141 thoughts on “WINNER OF BOOK GIVEAWAY”

1. Wonderful…. MORE books to read! I have never watched the entire movie Spartacus. I always seem to catch it mid-showing. One of these days I’m going to have to set my behind down in a comfy chair and just watch. Thanks for the recommendations… (sigh) I think. ;0)

2. Yay for Helen and Lisa!
   Now I must open up Goodreads and add more books to my pile. SIGH Cynical and sardonic… Must add John Maddox Roberts to the top of the pile. The rest sound fabulous too. DOUBLE SIGH

3. Yes, I definitely need more books in my house – I cannot wait to get some of them. I will now also be needing a second job to supplement my book collecting addiction.

4. Sharon,
   Thank you for the book recommendations! It’s such a struggle sometimes to find worthwhile books as our library seems to find it necessary to purchase these celebrity offerings at the expense of worthwhile books. Belated birthday greetings as well! Missed sending those along as we were out of town staying somewhere with an internet connection that was like something out of the technical dark ages. But on the positive side got to visit an independent used book store and find all kinds of fun reading! Hope you had a wonderful birthday and that Richard is finding his way onto the written page and away from his captors for you.

5. Looking for a second job ASAP.

6. Sharon-
   I literally just finished David Blixt’s Master of Verona and I ranked it right up there with Sunne (as far as writing and favorites are concerned). Wonderfully written. I’m now reading the seconf book in the series which I’m also enjoying. Ben Kane also wrote a book on Spartacus which I haven’t had a chance to read yet but plan to purchase for my husband. I’m hearing really good things about it as well.
   Hope you had a wonderful birthday!!

7. I’m happy to read that you are also an admirer of Steven Saylor. I discovered his _Roman Blood_ absolutely by accident, because I usually don’t seek out mystery novels unless they’re written by Dorothy L. Sayers, lol. I found his novels to be a fascinating and insightful look into late-Republic period Rome. Many “period” mystery novels are very shallow and flat, with a writer putting a standard mystery plot into a vaguely historical setting. Saylor’s books show his expertise but still succeed in portraying lifelike and complex characters, and the way Gordiani interact with such historical giants as Cicero, Pompey, & Caesar seems utterly believable. I enjoyed his books much more than Colleen McCullough’s First Man in Rome series, which were, in my opinion at least, utterly dull and lifeless. I don’t have a problem with long novels–after all, I’m a professor of British Victorian literature–but when I find myself struggling to finish something, that means that there’s a serious problem.

8. I recently asked my husband to vacate his books from my bookshelf, as I had books stacked on top of one another and overcrowding. I now have one and a half shelves of free space to fill……… Not for long!

9. In my experience, “To Kill a Mockingbird” was the movie most faithful to the novel on which it is based. I have not read the William Bradford Huie novel, but it cannot be any better than the movie version of “The Americanization of Emily.” I just watched that delightful film. It is a favorite of both Julie Andrews and Jim Garner, who also acted together in “Victor, Victoria.” In 1999, they enjoyed a third collaboration in a Christmas TV movie, “one Special Night.”

10. I loved The Americanization of Emily, too, Malcolm; I haven’t seen it for yeas, but I am sure it has stood the test of time. And you are right; To Kill a Mockingbird was a magificent achievement, both as book and film. In fact, that is probably my all-time favorite novel. I like to think that Harper Lee has been secretly writing during all these years of supposed silence, and will arrange to have them published after her death!
    I liked Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series, Mary, except for the last one, for I did not like her portrayal of Cleopatra and Antony. But like you, I think Steven Saylor does a wonderful job of intermingling his fictional characters with real Romans. I love meeting Cicero and Catalina and Caesar through Gordianus’s eyes.

11. Sharon, I rewatched “The Americanization of Emily” on a DVD I had purchased. Now I have loaned the DVD to a friend whose teenage daughter is a fan of Julie Andrews. I first saw the movie in Cambridge, during my sophomore year. Then I took Allys to it in the summer of 1965, the first summer of our romance, here in Tallahassee. So I guess I had not watched the movie for 47 years! I am certain you would enjoy watching it again, during all your spare time.

12. I first learned of the Babington Plot from Alison Uttley’s A Traveller in Time, a children’s book about a young girl who drifts in time between the present (early twentieth century) and Elizabethan eras. It’s a very dreamy, atmospheric book, and highly pro-Mary! Beautiful writing, and one of my favorite books when I was a child.

13. Sharon, I just love getting glimpses of where you are at with the writing of Ransom. When I think of Richard’s lament, I also think of our visit to the château de Falaise as that is where I first heard his song. I think that this song is what convinced me to give Richard a chance. I was going to read Lionheart no matter what but this song is what made me realize that there was more to Richard than the legendary warrior King.
    Congratulations to Lisa and Helen…lucky ladies!

14. Sharon, I so look forward to your blogs and insight on books. I have learned so much from these and continue to try and read most of the ones you suggest. However, Sunne in Splendour is still my all time favorite of yours and rank it in the top five of my personal list. Thank you again and again for your amazing talent that you share with us all.

15. Sharon, thank you so much for the shout-out 🙂 I just finished THE SEVEN WONDERS and loved it!

16. Brenna, I’ll pass your compliment on to David.
    Emilie, I have such vivid memories of that stop in Falaise; I’d read Richard’s song but this was the first time I’d heard it and how appropriate to listen to it in such a formidable castle!

17. I wasn’t inspired to write about anything that happened today in medieval history–too far removed from my own books–so instead I am offering a link to some truly spectacular photos of medieval sites.
    http://www.lightstalking.com/21-amazing-images-of-medieval-structures

18. Today, Richard Duke of York, Edward IV’s son was born, and Eustace of Boulogne died.

19. And, William of Poitiers was born:-). Eleanor’s triumph over all those- her exhusband among them- who thought her unable to produce a son. And since the boy’s arrival into this world happened the same day Stephen’s son and heir died, there was no doubt that God chose to favour Matilda’s cause and lineage. I never cease to wonder what would have happened had William survived infancy. I’m sure Hal would not have become such a spoilt and pampered child:-)

20. Here is today’s Facebook Note.
    Something happened on August 17, 1153 that no novelist would dare to invent, for readers tend to be rather skeptical of coincidences in novels. On this day King Stephen’s eldest son and heir, Eustace, died suddenly at Ipswich, apparently choking after eating eels. Eustace had spent the summer raiding and pillaging Cambridgeshire and had been cursed by Abbot Ording of St Edmundsbury (today’s Bury St Edmunds) for attacking their abbey, so people were quite quick to conclude that Eustace’s death was divine retribution for such spectacular sins. This was a major blow to Stephen, both as a king and as a parent, and indeed it would soon lead to a negotiated peace with the other claimant for the English throne, the young Duke of Normandy, Henry Fitz Empress. And as if Eustace’s death were not proof enough to medievals that God was on Henry’s side, any doubts of that were erased when word spread that on the very day Eustace had breathed his last, Henry’s new wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, had given birth to a healthy son, William. In fifteen years of wedlock to the French king Louis, Eleanor had presented him with just two daughters, and now she’d given Henry his firstborn son and heir just fifteen months after they’d been wed at Poitiers. I don’t imagine that Louis sent them a christening gift.
    Also on August 17, this time in 1473, Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville’s second son was born, named Richard, probably after his grandfather but possibly after his uncle. He would, of course, become better known to history as one of the Little Princes in the Tower. His birth was an occasion for rejoicing, as Edward now had his heir and a spare. But in retrospect, it is a sad day, knowing what lay ahead for this unfortunate youngster.

21. Today’s Facebook Note.
    I somehow managed to forget that on August 15, 1193, the French king, Philippe Capet, wed the Danish princess, Ingeborg, sister of the Danish king, Cnut VI. The wedding took place in Amiens and the next day Ingeborg was crowned by Philippe’s uncle, the Archbishop of Reims. So far this was the typical royal wedding. But it now took a dramatic and astonishing turn, for Philippe then declared that the marriage was over and he meant to have it annulled. Ingeborg, an eighteen year old girl who spoke no French, must have been as shocked as Philippe’s court. Philippe had her confined at the monastery of Saint-Maur des Fosses near Paris while he sought an annulment. His marital follies were to drag out for the next twenty years, making him the laughingstock of Europe, and giving Ingeborg nothing but grief.
    At first he put together a false genealogy to show he and Ingeborg were related within the forbidden degree, and he got a council of compliant bishops and barons to agree. Naturally his cousin the Bishop of Beauvais was involved in this up to his neck. The elderly Pope dithered, but eventually rejected Philippe’s claim that the marriage was invalid; Philippe ignored him and married the daughter of a German duke. His contemporaries were as baffled as later historians by his aversion to Ingeborg, for she was said to be blonde and beautiful and even Philippe’s own chroniclers showed considerable sympathy for this young woman, who was being held prisoner and treated rather badly.
    But in 1198, a very different Pope from the ineffectual Celestine took power, the strong-willed Innocent III, who at once ordered Philippe to put aside his new wife and take Ingeborg back. Philippe faked a reconciliation to get the Interdict lifted, but Ingeborg remained his prisoner. Even after Philippe’s German wife died in childbirth, Philippe remained adamant in refusing to recognize Ingeborg. He now claimed that their marriage had not been consum-mated because Ingeborg had cast a spell upon him, causing temporary impotence; Ingeborg always swore the marriage had been consummated. So many eerie echoes of Henry VIII’s marital struggles with Katherine of Aragon centuries later! When the Pope rejected Philippe’s claim of impotence by sorcery, Philippe finally admitted the marriage had been consummated, but claimed there’d been no insemination. Innocent III is not one of my favorite popes, but I love his response; he told Philippe to spare him “insanities of this kind.” Eventually, twenty years after her nightmare had begun at Amiens, Philippe capitulated and agreed to recognize Ingeborg as his queen, although they never lived together as man and wife. Fortunately for Ingeborg, she outlived Philippe by thirteen years, for his son and grandson treated her well—at long last. For those who’d like to know more about this bizarre, sad story, I did an article about Ingeborg for The Medieval Chronicles last year; here is the link.
    http://www.themedievalchronicle.com/3rd%20year/Captive%20Queen%20Ingeborg.html
    Getting back to August 18th, on this date in 1572, Henri of Navarre, the future King Henri IV of France, wed Marguerite de Valois, sister of the current French king and daughter of Catherine de Medici in Paris. Their marriage was supposed to make peace between the Catholics and Protestants. It did not. Less than a week after their wedding, the infamous St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre occurred, with the number of Protestants slain numbering in the thousands. Marguerite and Henri would later divorce, but she gave him the ultimate wedding gift; she saved him from being slaughtered like so many of his co-religionists. He also had to promise to convert to Catholicism, although he rejected that promise as one made under duress once he was free again. He would, of course, later embrace Catholicism to end the bloody religious wars that had torn France asunder for decades, supposedly saying “Paris is worth a Mass.” C.W. Gortner has a vivid account of the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in his excellent novel, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. This is not a medieval event, but I’ve often thought that I’d like to write about Henri, so I did not want to let his wedding day go unnoticed.

22. I have always liked Henry IV’s spirit. Though the Wikipedia article places the song’s origin in the 17th century, I have heard that Henry instructed his troops to sing “Auprès de ma blonde” as they marched to Paris. I do hope that story is true. I see certain parallels between the spirits of Henry IV of France and Charles II of England.

