so. Soon men, regardless of their personal shape, began to copy the prince’s style and no gentleman wishing to look fashionable has done that button up since. Who invented the dinner jacket (or tuxedo)? The dinner jacket was invented to provide a less formal evening wear than white tie and tails, the 19th century gala dress for men. The originator was King Edward VII. As Prince of Wales he made the dinner jacket not only acceptable but fashionable for certain occasions. It was on his voyage to India in 1875 that he adopted a short, dark blue jacket with silk facings, worn with a bow tie and black trousers. Because the dinner jacket is called the “tuxedo” in the United States, some people think that it was invented by an American. The American name came about because in 1886 James Brown Potter, an American acquaintance of the Prince of Wales, stayed with the prince in London and the prince ordered his Savile Row tailor to make Potter one of the new dinner jackets. Potter then introduced the prince’s fashion creation at Tuxedo Park, a resort in New York State, when he returned to the United States. Why was the first pizza created? While pita bread, the origins of pizza, was known for centuries, the classic pizza of Naples, as we know it, was created by the baker Raffaele Esposito in 1889 to celebrate the birthday of Queen Margherita of Italy at the request of her husband King Umberto I. Pizza Margherita features mozzarella cheese (white), tomatoes (red) and basil leaves (green), which are the colours of the House of Savoy and Italy. 498

What is King Oscar? It is a an appetizer in Norwegian cuisine consisting of a buttered bread slice, mayonnaise, sliced cucumbers, and shrimps, and named after Oscar II, king of Sweden and Norway. When was the earliest known hockey game played at Buckingham Palace? In 1895 the five sons of Lord Stanley, who had been governor general of Canada and donated the Stanley Cup to hockey, organized a game on the frozen pond in the grounds of Buckingham Palace against a team from the palace, which included the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and the Duke of York (later King George V). What is the Prince of Wales Trophy in hockey? The trophy was donated in 1924 by Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, to the National Hockey League, originally for its championship. When the NHL became the only league to compete for the Stanley Cup, which had been donated for the championship of Canada by Lord Stanley when he was governor general, the Prince of Wales Trophy was awarded for subordinate champions in the league. It is currently awarded to the playoff champions of the Eastern Conference of the NHL. Quickies Did you know …

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•that children in early York (Toronto) used a counting-out rhyme about the controversial Queen Caroline, estranged wife of George IV? It went: “Queen, Queen Caroline / Washed her face in turpentine / Turpentine made it shine / Queen, Queen Caroline.” When did Queen Elizabeth II attend her first hockey game? The queen attended a hockey game in Montreal in 1959, at which the famous Maurice “Rocket” Richard presented to her the puck with which he scored his 500th goal. Royal Nursery Rhymes, Verse, Ballads, Poems, and Carols “Old King Cole” Britain “Queen Eleanor's England Confession” “Kingdoms are but cares” (by England Henry VI) “The King of France went up England the hill.” “Green Groweth the Holly” England (by Henry VIII) “The Queen of Hearts” England “When I was young and fair” England (by Elizabeth I) “Please to remember the fifth England of November” “Mark how the blushful morn England in vain” (by Charles I)

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“Close thine eyes and sleep England secure” (by Charles I) “Good King Wenceslaus” England “I'm the king of the castle!” England “Humpty Dumpty” England “Belshazzar from the banquet England turn” “Morte D'Arthur” (Tennyson) Britain/Commonwealth “Ballad to an Absent Friend” Britain/Commonwealth (by prince consort) “Pretty Baby” (by prince Britain/Commonwealth consort) “The Island Rose” Hawaii/Scotland Who was the only Commonwealth composer outside the United Kingdom to write music for Elizabeth II’s coronation? Healey Willan, dean of Canadian composers, provided the fourth of the five homage anthems for the coronation. It was “O Lord, Our Governor” and drew on Psalms 8, 84, 17, 61, 21, and 20. This was the music played while the Duke of Edinburgh, the other royal dukes, and the representative peers pledged their loyalty to the queen after her enthronement. Swans traditionally are regarded as the property of the Crown. Does the Crown have a right to other creatures? Sturgeon, by ancient right, belong to the Crown too. At the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s cross-country tour in 1959, a Nova Scotia trawler caught a 350-pound one. Knowing about this royal right, the owners asked permission to send it to the

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queen at Rideau Hall where Her Majesty was in residence. It was duly inspected in the kitchen by the queen. Which Canadian museum has footwear worn by Prince Philip? The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto contains footwear of the prince in its extensive collection. The museum also has in its collection a pair of 19th-century Burmese royal shoes which were traditionally worn by the Buddhist kings of what is now known as Myanmar. The shoes are believed to date to the last Burmese dynasty, the Konbang dynasty, which lasted from 1755 to 1885. Crowns in Film • Anne of the Thousand Days • The Prisoner of Zenda • The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex • The Student Prince • Ivanhoe • The Adventures of Robin Hood • The Lord of the Rings • 55 Days at Peking • The Lion in Winter

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• Nicholas and Alexandra • Anna and the King of Siam • The Swan • The Madness of King George • Victoria the Great • A Man for All Seasons • Sixty Glorious Years • Bonnie Prince Charlie • Mary, Queen of Scots • Mary of Scotland • The Queen • The Virgin Queen • King Richard and the Crusaders • The Mouse that Roared • The Emperor Waltz • The Private Life of Henry VIII • The Last Emperor

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• Throne of Blood • Mayerling • Catherine the Great • Alexander Nevsky • Ivan the Terrible • Hamlet • Henry V What modern pop musical is unapologetically royalist? Tim Rice and Stephen Oliver’s Blondel. (Blondel was the troubadour who according to tradition discovered where Richard I “the Lion Heart” was imprisoned.) Its theme song runs “I’m a monarchist / Loyal through and through / Talk of presidents gives offence / Only kings will do” et cetera.

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canada’s royal ties

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Which members of the royal family have been sworn of the Canadian Privy Council? King Edward VIII was made a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council for Canada when Prince of Wales in 1927. His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was admitted in 1957. The latter occurred during the 1957 stay in Ottawa by the queen and the duke, during Queen Elizabeth II’s first tour in Canada as monarch. A meeting of the Queen’s Privy Council in the presence of the queen was arranged by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, at which the duke was admitted to the council. Where did King Edward VIII consider living once he abdicated? At the time of the abdication, the king talked seriously of taking up permanent residence at the EP Ranch, the property he purchased in 1919 at High River, Alberta. As it happened, he went to France instead. It is hard to imagine Wallis Simpson taking easily to the rustication of an Alberta rancher’s wife. On what foreign tour did Elizabeth II wear her famous maple leaf dress? The maple leaf dress was created for the 1959 tour when Her Majesty opened the St. Lawrence Seaway. It was subsequently worn on her state visit to Italy in 1961. Which member of the royal family advanced 18th century exploration of Canada?

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When Louis XV came to the throne as a child, his cousin Prince Philippe, Duke of Orleans, became regent for him from 1715 until he came of age in 1723. (In French monarchical law kings were legally of age at 13.) The regent was a strange mixture of brilliance and degeneracy, a minor poet and patron of the arts, a liberal but very cynical freethinker, a man of intellectual distinction. Philippe almost succeeded in overturning the restrictions Louis XIV had placed on the regency in his will. “I have been proclaimed regent and during the minority I must have a king’s authority,” Philippe declared. The regency was a time of artistic flair but economic disaster. Philippe was keenly interested in the question of the existence of a western sea. This fascination led him as regent to commission Father Pierre-François-Xavier de Charlevoix to seek a route to this sea through the Canadian hinterland. Charlevoix’s expedition took place in 1720– 1722. He explored northern Ontario and sailed down the Mississippi 1722. He explored northern Ontario and River to New Orleans. Not only did this expedition open up the interior of Canada, it also led Charlevoix to publish in 1744 his Histoire et Description générale de la Nouvelle France avec le journal historique d’un Voyage fait par Order du Roi dans l’Amérique septentrionale which is the first general history of Canada ever written. Charlevoix dedicated this work to Jean-Marie de Bourbon, grandson of the Duke du Maine, Louis XIV’s legitimized son by Madame de Montespan. Before the regent died in 1723, he also appointed François Gendron, the first doctor in Ontario, as his personal physician. Quickies Did you know … 507

• that the famous Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place in Toronto are named after Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), and his brother Prince George, Duke of Kent (killed in the Second World War)? Which two illegitimate daughters of William IV lived in Canada? The king’s second daughter, Mary FitzClarence, whose husband, General Charles Richard Fox, was stationed in Nova Scotia as commanding officer of the 34th Regiment in the 1830s, and his youngest daughter, Amelia FitzClarence, who married Viscount Falkland, Governor of Nova Scotia, 1840–1846. What was the sole official external engagement Edward VIII carried out as king? King Edward VIII reigned for less than one year. He did not undertake any foreign tours in that time. However, he did preside at the unveiling of the great Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge in France. The land was given to Canada in perpetuity but remains under the sovereignty of France, so the king’s attendance was both a stay in Canada and a visit to France. What Canadian mountain is a lasting mark of affection for an afflicted member of the British royal family? Mount Prince John, British Columbia, located in the Royal Group east of Invermere, was named for the epileptic youngest son of King George V and Queen Mary. Prince John, when diagnosed as epileptic, lived apart from his family 508

at Windsor, cared for by his devoted Nanny, Mrs. Lalla Bill. He died at the age of 14. How did the Sikhs first come to Canada? A contingent from India attended the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in London in 1897. While there, they met members of the North West Mounted Police (now the RCMP) who suggested they return home via Canada. They did. That led to Sikhs settling in British Columbia. What “royal” gift did the French Republic give Canada in 1931? It replaced the bust of King Louis XIV that originally stood in Place Royale, Quebec City, but disappeared at the conquest, with a new one, a copy of the famous sculpture by Bernini. Of which governor general of Canada is Prince William of Wales a descendant? Charles Lennox, fourth Duke of Richmond, was appointed governor general in 1818, but after just a year in office, died after being bitten by a fox. The descent is through Prince William’s mother Diana, the late Princess of Wales. The Duke of Richmond, a professional soldier, fought at least two duels with the Duke of York, George III’s second son. His wife, the Duchess of Richmond, gave the celebrated Waterloo Ball on the eve of the battle that ended the career of Napoleon I. Who are Canada’s greatest monarchs and why?

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Of Canada’s 33 monarchs, 15 were outstanding for what they did for the country. Henry VII and François I got Canada off to its start by sending Giovanni Caboto and Jacques Cartier to make their discoveries and initial contact with the Native peoples. Elizabeth I continued exploration, concentrating on the Northwest Passage and Newfoundland. Henri IV made engaging in the fur trade contingent of settlement, showing the country was not just for exploitation. James I, “the wisest fool (i.e. jester) in Christendom,” laid the foundations of the British Empire from which Canada derived its law and parliamentary government. Charles I founded the Baronets of Nova Scotia to undertake settlement and granted the Western Charter, the basis of Newfoundland law for a century and a half. Louis XIII chartered the Company of One Hundred Associates, charged with bringing in 300 settlers a year. Louis XIV created Quebec, a royal province, thereby assuring a lasting francophone community in North America. Charles II, by royal charter, created the Hudson’s Bay Company, the most dynamic agent of Canadian history and one of the world’s oldest corporations. James II, second governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, obtained the agreement of his brother Charles II that the company’s charter applied not just to the Hudson Bay coastline but to the interior also, a crucial development in Canada’s coming to acquire its northwestern terrain. Queen Anne laid the foundations of a lasting relationship between Crown and native peoples. George III united sovereignty over all Canada in his Crown and funded Loyalist settlement that created a viable English Canada. Victoria, “the Mother of Confederation,” was the common bond that allowed the provinces to overcome local interest and unite as one Dominion. George V enacted the Statute of Westminster, giving Canada legal independence. George VI made the greatest of the royal tours, one that boosted national 510

unity as Canada emerged from the Depression and entered the Second World War. Five Longest Reigns in Canadian History (1497-present) • King Louis XIV (May 14, 1643–September 1, 1715) 72 years, 3 months, 18 days • Queen Victoria (June 20, 1837–January 22, 1901) 63 years, 7 months, 2 days • King George III (October 25, 1760–January 29, 1820) 59 years, 3 months, 4 days • Queen Elizabeth II (February 6, 1952–present) 57 years as of February 6, 2009 and counting • King Louis XV (September 1, 1715–February 10, 1763 [Treaty of Paris]) 47 years, 5 months, 9 days Quickies Did you know … • that François Gendron, a Jesuit who spent seven years in Huronia, treated Louis XIV’s mother Queen Anne for cancer in 1666 and became physician to the regent (Duke of Orleans) for Louis XV? What gift was sent to Louis XIV from Canada when he was born?

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When they learned of the birth of the king’s son, the aboriginals of New France sent the baby prince, who would become one of the greatest monarchs in history, a beaded papoose outfit. What royal monument was paid for by children? The Children’s Memorial to Queen Victoria in Vancouver. Schoolchildren of the city donated pennies to cover the cost. The 1.8-metre-high granite memorial is located in Stanley Park, and was erected in 1905. What rent was the reigning monarch entitled to from the Hudson’s Bay Company? Two elk heads and two black beaver pelts under the Royal Charter of Charles II. The tribute was paid four times on Canadian soil. It was first received in 1927 by the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) on behalf of George V. King George VI was the first monarch to receive it in person, in 1939. Queen Elizabeth II accepted it in 1959 and 1970. The second time, in keeping with growing sensitivity to environmentalism, the rent took the form of live beavers. (The queen gave them to the Winnipeg Zoo.) In 1970 the Hudson’s Bay Company had the Royal Charter amended to eliminate the rent. Killed! A great symbolic link to Canada’s historic roots. Five Shortest Reigns in Canadian History (1497-present) • King Edward VIII (January 20, 1936–December 11, 1936 [abdicated]) — 10 months, 21 days

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• King Francois II (July 10, 1559–December 5, 1560) — 1 year, 4 months, 25 days • King James II (February 6, 1685–February 13, 1689 [overthrown]) — 4 years, 7 days • Queen Mary I (July 6, 1553–November 17, 1558) 5 years, 4 months, 11 days Queen Mary II (February 13, 1689–December 28, 1694) 5 years, 10 months, 15 days What native Canadian animal did Prince Philip save? His Royal Highness is credited with saving the wood bison, commonly called the buffalo, in Canada. Prince Philip has been an advocate of green practice in Canada since the early 1950s, when he made his first solo coast to coast tour of the country, and has never ceased raising public awareness in this regard. “Conservation,” he told the Canadian Audubon Society in 1967, “is really a case of now or never….Wildlife, whether in the shape of birds, animals, fish, or plants, is being threatened or eroded as never before in history. If we don’t get the answer right now, there won’t be a second chance.” What royal name did Sir George Étienne Cartier, chief French Canadian architect of Confederation, give his daughter? He called one of his three daughters Reine Victoria Cartier — that is, Queen Victoria Cartier. Cartier himself received the name George, after King George III, from his parents. That is why George is spelled without the s which it would otherwise have in French.

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How did Princess Louise sum up the position of governor general of Canada? Writing from Rideau Hall to her youngest brother, Prince Leopold, the Duke of Albany, Her Royal Highness said: “I think it possible you may come here one day. Canada is so loyal, so interesting, and with such a marvelous future that it really seems as if the governor generalship should always be filled by a member of our family.” As an intelligent perceptive woman, the princess had grasped the weakness in the position. Unless the holder was a member of the royal family, the governor generalcy would not realize its full potential as a viceregal office. It is the royal connection that takes it from an administrative to a representational role. What was the strangest royal incident at Rideau Hall? Official home of Canada’s sovereign and her governors general, Government House in Ottawa has seen its share of royal dramas. The injured Princess Louise was brought home there after her serious sleigh accident. Princess Louise Margaret, the ailing Duchess of Connaught, chatelaine 1911 to 1916, agonized silently within its walls at the spectacle of her son fighting on the Allied side and her brother and nephew on the German side in the First World War. At Rideau Hall years later her grandson, the sad Prince Alastair, second Duke of Connaught, died prematurely from winter exposure. Quotes from Canada's Kings and Queens?

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• Edward VI: Noted in his diary that the French ambassador complained to him that the emperor “stayed certain ships French going a-fishing to the Newfoundland.” • Henri IV: Having to renounce Protestantism for Catholicism to ascend the throne: “Paris is worth a mass.” • Elizabeth I: In a speech to her judges: “Have a care over my people!” • James I: His thoughts on smoking: “A custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and the black stinking fume thereof, nearest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomlesse.” • Charles I: On the scaffold: “Remember!” • Charles II: Defining constitutional monarchy: “My words are my own, and my actions are my ministers’.” • Louis XIV:“ L’État c’est moi!” (“I am the State!”) • William III: “Every bullet has itsbillet.” • Louis XV: Appalled by the cost of building the Fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton: “One morning I expect to look out of my window at Versailles and see the towers of Louisbourg looming on the horizon.” • Anne: Touching for the King’s Evil (scrofula): “May God heal you, the Queen touches you.”

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• George II: On hearing that people said General James Wolfe was mad: “If he is mad, then I wish he would bite some of my other generals.” • George III: To the first French-Canadian lady received at Court: “Madame, if all Canadian women resemble you, I have indeed made a fine conquest.” • William IV: On Halifax: “A very gay and lively place full of women, and those of the most obliging kind.” • Victoria: Discovering she would one day become queen: “I will be good.” • Edward VII: “We are all Socialists now-a-days.” • George V:On his deathbed: “How is the Empire?” Edward VIII: While abdicating: “I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.” • George VI: To Parliament in Ottawa: “It is my earnest hope that my present visit may give my Canadian people a deeper conception of their unity as a nation … May the blessing of Divine Providence rest upon your labours and upon my realm of Canada.” • Elizabeth II: Leaving California for British Columbia: “I’m going home to Canada tomorrow.” But most resembling a melodramatic scene from a Ruritainian novel was the experience of another princess, Princess Marie

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Louise. In 1900, Her Serene Highness was staying at Rideau Hall before beginning a private train journey prescribed by her doctor to Vancouver through the Rockies. Wed some years before to Prince Aribert of Anhalt, and unhappy in her childless marriage, Princess Marie Louise had suffered a breakdown in health. Her luggage had already been stowed on the westbound train and she was ready to depart from Government House when the governor general appeared with a telegram from her father-in-law, Frederick I, Duke of Anhalt. The telegram sent en clair (readable by everyone whose hands it passed through) was a peremptory order for Princess Marie Louise to return to Germany. Shocked, the princess was struggling with the temptation to ignore the command when another telegram arrived, this one from her grandmother, Queen Victoria. It was in code and said: “Tell my granddaughter to come home to me. V.R.” Only when she returned to Cumberland Lodge, her parents’ home at Windsor Castle, did Marie Louise discover the reason for the unexpected interruption of her tour at Government House. Without any consultation, her father-in-law had used his sovereign power as reigning prince of Anhalt to annul her marriage to his son. Neither Prince Aribert nor Princess Marie Louise ever re-married. What was Queen Victoria’s personal contribution to the preservation of old Quebec? She paid for the erection of a new gate in the walls of the ancient city. It was called the Kent Gate after her father who lived several years in the city.

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With which governor’s wife did Prince William (William IV) have a love affair? The beautiful Frances, Lady Wentworth, wife of Sir John Wentworth, Governor of Nova Scotia and formerly Royal Governor of Vermont. For whom were the first 13 townships surveyed in Ontario (Upper Canada) named? They were named by Lord Dorchester, the governor, for King George III, Queen Charlotte, and 11 of their children. The townships were Adolphustown, Augusta, Charlottenburgh, Cornwall, Edwardsburgh, Elizabethtown, Ernestown, Fredericksburgh, Kingston, Marysburgh, Matilda, Osnabruck, and Williamsburgh. They were known as the “Royal Townships.” Ameliasburgh and Sophiasburgh were added later for the monarchs’ two youngest children. Which physician to King Louis XIV was a Canadian pioneer? Michel Sarrazin came to Canada in 1685, received a Quebec fief, became surgeon-major to the royal troops and a member of the Superior Council and was a correspondent of the Academy of Science on Canadian flora and fauna. What was Canada’s gift to Queen Victoria for her Diamond Jubilee? Creation of the famed Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) was arranged by Lady Aberdeen, wife of the governor general as Canada’s gift to mark the 60th anniversary of the queen’s reign.

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Who presided at Quebec City’s 300th birthday celebrations in 1908? The Prince of Wales, later King George V, presided at the tercentenary and reviewed the great military pageant and parade that took place on the Plains of Abraham. What prank did Prince Albert play in Canada in 1913? When Canadian news reporters swarmed aboard HMS Cumberland on which Prince Albert, future King George VI, was serving, the young prince got a fellow midshipman to take his place and give an interview. The imaginative stand-in said the prince was treated the same as all the others on board ship except that he always wore a bowler hat on Sundays. Quickies Did you know … • that Canada’s famous Polish engineer, Sir Casimir Gzowski, was personal aide de camp to Queen Victoria and did periods of service at Windsor Castle? What was C.W. Jeffreys’s quip on learning that King George V had made the mad Sam Hughes, Canadian Minister of Militia, a knight? “Le roi s’amuse!” he exclaimed, or in translation “The king is having a bit of fun!” Which king initiated German immigration to Canada?

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George II. He was responsible for Germans establishing Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in 1753 for settlers from Germany. Which king personally settled a quarrel over the vacant Diocese of Quebec? King Louis XV in 1727. Quickies Did you know … • that the first member of the royal family to come to what is now Canada was King William IV, as Prince William in 1786? What was royal about Ontario’s first blast furnace? The first Ontario blast furnace, an air furnace to smelt ore in the Algoma region of northern Ontario, was the work of a partnership of three entrepreneurs. Two of them — Alexander Baxter and Alexander Henry — were businessmen on the scene and involved in the fur trade. The third partner in the enterprise was Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, youngest and favourite brother of King George III. Under the Bourbon regime it had become known that Algoma was rich in copper and held out promise of other minerals. The partnership of Baxter, Henry, and the Duke of Gloucester built vessels on Lake Huron to promote mining. Quickies Did you know …

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• that Queen Victoria’s father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, lived in Canada for a decade as a young man, from 1791 to 1800? Who were “the King’s daughters”? One of the challenges facing the young colony of New France was the lack of women to allow the population to grow. To solve this problem, young women were sent to Canada by King Louis XIV as brides for settlers and soldiers in the years 1654 to 1672. They are known to history as “the King’s daughters.” What heroine did Louis XIV grant a pension to? Madeleine Jarret de Verchères, heroine of the eight-day Iroquois siege of Verchères, Quebec, in 1692. When the floundering settlement of Quebec appealed for help, what was the king’s reply? Pierre Boucher, emissary of the settlers, reported His Majesty’s words: “I had the honour of speaking to the King, who questioned me about the state of the country, of which I gave him an accurate account, and His Majesty promised me that he would take it under his protection.” The king was as good as his word and made Quebec a royal province. Soldiers, settlers, and money were poured into the province over the following years until it was established on a firm and lasting foundation. Quickies

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Did you know … • that George III’s youngest son, the Duke of Sussex, was vice-president of the Society for Promoting Education and Industry among the Indians and Destitute Settlers in Canada? Who presented the first Mohawk translation of the Book of Common Prayer to the Native people? It was presented by King George III and Queen Charlotte. Which Canadian factory worker produced a well-known book on George I’s descendants? Arnold McNaughton of Quebec. He spent 25 years researching, arranging, and publishing The Book of Kings. Enjoying the encouragement of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, McNaughton was appointed his personal genealogist, in which capacity he helped keep the famous Mountbatten Relationship Tables up to date. Who named British Columbia? Queen Victoria did, in 1858, the year the mainland was established as a province of the Crown separate from Vancouver Island. “New Vancouver, New Columbia, and New Georgia … do not appear on all maps” Her Majesty wrote at the end of June that year about the name of the new jurisdiction. “The only name which is given the whole territory in every map the Queen has consulted is ‘Columbia,’ but as there exists a Columbia in South America, and the citizens of the United States called their country also Columbia, at least in poetry, ‘British Columbia’ might be, in

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the Queen’s opinion, the best name.” Victoria also chose the name of the British Columbia city of New Westminster the following year. What was the first organization that Queen Elizabeth II designated “royal” when she became monarch? In 1952, the queen made the Winnipeg Ballet the “Royal Winnipeg Ballet.” Royal Consorts Since Confederation • Queen Alexandra (1901–1910), wife of King Edward VII • Queen Mary (1910–1936), wife of King George V • Queen Elizabeth (1936–1952), wife of King George VI Prince • Philip (1952–present), husband of Queen Elizabeth II Who is the Queen Elizabeth Way in Ontario named after? The first expressway built in Ontario, the Queen Elizabeth Way, was opened in 1939 by Queen Elizabeth, the consort of King George VI, after whom it was named. Quickies Did you know … • that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, is second in seniority of membership in the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada?

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Why did King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive two days late to start the 1939 royal tour of Canada? The Empress of Australia, bringing the king and queen to Canada, was stuck in an iceberg field in the North Atlantic for two days. The queen wrote to Queen Mary, “We very nearly hit a berg the day before yesterday, and the poor captain was nearly demented because some kind cheerful people kept on reminding him that it was about here that the Titanic was struck, and just about the same date!” Quickies Did you know … • that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is the great-great-great-granddaughter of Sir Alan MacNab, pre-Confederation premier of Canada, Speaker of the Legislative Council, and builder of Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, Ontario? When was the first royal walkabout? The word walkabout originated in Wellington, New Zealand, on the 1970 royal tour by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, when they left their car and walked freely among the crowds. The first actual walkabout, though, occurred in Ottawa on the 1939 royal tour when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth spontaneously decided to break with the official plans during the unveiling of the War Memorial and mingled with the crowd of veterans. Who was the first governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company?

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Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a first cousin of King Charles II and hero of the civil war against the Cromwellians was the first governor. Rupert’s Land (the vast territory of the company) was named after him. Which Canadian communities have won the Prince of Wales’ architectural award? The Town of Aurora in Ontario was the most recent (2008) recipient of the Prince of Wales’ Prize for Municipal Heritage Leadership while the Municipality of Saint-Raymond de Portneuf, Quebec, was given an honourable mention. Other communities that have gained the prize for demonstrating a strong and sustained commitment to supporting their historic places have been Markham (2000), Victoria (2001), Saint John (2002), Quebec (2003), Perth (2004), Charlottetown (2005), Annapolis Royal (2006), and St. John’s (2007). Since his youth, concern for architecture, the environment, and inner-city renewal has been a major theme of the Prince of Wales’ public life. It led to the establishment of the Municipal Heritage Leadership Prize as part of the Heritage Canada Foundation’s National Awards Program in 1999. To qualify, a local jurisdiction must have a record of supporting heritage preservation through regulation, policies, funding, and stewardship. Quickies Did you know … • that the man who worked out the financial terms of the abdication settlement of King Edward VIII was the Canadian financier, Sir Edward Peacock, from Glengarry, Ontario? 525

When was “O Canada” first played? Composed by Calixa Lavallée and Sir Basile Routhier at the request of the St. Jean Baptiste Society, it was first played at a concert before the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada and son-in-law of Queen Victoria, in Quebec City on June 24, 1880 (St. Jean Baptiste Day). Why are there swans in the Rideau River in Ottawa? The swans in Ottawa are royal swans, descendants of those given to the City of Ottawa in 1959 by Queen Elizabeth II on her royal tour that year. Why was there no toast to King George VI at the official dinner at Rideau Hall during the 1939 royal tour? Rideau Hall is the sovereign’s home in Canada. Since the dinner was held at Rideau Hall, the king was the host, not a guest, so a toast to his health was not proposed. Quickies Did you know … • that the cornerstone of the Canadian Parliament Buildings’ Centre Block was laid in 1860 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and, following the great fire of 1916, was re-laid by his brother Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, and governor general of Canada, for the replacement building? Who was the first person outside the royal household to be told of the impending birth of Prince Andrew, Duke of York?

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Queen Elizabeth II learned from her doctor that she was pregnant during the 1959 royal tour of Canada. Since she was in her Canadian realm, her Canadian prime minister took precedence over her British prime minister, so John Diefenbaker, prime minister of Canada was the first person informed and Harold Macmillan, prime minister of the United Kingdom was told later. How did American president Harry Truman refer to Queen Elizabeth II on her 1951 visit to the United States? In 1951, Princess Elizabeth undertook a major cross-country tour of Canada and then followed it with a short visit to the United States. As Canada is the closest neighbour of the U.S., and Elizabeth had arrived there from Canada, the American president officially greeted her as the “Canadian Princess.” Years Queen Elizabeth II Has Been to Canada • 1951, 1953 (stop-over), 1957, 1959, 1963 (three stop-overs), 1964, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1973 (twice), 1974 (two stop-overs), 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 (stop-over), 1986 (stop-over), 1987, 1990, 1991 (stop-over), 1992, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2007 (at Vimy Ridge) Who were the Four Mohawk Kings? In 1710, four Mohawk chiefs, Etow Oh Koam (Nicholas), Tee Yee Neem Ho Ga Row (Hendrick), Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow (Brant), and No Nee Yeath Taw No Row (John) visited Queen Anne in England to cement the alliance between the Crown and the Mohawks. They were welcomed as the “four kings” and their trip achieved its purpose. Queen Anne sent a 527

communion plate for the Mohawks back to North America, which was brought by them to Canada following the American Revolution, in which the Mohawks remained loyal to the Crown. Quickies Did you know … • that when Kahkewaquonaby or Sacred Feathers (the Reverend Peter Jones) was received by Queen Victoria in 1838 he was allowed to wear Mississauga garb and headdress as the aboriginal equivalent of court attire? What did a waitress in a small Canadian town reportedly say to a royal duke? Legend has it that she said, “Keep your fork Duke, there’s pie coming,” when she put his used fork back on the table as she removed the main course plate. The story may be true, but it has been told so many times about so many dukes and so many towns that it may well be apocryphal, combining Canadians’ self image of small town informality, endearing familiarity with the royal family, and royal acceptance of Canadian quirks. While many people believe the encounter is about Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the first known appearance of the story predates the First World War, with Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and governor general of Canada, as the royal duke in question. Quickies Did you know …

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• that Queen Victoria told the aboriginal clergyman, the Reverend Henry Pahtaquahong Chase of Munceytown, Ontario, Ojibway President of the Indian Grand Council, quite bluntly that she wanted him to call his expected grandchild Victor in case of a boy or Victoria in case of a girl? It was a boy and Victor he became. What writer gave a tongue-in-cheek account of George V’s visit to Orillia? Stephen Leacock, the internationally acclaimed Canadian humourist, in his comparison of Canada and England called My Discovery of England. In it he discussed the royal visit to Orillia as an example of the different attitudes of Canadians and English towards the Crown. After describing how the Orillians invited the (then) prince to an oyster supper, to play pool, to visit the new sewerage plant, and to cash a cheque at the Royal Bank, Leacock concludes that Canadians “understand Kings and Princes better than the English do” and “treat them in a far more human heart to heart fashion,” adding that “[the English] have seen so much of the mere outside of … kingship that they don’t understand the heart of it as we do in Canada.” Six Significant Moments During Queen Elizabeth IIs Canadian Visits • 1957 Her Majesty wore her shimmering jewel-embroidered Hartnell coronation dress, decorated with maple leaves and other floral emblems of her different Crowns, when she opened the first session of her 23rd Canadian Parliament in person and delivered the Speech from the Throne on October 14 in Ottawa. 529

• 1970 To mark the first trip to the Arctic by a reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II was presented with a narwhal tusk, similar to the one given to Queen Elizabeth I by the explorer Sir Martin Frobisher five centuries earlier. The tusk was subsequently placed on the Royal Yacht Britannia. • 1976 As monarch of Canada, Elizabeth II opened the XXI Olympic Games in Montreal. She focused the world’s attention on the event even more by unexpectedly bringing together the entire immediate royal family on Canadian soil for the first time during the games. • 1982 When she signed the Proclamation patriating the Canadian Constitution on April 17 on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Her Majesty transferred authority from herself as queen of the United Kingdom to herself as queen of Canada. • 1997 Presiding at the celebration of the arrival of Giovanni Caboto’s ship the Matthew in Newfoundland on June 24, 1497, the queen marked the beginning of royal authority in the “Kingdom of the North” — 500 years of monarchy in Canada. • 2007 Vimy Ridge, site of the famous Canadian victory in the First World War, was given to Canada by France but remains under French sovereignty. When the queen visited the site to re-dedicate the Vimy Memorial on April 9, the visit was simultaneously a domestic tour and an international one for Her Majesty as queen of Canada.

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the crown and the commonwealth

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Did Queen Victoria really say “We are not amused”? She did. But her remark has been quoted out of context. This is what really happened. One day she overheard someone make a derogatory, off-colour remark about one of the ladies of her court. She reproved the speaker with the celebrated words, letting him know she did not find his ungentlemanly comment funny. Far from being humourless, the great queen had a keen sense of fun and liked to laugh. She did, however, think members of the royal family should avoid being photographed smiling for fear that the public would think them frivolous. Which British/Commonwealth king had the most children? King George III had 15 children of which 13 survived childhood. They were George (King George IV), Frederick (Duke of York), William (King William IV), Charlotte (Queen of Wurttemberg), Edward (Duke of Kent), Augusta, Elizabeth (Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg), Ernest (King of Hanover), Augustus (Duke of Sussex), Adolphus (Duke of Cambridge), Mary (Duchess of Gloucester), Sophia, Octavius, Alfred, and Amelia. Who was the first monarch to ride in an automobile? King Edward VII was an enthusiastic motorist and rode in a car for the first time in 1899. How many of the 40 English/British/Commonwealth monarchs were buried outside England?

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Five of them were buried outside England. Kings William I, Henry II, Richard I, and James II were buried in France and King George I was buried in Germany. At which Commonwealth schools were Queen Elizabeth II’s three sons educated? Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, attended Timbertops School in Australia, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, attended Lakefield College in Canada, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, attended Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand. Quickies Did you know … • it was rumoured that Queen Anne Boleyn (second wife of King Henry VIII) had six fingers on her right hand? By what name was King Edward VIII known to his family before his accession to the throne? His full name was Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, and he was known by his family as David. How might the British/Commonwealth royal family descend from King David? Through the Exilarchs, or Princes of the Captivity, who were acknowledged descendants of the biblical hero king. Harun-al-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad, it seems, sent Emperor Charlemagne one of these Jewish princes as an ambassador, a

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man called Makhir. Makhir stayed in the Frankish kingdom and founded a line of Exilarchs at Narbonne, from whom Queen Isabel, wife of King John (of Magna Carta fame), was in turn descended. Quickies Did you know … • that King William IV was the oldest monarch at accession in English/British/ Commonwealth history when he came to the throne in 1830 at the age of 64 years, 10 months, and five days? What disease did Queen Victoria pass on to some of her descendants? Queen Victoria, through a mutant gene, was an originator and carrier of hemophilia, a blood disease suffered by males but transmitted by females. The queen passed it to the Tsarevich Alexei, heir to the Russian throne, through her daughter and granddaughter, the Empress Alexandra. Quickies Did you know … • that Charles, Prince of Wales, descends in 22 separate lines from Mary, Queen of Scots, and more than 200 from King Robert the Bruce? What is the nom de brose of the Prince of Wales?

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When he signs his paintings, the Prince of Wales uses the name “Arthur G. Carrick.” Arthur and George are among his Christian names and one of his titles is Earl of Carrick in Scotland. Quickies Did you know … • that if Charles, Prince of Wales’s ancestors could be traced back to the time of William the Conqueror, there would theoretically be 1,073,741,824 of them? What is “The Prince’s Charities”? “The Prince’s Charities” is the collective name for the group of 20 charities founded personally by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. He is patron or president of 18 of them and they are the largest multi-cause charitable enterprise in the United Kingdom. The areas of life covered by the charities, which operate in several Commonwealth countries, include opportunity and enterprise (especially for young people), education, health, the built environment, responsible business, the natural environment, and the arts. Princes of Wales • Prince Edward of Caernarvon, 1301–1307, later King Edward II • Prince Edward, the Black Prince, 1343–1376

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• Prince Richard of Bordeaux, 1376–1377, later King Richard II • Henry of Monmouth, 1399–1413, later King Henry V • Prince Edward of Westminster, 1454–1471 • Prince Edward of the Sanctuary, 1471–1483, later King Edward V • Prince Edward of Middleham, 1483–1484 • Prince Arthur, 1489–1502 • Prince Henry, 1504–1509, later King Henry VIII • Prince Henry Frederick of Stirling, 1610–1612 • Prince Charles, 1616–1625, later King Charles I • Prince Charles, 1638–1649, later King Charles II • Prince James Francis Edward, 1688–1688, 1701 (Jacobite status) • Prince George, 1714–1727, later King George II • Prince Frederick Lewis, 1729–1751 • Prince George, 1751–1760, later King George III • Prince George, 1762–1820, later King George IV • Prince Albert Edward, 1841–1901, later King Edward VII 536

• Prince George, 1901–1910, later King George V • Prince Edward, 1910–1936, later King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor • Prince Charles, 1958–present Who was the first member of the British royal family to qualify as a pilot? Prince Albert, later Duke of York and then King George VI, became a pilot in 1919. He also served in the fledgling Royal Air Force, the first member of the royal family to do so. What is the George Cross? The George Cross was created in 1940 by King George VI to honour civilians for their bravery, as the equivalent of the Victoria Cross for the Armed Forces. It was inspired by the bravery and sacrifice of the people during the blitz on London in the Battle of Britain. Princesses of Wales • Lady Joan of Kent, 1361–1385 • Lady Anne Neville, 1470–1472 • Princess Katharine of Aragon, 1501–1509 • Princess Caroline of Ansbach, 1714–1727 • Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, 1736–1772

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• Princess Caroline of Brunswick, 1795–1820 • Princess Alexandra of Denmark, 1863–1901 • Princess May of Teck, 1893–1910 • Lady Diana Spencer, 1981–1997 • Camilla Parker-Bowles, 2005–present (but uses secondary title of Duchess of Cornwall) Where did Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) turn 21? Princess Elizabeth reached the age of majority in Cape Town, South Africa, on April 23, 1947, during a royal tour of Africa. Who was the only English monarch to be crowned king of France? King Henry VI was crowned king of France in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris at the age of 10 in 1431 after being crowned king of England in Westminster Abbey in 1429. What was the name of the royal family’s first corgi? The first corgi was bought by the Duke of York (later King George VI) in 1933. It was a Pembrokeshire corgi called Dookie. Many of the corgis currently belonging to Queen Elizabeth II are direct descendants of Susan, a dog that she received as a present on her 18th birthday. Who is the Duke of Lancaster?

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Originally granted to John of Gaunt and his descendants in the male line, legally the title did not pass to the House of Tudor and succeeding monarchs, as Henry VII was descended from Gaunt through a female line. Nor can the title be held by the present queen as a female. However, since the Duchy itself was separated by Parliament from However, since the Duchy itself was separated the other Crown lands and given to the sovereign as a source of revenue, the customary toast by Lancastrians today is “The Queen, Duke of Lancaster.” Quickies Did you know … •that Queen Elizabeth II is a direct descendant of Genghis Khan? Who named the Victoria Falls in Africa after Queen Victoria? They were named in 1855 by Dr. David Livingstone of “Stanley and Livingstone” fame. The falls are bordered by Zambia and Zimbabwe and empty into the Zambezi River. They are neither the highest nor the widest falls but are believed to be the largest falls by volume of water flow in the world. Consorts of English/Scottish/ British/Commonwealth Queens • King Francois II of France (Mary, Queen of Scots) • Prince Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (Mary, Queen of Scots)

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• James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell (Mary, Queen of Scots) King Philip I of Spain (Queen Mary I) • King William III (Queen Mary II) • Prince George, The Duke of Cumberland (Queen Anne) • Prince Albert, The Prince Consort (Queen Victoria) • Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (Queen Elizabeth II) Where is Lake Victoria in Africa? Located at the junction of Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, Lake Victoria (Victoria Nyanza) is the source of the White Nile. Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world and one of the largest freshwater lakes. What is Treetops? It was the observation hotel built in a giant fig tree that overlooked a waterhole in Nyeri, Kenya, where Queen Elizabeth II was staying the night of February 5–6, 1952, when her father, King George VI, died in London and she became the queen. How did Queen Victoria describe the audiences she gave to her famous prime minister William Gladstone? Queen Victoria said of her regular sessions, “He speaks to me as if I were a public meeting.” Leader of the Liberal Party, William Gladstone was a staunch monarchist but the queen preferred his equally loyal, but more diplomatic, rival,

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Benjamin Disraeli, leader of the Conservative Party, who also served as Queen Victoria’s prime minister. Where was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born? A grandson of the king of Greece, he was born in his parents’ home “Mon Repos” on the island of Corfu in Greece. After the fall of the Greek monarchy his family fled to the United Kingdom when he was a child, and he grew up in Britain, France, and Germany. Quickies Did you know … • that through her mother, Queen Elizabeth II is descended from Colonel Augustine Warner of Virginia, great-grandfather of George Washington, and is a second cousin, eight times removed, of the first American president? Who was the last Catholic monarch of Britain/the Commonwealth? King James II, son of King Charles I and brother of King Charles II converted to Catholicism while he was Duke of York. He became king in 1685 and was overthrown by his Protestant nephew and son-in-law King William III in 1689. On what significant anniversary was King George VI born?

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Prince Albert, as King George VI was known until he became king, was born on December 14, 1895, the 34th anniversary of the death of his great grandfather, Prince Albert the prince consort, and he was named in memory of his ancestor. How many children did King George V and Queen Mary have? They had six children — five sons and one daughter — Princes Edward (King Edward VIII), Albert (King George VI), Henry (Duke of Gloucester), George (Duke of Kent) and John, and Princess Mary (Princess Royal). Dukes of York • Prince Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke [1385–1402] (fifth son of King Edward III) • Prince Edward, 2nd Duke [1402–1415] (elder son of Prince Edmund) • Prince Richard, 3rd Duke [1415–1460] (nephew of 2nd Duke) • Prince Edward, 4th Duke [1460–1461] and later King Edward IV • Prince Richard, 5th Duke [1473–1483] (second son of King Edward IV) • Prince Henry, 6th Duke [1494–1503] and later King Henry VIII (second son of King Henry VII)

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• Prince Charles, 7th Duke [1605–1626] and later King Charles I (second son of King James I) • Prince James, 8th Duke [1633–1685] and later King James II (second son of King Charles I) • Prince Ernst August, 9th Duke [1716–1728] (brother of King George I) • Prince Edward Augustus, 10th Duke [1760–1767] (brother of King George III) • Prince Frederick, 11th Duke [1784–1827] (second son of King George III) • Prince George, 12th Duke [1892–1910] and later King George V (second son of King Edward VII) • Prince Albert, 13th Duke [1920–1936] and later King George VI (second son of King George V) • Prince Andrew, 14th Duke [1986–present] (second son of Queen Elizabeth II) Where is King Arthur’s Round Table? A table purported to be the celebrated Round Table is in the great hall of Winchester Castle. As its name suggests, the table has no head, implying that all who sat down at it were considered equal. The table is made of oak, is 18 feet across and nearly three inches thick, and weighs almost 1.25 tons.

