Historians in the last century compared the Crusader States to apartheid South Africa. They were wrong. New archaeological evidence proves the Franks were integrated, secure, and—most shockingly—had no serfs. Read the full story at: defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2022/12/sett...
#crusades
The "Alpha Movement" paints itself as the pinnacle of #masculinity. Sparta's legendary warriors—men no one would call "weak"—would laugh at them. For the Spartans, fearing independent women wasn't "masculine" — it was cowardly. #sparta Read more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/measures-o...
Today, an excerpt from award-winning "Cold War" about a young man who thought he was getting married in three weeks and starting his dream job a week later. Instead, he's being deployed overseas 'indefinitely.' May sound familiar to some of you.... www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
Delivering between 400 and 1,400 aircraft every day without radios or instruments even in bad weather was the job of the ATA. Learn more about these 'silent heroes and heroines' at: europeanaviationhistory.blogspot.com/2026/03/ata-...
With 8,000 to 10,000 new titles appearing every day, covers have never been more important. Explore the psychological impact of cover design and why "packaging" is the most important decision an author makes at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/killer-cov...
Did you know that Acre under the "Crusaders" was one of only three centres in the world for Talmudic Study?
The 'crusader states' weren't ruled by genocidal, religious fanatics; they were a flourishing multicultural society. Find out more at: defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2022/11/musl...
Waiting for the MAGA regime to fail is not a strategy. It’s a trap -- and history teaches us the consequences. Find out more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/the-fatefu...
The characters in historical fiction should represent and embody the spirit of their times -- not ours. In defence of reserved, modest and unassuming heroines. Or what I learned from the women who flew in WWII. Join me at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/the-forgot...
When the Holy Roman Emperor tortured the teenaged heir of Beirut to extort his father, he thought he was crushing a rebellion. Instead, he was forging its future leader.
Read the tale of a medieval resistance leader: hpschrader.substack.com/p/from-victi...
Today, as every Wednesday, I share an excerpt from one of my novels. This is from "Moral Fibre" the story of a Lancaster skipper, his crew and the woman he loved, set in the closing years of WWII. "Moral Fibre" won multiple literary awards.
www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
From the open cockpit trainers to the heavy bombers and flying boats, the ATA flew them all -- with a nearly perfect delivery rate. Discover the secret to the ATA's success at: europeanaviationhistory.blogspot.com/2026/02/ata-...
Ever wonder how books become best-sellers? Discover how "best-seller" status is manipulated through "click farms" and niche categories, and why popularity isn't a synonym for quality in modern publishing.https://hpschrader.substack.com/p/what-makes-an-amazon-best-seller
Think the Crusader States were theocracies? Not so. They were secular states run by hard-nosed fighting men who prioritised cooperation over doctrine. Learn how the 'Latin' East was far more diverse—and tolerant—than you’ve been told at https//defendingcr....
#History #Crusades #MiddleAges
Rather than making enemies out of Allies, as Trump and his administration are determined to do, he turned enemies into friends. That was when — and why — America was great. Read more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/when-ameri...
"Pencils danced and rolled on the desktops. Something on Mr Willoughby's desk started rattling. The panes of glass in the leaded windows vibrated." This excerpt from award-winning "Moral Fibre" takes you to a school classroom in Lincolnshire, Feb. 1944.
www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
P/O John Willie, No 54 Squadron, on the wing of his Spitfire.
The odds against an RAF Battle of Britain veteran ever reading my novel on the topic were astronomical -- yet it happened, and his assessment was worth more than a million sales. Find out more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/better-tha...
It is widely believed that the Holy Land was Muslim in the era of the crusades. Yet research shows that in 1000 AD, non-Muslims were still the majority. Forget the "alien elite" myth—it’s time for the data. Find out more at: defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2022/11/demo... #crusades #Outremer
Today, I'm reflecting on the art of statesmanship and words of wisdom from the ancient Spartan philosopher "Chilon the Wise."
Join me at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/statesmen-...
If a five-year-old in a bunny hat doesn't melt your heart, there is something seriously wrong with you!
Below, an excerpt from "Cold War: A Novel of the Berlin Airlift" highlighting the role children played in turning enemies into allies.
www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
It is one of the ironies of WWII women's history that while American women lost the right to fly because they demanded militarisation, British women enjoyed more freedom, responsibility and pay because they were (proudly) civilians. Read more at: europeanaviationhistory.blogspot.com/2026/02/a-da...
Lessons from History: Were the Crusader states doomed from the start? Was the Battle of La Forbie truly the turning point, or just a tactical misfortune? Dive into the real reasons for the fall of the Latin East at: defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2022/10/refl...
#crusades #HistoryLessons
In 1938, the German Army leadership tried to stop the invasion of Czechoslovakia. The Chief of Staff warned:" Your military duty to obey ends where your knowledge, your conscience, and your responsibility forbid the execution of an order." Find out more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/opposing-a...
No one was better at painting evil as virtue and vice versa than Stalin. This excerpt from award-winning "Cold Peace" depicts the start of the Berlin Blockade and Stalin's attempts to make the West look like the aggressors.
www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
#BerlinBlockade #Stalin #Disinformation
At a time when the United States has turned against NATO and Europe, the Berlin Airlift may seem irrelevant. Yet, the Berlin Airlift was first and foremost a means of resisting aggression without war. Find out more at: europeanaviationhistory.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-...
#BerlinAirlift
The survivors of a failed coup are never the heroes," Ludwig Baron von Hammerstein once told me. But without them, we'd only know what the Nazis told us about the #GermanResistance -- rather like trusting ICE. Find out more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/the-surviv...
#ResistingTyranny #Witnesses
The Crusader States in the Holy Land gave birth to the #KnightsTemplar; the fall of Acre, the last bastion, in 1292 was the death-knell of the Order. It was also, in some ways, 'their finest hour.' Find out more at:https://defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com
#HolyLand #crusades
We need a nationwide general strike and black out. Everyone stays home for one day and turns off all electrical equipment for one hour. I needs to be organized so it is coordinated. This is something everyone can do. It is non-confrontational and non-violent, but it would send a strong message.
Feudal kings owed their subjects good governance, which meant defence and justice, i.e. the rule of law. A king who failed to deliver good governance could legitimately be challenged by his barons for breach of contract. Read more at: hpschrader.substack.com/p/the-right-... #RuleofLaw #historylesson
I wonder if ICE agents will ever suffer from a case of "conscience"? This excerpt from "The Tale of the English Templar" explores the mind of an idealistic young monk working for the #Inquisition during the destruction of the #KnightsTemplar. #HistoricalFiction
www.bublish.com/bubble/strea...
From the chaotic evacuation of France to the ruins of Berlin, the Air Transport Auxiliary didn't just deliver planes—they lived an adventure. Find out more at: europeanaviationhistory.blogspot.com/2026/01/atas...
ATA pilots with Soviet soldiers in the ruins of Hitler's Chancellery. #aviationhistory
