The AnswerBank Articles

What's this habeas corpus that David Blunkett wants to ban

A. An ancient right of liberty. Mr Blunkett, the home secretary, is planning to detain terrorists without trial. It is an emergency measure that would make Britain safer, but - say its critics - a01:00 Mon 26th Nov 2001

Who were the Reivers

A. A lawless lot who roamed the Scottish borders for 350 years. They gave the word bereaved to the English language. Q. Explain. A. Reivers were bandits whose profession was raiding their01:00 Mon 26th Nov 2001

What was Kristallnacht

A. Beautiful name, terrible deed. Kristallnacht means The Night of the Broken Glass - the start of all-out Nazi attacks on Jews - on 9 November, 1938. Q. How did it start A. The attack came01:00 Mon 19th Nov 2001

Hitler's bunker has just recently been rediscovered. What do the Germans intend to do with it

A. Thanks for the question, Pussing. As Incitatus points out, the Germans knew where it was, but are having a big problem knowing what to do with it. In October, however, another section was01:00 Mon 19th Nov 2001

What was the notorious Medway raid

A. A daring raid by the Dutch up the River Medway, In Kent, in June, 1667. It was a great embarrassment to King Charles II and a terrible disaster for the British navy. Q. The Dutch They're01:00 Mon 12th Nov 2001

I've heard that the Romans' biggest battle was in Kent. Where Is it commemorated in some way

A. Thanks to Cynthia Dyke for the question. The answer is yes to both. The Battle of Kent is arguably the most important battle apart from Hastings. It lasted two days and the Roman legions, under01:00 Mon 12th Nov 2001

What's the London Gazette

A. Well, it's not a local paper that you'll see on the news-stands - that's for sure. It started as a king's private publication and is now the official voice of the government. You can log into it01:00 Mon 12th Nov 2001

Who was the last man to get a VC

A. It's a question of interpretation. The last two men to receive the highest British honour were Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones and Sergeant Ian John McKay. Both died in the Falklands War. Q. 01:00 Thu 25th Oct 2001

Who was Robert Emmet

A. Born 4 March, 1778; executed 20 September, 1803. He was an Irish hero or traitor, depending on your point of view. Q. Is this all to do with the 1798 Rebellion A. Yes. In 1798, Ireland was01:00 Tue 23rd Oct 2001

Which monarch had a square coffin

A. Cynthia Dyke asked the question and Janetx correctly answered: Anne Stuart, Queen of England. Q. But why square A. Because Anne (1665-1714) - Queen of Great Britain and Ireland (1702-14),01:00 Tue 23rd Oct 2001

What was the Beer Hall Putsch

A. An attempt by the Nazis to seize power at a rally in one of Munich's large beer cellars in 1923. A putsch is an uprising. Q. A bit of background first A. OK. The Nazis grew in power after01:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

What is the origin of the three wise monkeys

A. Thanks to poppy for the question and MistyLady for her answer. The three wise monkeys in question were carved over the door of the Sacred Stable, in Nikko, Japan, in the 17th Century. One covers01:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

What is the ceremony known as Changing the Quill on John Stow's monument

A. An interesting question there from gill girling. This is a memorial service, held at St Andrew's Undershaft, near the Lloyd's building in the City of London, every year on 5 April. John Stow01:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

Was Hitler gay

A. It would seem so. Adolf Hitler had numerous homoerotic friendships in the 1920s and the dictator's later life can be understood better by taking into account his gay preferences, according to a01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Who was John Wycliff

A. John Wycliff (also spelled Wycliffe) was a religious reformer, Bible translator and a cleric used by the King to attack the Pope. Q. How did this all come about A. Wycliff, born in01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

A new Egyptian king has been found

A. An old one actually. A mummy left to gather dust in a Canadian corset factory that became a museum has now been identified by scientists as the long-lost remains of King Rameses I. Q. Who was01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Who was Simon de Montfort

A. There were two of 'em. Simon de Montfort (c1160-1218), also known as Simon IV de l'Amaury, was created Earl of Leicester by King John in 1206. In 1218 he captured Toulouse, south-east of01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Who was Lambert Simnel

A. Lambert Simnel (about 1475-1525) was pretender to the English throne. He, like Perkin Warbeck (click here for a feature on him) impersonated Richard, Duke of York, presumed to have been murdered01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

How did Nostradamus predict the World Trade Center disaster

A. What do you mean Q. Oh come on, you must have read the verse that Nostradamus wrote in 1654. It's doing the rounds everywhere on the internet: In the year of the new century and nine01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

What was the Battle of Edgehill

A. A decisive moment in English history. The day that the monarch's right was challenged. The Battle of Edgehill was the first major clash of armies of the English Civil War. It ended in a draw01:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001