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Who proposed when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became engaged? Queen Victoria proposed to Prince Albert because she was the queen. The two were first cousins. He was 20 years old when they tied the knot and they had nine children together before he died at the age of 42, leaving the queen heartbroken. She lived for another 40 years but never remarried. Quickies Did you know … • that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, are second cousins, once removed as well as wife and husband? They are both descended from King Christian IX of Denmark. They are also third cousins in descent from Queen Victoria. Who was the first member of the royal family to enter the United States after the Revolution? Prince Edward, later Duke of Kent and father of Queen Victoria, passed through the United States on his way to the West Indies in 1794. His brother Prince William, later King William IV, had been in the Thirteen Colonies that became the United States during the American Revolution and had been in North America after the Revolution but only in Canada and Newfoundland. Who were united in an arranged medieval royal marriage that became one of history’s great love matches?

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King Edward I of England and his wife Queen Eleanor of Castile. Eleanor accompanied her husband when he went on a four year crusade to Palestine before becoming king, gave birth to their daughter at Acre, nursed the king when he was stabbed by a poisoned dagger, and accompanied him on many other military campaigns. Edward I’s deep love for his wife is immortalized by the Eleanor Crosses he had erected at the twelve places her coffin rested for the night on its journey from Lincoln back to London in 1290. Wives of King Henry VIII • Catherine of Aragon • Anne Boleyn • Jane Seymour • Catherine Howard • Anne of Cleves • Katherine Parr What is the mystery of Queen Charlotte? The question of whether the queen had very definite Negroid facial characteristics or not has been a topic of much discussion. The consort of King George III, Charlotte was directly descended in six different lines from Margarita de Castro y Sousa who belonged to a branch of the Portuguese Royal House thought to have black ancestry. Sir Alan Ramsay’s official portraits of the queen appear to confirm the

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speculation. Copies of them were circulated by the abolitionists of the time. If this belief is true, then all of the Commonwealth monarchs since George III have been part black. Who ordered Saxon royal pedigrees to be collected? King Offa of Mercia, who died in 796, ordered family trees of the Saxon kings found and recorded for him. Witches strove to prevent the arrival of which famous royal bride? Princess Anne of Denmark. She set sail to Scotland in 1589 to marry King James VI but storms repeatedly drove her ship back to port. Finally her betrothed went to fetch his bride himself but the couple’s subsequent return was also greatly impeded by storms. Three covens of witches, James found out, had been invoking the powers of evil to frustrate his intended marriage. Quickies Did you know … • that Queen Mary, wife of King George V, had been engaged to George V’s elder brother Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, who died before the wedding could take place? What native king almost united Ireland?

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Brian Boru. Unfortunately he was killed in battle soon after achieving the union of the whole island with its warring kingdoms so his new realm did not last. Countries (modern boundaries) of Birth of English/British/ Commonwealth Monarchs Since 1066 England 27 France 6 Wales 3 Scotland 2 Germany 2 Netherlands 1 Which royal groom exclaimed “I am not well. Pray get me a glass of brandy” on seeing his bride for the first time? George, Prince of Wales, later King George IV, when he met Princess Caroline of Brunswick. The couple were disastrously mismatched, produced only one daughter and quickly separated. As king, George IV failed in his attempt to divorce Queen Caroline but she died soon after his coronation from which he had excluded her. Under which sovereign did Ireland become a kingdom? King Henry VIII. The title was changed by the Crown of Ireland Act passed by the Irish Parliament in 1541.The king was granted a new title, King of Ireland, with the state renamed the Kingdom of Ireland.

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The wily Elizabeth I never completely showed her hand. What did she say when asked her belief about the presence of Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar? The queen replied in an ambiguous little verse: ‘Twas God the word that spake it. He took the Bread and brake it; And what the word did make it; That I believe and take it. Which king assisted at his niece’s bedding with the words,“So nephew, to your work!Hey Saint George for England!”? The lusty King Charles II. His halloo was made at the official ceremony of putting the newlyweds to bed before the whole court, then a customary practice, following his niece Princess Mary’s wedding to Prince William (William III “of Orange”). Which monarch did not know until he became king that his ancestor George III was the grandson not the son of George II? King George V. Although a fine and intelligent monarch, much beloved by his peoples and with considerable common sense and understanding of human nature, that stood him well as king, he was not knowledgeable about family genealogy nor interested in academic study.

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What were the famous last words of Charles II? King Charles II was renowned for his wit and courtesy, and remained so to the end of his life. On his deathbed he said to his courtiers: “I am sorry gentlemen, to be such an unconscionable time a-dying.” How did King Charles II respond when a critic said of him, “He never said a foolish thing, and never did a wise one”? The king replied that it was quite true, “For my words are my own, but my actions are my ministers’.”

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a world of royalty

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Which 19th/20th century monarch was born a king? King Alfonso XIII of Spain. He was born posthumously, six months following his father’s death in 1885. What was Emperor Maximilian I’s unique scheme for European unity? Maximilian I was Holy Roman Emperor and reasoned that if he also got himself elected pope then all Christendom would be united under a single head. The goal eluded him. Quickies Did you know … • that the word mausoleum comes from the great marble tomb King Mausolus of Caria, who died in 353 B.C., built for himself? When was the Japanese Imperial Family founded? It is believed that the family was founded in the year 660 B.C. The present emperor is directly descended from the first emperor, Jimmu, through more than 70 generations. Which prince founded a republic? William “the Silent,” Prince of Orange, founded the Dutch Republic. More than two centuries later, the republic became a monarchy, with the House of Orange as its royal family. Who was the first monarch to travel around the world? 551

David Kalakaua, king of Hawaii, who circumnavigated the globe in 1881, visiting Queen Victoria, the emperors of Austria and Japan, and other sovereigns on the way. In 1953–54, Queen Elizabeth II repeated the achievement on her first Commonwealth tour following her accession and became the first British/Commonwealth monarch to do so. Who was the famous playwright Oscar Wilde named after? He was named after King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway, who had been treated by Oscar Wilde’s father, Sir William Wilde, a famous ear and eye surgeon, when the king was visiting London. Dr. Wilde asked, in lieu of payment for his services, permission to name his first son after the king. Kings Encapsulated • Henry VIII “If my head could win him a castle in France … it should not fail to go.” — St. Thomas More • Catherine de Medici “You may say she did harm to France — the marvel is she didn’t do worse.” — Henri IV • Elizabeth I “Queen and huntress, chaste and fair.” — Ben Johnson James I and VI • “The wisest fool (i.e. jester) in Christendom.” — Henri IV Louis XIV

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• “His name is never uttered without respect.” — Voltaire Peter I “the Great” • “The outstanding epic figure of Russian history.” — Florinsky George III “The Father of his people.” — Mrs. Arbuthnot •Louis XVIII “He was King everywhere, just as God is God everywhere.” — Chateaubriand • Victoria “That was a woman! One could do business with her!” — Bismarck • Elizabeth, Consort of George VI “The most dangerous woman in Europe.” — Hitler Which two 20th century monarchs looked alike? King George V and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia looked so much alike that they were virtually twins and when they were together people often could not tell them apart from a distance. The monarchs were first cousins through their mothers, Queen Alexandra and the Empress Marie, who were sisters and originally Danish before marrying the heirs to the British/Commonwealth and Russian thrones respectively. What special honour are virtuous Catholic kings and queens eligible for from the pope?

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The Golden Rose, an ornament fashioned of pure gold containing a tiny cup for musk and balsam, blessed by the pope on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Ironically, Henry VIII received it no less than three times. Henry VI was a recipient as were Mary I, Henrietta Maria (queen of Charles I), James III of Scotland, and Queen Mary Casimir (consort of King John III Sobieski). More modern Golden Roses have been sent to Isabella II of Spain, Princess Isabella the regent of Brazil, Queen Elizabeth of the Belgians, and Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxemburg. Quickies Did you know … • that François I ordered that no book in any language was to be published in his kingdom without a copy being sent to the royal library at Blois? Quickies Did you know … • that Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was born in Ottawa, Canada? Which king is commemorated by a garden in Israel? King Boris III of the Bulgarians has a garden dedicated to him at Migdal Ohr, Israel. The king is credited with having saved the lives of the entire Jewish community of Bulgaria, about 48,000 people, during the Second World War when Hitler demanded the deportation of the Bulgarian Jews to

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Germany. Soon after his courageous refusal to commit such an act of inhumanity, the king died suddenly and mysteriously, apparently poisoned on orders of the German dictator. Quickies Did you know … • that King Louis XIV reigned for 72 years (1643–1715) and was succeeded by his great-grandson King Louis XV, his son and grandson having predeceased him? Quickies Did you know … • that the calendar was introduced by the kings of Egypt? Is it true that Hitler hated monarchy because the Habsburgs favoured the Jews? Yes. In Mein Kampf Hitler described the Habsburgs as “degenerate” and wrote that he was “repelled” by the mixture of races in Vienna, “and everywhere Jews, and more Jews.” Joseph II, the 18th century Habsburg emperor, issued a Patent of Toleration giving freedom to the Jews and Francis Joseph, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary, 1848 to 1916, ended remaining restrictions on Jewish communities. Francis Joseph wrote: “The Jews are brave and patriotic men who happily risk their lives for Emperor and Fatherland.” Notorious Regicides

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Killers of kings, called regicides, have always been looked on as the most horrendous criminals. Here are some regicides and their victims. Macbeth Duncan William Ogle Edward II Edward IV, and Duke of Henry VI Gloucester (Richard III) King Richard III Edward V Friar Jacques Clement Henri III Queen Elizabeth I Mary, Queen of Scots François Ravaillac Henri IV John Bradshaw, Oliver Cromwell, Henry Ireton, Charles I Thomas Pride and 55 others Alexei Orlov Peter III Jacob Johan Anckarstrom Gustavus III 380 members of the French Louis XVI and Marie Revolutionary Convention Antoinette Platon, Valerian, and Paul I Nicholas Alexander II the Tsar Nicholas Ryssakov Liberator Gaetano Bresci Umberto I Alexander and Draga Dragutin ‘Apis’ Dimitrejevic Obrenovich Vladimir Lenin, Jacob Nicholas II, Alexandra Sverdlov

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Velicko cKerin and Mijo Alexander I (Yugoslavia) Kralj Mustafa Shukri Ashu Abdullah II Prince Faisal Ibn Musa'id Faisal II Which monarch introduced Arabic numerals and algebra to Europe? Frederick II, “Stupor Mundi,” or “the Wonder of the World,” Holy Roman Emperor, King of Sicily and Jerusalem. What monarch was called “the peasants’ king”? Casimir III “the Great,” king of Poland. Last of the Piast dynasty, Casimir III is credited with establishing a solid state structure for his kingdom. He carried out many reforms and founded Poland’s first institution of higher learning, the Cracow Academy. In particular, the king tried to defend the peasants and protect them from exploitation by their lords. He also protected the Jews. Which pope does Prince William of Wales descend from legitimately? Pope Felix V. Prior to becoming a priest, Pope Felix V ruled as Amadeus V, Sovereign Duke of Savoy, married and had children, one of whom is William’s forebear. Amadeus was not ordained until he was a widower. What unusual Portuguese ancestry do Princes William and Harry of Wales possess?

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Princes William and Harry of Wales are direct descendants of both Donna Ines de Castro of Portugal and Dom Diego Lopes Pacheco, who murdered her. Dom Diego was one of three Portuguese nobles who murdered Donna Ines, the secret second wife of Dom Pedro, heir to the Portuguese throne. When Dom Pedro succeeded to the throne as King Pedro “the Severe,” he executed two of the three, but Dom Diego fled to England. William and Harry’s father, Charles, Prince of Wales, is a descendant of Donna Ines and their late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, was a descendant of Dom Diego. Where did the royal lines of the Anglo-Saxons, Teutons, Russians, Merovingians, Visigoths, and Lombards all originate? All of these royal lines came from Scandinavia, descended from the sacral royalty of two great dynasties, the Skiöldungs and the Ynglings or “Peace Kings.” Which ancestor of Prince William of Wales founded the Order of the Golden Fleece? Philip “the Good,” Duke of Burgundy. He founded the order at Bruges (Belgium) in 1429. Inspired by the tale of Jason and the Argonauts’ voyage to win the Golden Fleece from Greek mythology, the Order became associated through the Habsburgs with Spain and Austria. It is conferred today by King Juan Carlos I and by Archduke Otto, head of the house of Habsburg-Lorraine. What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?

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Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, created The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program in 1956. It is dedicated to the personal, non-competitive development of young people from all backgrounds who challenge themselves to achieve certain set goals in a variety of activities. It has helped over six million young people worldwide through over 120 national Duke of Edinburgh’s Award organizations in the Commonwealth and related organizations in other countries. The award was granted Royal Charter status in 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of its work. Quickies know … Did you know … • that Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud of Saudia Arabia was the first royal astronaut, going into space on the American space shuttle Discovery June 17–24, 1985? Which American film star became a princess? Grace Kelly, who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, became Princess Grace of Monaco. An actress who played a fictional princess in The Swan, she spent the rest of her life as the much loved consort of a real prince. She was killed in a car accident in 1982. Imprisoned Monarchs and Their Jailers Richard I “the Lion Heart” John Balliol James I

Leopold VI, Henry VI Edward I Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI

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Richard II Edward V François I Mary, Queen of Scots Charles I Sophie Dorothea Louis XVII Napoleon I Napoleon III Hsuan-t'ung Emperor Y'i)

Henry IV Richard III Charles V Elizabeth I Oliver Cromwell George I Antoine Simon George III, George IV Louis Philippe (P'u

Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse Tung

Where can you find some of the oldest royal genealogies? They can be found in the Bible. The book of Genesis, in particular, presents extensive genealogies. What was Kaiser Wilhelm II’s reaction when told that King George V was changing his royal family name to Windsor? Anti-German feeling in Great Britain and the Empire during the First World War forced King George V to change the royal family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. When informed that his cousin, King George V, had dropped the name of their mutual German grandfather Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, the German kaiser casually remarked that he was off to the theatre to see the play by William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.” Quickies

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Did you know … • that Tsar Nicholas II (Russia), his ally, and Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany), his enemy, both were first cousins of King George V? Which of the 28 statues of sovereigns on the magnificent German renaissance tomb of Emperor Maximilian I at Innsbruck is mythical? The figure of Arthur, legendary hero and king of Britain, designed by Albrecht Dürer, is the sole unhistorical figure. His legend was so profoundly embedded in European culture and so real to Maximilian I’s contemporaries that he was included as if he had been a true monarch and not a mythological one. Famous Royalists and Monarchs They Served Ivan Susanin Michael (Russia) James Graham, Marquess of Charles I and Charles II Montrose Jane Lane and Father John Charles II Huddleston John Graham, Viscount James II Dundee Jacobite Charles III as Prince Flora Macdonald of Wales Count Axel von Fersen, Marie Antoinette Chevalier De Rougeville Andreas Hofer Francis I

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Generals Miguel Miramó and Maximilian (Mexico) Tomás Mejía What one thing do the monarchs of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Spain share? All are descendants of Albert “the Good,” the prince consort and husband of Queen Victoria, and a major shaper of the practice of constitutional monarchy. On July 14, 1789, the day that the Bastille in Paris fell, did King Louis XVI actually write in his diary “rien”(nothing), indicating that he was oblivious to the turmoil around him, as legend has it? The word rien was not written in a personal diary, suggesting royal indifference. It was written in the king’s hunting diary, indicating that the planned hunt for the day was cancelled because the king was engaged with the political crisis, not that he was indifferent to it. What lost heir did the Greeks search for? They were searching for a descendant of Emperor Constantine XI, ruler of Byzantium when the Turks seized the city in 1453. In modern times, after gaining independence, the Greeks wanted a king. They traced Constantine XI’s family, the imperial house Paleologus, to Cornwall, and from there to Barbados, where the trail was lost. In the end, they had to take their king from another royal family, the Wittelsbachs in Germany. Restorations of King and Queens

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Edward IV Henry VI John Casimir Charles II Louis XVIII Ferdinand VII George II Juan Carlos I

England England Poland Great Britain, Ireland, and overseas provinces France Spain Greece Spain

How did Emperor Franz Joseph II of Austria-Hungary describe the role of a monarch? Speaking to an American journalist the emperor said, “I exist to protect my people from my ministers.” Which emperor had a family tree invented for him? Basil I, Byzantine emperor, who was of Armenian peasant origin, had a magnificent but fictitious genealogy created by his descendants. How is Charles, Prince of Wales, descended from Harold II, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings? The prince is descended through the Russian ruling House of Rurik. Gytha, first wife of Vladimir II Monomakh, Grand Prince of Kiev, was the daughter of King Harold II by Edith “Swan Neck,” and escaped to Germany after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Quickies 563

Did you know … • that the 17th century philosopher-scientist Sir Isaac Newton, discoverer of the law of gravity, estimated the average length of royal reigns was 18 to 20 years? What did Emperor Joseph II say when someone asked what he thought of the American Revolution? “Sir,” he said, “I am a royalist by trade!”

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kings, queens, dynasties and dynasties

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Monarchs of Canada Royal House of Tudor • King Henry VII, 1497–1509 • King Henry VIII, 1509–1547 • King Edward VI, 1547–1553 • Queen Mary I, 1553–1558 • and King Philip I, 1554–1558 • Queen Elizabeth I, 1558–1603 Royal House of Valois • François I, 1534–1547 • Henri II, 1547–1559 • François II, 1559–1560 • Charles IX, 1560–1574 • Henri III, 1574–1589 Royal House of Stuart (and Orange) • King James I, 1603–1625 • King Charles I, 1625–1649

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• King Charles II, 1649–1685 • King James II, 1685–1689 • King William III, 1689–1702 • and Queen Mary II, 1689–1694 • Queen Anne, 1702–1714 Royal House of Bourbon • King Henri IV, 1589–1610 • King Louis XIII, 1610–1643 • King Louis XIV, 1643–1715 • King Louis XV, 1715–1763 Royal House of Brunswick (or Hanover) • King George I, 1714–1727 • King George II, 1727–1760 • King George III, 1760–1820 • King George IV, 1820–1830 • King William IV, 1830–1837 • Queen Victoria, 1837–1901

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Royal House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha • King Edward VII, 1901–1910 • King George V, 1901–1917 Royal House of Windsor • King George V, 1917–1936 • King Edward VIII,1936 • King George VI, 1936–1952 • Queen Elizabeth II, 1952– Holy Monarchs and Princes It is not easy to be a sovereign and a saint. Here are some who managed it. St. Helena Roman Empire St. Oswald Northumbria (England) St. Edward “the Martyr” East Anglia (England) St. Stephen Hungary, canonized 1083 St. Edward “the Confessor” England, canonized 1161 St. Vladimir I “Apostle of the Kiev (Russia) Russians and The Ruthenians” St. Alexander Nevsky Russia

568

St. Elizabeth “of Hungary”

Hungary and Thuringia (Germany) St. Louis IX France St. Margaret Scotland, canonized 1250 Ferdinand III “the Saint” Castille and Leon (Spain), canonized 1671 Henry VI Cause for his beatification begun by Cardinal Bourne 1938 Charles I “the Martyr” Britain/Empire. Service for “the Day of the Martyrdom of the Blessed King Charles I” in Book of Common Prayer, 1662. Five English churches were named for him and others throughout the Commonwealth and U.S. St. Elizabeth Russia, canonized 1981 Nicholas II, Alexandra and Russia, canonized 1981 other Romanovs Blessed Charles of Austria Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, beatified 2004. Monarchs of England Saxons and Danes • King Egbert, 802–839

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• King Ethelwulf, 839–855 • King Ethelbald, 855–860 • King Ethelbert, 860–866 • King Ethelred I, 866–871 • King Alfred, 871–899 • King Edward I, 899–925 • King Athelstan, 925–939 • King Edmund I, 939–946 • King Edred, 946–955 • King Edwy, 955–959 • King Edgar I, 959–975 • King Edward II, 975–979 • King Ethelred II, 979–1013 • King Sweyn, 1013–1014 • King Ethelred II, 1014–1016 • King Edmund II, 1014–1016 • King Canute, 1016–1035

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• King Harold I and King Hardicanute, 1035–1037 • King Harold I, 1037–1040 • King Hardicanute, 1040–1042 • King Edward III, 1042–1066 • King Harold II,1066 • King Edgar II,1066 Royal House of Normandy • King William I, 1066–1087 • King William II, 1087–1100 • King Henry I, 1100–1135 • King Stephen, 1135–1154 Royal House of Plantagenet • King Henry II, 1154–1189 • King Richard I, 1189–1199 • King John, 1199–1216 • King Henry III, 1216–1272 • King Edward I, 1272–1307

571

• King Edward II, 1307–1327 • King Edward III, 1327–1377 • King Richard II, 1377–1399 Royal House of Lancaster • King Henry IV, 1399–1413 • King Henry V, 1413–1422 • King Henry VI, 1422–1461 Royal House of York • King Edward IV, 1461–1470 Royal House of Lancaster • King Henry VI, 1470–1471 Royal House of York • King Edward IV, 1471–1483 • King Edward V,1483 • King Richard III, 1483–1485 Royal York of Tudor King Henry VII, 1485–1509

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see Monarchs of Canada for subsequent sovereigns Famous Royal Mistresses Sybil Corbet, Edith Sigulfson Henry I “Fair” Rosamund Clifford Henry II Alic Perrers Edward III Elizabeth (Jane) Shore Edward IV Françoise de Foix, Marie de François I Canaples Diane de Poitiers Henri II Louise de la Vallières, Louis XIV Athénaïs De Montespa Nell Gwy Charles II Catherine Sedley, Arabella James II Churchill Jeanne Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour, Jeanne Bécu, Louis XV Countess Du Barry Wilhelmina, Countess von Friedrich Wilhelm II Lichtenau Mary Anne Clarke Frederick, Duke of York Julie de St. Laurent Edward, Duke of Kent Dorothy Jordan William IV Lola Montez, Mairannina Ludwig I Florenzi Emily Langtry “the Jersey Edward VII Lily,” Alice Keppel Favourites (not mistresses or lovers) of Royalty 573

Will Somers Henry VIII George Villiers (Duke of James I and Charles I Buckingham) Sarah Churchill, Abigail Anne Masham Princess de Lamballe, Marie Antoinette Princess of Polignac Heinrich Von der Tann Ludwig I Baron Stockmar, Baroness Victoria Lezhen Katharina Schratt Francis Joseph Monarchs of France • King Charles I, 768–814 • King Louis I, 814–840 • King Lothaire, 840–843 Carolingians • King Charles II, 843–877 • King Louis II, 877–879 • King Louis III, 879–882 • King Carloman II, 879–884 • King Charles, 885–888

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• King Odo, 888–898 • King Charles III, 898–922 • King Robert I, 922–923 • King Raoul, 923–936 • King Louis IV, 936–954 • King Lothaire, 954–986 • King Louis V, 986–987 Royal House of Capet • King Hugues Capet, 987–996 • King Robert II, 996–1031 • King Henri I, 1031–1060 • King Philippe I, 1060–1108 • King Louis VI, 1108–1137 • King Louis VII, 1137–1180 • King Philippe II, 1180–1223 • King Louis VIII, 1223–1226 • King Louis IX, 1226–1270

575

• King Philippe III, 1270–1285 • King Philippe IV, 1285–1314 • King Louis X, 1314–1316 • King Jean I,1316 • King Philippe V, 1316–1322 • King Charles IV, 1322–1328 Royal House of Valois • King Philippe VI, 1328–1350 • King Jean II, 1350–1364 • King Charles V, 1364–1380 • King Charles VI, 1380–1422 • King Charles VII, 1422–1461 • King Louis XI, 1461–1483 • King Charles VIII, 1483–1498 • King Louis XII, 1498–1515 • King Francois I, 1515–1547 see Monarchs of Canada for subsequent sovereigns until

576

• King Louis XV, 1715–1774 • King Louis XVI, 1774–1789 Illegitimate Offspring of Royalty William I “the Conqueror”

Duke Robert of Normandy and Herleve (Arlotta)

Richard de Cornwall Richard, Jeanne de Valletort King of the Romans and Charles V and Barbara Don Juan of Austria Blomberg Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Henry VIII and Elizabeth Richmond Blount King Philip IV and Maria Don Juan of Austria Calderón Prince Rupert and Peg Ruperta Hughes Louis Auguste, Duke du Louis XIV and Athénaïs de Maine Montespan Louis Alexandre, Count de Louis XIV and Athénaïs de Toulouse Montespan James Scott, Duke of Charles II and Lucy Walters Monmouth James, Marshal Duke of James II and Arabella Berwick Churchill Napoleon I and Marie, Count Alexander Walewski Countess Walewska Queen Hortense and Count de Charles, Duke de Morny Flahaut

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Monarchs of Scotland Royal House of Alpin • King Kenneth I, 848–858 • King Donald I, 858–862 • King Constantine I, 862–877 • King Aed, 877–878 • King Giric, 878–889 • King Donald II, 889–900 • King Constantine II, 900–943 • King Malcolm I, 943–954 • King Indulf, 954–962 • King Dub, 962–967 King Cuilem, 967–971 • King Kenneth II, 971–973 • King Amlaib, 973–977 • King Kenneth II, 977–995 • King Constantine III, 995–997

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• King Kenneth III, 997–1005 • King Malcolm II, 1005–1034 Royal House of Dunkeld • King Duncan I, 1034–1040 • King Macbeth, 1040–1057 • King Lulach, 1057–1058 • King Malcolm III, 1058–1093 • King Donald III, 1093–1097 • King Duncan II,1094 • King Edgar, 1097–1107 • King Alexander I, 1107–1124 • King David I, 1124–1153 • King Malcolm IV, 1153–1165 • King William I, 1165–1214 • King Alexander II, 1214–1249 • King Alexander III, 1249–1286 Royal House of Fairhair

579

• Queen Margaret, 1286–1290 Interregnum • 1290–1292 Royal House of Balliol • King John de Balliol, 1292–1296 Interregnum • 1296–1306 Royal House of Bruce • King Robert I, 1306–1329 • King David II, 1329–1371 Royal House of Stewart/Stuart • King Robert II, 1371–1390 • King Robert III, 1390–1406 • King James I, 1406–1437 • King James II, 1437–1460 • King James III, 1460–1488 • King James IV, 1488–1513

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• King James V, 1513–1542 • Queen Mary I, 1542–1567 • King James VI, 1567–1625 see Monarchs of Canada for subsequent sovereigns World Dynasties For British/Commonwealth, Scottish, Irish, and French dynasties in detail see pages 178, 181, 184, and 188. Alaungpaya Alawid Al Khalifa Al Sabah Al Sanusi Arsacid Ashanti Ascania Assen Aviz Bagratid Bernadotte Bourbon Brabant Braganca Capet

Burma Morroco Bahrain Kuwait Libya Khurassan, Iran, Iraq Ghana Anhalt Bulgaria Portugal Armenia, Georgia Sweden Spain, Parma, Two Sicilies Hesse Portugal France, Portugal

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Carolingian David Ghenis Khan Guelph Habsburg-Lorraine Hashimite Herodian Hohenzollern Hova Inca Iturbide Kamehameha Mecklenburg Merina Merovingian Ming Moghul Muhammad Ali Nassau Nguye Nkosi-Dlamini Oldenburg Orange-Nassau Orleans-Braganza

France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy Israel, Judaea Mongolia, China, Iran, Crimea, Central Asia Hanover Austria Hungary, Boehmia, Croatia, Slovenia, Mexico Jordan, Iraq, Judaea Germany, Romania Madagascar Ecuador, Peru, Chile Mexico Hawaii Mecklenburg Madagascar France China India Egypt Luxemburg, Nassau Viet Nam Swaziland Denmark, Greece, Norway Netherlands Brazil

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Osman Pahlavi Palaeologus Petrovic-Nejoö Ptolemy Rurik Romanov Saud Savoy Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Seljuk Solomon Tui Kano-kupolu Vasa Visigoth Wettin Wittelsbach Wurttemburg Yamato Yi Zähringen Zogu

Turkey Iran Byzantium Montenegro Egypt Russia Russia Saudi Arabia Italy Belgium Iran, Iraq, Syria Ethiopia Tonga Sweden Greece, Italy, Gaul, Spain Saxony, Hanover, Brunswick, Bulgaria Bavaria Wurttemburg Japan Korea Baden Albania

High Kings of Ireland • King Mael Sechnail mac Maele Ruanaid, 846–860

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• King Aed Findliath, 861–876 • King Flann Sinna, 877–914 • King Niall Glundub, 915–917 • King Donnchad Donn, 918–942 • King Congolach Criogba, 943–954 • King Domnall Ua Neill, 955–978 • King Mael Sechnaill mac Domnaill, 979–1002 • King Brian Boruma, 1002–1014 • King Mael Sechnaill mac Domnaill, 1014–1022 • King Donnchad mac Briain, 1022–1064 • King Diarmail mac Mail na mBo, 1064–1072 • King Toirdelbach Ua Conchabar, 1072–1086 • King Domnaill Ua Lochlainn, 1086–1121 • King Muirehertach Ua Brain, ????– 1119 • King Toirdelbach Ua Conchabair, ????– 1156 • King Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn, 1156–1166 • King Ruaaidri Ua Conchabair, 1166–1186

584

• King Brian Ua Neill, 1258–1260 • King Edubard aa Briuis, 1315–1318 see Monarchs of England for subsequent sovereigns Orders Founded by Sovereigns Al Hussein Annunciation Australia Bath Black Eagle Black Eagle Brilliant Star British Empire Cambodia Canada Carol I Chrysanthemum Crown of Rue Crown of Wurttemberg Dignity Double Dragon Elephant

Abdullah I (Jordan) Amadeus VI (Savoy; Italy) Elizabeth II (Australia) George I (Britain/ Commonwealth) Frederick I (Prussia) Prince William of Wied (Albania) Bagash Ben said (Zanzibar) George V (Britain/ Commonwealth) Norodom I (Cambodia) Elizabeth II (Canada) Carol I (Romania) Meiji (Japan) Frederick Augustus I (Saxony) Wilhelm I (Wurttemberg) Moshoeshoe II (Lesotho) Empress Tsu-his (China) Christian I (Denmark)

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Garter Golden Fleece

Edward III (England) Philip “the Good” (Burgundy; Spain; Head of House of Habsburg-Lorraine)

Golden Lion of the House of William III (Luxembourg) Nassau Golden Measure Kwang Mu (Korea) Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Alexander VI (Papacy) Holy Spirit Henri III (France) Icelandic Falcon Christian X Idris I Idris I (Libya) Indian Empire Victoria (India) Jamaica Elizabeth II (Jamaica) Kamehameha I Kamehameha V (Hawaii) Kalakaua I Kalakaua I (Hawaii) King Solomon's Seal Yohannes IV (Ethiopia) Legion of Honour Napoleon I Leopold Leopold II (Belgium) Ludwig Ludwig I (Hesse) Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Mahendra-Mala Diva (Nepal) Maria Theresa Maria Theresa (Austria) Mexican Eagle Maximilian I (Mexico) Military Order of Christ Denis (Portugal) Million Elephants and White Souka Seum (Laos) Parasol Muhammad Muhammad VI (Morocco) 586

National Hero Elizabeth II (Jamaica) Nichan Iftikhar Ahmad I (Tunisia) Nile Hussein Kamil Nishan-Imtiaz Abdul Hamid II (Turkey) Orchid Blossom Kang Te (Manchukuo) Order of Merit Principality of Francis (Liechtenstein) Liechtenstein Order of Merit Radama II (Madagascar) Order of Merit Abdul Aziz (Saudi Arabia) Pahlavi Reza Shah (Iran) Queen's Service Order of Elizabeth II (New Zealand) New Zealand Rose Pedro I (Brazil) Chulalongkorn Rama V Royal House of Chakri (Thailand) Royal Hungarian Order of St. Maria Theresa (Hungary) Stephen Royal Military Order of St. Henri Christophe (Haiti) Henry Royal Order of the Guelph George IV (Hanover) Royal Victorian Order Victoria (for personal service) Saints Cyril and Methodius Ferdinand I (Bulgaria) Saint Andrew Peter I “the Great” (Russia) Saint Charles Charles III (Monaco) St. Ferdinand Ferdinand IV (Sicily) St. George Ernest Augustus (Hanover) St. Hubert Gerhard V (Bavaria) St. Michael Louis XI (France) 587

St. Maurice and St. Lazarus St. Michael and St. George Saint Olav Saint Peter St. Patrick Seraphim Skanderbeg Sun The Crown The Crown The Redeemer Thistle Two Rivers White Eagle White Eagle White Falcon William

Amadeus VIII (Savoy; Italy) George III (Britain/ Commonwealth) Oscar I (Norway) Danilo I (Montenegro) George III (Ireland) Magnus I (Sweden) Zog (Albania) Emir Aman Ullah (Afghanistan) Abdul-Rahman (Malaysia) Alexander I (Yugoslavia) Otto I (Greece) James II (Scotland) Feisal Ghazi I (Iraq) Vladislaw I (Poland) Milan I (Serbia) Ernest Augustus (Saxe-Weimar) William I (Netherlands)

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question and feature list

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The Nature of Monarchy Kingship? Queenship? What is it? When did kingship/queenship begin? Where does the concept that “divinity doth hedge a king” originate? Quickies What kinds of monarchy are there? What is hereditary monarchy? Order of Succession to Queen Elizabeth II (first 12) What is an elective monarchy? How do absolute, authoritarian, and legislatively responsible monarchies differ? Have there been any absolute regimes in modern times? Monarchs Who Changed History What is the difference between an authoritarian monarch and a tyrant? Subjects of which sovereign prince recently voted to retain authoritarian monarchy?

590

How does royal sovereignty contrast with republican sovereignty? How does a monarchy differ from a republic? Quickies How does monarchy work? Louis XIV’s Maxims on Kingship Who originated our system of justice available to all? Quickies Quickies What is “loyal opposition”? Regal Remarks How international has monarchy been? Which kings and queens were the only ones anointed with pure chrism? Who has a right to a bow or curtsy? For what maxim is the sagacious Louis XVIII best known? How does monarchy favour multicultural societies? What are the rights of a king or queen in a constitutional monarchy? 591

Monarchs Who United Peoples What is the Civil List? What is the Act of Settlement? What does the Royal Marriages Act require? Where does sovereignty lie in Canada? Has monarchy affected Canada? How did the Fathers of Confederation view The Crown? People on Kingship What does the inscription on the Peace Tower in Ottawa mean? Philosophers of Kingship Royal Nomenclature What is the difference between the terms imperial and royal? Quickies Where did the rulers of China and Japan get the title emperor? What was the first imperial dynasty of China? Quickies Which king was styled “Emperor of Britain”? 592

Was the British monarch ever emperor or empress of the British Empire? What does the word king mean? What does queen mean? Ranks in British/Commonwealth Peerage Who was the first English monarch officially addressed as Your Majesty? How did the term Britannic Majesty originate? What is a pretender? Who is the King or Queen of England? Some monarchs have been called “the Great.” What are some sobriquets that have been given to others? What near idolatrous terms were applied to Elizabeth I? How many titles did the emperor Charles V possess? Quickies Why did Maximilian I style himself Emperor Electus? What is the name of the royal family of Thailand? Pre-British emperors of India were known as Moghul emperors. What does Moghul mean?

593

How will reigning descendants of Elizabeth II be numbered? Quickies How do the Japanese name the reigns of their monarchs? English/British/Commonwealth Dynastic Names (since 1066) Why has the name of the British royal family changed from time to time? What did the two great British queens, Victoria and Boadicea, have in common? One of the earliest known legal codes bears a king’s name. Who was he? Canadian Provinces Named After Royalty Australian States Names After Royalty American States Named After Royalty Why are British kings and queens called “Defender of the Faith”? Quickies Which of Canada’s monarchs was King of Scots in right of his wife? What is a Crown Victoria?

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Quickies Who was the city of New York named after? Quickies What was the first ship to cross the Atlantic mostly under steam? Quickies What does the motto of the Prince of Wales, “Ich Dien”, mean? Why does the Prince of Wales sign his name Charles P.? Which British dukedoms are held by the heir to the throne? Incognitos and Aliases of Royalty Which king named his eldest son and intended heir Arthur? Quickies Who gave the word Canadian its modern meaning? Quickies Quickies What does “True North” mean in the English version of the anthem “O Canada”? Quickies 595

Named After Elizabeth II in Canada What Canadian post-nominals does Elizabeth II have the right to? Quickies Quickies What are the words of the Loyal Toast? Quickies What are Royal Warrant holders? Mnemonic Monarchs

Sequence

of

English/British/Commonwealth

What is “dontopedalogy”? Monarchies in Action What are the most common misconceptions about monarchy? Countries Elizabeth II Crowned Queen of in 1953 Is the idea that “kings reign but do not rule” a fiction? Is constitutional monarchy only an emasculated form of real monarchy? Current Realms of Queen Elizabeth II

596

How did we come to send people to represent us in Parliament? Who make up the Parliament of Canada? Quickies What are the central gates of Parliament Hill in Ottawa called? What is royal assent? How did the sovereign give assent in the Scottish kingdom (prior to 1707)? Which king gave the royal assent in Parliament in person only once in his life? Laws Enacted, Proclaimed, or Otherwise Made by Monarchs Who is Black Rod? What is the mace? What does the legal maxim “the king can do no wrong” mean? Quickies Who was the first governor general of Canada? What was the Royal Proclamation of 1763?

597

Who first suggested a federal union of the North American provinces? What carefully recorded words did Sir John A. Macdonald say to Queen Victoria on the eve of Confederation? Quickies Who appointed Canada’s first foreign representatives? What is a minister in attendance? Did Queen Elizabeth II “sign over” Canadian independence on April 17, in Ottawa during the patriation of the Canadian Constitution ceremony on Parliament Hill, as is sometimes claimed? Has Queen Elizabeth II ever represented Canada abroad? Royal Governors General and Chatelaines of Canada When did beginning a monarch’s reign from the death of his predecessor start? Members of the Royal Family Who Wanted to or Almost Became Governor General of Canada Are there countries in the Commonwealth which are monarchies but which do not have Queen Elizabeth II as monarch? Before being unified under a single ruler, did some nations have more than one king?

598

What country had more than one king at a time? Queens Regnant of Scotland/England/Britain/Commonwealth What do the Royal House of Spain, the Grand Ducal House of Luxemburg, former royal, imperial, or ducal houses of France, Brittany, Burgundy, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, Hungary, Parma, Etruria, and Brazil, and the Latin emperors of Constantinople have in common? For what imperial reason was Venice founded? Who made the most famous gibe about the Holy Roman Empire? How did the king of Hungary categorize the Habsburgs’ amazing ability to collect lands, not by war, but through marriage? Which two 20th century monarchs saved their countries at moments of grave crisis and peril? Modern Monarchies (other than those of Queen Elizabeth II) Of what country besides Britain/Commonwealth is “God Save the King” the royal anthem? When Norway became independent, the country approached a Highland chieftain about being its king. Why? Quickies

599

What is one of the first things we find out about each new American president? Canadian Prime Ministers of Queen Elizabeth II What was Field Marshal Jan Smuts’s advice to Princess Frederica of Greece? Monarchy and the Military How can one tell the seniority of the regiments in the Household Division? The foot guards in London mount a guard in front of Buckingham Palace. Why are there also two mounted troops of the Household Cavalry at the Horse Guards building on Whitehall Road? Quickies Why is there a changing of the guard in Ottawa? Why is the ceremonial troop of the Royal Horse Artillery known as the King’s Troop and not the Queen’s Troop? Royal Colonels-in-Chief in Canada Household Regiments of the Queen Who was the last British/Commonwealth king in combat? What was Queen Victoria’s view of honouring the troops?

600

Quickies What is the difference in appearance between the modern British and Canadian Victoria Crosses? Members of the Royal Family Holding the Canadian Forces Decoration In old age, Queen Victoria created a very personal award for heroism. What was it? Why is the gun carriage at a royal funeral drawn by men and not horses? What does NCSM stand for? Why do Canadian naval officers drink to the queen’s health seated? Naval Reserve Divisions in Canada with Royal Names What daring royal commando operation was contemplated from Canada? Did King George VI see combat in the First World War? Quickies Why does the former Royal Yacht Britannia (now a museum) have a collapsible mast? Commonwealth Police Forces with Royal Designations (current)

601

What was the name of the ship that Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, once commanded? Quickies What is a Queen’s Colour? What is the difference between the Yeomen of the Guard and the Yeomen Warders of the Tower? Royal Colonels-in-Chief in the United Kingdom Who approved a plot to kidnap the first member of the British royal family in North America? Quickies Is it true that when King George III’s army surrendered to the colonial rebels at Yorktown in 1781 they were so disconsolate that their band played “The World Turned Upside Down.”? When was Trooping the Colour on the sovereign’s birthday first held? Why was the Duke of Kent’s residence in Canada abruptly interrupted in 1794? For what occasion was a general amnesty granted to the rebels of 1837? Who thought up the military jackboot?

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When did Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Canadian governor general of Canada from 1911–1916, first go to Canada? Royal Colonels-in-Chief in the Commonwealth Who is the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry named after? Which Canadian was knighted by his king on the battlefield? Which two Canadian regiments have confusingly similar royal names? Quickies What organization placed the statue of King George VI at the University of British Columbia? Who was Burmese? Who was the only monarch to be decorated for valour while serving with the British Forces in the field? Canadian Warships Named (Directly or Indirectly) After Royalty Pomp and Pageantry What does it mean to be “born in the purple”? Why are the colours of Canada red and white?

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In addition to being the royal livery colours of Canada, what other royal association is there with the colours red and white? Symbols of Monarchs To which Ontario church did the queen give permission for its clergy and choir to wear red cassocks? What did kings of Egypt wear that connected their office with its priestly origins? How often does Queen Elizabeth II wear her crown? Crowns in the Tower of London What ancient victory song followed coronations of Holy Roman Emperors? What unusual custom was observed at the crowning of kings of Hungary? How was the consort of Ethiopian emperors crowned? What is the prototype of the royal throne? What did Charles I wear at his coronation? Quickies What is the Stone of Scone?

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Which of the 1953 coronation regalia was provided by the Commonwealth? Coronations from the Tudors Who carried the Canadian banners in the coronations of 1937 and 1953? Who was the King’s Champion? Have there been English/British/Commonwealth coronations elsewhere than at Westminster Abbey since 1066? Was there a Scottish coronation in 1953? What are the “Honours of Scotland”? When was the last Scottish coronation? Quickies When has the Gold State Coach been used during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign? What is the Australian State Coach? Who are the Crown Jewellers? Which of the royal crowns forms part of Charlottetown’s coat of arms? What is distinctive about the Serbian crown?

