Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England

Emily Sarah Holt, and the Despensers Meet Jane Austen

As longtime readers of this blog know, I’ve mentioned Emily Sarah Holt a few times here. Holt, who wrote historical fiction in the nineteenth century, wrote one of the first novels about the Despenser family, In Convent Walls. Her novels …

Thanks, Uncle! Gifts to Eleanor de Clare From Edward II

Whatever else one might say about Edward II, he was a generous uncle–at least to his favorite niece, Eleanor de Clare. Here’s some of his recorded gifts to her: 1308: 20 marks for her expenses while staying at Rockingham Castle …

Posted in Despenser Family, Edward II | 9 Comments

The Reign of Edward II, as Told by You-Know-Whats

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In the interest of equal time, here is the reign of Edward II told by Lolcats. Really, why buy one of those expensive biographies of Edward II when you can get the whole story here?

Posted in Edward II, Humor | 15 Comments

Not Quite There . . .

This isn’t quite the Valentine that Isabella had in mind for Roger Mortimer, but maybe Edward II could modify it (courtesy of the Valentine Generator) for one of his good friends: To my Virile Roger, You are the knight of …

Posted in Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England, Humor, Seasonal | 3 Comments

Joan of Kent’s Marital Misadventures

Though Elizabeth Woodville was the first post-Conquest English-born queen consort, this was only through mischance. Had Edward III’s eldest son, known popularly as “the Black Prince,” survived his father, the prince’s English bride, Joan of Kent, would have become his …

Posted in Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England | 13 Comments

What? A Despenser in Trouble?

One of the little tidbits that I never got to use in either The Traitor’s Wife or in Hugh and Bess (coming out in a new edition later this year) is the fact that in 1344, yet another member of …

Posted in Despenser Family | 12 Comments

Seals!

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No, not the type with flappers. I was Googling last night and was excited to find this book: Seals by Walter de Gray Birch. Here’s the seal of Eleanor de Clare, heroine of The Traitor’s Wife, and her second husband, …

Posted in Despenser Family, Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England | 11 Comments

Yet Another Medieval Christmas Newsletter

As promised, I was able to unearth the Christmas newsletter of Isabella, queen of Edward II and mother of Edward III, over the weekend. From the intimate tone of it, I suspect it was intended primarily for her female relatives …

Posted in Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England, Humor, Seasonal | 9 Comments

In Which This Blog Descends Even Lower Into Silliness

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I should be working, but it’s still Thanksgiving weekend and I’m not inclined to be industrious. Fortunately, I came across this site some time ago (I think it was via someone’s blog, but I can’t remember the culprit) and decided …

Posted in Despenser Family, Edward II, Richard III, Wars of the Roses, Writing Historical Fiction | 10 Comments

The Death of Piers Gaveston

Having seen Alianore’s post on the subject, it seemed improper to let the day go by without a brief tribute to Edward II’s favorite, Piers Gaveston, who was executed on June 19, 1312. (In medieval history, at least, June seems …

Posted in Edward II, Fourteenth-Century (and Late Thirteenth-Century) England | Comments Off