100 thoughts on “LIONHEART WINNER AND END OF YEAR MUSINGS”

1. Sharon, you never cease to amaze me! You list of upcoming projects makes me tired just to read! You must have a “time stopping watch” or something that enables you to accomplish more in a day than the rest of us. Here’s to a fantastic 2011, and to an even better 2012!

2. Sharon, I’ve ordered Devil’s Brood at last and now, while waiting for it to come, I’m getting a little bit nervous (all those family tragedies and deaths). And a little bit concerned especially when it comes to Hal. Were you very tough on him or show him some mercy and understanding? You called him Medieval Peter Pan once so perhaps it isn’t going to be so bad after all:-).
   On the other hand, I’m looking forward to meeting ‘your’ Geoffrey.

3. I have to agree with Stephanie: the list of your upcoming projects is impressive indeed! Please do the three blogs about Eleanor Tour! It was such fun to read about your ups and downs in France!
   And please do read my note above and try to calm me down:-) otherwise I’m not sure whether I will ever muster up enough courage to read Devil’s Brood:-).

4. Dear Sharon, you have delighted me with your books for many years before I even had Internet, and now you bring even more fun with your blogs, updates etc. Thank you so much!

5. Remember, it will be spread out through the year! Kate, I don’t think you have to worry too much about Hal. I think I showed how irresponsible he was and self-centered, but I tried to show, too, that it wasn’t all his fault, and that he did have charm and lacked malice. He also took full responsibility for his squandered opportunities and misspent life on his deathbed. Other Devil’s Brood readers–do you think I was too tough on Hal? I got more compliments about Geoffrey in DB than about any other character. I even started to joke that every time someone praised Geoffrey, an angel got his wings.

6. What Sharon says she thinks she did to/for Hal is exactly how I would describe what she did to/for Hal. She hit the mark.

7. Thanks, Stephanie! Hal would have loved being a playboy prince in our age and the paparazzi would have adored him. Isn’t the Internet amazing, Karla? Not only have I been able to form some very special friendships with people all over the globe, but many of my readers have formed friendships with one another based on our exchanges on Facebook and my blog.

8. Thank you Sharon! What a relief! Although it won’t spare me tears and broken heart of course (which is a crass stupidity cause I know perfectly well how they all died and that there will be no happy ending).
   I’ve finished reading ‘Tournament’ by David Crouch recently and, believe it or not, he holds Young Henry in high esteem (although at some point, I must admit, he also used ‘playboy’ phrase to describe him:-)).
   So, it seems that I alone remain faithfully dazzled by the sheer glamour of Hal’s armour and his disarming smile.

9. You rescue dogs plus you are my favorite author! Ny husband got me Lionheart for Christmas. My shepherds are at my feet, (two are rescues!) the fire is roaring, snow is coming down and I am preparing to read your book.

10. And today, Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II, subsequently becoming a martyr and saint.
    And I think you got Hal perfectly, Sharon. He was likeable, yet clearly not the kind who would be a good king. As I wrote before, I’m more worried about how hard Richard (and practically everyone else) is on John. But I trust that in King’s Ransom, we’ll get a more balanced view.

11. I’m also very curious about John, Koby. He’s a mystery. Yet I can’t help thinking that ‘creating’ Geoffrey must have been the most difficult undertaking of all (although not too risky taking into consideration how little is known about him; unless one has read Judith Everard’s book recommended by Sharon :-)).

12. Koby, Koby, Koby. It is impossible to give a “balanced” view of John’s behavior during this time of his life. He was guilty of treason, betraying the brother who’d been more than generous to him. There is no way to justify what he did in allying himself with the French king. I really like writing about John, both in Dragons, the Angevin trilogy, and the mysteries. But I feel a bit guilty, for in seeking to restore John’s humanity in Dragons, I apparently overdid it, since some of my readers, including several dear friends, (You know who you are!), cite my Dragons portrayal for their willingness to overlook some very major flaws in the youngest of the Devil’s Brood.
    Kate, I would not have been able to write Devil’s Brood the way I did–at least not my portrayal of Geoffrey–if not for the wonderful book Brittany and the Angevins, which filled in those gaps about Geoffrey’s career as Duke of Brittany, which was long utterly ignored by English historians and indeed by the contemporary English chroniclers. Once Geoffrey’s motivations for some of his conflict with Henry are understood, it casts him in a very different light and renders ridiculous the view of one English historian that he was “motivated by mindless malice.” Mind you, Geoffrey was no saint, either; he was definitely an opportunist, as evidenced by his alliance with Hal to overthrow Richard in Aquitaine and then again with John after Henry had another Becket moment and told John Aquitaine was his if he could take it from Richard. I’d always blamed Richard for the fact that he had such an acrimonious relationship with his brothers, and when I began to research DB, it was something of a surprise to discover he was more sinned against than sinning. Geoffrey remains my favorite of the Devil’s Brood and I think he’d have made a good king, just as he’d proved himself to be a good duke for Brittany. I can see his failings, but while they are not excused, they are more understandable if viewed in the context of his family turmoil, and his father’s parental mistakes.

13. Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    December 29, 1170 was not a good day for Thomas Becket and not a good day for Henry, either. This is, of course, the date when four of Henry’s knights burst into Canterbury Cathedral and made Becket a martyr, thus giving him the Last Word in his feuding with Henry. I wonder how many people know that Heinrich von Hohenstaufen had a Becket-style scandal in his past, too? He’d driven the new Bishop of Liege into exile, refusing to recognize him, and the unlucky bishop was then murdered by four German knights who’d pretended to befriend him. Oddly, historians tend to overlook this ugly episode, but at the time, there was little doubt that Heinrich was to blame–it stirred up a serious rebellion among his bishops and barons.
    There was a sad story this week about a woman who lost all of her children and her parents when her house caught fire. Here is a story with a happier ending: a family was able to escape their home when their dog woke them up barking frantically–even before the smoke alarms went off. http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t3#/video/us/2011/12/29/dnt-ma-dog-saves-family.

14. Sharon I also have a young friend who lost her home on Christmas due to fire. She was asleep on the couch when her little three year old woke her and said Mommy, the house is on fire. Because of that little hero the family escaped with their lives but the house and all contents are a total loss. Family and friends are rallying around them and helping as much as possible.
    On a happier note I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and get busy on a Kings Ransome. I’m not getting any younger you know.

15. I am glad your friend and family escaped, Tom, but losing a house is such a traumatic experience. I hope you have a good new year’s, too.

16. I don’t think I’m willing to overlook some very major flaws in John. But I do think I take them in context. Considering there were no brotherly feelings in that family, I didn’t see John’s acts as more than opportunism. The same motive which led him and Geoffrey to invade Aquitaine, Geoffrey to conspire with Philip, Hal to plot with disaffected Aquitainian barons, and so forth.
    As I see it, John miscalculated. He was reasonably loyal (with some ‘persuasion’ by Eleanor) until Richard was captured, after all. He knew it was likely Richard would not return; he was the most popular candidate; and Richard had declared Arthur his heir, which likely completed the circle. Not having any reason to support Richard, he gambled on Philip. So he lost, like all the others who gambled on Philip and against Richard. After Richard returned, John remained (apparently) loyal until Richard’s death.
    So I see John’s ‘treason’ as no more than the same feuding the Angevins were raised to. An attempt to gain more (possibly rightfully deserved/promised) power in the absence/weakness of its holder.

17. Thank you, Sharon, and thanks also to my other benefactress, Lady Luck. I’ve been a fan of yours since I first read The Sunne in Splendour, more years ago than I care to remember, so you can imagine what a thrill this has been for me.
    Tom, my best wishes to your friend and her family. I recently lost my home (to foreclosure rather than fire), and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

18. Koby, I see it like this: all Henry’s sons plotted against him, finally John also changed sides, but his greatest sin seems to be the fact that he had never defied his father as his brothers had, openly, at some points foolishly but nevertheless courageously. That’s why John’s treason seems to be so hideous even today, after 800 years and that’s why he is blamed for Henry’s final undoing and death. The same was with his relationship with Richard: never open fight but always plotting behind the latter’s back. I can think of no other words but ‘opportunist’ and, unfortunately (in comparison to his brothers) ‘coward’. Of course, I might be wrong and it’s just one side of the story (as always:-)).

