This is a rather late entry about our Eleanor tour in June. This one deals with our visit to the place where we’d be most likely to find Eleanor’s spirit — the abbey where she passed her last years, where she chose to be buried, next to her beloved son, Richard, and her beloved enemy, Henry.
ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE TOUR—NIGHT FOUR, TOUR OF FONTEVRAULT ABBEY
Fontevrault Abbey is unique, founded in 1101 by Robert d’Arbrissel, who was an anomaly in the 12th century, for he was “committed to a new and exalted conception of the status of women;” see “Fontevraud, Dynasticism, and Eleanor of Aquitaine,” by Charles T. Wood, in my favorite book about our favorite duchess, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Lord and Lady. Fontevrault was a double monastery for both monks and nuns, and the monks were subordinated to the nuns in temporal and spiritual matters, ruled by an abbess, who was preferably a widow, not a virgin; Robert d’Arbrissel believed that his abbey could best be managed by a Martha, not a Mary. He was a very interesting figure in his own right and I think one day I’ll have to devote a blog to his unusual history.
Fontevrault encompassed four monasteries. The monks dwelled outside the walls, in St-Jean de l’Habit, the women in the other three convents. The Grand Moutier was only for virgins; the other nunneries were Sainte Benedict and the Magdelene, the latter reserved for “repentant girls” and married women, widows or not, who wanted to retire from the world. Our current hotel was the priory of St Lazarus, in which the lepers were treated. The abbess, elected for life, was always chosen from among the most noble of the nuns. There would be 36 abbesses in the years from 1101 to 1792, 14 of them of royal blood. Among them were Henry II’s aunt and first cousin; his aunt Mathilde was the widow of Henry I’s sole legitimate son, who’d gone down on the White Ship. Eleanor’s granddaughter Alix was an abbess, too, daughter and namesake of Eleanor’s younger daughter by the French king Louis. Fontevrault was also home to some very interesting highborn ladies, including both wives of Eleanor’s grandfather, Duke William IX.
Even the notorious Bertrade de Montfort took vows at Fontevrault. The wife of Count Fulk IV of Anjou, she’d created a huge scandal by running off with the French king Philippe I, aptly known as Philippe the Amorous, grandfather of Eleanor’s ex, Louis. Philippe and Bertrade were wed, a bigamous marriage since they both had spouses, but they showed little contrition. After the Pope excommunicated the guilty lovers, Bertrade had a church door broken open when she was denied entry and forced the priest to perform Mass for her. The French king and Bertrade lived openly in sin for 16 years, once even entertaining her cuckolded husband. Fulk himself had a rather chequered marital history, wed a number of times, shedding unwanted wives like a snake shedding its skin. A chronicler said of Bertrade that no man ever praised her save for her beauty, and she seems to have exercised her charms upon Robert d’Arbrissel, for in 1114, she persuaded him to allow her to take vows at Fontevrault. A year later, she left Fontevrault to become the prioress of Our Lady of Haute Bruyere near Paris and died c. 1118, thus managing to have her cake and eat it, too, dying in God’s Grace after a life of breaking all the rules with defiant abandon. She was our Henry’s great-grandmother.
Fonvrault continued to thrive through the MA and beyond; from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries, the abbesses were all members of the Bourbon dynasty. King Louis XV (“after me, the deluge.”) sent four of his daughters to Fontevrault to be educated in 1738. But the French Revolution brought almost seven hundred years of history to an abrupt end; in August of 1792, an edict would evict the nuns. Fontevrault suffered the fate of many French churches; in 1793, the abbey was sacked, the tombs broken into, and many of the statues destroyed. But like Mont St Michel, Fontevrault would be saved by being converted into a prison by Napoleon Bonaparte. It would be used as one until 1962, and among its inmates was the controversial French writer, Jean Genet. The following year it was declared a historical monument and excavation and restoration began. Today Fontevrault is a tourist attraction with its beautiful buildings of a bygone age and the royal necropolis of the Angevin dynasty.
For us, the most interesting aspect of Fontevrault is the four gisants, the effigies of Henry II, his queen, Eleanor, their son Richard, and John’s queen, Isabelle d’Angouleme. Richard’s sister Joanna was also buried at Fontevrault, as was her son Raymond, the seventh Count of Toulouse, but sadly, their tombs have been destroyed. The hearts of John and his son Henry III are said to have been sent to Fontevrault for burial, too. The British government made several attempts to have the effigies transferred to Westminster Abbey, and in 1866, Napoleon III actually offered them to Queen Victoria, but he was forced to renege when the French protested. It is believed that they were originally located in the nuns’ choir, and were commissioned by Eleanor after Richard’s death at Chalus in April of 1999. The effigies of Henry and Richard were done by the same artist, Eleanor’s effigy done a few years later. They were among the first fully sculpted, life-sized effigies of monarchs, and even in their damaged state, are remarkable works of art. There is one major difference between the gisants. Those of Henry and Richard depict them in death, laid out in their coronation regalia. Eleanor’s image shows her alive, reading a book, with what might be the hint of an enigmatic smile. Isabelle seems like the party crasher, and indeed she was, for when she died in 1246, three years after taking refuge at Fontevrault in the wake of an unsuccessful rebellion against the French king, she was buried modestly in the sale capitulaire, the burial place for the nuns. When her son, Henry III, visited the abbey in 1256, he was distressed that his mother lacked a royal tomb and commissioned a wooden effigy, requesting that she be moved into the church with his illustrious kin.
