Humanities desk
< December 31	<< Dec \| January \| Feb >>	January 2 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

January 1

Spanish Armada

Who was Philip II of Spain planning to replace Elizabeth I with if he had succeed in his invasion? I think the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age shows his daughter Isabella Clara Eugenia but don’t know how accurate that is. Also by what claim would Isabella have over James of Scotland or one of the female line Tudor nobles for example. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 47.39.38.154 (talk) 07:01, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Looks like the film got it right:

Without an obvious candidate to put on the throne, a number of alternative aims for the Armada were considered. Eventually, it was decided that Philip would nominate a candidate for the English throne, to be approved by the Pope. Philip likely intended his daughter Isabella for the honour.

Source: [1]. As for your second question, in 1586 Mary, Queen of Scots (d. 1587), the rightful Queen of England for all who didn't recognise Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn, nominated Philip II as her heir. [2]. --Antiquary (talk) 12:24, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Philip II had been King of England in a coregency which lapsed on the death of his wife Mary I in 1558. I suppose that is the basis of Mary, Queen of Scots' nomination of Philip.

Kings & Queens of England: A royal history from Egbert to Elizabeth II says: "Philip believed he had a genuine claim to the English throne, both by descent from John of Gaunt, and as Queen Mary I's husband". Alansplodge (talk) 14:09, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Military Base Names

All the controversy around renaming bases named for Confederate soldiers had me wondering how many Military installations in the U.S. (or abroad) are named for African-Americans. For some reason despite several Google searches reworded in different ways and a search of Wikipedia, I cannot find the answer. I know there are no bases named after women, but I can't seem to find the answer to the African-American base name question. Can someone help me?Archinco (talk) 21:14, 1 January 2021 (UTC)Archinco 01/01/21[reply]

How many dead black American generals are there? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 21:30, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Benjamin O. Davis Jr. for starters. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:06, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Daniel James Jr. too. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:09, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

While looking for the answer to my question I found quite a few bases named for soldiers of lower ranks, one was named after a lieutenant who crashed a test plane. So rank or even accomplishment doesn't seem to be a part of the criterium. For your own edification, there have been 90 different African-American soldiers who have received the Medal of Honor (1 received it twice), some people may think one of them might qualify. So, as much as I appreciate your sparkling wit, it really didn't do much to answer my question. It did tell me a little about you though. Thanks for that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Archinco (talk • contribs) 21:57, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Doubtfull if many on this Desk are unaware of that aspect of history. Note that names people are called to serve associated with are not intended beneficial to either sides usually. [3] -- Askedonty (talk) 22:33, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

The new law (overriding the Trump veto) supposedly requires the renaming of facilities named for Confederates. So that presents an opportunity to correct this possible injustice pointed out by the OP. You could write to your congressman and senators with some suggestions. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 09:17, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

I found that the U.S. Air Force Academy named its previously unnamed airfield after Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. in 2019 (in 2017 West Point named a building after him).[4] His father was the first African-American general and when Benjamin A. Davis graduated West Point, he and his father were the only black infantry officers in the Army. Rmhermen (talk) 21:47, 5 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

1925 military uniform in file

After a little research, I decided it was likely that File:Walter Beals in Marine Corps dress uniform, ca 1920s (PORTRAITS 1840).jpg depicts Walter B. Beals. The filename identifies his uniform as a Marine Corps one, but his article says he was in the Army, so I requested a rename of the file. Could someone who knows about military uniforms check that this is, in fact, an Army uniform and not a Marine Corps uniform (and perhaps confirm or reject my identification of the individual)? – BMacZero (🗩) 23:44, 1 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Here is a portrait of him in army uniform, which looks rather different. --Lambiam 09:49, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

It looks like the dress seen here, which would make it a US Army officer mess dress uniform. --Lambiam 11:14, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

However, a mess jacket only extends down to the waist (known in the UK as a "bumfreezer"). This is more of a frock coat. I have put a note on the WikiProject Military history talk page requesting some expert advice. Alansplodge (talk) 15:29, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the help, all. The similarity to the mess dress jacket is pretty substantial, but hopefully we'll attract someone who knows for sure. – BMacZero (🗩) 18:17, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

The photo does not have the resolution I'd like to be absolutely certain but I think it unlikely that is a Marine Corps uniform. Indications (and various "frock coat" and other general statements are undermined by the variety of uniforms in that period, by branch even) are the belt buckle. I know and can find no period in which a Marine buckle did not have some form of the Marine globe and anchor emblem. The Army buckles have the eagle clutching olive branch and arrows in some form. This one, fuzzy as it is enlarged and sharpened, is not a globe and anchor and has the general form of the Army eagle inside and above a wreath. The sleeve insignia looks like infantry. I do not recall any such MC sleeve insignia — and after all, every Marine is a rifleman so there aren't all the "branch insignia. Palmeira (talk) 19:35, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

PS: If the subject was Army being in a Marine uniform at any time would be exceedingly unlikely if not a punishable offense. So, if the subject was definitely USA and not USMC then any speculation on Marine uniform is pretty much nonsense. Palmeira (talk) 19:41, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

On the photo (also linked to above) of Lieutenant Colonel Walter Beals in army uniform he is wearing a "Wildcat" patch, which was particular to the 81st Infantry Division. --Lambiam 21:59, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

@Palmeira: Great, thank you for your help. – BMacZero (🗩) 22:53, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]

Doing an image search on "infantry"+"dress uniform" returns thus image with caption "Named 1905 Dated U.S. Army Infantry Lieutenant Dress Uniform" — "The uniform is comprised of the Model 1902 dress frock coat for an Infantry Lieutenant, together with the trousers and a white pique vest. The frock ...". Not only does this look much like the other 1902 Army Artillery Officer dress uniform (the one to the left), but also like the uniform Beals is wearing on the photo labelled as a Marine Corps dress uniform. --Lambiam 23:15, 2 January 2021 (UTC)[reply]