19. Kate, what I found troubling about John’s betrayal of Henry is that he had the least to complain of, for Henry had tried very hard to provide for him, much more than men did for fourth “spare” sons in the MA. Henry’s relationship with Richard was poisoned in large measure because Richard feared that Henry was thinking of giving the crown to John, and Henry stubbornly refused to deny it. (All of the Angevin men could have benefited from some time on a therapist’s couch, IMHO) What John did was understandable purely in terms of self-interest; he thought Henry was going to lose so he acted to cut his losses. But it was the fatal blow for his father. I find that final image of Henry haunting–after he was shown the list with John’s name at the top, he turned his face to the wall and did not speak again. I’d be the first to admit Henry was a flawed father, but there can be no doubt that he loved his sons–at least Hal, John, and Geoff. I am not sure he ever loved Richard, or vice versa. And Geoffrey seems to have been the forgotten son. There is a line in The Lion in Winter that stayed with me. Yes, it was movie dialogue, but I thought it touched on a sad family truth. Geoffrey asked Henry why they never thought of him as a king, and Henry said, “I don’t think of you at all.” I think Geoffrey was wrong to throw in with Hal and then John to seize Aquitaine, but I understand perfectly why he was bitter enough to ally with the French king at the time of his death. Henry had played one too many game with him, first with Constance’s inheritance and then with the crown itself, using Geoffrey as bait to rein Richard back in. Henry did not see his sons as they really were, but as he wanted them to be. A perfect example is Geoff, who was totally unfit for a career in the Church, but who’d have made a fine soldier. I agree with you, too, Kate, that John’s behavior was underhanded. There is nothing admirable about deserting his dying father or betraying the brother who was off on crusade and then languishing in a German prison. But I think we have to remember that–for whatever reason–John seems to have been the most damaged of the Devil’s Brood, certainly the most insecure, and that would eventually become a form of paranoia. So we may not approve of his actions, but we can at least understand them as the behavior of a man who was emotionally crippled in some ways.

20. That’s why I have written only in relation to those events mentioned by Koby. I’m not going to judge John’s later actions taken when he was already a king. Besides, I can still remember that on October 19 (my birthday and the day John had died) we both agreed he must have been quite charming 🙂 (just like his father, when he only chose to be, and his elder brothers).

21. John was the only one of the brothers who murdered a close relative, his nephew Arthur.

22. Have a wonderful New Year to all who enjoy the complex tapestry of the Angevin’s lives. I look forward to exploring them some more in 2012.
    P.S., will there be another Lionheart book giveaway?

23. For my fellow fans of the George R.R. Martin Ice and Fire series, he has put up the first chapter of the next book on his website. It is over 6,000 words! Here is the link. Just click onto the Sample at the top of the page. http://georgerrmartin.com/

24. Sandy, Sharon has said she plans to do another giveaway in a few weeks.
    Malcolm, I think Sharon argued that point well enough in Here Be Dragons.
    Sharon, I generally agree about John and Henry, but I don’t think John was treated that well. Better than his brothers, yes, but I tend to think his psyche had already been damaged by the abandonment of his parents and subsequent reclamation by Henry after Hal died. The way relationships went in that family, my only surprise is that it took him so long.
    Today, the disastrous Battle of Wakefield took place, where the Lancastrians decisively defeated the Yorkists by ambushing them while already engaged. Among the (estimated) 2,000 Yorkist casualties were Richard, Duke of York, his son Edmund, Earl of Rutland, Richard, Earl of Salisbury was captured, and his son Sir Thomas Neville and son-in-law William, Lord Harington died on the field.

25. Koby, summing up what was written about John yesterday, I think we can see clearly who remains the most controversial of the brothers :-). Still, I guess historic figures are rather judged by their actions not their family background. I’m quite convinced that few of the academic historians would dwell on John’s motives. They would rather focus on the outcome.
    I do love John from Miss Moppet adventures. With his list of regrets (with poor Hodierna at the very top of it) and laptop worship :-).

26. As for Battle of Wakefield, I read Sunne shortly before Christmas and even now, after some time I catch myself thinking about Edmund.
    Sharon, you had ‘created’ him in such a compelling way that I’m sure his death is going to haunt me until the day I die. As I read I knew perfectly well what was going to happen near Sandal Castle but still I found myself heart-broken to such extent that I had to put down the book for I didn’t know what I was actually reading through the next twenty pages.
    I’m curious about Rob Apsall. Was he really ransomed by Edward?

27. Kate, I’m afraid I no longer remember details like that, for it has been more than 30 years since I researched and wrote Sunne, which was first published in 1982, and does that ever make me feel old!
    Here is today’s Facebook Note about Wakefield.
    A sad day for the House of York, for on this date in 1460, the Battle of Wakefield was fought, resulting in the deaths of the Duke of York and his 17 year old son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, among others. They’d foolishly ventured from Sandal Castle to disperse what they thought were a small force of Lancasterians, only to find themselves hopelessly outnumbered. Edmund’s death was controversial for he was murdered after the battle by “Black Clifford,” while a prisoner. Their heads were mounted on Micklegate Bar in York. This was the first time I had to “kill off” an important character and I was nervous beforehand. I actually used something from my own past in the scene in which Edmund was slain. I’d almost died of pneumonia while attending the U of Arizona School of Law in Tucson, and when I’d first collapsed, I saw swirling hot colors of red and orange that seemed to envelop me. I gave that eerie vision to Edmund in his last moments. The Yorkists never forgave the Lancastrians for Edmund’s murder and I have no doubt that Edward would have killed Marguerite d’Anjou’s son after the battle of Tewkesbury if Brother George hadn’t gotten to the boy first; in a twist of irony, he was 17, Edmund’s age. Wakefield was also my first battle, although I did sack Ludlow in the opening chapter. I had no idea how many other battles I would fight in the years to come; there are 13 in Lionheart alone!

