I am delighted to offer this interview with a rising star of
historical fiction, C. W. Gortner. I am sure many of you have read his novels The
Last Queen and The Confessions of Catherine de Medici., both of which I enjoyed
very much. His latest novel is THE
QUEEN’S VOW, about the tumultuous rise to power and early reign of Isabella of
Castile. Born and raised in southern Spain, C.W. has been fascinated since
childhood by the legend, and contradictions, of this legendary queen who sent
Columbus to America. In our Q&A today, we talk about his passion for
powerful women in history, his views on writing historical fiction, and he
shares a special animal rescue story.
1) Tell us about The
Queen’s Vow. How did you get the idea?
As mentioned, I grew
up in southern Spain, in a seaside town near the city of Malaga. There was a
ruined castle that had once belonged to Isabella of Castile near my house,
where I often played. Today, it has been fully restored but in my childhood it
was a ruin— a circle of battlements and towers, open to the sky, one in which I
could let my imagination run free. In school, I learned about Isabella, about how
she conquered Granada and united Spain, and sent Columbus across the sea. But
it wasn’t until years later that I realized how little I actually knew about
Isabella’s early years, about her struggle to become queen and assert her power
in a time when women rarely ruled.
I had depicted
Isabella’s later years and death in my first novel, The Last Queen, about her daughter, Juana. In that book, we meet Isabella upon the fall of Granada:
she is the strong, somber queen, devoted to her realm and, frankly, rather
forbidding. When I decided to write about Isabella in this novel, I wanted to
explore who she was before that momentous achievement; how she became the Isabella we think we know. Her love affair with
her husband Fernando of Aragón, for example, is a historical rarity; he was
forbidden to her, and her decision to marry him sparked a civil war. As with
most legendary figures, there’s far more to Isabella than we’ve been told. She
was both extraordinary and extraordinarily fallible, a product and exception of
her era.
2) Isabella is
strongly associated with the Inquisition. Can you talk about this?
There’s a lot of
controversy surrounding Isabella’s role in the Inquisition. I knew she’d
sanctioned its revival in Spain and used it against her subjects; I was interested
in understanding why she did it, rather than trying to exonerate her. I’m not
that invested in making my characters sympathetic; I do, however, want them to
be understandable, even when we don’t agree with them. There is no excuse for
the Inquisition, but to my surprise I discovered that Isabella’s decisions
surrounding it were more complex than popular history depicts. She wasn’t
innately cruel – in fact, she detested bull fighting, for example, and forbade corridas held in her honor – and the
documentation from the era proves that she delayed implementing the Inquisition
for several years, despite the urging of councilors and her husband.
Nevertheless, that said, Isabella took her faith and any threat to it very
seriously.
It’s tough to be a
writer of historical fiction when faced with issues of religious
intolerance, cruelty to animals, any kind of persecution. I’m a very liberal
man. I can honestly say, I’m glad I was not born in the 16th century,
which is an era defined as much by its injustice as its glamour. Yet I can’t
write about a Renaissance queen, or indeed a Renaissance person, and ignore
these unsavory traits, because in their world, faith in particular was a
life-and-death issue. They sincerely believed in heresy and the damnation or
salvation of the soul based on how one worshipped. While it was challenging at
times for me to get inside Isabella’s skin and view the world as she did, I
also think that we’re not all that different today. We need only look to
fundamentalist churches that condemn gay people and women’s rights, among other
things, to understand that as much as we may change, much also, sadly, remains
the same.
3) What kind of research did you do to get inside Isabella’s
skin?
As with all my books,
the research began several years before I actually started writing. I read
as many biographies and books about the era as I could, as well as extant
documentation from the era that was available to me. I also took several trips
to Spain, including one in which I followed in Isabella’s footsteps from
Seville to Granada, site of her most famous triumph. The alcazar of Segovia,
though much transformed over the years, carries a strong echo of Isabella’s
early trials; as does the walled city of Avila and several other sites in
Castile. I read her letters and that of her contemporaries, as well as
ambassadorial accounts of her court. Isabella has left very little in her own
hand that reveals her inner thoughts— she was private, not given to public
displays of her feelings—but careful examination of what does exist, together
with the aforementioned documentation and her actions during her lifetime,
offered the framework that I used to create the flesh-and-blood woman she may
have been.
4) Now, tell us about your new cats, My Boy and Mommy. How
did they come into your life?
My Boy and Mommy are son and mother; I’d been feeding them for over 4 years in the park where I walk
with my dog, Paris. I first spotted Mommy as she streaked past me in the
undergrowth one morning; she was very feral and had just had a litter of
kittens. The kittens were fascinated by Paris, who isn’t aggressive, so I
decided to trap them. I got all of them but Boy, who eluded the trap for
months. The kittens were all adopted through the SPCA; I then turned my
attention to trapping Mommy and Boy, with the help of a lady who feeds more
than 12 feral cats in the area. By the time we ended up getting them, both
Mommy and Boy had bonded with me. At the advice of the feral cat program,
however, after they were spayed / neutered, we re-released them in the park,
with the caveat that we’d continue to care for them. But in February of this year, Boy showed up
to his daily feeding with an injured paw. He’d either been attacked by a coyote
or dog. Coyotes have been sighted in the park more of late, but people, too,
were very disrespectful about leashing their dogs in the cats’ area: they acted
as if they had the right to let the dogs chase the cats, which of course only
adds to a feral cat’s stress. That day when I arrived with the food, Boy was
limping. He sat at my feet, as if to say he needed help. It was raining, too,
and I knew that if I left him to fend for himself, a dog might get to him. I’d
rigged up shelters under the walkway where the cats ate but between dogs and
raccoons knocking the shelters over, exposure to the elements, and the cats’
bond with me, I was finding it increasingly difficult for me to leave them. I
put Boy in a carrier and took him to the vet. He needed stitches; they told me
we’d have to keep him confined for a week while he healed, so my partner and I
decided to bring him and Mommy home, to see how they’d fare. You never know
with ferals, we were warned: most can’t adjust to being pets.
It’s been almost
four months now, and so far, so good. The cats have settled in; they seem very
happy, with the run of the upstairs spare bedroom. They love belly rubs and
kisses. Paris was a little miffed that she must now share her home but she’s
adjusting, too. She’s gentle, and I’m sure it’ll work out in time.
Thank you so much for having me, Sharon. I’m a great fan of
yours and I sincerely hope your readers enjoy THE QUEEN’S VOW. I’m always
available to chat with book groups via Skype or speaker phone; to learn more
about me and my work, please visit me at: www.cwgortner.com
Thank you,
Christopher, for this fascinating and insightful interview. You very eloquently addressed a problem that
historical novelists often face; we live in an age in which many of us consider
tolerance to be a virtue, and I am so glad of that. But that was not true in the Middle Ages,
where all people of faith were convinced theirs was the only true religion. Like you, I would not have wanted to live
back then, however much I enjoy writing about the medieval world. As an opinionated woman and a lapsed
Catholic, I probably would not have fared well.
I am looking forward to reading about your
Isabella, for I am sure you do her justice while staying true to the tenor of
her times. And thank you, too, for rescuing My Boy and
Mommy; it is a story sure to resonate with my readers. I know Paris is a rescue, too, and I also
know that you began rescuing animals in need back in your boyhood in
Spain. God’s creatures would have
happier lives if only we could clone people like you! I believe your next novel is going to be
about the enigmatic Lucrezia Borgia—I hope you’ll come back to talk about her,
too.
June 27, 2012
Great interview Sharon! And thank you C.W. for your rescue efforts. Sounds like Paris, Mommy & Boy are all very lucky to have been saved by you.
Another book for my TBR pile, thanx Sharon…! ‘-) I read Confessions per your recommendation a while ago and while I didn’t LOVE it in that all consuming, the dishes can wash themselves for all I care sense, I did enjoy it and was amazed at what Catherine had to go through. I appreciated the way CW made her accessible and explained why she took certain actions that nowadays are not looked upon kindly.
I always like books in which the female characters are strong, assert themselves and aren’t portrait as damsels in distress or ditzy females. So for that alone, I am very thankful to CW for writing about these women.
Thanks for this post Sharon—fascinating! Another novel to add to my list. Just a note to add re religion in medieval times & today. I just posted a comment, in the previous blog, on reading the trial of Joan of Arc. Here’s another thought, inspired by the above interview. The only thing that did NOT shock me as I read the trial was the religious attitude, thought, & dogma of the era. It was all too familiar to me as I was raised with that stuff. Another lapsed Catholic, that rigid dogma dominated the first 16 years of my life, reinforced at church, school, community, & home. When my own beliefs started evolving, I had to keep them to myself & it took a long time to make a stand—an even longer time to shake the incredible guilt that is part & parcel of doing so. But the day we truly know that is all behind us & we feel comfortable with our own mythology/spirituality, is a day of glorious freedom!!! And the whole experience leaves us with a deep understanding of how those beliefs evolved over centuries, & of religious intolerance, & of people’s motivations, & as Mr Gortner explains & as you Sharon, so often have, we must use that perspective when reading medieval history—& for conscientious writers like yourselves, when creating serious historical novels. For which I give you enormous credit.
