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The Cult of Courtly Love- Feminist Leap or Modern Myth
The story goes that Eleanor of Aquitaine created the cult of courtly love after retreating to France with her sons. Eleanor was said to have observed her husband, Henry II of England, revamping English Common Law and applied what she learned to establish the Courts of Love at her court in Poitiers. Men would bring their suits or grievances against their lady loves and a panel of women, sometimes sixty strong, would decide a verdict. Eleanor’s daughter by her previous marriage, Marie of France, Countess of Champagne, commissioned Andreas Cappellanus to create a standard of behavior called amour courois. This was codified in his book De arte honeste amandi, or…
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Richard I, The Lionheart
Richard was born in England, on 8th September 1157, third son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. As was normal for the monarchy of the times, he spoke two dialects of French although contrary to popular belief was more than likely able to speak or at least understand some English too. His wet-nurse had delivered her own son the same night Richard was born, Alexander Neckham who went on to become one of the greatest scientists of the period. Most of his childhood was spent in England with his eventual transfer to France, when he was an adolescent where he began to demonstrate his future skill as a warrior,…
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Loss of the Angevin Empire
John was the youngest son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and arguably the least impressive. Nicknamed sanz Terre, or Lackland, by his doting father was never thought to inherit significant portions of land. Henry named him the Lord of Ireland, but Ireland was half conquered at best. After his brothers’ rebelled, John cemented his place in his father’s affection, but broke his heart when he joined in the rebellion. His brothers died in turn with only Geoffrey leaving children. Young Arthur arguably had the better claim and was supported by the French King Philip Augustus, but John seized the treasury and the crown followed. John Lackland was crowned…
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The Marriage of John of Gaunt & Blanche of Lancaster
Until the devastation imposed on it by Henry VIII at the dissolution of the monasteries, Reading Abbey in Berkshire witnessed a good many historical events as diverse as being the place where the earliest recorded musical manuscript of the 13th Century musical ‘round’ – Sumer Is Icumen In – was found, to the place Edward IV chose to make public his clandestine marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. One of the most significant events however took place on the 19th May 1359. John of Gaunt married his third cousin Blanche of Lancaster, both being Great great grandchildren of Henry III. John was the fourth son of Edward the III, and Blanche was…
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Azincourt
On this the anniversary of the Battle of Azincourt (Agincourt for all the English-speakers) I have no doubt the internet will be flooded with a million flavours of how the battle was won. So I thought I would endeavour to bring you something a little different. Now we all know the story. The Hundred Years’ War consisted of a series of battles spread out over 116 years, between 1337 and 1453 between the houses of Plantagenet and Valois for control of France. So, even though it was erroneously named, it gave rise to more than one legend, and eclipsed the lives of several notable figures historically; Edward the Black Prince…