28. I know Rob is a minor character but so close to Edmund and his tragic death that I was trying to learn more about him. And I came across some contradictory facts: in Sunne he’s a knight and Edmund’s tutor whereas other sources claim him to be a priest and Edmund’s tutor. I even found his name among those who had been killed after the battle. But what keeps troubling me most is this tiny detail about Sir Robert being ransomed by Edward himself:-) and this I believe must have been what actually happened.

29. John in a nutshell: He had neither the intelligence nor the competence nor the good sense to deserve the confidence of his most important subjects.

30. Malcolm, are you trying to be amusing, thought provoking or just provoking?
    Today, Richard I’s enemy, Leopold V of Austria died from gangrene after a horse fell on him in a tourney, still excommunicated. Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Hereford and bitter enemy of Llywellyn the last also died, and Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, was executed following the Battle of Wakefield.
    Interestingly enough, the House of England finally got Normandy back today – James II of England was created “Duke of Normandy” by Louis XIV of France on 1660.
    Happy New Year to all!

31. I want to wish all of my friends and readers a safe and happy New Year’s Eve, with all good wishes for the coming year, which I hope will be better for us all. So many of us make New Year’s resolutions that we usually break, but I recently came across a quote that could be the best resolution of all: “The meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you don’t expect to sit.” The author is Nelson Henderson, and I admit I know nothing about him, aside from the fact that he is a wise man. And what better way to close out the old year than with Bruce Springsteen, “You’d better start saving up for the things that money can’t buy.” That’s not a bad resolution, either.

32. Sharon, you were right: I needn’t have feared for Hal. You’ve made him such a loveable and disarming lad (at least to the point of Devil’s Brood where I stopped reading to take a short break) that even Elizabeth Chadwick in her Greatest Knight hasn’t been so generous. And I thought it impossible to show him even more mercy and understanding than she had bestowed upon him.
    I was also delighted to discover Jocelin of Brakelond among minor characters!
    And Marie de France! As far as I can recall, her true identity has always created a controversy. Is there any new evidence concerning her case?

33. We’ll probably never know for certain, Kate, but I always thought the “abbess” identity was the most convincing, so I went with that. You’re nearer to the New Year than those of us in the “New World,” so have a wonderful New Year’s. PS Glad you like my portrayal of Hal so far.

34. Happy New Year! And in Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku!
    PS The tavern scene where Hal, Richard and Geoffrey meet to discuss their mother’s future as an abbess is a masterpiece. A rarity in the whole tragic story. I laughed my head off at another example of Hal’s famous generosity.

35. Congratulations on your win, Johnny Pez. 🙂
    The thing that always sticks with me about John (and human frailty) is that if he hadn’t acted so egregiously, would we have had the Magna Carta? After all, if the nobles had been content with their king, what need would they have had for that magnificent document?
    One thing that I loved about Lionheart is how you showed a side of Richard I that had been forgotten in the populist history. I am looking forward to Ransom.

36. Happy New Year, Sharon. What a perfect statement about saving up for things money can’t buy. One that everyone should abide by.

37. Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    I hope everyone had as good a New Year’s as I did. I had a lovely dinner with my friends Anna and Jamie, and as we are all history geeks, we spent the evening talking about people long dead!
    On this date in 1171, Henry got the bad news that four of his knights had taken his angry words seriously; as one of my friends commented, kings should never ask rhetorical questions. In 1515, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon had their first son, who died soon after birth. And I did not post yesterday about the grisly death on December 31, 1194, of Leopold, the Duke of Austria, for there was nothing festive about it. But since the holiday is over–here are the gruesome facts. Leopold was injured when his horse fell and crushed his leg. When it turned black, he was desperate enough to order it amputated, but no one was willing to go it. He attempted to do it himself, with predictable results. I do not doubt that many people were convinced this was God’s Judgment for having captured a crusader king, and he died excommunicate since the spineless pope had not dared to punish the real villain of the piece, the Holy Roman Emperor, instead striking at the smaller fish and letting the shark swim free. Leopold’s death was to have sad consequences for Richard’s young niece, Geoffrey and Constance’s daughter. As part of Richard’s release, he’d had to agree to wed his niece and the Damsel of Cyprus to Leopold’s two sons, and the girls were on their way to Austria when they learned of the duke’s death. They turned around and returned home, which meant that Eleanor would face a far sadder fate as a lifelong prisoner of her not-so-loving uncle John and then his son, Henry III. It is hard not to conclude she’d have been better off in Vienna.