I’ve just finished reading _The Queen’s Vow_ and I loved it. Beautifully written, wonderfully readable, and true to everything I’ve read about Isabella. A complex woman of great strength, in a most unusual position of power, with a lot of big questions of politics and religion to deal with – and Chris Gortner has done her proud. He’s a worthy colleague of Sharon Kay Penman, and there can’t be higher praise than that!
I loved C.W. Gortner’s The Last Queen so naturally, when I found out The Queen’s Vow was to be published, I added it to my “to be purchased shortly” list. Based on the great interview, I think I will be getting this book sooner than expected. 🙂
Two of my favorite authors and a fabulous interview. Thank you C. W. Gortner and Sharon Kay Penman. The Queen’s Vow will be added to my Wish List if it isn’t already on there. Loved getting the full story of Mommy and My boy.
Thanks to everyone for their comments, praise, and interest in my work; it’s always a joy and honor to visit with Sharon on her blog. I’m especially proud of this book; when I was growing up, Isabella was such an integral part of my world. I lived near a castle she’d owned; I learned about her in school, and visited her tomb in Granada. Having the chance to write about her youth and rise to the throne felt like I had come full circle.
Thank you both for a fascinating interview. It takes great daring to write about personages many consider evil, and to turn them from villains into regular human beings. It is very important, and I’m glad we have authors like the two of you doing so.
Today, Edward IV was crowned King of England, Charles V was elected Holy Roman Emperor, and Elizabeth of York gave birth to Henry VIII [IX].
Fascinating interview! I haven’t read C.W. Gortner’s books so far, but after what I’ve just read, I certainly will. What is most striking about C.W. Gortner’s work is the fact that he is a man writing about women. Usually women write about women and men write about men. Mr Gortner does not lack courage, that’s for certes:-)
Emilie, thank you for your kind words about Henry’s website. I will do my best to continue what I’ve begun.
I would also like to add that in 1180 a conference was held at Gisors on this day, with Henry II acting as mediator between Philip Augustus and his relatives. I recommend Sharon’s description of the event in Devil’s Brood.
Great minds think alike, Kasia 🙂 See the Facebook Note below that I wrote last night!
On this date in 1180, Henry II brought about a reconciliation between the teenage king Philippe Capet and his estranged mother and uncles. This was only one of several times in which Henry acted to rescue Philippe from his own inexperience, but Philippe, of course, was no more familiar with gratitude than he was with Chinese or Vulcan. I really liked doing this scene in Devil’s Brood for it showed Henry at his best, doing something that was truly generous but still flavored with his trademark snark. For example, I have him warn Philippe that if he does not reach an accommodation, “You take the risk that I may not always be feeling so benevolent. The time might well come when I can no longer resist the temptation to profit at the expense of your youth and family troubles.” Why did he protect Philippe? While we can’t be 100% sure, I am comfortable with the answer I have him give the vexed Count of Flanders who asks why he is doing this for Louis’s son. “Because,” Henry said, “there was no one to do this for my sons.” As you can probably tell, I really miss writing about Henry. I did manage to do a scene with him in Ransom, though.
On this date in 1461, Edward IV was crowned; he was one of my favorite characters, for he took little in life seriously, including himself. This meant that his scenes with his wife, Elizabeth, were always fun to write, for she took everything seriously and was as literal and humorless as he was irreverent and sardonic. (At least my Elizabeth was!)
On this date in 1462, Marguerite d’Anjou made an eye-opening pact with the French king, Louis XI, in which she actually agreed to surrender Calais if he helped her husband, the hapless Henry VI, reclaim the English crown.
And on June 28, 1491, the future Henry VIII was born; I don’t plan to bake a cake.
Sharon, I am so glad that Henry will have one scene in Ransom. I too miss him. There are so many things to look forward to in Ransom but at the same time I dread the moment when I will read the last words as it will mean the end of the Angevin saga.
To make the long drive to my father’s house more agreeable, I started listening to the audiobook of Lionheart. The trip wasn’t long enough to finish the story so I have been enjoying very pleasant bus rides (beats listening to people speak on their cell phones as though there is no one else around them) to and from work for the past week. Henri and Isabella have just married which means that once again the book is almost over. I am very intrigued by Henri de Champagne. He seems to have been a young man of great integrity and politically astute. If I could meet anyone from the Middle Ages, Henri de Champagne would certainly be at the top of my list. Will you be writing more about him in your novel about Outremer?
Absolutely, Emilie. I became so fond of Henri that I decided to greatly expand his role. I switched back and forth in the early chapters of Here be Dragons, going from Llywelyn to John to Joanna until their story lines all converged. So i think I could do that with Henri in Champagne and Balian and the others in Outremer until their story lines merged, too. Now I just have to convince my publisher of that!
On this day in 1149, Raymond of Poitiers, Eleanor’s famous uncle, was defeated and killed at the Battle of Inab, in the course of campaign which Nur-ad-Din led against the Antiochene castles of Harenc and Inab. The Prince of Antioch went to Inab’s rescue with a smaller force than that of his opponent. His army included a band of Assassins under their leader, the Kurd Ali ibn Wafa. The latter one counselled a withdrawal, but in vain. Raymond’s troops were encircled while camping on low ground in the plain between Inab and the marshes east of Orontes. While trying to fight their way out almost all the Franks were captured and killed, including Raymond, whose death left Antioch without a ruler, as his son Bohemond III was still a minor. Nur-ad-Din’s victory at Inab won him great renown in the Muslim world.
I have always found Raymond most colourful figure, his career very alike the one of another extraordinary younger son, William Marshal. And I have always sensed that Richard must have resembled Raymond in some way. Eleanor had probably seen it too:-)
As for the Great Revolt of 1173-74, on 29 June 1173, Philip of Flanders invaded Normandy and captured Aumale north of Rouen.
Well, Kasia has written of the Battle of Inab, before I could, and probably did a better and more detailed job than I would have done, so all I have left to add is that today, Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s [VIII] mother died.
Fascinatingly detailed post, Kasia. Did your research indicate that it was Saladin’s uncle who struck off Raymond’s head? (I mention it in my post below) My knowledge of the Second Crusade is rather superficial, and I couldn’t confirm the Wikipedia note in the several books I do have about the Second Crusade.
Here is today’s Facebook Note.
On June 29, 1149, Raymond of Poitiers, the Prince of Antioch and uncle of our Eleanor of Aquitaine, was slain at the battle of Inab in a fight against the army of Nur al-Din, emir of Aleppo. He could have escaped but refused to abandon his men. After the battle, his head was placed in a silver box and sent as a gift to the Caliph of Baghdad. Wikipedia claims that the one who beheaded him was Shirkuh, uncle of the famous Saladin, but I have been unable to confirm that. Saladin, by the way, later clashed with Nur al-Din and would wed his widow. I have no doubt that her uncle’s death was the final nail in the coffin of Eleanor’s marriage to Louis, for it was his refusal to go to the relief of Edessa—the goal of the Second Crusade—that led to Raymond’s presence on the field at Inab.
On June 29, 1509, one of my least favorite historical figures gave up this mortal coil, Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor, dying at age 66. She was a year younger than Edward IV; one of the more tantalizing What Ifs of history is to speculate how history would have changed if Edward had not died so prematurely.
On June 29, 1613, the Globe Theatre in London caught fire and burned. The circumstances were rather colorful. Shakespeare’s Henry VIII was being performed and cannon fire set the thatched roof of the theatre on fire! Master Shakespeare was in Stratford upon Avon at the time so he was spared having to watch as the Globe burned to the ground. It was rebuilt the next year.
Sharon, beginning with you, & all your readers, if we could spend an entire day with someone from the MA, who would it be??? Only one choice though, which will be more of a challenge.
Emilie, you inspired this thought.
Émilie, I believe I have mentioned to Sharon the parallels I see between Henri de Champagne and his Uncle Geoffrey. Both governed effectively, seem to have had happy marriages, and died young (31 and 27) in tragic, avoidable accidents. Richard appears to have had a good relationship with his nephew. He and his brother were too close together in age and had very different personalities and too many conflicting ambitions to ever get along. All of Henry and Eleanor’s sons were quite different, one from the other.
Joan, as for today, I would like to be at Perigueux with Malcolm IV of Scotland. On 30 June 1159 he was knighted by Henry II in the course of the Toulouse campaign. I’ve always been rather curious about the “real” Malcolm, not the “Maiden” one. Recently I’ve bought a very well written book by Richard Oram, entitled The Kings and Queens of Scotland. Thanks to it I’ve been able to learn a lot about David I, his grandsons and their relations with the Angevins.
I’ve learned, for example, that Malcolm took part in Henry’s expedition against the advice of his leading nobles. After the campaign proved a failure he returned to Scotland only to face their wrath. They were afraid that he might act against his kingly duties again and tried to seize him at Perth, but Malcolm defeated them and forced to submission. Immediately after he invaded Galloway, defeated its ruler, Fergus and had him made a canon of Holyrood Abbey. You have to agree that there’s no trace of a ‘Maiden’ in the Malcolm mentioned above. His behaviour stands in sharp contrast to the traditional image of David I’s successor as weak and effeminate. He was known for his military prowess and devotion for the ideal of Christian knighthood, but his personal celibacy was a fact.
