Sharon Kay Penman's Blog, page 51
December 10, 2015
Curiosity about Christmas songs
I actually posted this about a year or two ago, but I have lots of new Faebook friends since then; also, many of you probably have memories as bad as mine so you won’t remember it! I may as well admit I am addicted to Christmas music. I start listening to it earlier than all but Santa and his elves and am one of the last holdouts when it comes time to pulling the plug for the season. Of course one year I also kept my Christmas tree up well into February. So when I found this posted on the Mediev-l list, naturally I could not resist checking it out and then sharing it with you all. So here is Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer---in Latin. This link gives you the lyrics, but it also has a link for those of you with a burning curiosity to hear how it sounds. http://thurible.net/2013/12/12/rudolp... I may be tone-deaf, but I’d never have recognized the Rudolph melody; it sounds a little like a funeral dirge to me.
Since we’re on the subject, we usually have at least one posting about Christmas songs every December. So….what are your favorite Christmas songs or carols? And do you have any that make you want to kick Santa and reach for something stronger than eggnog? For me, my favorite is What Child is This, set to the music of the hauntingly beautiful Greensleeves. I also love Silent Night, The Little Drummer Boy (my dad’s favorite) Christmas Eve—Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I’ll be Home for Christmas (the saddest of them all, IMHO) and yes, Dominick the Christmas donkey. The one I absolutely loathe is I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, followed by Santa, Baby. I am not fond of All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, either. As you can tell, I don’t much like novelty Christmas songs—even though I do like Rudolph, the outcast reindeer (preferably not in Latin) and I confess I can’t help smiling when I hear Grandma got run over by a reindeer, if only for the sheer absurdity of it, It helps, too, if a song is not played over and over ad nauseam. Okay…..what about all of you? Which songs are your favorites? And which ones have you gritting your teeth?
Since we’re on the subject, we usually have at least one posting about Christmas songs every December. So….what are your favorite Christmas songs or carols? And do you have any that make you want to kick Santa and reach for something stronger than eggnog? For me, my favorite is What Child is This, set to the music of the hauntingly beautiful Greensleeves. I also love Silent Night, The Little Drummer Boy (my dad’s favorite) Christmas Eve—Sarajevo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I’ll be Home for Christmas (the saddest of them all, IMHO) and yes, Dominick the Christmas donkey. The one I absolutely loathe is I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, followed by Santa, Baby. I am not fond of All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, either. As you can tell, I don’t much like novelty Christmas songs—even though I do like Rudolph, the outcast reindeer (preferably not in Latin) and I confess I can’t help smiling when I hear Grandma got run over by a reindeer, if only for the sheer absurdity of it, It helps, too, if a song is not played over and over ad nauseam. Okay…..what about all of you? Which songs are your favorites? And which ones have you gritting your teeth?
December 8, 2015
Deceember 8th and the Angevins
December 8th mattered to the Angevins. On this date in 1154, Henry and Eleanor landed in England to claim the crown and begin the Plantagenet dynasty. Henry insisted upon sailing in a savage gale, a very bad habit of his that could not have endeared him to his sailors, courtiers, or his wife. Eleanor must have been especially frustrated when he did this in 1174, for their young children, Joanna and John, sailed with the fleet, and Eleanor, about to begin her long English confinement, had no say in the matter. Henry passed on this insanity gene to son Richard, who attempted to sail from Portsmouth to Barfleur in a storm in May, 1194, so desperate was he to get to Normandy and challenge the French king. The winds were so strong that he was forced to return to Portsmouth, and there he waited for favorable weather, doubtless because Eleanor played the mother card and refused to let him try it again.
Also on December 8th, 1174, the captive Scots King William the Lion was compelled to sign the treaty of Falaise, which was highly favorable to the English. William had no leverage for he was languishing at the time as a captive in one of Henry’s castles. It is always easier to strike a deal with a prisoner, after all.
And Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and bad decisions, was born on this date in 1542.
Lastly, for those of us who grew up in the age of the Beatles, on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was murdered in New York City by a deranged fan; he was only forty at the time, so the world lost so many years of music.
Also on December 8th, 1174, the captive Scots King William the Lion was compelled to sign the treaty of Falaise, which was highly favorable to the English. William had no leverage for he was languishing at the time as a captive in one of Henry’s castles. It is always easier to strike a deal with a prisoner, after all.
And Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and bad decisions, was born on this date in 1542.