38. http://aclerkofoxford.blogspot.com/2011/12/song-for-st-thomas-becket.html
    This absolutely wonderful blog by an Oxford post graduate student is a wonderful source for song and poetry of the times…..

39. Here is today’s Facebook Note. Thanks for posting the above link, Deb; I will definitely check it out.
    We’ve been talking recently of Eleanor of Brittany, daughter of Geoffrey and Constance, sister of Arthur, who was held as a prisoner by her own kin, first her uncle John and then her cousin Henry III, for 40 years. She has always seemed one of the unluckiest of royal women. Catherine of Valois was far more fortunate, living life to the fullest even though she was only 36 at the time of her death on January 3, 1437. She’d been the queen for two years of Henry V, widowed at 21 a year after giving birth to the future Henry VI. She was kept under surveillance to prevent her remarrying, but she somehow managed to find love with a dashing Welshman, Owain Tudor. We do not know when they wed, and the marriage was technically invalid because of the act passed requiring the king’s permission for her to marry; her Tudor descendants understandably preferred not to dwell upon this. She and Owain had five children, the two best-known being their sons Edmund and Jasper. Catherine died soon after giving birth to her fifth child, and it is likely she was suffering from cancer as she had retired to Bermondsey Abbey. Sadly, her corpse was not treated with the dignity it deserved, for it was exposed to public view in the 17th century and there is an icky entry in Samuel Pepys’s diary in which he boasted that he’d kissed a queen. Owain would be beheaded by Edward IV after the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross; legend has it that he said the head that once lay in Queen Catherine’s lap would now rest in the executioner’s basket. Their son Edmund was the father of Henry VII. Interesting to speculate that there would have been no Tudor dynasty if Catherine had not been smitten with the handsome Owain. But as tempting as that prospect is to Yorkists, it would have meant no Elizabeth either, and that would have been a loss for history, for England, and for future novelists.

40. Sharon, I’m almost done with Devil’s Brood. As for Geoffrey I must agree with Phillipe Capet: “What a waste!”. He must have been a capable ruler indeed. So effectively had he won those unruly Breton barons over. The methods he used? What a striking contrast to those used by Richard:-). I cannot agree more that had he only had a chance he would have proved a great king. A match for his father indeed.

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42. Here is today’s Facebook Note. Koby must have slept in this morning. 🙂
    Something interesting happened on this date in 1066–even if I have never written about it 🙂 Edward the Confessor died, leading to the invasion of William the Bastard (now more politely known as William the Conqueror) in October. Helen Hollick’s Harold the King deals with this turbulent period in Engish history. It is intriguing to speculate how history would have changed if William’s invasion had not succeeded. While I was reading Bernard Cornwell’s brilliant Saxon series, again and again I found myself wondering what would have happened if the Danes had prevailed.
    Also on this date in 1236, Henry III wed Eleanor of Provence. I did write about this!

43. I actually did sleep in yesterday, Sharon. But of course, you know that is not the reason for not mentioning Edward.
    According to what I have here (based on Vita Ædwardi Regis), Edward the Confessor died today, but not before briefly regaining consciousness and commending his widow and the kingdom to Harold. Charles Duke of Burgundy also died today in the Battle of Nancy, which Burgundy lost. And Isabella gave birth to John’s second legitimate son, Richard, Earl of Cornwall and King of the Romans.

44. Here is today’s Facebook Note:
    Alecia has asked if any of Richard’s songs still exist. Unfortunately, only two are still extant; I’d have loved to hear the satiric song he composed in retaliation for the Duke of Burgundy’s mocking song about him. The most famous is Je Nus Hon Pris, composed while he was a prisoner in Germany. Here is the link to Youtube, where there are several versions; my favorite is the 3rd listed on the right side of the screen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVRjmTdM4c8

45. And today, Harold Godwinson was crowned King of England. Richard II of England was born, as was (according to legend) Jehanne d’Arc.

46. As for Harold and his Anglo-Saxon world, I read a book by Sarah Bower, The Needle in the Blood, a story of bishop Odo of Bayeux and creation of the famous tapestry.
    Sharon, I know that in your writing you stick strictly to the facts whereas The Needle is a fruit of imagination to a great extent, but still what the author had achieved (IMHO) is that she had managed to stay impartial in introducing the victors and the victims of the Conquest. I felt sorry for the fading world of the Anglo-Saxons but I was able to put myself in Norman shoes (:-)) as well. I liked Bower’s Odo and her Saxon Gytha too but what I liked best was the tapestry itself and the story involved in the process of its creation.
    The ending itself was quite surprising too, a very clever way to explain why Harold hadn’t kept his word given to William and had reached for the English crown himself. I recommend this book. It is simply fun to read.
    I hope some of you read it too and will be eager to share opinion 🙂
    PS Sharon, I have to agree that it’s really interesting to try to imagine what would have happened if Harold’s army actually had prevailed on Senlac Ridge.