While today Fontevrault is associated with Eleanor, it was Henry who was the abbey’s most generous patron. He exempted Fontevrault from royal taxes, founded a sister house in England as penance for the part he’d played in the murder of Thomas Becket, supported the lazar house, entrusted the nuns with the education of his children, Joanna and John, and bequeathed 2,000 silver marks to the abbey in his will. But despite the favor he’d shown Fontevrault, it was not his wish to be buried there; he’d made clear his desire to be buried at Grandmont in the diocese of Limoges. Circumstances dictated his interment at Fontevrault, for he died at Chinon in the heat of high summer and William Marshal decided it was easier to transport his body to Fontevrault.
But if Henry’s burial at the abbey was accidental, with the others it was quite deliberate. Richard’s dying wish was that he be buried at Fontevrault, at the feet of his father; an act of contrition, perhaps? Joanna took the veil upon her deathbed, and she, too, requested burial at the abbey. Eleanor assumed this heartbreaking task, for what could be more painful for a mother than to bury her own children? In this, Eleanor was truly accursed, for she would outlive all but two of her ten children. In 1199, she pledged one hundred pounds yearly to the nuns that they might observe in perpetuity the anniversary of her death and pray for the souls of her husband Henry, her sons Hal and Richard, and her other children. Until now, she’d not favored Fontevrault as Henry had. Her first recorded gift to the abbey was not made until 1185, when she enjoyed a brief period of greater freedom. She was clearly thinking dynastically, though, and chose Fontevrault to be the Angevins’ St Denis, the necropolis of the French kings. She would spend most of her remaining years after Richard’s death at Fontevrault and, like Joanna, she would take holy vows on her deathbed. This was fashionable in the 13th century; Llywelyn Fawr and his son Davydd also took holy vows on their deathbeds, as did William Marshal. Had John not lost Normandy and Anjou to the French king, Fontevrault may have been the burial place of English royalty, not Westminster Abbey.
I had been looking forward to our night tour of the abbey, for I’d never experienced one, always having visited Fontevrault in the off-season. I have to confess that I did not enjoy it, mainly because my back pain had flared up again. I’d also had a vision of Fontevrault bathed in silvery moonlight and it was raining. And much to my surprise, our tour guide was not very good. Her knowledge of Eleanor and the Angevins seemed superficial and, accustomed to tourists who knew even less than she did, she had no idea that she would be swimming with sharks, very polite sharks but sharks, nonetheless. We did not suffer fools gladly, not where our Eleanor and Henry were concerned, and she was gently corrected when she erred, such as when she informed us that William the Conqueror was Henry’s grandfather. I was also surprised that a floor plaque declared that Eleanor had died at Poitiers. Now it is true that there is some disagreement as to whether she died at Poitiers or Fontevrault, but I’d assumed Fontevrault’s claim would have prevailed here, of all places. We were amused to find an error in the plaque’s recounting of her history. In French, it was correctly reported that she was held prisoner by Henry for sixteen years, but the English translation reduced her long captivity to two weeks!
Despite my disappointment with such minor matters as the weather and our guide, it is impossible to enter the abbey church and not be moved at the sight of those effigies. The church itself is very beautiful, aglow with blinding white light during the day, utterly unlike the shadowy stillness to be found in most medieval churches and cathedrals. It is a memorable and fitting resting place for our Angevins, Henry and Eleanor resting side by side, enjoying for eternity the peace that so often eluded them in life.
March 22, 2012
Are there stained glass windows in Fontevrault? I hope and pray I can go on one of your marvelous tours.
No, there are not, Evelynne. It is one of the most spectacular churches I’ve ever seen and I think that is because there is so much sun pouring into the nave, making the marble glow. Most medieval churches are shadowed sanctuaries, but Fontevrault is ablaze with light. I am limited in the amount of photos I can post on my blog, unfortunately, but I paln to put up a batch on my Facebook page, so stop by in the next day or so to see them.
I leave for Paris next Wednesday, still contemplating taking the train to Tours and renting a car for the day to see Fontrevrault, Chinon, and Le Mans. Or may put off when I can spend more time in that area, like maybe next year. Thanks for this post to again stimulate my interest….