605

When have kings worn crowns besides coronations and openings of Parliament? What was the crown of the Caucasian kingdom of Georgia called? How did the Danish kings come to their coronations? What was the Romanian crown made of? What Canadian precious stone was kept with the Crown Jewels? What is the “Last Spike” brooch? Famous Crowns Why was a new crown made for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969? Is there an actual Canadian throne? Which two historic royal dresses is the Canadian Museum of Civilization custodian of? Where is the largest stone-carved Royal Arms in the Commonwealth? What famous Canadian hotel displays the arms of King George V, Queen Mary, and other members of his family? The Queen’s Beasts (1953 Coronation)

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What is a herald? Who established the College of Arms and the Canadian Heraldic Authority? What royal myth inspired the creation of the Order of the Garter? What are Royal Family Orders? Quickies Why was the maple leaf chosen as the national badge of Canada? Quickies The Queen’s Canadian Beasts Why is a crowned lion holding a maple leaf in its paw used as the symbol of the governor general of Canada? What are the Prince of Wales’ Feathers? What is inscribed on the baton of the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons? How was the State Landau of Canada acquired? What spoils of battle did Queen Victoria send to Canada to mark the victorious end of the Crimean War?

607

Which Canadian schools were given banners worked by royal ladies? Quickies Where in Manitoba is there a cairn that commemorates the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth? What honour did kings and queens bestow on aboriginal leaders? What is “court mounting” of orders, decorations, and medals? In which religious tradition is the wedding ceremony a coronation? Royal Jubilees Celebrated Which British/Commonwealth princes were married in a Russian Orthodox wedding as well as an Anglican ceremony? Quickies Royal Residences From which palace in England do heralds proclaim the accession of a new sovereign? Quickies What is the connection between the Seven Hills of Rome and monarchy?

608

Quickies What is Government House? Some Regal Castles of Europe Is there a government house in every province in Canada? Where was the first Prince of Wales proclaimed? Quickies Which famous queen consort lived at Glamis Castle, which figures prominently in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth? Some Former Royal Residences What is the connection between Hampton Court Palace and the Bible? Quickies What is distinctive about the architecture of Hampton Court Palace? What was once the largest palace in Europe? How did the Royal Mews get its name? Some Famous Palaces of Europe Which is the last royal castle to be built in Britain? British Royal Family Residences 609

Was Buckingham Palace bombed in the Second World War? Which was Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s favourite home? Quickies What monument did Queen Mary unveil in 1913 by pressing a button at Buckingham Palace? What room in the Parliament Buildings features Canada’s French kings? Where is the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat? Where are the Canada Gates? Quickies Which royal residence has a room panelled in Canadian maple? What hideaway did King George VI and Queen Elizabeth rest in on the 1939 tour? Quickies In his days in Canada, the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) had two country houses. Where were they? What and where is Hatley Castle? Quickies

610

Which monarchs of Canada have stayed at Rideau Hall? Names of the Queen’s Official Castles, Palaces, and Government Houses How did one provincial lieutenant-governor humorously explain his name and role to schoolchildren? Crown and Culture Has kingship permeated culture? Famous Monarchical Patrons What is one of monarchy’s great bequests to civilization? Who are the four kings in a deck of cards? Some Operas Involving Monarchy Why is horseracing known as the sport of kings? Quickies Who wrote the first story set in Canada? Royal Plays Quickies What legacy did the Acadians receive from their king? Why is a first-class chef called a “cordon bleu”?

611

What is Canada’s oldest corporation? Canada’s Royal Foundations Who wrote “God Save the Queen”? Quickies Quickies Quickies How long has “God Save the Queen” been used in Canada? Quickies Who was the first king to eat a pineapple grown in England? How did the monarch butterfly get its name? Ten of Canada’s Greatest Royal Treasures Who was perhaps the most anti-intellectual monarch? Quickies Monarchs in Song Why does the audience always stand for one part of Handel’s Messiah? Why is a certain kind of pottery known as “Queen’s Ware”?

612

What is inscribed on the largest bell in the tower of Trinity Church, Saint John? Quickies What book did the Duke of Kent (father of Queen Victoria) help get published? Royalty and Books What celebrated Canadian author was unsuccessful in dedicating a book to the king? Quickies An explorer of Canada dedicated books to two monarchs. Who were they? How did the Christmas tree come to be a regular part of Christmas festivities in Canada? How was use of the tartan revived? What medical innovation did Queen Victoria popularize? Quickies Of which Canadian-born singer did Queen Victoria become friend and patron? Which artist painted Queen Victoria and put himself in the picture?

613

Quickies How did the dessert cherries jubilee get its name? How did the queen’s birthday become a national holiday in Canada? Quickies What is the origin of the familiar Canadian jingle about the queen’s birthday? What is one of the strangest way the queen’s birthday is marked in Canada? What personal possession of Queen Victoria’s is at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic? Which French-Canadian sculptor designed statues of two sovereigns? Quickies In what musical comedy are there joint kings? A fictional emperor of Japan is a somewhat grim character in which operetta? Monarchs in Prose and Epic Poetry Why is the bottom button of a gentleman’s waistcoat always left undone?

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Who invented the dinner jacket (or tuxedo)? Why was the first pizza created? What is King Oscar? When was the earliest known hockey game played at Buckingham Palace? What is the Prince of Wales Trophy in hockey? Quickies When did Queen Elizabeth II attend her first hockey game? Royal Nursery Rhymes, Verse, Ballads, Poems, and Carols Who was the only Commonwealth composer outside the United Kingdom to write music for Elizabeth II’s coronation? Swans traditionally are regarded as the property of the Crown. Does the Crown have a right to other creatures? Crowns in Film Which Canadian museum has footwear worn by Prince Philip? What modern pop musical is unapologetically royalist? Canada’s Royal Ties

615

Which members of the British royal family have been sworn of the Canadian Privy Council? Where did King Edward VIII consider living once he abdicated? On what foreign tour did Elizabeth II wear her famous maple leaf dress? Which member of the royal family advanced 18th century exploration of Canada? Quickies Which two illegitimate daughters of William IV lived in Canada? What was the sole official external engagement Edward VIII carried out as king? What Canadian mountain is a lasting mark of affection for an afflicted member of the British royal family? How did the Sikhs first come to Canada? What “royal” gift did the French Republic give Canada in 1931? Of which governor general of Canada is Prince William of Wales a descendant? Who are Canada’s greatest monarchs and why?

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Five Longest Reigns in Canadian History (1497–present) Quickies What gift was sent to Louis XIV from Canada when he was born? What royal monument was paid for by children? What rent was the reigning monarch entitled to from the Hudson’s Bay Company? Five Shortest Reigns in Canadian History (1497–present) What native Canadian animal did Prince Philip save? What royal name did Sir George Étienne Cartier, chief French Canadian architect of Confederation, give his daughter? How did Princess Louise sum up the position of governor general of Canada? What was the strangest royal incident at Rideau Hall? Quotes from Canada’s Kings and Queens What was Queen Victoria’s personal contribution to the preservation of old Quebec? With which governor’s wife did Prince William (William IV) have a love affair?

617

For whom were the first 13 townships surveyed in Ontario (Upper Canada) named? Which physician to King Louis XIV was a Canadian pioneer? What was Canada’s gift to Queen Victoria for her Diamond Jubilee? Who presided at Quebec City’s 300th birthday celebrations in 1908? What prank did Prince Albert play in Canada in 1913? Quickies What was C.W. Jeffreys’s quip on learning that King George had made the mad Sam Hughes, Canadian Minister of Militia, a knight? Which king initiated German immigration to Canada? Which king personally settled a quarrel over the vacant Diocese of Quebec? Quickies What was royal about Ontario’s first blast furnace? Quickies Who were “the King’s daughters”? What heroine did Louis XIV pension?

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When the floundering settlement of Quebec appealed for help, what was the king’s reply? Quickies Who presented the first Mohawk translation of the Book of Common Prayer to the Native peoples? Which Canadian factory worker produced a well-known book on George I’s descendants? Who named British Columbia? What was the first organization that Queen Elizabeth II designated “royal” when she became monarch? Royal Consorts Since Confederation Quickies Who is the Queen Elizabeth Way in Ontario named after? Quickies Why did King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive two days late to start the 1939 royal tour of Canada? When was the first royal walkabout? Who was the first governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company? Which Canadian communities have won the Prince of Wales’ architectural award?

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Quickies When was “O Canada” first played? Why are there swans in the Rideau River in Ottawa? Quickies Why was there no toast to King George VI at the official dinner at Rideau Hall during the 1939 royal tour? Who was the first person outside the royal household to be told of the impending birth of Prince Andrew, Duke of York? How did American president Harry Truman refer to Queen Elizabeth II on her 1951 visit to the United States? Years Queen Elizabeth II Has Been To Canada Who were the Four Mohawk Kings? Quickies What did a waitress in a small Canadian town reportedly say to a royal duke? Quickies What writer gave a tongue-in-cheek account of George V’s visit to Orillia? Six Significant Moments During Queen Elizabeth II’s Canadian Visits

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The Crown and the Commonwealth Did Queen Victoria really say “We are not amused”? Which British/Commonwealth king had the most children? Who was the first monarch to ride in an automobile? How many of the 40 English/British/Commonwealth monarchs were buried outside England? At which Commonwealth schools were Queen Elizabeth II’s three sons educated? Quickies By what name was King Edward VIII known to his family before his accession to the throne? How might the British royal family descend from King David? Quickies Quickies What disease did Queen Victoria pass on to some of her descendants? Quickies What is the nom de brose of the Prince of Wales?

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What is “The Prince’s Charities”? Princes of Wales Who was the first member of the British royal family to qualify as a pilot? What is the George Cross? Princesses of Wales Where did Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) turn 21? Who was the only English monarch to be crowned king of France? What was the name of the royal family’s first corgi? Who is the Duke of Lancaster? Quickies Who named the Victoria Falls in Africa after Queen Victoria? Where is Lake Victoria in Africa? Consorts of English/Scottish/British/Commonwealth Queens What is Treetops? How did Queen Victoria describe the audiences she gave to her famous prime minister William Gladstone? Where was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, born? 622

Quickies Who was the last Catholic monarch of Britain/the Commonwealth? On what significant anniversary was King George VI born? How many children did King George V and Queen Mary have? Dukes of York Where is King Arthur’s Round Table? Who proposed when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became engaged? Quickies Who was the first member of the royal family to enter the United States after the Revolution? Who were united in an arranged medieval royal marriage that became one of history’s great love matches? Wives of King Henry VIII What is the mystery of Queen Charlotte? Who ordered Saxon royal pedigrees to be collected? Witches strove to prevent the arrival of which famous royal bride?

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Quickies What native king almost united Ireland? Countries (modern boundaries) of Birth of English/British/ Commonwealth Monarchs Since 1066 Which royal groom exclaimed “I am not well. Pray get me a glass of brandy” on seeing his bride for the first time? Under which sovereign did Ireland become a kingdom? The wily Elizabeth I never completely showed her hand. What did she say when asked her belief about the presence of Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament? Which king assisted at his niece’s bedding with the words, “So nephew, to your work! Hey Saint George for England!”? Which monarch did not know until he became king that his ancestor George III was the grandson not the son of George II? What were the famous last words of Charles II? How did King Charles II respond when a critic said of him, “He never said a foolish thing, and never did a wise one”? A World of Royalty Which 19th/20th century monarch was born a king?

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What was Emperor Maximilian I’s unique scheme for European unity? Quickies When was the Japanese Imperial Family founded? Which prince founded a republic? Who was the first monarch to travel around the world? Kings Encapsulated Who was the famous playwright Oscar Wilde named after? Which two 20th century monarchs looked alike? Quickies What special honour are virtuous Catholic kings and queens eligible for from the pope? Quickies Which king is commemorated by a garden in Israel? Quickies Quickies Is it true that Hitler hated monarchy because the Habsburgs favoured the Jews? Notorious Regicides 625

Which monarch introduced Arabic numerals and algebra to Europe? What monarch was called “the peasants’ king”? Which pope does Prince William of Wales descend from legitimately? What unusual Portuguese ancestry do Princes William and Harry of Wales possess? Where did the royal lines of the Anglo-Saxons, Teutons, Russians, Merovingians, Visigoths, and Lombards all originate? Which ancestor of Prince William of Wales founded the Order of the Golden Fleece? What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award? Quickies Which American film star became a princess? Imprisoned Monarchs and Their Jailers Where can you find some of the oldest royal genealogies? What was Kaiser Wilhelm II’s reaction when told that King George V was changing his royal family’s name to Windsor? Quickies

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Which of the 28 statues of sovereigns on the magnificent German renaissance tomb of Emperor Maximilian I at Innsbruck is mythical? Famous Royalists and Monarchs They Served What one thing do monarchs of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Spain share? On July 14, the day that the Bastille in Paris fell, did King Louis XVI actually write in his diary “rien” (“nothing”), indicating that he was oblivious to the turmoil around him, as legend has it? What lost heir did the Greeks search for? Restorations of Kings and Queens How did Emperor Franz Joseph II of Austria-Hungary describe the role of a monarch? Which emperor had a family tree invented for him? Quickies How is Charles, Prince of Wales, descended from Harold II, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings? What did Emperor Joseph II say when someone asked what he thought of the American Revolution? Kings, Queens, and Dynasties

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Monarchs of Canada Holy Monarchs and Princes Monarchs of England Famous Royal Mistresses Favourites (not mistresses or lovers) of Royalty Monarchs of France Illegitimate Offspring of Royalty Monarchs of Scotland World Dynasties High Kings of Ireland Orders Founded by Sovereigns

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Now You Know Canada's Heroes

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preface Most Canadians are well aware that our country has many heroes: men, women, and even children who have excelled in various endeavours or shown bravery or resourcefulness in war, disaster, and other trying situations. We learn about some of our heroes in school, people such as Sir Isaac Brock, Laura Secord, Tecumseh, William Lyon Mackenzie, and Louis-Joseph Papineau. Many of our heroes have been athletes who, in both amateur and professional competition, consistently perform far above the average. Canadian heroes are honoured with statues, monuments, and plaques. Their names have been given to rivers, mountains, highways, and public buildings. Their images have appeared on stamps, their life stories have been written by biographers, and some have been the subjects of television documentaries and feature films. Many of Canada’s heroes haven’t been soldiers, police officers, renowned explorers, or hockey stars, but ordinary people who found it within themselves to do something extraordinary in a life-or-death situation: a railroad worker who prevented a train wreck after a disastrous land slide, a wounded child who dragged an unconscious parent out of a shattered house following a devastating explosion, a movie projectionist whose quick thinking saved children from a killer fire. And, of course, we have had heroes like Terry Fox who gave themselves unselfishly to a noble cause. For every Canadian hero whose name is well remembered, there are many more who, over the years, have become

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obscure. They fought in wars, won medals, charted unknown wilderness, made spectacular scientific discoveries, and helped people in need. At one time they were headline news, but now they are largely forgotten. This thoroughly researched volume contains hundreds of stories about Canadian heroes. Readers will find fascinating facts about great Canadians they thought they already knew, and learn the thrilling stories of brave Canadians of whom they were previously unfamiliar. Read on, and spend some time with these remarkable heroes of Canada.

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courage in battle

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What is the Valereux)?

Valiants

Memorial

(Monument

aux

The Valiants Memorial is a monument in Ottawa, commemorating 14 representative figures from Canada’s military history. There are nine busts and five full statues, all life-sized, by artists John McEwen and Marlene Hilton Moore. The work is located around the Sappers Staircase, adjacent to the National War Memorial. On the wall of the staircase is a quotation from the Roman poet Virgil’s The Aeneid — Nulla dies umquam memori vos eximet aevo. (No day will ever erase you from the memory of time). The monument was dedicated on November 5, 2006, by Governor General Michaëlle Jean. The heroes represented in the monument are: From the French Regime • Le Comte de Frontenac • Pierre le Moyne d’Iberville From the American Revolution • Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) • John Butler From the War of 1812

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• Major General Sir Isaac Brock, KB • Laura Secord • Charles de Salaberry From the First World War • Georgina Pope • General Sir Arthur Currie, GCMB, KCB • Corporal Joseph Kaeble, VC, MM From the Second World War • Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, VC, DSC • Captain John Wallace Thomas, CBE • Major Paul Triquet, VC, CD • Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski, VC Where was Canada’s “Thermopylae”? On the banks of the Ottawa River’s Long Sault Rapids, in May of 1660, a band of 17 Frenchmen led by a young adventurer named Adam Dollard, with the assistance of about 40 Native allies, stood off an Iroquois force of hundreds that was en route to attack Montreal. The siege at the Long Sault

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lasted for a week before the Iroquois finally forced their way into the small stockade and massacred the defenders. However, because of the heavy casualties they had suffered in overpowering Dollard’s men, the Iroquois abandoned the plan to attack Montreal. This conflict in the Canadian wilderness has been compared to the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, in which 300 Spartan warriors held off a mighty Persian army for three days. Quickies Did you know … • that during both world wars, the Canadian government used the story of Adam Dollard’s heroism as a recruiting aid to encourage young men to join the armed forces? Who were Butler’s Rangers? They were a company of Loyalist militia commanded by Colonel John Butler during the Revolutionary War. They operated mostly out of Fort Niagara, usually in the company of Native Allies. Butler’s Rangers proved to be a very effective fighting force in the western theatre of the war. After the war the Rangers disbanded and most of the men settled in Upper Canada. Many people today who are of United Empire Loyalist stock proudly trace their ancestry back to members of Butler’s Rangers. Quickies Did you know …

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• that a little-known hero of the Revolutionary War Battle of Quebec was a riverman named Jean Baptiste Bouchette, known to his colleagues as La Tourte (Wild Pigeon)? He smuggled the governor of Quebec, Guy Carleton, who had been in Montreal, past American lines so he could get into Quebec City to take command. Why are the Loyalists remembered as heroes in Canada? Some Loyalists, like John Butler and John Graves Simcoe, the founder of Toronto, were war heroes. Most of the Loyalists were farmers, tradesmen, and businessmen who were persecuted in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War and after it because they had refused to join what they believed was a treasonous rebellion. After losing everything they owned in the Revolution and its aftermath, they became the pioneers who established the new British colonies of Upper Canada and New Brunswick. Who were the Canadian Rangers? During the Revolutionary War, Captain William Caldwell, an Irishborn British officer, led a Loyalist militia unit that became known as the Canadian Rangers. Operating out of Detroit and Niagara, the Rangers were one of the most effective fighting forces in the western theatre of the war, and Caldwell was among the most daring and successful of commanders. The Rangers and their Native allies struck deep into enemy territory and won major victories at Sandusky (Ohio) and Blue Licks (Kentucky). After the war, Caldwell moved to Upper Canada, but was one of the British agents who encouraged the Natives to fight American expansion. In the War of 1812, the aging Caldwell commanded a ranger 637

force again. At the Battle of Moraviantown, when General Henry Proctor’s British troops broke and ran, Captain Caldwell and his Rangers stayed to fight a rearguard action alongside Tecumseh and his warriors. Caldwell died in 1822. In American histories he and his Canadian Rangers are bloodthirsty villains. In Canada they are Loyalist heroes. Why is Sir Isaac Brock called the Saviour of Upper Canada? When the United States declared war on Great Britain in June of 1812, its main goal was the seizure of the British colonies of Upper and Lower Canada. Major General Isaac Brock, the military commander of Upper Canada, had a long frontier to defend with relatively few troops. Morale among the civilian population was low. In fact, the confident Americans had boasted that the conquest of Canada would be “a mere matter of marching.” In spite of the seemingly impossible odds against him, Brock stopped a numerically superior American army in its tracks, and gave the people of Upper Canada reason to believe that they actually could defeat the Americans. What were the circumstances of Brock’s death at Queenston Heights? On the night of October 12–13, a large American force crossed the Niagara River and landed near the village of Queenston. In the morning, when Brock arrived from Fort George, about 7.5 miles away, he found that American soldiers had taken a strategic position atop the heights overlooking Queenston and the river. Without waiting for reinforcements that were on the way, Brock rallied some 638

troops behind him and led a charge uphill toward the American position. His general’s uniform made him a tempting target, and he was shot twice; first in the hand, and then through the breast. The Americans were eventually driven back across the river, but Brock’s death was a severe blow to the British and Canadians. For the remainder of the war the British would be unable to find another general of his calibre. What were Brock’s dying words? At least three supposed dying statements have been attributed to Brock. The one most quoted is “Push on, brave York volunteers.” He is also alleged to have said, “My fall must not be noticed or impede my brave companions from advancing to victory.” If that seems a bit wordy for a dying man, another account has him uttering a single word in Latin, Surgite, which could be interpreted as “Press on.” Actually, Brock most likely died without saying a word. George Jarvis, a 15-year-old militiaman was just a few feet from Brock when he was shot. He saw Brock fall and later reported, “Running up to him, I enquired, ‘Are you much hurt, Sir?’ He placed his hand on his breast and made no reply, and slowly sunk down.” How have Canadians honoured Sir Isaac Brock? On October 16, 1812, Brock was buried at Fort George with full military honours, along with Lieutenant Colonel John Macdonell, who was also killed in the battle. The remains of both soldiers are now in Brock’s Monument, a 184-foot tower at Queenston. The city of Brockville, Ontario, was named in 639

his honour. There is a Brock Township in Ontario and a Village of Brock in Saskatchewan. St. Catharines, Ontario, has Brock University. In Ontario, several roads and schools have been named after Brock. In Britain, Isaac Brock was made a Knight of the Bath. Quickies Did you know … • that Isaac Brock never knew that he had been knighted? On the very day he died, the church bells in London were ringing in celebration of his victory at Detroit. News travelled slowly in 1812. Why is Laura Secord called the Heroine of Upper Canada? Legend has it that Laura Secord was a Canadian girl who overheard some drunken American soldiers discussing a planned attack on the small force of Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon, and walked through the woods with a cow so she could bluff her way past American patrols, and warn the lieutenant. Actually, Laura Secord was the American-born wife of a Canadian militiaman, and was 38 years old at the time of her famous walk through the woods. She did not have a cow with her. No one is certain just how she learned of the American attack. There are several versions of the story. How dangerous was Laura Secord’s mission? It was a very dangerous undertaking. She had to travel on foot about 20 miles through rough country full of wolves and

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rattlesnakes. If she’d been caught by an American army patrol, she might have been shot as a spy. There were also gangs of men who passed themselves off as militia fighting for the Americans, but who were in fact little more than ruffians and bandits; not the sort of characters a woman travelling alone would have wanted to encounter. By the time Laura reached Lieutenant Fitzgibbon’s camp, her shoes were in tatters and her feet were bleeding and blistered. Quite likely Fitzgibbon’s Native scouts had already told him of the approaching Americans, but that takes nothing away from Laura Secord’s heroic act. The Americans were completely routed at the Battle of Beaver Dams on June 24, 1813. Who knew of Laura’s heroism? At the time, very few people knew of it. She herself did not boast of it. In 1820, 1827, and 1837, Fitzgibbon wrote letters confirming that she had indeed made the perilous journey. In 1845, her son Charles wrote a letter about it to a Cobourg periodical. In 1853, Laura wrote a narrative for a Toronto publication. But these accounts drew scant attention. Then, in 1860, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) was in Niagara Falls to officiate at a ceremony honouring Sir Isaac Brock. He heard the story of Laura Secord’s walk through the woods, and was fascinated by it. He gave the 85-year-old woman an honorarium of 100 pounds in gold. This brought Laura national attention, and she was on her way to becoming a Canadian icon. She died in 1868 at the age of 93. How did Tecumseh die? On October 5, 1813, an American army led by General William Henry Harrison attacked a retreating British army 641

commanded by General Henry Proctor near Moraviantown on the Thames River in the southwestern part of Upper Canada. The British troops broke rank and ran, but their Native allies, led by Tecumseh, stayed and fought. Tecumseh was shot and killed. His warriors carried the body off and buried it secretly. Several different Americans, including future vice president Richard Mentor Johnson would claim the “honour” of having shot Tecumseh, but none would be able to satisfactorily prove the claim. Quickies Did you know … • that Enos Collins of Halifax was the owner of the schooner Black Joke, the most successful privateering vessel on either side in the War of 1812? He made a fortune in the sale of captured American ships, and went on to become a founder of the Halifax Banking Company, which eventually became the Bank of Nova Scotia. What Canadian officer was once addressed as “Marquis of cannon powder”? Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Salaberry was the grandson of a soldier who had fought for New France against the British, and the son of a soldier who had fought for the British against the Americans. He himself was a career soldier in the British army. On October 26, 1813, at the Battle of Châteauguay, in spite of being heavily outnumbered, de Salaberry routed an American invasion force that was advancing on Montreal. This victory made de Salaberry a legendary figure in Quebec.

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Seven More Canadian Heroes of the War of 1812 • Captain Joseph Barss: commander of the privateer ship Black Joke, the scourge of the American coast. • Lieutenant General Gordon Drummond: won the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. • Dr. William “Tiger” Dunlop: British army surgeon who treated wounded soldiers from both armies, sometimes under horrific conditions. • William Green: teenaged boy who spied on American camp at Stoney Creek and gave the British/Canadian forces valuable information, including the password for the pickets. • Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey: won the Battle of Stoney Creek. • Lieutenant Colonel John W. Morrison: won the Battle of Crysler’s Farm. • John Norton: Mohawk Chief and British ally who fought in several engagements on the Niagara Frontier, including Queenston and Stoney Creek. Who was the first Canadian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross? On October 25, 1854, at Balaclava during the Crimean War, Lieutenant Alexander Roberts Dunn from York (Toronto) was one of the horsemen in the legendary Charge of the Light

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Brigade. A mistaken order had sent the Six Hundred into the Valley of Death. When the surviving cavalrymen began to withdraw, Lieutenant Dunn saw three Russians bearing down on a British sergeant whose horse had been wounded. Wielding his sabre, Dunn attacked the Russians and killed all three of them, allowing the sergeant to get back to his own lines. Then Dunn galloped to the rescue of a private who was in peril, and killed a fourth Russian with his sabre. Two years later Dunn was among the first recipients of a new medal awarded by the British Crown for valour in the face of the enemy, the Victoria Cross. Quickies Did you know … • that between 1854 and 1945, 95 Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Empire’s highest military decoration? Considering Canada’s population over that period, Canadians won more VCs per capita than any other Commonwealth nation. Twenty-eight of the Canadians awarded the VC were killed in action, and another seven died of wounds received in the action for which the VC was awarded. The prestige that came with this medal could hardly be comprehended today. A returned soldier who could put VC after his name was a national hero. In many instances he came home to a grand welcoming committee, a parade, and a banquet. Men who were awarded the medal posthumously had parks, streets, and mountains named after them. What was the connection between the War of 1812 and a Black Canadian who was awarded a Victoria Cross?

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William Edward Hall’s father was a captive aboard an American slave ship that was intercepted by a Royal Navy vessel during the War of 1812 and taken to Halifax. His mother was a slave on a plantation near Washington D.C. when the British attacked and burned the city. She escaped and boarded a British ship which took her to Halifax. Their son William enlisted in the Royal Navy and was at Lucknow, India, in 1857 at the time of the Sepoy Rebellion. Hall was a gunner on HMS Shannon, which was part of a naval force trying to breach the walls of an enemy fortification. Grenades and musket fire killed or wounded almost all of the British gunners. Hall and one injured officer, working the only gun that was still operable, and under intense enemy fire, blasted a hole in the wall that enabled British troops to take the position. Hall was awarded the Victoria Cross, making him the first Canadian to win the VC in a naval action. He died in 1904, and the inscription on his gravestone in Avonport, Nova Scotia, says that he was the “first man of colour to win the Empire’s highest award for valor.” What former Mountie won a Victoria Cross in the Boer War? Arthur Richardson joined the North West Mounted Police after emigrating from England. At the outbreak of the Boer War, he enlisted with the Lord Strathcona Horse and was sent to South Africa. In an engagement at Wolwespruit on July 5, 1900, Richardson saw that a wounded comrade who was pinned under his fallen horse was in danger of being killed or captured. Though he himself was sick with a fever, Richardson rode to the man’s aid. With bullets whistling around him, Richardson pulled the soldier from under the horse, draped him over his own saddle, and dashed to safety. 645

This act of selfless courage earned Richardson the Victoria Cross. Quickies Did you know … • that in the Boer War battle of Liliefontein on November 17, 1900, three Canadians: Hampden Churchill of Toronto, Edward Holland of Ottawa, and Richard Turner of Quebec City, all members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, won the Victoria Cross for preventing the enemy from capturing two artillery pieces? One of those big guns can be seen at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. What Canadian soldier won The Queen’s Scarf of Honour in the Boer War? Richard Rowland Thompson was a medical orderly attached to the Royal Canadian Regiment. He was originally from Ireland, but had immigrated to Canada and was living in Ottawa at the time he enlisted. During the Battle of Paardeberg in 1900, on several occasions Thompson crawled out into the deadly no man’s land between the Canadian and Boer lines to treat wounded Canadian soldiers who had fallen on the battlefield. For repeatedly risking his own life to assist others, Thompson was twice recommended for the Victoria Cross, but both times his case was “not recognized.” However, Queen Victoria had personally knitted eight woolen ceremonial scarves, each embroidered with a silk Royal Cipher. These prestigious and unique awards were to be given to soldiers from the ranks (not officers) who had 646

distinguished themselves but had not received the Victoria Cross. Four of the scarves were to go to British soldiers. The other four were to be divided among the Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and Cape Colony forces fighting in South Africa. Richard Rowland Thompson was chosen as the Canadian recipient. Thompson died of appendicitis in 1908 at the age of 31. His grave is at Chelsea, Quebec. His Scarf of Honour is on display at the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in Ottawa. Why is Georgina Pope included in the Valiants Memorial? Georgina Pope of Prince Edward Island was a nurse who served with distinction in the Boer War and the First World War. In 1902, she was made a commander of the Canadian Army Nursing Service. In 1903, she was the first Canadian to be awarded the Royal Red Cross. In 1908, she was appointed First Matron of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Where did the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) fight in the First World War? The Canadians fought on the Western Front in France and Flanders, a region of Belgium. From Gravenstafel in April of 1915, to Mons in 1918, the CEF was engaged in 48 battles, including such major campaigns as the Somme, Ypres, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, Passchendaele, Amiens, and Cambrai. A First World War battle could last for hours, days, weeks, or months. In between battles the soldiers endured the misery of life in the trenches and the constant sniping that went on between the opposing lines.

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Who was the first Canadian to win a Victoria Cross in the First World War? Originally from Ireland, Michael O’Leary immigrated to Canada and joined the North West Mounted Police. During the First World War he served with the Irish Guards. On February 1, 1915, Lance Corporal O’Leary single-handedly stormed an enemy barricade. He killed five Germans, and then assaulted a second barricade where he killed three more Germans and took two others prisoner. O’Leary was awarded the Victoria Cross, and the newspapers called his action “the greatest deed of the war.” Poems and ballads were written about it, and O’Leary’s wax effigy was an attraction in Madame Tussaud’s. After the war, O’Leary returned to Canada and joined the Ontario Provincial Police. Quickies Did you know … • that before the Battle of Ypres in 1915, the German officers contemptuously dismissed the soldiers of the CEF as “clodhoppers”? By the time the battle was over they had to admit that the Canadians were a tough fighting force. Four Canadians who fought at Ypres were awarded the Victoria Cross, two of them posthumously. The carnage at Ypres inspired Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae of Guelph, Ontario, a field surgeon with the medical corps, to write his famous poem, “In Flanders Fields.” Why was the Canadian Expeditionary Force called “the Salvation Army” in 1915? 648

During the First World War, the situation on the Western Front had bogged down into the stalemate of trench warfare by 1915. In April, at Ypres in Belgium, the German army attempted to break through the Allied lines by using poison gas. French troops fled, leaving a four-mile-wide gap in the Allied lines which the Germans quickly tried to exploit. In spite of the deadly gas, the Canadians closed the gap and held the line until reinforcements could arrive. This was the first major First World War battle in which Canadian troops participated. They saved the day, but at a cost of 6,035 lives. Why does Vimy Ridge have a special place in Canadian military history? Vimy Ridge is an escarpment in France that the Germans occupied early in the war. It was a strategic high ground that the Allies desperately wanted to take back. French and British attacks had been utter failures. In a battle lasting from April 9 to April 12, 1917, the Canadian Corps under Lieutenant General Sir Julian Byng succeeded where the British and French had failed, and captured Vimy Ridge. The operation had been meticulously planned, and the soldiers thoroughly trained for the jobs they were to do — something almost unheard of in the Allied armies up to that time. Nonetheless, the fighting was savage. The Canadians had 3,600 killed, 7,000 wounded, and 400 missing in action. It has been said that the young Canadian nation “came of age” on Vimy Ridge. The capture of Vimy Ridge was the first important Allied victory after more than two years of stalemate on the Western Front. Quickies

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Did you know … • that four Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery shown at Vimy Ridge? They were: Captain Thain MacDowell of Maitland, Ontario; Private Bill Milne, a Manitoban who was originally from Scotland; Sergeant Ellis Sifton of Wallacetown, Ontario; and Private John Pattison of Calgary. Only Captain MacDowell lived to receive his decoration. The others were all awarded posthumously. A mountain in Jasper National Park, Alberta, has been named in John Pattison’s honour. What happened at Passchendaele? The Battle of Passchendaele, in which the Allies’ goal was to capture the village of that name, was actually a series of battles that began in June of 1917, and ended that November. In the final phase it was the Canadians who finally captured the high ground on which the ruins of Passchendaele sat. Passchendaele was the epitome of everything that was terrible about the First World War: a sea of mud, foul trenches, incompetent generalship, and soldiers dying by the thousands for a few yards of worthless ground. The Allies lost half a million men at Passchendaele, 15,654 of the casualties being Canadian. The Germans lost 350,000. Ten Canadians Awarded the Victoria Cross After Passchendale • Lieutenant Colonel Philip Bent, Halifax, Nova Scotia (posthumously)

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• Private Tom Holmes, Owen Sound, Ontario. • Captain Christopher O’Kelly, Winnipeg, Manitoba • Lieutenant Robert Shankland, Winnipeg • Private Cecil Kinross, Lougheed, Alberta • Sergeant George Mullin, Moosomin, Saskatchewan. • Lieutenant Hugh McKenzie, originally from Liverpool, immigrated to Canada, (posthumously) • Major George Randolph Pearks, Red Deer, Alberta • Private James P. Robertson, Medicine Hat, Alberta, (posthumously) • Corporal Collin Barron, Toronto, Ontario What future governor general of Canada was a decorated as a First World War hero? Georges Vanier of Montreal was an officer in the first exclusively French Canadian regiment of the Canadian Army, the Royal 22e Regiment. This regiment would become famous as the Van Doos, a corruption of vingt-deuxième. During his many months in the foul trenches of the Western Front, Vanier saw plenty of action, was promoted from lieutenant to captain, received the Military Cross and the French Légion d’honneur for bravery. In June 1916, he was wounded in battle and sent to a hospital in England. Two

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months later he was back at the front. In 1917, he fought at Hill 70 and Passchendaele. In the summer and autumn of 1918, Vanier was part of Canada’s “Hundred Days,” when Canadian troops spearheaded the Allied advance that resulted in Germany’s defeat. Vanier was shot through the body, and had one leg so badly mangled by shrapnel it had to be amputated above the knee. Vanier had a Bar added to his Military Cross, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order by King George V. After the war, Georges Vanier had a stellar diplomatic career, and in 1959 became Canada’s first French Canadian governor general. Who was the first Canadian fighter pilot to shoot down an enemy plane in the First World War? On December 19, 1915, Malcolm McBean Bell-Irving was attacked by three German planes while flying on patrol over the Western Front. He shot one plane down and drove the other two away, and then was wounded by anti-aircraft fire. Bell-Irving was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Quickies Did you know … • that during the Second World War, Georges Vanier and his wife Pauline were among the first people in Western diplomatic circles to acknowledge and condemn Nazi atrocities? They championed the cause of war refugees, even though xenophobic and anti-Semitic policies of the Canadian government shut Canada’s doors to all but a trickle of European refugees. 652

Who was the top Canadian air ace in the First World War? William Avery “Billy” Bishop of Owen Sound, Ontario, is on record for scoring 72 air victories. That’s not counting the three observation balloons he destroyed. Bishop once engaged in an aerial dogfight with the legendary Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, though neither was able to shoot the other down. On June 2, 1917, Bishop single-handedly attacked a German airfield and downed three enemy planes, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. The Germans actually had a bounty on Billy Bishop’s head. They called him “Hell’s Handmaiden.” Quickies Did you know … • that before First World War planes were fitted with machine guns, enemy pilots flying reconnaissance would blast away at each other with handguns and shotguns? Malcolm McBean Bell-Irving once tried to shoot an enemy pilot with a revolver. The gun misfired, so Bell-Irving threw it at the German, hitting him on the side of the head. What type of plane did Billy Bishop fly? Bishop scored most of his victories in a Nieuport 17 biplane. He painted the front of it blue so he’d be camouflaged against the sky. Quickies

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Did you know … • that in the 1942 movie Captains of the Clouds, starring James Cagney, Billy Bishop played himself as a Royal Canadian Air Force officer presiding over the graduation of cadet pilots? What Canadian fighter pilot was credited with killing the Red Baron? On the morning of April 21, 1918, Royal Air Force 209 Squadron got into a dogfight with the legendary Flying Circus of Manfred Von Richtofen, the much feared Red Baron. Novice Canadian pilot Wilfrid “Wop” May pulled out of the scrap because his machine guns were jammed. The Red Baron spotted him and swooped down for the kill. Flight Commander Arthur “Roy” Brown, of Carlton Place, Ontario, saw May in trouble, and dove after the Red Baron, firing a burst from his guns. This forced the Red Baron to break off his attack on May. He then seemed to pursue May again before gliding his plane to a landing in a field behind Allied lines. Australian soldiers found Von Richtofen sitting in the cockpit, dead from a single bullet. The Royal Air Force credited Captain Brown with killing the Red Baron and awarded him the Distinguished Service Cross. However, an Australian anti-aircraft gun crew had also been shooting at Von Richtofen’s plane and they claimed it was their bullet that killed the German ace. The controversy continues to this day. Ten Other Canadian First World War Air Aces and Their Scores 654

• Raymond Collishaw —62 • Donald Maclaren —54 • William Barker —53 • Alfred Atkey —38 • Frederick McCall —37 • William Claxton —36 • Joseph Fall —36 • Francis G. Quigly —34 • Albert “Nick” Carter —31 • Andrew McKeever —30 Who commanded the Black Flight? Flight Commander Raymond Collishaw of Nanaimo, British Columbia, an officer in the Royal Naval Air Service, commanded No. 10 Naval Squadron. The five-man Canadian squadron all flew Sopwith Triplanes, which they painted jet black and gave ominous names. Collishaw had the second highest number of air victories among Canadian First World War fighter pilots, second only to Billy Bishop, but he never received Bishop’s level of publicity. Collishaw’s military decorations included: Commander of the Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order and bar, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross,

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and the Croix de Guerre of France. Collishaw also fought against the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War, and served in the Second World War as an air vice marshal. The Pilots of the Black Flight and Their Planes • Raymond Collishaw — Black Mariah • J.E. Sharmon — Black Death • Ellis Reid — Black Roger • Marcus Alexander — Black Prince • Gerry Nash — Black Sheep What was unusual about the Victoria Crosses won by Lieutenant Fred Harvey of Alberta, Lieutenant Harcus Strachan of Winnipeg, and Lieutenant Gordon Flowerdew of Saskatchewan during the First World War? These three Canadians were awarded the Victoria Cross (Flowerdew posthumously) for extreme courage displayed in cavalry charges. In a conflict that quickly bogged down into trench warfare, cavalry was useless. The dramatic, romantic cavalry charge of an earlier day was obsolete. However, on a few occasions the horse soldiers did get the opportunity to ride for glory. What act of heroism earned Corporal Joseph Kaeble the Victoria Cross?