Sharon, I know about Raymond’s unfortunate head and his right arm that served as the most precious gifts for the Cailph, but nowhere in my readings have I come across the information about Shirkuh. I will take a closer look at it:-)
As it happens, my knowledge about crusades in general is rather superficial too, but thanks to Eleanor and Louis’s ups and downs in the Holy Land, the second crusade is the one I know best. And Raymond himself is worth reading every single sentence that was written about him, of course:-)
Malcolm, this must have been it. I mean Richard and Geoffrey, and their brotherly love. Too close in age. I assume you know something about it?
I ceratainly do:-)
Joan, for me it would have to be Edward 1. I would love to know the man behind the one the chronicler’s describe. Was he really a ‘monster’ as my Welsh cousins would have it? Did he always want to conquer Wales or was he just reacting to a stubborn Welsh prince’s refusal to pay him the homage he felt was due? Was he really a ‘Leopard,’ part Lion, part pard (untrustworthy)? Was it my Othon de Grandson who sucked the poison from him after the assassin’s attack and not his wife Eleanor?
Of course, I would have to be very careful how I posed these questions to him!!
Wonderful interview, C. W. & Sharon. My leaning tower of TBR will soon collapse, as I now have to add “The Queen’s Vow.” I will put it on my Amazon wish list first as I have just learned that the wish list affects the book’s ranking–is there anything more arcane than Amazon’s ranking algorithm?
I’m so glad you talked about Mommy and My Boy. *sniff*
Kasia, I think I’ll purchase that book as well—I’ve become quite fascinated with the goings-on in Scotland. And for my choice, because it would entail a voyage into the romantic side of the medieval times, while experiencing all the things I love about the Welsh–poetry, music, passion, it would have to be the poet-prince Hywel, who would share his beloved Cymru through the telling of history, legend, & myth as he takes me on a journey of his most favorite beautiful & haunting places in N Wales, ending the day at Ynys Mon. He knows I’m a time-traveller so I tell him that he & his people will be immortalized, greatly loved & honored down through the ages. And that the awesome beauty of his country continues to weave its magic & enchant. It would be a day of music, song, & poetry, along with spiced wine & honeyed wafers.
Ken, my choice would be Henry the Young King, of course, but today I would like to find myself at Perigueux, in the year of Our Lord 1159, and see for myself the ceremony of knighting.
As for Hal, there is one thing that keeps bothering me, namely, what on earth, was really going on behind the walls of Limoges in early spring of 1183? Were Hal nad Geoffrey standing and watching impassively as their lord father approached under the flag of truce and narrowly escaped death? What were their conversations like? Their scheming, their plotting… I would love to learn that.
Going back to your previous post, are you a Cornish, or do just you live in Cornwall? Forgive me such a direct question, but I am rather curious by nature:-) I have always found Cornwall a fascinating place. I would love to visit it one day.
Joan, I have almost forgotten that there is a romantic side of life, too:-) Even when it comes to the MA. The romantic, hidden somewhere deep inside of me begs for one evening spent in the Young King’s company. One evening in his great hall with music and listening to the latest lai by Marie de France. And then, of course, first thing in the morning, a traditional escape in order to avoid Henry’s creditors lurking behind every single corner:-)
Late to the party, but today, Hugh de Kevelioc, Earl of Chester, died. He left his son Ranulf as his heir, and his mother Maude as regent for him.
As for Medieval moments and people I would like to meet, I have to think more on that before I can possibly answer.
Kasia, I’m Welsh (born in Cardiff) but live in Cornwall (Truro). It’s strange here because although the Cornish are the ancient Brits as we are, they do not like the Welsh or Irish (or in fact any ‘Emmets’ meaning tourists from outside). I put that down to the English influence in Cornwall over the centuries and the fact that the Welsh rugby teams of the 70’s used to give the English teams what for!
I am very patriotic when it comes to Welsh rugby, but having spent most of my life elsewhere (Kenya, Madagascar, Botswana, South Africa, South Korea, Hong Kong and Malaysia) I have a more tolerant attitude to nationalities other than my own.
Ken, I am both happy and honoured! You are the first Welshman I have ever “met”:-)
‘Blush!’ Likewise I’m sure!
Kasia, I fear that if you spent an evening at the Young King’s court, with festivities, feasting, & dancing, there would be no escaping. Your name would suddenly appear in all these great novels we’re reading.
Malcom, Sharon agrees with you. 🙂 As I recall, Morgan expresses this exact opinion in Lionheart. I can’t believe how Henri died. It seems so senseless. If he and Isabella truly had a good relationship, I wonder how she felt about remarrying so soon after his death. Henri is bit of an obsession of mine right now so I am trying to do some research to learn more about him. I’ve only just started but the process has been fun so far. If I am lucky enough to get a spot on the next Eleanor Tour, I think I will arrive a week early since in addition to Rouen, I would also like to go to Champagne, more specifically Troyes and Provins.
Joan, if Hywel could read what you wrote above, he would definitely want to spend a magical day with you. I feel the same way you do about Wales and that is all thanks to Sharon since I have yet to set foot in that beautiful country.
Kasia, thank you for mentioning the book about Scottish Royalty. I was browsing Amazon earlier today and discovered that Mr. Oram also wrote a book about King David I of Scotland. I didn’t know if you and Joan were aware of that and thought you might both be interested. Scotland is yet another destination high on my travel wish list.
One last thing, Kasia, you seem to be well informed about Raymond of Poitiers. Can you recommend a good book I could read to learn more about him? I have already read Ralph Turner’s Eleanor biography but if you have any other recommendations, I would appreciate it.
I almost forgot, last night I watched the episode of Battle Castle about Malbork Castle in Poland. It is considered to be the largest castle in the world. Since there were no stones in the area, the castle is made of bricks. I will never look at bricks the same way now.
Kasia, I was sure you would talk about the Union of Lublin?
In any case, today, the Battle of Dorylaeum took place, during the First Crusade. After over 10 hours of battle the Crusaders defeated the Seljuks in detail, allowing them to proceed onwards towards Antioch and the famous siege. Also, Sultan Baibars died. He defeated the Mongols at Ain Jalut, took much of what was left of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, conquered the Principality of Antioch, fought Edward I in the 9th Crusade and may have tried to poison him.
Happy Canada Day fellow Canadians!!!
Sharon has called and asked me to post to all of you. Her area was hit by the same storm that has crippled Washington DC. Right now she is without power and it may not be restored for a week. She and Tristan and Holly are safe and coping as best as they can. She also asks that you all send good recovery vibes for all those this storm has affected and those in Colorado still fighting the devastating fires. She will return to us all on the Internet once her power is restored.
Also, if any of you reading this are on the Aussie list on Facebook or can reach any of the people there, especially Fiona and Paula, please pass this along. Sharon was supposed to Skype with them on July 6th. She may not be able to depending on when her power is restored. She will try to check in with them and keep them updated as to the viability of this as the date gets closer.
That’s terrible! I was a little bit surprised that there was no post from Sharon yesterday, but, on the other hand, I was sure that she was spending the entire day in Richard’s company. Thank you, Valerie, for letting us know.
Koby, I have to admit that I have utterly forgotten about the Union. In this situation, however, I think we should all wait for Sharon and her safe return.
Emilie, I will write a few words about Raymond and the books you will find him in on Henry’s website.
Valerie L, Please send Sharon, Tristan, and Holly my best–keep cool. Last November when I was out of power for a week along with 95% of Connecticut I was lucky enough to be only one town away from where there was power and found refuge in a public library where I could get warm and plug in and get my work done. Maybe Sharon will have similar luck and/or get her power restored quickly.
I will share your message with the FB groups I share with Sharon.
Sharon, good luck to you & your pups & my thoughts are with all those affected. I was just watching some news on this.
Big hug to you, Sharon! I hope your power gets restored soon. Stay safe with Tristan and Holly.
Valerie, thanks for letting us know.
Sharon, the cats and rabbits want to send you their best wishes and love. Thinking of you!
Ack! So sorry to hear that. I’m glad everyone’s safe.
I am sorry to hear about these troubles. I will keep all those in trouble in my prayers.
Today, Hugh Capet was crowned King of. France, beginning the Capetian dynasty, and Louis XI of France, ‘The Spider King’, was born. Also, I forgot to mention that yesterday, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was born and Prince Ștefan III ‘cel Mare și Sfânt’ (the Great and Holy) of Moldavia died.
Sharon,
I hope your electricity is restored sooner rather than later. I went through a similar experience in 1998 as a result of an ice storm that lasted nearly a week. After 2 days of freezing rain the trees and power lines started collapsing due to the weight. We lost power for 4 days but were lucky that we had a wood stove to keep us warm, plenty of food and water. I can’t imagine what a challenge it must be to be going through a blackout during a summer heatwave. We take technology for granted but an event like this one truly highlights how much we depend on electricity and all the gadgets we have that make life relatively easy and seamless. I hope you and your dogs are coping well. My thoughts are with you and hope that you can return to us soon!
