Sharon Kay Penman's Blog, page 126

The queen and the sociopath

On January 27th, 1186, Constance de Hauteville, aunt of the Sicilian king William II, was wed to Heinrich von Hohenstaufen, King of Germany, and heir to the Holy Roman Empire. She was thirty-one, he was twenty, and I think we can safely say that theirs was not a happy marriage. Heinrich was well educated, fluent in Latin, a poet like his enemy, the English king Richard, and very intelligent. He was also a sociopath. Wives of sociopaths rarely lived happily ever after. But Constance was a remarkable woman, courageous and resourceful. The more I learned about her, the more I found myself wanting to write about her, for her life was filled with incredible drama. I did not expect to do it, though. But then I was asked to write a short story for George R.R. Martin and Gardner Debois’s anthology, Dangerous Woman. Once I stopped laughing at the idea of me doing a short story, I started to give it serious consideration, and the result was The Queen in Exile. Constance appeared briefly in Lionheart and she has several scenes in A King’s Ransom. I was very pleased to have this opportunity to give her more time on center-stage. We’ve been waiting for George to complete his story, a novella, actually, and it has now gone to the publisher. Here is a link to read what George has to say about it. http://grrm.livejournal.com/310198.html He has involved some very gifted writers and I am looking forward to reading their contributions. And of course, as a huge fan of the Ice and Fire series, I know I will turn to his story first!

You named your baby what??

The only event of medieval note happened on January 26th, 1340, when Edward III claimed the French throne. The history of this claim is so murky and convoluted that I don’t feel up to dealing with it so early in the morning, so I’ll leave it to the curious to Google it. It was one of those happenings that I’d like to go back in time and change if I could, though, for it launched the One Hundred Years War and caused deaths and suffering beyond counting.

I hope everyone under assault by this arctic blast is staying warm and safe. It has been so cold here that I half-expect to see polar bears strolling down my street. Thank God for central heating; my hearts go out to all those frozen souls who had to depend upon fireplaces to keep from freezing down through the centuries.

Below is a link to an interesting article about the names that parents are now choosing for their children. You’ll be surprised (or maybe not) to see how the list has changed over the years; fifty years ago, there were no Aidens, no Madisons, no Brittanys. But the two names currently atop the list would have been approved by our grandparents—Jacob and Sophie. There are some countries where parents are not permitted to follow any whim in naming their children, and although I am a staunch supporter of the First Amendment, I can see their point. What is more personal than a name? And it’s been proven that names influence our impression of a person. Just think of the names that celebrities have foisted upon their innocent little babies. You think Nicholas Cage’s son will one day thank him for being named Kal-al after Superman’s dad? Calling a baby Tiffany Trump skirts close to child abuse IMHO. Would any of you want to go through life named Banjo, Sparrow, Rocket, Apple, Zuma, or Heavenly Hiraani Tiger? The list is—sadly—endless. But surely the worst is the one Bob Geldorf burdened his daughter with—Fifi Trixibelle; I wouldn’t even name a poodle that. The champ, though, has to be Frank Zappa, who named three of his children Dweezel, Diva Muffin, and Moon Unit. Shouldn’t there have been a law against that? Or a statute to stop the parents who wanted to name their baby “Like” after the Facebook option? The only thing to be said in favor of such creativity is that future historical novelists will be spared the ordeal that I face on a daily basis—trying to sort out the multitude of Edwards, Henrys, Richards, and Eleanors in my books.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/13/opinion...

Do not get married on January 25th!

I’d like to thank all of you who expressed sympathy for the plight of Doc, the shepherd victim of Hurricane Sandy in desperate need of a home. There are a few glimmers of hope on his horizon, and I will be sure to share whatever I learn.
Anyone contemplating January 25th for a wedding might want to think twice, for this date has a rocky track record. On this day in 1308, Edward II wed Isabella, daughter of the King of France; there has been some uncertainty about her birth date but historians now believe it was in late 1295, so she was twelve at the time. Many royal marriages did not end well, but few imploded as spectacularly as theirs did. At least not until the sixteenth century, when Henry VIII secretly wed Anne Boleyn on January 25th, 1533. He proclaimed her the love of his life and broke with the Church of Rome in order to have her. Three years later, of course, she would die on Tower Green at his command.

Dog in desperate need of home

This is such a sad story. Doc is a ten year old neutered, male German shepherd, who is in good health for his age; he has dry eye, which affects his vision somewhat, but no other problems. He is housebroken, affectionate, and acts much younger than his years. He is protective of his home and family as shepherds are, and as you can see from the photo, he is a big boy and a beautiful one. He is very good with other dogs, no experience with cats. He was a rescue, adopted by his family in 2006 after spending his first years in a kennel. His family lost their home to Hurricane Sandy and have to move into an apartment. Their new landlord had said two dogs would be allowed—they also have a sixteen year old Australian shepherd. But the landlord has now changed his mind and they need to find a home for Doc by January 31st.
They are heartbroken at having to give him up and desperate as time is running out. They live in New Hope, PA, about thirty minutes from Philadelphia. This is tragic on so many levels. These people lost their home and now they are losing their dog and are frantic to find him a refuge, either permanent or temporary. I can’t take him, having injured my back again; at this stage of my life, given my back problems, I am not up to having a large shepherd again. I am hoping that some of my readers might know someone who’d be interested in adopting Doc or in fostering him until he can find a permanent home. He had an unhappy life before his current owners adopted him, kept in a kennel. But once he had his own family, he blossomed, as most rescue dogs do. His owners are distraught; giving up a beloved pet can be traumatic, as I am sure many of you know. Will all of my fellow animal lovers please post this wherever you think it will do the most good? If enough people learn about Doc’s plight, maybe someone can come to his rescue. You can contact Roseann at racherasaro@comcast.net if you think you can help.
PS I couldn't post a photo of Doc here, but there is one up on my Faceook personal and fan club pages. He is a beautiful, big black and tan shepherd.