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On June 8, 1918, at Neuville-Vitasse, France, everyone in Corporal Kaeble’s section had been killed or wounded, leaving him to face a German advance alone. Holding his Lewis gun at the hip, he emptied one magazine after another into the Germans and drove back the attack. He was wounded several times, but continued to shoot at the retreating Germans. He died the following day in hospital. Kaeble was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross “for most conspicuous bravery and extraordinary devotion to duty.” Who were the first men of the Royal Canadian Navy to be killed in the First World War? Canada did not have much of a navy at the beginning of the First World War, but it did have men in training on some old, cast-off Royal Navy cruisers. In August 1914, the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Good Hope docked at Halifax to take on fuel. Four midshipmen from the first graduating class of the Royal Naval College of Canada were taken aboard as crewmen: Malcolm Cann, John Hatheway, William Palmer, and Arthur Silver. On November 1, the Good Hope engaged the German cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst off the coast of Chile. The Good Hope was destroyed and went down with all hands. The four Canadians were the first of 225 Canadian seamen who were killed on British ships during the war. Who was the only Canadian navy man to win a Victoria Cross in the First World War? Rowland Bourke was a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officer in command of a motor launch participating in the blockade of the port of Ostend, Belgium. On May 10, 1918, Bourke went into the harbour to pick up survivors from the 657

crippled British war ship Vindictive. In spite of heavy enemy machine-gun fire, Bourke and his crew pulled three British seamen out of the water and took them to safety. Why is there a monument to the memory of Hugh Cairns in a park in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan? Sergeant Hugh Cairns of Saskatoon was the last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War. On November 2, 1918, less than a fortnight before the November 11 armistice, Cairns single-handedly knocked out a German machine-gun position, killing 12 Germans and capturing 18 more. Later that same day, Cairns outflanked another German position, killed several of them and captured 50. He then entered a barn where another 60 Germans surrendered to him. However, as they filed out, an officer pulled a revolver and shot Cairns in the stomach. Cairns died the next day, and was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Who was the most decorated Canadian in the First World War? A fighter pilot, Lieutenant Colonel William Barker of Dauphin, Manitoba, was Canada’s most decorated war hero. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Military Cross and two bars, the Distinguished Service Order and bar, France’s Croix de Guerre, and Italy’s Valore Militare. What distinction did the Royal Newfoundland Regiment have in the First World War? The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was the only North American regiment to fight in the disastrous Gallipoli 658

campaign of 1915. Later, on July 1, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was almost annihilated at a place called Beaumont Hamel. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Lovell Hadow made the observation that the Newfoundlanders’ attack failed because “dead men can advance no further.” This massive loss of men from a colony with a small population had a profound effect on Newfoundland’s history and culture. Today Newfoundland’s Memorial Day is July 1. Quickies Did you know … • Private Thomas Ricketts, age 17, of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, was the youngest person ever to be awarded the Victoria Cross? There is a memorial to Ricketts, who died in 1967, on Water Street in St. John’s. A play about him, The Known Soldier, was written by Jeff Pitcher. Where did the Canadian Armed Forces fight in the Second World War? Canada’s military forces were much more diversified in the Second World War than they had been in the First World War, and the Second World War was much more of a global conflict. Canadian naval vessels participated in actions on both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Canadian ground troops were involved in hundreds of operations, large and small, from a raid on Norway’s Spitzbergen Islands, to the major campaigns in Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. Canadians also fought in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Canadian airmen, flying with the Royal 659

Canadian Air Force or the Royal Air Force saw action as fighter and bomber pilots and crewmen in every theatre of the war. Who was the first Canadian to be decorated in the Second World War? Robert Timbrell of Vancouver had joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1937 and in 1940 was in England for training with the Royal Navy. From May 27 to June 4 of that year he participated in the “Miracle of Dunkirk” in which thousands of British and French soldiers were evacuated from French beaches before they could be slaughtered or captured by an advancing German army. Captain Timbrell was placed in command of HMS Llanthony, a civilian yacht with no armament that was just one of the hastily assembled fleet thrown together for the evacuation. Timbrell distinguished himself by taking men off the Dunkirk beach under heavy fire, ferrying them to England, and then going back for more. Even though his vessel had taken some hits and five of his crew were killed, Timbrell was placed in command of a flotilla of four trawlers, one of which was lost to a mine. For his courage and resourcefulness, Timbrell received the Distinguished Service Cross, the first decoration won by any Canadian in the Second World War. Who was the first Canadian Second World War pilot to achieve the status of ace? To be called an ace, a fighter pilot had to shoot down at least five enemy planes. The first Canadian to do that was Angus Benjamin of Winnipeg. On May 10, 1940, he shot down his first German plane. On May 12 he got two more. Benjamin 660

achieved ace status on May 14 when two more German planes went down before the guns of his Hurricane fighter. Sadly, on May 16, Benjamin was killed in action. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Why was Second World War fighter pilot George Beurling nicknamed “Buzz”? Actually, Beurling’s fellow pilots called him “Screwball”! George Beurling of Verdun, Quebec, was insubordinate and a major discipline problem to his superior officers. But at the controls of a Spitfire fighter plane he was a daredevil pilot with uncanny marksmanship. Beurling was a master of the “deflection shot.” He could calculate in an instant where an enemy plane was going to be, and then send off a stream of machine-gun bullets that the target plane would fly right into. In the Battle of Malta in 1942, Beurling shot down 27 enemy planes. Beurling’s official wartime tally was 31, for which he received the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Flying Medal with a bar for bravery, and the Distinguished Flying Cross. When Beurling reluctantly returned to Canada to promote war bonds, the government did not think “Screwball” was an appropriate nickname for a war hero. Thus, he became known to the Canadian public as “Buzz.” Quickies Did you know … • after the Second World War, Buzz Beurling could not find steady work as a pilot? In 1948 he enlisted with the Israeli Air Force, and then was killed in a mysterious plane crash at the age of 27. 661

Ten Other Canadian Second World War Air Aces and Their Scores • Vernon C. Woodward —21 • Henry W. McLeod —21 • Robert McNair —17 • George Wittman —17 • James F. Edwards —16 • William McKnight —16 • Robert A. Barton —16 • Edward F. Charles —15 • Donald C. Laubman —15 • William Klersy —14 How many Canadian airmen participated in the Battle of Britain? In the summer and autumn of 1940 the German Luftwaffe attempted to gain control of the skies over Britain and bomb the British people into submission. Its failure to accomplish either objective was Nazi Germany’s first defeat and a major turning point in the war. In what Winston Churchill called

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Britain’s “finest hour,” 110 Canadians flew the Hurricanes and Spitfires that turned back the Nazi tide. Three of the Canadian pilots were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Why was J.F. “Stocky” Edwards called “The Desert Hawk”? James Francis “Stocky” Edwards of Nokomis, Saskatchewan, was posted to the Middle East after completing his pilot training, and on his first operational flight he shot down a Messerschmitt 109. Stocky Edwards continued to roll up his score of enemy planes. Even though he was pulled out of combat for six months to do duty as a gunnery instructor, by the end of the Desert War he was the number one desert air force ace with 11 planes shot down (confirmed), eight more probably destroyed, five damaged in the air, and several destroyed or damaged on the ground. Edwards also fought in the campaigns in Italy and Normandy. In addition to enemy aircraft destroyed or damaged, he destroyed or damaged some 300 ground vehicles. Wing Commander Edwards was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Bar and the Distinguished Flying Medal. He later received the Order of Canada. Why were Canadian troops sent to defend Hong Kong? The British high command had already decided that it would be impossible to defend Hong Kong in the face of a sustained Japanese attack. Hong Kong had no naval protection and no worthwhile air cover. However, the generals thought that the addition of 2,000 Canadian troops to the garrison would deter the Japanese from attacking. Canadian prime minister 663

Mackenzie King believed sending the Canadians to Hong Kong would be a unifying factor, since one battalion, the Winnipeg Grenadiers, was from the West, and the other, the Royal Rifles of Canada, was from Quebec City. What happened when the Japanese attacked Hong Kong? On December 8, 1941, 52,000 Japanese troops attacked Hong Kong, which was defended by 14,000 British, Canadian, and Indian troops. The fighting lasted until December 25. In spite of being outnumbered, ill equipped, and poorly trained, the Canadians fought well against battle-hardened, well-equipped Japanese troops. The Canadians had 290 killed and 493 wounded. Another 267 Canadians would die as prisoners of war in brutal slave camps. Why is August 9, 1942, considered one of the darkest days in Canadian military history? August 9, 1942, was the date of the raid in the French coastal town of Dieppe, which was carried out by an almost all-Canadian force. Code-named Jubilee, the operation was supposed to be a surprise attack. Far from being surprised, the German defenders were ready and waiting. The Canadians had 913 killed, 586 wounded among those who made it back to England, and 1,946 taken prisoner.

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Twelve Canadians Who Were Decorated for Actions During the Battle of Hong Kong • Major Wells Arnold Bishop — Distinguished Service Order • Captain Robert W. Philip — Military Cross • Lieutenant Thomas A. Blackwood — Military Cross • Quartermaster Sergeant Colin A. Standish — Distinguished Conduct Medal • Lieutenant Collinson Blaver — Military Cross • Corporal Derek Rix — Distinguished Conduct Medal • Sergeant Major John W. Osborne — Victoria Cross • Captain Frederick Atkinson — Military Cross • Major Ernest Hodkinson — Distinguished Service Order • Chaplain (Honorary Captain) Uriah Laite — Military Cross • Lieutenant Francis G. Power — Military Cross • Lieutenant William F. Nugent — Military Cross What was the purpose of the Dieppe raid? The operation was the brainchild of Lord Mountbatten. (General Montgomery was against it). The attackers were

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supposed to seize the town and hold it long enough for engineers to destroy the harbour facilities and some German military installations, as well as take some prisoners and German military documents. The Western Allies had also been under pressure from Soviet premier Josef Stalin to open up a front in the west to take some of the pressure off the embattled Red Army in the east. Why did the Dieppe raid fail? All element of surprise was lost when the flotilla encountered a small German convoy in the English Channel. There was no preliminary aerial or naval bombardment, and air and naval support was insufficient. The attack fell behind schedule, and landings that were supposed to have been made under cover of darkness were made in daylight. When tanks went ashore, their treads were quickly fouled by the stony beaches which not only stopped them from advancing, but made them sitting targets for German guns. The defending German 571st Infantry Regiment was well-trained, well-equipped, and positioned on heights that enabled them to slaughter the Canadians as they came ashore. The landing craft proved unsuitable for evacuating the men under fire, hence the large number of prisoners. Who was “The Gallant Padre”? Among the many Canadians who were decorated for their actions at Dieppe was Regimental Chaplain John Weir Foote of Madoc, Ontario. At Dieppe, Foote was an assistant in the Regimental Aid Post, helping the medical officer tend to the wounded. He consistently exposed himself to enemy gunfire in order to administer morphine or carry wounded men to the 666

medical post. As the raid became a disaster, Foote helped to load wounded men into the landing craft. Foote was in the last boat as it was about to leave, when he did one of the most unselfish deeds of the day. He left the craft and walked back up the beach to be taken prisoner, so that he could console and minister to the many young men who had been captured. Upon his liberation from a POW camp in April 1945, Foote was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was the only member of the Canadian Chaplain Services ever to receive the honour. What was the legacy of Dieppe? The legacy of Dieppe has been a bitter one. To this day many people believe the Germans were tipped off about the attack. Many felt that Lord Mountbatten was not a competent military man, and that he used the Canadians as guinea pigs to test German coastal defences. However, lessons learned at Dieppe contributed to the success of amphibious landings elsewhere, particularly at Normandy in June 1944. In September 1944, the 2nd Canadian Infantry was sent to liberate Dieppe. The Germans occupying the town fled without a fight. Quickies Did you know … • that 50 American Rangers, the first Americans to fight in Europe in the Second World War, were at Dieppe? Three of them were killed. Back in England, the surviving Rangers were all awarded medals by Lord Mountbatten. He had no similar decoration for the surviving Canadians.

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Why is Captain John Wallace Thomas included in the Valiants Memorial? Captain Thomas of Newfoundland is representative of the service performed by the men of the merchant marine. He served with distinction in both world wars. In 1940 he was made Commander of the British Empire for his courage and resourcefulness in handling his ship, the Empress of Scotland, during a Luftwaffe attack off the coast of Ireland. Captain Thomas was the only member of the Canadian merchant navy to be awarded the CBE during the war. What native of Prince Edward Island participated in an action described as “one of the greatest episodes in naval history”? Frederick Thornton Peters was born in Prince Edward Island in 1889. He served as a junior officer in the Royal Navy during the First World War and was twice decorated. On November 8, 1942, during the Second World War, Captain Peters was with the British-American raid on the port of Oran, Algeria. The objective was the capture or destruction of French warships that were part of the armed forces of the Vichy French government, which was collaborating with the Nazis. The Allies hoped that the French servicemen would defy their traitorous Vichy officers and give no resistance. Instead, the French put up a stiff fight, and the Allied operation seemed doomed to failure. Captain Peters was in command of two cutters. In an act of almost suicidal bravery, he rammed the log boom across the harbour entrance and broke through. French warships opened fire on the cutters from point-blank range, destroying them both and killing most of the crewmen. Peters survived, but lost an eye and was 668

taken prisoner. British ships sank or captured all of the French vessels attempting to escape. Two days later Peters was freed from jail by American soldiers. When local people learned he was the officer who had led the charge into the harbour, they carried him through the streets on their shoulders and showered him with flowers. One day later a plane carrying Peters to England crashed into the sea. No bodies were recovered. Frederick Peters was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross and the United States Distinguished Service Cross. A Naval Reserve building in Charlottetown was named in his honour. Who was one of the first Allied soldiers to go ashore in the invasion of Sicily? In the British/Canadian/American landings on Sicily on July 10, 1943, one of the first men ashore was General Guy Granville Simonds of the First Canadian Infantry Division. For the invasion of mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, General Simmonds was given command of the Fifth Armoured Canadian Division. He later led the First Canadian Army in Belgium during the Battle of the Scheldt. General Bernard Montgomery, the senior British commander, called General Simonds the “most brilliant Canadian field general.” Simonds was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and the Distinguished Service Order. Who was the only French-Canadian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War? On December 14, 1943, at Casa Berardi, Italy, Major Paul Triquet of Cabano, Quebec, and his men captured a three 669

storey farmhouse that was a key to securing a road junction. They had to knock out four German tanks and a machine-gun nest, and then hold the position against superior numbers until relief could come. All of the Canadian officers except Triquet were killed or wounded, and the unit lost 50 percent of its men. Triquet’s courage and leadership inspired the rest of the men to hold on. In addition to the Victoria Cross, Triquet was also awarded the French Légion d’honneur. What was “The Devil’s Brigade”? The First Special Service Force was an elite, specially trained commando unit made of Canadian and American soldiers. Originally intended to fight the Japanese in the Aleution Islands, they were used on special operations in Italy and France in 1943 and 1944. Because the commandos often operated at night with their faces blackened with boot polish, the Germans called them Die schwarzen Teufel — the black devils. They would tag demolished German military property and dead German soldiers with labels that said in German, “The worst is yet to come.” The 1968 movie The Devil’s Brigade starring William Holden and Cliff Robertson was loosely based on the First Special Service Force’s story. Who was the most decorated member of the Devil’s Brigade? Thomas Prince, an Ojibwa from Petersfield, Manitoba, was the most decorated member of the Devil’s Brigade and one of the most decorated Canadians. His nine military awards included a Military Medal presented to him by King George V, and the American Silver Star. A statue of Tommy Prince was erected in a Winnipeg park in 1989. 670

Quickies Did you know … • Tommy Prince was honourably discharged from the Canadian army in June 1945? When the Korean War broke out in 1950, Prince re-enlisted in spite of suffering from arthritis in his knees, and became a member of Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, the famed Princess Pats. Prince served with distinction in Korea, was wounded in action, and was honourably discharged a second time. Who was the real “Tunnel King” in the true story of the Great Escape? Canadian fighter pilot Wally Floody had worked in the mines of Northern Ontario, so when he wound up as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III after being shot down over France in 1941, he had the very skills the camp’s escape committee was looking for. Floody was the principal architect and digger of the tunnels that were dug as part of a major break-out attempt. However, Floody did not get a chance to get out on the night of the escape. The German guards became suspicious a few days before the event and transferred Floody to another POW camp. Floody returned to Canada after the war and was later employed as a technical advisor on the set of the 1963 film The Great Escape. Quickies Did you know …

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• that, of the 79 men who got out of Stalag Luft III during the Great Escape, only three made it to neutral countries? The other 76 were re-captured. Fifty of the re-captured escapees were shot on Hitler’s orders. They included six Canadians: Henry Birkland, Gordon Kidder, Patrick Langford, George McGill, James Wernham, and George Wiley. Three other Canadians who escaped were recaptured but were not murdered: Bill Cameron, Keith Ogilvie, and Alfred Thompson. How did the Canadians break through the Hitler Line? In May of 1944, the Allied advance up the Italian peninsula was held up by the much vaunted Adolf Hitler Line, the most formidable German fortification they had yet encountered. This was a concentration of concrete heavy gun and rocket emplacements that ran from Aquino in the east to Pontecorvo in the west. When the Canadians finally penetrated this barrier, Division Commander Christopher Vokes gave credit for the breakthrough to the First Canadian Division’s chief gunner, William S. Ziegler. The artillery officer and his staff worked 72 hours without a break, planning and executing their barrage. It was one of the most complex artillery fire plans ever conceived of, and it was the heaviest of the Second World War up to that time. It consisted of a series of concentrated fire on specific targets, and a creeping barrage that moved 900 feet every three minutes. All this was accompanied by a relentless fire of a thousand shells per hour. When the Canadians were held up in the Aquino sector, Zeigler took less than half an hour to improvise a new plan that called for 668 guns to throw 3,509 shells on the enemy. The Hitler Line collapsed. When the battle was over, Zeigler 672

reluctantly drank a glass of Canadian rye whiskey Vokes thrust upon him, and then passed out after having gone three days without sleep. Who was the first member of the Royal Canadian Air Force to be awarded the Victoria Cross? On June 24, 1944, Flight Lieutenant David “Bud” Hornell of Mimico, Ontario, flying a Catalina anti-submarine bomber, attacked a German U-boat about 1,000 miles from his base in the Shetland Islands. The sub was running on the surface, and the crew of its deck gun opened fire on Hornell’s plane. The aircraft was hit several times and was on fire, but Hornell pressed on with the attack and destroyed the U-boat. Then he had to ditch the plane in the ocean. Hornell and all seven of his crew got out before the plane sank, but only one of their two dinghies inflated properly. The other one exploded. The dinghy could hold only seven, so the men had to take turns going into the frigid water and hanging on. Hornell voluntarily spent more time in the water than any of his men. The dinghy was spotted by the pilot of another Catalina, but many hours passed before a rescue vessel could reach the men. One crew member became delirious from exposure and died. Heavy seas kept swamping the dinghy, and the survivors had to bail constantly. A Warwick transport plane dropped a lifeboat, but high winds carried it away. Hornell, who by now was weak from seasickness and almost blind from the effects of exposure, wanted to swim after it but his men held him back. Throughout the ordeal, Hornell encouraged the men not to give up hope. After the survivors endured 21 hours on the cruel North Sea, a launch picked them up. By that time Hornell was unconscious. He died within a few hours. Hornell was buried in a military cemetery 673

in the Shetland Islands, and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. How did Andrew Mynarski receive a belated, posthumous Victoria Cross? Warrant Officer Mynarski was a gunner aboard a Lancaster bomber that was part of a raid on the railyards of Cambrai, France, on the night of June 12–13, 1944. As the plane was about to make its bombing run, it was attacked by a German fighter. Both port engines were knocked out and a fire started inside the plane. The pilot ordered the crew to bail out. Most of the men got out, but when Mynarski reached the escape hatch, he saw that his friend, rear gunner Pat Brophy, was trapped in his turret. Mynarski crawled through flames to reach Brophy and try to get the turret open, but it wouldn’t budge. By now his own clothes and parachute pack were on fire. Brophy shouted at Mynarski to get out while he had the chance. Mynarski crawled back to the escape hatch, turned and saluted Brophy, and then jumped from the plane. French farmers saw Mynarski come down because his clothes and parachute were still on fire. When they found him he was badly burned and seriously injured from his impact with the ground. He was taken to a German field hospital where he died. Meanwhile, when the Lancaster crashed, Brophy’s turret was thrown aside and he escaped relatively unhurt. He was hidden by the French Resistance and assisted them in their war against the Germans until September 1944 when the area was liberated by the British. Not until Brophy got back to England was he able to report the story of Mynarski’s unselfish courage. Mynarski was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1946.

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What was the Canadian army’s role in the D-Day invasion of Normandy? The Canadians were to land on the beach code named Juno, which was defended by the German army’s 716th division. This was not considered a top German division, though its position was well fortified and strengthened with 90 big guns, 50 mortars, and from 400 to 500 machine guns. However, nearby were two tough German armoured formations: the 21st Panzer Division near Caen, and the 12th SS Panzer Division a few miles farther inland. The Canadians and their British allies who had been assigned Gold and Sword beaches were to push inland and seize Caen and Bayeux, as well as the roads and rails connecting them, and prepare for a German armoured counter-offensive. How well did the Canadian army do on D-Day? Although the Canadians and British failed to capture Caen until later in the Normandy Campaign, on D-Day the Canadians pushed farther inland than any of the other Allied armies. This was done at a cost of 1,074 casualties, which included 335 dead. This was a lighter casualty rate than had been expected, but it increased as the Canadians pushed farther inland and German resistance stiffened. Why did the Canadians have a special hatred for Colonel Kurt Meyer of the Waffen SS? In the fighting around Caen, Meyer commanded three infantry battalions and one tank battalion. He gave orders that no Allied prisoners were to be taken. As a result, 134 Canadians who had been captured were murdered in cold 675

blood. After the war, Meyer was tried as a war criminal for 27 of the murders. He was found guilty and sentenced to hang, but the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was released in 1954. How did a cigarette case save the life of Star Trek’s “Scotty” during the Normandy Campaign? Vancouver-born James Doohan stormed Juno Beach with the Canadian army on D-Day, and allegedly helped knock out a German machine gun. A few days after the landing, as his regiment advanced into Normandy, Doohan was hit by machine-gun fire. He received bullet wounds in his leg and right hand. Another bullet struck him in the chest and could have been fatal, but was deflected by a metal cigarette case in his pocket. As a result of the injury to his right hand, Doohan had the middle finger amputated. Years later, when Doohan played Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott of the Starship Enterprise, the TV show’s producers took care to hide Scotty’s disfigured hand from viewers. In close-up shots of Scotty’s hands working the controls of the transporter, “stand-in” hands were used. In the episode “Trouble with Tribbles,” when both of Scott’s hands are in view while he holds a pile of the creatures, his missing finger is supposedly buried in tribble fur. How did a Canadian fighter pilot knock Germany’s top general out of the war? Quickies Did you know …

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• D-Day was the first time the Canadian army fought under the Red Ensign? Before that, Canadians had fought under the British Union Jack. Charley Fox of Guelph, Ontario, had already participated in the Battle of Britain, flown in the D-Day invasion of Normandy, attacked V1 and V2 rocket-launching sites, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, when he performed one of the most important single acts of the war. On July 17, 1944, Fox was flying across the French countryside looking for “targets of opportunity” when he spotted a German military staff car racing along a tree-lined road. While his wing mate Steve Randall flew cover for him, Fox dove at the German car and strafed it. The car went off the road and rolled over. Allied intelligence later learned that Germany’s top general, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel had suffered serious head injuries when his car was attacked by a fighter plane. Several pilots sought credit for strafing Rommel, but investigation eventually proved beyond a doubt that Charley Fox was the man who had put the legendary Desert Fox out of action. Fox had recorded the incident in his logbook, but never boasted of it. On October 18, 2008, at the age of 88, Charley Fox was killed in a car accident near Tillsonberg, Ontario. Quickies Did you know … • that on July 20, 1944, three days after Charley Fox shot up Rommel’s car, German conspirators failed in an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb? Nazi investigators believed Rommel was involved in the plot to kill Hitler and 677

negotiate Germany’s surrender to the Western Allies. To avoid Nazi persecution of his family, as well as the humiliation of a trial, Rommel committed suicide by means of poison on October 14, 1944. The Nazi government told the German people he had died as a result of the wounds he’d received when his car was strafed by a Spitfire. What real-life Canadian master of espionage was a model for Ian Fleming’s fictional character James Bond? In the First World War, William Stephenson of Winnipeg was a decorated fighter pilot. In the Second World War very few people knew that he was one of the most important men in the Allied war effort. Working in a New York City office under the cover of British Passport Control Officer, Stephenson was secretly the head of an umbrella organization that included the British Intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), the Special Operations Executive (SOE), and the Political Warfare Executive (PWE). Stephenson’s operatives, most of whom knew him only by his code name, Intrepid, carried out espionage and counter-espionage activities in Europe, North and South America, and the Caribbean. He set up Camp X in Whitby on the shore of Lake Ontario east of Toronto as a training school for spies, saboteurs, and assassins. He was a close adviser to Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. After the war, Stephenson was knighted by King George VI. He was awarded the Presidential Medal for Merit, the highest American honour available to a civilian. Stephenson was the first non-American to receive that award. He was later made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

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What three Canadians’ names are on the Valencay SOE Memorial in France? Quickies Did you know … • five American graduates of William Stephenson’s Camp X spy school went on to become directors of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)? The Valencay Memorial honours all those Allied Special Operations men and women who lost their lives while carrying out extremely dangerous missions in Nazi-occupied France. The Canadian names on the Roll of Honour are Frank Herbert Pickersgill of Winnipeg, Romeo Sabourin of Montreal, and John Kenneth Macalister of Guelph, Ontario. These Canadian agents of Intrepid were captured by the Gestapo, brutally interrogated, and then executed by being hung on meat hooks and strangled with piano wire. Who was the only woman to hold a senior position with SOE? Kay Moore of Strathcona, Alberta, was studying at the Sorbonne in Paris when the Germans invaded France. She went to London, England, where she officially joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY), but was secretly working for SOE as an interpreter and liaison for Allied agents working behind enemy lines. One of those agents was her friend from the University of Manitoba, Frank Pickersgill. Kay Moore provided a vital link between the agents in the 679

field and the British and American air forces that provided them with weapons and equipment. One of the resistance fighters she worked with was Ernest Gimpel (code name Charles Beauchamp), her future husband. Quickies Did you know … • that during one of his interrogation sessions, Frank Pickersgill grabbed a bottle, broke the neck, fatally stabbed an SS guard in the throat, and then jumped out a second storey window? He made a run for it but was cut down by bullets. The Nazis nursed him back to health in hope of extracting information from him. When they could get nothing out of him, they shipped him off to an extermination camp. Who was the last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross? On August 9, 1945, Robert Hampton Gray, a native of Trail, British Columbia, was at the controls of a Vought Corsair fighter bomber. He was the flight commander of an eight-plane squadron that had taken off from the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable with orders to attack Japanese warships in Onagawa Bay. The Corsair carried two 500-pound bombs designed to be launched in a skip-bomb attack that assured maximum accuracy, but also left the low-flying plane dangerously vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. Gray’s target was the escort ship Amakusa. As he roared into the attack, anti-aircraft guns threw up a wall of fire. Gray’s plane was hit several times and one of his bombs was knocked away. The Corsair was in flames, but Gray did not 680

break off the attack or bail out. He waited until he was within 50 yards of the Amakusa before releasing his remaining bomb. It was a perfect hit amidships. Gray’s plane then crashed into the sea. Neither the Corsair nor Gray’s body was ever found. Gray was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the last Canadian to receive that decoration. Only hours after Gray’s heroic action, the Americans dropped the second atomic bomb on Japan, bringing the Second World War to an end. Quickies Did you know … • that Kay Moore shared a London apartment with an art student from Toronto named Alison Grant who had become attached to Britain’s Military Intelligence Sections 5 (MI5)? Their quarters, nicknamed the Canada House Annex, were approved as a “safe house” for agents about to go to the continent, or returning from a mission. Alison Grant would one day become the mother of Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Quickies Did you know … • in 1989, the Japanese honoured Robert Gray with a cairn and a memorial plaque in Saklyama Peace Park, which overlooks Onagawa Bay? It is the only memorial to a member of the Allied Forces on Japanese soil. How many Canadians served in the Korean War?

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Altogether 26,792 Canadians served in the Korean War. Of the 1,558 casualties, 516 were fatal. The names of the fallen are inscribed in the Korean Book of Remembrance. How did the 2nd Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry earn a United States Presidential Citation? In a battle that lasted from April 23 to 25, 1951, the Princess Pats held a position in the valley of the Kapyong River against a massive Chinese attack. An Australian unit on the Canadians’ flank was overwhelmed and forced to withdraw. At one point, the Canadians were entirely encircled by the enemy. However, they held on until the Chinese attack was broken and reserves could come to their assistance. While inflicting heavy losses on the enemy, the Princess Pats had 10 killed and 23 wounded. For this action the regiment was awarded the U.S. Presidential Citation. Who was the only Canadian pilot shot down in the Korean War? Andrew R. MacKenzie had been an air ace in the Second World War. In 1952 he went to Korea on an exchange basis with the Americans. On December 8, he was flying an F-86 Sabre fighter when he got into a dogfight with two North Korean MiGs. He was accidentally shot down by another American plane. MacKenzie bailed out and was captured by Chinese ground troops. He spent the next two years in a prison where he was brutally interrogated, subjected to brainwashing experiments, kept in solitary confinement for 465 days, and so poorly fed that he lost 70 pounds. He was released at the Hong Kong border on December 5, 1954. Mackenzie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. 682

When did Canada officially dedicate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Though Canadians have a long tradition of honouring their country’s war dead, it was not until May 28, 2000, that Canada officially had a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. During a special ceremony the remains of an unknown Canadian soldier who had died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in the First World War were laid to rest in a newly constructed sarcophagus in front of the National War Memorial in Ottawa. Tribute to the Unknown Soldier honours the many soldiers whose remains could not be identified when they were laid in their graves, or who do not have graves because their remains were never found. How did two Canadian peacekeepers win the Star of Courage on Cyprus? On July 20, 1974, Canadian peacekeeping soldiers found themselves in the middle of a shooting war between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. A Canadian officer, Captain Normand Blaquiere, was attempting to escort some Turks across the Pedhieos River, when Greeks opened fire on them. Four Turks were killed instantly and Blaquiere went down with bullets in both his legs. Private Michel Plouffe, who was assisting Blaquiere, threw himself across the captain to shield him from further fire. A bullet pierced Plouffe’s helmet and shattered his jaw. Nonetheless, Plouffe continued to protect Blaquiere with his body. Captain Alain Forand saw the wounded Canadians lying partially in the river and exposed to the Greek gunmen. He ordered the men in a Canadian observation post to provide him with covering fire. Then, with Greek bullets whistling around him, he dashed to the 683

wounded men. One at a time he dragged them to safe cover. Captain Forand and Private Plouffe were both awarded the Star of Courage. Quickies Did you know … • when the soldiers in the observation post opened fire on the Greek Cypriot position, it was the first time since the Korean War that Canadian soldiers had returned hostile fire? Where is Canada’s Highway of Heroes? On August 24, 2007, the Ministry of Transportation announced that the stretch of Highway 401 from Glen Miller Road in Trenton to the intersection of the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 404 in Toronto would be called Highway of Heroes in honour of Canadian Forces personnel killed in Afghanistan. This part of the highway is frequently the route of processions carrying a slain soldier’s body from CFB Trenton to the coroner’s office in Toronto. People line the overpasses to pay their respects as the processions pass by. Signs depicting a shield decorated with a poppy mark the Highway of Heroes.

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to serve and protect

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Who was the first police officer in Canada to die in the line of duty? The first known peace officer to die in the line of duty in Canada was High Constable John Fisk of York (Toronto). On October 7, 1804, he was aboard the schooner HMS Speedy escorting a murder suspect to the town of Newcastle to stand trial, when the vessel sank in a storm on Lake Ontario. There were no survivors. Why is the Mountie seen as a heroic symbol of Canada? Canada is not unique in having a police officer as a national symbol. The English bobby and the French gendarme are two examples of law enforcement figures being national icons. Nonetheless, the scarlet coated Mountie has been a romantic figure that has captured the public imagination from the very earliest days of the Force. The first Mounties rode out to a wild and wooly territory and quickly established themselves as the guardians of law and order. They did it without the excessive violence that was so common in the American West. Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp would not likely have been accepted as Mounties. With the exception of the events of the Northwest Rebellion in 1885, there were no major battles between companies of Mounties and Native warriors. Where the United States Army would send in a troop of cavalry to deal with Native issues, the North West Mounted Police would send in a single Mountie. All this contributed to a heroic legend that has endured. Quickies

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Did you know … • that since the early 19th century, over 800 Canadian police officers, jail and prison guards, and other law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty? The deaths have resulted from natural causes, accidents, and homicide. What is the motto of the RCMP? The official motto of the RCMP is Maintiens le droit, meaning “Uphold the Law.” It is not, and never has been “We always get our man.” That phrase can be traced back to an article that appeared in the Fort Benton, Montana, Record in April 1877. “The Mounted Police are worse than bloodhounds when they scent the track of a smuggler, and they fetch their man every time.” Fort Benton was the main supply depot for the whiskey traders who were smuggling liquor into Canada. What brought about the formation of the North West Mounted Police? In 1870, Canada took over responsibility for Rupert’s Land, the vast western domain of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The land was being overrun by American whiskey traders who came north from Fort Benton and sold their illegal wares from whiskey posts like Fort Whoop Up. The liquor trade was having a devastating effect on the Native population, and was the cause of much violence and destruction. The North West Mounted Police Force was formed to put an end to the illegal liquor trade. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald also realized it was important for the Canadian government to establish

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sovereignty in the newly acquired West to head off any American ideas about annexation. Quickies Did you know … • John A. Macdonald initially called the new force the North West Mounted Rifles? However, he was concerned that the Americans would be suspicious of a military presence in the Canadian West, so he changed Rifles to Police. What was the “Great March” of the North West Mounted Police? In the summer of 1874 the first troop of the NWMP, 300 men, made the long journey across the Canadian prairies to Fort Whoop Up, the most notorious of the American whiskey posts. In spite of the intense police training the men had undergone, they were poorly prepared for the march. It became an ordeal of hardship and endurance. The officers chose to blaze a new trail through unmapped territory instead of using a known trade route, and so got lost. The men suffered from the heat in their scarlet woolen tunics. Suitable drinking water was scarce, and the men went thirsty or were afflicted with diarrhea. Their Ontario-bred horses were not up to the rigours of the trail and began to die, which meant men had to pull supply wagons. Rain and a scarcity of fuel for cooking fires meant long periods without meals. When the men did eat, it was a monotonous diet of poorly made bread, salt bacon, and pancakes fried in axle grease. That the Mounties actually reached their objective was something of a

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miracle. The “Great March” is one of the enduring legends of the Mounties in Western Canada. Who was Sam Steele? Samuel Benfield Steele, born in Medonte Township, Upper Canada, in 1849, was the quintessential Mountie. He was one of the first men to sign up with the Force and he was in the Great March of 1874. Steele was involved in almost all of the significant events of 19th-century Western Canada, from the Northwest Rebellion to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Rocky Mountains. He directed the manhunts for outlaws and killers, including the notorious renegades Almighty Voice and Charcoal. When the federal government threatened to disband the NWMP, Sam Steele was the Force’s staunchest defender. Tall, handsome, ramrod-straight, and a man of action, Sam Steele was the personification of the romantic ideal of the Mountie. Why was Sam Steele called “The Lion of the North”? The Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 drew thousands of adventurers, most of them American, to the wilds of the Canadian Yukon. Dawson City was the El Dorado of the gold-rushers, and Skagway, Alaska, was the main port on one of the most well-travelled gold rush routes. Skagway was controlled by a criminal gang led by Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith. Every gold-rusher passing through Skagway was at risk of being robbed, swindled, or murdered by the Smith gang. Sam Steele, now a NWMP superintendent, was sent to the Yukon to maintain law and order. He set up police posts on the passes leading to the Yukon interior. Steele’s constables restricted entry to people who had enough 689

provisions to last a year. They also turned away known members of the Soapy Smith gang, including Soapy himself. Steele also took measures to protect shipments of gold going out of the Yukon. Because of Steele’s firm administration, the crime rate in the Yukon was relatively low during the gold rush, and Dawson City did not remotely resemble lawless Skagway. The order Steele brought to what could have been a chaotic situation helped to make the NWMP famous around the world. Soapy Smith was shot dead in Skagway in a confrontation with a vigilante mob. Quickies Did you know … • Sam Steele served in the Boer War and in the First World War? He was knighted by King George V, and was made Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Member of the Royal Victorian Order. Sam Steele died in England on January 30, 1919, during the Spanish flu epidemic. He was buried in Winnipeg. Who was the first North West Mounted Police constable to be murdered in the line of duty? Constable Marmaduke Graburn, 19 years old and a Mountie for only six months, was shot to death on the night of November 17, 1879, near a Mounted Police post in what is now Saskatchewan. A Blood warrior named Star Child was accused of the murder, but was acquitted by a jury. The crime remains unsolved.

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How did the Battle of the Little Bighorn cause a crisis for the NWMP? On June 25, 1876, Sioux and Cheyenne warriors led by chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse wiped out the soldiers of the United States 7th Cavalry commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer. Later, to escape American vengeance, Sitting Bull led his people north to Canada, crossing the “Medicine Line” (international border) in 1877. He met Major James Morrow Walsh of the NWMP, and said that he and the Sioux with him wanted to live in the land of the Grandmother (Queen Victoria). Walsh was in a difficult spot. He did not have the manpower to force hundreds of battle-proven warriors to return to the United States, but he also knew he could not permit them to roam at will in Canada, especially since the Sioux were traditional enemies of the local Blackfoot. Also, the American army did not like the idea of Sitting Bull thumbing his nose at them from across the border, and put pressure on the Canadians to send him and his followers back. If the U.S. Army decided to cross the border and force the issue, a handful of Mounties wouldn’t be able to stop them. The situation was potentially explosive. Quickies Did you know … • that in the autumn of 1876, with three American armies searching the plains for the Sioux and Cheyenne who had wiped out Custer’s command, Americans were astonished at the activities of the NWMP? The Fort Benton, Montana, Record of October 13, 1876, reported, “The Mounted Police

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don’t scare worth a cent. Parties of two and three men are scouting along the line looking for Sitting Bull.” Who was James Morrow Walsh? Walsh was born in Prescott, Canada West (Ontario), in 1843. As a young man he had served in the militia and fought the Fenians. He was one of the first recruits to sign up with the NWMP. Because of his militia background he was made an inspector, with the honorary rank of major. He was with the Mounties who made the Great March, and had been very active in driving the American whiskey traders out of Canadian territory. What role did the NWMP play in the Northwest Rebellion of 1885? Although the Northwest Rebellion was ultimately crushed by a Canadian army at Batoche, the NWMP played a significant part in the events. The Mounties fought skirmishes with the Métis and Natives, and were seen by the nervous white community as the first line of defence. They were instrumental in convincing some of the Native leaders not to join the Métis in armed insurrection. How have the Mounties appeared as heroes in Hollywood movies? The American movie industry never misses a chance to cash in on a romantic image or a melodramatic story. The exotic (to Americans) appeal of the Mountie as the tough, resourceful lawman who “always gets his man” was 692

irresistible to American filmmakers as far back as the era of silent movies. Canadian Mounties rode across the silver screen in pursuit of renegade Indians, treacherous “half-breeds,” and cunning outlaws in dozens of feature films and serials. None of them were historically accurate. An Alan Ladd movie had mountains in Saskatchewan. A James Stewart movie had a Mountie telling the people of Dawson City they should elect a town sheriff. But for all these maddening errors, Hollywood has nonetheless helped to perpetuate the image of the Mountie as a hero. Mounties Killed in the Northwest Rebellion Duck Lake • Constable Thomas J.Gibson • Constable George K. Garrett • Constable George P. Arnold Fort Pitt • Constable David L. Cowan Cut Knife Hill • Corporal Ralph B. Sleigh • Corporal William H.T. Lowry • Constable Patrick Burke

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Battleford • Constable Frank O. Elliott Quickies Did you know … • that compared to the many American soldiers who were killed in “Indian wars” during the years of the Wild West, only a handful of Mounties were slain by Natives? Sergeant Colin Colebrook was killed trying to arrest the Cree Almighty Voice. Constable John R. Kerr and Corporal Charles Sterling Hockin were killed when a posse tried to flush Almighty Voice and two companions out of a poplar bluff. Sergeant William Brock Wilde was killed by the Blood Warrior, Charcoal. Twenty Movie Stars Who Played Mounties on Film • Tom Mix — The Cyclone, 1920 • Lewis Stone — River’s End, 1920 • Eugene O’Brien — Channing of the Northwest, 1922 • Charles Byer — Red Riders of Canada, 1928 • James Hall — Dangerous Dan McGrew, 1930 • Buck Jones — McKenna of the Mounted, 1932

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• Kermit Maynard — Code of the Mounted, 1935 • Nelson Eddie — Rose Marie, 1936 • Buster Brown — Renfrew of the Royal Mounted, 1937 • Randolph Scott — Susannah of the Mounties, 1939 • Robert Preston — Northwest Mounted Police, 1940 • James Newill — Murder on the Yukon, 1940 • Bob Steele — Northwest Trail, 1946 • Wendell Corey — The Wild North, 1951 • Bill Henry — Canadian Mounties Versus the Atomic Invaders, 1953 • Tyrone Power,— Pony Soldier, 1952 • Alan Ladd — Saskatchewan, 1954 • Robert Ryan — The Canadians, 1961 • Donald Sutherland — Alien Thunder (also titled Dan Candy’s Law), 1974 • Lee Marvin — Death Hunt, 1981 How did Isaac Decker go to a hero’s death?

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In 1909, Isaac Decker was a retired British Columbia provincial policeman who, in his younger days, had gained fame for the single-handed capture of American gunfighter and killer Frank Spence. After a train robbery took place on June 21, 1909, Decker was asked to come out of retirement just long enough to help apprehend the gang responsible. Decker confronted two of the suspects, Bill and Dave Haney, in the town of Ashcroft. There was a shootout. Decker killed Dave Haney, but Bill Haney killed Decker with a shotgun blast. Bill Haney fled to the United States and was never brought back to Canada to face charges for Decker’s murder. Who was Canada’s “Great Detective”? James Wilson Murray, originally from Scotland, became a detective for the province of Ontario in 1875 and held the position almost until the time of his death in 1906. Murray was Canada’s own Sherlock Holmes. He was one of the first to use scientific methods in crime investigation. Murray solved hundreds of crimes, including a multi-million-dollar counterfeiting operation. Perhaps his most famous case was the murder of Frederick Benwell. Murray tracked down the killer, John Reginald Birchall, who was subsequently hanged. What major obstacle did Montreal police detective Georges Farah-Lajoie face in 1922? Detective Farah-Lajoie had the job of tracking down the killer of Raoul Delorme, whose bullet-riddled body had been found on a Montreal street corner. It was important that the murderer be found quickly, because Raoul was the brother of Father Adelard Delorme, a high-profile priest. 696

In Quebec at that time, members of the Roman Catholic clergy were powerful figures, socially and politically. If murder was shocking, the murder of a person related to a priest was doubly so. Detective Farah-Lajoie’s task became especially difficult when all of the evidence pointed to Father Delorme as the killer. At first his superiors wanted him to drop any notions that the priest was the killer, but Farah-Lajoie could not ignore the evidence. When the news broke, the province of Quebec was shaken to the very core. Farah-Lajoie received death threats. Quickies Did you know … • John Wilson Murray wrote a book about his most famous cases, Memoirs of a Great Detective? Unfortunately, he had a tendency to embellish his stories, which somewhat limits the book’s value as a historical source. The newspapers called him anti-clerical and a pagan. His children were abused at school. His wife’s priest (Farah-Lajoie was not Catholic) pleaded with her to convince her husband to stop investigating Father Delorme. The priest had friends in high places, and he threatened to use his connections to make trouble for the detective. But in spite of all this, Farah-Lajoie pressed on with his investigation. The notorious Delorme case went through four trials. In spite of overwhelming evidence against Father Delorme, the juries could not bring themselves to convict a priest. Father Delorme was free to go. The Catholic Church assigned him to a posting under a different name. Detective Farah-Lajoie, who

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at the time was probably Montreal’s best homicide detective, eventually became a private investigator. How did the murder of a policeman bring about the end of the Boyd Gang? For some time the bank-robbing exploits of Edwin Alonzo Boyd and his partners Lennie Jackson, Steve Suchan, and Willie “The Clown” Jackson (no relation to Lennie) had practically made them Canadian folk heroes. Then, on March 6, 1952, Detective Sergeant Edmund Tong, an officer who was himself something of a legend in Toronto, approached a car occupied by Suchan and Lennie Jackson. Without warning Suchan pulled a gun and shot Tong in the stomach. Suchan also wounded Tong’s partner, Sergeant Roy Perry. On March 23, Tong died. With the shooting of Tong, public opinion turned against the Boyd gang. All of the members were soon rounded up. Suchan and Lennie Jackson were hanged for the policeman’s murder.

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largerthan-life legends

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How did a pirate become a Newfoundland folk hero? Peter Easton, the “Pirate Admiral of Newfoundland” was a captain in Queen Elizabeth I’s navy who turned pirate when King James I made peace with Spain and mothballed the English fleet. In 1611, Easton built a fort at present-day Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, and used it as a base from which to raid the Spanish Main to the south. Easton plundered the Newfoundland fisheries for supplies, and many a Newfoundland fisherman happily joined Easton’s pirate crews. Easton was probably one of the most successful pirates in history, getting away with loot that today would amount to millions of dollars. Easton became a legendary folk hero in Newfoundland. A community was named after his ship, the Happy Adventure, and an islet now called Eastern Rock was originally called Easton’s Rock. Quickies Did you know … • when Easton returned from one of his marauds against the Spanish, he found his fort at Harbour Grace in the hands of French Basques? There was a battle in which Easton defeated the Basques, but 47 of his pirates were killed. They were buried at a place that is still called the Pirates’ Graveyard. It is the only known pirate burial ground in North America. Why were Peter Kerrivan and his followers called “Masterless Men”?