Lastly, for those of us who grew up in the age of the Beatles, on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was murdered in New York City by a deranged fan; he was only forty at the time, so the world lost so many years of music.
December 7, 2015
December 7th
Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends and readers.
Here is a touching and heartening story of a man who sacrificed his life to save a friend during the San Bernadino murders. When we see horrific evidence every day of what the worst of people are capable of, we need to remember that there are many more like Shannon Johnson.
http://6abc.com/news/san-bernardino-s...
December 7th was a slow day in medieval history, but it is, of course, a date that is burned into the collective memories of Americans, what President Roosevelt called “a day of infamy.” On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, thus bringing the US into WWII. I hope all visitors to Hawaii visit the USS Arizona Memorial; it is a very moving experience.
Lastly, I want to assure my fellow Eagles fans that they did not hallucinate yesterday’s win over the Patriots at Gillette Field. It really happened.
Here is a touching and heartening story of a man who sacrificed his life to save a friend during the San Bernadino murders. When we see horrific evidence every day of what the worst of people are capable of, we need to remember that there are many more like Shannon Johnson.
http://6abc.com/news/san-bernardino-s...
December 7th was a slow day in medieval history, but it is, of course, a date that is burned into the collective memories of Americans, what President Roosevelt called “a day of infamy.” On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, thus bringing the US into WWII. I hope all visitors to Hawaii visit the USS Arizona Memorial; it is a very moving experience.
Lastly, I want to assure my fellow Eagles fans that they did not hallucinate yesterday’s win over the Patriots at Gillette Field. It really happened.
December 3, 2015
Aid for animal rescue
I am sure the stricken people of San Bernadino are in our thoughts and prayers. It is hard to know what to say when yet another horror like this happens. Modern technology has made mass killing all too easy. I do not think the essence of human nature has changed much over the centuries; the difference is that medieval monsters were limited by the weapons at their disposal.
Turning from the worst of human nature to the best—those who strive to help those in need, be they people or animals—a Facebook friend, Gerri Leen, has come out with an anthology of stories to benefit Friends of Homeless Animals Rescue in Virginia. The title is A Quiet Shelter There and here is the link to Amazon for those who’d like to check it out. It is available both in paperback and as an e-book, the latter at a can’t-beat-it price of $1.00! http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Shelter-T... I have the greatest respect for those like Gerri and my friends in Echo White Shepherd Rescue who devote so much of their time and energy to help suffering animals. It is never easy and sometimes they get their hearts broken a dozen times a day. But they tell me it is always worth it when they are able to find a loving home for a dog or cat who has never had one. And for that small minority who object to care being given to animals when so many people are in need, it is not an either/or choice. My friends in animal rescue are usually the first to help when a family is dispossessed by fire or someone Is taken very ill and cannot afford health insurance. In fact, studies have conclusively proven that people who care about animals are more empathetic and sensitive to the feelings of others, yet another good reason for parents to let their children have pets!
Turning from the worst of human nature to the best—those who strive to help those in need, be they people or animals—a Facebook friend, Gerri Leen, has come out with an anthology of stories to benefit Friends of Homeless Animals Rescue in Virginia. The title is A Quiet Shelter There and here is the link to Amazon for those who’d like to check it out. It is available both in paperback and as an e-book, the latter at a can’t-beat-it price of $1.00! http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Shelter-T... I have the greatest respect for those like Gerri and my friends in Echo White Shepherd Rescue who devote so much of their time and energy to help suffering animals. It is never easy and sometimes they get their hearts broken a dozen times a day. But they tell me it is always worth it when they are able to find a loving home for a dog or cat who has never had one. And for that small minority who object to care being given to animals when so many people are in need, it is not an either/or choice. My friends in animal rescue are usually the first to help when a family is dispossessed by fire or someone Is taken very ill and cannot afford health insurance. In fact, studies have conclusively proven that people who care about animals are more empathetic and sensitive to the feelings of others, yet another good reason for parents to let their children have pets!
December 2, 2015
The Scribe's Daughter and an act of misguided chivalry
Stephanie has an interesting discussion of historical research on her blog, also offering a behind-the veil glimpse of writers at work. It isn’t always pretty! I cannot count the times my computer has been spared an ugly demise simply because I did not have an axe in the house. Here is the link to her blog. http://www.stephaniechurchillauthor.c... She also has an insightful review up about a writer I think I’d like to read, Matthew Harffy. Lastly, she is running a Christmas special for her first novel, The Scribe’s Daughter; for now it is available as an e-book for only $2.99.