Have a wonderful, safe trip, Sheila.
Sharon, thank you! As far as I am concerned, the continuation of your French adventure has been much awaited. Even sitting in front of my computer screen I’m deeply moved. Almost as if I were there, standing beside Eleanor, Henry, Richard, even Isabelle. Again, thank you.
As for today’s events, my dear companion, Ralph of Diceto, reports that in 1173, Hal, after he had left Argentan by night, went on 23 March via Mortagne, a castle of Theobald count of Perche , to his father-in-law. That same night Henry was ‘woken and told of his son’s flight. With only a few companions he mounted his horse and, riding along the borders putting his castles in a state of defence, with many changes of mount came at down to Gisors’. He didn’t manage to stop his son and the events that followed. Even if he did, IMHO, this would have only put off the inevitable, namely what was to become the Great Rebellion.
That was amazingly interesting, Sharon. I wish I could have been there. And Kasia, your report is quite interesting as well.
In any case, today, A very different English Queen, Marguerite of Anjou was born.
Oh, and Sharon, a question: I’m sure you have probably mentioned this, but what are your thoughts on The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy?
Koby, I wish I could have been there, too. It may sound silly, but I wish it even more after Sharon wrote about the light pouring through the windows.
I love medieval architecture and these tiny masterpieces- medieval manuscripts. I love Gothic cathedrals but to be honest I prefer Norman style. I think that Fontevrault with its light must be in some way a greater version of St John’s Chapel in the Tower. Believe me or not, but from my stay in London I hold it most precious memory, even more precious than the stained-glassed splendour of the Westminster Abbey:-)
Koby, you must get tired of hearing me thiank you! But I forgot all about Marguerite’s birthday, and she deserves to be remembered. Kasia, Old Ralph is usually a reliable source, but this time he got his dates wrong. Hal actually escaped from Chinon Castle on March 5th, which to add insult to injury was Henry’s birthday. I have an entire chapter in Devil’s Brood that deals with this incident. As much as it hurt Henry, Hal’s flight may have done him a favor, for Hal therefore launched the rebellion prematurely before the rebels were actually ready. Maybe if they’d had more time, Henry would not have been able to rally and eventually win. If I could go back in time and change one thing in Henry’s life, it would probably be to tell him not to appoint Becket as archbishop, keep him as his highly competant chancellor, and the second thing would be not to crown Hal. For Eleanor, it would be to steer clear of this rebellion, no matter how much she was coming to resent her overbearing husband. For Richard, it would be to wear armor when he went out to investigate the siege at Chinon, for crying out loud, with playing nice with Leopold at Acre a close second. For Geoffrey, a no-brainer–don’t join that tournament. Too many mistakes on John’s part to choose just one! And same for Hal; I couldn’t select one single mistake that set his life on its downward trajectory, though maybe his escape from Chinon did. Yes, I think I’d counsel Hal to stay put on that March night. Not that any of them would have listened to me, being a lowly scribe and female in the bargain.
A really interesting and enjoyable piece Sharon, thank you. Have you read Religious Life For Women c.1100-1350 Fontevraud in England by Berenice Kerr – Oxford Historical Monographs? That has some detailed information about the foundation and early years of the Abbey.
Would the church have looked like it does today – not structurally wise I mean, but decoration wise, or would it have had more colour and detail in Eleanor’s day? Just curious.
I don’t know specifically about Fontevrault, Elizabeth, but I’d guess there’d be more color and “flash,” wouldn’t you? How is your Eleanor behaving herself? Hope she’s not giving you too many headaches!
Sharon, I’m a careful reader:-) Devil’s Brood’s version and Ralph’s version of events has cost me many a sleepless night:-) Old Ralph has provided us with so many details in this case, not only mentioning that Hal left Argentan but also that, at that time Henry was sleeping at Alencon, he mentioned servants and their surprise on the discovery of Hal’s escape. On the other hand, I knew how meticulous research you always did.
I have assumed that, for you, putting them both into Chinon castle was more literary convenient and as for the date I thought that by letting it all happen a few days earlier, on Henry’s birthday, you wanted to highlight how cruel Hal’s betrayal had been.
Next time I will simply ask and I am doing it now: how do we know it wasn’t March 23rd but March 5th, 1173? And what (or who) is the most reliable source? I took Ralph’s word for granted, maybe due to his ‘matter-of-fact’ style and brave tries to stay objective:-)
Thank you, Sharon for this wonderful posting…I’ve read your books for years as the 12thc is a particular interest of mine…and the fabulous Eleanor is without question the one person in history I would have loved to have known…
she actually appears in my two historical mysteries (and will in future) currently represented by Peter Miller of Global Lion Intellectual Property Management…years ago when I was in the region, I was 5 miles from Fontevrault and didn’t know it at the time…much to my disappointment after the fact! I look forward to following your blog from now on.