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In the early days of the Newfoundland fisheries, life for the fishermen and the shore workers who cleaned and cured the fish was extremely hard. They worked in almost slave-like conditions for next to nothing. Many of them fled inland to take their chances living life in the wild. This was against the law, as they were all bound to their masters, the merchants who owned the fishing fleets. Parties of armed men would be sent out to hunt down these “masterless men” and bring them back to St. John’s for hanging. The Masterless Men found a leader in Peter Kerrivan, a wily character who was always able to give the posses the slip. Kerrivan may well have been one of North America’s first outlaw heroes. Who was the “White Savage”? “White savage,” “beast in human form,” and “good for nothin’ dog” were just a few of the names the Americans had for frontiersman Simon Girty during the Revolutionary War and for generations after. Girty was captured by Natives as a boy and lived among them for years, learning their languages and adapting to their customs. Soon after the war broke out, Girty became an agent for the British Indian Department, and worked as an interpreter and spy. He also accompanied Britain’s Native allies in raids against American frontier settlements. The Americans told grossly exaggerated tales of Girty’s bloodthirsty cruelty, and made him one of the most vilified characters in American history. After the British defeat, Girty moved to a farm near Malden in Upper Canada, but continued to assist his Native friends to resist American expansion. He died in his Canadian home in 1818 and has been honoured with a historic plaque. In Canada, Girty is considered a Loyalist hero and a champion of the Native cause. 701

Quickies Did you know … • Simon Girty has appeared as a villain in several American works of fiction, including Stephen Vincent Benet’s classic The Devil and Daniel Webster? In the 1936 film Daniel Boone, arch villain Simon Girty was portrayed by horror star John Carradine, who wore a skunk-skin cap for the role. However, Simon Girty was the model for the heroic if incorrigible Sampson Gattrie in John Richardson’s novel The Canadian Brothers. Who was the real Big Joe Mufferaw? The legendary Big Joe Mufferaw of the Ottawa Valley was in fact Joseph Montferrand, the Montreal-born hero of Quebec loggers. As a youth Montferrand was a voyageur for the Hudson’s Bay Company, but in 1827 he went to work in the woods. He stood six-foot-four, was powerfully built, and it was said that as a lad of 16, he had knocked out a Royal Navy boxing champion in a bout in Quebec City. Montferrand was easy-going and generous by nature, but in the brawling timber camps and rugged communities of the Ottawa Valley, he was a force to be reckoned with, especially in the battles between the French Canadians and Irish hoodlums known as Shiners. Montferrand allegedly single-handedly routed a gang of Shiners when they thought they had him trapped on the bridge between Hull and Bytown. He also walloped the Shiner’s main tough guy, Big Martin Hennesy, in a celebrated saloon fight. Montferrand allegedly could leap into the air and leave the heel marks of his logging boots in a saloon ceiling. After his death in 1864, Montferrand was immortalized in song and 702

story. His admirers have included Sir Wilfrid Laurier, author of a biography, and Stompin’ Tom Connors, who wrote the ballad Big Joe Mufferaw. Quickies Did you know … • Silver Jack Driscoll of Ontario and Joseph Fournier of Quebec were renowned as loggers and fighters in the rugged woods of 19th-century Northern Michigan? The two allegedly met one day in a saloon and slugged it out in a fight that was an inspiration for songs, stories, and even a painting. Who won this clash of the titans depends upon which version you accept. The exploits of characters like Driscoll and Fournier are believed to have been the inspiration for Canadian-born author James H. MacGillivray, the creator of Paul Bunyan. Who was the Cape Breton Giant? Giant Angus McAskill was born in Scotland in 1825 but grew up (literally) in St. Ann’s, Cape Breton. McAskill was a normal sized baby, but he grew to an adult height of seven feet, nine inches. He weighed 425 pounds and had a girth of 80 inches, the largest known on a non-obese man. Initially McAskill was a farmer and a fisherman, but due to his size and incredible physical strength he went on the road with a circus. He returned to Cape Breton with a small fortune and opened a general store which he ran until his sudden death in 1863 at the age of 38. There are many stories about McAskill’s tremendous feats of strength and of his acts of kindness and generosity. Angus McAskill was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s biggest 703

non-pathological giant. He is still regarded as a folk hero in Cape Breton. His grave can still be seen at Englishtown, Cape Breton, near a small museum that displays some of his personal belongings. What was the connection between a 19th-century Polish rebellion and a popular CBC Radio talk show host? In 1830, Casimir Gzowski, a Polish aristocrat, participated in a revolt against Russia. The Russian army crushed the insurrection, and Gzowski was wounded in the fighting. After his release from prison, Gzowski eventually made his way to Canada. He was a trained military engineer, and he earned fame, fortune, and honours for being one of the builders of the Grand Trunk Railway. One of his greatest engineering accomplishments was the construction of the international bridge at Niagara Falls. The former hero of the Polish rebellion was the great-grandfather of the late host of CBC’s Morningside radio show, Peter Gzowski. Quickies Did you know … • that according to one of the many stories told about Giant McAskill, he once carried a sick man on his back 25 miles through a snowstorm without once setting him down, in order to get the man to a doctor? Who said, “Boys, if there is shooting in Kootenay, there will be hanging in Kootenay!”?

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Judge Matthew Begbie used that warning to quell an unruly gang of armed miners who were about to riot in the streets of Wild Horse Creek during the Kootenay Gold Rush. In 1858, the British government sent Begbie to the wilds of British Columbia to impose the rule of law. Begbie was flamboyant, autocratic, and determined that the violence and anarchy that had made the gold camps of California notorious would not be repeated in British Columbia. Many of the gold hunters were American adventurers who hated all things British, including Judge Begbie. But thanks to Begbie’s firm but fair administration of justice, law and order prevailed in British Columbia. Begbie became Chief Justice of British Columbia in 1866 and held the post until his death in 1894. He was granted a knighthood by Queen Victoria. Quickies Did you know … • that in spite of an undeserved reputation as a “hanging judge,” Matthew Begbie was known for his compassion and his common sense? He threw out a law that forbade Natives to hold potlatches because the law was not well-defined, and he thought the potlatch was a good custom that harmed nobody. Why is Alexander Milton Ross, a white doctor, honoured during Black History Month? A native of Belleville, Canada West (Ontario), Dr. Ross was a physician and a well-known naturalist and ornithologist who wrote for the Evening Post in New York. He was also a 705

dedicated abolitionist. On several occasions Dr. Ross travelled through the southern States, supposedly to study birds and nature. This gave him a reason to be out in the fields where he had close contact with slaves. He would tell them about the Underground Railroad, and provide them with money, maps, compasses, knives, and even pistols. Sometimes he personally guided them across the border at Niagara Falls and Windsor. This was extremely dangerous work, and on at least one occasion Dr. Ross came close to being lynched by angry southerners who suspected him of helping runaway slaves. Who was Klondike Joe Boyle? Born in Toronto in 1867, Joseph W. Boyle lived an adventurous life worthy of a Hollywood movie. He was a sailor, an entrepreneur, a boxer, a gold hunter, a secret agent, and the confidant of royalty. He had already packed a lifetime of exotic experience into his 30 years when he joined the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. Boyle made a fortune by using hydraulic methods to extract gold. In 1904–05 Boyle financed a Yukon hockey team, the Wanderers, which unsuccessfully challenged the Ottawa Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup. In the First World War, Boyle recruited and equipped a 50-man machine-gun company. His unit was incorporated into the Canadian army. In 1917 Boyle went to Russia to help organize the country’s chaotic railway system. In the midst of the Russian Revolution, Boyle managed to become a national hero to Romania by rescuing 50 high-ranking Romanians as well as some important documents. It was even rumoured that Boyle had a romantic affair with Romania’s Queen Marie. Boyle was decorated by the governments of Great Britain,

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France, Romania, and Russia. He died in 1923 and is buried in Woodstock, Ontario. Quickies Did you know … • that during the Civil War, Dr. Ross worked in Canada as a “confidential correspondent” to Abraham Lincoln, keeping the president informed of Confederate activities on Canadian soil? Lincoln praised Ross for his work on behalf of the Union. Why is “Wild Goose Jack” a hero to conservationists? John Thomas “Jack” Miner was born in Ohio but moved with his family to Essex County, Ontario, as a boy. In his youth, Miner was an avid hunter and trapper, but had a change of heart after his brother was killed in a hunting accident. Miner began to take an interest in nature, particularly birds and migration. In 1904 he created a pond on his farm with a few clipped, tame Canada geese that he hoped would attract wild geese. It took a few years, but eventually thousands of wild geese were attracted to Miner’s homemade sanctuary, the first of its kind in North America. Miner was the first to start banding ducks and geese in order to unlock the mysteries of migration routes. A direct result of his studies was the 1917 Migratory Bird Treaty between Canada and the United States. Right up until his death in 1944, Wild Goose Jack lectured on the importance of conservation. In 1943, King George VI presented him with the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

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Why is Sir Wilfred Grenfell fondly remembered in Newfoundland and Labrador? Wilfred Grenfell was an English medical missionary who founded the Grenfell Mission and opened the first hospital at Battle Harbour in 1893. From his headquarters in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, Grenfell cruised the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador bringing medical assistance to people who might otherwise never see a doctor. The International Grenfell Association, which grew from the mission, still funds scholarships for medical training. Grenfell was knighted for his work, and in 1911 received the Murchison Prize from the Royal Geographic Society. In 1997 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. There is a statue of Grenfell in St. Anthony, and his house there is now a museum. Why were the Canadian bush pilots considered larger-than-life heroes? In the early years of aviation, the bush pilots were as highly romanticized as the cowboys of an earlier era had been. They were seen as rugged individualists who had something most people could only dream of, the freedom of the skies. Because of northern geography, weather conditions, and the great distances between departure points and destinations, bush flying was much more dangerous than conventional flying. It took above average skill and nerve for a pilot to master bush flying, which is probably why so many of the first bush pilots were former First World War fighter pilots. The bush pilots were a vital lifeline between remote northern communities and the outside world. The trip to an isolated location that once took many days by canoe or dogsled, took just a few 708

hours by plane. Bush pilots carried passengers, mail, and every sort of cargo. They airlifted sick and injured people to city hospitals. In 1932, Wilfrid “Wop” May, perhaps the most famous of the Canadian bush pilots, participated in the hunt for the killer known as the Mad Trapper of Rat River, and was instrumental in helping the RCMP track the outlaw down. Who was the first bush pilot to fly the Barren Lands of the Northwest Territories? Clennell Haggerston “Punch” Dickins of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, earned the Distinguished Flying Cross in the First World War for shooting down seven enemy planes. After the war, Punch Dickins became one of the greatest pioneers in Canadian aviation. He was a test pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force, he flew forestry patrols, and he conducted photographic surveys for the government. In August 1928, Dickins made an unprecedented 12-day flight over the Barren Lands that totalled more than 4,000 miles. He flew from Chesterfield Inlet on Hudson Bay to the western shore of Lake Athabasca in Saskatchewan. This was nearly all uncharted territory, and the proximity of the North Magnetic Pole made navigation by compass impossible. Punch Dickins’s flight was a landmark event in bush flying. For this and other achievements in aviation, Punch was made an Officer of the British Empire and an Officer of the Order of Canada. What was “The Canadian Caper”? On November 5, 1979, Islamic militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran, Iran, and took more than 70 709

people hostage. Six Americans who were not in the embassy at the time were secretly sheltered by Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor and his wife Pat, and Canadian immigration official John Sheardown and his wife Zena. The weeks that followed were tense as the Iranians searched for the missing Americans. In small groups, Canadian embassy staff quietly left the country. Finally, on January 27, 1980, the six Americans passed through Tehran airport using Canadian passports and escaped. Taylor then closed down the Canadian embassy and returned to Canada. As the architect of the “Canadian Caper,” Taylor became an instant hero in Canada and the United States. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded a Congressional gold medal by the government of the United States.

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valiant women

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How did an aristocratic French girl become a Canadian Robinson Crusoe? In 1642, while en route to founding a colony in New France, Jean Francois de la Rocque de Roberval, a rather unscrupulous character, discovered that his niece Marguerite was romantically involved with a common sailor. As punishment for this shame on his family honour, Roberval marooned Marguerite, her lover, and a female servant on an uninhabited island (probably Fogo Island) off the coast of Newfoundland. The three endured extreme hardships. The young man and the servant died, as did a baby to whom Marguerite had given birth. Marguerite endured two and a half years of privation and extreme loneliness before she was finally rescued by fishermen. Back in France, Marguerite was “received with great honour by all the women.” She told her story to André Thévet, one of the earliest chroniclers of New France. Marguerite’s determined struggle to survive made her one of colonial Canada’s first heroes. Why was Marie Jacqueline de la Tour called “a musketeer in petticoats”? Marie was the wife of Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour, a fur trader who was involved in a vicious feud over control of the French colony of Acadia. His headquarters, Fort La Tour, was at the site of present-day Saint John, New Brunswick. Across the Bay of Fundy was Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia), commanded by Charles de Menou d’Aulnay. La Tour and d’Aulnay each considered Acadia to be his own turf, and was determined to drive the other out. The feud lasted for several years, and Marie’s life with La

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Tour was one of adventure and intrigue. Early in 1647, La Tour left Marie in charge of the fort while he went to the English settlement of Boston to get supplies. Deserters from Fort La Tour went to Port Royal and told d’Aulnay that La Tour was away. Seizing the opportunity, d’Aulnay crossed the bay with two shiploads of men and, on April 12, 1645, he attacked Fort La Tour. Marie took command of the defence, and for three days the “musketeer in petticoats” and her 45 men held the attackers at bay. They killed 20 of d’Aulnay’s men and sank one of his ships. Then a traitor in the fort helped d’Aulnay get inside. After a sharp hand-to-hand fight, Marie surrendered on d’Aulnay’s promise that the lives of her men would be spared. D’Aulnay promptly broke that promise, and had all of the men hanged. Three weeks later Marie died, quite possibly by poisoning, though some people claimed it was from a broken heart. Quickies Did you know … • that a few years after his victory at Fort La Tour, d’Aulnay drowned in the Bay of Fundy? Charles de La Tour married his widow and became the official lieutenant-governor of Acadia. Who was “The Heroine of Vercheres”? On October 22, 1692, 14-year-old Madeleine Jarret Tarieu was working in a vegetable garden about 200 paces from the gate of Fort Verchères, a wooden stockade on her father’s seigneury. In the summer of 1691, Madeleine’s brother and two brothers-in-law had been killed in Iroquois raids. But the 713

summer of 1692 had been so quiet, that when October came and there had been no attacks, her father decided it would be safe for him to travel to Quebec City on business, while Madeleine’s mother went to Montreal to buy supplies. Madeleine was left in charge of Verchères, with just one elderly soldier for protection. Suddenly 40 or 50 Iroquois warriors swept out of the forest. They captured about 20 of the settlers who had been working in the fields. Madeleine ran for the gate, with a warrior in pursuit. He caught hold of her scarf, but she tore it off and got away. She ran through the gate crying, “To arms! To arms!” as she slammed it shut. Most of the people in the stockade were women and children. Madeleine took command. She fired the small cannon, knowing it would be heard in other settlements. She put on a soldier’s hat and let herself be seen at the wall, gesturing, shouting, and giving the impression that the fort was full of soldiers. After dark, when the settlers’ cattle came to the gate, Madeleine did not open up to allow them in, knowing there could be Iroquois hiding among them. The following day the Iroquois fled before a relief party of 100 soldiers and 50 Native allies. All but two of the captured settlers were freed. The Heroine of Verchères became a Canadian symbol of courage and determination. Today, in the village of Verchères a statue of Madeleine overlooks the St. Lawrence River. Quickies Did you know … • that years later, Madeleine wrote a letter to the Comtesse de Maurepas in which she gave a rather embellished account of her defence of the fort? The Comtesse passed the story on to 714

King Louis XIV, who was so impressed that he arranged for Madeleine to receive her late father’s pension. How did a young Chipewyan woman almost single-handedly stop a war? In 1714, Thanadelthur of the Chipewyan nation escaped captivity among the rival Cree and fled to the Hudson’s Bay Company post of York Factory. She spoke Chipewyan and Cree, and became an interpreter for Governor James Knight. Warfare between the two tribes was hurting the fur trade, so Knight sent out a diplomatic mission to convince the Chipewyan to come to York Factory and make peace with the Cree. A Company man named William Stuart was officially in command of the mission, but Thanadelthur soon proved to be its driving force. Under extremely difficult conditions she convinced the Chipewyan to attend the meeting. Then she literally browbeat the two sides into accepting a peace treaty. She was eloquent and she was hot tempered, but she got the job done. Stuart wrote in a letter, “She made them all stand in fear of her. She scolded some and pushing of others … and forced them to ye peace.” Knight wrote of Thanadelthur, “Indeed she has a Devillish Spirit and I believe if there were but 50 of her Country Men of the Same Carriage and Resolution they would drive all the (Southern) Indians of America out of there [sic] Country.” Sadly, in January of 1717, Thanadelthur fell ill and died. She was probably no more than 20 years old. Knight wrote in his journal, “I am almost ready to break my heart.” Quickies Did you know … 715

• that during the Second World War, a dramatic recruiting poster showing a determined-looking Madeleine wearing her soldier’s hat and holding a musket was used to encourage Canadian women to join the women’s auxiliary branches of the armed forces? Why was the wife of the commander of Fortress Louisbourg called La Bombardiere? Augustine de Boschenry de Droucour was in command of Fortress Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island when it was besieged by a British army under Major General Jeffrey Amherst and Brigadier General James Wolfe in 1758. As British cannonballs rained down on the town, morale among soldiers and citizens alike was low. To raise the people’s spirits, the commander’s wife, Madame Droucour, would go to the ramparts everyday and fire three of the big guns in the name of the king. The people all cheered this show of defiance by La Bombardiere. Nonetheless, Louisbourg was eventually captured. Why was Mrs. Bowman a Loyalist heroine? Quickies Did you know … • that just because they were at war did not mean the opposing commanders could not observe social niceties? General Amherst sent a basket of pineapples into the beleaguered fortress for Madame Droucour. La Bombardiere and her husband responded to this display of gallantry by sending

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some butter and champagne to Amherst, and a box of sweetmeats to Wolfe. Jacob Bowman was a farmer in the colony of New York. When the American Revolution broke out, he and his 16-year-old son were dragged off to prison on suspicion of being Tories. A Patriot gang stripped his house of everything, including clothing and bedding. Jacob’s wife, known only as Mrs. Bowman, was expecting, and was left with nothing but a single blanket on which to deliver her baby. Her six small children were even robbed of their coats and shoes. The family would have perished if not for some friendly Natives who helped them through the hard winter and then escorted them to Fort George, Niagara. By now, Mrs. Bowman’s second-oldest son was 13, so she gave him permission to join Butler’s Rangers. His nine-year-old brother went along as a fifer. Not until the war ended in 1783 did Mrs. Bowman see her husband and oldest son again, after they had endured eight years of hell in prison. Like most Loyalists, the Bowmans were not compensated by the new American government for their losses or privations. Mrs. Bowman was seen as a heroic representative of the plight of Loyalist women who endured persecution and started life anew in Canada. Who was “Miss Molly”? Molly Brant was the sister of the great Mohawk leader Joseph Brant. She was also the wife (according to Native customs) of Sir William Johnson, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the colony of New York, until his sudden death in 1774. Miss Molly, as many people called her, was vital to Sir William in his work because she was an expert interpreter and as a 717

Matron of the Mohawk nation she had prestige and influence. This made her very important to the British when the Revolutionary War broke out in 1776. The American rebels promised the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy that if the warriors fought on their side, they could keep their lands when the war was over. Joseph and Molly Brant did not trust the Americans, and convinced most of the tribes to fight for the king. The Brants were proven correct when, after the war, the Americans took the lands of their Oneida and Tuscarora allies. During the war Molly Brant was invaluable to the British for her work as an interpreter, a spy, and an emissary to the tribes. One British officer wrote that “Miss Molly Brant’s influence … is far superior to that of all their chiefs put together.” What was remarkable about Louis Riel’s grandmother? Quite a lot was remarkable about the adventurous, 95-year-long life of Marie-Anne Gaboury Lagemodiere. She was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, in 1780, and from age 12 to 26 she worked in domestic service. Then she married Jean-Baptiste Lagemodiere, an independent fur trader who had just returned from Rupert’s Land. Right after the marriage, Lagemodiere announced he was returning to Rupert’s Land with a group of voyageurs. Marie-Anne insisted that she was going, too, and when the voyageurs set off in early June 1806, Marie-Anne was in one of the big freight canoes. From that moment on her life changed. She made the long journey from Montreal to the lakehead of Lake Superior, and then continued on with Jean-Baptiste to the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers at the site of Winnipeg. She was the first white woman on the prairies, and her sons and daughters were the first white children born on 718

the prairies. Marie-Anne experienced all the hardships of being a hunter-trapper’s wife in a frontier environment, and then some. She was threatened by a Native woman who had previously been Jean-Baptiste’s “country wife,” and she once had to rescue her infant son when he was kidnapped by another woman. They travelled throughout Rupert’s Land, but were back in the Red River country in time to witness the trouble involving the ill-fated Selkirk settlement. Jean-Baptiste was imprisoned for a time in the North West Company’s post at Fort William for carrying Hudson’s Bay Company dispatches to Montreal. While he was gone, Marie-Anne and the children lived with a band of Ojibwa. Lord Selkirk rewarded Jean-Baptiste by giving him a large land grant on the east bank of the Red River. The Lagemodieres built a large house and lived there for many years. It was there, in 1822, that Marie-Anne’s daughter Julie was born in 1822. She in turn would be the mother of Louis Riel. Who was “the Laura Secord of Gananoque”? Elizabeth Barnett was an American-born schoolteacher who had moved to Gananoque on the St. Lawrence River and become a Canadian citizen. In February of 1838, while visiting relatives on the American side, she heard of a planned invasion of Canada by men who called themselves Patriots. They were going to seize the undefended town of Gananoque, and then with the help of traitors, capture Kingston and Fort Henry. Thus, they would control Upper Canada and would “liberate” the Canadians from the evil British. Elizabeth also learned that Bill Johnston, the notorious Pirate of the Thousand Islands, was one of the leaders of the invasion force. Pretending to be ill, she cut her visit short. She drove 719

10 miles across the frozen-over, windswept St. Lawrence River in a one-horse cutter to deliver the warning. The following day about 2,000 Patriots marched from French Creek, New York, to Hickory Island, which was to be the jumping off place for the surprise attack on Gananoque. They learned to their own surprise that Gananoque was packed with soldiers and militia who were dug in and waiting for them. Deeming discretion the better part of valour, the Patriots all went home. Oddly enough, Elizabeth Barnett’s story is little known, and even those who do appreciate the importance of what she did, label her with another heroine’s name, “the Laura Secord of Gananoque.” Who was the Heroine of Long Point? Abigail Becker, a big, strong woman who stood six-foot-two, was the wife of a trapper and fisherman who lived on Long Point, a peninsula jutting from the Canadian shore into the eastern end of Lake Erie. The waters around Long Point were deadly to shipping because of the many shifting sandbars. Abigail gained international fame for her heroic rescues of men from several shipwrecks, most notably that of the schooner Conductor in November of 1854. Even though she couldn’t swim, Abigail braved the cold, rough water to save the Conductor’s captain and seven crewmen. For this courageous deed, Abigail received a letter of commendation from Queen Victoria, a letter of congratulations from the governor general of Canada, and was awarded a gold medal by the Benevolent Life Saving Association of New York. She was the guest of honour at a banquet in Buffalo where she was presented with a purse of $550. In 1860 she was visited by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII). Abigail

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Becker is remembered in the lore of Great Lakes navigation as the Angel of Long Point. Quickies Did you know … • poet Amanda T. Jones wrote a ballad about Abigail Becker called, “A Heroine of ’54” which was used in a textbook, The Ontario High School Reader? It goes, in part: O Mother Becker, seas are dread Their treacherous paths are deep and blind But widows soon may mourn their dead If thou art slow to find What was Dr. James Miranda Barry’s great secret? In 1857, British army surgeon James Miranda Barry, one of the most distinguished doctors of his time, came to Canada to be the inspector general of hospitals and barracks. Nobody knew that the doctor, in his mid-sixties, was really a woman who had been baptized Margaret Bulkley. Years earlier she had disguised herself as a man so she could attend medical school, which in those days was forbidden to women. Dr. Barry was a friend to common soldiers wherever he (she) was posted in the British Empire because he fought for their right to have things like a healthy diet, safe drinking water, clean barracks and bedding, and even private quarters for married soldiers. The first thing he did upon arrival in Quebec City

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was get rid of the open sewers that ran through the military compound. Dr. Barry was in Canada for only two years, but his work saved the lives of many soldiers. Not until Dr. Barry died in London in 1865 was it discovered that “he” was a woman. The army and the medical association tried to keep the matter hushed up. Quickies Did you know … • Dr. James Miranda Barry, not surprisingly, championed the cause of decent medical care for women, particularly pregnant women? He (she) studied midwifery and gynecology — fields that many physicians ignored — and was the first British surgeon to successfully perform a Caesarean section. Who was Mary Ann Shadd? Mary Ann Shadd was a free-born Black American teacher, journalist, and abolitionist who moved to Canada West (Ontario) in 1851 following the American government’s passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, which was a threat to every Black person in the United States, whether free or in servitude. She established schools for escaped slaves and their children who made it to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Against all odds she founded a publication, The Provincial Freeman, which was considered the best abolitionist newspaper of the time. She thus became the first Black female editor and publisher of a newspaper in North America. Her articles attacked not only slavery, but also the stereotyping of Black people being unsophisticated and childlike, and always in need of help from white people. At 722

the same time, she disagreed with Black leaders in Canada who argued that Blacks should live in segregated communities. Mary Ann Shadd believed in integration. After the Civil War she returned to the United States and became the first woman to graduate from Howard Law School. She died in Washington, D.C., in 1893. Quickies Did you know … • Mary Ann Shadd had to deal with gender prejudice as well as racial bigotry? When subscribers to The Provincial Freeman learned that the newspaper’s editor was a woman, many of them threatened to cancel their subscriptions. To save the paper, she got permission from Reverend William P. Newman, an influential Black clergyman, to use his name as a “front.” She didn’t like having to resort to such a deception, but felt The Provincial Freeman’s message was more important than her pride. What New Brunswick farm girl became a top Civil War spy? Sarah Emma Edmonds ran away from her father’s New Brunswick farm to escape an arranged marriage. She first disguised herself as a man to get a job as a travelling bible salesman. She was in Flint, Michigan, when the Civil War broke out. Sarah joined the Union Army as a male nurse named Frank Thompson. Soon Frank Thompson was also employed as a dispatch courier. But Frank Thompson’s greatest contribution to the military was as a spy. While no one in the Union army suspected that the brave young soldier 723

was a woman, Frank Thompson made numerous forays behind Confederate lines to study their gun emplacements and fortifications and even to steal documents. Every mission was fraught with peril, and every one was successful, because Frank Thompson was a master of disguises. When Frank’s superiors finally decided that it was getting too dangerous to send him into enemy territory, they instead used him to infiltrate a Confederate spy operation behind their own lines. Not until 1882, 17 years after the end of the war, did Sara reveal that she was Frank Thompson. Some of the Disguises of Sarah "Frank Thompson" Emma Edmunds • A Black man named Ned. • An Irish peddler named Bridget. • A female slave. • A Confederate soldier. How did Clara Brett Martin challenge the Law Society of Ontario? Quickies Did you know … • that before Clara Brett Martin’s heroic struggle to be allowed to study law, women were barred not only from being lawyers; they were also forbidden to be magistrates,

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coroners, jurors, legislators, or voters? Anti-suffrage hardliners in the Ontario Law Society put up a stiff fight to keep Clara out, because they were afraid that if women became lawyers, they would soon be challenging the laws that denied them the right to vote. In 1891, 17-year-old Clara Brett Martin, an honours graduate of Toronto’s Trinity College, applied for admission to study law at the Law Society of Upper Canada. She was refused on the grounds that only “persons” could study law, and women were not recognized as persons. Clara then petitioned to be admitted as a student-at-law, with the support of the Dominion Women’s Enfranchisement Association and a few members of the Ontario Legislature. In 1892, a bill was passed that permitted the Law Society to admit women to study law. However, it limited women lawyers to being solicitors. They could not be barristers. That meant they could have clients, but could not represent them in court. This was a compromise intended to appease the suffrage movement. Clara Brett Martin continued to press for the right to be a full barrister. Among her supporters were Emily Stowe, Lady Aberdeen, and Ontario Premier Sir Oliver Mowat. Clara won her fight in 1897 when she became the first woman admitted to the bar in Canada, and in the British Empire. Quickies Did you know … • a bronze bust of Agnes MacPhail was installed in the House of Commons after her death in 1954? Former prime minister John Diefenbaker once said that Canada had produced five great politicians, and Agnes MacPhail was one of them. 725

Who was Canada’s first woman member of Parliament? In 1921, a small political party called the United Farmers of Ontario chose Agnes MacPhail as its candidate for the constituency of South-East Grey (later Grey Bruce). She was the only one of four women running in that year’s federal election to win a seat in Parliament, making her Canada’s first female MP. Born on a farm in Grey County in 1890, Agnes had been a schoolteacher, but had never been involved in the suffrage movement. However, she was strong-minded and a champion for the cause of social reform. In an age when most Canadians, including many women, considered politics a man’s world, Agnes MacPhail was a pioneer. She fought for such reforms as crop failure insurance for farmers, unemployment insurance, family allowance, old age pensions, and prison reform. She was a pacifist who spoke against war even when it was unpopular to do so. Agnes held her federal seat until 1940, when a blizzard on election day prevented many of her rural constituents from voting. She turned to provincial politics, and in 1943 became one of the first two women to serve in the Ontario legislature. How did an American-born socialite become “First Lady of the Yukon”? Martha Black (nee Munger) was the daughter of well-to-do parents in Chicago. She was the socialite wife of railway heir Will Purdy when the Klondike Gold Rush swept America. Martha got caught up in the adventure, even though her husband didn’t. She travelled north with the stampeders and fell in love with the Yukon. She not only struck gold, but also established businesses that enabled her to put down roots in the North. She married a lawyer named George Black, who 726

was eventually made commissioner of the Yukon Territory. As the Yukon’s official First Lady, Martha became a Canadian citizen. George Black became a federal member of Parliament and was reelected three times. In 1935, when illness forced George to temporarily retire from politics, Martha ran in his place and won the election, becoming Canada’s second female member of Parliament. She was almost 70 years old at the time. In 1949, she was presented with the Order of the British Empire. Individual Accomplishments of the Famous Five • Nellie McClung — acclaimed novelist, member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, first woman member of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Board of Governors. • Emily Murphy — renowned journalist, first woman magistrate in Canada. • Henrietta Muir Edwards —co-founder of the National Council for Women and the Victorian Order of Nurses. • Irene Parlby — first woman cabinet minister in Alberta, president of the United Farm Women of Alberta. • Louise McKinney — first woman to sit in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, and the first woman elected to a legislature in Canada and the British Empire. Who were the Famous Five?

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The Famous Five, also called the Valiant Five, were: Nellie McClung from Chatsworth, Ontario; Emily Murphy from Cookstown, Ontario; Henrietta Muir Edwards from Montreal; Irene Parlby from London, England; and Louise McKinney from Frankville, Ontario. Each of these women was a pioneer in the cause of the political rights of Canadian women. In 1927, they collectively challenged the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, “Does the word Persons in section 24 of the British North America Act of 1867 include females?” The Supreme Court’s negative response was overturned by the Privy Council in Britain. The Famous Five’s successful fight to have women legally recognized as persons threw down gender barriers that had barred women from, among other things, serving as magistrates or being appointed to the Senate of Canada. Who led the fight for women’s rights in Quebec? The province of Quebec lagged behind the rest of Canada in granting women political rights. Male opposition to female suffrage was supported by one of the greatest powers in Quebec, the Roman Catholic Church. The most outspoken feminist leader in the struggle against almost impossible odds was Marie Thérèse Forget Casgrain. As the head of the League for Women’s Rights she saw Quebec women finally get the right to vote in 1940. She became the first female leader of a Canadian political party in 1951 when she was chosen as leader of the Quebec wing of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), the forerunner of the New Democratic Party. Quickies

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Did you know … • that as a teenager Marie Thérèse Forget went on a trip to Europe with her parents? Her father’s business in Paris took longer than he had anticipated, and he had to postpone their voyage home. Had the family kept to their original schedule, they would have been aboard the Titanic. What was Mina Hubbard’s claim to fame? Mina Hubbard (nee Benson) was the Canadian wife of American journalist and would-be explorer Leonidas Hubbard. In 1903, Leonidas died of starvation when he became lost in the uncharted interior of Labrador. Mina astounded her contemporaries by announcing that she would make the trip through the wilds of Labrador from North West River to Ungava Bay as a memorial to her beloved husband. No white man, let alone a petite white woman, had been through that country since James MacLean, a Hudson’s Bay Company trader, went through there in 1838. In 1905, with the assistance of four experienced woodsmen, Mina Hubbard not only made the incredible journey, but she also won the race to Ungava Bay with a male rival, explorer Dillon Wallace. Mina kept a journal of her adventure and published it as A Woman’s Way Through Unknown Labrador: An Account of the Exploration of the Nascaupee and George Rivers. What did Ethel Dickinson of Newfoundland and Eleanor Baubier of Manitoba have in common? Both young women were teachers who made heroic efforts to help the sick in their communities during the Spanish Flu 729

epidemic of 1918–19, Ethel in St. John’s and Eleanor in a small Saskatchewan village. Both women caught the disease and died. The residents of the Saskatchewan village renamed their community Baubier in Eleanor’s honour. Today a monument to Ethel Dickinson’s memory can be seen in St. John’s. Why was Dr. Jean Dow honoured by the Chinese government? In 1895, Dr. Jean Dow of Fergus, Ontario, went to China as a medical missionary. In 1897, she opened the first women’s hospital in Honan province. Later she opened two more women’s hospitals in Changte. In 1920–21, Dr. Dow saved the lives of hundreds of Chinese children and expectant mothers during a widespread famine. For this she was awarded a medal of honour by the Chinese government. In 1926, she saved the life of a Chinese boy who was in the latter stages of kala azar disease, a malady spread by sand flies, by using a new treatment she had developed herself. Dr. Dow died in China in 1927 from an unnamed illness at the age of 56. Though she is buried in China, her name is inscribed on a family monument in a cemetery in Fergus. Who was the first Canadian to swim the English Channel? The first Canadian swimmer to accomplish that feat was Winnie Roach-Leuszler of Port Credit, Ontario. On August 16, 1951, 25-year-old mother of three children completed the swim in 13 hours and 25 minutes. She was within 100 yards of shore when a current washed her back 6.5 miles, and she had to swim that last exhausting leg all over again. In 1999, 730

Winnie received the Order of Ontario. She was also inducted into the Canadian Forces Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Swimming Hall of Fame. Quickies Did you know … • Winnie Roach-Leuszler was also enthusiastic about baseball, and in 1957 she became Canada’s first female baseball umpire? What made Marilyn Bell of Toronto a Canadian icon? On September 8/9, 1954, 16-year-old Marilyn Bell became the first person to swim across Lake Ontario. She started at Youngstown, New York, and came ashore 20 hours and 59 minutes later just west of Toronto’s CNE grounds at what is now Marilyn Bell Park. The route across the lake was 32 miles as the crow flies, but due to strong winds and primitive navigational equipment, Marilyn actually had to swim twice that distance. Waves were up to 15 feet high, and she was often attacked by lamprey eels. When she finally dragged herself ashore, 300,000 cheering people waited to greet her. Over the next two years, Marilyn Bell became the youngest person to swim the English Channel, and also swam the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Canada’s west coast. She has been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Swimming Hall of Fame, and has been named one of Canada’s top athletes of the twentieth century. In 2002, she was awarded the Order of Ontario.

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Quickies Did you know … • that besides Marilyn Bell, two other women began the cross-Lake Ontario swim that day: Winnie Roach-Leuszler, the first Canadian to swim the English Channel; and American champion long-distance swimmer Florence Chadwick? The Canadian National Exhibition had offered Florence Chadwick a $10,000 prize to swim the lake. Marilyn Bell considered this a snub of Canadian swimmers, and took up the challenge with no promise of prize money. Neither Winnie Roach-Leuszler (boat problems) nor Florence Chadwick (stomach pains) was able to complete the Lake Ontario swim. Who was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada? In 1982, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau appointed Bertha Wilson to the Supreme Court of Canada. She already had the distinction of being the first woman appointed to the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Bertha Wilson presided over several sensational cases, but perhaps her most controversial ruling came in 1988 in the case of R. vs. Dr. Henry Morgentaler regarding abortion. Wilson ruled that the existing Canadian law prohibiting abortion was unconstitutional in that it interfered with a woman’s rights over her own body. What did Judge Bertha Wilson say in her ruling? Judge Wilson stated: “The decision whether to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a moral decision, a matter of 732

conscience. I do not think there is or can be any dispute about that. The question is: whose conscience? Is the conscience of the woman to be paramount or the conscience of the state? I believe, for the reasons I gave in discussing the right to liberty, that in a free and democratic society it must be the conscience of the individual.” What great height did Sharon Wood reach? On May 20, 1986, 29-year-old Sharon Wood of Halifax became the first North American woman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. She was part of a 12-person team (no porters) called Everest Light, led by Jim Elzinga of Calgary. The expedition ascended the Chinese side of the mountain. By the time the climbers established a camp 2,000 feet below the summit, most of them were exhausted. Sharon Wood made the final ascent with Dwayne Congdon of Canmore, Alberta. The pair remained at the top of the world for only 20 minutes because an 50-mile-an-hour wind was blowing and it was almost sundown. Who was the first Canadian woman in space? Roberta Bondar, born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in 1945, became the first female Canadian astronaut in January 1992 when she flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery to perform life science and material science experiments in the Spacelab. She was only the second Canadian in space, and the first neurologist. Dr. Bondar left the Canadian Space Agency in September 1992 to pursue research. She has degrees in zoology and agriculture from the University of Guelph, experimental pathology from the University of Western Ontario, neurobiology from the University of Toronto, and 733

has been admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada as a specialist in neurobiology. Dr. Bondar has received numerous honorary degrees and appointments, and has been inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. She has also received the Order of Canada. In addition to all this, Roberta Bondar is a renowned landscape photographer. What Canadian astronaut is also an accomplished musician? Julie Payette, born in Montreal in 1963, has logged over 465 hours in space. She has flown on the space shuttle Discovery and participated in the first manual docking of the shuttle to the International Space Station (ISS). She served as a mission specialist, was responsible for ISS systems and operated the Canadarm (Canadian made robotic arm). She was the first Canadian to participate in an ISS assembly mission, and the first Canadian astronaut to board the ISS. Julie Payette has received numerous honours, including distinction for exceptional achievement by a young engineer from the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers, Ordre National du Quebec, and Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Pleiade de la francophonie. She is also a pianist and vocalist who has performed with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Piacere Vocale in Basel, Switzerland, and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in Toronto.

