New evidence of the existence of Robin Hood? It may be. Dr Julian Luxford, an expert in medieval manuscript studies at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, has revealed that he found an intriguing mention of the legendary outlaw scribbled in the margins of the Polychronicon, a history written by Ralph Higden (c. 1280-1363). The comment, written in Latin by a monk about 1460, said, “Around this time, according to popular opinion, a certain outlaw named Robin Hood, with his accomplices, infested Sherwood and other law-abiding areas of England with continuous robberies.” Dr. Luxford believes that this might be the earliest written chronicle reference to Robin Hood, and he points out its “uniquely negative assessment” of the outlaw; not a word, you notice, about stealing from the rich to give to the poor!
People have been arguing for years about whether there was a real Robin Hood, a series of Robin Hoods, or if he was merely a myth. I can say for a reasonable certainty that if Robin did exist, he wasn’t battling “Evil Prince John” while waiting for “Good King Richard” to return from the crusades. I’ve always been partial to the theory that Robin Hood and his band of merry men were followers of Simon de Montfort, outlawed after Simon’s defeat and death at the battle of Evesham in 1265, and so I was pleased to see that Dr Luxford agrees with me, saying that “The new find places Robin Hood in Edward’s reign, thus supporting the belief that his legend is of 13th century origin.”
I began this blog with the item about Robin Hood because I thought we needed a bit of good news; we all agree that if there wasn’t a Robin Hood, there ought to have been one, right? The world is not a cheerful place these days, and we have to take our cheer wherever we can find it. Like many people, I felt very sad about the tragic death this week of Natasha Richardson. While writing Devil’s Brood, I did a lot of research about subdural and epidural hemorrhages, for that was the injury causing Geoffrey’s death. I remember thinking that we were so lucky, living in an age when such injuries could be successfully treated, whereas it was an automatic death sentence for Geoffrey. But we can have too much faith in modern medicine.
I have some book news now. St Martin’s Press has brought out new editions of Sunne in Splendour, Here Be Dragons, and Falls the Shadow. They will be publishing The Reckoning on April 14th. St Martin’s has selected all these books for their reading clubs, and provides questions and a reading guide at their website. It occurred to me that this could be a good opportunity to have another book giveaway; I really enjoyed the last one. So….here are the rules. If you would like to suggest any questions for The Reckoning reading groups, post them on my next blog. I will then pass them on to St Martin’s, and if they like them, they’ll add them to their website reading guide for The Reckoning. Anyone who submits a question will be entered in a drawing, and the winner will get a signed hardback edition of The Reckoning (the paperback is not available yet) and signed paperback copies of Here Be Dragons and Falls the Shadow.
Ballantine Books will be putting out new editions of When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance at the same time that they publish the paperback edition of Devil’s Brood; the official publication date for all three is July 28th. And Penguin UK will be publishing their paperback edition of Devil’s Brood in August; as soon as I get the exact date, I’ll let you know. I think it will be fun to have book giveaways for them, too, so stay tuned.
Okay, now to reader mail. Thank you all for continuing to share your reading lists. My only concern is that I’ll need nine lives like a cat in order to follow your recommendations; as the bumper sticker goes, “So many books, so little time.” Judith, thank you for sharing your song with us. I love the idea that a young American in the 21st century was inspired to write a song about a woman dead more than eight centuries. I think we need to feel that connection to our past, and it saddens me that so many people seem indifferent or even hostile to history. I truly believe that we need to know what happened yesterday before we can decide what to do tomorrow. And it is fun to imagine Joanna’s reaction (or Eleanor’s or Henry’s) if only they knew we were still fascinated by their lives so long after their deaths.
An interesting question, too, Judith, about Anne Boleyn. I tend to agree with you and Kristen, think Henry would eventually have divorced Katherine of Aragon even if Anne had died prematurely. I think by then he’d convinced himself that he “must” have a male heir. And I could not agree more with Carrie’s poetic observation—that the cracks in history are wonderful places for the imagination to flourish. I just wish people found the Plantagenets as fascinating as they do the Tudors—it would certainly help the sales of my books!
Suzanne, Geoffrey, the Archbishop of York, did not refer to himself as Plantagenet. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, the first one to make use of that surname was the Duke of York, father of Edward IV and Richard III, in the 15th century. Historians will refer to them by that name for convenience; I did that myself in one or two of my books, the earlier ones. Another example is the use of the surname Capet for the French dynasty that came before the Valois kings. I refer to Louis Capet often in my trilogy, even though he would not have called himself that; it took a while for it to be adopted by the kings of his dynasty. I realize I am being inconsistent, referring to Louis Capet but insisting upon calling Henry by the name he called himself—Fitz Empress. But Louis was a secondary player; had he been the main character, I probably wouldn’t have used Capet.
