STARTS WEDNESDAY: The Nordic Nations: The Vikings Are Coming! at Third Age Learning Guelph

We will follow the Vikings to Iceland and North America and discover the golden age of Sweden, the Grand Duchy of Finland, and Royal Denmark.

Right: At the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway in 2024

STARTS THURSDAY: Royal Scandals from Henry VIII to Charles III at Later Life Learning Toronto

We will examine ten royal scandals, from King Henry VIII’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon to Prince Harry’s memoirs. We will discuss the impact of these events on popular perceptions of the royal family and the course of European history.

STARTS OCTOBER 7: Imperial Spain at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies

Ferdinand and Isabella transformed Spain into a world power. They sponsored Columbus’s voyages to the Americas and formed alliances with other European kingdoms. This new imperial Spain had a dark side in the rise of the Inquisition, the expulsion of Spain’s Jews and the exploitation of the colonies' native peoples. Gold and silver from the Americas made Spain’s rulers the richest in Europe until the Golden Age came to an end with the wars of the 18th century. 

Above: At the Alcazar in Seville, Spain in 2025