Weir(d) Babies (4): Edward I and Eleanor of Castile

Yes, it’s Weir(d) Babies 4 here, and another post poking fun at a certain “historian” who seem to pull royal babies out of thin air and include them in genealogies. This time, the extraneous little cherubs were credited to that notably fertile pair, Edward I and Eleanor of Castile…as if they did not already have… Continue reading Weir(d) Babies (4): Edward I and Eleanor of Castile

Cut Down That Family Tree!

Online History groups are frequently visited by new members who excitedly tell tales of their illustrious ancestral history–Eleanor of Aquitaine is their x 20 gran, Richard III is a direct forebear along with Anne Boleyn, they have mysterious Dark Age chieftains, Roman generals like Magnus Maximus…even King Arthur has popped up from time to time.… Continue reading Cut Down That Family Tree!

Obituary: Author Bertram Fields

Lawyer Bertram Fields, who practiced law under the shortened form of his name, Bert, recently passed away at the age of 93 from complications of a Covid-19 infection. Ricardians will remember him as the author of the excellent ROYAL BLOOD, in which, with a lawyer’s skill, he dissected much of the traditionalist viewpoints, even taking… Continue reading Obituary: Author Bertram Fields

Just a hypothesis, but …

We know that John of Gaunt and Henry IV claimed their ancestor, Edmund Crouchback Earl of Lancaster, to have been born before Edward I, however we have sources showing this propaganda to be specious. We know Henry III and Eleanor of Provence, to have had five children: Edward, Margaret, Beatrice, Edmund and Katherine. Sources such… Continue reading Just a hypothesis, but …

Weir(d) Babies (3): “Philippa of Gloucester”

We have written twice before about non-existent historical children somehow finding their way into works by a certain modern writer, who is often cited on Wikipedia and repeated by others. In these posts, we referred to “Joan of York”, ostensibly a sister of Richard III, together with those attributed to Henry IV and Mary de… Continue reading Weir(d) Babies (3): “Philippa of Gloucester”

Eleanor of Aquitaine is to get the Starz treatment….!

Eleanor of Aquitaine needs to keep her head down, I fear – Starz is coming after her, aided and abetted by Alison Weir this time. See this link.  Has Philippa Gregory had the elbow? Whatever, we can batten down the hatches for another storm of misinformatiion! And one thing’s certain – it won’t be even… Continue reading Eleanor of Aquitaine is to get the Starz treatment….!

Richard III and the dirty Tudors….?

  “…8…Richard III and dirty Tudors…“…Rotting vegetation, dung heaps and overflowing cesspits were just some of the unpleasant daily realities faced by ordinary people in 16th-century England. Here, Pamela Hartshorne discusses the challenges Tudors faced when trying to keep their cities clean and hygienic. Also in this episode, Chris Skidmore tells us how his research… Continue reading Richard III and the dirty Tudors….?

The Central Line Consort?

Kathryn Warner has been Edward II’s main chronicler for a few years now, writing about the King himself, his times, his great-grandson Richard II, several other relatives the roots of the “Wars of the Roses”. This book is about Edward’s daughter-in-law, although he tried a little to prevent his eldest son’s marriage during his own… Continue reading The Central Line Consort?

Weir(d) Babies (2)

A while ago, I talked about the non-existence of  a short-lived child of Richard Duke of York and Cecily Neville  called Joan of York, who mysteriously made it into Alison Weir’s  royal genealogies,  despite only ever appearing in someone’s self-made family tree from the 1960’s. Since then I have come across yet another non-existent child… Continue reading Weir(d) Babies (2)

NEW BONES FROM THE TOWER–HOW LONG BEFORE THEY BLAME RICHARD FOR THESE TOO?

Recently, archaeologists working at the Tower of London discovered the remains of two people, an adult woman age 35-45 and a child of about seven. Proper modern carbon dating has taken place and it is determined that the pair are from between 1450-1550. Osteological examination shows no signs of trauma on the bones, although the… Continue reading NEW BONES FROM THE TOWER–HOW LONG BEFORE THEY BLAME RICHARD FOR THESE TOO?