It is tricky, no doubt about it. Right now I am having fits trying to avoid using the words “crusade” or “crusader” in dialogue, since those terms were not used in the 12th century. They spoke of “taking the cross” or “pilgrimage”. There are times when I absolutely have to use “crusade” in the narrative, if only to save my sanity. But I am making an effort not to put the word in Richard’s mouth. And yes, you could probably find it in misused in Here Be Dragons. But that was only my second book and I was still learning—also I was not as obsessive-compulsive then as I would later become!
If I am doing a Mea Culpa for Dragons, though, I have more to explain than an occasional use of “crusade” or even “Plantagenet”. Someone reading Dragons after reading Devil’s Brood might well wonder if the same author wrote both books. In Dragons, John certainly does not share my doubts about Richard’s sexuality and he is obviously convinced that his father had taken the unfortunate Alys as his mistress. Richard and Henry were minor characters in Dragons, appearing only very briefly, and so I did not do the sort of extensive research about either man that I did for John; see my above comment about being obsessive-compulsive. Moreover, Dragons was researched and written more than twenty-five years ago, and history is not static; it is a river, not a pond, and previously unknown facts and nuggets of information are constantly being revealed by that surging current.
I’m sure we’ll be discussing this in future blogs. For now, I can report that Richard and his army have reached Sicily, where he is about to wreak his usual havoc. And Remember–submit any questions for The Reckoning book club and you’re in the drawing.
March 22, 2009
Three cheers for the paperback of Devil’s Brood arriving in July. Hopefully Richard can take a break from the usual havoc with a family reunion.
As a warm up to the question for The Reckoning reading group, I have a question about Falls the Shadow. Was the speech that Simon de Montefort gave at the battle of Lewes (and located on the book covers) historically accurate, or did you come up with it on your own?
On another side note, anyone not from the UK looking to order books from Great Britain should really try Bookdepository.com. They have free international shipping for most countries and occassionally their books are on sale. Over Christmas I purchased several by Elizabeth Chadwick and the only fee I was issued was by the credit card company for a currency conversion. While I’ve read quite a few comments on her trilogy regarding William Marshal, another I also recommend looking at her books on the Fitz-warins (Shadows & Strongholds and Lords of White Castle).
Oh my, I’d love a signed copy of The Reckoning — it’s the only one of your histories that I don’t yet own, but I read it so long ago it will be hard for me to wrack my brain to come up with a good question for it (and I obviously don’t have a copy to leaf through for inspiration). I’ll see what I can think of and hopefully add one later.
That’s fascinating news about Robin Hood. It’s funny, but somehow I had it in my head that you’d speculated about the Robin Hood legend coming not from John’s time or from Edward’s, but from the chaotic time of Saints, when Geoffrey de Mandeville et al were out causing havoc. But I just went back and checked the author’s note from my copy of Saints, and there’s nothing about it there, so apparently I misremembered that. I do find it fascinating that historians are still digging up “new” evidence from old manuscripts — one tends to assume that, short of discovering a new trove of manuscripts, all the data that can be extracted from existing texts has already been extracted long ago, and, contrary to your assertion, I find I do tend to think of history more as a pond than a river. It’s reassuring to hear that that’s not the case.
Regarding your comment about the Plantagenets not being as popular as the Tudors — I think I’ve made one convert for you! In one of those facebook surveys that go around I mentioned that I read medieval history, and an old friend I haven’t seen since high school said she was immersed in the Tudors (Philippa Gregory and Allison Weir, neither of which I’ve read, but that’s ok) and asked if I had any recommendations. Of course I had a few! She just sent me a message telling me how much she loved Sunne and how she plans to read all your books now!
BTW, my eldest daughter is in 7th grade and currently studying the Middle Ages, which is great fun for me. Her class is reading A Proud Taste for Miniver and Scarlet (a novel about Eleanor’s life, intended for her grade level) at the same time that I’m reading Marion Meade’s biography, so I got to spend a couple of wonderful hours yesterday discussing 12th century history and politics with her. I don’t think she’s ready for your books yet, but I can’t wait to share them with her when she’s a bit older!
OK, here’s a question for your publisher re The Reckoning:
Edward I is generally regarded as one of England’s great kings, yet in The Reckoning he is cast more or less in the role of the villain. Do you think he achieved his greatness despite his less savory actions towards the Welsh, as portrayed in this book, or in large part because of them?
Sharon, I’m still in the middle of buzzing up and down the country on library tours but dropping by to say congratulations on all your re-issues. Wow, that’s so good to know! I have copies of all your books, some of them decidedly yellow around the edges!
Robin Hood: Was already the name of men of disreputable highway habits by the 1260’s, which suggests a couple of generations earlier to enter the vernacular. ‘Robehod’ as a criminal was mentioned 6 time in paperwork of the 13thC and 5 of these times was involved in criminal activities.
Fulke FitzWarin, the Shropshire outlaw is another candidate for the Robin Hood character and his run-ins were indeed with King John. He spent 3 years running rings around King John in the Welsh Marches with a dedicated small band of outlawed knights and serjeants. John finally gave in and let him have everything he wanted because Fulke was such a pain in the proverbials. The Romance of Fouke FitzWaryn is half correct family history and half fantasy. Very fascinating. Reference-wise I can reccomend the book Two Medieval Outlaws, Eustace the Monk and Fouke FitzWaryn by Professor Glyn Burgess. From there go on to read Barons of the Welsh Frontier: The Corbet, Pantulf and FitzWarin Familes 1066-1272 by J Meisel.