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prodigies of science, invention, and medicine

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Why is “Granny Ross” a folk hero in Cape Breton? Marie-Henriette Lejeune was born in Acadia in 1762. She was forced to move numerous times because of wars, and finally settled in Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or region as the wife of a former soldier named James Ross. In an area where there were no university-trained doctors, Marie-Henriette became skilled as a midwife and as a practitioner of home-medicine. She knew how to make healing remedies from plants and herbs, and became famous as a “Granny-doctor.” When a smallpox epidemic swept across Cape Breton, Granny Ross not only cared for the sick, but she also fought the disease by inoculating healthy people before they could get sick. Inoculation had been known of in England for several years, but the settlers in Cape Breton were very suspicious of it. Granny Ross had no vaccine. She would scratch the patient with a needle that had been dipped in a smallpox blister. Granny Ross continued to work as a healer well into old age. Her story is now a part of Cape Breton lore. Who invented a system of writing for Canadian Native languages? James Evans was a 22-year-old Methodist missionary who came to Canada from England in 1823. He taught at missionary schools and learned the Ojibwa language. In compiling a grammar of the language, he realized that it frequently employs strings of syllables. Adapting the Roman alphabet to a language that has never had a written form can be very awkward, so Evans created a new system of symbols representing the Ojibwa syllables. He began to use it in translations of Scripture and hymns. However, his church

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superiors frowned upon this and insisted that only the Roman alphabet be used. By 1840, Evans was at Norway House on Lake Winnipeg as a missionary in the territory of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He learned Cree, which is related to Ojibwa, and adapted his syllabic alphabet to it. Soon the Cree men, women, and children in the vicinity of Norway House were learning “birch bark talking.” Evans wanted a printing press, but the Hudson’s Bay Company would not allow it. To the Company’s chagrin, he managed to make one himself. Evans criticized the Company for desecrating the Sabbath and for selling alcohol to the Natives. In 1842, when a Cree companion of Evans was killed in a hunting accident, the Company connived to have Evans charged with murder and sent back to England. He died a broken man before the charges could be investigated. Today his syllabic alphabet is used by almost all First Nations. Why are David Fife and Charles Saunders heroes to Western Canadian wheat growers? In the early 1840s a Peterborough, Ontario, farmer named David Fife was the object of ridicule from his neighbours because of experiments he had been conducting to create a strain of wheat suited to the cold Canadian climate. By 1843 he had come up with a new strain called Red Fife that ripened more quickly than other strains and so was adaptable to the short Canadian growing season. It also made high-quality flour. Half a century later Charles Saunders crossed Red Fife with an Indian strain called Hard Red Calcutta and created marquis wheat. It was much more resistant to disease than Red Fife, produced more grains to the bushel, and was ready to harvest in just 100 days. Marquis wheat was introduced in

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1907. Within 12 years, 90 percent of Canadian wheat fields were growing marquis. What Canadian doctor was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln? Anderson Ruffin Abbott was the first Canadian-born Black man to graduate from medical school and be licensed to practice medicine. During the American Civil War he went south to serve in the Union Army, and became Surgeon-in-Chief at the Camp Baker military hospital. He was one of only eight Black surgeons in the United States treating wounded soldiers. Dr. Abbott became a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. After Lincoln’s assassination, Mary Todd Lincoln gave Dr. Abbott the plaid shawl he had worn on the day of his first inauguration. Dr. Abbott returned home after the war, and became the first Black coroner in Canada. His later positions included president of the Wilberforce Educational Institute in Ontario, and Medical Superintendent of Provident Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Abbott once wrote, “I am a Canadian, first and last and all the time, but that did not deter me from sympathizing with a nation struggling to wipe out an inequity.” Quickies Did you know … • Dr. Abbott’s parents, Wilson and Ellen Abbott, were free Blacks who fled persecution in Alabama? In 1835 they arrived in Toronto, where Ellen founded the Queen’s Benevolent Society, which helped former slaves who escaped to Canada. Wilson was very successful in real estate. Among 738

the many properties he owned were the sites now occupied by Toronto City Hall and the Eaton Centre. Who was Canada’s first female doctor? In 1867, Emily Jennings Stowe of Norwich, Ontario, graduated from the New York Medical College for Women, which she had attended because no medical school in Canada would accept female students. The prevailing Victorian attitude was that women were “too delicate” to be doctors and that “proper” women did not concern themselves with things like human anatomy. Emily opened a medical office in Toronto, thus becoming the first woman doctor in Canada. However, the province passed a law that required all American-trained doctors in Ontario to attend a term of lectures at an Ontario medical school and pass a set of examinations. Emily Jennings Stowe and another female medical student, Jennie Trout, attended the lectures and passed the examinations, in spite of the most reprehensible efforts of male teachers and students to humiliate and discourage them. Thanks to her lifelong fight to change attitudes, by the time of Emily’s death in 1903, there were over 120 women doctors in Canada. Quickies Did you know … • that prior to entering medical school, Emily Jennings Stowe became Canada’s first female public school principal? After she won her fight to practice medicine in Canada, she was a prominent advocate for female suffrage. However, she did not 739

live long enough to see the Canadian government recognize women’s right to vote. What time is it? Since arriving in Canada from Scotland as a youth, Sir Sandford Fleming could, by 1878, boast of a long list of accomplishments. He was co-founder of the Royal Canadian Institute, and a renowned engineer, surveyor, writer, and explorer. However, Fleming is best known as the Father of Standard Time. Before Fleming presented his brilliant idea for global time zones in 1878, people in every community set their clocks by the sun, and therefore there was total chaos as far as things like train schedules were concerned. Fleming’s proposal was not without opposition. The International Meridian Conference of 1884 rejected the zones he had laid out. Religious groups denounced the whole idea as contrary to God’s law, and accused Fleming of being a communist. Nonetheless, by 1883 all railways in North America had adopted the system, and by 1929 all the major countries in the world had accepted Fleming’s time zones. How did a grocer and fish peddler from Port Perry, Ontario, become a guru of “hands-on-healing”? Daniel David Palmer, born in Port Perry in 1845, sold groceries and fish before opening up his “magnetic healing” studio in Davenport, Iowa, in 1886. His belief, basically, was that good health depended upon the flow of energy through the spinal cord and nervous system. In 1895, he claimed that he had rediscovered the ancient medical arts of such revered men as Hippocrates. To name his technique, Palmer combined the Greek words for “hands” and “practice” and 740

gave the world “chiropractic.” Of course, Palmer was roundly condemned by the medical establishment and even spent time in jail for practicing medicine without a licence. Many doctors still have serious doubts about the benefits of chiropractic, but to millions of people Daniel David Palmer was a hero who suffered so that they might have relief from pain. Why was Doctor Cluny Macpherson of Newfoundland a hero to the Allied troops of the First World War? After the Germans unleashed the first chlorine poison gas attacks on the Allies in April 1915, the British War Office put together a committee to find some sort of defence against the terrible new weapon. One of the young men on that committee was Dr. Cluny Macpherson, a medical officer with the Newfoundland Regiment. Several of the devices the committee tested were failures. Then Macpherson came up with an “anti-gas respirator.” It had a canvas muzzle and goggles that fitted over the wearer’s face, and a clip that pinched the nose closed. The wearer breathed through a tube that carried air to the mouth from a canister on the person’s back. The canister contained activated charcoal, which filtered out the chlorine gas. It was a simple device, but it worked, and it saved thousands of lives. For his invention Dr. Cluny was awarded the Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St George, and the Medal of Merit. Quickies Did you know …

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• that after the first lethal gas attacks, a story spread through the Canadian trenches that breathing through a handkerchief soaked in one’s own urine was protection from the gas? It actually was not, but the idea gave the men a sense of being able to do something should another gas attack come. How did Dr. Frederick Banting of Ontario astound American businessmen? Dr. Banting is credited with being the person most responsible for the discovery of insulin in 1921, though he shared the honours with Charles Best and Dr. John James R. Macleod. American pharmaceutical companies offered Banting huge sums of money for the patent on insulin. They wanted to build an insulin clinic in a large American city, put Banting in charge, and make the lifesaving medication available to diabetics who could afford to pay for it. Banting astounded them when he said that insulin was his gift to the human race, and would be available for everybody who needed it; it would not be a commodity for anybody’s personal profit. Banting and Macleod received the Nobel Prize for Medicine. Banting shared his half of the honorarium with Best. Banting also received a knighthood. Quickies Did you know … • that Banting worked with the Royal Canadian Air Force in studying the physiological effects of high-altitude aerial combat on pilots? On February 21, 1941, Banting was on his way to England to conduct tests on a new flying suit, when he was killed in a plane crash off the coast of Newfoundland. 742

Where did babies first taste Pablum? In the late 1920s, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children was renowned for its surgeons, but like most other hospitals it had a high rate of infant mortality. Three physicians in Sick Kids; Dr. Alan Brown, Dr. Theodore Drake, and Dr. Frederick Tisdall, all from Ontario, believed that poor diet was a major factor in the high rate of illness and death among babies. While they were proponents of breast feeding, they knew that mother’s milk lacked iron. They also knew that the first solid food most babies were fed was white bread, which lacked many nutrients. They worked together, and with the assistance of laboratory technician Ruth Herbert and chemist Harry Engel, to develop a nutrient-rich food that would be easy for mothers to prepare and for babies to digest. The recipe for their pre-cooked cereal included wheat, corn, oats, wheat germ, brewer’s yeast, bone meal, alfalfa leaf, iron, and iron salt. They called it “Pablum” from the Greek word for food, pabulum. Pablum was fed to babies in Sick Kids Hospital and then became available to the public in 1931. It was a breakthrough in nutritional science because, among other benefits, it contributed to a decrease in the number of cases of rickets, a crippling childhood disease caused by insufficient Vitamin D. For 25 years the Hospital for Sick Children received a royalty on the sales of Pablum. Canada's Nobel Prize Winners • Frederick Banting and John James R. Macleod — Medicine,1923 • Lester B. Pearson — Peace,1957 743

• Gerhard Herzberg — Chemistry,1971 • David Hubel — Medicine,1981 • Henry Taube — Chemistry,1983 • John Polanyi — Chemistry,1986 • Sidney Altman — Chemistry,1989 • Richard Taylor — Physics,1990 • Rudolph Marcus — Chemistry,1992 • Michael Smith — Chemistry,1993 • Bertram Brockhouse — Physics,1994 • Robert Mundell — Economics,1999 When did a vaccine to fight tuberculosis first come to Canada? Dr. Armand Frappier of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, a graduate of the University of Montreal’s medical school, lost his mother to tuberculosis while he was still a teenager. In the early twentieth century tuberculosis was one of the worst killer diseases in the western world, and Frappier devoted his life to fighting it. While studying in France he learned that two students of the legendary Louis Pasteur, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin, claimed to have developed an anti-tuberculosis vaccine they called BCG. Back in Canada, Frappier, amidst much criticism and with the opposition of

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many naysayers, promoted the study and testing of BCG. He had almost no funding, but he gained the attention of journalists and politicians. In 1938 he founded L’Institut de microbiologie in Montreal (it has since been renamed in his honour) and began the production of the vaccine. Frappier organized campaigns to have babies, Native people, schoolchildren, and people in hospitals vaccinated. BCG, along with improved nutrition and hygiene, and the development of antibiotics, has practically wiped out TB as a killer disease. In 1970, Dr. Frappier and his colleagues also discovered that BCG is instrumental in preventing infant leukemia. Why do visitors from China regard a house in Gravenhurst, Ontario, as a shrine? The house in question was the birthplace (in 1890) of Dr. Norman Bethune, a doctor who was a controversial figure in Canada but who became a national hero in the People’s Republic of China. Bethune studied medicine at the University of Toronto, and was a stretcher bearer in the First World War until he was wounded. He developed tuberculosis, but recovered after undergoing a radical new treatment. He then moved to Montreal where he specialized in surgery and the treatment of TB. Bethune invented several new surgical instruments. He was very socially conscious, and joined the Communist Party in the belief that it would end poverty. His anti-capitalist opinions angered the medical profession and the Canadian government. In the Spanish Civil War he drove an ambulance for the Republican side, and invented a mobile blood transfusion unit to help save the lives of wounded soldiers. In 745

1938, Bethune went to China where he became a frontline doctor for the Communist army of Mao Tse-tung in the civil war that was raging there. Bethune was tireless in his work of reorganizing a primitive medical system and training new medics. He undoubtedly saved thousands of lives before he died from a septic infection. Today Norman Bethune is highly honoured as a hero in China, and has been recognized in Canada as “a Canadian of national historical significance.” His birthplace in Gravenhurst is a historic site. Quickies Did you know … • that in 1964, a movie about Dr. Norman Bethune was produced in China? The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation produced a TV dramatization called Bethune, starring Donald Sutherland, in 1977. In 1993, a major motion picture was released, cooperatively produced by Canada, China, and France, titled Bethune: The Making of a Hero, and again starring Donald Sutherland. In 2006, China Central Television produced a 20-part miniseries about Bethune.

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brave young canadians

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Who were the only survivors of the wreck of the Asia? On September 14, 1882, the passenger steamer Asia sank in a storm on Georgian Bay. Of more than 124 people who had been aboard the ship, only two survived; 17-year-old Christie Ann Morrison and 18-year-old Douglas Tinkis. The two teenagers found themselves adrift in a lifeboat with the bodies of five men who had died from exposure. They had only one oar, which made manoeuvring the boat extremely difficult. They talked to each other all night to keep from slipping into sleep, and possibly death. With the single oar, Douglas managed to get the boat to an island where he and Christie Ann were found by passing Natives who took them to Parry Sound. The wreck of the Asia was a major disaster, so there was quite a sensation over the survival of the two young people. Because she was a girl who had survived where grown men had not, Christie Ann in particular was the object of much public attention. A dramatic photograph of her posing with a lifeline in her hands became famous. She grew to hate the photograph and the publicity because they required her to relive over and over again the most frightening experience of her life. How did a 14-year-old Nova Scotia boy emerge as a hero from a mining disaster? On February 21, 1891, an explosion ripped through the coal mine at Springhill, Nova Scotia. Danny Robertson, 14, a pony-driver, was thrown into an empty coal car by the force of the blast. When he climbed out, his coat was on fire and his hands and arms were badly burned. He tore off the coat, and then began to stumble through the dark tunnel. He found

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12-year-old Willie Terris cringing under the chair he sat on for his job as a trapper — opening and closing the door of a ventilation shaft. Willie had been only slightly burned, but was paralyzed with fear. Another explosion could have rocked the mine at any moment, but Danny took the time to help Willie. His hands were too badly burned for him to carry the boy, so he convinced Willie to climb on his back. Danny carried Willie piggyback until they met a group of rescue workers on their way down into the pit. Danny gave Willie to them, then turned around and was about to go back and look for his older brother, when he was told his brother was safe. When Danny walked out of the mine, he declined the offer of a sleigh ride home. He said he would walk, because he didn’t want to worry his mother. Of the 125 workers killed in that disaster, 30 were teenage boys. What 15-year-old Canadian boy was a hero of the Lusitania disaster? On May 7, 1915, a German submarine torpedoed the passenger liner Lusitania 12 miles off the southern coast of Ireland. The great ship sank within a matter of minutes, leaving hundreds of people struggling in the water. One of the 360 Canadians on board was Robert Holt, the teenage son of Sir Herbert Bolt, president of the Royal Bank of Canada. Bob was en route from New York to his school in England. When the ship was hit, Bob grabbed a life jacket and went to the port side. He saw that lifeboats were being capsized as soon as they were launched, so he rushed to the starboard rail. People there were climbing down the side of the sinking ship and grabbing onto anything that would keep them afloat. Bob was about to go over the side when he saw a woman who did not have a life jacket. In a true act of gallantry, Bob Holt took 749

his life jacket off and gave it to the woman. Then he went over the side. Bob was a strong swimmer, and he swam from one clutch of survivors to another until he found an upside-down lifeboat with 30 people on it. He asked if there was room for one more, and a man helped him climb on. They were among the lucky ones who were rescued. The Lusitania disaster cost 1,189 lives. German newspapers celebrated the sinking of the Lusitania. Canadian newspapers told of the selfless boy who gave away his life jacket. What act of courage did Agnes Foran perform in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion? On the morning of December 6, 1917, a ship loaded with munitions exploded in Halifax Harbour. The blast was the biggest man-made, non-nuclear explosion in history, and much of the city of Halifax was levelled. Almost 2,000 were killed. In their home on Merkel Street, 12-year-old Agnes Foran and her mother were looking out the window when suddenly “the sky opened.” The windows blew in and Agnes and her mother were thrown to the floor. Agnes got up and found that her mother had been blinded by flying glass. She took her mother out to the street, and then went back into the house to rescue her baby brother. Agnes, who was covered in blood herself, then went up and down the ruined streets in search of help. Finding none, she returned to her mother and brother. Finally, Agnes’s father, who had been at work, returned. He took his family to the hospital. There, doctors found that a piece of glass half the size of an adult’s hand had been driven into Agnes’s stomach, with only a tiny point visible above the skin. Surgery was necessary to remove the glass, and it took 29 stitches to close the wound. Agnes fully recovered. 750

Four Other Young Heroes of the Halifax Explosion Eight-year-old Norman Roberts carried his baby sister out of their shattered, burning apartment building, then went back in and dragged out his unconscious mother. Cecelia McGrath, 11, led eight other girls out of the ruins of St. Joseph’s Catholic School. Roland Theakson, 14, calmly told 35 small boys of the Bloomfield School, which had lost its roof and windows, to exit the building according to the fire drill they had practiced, and got all of them safely outside. Nine-year-old Pearl Hartlen found her unconscious mother under the debris of their wrecked home. She started to pull her mother free, but Mrs. Hartlen’s skirt was caught on something. Pearl had nothing to cut with, so she bit and tore at the fabric until she could pull her mother out and drag her to safety. Who was the “Hurricane Baby”? On the night of October 16, 1954, Hurricane Hazel swept down upon Toronto, bringing with it millions of tons of precipitation and causing massive flooding. One of the many dramas played out that terrifying night took place on Island Road. Etobicoke Creek had become a raging torrent, overflowing its banks and forcing local residents to the roofs of their houses. Perched on the roof of one house was the Thorpe family: Clifford, Patricia, two-year-old Billy, four-month-old Nancy, and Patricia’s mother. Chief Albert Houston of the Long Branch Fire Department managed to reach the house in a small boat and take baby Nancy to another, more solid house, where people were gathered on the 751

roof. He gave the child to 16-year-old Sylvia Jones. When Houston went back for the rest of the Thorpe family, they had all been swept away by the flood. Sylvia clung to little Nancy all night long, trying to keep the baby warm with her own shivering body. In the morning, the people were taken off the roof in the shovel of a bulldozer. Nancy was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where nobody knew who she was. She was simply the “Hurricane Baby” until her paternal grandparents recognized her picture in the paper and claimed her. How did Jocelyn McDonald become one of the youngest recipients of Canada’s Star of Courage? On the afternoon of April 25, 1992, seven-year-old Jocelyn McDonald and a five-year-old girlfriend were confronted by an adult male who told them to take off their underpants. When they did not, the man grabbed the five-year-old and carried her off. Jocelyn knew who the man was and where he lived. She followed them to his house. She sneaked inside, and while the man was occupied in the bathroom, she searched the house until she found her small friend. The little girl was in a bedroom, still dressed but too frightened to move. Jocelyn took the girl by the hand and both children fled the house. At first they were reluctant to tell anyone what had happened, but the story came out when the same man was accused of assaulting another child. For her courage, Jocelyn McDonald received the Star of Courage from Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn. Tragically, in the year 2000, Jocelyn was murdered. Why is Craig Kielburger (born 1982 in Thornhill, Ontario) in this chapter?

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Craig Kielburger is no longer a kid, but he is a children’s rights advocate, and as co-founder with his brother Marc of Free the Children and Leaders Today, he enables children to become heroes by voluntarily helping other children around the world. Under his leadership, Free the Children has built more than 500 elementary schools. Kielburger is a renowned author and an influential speaker who has travelled to more than 70 countries to speak in defence of children’s rights. His work has drawn the attention of the United Nations, Oprah Winfrey, the Dalai Lama, Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Queen Noor of Jordan. Craig Kielburger's Awards • Order of Canada • Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship • Nelson Mandela Human Rights Award • 2006 World Children’s Prize • Community of Christ International Peace Award • State of the World Forum Award • Reebok Human Rights Award • Medal of Meritorious Service • Roosevelt Freedom Award • 2005 Kiwanis World Service Medal

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in the line of duty

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Who was the first known Canadian firefighter to be killed in the line of duty? Between midnight and one o’clock on November 22, 1848, the bells of St. James Church on King Street in Toronto alerted the city’s volunteer fire department of a blaze right across the road. The fire started in a shoe store and spread to a saddle store, a hat shop, and a dry goods store. The volunteers put two pumpers into action, and by 3:00 a.m. they had the fire under control. However, a falling stone windowsill struck fireman William Thornton on the head, fracturing his skull. He was taken to the fire hall where a doctor cleaned the wound and bled him. He was then taken to his home, where he died two days later. Who was the hero of the Parliament Building fire? On the evening of February 3, 1916, fire broke out in the Reading Room of the House of Commons in the Parliament Building in Ottawa. Seven people died in that conflagration, and national treasures and priceless works of art were destroyed. The fire reduced North America’s finest example of gothic architecture to a smoking shell. Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden was among the survivors. The death toll would certainly have been higher had it not been for the heroics of Chief Engineer Thomas Wensley. In spite of the flames, smoke, and the risk to his own life, he rushed down to a boiler room and shut off a steam system that could have caused a devastating explosion. Quickies

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Did you know … • that over 900 Canadian firefighters have been killed in the line of duty or have died from health problems directly related to firefighting? What incident caused the greatest single loss of Canadian firefighters’ lives? On December 6, 1917, the Halifax Fire Department responded when informed that a ship was on fire in the harbour. This was the French munitions ship Mont Blanc, which was loaded with explosives. Several firemen raced to the harbour in Halifax’s only motorized fire engine, a brand new vehicle they had named Patricia. Chief Edward Condon and Deputy Chief William Brunt followed in a car. As they neared the harbour, the Mont Blanc blew up. Among the nearly 2,000 fatalities caused by the Halifax Explosion were nine firefighters. Chief Condon, Assistant Chief Brunt, Captain William Broderick, Captain George Maltis, and firemen John Spruin, Walter Hennessey, Frank Kileen, and John Duggan were all killed instantly. Fireman Frank Leahy was badly injured and died six days later. Twenty-one Other Dates and Locations at Which Three or More Firefighters Were Killed in the Line of Duty Date

Place

April 29, Montreal 1877

Number Killed 5

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April 25, Cobourg, 3 1878 Ontario October Montreal 3 16, 1896 July 10, Toronto 5 1902 June 22, Montreal 4 1913 May 10, Vancouver 5 1918 December Winnipeg 4 23, 1926 June 17, Montreal 4 1932 July 23, Toronto 3 1934 June 25, Montreal 3 1937 Edmundston, June 2, New 6 1940 Brunswick May 17, Toronto 3 1947 May 19, Peterborough, 3 1951 Ontario October Toronto 5 16, 1954 March 2, Montreal 5 1960

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March Quebec City 12, 1961 April 6, Montreal 1963 December Etobicoke, 4, 1978 Ontario March Iroquois, ON 19, 1981 May 15, Montreal 1981 June 27, Warwick, 1993 Quebec

3 3 3 5 3 4

How did Hurricane Hazel take the lives of five Toronto firemen? When Hurricane Hazel struck Toronto on the night of October 16, 1954, the 70-mile-per-hour winds that came shrieking across Lake Ontario certainly were frightful, but the greatest danger was caused by the 300 million tons of rain that fell on ground already saturated from three weeks of steady precipitation. It wasn’t the wind that made Hurricane Hazel a killer, it was the flooding. Rescue workers spent long, dangerous hours pulling people out of raging rivers and creeks, and plucking them from the roofs of houses. In one tragic incident, the rescuers became the victims. Six members of the Kingsway-Lambton Volunteer Fire Department roared off in their fire engine in response to a call about some people trapped on a rooftop. The roads of Toronto had been turned into rivers. The six-ton fire engine was caught in a wash so powerful, it rolled over. Five of the men: Clarence Collins,

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Frank Mercer, Roy Oliver, David Palmeter, and Angus Small were drowned. A plaque commemorates their sacrifice. Quickies Did you know … • Hurricane Hazel killed 83 Torontonians? Of those, 38 were from Raymore Drive, a street that ran parallel to the Humber River and was virtually washed off the map. It would be remembered as “The street that never was” and “Calamity Crescent.” Who was the hero of a daring, mid-Atlantic helicopter rescue? In January 1980, three men were trapped aboard the crippled freighter Bill Crosbie in the midst of a savage Atlantic storm, hundreds of miles off the coast of Newfoundland. The ship was in danger of sinking, and raging seas made it impossible for other vessels to get near enough to take the men off. Rescue came in the form of a big Labrador long-distance helicopter dispatched from the Search and Rescue (SAR) base at Gander, Newfoundland. Because the ship kept rising and falling on mountainous swells, and gale-force winds blew the helicopter all over the sky, the rescue was exceedingly difficult. Search and Rescue technician Dave Maloley dangled by a cable beneath the helicopter while Captain Rudy Preus fought to hold the aircraft steady. Maloley slammed into the ship’s funnel and received powerful electric shocks when he became entangled with the ship’s antenna. In spite of horrific conditions, the SAR team got the men off the ship

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and landed them safely in St. John’s. Dave Maloley was awarded the Star of Courage. How did a Cape Breton fire chief earn the Star of Courage? On December 16, 1984, two young boys attempted to cross the frozen surface of Big Pond between the communities of Sydney Mines and Florence, Nova Scotia. They went through the ice about 200 metres from shore. The Sydney Mines Fire Department was alerted and Chief John Nugent responded, along with fireman Donald MacPherson. Neither had any training in water rescue. One boy had already gone under. Nugent crawled out onto the dangerously thin ice to try to get to the other boy. Just as Nugent got hold of the unconscious boy, he went through the ice, too. Macpherson also broke through when he tried to go to Chief Nugent’s assistance. In spite of the numbingly cold water, Nugent held onto the boy until all three were pulled into a small rescue boat. The boy was taken to a Halifax hospital where he recovered. Chief John Nugent was awarded the Star of Courage by Governor General Jeanne Sauvé on March 21, 1986. The new Sydney Mines Fire Hall has been named in his honour. How did a blocked sewer drain lead to an explosion in a Canadian castle? The Villeneuve Castle was a local landmark in Picton, Ontario. It was built between 1805 and 1811, and then enlarged in 1860. It was a compact castle with four turrets, 25 rooms, a grand ballroom, and an elegant staircase. In 1986 the Villeneuve had a high-class restaurant that was considered the best place to dine for miles around. During the days leading 760

up to January 11 of that year, the weather had been quite cold, and a sewer drain in the basement had frozen. That evening, workmen were using an industrial propane heater to try to thaw the drain. Propane gas leaked into the basement and then exploded. The blast ripped upwards through the castle with the power of 200 pounds of TNT. The hardwood floors from ground level to the third storey were blown to kindling, as were the roof timbers. Turrets fell inward, and huge timbers crashed downwards. Large sections of the stone walls fell in, and were supported only by unstable debris. Fires burned everywhere, and there was still the smell of gas in the air. Police and members of the Picton Volunteer Fire Department were quickly on the scene. Without hesitation, Deputy Chief Reg Havery and firemen Paul Bartlett and Bill Harvey crawled into the debris to rescue several injured people who had been trapped. This was extremely dangerous because the walls could have fallen on them at any moment, or the gas floating around them could have ignited. At great risk to their own lives, the firemen got the injured people out. One person was killed in the Villeneuve Castle explosion, and 14 were seriously injured. Havery, Bartlett, and Harvey were all awarded the Star of Courage.

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civilian heroes

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How did Sid Choquette become a hero in Frank, Alberta? In the early morning of April 29, 1903, a huge rockfall from Turtle Mountain struck the town of Frank. Engineer Ben Murgatroyd saw the avalanche of rocks coming toward him in time to get his train out of the way, but now the tracks were buried under 100 feet of rock. A passenger train from Lethbridge was due any minute, and the engineer would not see the danger until it was too late. Two brakemen, Sid Choquette and Bill Lowes, climbed onto the mountain of rocks and began to run toward the other side so they could warn the oncoming train. It was an extremely dangerous run. The rocks were sharp, unstable underfoot, and still hot from friction. The men had to dodge boulders that still came hurtling down the mountain, and they were choking from the lime dust that filled the air. Lowes finally dropped from exhaustion, unable to go on, but Choquette kept going. When he staggered down the other side of the mound of rubble, by good luck he was right at the spot where the rails emerged from the debris. He ran up the line waving a lantern. The engineer of the approaching train saw the signal light in the darkness and brought the train to a stop. Another few minutes, and a disastrous train wreck would have added to the tragic human toll of the Frank Slide. What Montreal principal sacrificed her life for the children in her school? On the afternoon of February 26, 1907, fire broke out in the Hochelaga Protestant School in Montreal. The cause was apparently an overheated furnace in the basement. As soon as they were aware of the smoke, the teachers on the ground

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floor managed to get their pupils out in good order. Sarah Maxwell, the school’s 31-year-old principal, was on the ground floor and might easily have escaped. Instead she went upstairs where the kindergarten class was to help evacuate the third floor. Some of the small children got out, but the fire spread through the building so rapidly that the narrow stairway became impassable. Now Sarah Maxwell and the children were trapped on the top floor, and there was no fire escape. Firemen arrived and put ladders up to the kindergarten classroom window. Sarah started passing children out. As flames and smoke filled the room behind her, it seemed as though Sarah was about to finally climb out herself. Then she told the fireman at the top of the ladder, “There must still be children inside.” She went back in, though the fireman called to her to come back. He tried to go in after her, but was driven back by heat and smoke. The firemen took about 45 minutes to get the blaze under control. When they went inside, they found the bodies of Sarah Maxwell and 17 children. Sarah had evidently been trying to carry a child to the window when she was overcome by smoke. When the school was rebuilt, it was named in her honour. Another teacher, identified only as Miss Campbell, was awarded a gold medal for the coolness and bravery she displayed in getting her students out of the school. Quickies Did you know … • that a story circulated that the grateful Canadian Pacific Railway rewarded Sid Choquette with a gold watch? Actually, the CPR gave Choquette $25 and a letter of commendation. 764

When did a future movie star become an unsung hero following a Canadian disaster? On June 30, 1912, a tornado ripped through Regina, Saskatchewan. Within five minutes the whirlwind had torn a swath of destruction three blocks wide and 12 blocks long. At least 28 people were dead and the damage was in the millions of dollars. More than 3,000 people were suddenly homeless. At the time the tornado struck, a young English actor named William Henry Pratt was enjoying a day off by paddling a canoe in Wascana Lake. His troupe had made a stop in Regina and he was lodged in a boarding house. Pratt was not hurt in the tornado, but his boarding house was demolished. Regina was not his town, but the actor rolled up his sleeves and joined the local people in the colossal task of cleaning up the debris. Then he and his fellow thespians put on a benefit performance to raise money for tornado victims. This little known hero of the disastrous Regina tornado would one day terrify audiences as the Frankenstein monster, which he played under his stage name, Boris Karloff. How did “Doc” MacLean thwart a bank robbery in New Hazelton, British Columbia? Donald “Doc” MacLean was a veterinarian and a preacher. He was also a crack shot with a rifle and a man with nerves of steel. On April 8, 1914, a gang of Russian bandits entered New Hazelton to rob the bank. Several months earlier the same gang had robbed the New Hazelton bank and had killed a clerk. This time they had Doc MacLean to contend with. He grabbed his rifle and shot it out with the outlaws. By the time the gun smoke cleared, two of the bandits were dead and four were wounded. Only the bandit leader managed to escape. 765

Who were the heroes of the Empress of Ireland disaster? Early in the morning of May 29, 1914, the ocean liner Empress of Ireland collided with the Norwegian freighter Storstad in the St. Lawrence River. The liner’s hull was ripped open and she began to sink quickly in the frigid water. It was the worst marine disaster in Canadian history, costing the lives of 1,012 people. There were, however, acts of heroism. Sir Henry Seton-Karr, a famous big game hunter, forcibly put his life jacket on a man who didn’t have one. Sir Henry drowned. Dr. Jonas Grant, the ship’s doctor, lost his clothes when he squeezed out through a porthole, and was naked when he was pulled into a lifeboat. He asked for a pair of pants and then went straight to work treating injured and shock-stricken survivors. Robert Crellin of British Columbia was in the water when he took eight-year-old Florence Barbour on his back. The little girl lost both her parents in the shipwreck, so Crellin and his wife adopted her. There had been 138 children aboard the ship. Florence was one of only four who survived. How did a projectionist and an usher become heroes during Canada’s worst movie theatre fire? On the afternoon of January 9, 1927, fire broke out on the balcony of Montreal’s Laurier Palace movie theatre. The audience was mostly un-chaperoned children. At the cry of “Fire!” the ground floor was quickly evacuated. But up on the balcony all was chaos. Terrified children rushed for the two narrow stairways. At the west stairway a young usher named Paul Champagne, who had not immediately fled his post as the other ushers had done, took charge. Champagne made the children exit down the stairs and out to the street in an orderly 766

manner. Having saved the lives of one group of children, Champagne tried to go back for the others, but was blocked by thick smoke. Meanwhile, projectionist Emile Massicote looked out of his small projection room and saw the crush of children trying to push their way through the east stairway door. The projection room had a window that opened onto the theatre’s marquee. Massicote shouted that he had a way out, but the shrieking, hysterical children didn’t hear him. Massicote grabbed two screaming, kicking children, dragged them to the window, and put them out on the marquee. Then he went back for two more. Massicote rescued 30 children before the heavy smoke forced him to climb out onto the marquee himself. The Laurier Palace theatre fire killed 78 children; a tragedy that would have been even worse but for the heroics of an usher and a projectionist. Who was the Noronic’s “Eddy”? When fire broke out aboard the Great Lakes passenger liner Noronic in Toronto Harbour early on the morning of September 17, 1949, only a skeleton crew was aboard and most of the passengers were asleep in their staterooms. The fire spread through the ship rapidly, and several of the crew on night duty hurried ashore without alerting the passengers. However, a bellboy identified only as Eddy did not shirk his duty. As soon as he was aware of the fire he ran to a cabin on A-deck where other bellboys were sleeping and awakened them. Eddy and two of the boys then woke up as many passengers as they could by banging on cabin doors. Eddy smashed down one door with an axe to get a hysterical woman out of her stateroom. Then Eddy and his pals knotted bedsheets together to make a ladder that people could use to climb down to the dock. Only when they were sure no one 767

else was left in their section of the ship did Eddy and the other two bellboys save themselves. A total of 118 people died as a result of the Noronic fire. What two Prince Edward Island women were twice decorated for acts of bravery? On January 25, 1978, in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, 25-year-old Freddy Gaudet murdered storekeeper Harold Arsenault with a shotgun. Gaudet had been indulging in alcohol and marijuana. He ran into Smallman’s clothing store where he took several women hostage. One young woman started to run, and Gaudet raised the shotgun as though to shoot her. Debbie McInnis, a 21-year-old employee, seized the gun. There was a desperate struggle as Gaudet fought to get control of the weapon and McInnis refused to let go. Then the gun went off, blowing a hole in the floor. Gaudet fled, leaving McInnis holding the shotgun. Gaudet ran into Holman’s department store where he armed himself with another shotgun and took yet another group of women hostage. Police surrounded the place, but could not move in because Gaudet was holding the gun at the head of a young woman named Debbie MacLean. Then one officer thought he saw a trigger-guard on Gaudet’s shotgun. The police decided to rush the killer. When they made their move, Gaudet aimed the gun at Officer Harold Durant. But just as he did so, Debbie MacLean grabbed the shotgun by the barrel and pushed it away. That gave the officers the split second they needed to subdue Gaudet. As it turned out, the trigger-guard on the shotgun was defective, and Gaudet could have fired the gun. Debbie McInnis and Debbie MacLean were both awarded the American Carnegie Medal for bravery and the Star of Courage. 768

How did John King of Winnipeg become a hero? On June 2, 1987, a man and his four-year-old son Rene were among several people fishing in the Red River from Winnipeg’s North Main-Perimeter boat launch. The river bottom there drops away steeply just a few feet from shore. There had not been many warm days that spring, so the water was still quite cold. It began to rain slightly, but most of the people continued to fish. However, the father was concerned that the rain might come down harder at any moment. He and the boy went to the parking lot and got into their station wagon. The father backed the car down the concrete boat ramp and put it in park. He left Rene sitting on the front seat while he opened the tailgate, sat on it, and resumed fishing. Little Rene decided to pretend he was driving, and he put the car into neutral. Suddenly it was rolling backwards into the river. The startled father, who could not swim, scrambled onto the roof. Realizing the danger, he hung over the side and tried to open the door, but the water pressure was too great. He shouted to Rene to roll the window down, but the child ignored him. The car was sinking lower into the river. In desperation the father shouted for help. Standing on the shore fishing was 39-year-old John King. When King saw what was happening he did not hesitate even to take off his heavy work boots. He dove right in and swam for the car. While some men hauled the father ashore with a rope, King swam into the open back of the station wagon and got Rene out. But his own sodden clothing and boots were a hindrance, and the icy water was probably sapping his strength quickly. Another man, Robert Pourier, kicked off his shoes and dove into the river. When Pourier got close enough, King handed Rene to him. Everyone was watching Pourier fight the current to get the boy ashore. No one saw John King go under. RCMP officers 769

recovered his body later that day. King was posthumously awarded the Star of Courage.

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intrepid explorers

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Seven Explorers of Canada Who Disappeared While on Expeditions of Discovery • John Cabot, 1498, off Canada’s east coast • Gaspar Corte-Real, 1501, off Canada’s east coast • Miguel Corte-Real (Gaspar’s brother), 1502, off Canada’s east coast • John Knight, 1606, Labrador • Henry Hudson, 1611, James Bay • James Knight, 1719, Canadian Arctic • Sir John Franklin, 1847. Canadian Arctic Why should the explorers of Canada be counted among the nation’s heroes? Whatever their motivations, the explorers were courageous individuals who dared to venture into the unknown. Bit by bit, often under conditions that would have made those with fainter hearts turn back, they filled in the blank spaces on the maps. Few of them gained the wealth or glory they hungered for, and some of them died with their boots on while trying to find out what lay beyond the horizon. Twelve Canadian Geographical Features Named After Explorers 772

• Frobisher Bay — Martin Frobisher • Baffin Island — William Baffin • Davis Strait — John Davis • Lake Champlain — Samuel de Champlain • Mackenzie River — Alexander Mackenzie • Vancouver Island — George Vancouver • Thompson River — David Thompson • Fraser River — Simon Fraser • Hudson Bay — Henry Hudson • Hudson Strait — Henry Hudson • Cabot Strait — John Cabot • Mont Jacques Cartier — Jacques Cartier How do we know the Vikings were the first Europeans to explore the east coast of Canada? Norse sagas tell us that about the year 1000, Viking leaders like Leif Ericsson and Thorfinn Karlsefini sailed from Iceland and Greenland and landed at places they called Helluland, Markland, and Vinland. Historians disagree on the exact

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locations for these place names, but suggest Helluland could have been Baffin Island or Labrador, Markland could have been Newfoundland, and Vinland could have been Nova Scotia. Archeological finds at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland prove beyond a doubt that the Vikings had a settlement there. Who Was John Cabot? He was actually Giovanni Caboto, a Genoese mariner who in 1496 convinced King Henry VII of England that he could do for the English what another Italian, Christopher Columbus, had failed to do for the Spanish; reach China by sailing west. On his historic voyage in 1497, Cabot made a landfall in North America. The site is still disputed. It could have been the coast of Maine, mainland Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, Newfoundland, or Labrador. Cabot called his discovery the “new-foundland.” A year later, Cabot set out on another voyage and vanished from history. Quickies Did you know … • that after the earliest Spanish and Portuguese expeditions to the “New World,” the pope divided the entire Western Hemisphere, from the North Pole to the South Pole, between Spain and Portugal? When the monarchs of those countries learned of the Cabot voyage, they sent strong warnings to King Henry to keep out of their territory. Henry ignored the threats. It is possible that Cabot’s 1498 expedition, which mysteriously vanished, might have run into an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda, an utterly ruthless adventurer sent out by 774

King Ferdinand of Spain to look for gold and silver, and kill anyone he caught trespassing in “Spanish” waters. Why were European monarchs so anxious to find a western sea route to China? Europeans wanted the silks, spices, and other items that could be had only in trade with the Far East. Italian city states like Venice and Florence had that trade locked up tight, and charged exorbitant prices for the merchandise. The monarchs and merchants in other European countries thought that if they could find a new sea route to China, they could bypass the Italian middlemen and enrich themselves. The person who found that sea route would be showered with honours and riches. What was the reaction of the European explorers when they “discovered” the New World? More than anything they wanted to find a way around it. Their primary goal was still to find a commercially viable sea route to China, and it would remain so for 400 years. What were Jacques Cartier’s accomplishments? Quickies Did you know … • that it was Cartier who gave Canada its name? He heard an Iroquois call his community kanata, the Iroquoian word for village. Cartier thought it was the name of the entire country.

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Jacques Cartier’s greatest accomplishment was the discovery of the St. Lawrence River in 1535. He explored it as far as the site of Montreal in hope that it would lead to the Pacific Ocean. Cartier also made the first territorial claims that were the beginning of a French empire in North America. He discovered Prince Edward Island, proved that Newfoundland is an island (previous explorers had thought it was part of the mainland), and learned of a Native cure for scurvy made from the leaves and bark of white cedar — a cure that was subsequently lost. Why is Samuel de Champlain called “The Father of New France” and “The Father of Canada”? Samuel de Champlain battled against the odds to establish a permanent French colony in the New World even though previous attempts had failed. In 1608, he founded Quebec City. Without that colony there would have been no Canada as we know it. Champlain was the first explorer to probe the wilderness of Quebec and Ontario, and he laid the foundations for the all-important fur trade. Though he was forced to surrender a besieged and starving Quebec to English privateers in 1629, he returned in 1633 to rebuild the French colony. It was a thriving community by the time Champlain died in 1635. Quickies Did you know … • Cartier found what he thought were diamonds and took a bushel of them back to France? They turned out to be worthless quartz. This resulted in a new catch-phrase in 776

France: faux comme les diamants du Canada — “as false as Canadian diamonds.” How did Champlain make the Iroquois the arch-enemies of New France? In 1609, Champlain and two or three other Frenchmen used their firearms to help their Huron, Algonquin, and Montagnais friends defeat their Iroquois enemies. In 1615, Champlain and a dozen or so French soldiers joined a Huron invasion of the Iroquois homeland on the south shore of Lake Ontario. Their attack on an Iroquois town failed, and the invaders withdrew. Champlain was wounded in the fighting and had to be carried in a basket. The Iroquois never forgave the French. Quickies Did you know … • that in 1606 Champlain tried to establish a colony at Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal), Nova Scotia? To fight the boredom of the long winter, he instituted the Order of Good Cheer, which required the colonists to take turns entertaining each other with feasts and performances. This was Canada’s first social club. Who was “the Columbus of the Great Lakes”? Étienne Brûlé was a protégé of Samuel de Champlain, and the first European who could actually be called a frontiersman. Champlain sent young Brûlé to live among the Natives to learn their languages and their customs. Brûlé readily took to

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life in the wilderness. He travelled widely with the Natives, and there is evidence that he was the first European to see all of the Great Lakes except Lake Michigan. This has led some historians to call him “the Columbus of the Great Lakes.” Why are there uncertainties about Brûlé’s discoveries? Brûlé kept no known records of his own, but seems to have passed all of his information on to Champlain. In 1629, for reasons still disputed, Brûlé assisted the English in their capture of Quebec, and Champlain damned him as a traitor. Rather than give his former companion credit, Champlain may have claimed some of Brûlé’s discoveries for himself. Also, the Jesuit priests who were important chroniclers of the early days of New France hated Brûlé because they considered him immoral and unchristian. In their journals Brûlé is generally referred to as a “wretch.” Quickies Did you know … • that after Champlain returned to Quebec in 1633, he let it be known that he no longer considered Brûlé a Frenchman, but an outlaw? Probably believing it would please Champlain, the Natives with whom Brûlé had been living killed him. It was rumoured that the body was at least partially eaten in a cannibal feast. What was the most infamous mutiny in Canadian history?

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The most infamous act of mutiny in Canadian history was that of the crew of the Discovery against Captain Henry Hudson in 1611. It made a tragic hero out of Hudson, and added an intriguing mystery to Canada’s Arctic lore. Why did Henry Hudson’s crew mutiny? When Henry Hudson sailed his ship Discovery through the Hudson Strait (known then as the Furious Overfall) and into Hudson Bay in 1610, he thought he had reached the Pacific Ocean. The ship was trapped at the bottom of James Bay by ice, and the crew spent a hellish winter. In spring, when the ice finally went out of the bay, the starving survivors wanted to go back to England. Hudson told the men they were going to continue searching for the route to China. A group of conspirators seized control of the ship. They put Hudson, his teenaged son, a few sick men, and any crewmen who were loyal to the captain into a boat and set it adrift. The fate of Hudson and his fellow castaways remains a mystery. Quickies Did you know … • that of the 22 men who originally sailed with Hudson, only eight made it back to England alive? Four of them were tried on charges of mutiny, but were acquitted. They conveniently managed to lay blame for the crime on men who were already dead. Moreover, because these survivors of the Hudson expedition were now experienced Arctic mariners, they were very valuable to the British Admiralty.

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What was Henry Kelsey’s great accomplishment? In the early1690s, Kelsey became the first European to travel inland from Hudson Bay to the Canadian prairies. This was an important step in expanding the fur trade and opening up the interior of the continent. Kelsey also proved that a European could survive in the wilderness by adapting to Native ways. The Tragic Fates of 10 Explorers of Canada • Sir Humphrey Gilbert — drowned when his ship the Squirrel went down with all hands on a return voyage from Newfoundland, 1583. • Martin Frobisher — died in Plymouth, England, of infection after being shot in the thigh during a fight with the French, 1594. • Étienne Brûlé — murdered by Natives, possibly eaten, near Penetanguishene, Ontario, 1633. • Robert de La Salle — murdered by mutineers in Texas, 1687. • Pierre Radisson — died in extreme poverty in London, England, 1710. • James Cook — killed in confrontation with Natives, Hawaiian Islands, 1779.

