Moniek Bloks's Blog, page 223

Emma of Normandy’s remains possibly found in Winchester Cathedral

The remains of Emma of Normandy – an 11th-century Queen of England (twice!) – have possibly been found in a mausoleum discovered in Winchester Cathedral.

The names of eight kings, two bishops and that of Emma of Normandy were found on six mortuary chests and now scientists from the University of Bristol are assessing the 1,300 human bones found. They believe that some of the remains belong to Queen Emma who died in Winchester in 1052.

A cathedral spokesman said: “This process involves recording the contents of the chests and determining the number of individuals represented, along with their sex, age at death and physical characteristics. Working in the Lady Chapel at Winchester Cathedral, which became a temporary laboratory, the researchers reassembled over 1,300 human bones, with the aim of restoring the identity of the kings, one queen, and several bishops traditionally thought to be within the chests. The ability to identify the sex, age and physical characteristics of these individuals has resulted in some exciting discoveries, including the remains of a mature female dispersed within several chests. It is not yet certain, but these bodily remains could be those of Queen Emma, daughter of Richard I, Duke of Normandy, the wife of two successive kings of England, Ethelred and Cnut, and the mother of King Edward the Confessor and King Harthacnut.

“She was a powerful political figure in late Saxon England, and her family ties provided William the Conqueror with a measure of justification for his claim to the English throne. These discoveries could place Winchester Cathedral at the birth of our nation and establish it as the first formal royal mausoleum.”

Read more about Emma of Normandy here.

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Anne de Mowbray – The royal child bride

Anne de Mowbray was born on 10 December 1472 at Framlingham Castle as the only surviving child of John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk and Lady Elizabeth Talbot. Anne’s father died suddenly when Anne was just three years old, and Anne became of the greatest heiresses of the time. Though she could not inherit her father’s dukedom, she did become the 8th Countess of Norfolk, Baroness Mowbray and Baroness Segrave.

Little Anne became a ward of King Edward IV, as was usual, and it was the King who managed her extensive estates. To keep her riches close to the crown, Anne was married to King Edward IV’s son Richard, who had been created Duke of Norfolk in 1477. On 15 January 1478, Anne and Richard – both still children – were married at St Stephen’s Chapel in Westminster. It is assumed that the new Duchess of Norfolk became a part of Elizabeth Woodville’s household because it is recorded that she died at the royal manor of Greenwich in November 1481. Her father-in-law had arranged that if Anne was to die without issue, her lands and titles would remain with her husband.

King Edward IV spent £215 16s 10d on her burial, and she was transported by barge in state to Westminster. She was buried in the Chapel dedicated to St Erasmus in Westminster Abbey, which was unfortunately demolished in 1502 for King Henry VII’s mausoleum. Her body was moved to the Abbey of the Minoresses without Aldgate, which was probably meant to be temporary. Her young husband would become one of the Princes in the Tower.

The story of this royal child bride resurfaced in 1964 when workmen found the vaulted chamber where her coffin had been placed. The discovery was initially thought to be a Roman burial, and the coffin was moved to the London Museum. A special room was set up to examine the coffin, and Anne’s remains were found to be wrapped in linen. Her remains were extensively examined over the following months. On 31 May 1965, Anne laid-in-state in the Jerusalem Chamber in Westminster Abbey where she was to be reburied.1

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Forgotten Royal Women by Erin Lawless Book Review

I can’t even remember how long ago I spotted this book. Excitedly, I went to the publisher’s website only to find…nothing. Then last February it was suddenly released in the UK without much fanfare and I was finally able to order it.

Forgotten Royal by Erin Lawless covers the lives of 30 women. They are: Scota, Cartimandua, Judith of Flanders, Æthelflæd, Æthelthryth, Emma of Normandy, Edith Swannesha, St Margaret of Wessex, Matilda of Scotland, Nest ferch Rhys, Gwellian ferch Gryffyd, Joanna Plantagenet, Joan, Lady of Wales, Marguerite of France, Isabella MacDuff, Marjorie Bruce, Joan of Kent, Margaret Drummond, Eleanor Cobham, Margaret Pole, Margaret Tudor, Mary FitzRoy, Grace O’Malley, Mary Grey, Penelope Rich, Arbella Stuart, Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick,. Caroline of Ansbach, Maria Fitzherbert and Princess Charlotte. These are the names used by the author in the index. Notice anything here? They are related to the United Kingdom and Ireland and some of them aren’t even royal. Some may make a claim to royalty due to their proximity to the throne… but Penelope Rich?