So seeing Judith’s song on the last blog comments gave me the idea to dredge up a poem I wrote about 7 or 8 years ago – I was in grade 9, anyhow. I had just read Here be dragons, and like most everybody else out there, fell in love with Llywelyn & Joanna’s story. I wrote the poem from Joanna’s point of view, in her days at Llanfaes, and how she may have felt wondering if Llywelyn would ever forgive her:
If I could take back the night
And then take back the day
I’d return to that beach hafod
And run the other way.
For nary in our life
Did a worse choice decideth I
And now I would that I could take
The sorrow from your eyes.
For Will de Braose meant nothing,
Is a demon of my past
I led myself into a trap
That haunts me to the last.
For once I was, and still I am,
And evermore shall be
Princess of Wales and your consort;
These shan’t be stole from me.
Not only for myself do I
Ask your forgiveness with,
But think of those we must protect:
Our Elen and Dafydd
The truth my dear, my cariad,
Is you belong to me
As much as I belong to you
Our lives are meant to be
I know my promise counts for naught
But promise I shall give
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth,
I’ll love you longer than I live.
Ahh, I feel like re-reading Dragons now!
As for the reading group question for The Reckoning, I first wanted to suggest a question about how different Elen de Montfort’s reception in Wales was compared to Joanna’s (in Dragons), but then realized you can’t expect everyone to have read the entire trilogy. So I came up with another:
Knowing that England’s Kings had been trying to subdue Welsh Princes for generations in order to created a ‘united’ Britain, was it prudent for Llewelyn ap Gruffydd and his brother to remain enemies with Edward I, or should they have attempted to find a way to work with the English King in the hopes of retaining some independence? Would it have even been possible to gain something by collaborating with England, or was Wales doomed either way?
Oh yeah, and that’s a very interesting tidbit about Robin Hood!
I saw that tidbit about Robin Hood recently.
I have a friend who was commenting on the history behind The Reckoning and her statement was that the English should not have won the way that a hero’s story goes – so I guess my question (with a huge hat tip to my friend, with whom I’d share my book if I won) would be “how does history differ from a good epic tale and how would England and Wales have related if the Welsh had won at this time?”
Funny that you should mention Robin Hood, Sharon; I was just thinking that since the only things I know about Robin Hood are from the Disney movie, I should study him more closely. Reading about this new info is like throwing gasoline into a fire!
I get sad when I see people hating history…especially in my own family! My brother loves science-fiction, and has been trying to get me interested in it for years. He despises history because, (and I quote) ‘How can we move forward if we’re always looking behind us?” I think that’s a bunch of elephant poo! I believe if we look back, we’ll learn what to do and what not. Plus, he also accuses me of ‘living in the romanticized past’. Well, excuse me if ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ doesn’t have spaceships!
Angela, I really liked your poem! I’m currently writing a song about Rosamund and Eleanor, and my song about Hal is ‘under construction’….I read it recently and was dissatisfied by the chorus.
I’ve been racking my brain the whole time I’ve been typing, trying to think of a question, but I just can’t seem to think of one! If I think of one, I submit it later.
Judith
P.S. I couldn’t finish ‘The Secret Life of Josephine’. It was just to soap opera-y. Not that I don’t like Carolly Erickson; The Last Wife of Henry VIII is one of my favorite books, but I’m very attached to the story of Napoleon and Josephine, seeing as it was them who first got me interested in history, and to see Napoleon transformed into an abusive jerk and Josephine into an a creepy sexaholic was just too much for me. I started ‘Lolita’ by Vladimer Nabokov instead (to think that I gave up Josephine because there was too much creepy sex to read, of all things, Lolita!) I put off reading ‘Time and Chance’ because I wanted to save it for the summer. Needless to say, I can’t wait for summer!
Hey Judith,
Before I got sucked in to medieval history, I used to read mostly science fiction — although the genres (historical fiction and science fiction) tend to appeal to very different people, I think they have quite a lot in common. They’re both romanticizations of a sort — one of the past, the other of the future. They both deal with worlds and customs that are entirely different than what we deal with in the here and now, which makes them both exotic and escapist. They both have a somewhat scripted set of constraints — historical fiction has to operate w/in the sphere of what actually happened, and science fiction has to keep its science, if not accurate, at least plausible and internally consistent. And if either of them veer too much away from true history/science, they both end up more or less in the same place, at fantasy (and you end up with anachronisms like swordplay on other planets, etc.), which is where you sometimes get crossover readers (although I personally don’t care for fantasy that much, other than in the form of children’s literature — I like both my history and my science to be accurate!).
Anyway, there’s good stuff out there in both genres.
Hi Angela,
I loved your poem. Set it to music and you have a ballad.