Gaye Mack
Thanks Sharon for your evocative blog. We have visited Fontevrault twice before and the last time we noticed the translation error too. We’re off again this September on an Eleanor Tour for my 50th and Fontevrault is again on the itinerary. I can never tire of seeing it – and the peace and tranquility that is there is just something wonderful.
I have to think the 20th century restoration of the abbey church has a lot to do with its lighter feel. The church was essentially mutilated during the time when Fontevraud was a prison, with five floors added within the structure between 1804-21 to house workshops and dormitories. Although preserving national heritage came into vogue between the First and Second Empires, and Fontevraud was officially deemed a national monument in 1840, restoration on the church didn’t occur until 1903-10 under the architect Lucien Magne. He supervised the removal of those five dormitory floors, replacement of the roof domes (five of six domes had been destroyed), and much other restoration. Work was still being done in 1990 when I first visited.
I want to correct a typographical error in my morning post that my Facebook friend Ted caught. I spoke of Richard failing to wear his armor at the siege of Chinon, when of course I meant to type Chalus.
Oh, and I got to see the hardback edition of Lionheart this afternoon at long last. As an utterly unbiased observer, I think it looks splendid!
Thank you, Sharon. I appreciate the history and comments by one so intimately familiar with the Angevins and one I now count as friend. I do think Fontevrault was my favorite part of the trip because it has always engaged my imagination. I found it beautiful in an ethereal way and it was special to have been there overnight. My therapist self always feels some empathy for the pain of those I admire as we look at their mistakes with the gift of time and I felt that for Eleanor, Henry and Richard.
I am as angry at the French for destroying landmarks so beautiful and important as I am with Henry VIII for the same idiocy in England. Why angry revolutionaries have to defile the dead and destroy the beauty is always somewhat amazing.Aside from that I always yearn for a peek behind the scenes at places so conrolled for the public and wandering the grounds of Fontevrault did not disappoint. Of course, it was made more enjoyable by our companions. I must confess I don’t remember the guide and her comments but the images are engraved in my mind. I would love to revisit but if I don’t, at least my bucket list is one item shorter.
Every time I see Eleanor’s effigy my heart clutches just a bit. What an amazing women she was – in so many ways. Thanks for this wonderful post !
Sharon, back to Hal’s escape, how do we know it wasn’t March 23rd but March 5th? I’m a careful reader and the two different versions (the Devil Brood’s and the Ralph’s) cost me many a sleepless night:-). I have come up with my own theory which I have described in detail somewhere above:-)
I would be grateful for the explanation and answer to my question:
what or who, then, is the most reliable source?
Kasia, I don’t have the time right now to go over my records and find the source I used. I don’t remember off-hand since it was over five years ago. I can only tell you that I was completely satisfied at the time that the March 5th date was correct. You can’t accept everything a chronicler says as gospel; they made mistakes, too. A good example was the abbot of Mont St Michel, Robert de Torigny, who is considered one of the most reliable chroniclers of the 12th century. But thanks to his mistake, John’s birth date has been reported incorrectly for over 800 years. He said John was born in 1167, when he was actually born in 1166. Had he been born in 1167, he couldn”t have been Henry’s, since Eleanor was in England during the time when he’d have had to be conceived! This could have been a miistake in transcribing it or a misreading later because medievals began the New Year at different times, some after Christmas. I can cite you dozens of examples of mistakes in medieval chronicles; after all, they were usually reporting what they’d heard, which often was just rumor. Not many of them had access to royal letters like Roger de Hoveden. I will try to see if I can find this citation, but no promises. BTW, today is important in the history ofr your country; on this date in 1241, Krakov fell to the Mongol army; apparently the citizens had advance warning, though, and were able to flee the city.
Sharon, you took me by surprise:-). I’m moved. Thank you for mentioning this important yet sad event in Polish history. After the fell of Kraków the Mongol army defeated the Polish-German forces at Legnickie Pole on 9 April (battle of Legnica). Duke Henry II the Pious (Henryk II Pobożny), the son of St. Hedwig (Święta Jadwiga) was killed and his army annihillated. After the battle the Mongols joined their main army in Hungary and their invasion was stopped only due to to the news of the death of her Grand Khan.
If you don’t mind I will mention some important events from the history of my country from time to time:-). I wanted to do this on Mikołaj Kopernik’s (Nicolaus Copernicus) birthday (February 19th) but it’s hard to prove any connection with him and Henry or Eleanor:-)
PS Sharon, as for Hal’s escape, I don’t want to cause trouble or, what’s worse, delay Richard’s freedom. By the way, I’m curious about his present whereabouts. Is he still “enjoying” his enforced holidays in Germany or is he already on his way home?