Right, let’s focus on the book itself. I thoroughly enjoyed Erin Lawless’ easy-going style of writing and although the stories are rather short, they seem to be correct and well-researched. I would have liked a few notes to give it some oomph. I would have perhaps also included some women who were not related to the British court as they are even more unknown.

Forgotten Royal Women by Erin Lawless is available now in both the UK and the US.

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Elisabeth Hildebrand – The Mistress

Elisabeth Hildebrand (or Hillebrand) was born in 1757 as the daughter of an Adam (Rupert?) Hildebrand and an Ursula (Eva?) Berner. She was the youngest of ten siblings. The family was of humble origin, the family either ran a small farm in Berchtesgaden or they sold goods on a market.

On 4 June 1787, the wife of Karl Anselm, the 4th Prince of Thurn and Taxis, Auguste of Württemberg, died in her prison at Hornberg. Elisabeth had been his mistress for a while and she had given birth to their illegitimate son on 4 May 1787. With the convenient death of his wife, Karl Anselm was now free to marry his mistress and they married on 8 August 1787. However, due to her low rank, she could not take her husband’s title and the marriage was considered to be morganatic. A year after their wedding, she was made “Frau von Train” with their son taking the last name “von Train.” However, their love apparently cooled not much later and they had no other children together. Karl Anselm ordered his wife to move away from Regensburg.

On 13 November 1805, Karl Anselm suffered a stroke while on the road and passed away a few hours later. Elisabeth immediately took up her financial claims with his son and successor Karl Alexander, now the 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis and reminded him of his duty to look after her and his half-brother. However, a year later her claims had still not been settled. She was in deep money trouble and had probably already forged her stepson’s signature to secure a loan. To prevent further embarrassment, she was finally granted a pension for her maintenance.

The news of Elisabeth’s illness reached the Princely court on 17 April 1841 and she died four weeks later. Her son wrote, “After five months of terrible suffering, today at noon, my mother has gone to sleep with the Lord. He thanked his cousin Maximilian Karl, 6th Prince of Thurn and Taxis – Karl Alexander had died in 1827 – for the pension and asked for money for the funeral and burial and also for mourning clothes for his wife and daughter. Elisabeth’s line has died out in the male line.1

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The Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s Tour of Germany 1937

In October 1937, the German government paid for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to visit Germany. They went against the advice of the British government, but there was little they could do to prevent it. Just before the trip, King George VI’s private secretary wrote, “Eden had discussed the matter with the Prime Minister, and it was agreed that nothing could, of course, be done to stop the contemplated tour.”

The former King Edward VIII and his wife Wallis needed to do something to restore their image. On 11 October 1937, the Duke and Duchess arrived at the Friedrichstraße station, and they were treated like it was a state visit.

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The visit included an inspection of a Nazi training school in Pomerania, where they were greeted by an SS-band playing the British national anthem.

The Duke and Duchess also visited Carinhall – Hermann Göring’s estate – where they had tea. During a dinner with Joachim von Ribbentrop in Berlin, they also met Albert Speer and Joseph and Magda Goebbels who were very impressed. Joseph later wrote in his diary, “The Duke is wonderful – a nice sympathetic fellow who is open and clear and with a healthy understanding of people… It is a shame he is no longer King. With him, we would have entered into an alliance.”

On 19 October in Nuremberg, the Duke and Duchess had dinner with the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who was a male-line grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Before the trip, he had written to the Duke of Windsor, “Dear David! I hear that you are coming to Germany… I naturally would be delighted if you could take this opportunity to see me; perhaps I could introduce you to a couple of interesting personalities whom you otherwise wouldn’t meet during your trip.” Over 100 guests were in attendance at the Grand Hotel.

The Duke and Duchess then met Hitler himself at the Berghof in Obersalzberg on 22 October. They were thrilled because Hitler addressed the Duchess with “Royal Highness”, which had been denied her in England. Afterwards, Hitler escorted the couple to their car, and one reporter noted, “The Duchess was visibly impressed with the Führer’s personality, and he apparently indicated that they had become fast friends by giving her an affectionate farewell. Hitler took both their hands in his saying a long goodbye, after which he stiffened to a rigid Nazi salute that the Duke returned.” According to Hitler’s translator, he said of Wallis, “She would have made a good Queen.”