P.S. The ice storm wasn’t all bad. It taught me that, unlike what you see in movies and on television, it takes many (emphasis on that word) candles to generate sufficient light to do anything useful. This is just another reason why you can’t rely on television or cinema for the truth. 🙂 I hadn’t discovered my interest in medieval history or your books at the time so had to rely on this accidental historical reenactment.
Happy 4th of July to those of us who are Americans.
Today, the Battle of the Horns of Hattin took place, where Saladin decisively defeated the Crusader army under Guy de Lusignan, leading to the eventual fall of Jerusalem and the Third Crusade, which Richard lead.
Among the captured in the battle were Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, his brother Amalric who would later be Amalric II of Jerusalem (he was Isabella’s husband after Henri of Champagne), Raynald de Chatillon, William V of Montferrat, Grand Master Gerard de Ridefort of the Knights Templar, Humphrey IV of Toron and many others. Raymond III of Tripoli (despite leading the vanguard), Balian of Ibelin and Joscelin III of Edessa (who led the rearguard) managed to escape. Raynald of Chatillon was executed almost immediately following his capture by Saladin himself.
Sharon’s electricity has been restored! She’ll be back posting here as soon as she recovers from the mess the storm left in its wake.
I will read the comments I missed while I was incommunicado as soon as i can. Meanwhile, here is my first Facebook Note in almost a week.
I’d like to thank everyone for their concern and sympathy this past week as much of the eastern United States was plunged back into the Middle Ages. I kept reminding myself that this was how people lived for most of history, but somehow that was not much consolation. When the temperature soars into the high 90’s, it is hard to be philosophical. I was very thankful that my electric company was able to restore power sooner rather than later; at one point, we’d been told it could be a week. I was luckier than many people, though, for I never lost water. Poor Tristan suffered more than Holly, not surprising since he now has a fur coat that a polar bear might well envy. He’s an older boy, too, so he was wilting. The storm itself scared him half to death, and even with a thunder-shirt on, he huddled in the bathtub. I’ve been through a few hurricanes, but this Derecho was the most intense storm I’ve ever experienced—hopefully a once in a lifetime event. Again, I was lucky, for no trees landed on my roof or car, although my yard and lawn were littered with huge tree branches. Trees went down like matchsticks all over the area.
I hope all of you in the Derecho’s path got through it okay. Good luck, too, with the current heat wave; we’ll have 11 days straight with the temperatures over 90 degrees. I hope the houses of my friends and readers out in Colorado have been spared.
In history, naturally in the US we think of the Declaration of independence when we think of July 4th. But this was also the date of a very significant medieval battle; on July 4th, 1187, Guy de Lusignan led the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s army to an overwhelming defeat against Saladin at the Horns of Hattin. Virtually all of the knights and lords were either slain or taken prisoner; Balian d’Ibelin was one of the few who managed to fight his way free. Guy was captured but not harmed; Saladin told him courteously that kings do not kill other kings. But he himself put Reynald de Chatillon to death in his own tent and ordered the execution of all the Templar and Knights Hospitaller prisoners. This battle doomed Jerusalem and sparked the Third Crusade. I hope to be able to write about it in my next book—assuming my publisher will agree, of course.
Sharon,
I am so glad that your electricity has been restored. Welcome back! We have all missed you.
I’m glad that you and yours are well. Poor doggies. It’s hard on them.
Today, Henry II died. Richard I’s reign began. Richard III was crowned. And the sainted Sir Thomas More was executed. I am certain Kasia and Sharon have a lot more to say about these events, so I will leave that to them.
I am still trying to catch up and still saying with a smile, “Behold, let there be light” every time I flip a light switch. It is hard to say who is happier about the return of my air conditioning, me or Tristan.
You’re right, Koby; I do have more to say about today’s happenings. It was a busy news day in history, wasn’t it? Here is today’s Facebook Note.
Another very eventful day in history. Let’s get the Tudors out of the way first so we can focus upon the important events. On July 6th, 1535, Sir Thomas More was beheaded for treason, that is, for challenging the validity of the Act of Succession which named Henry VIII as the head of the English Church. He would later be canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935, and oddly enough, he’d also be selected as the patron saint of politicians! For a view of the sainted More that is not exactly A Man for all Seasons, try Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. And on July 6, 1553, the fifteen year old king, Edward VI, died of what is generally thought to be tuberculosis.
But in Plantagenet Nation, we care more about the coronation of Richard III and his queen, Anne Neville, on July 6th, 1483. And of course it is a day to mourn, for on July 6, 1189, Henry II died in misery at Chinon Castle, feverishly murmuring “Shame upon a conquered king” after having been forced to make a humiliating surrender to his own son Richard and the young French king Philippe; he’d saved Philippe’s throne several times in the past, but Philippe did not hold gratitude to be a virtue. Henry probably died of septicemia, the result of a wound to his heel, although he had numerous other ailments by that time—as well a broken heart, having learned that his beloved son John had betrayed him.
Devil’s Brood, page 713. “Henry’s delirium soon returned, and he did not speak coherently again, dying the next day after a hemorrhage that stained his bedding with dark blood. He was fifty-six, had ruled almost thirty-five years as King of England and even longer as Duke of Normandy and Count of Anjou.”
Poor Henry. He may have brought much of his troubles upon himself, but he deserved a better death than this. I confess he is my favorite king and I often wished I could have headed off this train wreck and rewritten history for him. So many turning points, so many chances to avoid the road that led to Chinon. Maybe I should consider writing an alternative history of the Angevins, in which Henry actually listens to his lowly scribe (me). I probably couldn’t keep him from dying then, but I could have given him a more peaceful death and spared him John’s betrayal and the humbling surrender at Colombieres. If it were up to me, I’d show much greater mercy to my characters than George R.R. Martin shows to his!
It’s good to see you back safe & sound Sharon—a scary experience to have gone through. I’m still waiting to hear how my daughter & her husband’s friends are doing—they spent several years in DC & made some great friendships while there, many of them living in the affected areas. Your note brings me back to our escapade last week where some of us spent a day in the MA. If only you could have personally warned Henry! Human nature doesn’t really change though, does it? Fathers refusing to give over to their sons.
How frustrating it must have been for Eleanor during those later years, Joan, being a helpless witness as her family tore itself apart. I am convinced that the advice I had her give Henry–just name Richard as his heir so he would no longer fear being disinherited in favor of John—would have resolved those father-son issues on the spot. But of course Henry the Control Freak wouldn’t listen, and paid such a huge price for his stubbornness. I hope your daughter and friends are all okay; I was watching a news report and it is still bad down in the DC area. I got the sense that it wouldn’t take much for a lynch mob to march on Petco, the local utility co. Here Atlantic City Electric did a great job, and kudos to all those wonderful workers, laboring in deadly heat to clear downed wires and tangled trees. There still are some unlucky people without power here, but it is much better now than in other states.
I’ve been reading about the problems with Petco—there’s always so much messy business around these disasters, which frustrates & complicates further. Luckily my daughter no longer lives in DC, they’re back in Canada. On another note, I cannot imagine Eleanor’s frustration & to think she lived an uncommonly long life—what resources she must have had! A superwoman! I’ve also been thinking lately about this—in the past I’ve never given much thought to the bond that develops between a writer & her favorite figures/characters. It was always about my relationship, as a reader, with the people I became attached to. So it’s an eye-opener & obviously comes with following this blog where we get to understand things from a writer’s perspective as you & your fellow authors talk about your work. And if I can form an enduring affection for a character or historical figure after one or several novels, how much deeper & more complex for you. A really interesting & happy thought.
Sharon, I’m so happy you are back. Safe and sound. I cannot even imagine what you’ve been through. Although, I have to admit that it crossed my mind as well that you had been given a chance to experience on your own skin how the life in MA looked like. Here, in Poland, the heat is insufferable, too, and violent storms occur from time to time. Fortunately not as violent as the one described by you.
As for today’s anniversaries, I would like to add that Jan Hus [John Hus] was burned at the stake for heresy in 1415. He was not only a priest and philosopher, but also, after John Wycliffe, the first church reformer. His teachings had a strong influence on Martin Luther himself. In 1999, Pope John Paul II expressed “deep regret for the cruel death inflicted” on Hus. Jan Hus remains one of the most fascinating figures of the Czech history, very close to my heart. 6 July is a public holiday in the Czech Republic, commemorating his execution.
Very interesting post as always, Kasia. I tried to console myself that it was good practice for writing about people in the MA, but that didn’t work so well!
Today’s Facebook Note, a long one again.
Good luck to everyone in this dreadful heat wave; it is going up to over 100 degrees in the Tri-State area and that is the actual temp, not the heat index. I feel so sorry for all those who still have not had their power restored. With temperature like this, it is not just incredibly uncomfortable; it is downright dangerous.