December 2nd was another slow news day in the medieval world. But my Polish friend Kasia once called my attention to an interesting sidelight to the battle of Bremule in 1119, and I think it is worth repeating. She said that prior to the battle “Louis VI of France offered to fight Henry I in person. In the twelfth century warfare the idea of a heroic single combat was a common one. Individuals were ready to take up the challenge and responsibility in order to avoid greater losses and settle the dispute even before the fighting in serious began. Louis was ready to take up such responsibility and proposed to fight between the two armies, but Henry refused. If he had agreed they were to fight “separated by a swift stream and a rickety plank bridge” (Tournament, p. 5), a thought that their armies found highly amusing, for both kings were rather stout men, and who knows what would have happened if they fought on the bridge:-)” The citation is to David Crouch’s excellent book. Henry I was about as chivalrous as a stump, so it is not surprising that this would have not have appealed to him in the least; he won the battle decisively, by the way.
This incident reminded me of the scene in Ransom in which the French suggested that they settle their differences with the English by having five champions fight for each side. Richard said he’d be delighted to do that, on one condition—that he and Philippe be two of the champions. The French then dropped that idea like the proverbial hot potato. You’re shocked by that, right?
December 2nd was another slow news day in the medieval world. But my Polish friend Kasia once called my attention to an interesting sidelight to the battle of Bremule in 1119, and I think it is worth repeating. She said that prior to the battle “Louis VI of France offered to fight Henry I in person. In the twelfth century warfare the idea of a heroic single combat was a common one. Individuals were ready to take up the challenge and responsibility in order to avoid greater losses and settle the dispute even before the fighting in serious began. Louis was ready to take up such responsibility and proposed to fight between the two armies, but Henry refused. If he had agreed they were to fight “separated by a swift stream and a rickety plank bridge” (Tournament, p. 5), a thought that their armies found highly amusing, for both kings were rather stout men, and who knows what would have happened if they fought on the bridge:-)” The citation is to David Crouch’s excellent book. Henry I was about as chivalrous as a stump, so it is not surprising that this would have not have appealed to him in the least; he won the battle decisively, by the way.
This incident reminded me of the scene in Ransom in which the French suggested that they settle their differences with the English by having five champions fight for each side. Richard said he’d be delighted to do that, on one condition—that he and Philippe be two of the champions. The French then dropped that idea like the proverbial hot potato. You’re shocked by that, right?
November 30, 2015
Polar bear in need of our help
I posted this yesterday on my Facebook page and many of my readers chose to sign the petition, too. It occurred to me that some of my Goodsreads friends and readers might like to do so, too. Here is the link to the story of Andy, the polar bear slowly being strangled by his tracking collar.
https://www.change.org/p/university-o...
https://www.change.org/p/university-o...
Some medieval November birthdays
My congratulations to my fellow (American) football fans whose teams won yesterday, and condolences to those not as lucky. I hope my American readers had a very good Thanksgiving, too. Now to history. I am still catching up on some November dates, as follows. On November 10, 1433, Charles the Bold (or the Rash) was born; he was the husband of Margaret of York and reluctantly gave refuge to Edward and Richard when they were forced to flee England. He has the dubious distinction of being the only great prince to be eaten by wolves; after his death at the siege of Nancy in 1477, by the time his body was found, it had been partially devoured by animals. He appears in one scene of Sunne and I am sure he is a character in Anne Easter Smith’s novel about Margaret, Daughter of York.
On November 10, 1480, Bridget, the youngest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville was born. She was sent to Dartford Priory to become a nun in 1487 at the painfully young age of seven years. Was she happy with a vocation that was forced upon her? We’ll never know; I’ve seen it claimed that she had an illegitimate child as a nun, but I do not think this claim has been corroborated. We certainly know there were many unwilling nuns in the MA, girls sequestered at an early age like Bridget or Gwenllian, others compelled by family to take vows to in squabbles over inheritances, some who were compelled by circumstances or sudden poverty. The histories mention runaway nuns. But it is certainly possible that she was quite content to serve God; for her sake, I hope so.
On November 10, 1483, Martin Luther was born, to the grief of popes everywhere. And although it is not medieval, on November 10, 1566, Robert Devereaux, the Earl of Essex was born, to the subsequent grief of Elizabeth I.