Also, Llewellyn and Daffyd did try to get along with Edward I. All of the novels I have read about the Welsh princes state the same things. The Welsh kept the treaty with Edward I, and brought their grievances to the attention of the King, but he disregarded all that they told him. Or he promised to investigate, but never did. Writs for lawsuits were “conveniently” misplaced. Edward wilfully interpreted the clauses in the treaty as he wished. He moved the borders in order to apply English law to issues which were clearly placed on Welsh land where Welsh law should have applied. When the Welsh finally got to write everything down in one big protest when Edward decided it was time to negotiate, they were astounded that so many violations had taken place over time. And when the Archbishop took all the written testimony to Edward. The King said he was grieved that none of the issues had been brought to him before as he would have acted had he known. Llewellyn’s response was that the King’s memory was at fault! This is from Sharon’s novels and Margaret Pargeters 4 novels about the Brothers of Gwynneth. The history these two authors garnered 30 years apart is the same. Edward I was just so arrogant, he and the English believed that all things English were “good” and the Welsh culture needed to be stamped out or at least bent to the English model. Much as the Chinese are doing with Tibet in today’s world. See how history relates to the modern world?
So it really didn’t matter at the time how the Welsh reacted to the depradations of the English, Edward was biding his time and nibbling away at their culture, their land, their trade, their laws (how enlightened they were regarding the rights of women!) and the way they followed Church teachings. In many instances where Welsh custom and law collided with Church teachings, the Welsh followed their own traditions. Edward had The Church on his side. We forget how powerful the Catholic Church was in the MA.
Edward offered Llewellyn an English Earldom if Llewellyn would cede to the English his own princedom. And didn’t understand why his offer was turned down. Well, a Prince, just as a King, inherits his right to rule and it isn’t at the pleasure of another person. An Earl only holds his lands and title at the pleasure of the King! A world of difference! Why would a Lord care for his land and people, if they could be taken away at the whim of the King? That is part of what the Magna Carta and the Provisions of Oxford were about–the Barons of England trying to get the King to keep his promises. Well, Llewelyn was no more successful than Simon de Montfort at that endeavor.
And the Welsh won in the end. It took them a few years, but Henry the VII was of Welsh descent!
I have a question for The Reckoning. Was Dafydd alive or had he jumped when they hung him so his neck was broken and he was dead when they butchered him?
Sharon, keep yourself well and writing. I am anxious to read your take on Richard Ceour D’Lion!
Thanks for the poem comments 😀
And as for my question, I guess I didn’t word it as right as it was in my head (also it’s been a few years since I read Reckoning!)… I figured that no matter what, Edward would have ‘stamped out’ their culture. And I was just so heartbroken at the end of the novel that it had indeed come to pass, so I always wished their could have been a way for both England and Wales to win. But of course that isn’t how life works! I suppose a better question would be “Was there a way that Wales could have retained some of its independence against Edward I’s England?” – I wonder what might have happened had Llywelyn ap Gruffydd accepted the offer of an English Earldom. It’s easy to point the finger and assume that Edward would still have taken away his land, but, I still wonder…
Hi Sharon,
I recently did a festival show about Robin Hood – did he exist? What does he mean to us today? Was he just in it for the publicity? (Well, it was a comedy show.)
In my research I too (like Elizabeth) came across the evidence that he may have been based on Fulke Fitzwarin (or even Eustace the Monk) as well as countless other medieval outlaws with names similar to Robin Hood.
(I also went on a very entertaining film shoot to Nottingham, where we went to the Robin Hood Visitors Centre, and Sherwood Forest. It was quite funny. I should send you a copy!)
In the end I found the most interesting thing about Robin Hood wasn’t whether he really existed, but why he became a hero…? It would be fair to say that in the reign of King John there were a few disatisfied people around who liked the idea of someone robbing the rich and giving to the poor!
But then again, life throughout the entire Middle Ages was difficult for peasants, and it is no wonder that they needed a hero to believe in. That they needed to create a legend, who fought against the perceived greed and corruption of the nobility…
I then explored why Robin Hood is such an enduring figure today. Why do we keep telling his story over and over again in film and TV? – Especially when there has never been a decent film about the War of the Roses…
I concluded that there is something in humanity that needs to believe in the good in people, that a man could lose everything, but continue to fight for those less fortunate.
In this today’s world of greed and corruption (just think of the current banking crisis), I asked who our Robin Hood was today? What heros or legends were we creating today? It is hard to imaging them enduring the way that Robin Hood has…
But then again, wasn’t he just a criminal, who wore tights, and made the Merrie Men give up the loot they’d risked their necks for to a bunch of peasants, while he made them all live in the forest….? Wasn’t he just a tax evader, who was handy with a bow, and had really good PR…? 😉
I re-read my post, and i realized it did sound like I hated science fiction, which I don’t. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Who, I’ve watched “Star Wars’ more times than I can count, and I can’t wait for the Star Trek movie to come out. What I meant was that I don’t like people (mostly my brother) deciding that one genre is better than the other, when, like Suzanne says, they’re very similar.