On the historical front, July 7, 1307 is the date of death for one of our least favorite kings, Edward I. No comment. And on July 7, 1456, twenty-five years after Joan of Arc had been burned at the stake, a retrial acquitted her of witchcraft. This put me in mind of a comment I came across in a German chronicle of the 12th century. Describing the imprisonment of Richard I, he reported; “However, many people criticized the duke for this deed, thinking it to be sacrilege to have done this to one who was a pilgrim to the Holy Sepulchre, and were in haste to denounce him—although this disapproval was of little benefit to the captive king.” Now this was interesting in that it showed Richard’s seizure was controversial even in Germany, but the chronicler’s dry conclusion summed up Richard’s plight very well. I had the same response to this belated “acquittal,” that it was of little benefit to Joan.
That seems like a bleak ending, so I’ll harken back to yesterday and the coronation of Richard III and his queen. Many of you are aware of this website, but for those who haven’t seen it, here is a chance to see a vivid reconstruction of Richard’s favorite castle, Middleham. http://www.lostincastles.com/the-middleham-castle-dvd/2012/6/8/about-the-castle.html They have also done reconstructions of Sandal Castle, site of the battle of Wakefield, Etampes Castle, which was where Philippe’s unhappy wife Ingborg was long confined, Houdan Castle, built by one of the de Montforts, and Conway Castle, built by you-know-who; in constructing Conway, Edward forced the Welsh abbey of Aberconwy to relocate, which meant he also disturbed the final resting place of Llywelyn Fawr; I doubt Edward lost any sleep over that. The good news is that DVDs can be bought of the reconstructed castles of Middleham, Sandal Castle, and Conway Castle.
I am posting today’s Facebook Note below. I figure if anyone knows of any medieval happenings on July 8th, it will be Koby or Kasia!
It hit 100 degrees here yesterday, which is definitely not Jersey beach weather. I hope everyone trapped in this suffocating heat wave manages to stay cool today, and I hope, too, that the UK starts to dry out ASAP. Of course we have Ken’s ark as our back-up plan; for anyone who missed this, check my Facebook fan club page. I’ve often said I have the world’s best readers; they are also the funniest.
I could not come up with a single medieval happening on this date in history. Does anyone know of some medieval significance to July 8th? I do think I should mention a death, though, even if it did occur in the 19th century. On July 8, 1822, the English poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned when his schooner sank in a storm off the Italian coast. He was not quite thirty years old and in his relatively brief life, he’d probably attracted as much attention for his unconventional life-style as for his poetry. He seems to attract legends the way flames attract moths; you need only take a jaunt over to Wikipedia to read the theories that soon surfaced about his death—everything from an accident to suicide to murder. According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, historians today accept the accidental drowning as the most likely scenario. And if it seems bizarre that Richard I’s heart should have ended up in a Rouen museum, Percy’s heart was snatched from the flames of his funeral pyre by his friend Edward Trelawny and its ashes were said to have been eventually buried with his son and namesake. But unromantic historians have suggested that it was more likely Percy’s liver that Trelawny saved since the liver is more resistant to fire than the heart. Percy was a friend of the even more notorious Lord Byron, and husband to a remarkable woman in her own right, novelist Mary Godwin Shelley. Whenever I read about their Italian adventures, for some reason I always found myself thinking of Ernest Hemingway and Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and company, roistering through the streets of Paris in the 1920’s. And I still remember how much I enjoyed a course I took long ago at the University of Texas about the Romantic Poets. So rest in peace, Percy, although I confess I preferred the poetry of John Keats.
Sharon, I’ve been a little bit busy, but I’ve managed to find out that on this day in 1174 Henry II crossed the Channel in a great storm, declaring that if God wanted him to win what was later known as the Great Rebellion he would be safe. And indeed, Henry landed safe and sound (it wasn’t the first time, as far as I can recall:-)) at Southampton and made straight for Canterbury.
I suggest we should all wait for the outcome of his visit to Thomas Becket’s resting place until July 13th 🙂
Sharon, thank you for mentioning Percy Bysshe Shelley. Being a poetry (and literature in general) lover I wanted to mention Byron’s death on April 19th but after second thoughts decided he was not “medieval” enough:-)
Now, having been encouraged enough by your note on Shelley, I’ve decided to add that on this day in 1848, two gentlemen, namely Ralph Waldo Emerson, paying visit to the country of his ancestors, and Thomas Carlyle, accompanying the noble guest, visited Salisbury, or New Sarum, the capital of Wiltshire, after sightseeing at Stonehenge and Wilton. Emerson’s writings from his tour around England, Ireland and Scotland are simply fascinating.
Kasia, in Devil’s Brood, Eleanor was horrified by Henry’s fatalistic approach to that storm, and furious that he’d risk their children’s lives along with his own and everyone else’s. She also began to realize how desperate he was, culmintaing in his spectacular penance at Canterbury, of course. As you pointed out, Henry often sailed in God-awful weather, including a gale on his way to England to be crowned. Too impatient to fritter away time on shore, a trait he passed on to Richard.
You should have mentioned Byron’s death. We are not fanatics here, are happy to take note of interesting events in other times now and then! The other day a friend of mine posted on my Facebook page about it being the anniversary of the first meeting of Paul McCarthy and John Lennon.
Kasia, So far we don’t have any Polish species on board our Ark. Wanna come aboard?
Sharon, I am glad you mentioned Shelley. He was a favorite of mine in college along with Keats and Lord Byron. The home of Elizabeth Barrett Browning located in Falmouth, Jamaica is a spot I missed on my trip to Jamaica. I would like to visit it sometime. Her father developed Famouth and it looked very much like an English village.
Sharon, I’ll keep your words in mind:-)
Ken, I’m not sure what you mean by “our Ark”. I’m looking forward to more details:-) How is your book? Almost finished, I do hope.
Kasia, it would be worth joining Facebook just so you could read about Ken’s hilarious ark adventures, which began when he decided one was needed since Cornwell was in danger of being submerged. It took off from there as he, the omnipotent captain, decided who got to go with him and every one was trying to get on the passenger list, some offering shameless bribes…and yes, he is susceptible to bribes. The last time I checked, there were about 150 comments on that thread, most of them hysterical.
Evelyne, I did not know Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived in Jamaica; how fascinating!
Sharon, thank you for the explanation above. I would love to find myself among the happy ones rescued by Ken, but who would rescue my children, my husband, my Young King, and my own novel from being utterly neglected? I can see them all waving from the fading shore as their mother, wife, squire or scribe- here I haven’t decided yet- and author sails away with a Welsh captain under the Facebook banner. After second thoughts, it’s an ark, so there’s no banner, I guess:-)
I’m sorry, Ken, but I’ve suffered from a very nagging illness for some time. It’s called the lack of time. Sharon’s blog is a luxury I can hardly afford. I cannot even imagine me and Facebook. Unless I creep in without being noticed, read your writings- I’m very curious about them- and vanish without trace. I do have friends with Facebook “connections” after all:-) What say you, o Captain, my Captain? I hope I have not offended?
Lack-of-time is a deadly ailment, Kasia; as one also afflicted by it, I deeply sympathize. It is very contagious, too, especially for mothers of young children. So avoiding Facebook is probably a wise decision. 🙂
Today’s Facebook Note. And in the interest of full disclosure, when I first posted it, I had written Jane Shore for Jane Grey, which a reader quickly caught. I think I am an inveterate Yorkist at heart–either that or it was just too early for my awakening brain.
July 9th is one of those dates when the Tudors sneak onto center stage again. On this date in 1540, Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne of Cleves was annulled, probably to her great relief, for the shelf-life of his wives was alarmingly short, whereas it was much safer to be his “dearest sister.” And on this date in 1553, Jane Grey was given the fatal news that she was to be England’s queen, thus starting the countdown to her death. She was a reluctant queen and possibly the most tragic of them, at least in England; remember that Susan Higginbotham has a new novel out about Jane, Her Highness the Traitor.
In non-Tudor happenings, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, a character in Falls the Shadow, died in 1228. And on this date in 1776, George Washington had the Declaration of Independence read aloud to his troops; I just love to imagine that scene, envisioning how it would have been for these men to hear for the first time the document that defined their fight against the mother country. David McCullough’s wonderful 1776 is one I highly recommend for those who’ve not yet read it.
Sharon I was thinking you must have spent time in some of those haunting medieval hilltop towns in Italy. (And if you ever do decide to write on the Roman Empire—or set in medieval Italy— it would be fantastic!) I just treated myself to The Medieval Flower Book & again, thank you Kasia for recommending it. It is glorious! It’s brought me back to Italy—not only do you see the herbs & flowers as emblems everywhere you look, all my relatives have framed plants as part of their art collections & I’m wondering if that’s true throughout Europe. At the time it wasn’t one of my “curiosity” priorities. I’ve sent those sites (the list you posted Kasia) on to 2 nieces—one an artist who will love the delicate drawings (her specialty) & the other a naturopathic doctor who will lap up any of the books on herbs & ancient healing! Sharing the wealth is as much fun as devouring it all myself. I’ve recommended your novels to all my family & friends, Sharon. And anyone who shows interest on the bus, patios, etc.
It was actually your posts on the Romantic poets that brought Roman Empire to mind, more than the flower book now that I think about it. The “grand tour” wasn’t all fun in the sun but what a time that must have been!