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• Dionisio Alcala Galiano — decapitated by a cannonball at the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805. • Joseph René Bellot — went through the ice in Wellington Channel, Canadian Arctic, 1853. • David Thompson — died in extreme poverty in Longueuil, Lower Canada (Quebec), 1857. • Charles Francis Hall — died from illness, possibly poisoned, Greenland, 1871. What protégé of Captain James Cook has a major Canadian city named after him? James Cook is considered one of the greatest explorers and navigators of all time, and he was mentor to young George Vancouver. Vancouver sailed with Cook, witnessed his death at the hands of Hawaiian natives, and for the rest of his life held Cook as his idol. How did Vancouver make his own mark in history? In the early 1790s, Captain Vancouver charted much of the west coast of North America. He also proved that the island named after him is in fact an island. Previously Europeans had thought Vancouver Island was an extension of the mainland. Historians have said that of all the marine surveyors who trained under the great Captain Cook, only George Vancouver was in the same class as the master.

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Quickies Did you know … • Henry Kelsey kept his journal in rhyme, which means that one of the primary sources of early Canadian history is in the form of bad poetry? This plain affords nothing but Beast and grass And over it in three days time we past, getting unto the woods on the other side It being about forty sixe miles wide This wood is poplo (poplar) ridges with small ponds of water There is beavour in abundance but no Otter Who was known as “The Man Who Mapped the West”? David Thompson of London, England, came to Canada while just a boy as an apprentice with the Hudson’s Bay Company. A fellow employee taught him the basics of surveying, and this became the love of Thompson’s life. In 1797 he went over to the rival North West Company which expressed more interest in exploration than the Hudson’s Bay Company had. Over the next 15 years, usually under extremely primitive conditions, Thompson surveyed and mapped more territory than any individual explorer had done before him. It was a feat that would not be matched by anyone who came after. There were several occasions when Thompson was fortunate

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to emerge from the wilderness alive. At the age of 43, Thompson went to Montreal to work on his masterpiece, his “Map of the North-West Territory of the Province of Canada.” Thompson’s Great Map, as it came to be called, measures 10 feet by 6.5 feet. It shows, in detail, the region between Hudson Bay and the Pacific Ocean, from the Great Lakes and the Columbia River in the south to Lake Athabasca in the north. Thompson had travelled more than 50 thousand miles across that land in order to fill in the empty spaces. By the time of his death in 1857, Thompson was all but forgotten. Today he is recognized as one of the greatest mapmakers who ever lived. Quickies Did you know … • Britain and Spain both claimed Vancouver Island? When George Vancouver arrived there, he met the Spanish commander Don Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra. Though technically they were rivals, the Englishman and the Spaniard struck up a warm friendship. They agreed to name the island Vancouver and Quadra’s Island. What important scientific discovery was made by Arctic explorer James Clark Ross? In 1828, British explorer James Clark Ross and his uncle John Ross, both veterans of the Arctic, sailed their ship Victory to the Boothia Peninsula, the northernmost extension of mainland Canada. Their ship became trapped in the ice and the two Rosses and their men were stranded for many months. While they awaited a thaw that they hoped would release the 783

ship, James Ross made several journeys by sled. On one of these expeditions he reached a spot where he noticed the needle of a device called a dip circle (a type of compass) was pointing straight down. He realized he was standing above the North Magnetic Pole, the location of which had previously been unknown. Quickies Did you know … • that from 1816 to 1826 Thompson was “Astronomer and Surveyor” for the British Boundary Commission? He helped to establish the Ontario section of the United States-Canada border. Why was James Ross’s discovery important? Europeans had known for centuries that a compass needle points only in the general direction of the geographic North Pole, which is the actual true north. What the compass needle points directly at is the geomagnetic North Pole, which is not the same thing. Arctic explorers who had gone before James Ross had noted that in the Arctic their compasses behaved strangely, so they knew the North Magnetic Pole was somewhere in the area. The British believed Ross’s discovery important enough that they marked the North Magnetic Pole on their maps. Later it was learned that the North Magnetic pole moves from one location to another. Scientists still do not know why. Quickies

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Did you know … • the Victory never did get free of the ice, and had to be abandoned? In the summer of 1831 John and James Ross and their crew were rescued by a whaling ship. When did the first ship successfully navigate the Northwest Passage? In 1905, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen sailed his ship Gjoa from east to west through the Northwest Passage. In 1942, the RCMP vessel St. Roche became the first ship to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage from west to east. Who was the first Canadian astronaut? Marc Garneau, born in Quebec City in 1949, was the first Canadian in space. He had the rank of Commander in the Canadian Navy when in 1984 he was one of six applicants chosen from over 4,000 for the Canadian Astronaut Program. After his initial flight aboard the space shuttle Challenger as a payload specialist in 1984, Garneau flew further missions in 1996 and 2000, making him the first Canadian to go into space three times. Captain Garneau logged almost 678 hours in space before he retired as an astronaut. He has been made a Companion of the Order of Canada, and a Toronto high school has been named in his honour. A squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets is also named after Marc Garneau. In the 2008 ran as the Liberal candidate for the riding of federal election, Garneau ran as the Liberal candidate for the riding of Westmount-Ville-Marie, and won by more than 9,000 votes. 785

First Six Canadian Astronauts • Marc Garneau • Roberta Bondar • Bjarni Tryggavason • Bob Thirsk • Chris Hadfield • Steven Maclean

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native icons

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Who was Hiawatha? The legendary Hiawatha may have been an actual person — a leader of vision, and the architect of the Iroquois Confederacy in pre-Columbian North America. He was allegedly a gifted orator who convinced the Mohawk, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oneida nations to unite. The Tuscaroras joined the Confederacy later, making it the Six Nations. How did Chief Matonabbee contribute to Canadian exploration? Quickies Did you know … • that in 1940 a Hollywood studio planned to make a movie based on the legend of the historical Hiawatha? The idea was scrapped due to concerns that Hiawatha’s message of peace could be perceived as communist propaganda. The epic trek across the Arctic barren grounds made by English explorer Samuel Hearne from December 1770 to June 1772 would not have been possible without the help of the Dene Chief Matonabbee. A previous Native guide had abandoned Hearne in the middle of nowhere, and the explorer probably would have perished if Matonabbee had not come along. In the time that Hearne spent travelling with Matonabbee’s people, he learned valuable lessons about Arctic survival, and collected important geographic and scientific information.

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How was Joseph Brant a man of two worlds? Joseph Brant (Thayendanega) was a hereditary Mohawk chief. He was also the protégé of Sir William Johnson, the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the colony of New York. Johnson, who was married to Joseph’s sister Molly, provided young Brant with a sound education. While the teenaged Brant was learning classical literature, he was also fighting alongside fellow warriors against the French in the Seven Years War. In 1763, Brant sided with the British against the Ottawa Chief Pontiac. By the time of the American Revolution, Brant was secretary for Sir John Johnson, Sir William’s son. Brant was an influential leader who convinced most of the chiefs of the Iroquois Confederacy to support the British during the war, and he proved himself to be a skilled military tactician. Following the British defeat, he led his people to a new home on the banks of the Grand River in Upper Canada. There he encouraged them to make the transition from their traditional ways to a European agricultural lifestyle. The city of Brantford is named after him. Why is the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh considered a Canadian hero? Tecumseh was a visionary who believed that the only way the Native people could resist American expansion was for them to unite. For most of his adult life Tecumseh tried to forge an Indian Confederacy. That dream seemed all but shattered with the American victory at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. However, when war broke out between the British and the Americans in 1812, Tecumseh saw an opportunity to establish his Confederacy with British help. Tecumseh was especially 789

impressed with General Isaac Brock, who seemed to be made of tougher stuff than other British officers he had met. Without Tecumseh’s assistance, Brock would not have been able to pull off his spectacular victory at Detroit, and Upper Canada would have been wide open for invasion. Unfortunately, Brock was killed a few months later. In 1814, at the Battle of Moraviantown, Tecumseh died fighting in defence of Upper Canada, ending forever the hope of an Indian Confederacy. What renowned warrior chief never went to war against white expansion in the Canadian West? The Cree Chief Piapot (born about 1816), earned fame and honour as a young warrior, and later in life he was certainly opposed to the coming of the railroads and the signing away of Cree territory. But he believed armed resistance to the whites was futile. He took no part in the Red River Rebellion of 1869 or the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. However, Piapot refused to be assimilated into white culture. He did not convert to Christianity, and he encouraged his people to hold to their traditional beliefs and ceremonies. By the time Piapot died in 1908, he was a revered figure among the Natives of the Canadian prairies, and is still honoured as a defender of First Nations culture. Quickies Did you know … • Piapot refused to forbid his people to stage rain dances, which the Canadian government considered pagan and unacceptable, so Ottawa officially deposed him as chief in 790

1899? His people would not select a replacement, and Piapot remained chief — unofficially — for the rest of his life. How was Poundmaker both a peacemaker and a warrior? In the early 1870s, the Cree Chief Poundmaker (Pitikwahanapiwiyin) was instrumental in ending the generations-long war between the Cree and Blackfoot nations. To formalize the peace agreement he became the adopted son — at age 47 — of the Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot. However, Poundmaker remained a focus of the discontent the Cree people felt over mistreatment by the Canadian government. In 1885, he and his warriors joined Gabriel Dumont and the Métis in the Northwest Rebellion. Poundmaker knew they could not win the war, but he hoped to draw government attention to the desperate situation of the Cree and other prairie nations. Poundmaker defeated a Canadian military force at the Battle of Cut Knife Hill. A month later he voluntarily surrendered to Major General Frederick Middleton. At his trial, Poundmaker said, “You did not catch me. I gave myself up.” Poundmaker was sentenced to three years in prison, but was released after six months because he had tuberculosis. He died on July 4, 1886. Why is the Cree Chief Big Bear looked upon as a tragic figure? In the 1870s, Big Bear refused to sign any treaties with the Canadian government, considering them to be unfair to the Native peoples of the prairies. He tried to encourage other Native leaders to insist that reserve lands for the various indigenous nations be next to each other so there would be a 791

large First Nations confederacy within Canada. However, the Canadian government would not agree to this. Starvation resulting from the disappearance of the buffalo finally forced Big Bear to take his people to a reserve and accept meagre government handouts. The whites still considered him a troublemaker. In the Northwest Rebellion of 1885, Big Bear opposed violence but was unable to prevent young warriors from following the war chief Wandering Spirit. These warriors massacred nine people at Frog Lake. After a Canadian army crushed the rebellion at the Battle of Batoche, Big Bear was one of the Native leaders who was tracked down and arrested. Even though he was not responsible for any of the violence, he was sentenced to three years in prison. He was released early due to poor health, and died on January 17, 1888, at the age of 62. Quickies Did you know … • that when the governor general of Canada, the Marquis of Lorne, visited the West in 1881, authorities chose Poundmaker to be his guide, partly because of the chief’s handsome looks and aristocratic bearing? What Blackfoot chief was best noted for his statesmanship and diplomacy? Crowfoot was not a hereditary chief, but his courage in war and his perception in dealings with the whites and with traditional enemies like the Crow, the Cree, and the Sioux revealed him as a natural leader. As a youth Crowfoot was in 19 battles with rival tribes, and was wounded six times. One 792

of his most heroic deeds was to kill a grizzly bear with a lance. As an adult, Crowfoot rarely took the warpath, preferring negotiation and compromise. He adopted the Cree Chief Poundmaker and befriended the traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Crowfoot deplored the whiskey trade that was so ruinous to the Native peoples, and he welcomed the arrival of the North West Mounted Police. Crowfoot became disillusioned with the Canadian government, but he had visited cities like Regina and Winnipeg and realized that armed opposition to the whites would be futile. He did not join the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. Crowfoot died of tuberculosis in 1890. Quickies Did you know … • that Crowfoot was known for his philosophical observations? Perhaps the most famous is: “What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time. It is as the little shadow that runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.” Why did Simon Gun-an-noot run from the law for 13 years? Simon Gun-an-noot was a member of the Kispiox Clan of the Carrier Nation, and operated a successful ranch near New Hazelton, British Columbia. In June 1906, two white men, Alex McIntosh and Max Leclair, were found murdered. Both had been shot in the back. Hours earlier Simon Gun-an-noot had been involved in a violent quarrel with McIntosh, and so was immediately suspected, though there was no evidence 793

connecting him with the murders. Gun-an-noot did not think he would get a fair trial in a white court, so he fled into the mountains, taking his whole family with him. For 13 years Gun-an-noot evaded every attempt to catch him, even making the much-vaunted Pinkerton Detective Agency look foolish. He became a legend among the Native people, none of whom tried to collect the reward on Gun-an-noot’s head by informing on him or helping the white posses. In June 1919, after friends had secured him the services of a well-respected lawyer, Gun-an-noot voluntarily surrendered to the police. At his trial the jury took only 15 minutes to reach a verdict of not guilty. How did Tom Longboat astound the world in 1907? Tom Longboat was an Onondaga from the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. In 1907 he became the first Native long distance runner to win the Boston Marathon. He ran the 24-and-a-half-mile course in a record breaking 2:24:24. He had beaten the previous record by an incredible four minutes and 59 seconds. The following year Longboat collapsed during the Olympic marathon. Nonetheless, he went on to have a distinguished professional career as a runner. Quickies Did you know … • that in spite of his athletic accomplishments, Tom Longboat often experienced the ugliness of racism? He was frequently subjected to racial smears in the press. When his running career ended, he worked as a street cleaner in Toronto.

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Who was the first “Treaty Indian” to be elected to a Canadian provincial legislature? In 1981, Elijah Harper, a Cree from Red Sucker Lake, Manitoba, won the provincial riding of Rupertsland for the New Democratic Party, making him the first “Treaty Indian” to sit in a provincial legislature. In 1990, Harper gained national attention, and admiration, when he voted no to the controversial Meech Lake Accord, which he said ignored the rights of Native peoples. Harper’s opposition, coupled with that of Newfoundland Premier Clyde Wells, effectively killed the Meech Lake Accord.

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paragons of politics

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Who were the Baldwins of Upper Canada? William Warren Baldwin, a doctor and lawyer in Toronto, was a Reformer who opposed the elitist, ultra-conservative rule of the Family Compact, but did not agree with William Lyon Mackenzie’s idea of bringing an American form of republican government to Canada. He firmly believed in the British parliamentary system, and he rejected Mackenzie’s call for armed rebellion. In 1835, Baldwin was one of the founders of the Constitutional Reform Society. In 1848, William Baldwin’s son Robert joined the French Canadian Reform advocate Hippolyte La Fontaine to lead the Great Ministry which won the struggle for responsible government in 1849. The Baldwins and La Fontaine were true pioneers of Canadian independence. Quickies Did you know … • English novelist Charles Dickens, lifelong champion of the common people, visited Canada in 1842 and described the supporters of the Family Compact as adherents of “rabid Toryism”? Who was Canada’s poet-politician? Louis-Honoré Fréchette, born in 1839, was a poet, lawyer, and journalist who courageously attacked the power of the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec. The Church responded by discouraging potential clients from taking their legal business

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to Fréchette. He left Quebec in 1865 to spend six years in exile in the United States. He returned in 1871, and in 1874 was elected to the House of Commons. Fréchette lost his seat in the election of 1878. He now devoted all of his time and energy to writing, and in 1881 his fourth book of poetry, Les Fleurs Boreales, was awarded the Prix Montoyon by the Acadamie Francaise. Fréchette followed this with the work that is considered his masterpiece, La Legende d’un Peuple, published in 1887. This epic poem celebrated the heroes of French Canada before the British Conquest. It is now considered the first major Canadian poem in either English or French. La Legende was seen by Fréchette’s contemporaries as a magnificent patriotic work. Because of it he was given sinecure at the Legislative Council. Fréchette went on to write poems, plays, essays, and histories that established him as one of Canada’s literary pioneers. How did Egerton Ryerson revolutionize education in Canada? Compulsory, free education for all children was unheard of in early colonial Canada. Schools were privately run institutions for the children of the privileged, or they were run by churches. Egerton Ryerson believed that education should be secular, and should be available for children of all social classes. He travelled all over Europe and the United States studying various methods of schooling. Ryerson was strongly opposed by Upper Canada’s Family Compact and the powerful Anglican Church. Nonetheless, in 1844, Ryerson was made Chief Superintendent of Education for Canada West. From that post he fought long and hard to get government funding for schools, and for a college to train teachers. He was a pioneer in recruiting women as teachers, 798

which was considered a male occupation. His greatest achievement was the Ontario School Act of 1871, which guaranteed universal education. Why were Canada’s Fathers of Confederation heroes? The decades between the American Revolution and the American Civil War were uncertain times for the colonies of British North America. In the War of 1812 they defeated American invaders, but that did not guarantee security or lead to unity. Rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada, greater opportunities for immigrants in the United States, and a general lack of unifying bonds among the British colonies did not bode well for confederation. The men who became the Fathers of Confederation had to look past regional politics, petty bickering, and French-English differences to see a greater good. It was not until the final year of the American Civil War, when it seemed entirely possible that a victorious Union army might turn its attention to Canada once the Southern Confederacy had been defeated, that the idea of a united British North America started to gain popular support. Even then, some voices favoured joining the United States and others insisted on remaining under the colonial administration of Mother England. Canadian Confederation had strong opponents, and the men who favoured it faced an uphill battle. How did the American Civil War help to galvanize the Fathers of Confederation into action? During the Civil War, Britain did not formally recognize the Confederate government in Richmond, Virginia, but clearly favoured the South. The British continued to do business with 799

the South, and built warships for the Confederate navy. Confederate spies and raiders used Canada as a base from which to mount operations against the North. Sea captains from the Maritimes regularly ran the United States Navy’s blockade to deliver supplies to Southern ports. All this had many people in the North, including some top generals, clamouring for an invasion of Canada. The Fathers of Confederation realized that only by forming a strong union could they hope to avoid American annexation. Who were the leading Fathers of Confederation? John A. Macdonald was unarguably the driving force behind Confederation, and is still regarded as one of Canada’s greatest prime ministers. However, he would not have realized his dream of a Canadian nation had it not been for the efforts of six other men: Thomas D’Arcy McGee of Montreal, one of the most eloquent orators of the time; George Brown of Canada West (Ontario), founder of the Globe newspaper; Georges-Étienne Cartier, political leader of Canada East (Quebec) who believed a united Canada was in the best interests of the Quebecois; Alexander T. Galt, who represented Anglophones in Canada East; Samuel L. Tilley, the premier of New Brunswick; and Charles Tupper, the premier of Nova Scotia. Who were the other Fathers of Confederation? Besides the names already mentioned, the following are considered Fathers of Confederation for the original four provinces that made up Canada in 1867:

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Nova Scotia • Adams George Archibald • Robert B. Dickey • William Alexander Henry • Jonathan McCully • John William Richie New Brunswick • Edward Barron Chandler • Charles Fisher • John Hamilton Gray • John Mercer Johnson • Peter Mitchell • William H. Steeves • Robert Duncan Wilmot Quebec • Jean-Charles Chapais

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• Hector-Louis Langevin • Étienne-PaschalTaché Ontario • Alexander Campbell • James Cockburn • William Pearce Howland • William McDougall • Oliver Mowat Why is Sir Wilfrid Laurier considered one of Canada’s greatest prime ministers? Laurier, a Liberal, was Canada’s first francophone prime minister. He holds the record for the most consecutive federal elections won (4), and his 15 years as prime minister is the longest unbroken term in that office. His nearly 45 years of public service in the House of Commons is also a record, and no other Canadian politician has served as long (31 years, 8 months) as leader of a major political party. Canada expanded under Laurier’s tenure, and he was known for his policies of conciliation and compromise between English and French Canada. He was a strong advocate of a French-English partnership in Canada.

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Twelve Other Men Considered to be Fathers of Confederation • Louis Riel — brought Manitoba into Confederation in 1870. • Armour De Cosmo — brought British Columbia into Confederation in 1871. • George Coles, John Hamilton Gray (not to be confused with the man of the same name from New Brunswick), Thomas Heath Haviland, Andrew Archibald Macdonald, Edward Palmer, William Henry Pope, and Edward Whelan — brought Prince Edward Island into Confederation in 1873. • Frederick Carter and Ambrose Shea of Newfoundland — considered Fathers of Confederation even though Newfoundland initially rejected Confederation. • Joseph Roberts Smallwood — brought Newfoundland and Labrador into Confederation in 1949. Why was Lester Pearson awarded the Nobel Prize? In 1956, Lester Pearson was Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent. When the Suez Crisis threatened to embroil France, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and Israel in war, Pearson defused the potential international disaster and created the United Nations Emergency Force to police the disputed area. For this, Pearson was awarded the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. Pearson is considered the father of the modern concept of peacekeeping.

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Pearson was Prime Minister of Canada from April 22, 1963, to April 20, 1968. How did Lincoln Alexander make Canadian history? In 1968, Lincoln Alexander, representing the Ontario riding of Hamilton West, became Canada’s first Black member of Parliament. In 1985, Alexander was appointed lieutenant-governor of Ontario, making him the first Black person in Canada to serve in a viceregal position. Lincoln Alexander has been awarded the Order of Ontario and has been named a Companion of the Order of Canada. Quickies Did you know … • the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway in Hamilton was named in Alexander’s honour? Ironically, he has never had a driver’s licence. Who was the first Black woman to run for the leadership of a Canadian national political party? Rosemary Brown was born in Jamaica in 1930. When she came to Canada in 1950 to attend university, she encountered racism. White students did not want her for a roommate, and she had difficulty finding employment. She was determined to change things, and in 1972 she became the first Black woman elected to the British Columbia legislature. Two years later, the New Democratic Party asked her to run for the party’s leadership. She did not win, but the fact that she was

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in the race helped raise public awareness of the potential for both women and Blacks in politics. She continued to work for human rights, women’s issues, and world peace. Rosemary Brown died in 2003. Quickies Did you know … • Rosemary Brown once said, “To be Black and female in a society which is both racist and sexist is to be in the unique position of having nowhere to go but up”? Who was the first Black woman elected to Canada’s Parliament? In 1993, Jean Augustine, representing the Ontario riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore became the first black woman elected to Parliament. She served as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Jean Chretien 1994 to 1996. In 2004, she became the first Black woman to occupy the Speaker’s Chair in the Canadian House of Commons. Jean Augustine has received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, the Kaye Livingston Award, the Ontario Volunteer Award, the Pride Newspaper Achievement Award, the Toronto Lion’s Club Onyx Award, and the Rubena Willis Special Recognition Award.

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canada’s rebels

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Who was the forgotten hero of political reform in Upper Canada? Twenty years before the Mackenzie Rebellion, a Scot named Robert Fleming Gourlay wanted to encourage immigration to Upper Canada. He learned that the two greatest obstacles to settlement were the ruling Family Compact and the Church of England, who reserved huge tracts of the best land for themselves. Gourlay called this “paltry patronage and ruinous favouritism.” In 1818 he organized a convention at York (Toronto) to petition reforms from the new governor, Sir Peregrine Maitland. It was an orderly meeting attended by only 14 men, but the Family Compact saw Gourley as a serious threat. They came down on him with all their might. Future conventions were banned. Gourlay was assaulted on several occasions. Anyone associated with him was blacklisted. Finally Gourlay was arrested and banished from Upper Canada. His name later became a rallying cry for the Reform Movement, though Gourlay opposed the idea of armed rebellion. Gourlay is now a largely forgotten Canadian hero, but there is a bust of him in a Toronto park. Why did a rebellion flare up in Lower Canada (Quebec) in 1837? The colonial government in Quebec City was controlled by a small, elitist group of men, both French and English, who jealously guarded their power and privilege. Their main political opponent, the reformist Parti Canadien (later called the Parti Patriote) called them the Château Clique. When the Château Clique not only blocked measures proposed by the Parti Patriote, but also went as far as to have members of that

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party arrested, the more radical reformers resorted to armed insurrection. Who was Louis Joseph Papineau? Louis Joseph Papineau has been called the leader of the Rebellion of 1838, though he took no part in the fighting and actually abhorred violence. In fact, he fled to the United States to avoid arrest before the bullets even began to fly, and stayed there until granted amnesty. He was a political rebel who has been perceived as an early champion of Quebec independence because he opposed British rule. He remains one of the most enigmatic hero figures in Canadian history. Quickies Did you know … • many English and Irish residents of Lower Canada supported the French-speaking Patriotes in their demand for an end to the rule of the Château Clique? On the other hand, a large number of French Canadians who opposed the Château Clique also opposed the idea of armed revolt. The Patriotes called them vendus (people who had sold out) and Chouayens (after French militiamen who had deserted during the Battle of Chougen in 1756). Harassment at the hands of Patriotes drove some vendus to fight alongside the British. What were some of the puzzling contradictions about Louis Joseph Papineau?

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Papineau was conservative in theory, but revolutionary in practice. He supported political reform, but he opposed responsible government and democracy. He wanted a republican Quebec, but only if it was ruled by landed gentry like himself. He did not like English aristocrats, but he believed the habitants of Quebec should be subservient to a French aristocracy. At times he felt that Quebec should join the United States. Who were Wolfred Nelson and Thomas Storrow Brown? Nelson and Brown were both sons of Loyalist parents, but took the side of the Patriotes in demanding social and political reforms in Lower Canada. They were initially moderates, but they eventually supported armed revolution and the installation of a republican form of government modelled after that of the United States. Nelson fought against British troops at Saint-Denis. Brown lost the use of one eye in a political street fight in Montreal, and fought British troops at Saint-Charles. When the revolt was crushed, Brown fled to the United States where he remained until he was granted amnesty in 1844. Nelson was arrested and exiled to Bermuda. He, too, was granted amnesty in 1844. From 1854 until 1856 Wolfred Nelson was mayor of Montreal. Why did the death of Lieutenant George “Jock” Weir have tragic consequences for the people of Saint-Eustache? Young Lieutenant Weir became lost while carrying dispatches to Colonel Charles Gore of the British army. He was captured by French Canadian rebels who told him he would receive fair treatment as long as he did not try to 809

escape. Weir promised he would not try to escape, and then at the first opportunity, he made a run for it. He was re-captured and then brutally executed. Weir was shot twice, beaten with gun butts, and repeatedly stabbed and slashed with knives or sabers. Three fingers were cut off one of his hands. When the English soldiers found Weir’s mutilated body, they swore they’d have revenge on the “murdering French.” What happened at Saint-Eustache? On December 14, 1837, General John Colborne led an army of about 2,000 British troops and Canadian militia against Saint-Eustache, which was a rebel stronghold. The Patriote leader in the town was Jean-Olivier Chenier, a doctor and politician who had become a follower of Papineau. Most of his army of 1,500 men fled when British artillery began to bombard the town, but Chenier and about 80 others holed up in the stone church. The British gained access to the ground floor of the building, but couldn’t dislodge Chenier and his men from the choir loft and the upper chambers, so they set the interior on fire. Then they surrounded the building and waited with guns and bayonets. The word passed from soldier to soldier, “Remember Jock Weir.” Some of the rebels died in the flames. Those who tried to escape were shot or bayoneted. Chenier climbed out a window and was shot through the heart. Later his body was disembowelled. Vengeful soldiers ignored officers who tried to stop the slaughter, and killed men who were on their knees with their hands in the air. The revolt in Lower Canada was crushed, but Jean-Olivier Chenier and his men are remembered as martyrs. There is a statue of Chenier in Saint-Eustache. Who was the leader of the Rebellion in Upper Canada? 810

The leader of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837–38 was William Lyon Mackenzie, a fiery Scot who was a Reform politician and a journalist. Mackenzie founded a newspaper, the Colonial Advocate, in which he attacked the ruling elite, known as the Family Compact. Like the Château Clique in Quebec, the Family Compact was a tightly knit group of wealthy, influential men who dominated colonial affairs and ruthlessly crushed any threat to their power. How did the Family Compact respond to Mackenzie’s attacks in the Colonial Advocate? A group of young men disguised as “Indians” broke into Mackenzie’s office in York in broad daylight. They smashed his printing press and threw trays of type into the harbour. Magistrates friendly to the Family Compact initially refused to prosecute the perpetrators, but Mackenzie eventually successfully sued for damages. Why did Mackenzie turn to armed insurrection? Mackenzie was elected to the assembly of Upper Canada, but on several occasions he was ejected for speaking against the Family Compact and institutions like the Bank of Upper Canada. He travelled to Britain in hope of drawing attention to the need for political reform in Upper Canada, but was ignored. Mackenzie lost faith in the British parliamentary system, and began to speak in favour of the American republican system. In an election in 1836, Sir Francis Bond Head, the lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, actively campaigned for the Family Compact, denouncing Reformers like Mackenzie as traitors. Mackenzie lost his seat in the Assembly, and looked to other means to bring about change. 811

How did the Rebellion in Lower Canada influence Mackenzie’s plan of action? Almost all of the British troops garrisoned in Upper Canada had been sent to Lower Canada to put down the insurrection there. Mackenzie thought that with the redcoats gone, the time was right to strike and seize the government in York. Where did the main engagement of the Mackenzie Rebellion take place? On December 7, 1837, Mackenzie’s ragtag army of about 500 poorly armed rebels met a force of about 1,000 militia led by the War of 1812 hero James Fitzgibbon at Montgomery’s Tavern, about three and a half miles north of Toronto. There was an exchange of gunfire, and then the rebels turned and fled. One rebel was killed and several were wounded. The militia had five or six men wounded. The “battle” of Montgomery’s Tavern lasted only a few minutes. What was the aftermath of the Mackenzie rebellion? Two of Mackenzie’s followers, Samuel Lount and Peter Matthews, were hanged. About a hundred more were shipped off to a penal colony in Australia. Mackenzie fled to the United States and set up a “republic” on Navy Island in the Niagara River. He was arrested by the Americans and served a year in jail for breach of neutrality laws. For four years he was a political journalist for a New York newspaper. Mackenzie later expressed great disappointment in the American system of government. He said that if he had actually seen it at work sooner, he would never have led a rebellion. Mackenzie was eventually pardoned and returned to 812

Toronto. By this time the Canadian colonies had responsible government and the power of the Family Compact was broken. Mackenzie served in the legislature until 1858. He died in 1861. Mackenzie’s house at 82 Bond Street in Toronto is now a museum. Quickies Did you know … • Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King was a grandson of William Lyon Mackenzie? Why is Louis Riel considered the founder of Manitoba? Born in the Red River Settlement in 1844, Louis Riel was educated in Montreal and rose to leadership among the Métis even though he had only one-eighth Native blood. Riel was eloquent, deeply religious, charismatic, and ambitious. When Canadian government surveyors arrived on Métis land in 1869, Riel sent them packing. In what has been called the Red River Rebellion, Riel and his followers took possession of Fort Garry (Winnipeg). Riel formed a provisional government and drew up a “List of Rights” which was submitted to Ottawa. After much debate and political bargaining, this resulted in the passing of the Manitoba Act and the creation of a new province, which Riel himself named. Why did Riel have to flee from Manitoba? When Riel seized Fort Garry, the Canadian government sent out a military force under Colonel Garnet Wolseley to assert federal authority. Riel had to flee to avoid arrest on a charge

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of murder. There were even rumours that Ontario militiamen with Wolseley intended to lynch him. Who was Riel charged with killing? Among the new settlers in the Red River country were a number of people from Ontario who were also members of the Protestant Orange Lodge. The Orangemen, who wielded considerable political clout in Ontario, were strongly anti-French and anti-Catholic, and were openly contemptuous of Riel and the Métis. One of the most troublesome was a ruffian named Thomas Scott, who repeatedly defied Riel’s provisional government. Riel had Scott arrested on charges of interfering with the government. Scott was tried and sentenced to death. Ignoring advisors who wanted the death sentence commuted, Riel had Scott shot by a firing squad. In life, Scott had been a bully and a boor, but in death he achieved the status of martyr in Orange Ontario. His execution was the greatest blunder in Riel’s career. What happened to Riel after the Red River Rebellion? Riel was elected to Parliament, but was unable to take his seat. Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie granted Riel amnesty, on the condition that Riel accept banishment from Canada for five years. He went to the United States, became an American citizen, and eventually became a schoolteacher in Montana. Why did Riel return to Canada? In the summer of 1884, a deputation of Métis from what is now Saskatchewan went to Montana to seek Riel’s help. Once 814

again they were experiencing difficulties with a Canadian government that cared little about their rights and needs. The Métis thought that Riel was the only man who could effectively represent them. The leader of the deputation that went to Montana was Gabriel Dumont. What qualities of leadership did Gabriel Dumont possess? Born in the Red River country in 1837, Gabriel Dumont had the physical skills and the personal traits that made him a natural leader of the Métis people. He was a renowned buffalo hunter, as skilled with a bow and arrow as he was with a rifle. He was an excellent horseman and tracker. While still a boy, he proved his courage and fighting ability in a battle with the Sioux. Besides French, he spoke six Native languages fluently. Dumont was a compassionate man who shared his meat from the buffalo hunt with people in need. As a young man he realized that the Métis and the Native peoples had a common foe in the whites who were moving onto the prairies, and he was instrumental in making peace with long time enemies of the Métis like the Sioux and the Blackfoot. As the great herds of buffalo dwindled, Dumont helped convince the Métis to turn to farming. When was Gabriel Dumont president of a “republic”? In 1873, the Métis gathered at St. Laurent on the South Saskatchewan River and formed what was in effect an autonomous little republic. They drew up laws and elected a council with Dumont as president. Dumont was illiterate, but for two years he and his council governed with fairness and common sense. They passed legislation to deal with land and 815

timber rights, and to conserve the buffalo. Dumont’s unique prairie government was dissolved in 1875 with the arrival of the North West Mounted Police. How did Riel’s return to Canada lead to rebellion? Riel wrote to Ottawa, outlining the needs and grievances of the Métis people. The government ignored the letter. Riel, who by this time was clearly mentally unstable, decided that he had a mission from God to be the messiah for the Métis. He declared the Métis community of Batoche to be the capital of a new nation, ruled by him, and the centre of a new church, with Riel as its head. Riel sent messengers to Native leaders like Big Bear and Poundmaker, urging them to join him in a revolt against the Canadian government. Ottawa responded by sending an army to the west. Where did the main battle of the Northwest Rebellion take place? There were numerous skirmishes, but the biggest clash between Gabriel Dumont’s tough Métis fighters and Major General Frederick Middleton’s army took place at Batoche in May of 1885. There were 800 Canadian troops against no more than 200 Métis, but Dumont’s men gave the Canadians all they could handle. Not until the Métis were practically out of ammunition were the red-coated soldiers able to effectively press home an attack and route them. What happened to Dumont and Riel? Dumont fled to the United States, where he lived until he was granted amnesty. Riel surrendered and was charged with high 816

treason. He was tried by an all-English, all-Protestant jury and found guilty. Though there were those who believed Riel was insane, government-appointed doctors said he was a reasonable and accountable person who knew the difference between right and wrong. Riel was hanged in Regina on November 16, 1885. The St. Boniface, Manitoba, Museum has the moccasins and face mask Riel wore at his execution. Why does Riel remain a controversial figure? To many people Riel was a heroic figure who stood up for the rights of the Métis, who were certainly being mistreated by the federal government. In Quebec, Riel has been wrapped in a cloak of martyrdom that not even Louis Joseph Papineau achieved. However, others point out that, as obnoxious a character as Thomas Scott was, Riel had no legal right to have him executed. They believe Riel was insane by the time he led the Northwest Rebellion, and should have been committed to an institution.

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champions of sport

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How did Tommy Burns become the first Canadian heavyweight boxing champion of the world? Tommy Burns (born Noah Brusso in Normandy Township, Ontario, June 17, 1889) was an up and coming middleweight boxer in 1905, anxious for a shot at the middleweight title. Marvin Hart inherited the world heavyweight title when champion James Jeffries retired from the ring. Hart was obliged to defend his new title, and chose Burns as his first challenger, expecting an easy victory. At five-foot-seven, and 175 pounds, Burns was considered too small to be classed as a heavyweight contender. Nonetheless, he won a decision over Hart in a 20-round bout in Los Angeles on February 23, 1906. In a period of less than two years, Burns successfully defended his title 11 times, always against much bigger opponents, and usually winning by knockout. In San Diego he took on two challengers in one night, and knocked both out in the first round. Burns defended his title in the United States, Great Britain, France, and Australia. Quickies Did you know … • that it galled white America that a Black boxer had become heavyweight champion, and American sports writers did everything they could to downplay Jack Johnson’s accomplishment? One tactic was to diminish the ability of the man he had beaten. As a result, Tommy Burns’s reputation suffered. Only many years later would sports historians admit that Burns, the only Canadian-born heavyweight champion,

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was a courageous David against Johnson’s Goliath, and on that occasion Goliath won. Where did Tommy Burns lose the world heavyweight championship? In Sydney, Australia, Burns defeated the hometown favourite Bill Squires, and then made boxing history when he agreed to fight the Black American challenger Jack Johnson. Previously, no white champion would get into the ring with a black boxer. The bout was held on December 26, 1908. Standing over six feet tall, and weighing in at 203 pounds, Johnson dwarfed Burns. He had a long reach that Burns could not penetrate. It was rumoured that Burns had been sick with jaundice or influenza, and was 15 pounds under his normal fighting rate. Burns endured 14 punishing rounds until police stopped the fight and Johnson was declared the winner — the first Black world heavyweight champion. How did George Chuvalo restore legitimacy to professional boxing? In 1966, professional boxing was reeling from several body blows. Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) had won a pair of controversial victories over Sonny Liston, and there were accusations that the fights had been fixed. The American Legion, incensed over Ali’s refusal to be inducted into the military on the grounds of being a conscientious objector, threatened to boycott any American city that hosted an Ali fight. Ernie Terrell, with whom Ali was scheduled to have his next bout, backed out. Ali was offered a bout in Toronto with George Chuvalo, the heavyweight champion of Canada. 820

Boxing fans anticipated an easy victory for Ali, who up to that point had been winning all of his fights by knockout or TKO. Instead, Ali found himself in a hard battle with an opponent who just wouldn’t go down. Ali won the match by decision, but later said that Chuvalo was the toughest opponent he had ever faced. Chuvalo’s gutsy performance earned him, and professional boxing, a whole new respect. Who was “The man with the burning eyes”? Maurice “Rocket” Richard, superstar forward with the Montreal Canadiens from 1942 to 1960, played the game of hockey with such intensity, other players said he appeared to have “burning eyes.” Richard was the first player to score 50 goals in a season, and he did it in just 50 games. He was also the first player to score 500 goals in his career. His record-setting five-goal game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1944 Stanley Cup semi-finals is considered one of the great moments in Canadian professional sports. At the end of the game Richard was selected as first, second, and third star. What was the only NHL team to come back from a 3–0 game deficit to win the Stanley Cup? The Toronto Maple Leafs did it in 1942. In the Cup final series against the Detroit Red Wings, the Leafs lost the first three games but then stormed back to win the next three and tie the series. In front of a record-breaking crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens the home-town heroes won game seven and the Stanley Cup. Who was the hero of the 1972 Summit Series? 821

The eight-game Summit Series, held in September of 1972, was the first competition between full-strength Soviet and Canadian national ice hockey teams. Canada won the series four games to three, with one game ending in a tie. The winning goals in games six, seven, and eight were all scored by Paul Henderson. The final game of the series was watched by more people in Canada — about 16 million — than any other televised show before or since. Henderson’s winning goal in game eight, scored with just 34 seconds left in the third period, is considered the greatest moment in hockey history. In 1997, on the 25th anniversary of the goal, Paul was immortalized on a postage stamp issued by Canada Post and a silver coin by The Royal Canadian Mint. What is a “Gordie Howe hat-trick”? Gordie Howe was one of the professional hockey’s leading stars from 1946 until 1980. In the era before Wayne Gretzky he held more scoring records than any other player. Howe was a prolific goal scorer and a brilliant play maker. He was also known for his tough, aggressive style of play. When a player scores three goals in a game, it is called a hat-trick. When a player scores a goal, assists on another player’s goal, and is involved in a fight all in the same game, he is said to have had a “Gordie Howe hat-trick.” What was Bobby Orr’s most dramatic goal? Undoubtedly Orr’s most memorable goal was the 1970 Stanley Cup winner he scored against St. Louis Blues goaltender Glenn Hall. Just as Orr took his shot, he was 822

tripped by Blues defenceman Noel Picard. Orr was flying through the air as the puck went into the net. The photograph of the airborne Orr is one of the most famous hockey pictures ever taken. How did Darryl Sittler electrify Toronto hockey fans on February 7, 1976? That night, playing on a line with Lanny MacDonald and Errol Thompson, Toronto Maple Leafs star Darryl Sittler racked up a record-breaking 10 points; six goals and four assists. It is an NHL record that still stands. The victim was the Boston Bruins’ back-up goaltender Dave Reece. Toronto won the game 11–4. Fifteen Canadian Hockey Heroes and Their Nicknames • Maurice Richard — the Rocket • Henri Richard — the Pocket-Rocket • Wayne Gretzky — the Great One • Mario Lemieux — the Magnificent One • Gordie Howe — Mr. Hockey • Bobby Hull — the Golden Jet • Frank Mahovlich — the Big M • Yvan Cournoyer — the Roadrunner

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• Lionel Conacher — the Big Train • Eddie Shack — the Entertainer • Emile Francis — the Cat • Curtis Joseph —Cujo • Bernie Geoffrion — Boom-Boom • Lorne Worsley —Gump • Ted Lindsay — Terrible Ted How many NHL records did Wayne Gretzky achieve? At the time of his retirement, Wayne Gretzky held or shared in 61 NHL scoring records, including most regular season goals (894), most regular season assists (1,963), most goals in a single regular season (92), and the fasted 50 goals (39 games). Who is the Canadian Football League’s pass king? On October 28, 2000, Damon Allen of the B.C. Lions made a 45-yard touchdown pass to Alfred Jackson that moved him past the legendary Russ Jackson into sole possession of first place in the CFL’s all-time passing yards list. Allen went on to become the most prolific passer in professional football history.

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Five of the Greatest Moments in Canadian International Hockey History • The 1972 Summit Series with the Soviet Union. • The Canadian Olympic gold medal game against the United States in 2002. • The 1987 Canada Cup final against the Soviet Union. • The Canadian Juniors 2005 championship victory over Russia. • The Canadian women’s hockey team’s gold medal victory over Sweden in the 2006 Olympics. What Canadian race car champion followed in his father’s footsteps? Gilles Villeneuve won six Formula One Grand Prix races before he was killed in an on-track accident in 1982. His son Jacques has won the CART Championship (1995), the Indianapolis 500 (1995), and the Formula One World Championship (1997). What was the first non-U.S.-based Major League Baseball team to win the World Series? In 1992 the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Atlanta Braves to become the first franchise outside the United States to win a World Series championship. The Blue Jays won the

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championship again in 1993. They were the first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees of 1977–78. Who was the first Canadian-born golfer to win a professional major tournament? In 2003, Mike Weir of Bright’s Grove, Ontario, won the Masters, making him the first Canadian to win a major. During a ceremonial face-off at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Weir was given a minute-long standing ovation, making him quite likely the only golfer to be so honoured at a hockey game. Some Canadian Sports Heroes Who Have Won Olympic Gold • Percy William — running, 1928 • Barbara Ann Scott — figure skating, 1948 • Vic Emery, John Emery, Doug Anakin, Peter Kirby — bobsled,1964 • Nancy Greene — downhill skiing, 1968 • Alex Bauman — swimming, 1984 • Gaeten Boucher — speed skating, 1984 • Lennox Lewis — boxing, 1988 • Kerrin Lee-Gartner — downhill skiing, 1992 • Myriam Bedard — biathlon, 1994

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• Kathleen Heddle, Marnie McBean — rowing, 1996 • Robert Esmie, Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert, Carlton Chambers, Donovan Bailey — running, 1996 • Sandra Schmirler, Jan Betker, Marcia Gudereit, Joan McCusker, Atina Ford — curling, 1998 • Daniel Nestor, Sebastian Lareau — tennis, 2000 • Daniel Igali — wrestling, 2000 • Simon Whitfield — triathlon, 2000 • Marc Gagnon — speed skating, 2002 • Catriona Le May Doan — speed skating, 2002 • Jamie Sale, David Pelletier — pairs figure skating, 2002 • Adam Van Koeverden — canoe and kayak, 2004 • Beckie Scott — cross country skiing, 2004 • Brad Gushue, Jamie Korab, Mike Adam, Mike Nichols — curling, 2006 • Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes — speed skating, 2006 Which Paralympian was named Canadian Athlete of the Year in 2008?