I still haven’t thought up a question for the book giveaway.
I really enjoyed reading all your posts. I’ve always wondered why certain periods are explored or immortalized over and over again in books, film, etc. Queen Elizabeth I is a prime example. Is she so fascinating because she a powerful woman in a time when women had (arguable) little power? Or is it because she was an underdog, like Robin Hood, who struggled?
As for Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (speaking of another underdog,) I’ve always wondered why he waited so long to marry. He wed Eleanor de Montfort in 1277, which was in his 50s. (J Beverly Smith, who wrote Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, estimates his birth date as early 1220s.) What would have happened if Llywelyn had married earlier? Why didn’t he? Would he have had more children, and if so, would they have been able to fight Edward’s conquest of Wales?
These questions are always fun and remind me of King Louis in The Lion in Winter. (I don’t know if he was quoting a philosopher or not.) “What if is a game for scholars. What if angels sat on pinheads?”
And thank you for the lovely compliment, Sharon! I won’t be offended if you don’t read a book I suggest. I’m a bookseller, so recommending books is second nature now.
Your comments on Robin Hood are interesting as I recently read E. Chadwick’s book on Fulke FitzWarin and was telling everyone who would listen that HE was the real Robin Hood. Elizabeth writes such great love scenes and her Fulke was the dashing outlaw of many a girl’s fantasy.
Just wanted to say I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Sunne in Splendour and can hardly believe it was your first book! I thought you brought a realism to the characters and the dialogue that was occasionally lacking in the Henry I series – though I love those as well and am excited about the next in the series on Richard I. I’ve done a lot of studying on Crusade history and as the saying goes: “you couldn’t make this stuff up.” I know you don’t think Eleanor and her uncle had an affair and I tend to agree with that because the chronicles written during that time period didn’t accuse her of adultery. The ones written 30 years later by French authors did – no surprise that they were trying to discredit her.
I also read your argument about why Alix and King Henry I couldn’t have had an affair, yet it’s interesting that so many historians claim it as fact. Richard himself seemed fairly adamant that the two of them were up to some hanky-panky.
But back to Sunne in Splendour – it didn’t matter that the reader knew the outcome because your description of the Battle of Bosworth was heartbreaking. I found myself wishing there was a way I could have gone back and somehow changed the outcome. I was rooting for Richard all the way and would have gladly slipped Henry Tudor some poison myself. I also think you did justice to the character of John Neville, who is one of the more tragic figures of that war. Have you ever read Sandra Worth’s book “Lady of the Roses”, the love story of John and Isabel? He was a thoroughly honorable and decent man caught in an impossible situation. Thanks again for an amazing reading experience.
I have come up with 3 questions for The Reckoning reading group. They are all slight variations on the same theme and involve the enigmatic Davydd ap Gruffydd.
Was Edward more motivated to conquer Wales by his belief that he was doing Gods work or by his implacable hatred of Davydd ap Gruffydd?
How much of a part did Davydd ap Gruffydd play in the irrevocable breakdown in the relationship between Edward and Llewelyn?
Would the future of Gwynedd and the rest of Wales have been better served if Llewelyn had kept Davydd imprisoned with his brother Owain?
I also want to say a big thankyou to everyone who recommended Elizabeth Chadwick’s books. They are hard to find in Australia but thanks to the internet I have got my hands on a few. The first one I read was the Falcons of Montabard. Her descriptions are so vivid that I could easily picture the sights, sounds and smells and imagine I myself was walking down the streets of Jerusalem. I really like the use of names such as Outremer and the Narrow Sea. I am now a William Marshall fan as I have just finished reading The Greatest Knight. His loyalty is unwavering but as King Richard says in the book it is Williams integrity that is his greatest asset. I can’t wait to get stuck into The Scarlet Lion. I have a feeling that I am not going to like King John much.
Angela, what did you think of the trilogy regardng Richard III that Sandra Worth wrote? I think that I was (and still am) so attached to the Sunne & Splendor version that I had a lot of trouble connecting with her Richard & Anne. I kind of raised my eyebrows at the fact that Anne was a vegetarian. I really wasn’t crazy about the portrayl of Will Hastings. To me, it sounded like she was setting him up to make his end more justifiable. Don’t get me wrong, I rooted for Richard throughout the Sunne in Splendor. Regardless, my favorite portion of the Rose of York were the pages devoted to John & Isabel. That book is definitely on my reading list this summer.
As for my discussion question regarding The Reckoning (before I forget again!):
At the end of Falls the Shadow & The Reckoning the heros’ bodies are in some way dismembered and their places of buriel become places of worship, as if imbued by the remains of the men
How does this affect your preceptions of both the main protaganists themselves, as well as those who committed such acts?
Another question might be, which fate might be better for their wives? To flee in exile like Nell did (with her head held high, nonetheless) or to never have the chance to really know, like Ellen (or even Elizabeth, for those who include Davydd)?
On a side note, Edward I’s attitude towards the Welsh & even the Scots always makes me think of Manifest Destiny & the American push to expand Westward is a God-given right.