No problem Kasia. The Ark has already far too many passengers. I’ll have to start weeding out those who are not true Historical Fiction species. All those who have not read all of Sharon and Elizabeth’s books will be the first overboard!
Thank you, Joan; word of mouth is the best thing that can happen to readers. When I think of Italian hilltop medieval towns, I think of Assisi, but sadly I’ve not been there. The most medieval Italian town I’ve so far seen was Viterbo; I actually got a chill standing in the piazza by the church where Simon de Montfort’s sons killed their cousin.
Ken, surely there are no ringers on the passenger list? People who haven’t read my or Elizabeth’s books? No way!
Today’s really long Facebook note below.
On July 10th, 1212, London suffered a terrible fire. Fires were the great fear of medieval city dwellers, with good reason. Wikipedia has an interesting account of this fire, which I am sharing here.
“The second of the two great medieval fires of London, also known as “the Great Fire of Suthwark” [sic], began on 10 July 1212 in Southwark, the borough directly to the south of London Bridge. The flames destroyed Our Lady of the Canons (Southwark Cathedral, also known as St Mary Overie) and strong southerly winds pushed them towards the bridge, which also caught fire. London Bridge had only just been rebuilt in stone, and the structure itself survived the blaze. However, King John had authorised the construction of houses on the bridge, the rents from which were supposed to pay for its maintenance, and it appears that these were lost to the flames.
The earliest account of the blaze appears in the Liber de Antiquis Legibus (“Book on Ancient Laws”), composed in 1274 and today the oldest book preserved among the records of the City of London Corporation. This states: “In this year was the Great Fire of Suthwark [sic], and it burned the church of St Mary [Overy], as also the Bridge, with the chapel there, and the great part of the city.” According to later traditions, however, numerous casualties were incurred when a mass of citizens from London rushed onto the bridge at the first signs of fire, intending to cross the river to help extinguish the flames. High winds carried red-hot embers across the river and ignited buildings on the north side of the structure. This fire trapped a large number of people, many of whom died either in the blaze or while attempting to escape on overloaded boats that had come to their aid. One later chronicle related:
“An exceeding great multitude of people passing the Bridge, either to extinguish or quench it, or else to gaze at and behold it, suddenly the north part, by blowing of the south wind, was also set on fire, and the people which were even now passing the Bridge, perceiving the same, would have returned, but were stopped by the fire.”
Some estimates put the number of people killed on London Bridge alone at 3,000, but although this figure still appears in the Guinness Book of Records, it is not contemporary and is certainly an exaggeration; the total population of the whole city at this time was no more than 40,000 to 50,000 people. No reliable evidence survives to allow an accurate estimate of the number of casualties caused by the great fire of 1212, but it is known that the damage done to London Bridge was such that the structure remained a ruin, only partially usable, for years afterward.”
And on July 10, 1460, the Earl of Warwick won the battle of Northampton and captured the Lancastrian king, the hapless Henry VI.
Also, on July 10, 1553, Jane Grey was officially proclaimed Queen of England, which in effect was signing her death warrant.
And on July 10, 1099, the renowned Castilian lord and soldier best known to posterity as El Cid died.
Finally, on July 10, 1778, King Louis XVI of France declared war on England, a huge development for the struggling new republic known as the United States. I doubt that we’d have won our independence without French help, and we owe this to one man, my own favorite Founding Father, the extraordinary Benjamin Franklin. The author of that recent biography of Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff, also wrote a wonderful book called A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America. I recommend it very highly.
Ken, what about those of us readers who can’t bear not to have a Sharon/Elizabeth book “in reserve” until the next one comes out? We who hoard their books shouldn’t be punished by being denied passage on your ark!
That entire scene at Viterbo was chilling in Falls the Shadow, one of my fave of your novels—I developed a huge affection & respect for Simon de Montfort—knew just a smattering of his life before reading it. So much tragedy in that family too & he was another powerful man who had trouble giving over to his sons, as I recall. The last sentence in the book still gives me chills, said by Llewelyn the Last, “May you rest in peace, Simon.” I read it as your blessing upon Simon & a plead to the world. If anyone deserved rest, he did. Lots of tears at the end of that book & took a long time to shake the sadness. I just came across this online, which you’ll know—-a chronicle called The Templar of Tyre—Part 3 of the Deeds of the Cypriots—Paul Crawford. Bookmarked for later reading. Plus, my name came up at the library for The Queen’s Vow—very excited to start it—my intro to CW Gortner!
Sharon, No worries mate! They’re all gone! They had actually sneaked on board, clutching books by PG and AW, while I was not on watch – only Owen! ’nuff sed! Food for the sharks.
May, it’s the end of the World we’re talking about. If you haven’t already read ALL of Sharon and Elizabeth’s books, Its too late! Sorry, no place for you!
I have returned. I do apologize for my long absence, but I was beset by the demands of my life, and barely had time in the past few days to read my emails. luckily, it seems Sharon managed to mention what occurrences there were these past few days.
In any case, today the Battle of the Golden Spurs took place, where the Flemish destroyed the French army, leaving all its commanders (Robert II, Count of Artois; Raoul of Clermont-Nesle, Lord of Nesle, Constable of France; Guy I of Clermont, Lord of Breteuil, Marshal of France; Simon de Melun, Lord of La Loupe and Marcheville, Marshal of France; John I of Ponthieu, Count of Aumale; John II of Trie, Count of Dammartin; John II of Brienne, Count of Eu; John d’Avesnes, Count of Ostrevent; Godfrey of Brabant, Lord of Aarschot; Jacques de Châtillon, Lord of Leuze; Pierre de Flotte, Chief Advisor to Philip IV) dead on the field.
Also, today Amalric I of Jerusalem, who was Fulk of Anjou’s son died, and Robert the Bruce and Anne of Bohemia, Richard II’s beloved queen were born.
Koby, I’m happy you are back. I was becoming a little bit worried about you.
You have mentioned Anne of Bohemia, one of my favourite queens. I would like to add that her father, Charles IV, was elected Holy Roman Emperor on this day, in 1346, the first king of Bohemia to receive such honour. Charles was an extraordinary man. Not only a great ruler but also patron of the arts, and avid builder. Many buildings comissioned by him bear his name and are hallmark of Prague and the Czech Republic in general. His reign marked the Golden Age of Bohemia. Thanks to him the Czech can boast of the first university in central Europe (Charles University). It is from the reign of Charles that dates the first flowering of manuscript painting in Prague. In the present Czech Republic, he is still regarded as Pater Patriae (father of the country or otec vlasti).
As for Anne’s grandfather and Charles’s father, John the Blind of Bohemia, he is best known for fighting against the English at the Battle of Crecy (after having been blind for a decade) where he was killed.
Also, on Sunday, 11 July 1137, Louis of France’s cavalcade reached the east bank of the Garonne, where Eleanor was waiting for her future husband under the guardianship of Archbishop Geoffrey du Lauroux (the same who would later marry them in the Cathedral of Saint Andre at Bourdeaux).
Welcime back, Koby! I know exactly what you mean about life getting away from us from time to time.
Today’s Facebook Note,
I am delighted to announce that my British publisher is going to release my Welsh trilogy and The Sunne in Splendour as e-books, maybe by the end of July!!! I am beyond happy about this and I am sure many of my British and Australian readers will be, too. I hope that When Christ and His Saints Slept and Time and Chance will soon follow, too. Once that is done, all eight of my historical sagas will be available in the e-book format in the U.K. and Down Under. All of my historicals have been available in the U.S. for some time now, and with the addition of The Queen’s Man recently, all four of my mysteries are available, too, in the U.S.
Oh, and I just saw the paperback cover for the British Lionheart paperback edition and I think it looks spectacular—as a totally disinterested bystander, of course.
And going back to history, the Scots king Robert the Bruce was born on July 11, 1274 and Richard II’s queen, Anne of Bohemia, was born in 1366. When Anne died, Richard was so devastated that he ordered Sheen, the manor where she died, razed to the ground. An extreme gesture of grieving, but a destructive one, whereas the friary that Llywelyn founded for Joanna and the Eleanor crosses that Edward I erected to honor his queen and, of course, the magnificent Taj Mahal built in memory of a beloved wife seem more positive and life-affirming, at least to me.
Hmmmphh! In that case, I will be building a 3rd ark and all who are Sharon fans are welcome, regardless of whether they have read all of the books. 🙂
Great news for the UK but unfortunately in Canada, “When Christ and His Saints Slept” and “The Queen’s Man” are not available from Kobo or Kindle. I purchased “Time and Chance” from Kobo as a mother’s day gift for my maman but it doesn’t appear to be available at the moment. Oh well, not much to do I guess except wait and see! 🙁
Richard II and Anne of Bohemia are two historical figures I’m interested in but have yet to read about. If only I had more time to devote to the things I love…
Emilie, you’ve asked about Raymond of Poitiers’s biography. I haven’t come across such book so far, but I have found Eleanor’s uncle in the works concerning Eleanor herself and in the works dealing with crusades. Unfortunately I have been occupied elsewhere and haven’t been able to write and post Raymond’s biography on Henry’s website. If only I had more time to devote to the things I love…
As for Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, there is a novel written by Margaret Campbell Barnes, entitled Within the Hollow Crown, but I haven’t purchased it so far. I do not know whether it is worth reading or not.