47. Here is today’s Facebook Note. Thanks for the recommendation above, Kate.
    Sharon Kay Penman
    January 6th is a very busy day in history. Three kings were crowned: Canute I as King of England in 1017, Harold Godwinson as King of England in 1066, and Philip IV as King of France in 1286. It is also the birthday of Richard II, who was born on January 6, 1367. Lastly, Henry VIII wed Anne of Cleves today in 1540. I can’t say anything about Canute as my knowledge of that era is very sketchy. 1066 was an unusual year, for there were three kings of England: Edward the Confessor, Harold, and then William the Conqueror. A few days ago, I’d posted Edward’s death date as January 4th, but Koby and several of my other Facebook friends believe the correct date is January 5th, and I never argue with Koby!
    We’ve discussed Philip IV occasionally, aka Philip the Fair, for his good looks, certainly not for his nature or his reign. He was a nasty piece of work, persecuting the Jews and the Lollards and then destroying the Templars. His family life was a veritable soap opera; his daughter was Isabella, unhappy queen of Edward II, and two of his daughters-in-law were accused of adultery and the third of conniving in their liaisons. Margaret was the daughter of the Duke of Burgundy and after being found guilty of adultery, she was confined in an underground cell at Chateau Gaillard; she died the next year amid suspicions she’d been murdered, for her husband, by then King Louis, aka The Headstrong, remarried five days after her convenient death. Jeanne and Blanche were sisters, daughters of the Count of Burgundy. Blanche was wed to the future Philip V; she was held in an underground cell at Chateau Gaillard, too, for 8 years, and when her husband became king in 1322, he sent her to a nunnery, where she died the following year, her health broken from her harsh confinement. Her sister Jeanne had been charged with aiding and abetting. She was acquitted, but still placed under house arrest; her husband, the future Charles IV, continued to support her, however, and she was restored to favor. The two alleged lovers were subjected to truly gruesome deaths. Isabella, England’s “She-wolf” testified against her sisters-in-law. The scandal is known as the Tour de Nesle, named after the tower in which the adulteries were said to have occurred. Supposedly Philip the Fair was so shaken by this family scandal that it contributed to his death. I’d like to think so, anyway. We agree the Plantagenets were a colorful lot and certainly the Angevins had a highly dysfunctional family life–with Eleanor rebelling against her husband and being held captive for 16 years, Henry accused of seducing his own son’s betrothed, and the sons often in rebellion, too. But compared to Philip’s inner circle, I think they sound like the Waltons.

48. Me again. It was too early in the morning for me and I made an error in the above comment. Kathryn Warner, who is very knowledgeable about the reign of Edward II, was kind enough to point out that I’d reversed the names of the two daughters of the Count of Burgundy. It was Jeanne who was charged with adultery and died after harsh confinement at Chateau Gaillard. Blanche was the lucky sister whose husband stood by her. Thanks, Kathryn! Anyone interested in finding out more about this time period should definitely visit Kathryn’s blog; I list the link in the My Favorites section of my website.

49. I’m proud to come from the same country as Canute’s mother, Świętosława. She was the daughter of Mieszko I, duke of the Polans. Mieszko was the first acknowledged ruler of the country that was to become Poland.
    (So we, the Polish, have our small contribution to British history too:-))

50. Another correction alert!
    Definitely not my day. First I reversed the names of two of Philip’s daughters=in=law, and then, as Eric points out, the Lollards were an English sect. The first mistake I can attribute to getting up way too early this morning when my brain was clearly still asleep. The second mistake shows the danger of accepting Internet sources! Being sleep-deprived probably played a role again, as I like to think I’d otherwise have remembered that the Lollards were followers of Wycliff. Thanks, Eric, and thanks again to Kathryn, to straightening out the confusion about Jeanne and Blanche. I shall try to stick to what I actually know–that Philip persecuted the Jews with great cruelty and destroyed the Templars. Tomorrow I promise to sleep in.

51. Very good news. Elizabeth Chadwick’s William Marshal tour is now open for booking. Here is the link to her website. http://www.elizabethchadwick.com/ While there, click onto the blogs button and then onto her Living Hstory blogs, as she has a very interesting article about Eleanor’s real birth date, which we now know to be 1124, not 1122, and why it matters.

52. My lord, I can’t believe I forgot this. I was busy yesterday, and apparently forgot to mention that on January 8, Pope Celestine III (who crowned Heinrich VI and excommunicated the Duke of Austria) died. His successor would be Innocent III, he of the famous feud with John.