23. I totally agree, Malcolm. He was not only a very charming man, he was a good king and became quite popular with the French before his tragic death. And he’d definitely have given Charles a run for his money in the Chasing-after-ladies department.

24. I highly recommend David Blixt’s Master of Verona too! Such a fabulous read.

25. Rania reminded me that August 18th is also the date of death in 1503 of the Borgia pope, Alexander VI. I don’t have much interest in Alexander–unless he is being played by Jeremy Irons.

26. I’d mention the two events I know of that happened today, but I must go to work, and no doubt Sharon will have much more to say on them, so I will leave it to her.
    Oh, and Sharon, if I haven’t mentioned this already, excellent work on the article on Ingeborg.

27. Koby, I do agree with you: I highly enjoyed the note on Ingeborg. I also agree that it is Sharon who should write about the two events you’ve mentioned. I wonder if we think about the same occurrences, BTW:-) I hope we’ll find out.
    As for Polish history, on 19 August 1587, Zygmunt III Waza was crowned king of Poland. He is very controversial figure in Polish history, still I do find him intriguing. He is best known for moving the capital of Poland from Kraków (Cracow) to Warszawa (Warsaw).

28. Thanks, Kasia and Koby. Coincidentally, I am now writing her wedding to Philippe in A King’s Ransom. I don’t attempt to solve the mystery of their Wedding Night from Hell, though; fortunately, I don’t have to, since the scene is done through John’s eyes. Why is Zygmunt so controversial, Kasia?
    Today’s Facebook Note. Did I include the two events you were thinking of, Koby?
    On August 19th, the first Roman emperor, Augustus, died in 14 AD. The brilliant BBC television series, I, Claudius, had him poisoned by his wife, Livia, although historians have concluded he died of natural causes. But it is Sian Phillips’s mesmerizing performance as Livia that lingers in my memory and imagination. Of course if she’d really murdered all the people she poisons in I, Claudius, she’d have been history’s most prolific female serial killer! BTW, this wonderful actress is Welsh.
    Some sources cite August 19, 1186 as the date of death of Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany, son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and one of my favorite characters in Devil’s Brood. But I found a convincing source while researching the book which gave his death date as August 21st, so I’ll wait to write more about him on that date.
    On August 19, 1274, Edward I was crowned at Westminster. No comment.
    On August 19, 1284, Edward I and Eleanora’s son Alfonso, the youthful Earl of Chester, died at only ten years old. Had he lived, England would have had its first King Alfonso, and his younger brother Edward, born a few months before his untimely death, would have been spared his unhappy reign. I have no doubt that he’d have been far happier had he never been king.
    On August 19, 1561, Mary Stuart arrived in Scotland. I am on Team Elizabeth, not Team Mary, but I admit that I feel sympathy for that sheltered eighteen year old setting foot on her native soil for the first time in thirteen years. Perhaps she was doomed by circumstances, although she certainly did her best to court disaster. Another interesting What If in history. What if her young husband had not died when he did and she lived out her life as Queen of France? A happier outcome both for Mary and Elizabeth.
    And on August 19, 1692, five unfortunate people were executed in Salem, Massachusetts after being found guilty on a charge of witchcraft. Shockingly, there are a few places in the world today where people are still persecuted and even killed because others believe they are witches.

29. Sharon, I will be very interested in seeing your source for August 21, 1186.

30. Malcolm, I can’t find it and don’t have the time right now to go through all my notes for Devil’s Brood. This was more than five years ago, so my memory is not as sharp as I’d like, but it was a source connected with Notre Dame, which said he’d died on the 21st. I decided that since he was given a state funeral at Notre Dame this source would be more reliable than a chronicler passing on what he’d heard. Maybe when I am finally finished with Ransom, I’ll see if I can unearth it.

31. I think I have found the secondary source for 21 August 1186, in a Wikipedia footnote, of all places. It appears to be a “Chronologie” published in 2005, along with the reissue of Edmond-René Labande’s 1952 essay (or short book) on Eleanor. I will need to see the book in order to find the primary evidence for that date. You are much to busy to worry about this piece of minutia right now. If I do find anything, I will let you know. Incidentally, the Wikipedia article on Geoffrey in French refers to Matilda only in relation to the statement Dom Lobineau made 300 years ago, with the comment that nothing more has been found. The authors have obviously not kept up with the literature in English, though I did send copies of my 1977 article to the Archives d’Ille-et Vilaine and the Archives du Morbihan.

32. Thanks, Malcolm! It is depressing but not surprising that the Wikipedia article hasn’t included your article about Matilda. My experience with Wikipedia is that it can be very uneven, with some excellent articles, some that are incomplete like this one on Geoffrey, and some that are flat-out wrong. But your research on Matilda was fascinating and anyone interested in Geoffrey would love to read it.

33. Thank you, Sharon. Breton scholars were aware of my work very early. It probably helped that I sent Hubert Guillotel an offprint. As you say, Wikipedia is very uneven. For example, the article on Geoffrey in English cites Judith Everard’s work but does not take her conclusions into account at all. My short article has been dragged out of obscurity to a certain extent by its association with your work. You have done a great service to Geoffrey’s memory, simply because your novels are widely read. Dr. Everard provided convincing evidence of his governing ability, but by its nature a monograph on medieval history has a limited audience. We should all be grateful that you discovered the fascination of the 12th century.

34. Thanks, Malcolm. One nice benefit is that we became friends! I owe such a debt to Dr Everard, for she is the first–and only–historian to research and write about Geoffrey’s time as Duke of Brittany. Biographies of Henry never mention that Geoffrey and Constance had legitimate grievances against him which go far toward explaining his behavior. “Mindless malice” indeed!
    Today’s Facebook Note.
    This first entry is not medieval at all, but since I mentioned I, Claudius yesterday and the magnificent Welsh actress, Sian Phillips, who played Livia, I feel I should also mention that on August 20, 14 AD, Agrippa Postumus, the grandson of the Emperor Octavian, who’d died the day before, was murdered. Historians do not know who was responsible; some have suggested the new emperor, Tiberius, Livia’s son by her first marriage, gave the order, although he denied it. But I, Claudius pins the blame on Livia again. Interestingly, the actor who played Agrippa Postumus in I, Claudius was John Castle, who also played Geoffrey in one of my all-time favorite films, The Lion in Winter. So you see, there is a connection—sort of– between this ancient Roman murder and my beloved Angevins!
    Also, on August 20th in 1153, Bernard, the abbot of Clairvaux died; he would be canonized in 1174. He was no friend to the Angevins, supposedly saying “From the devil they came, and to the devil they’ll go.” He also spent a lot of time lecturing Eleanor when she was Queen of France; she didn’t listen. He appears as a character in one scene of When Christ and His Saints Slept, where he crosses verbal swords with Henry’s father Geoffrey, the Count of Anjou, and predicts Geoffrey’s death in thirty days. Geoffrey was not impressed, but others might have been when he died prematurely a few weeks later. That particular scene in Saints is also the one where young Henry meets his future wife. Since I really miss writing about Henry, I can’t resist citing it here.
    * * *
    He’d seen beautiful women before. He’d never seen one so vibrant, though, or so vividly compelling. She was watching the uproar as if it were a play put on her for benefit, those glowing green eyes sparkling with sunlight and curiosity and silent laughter, and when she glanced in Henry’s direction, she held his gaze, a look that was both challenging and enigmatic.
    Henry drew a deep, dazzled breath. He was utterly certain that this was Eleanor of Aquitaine, and no less sure that the French king must be one of God’s greatest fools.
    * * *

35. Sharon and Malcolm, you are so knowledgeable about Geoffrey. I have learned so much thanks to you. Malcolm, why don’t you start running a blog or website devoted strictly to Henry and Eleanor’s underestimated son? I think he needs it as badly as Hal. I would be delighted to drop in and read about Breton branch of the family:-)
    Dr Everard’s work proved to be indispensable while researching Hal-Geoffrey cooperation. I have learned a lot about what had happened at Limoges in the opening months of 1183.
    Sharon, you have asked why Zygmunt III Waza was a controversial figure. It is enough to say that he was half-Swedish half-Polish:-) To be serious, the main reason for the mixed feelings he has always evoked had been his foreign policy and numerous military conflicts Poland had become involved in during his long reign. Although, I must admit, even Tsar of Russia was forced to bend his proud neck and paid homage to Zygmunt after Moscow had fallen to the Polish in 1611.

36. To Sharon and Everyone: After deleting my facebook account, I realized how big of a medieval junkie I am when I was cut off from the daily posts. I would wonder all day what happened on this day several hundred years ago in the old world, or how The King’s Ransom was coming along. Granted I finally read the Justin de Quincy trilogy and did some writing of my own about M.E. Portugal, I missed all of the posts. Great job with those books, Sharon. I will be listening in on your blog from now on to get my M.A. fix though. Thanks for all of the news Sharon and everyone!

37. On page 352 of Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres, Henry Adams translates a wonderful sentence Peter the Venerable wrote to Abbot Bernard: “You perform all the difficult religious duties, you fast; you watch; you suffer; but you will not endure the easy ones – you do not love (non vis levia ferre, ut diligas.” I came across this quote on the bus (returning from Poitiers?) during the Eleanor Tour and had to show it to Sharon right away. Peter understood Bernard very well.

