I’d intended to use my recent on-line interview about my dogs to segue into a discussion of the contrast between our attitudes toward animals and those of the medievals. I still think that will be a good topic for a blog, but I am going to have to put it on hold. I didn’t have a good week, have been ill again, and I thought I ought to alert you that I still have health “issues,” which might occasionally interfere with my blogs or e-mail responses. It is frustrating without a doubt, and I am still learning how to live with a chronic illness—actually several of them. But as soon as I start researching medieval medicine, that quickly cures any inclination to have a “pity party.” My latest research has been on peritonitis, as I’ve picked that as my disease de jour, a plausible cause of death for one of my characters in Lionheart, and the result is a heightened appreciation for modern medicine!
Anticipating questions about this, I thought I ought to talk about causes of death. It is very rare when we actually know what killed a historical figure. Usually the most we can hope for is the date of death. If chroniclers mention a lingering illness, that would indicate a disease like cancer. But when the death was sudden or quick, then writers have to rely upon our imaginations.
We know that Hal, Henry’s son, died of the “bloody flux,” or dysentery, which was one of the great killers of the MA; Hal would actually have died of dehydration caused by dysentery, and those are the symptoms I describe in his death scene. Henry himself most likely died of septicemia, based upon comments he made to William Marshal in the Histoire. Henry was also suffering from other ailments, including what one chronicler described as “an abscess in his groin,” and a recurring leg injury that dated back to his being kicked by a horse in 1174. After researching head injuries at length, I concluded that Geoffrey probably died of an epidural hematoma. Henry and Eleanor’s daughter Matilda, the Duchess of Saxony, Tilda in DB, died suddenly in June of 1189, and we haven’t a clue as to what caused her death; she was only thirty-three. At least Henry was spared this grief, for he died without knowing it. Eleanor was not as fortunate; she gave birth to ten children and outlived all but two of them, her daughter Leonora in Castile and John.
With respect to the poor soul who is going to die of peritonitis in Lionheart, we know nothing whatsoever about his fatal illness, only that it was sudden and unexpected and does not appear to have been an accident. In cases like this, I look for those ailments known to have had a high mortality rate in the MA. Of course even a minor mishap could prove fatal to medievals, stepping on a nail, for example. Basically, fictional deaths involve a degree of detective work. For those of you who share my morbid curiosity about such matters, feel free to ask for all the gory details about the deaths of various characters in my novels. I’ll be happy to explain why I concluded that Edward IV died of pneumonia or why I chose to let Llewelyn and Joanna’s daughter Elen die of a miscarriage. At least with my mysteries, it is more straight-forward. If a character dies, it is of my choosing, and I also get to select the method of demise, usually a bloody one, of course.
This coming Wednesday, the 19th of November, I will be in Scottsdale, Arizona at my favorite bookstore, the Poisoned Pen, making a joint appearance with Diana Gabaldon and Dana Stabenow, and I ought to have some interesting stories to tell upon my return. Meanwhile, thank you all for the feedback about Author’s Notes. I am very glad that you find them as valuable as I do. And thanks, too, Gabrielle, for the wonderful links. More after Scottsdale.
November 17, 2008
Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be in Scottsdale on Wednesday. *sigh* Since I cannot, I’ll wish you a safe journey instead and tell you how much I love this new blog!
I second Michele…what I wouldn’t give to be able to see you and Diana Gabaldon!! I am super excited that you started this blog! And I hope that you feel better soon.
Sharon,
I am glad to have found your books and good luck w/everything in the future, health- and literature-wise. I am reading Here be Dragons for the second time and it so different, having read all the other books now and knowing a bit more about John, Eleanor and others from those earlier time period books.
To Beth from Nov. 13, Devils Brood Castle Post:
I can mail you a Falls the Shadow copy, let me know if you want one.
brittabetzin@msn.com
I completly share your interest in causes of death of historical figures (known and well-known).
I spend alot of time working on my genealogy, and through that I’ve been looking at alot of death certificates from Kentucky 1852-1953. You see alot of what you’d expect: old age, influenza ect. One that really got me was a young woman dead from placenta praevia in the 1920s.
I’d never heard of this until I was pregnant myself, and then it seems all of sudden I knew more than I wanted about everything that could go wrong with a pregnancy! Basically her placenta was blocking the birth canal. I can’t help but wonder: did the placenta abrupt and she bled to death or did she labor for hours with no outcome expect the death of both mother and child.
Thats a morbid story perhaps, but it makes me so thankful for ultrasounds and c-sections and, most especially, for my healthy baby and normal pregnancy.