53. Here is a fascinating and eerie Youtube video in which Eleanor’s effigy is brought to life.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVOFwLfchWA&feature=related
    And here is Richard as he would have looked, according to his effigy at Fontevrault.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYmBqhayDPM&feature=related
    They also have Henry, as well as Marie Antoinette and Alexander the Great.

54. And today, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor who married Mary of Burgundy died. He was the father of Philip the Fair.

55. Sharon and everyone, I’m particularly interested in Alienor’s, Petronilla’s younger daughter story. I know she had four husbands, outlived them all and ended her days just like her famous aunt did (and quite a lot of widows of noble birth those days, I suppose).
    I would be grateful for any piece of information, any source or book available.
    I have already found some interesting facts concerning her in John W.Baldwin’s biography of Philip Augustus and in the Chronicle of Hainaut by Giselbertus of Mons but that’s not enough;-).
    She must have lived quite a life, fighting with Philip Augustus over her sister and brother-in-law’s inheritance entirely on her own (after her last husband’s death). I guess, she must have resembled her aunt in many respects :-).

56. I’m sorry! Wrong spelling! Gislebertus (or simply Gilbert) of Mons, of course:-)

57. Today, Abbot Suger, Louis VII’s trusted counselor and priest died.

58. Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    I don’t know what I’d do about my friend, Koby. Thanks to him, I can post today about one of the more interesting figures of 12th century France–Abbot Suger of the great abbey of St Denis, who died on January 13, 1151. He was one of Louis’s most trusted advisers, and his death at this time would have huge consequences for history, for he was adamantly opposed to a divorce between Louis and Eleanor. It is certainly possible that, had he lived longer, he might have persuaded Louis not to divorce his beautiful, controversial queen in 1152. And if he had, no marriage to Henry II, no Devil’s Brood, no Plantagenets, and bleak prospects for future historical novelists. So rest in peace, Abbot Suger; it was for the best that you did not linger in this mortal coil. I don’t even want to contemplate what it would have been like for me if I did not have the Angevins to write about.

59. Abbot Suger, forgive me! I’m not going to dwell on your death but rather on my latest discovery: I had no idea that Koby is actually “he”!!!
    Koby! When we were writing about William IX of Aquitaine I was convinced that I was exchanging ideas with a woman. Do not feel offended! Your name (now I’m not even sure whether it’s a name or a nickname?:-)) sounds so foreign to me and it’s really hard (being a Polish) to guess its gender. That’s a surprise!:-)
    Coming back to Alienor, Countess of Beaumont-sur-Oise (to mention only her last title), I’m perfectly aware of the fact that women’s lives were not well documented. Not even being a queen guaranteed a mention in contemporary chronicles. Which was rather sad, wasn’t it?

60. No problem, Kate. You’re not the first (nor probably the last) to get it wrong or wonder about it. And Koby can be a proper name, but in my case, it’s a popular nickname for Yaakov, the Hebrew and original form of Jacob.
    Today, Elizabeth I of England was crowned. Yes, it’s not connected to Sharon’s books, but we do like her.

61. Today’s Facebook Note.
    Today the only “good Tudor” was crowned in 1559. And yesterday the Council of Troyes recognized the Order of the Knights Templar, thanks to the prodding of the future St Bernard of Clairvaux. For anyone wanting to sift myths from fact about the Templars, I highly recommend Sharan Newman’s The Real History of the Templars; not only is it well researched and therefore reliable, but it is fun to read, for Sharan has a snarky sense of humor. Meanwhile, Richard is trying to pass as a Templar in Udine, with limited success, even though that was a better disguise than his attempt to be a merchant in Gorizia. So far, he’s not having much fun. On the other hand, I am enjoying getting to write about his improbable adventures as a king incognito, for writers are hooked on high drama–one reason why I am so drawn to all of the Angevins, who could find drama in the most mundane daily task.

62. Koby, so it’s very similar to Polish “Kuba” also meaning Jacob:-). It’s
    a diminutive form. Have a nice day!

63. Today, the Council of Nablus was held, establishing the earliest surviving written laws of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, and Edmund Crouchback, Henry III’s [IV’s] son, who fought against Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.

64. And today, Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March died, passing the tile on to his nephew, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. Moreover, Henry VII [VIII] married Elizabeth of York.

65. Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    So many of you have told me how much you enjoyed Owain Phyfe’s haunting rendition on YouTube of Richard I’s prison lament, Ja Nus Hons Pris, that I thought you’d like to know it is recorded on one of his CDs, Poets, Bards, & Singers of Song. You can check it out here, http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Bards-Singers-Owain-Phyfe/dp/B000CQ4ZX0/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1326893207&sr=1-1
    And on this date in 1486, Henry Tudor wed Elizabeth of York. Margaret Frazer is writing a novel about Elizabeth, and I am counting down the days for that one!