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In 2008, wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc was awarded both the Lou Marsh Trophy and Canadian Press’s Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s Female Athlete of the Year. Petitclerc, who lost the use of both legs in an accident at the age of 13, had been competing in the Paralympic Games since 1992. Over five Games she had amassed an astounding 21 Paralympic medals, including five gold medals at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. She holds world records in the 100-, 200-, 400-, 800-, and 1,500-metre distances. A truly inspirational athlete, a municipal ice hockey arena in her home town of Saint-Marc-des-Carrières now bears her name. Which Olympian had a doll created in her image? Barbara Ann Scott was the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. After her win at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, she returned home to Canada to a hero’s welcome. The girl who became known as “Canada’s Sweetheart” was thrown a huge civic reception, presented with a new car by the mayor of her hometown of Ottawa (which she had to return in order to retain her amateur athlete status), and honoured by the Reliable Toy Company with the creation of a Barbara Ann Scott doll. She was a great inspiration for many girls born in the late 1940s and 1950s, quite a few of whom had been named after the popular skater.

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martyrs and marchers

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What legendary Prohibition-era rumrunner was also looked upon as a working class hero? During the years of American Prohibition, Ben Kerr of Hamilton, Ontario, was known as the King of the Rumrunners for his daring escapades smuggling liquor and beer across Lake Ontario in all sorts of weather, and under the noses of the United States Coast Guard. But even before his bootlegging career, Kerr won the admiration of working class Hamiltonians because of an incident that occurred during the Hamilton Street Railway Strike of 1909. The strike had been particularly violent, and a curfew was in effect. One night some soldiers and police enforcing that curfew barged into an ice-cream parlour where Ben Kerr was entertaining patrons with a piano. The police were wielding their billy clubs and the soldiers were threatening people with bayonets. Kerr was a supporter of labour unions, and so took the side of the civilians when the intruders became rough and abusive. He felled two of them with his piano stool before he was clubbed down himself. He escaped assault charges, and emerged as a local working class hero. Kerr’s disdain for danger ultimately led to his death. In February 1929, while making a liquor run on Lake Ontario, he died when his boat was crushed by ice. Who was Canada’s “Joe Hill”? Joe Hill was a Swedish-American labour union organizer who was executed for murder in 1915. Many people believed he was framed because of his union activities. His story has inspired songs and movies. Albert “Ginger” Goodwin was a British-born coal miner who came to Canada and worked in coal mines in Nova Scotia and on Vancouver Island. He was

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involved in the brutal island coal strike of 1912–13. In 1917, Goodwin was elected president of the British Columbia Federation of Labour, and Secretary of the Trail Mill and Smeltermen’s Union. That same year Goodwin led a strike for the eight-hour workday at the Trail, British Columbia, lead/ zinc smelter. Goodwin was known as a pacifist who opposed Canada’s participation in the Great War (the First World War). He had already been examined by the conscription board, and rated as unfit for military duty because he had black lung and bad teeth. After the Trail strike, the conscription board suddenly reversed its decision and declared Goodwin fit for military service. He fled into the bush and for some months, with the help of sympathizers, evaded the police who were looking for him as a draft dodger. On July 27, 1918, Goodwin was shot and killed by a special constable of the Dominion Police near Cumberland. The officer claimed self-defence, and was exonerated without an investigation. Many people believed Goodwin had been murdered, and public anger resulted in a general strike in Vancouver on August 2, 1918; the first general strike in Canadian history. A section of highway near Cumberland was named after Ginger Goodwin. What was the origin of Miner’s Day (also called Davis Day) on Cape Breton Island? In the tumultuous history of coal mining in Cape Breton, 1925 was one of the worst years for trouble between the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO) and the Cape Breton branch of the United Mine Workers of America. BESCO president Roy Mitchell Wolvin was determined to break the union. He cut off credit at company stores at places like New Waterford where there was strong union militancy. 831

This was followed by exchanges of labour actions and company reprisals. On June 11, at Waterford Lake, there was a confrontation between demonstrating miners and mounted company police. One of the miners present was William Davis, a 38-year-old native of Gloucestershire, England. It is uncertain why the five-foot-three-inch, 150-pound Davis was there. Some say he was present to support the union cause. Others say he was looking for a son who had skipped school, or was just out to get milk for his family. Whatever his intentions, Davis was about to become a martyr. The mounted company police suddenly charged the miners with guns blazing. William Davis was shot through the heart. An official inquiry concluded that Davis had been killed by a “stray shot,” and no one was ever held accountable for his death. In Cape Breton, June 11 is a day on which people remember William Davis as well as all those who have died in mine accidents. There is a Davis Square in New Waterford, and a Davis Wilderness Trail. What happened in Estevan, Saskatchewan, on September 29, 1931? Men and boys working in the coal mines of southeastern Saskatchewan were among the most exploited in Canada in the first decades of the twentieth century. The mines were appallingly unsafe and unhealthy. Wages were shamefully low, and the miners were expected to do numerous jobs for no pay at all. The company houses in which the miners’ families lived were squalid shacks, and the company stores in which they were obliged to shop grossly overpriced the merchandise. Then the Great Depression hit and things got 832

worse. To rescue their profits, in 1931 the mine owners cut the already pitiful wages paid to the miners. This led to labour union activity that the mine owners tried hard to suppress. The situation came to a violent head on September 29. Striking miners staged a march through coal country from Bienfait to Estevan to draw attention to their plight and win public support. The motorcade of old cars and trucks that accompanied the marchers carried their wives and children. In Estevan the unarmed strikers were confronted with Estevan town police, RCMP constables, and the local fire department. The police told the strikers to disperse. They refused. A general fight broke out when the police started arresting people. Stones were thrown, and the police began to fire their guns. When the smoke cleared, three miners lay mortally wounded. Pete Markunas, 27, and Julian Gryshko, 26, were both shot in the stomach, and Nick Nargan, 25, was shot through the heart. Eight other strikers, four bystanders, and one RCMP officer were also wounded by police bullets. In the annals of Canadian labour history the date has been known ever since as Black Tuesday, and Markunas, Gryshko, and Nargan are recognized as martyrs to the cause of workers’ rights.

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marathon men and women

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Who was Terry Fox? Born in Winnipeg on July 28, 1958, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Terry Fox was a young man who lost his right leg to cancer and then captured the hearts and imaginations of Canadians and people around the world with his courageous Marathon of Hope run in 1980. To raise money for cancer research, Terry intended to run across every Canadian province, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. It was an incredible challenge for any athlete, let alone a youth with an artificial leg. The image of Terry Fox jogging along the Trans Canada Highway in his trademark half-skip style of running, with his arms working in close to his body to maintain balance, has become a Canadian icon that is still a source of inspiration. What was Terry Fox’s background as a runner? Terry was always competitive in sports — swimming, basketball, soccer, rugby, and baseball. He had no interest in running until a school physical education teacher encouraged him to train for cross-country running. Out of respect for the teacher, Terry began to run. He found it exhausting at first, but kept it up. How did Terry Fox lose his right leg? On November 16, 1976, Terry hurt his right knee in a car accident. The injury didn’t seem serious, but in 1977 he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, a form of bone cancer that strikes young males more often than it does females or older people. In Terry’s case it started at the knee and worked

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its way into the muscles and tendons. At that time the only treatment for it was amputation. Terry’s leg was removed several inches above the knee. He believed that the injury he’d received in the car accident weakened his knee and made it susceptible to cancer. The doctors did not agree with this, even though trauma is a suspected cause of osteogenic sarcoma. What made Terry decide to run across Canada? The night before his amputation, Terry’s coach showed him a magazine article about an amputee who had run in the New York Marathon. That made him realize that he could overcome his disability. Later, as he was going through what he described as “sixteen months of the physically and emotionally draining ordeal of chemotherapy” he became aware of the feelings of the other patients in the cancer clinic. “There were the faces with the brave smiles, and the ones who had given up smiling … Somewhere the hurting must stop … and I was determined to take myself to the limit for this cause.” How did Terry prepare for his run across Canada? Early in 1979, Terry began his training, running half a mile a day on his artificial leg. When he could do that reasonably well he began adding another half mile a week to his regimen until he was running 13.5 miles a day. He secured assistance from the Canadian Cancer Society and several corporate sponsors for gas, a vehicle, running shoes, and money. He also received grants to buy a running leg. When did Terry begin his run? 836

On April 12, 1980, Terry dipped his leg into the harbour of St. John’s, Newfoundland. He filled two bottles with water from the Atlantic Ocean. He intended to keep one as a souvenir, and pour the other one into the Pacific Ocean when he dipped his leg into the harbour of Victoria, British Columbia, at the end of his cross-Canada run. He then set out to do what most people considered impossible. How well publicized was Terry’s run? At first not many people were aware of it. But as the days passed and Terry made his way across Newfoundland and through the Maritime provinces, the media began to pay more attention, and the crowds waiting along the highway to watch Terry pass by grew significantly. By the time Terry reached Toronto his name was a household word. Thousands of people jammed Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto City Hall to see the young hero. Hockey great Darryl Sittler was on hand to give Terry his NHL All Star team sweater. TV star Lee Majors commented that Terry Fox was the “real” Six Million Dollar Man. At a performance in Kitchener, Ontario, Kris Kristofferson dedicated a song to Terry. Quickies Did you know … • Terry’s run almost came to a sudden and tragic end on the Trans Canada Highway in Cape Breton when a transport truck slammed into a CBC vehicle that was filming him from just a few feet away? The CBC vehicle was knocked right off the road, and the three men in it were injured. If Terry had been a few yards farther ahead he might have been killed. 837

What were some of the daily problems Terry Fox experienced during his run? Bad weather could be a problem. If Terry ran close behind his vehicle to get some shelter from strong winds or driving rain, he breathed exhaust fumes. He suffered blisters on his left foot, and blisters and sores where the fitting for his artificial leg rubbed against his stump. In addition to constant exhaustion, he experienced stomach cramps and light-headedness. There were periodic mechanical problems with the artificial leg. Farmers’ dogs could be a nuisance. Transport trucks that roared by at high speeds were unnerving and dangerous. In Quebec, some car drivers actually tried to force Terry off the road. (Not until he reached Ontario did Terry have a regular police escort). When Terry stopped for rest breaks or to camp overnight, he often had no privacy. The pressure to attend dinners and receptions after a day’s run of 29 miles could be almost overwhelming. Where did Terry Fox’s run end? Terry had to end his run on September 1 just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, when it was found that the cancer had spread to his lungs. Running an average of 23.3 miles a day over 143 days, he had covered an astonishing 3,339 miles. By February 1981 his Marathon of Hope had raised $24.17 million for cancer research, realizing Terry’s dream of making $1 for each Canadian. Terry died on June 28, 1981, at 4:35 a.m., his favourite time for running. What is Terry Fox’s legacy?

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The Terry Fox Marathon of Hope continues to be run in communities across Canada to raise money for cancer research. There are statues of Terry Fox in Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Burnaby, and Victoria. His image has been on a Canadian stamp and the one dollar coin (the only person outside royalty whose image has been on a Canadian coin). Schools, roadways, streets, libraries, sports facilities, a provincial park, a mountain, and a Canadian Coast Guard vessel have been named after him. His story was told in a 1983 HBO TV movie, The Terry Fox Story, which starred Eric Fryer and Robert Duval. In 2005, CTV produced another movie, Terry, starring Shawn Ashmore. The Nancy Ryan’s Singers performed a song called “Run, Terry, Run.” Rod Stewart’s song “Never Give Up On a Dream” (co-written with Bernie Taupin) was a tribute to Terry Fox, and proceeds from the song go to cancer research. Further Awards and Honours for Terry Fox • Companion of the Order of Canada • Order of the Dogwood (British Columbia’s highest civilian award) • Lou Marsh Trophy of1980 • Sword of Hope Award from the American Cancer Society, 1980 • Canadian of the year,1980 • Canadian newsmaker of the year, 1980–81

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• Canadian of the decade for 1980s • TSN Athlete of the Decade for 1980s • Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame • Placed number 5 in CBC’s Greatest Canadians program. Quickies Did you know … • Terry Fox’s death was reported in the news all over the world? Flags at government buildings across Canada were flown at half-mast to salute a national hero. What did Steve Fonyo call his cross-Canada run? Steve Fonyo, born in Montreal on June 29, 1965, lost his left leg to cancer at the age of 12. Inspired by Terry Fox’s run, Steve began his Journey for Lives marathon on March 31, 1984, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1985, in Victoria, British Columbia. He ran and completed it on May 29, 1985, in Victoria, British Columbia. He ran 4,923 miles in 424 days at an average of 12 miles per day, and raised $14 million for cancer research. It was an incredible accomplishment, but it was overshadowed by Terry Fox’s run of 1980. Why did Steve Fonyo make the run?

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Steve turned 16 the week Terry Fox died. He had looked upon Terry as a true hero, and he wanted to complete the run that Terry had been unable to finish. How did the public react to Steve Fonyo’s run? Quickies Did you know … • Steve Fonyo also ran a marathon across Great Britain to raise money for cancer research? At first much of the public reaction was negative. People accused Steve of being a copycat and taking advantage of Terry Fox’s popularity. However, as he persevered with his run, the public began to accept what he was doing on its own merits. In 1985, Steve became the youngest person up to that time ever to be made an Officer of the Order of Canada. There are streets named after Steve Fonyo in Kingston, Ontario, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and a beach in Victoria. How was Rick Hansen inspired to launch his Man in Motion world tour? Rick Hansen, born in Port Alberni, British Columbia, on August 26, 1957, was an all-star athlete when he lost the use of his legs at age 15 after being thrown from the back of a truck and suffering a spinal injury. Rick’s inspiration was his friend Terry Fox’s heroic attempt to run across Canada.

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What were Rick Hansen’s athletic accomplishments before he began his Man in Motion tour? Rick was the first student with a physical disability to graduate in physical education from the University of British Columbia. He was on teams that won national championships in wheelchair volleyball and basketball. In the 1980 Summer Paralympics he won the gold medal in the 800-metre wheelchair race. He won 19 international wheelchair marathons, including three world championships. What was the Man in Motion tour? Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion tour was a monumental project to raise money for spinal cord research and to enhance public awareness of the difficulties faced everyday by people with physical handicaps. Simply, Rick decided to manually wheel himself around the world. He started in Vancouver on March 21, 1985. Twenty-six months later, on May 22, 1987, he was back in Vancouver. Rick had covered more than 40,000 miles through 34 countries on four continents, and had raised $26 million. His tour had taken him across North America, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and the Far East. What were some of the difficulties Rick Hansen faced? Rick pushed himself across every sort of terrain and in all kinds of weather. He crossed burning deserts, and navigated ice-covered winter roads. He was slowed down, but not stopped, by floods and gale force winds. The strain of manually propelling his chair day after day resulted in injuries to Rick’s shoulders, wrists, and hands. He developed sores 842

from the long hours in his chair. Rick came down with the flu and bladder infections, and had an episode of carbon monoxide poisoning. Quickies Did you know … • that the song “St. Elmo’s Fire” from the soundtrack of the movie of the same name, was written in Rick Hansen’s honour by fellow British Columbian David Foster? How has Canada honoured Rick Hansen? Rick Hansen was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy in 1983 (shared with Wayne Gretzky), was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1988, and received the Order of British Columbia in 1990. He has been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum where his wheelchair and other items associated with the Man in Motion tour are on display. Several schools and a township have been named after him, and there is a statue of him at General Motors Place in Vancouver. How many swimming records does Vicki Keith hold? Vicki Keith of Winnipeg, Manitoba, holds 16 world swimming records and has been the recipient of 41 honours and awards, including the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario. Her marathon swimming triumphs have all been part of her efforts to raise money for children with physical

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disabilities. Vicki made her first Lake Ontario crossing in August, 1986. One year later she became the first person to make a double crossing of Lake Ontario. In the summer of 1988 she became the first person to swim across all five Great Lakes: 16 miles across Lake Erie, 47 miles across Lake Huron, 45 miles across Lake Michigan, 20 miles across Lake Superior, and a 24-mile finale across her favourite swimming hole, Lake Ontario. Ten Vicki Keith Swimming Accomplishments • Most crossings (six) of Lake Ontario. • First butterfly swim across Lake Ontario. • First butterfly swim across the English Channel. • Longest solo swim (distance) 58 miles. • Longest solo swim (time) 63 hours, 40 minutes. • Continuous swimming (pool) 129 hours, 45 minutes. • Longest distance, male or female, butterfly, 49 miles. • Circumnavigation of Sydney, Australia, Harbour (butterfly). • Crossing of Juan de Fuca Strait, British Columbia. • Crossing of Catalina Channel, California, (butterfly). Who is Josephine Mandamin?

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Josephine Mandamin is an Anishinabe grandmother from Thunder Bay, Ontario, whose mission is to draw public attention to the plight of the Great Lakes. Pollution, invasive species, and evaporation due to global warming have the Great Lakes ecosystem on the verge of collapse. Starting in 2003, at the age of 61, Josephine has walked around all five Great Lakes, a total of 10,563 miles. She carries a brass bucket full of lake water, and is usually accompanied by a fellow water walker (friends take turns at this) who carries a pole of eagle feathers. She will complete her mission by walking the length of the St. Lawrence River, from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean.

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amazing animals

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What canine hero was killed on the very day he was chosen to receive a medal for valour? A German shepherd named King was the mascot of the Canadian drill-boat John B. King. In March of 1930, crew member Jack Wylie went through the ice of the St. Lawrence River, and would have drowned if King had not plunged into the frigid water and rescued him. King’s bravery was brought to the attention of the Spratt’s Dog Hero Award Committee in New York. On June 26, 1930, the committee chose King to receive the award. That very day the John B. King was planting dynamite charges in the bed of the St. Lawrence River off Brockville, Ontario, in a channel-widening project. A bolt of lightning struck the ship, detonating the explosives on board and in the riverbed below. The John B. King exploded. Only 11 of the 41 men aboard survived. Jack Wylie was among the dead, as was the dog-hero, King. What part did a horse play in the legend of Simon Girty? Simon Girty, an American villain but a Loyalist hero, was drinking in a Detroit tavern when American troops came to take possession of the post following the British withdrawal in 1796. If the Americans had captured Girty they probably would have hanged him. But he quickly mounted his horse, and the animal leaped into the Detroit River and swam across to the Canadian side with Girty clinging to its back. Girty later said that when the horse died, he buried it with full military honours. What is “The Animals’ Victoria Cross”?

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In 1943, Maria Dickin, founder of a British veterinary charity called the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), instituted the Dickin Medal to honour the accomplishments of animals in war. It is a bronze medallion inscribed with the words For Gallantry and We Also Serve. Between 1943 and 1949 it was awarded to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, three horses, and one cat. The award was revived in 2000. Four Famous Canadian Horses • Alfred was General Isaac Brock’s horse. This was the horse that carried Brock on his famous ride from Fort George to Queenston on October 13, 1812, to fight an invading American army. Like Brock, Alfred was killed in the battle. There is a monument to Alfred in the village of Queenston. • Midnight, born in Alberta in 1916, was one of the greatest rodeo horses of all time. Many a rodeo cowboy would boast that he “almost” rode Midnight. Very few actually accomplished it. In 1967, the Midnight Stadium in Fort Macleod was named after the great horse. Midnight was the first animal to be inducted into the Canadian Rodeo Hall of Fame. • Northern Dancer was Canada’s most famous race horse. In 1963, thethree-year-old won the Flamingo Stakes, the Florida Derby, the Blue Grass Stakes, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen’s Plate. He also won the Eclipse Award as the champion three-year-old of 1964. In his two years of racing, Northern Dancer won 14 of his 18 races and never finished worse than 3rd. He then became the most successful sire of the twentieth century. There is a statue of Northern Dancer at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. 848

• Burmese, born in Saskatchewan in 1962, was a product of the RCMP’s horse breeding program. At first she was thought to be too small for the Mounties’ famous musical ride, but when given the chance, she outperformed all of the other horses and quickly became the star of the show. In 1969, the RCMP gave Burmese to Queen Elizabeth II as a gift. Every year from 1962 to 1986 the queen rode Burmese for the Trooping of the Colour ceremony held in London on her official birthday. Burmese participated in mounted patrols and various pageants, and became one of the most famous horses in England. Burmese died in 1990. In 2005, a bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth mounted on Burmese was unveiled in front of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina. What is the Purina Animal Hall of Fame? Since 1968, the Purina Animal Hall of Fame has been honouring animals that have proven themselves to be pet heroes. As of 2008, the inductees include 114 dogs, 23 cats, and one horse. The Purina Animal Hall of Fame is the featured exhibit at PawsWay in Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. How did a dog become a Cape Breton hero? On a summer day in 2000, Corporal Rick Mosher of the Sydney detachment of the RCMP, and his four-year-old Belgian Malinois, Bandit, were in pursuit of a suspect. On Corporal Mosher’s command, Bandit moved in to subdue the suspect. The man slashed at Bandit with a knife that he had concealed in his sleeve. The dog fell back with a severed spinal cord. It then appeared that the suspect was about to attack Corporal Mosher with the knife. Instantly Bandit 849

pounced on the suspect. This time he received a fatal stab wound. But his courageous sacrifice gave Corporal Mosher the precious moments he needed to draw his gun and apprehend the suspect. In 2001, Bandit was chosen as the recipient of the Ralston Purina Service Dog of the Year Award. Three Dickin Awards with Canadian Connections • In 1944, a carrier pigeon named Beach Comber received the Dickin Award for bringing the first news to England of the landing of the Canadian army at Dieppe on August 19, 1942. • In 2000, a Newfoundland dog named Gander was posthumously honoured with a Dickin Award for gallantry in the Second World War. Gander was the mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada who were sent to Hong Kong in 1941 to defend the island from the Japanese. During the battle, Gander charged at a group of Japanese soldiers who were threatening some wounded Canadians, and drove them off. Later, when a grenade landed near some Canadian soldiers, Gander picked it up with his teeth and ran with it. The grenade exploded, killing Gander instantly, but the dog had saved the soldiers’ lives. • In 2003, the Dickin Award was given to a German shepherd named Sam for actions in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Sam belonged to the British Royal Army Veterinary Corps, but he was assigned to the Royal Canadian Regiment in Drvar. On April 18, 1998, Sam subdued an armed man who was threatening civilians and military personnel. Six days later, when rioters threatened to attack a compound holding Serbian refugees,

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Sam held them at bay until reinforcements arrived. Sam’s valour undoubtedly saved many lives. Twelve Police Dogs Inducted Into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame • 1974 — Cloud II; North Bay OPP, Ontario • 1981 — Lance; Kitchener OPP, Ontario • 1989 — Dick; Montreal, Sûreté de Québec • 1992 — Tracker; Sudbury Police, Ontario • 1993 — Cato; Toronto Police, Ontario • 1994 — Ewo; Niagara Falls Police, Ontario • 1997 — Keno; Toronto Police, Ontario • 2003 — Tracer; N. Vancouver RCMP, BritishColumbia • 2004 — Cyr; Saskatoon Police, Saskatchewan • 2005 — Tim; New Minas RCMP, NovaScotia • 2006 — Odin; Calgary Police, Alberta • 2007 — Ki; Bracebridge OPP, Ontario Quickies Did you know …

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• that Saskatoon police dog Cyr was killed in the line of duty? An anonymous businessman donated more than $10,000 for the purchase of bulletproof vests for the city’s police dogs. A park in Saskatoon has been named in Cyr’s honour. Why was a horse inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame? In 1978, near Newmarket, Ontario, a Morgan/Quarter Horse named Indian Red drew attention to a helpless elderly woman who had collapsed and fallen into a snow-filled ditch beside a country road on a cold winter night. How has a dog named Koma saved lives in Afghanistan? Koma is a female German shepherd trained to sniff out land mines. She can find improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that are otherwise very difficult to detect. Dogs like Koma contribute to the safety of Afghan workers and other civilians, as well as to that of the Canadian military. Five Cats Inducted Into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame • 1979 — Tarbot; Caledonia, Nova Scotia: awoke owners and saved them from fire. • 1984 — Angel; Fredericton, New Brunswick: awoke owners and saved them from fire. • 1992 — Cali; Toronto, Ontario: alerted sleeping owner of an intruder trying to break into her apartment.

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• 2004 — Sosa; Quebec: protected owner from a poisonous snake. • 2004 — Shadow; Calgary, Alberta: awoke family and saved them from carbon monoxide poisoning.

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question and feature list

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Courage in Battle What is the Valiants Memorial (Monument aux Valereux)? Where was Canada’s “Thermopylae”? Quickies Who were Butler’s Rangers? Quickies Why are the Loyalists remembered as heroes in Canada? Who were the Canadian Rangers? Why is Sir Isaac Brock called the Saviour of Upper Canada? What were the circumstances of Brock’s death at Queenston Heights? What were Brock’s dying words? How have Canadians honoured Sir Isaac Brock? Quickies Why is Laura Secord called the Heroine of Upper Canada? How dangerous was Laura Secord’s mission? Who knew of Laura’s heroism?

855

How did Tecumseh die? Quickies What Canadian officer was once addressed as “Marquis of cannon powder”? Seven More Canadian Heroes of the War of 1812 Who was the first Canadian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross? Quickies What was the connection between the War of 1812 and a Black Canadian who was awarded a Victoria Cross? What former Mountie won a Victoria Cross in the Boer War? Quickies What Canadian soldier won The Queen’s Scarf of Honour in the Boer War? Why is Georgina Pope included in the Valiants Memorial? Where did the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) fight in the First World War? Who was the first Canadian to win a Victoria Cross in the First World War? Quickies

856

Why was the Canadian Expeditionary Force called “the Salvation Army” in 1915? Why does Vimy Ridge have a special place in Canadian military history? Quickies What happened at Passchendaele? Ten Canadians Passchendaele

Awarded

the

Victoria

Cross

After

What future governor general of Canada was a decorated as a First World War hero? Who was the first Canadian fighter pilot to shoot down an enemy plane in the First World War? Quickies Who was the top Canadian air ace in the First World War? Quickies What type of plane did Billy Bishop fly? Quickies What Canadian fighter pilot was credited with killing the Red Baron?

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Ten Other Canadian First World War Air Aces and Their Scores Who commanded the Black Flight? The Pilots of the Black Flight and Their Planes What was unusual about the Victoria Crosses won by Lieutenant Fred Harvey of Alberta, Lieutenant Harcus Strachan of Winnipeg, and Lieutenant Gordon Flowerdew of Saskatchewan during the First World War? What act of heroism earned Corporal Joseph Kaeble the Victoria Cross? Who were the first men of the Royal Canadian Navy to be killed in the First World War? Who was the only Canadian navy man to win a Victoria Cross in the First World War? Why is there a monument to the memory of Hugh Cairns in a park in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan? Who was the most decorated Canadian in the First World War? What distinction did the Royal Newfoundland Regiment have in the First World War? Quickies

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Where did the Canadian Armed Forces fight in the Second World War? Who was the first Canadian to be decorated in the Second World War? Who was the first Canadian Second World War pilot to achieve the status of ace? Why was Second World War fighter pilot George Beurling nicknamed “Buzz”? Quickies Ten Other Canadian Second World War Air Aces and Their Scores How many Canadian airmen participated in the Battle of Britain? Why was J.F. “Stocky” Edwards called “The Desert Hawk”? Why were Canadian troops sent to defend Hong Kong? What happened when the Japanese attacked Hong Kong? Twelve Canadians Who Were Decorated for Actions During the Battle of Hong Kong Why is August 9, 1942, considered one of the darkest days in Canadian military history? What was the purpose of the Dieppe raid?

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Why did the Dieppe raid fail? Who was “The Gallant Padre”? What was the legacy of Dieppe? Quickies Why is Captain John Wallace Thomas included in the Valiants Memorial? What native of Prince Edward Island participated in an action described as “one of the greatest episodes in naval history”? Who was one of the first Allied soldiers to go ashore in the invasion of Sicily? Who was the only French-Canadian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War? What was “The Devil’s Brigade”? Who was the most decorated member of the Devil’s Brigade? Quickies Who was the real “Tunnel King” in the true story of the Great Escape? Quickies How did the Canadians break through the Hitler Line?

860

Who was the first member of the Royal Canadian Air Force to be awarded the Victoria Cross? How did Andrew Mynarski receive a belated, posthumous Victoria Cross? What was the Canadian army’s role in the D-Day invasion of Normandy? How well did the Canadian army do on D-Day? Why did the Canadians have a special hatred for Colonel Kurt Meyer of the Waffen SS? How did a cigarette case save the life of Star Trek’s “Scotty” during the Normandy Campaign? How did a Canadian fighter pilot knock Germany’s top general out of the war? Quickies Quickies What real-life Canadian master of espionage was a model for Ian Fleming’s fictional character James Bond? Quickies What three Canadians’ names are on the Valencay SOE Memorial in France?

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Who was the only woman to hold a senior position with SOE? Quickies Who was the last Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross? Quickies Quickies How many Canadians served in the Korean War? How did the 2nd Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry earn a United States Presidential Citation? Who was the only Canadian pilot shot down in the Korean War? When did Canada officially dedicate the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? How did two Canadian peacekeepers win the Star of Courage on Cyprus? Quickies Where is Canada’s Highway of Heroes? To Serve and Protect Who was the first police officer in Canada to die in the line of duty?

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Why is the Mountie seen as a heroic symbol of Canada? Quickies What is the motto of the RCMP? What brought about the formation of the North West Mounted Police? Quickies What was the “Great March” of the North West Mounted Police? Who was Sam Steele? Why was Sam Steele called “The Lion of the North”? Quickies Who was the first North West Mounted Police constable to be murdered in the line of duty? How did the Battle of the Little Bighorn cause a crisis for the NWMP? Quickies Who was James Morrow Walsh? What role did the NWMP play in the Northwest Rebellion of 1885?

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Mounties Killed in the Northwest Rebellion How have the Mounties appeared as heroes in Hollywood movies? Quickies Twenty Movie Stars Who Played Mounties on Film How did Isaac Decker go to a hero’s death? Who was Canada’s “Great Detective”? What major obstacle did Montreal police detective Georges Farah-Lajoie face in 1922? Quickies How did the murder of a policeman bring about the end of the Boyd Gang? Larger-Than-Life Legends How did a pirate become a Newfoundland folk hero? Quickies Why were Peter Kerrivan and his followers called “Masterless Men”? Who was the “White Savage”? Quickies

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Who was the real Big Joe Mufferaw? Quickies Who was the Cape Breton Giant? What was the connection between a 19th-century Polish rebellion and a popular CBC radio talk show host? Quickies Who said, “Boys, if there is shooting in Kootenay, there will be hanging in Kootenay!”? Quickies Why is Alexander Milton Ross, a white doctor, honoured in Black History Month? Who was Klondike Joe Boyle? Quickies Why is “Wild Goose Jack” a hero to conservationists? Why is Sir Wilfred Grenfell fondly remembered in Newfoundland and Labrador? Why were the Canadian larger-than-life heroes?

bush

pilots

considered

Who was the first bush pilot to fly the Barren Lands of the Northwest Territories?

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What was “The Canadian Caper”? Valiant Women How did an aristocratic French girl become a Canadian Robinson Crusoe? Why was Marie Jacqueline de la Tour called “a musketeer in petticoats”? Quickies Who was “The Heroine of Vercheres”? Quickies How did a young Chipewyan woman almost single-handedly stop a war? Quickies Why was the wife of the commander of Fortress Louisbourg called La Bombardiere? Why was Mrs. Bowman a Loyalist heroine? Quickies Who was “Miss Molly”? What was remarkable about Louis Riel’s grandmother? Who was “the Laura Secord of Gananoque”?

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Who was the Heroine of Long Point? Quickies What was Dr. James Miranda Barry’s great secret? Quickies Who was Mary Ann Shadd? Quickies What New Brunswick farm girl became a top Civil War spy? Some of the Disguises of Sarah “Frank Thompson” Emma Edmunds How did Clara Brett Martin challenge the Law Society of Ontario? Quickies Quickies Who was Canada’s first woman member of Parliament? How did an American-born socialite become “First Lady of the Yukon”? Individual Accomplishments of the Famous Five Who were the Famous Five? Who led the fight for women’s rights in Quebec? 867

Quickies What was Mina Hubbard’s claim to fame? What did Ethel Dickinson of Newfoundland and Eleanor Baubier of Manitoba have in common? Why was Dr. Jean Dow honoured by the Chinese government? Who was the first Canadian to swim the English Channel? Quickies Quickies What made Marilyn Bell of Toronto a Canadian icon? Who was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada? What did Judge Bertha Wilson say in her ruling? What great height did Sharon Wood reach? Who was the first Canadian woman in space? What Canadian astronaut is also an accomplished musician? Prodigies of Science, Invention, and Medicine Why is “Granny Ross” a folk hero in Cape Breton?

868

Who invented a system of writing for Canadian Native languages? Why are David Fife and Charles Saunders heroes to Western Canadian wheat growers? What Canadian doctor was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln? Quickies Who was Canada’s first female doctor? Quickies What time is it? How did a grocer and fish peddler from Port Perry, Ontario, become a guru of “hands-on-healing”? Why was Doctor Cluny Macpherson of Newfoundland a hero to the Allied troops of the First World War? Quickies How did Dr. Frederick Banting of Ontario astound American busi–nessmen? Quickies Where did babies first taste Pablum? Canada’s Nobel Prize Winners

869

When did a vaccine to fight tuberculosis first come to Canada? Why do visitors from China regard a house in Gravenhurst, Ontario, as a shrine? Quickies Brave Young Canadians Who were the only survivors of the wreck of the Asia? How did a 14-year-old Nova Scotia boy emerge as a hero from a mining disaster? What 15-year-old Canadian boy was a hero of the Lusitania disaster? What act of courage did Agnes Foran perform in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion? Four Other Young Heroes of the Halifax Explosion Who was the “Hurricane Baby”? How did Jocelyn McDonald become one of the youngest recipients of Canada’s Star of Courage? Why is Craig Kielburger (born 1982 in Thornhill, Ontario) in this chapter? Craig Kielburger’s Awards

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In the Line of Duty Who was the first known Canadian firefighter to be killed in the line of duty? Who was the hero of the Parliament Building fire? Quickies What incident caused the greatest single loss of Canadian firefighters’ lives? Twenty-one Other Dates and Locations at Which Three or More Firefighters Were Killed in the Line of Duty How did Hurricane Hazel take the lives of five Toronto firemen? Quickies Who was the hero of a daring, mid-Atlantic helicopter rescue? How did a Cape Breton fire chief earn the Star of Courage? How did a blocked sewer drain lead to an explosion in a Canadian castle? Civilian Heroes How did Sid Choquette become a hero in Frank, Alberta? What Montreal principal sacrificed her life for the children in her school?

871

Quickies When did a future movie star become an unsung hero following a Canadian disaster? How did “Doc” MacLean thwart a bank robbery in New Hazelton, British Columbia? Who were the heroes of the Empress of Ireland disaster? How did a projectionist and an usher become heroes during Canada’s worst movie theatre fire? Who was the Noronic’s “Eddy”? What two Prince Edward Island women were twice decorated for acts of bravery? How did John King of Winnipeg become a hero? Intrepid Explorers Seven Explorers of Canada Who Disappeared While on Expeditions of Discovery Why should the explorers of Canada be counted among the nation’s heroes? How do we know the Vikings were the first Europeans to explore the east coast of Canada? Twelve Canadian Geographical Features Named After Explorers

872

Who Was John Cabot? Quickies Why were European monarchs so anxious to find a western sea route to China? What was the reaction of the European explorers when they “discovered” the New World? What were Jacques Cartier’s accomplishments? Quickies Why is Samuel de Champlain called “The Father of New France” and “The Father of Canada”? Quickies How did Champlain make the Iroquois the arch-enemies of New France? Quickies Who was “the Columbus of the Great Lakes”? Why are there uncertainties about Brûlé’s discoveries? Quickies What was the most infamous mutiny in Canadian history? Why did Henry Hudson’s crew mutiny?

873

Quickies What was Henry Kelsey’s great accomplishment? The Tragic Fates of 10 Explorers of Canada What protégé of Captain James Cook has a major Canadian city named after him? How did Vancouver make his own mark in history? Quickies Who was known as “The Man Who Mapped the West”? Quickies What important scientific discovery was made by Arctic explorer James Clark Ross? Quickies Why was James Ross’s discovery important? Quickies When did the first ship successfully navigate the Northwest Passage? Who was the first Canadian astronaut? First Six Canadian Astronauts Native Icons 874

Who was Hiawatha? How did Chief Matonabbee contribute to Canadian exploration? Quickies How was Joseph Brant a man of two worlds? Why is the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh considered a Canadian hero? What renowned warrior chief never went to war against white expansion in the Canadian West? Quickies How was Poundmaker both a peacemaker and a warrior? Why is the Cree Chief Big Bear looked upon as a tragic figure? Quickies What Blackfoot chief was best noted for his statesmanship and diplomacy? Quickies Why did Simon Gun-an-noot run from the law for 13 years? How did Tom Longboat astound the world in 1907?

875

Quickies Who was the first “Treaty Indian” to be elected to a Canadian provincial legislature? Paragons of Politics Who were the Baldwins of Upper Canada? Quickies Who was Canada’s poet-politician? How did Egerton Ryerson revolutionize education in Canada? Why were Canada’s Fathers of Confederation heroes? How did the American Civil War help to galvanize the Fathers of Confederation into action? Who were the leading Fathers of Confederation? Who were the other Fathers of Confederation? Why is Sir Wilfrid Laurier considered one of Canada’s greatest prime ministers? Twelve Other Men Considered to be Fathers of Confederation Why was Lester Pearson awarded the Nobel Prize? How did Lincoln Alexander make Canadian history? Quickies 876

Who was the first Black woman to run for the leadership of a Canadian national political party? Quickies Who was the first Black woman elected to Canada’s Parliament? Canada’s Rebels Who was the forgotten hero of political reform in Upper Canada? Why did a rebellion flare up in Lower Canada (Quebec) in 1837? Who was Louis Joseph Papineau? Quickies What were some of the puzzling contradictions about Louis Joseph Papineau? Who were Wolfred Nelson and Thomas Storrow Brown? Why did the death of Lieutenant George “Jock” Weir have tragic consequences for the people of Saint-Eustache? What happened at Saint-Eustache? Who was the leader of the Rebellion in Upper Canada?

877

How did the Family Compact respond to Mackenzie’s attacks in the Colonial Advocate? Why did Mackenzie turn to armed insurrection? How did the Rebellion in Lower Canada influence Mackenzie’s plan of action? Where did the main engagement of the Mackenzie Rebellion take place? What was the aftermath of the Mackenzie rebellion?, Quickies Why is Louis Riel considered the founder of Manitoba? Why did Riel have to flee from Manitoba? Who was Riel charged with killing? What happened to Riel after the Red River Rebellion? Why did Riel return to Canada? What qualities of leadership did Gabriel Dumont possess? When was Gabriel Dumont president of a “republic”? How did Riel’s return to Canada lead to rebellion? Where did the main battle of the Northwest Rebellion take place?

878

What happened to Dumont and Riel? Why does Riel remain a controversial figure? Champions of Sport How did Tommy Burns become the first Canadian heavyweight boxing champion of the world? Quickies Where did Tommy Burns lose the world heavyweight championship? How did George Chuvalo restore legitimacy to professional boxing? Who was “The man with the burning eyes”? What was the only NHL team to come back from a 3–0 game deficit to win the Stanley Cup? Who was the hero of the 1972 Summit Series? What is a “Gordie Howe hat-trick”? What was Bobby Orr’s most dramatic goal? How did Darryl Sittler electrify Toronto hockey fans on February 7, 1976? How many NHL records did Wayne Gretzky achieve?

879

Fifteen Canadian Hockey Heroes and Their Nicknames Who is the Canadian Football League’s pass king? Five of the Greatest Moments in Canadian International Hockey History What Canadian race car champion followed in his father’s footsteps? What was the first non-U.S.-based baseball team to win the World Series? Who was the first Canadian-born golfer to win a professional major tournament? Some Canadians Sports Heroes Who Have Won Olympic Gold Which Paralympian was named Canadian Athlete of the Year in 2008? Which Olympian had a doll created in her image? Martyrs and Marchers What legendary Prohibition-era rumrunner was also looked upon as a working class hero? Who was Canada’s “Joe Hill”? What was the origin of Miner’s Day (also called Davis Day) on Cape Breton Island?

880

What happened in Estevan, Saskatchewan, on September 29, 1931? Marathon Men and Women Who was Terry Fox? What was Terry Fox’s background as a runner? How did Terry Fox lose his right leg? What made Terry decide to run across Canada? How did Terry prepare for his run across Canada? When did Terry begin his run? How well publicized was Terry’s run? Quickies What were some of the daily problems Terry Fox experienced during his run? Where did Terry Fox’s run end? What is Terry Fox’s legacy? Further Awards and Honours for Terry Fox Quickies What did Steve Fonyo call his cross-Canada run?

881

Why did Steve Fonyo make the run? How did the public react to Steve Fonyo’s run? Quickies How was Rick Hansen inspired to launch his Man in Motion world tour? What were Rick Hansen’s athletic accomplishments before he began his Man in Motion tour? What was the Man in Motion tour? What were some of the difficulties Rick Hansen faced? Quickies How has Canada honoured Rick Hansen? How many swimming records does Vicki Keith hold? Ten Vicki Keith Swimming Accomplishments Who is Josephine Mandamin? Amazing Animals What canine hero was killed on the very day he was chosen to receive a medal for valour? What part did a horse play in the legend of Simon Girty? What is “The Animals’ Victoria Cross”? 882

Four Famous Canadian Horses What is the Purina Animal Hall of Fame? How did a dog become a Cape Breton hero? Three Dickin Awards with Canadian Connections Twelve Police Dogs Inducted Into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame Quickies Why was a horse inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame? How has a dog named Koma saved lives in Afghanistan? Five Cats Inducted Into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame

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