38. Welcome back, Eric. I agree that is a very interesting quote, Malcolm. I remember reading that Bernard adversely affected his health by his severe fasting.
    Today’s Facebook Note, another long one. 🙂
    August 21, 1165 was a day of great happiness for the French king, Louis VII, for after four daughters, his third wife gave birth to his longed-for son. So joyful was Louis that Philippe was known as Dieu-donne, God-given. Philippe must be considered one of the great French kings, for he vastly expanded the territory of the French Crown during his long reign of 43 years. I have been able to find little to admire about the man himself, though. While not a soldier of Richard’s caliber, he was effective at sieges, and he was undeniably intelligent, if not as well educated as the Angevins. He was also utterly unsentimental, pragmatic, and stubborn. Henry II had saved his throne for him on several occasions early in his reign, but he did all he could to turn Henry’s sons against him and, with Richard’s help, hounded Henry to his miserable death at Chinon. He was more anti-Semitic than his contemporary monarchs, said to have believed in the Blood Libel, expelling the Jews from Paris at the start of his reign, and burning eighty Jews to death in Bray in 1192 after the Countess of Champagne (his half-sister Marie) had hanged a Christian who’d murdered a Jew. His reputation was then in tatters because of his abandonment of the crusade, and cynical medieval rulers often found that persecuting Jews was one way to regain public favor. He showed no honor whatsoever after Richard was captured and turned over to the Holy Roman Emperor, scheming and conniving and doing his utmost to make sure the crusader king never saw the light of day again. He wanted to repudiate his first wife ostensibly because she had failed to give him an heir—she was fourteen at the time! He treated his second wife, the Danish princess Ingeborg, with deliberate brutality after disavowing her the day after their marriage, at times even denying her the right to attend Mass. He deserves recognition for his accomplishments, leaving the French monarchy much stronger than he’d found it, but I think he’d have been a difficult man to love.
    Philippe’s birth was not a source of joy to Henry, who naturally wanted Louis to remain without a male heir. In Time and Chance, Henry has just had to retreat after a failed campaign in Wales when he gets the news that Louis has finally sired a son. Fortunately for Henry, a sweet young thing named Rosamund Clifford happens to be there to offer him comfort. When they meet in the gardens at Chester Castle, she says shyly, “I was worried about you, my lord. That letter seemed to trouble you so….”
    “This letter I was just ripping to shreds?” Henry at once regretted the sarcasm; why take out his temper on the lass? “You might as well be the first to know. All of Paris is re-joicing; it’s a wonder we cannot hear the church bells pealing across the Channel. The Al-mighty has finally taken pity upon the French king. On the fourth Sunday of August, his queen gave him a son.” Of course Henry could not have guessed that this little boy would eventually destroy the Angevin empire.
    Moving ahead twenty-one years and we have the death of my own favorite of the Devil’s Brood, Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany, Henry and Eleanor’s “forgotten” son. He died after being trampled in a French tournament, just a month shy of his twenty-eighth birthday in 1186. Geoffrey has been as ignored by historians as he was by his own parents, for he was the only one of their sons not to become a king, and his successful career in Brittany was not brought to light until the publication of Dr Judith Everard’s excellent Brittany and the Angevins. I owe her such a huge debt, for it was her research that enabled me to do justice to Geoffrey in Devil’s Brood. It is too sad to quote from Geoffrey’s death scene in my novel, so I’d rather close with a brief passage from his wedding night. He’d been betrothed to Constance, the heiress to Brittany, since childhood, and she was a reluctant bride, for she blamed Henry for deposing her father. But Geoffrey wins her over, much to her surprise, and their marriage gets off to a promising start.
    * * *
    She awoke the next morning just before dawn, with a dull headache, a dry mouth, and total recall of the extraordinary events of her wedding night. Propping herself up on her elbow, she studied the man beside her. He looked younger in his sleep, less guarded, and she realized that the flighty Enora was right, after all; her new husband was easy on the eye. Best of all, he was quick-witted and clever and ambitious. We will make effective partners. We will be good for Brittany and good for each other, and who would ever have imagined it?
    * * *
    And they were—good for Brittany and for each other. Sadly, they had so little time together—just five years. I have no doubt that English, Breton, and French history would have been changed if Geoffrey had not chosen to ride in that tourney on that hot August afternoon.

39. As Sharon knows, one of my favorite sections in Devil’s Brood is her account of the wedding night of Geoffrey and Constance (pp. 402-409). Though it was not until the beginning of this millennium that Dr. Everard convincingly proved the effectiveness of Geoffrey’s rule in Brittany (with Duchess Constance) by documentary evidence, there was still a favorable tradition in Brittany about that rule some 200 years after his death. The Chronicle of St.-Brieuc (Chronicon Briocense), composed in the late 14th century, states that Geoffrey “Dux Brittanie ratione illius matrimonii populum Britannicum, quamdiu vitam duxit, dulciter tractavit.” In my senior thesis (1967), I quoted this passage from the Preuves of Dom Morice (1742), while Dr. Everard cites the late 19th century edition by Léopold Delisle. For those without Latin, the chronicle states that Geoffrey, duke by this marriage (to Constance), treated the Breton people well (“sweetly”) while he lived.

40. Malcom, thanks for this tidbit about Geoffrey. It’s great to know that Geoffrey wasn’t completely overlooked. Just imagine what he could have accomplished had he lived longer. Today is also the perfect time to thank you for one of the highlights of our Eleanor tour when you showed us Geoffrey’s commemorative plaque in Notre Dame de Paris. Millions of tourists go to Notre Dame every year because of its history and grandeur but our little group was most amazed to look upon plaque in a dim section of the Cathedral that proved that Geoffrey of the Devil’s Brood had once been! 🙂

41. I want to thank you, too, for posting this, Malcolm. Emilie, that was one of my favorite memories of our tour, all of us searching Notre Dame for Geoffrey’s plaque. I would not even have known about it if not for you, Malcolm.
    I am posting today’s Facebook Note rather early.
    I have a minor surgery this morning, so I have to post this now, and it won’t be as lengthy (or long-winded?) as my usual ones. But I am sure some of you can take up the slack! Two significant battles were fought on this date. On August 22, 1138, King David of Scotland suffered a defeat at Cowton Moor in Yorkshire. David was the uncle of the Empress Maude and he was attempting to advance her claim while grabbing some prime Yorkshire real estate for Scotland. He was defeated by William le Gros, the Count of Aumale. The count’s daughter Hawisa was a character in Devil’s Brood and Lionheart, wed first to Henry’s friend, the Earl of Essex, and then reluctantly to one of Richard’s vassals, William Forz. I like that sharp-tongued lady and hope to give her some screen time in A King’s Ransom, too.
    And of course today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485. I’ve been told by some readers that when they reread Sunne, they always stop before the battle. It was not fun for me to write, either; it took me three weeks to get Richard out of his tent and onto the field. (The reluctance was mine, not his.) I think Richard’s most memorable epitaph is the one he was given by the city of York, by the people who knew him best. They very courageously inscribed in the city records: “It was showed by John Sponer that King Richard, late mercifully reigning upon us, was through great treason piteously slain and murdered, to the great heaviness of this City.”

42. Sharon, how do you feel after the surgery you have mentioned? Nothing serious, I do hope.
    As for Geoffrey and Constance in Devil’s Brood, I do love the scene where Constance learns of Hal’s death and of Geoffrey’s plans to found a chaplaincy at the cathedral of Rouen ‘for the soul of his late brother, the young king Henry’. I find Geoffrey’s foundation a poignant gesture of a troubled soul, not a customary gesture of a family member.
    One more thing, I do not know whether we can trust Ralph of Diceto in this, but according to him, on this day in 1179, Louis VII landed at Dover and hastened to St Thomas’s tomb to pray for his beloved son, Phillipe’s recovery. As the time showed, Thomas of blessed memory lent him his ear:-)

43. Émlie, when will you and your mother depart for the Tour in England? I am sure you will have a wonderful time, especially with so many friends from the Eleanor Tour along with you.
    Kasia, I think it is clear that young Henry and Geoffrey were on much better terms than either brother ever was with Richard. That is often the way with a middle brother. The actions of Marie de Champagne after Geoffrey’s sudden demise in 1186 are indicative of her regard for that half-brother.
    Sharon, I hope you are feeling well and recovering quickly.

44. Sharon, I do hope you are feeling better and will recover quickly from the surgery.
    I apologize for my absence, but my job has been weighing heavily on me these past few days. In any case, today William Wallace was executed in London, and this night (between the 23rd and 24th) the infamous St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre began.

45. Malcolm, I am not going to argue with you over the role of a middle brother. After all, you have been father of three sons for thirty years:-)
    I will insist, however, that we might have never learned of warmer feelings between Hal and Geoffrey, had the latter not founded the above-mentioned chaplaincy. What was Geoffrey’s motive? We can only speculate, but, personally, I would vote for ‘feeling guilty’ factor (guilty for joining young Henry in conspiracy and how it all went wrong). It is just my opinion, of course.
    Fortunately, Marie was not the only one who held Geoffrey in high esteem. In one of his sirventes (D’um sirventes nom cal far loignor ganda) Bertarn de Born openly wished ‘Geoffrey, noble Duke of Brittany’ to be the eldest of the English princes, for he considered him a better ruler than both, the Young and Richard. I do not know whether Bertran meant it, but, thank Heaven, he wrote it. I posted the whole text somewhere in the course of Sharon’s previous blogs. There were also some posts written to you. My tries to contact you via e-mail in order to share my impressions on The Duchesses and Devils, all failed. I hope that you read the posts.

46. Sharon, how are you? I hope you are recovering.

47. Ditto Kasia, Sharon. How are you?

48. Hi, Ken! Forgive me for asking, but what does your “ditto” refer to? I admit that I don’t understand:-)

49. Today’s Facebook Note, which I just posted, but better late than never, right?
    I’d like to thank you all for your good wishes. I am doing well and on the mend, though I probably won’t be around much for the next few days. So this might be a good time for someone to stage a palace coup; not that I am mentioning any names, of course. Thanks, too, for posting so many comments about Richard yesterday. He’ll never escape from Shakespeare’s shadow, but at least he has not been forgotten.
    Another historical figure who deserves to be remembered is William Wallace, who was put to death in the most brutal manner possible—drawn and quartered—on August 23, 1305, after being charged with treason by Edward I. And on August 23, 1358, Isabella of France, queen of Edward II, lover of Roger Mortimer, and mother of Edward III, died at Hertford Castle; she was 63 and had been in poor health for a while. She asked to be buried in her wedding mantle and with the heart of her husband, Edward II. Our Edwardian expert, Kathryn Warner, is one of those who have cast doubts upon whether Edward really died at Berkeley Castle as reported. I do find it strange that Edward’s half-brother, the Earl of Kent, tried to free him three years after his death had been announced, paying for that abortive rescue mission with his own life. So he must have believed that Edward was still alive. But I just don’t know enough about that era of British history to draw conclusions of my own.
    And the infamous St Bartholomew’s Day massacre began in Paris on the night of August 23rd, 1572; thousands of French Huguenots were slain before the madness stopped. I’d written about this tragedy recently, so I won’t repeat myself, except to say that my favorite French king, Henri of Navarre, the future Henri VI, escaped being murdered because of his new bride, Marguerite de Valois, sister of the ruling French king. C.W. Gortner dramatizes this event in his novel, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, who was Marguerite’s mother. And here is a first-hand account of the killing that set off the massacre; be warned, though, for it makes grim reading. http://historymedren.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://history.hanover.edu/texts/barth.htm

50. Just back from a lakeside holiday with family—not the castles & mountains you recently enjoyed Kasia, however lots of wildlife, white sandy beaches, & gorgeous sunsets. I’m now happily catching up on things (guess you could call me a SKP blog junkie) so first of all, belated Birthday greetings, Sharon & I’m happy to hear you are on the mend. I didn’t get much reading in, alas, what with 5 sisters to catch up with. Yes, 5! However, did have a fun chat with my Scottish brother-in-law who was quite curious about my recent interest in tournaments, jousts, & Scottish royalty.
    Spartacus is a fave of mine as well & Douglas’ intriguing book now on my list. I’ve always felt that Jean Simmons was one of Hollywood’s great beauties. And speaking of beautiful women, re your Aug 20 post with that delicious scene where Henry meets Eleanor, can’t you just feel the sparks?!?
    Also, big Congrats to the lucky winners!

51. Today, the Sack of Rome by the Visigoths took place, Isabella of Angouleme married King John of England, Pope Innocent III declared the Magna Carta invalid, Geoofrey V ‘le Bel’ of Anjou was born, as was Alexander II of Scotland (Jophn and Henry III’s [IV] contemporaries, one of the signatories of the Magna Carta), and the Battle of Sandwich took place, where the English flee under Hubert de Burgh decisively defeated Eustace the Monk, with Eustace executed on his deck after Richard Fitz Roy (John’s bastard son) defeated him with the help of the Eal of Pembroke’s cog.

