Here is another of Kathryn Warner‘s volumes in which the genealogy is central but there is plenty of history about the principal individuals that comprise the structure of the book. These range from Hugh Despenser the Justiciar, who fell at Evesham in 1265 opposing Henry III, to his son and grandson (the latter married to… Continue reading The Despensers: The Rise and fall of a mediaeval family
Tag: Isabella de Valois
Two tragic kings called Richard….
I know I’ve rabbited about this before, because I’m fascinated by both King Richard III and his predecessor Richard II. Such fascination sparks latter-day loyalties. It certainly has with me. Tragedy struck them both, and as supporters of Richard III we know he was maligned as the killer of his two small nephews, betrayed,… Continue reading Two tragic kings called Richard….
Joan/Joanne/Joanna Holland, Duchess of York
Joan Holland was born about 1380, one of the many children of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent and his wife Alice Arundel (aka Fitzalan) and the second-eldest daughter. It seems to have been Kent’s policy to marry his daughters into every family that could conceivably inherit the throne. Accordingly, towards the end of… Continue reading Joan/Joanne/Joanna Holland, Duchess of York
When it comes to receiving kickings, Richard II begins to catch up with Richard III….
Oh dear, here we have 10 “facts” about Richard III’s predecessor namesake, Richard II. Yes, poor old Richard of Bordeaux gets it in the neck yet again. At this rate he’ll soon be Richard III’s equal. Well, maybe not quite, but you know what I mean. Firstly it’s stated that Richard of Bordeaux was… Continue reading When it comes to receiving kickings, Richard II begins to catch up with Richard III….
A new book by Helen Carr is in the pipeline….
Fourteenth-century England may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially when the fifteenth century is more important for Ricardians, but the reign of Richard II is very much my interest. So I look forward to this new Helen Carr work. Bring it on! I’ve ordered Helen Carr’s biography of John of Gaunt, and hope to… Continue reading A new book by Helen Carr is in the pipeline….
The denouement at Penmaenhead in 1399….
When we think of Colwyn Bay today, we don’t think of vital historic events in August 1399, when a King of England, Richard II, was captured. This fact led to his deposition, imprisonment and suspiciously convenient death…culminating in the rise of the House of Lancaster in the form of his usurping first cousin, Henry… Continue reading The denouement at Penmaenhead in 1399….
Philippa de Coucy
One of Edward III’s many grandchildren, Philippa de Coucy (born before April 1367) was the daughter of the important French nobleman Enguerrand, Lord of Coucy, by Isabella, eldest daughter of King Edward and Queen Philippa. Isabella was pretty much the definition of a spoiled princess, and contrary to the usual stereotype, pretty much did as… Continue reading Philippa de Coucy
Was one Dr John Argentine an ancestor of the other….?
We all know of Dr John Argentine, who attended Edward V, with such grave results for Richard III’s reputation. But was he from a family line of physicians/astrologers? I am reading The Rise of Alchemy in Fourteenth-Century England: Plantagenet Kings and the Search for the Philosopher’s Stone, by Jonathan Hughes, and in the Bibliography is… Continue reading Was one Dr John Argentine an ancestor of the other….?
Was there a monstrous serpent and treasure hoard near Ludlow…or not?
We all know Thomas of Walsingham. Well, not personally, of course, although sometimes it seems like it. He was a very busy fellow, and did not always record simple ‘history’, but included some strange stories as well. In the year 1344, he recorded a ‘remarkable tale’ about John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, 7th… Continue reading Was there a monstrous serpent and treasure hoard near Ludlow…or not?
The White Rose Of Mortimer?
Originally posted on RICARDIAN LOONS:
Most historians now accept that, while the white rose of York was a heraldic badge used by the house of York during the Wars of the Roses, the origins of the red rose of Lancaster can only be traced back to Henry VII.1 After his accession to the throne in…
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