66. Today, Rouen surrendered to Henry V [VI] of England, thus completing his reconquest of Normandy.

67. Good morning everyone! (Koby in particular because you are the only one to answer me so early in the morning:-)).Talking about Henry V [VI] (Koby, I’m so grateful that you have never failed Young Henry so far) I’ve just ordered Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell. Sharon recommended his Saxon Saga but I’ve decided on a single book rather. I’m afraid my husband would suffer from
    serious heart attack if I ordered the whole series:-). Anyway, has any of you read Azincourt? I’m looking forward to reading the story of the famous battle from the archer’s point of view.

68. Agincourt is an excellent book, Kate. I recommend it highly–at least to anyone interested in the MA and medieval battles!

69. Today’s Facebook Note.
    I cannot imagine a greater tragedy than the death of a child. This terrible loss happened to my friend Patrice in 2003. Gracie lived just one heartbreakingly brief day, but her mother and family have found a creative way to honor her memory and to help other babies in need. I have the world’s most generous readers. I am hoping that you will help me spread the word about the Gracie Gift Project, perhaps by posting it on your own Facebook pages. I found myself haunted by one sentence–that these blankets are often the only gift a newborn receives.
    WHAT IS THE GRACIE’S GIFT PROJECT?
    The Gracie’s Gift Project was started by the Sonneborn Family, in memory of Grace Sonneborn. Born in March of 2003, Gracie was found to have the rare condition known as OsteoGenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bone Syndrome). Gracie only lived for one short day. During her time here with us, she was wrapped in a beautifully crocheted blanket that had been donated to Temple Hospital. That blanket is now a tangible reminder of the darling baby girl who will live forever in so many hearts.
    In honor of Gracie’s memory, on the anniversary of her birth, the Sonneborn family collects and donates new and handmade blankets to Temple Hospital. These blankets are then given to other mothers and babies. To some babies, this is the only gift they will receive. Please join our cause by helping the Sonneborn family reach their goal of 1500 blankets this year. You can donate a new or handmade blanket or a six inch crocheted square which will be used to make one very unique and special blanket. Blankets are being collected until February 25th. Thank you in advance for your donation.
    Please feel free to visit and join the Facebook page created in honor of this cause.
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=251239052672
    or contact Patrice Bayatski
    Phone: 267-629-1602
    E-mail: peppermintpatty1952@verizon.net
    Please note: only new, unused blankets are being collected

70. Sharon, I’m deeply moved. Your note about Gracie makes me think about my little nephew Mikołaj (English: Nicholas) who was born in 26th week of pregnancy and it’s a miracle that he still lives. At present he weighs 1 kilogram and is already after a serious eye operation. He can’t breathe on his own and for my sister every day is a struggle compared only to that of Eleanor’s being kept prisoner for she’s also ‘imprisoned’ in the hospital with her little son, fighting to keep him alive, never giving up hope. Altogether she has spent 6 months in different hospitals, first due to difficult pregnancy and now with Mikołaj. He already has two blankets so I take it as a good sign:-)

71. As for Azincourt/ Agincourt, which spelling is the proper one?

72. I came here to thank YOU for your lovely books, and this seems to be an appropriate post for :). I’m a longtime reader of your books, but only recently became aware of your blog. I’m curious, are there any other times/places in history that fascinate you outside the medieval era, and any personages of note? I don’t mean to suggest I’m tired of the Medieval books at all, but we hear about things that interest you from that time, and I was wondering about other times you haven’t chosen to write about.
    Happy New Year!!

73. Today, the first English parliament conducted its first meeting, held by Simon de Montfort in the Palace of Westminster.

74. Thank you, Mer; you got my day off to a great start. I am fascinated by history in general, at one time considered writing of ancient Rome during the Republic, at another about the American Revolution, which was our first civil war. But I sadly realized that to do this, I’d have to be twenty years younger, for the research would be so intensive and so time-consuming that it would take forever to write a book about either era.
    Kate, Agincourt is the name used in the US and the UK. I never checked to see what the French name is; anyone?
    Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    On this date in 1265, what is considered the first English parliament was summoned by Simon de Montfort; it was the first assembly in which knights and townsmen were able to participate. If you google “first English parliament,” all sorts of interesting information comes up.
    I will be posting a new blog today, Late to the Party, in which I discuss George R.R. Martin’s Ice and Fire series and Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon series.
    Lastly, I hope my friends and readers in Seattle and other areas hit by the snowstorm are hunkering down!

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