Paula – your questions are thought provoking….haven’t read The Reckoning in years – will re-read ASAP! I am actually lucky enough to have an autographed copy of that one. My dad got it for me as a b’day many moons ago. This will be fun!
What great info on Robin Hood, Sharon! Thank you for sharing. I’ve always been fascinated by him, although I confess I haven’t done any real research on him. I may have to look into it deeper. Another thing to add to my list of things to do in my life! I found a copy of a Middle English manuscript about Robin Hood by TEAMS that I may pick up just for the heck of it.
I’d love to participate in the book drawing, but I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t actually read The Reckoning yet. I had to declare a moratorium on buying books unless someone gives me a gift certificate, since I have over a thousand and I haven’t quite read them all yet. I feel shame. But my best friend just gave me a certificate for my b-day and The Reckoning was the first thing in my cart. Woo! I can’t wait for it to get here.
Congratulations on the reprints of your other paperbacks! That’s terrific! I always post updates like this on my blogs to spread the word.
Glad to hear you’re making good progress with Lionheart. Say hi to Richard for me and tell him to be good in Sicily. Oh, wait…
Have a great day! 🙂
Hi, Sharon:
I’m hoping against hope that the re-release of Sunne will tempt you towards a book about Richard of York and Cecily Neville (yes, this is my 2nd request in your blog!!!). Sunne remains my favorite of your books ever (I’ve probably read my old copy about 4 or 5 times) and I love the brief glimpses into Cecily’s life which we are treated to. And, since you went “backwards” writing the John/Henry III/Edward I trilogy and then the Maud/Henry II & Eleanor trilogy, I’m “wishin’ & hopin'” that you’ll do the same with Richard & Edward’s parents!
I’m a Plantagenet-era aficionado of Medieval history. The Tudors do not hold the same fascination for me; my interest ends in 1485. I visited London last summer and was thrilled to tour Westminster Abbey and see the tombs of so many people I had read about. But my special thrill was visiting Windsor Castle, touring St George’s Chapel, started by Edward IV, seeing his and Elizabeth Woodville’s tombs and then seeing the well-known portrait of Richard III which hangs in the Windsor State Apartments. I hadn’t realized how small that portrait is!
I just started Time & Chance (bought it ages ago but had not been able to read it) and have Devil’s Brood waiting in the wings (it will be my treat for my Sanibel Island beach vacation in Aug). Your books are truly intoxicating. They make the Medieval era and its many colorful and fascinating characters come alive.
I don’t have a question for The Reckoning give-away because I read it so long ago. I’m thinking that after I finish your current trilogy, I will re-read Dragons/Shadow/Reckoning. I love your depiction of the Welsh heroes–the 2 Llewelyns and Hywel are especially dreamy. Have you thought about delving into Owain Glendower? I understand that he and Richard II respected each other and that the regard Henry V had for him was one of the bones of contention between Hal and his father Bolingbroke.
Keep writing your wonderful historical novels, Sharon, and your legion of fans will keep reading! And I personally would like to see you stay in the Plantagenet period of England–there is so, so much material there for your rare writing talent! BTW–congratulations on the re-releases!
In regards to writing in other timeframes or places – due to your extensive story telling capability – i would read any of your series. i got hooked with “Sunne” while visiting home in England 22 years ago – my aunt had read it and she loaned it to me – (I still have her copy and keep forgetting to give it back to her when I return.) While visiting – we went to Bosworth Field and had a great time seeing places that your stories spoke of. In the years that followed I have seen many of the English sites that are referenced in all of your series and at each visit – it is usually your stories I remember. SO while many may only want you to stay in the middle ages – i think you would justice to anytime period and would bring those historical characters to life. Your gift for story telling is wonderful.
On to Henry and his inability to “manage his sons” I think all parents get there at one time or another. My own child recently did something which still gets me asking “what were you thinking” and I felt very much like Henry when his sons rebelled one more time.
We would like to believe our offspring are infallible and incapable of making mistakes – but reality is they will – we just have to let them make them so they learn. We can share our experiences and hope they learn. Sometimes you just have to let them live the experience so they can understand your point of view. As Henry learned to his bitter end – children are people to, who have very firm opinions and expectations.
“The Devil’s Brood” was a wonderful story and I am looking forward to whatever point in history you have chosen to tell as I am sure the story will be fun.
Greetings Sharon from England. I have just finished The Devil’s Brood and really enjoyed it. I now eagerly await the next book on Richard and am rereading Dragons etc while I wait. I keep promising myself a trip to North Wales to put the views into my head while I read.
Good news about the paperback release here in August. I really hope there is more publicity about it here than the hardback release. Our 2 big booksellers did not even have it in store, only for order, which seems a missed opportunity. I was only aware because I watch Amazon for my favourite authors.
Wendy – your comments about children and their mistakes as they grow is so true and were actually a comfort to me after something really silly my son did earlier this year. We can only watch and offer support when they are ready for it sometimes.