On November 10, 1480, Bridget, the youngest daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville was born. She was sent to Dartford Priory to become a nun in 1487 at the painfully young age of seven years. Was she happy with a vocation that was forced upon her? We’ll never know; I’ve seen it claimed that she had an illegitimate child as a nun, but I do not think this claim has been corroborated. We certainly know there were many unwilling nuns in the MA, girls sequestered at an early age like Bridget or Gwenllian, others compelled by family to take vows to in squabbles over inheritances, some who were compelled by circumstances or sudden poverty. The histories mention runaway nuns. But it is certainly possible that she was quite content to serve God; for her sake, I hope so.
On November 10, 1483, Martin Luther was born, to the grief of popes everywhere. And although it is not medieval, on November 10, 1566, Robert Devereaux, the Earl of Essex was born, to the subsequent grief of Elizabeth I.
November 27, 2015
Thanksgiving, football, crusading, and a courageous queen
I hope all who celebrated Thanksgiving enjoyed the holiday as much as my family and I did. For my fellow football fans, congratulations to Lions and Panthers and Bears fans (yes, that is you, David Blixt!) My sympathies to Tony Romo for his injury and to Green Bay fans….sigh. Eagles fans, the mob forms in center city tomorrow to march on Chip Kelly’s house; pitchforks provided, torches are optional.
Today On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban called for a crusade to rescue Jerusalem from the infidels, which led to the First Crusade and the deaths of thousands of people—not only all who died during this initial foray to the Holy Land, but all who died in subsequent crusades. There is disagreement about how many crusades there were; some say seven, others nine. The first was the most successful in military terms, for they managed to capture Jerusalem; it was also the bloodiest, resulting in the brutal massacres of noncombatants in the captured cities. The second was a fiasco, probably better known for what did or did not happen between Eleanor and her uncle in Antioch. The third is the most famous because of the two larger than life commanders who captured the public imagination, in their time and in succeeding centuries—Saladin and the Lionheart. The fourth ended with a shameful assault upon the city of Constantinople, so they never even got to the Holy Land. The fifth has been largely forgotten, from 1217-122. The sixth involved the Emperor Frederick II, who was excommunicated at the time and who pragmatically struck a deal with the Saracens that enabled him to assume control of the Holy City instead of fighting for it; Henry III’s brother, Richard of Cornwall, also took part in this one. The seventh was another failure, resulting in the capture of the French king, Louis IX, son of Blanche in yesterday’s Facebook Note, later canonized by the Catholic Church. Twenty-some years later, Louis gave it another shot; this ill-advised venture ended in his death in Tunisia. Some historians count Edward I’s unsuccessful campaign against the brutal Sultan Baibars in 1271-1272; my readers will remember this one for the unsuccessful attempt upon Edward’s life by one of the storied Assassins.
In-between the organized blood-letting, there were minor skirmishings and the infamous Children’s Crusade of 1212, in which children of France and Germany were said to have spontaneously vowed to liberate the Holy Land. As you’d expect, that did not end well. In recent years, some historians have cast doubts upon the story, and it is hard not to hope they are right. Dante placed the belligerent troubadour Bertran de Born in one of his circles of Hell for stirring up strife between Henry and his sons. I’m sure it never occurred to Dante, but I’d have put Pope Urban in one of those circles, too. Here is the link to a funny website envisioning historical events through the prism of Facebook. Both Richard and the Saracens “unfriend” the Pope, but of course he perseveres; sadly, medieval popes always did. http://coolmaterial.com/roundup/if-hi...
And on November 27th, 1198, one of the more interesting and admirable women of the MA died in Palermo at the age of forty-four, Constance de Hauteville, aunt to Joanna’s husband, King William, and unhappy wife to Richard’s nemesis, the emperor Heinrich. We all know about Eleanor’s rebellion against Henry. Few know that Constance courageously took part in a rebellion against Heinrich for the most honorable of reasons—to spare her beloved Sicily any more suffering under Heinrich’s iron rule. I have written a short story (yes, me!) about Constance, which appears in the George RR Martin anthology, Dangerous Women under the title Queen in Exile.