52. Today, the Sack of Rome by the Visigoths took place, Isabella of Angouleme married King John of England, Pope Innocent III declared the Magna Carta invalid, Geoofrey V ‘le Bel’ of Anjou was born, as was Alexander II of Scotland (Jophn and Henry III’s [IV] contemporaries, one of the signatories of the Magna Carta), and the Battle of Sandwich took place, where the English flee under Hubert de Burgh decisively defeated Eustace the Monk, with Eustace executed on his deck after Richard Fitz Roy (John’s bastard son) defeated him with the help of the Eal of Pembroke’s cog.

53. Good to hear you’re on the mend Sharon, but your absence from FB does leave a little opening for some mischief to occur!
    Kasia, ‘ditto’ means agreeing with something someone has written or said. In short ‘likewise’.

54. Glad to hear that you are recovering Sharon. Seem August is a pretty important month in MA history.

55. Glad to hear that you are recovering Sharon. Seems like August is a pretty important month in MA history.

56. Welcome back, Joan. Not that you were the one I was accusing of plotting a palace coup, Ken, at least not without some prompting by Angelique.
    Today’s History Note is HUGE; amazing how much happened on this date, most of it bad.
    I’m going to include a few non-medieval events today.
    On August 24th, 410 AD, the Visigoths sacked Rome, but oddly enough, they apparently were rather humane about it—no bloodbath. And on August 24th, 455 AD, it happened again, or almost did; this time it was the Vandals who were about to sack the city. But after their king met with Pope Leo, the Vandals turned around and left Rome in their dust I saw a movie about this as a child and I remember being fascinated, wanting so much to know what the pope could have said to convince the Vandal king to spare the city. It was disillusioning years later to learn that this mystery was so easily solved—the mother of all bribes.
    For years, it was thought that Mt Vesuvius erupted on August 24th, 79 AD, destroying Pompeii and two other towns, but some historians now think it occurred in October. I don’t know which date is correct, but here is an eye-witness account of the tragedy. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pompeii.htm
    August 24th, 1113 was the birthday of Count Geoffrey of Anjou, famous for being the father of Henry II and for being the source of the dynasty name Plantagenet; he liked to put a sprig of broom ( planta genista in Latin) in his cap, or so the story goes. Historians and many novelists use the term Plantangenet for convenience, but it was not actually used by the kings themselves until the 15th century; Richard, Duke of York, father of the Yorkist kings Edward IV and Richard III, is believed to have been the first to do so.
    August 24th was an important day for King John. He wed the very young Isabelle d’Angouleme on this day in 1200, and in 1215, Pope Innocent III cooperatively declared the Magna Carta null and void on the grounds that John had signed it under duress.
    August 24, 1217 is the date of a famous sea battle off Sandwich; the notorious pirate Eustace the Monk was captured and beheaded. One of John’s illegitimate sons, Richard Fitz Roy, a character in my novel Here Be Dragons, was a hero of this battle.
    On August 24th, 1349, six thousand Jews were massacred in the German city of Mainz, blamed by the townspeople for the bubonic plague. Many people don’t know that in Germany and France there were horrific pogroms after the plague struck, as the panicked population looked for scapegoats.
    On August 24th, 1572, the St Bartholomew’s Day massacre was on-going, one of the bloodier chapters in French history, which I’ve discussed on several occasions this month.
    And on August 24th, 1814, the White House was set on fire by the British. We don’t hold a grudge, though!
    Looking over this list of events, August 24th seems as unlucky to me as a Friday the 13th. Probably a good day to stay in bed; at least that is going to be my excuse.

57. The origin of names/words is a huge “high” of mine & when I first read the Plantagenet (apparent) source I was delighted. When I got into Italian language studies a few years ago I was as interested in this aspect as learning to converse which was my initial intent before I flew off to Italy for 5 mths on my own. I realize the “shoulda, woulda, coulda” thing isn’t healthy, but I really do wish I would have zoned into all these interests earlier in life. Catching up is fun too & often think my fascination & enjoyment is magnified (as in so many other areas) as middle age progresses (yikes).

58. Oh, hello Sharon, so glad to see you are making a full recovery. Look, while you were away, I did ‘borrow’ your FB page for a bit, but only to improve your revenues (even including my %). I think you’ll find my ideas for (excuse me) ‘sexing up’ your novels to increase the interest of a new generation, given the new-found interest that they have for naughty books (you know the ones I mean).
    If you can give your agent the nod, I think we’re off for a huge increase in sales. No, you don’t have to thank me now, I can wait!
    If for some unexplicable reason you’re not happy with these ideas, they weren’t mine, they were Stephanie’s, Rania’s and Jo’s.

59. Ken, would you be so kind as to (excuse me) titillate those of us who aren’t on FB—I’m curious now, esp since my sister recently shared excerpts of (possibly same) naughty books with me.

60. Ken, I am consulting with my attorney, will get back to you.
    Joan, where did you live when you were in Italy? That sounds wonderful.
    Since today is Geoffrey le Bel’s birthdeay, I am celebrating by sharing with you Elizabeth Chadwick’s article about Geoffrey.
    http://livingthehistoryelizabethchadwick.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/handsome-is-as-handdsome-doesgeoffrey.html

61. Sharon, I’m glad you are back and on the mend:-) Judging by your fascinating notes, I daresay you truly are recovering!
    Joan, “lots of wildlife, white sandy beaches, & gorgeous sunsets”, and 5 sisters sounds almost as fascinating as mountains and castles:-). I have 3 sisters, BTW, and have just spent a wonderful day with one of them.
    Ken, I know what “ditto” means, but I do not know whether you agree with me about Geoffrey or Sharon. And, by the legs of God, what have you done on Sharon’s FB page? One day, if not by the big chunk of New Wales you have promised, you’re going to make me drop my defences by the mysterious naughty books. BTW, is Othon naughty from time to time? Or Eleanor, or Edward? If not, think about ways of sexing this up, otherwise I won’t read your book!

62. P.S. I’m joining Joan in her desperate request: enlighten us!

63. (Excuse me), titllate us!

64. Hmmmm! I think that Sharon’s lawyers are already on my case. This site refused to accept my post, so I’ll try again!
    As Sharon had absented herself from her FB page for a few moments, I decided to make a bid for it, aided by my cohorts Stephanie, Rania and Jo. The idea I had was to boost sales of Sharon’s novels by updating them to the genre that has had a few ladies palpitating lately and also to introduce to the general public my concubine Angelique who had a certain notoriety a few years back. So here goes again:
    “At the invitation of Sharon, temporarily in exile, and egged on by my cohorts Stephanie and Jo, I have assumed control of the Palace. As the idea is very appealing to me I have dispatched Othon to the Curia to seek the approval of the Pope to my assuming PERMANENT control. I’m quite optimistic as I have pledged the Pope 15% of the receipts that my latest wheeze (to be described below) will provide.
    Seems to me that with the exception of ‘Lionheart,’ SKP books have not been selling as well as they should and could. So, I’ve decided to spice them up a bit; change their titles and place pictures of Angelique cherie on each cover. To add to the mystery and to entice some of those ladies who have been reading some naughty best sellers lately, Angelique will be partly clothed and part of her head will be missing – isn’t that a novel idea? ‘Novel’, geddit? The SKP books will be retitled/spiced up as follows:
    The ‘Sunne in Splendour’ is to become ‘Angelique and the last Plantagenet.’ (Cover of Angelique searching the battle field for her Richard’s body – Oh, I’m crying at the very thought of it!)
    Read how Angelique steals the heart of Richard when they were both mere children. And how he returned her love with an all-consuming passion that was to last a lifetime, enduring forced separation, a brutal marriage, and murderous loss. Angelique is the daughter of his father’s closest ally who was now his brother’s worst enemy and Angelique becomes an innocent pawn in a deadly game of power politics. Read how Angelique turns the tables on the evil queen by inviting her children ‘the little princes’ to a fun party in the Tower of London.
    ‘Here Be Dragons’ is to become ‘Angelique, Princess of Wales’ (Angelique cherie really like the sound of that). (Cover of Angelique standing at the battlements of Dolforwyn castle, waving goodbye to Llywelyn as he heads off to meet his enemy King John).
    Read how wife to Llewelyn, whom she has come to love, daughter to John, whom she worships, Angelique is trapped in the crossfire of their implacable enmity. Read also of Angelique’s affair with William de Braose a young magnate and her introduction to medieval BDSM. ‘Angelique, Princess of Wales’ combines high drama, romance, adventure, and eroticism.
    ‘Falls the Shadow’ is to become ‘Angelique and the Earl of Leicester’ (Cover of Angelique on the battlements of Kenilworth castle as Simon and their sons ride off to war.)
    Read how Angelique, Countess of Pembroke, youngest daughter of King John, favourite sister of King Henry. Widowed at fifteen, she swears a holy oath of chastity — then breaks it to wed Simon, scandalizing the pious and infuriating the powerbrokers, who see her as a rich prize rashly stolen by a lesser earl. Read how she persuades Simon to give up his hairshirt and to wear PJ’s around the castle instead.
    ‘The Reckoning’ is to become ‘Angelique and Longshanks’ (cover of Angelique on her knees holding the left leg of King Edward I and imploring him for mercy).
    Read how Angelique and Simon’s daughter, Angelique (yes, I know) plots revenge for Simon’s death at Evesham, by befriending Edward’s queen, Eleanor of Castile. For Edward, hot-tempered, unscrupulous, utterly fearless, the dream was of a crown unfettered by any opposition and of an England whose borders stopped only at the edges of the sea. In pursuing that vision, Edward would become England’s greatest warrior king — and possibly its most lethal. By consorting with Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, Angelique almost succeeds in foiling Edward’s ambitions, but Longshanks is aided by Llywelyn’s faithless brother Dafydd and triumphs over the Welsh. Angelique has the last laugh however as, while Edward is dying, she tells him that the baby being borne by his son’s wife is not of ‘his loins’!”
    Should bring in loads of money this time round, don’t you think?

65. Oh Sharon, don’t get me started! Italy was the biggest adventure of my life! My post-divorce gift to myself, I decided to finally meet all my dad’s relatives in various cities in N Italy. I stationed myself in an apt in Bologna from Sep to Feb where my cousin lives & teaches at the university—(she & I had lived parallel lives for many years, we discovered), therefore immersing myself completely in the culture & daily life & making conversation (or trying to) with shopkeepers & passersby, in bars & cafes. After one week I tossed the maps aside & gave myself over to the labyrinths & mazes that are Italian towns & cities. For one who has a lousy sense of direction at the best of times, it was a piece of cake to navigate?!? I have aunts & cousins (oh the similarites between us in looks, gestures, humor, ideas, etc was such a bonus) in Parma, Venice, Milan, & Mestre. And a wonderful family villa outside of Parma in Vaestano. Needless to say I gorged on the famous Parmiggiana & Prosciutto—& the wines? Another story for another day! The trip held elements of the operatic, both “seria” & “buffa”—these slapstick scenes taking place mostly around the chaotic train system. Some friends & my son visited during those months so lots of travel & adventures in Florence, Siena, Rome, Perugia, & on & on. The many Etruscan hilltop towns I visited were exciting & full of ghosts (I swear I had lived there in another life), esp revisiting them on damp frigid January nights where the very buildings wavered above the shrouds of fog. An unforgettable moment along P.le D. Uffizi—my friend & I walked this corridor alone at dusk after hours in the Galleria, with all those sculpted eyes staring down on us in the cold & damp—notes from a solo sax wavered in the air, & a mime, in white, motioned to join her/him, which we did. It was a moment out of time.

