Secret letters written in code by Mary, Queen of Scots, during her imprisonment in England have been uncovered and decoded by a team of cryptographers. The documents, which were believed to have been lost, were found in the National Library of France in Paris. They were written to her supporters while she was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th Century.
Experts said the codebreakers’ work on the 57 letters was the most significant discovery about Mary for 100 years. They had been wrongly catalogued in the library, and only when the code was broken was it possible to identify Mary as the author. Working through a complex pattern of symbols in the letters, they revealed Mary’s complaints about the conditions of her detention, her feelings of abandonment by France and attempts to broker her release.
The letters date from 1578 to 1584, a few years before Mary’s beheading 436 years ago – on 8 February 1587.
https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/maryletter-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2023-02-18 23:11:432023-02-18 23:11:43Mary Queen of Scots: Secret letters written during imprisonment decoded
This is Newsletter #1 distributed by HAFNIA 24 to its suscribers today:
Welcome to HAFNIA 24
Newsletter #1
Copenhagen, 14 February 2023
This is the first newsletter from HAFNIA 24. We are delighted to be able to invite the European philatelic community to Copenhagen for a FEPA patronage exhibition between 17th and 20th October 2024. The IREX for HAFNIA 24 has now been published on our website: https://hafnia24.com/Indhold/Irex/IREXHafnia24.pdf
We are now starting to invite commissioners from the FEPA countries. When we have the names of the commissioners, the application form will become available at our website.
As soon as your country have a listed commissioneer this person will be your contact for application for exhibiting.
We are so much looking forward to seeing your application.
Photo from Øksnehallen (The OX-Hall), Copenhagen
The Venue
HAFNIA 24 will take place in the very center of Copenhagen in the old Ox Hall “Øksnehallen” build in 1901, which today is one of the most iconic exhibition halls in Copenhagen. The hall is in total 5000 square meters of space for the 1300+ frames, dealers etc. It is located 400 meters from the Copenhagen Central Station and Metro station. Copenhagen Airport is located only 8 km from the exhibition venue and there are direct trains to the central station every 20 minutes. There is a wide range of hotels and restaurants within walking distance.
Vincent Schouberechts writes at the Trait de Union 2022-2, the biannual Newsletter of the AEP:
This is as much a history book as an authoritative study of all the postmarks used in the different campaigns during the years of the French Consulate and Empire. Using many tables, all the known postmarks are listed with their periods of use and, more significantly, where they were used. Based on research in all the available earlier publications which until now have provided us with the only information we have, as well as consulting the finest existing collections available to him, the author has given us the “bible” for collectors of this fascinating and hectic period. The fact that it is written in two languages (French and English) will allow the majority of collectors to refer to the book easily. The detailed table of contents (at the end of the book) separates the various periods of Napoleonic power between July 1792 to November 1799. The periods of the Consulate and Empire follow, ending with the One Hundred Days. The author gives detailed information about each campaign, in each case with examples of postmarks used by the armies involved. The final chapter covers prisoners’ correspondence, which is particularly difficult to find. Each chapter includes illustrations and a detailed bibliography, and maps are notably plentiful. In each case the source is quoted.
When leafing through the pages of this book, the care is striking with which the details of the years of the ascent of a personality like Napoleon who left such a mark on European history are discussed. Each campaign and every battle are recorded for us with quite extraordinary detail. Drawing on a large number of contemporary letters, the author describes the often challenging difficulties of life on the ground. The personality of Napoleon is also revealed and, as we can see from the description of his childhood, his rather pugnacious character and thirst for glory and acclaim certainly had their routes in his youth.
Maurice Boule immerses us in numerous examples of letters sent by Napoleon which show his precise instructions for the day to day running of his Empire. The narrative of the Russian Campaign is gripping with the account of the hunger and cold that wreaked havoc amongst the ranks of the French army. This book will no doubt become the new basic source of reference for a large number of philatelists and will also be a book which can be read by anybody for its historical treatment which is particularly well covered and readable.
https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/napoleon-800.jpg800800Costas Chazapishttps://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fepanews_logo-107x138-1.pngCostas Chazapis2023-02-11 18:04:222023-02-13 13:11:50The armies from Buonaparte to Napoleon 1793-1815
Mary Queen of Scots: Secret letters written during imprisonment decoded
Reported by the BBC website on 8th February:
Secret letters written in code by Mary, Queen of Scots, during her imprisonment in England have been uncovered and decoded by a team of cryptographers. The documents, which were believed to have been lost, were found in the National Library of France in Paris. They were written to her supporters while she was imprisoned by Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th Century.
