Why 'A Chronicle of Dragons & Cats?'

It is a history and writing blog, I promise.

Thank you everyone who has subscribed to my Substack across the last few days. I am pleased by the response!

I have been aware for some time that, with social media becoming increasingly volatile, a lot of historians, authors, journalists, and generally anyone with THOUGHTS has been turning to Substack. I think there’s a degree of trying to take back some degree of control, what with social media companies now often diminishing reach on posts unless its paid promotion. That’s not good for you, and it’s not good for us.

Now, I have fought this urge to open yet another creative outlet as, generally, I’m quite lazy. But I’m thinking this might be a good way to get focused. Less pacing around the flat, more concerted effort to provide useful content. That will be good for me, and hopefully good for you.

So why the name? Well, because it was the first thing that came to mind, first and foremost! My old blog used to be called ‘Random Observations’, and whilst that remains true for this Substack, there’ll probably be a greater and more narrow focus on matters of the 15^th Century – The Wars of the Roses, Richard III, the Princes in the Tower and so on. But more specifically, matters relating to the Son of Prophecy, Henry Tudor, or Henry VII, the first of the Tudors.

Now, as a Welsh historian, its perhaps not too much of a surprise I was attracted to the story of Henry, a fascinating tale of resilience and overcoming the odds that has often been lightly regarded in favour of the two infamous kings that sandwiched his reign, Richard III and Henry VIII.

During his march to Bosworth to fight Richard III for the English crown, Henry raised a banner which combined the red dragon of Cadwaladr with the adopted green and white livery colours of his family, the Tudors. Cadwaladr was an ancient British king who Henry claimed as a paternal ancestor, providing him with a legitimacy to the crown of these islands that his maternal, English pedigree perhaps lacked in the eyes of some. Clever dynastic propaganda.

Check out this picture I took at the Bosworth Medieval Festival, showing Henry’s battle standard in the background. A fiery dragon!

Henry would go on to stick the dragon on his coat of arms, and 500 years later scores of Welshmen, including myself, would get dragons tattooed on their actual arms, though I’d wager for different reasons than to honour the Tudor king!

So, it makes sense to make mention of the dragon. As for cats? Well, there’s no cats in my historical study (although maybe I will drum up a few articles, who knows?!) but I simply do not write anything without my cat Vera by my side. I’ll introduce her properly soon! She’s an ever-present witness to my work that has resulted in her receiving acknowledgements in my work. Go look – she’s there.

As for the Chronicle part? Well…it just sounds cool, don’t you think?

So, A Chronicle of Dragons and Cats.  Stay tuned.

Hwyl! (goodbye in Welsh)

Nathen.