66. Hilarious Ken, & love the vision of Simon traipsing around in pj’s, lol

67. Kasia, you mentioned that your husband is a musician. I wonder if he knows or knows of the chamber music group Trio di Parma. The gorgeous cellist, Enrico Bronzi is my cousin’s son-in-law. He played for us in the courtyard at Vaestano on a beautiful September afternoon (a few months before the new millennium kicked in & he was newly wed). What a privilege it was—thought I’d died & gone to heaven. I’ve enclosed a link.
    http://www.triodiparma.com/ENG/Trio%20di%20Parma.swf

68. Sharon I have a comment awaiting moderation. Just one more tidbit on things Italian. Thanks.

69. ken, you are not playing fair. How can I sue you if you are making me laugh like this?
    Thanks, Joan, for sharing those wonderful memories. I went to Italy to research The Reckoning and fell in love with the country and the people. PS, I’ll liberate your post.
    Today’s Facebook Note.
    Thankfully not as much happened on August 25th; yesterday’s Note left me exhausted! On August 25, 1192, Hugh, the Duke of Burgundy, died at Acre after a brief illness; naturally the Bishop of Beauvais accused Richard of poisoning the duke. Richard was then very ill himself with malaria, lying close to death at Jaffa; one chronicler reported that he finally started to recover after learning of Hugh’s death. Here is my scene from Lionheart:
    * * *
    “I had a message tonight from Isabella. She says that Hugh of Burgundy died at Acre five years ago.”
    Richard started at him. “I think,” he said, “that I’ve just gotten my sign.” Henri did not know what that meant, but it did not matter; his uncle was smiling, the first real smile he’d seen on Richard’s face since he’d been stricken with the quartan fever.
    * * *
    I hope Richard is too busy in the afterlife to browse the Internet, for I shudder to think of his reaction if he read Wikipedia’s description of Hugh as “a most trusted ally of Richard Lionheart.”
    On August 25, 1227, Genghis Khan died; anyone ever see the film in which he was played by John Wayne? Not Hollywood’s finest hour, or Wayne’s, either.
    On August 25, 1227, Louis IX died at Tunis, possibly of typhoid, on his second crusade. He was the only French king to be canonized and was the son of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s granddaughter, Blanche of Castile. Not a king I like very much, but an important one.
    And on this date in 1482, Marguerite d’Anjou died at age 52. Edward IV had allowed her to return to France in 1475, but her father, Rene of Anjou, showed no interest in her plight and she had to scrape by with a pension from Louis XI, who first forced her to renounce any claims to Anjou. She was living at Chateau Dampierre near Saumur when she died. She was buried in Angers Cathedral, but her tomb was one of so many destroyed during the French Revolution. Her death seems to have attracted little notice on either side of the Channel. Louis demanded that her dogs be sent to him; Louis liked dogs. I think of her as a sad ghost in the years after Tewkesbury, mourning her son and what might have been.
    This last death is not medieval, but on August 25, 1688, the famous—or infamous—pirate Henry Morgan died in Jamaica. I had to mention Henry as he was Welsh; he was also one of the very few pirates who managed to get himself knighted.

70. Just happy to put a smile on your face, just like on the drawing I did of you. Hope you are continuing to recover.

71. Sharon, I ‘ve read that laughter heals. I’m sure Ken meant the whole thing as a special therapy for you. Personally, I have felt much better after reading the sexed up versions of your books:-)
    Ken, I have almost laughed my head off while trying to envisage Angelique on her knees holding the left leg of Edward I. BTW, why it has to be Edward’s left leg, not right. I know, I know… one does not put author’s vision in question, but… I can’t help wondering. One more thing: Edward was a tall guy, does the cover depict his head and the rest of his muscular body, or only his left leg and Angelique desperately clinging to it?
    Joan, my husband is a musician, but chamber music is not his cup of tea, I daresay:-) Although he likes listening to different chamber music groups from time to time. I love your Italian impressions. I was in Italy thirteen years ago, so my memories have become a little bit blurred. Thanks for refreshing them.

72. Don’t know Kasia, Left leg just seemed more natural. No, one cannot see the rest of his body as Angelique insists the cover be all about her.
    Had a look at your excellent blog on the young King as Karhryn Warner provided a link to it on her FB page. Very interesting and very good work. He’s not someone I know much about so I will have to rectify that!

73. Ken, thank you! Your kind words give me even more encouragement and support. Are you sure Kathryn Warner provided a link to Henry’s website? I would like to express my gratitude to her in some way, but I do not know how. On her blog, perhaps? What would you suggest? I’m a staunch admirer of her work. Her blog concerning Edward II is simply outstanding!

74. Ken, that is simply hilarious. No ideas on how to spice up When Christ and His Saints Slept, Time and Chance, The Devil’s Brood and Lionheart? It should be easy – they all have Eleanor in them.
    Sharon, while you got them all, you missed the death of Thomas Howard – he was Jack Howard’s grandson, and Thomas Howard’s (who fought with Richard at Bosworth and Barnet) son. He helped his father win the great victory at Flodden, was imprisoned by Henry VIII [IX] and released by Mary.

75. Question—-Sharon, this may sound naive but how would you answer someone who asks why there were so many dynamic, exciting, outstanding, larger than life, near-immortal figures in the MA? Yes, we have important figures today but many of our outstanding individuals wouldn’t come across quite as exciting in a historical novel (at least not for me), though some certainly would. Is it partly the allure of the era? a world of extremes? life & death so intertwined? the rawness & precariousness of life? the fact that foundations were being laid? ?????

76. Thanks, Koby. I always count on you to catch all the ones I miss.

77. No problem. Today, the decisive Battle of Manzikert took place, where the Seljuks defeated the Byzantines, beginning their decline. The decisive Battle of Crecy also took place, where the English under Edward III and the Black Prince defeated the French, proving the superiority of their tactics and longbow.

78. Kasia, Kathryn said she was returning the compliment because you had placed a ling to her blog from your own. I’m sure you can just leave a ‘thank you’ note on her blog.
    Koby, I was set to continue revamping Sharon’s novels (BTW, sales have soared in the last few days thanks to me) but I got a letter from her lawyers which rather put me off! If they can be persuaded to allow their funny bones to be tickled, I might have a go at rescuing Sharon’s remaining novels, particularly those on that Justin medieval detective guy who has been overtaken in the best selling lists by a Mrs Marple. Can’t have that!

79. ‘Ling’ should have course been ‘Link’! Stupid computer!

80. Ken, thank you for your advice. I’ve already mentioned your involvement in the whole affair on Kathryn’s blog. I hope you don’t mind I have called you ‘a notorious troublemaker’. I’ve had your latest ‘naughty’ deeds in mind;-)
    Koby, you have forgotten about the important event in the course of the Great Revolt of 1173-74. Today in 1173 the garrison of Dol surrendered to Henry II. I love the way Sharon described it in Devil’s Brood. I felt rather sorry for poor Hugh of Chester, the way Sharon introduced him. He was among those barons who were to be severly punished by Henry.

81. I’m afraid the sentence concerning Hugh sounds not exactly as I wanted it to sound. I meant that I liked the way Sharon introduced and created him, and that her Hugh evoked sympathy and compassion. I hope this one sounds better:-) English writing, Polish thinking, again.

82. Kasia, I’ll pass your thanks on to Kathryn, but interacting on her blog is the next best thing to getting you onto Facebook, which you’re still resisting fiercely 🙂 BTW, I mention a titular King of Poland in today’s Facebook post, below. And “Notorious troublemaker” is Ken’s middle name.
    Joan, to be honesst, I don’t have a clue. I think any and all of your suggestions are probably good answers. It was easier for men to court drama if they were swanning around as knights errant like Richard, of course!
    Ken, I am shocked, shocked, to learn that you think lawyers have funny bones. Humor and lawyers are almost always mutually exclusive. Why do you think I fled my legal career in such haste? My sin was that I thought those lawyer jokes were funny. (What do you call 500 lawyers dumped into the ocean? A good start. Why don’t sharks eat lawyers? Professional courtesy. But then I always thought those elephant jokes were funny, too.)
    Today’s Facebook Note. I’d forgotten the garrison at Dol surrendered today, too. That was one of Henry’s remarkable military victories. I love the French king’s grumpy complaint that it was as if Henry could fly.
    August 26th 1346 is the date of one of the most significant battles in the Middle Ages, the battle of Crecy, in which Edward III defeated a much larger French army. This was due to the triumph of superior weaponry—longbows—and tactics. Historians cannot agree on the numbers involved, but it is generally accepted that the English suffered only one-tenth as many casualties as the French. Edward’s eldest son and heir, the sixteen year old youth known as Edward of Woodstock and later as the Black Prince, distinguished himself on the field, and would go on to have an impressive military career. But he would be the only Prince of Wales not to assume the throne, dying before his father did, and thus setting the stage for a child king, (Richard II) which medieval usually dreaded and with good reason.
    I don’t know a great deal about Crecy, to be honest, as I’ve never written about Edward III’s reign, but I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that one of the combatants was blind. The King of Bohemia and titular King of Poland, known to history as John the Blind, had lost his sight to the inflammation of the eye called ophthalmia ten years before the battle at Crecy. Others who’d lost partial sight to this disease include Hannibal of elephants and Alps fame and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female physician in the US. According to the medieval chronicler Froissart, John’s knights tied all their reins together so they’d not be separated from John in the midst of the battle. I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to fight in a battle when you could not see what was occurring around you. Here is a link to a website that gives a very detailed account of the battle of Crecy, although I can’t vouch for its accuracy; I certainly don’t believe that the French had 80,000 men on the field! It is an interesting read, though. http://www.britishbattles.com/100-years-war/crecy.htm Bernard Cornwell, who does battles better than any writer on the planet, has written about the battle of Crecy. The book was published in the UK as Harlequin, but in the US as The Archer’s Tale.
    .

83. Sharon, I have already expressed mu gratitude on Kathryn’s blog. Now I’m trembling with fear on the very thought of the consequences. By the legs of God! (I do love Richard for this one:-)) How can I save myself from FB?!!! Any clues?
    As for John the Blind, did you know that he was the grandfather of Richard II’s Queen, Anne? John’s son and heir, Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne’s father has been chosen by the Czech as ‘the Greatest Czech’ in history. And I can fairly said that he truly was.

84. Hmmmm! ‘Kenneth Notorious Troublemaker John’, that has a certain ring to it. Yes, I think I’ll keep it. Thank you.
    Two law partners leave their office and go to lunch. In the middle of lunch the junior partner slaps his forehead. “Damn,” he says. “I forgot to lock the office safe before we left.” His partner replies ” What are you worried about? We’re both here.”

85. Bernard Cornwell’s Harlequin is the first part of his Grail trilogy. I’ve recently added it to my wish list. Judging by his Azincourt the battle scenes are going to be thrilling to the bone. Can we say ‘thrilling to the bone’ in English? Feel free to corret me:-)

86. Ken, I’m glad you like the nickname! ‘Kenneth Notorious Troublemaker John’ sounds really impressive.
    As for the two law partners, Sharon was not so lucky when she left her blog and FB page to have the surgery. Kenneth Notorious Troublemaker John- not a lawyer himself- was left behind and… we all know how it all ended.