Thanks so much Sharon for the pleasure your books have given me and the history I have learned about the shaping of the country I live in.
Congratulations Sharon on the rereleases. I have been wracking my brain as to a question for The Reckoning as I do not have my copy currently with me (but luckily I reread your books about once a year). The questions I came up with is more about the techniques of writers than the story itself or the history behind it. I find it really interesting how you incorperate invented characters (or characters that very little is known about) and give them their own story which runs parallel to that of the main characters. The Reckoning was the first book of yours were I really noticed this, with Hugh and Caitlin’s story (which is one of my favorite storylines in the book). So here is my question:
In The Reckoning, two of the significant characters, Hugh and Caitlin, had their story invented by the author. What are the advantages of inserting characters such as these into a historical novel, where all other major characters have relatively well documented lives? Are there any drawbacks to doing so? Did you find Hugh and Caitlin’s story to be equally as plausible as the other storylines in the book? Would you have guessed that this storyline was primarily the authors invention?
Another related question/comment that I have is I was wondering if you put invented characters into your books for a particular purpose? How do you decide what their story or role is going to be? I really appreciate these characters which are often allowed to live happily at the end of the book – when you are rereading you know that even if most of the characters die that there will be one happy ending. Do you put invented stories into your books for readers like me who like happy endings?
Thanks for continuing to write all these interesting and thought provoking blogs.
Erika, I love your question about the plausibility of the invented characters vs the historical ones! I have to confess, it’s been so long since I read The Reckoning that I don’t actually remember the Hugh and Caitlin story, but Ranulf is the most obvious example of this type of thing in the 12th century trilogy. I happen to be of the opinion that these characters are a seasoning that definitely add a certain something, but ought to be used rather sparingly — I think Sharon falls in love with them and doesn’t have the same objectivity as she does with the historical characters (which is not to say she doesn’t fall in love w/ the historical characters too — she obviously does — but she has more constraints as to what she can do w/ them). So I don’t actually think the storylines are as plausible (not that the truth is any more plausible often, but it has the advantage of being true!) Which is fine, and there’s a place for that, but it’s not why I read her books!
Anyway, thanks for that question.
Erika, I also really liked your question about the invented characters. When I first read Here Be Dragons about 20 years ago I was disappointed to read in the authors note that Rhys and Catherine were inventions. Even though their storyline was only a very small part of the book it is one of my favourites. Every time I read the book now I still enjoy the storyline but I see it more as a fable that tells me about the lives of women and how at times they had very few choices in the middle ages. Rhys and Catherine’s story may not be as plausible as other storylines in the book but I think it is important in the narrative as it helps in the telling of Joanna’s story.
In The Reckoning I really enjoy the storyline about Hugh and Caitlin. I think the ending of the book would just be too sad and depressing without that slight ray of hope. I think invented characters have to be used to a certain extent.
As I mentioned in my last post I am really loving Elizabeth Chadwick books right now so a big thanks again for everyone who recommended her.
I know I am a little late in responding to an earlier blog regarding Philipia Gregory’s writings. I have officially read 4 out of the 6 books she has written about the Tudors and I have also reviewed your website. I think Philipia does a wonderful job of bringing characters to life and giving her audience a different perspective of these very complex historical figures. I feel the need to defend her because I feel what others have written on this blog have been very harsh. If you read Philipia’s work, you will know that she never intends her work to be taken has historical fact. In her Author’s notes and sometimes in the very beginning of her books, she tells you that this is a work of fiction. She enjoys offering a completely different look of the Tudors than has been offered before and I think she should be given credit for that.
I really want to thank you for recommending different authors. My bookcases are officially overflowing from the different material you have recommended.
Here is an interesting genealogical tidbit that I’m sure Sharon knows, but maybe not all her readers: Two of the characters in The Reckoning, Eleanora of Castile (married to Edward I) and Blanche deArtois (married to Edward’s brother Edmund) were second cousins. Their grandmothers (Berenguela and Blanca) were sisters. Berenguela was married to the King of Castile and Blanca was married to Louis VIII of France. Their great-grandmother was Eleanora, daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II.
Eleanor of Aquitaine crossed the Pyrenees Mountains when she was nearly 80 years old to bring Blanca to France to marry the heir of France. (You gotta love that woman!). She was hoping to end the hostilities between France and England by the marriage. Edward I and Edmund were, of course, great-grandsons of Henry and Eleanor. So that made them second cousins once removed, or something like that, to their wives.
I always wondered, too, why Llewellyn didn’t marry when he was younger. Apparently he had no illigitimate children, either. When he broke off his plight troth to Ellen de Montfort, that brought up another question in my mind: I don’t quite understand the significance of a plight troth, at least from a legal standpoint. Why would Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville be considered illegal? If a plight troth was the same legally as a marriage, how could Llewellyn (or anyone else) just call off the marriage without going through some kind of legal action? I am very confused about that. Also, I wonder why that Butler woman’s father didn’t speak up about the plight troth when Edward IV became king. After all, his daughter should have been the Queen of England. Did he get paid off in some way?