Experts said the codebreakers’ work on the 57 letters was the most significant discovery about Mary for 100 years. They had been wrongly catalogued in the library, and only when the code was broken was it possible to identify Mary as the author. Working through a complex pattern of symbols in the letters, they revealed Mary’s complaints about the conditions of her detention, her feelings of abandonment by France and attempts to broker her release.
The letters date from 1578 to 1584, a few years before Mary’s beheading 436 years ago – on 8 February 1587.
Full story: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-64568222
HAFNIA 24 Newsletter #1
This is Newsletter #1 distributed by HAFNIA 24 to its suscribers today:
Welcome to HAFNIA 24
Newsletter #1
Copenhagen, 14 February 2023
This is the first newsletter from HAFNIA 24. We are delighted to be able to invite the European philatelic community to Copenhagen for a FEPA patronage exhibition between 17th and 20th October 2024. The IREX for HAFNIA 24 has now been published on our website: https://hafnia24.com/ Indhold/Irex/IREXHafnia24.pdf
We are now starting to invite commissioners from the FEPA countries. When we have the names of the commissioners, the application form will become available at our website.
As soon as your country have a listed commissioneer this person will be your contact for application for exhibiting.
We are so much looking forward to seeing your application.
Photo from Øksnehallen (The OX-Hall), Copenhagen
The Venue
HAFNIA 24 will take place in the very center of Copenhagen in the old Ox Hall “Øksnehallen” build in 1901, which today is one of the most iconic exhibition halls in Copenhagen. The hall is in total 5000 square meters of space for the 1300+ frames, dealers etc. It is located 400 meters from the Copenhagen Central Station and Metro station. Copenhagen Airport is located only 8 km from the exhibition venue and there are direct trains to the central station every 20 minutes. There is a wide range of hotels and restaurants within walking distance.
You can find more information about the exhibition on our website: https://www.hafnia24.com
The armies from Buonaparte to Napoleon 1793-1815
Vincent Schouberechts writes at the Trait de Union 2022-2, the biannual Newsletter of the AEP:
This is as much a history book as an authoritative study of all the postmarks used in the different campaigns during the years of the French Consulate and Empire. Using many tables, all the known postmarks are listed with their periods of use and, more significantly, where they were used. Based on research in all the available earlier publications which until now have provided us with the only information we have, as well as consulting the finest existing collections available to him, the author has given us the “bible” for collectors of this fascinating and hectic period. The fact that it is written in two languages (French and English) will allow the majority of collectors to refer to the book easily. The detailed table of contents (at the end of the book) separates the various periods of Napoleonic power between July 1792 to November 1799. The periods of the Consulate and Empire follow, ending with the One Hundred Days. The author gives detailed information about each campaign, in each case with examples of postmarks used by the armies involved. The final chapter covers prisoners’ correspondence, which is particularly difficult to find. Each chapter includes illustrations and a detailed bibliography, and maps are notably plentiful. In each case the source is quoted.
When leafing through the pages of this book, the care is striking with which the details of the years of the ascent of a personality like Napoleon who left such a mark on European history are discussed. Each campaign and every battle are recorded for us with quite extraordinary detail. Drawing on a large number of contemporary letters, the author describes the often challenging difficulties of life on the ground. The personality of Napoleon is also revealed and, as we can see from the description of his childhood, his rather pugnacious character and thirst for glory and acclaim certainly had their routes in his youth.
Maurice Boule immerses us in numerous examples of letters sent by Napoleon which show his precise instructions for the day to day running of his Empire. The narrative of the Russian Campaign is gripping with the account of the hunger and cold that wreaked havoc amongst the ranks of the French army. This book will no doubt become the new basic source of reference for a large number of philatelists and will also be a book which can be read by anybody for its historical treatment which is particularly well covered and readable.
The 860-page book is impressive. It can be ordered on the MonacoPhil2022 website at a price of 80 euros: https://monacophil.eu/MonacoPhil2022_CatalogueOrderForm.pdf