87. The illustrations in the above link on Crecy are great! BTW I think the longbow is the most beautiful weapon out there—well, apart from Thorin Oakenshield’s Orcrist, that is. In LOTR’s Two Towers, the March of the Elves into Helm’s Deep is THE memorable scene, with the longbows, helmets, mantles, & the synchronization & music. I hope everyone is planning to champion rising star & my fave British actor of the moment, Richard Armitage in The can’t-come-soon-enough Hobbit. You’ll still be gorgeous Richard, even at 3ft.

88. I had not known Anne was John the Blind’s granddaughter until Rania posted about it on my Facebook page. Nice to know that. I was also told there is a memorial to John at Crecy, which is nice, too.
    That was a new laywer joke, Ken–thanks!
    Koby, I forgot to tell you that Eleanor and I both liked your comment that there was no need to spice up my other books since she was in them.
    Kasia, have you read Cornwell’s Saxon series? They are my favorites, even more than the Sharpe series. He outdid himself with the battle scenes in them, and his major character, the Saxon raised as a Dane Uthred, stole my heart. As for saving yourself from Facebook, I can only wish you good luck.

89. Heh! Heh! Sharon and Koby, I too have had a chat with Eleanor and she has given me a couple of spicy ideas that you have not yet thought of! Watch this space!

90. Today’s Facebook Note is for Kasia!
    On August 27, 1172, Henry II’s eldest son, known to his contemporaries and history as the Young King and to my readers as Hal, was crowned again, as his wife, Marguerite, the daughter of the French king Louis VII, had not been crowned with him the first time, much to her father’s vexation. The second ceremony was performed at Winchester, presided over by the Archbishop of Rouen and Hal’s cousin, Roger Fitz Robert, the Bishop of Worcester, a favorite of mine, as he was one of the few brave enough not to wilt in the full force of Henry’s Angevin temper tantrums. Hal’s life, which had begun in such bright promise, ended sadly, with his death at age twenty-eight in the midst of another rebellion against his father. His young widow, Marguerite, would later be wed to the King of Hungary; she died in 1197 on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was buried at Acre, far from home and Hal’s grave in Rouen.
    Henry and Eleanor have such larger-than-life personalities that they don’t need defenders. Their son Richard doesn’t really need them, either; after all, he has Robin Hood on his side. But their other sons have not done as well in the court of public opinion and could probably use a champion or two. John has my friend Owen on his side. Geoffrey has Malcolm and me to speak up for him. And Hal is lucky enough to have my Polish friend Kasia to make sure he is not forgotten. Kasia maintains a very interesting website that is Hal-centric. Here is the link; anyone interested in the Angevins ought to stop by. http://henrytheyoungking.com/index.php

91. What’s the difference between a lawyer and a catfish? One’s a bottom-feeder and the other is a fish! (Despite or because I’m a lawyer myself, I LOVE lawyer jokes!)

92. Sharon, thank you so much! I’m so grateful to you for the link and calling me Hal’s champion:-) I’ve been working on Hal’s second and Marguerite’s first coronation for a few days now, but due to my family and teaching (the school year is close at hand) obligations I won’t be ready for today. Thank you for mentioning Hal and Marguerite. From today’s perspective they truly seem a little bit sad and lost young couple. Marguerite even more than Hal. After her husband’s untimely death sent away to almost – from French point of view, of course- barbarous country, whose language was and is impossible to learn 🙂

93. It was my pleasure, Kasia. I think the saddest part of Marguerite’s story is that she was denied the comfort of a child. Her only child with Hal died soon after birth and she had no children with King Bela.
    I like that one, too, May. What type of law do you practice? I was trapped doing tax and corporate law, which is probably why I hated it so much!

94. I am an intellectual property/technology licensing lawyer, and I love it! (Although I freely admit that I’m the exception to the rule, as I don’t know all that many lawyers who genuinely love what they do.) But I think law firms do their young lawyers a disservice. Medical students go through different types of residencies to decide what they might like to ultimately specialize in, but young lawyers often just fall into a specialty, whether they find it interesting or not. I knew exactly what kind of lawyer I wanted to be, and that helps a lot.
    And I realized that I had cut the joke short. The difference between a lawyer and a catfish is that one is a scum-sucking bottom-feeding scavenger and the other is a fish!

95. I finally got caught up with Henry the young King, Kasia, & enjoying it thoroughly. In your capable hands, it’s become more than a bio, but an engaging story with so many interesting details & connecting us emotionally to these figures—there are some very touching moments. I also have a bit of a soft spot for Hal—he was foremost the product of misguided parenting, though at some point should have taken some personal responsibility—it isn’t as if he didn’t have good role models around & he was fortunate to have THE role model of all time in William Marshall. However, & sorry if you take offense Henry & Eleanor, parents must first look to themselves when things go awry in their offspring. My mind always goes back to that stunning memorable passage of yours, Sharon, as Hal lay dying—I don’t have it at hand to quote but everyone knows it—the golden boy, fallen angel metaphor. On another note, how sad that Marguerite was buried so far away from her Hal. On another note, wouldn’t it have been great to attend a knighting!! Lastly, thank you Kasia—I don’t know how you find the time for such a commitment with a young family & everything else in your busy life—I commend you.

96. Kasia, I followed Sharon’s link to your Young Henry site and bookmarked it. You have certainly done some impressive work there. Though I realize that the Finno-Ugric languages have the reputation of being very difficult, Hungarian is not impossible to learn. Mary McKinley, our splendid American guide in Poitiers during the Eleanor Tour, has proven that, choosing for some reason to learn the Hungarian language. (She teaches university courses in French in Poitiers.) Thus, she was able to converse with Janus, our heroic bus driver (see Sharon’s blog entry on our arrival at Fontevrault), in his native language.

97. She moved to Hungary, Malcolm, not knowing any Hungarian at all. How brave is that?

98. I am once again beset by my work, but have found the time to talk about today’s happenings and add another lawyer joke:
    The Siege of Acre began today, initially led by Guy de Lusignan. Though outnumbered by the garrison, the Siege became a rallying point for the coming crusaders of the Third Crusade and the knights of the Holy Land. And the Battle of Wofla took place today, where Cristóvão da Gama (Vasco de Gama’s son) “the most chivalrous soldier of a chivalrous age” was defeated, captured, tortured and killed by the Imam of Adal. His soldiers would avenge this indignity less than six months later.
    Lastly, a lawyer joke: One lawyer tells his friend of a deal he recently made. “I sold my soul to the devil, and in return I will have a beautiful wife, lots of money, and win every case.” His friend thinks for a moment, and then asks: “What’s the catch?”

99. Sharon, Joan and Malcom, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. I am sure young Henry is happy, too. Somewhere on the tournament circuits of Heaven.
    Malcolm, I was wondering whether you could do the same for Geoffrey. Your knowledge about him and his family is so impressive. It would be facinating to learn more about his rule in Brittany, and about Breton barons, and Breton history in general. Please, do think about it.
    As for Hungarian and Finnish (I admit I learnt a little Finnish long time ago) I love the melody of both, but I agree with Sharon: Margaret must have felt utterly lost and alienated in the realm of St Stephen.
    P.S. I read Sharon’s fascinating account of your ups and downs in France very carefully. At first I thought Janus was Polish. If Hungurian Janus is the same as Polish Janusz:-) But further reading proved I was wrong.

100. Koby, I do hope you are pleased with your new job. It seems quite absorbing and time consuming:-) I know something about absorbing tasks. Being a teacher, at least when I’m concerned, means less time for certain young kids and certain Young King. I cannot get rid of the impression that I am always late!

101. I love that joke, Koby! I must have missed your post about your new job. What are you doing? It is never easy to wokr and attend classes at the same time.
     Today’s Facebook Note.
     I hope that my friends and readers who live in New Orleans and the Gulf area will be spared the worst of Hurricane Isaac. Same for my friends and readers in Florida.
     August 28, 1189 saw the beginning of the siege of Acre by Guy de Lusignan, the highly unpopular King of Jerusalem. Jerusalem had fallen to the great Saracen commander, Salah al-Din, known to posterity as Saladin, after Guy had led the army of Jerusalem to a devastating defeat at Hattin. Guy had been captured, but while Saladin personally executed Raynald de Chatillon and had all of the captured Templars and Hospitallers put to death, he did not harm Guy, saying, “Kings do not kill other kings.” He gave Guy his freedom eventually, upon his promise not to raise arms against the Saracens. Guy promptly found a Christian cleric to absolve him of that promise on the grounds it was given under duress. Saladin would surely have known he’d do that; Guy was nothing if not predictable. My own belief is that Saladin shrewdly set Guy free because he was such a loose cannon. When Guy arrived at Tyre, the only city now not under Saracen control, he was turned away from Tyre by Conrad de Montferrat, who’d rallied the citizens in its successful defense. In desperation, Guy took his small force south and lay siege to the city of Acre, which had been captured by Saladin after his victory at Hattin. This quixotic assault was to have unexpected consequences. To the surprise of all, probably even Guy, his siege started to attract men and soon became a symbol of resistance to Saladin. Saladin made numerous attempts to break the siege, but a stand-off developed, which was not broken until 1191 with the arrival of the two kings leading the Third Crusade, Richard of England and Philippe of France. To find out what happened next, I recommend reading Lionheart!

102. Now look Sharon, I was only having a little fun with your books, trying to increase sales and everything. There was no need to bring in an Intellectual Property Lawyer called May to scare me off. I scare very easily.

103. It serves you right, Ken. Next time, you should be more careful about whom you choose not to let onto your ship. Now, we should talk about the territorial allocations you’ve been making…

104. I second the motion for a blog on Geoffrey, Malcolm. He’s another favorite of mine & these blogs are my gateway to learning more as quickly as I can, the fast lane so to speak.

105. May, Did I ever say that’s a really nice name and you must be really intelligent and beautiful? Don’t mean to grovel but I just thought Sharon could do with some assistance (as minute as I alone can offer) with her sales – didn’t know I could be infringing on her property rights!
     So, I’m prepared to make it up to you as, although you unfortunately didn’t make it onto my Ark (thought it would not be possible to have two lawyers aboard) I am prepared to make you the Countess de la Cote d’Azur. Would that be sufficient for you to forget my little (possible) indiscretions?
     BTW, my daughter has a masters in Intellectual Property also and is currently in training to be a Patent/Trade Mark Attorney.

106. Ken, successful flattery requires a deft touch. So does successful groveling. I suggest some continued practice along those lines. Countess de la Cote d’Azur is a good beginning. But there are the costs that I incurred in the building and provisioning of my ark that require recompense as well. And since you have already thrown your co-conspirators under the bus, I am sure their territories are available.
     Please wish your daughter the best of luck from me! I’ve had a wonderful time practicing in this field, and I hope she does too!