Oh, and by the way, I think the Plantagenets are WAAAY more interesting than the Tudors. Henry VIII just gets more press because of all his wives and the beheadings, etc. I like my roses white!
I’ve been really impressed by the questions submitted so far, they’ve been so insightful and thought-provoking, I doubt I could come up with one comparable. But I LOVE The Reckoning and Llewelyn ap Gruffydd is my favorite character of the trilogy.
Just about the only thing that bothered me about him was his rejection of his daughter. I was just so surprised by his negative reaction to her, and even though he did seem to warm to her somewhat, I never felt like he really cared about her. I know he was grief-stricken, but I thought he would have embraced her as Ellen’s flesh and blood. And given the relationship he had with his own parents, the fact that he knew what it felt like to feel unloved, to be a disappointment to his parents, and then his subsequent devotion to raising Caitlin, and even all of the second chances he gave Davydd, I just expected so much more of him as a father. So I guess I would ask, if he had lived, would he have come to love his daughter and be a true father to her, or would he always view her as the death of Ellen and mourn for the son he could not have?
On another note, I personally have no issues with authors creating characters alonside the historical figures. Ranulf was one of my favorite characters in the Henry/Eleanor trilogy, and The Reckoning was one of the saddest books I’ve ever read, so I, for one, was glad to have it end with hope for the future with Caitlin and Hugh. In historical novels about subjects I have some knowledge of, I already know what happens to the main characters and what the final outcome will be, so I like having some fictional characters thrown in to keep me guessing, to make me care about how the story will end up for them. So many of the figures we remember best and are still fascinated by today were such tragic figures. As a reader who needs some semblance of a happy ending or at least a possibility of one, I think it’s important in a book that ends badly for just about all of the historical characters, that there be someone who comes out alright in the end, and if that character is fictional, that’s fine by me!
Here is my question for The Reckoning: Why was Edward I able to finally subjugate Wales when his predecessors had failed? How were his military tactics different from previous English Kings?
Marilyn, I know your question is for the readers’ guidelines, but I have to pass on this story. I was visiting Caernarfon Castle and joined a guided tour. The guide told us that Edward I suffered from ‘John Wayne’ syndrome – ‘Push west and build forts!’ I’ve always remembered that quip and it always brings a smile!
Elizabeth, and he built those forts big. 🙂 I’ve visited a bunch of the Norman castles in Wales last year; they are huge. We got a lot of castles here in Germany, but few that can compete with Edward’s whoppers. And those that can, like the Harzburg where Otto IV* died, are in ruins.
* He was the son of Duke Henry the Lion of Saxony and Mathilde, daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
For those interested in these details, here’s a post about Edward’s master architect, Master James of St.George, who built all his Welsh castles. Plus some photos of Caernarfon.
What a facinating article. I’m looking for expert advice, could you help?
Marilyn.
About Edward’s success. His tactics were not much different from previous English Kings, he however, was made of different stuff!
The Welsh (by lack of resources) were forced to use guerilla tactics, whereas the English could muster massive armies- albeit for a relatively short period. Previous large armies (Romans, Saxons and Normans) had entered Wales along the same routes that Edward used, but the cost of keeping them in the field, whilst the Welsh refused to face them in ‘out and out’ battle, proved too expensive and time-consuming, forcing army after army to withdraw.
Edward’s particular determination however, was driven by his inherent desire to rule a ‘United Kingdom’ encompassing the whole of the British Isles – he was not about to give up on this and was prepared to spend what ever amount was needed. That is why, once Wales was subjugated, he turned his attention to conquering Scotland.
In spite of his determination however, how different would it have all been, if Llewelyn had not been killed in an unfortunate (and avoidable) skirmish, just after the Welsh had had a major victory over the English of De Tany at the Menai Straits? Edward may have been more in a mood to negotiate after that!!
Dafydd had none of the unifying and leadership qualities that his brother possessed and Edward was obsessed with his desire for retribution of Dadydd’s treachory (as he saw it) to all that Edward’s court had bestowed on him previously. Edward must have been heartened to know that he now faced Dafydd and not his brother. If only Llewelyn had lived……….!
I had better not go on any more as I could end up writing a very long monologue! For a very serious attempt to reply to the question you posed, please read “The Taming of the Dragon” by W. Bartlett, simply superb!
I too, am researching the life and times of Master James (Jacques) of St. Georges d’Esperanches, together with his Savoyard contempories Othon de Grandson, Pierre de Savoy, Jean de Grailly, etc, with a view to writing a novel. Oh, for some of the talent of Ms. Sharon Kay Penman!!!
Ken, keep us informed about your research and that novel. It sounds interesting.
Hello again Sharon…you’ll be pleased to hear that I’ve started ‘Time and Chance’, and I love it!
I was wondering if you have any title ideas for Richard?
And Ken, that sounds so cool! I’ll eagerly be awaiting for more news on your novel. I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a story about Rosamund Clifford lately. But the idea of a whole novel sound so daunting!
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