A royal marriage and a smart, lucky dolphin

I’m escaping from Le Mans reluctantly–for it was a hot August day there–to report that on January 24, 1328, Edward III, age 16, wed the 14 year old Philippa of Hainault, though I believe there is some uncertainty about her actual birth date and she could have been younger. They would have 13 children and the marriage seems to have been a happy one, despite his notorious affair with Alice de Perrers.
Here is an amazing story sure to bring smiles to faces–even for those of you, like me, who have been transported to Little Antarctica by this recent cold siege. A diver was approached for help by a dolphin in trouble. He removed a fishhook and cut away fishing line from its fin–and it was all caught on video!
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/...

Prelude to war

On January 23rd, 1264, the King of France lit a fuse that would set off an explosion in England. Simon de Montfort and his fellow barons had compelled Henry, the English king, to accept restrictions upon royal power in the Provisions of Oxford, which they saw as a natural corollary of the Magna Carta. When civil war loomed, both sides agreed to submit to the arbitration of the French King, Louis, who was also Henry’s brother-in-law. Simon was unable to attend, having broken his leg in a fall from his horse, and he was recuperating at Kenilworth Castle when he got the decision. Louis had ruled against the barons and in favor of his fellow king on all counts, even annulling the Provisions of Oxford although this went well beyond the scope of his authority. The Mise of Amiens was so one-sided that it made rebellion all but inevitable and four months later, the king’s army would meet Simon de Montfort and the barons on the battlefield at Lewes.
I dramatize this event in Chapter 29 of Falls the Shadow. Here is the closing scene of that chapter, on page 395, after Simon has gotten the bad news and asks for a moment alone with his wife, Nell, who was, of course, the sister of the English king.
* * *
Dusk was fast falling; the last of the candles had guttered out and only a hearth fire now held the dark at bay. “Shall I send for a cresset lamp?” Nell asked, and Simon shook his head, held out his hand. She came slowly from the shadows, sat beside him on the bed. Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips, pressed a kiss into her palm. After a time, he said:
“Henry may be God’s greatest fool, but he is still your brother. And Richard…he will likely oppose us, too, Nell.”
“I know,” she said softly. She’d never truly thought it would ever come to this, never thought the day might dawn when her husband and sons would face her brothers and nephews across a battlefield. She shared Simon’s confidence, but not his darker moods. Hers was a world of sunrises, not sunsets, a world in which hope flourished and faith was rewarded, and she clung to that comforting certainty all the more now that her need was so great.
“I trust in you, Simon,” she said, “and I trust in God. Whatever happens, it will be for the best, for us and for England.”
* * *

A kidnapped duchess and a doomed duke

Well, I succeeded in my abduction of the very irate Duchess of Brittany and am now planning yet more bloodshed in Normandy. I’ve noticed that it can be therapeutic to kill characters off sometimes. Or maybe I’ve just been hanging around with Coeur de Lion too long?
Nothing much of importance to report today, unless we stray into Tudor terrain. On January 22, 1552, Edward Seymour, eldest brother of Jane Seymour, was beheaded in the Tower between 8 and 9 AM, as his nephew, the young Edward VI, dispassionately jotted down in his chronicle. This was becoming a family tradition, for just three years earlier, Edward’s younger brother, Thomas, was beheaded after attempting to seduce the thirteen year old princess Elizabeth.

The power of Facebook--parents beware!

books.

I was supposed to abduct the Duchess of Brittany yesterday, but instead I watched football. (Go, San Francisco!) And January 21st is a slow medieval history day. But here is an amusing story of the power of Facebook. Two young sisters in MA wanted a puppy and their father told them that if they could get a million likes on Facebook, he’d agree. Bad move, Dad. Their appeal went viral and they collected a million likes in six hours! So a happy ending for kids and their new puppy and great publicity for the rescue group.
Parents of pet-loving children should keep this in mind. http://animaltracks.today.com/_news/2...

England's first parliament

On January 20th, 1265, a significant event occurred in English history. On this date, Simon de Montfort summoned what many historians consider to be the first English parliament. Simon requested that the counties and towns each send two representatives, insisting that they be elected. This parliament was also the first time that knights and townspeople attended such a session together. So on this day, let’s pause and give credit where due to the arrogant French aristocrat who cracked open democracy’s door, however briefly, for of course Henry III refused to recognize it. One of my favorite characters in Falls the Shadow was Thomas Fitz Thomas, the Lord Mayor of London, who became one of Simon’s most steadfast allies, although he would pay a high price for his courage and devotion to his city; he was imprisoned for four years and his health suffered greatly during his captivity.
And this next item is for my Polish friend Kasia, who is still resisting joining us on Facebook. On January 20th, 1320, Wladyslaw Lokietek was crowned King of Poland. He was quite short and Lokietek actually translates as “elbow high.” But I think he was a moral giant, for he sought to establish a uniform legal code that gave Jews equal rights with Christians, and this was 1320, people. So let’s pause to remember Wladyslaw, too, today.
In non-medieval matters, go, San Francisco!

Richard forgets to duck

A quick escape from the deadline doldrums to report that on January 18th, 1486, Henry Tudor wed Elizabeth of York.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the medieval one, of course, Richard suffers what may be his first ever military defeat, so of course the English chroniclers don’t even mention it! He then gets shot by a crossbow (no, not the one you’re thinking of) so all in all, he is not having a good summer.