A Journey Through History

Debbie CostelloDebbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was about eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children’s Director. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses.

  After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the Costello Coverharsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution.
     Royce of Hawkwood returns home after setting down a rebellion to find his family brutally murdered. When all fingers point to his betrothed and attempts are made on his life, Royce must wade through murky waters to uncover the truth. Yet Brithwin’s wise and kind nature begin to break down the walls of his heart, and he soon finds himself in a race to discover who is behind the evil plot before Brithwin is the next victim.

Leave a comment and be entered to win a copy of her newest book, Sword of Forgiveness. The winner will be announced next Wednesday.

Henry, Thank you for having me on your blog! I’m looking forward to talking with your readers. My new release is a medieval, so I thought it would be fun to do a time line of Events, Foods, and Inventions. My story is set in Cumberland, England in 1398. I hope you enjoy seeing what things were invented or discovered before and after my story was set. A little bit of a disclaimer. I’ve tried to check and double check dates on these but with the internet there are many variations.

As much as I love history, sometimes when I get back into those early centuries, the events become a blur for me. I’m always shocked by the time of an invention or event when I read! Oh, for a better memory!!

EVENTS TIMELINE

1328 – The first war for Scottish Independence- This war ends with a victory for Scotland. The Treaty of Edinburgh and Northampton is signed.

1347 – The Black Death sends it fury on Europe for the very first time. It is estimated that 20%-40% of the people die within the first year alone. The Black Death would return again and again eventually taking as much as 50% of Europe’s population.

Costello 1

1380 – Chaucer begins writing one of his greatest works, The Canterbury Tales.

1381 –The peasants of England revolt.

1381 –John Wycliffe translates the Bible into the English language.

Costello 2

1399 –Richard II abdicates the throne to Henry IV of England. This ends the Plantagenet Dynasty and begins the Lancaster reign.

1415 –The Battle of Agincourt is the turning point of the Hundred Years’ War. Henry V defeats the French army largely due to the new English longbow.

Costello 3

1431 –The capture, trial, and execution of Joan of Arc.

1439 –The printing press is invented by Johannes Gutenberg making printed material more accessible in Europe.

1452 –Leonardo da Vinci is born

1453 –The Hundred Years’ War comes to an end.

The food timeline just about blew me away! I couldn’t resist going much earlier than when my story was set. Pretzels in the 7th century! Now keep in mind we may not call the food item the same thing they did but what is important is that they had been invented. Also, note that though the food was invented at this time it may not have been in all countries.

FOOD TIMELINE

7th century –pretzels There are many accounts on the origin of pretzels, I’ve seen claim of them being around as early as the 5th century. What most do agree on is that the pretzel comes from a Christian background and was invented by German monks. One story tells that they were made as special little treats for the children.

Costello 4

9th century –coffee

13th century –ravioli, lasagna, mozzarella cheese, waffles, and pancakes

14th century scrambled eggs, quacamole, pie, trenchers, crumpets, applesauce (used as sauce on meats!), fried cheese sticks (sorry American restaurants you weren’t the inventor of cheese sticks), gingerbread

Costello 5

15th century –pork and beans (and I thought Campbells invented that!), jelly, jams, and preserves, doughnuts, and hotdogs (Ack! Tell me it isn’t so, Oscar Meyer)

INVENTIONS

1250 – Robert Bacon invents his gunpowder formula

1250 –Sawmills become widespread in Europe

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1268 – 1289 –first eyeglasses invented

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1295 –Italy begins modern glass making

1364 – first known gun (according to PBS but I also seen 1250)

1389 –handguns are used across Europe

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1400 –first golfball

Costello 9

1410 –Jan van Eyck re-invents oil paints

1450 –Nicholas of Cusa developes spectacles with polished lenses for nearsighted people

1465 –Printing press with movable parts is invented by Johannes Gutenberg

1475 – Italy and Germany have muzzle-loaded rifles

1485 – The first parachute is invented by Leonardo da Vinci

Costello 10

1492 –da Vinci theorizes about flying machines

Costello 11

1494 –Whiskey made in Scotland (whiskey is Gaelic for “water of life”)

1498 –Rifling principle in guns is discovered

I hope you enjoyed the timeline. I’m giving away a copy of my new release, Sword of Forgiveness to one lucky winner! To be entered, just ask me a question or answer the question, which of these dates surprised you the most? Choice of paperback or kindle to the Continental U.S. anyone outside of that a kindle version.