Cause of the death in the Middle Ages is fascinating. I’ve often wondered how unusual causes of death, such as a severe allergic reaction or a heart defect, would have appeared to a medieval person. (Besides God’s will, of course!)
BTW, Sharon, I think you did an excellent job reconciling the different stories of Geoffrey’s death.
Sharon, I hope you start to feel better, it can’t be any fun to be sick during the holidays (or any time during the year).
You’ve got me extremely curious, though, as to your statement “I’ll be happy to explain…why I chose to let Llewelyn and Joanna’s daughter Elen die of a miscarriage.” Are the records fuzzy as to how Elen died? She is one of my favorite characters from the Welsh triology.
Thanks,
Katie
Dear Sharon, I am sorry to hear that you are ill again. You have to get better and soon, so you can start writing. I have to say I put you right up there w/the Bronte sisters (and they wrote so little, dying too soon),and Jane Austen. I am absolutely addicted to all of your books, buying hard copy 1st additions. I have a feeling they will be worth $$$$$$$ someday. Please get some needed rest and feel better. I Love your work. Thank you so much for bringing all of your characters so vividly to life. I (as everyone else who reads your books) feel like I know them personally. A little late but…..Here be Dragons is my favorite of yours, and one of my 5 all time favorites.
Nikki
Hi Sharon, I just wanted to say how much I loved Devils Brood. I couldn’t put it down! I also love your Authors Notes & would be happy for them to go on for pages! Here be Dragons is also my favourite & I have lost count of how many times I have read all of your books & never get tired of doing so, and still cry when my favourite characters die! My husband finds it hard to understand how I can get so absorbed in a book when I obviously know what is going to happen; & I tell him that it is the how it happened, & the why – and your special talent of bringing historical figures to life & making me feel as if I know them. I look forward to Lionheart, your books are always worth waiting for! I hope you feel better soon.
Wendy
Hello Sharon,
I just finished Devil’s Brood myself, and I have to say bravo! I just picked up Dragons again so I could read it with fresh eyes and more background. It is already feeling very different in the best possible sense. This book was probably the most anticipated of the year for me. I love historical fiction but I dislike first person narrative and I often find people focus so much on the romantic element that they miss the history altogether. From the first time I picked up Dragons, I knew you were different. Can’t wait for Lionheart. Do you plan to ever do more on the War of the Roses?
I really hope you feel better. That mysterious illness sounds absolutely horrible!
Thanks again for making me love historical fiction again.
-Chelsea
Dear Ms. Penman,
I have loved all of your books, especially, Time and Chance, and The Devil’s Brood. Well done!
I also have a couple of question for you: Are you going to be writing any more of your mysteries? (Selfishly, I hope so!) My other question is when did you know that you wanted to be a writer and not a lawyer? It seems that the desire must have always been there . . .
Thank you for taking the time to craft such extraordinary novels. I appreciate it all the research you do – it comes through with each page and gives your readers much enjoyment.
Best regards,
Anne
Love the blog, and love this posting! I, too, enjoy a morbid fascination with causes of mortality, no matter the era, but it is especially interesting to read about Sharon figuring out how people died in the Middle Ages.
In re Scottsdale, we had a blast and we laughed a lot, and I totally lucked out by discovering that I had somehow missed Sharon’s first book, The Sunne in Splendour. Fortunately, we were in a bookstore, and that lack was remedied immediately. I have now read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As another who prefers her roses white…and I bet most of the people here know where that quote comes from.
*emi waves a hand*
Me, me, Id like to know how you decided that Edward iV has died of a pneumonia.
See, a couple months ago I suddenly got very curious about the Plantagenet family when I discovered that Queen Leonor de Castilla, whose tomb lies less than 300 meters from where I’m sitting, was a Plantagenet. I had no idea before.
Then I read that she had died only one month after her husband and I wondered if she starved herself to death grieving for him. So I started searching books “long story here” and got hooked first with Elizabeth Chadwick books, and only trying to break the spell she had on me I got my hands on The Sunne of Splendour.
Oh many, many thanks for that history.
(Given time I’ll read your other books that I promise)
Well, now I’m in love with Richard III and that was an easy task cause
since I never paid any attention to any Shakespeare play with a real king’s name I wasnt previously spoilered by renacentist propaganda and 500 years of vileness.
So, to the point, since my first curiosity was one of death I guess I should stay in the line.
I’m guessing from the book that Richard’s son died of appendicitis? Poor kid.
About Edward IV, being so young my first idea would be either his liver or a cancer.
About Richard it’s obvious that he died valiantly. Noone can steal him that.
(Sorry if I made some mistake. English is not my primary language.)
Thanks
Emi
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