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Their final evening of the trip was spent at the home of Rudolf and Ilse Hess, who hosted a dinner party for 14 people.

Even the Germans were somewhat confused about the reason for the trip. Afterwards, the British consul wrote, “Germans here were much puzzled about the reasons for the tour which many of them attributed to the Duke’s supposed strong pro-Fascist sympathies. This belief was strengthened by the words which H.R.H is alleged to have used to sum up his impressions of the tour, and which was rendered by Dr. Ley to a recent meeting of the German Labor Front in Leipzig as follows: ‘I have travelled the world, and my upbringing has made me familiar with great achievements of mankind, but that which I have seen in Germany I had hitherto believed to be impossible. It cannot be grasped and is a miracle; one can only begin to understand it when one realizes that behind it all is one and one will.'”

The Duke and Duchess’ visit attracted the interest of the FBI. In September 1940 a report to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover said, “for some time the British Government has known that the Duchess of Windsor was exceedingly pro-German in her sympathies and connections and there is strong reason to believe that this is the reason why she was considered so obnoxious to the British Government that they refused to permit Edward to marry her and maintain the throne.”1

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The Walloon Church in Delft – Portuguese ‘Princesses’ in a Dutch church

The Walloon Church in Delft is attached to a far more famous building – the Prinsenhof where William, Prince of Orange was assassinated.

Mauritia Eleonora (public domain)

Before this, it was part of a convent and used as a court chapel by the Prince of Orange and his family. Louise Juliana, William’s first daughter with Charlotte of Bourbon, was baptised there.

 

It wasn’t until renovations between 1950-1962 that a tombstone was uncovered with the arms of Nassau and of the Portuguese royal house. It turned out that five of William’s grandchildren were buried there. They are the children of William’s daughter Emilia who married a Portuguese pretender to the throne Manuel de Portugal. Their son Manuel António of Portugal is the only mentioned by name in the church while four of his sisters are also buried there. They are Emilia Louise, Anna Louise, Mauritia Eleonora en Sabina Delphica. Only Mauritia Eleonora married but her marriage to  George Frederick, Prince of Nassau-Siegen remained childless. Unfortunately not much is known of any of the sisters. Of the two sisters not buried in Delft, only one other married but Maria Belgica’s marriage to Colonel Theodor Croll was deemed unworthy of her and the couple divorced after having several children.

The Walloon Church can be visited as part of the Prinsenhof.

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Medieval Art in Motion: The Inventory and Gift Giving of Queen Clémence de Hongrie by Mariah Proctor-Tiffany Book Review

Clementia of Hungary was born in 1293 as the daughter of Charles Martel of Anjou, the titular King of Hungary, and Clementia of Austria. In 1315, Clementia married King Louis X of France – his first wife had died imprisoned only four months before that. From that marriage, Louis only had a daughter.

Clementia was pregnant when Louis died in June 1316 and the court awaited the birth. If it was a son he would be King from birth. On 15 November 1316, Clementia gave birth to a son named John who immediately became King John I of France. Tragically, he would live for only five days and afterwards the throne was seized by Louis’s brother who became King Philip V. Philip refused to pay her the income that her husband had promised her and Clementia had to fight for it.

Clementia died in 1328 – still only 35 years old – and she left behind many impressive belongings and a detailed inventory was made upon which Medieval Art in Motion: The Inventory and Gift Giving of Queen Clémence de Hongrie by Mariah Proctor-Tiffany is based. It is a wonderful and richly designed hardcover with many beautiful photos of Clementia’s items. I am, however, baffled by the use of her name as “Clémence de Hongrie” in an English publication. The author uses all the name in French but gives no further explanation for her choice. I found it all very distracting. Overall, I enjoyed the book and it certainly an interesting angle for such an unknown Queen.

Medieval Art in Motion: The Inventory and Gift Giving of Queen Clémence de Hongrie by Mariah Proctor-Tiffany is available now in both the UK and the US. 

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Hildegard of Flanders – A charitable Countess

Hildegard of Flanders was the daughter of Arnulf I, Count of Flanders and Adele of Vermandois. Her exact birthdate is unknown but by 938 – her parents had married in 934 – she was betrothed to the son of Dirk I, Count of Holland. She was certainly no more than a toddler considering her parents’ wedding year. Her future father-in-law was killed near Andernach in 939 and her future husband was raised under the protection of Hildegard’s parents, probably near Ghent.