I would be grateful for any clues.
It’s okay, Kasia. I will continue to look for the elusive Raymond via reference books on Eleanor or the crusades.
Now that you have mentioned it, Within The Hollow Crown has previously been recommended to me but alas it is still in my Amazon wish list. My to be read mountain is threatening to collapse and bury me! 😉
Emilie, we should all have bumper stickers on our cars that says “So many books, so little time.”
Koby,you probably know about this story, but for everyone else, they have found a hoard of crusader coins at Arsuf Castle! Here is the link.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/11/gold-coins-unearthed-israel-crusades-site_n_1664327.html?ir=World
Sharon, I am all for the bumper stickers. Who is going to publish them for us???
Sharon, thank you for the link! How fascinating. I got goose pimples (as always when I am moved) while watching and reading about the discovery:-)
As for today’s anniversaries, I’m sure there are plenty:-) I just want to mention Otto, Matilda and Henry the Lion’s son, who, on this July morning in 1198, must have woken up at Aachen with his young head full of hopes and plans for the future and waited impatiently for Adolf, Archbishop of Cologne to crown him king of Germany. Otto could not have predicted that one day Adolf, at that time his staunch supporter, would change sides, turn his back on him and crown Otto’s opponent, Philip of Swabia king.
For the time being let Eleanor and Henry’s grandson pace his chamber up and down restlessly and rejoice over his bright prospects.
As for me, I would love to wake up one day and discover that somebody has taken care of Otto and moulded his life into a novel:-)
Indeed, Kasia. As for other things that occurred on this day, Acre finally surrendered to the Crusaders, ending the two year siege, and Henry VIII [IX] married Catherine Parr in his final wedding.
Adoph of Altena is a character in Ransom, Rania; he became good friends with Richard and was extremely helpful in finally securing his release. And of course Otto is a character, too, as he was very close to Richard, who was extremely fond of his sister Matilda’s children, esp. Otto and Richenza.
My Facebook Note is below, but I am going to have to grovel to Henry, for I “forgot” today was the anniversary of a highly signifcant date in his life; on July 12th, 1174, he did a spectacular penance for Becket’s muder at Canterbury Cathedral. I’ll have to make it up to Henry by writing all about him tomorrow. He’ll be especially ticked off that I mentioned Richard and not him, for I am sure their rivalry continues unchecked even after 800 years.
On July 12, 1191, Acre surrendered to the crusader army led by the French and English kings, after a siege that began on August 28, 1189. I recently came upon a Wikipedia entry that reported on this date the Acre garrison surrendered to Philippe Capet, with no mention of you-know-who. So if anyone heard a muffled roar of outrage coming from the spirit world, now you know what that was.
And on July 12, 1543, Henry VIII, AKA the Tudor Bluebeard, wed the woman who was perhaps the most tragic of his wives, Catherine Parr. She could not have been more unlike either Anne Boleyn or silly little Catherine Howard, but she almost ended up in the Tower herself, for apparently by then Henry had become addicted to more drastic means of wife removal than the mundane means of divorce. I don’t doubt that Catherine breathed a sigh of relief when Henry died four years later. Sadly, more misery and grief awaited her in the smooth-talking form of Thomas Seymour.
And since I know a number of you enjoyed Rachael Pruit’s The Dragon’s Harp, I wanted to mention that her novel is a finalist in the 2012 Global EBook Awards, the winners to be announced on August 18th.
Today, William I of Scotland, was captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Henry II, and Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury died.
Here is today’s Facebook Note, a really long one, but I had to make it up to Henry for yesterday’s snub.
Since I unforgivably forgot yesterday was the anniversary of Henry’s penance at Canterbury Cathedral, I want to make amends by discussing it in some depth. But I also need to mention a few other historical events.
Henry’s penance actually carried over from July 12th to the 13th, as he insisted upon kneeling all night long by Becket’s tomb. And he was to be spectacularly rewarded for his ordeal, for while he was doing penance, his forces captured the King of Scotland outside Alnwick Castle. Naturally, medievals attributed this to the intervention of the martyred archbishop, Thomas Becket. The Great Rebellion against Henry fell apart and within two months, his sons were suing for peace.
So July 13th had to be a date that meant a lot to Henry. Sadly, it would also be the date upon which his daughter Matilda, Duchess of Saxony, (Tilda in my novels) died suddenly in Brunswick at age thirty-three. At least Henry was spared knowing this, having died at Chinon a week earlier.
July 13, 1205 was also the death of a very important figure to two Angevin kings, Hubert Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury. Lionheart readers will remember him as a character in that book, accompanying Richard on the Third Crusade, where he greatly distinguished himself. He impressed Richard enough for the king to name him as his choice for Archbishop of Canterbury, writing from his German prison to tell his mother, Eleanor, that only his own release meant more to him than Hubert’s election. He would prove to be an excellent choice, and is given high marks by historians. He even managed to keep the confidence of the prickly, sometimes paranoid John, no mean feat.
Now, back to Henry. Some scenes are innately challenging, and this was certainly one of them. I approached it with some unease, for if it fell flat, I feared it could adversely affect the rest of Devil’s Brood. Henry’s decision to do penance was so very medieval, after all, and it is not always easy for us to identify with the medieval mind-set. To my surprise and relief, it turned out to be very easy to write. I was even able to insert a few touches of humor into this highly charged, dramatic scene: Driven to distraction by a garrulous monk, Henry wonders, “Was there a way to murder Brother Benedict and make it seem as if he’d been smitten by the wrath of the unforgiving Thomas? A vengeful saint was surely a contradiction in terms, but he alone seemed to think so.” Brother Benedict, by the way, would later pen a history of the miracles he was boring Henry with. I searched diligently for a copy, and finally found one on-line in a Tokyo bookstore; I admit I loved the symmetry of that—an American author buying a book written by a medieval monk from a Japanese bookseller.
The trickiest part of the scene was Henry’s monologue after Brother Benedict finally departs. I wasn’t sure how I’d handle this, but Henry’s character chose to talk conversationally to his former friend, and I just followed his lead. He is by turns emotional, cynical, and challenging, calling Thomas a chameleon, denying that he wanted Becket’s death, and confiding “Did I grieve for you? No, I did not.” He accuses Thomas of craving martyrdom, points out the absurdity of Becket’s position that only the Church could punish its own, for it meant that he could take no action against the assassins, who escaped with a papal slap on the wrist, sent off on penitential pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Henry being Henry, he cannot resist sarcasm; “Come, Thomas, hold up your part of the conversation. You need not do anything dramatic, like loosing a thunderbolt or performing one of your miracles. But at the least, you could extinguish a few candles to show me you are paying attention.” He ends up confessing, though. “Do you know why I did not grieve for you when you died, Thomas? Because I’d already done my grieving. I trusted you, I had faith in you, I loved you more than my own brother.” He admits he does not understand how they came to this, and he truly does not, just as he will not understand why his marriage crumbles or his sons do not love him as he loved his own father. He waits in vain in the empty cathedral crypt for a response from the new saint, and finally entreats in desperation, “St Thomas, guard my realm.” I, for one, was very glad that St Thomas came through for him.
I have a confession of my own; I think this may be my favorite of all the scenes I’ve written, for it shows Henry at his most human. After three novels with him, I miss writing about him very much, and while I did manage to give him a brief scene in Ransom, that only made me mourn his loss all the more. I’ve been able to write about some memorable characters over the years, but Henry is very close to my heart.
I did like that scene very much, Sharon. As for the capture of William I before the walls of Alnwick, and Henry’s reaction on learning of this most fortunate event (of course from Henry’s perspective), I’ve been re-reading Jordan Fantosme’s Chronicle all day (with breaks for taking care of my children:-)). I highly recommend it, especially to those of you who have not had the opportunity to take a closer look at Jordan’s account so far. The Chronicle has been discussed in detail in “Arms and the Men: War, Loyalty and Lordship in Jordan Fantosme’s Chronicle” by Matthew Strickland.
Henry’s penance and his other visits to Becket’s resting place has become the subject of Thomas K.Keefe “Shrine Time: King Henry II’s visits to Thomas Becket’s Tomb”.
As for David I’s bellicose grandson, known to posterity as William the Lion, he remains one of my favourite Scottish kings. I would be grateful for any information concerning his biography. Let me know if any such work has been written, please:-). Emilie, I know about Richard Oram’s David I, but I haven’t come across any separate biography of his grandson.
I agree, it was a brilliant scene & we were right there spending the night with Henry, Sharon. And you always give us just the right amount of info when describing the physical aspect of a place, leaving just enough to our own imaginations, but seriously, the suffocating atmosphere was tangible, as was the smell of the place, not to mention Henry’s physical & mental discomforts. I’m surprised I haven’t yet dreamt of taking arms or hazarding an escape from The Tower. It’ll come.