Oh! One more thing! Do you know we had our Polish Henry-Becket clash? But a little bit earlier. In 1079. King Bolesław II Śmiały (the Bold or Generous) had ordered to put bishop Stanisław (St. Stanislaus of Sczepanów) to death. And since it was done on his direct order, Bolesław did not escape straight away punishment (as Henry did). In consequence, after having been deposed, he had to seek refuge in Hungary, where he died two years later, probably poisoned. Sad indeed, because he had proved himself to be as capable a ruler as Henry.
Very interesting. Actually, Kasia, I often mention the Battles of Legnica and Mohi along with those historical events relevant to Sharon’s books – unfortunately, I do it from the Mongol side, for I am a dabbler in warfare and tactics, and those battles (and strategies and tactics used by the Mongols) fascinate me.
Sharon, a query: I’m sure you have probably mentioned this, but what are your thoughts on The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy?
Kasia, we’d love for you to mention Polish history here. Sadly, schools in the US, Canada, the UK, and Down Under, where most of my readers can be found, tend to ignore or overlook so much of what was happening beyond their own borders. I didn’t know about the Polish Becket episode; very interesting. Something similar happened in Germany, too, whch may be why the Empress Maude was so wary of Henry’s Great Idea.
As for Richard, he is still stuck at Durnstein, having been dragged back there by Leopold, who feared that Heinrich was going to take away his prize by force before they could come to terms. He must have felt like a bone being squabbled over by two hungry dogs. In the next chapter, he has his confrontation with Heinrich at Speyer, but at least now Mama Eleanor knows what has happened to her favorite cub.
Koby, I think all of Jean Plaidy’s “historical” fiction can’t be taken serioiusly, for what i read was rife with often ludicrous errors, and readers have told me the same. Having said that, though, apparently many readers of historical fiction started out by reading her books and then moved on to more substantial fare, so she deserves credit for that. I’m in favor of any means that will awake a love of history or reading in the young. And you do indeed over a less western-centric view of history, which is much appreciated.
Sharon, for God’s sake, don’t call Eleanor “Mama Eleanor” or else I’m in a danger of laughing my head off!
Koby, from your perspective the battle of Legnica was a great victory:-)
Koby, maybe you could share your knowledge and write about the Mongol war tactics and what made them so fascinating and distinctive.
I’ve beem unable to post here this afternoon, so I am testing to see if the problem has been resolved.
I was trying to add a link to The Man of La Book blog, which has an interesting commentary about The Hunger Games, but I’ve been unable to post it. So if you’d like to read it, either go to one of my Facebook pages or google man of La Book. Sorry, that is the best I can do.
And today, Richard was wounded by a crossbow bolt at the Siege of Chalus, and we all know what that led to. Also, Robert The Bruce was crowned King of Scotland.
Kasia, I will be glad to explain my perspective and knowledge when the date of those battles comes about, which should be in two weeks or so.
Koby, I came up with the same idea yesterday and was going to write about it today but here you are (by the way, do you believe in telepathy?:-)). Hope to hear (read) from you on 9 April, then 🙂
PS I’ll write from the Polish perspective whereas you, if you don’t mind, take care of the Mongol side.
Actually, Koby, you’re a day early. 🙂 Richard was wounded on the evening of the 26th, not the 25th. I can’t ever read about his reckless behavior on that night without thinking of the line I gave Geoffrey in Lionheart, where he tells Richard he has been chasing after Death like a lovesick lad and sooner or later she will take pity and let him catch her.
Here is today’s Facebook Note, with a cool link to a dolphin rescue.
On this date in 1306 Robert the Bruce was crowned King of Scotland. And here is a wonderful video about beachgoers in Brazil rescuing a pod of dolphins that came ashore. You can see the entire episode on the video, and miraculously the dolphins did not beach themselves again as they so often do, but swam out to safety at sea. It is heartwarming to see these strangers come together like this to save these magnificent creatures. http://elcomercio.pe/player/1384898
Sharon, you’re probably going to write more about Richard’s unfortunate bravado whereas I want to mention another important event. While doing my research on Vermadois, Flanders and Hainaut, I came across information that on this day, in the year of our Lord 1182, Isabelle (Elisabeth) of Vermandois, Petronilla and Raoul’s elder daughter, died. After she had been caught on adultery by her husband, Philip of Flanders, and forced to take a veil, she spent seven remaining years of her life in a convent. I would be grateful for any clue what convent it might have been. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Maybe it was the abbey of Ourscamp. Isabelle’s younger sister, Eleanor (Alienor in Devil’s Brood) made a grant to the abbey in 1194. She did so for the souls of her sister (Isabelle), her present (Mathieu count of Beaumont-sur-Oise) and past husbands (Godefroy of Hainaut, Guillaume IV count of Nevers, and Matthew of Boulogne), and ‘of the Young King Henry, my cousin’.