 

29 Responses to A Journey Through History

  1. Debbie Lynne Costello June 3, 2015 at 12:32 pm #

    Henry, Thank you so much for having me on your blog! I’m looking forward to meeting and chatting with your peeps!

  2. Henry June 3, 2015 at 1:58 pm #

    Debbie,
    I’m thrilled to have you appear today.

  3. Rebecca Maney June 3, 2015 at 4:48 pm #

    I have wanted to read this book and would love to win a copy!

  4. Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a) June 3, 2015 at 5:04 pm #

    These are SO interesting! I always find it amazing how long ago things where made! I’m not sure which one surprised me the most, maybe that golf has been played since the 1400s! That one is interesting! 🙂

    Blessings, Amada (a.m.a.th.a)

  5. Bonnie Roof June 3, 2015 at 9:24 pm #

    What an interesting post, Debbie, thank you!!I think I was most surprised by the early dates for cheese sticks and hotdogs.

    Congrats on “Sword of Forgiveness”!!

    bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

    Shared post!!

  6. Stacey Ross June 3, 2015 at 10:04 pm #

    Sounds really good. Would like to read this book.

  7. Debbie Lynne Costello June 3, 2015 at 10:31 pm #

    Hey Rebecca, Thanks for coming by. I hope you get a chance to read SWORD OF FORGIVENESS!

    Amada, Good to see you here! I love those interesting tidbits, too. And like you, it about blew me away that golf has been around for that long! Who would have thought! Certainly not me! Thanks for coming by and good luck in the drawing. :o)

  8. Debbie Lynne Costello June 3, 2015 at 10:51 pm #

    LOL! Bonnie, I had to read that twice! It just doesn’t seem possible. I thought hotdogs were something VERY modern. I mean I would have bet that Oscar Meyer invented them. ;o) But cheese sticks…I don’t even remember them when I was a kid so I really did think those where a late 20th century invention.

  9. Debbie Lynne Costello June 3, 2015 at 10:52 pm #

    Stacy, thanks for coming by. I hope you get a chance to read Sword of Forgiveness!

  10. Jane Squires June 4, 2015 at 7:13 am #

    What a great sounding book. Put my name in.

  11. Anne Payne June 4, 2015 at 4:03 pm #

    Learning all these facts about history is right up my alley, Debbie Lynne!
    I find that in 1475 – Italy and Germany have muzzle-loaded rifles to be quite fascinating. I thought that would have been later, closer to the Revolutionary War.

    I’m savoring my Kindle copy now 🙂 BUT, I would love to own a paperback.

    Keeping you in prayer, my friend!

  12. Melissa B. June 4, 2015 at 5:45 pm #

    I’m surprised by: 1268 – 1289 –first eyeglasses invented
    I was just at the eye doctor’s yesterday helping my husband pick out a new pair. To think, wives have been helping their husbands pick out glasses for nearly 800 years!
    melissa dot snoopy at yahoo dot com

  13. Regina F. June 4, 2015 at 6:06 pm #

    Debbie! It’s me!! ? The pretzels actually shocked me! Quite interesting to think monks made them. Although I’m not a drinker I can see why beer lovers would eat pretzels, and of course, beer (I think it was called malt in the early centuries). You’re timeline was interesting. What we learn from history is amazing! Thanks for sharing, Debbie!!

  14. Debbie Lynne Costello June 4, 2015 at 7:34 pm #

    Anne! Thank you for coming by!!! And thank you for your prayers! We need to connect and I will fill you in on Joe. I hope you win one of my giveaway! It’s amazing how many things have been around and we think they are more modern. I love this kind of stuff! Now if I could just remember all that I read I could go on Geopardy! LOL

    Jane, Thanks for stopping in! Throwing your name in the hat now!!

  15. Debbie Lynne Costello June 4, 2015 at 7:40 pm #

    Melissa, I never really thought about when glasses were invented. But I never expected it that early! So it was pretty surprising when I saw it. Doesn’t it make you wish we could look through a ‘looking glass’ and actually see history as it happened? I bet there would be a lot more things that would shock us!

    REGINA! Good to see my friendly stalker. ;o) Thank you for coming by. I thought that it was so cool that a monk made them for children. I bet that was such a treat. I wonder what the monk’s pretzels tasted like. I bet they were a lot better than ours today!