Hildegard and Dirk II, Count of Holland were married around 948/949 and their first child – a son named Dirk – was born around 950. Unfortunately, he died before 975. They had two more sons named Arnulf – who succeeded his father as Count of Holland – and Egbert – who became Archbishop of Trier. They also had three daughters named Adela and Geva – who both died young – and Erlinde – who became Abbess of Egmond.

When Hildegard’s father died in 965, her husband acted as regent for her minor great-nephew Arnulf II, who was just five years old.

Unfortunately, we don’t know much about Hildegard. She died on 11 April in an unknown year but between 975 and 980 when she was around 40 years old. She and her husband are perhaps best remembered for the Egmond Gospels which they donated to Egmond Abbey. They also donated two crystal candlesticks, books and a shrine for the remains of Saint Adalbert of Egmond. Hildegard was buried there and Dirk was buried with her when he died in 988.1

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Margaret Geddes – A royal bride in mourning

Margaret Geddes was born on 18 March 1913 as the daughter of Sir Auckland Campbell Geddes, later 1st Baron Geddes and Isabella Gamble Ross in Dublin. She was the only girl with four brothers. The Grand Duchy of Hesse was long gone when she first met Prince Louis of Hesse on a visit to Halls Hirth in Garmisch. He was the younger son Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse and the younger brother of Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse.

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He was so in love with her that he secured a post as a third secretary in the German Embassy in London so they could see each other. Her father was less than amused about the match but nevertheless, they became engaged in 1937. However, their wedding day would be overshadowed by tragedy. First, the groom’s father died on 9 October 1937 and the wedding was postponed for a month. Then just four days before the wedding, an aeroplane carrying the groom’s mother Eleonore, his brother Georg Donatus, his pregnant sister-in-law Cecilie, their two young sons crashed at Ostend – killing all on board. The wedding took place on 17 November 1937 with the guests dressed in mourning in St. Peter’s Church in Eaton Square. Lord Louis Mountbatten was the best man and Margaret wore a black coat and a skirt. The Duke and Duchess of Kent were also among the guests. Later that day, the newlyweds travelled to Ostend to collect the bodies and to bring them back to Darmstadt.

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Prince Louis now also became the head of the House of Hesse and titular Grand Duke. They adopted Louis’ niece Johanna – the only one of Georg Donatus and Cecilie’s children who had not been on board – but tragically she died from meningitis in 1939.

When the Second World War broke out, Margaret and Louis were living at Schloss Wolfsgarten near Darmstadt. She managed to keep in touch with her family through the Red Cross and they tried to keep a low profile. After the war, she and her husband attended the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip, whose sister Cecilie had been Louis’ sister-in-law and it was through Margaret that British royal family re-established contact with its German relations after the Second World War. Margaret was a charitable person and she had a wing of Wolfsgarten converted into a home for disabled children, such as victims of thalidomide.

In her later years, she suffered from cancer and she lost the sight in one eye. Margaret was widowed in 1968 and she outlived her husband for nearly 30 years. They would have no children together. Margaret died on 26 January 1997 and she was buried alongside her husband, Johanna, her father-in-law, and the family members who were killed in the aeroplane crash at Rosenhöhe.

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The Queen to the German Crown Princess – 8 May 1872

Buckingham Palace, 8 May 1872

I am most thankful to hear you are going on so satisfactorily. I never thought you cared (having 3 of each) whether it was a son or a daughter; indeed I think many Princes a great misfortune – for they are in one another’s and almost everybody’s way. I am sure it is the case here – and dear Papa felt this so much that he was always talking of establishing if possible one or two of your brothers and eventual grandchildren (of which I fear there is the prospect of a legion with but little money) in the colonies. I don’t dislike babies, though I think very young ones rather disgusting, and I take interest in those of my children when there are two or three – and of people who are dear to me and whom I am fond of – but when they come at the rate of three a year it becomes a cause of mere anxiety for my own children and of no great interest. What name is this fourth daughter to have?

This day I gave the dear Empress (who is so very kind) my Order as I have always wished to do – and with which she was very much pleased and quite touched by it and greatly surprised too. She was very much pleased with the Afternoon Party which I thought very tiring and tiresome – however, it pleased and satisfied people and now I have done everything for this year. This afternoon we are going to the first part of the concert in the Albert Hall where Gounod directs; then we come back here and go back to Windsor at half past 6.1

 

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