PS I would be also grateful for the most probable date of Walter of Fontaines’s (Isabelle’s unfortunate lover’s) death. Two different sources give 2 August 1175 and 12 August 1175.
Of course Isabelle’s death did not have such a straight away effect as Richard’s, but both events did have a disastrous impact on the Angevin Empire in consequence. Since Isabelle, Philip (who held Vermadois until his death) and Eleanor (who held part of Vermandois after Philip’s death) died childless, Vermandois passed into Philippe Capet’s hands providing financial means required for him to undertake the successful campaign against John in 1204.
Kasia, I’d never heard that she was forced to take the veil. BTW, many people–including many in her own time–did not belleive the adultery charge. The family of her alleged lover did not, for sure, as they rebelled against Philip. They saws it as Philip’s cynical ploy to get his hands on Vermandois. The children of Petronillla, Eleanor’s sister, seem very unfortunate. In addition to Isabelle, her brother Raoul was a leper. I hope that Eleanor had more happiness in her life–although it appears that Isabelle and Philip got along well enough early on–the problems arose when she was unable to give him an heir. But since he had only one known illegitimate child, it may well be that the “problem” was his.
PS The fact that Eleanor made such a grant to the abbey certainly points us in its direction.
And here is today’s Facebook Note, which as Kasia guessed–is focused on Coeur de LIon:
On the evening of March 26, 1199, Richard’s legendary luck finally failed him. He was laying siege to Chalus Castle, not to claim a treasure as is sometimes claimed, but to punish a rebellious vassal, Aimar, the Viscount of Limoges. Aimar had long been a burr under the Angevin saddle, but it can be argued that Henry put it there, for Aimar did not become rebellious until Henry had deprived his wife of her share of the earldom of Cornwall which had been held by her father, Henry’s uncle Rainald, a character in Saints and Chance. When Rainald died, Henry confiscated the earldom instead of allowing it to be divided up between Rainald’s daughters, and Aimar never forgave him. From that point on, he became as contentious and obstreperous as the infamous de Lusignan clan. On this March evening, Richard did something reckless–pause for gasp of shock here. He went out to inspect the siege without his armor. There was a man up on the castle walls shooting a crossbow, and instead of a shield, he was using a large frying pan. That greatly amused Richard and he was laughing and cheering the man’s marksmanship when he was struck in the shoulder by a bolt. He returned to his tent and then did something beyond reckless—downright stupid—trying to remove the bolt himself. It broke off and infection soon set in. He died with Eleanor at his side, at the age of 41. Interestingly, the reliable chronicler Roger de Hoveden, claimed that Richard’s illegitimate son Philip avenged his father by slaying Aimar, but no one else reported this and historians remain dubious. Shakespeare worked it into his play, King John, though.
I was asked to provide more information about the Green Children of Kent, so here is a translation (not mine!) of the account in Ralph of Coggeshall’s chronicle:
of Coggeshall’s Account of the Green Children of Woolpit
This is the translation as it was presented by Thomas Keightley in 1850:
“’Another wonderful thing,’ says Ralph of Coggeshall [1], ‘happened in Suffolk, at St. Mary’s of the Wolf-pits. A boy and his sister were found by the inhabitants of that place near the mouth of a pit which is there, who had the form of all their limbs like to those of other men, but they differed in the colour of their skin from all the people of our habitable world; for the whole surface of their skin was tinged of a green colour. No one could understand their speech. When they were brought as curiosities to the house of a certain knight, Sir Richard de Calne, at Wikes, they wept bitterly. Bread and other victuals were set before them, but they would touch none of them, though they were tormented by great hunger, as the girl afterwards acknowledged. At length, when some beans just cut, with their stalks, were brought into the house, they made signs, with great avidity, that they should be given to them. When they were brought, they opened the stalks instead of the pods, thinking the beans were in the hollow of them; but not finding them there, they began to weep anew. When those who were present saw this, they opened the pods, and showed them the naked beans. They fed on these with delight, and for a long time tasted no other food. The boy, however, was always languid and depressed, and he died within a short time. The girl enjoyed continual good health; and becoming accustomed to various kinds of food, lost completely that green colour, and gradually recovered the sanguine habit of her entire body. She was afterwards regenerated by the laver of holy baptism, and lived for many years in the service of that knight (as I have frequently heard from him and his family), and was rather loose and wanton in her conduct. Being frequently asked about the people of her country, she asserted that the inhabitants, and all they had in that country, were of a green colour; and that they saw no sun, but enjoyed a degree of light like what is after sunset. Being asked how she came into this country with the aforesaid boy, she replied, that as they were following their flocks, they came to a certain cavern, on entering which they heard a delightful sound of bells; ravished by whose sweetness, they went for a long time wandering on through the cavern, until they came to its mouth. When they came out of it, they were struck senseless by the excessive light of the sun, and the unusual temperature of the air; and they thus lay for a long time. Being terrified by the noise of those who came on them, they wished to fly, but they could not find the entrance of the cavern before they were caught.’ “
“This story is also told by William of Newbridge,[2] who places it in the reign of King Stephen. He says he long hesitated to believe it, but he was at length overcome by the weight of evidence. According to him, the place where the children appeared was about four or five miles from Bury St. Edmund’s: they came in harvest-time out of the Wolf-pits; they both lost their green hue, and were baptized, and learned English. The boy, who was the younger, died; but the girl married a man at Lenna, and lived many years. They said their country was called St. Martin’s Land, as that saint was chiefly worshiped there; that the people were Christians, and had churches; that the sun did not rise there, but that there was a bright country which could be seen from theirs, being divided from it by a very broad river. “
One of my Facebook friends came up with these little gems, comments scribbled in the margins of manuscripts by weary monks. They are very funny and resonate down through the centuries. Kasia, I think you’ll love them!