  16. Deanna S June 4, 2015 at 9:24 pm #

    We just talked about pork & beans last night. I was reading a western & asked him if the can of beans they were eating could have been pork & beans & is the had even been invented yet.. .. lol.. guess now I know 🙂 Very interesting post today.. thanks for enlightening us…
    dkstevensne AToutlookDOt com

  17. Angi Griffis June 4, 2015 at 10:26 pm #

    Thank you, Debbie, for that fascinating look at the timeline. The thing that really caught my attention was how long some of the different foods have been around (especially the one about coffee, since I’m a coffee drinker ;). But I enjoyed the look at when some inventions came about as well. Very interesting! Please enter me in the drawing. Thank you!

    bookwarp(at)gmail(dot)com

  18. Loraine N. June 4, 2015 at 10:35 pm #

    What an interesting post! I think I was most surprised by the fried cheese sticks and guacamole but there were so many things that I didn’t know had existed for so long. Thanks for the giveaway!

  19. chris granville June 4, 2015 at 11:21 pm #

    I think the date Coffee was invented surprised me the most

    God bless you
    Chris
    granvilleATfrontiernetDOTnet

  20. Debbie Lynne Costello June 5, 2015 at 2:54 am #

    Deanne, That’s so funny that you were just asking about pork and beans. Whats the chances of that happening? LOL> So glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for coming by. Best wishes in the drawing!

    ANGI, Thanks for coming by! Throwing your name in the hat now for SWORD OF FORGIVENESS! My hubby is a coffee drinker. I’m a tea lover myself. The only coffee I drink is a frappe and hubs says that isn’t coffee. LOL> It was fun looking all this stuff up. I love this kind of thing.

    LORAINE, I love doing giveaways and meeting so many people! Thank you for coming by and entering!! The cheese sticks were hard for me to believe, too. I just thought those were a new invention. I know that they used a lot of sauces in the medieval times so maybe the guacamole was a sauce. Who knows. ;o)

  21. Debbie Lynne Costello June 5, 2015 at 2:56 am #

    Chris!!!! Hey girl! Good to see you here. Because I’m not a coffee drinker I never gave it much thought. Now had it been a frappe….LOL> Thanks for coming by.

  22. Karen Hadley June 5, 2015 at 8:12 pm #

    I love this time era. Looks like a can’t put it down book and would love to win it!

  23. Brenda Murphree June 6, 2015 at 2:17 am #

    I would say that I’m surprised about some of the food dates. I thought foods like pork & beans & coffee was always around because of them seemingly being easy to grow! Real interesting article! Even tho I have kindle books I would love to win a paperback cause that’s what I love the most! Thanks for the opportunity! I’ve been trying to win a copy of this book for a while! Maybe I will have good luck this time!

  24. Debbie Lynne Costello June 7, 2015 at 2:15 am #

    Karen, Thanks for coming by! I’m glad that SWORD OF FORGIVENESS sounds so good to you. I hope you get a chance to read it!

  25. Debbie Lynne Costello June 7, 2015 at 2:21 am #

    Brenda, I’m so glad you liked SWORD OF FORGIVENESS enough to want the paperback! I’d love for you to win. Thanks so much for coming by!

  26. medievalgirl June 7, 2015 at 8:19 pm #

    I already have the book, so don’t need to be entered, but I would like to add one item these fascinating lists- the mechanical clock.
    This was reportedly invented by am Englishman, Richard of Wallingford, an Abbott and blacksmiths son by birth in the early 1300s

  27. Debbie Lynne Costello June 9, 2015 at 5:29 pm #

    That is a fascinating fact, Medievalgirl! Wow! having a mechanical clock back in the early 1200’s just is mindblowing. Thanks so much for sharing!!

  28. Joshualyn June 28, 2015 at 6:31 am #

    I have never read any of your books before but would love to win and have a new favorite author 🙂 I think most surprising fact for me was 1268 – 1289 –first eyeglasses invented. I knew they had glasses back in the day but not that far back In the day lol

  29. Terrill Rosado July 4, 2015 at 10:51 pm #

    After homeschooling my children and reviving my love for history, I found that medieval history is my favorite. It was such a turning point for Christianity.

    Debbie, you book sounds wonderful. Thanks you for the mini-history timeline.

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