Thanks, Kasia and Joan. I don’t know of any biographies of William the Lion, but some may be out there,Kasia. Joan, I once had a scary nightmare in which I was trying to escape from the Tower of London by climbing down on knotted sheets like Gruffydd ap Llywelyn did. Fortunately I woke up before the sheets ripped for me as they did for him!
Today’s Facebook Note.
Two reasons to celebrate today. It is an important French holiday, La Fete Nationale, better known in English-speaking countries as Bastille Day. People assume it marks the storming of the Bastille, but actually it commemorates the first anniversary of that event. It is celebrated in a number of countries, although not officially; fifty American cities hold celebrations. I am partial to the one in Philadelphia, which takes place at Eastern State Prison and features the storming of the prison walls by French revolutionaries, who then drag Marie Antoinette to the guillotine as she cries, “Let them eat tasty-cakes!” At that point, 2,000 tasty-cakes are flung from the prison towers into the audience. Being in Paris for Bastille Day is on my Bucket List.
What other reason to celebrate today? Well, I give you July 14, 1223, when the French king Philippe Capet died at the age of fifty-eight. I don’t know that I’d actually celebrate Philippe’s death, though I wouldn’t have sent flowers. But I can name someone who probably did—Ingeborg, his long-suffering queen, whose marriage became a living nightmare on her wedding night. Philippe’s abusive treatment of this poor woman could have served as a blue-print for another horrible husband, Henry VIII, for he treated Katherine of Aragon in much the same harsh way that Philippe treated Ingeborg, attempting to break their spirits so they’d agree that their marriages were invalid. Both women defied their tormentors, but at least Ingeborg had the satisfaction of outliving her unloving husband by fourteen years, and I am happy to report that Philippe’s son and heir, Louis VIII, treated her decently.
Sharon, I have learned that Ingeborg found a staunch supporter in a person of Countess Eleanor of Beaumont-sur-Oise (my Eleanor:-)), Petronilla’s younger daughter and wife of Matthew [III], Count of Beaumont-sur-Oise and Phillipe’s Grand Chamberlain. It’s quite comforting that Philippe’s unhappy queen was not utterly forgotten and abandoned, and found comfort and help among the Capetian aristocracy. Still, I never cease to wonder what had possibly happened on their wedding night?:-)
Kasia, did you realize that Constance’s mother, Margaret, was the sister of William the Lion and his older brother, Malcolm IV? In her article, “Duchesses and Devils: The Breton Succession Crisis (1148-1189),” Melissa Pollock has suggested that Margaret, through her connections, might have had a rôle in the 1173 rebellion. She certainly would have had a complaint against Henry II, due to the disinheritance in Brittany of her husband, Conan IV.
Kasia, I found the chronicle of Jordan Fastosme online through google easily enough, if anyone is interested. I’ve bookmarked it & it looks fascinating—in both English & French—so thanks for that. Speaking of google, a gorgeous Klimt to dazzle the eyes today. Sharon, that’s hilarious even though it was a nightmare—I’m sure you’ve had many others. I often dream of flying so hope I’m not fodder for a trebuchet in my first. What a hoot at Eastern State Prison!
Wonderful post, Malcolm–as always!
Very true, Joan; some of my dreams can get downright bloody, especially if I am bogged down in a battle scene.
Kasia, I was glad to hear that our Eleanor niece sympathized with the captive Ingeborg. I can cite a book about her if anyone is interested.
Malcolm, how nice to hear from you. I’ve been planning to write to you, but haven’t decided which of your e-mails I should use as my “starting base”. I used to write as a reply to your first e-mail (the very one including your article on Matilda of Brittany) but my last message did not reach you. It is all very discouraging, believe me:-) Still I am going to try again in the nearest future. I do hope that you and your family are all in perfect health.
Yes, I have quite recently learned that Constance’s mother was Malcolm and William’s younger sister. I was surprised to discover that, at one point, Malcolm planned to marry Constance himself. Was it such a common practice in MA for uncle to marry his niece? Malcolm’s plan proved abortive, but the idea itself….
Thank you for your recommendation. I haven’t come across Duchesses and Devils so far in my research. Every work picking up the subject of the Great Rebellion is simply invaluable 🙂
As for William’s biography, I’ve got one at hand in Richard Oram’s The Kings and Queens of Scotland, but still find it too general, although Professor Oram has bestowed upon William eight pages, whereas Malcolm has been given only two:-(
Sharon, do you mean a book on Ingeborg or on Eleanor?
Kasia, the Constance of Brittany Malcolm IV considered marrying must have been the sister of Conan IV and aunt of Geoffrey’s Constance. His niece was but a small child when Malcolm died in 1165. An interesting letter the elder Constance sent to Louis VII in 1160 has survived. I believe it was after Louis had lost his second wife and before he married Philippe’s mother. The letter expresses her love for Louis and could be taken as a marriage proposal. I think the letter was printed in Patrologia Latina, and I have an English translation from a Fordham University website. (I believe Sharon supplied the reference to that site.) If Louis’s heir had been a first cousin of Geoffrey’s wife, late 12th century history could have been very different. In 2010, Ms. Pollock was good enough to send me a .pdf copy of her article, which I shared with Sharon. Let me know if you would like me to send it to you as well. That would have to be no later than Monday night, since I will be away from my computer for more than a week after that.
Fascinating, really.
In any case, today, the Crusaders took Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final assault of a difficult siege, and proceeded to massacre everybody in the city, the reconstructed Church of the Holy Sepulchre was (re-)consecrated in Jerusalem and John of England expelled Canterbury monks for supporting Archbishop Stephen Langton.
Good morning, Koby:-)
I just want to add that on 15 July 1410, the Battle of Grunwald was fought between the united Polish-Lithuanian forces under King Władysław II Jagiełło and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Witold and the Teutonic Knights led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen. The battle was one of the largest battles in Medieval Europe and is considered the most important victory in the history of Poland and Lithuania. The Knights, having lost most of the leaders in the course of the battle (who had been either killed or taken prisoners) never recovered their former power. The victiry marked the beginning of the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in central Europe. As for the Battle itself and the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic relations in general I highly recommend The Knight of the Cross by our Nobel-prize winning novelist, Henryk Sienkiewicz (our Polish Sharon Kay Penman, only writing at the beginning of the 20th century:-)).
Malcolm, I would be most grateful to you for sending the pdf version of Ms. Pollock study. Thanks for the clue concerning the real identity of Malcolm’s might-have-been bride.
Sharon, is the book you’ve mentioned about Ingeborg or about Eleanor of Vermandois?
Joan, I’m glad you’ve found Jordan Fantosme’s Chronicle. It’s really worth reading.
The copy of Ms. Pollock’s article is on its way to you, Kasia.
Malcolm, thank you. I am most grateful for your kindness. Your e-mail and the fruit of Ms. Pollock’s hard work have already reached me. I will certainly take a closer look at Duchesses and Devils during the upcoming week. I will also try to write back using your latest message as my “starting point”. I hope this one will work.
Today, Pope Innocent III blessedly died, as did Anne of Cleves, who was Henry VIII’s [IX] most fortunate wife – no doubt because they were barely married, the marriage annulled on grounds of lack on consummation.
Indeed, Koby. I just want to add that on this day in 1212, the greatest victory ever in the course of the reconquest was achieved. The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, where Alfonso VIII, king of Castile [Leonora’s husband], together with Sancho VII of Navarre and Pedro II of Aragon defeated the Muslims under the caliph Miramamolin. The Christian triumph was complete and ended once and for all the Almohad threat to Christian Spain.
In my research on the Young King, I have come across a poignant letter of Leonora and Alfonso’s eldest daughter, Berenguela, who communicated news of the victory to her younger sister Blanca [renamed Blanche], at the time already wife of Prince Louis of France, in the following words:
“Our father, the king and lord, conquered Miramamolin in a pitched battle; we believe this to be a signal honour, because until now it was unheard of that the king of Morocco should be overcome on the battlefield”.
Kasia, I hope you don’t live anywhere near those destructive tornados in Poland yesterday? The book I mentioned is about Ingeborg, Philippe’s abused Danish queen.
Today’s Faccebook Note.
Important happenings on this date. July 16, 1054 is viewed as the date of the schism between the Latin and Greek Orthodox Churches when an excommunication by Pope Leo IX of the Patriarch of Constantinople was laid on the altar of the cathedral of Sancta Sophia; it was invalid as the pope had died three months earlier, although the cardinal did not know that, but it was to have far-reaching consequences. On July 16, 1216, one of my least favorite popes, Innocent III, died. In 1377, the ten year old Richard II was crowned. And in 1557, Henry VIII’s “dearest sister,” his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, died; she was two months shy of her forty-second birthday.
Good luck to all in this latest heat wave. I’m sorry to say that Tristan’s thunder-shirt did not seem to ease his anxiety much during a violent storm last night. I’m sending positive vibes to all my friends and readers in Europe, hoping that the monsoons ease up soon. And I expect to have a new blog up this morning.
If you like jordans, check out Soletron. They have new clothes updated daily. They also have a sick blog.
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