107. This is all in the name of maintaining the purity of Sharon’s works, of course.

108. May, you are clearly a superb lawyer! Since I am no longer practicing law, I think it might be useful to keep you on retainer in case anyone (again, no names) seeks to stage another coup d’etat in my Facebook realm.
     Today’s Facebook Note, about another highborn heiress who might have had a happier life if she’d had less blue blood flowing through her veins.
     On August 29th, 1189, Eleanor and Henry’s son John wed the heiress to the rich estates of Gloucester. For a woman who might have become queen of England, she is oddly invisible. Even her name is uncertain. She is usually called Isabel, but she’s also been called Avisa and Hawisa. John and Isabel were second cousins—she was the granddaughter of Robert of Gloucester, the Empress Maude’s brother and mainstay—and because they did not seek a dispensation, the Archbishop of Canterbury placed their lands under Interdict, although the Pope later lifted it. One story has it that this was done with the proviso that John and Isabel were not to have sexual relations, but I don’t know if this is true or not. It couldn’t have helped marital relations when John agreed in 1193 to put Isabel aside and marry the unfortunate Alys, Philippe’s sister, who was Henry’s alleged mistress and Richard’s long-time betrothed. But John’s failure to seek a dispensation gave him a convenient Get out of Jail card, allowing him to seek an annulment soon after he became king. He then showed how a crafty king can have his cake and eat it, too, taking his former wife into wardship as an unmarried heiress! This allowed him to enjoy the revenues from Isabel’s lands while keeping her in limbo.
     John then wed the twelve year old Isabelle d’Angouleme, who was said to be quite beautiful; chroniclers were scandalized that John often stayed in her bed till noon. So while it was usual to postpone consummating a marriage when the bride was very young, it would appear that John jumped the gun, so to speak. Fortunately for Isabelle, she did not get pregnant for six years. In that, she was luckier than Henry Tudor’s mother, who gave birth to him at age thirteen, and was never able to have another child. Isabelle, of course, proved to be very fertile, presenting John with two sons and three daughters, and then giving her second husband a baker’s dozen. Slight exaggeration there, but she produced enough children to make life difficult for Henry III. They swarmed the English royal court like locusts and much of his unpopularity could be traced to his attempts to provide for his rapacious half-brothers and sisters.
     Poor Isabel of Gloucester; she gets shoved off center stage even here, eclipsed by John’s gorgeous trophy wife. She was about twenty-two at the time of her marriage to John, and she survived John by a year, dying at age fifty in October, 1217. She made two subsequent marriages, but not until she was past her childbearing years, so she was denied the opportunity to have children because John kept her in wardship for 15 years. In 1214, the Earl of Essex paid John the huge sum of 20, 000 marks to wed her; it is possible the earl was coerced into this. He and Isabel were understandably outraged when John retained control of the most valuable manor, Bristol, and they joined the rebellion against him in 1216. The earl died that year of injuries suffered in a tournament, and Isabel wed Hubert de Burgh in 1217, dying just a month after that marriage. If we know little about Richard’s Berengaria, we know nothing about Isabel, another one of medieval history’s female ghosts.
     Joan Szechtman has written two intriguing novels about Richard III, transported from the field at Bosworth just before he died to 21st century America. Talk about culture shock. I enjoyed Joan’s This Time, admiring the clever way she managed to do what I could not—give Richard a happy ending. Her second novel, Loyalty Binds Me, is on my TBR list. Joan has recently done a very interesting interview about the differences between the real Richard and Shakespeare’s Richard. It is in five parts on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL03C6FFFD6D69EF1A
     It can also be accessed here.
     http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v135/unohoo/Richard%20III%20Real%20vs%20Shakespeare/?action=view&current=8-25-12_RvsF_R3_P1.mp4

109. So many tragic women either locked away or having to endure aimless lives, it’s heartbreaking, though the Church must have relished the advantages—in the stockpiles & storerooms of beautifully embroidered altar cloths!! Shame!
     Now I look forward to the above site—thanks for posting.

110. Here is a dramatic video of the rescue of a 70 year old man and his four dogs from their attic in Plaquemenes Parish. It was shocking to see the water level up to his roof. This poor man lost his house in Katrina, too. The big difference
     between this rescue and Katrina is that back then, rescuers would never have taken his dogs. So he was spared that heartbreak, at least.
     http://www.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t1#/video/us/2012/08/29/von-braithwaite-dogs-old-man-rescue.wwl

111. Sharon, I’d be delighted and honored to keep a close eye on any potential troublemakers (naming no names, of course) either here on your blog or on Facebook. We can only hope that the fallout from his aborted attempt will discourage future rebellions.

112. Poor Hawisa (I have always preferred this one) of Gloucester, poor man in the attic (plus his four dogs), and poor Kenneth Notorious Troublemaker John!
     Oops! No names!

113. But to be serious, fascinating note, Sharon! It seems that John was really good at keeping people in custody. I’m curious whether we can fairly assume that his ‘wardship’ over Hawisa/Isabel was nothing else but close confinement.
     I cannot help thinking of yet another victim of John’s cruelty, namely Eleanor of Brittany. Perhaps it will sound strange, but I loved the way you smuggled the information of her death in Falls the Shadow. I felt as if I were Llewelyn myself, a Welsh boy, who had never heard about the mysterious lady Eleanor before, and now learned about her sad story.

114. Thanks, May. I appreciate your loyalty in light of the impressive bribe you were offered.
     Even if John’s first wife was not kept in confinement, Kasia, she was denied the chance to remarry during her childbearing years, which seems cruel to me. I’ve always felt very sorry for Eleanor of Brittany, who lived her entire adult life as a prisoner. And Henry III deserves fully as much blame as John, if not more, for he continued to hold her prisoner for 25 years after John’s death in 1216.
     Today’s Facebook Note.
     I know we’re all thinking of those struggling with the flooding caused by Hurricane Isaac in New Orleans and the Gulf states. Some of those who lost their homes in Plaquemines Parish lost their homes, too, in Hurricane Katrina. It is a relief, though, that this time people in need of rescue were allowed to take their pets, a lesson learned from Katrina, where some died rather than abandon their animals.
     A really slow history day again. On August 30th, 1183, the French king, Louis XI, died. Louis was known as the Universal Spider, justifiably so. He was fun to write about in Sunne, though. Writers usually like writing about characters with some dark corners in their souls. At least I do. Louis was crafty and conniving and ruthless, but he did strengthen the French monarchy. And he liked dogs!
     Since Louis’s unlamented demise is the only medieval event for the day, I had to move a little farther afield. Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin was born on this date in 1797. Mary created a great scandal at age 17 by running away with the married poet, Percy Shelley, and getting pregnant. She and Shelley would marry after his wife committed suicide in 1816. It was during the summer of that year that she conceived the idea for her best known novel, Frankenstein. She was widowed at 25 when Shelley drowned when he was caught in storm off the Italian coast, and she never married again. She died in 1851 of what is believed to be a brain tumor. After her death, her own accomplishments were overshadowed for a time by her relationship with Shelley, but she was a very interesting woman in her own right, and a strong one, too, for she had to deal with considerable tragedy, poverty, and ill health in the last decade of her life. Although Frankenstein is her most famous novel, she wrote five others, one of which was The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck; I am happy to report that she was more sympathetic to Richard than to Henry Tudor. 
     And I also want to mention that Melbourne, Australia was founded on this date in 1836, since my friend Paula attended the U. of Melbourne.

115. Stephen caught another typo–The Universal Spider actually died in 1483, not 1183. Amazing how often I do this, and proof reading does not help, since the brain often sees what it wants to see.

116. Joan Szechtman, whom we’ve designated a goddess as a reward, found that The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck is available as a free e-book on Google Books.

117. But didn’t they all love dogs back then?!? Is that why you were first drawn to the MA, Sharon? Progressing forward in time I love that cozy scene in Exit the Actress where Charles & Nell are snuggled in bed with 10 of their beloved canines! Not sure if her goose was in the mix too.

118. I liked that scene, too, Joan. I really enjoyed Exit the Actress, recommend it highly.
     It is hard to say how many people liked dogs in the MA. Nobility did for they were all mad for hunting, and could afford to keep dogs. Louis seems to have been particularly fond of his. I was surprised when I read Christopher Gortner’s The Confessions of Catherine de Medici to learn that she was way ahead of her time in her concern for the well being of animals. We do know that not many people kept cats as pets, so I am careful to make that clear in my books.
     I also was careful when I wrote the scene in The Queen’s Man in which Justin rescues a drowning dog. Most of the bystanders are not moved by the dog’s pllight, just Justin and a little boy whose mother wants to hurry him along. When life was so hard for humaans, they could not put much importance on the lives of animals, just as it is in poor countries today. Having a pet is not going to be a priority if you are worried about feeding your family.

119. On the subject of authors & animals, your ‘medieval mishaps’ item on the time-travelling little grey squirrel in Richard 3rd’s garden for all eternity is hilarious. In Devil’s Brood, loved that Joanna brought her mom Eleanor a little kitten when she was locked away. Maybe too many superstitions around cats back then to be favored.
     Exit the Actress is a delight—a mini treasure chest filled with goodies—so happy you recommended it some time ago. Be interesting to see what comes next.

120. I have returned once more. Today, two notable deaths happened: Al Adil, also known as Saphadin, Saladin’s younger brother and Sultan of Egypt and Syria after him died, as did Henry V [VI] of England, leaving his kingdom to his infant son.
     As for my job, it is indeed time consuming – I am now a chaplain with the army (I guess that would be the closest description for it – religious services officer sounds so unwieldy). I greatly enjoy it, but of course, it requires me to remain on the base for most of the time, and army security being what it is, there is only limited Internet access, which of course restricts my posts here. Still, I am really happy with it so far.

121. Koby, I do hate using this word, but WOW! Chaplain sounds really impressive. I have a soft spot for one chaplain myself, namely Hal’s faithful companion and admirer, Gervase of Tilbury.
     Sharon, I cannot afford to buy Gervase’s Otia Imperialia (the required sum seems really staggering to me) in which he immortalized his Young King. I’m sure it would turn out to be most helpful in providing answer to the question that keeps bothering me: was Gervase actually present at Hal’s deathbed? And was he the chaplain who filched twelve pence to pay for Hal’s requiem mass at Vigeois, where the impoverished entourage stop on their way north, the fact prior Geoffrey recorded in his Chronicon. I have always admired the above mentioned chaplain for this small act of courage. Theft or not, he did it for the salvation of his late Lord’s soul. I would be very grateful for enlightening me in this matter.
     P.S. If Gervase had been with Hal at Martel, I could safely state that he had been with both Henry the Young King and Henry’s nephew, Otto (to whom he dedicated Otia Imperialia) in the last hours of their lives. It would be wonderful to read a book entitled The Diary of Gervase of Tilbury:-)

122. Koby, congratulations. I can see why you’d enjoy a position like that, but the responsibilities must weigh heavily upon you at times. You are still attending classes, too, right?
     Kasia, I’ve never heard that Gervase was with Hal at Martel, but that does not mean he wasn’t there. Do you read medieval Latin,then? Stab of envy. I took Latin at a local college some years ago, but I did not follow through since classical Latin just seemed too different from medieval Latin.
     Today’s Facebook Note.
     On August 31, 1218, al-Malik al-Adil, the brother of Saladin, died. (What we would call his given name was Ahmad and Saladin’s was Yusuf, Arabic for Joseph) He lived to be 73, whereas Saladin had been only 55 at the time of his death. In researching Lionheart, I became quite interested in al-Adil, and actually found him more intriguing than his more famous brother. He was highly competent at all he did, a gifted general, a shrewd politician, a good ruler. After Saladin’s death, he’d played kingmaker for Saladin’s sons, none of whom had inherited their father’s ability. Al-Adil became Sultan of Egypt in 1200 and ruled Egypt and Syria for almost two decades, succeeded by his son. He became quite friendly with Richard during the Third Crusade, and Richard even proposed that peace be made by a marriage between al-Adil and Richard’s sister Joanna. Nothing came of the marriage proposal—Joanna was less than thrilled by the idea– and Richard somehow kept it secret from his own men; we know about it only because all of the Saracen chroniclers reported it in considerable detail. Richard also knighted al-Adil’s son as well as several of Saladin’s emirs. I think that was the single most surprising thing that my research revealed about the Third Crusade—it was a holy war to the Christians and a jihad to the Muslims, so this is the last thing I’d have expected!
     For those who’ve not yet read Lionheart, here is my description of al-Adil at his first meeting with Richard:
     * * *
     Al-Adil was mounted on a chestnut as mettlesome as Fauvel and clad in an elegant tunic of scarlet silk brocade; Richard had been told it was called a kazaghand and was lined with mail. He looked to be close in years to Conrad of Montferrat, in his mid-forties. His hair was covered by a mail coif, his skin bronzed by the sun, his dark eyes glittering with intelligence, caution, and curiosity. He was obviously a skilled rider, for he easily handled his spirited stallion, who pinned his ears back at sight of the other horses. When Humphrey offered a formal greeting, he answered at some length, watching Richard all the while.
     * * *
     Also on August 31st in 1422, the English king Henry V died of dysentery, just shy of his 36th birthday. He has never been one of my favorite kings, so I think I’ll leave it at that, but if anyone would like to add more about his life or reign, please feel free to do so.