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/03/21/monk-complaints-manuscripts/
Yes, I do love them! The three of them, in particular, give me an intimate insight into the mysterious world of scriptorium: the call of despair for St. Patrick’s help, the call for a drink after the whole work is done, and the call for darkness to come!
The authors were merely human beings, after all:-). And not from humble stock, that’s for certes:-). Their little fires of rebellion marking maunscripts pages haven’t been quenched till today. It’s so funny and moving at the same time.
As for Isabelle, her enforced career of a nun has been mentioned at least in three of the books I have found, so I’ve taken it for granted. I have to take a closer look at it:-)
Her adultery? Well, I have my doubts too, especially that Gislebertus of Mons, usually a reliable source and main source of the Low Countries, does not mention it. I should have written “accused of” not “caught” on adultery. On the other hand, there must have been a grain of truth in those accusations. I can’t imagine having a man put to death in such a cruel and humiliating manner and knowing he was innocent all the time. Yes, I know, Walter/Gautier (is it the same name, because I came across two versions?) of Fontaines’s family rebelled and it took Philip some time to deal with it.
PS The funny thing is that Laura Napran in her translation of Gislebertus’s Chronicle of Hainaut, in the notes, takes Isabelle’s (Elisabeth’s) adultery for granted, although the author himself does not mention it!
A very interesting discussion, Kasia. Thank you for enlightening us.
Today, Pope Clement III died. During his reign, he urged Henry and Philip to go on Crusade, made peace with Frederick I, and gave Sicily to Tancred. Unfortunately for Tancred, after his death the next Pope, Celestine, crowned Heinrich and Constance King and Queen of Sicily.
Another unfortunate death was Mar of Burgundy’s, Margaret of York’s step-daughter, who died after falling from her horse. She was the ancestor of the Hapsburg dynasty, being the grandmother of Charles V through her son Philip the Fair.
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Kasia, I did not mean to imply that I did not believe Isabella was sent to a nunnery, only that I had not read that. But I never did a lot of research about her as she was not even a character in Devil’s Brood and if I do not exercise a modicum of discipline, I’d never get any books at all written! It makes sense that she’d be packed off to a nunnery under the circumstances. I am probably too much of a cynic, but I can see an innocent man being put to death much easier than you can. It may be, too, that they were found in circumstances that appeared compromising and the opportunistic Philip seized the chance to get his hooks into Isabella’s Vermandois. I suspect that Philip’s dubious marital history may have been why Marie of Champagne passed on becoming his wife later on.
Public, welcome aboard. I’m also on Facebook, so if you are, too, do “friend” me.
Thanks again, Koby; you provide so much material for my Facebook posts!
Here’s another heartening story about a young whale that was saved after becoming entangled in a fishing net. Since my books kill off my characters left and right, the least I can do is to offer up a few stories with actual happy endings now and then. http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10884877-dramatic-rescue-for-calif-gray-whale-entangled-in-discarded-fishing-net
Sharon, when it comes to the Angevins and their “orbit”, your word is like the eleventh commandment :-), at least when I’m concerned. That’s why I want to make sure my sources haven’t failed me. Like Old Ralph. In case of Hal’s escape.
And as for Hal, Koby, it’s him we should thank for our enlightment. My whole adventure with Vermandois, Flanders and Hainaut has begun with the information of Eleanor Countess of Beaumont-sur-Oise and her grant to the abbey of Ourscamp. She did it for the soul of her sister, husbands and…. Hal. The very discovery served as a catalyst for my little private research.