Today On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban called for a crusade to rescue Jerusalem from the infidels, which led to the First Crusade and the deaths of thousands of people—not only all who died during this initial foray to the Holy Land, but all who died in subsequent crusades. There is disagreement about how many crusades there were; some say seven, others nine. The first was the most successful in military terms, for they managed to capture Jerusalem; it was also the bloodiest, resulting in the brutal massacres of noncombatants in the captured cities. The second was a fiasco, probably better known for what did or did not happen between Eleanor and her uncle in Antioch. The third is the most famous because of the two larger than life commanders who captured the public imagination, in their time and in succeeding centuries—Saladin and the Lionheart. The fourth ended with a shameful assault upon the city of Constantinople, so they never even got to the Holy Land. The fifth has been largely forgotten, from 1217-122. The sixth involved the Emperor Frederick II, who was excommunicated at the time and who pragmatically struck a deal with the Saracens that enabled him to assume control of the Holy City instead of fighting for it; Henry III’s brother, Richard of Cornwall, also took part in this one. The seventh was another failure, resulting in the capture of the French king, Louis IX, son of Blanche in yesterday’s Facebook Note, later canonized by the Catholic Church. Twenty-some years later, Louis gave it another shot; this ill-advised venture ended in his death in Tunisia. Some historians count Edward I’s unsuccessful campaign against the brutal Sultan Baibars in 1271-1272; my readers will remember this one for the unsuccessful attempt upon Edward’s life by one of the storied Assassins.
In-between the organized blood-letting, there were minor skirmishings and the infamous Children’s Crusade of 1212, in which children of France and Germany were said to have spontaneously vowed to liberate the Holy Land. As you’d expect, that did not end well. In recent years, some historians have cast doubts upon the story, and it is hard not to hope they are right. Dante placed the belligerent troubadour Bertran de Born in one of his circles of Hell for stirring up strife between Henry and his sons. I’m sure it never occurred to Dante, but I’d have put Pope Urban in one of those circles, too. Here is the link to a funny website envisioning historical events through the prism of Facebook. Both Richard and the Saracens “unfriend” the Pope, but of course he perseveres; sadly, medieval popes always did. http://coolmaterial.com/roundup/if-hi...
And on November 27th, 1198, one of the more interesting and admirable women of the MA died in Palermo at the age of forty-four, Constance de Hauteville, aunt to Joanna’s husband, King William, and unhappy wife to Richard’s nemesis, the emperor Heinrich. We all know about Eleanor’s rebellion against Henry. Few know that Constance courageously took part in a rebellion against Heinrich for the most honorable of reasons—to spare her beloved Sicily any more suffering under Heinrich’s iron rule. I have written a short story (yes, me!) about Constance, which appears in the George RR Martin anthology, Dangerous Women under the title Queen in Exile.
November 25, 2015
Thanksgiving and St Catherine's Day
I would like to wish all of my American Facebook friends and readers a very special Thanksgiving tomorrow. A friend of mine calls it a “gratitude holiday,” and I like that. It is good for our emotional and mental health if we remind ourselves occasionally of all we have to be thankful for. High on my list would be my amazing readers; I feel so fortunate that I’ve been able to connect with so many of you via Facebook. How writers down through the centuries would have loved an opportunity like that! And out of curiosity, I’d love to know if other nations have a holiday similar to our Thanksgiving. I know Canada does; in October, right? How about other countries? Readers?
Today, November 25th is St Catherine’s Day; she was a popular saint in the MA. Two very significant events happened on her saint’s day. In 1120, the White Ship sank off Barfleur, dramatically changing the course of English and French history. And in 1177, an important battle was fought at Mont Gisard in Outremer between an army led by Saladin and the greatly outnumbered forces of the young leper king, Baldwin IV. I’ll probably discuss these occurrences at greater depth later. Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving. For those of you flying or driving during the holiday, safe travels. And for my Facebook friends living in other countries, I hope you all have a very nice Thursday.
Today, November 25th is St Catherine’s Day; she was a popular saint in the MA. Two very significant events happened on her saint’s day. In 1120, the White Ship sank off Barfleur, dramatically changing the course of English and French history. And in 1177, an important battle was fought at Mont Gisard in Outremer between an army led by Saladin and the greatly outnumbered forces of the young leper king, Baldwin IV. I’ll probably discuss these occurrences at greater depth later. Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving. For those of you flying or driving during the holiday, safe travels. And for my Facebook friends living in other countries, I hope you all have a very nice Thursday.
November 24, 2015
Jon Snow?
We can always try to escape the violence in the real world by dwelling upon the violence in GRRM’s fictional world; hard to say which is bloodier. Anyway, more Jon Snow speculation to pass the time. http://money.cnn.com/2015/11/23/media...
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