123. Sharon, I was asking whether he was at Martel with Hal or not:-) I cannot read medieval Latin (is it actually the fourth time you have asked about it? :-):-):-). Seriously, I’m full aware that you are too busy to remember all your readers’ linguistic skills:-)
     I was hoping you could help me with the answer. I know only that the chaplain present at Hal’s deathbed later filched the money to pay for the mass at Vigeois. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the name of that brave man:-) I thought that Gervase might have mentioned whether he had been at Martel in his Otia Imperialia- there is an English translation, quite expensive, as I mentioned before- and perhaps you have read it.

124. The joys of an aging memory, Kasia–see what you have to look forward to one day! Sorry I couldn’t help with Gervase.
     Today’s Facebook Note.
     I want to wish all of my American friends and readers a happy holiday weekend.
     On the historical news front, Adrian IV, the only English Pope, died on September 1st, 1159.
     And on this date in 1422, Henry VI became King of England. The medievals believed in the Scriptural warning, “Woe unto thee, O Land, whose king is a child,” but poor hapless Henry would take it to new heights—or depths. He was only nine months old at his accession, although he would not be crowned until he was eight. His reign was—to put it kindly—a disaster, resulting in a civil war, several mental breakdowns, the end of the Lancastrian dynasty, and his eventual murder—unless anyone believes he died of “melancholy” after learning of his son’s death at Tewkesbury, which was the official Yorkist line. I’ve sometimes said that if we judged medieval rulers by contemporary standards, virtually every king I’ve written about could be made to seem like a homicidal maniac. Henry VI was the one exception. The worst that we can say about Henry is that he was the ultimate argument against hereditary kingship.

125. Sharon, perhaps it sounds odd, but I love “several mental breakdowns” notion. While reading your words I saw a huge throng of poor souls breaking down exactly at the same time in a desperate act of collective protest against Henry’s disastrous rules:-) What a show!
     As for Gervase, please do not feel sorry. Sooner or later I am going to discover his 1183 whereabouts:-) Deep in my heart I’m convinced he was with Hal at Martel. Who else, if not a staunch and faithful admirer would have dared to steal the money in order to pay for a requiem mass for his beloved lord’s soul? And Gervase loved Hal. I have read a snippet from Otia Imperialia (translated into English, of course:-)) concerning the Young King and I have come to the following conclusion: no one, not even William Marshal himself, had ever turned a blind eye to the other person’s faults, as Gervase of Tilbury had when describing his late Lord, Henry the Young King:-) I wish I could take a look at Gervase’s work written especially for Hal, entitled Liber Facetiarum. A wishful thinking, for this one was lost.

126. Indeed, Sharon. Also, Baldwin V, Count of Flanders, William the Conqueror’s father-in-law died. And the Battle of Tippermuir took place, where James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, defeated the Scottish Covenanter army, winning a great Royalist victory, despite being outnumbered some 7-to-1. While the Covenanters gave their traditional battle cry before the battle, “Jesus and no quarter!”, Montrose’s words were rather more practical: “Gentlemen: it is true you have no arms; your enemy, however, to all appearance, have plenty. My advice to you therefore is that as there happens to be a great abundance of stones upon this moor, every man should provide himself, in the first place, with as stout a one as he can manage, rush up to the first Covenanter he meets, beat out his brains, take his sword, and then I believe he will be at no loss how to proceed!”.

127. Kasia, that is such a funny thought–all those collective mental breakdowns!
     Koby, I love your posts–Montrose’s quote is wonderful. It is a little scary, though, that someone as young as you can have such a comprehensive, in-depth knowledge of history. However you manage to do it, though, we are the beneficiaries.
     Today’s Facebook Note.
     On September 2nd in 31 BC, the battle of Actium was fought in the Ionian Sea between the fleets of Octavian and Antony and Cleopatra. Antony’s crews were already undermanned because of a malaria epidemic and his chances were certainly not helped when one of his general s defected to Octavian with his battle plan. When Cleopatra fled, he concluded all was lost and followed. They both escaped, but they were already on borrowed time and I suspect they knew it. Octavian is one of those historical figures who seem to have had ice rather than blood flowing through their veins, but to his credit, he did his best to save the men on the burning ships. This is not at all medieval, of course, but who isn’t interested in the death throes of the Roman Republic and the enigma that was Cleopatra? Margaret George has written a novel about Cleopatra and Michelle Moran has written one about the fates of Cleopatra and Antony’s children.
     On September 2nd, 1192, the Third Crusade came to an end with a peace treaty between Saladin and Richard I. It was actually a truce, to last for three years and eight months, and Richard hoped to come back and fulfill his vow to retake Jerusalem. But he’d not bargained upon his German captivity. One of the first things he did upon regaining his freedom was to send a message to his nephew, Henri of Champagne, assuring him that he still intended to return, but it was not to be. He spent the last five years of his life in a bitter war with the French king, unable to leave his lands for another crusade. And of course peace in the Middle East was as elusive and ephemeral then as it remains today. But on that September day 820 years ago, there was genuine joy that the war was over. Baha al-Din, a member of Saladin’s inner circle, reported that “It was a day of rejoicing. God alone knows the boundless joy of both peoples.”
     And lastly, another non-medieval event—on September 2, 1666, the Great Fire of London started. It would burn for four days, and destroyed all of the medieval sections of the city. While the casualties were surprisingly light for a catastrophe of this magnitude, the damage was extensive. Over 13,000 houses and 80 parish churches were burned, including the great cathedral of St Paul’s, scene of some dramatic episodes in my novels. Human nature being what it is, the panicked people looked for scapegoats and there were lynchings of French and Dutch immigrants. The Museum of London has an inter-active scale model of 17th century London, showing the path of the fire, which broke out in a bakery shop. It also has a website devoted to the fire, but it is aimed at a student audience. Here is a link to a BBC radio program about the fire that is quite interesting. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ft63q

128. On September 3, 1189, Eleanor’s favorite son was crowned at Westminster; his name would not be a lucky one, as all three kings named Richard died young and violently. But this must have been a very satisfying moment for Eleanor, freed from sixteen years of confinement, watching as her son became God’s Anointed. She would exercise far greater power in the twilight of her life than in the years of her prime, for unlike her husbands, Richard trusted her implicitly and had such confidence in her political instincts and intelligence that he had no qualms about leaving his new kingdom on crusade. Eleanor more than justified his faith in her, of course.
     The actual coronation day was sadly stained with blood. Richard had forbidden all Jews to attend his coronation, possibly with the intent of avoiding just such violence, for in the past when a crusade was declared, it had invariably led to a slaughter of the Jews. I’ve discussed medieval anti-Semitism often in the past, for it was the ugly underside of medieval life. Virtually all Christians were infected by it, for it was a poison they breathed in from birth; it was merely a matter of degree. But kings protected the Jews in the twelfth century, in part because they contributed to the royal revenue and in part because the breaking of the King’s Peace posed a threat to the realm. The London rioting on September 3rd, 1189 was triggered by the arrival of two Jews from York, who’d not heard of the ban and were hoping to court favor with the new king. The London violence and the subsequent pogroms that swept England once Richard had departed for Normandy after Christmas were ominous warning signs of what the thirteenth century would bring, for it proved to be a less tolerant era than the twelfth century. But since I’ve written about this so often, in my blogs and Facebook Notes and in Lionheart, I won’t go into it again here. For today, I prefer to think of Eleanor, savoring the sweetness of her son’s triumph. She deserved this brief respite in light of what would lay ahead.
     I expect to have a new blog up today, the original Prologue for Lionheart, which has not seen the light of day until now—the wedding night of William Marshal and Isabel de Clare.

129. Sharon, I do agree with you. Richard’s coronation must have been one of the happiest moments of Eleanor’s long and eventful life. I wish I could travel in time and catch a glimpse of all those present and participating in the ceremony. If I were lucky enough I would meet both William and John Marshals, and ask William a few questions concerning Hal. At the afterparty, of course:-)
     I’m looking forward to reading your new blog. I will compare your Wiliam and Isabel’s wedding night with Elizabeth Chadwick’s William and Isabel’s wedding… day:-) I wonder whether Ken will have anything to say in this matter???
     P.S. Presently, as the new school year has begun, I’m working on a new text concerning Hal’s tutors. I have a title- I admit a borrowed one:-) from Professor Stanley Wells’s excellent Shakespeare & CO.- namely Master Mainard & CO. I simply couldn’t resist temptation. Sounds so catchy, don’t you think?

130. I would definitely go with it, Kasia. I am going to ask my webmistress to add some blogs to my favorites link on my website soon; unfortunately, I can’t do it myself. When I do, I will definitely add your Hal blog. But wouldn’t you rather meet Hal before the Marshals?

131. I recall, when we enjoyed our time-travel day a while back, Kasia chose a day at Hal’s court. Had it occurred, she would no doubt still be there & we would likely have spotted her name more than once in your novels, Sharon.
     I checked out Shakespeare & CO. & found a delicious article in the Guardian by Simon Callow back in 2006. I wouldn’t mind time-travelling back to that era for a week & would have to take my outrageous friend Dennis with me (he would have been a perfect character in Exit the Actress). I think I’ll add the book to my Christmas wish-list. My one & only Renaissance Lit experience at univ was ruined by a frustrating prof who kept leaving the class thoughout King Lear, tears running down his face. That part I could understand, but his approach to teaching was so bad, insisting on his idea of things. The only time I mustered any sympathy for the man (who was blind—I cannot use the politically correct ‘sight impaired’ in this case), was the day I entered the pitch black classroom, switched on the light, & saw him already seated at his desk…… Have to say I did learn a lot about irony that semester!

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