I have been more active in the realms of twitter since the election; my Facebook page is generally filled with people who align closely with my political views, so twitter is a way for me to keep up with recent news, keep an eye on the other side of things, and keep tabs on administration. I can’t let myself get bogged down completely with rage and politics and angry frog-avatared trolls, though. That is where some of my favorite twitter accounts come in.
- Richard III @richard_third
“former king of england, leicesterian, I’m gunna get you henry tudor, not the views of the current royal family. (they are imposters!), Last of the Plantagenets”
Obviously he makes the cut as my #1 Historical Twitter crush, mainly because he is my favorite English monarch, and he was been horribly maligned by the Tudors and that pesky Shakespeare dude. Also, I dressed as him for Halloween in 2016, and he retweeted my costume and was suitably impressed. His constant feud with the tyrannical ginger king Henry VIII is amusing, too.
2. Henry VIII @KngHnryVIII
“Looks amazing in a cape. Gout, Glory, Epic Dance Moves. All my opinions are facts. #TeamTyranny”
No alternative facts here! Only truth. Henry’s open letter to America gives us hope in the current political atmosphere. Or at least a bit of comedic relief. I especially enjoy the king’s daily to-do lists.
3. Donaeld the Unready: Mad Medieval King @donaeldunready
“The best early medieval King out there. I’m just great. I’m the bretwalda. The bestwalda. I’ve got great swords, everyone says so. Make Mercia Great Again.”
King Donaeld has no goals other than to Make Mercia Great Again. This article came out hours after the account was started, and it compiles some of the best tweets by this mad king. #MMGA
4. Chaucer Doth Tweet @LeVostreGC
“Geoffrey Chaucer (Le Vostre GC): Servaunt of the Kynge. Blogger. Wryter of verse. Wearer of litel woolen hatte. Deputy Forestere of North Petherton.”
Chaucer gives us some great olde English bits of wisdom and comedy throughout the week. Alternating between “THINGES MY CATTE HATH EATEN YN LAST DAYE” and promoting the Humanities with quips like, “Funde research, development and ynstruction of ower vital and lyfe-sustayninge HEART: H umanityes E thiques A rtes R hetorique T eachinge” Chaucer is definitely worth a follow.
5. Frederick Douglass – @realFredDoug
After Freddie D was brought to the forefront of history and his many accomplishments praised during a speech about Black History, of course he got his own twitter account. He spends most of his time quoting himself and spouting off wisdom for the ages. He also once liked when I retweeted one of his tweets at my senator encouraging the promotion of education. “Without education, he lives within the narrow, dark and grimy walls of ignorance.”
These guys bring history into the modern age, and also often expose the realities of history and the modern world, and how they really aren’t all that different.
Who did I miss? Who else should I follow? Follow me over on twitter @katie_stringer
Katie Stringer Clary, PhD 