So far I have managed to determine when and where they had met for sure. 11 April 1182, at La Grange St Arnoult, between Senlis and Crepy. I’ll write more about it on the very day. Sharon, it had also been where Hal and Marie of Champagne had met. I was delighted to determine that, although it happened quite by chance (my discovery, I mean, not the meeting):-)
You may laugh, but when it comes to Hal, the poor lad doesn’t stand a chance. I’m like an alaunt unleashed:-)
PS David Crouch states that Eleanor must have seen much of Hal in his tourneying days. I don’t know how I will ever determine this but I’ll try.
Kasia, I am sure Marie did, too. Very few such meetings would have been documented; writers and researchers rarely get so lucky! We know that there was a bond between Marie and her half-brothers Geoffrey and Richard; she founded two chantries to pray for Geoffrey’s soul and Richard dedicated his famous priosn lament song to her. So it would make sense that she’d had contact with Hal, too.
I’m looking forward to your blog post on Robert d’Arbrissel. It will be quite interesting to speculate on what motivated such as seemingly enlightened posture.
The papal bull that Pope Gregory XIII issued in February 1582 to correct the seasonal discrepancies that certain centennial leap years caused, and to fix the date of when the new year begins to January 1, produced quite a few historical confusions, and probably a real contemporary one. This is because, the UK didn’t switch to the Gregorian calendar until 1752. I can just see an English envoy (say for Elizabeth I) missing an important meeting in France because he used the wrong calendar! (Sort of like when that Mars probe crashed because one team was using the metric system and another team was using the English system.) Anyone is interested in more details on the calendar change can find it on my blog here.
Thanks, Joan. This is very interesting. Okay if I post it on Facebook?
“I can just see an English envoy (say for Elizabeth I) missing an important meeting in France because he used the wrong calendar!”
A major plot point in Umberto Eco’s book, Foucault’s Pendulum, rests on just that point — a secret society had arranged a meeting for a date in 1582 decades before, but that date, as it happened, didn’t exist in parts of Europe.
I was educated in Catholic schools, where I learned all about Pope Gregory’s calendar fix, but I knew nothing about how Protestant Europe rejected it for nearly two centuries until I read Eco’s book. Sometimes you see George Washington’s birthday as February 11 (“old style”) which makes sense, because the Julian calendar was 11 days out of date by that point.
And the Russians (whose Orthodox had even less use for the Pope than European Protestants did) didn’t switch calendars until the “October Rebolution,” which, under the Gregorian calendar, was in November.
Of course you may use it, Sharon. I love anomalies like the HRE operating for almost 200 years under a different calendar than did the British empire.
I just completed 10 days in France inspired mostly by your works. The visit to Fontevraud was a highlight – seeing the effigies I could feel them as real people. The cathedral is bathed in white light unlike others on the trip. Thank you for your books. I hope to travel with you when you next host a tour. Have you visited Montresor? Not on the main tourist path but amazing to experience a fortress built by Angevin ancestors.
I am a huge fan and would like to be entered for the book give away.
Hi Sharon – I would absolutely LOVE to win one of your books…you know I am a huge fan – you are the best!
I would love to win too.
Hi Sharon,
I love your books & have read them all except for Lionheart. I hope to get it & read it soon. I would read your books with a reference book next to me so that I could look at castles & places you wrote about. Eleanor of Aquitaine is my favorite that you write about. That question about who would you have a dinner with (dead or living) – I believe she would be my pick because of how you write of her. Of course the relationships with her sons (and Henry) are so interesting. I am sure I will love Lionheart as much as all your other books!
Thank you, thank, you, thank you!
Linda Barrett
Just to tell you I love all your books. I can’t choose a favorite, but the Welsh trilogies I read twice, I read them so quickly- I enjoyed them more the second time! Don’t stop writing, your books take me to another place and time-that I so enjoy that I wish it to never end. Jill Pankow
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Thanks for a very interesting and informative article on a beautiful place. As a lover of the Middle Ages, may I call your attention to the following sentence: “It is believed that they were originally located in the nuns’ choir, and were commissioned by Eleanor after Richard’s death at Chalus in April of 1999.” I suspect it should read 1199. I just finished Regine Pernoud’s “Eleanor of Aquitaine,” and my search led me to your blog.
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In a the biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine written by Alison Weir on pages 10 through 12, you will find that Eleanor’s grandmother Duchess Philippa was influential in land being granted to the founder of Fontevrault. She became a resident there when her husband Willliam IX was unfaithful. There she died.
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Sharon… I am an avid fan! I am off to the Loire Valley in May 2015. I was bummed to read your guide of the Abbey wasn’t great. If you had to do it again, is there someone else you would choose? I am looking for a guide to take me thru Chinon and the Abbey. Let me know if you can recommend anyone.
thanks!
kathy