A doomed king, pushy Tudors, and cute puppies in need of help
On February 20th, 1194, Tancred, the King of Sicily died after a lingering illness that might well have been cancer. His was a very sad death, for his eldest son and heir, Roger, had died suddenly in December, and so when Tancred breathed his last, he must have known his dynasty and family were doomed, for his second son was a small child and no match for his ruthless rival, Heinrich VI, Holy Roman Emperor, who was keen to claim Sicily in the name of his wife, Constance. When I began researching the history of Sicily for Lionheart, I was not favorably inclined toward Tancred, for when he took the throne after the death of his cousin, William II, he seized the dower lands of William’s queen, then imprisoned her, and since she happened to be Joanna, Henry II and Eleanor’s youngest daughter, I naturally resented such treatment on her behalf. But my research revealed that Tancred was no villain, just a man in a tight spot doing the best he could under difficult circumstances. That does not make his confinement of Joanna right, but it is more understandable, and I came to see that he had some admirable qualities. Richard apparently thought so, too, for despite the rockiest of beginnings, they eventually became allies and even friends. Joanna, too, seems to have been willing to forgive him, for upon her return from the Holy Land, she and Berengaria stopped in Sicily, where they were welcomed warmly by Tancred and his wife. The fate of Tancred’s family was a tragic one. Heinrich at first promised their safety, only to “discover” a plot immediately after his coronation at Christmas, 1194. He arrested Tancred’s family and the leading Sicilian nobles, several of whom appeared in Lionheart. Tancred’s widow, Sybilla and her daughters were dispatched to a German convent. Tancred’s son, then about four years old, was sent under guard to a German monastery, where he was said to have been blinded and castrated and died soon afterward. The Sicilian lords fared no better.
I can’t seem to keep those pushy Tudors from invading what is clearly Plantagenet domains. Today was the coronation in 1547 of Henry VIII’s young son, Edward VI. Here’s a passing thought. The Tudors claimed he was the sixth Edward to rule since the Conquest even though the fifth Edward, the elder of the young Princes in the Tower, was never crowned. So why, then, do historians not count the Young King, Hal in my books, wbo was not only crowned once, but twice?
On to other matters. Echo White Shepherd Rescue needs volunteer drivers to take some puppies from Atlanta, GA to Wilmington, NC. Sounds like a fun expedition; who can resist puppies? The Itinerary is below in case any of my fellow pet-loving readers happen to live in the areas where the puppy caravan is passing through and would like to lend a hand for an hour or so this weekend. You can contact Amy Lusty at lustya22@yahoo.com or contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Echo.
Dog: 3 puppies, 8 wks old, shepherd mixes
Puppies: 1 Black female, 1 Black male, 1 White male
Vaccinated: 1 round of DHLPP
Weight: ~15 pounds each
Altered: No
Housebroken: No
Good with Dogs: Yes, but please do not bring any dogs on transport! The puppies need to stay healthy and clear of other dogs.
Crate: Yes, Recommended (puppies can be messy and move around a lot in a car)
Moving From: temp foster (been out of the shelter for 2 weeks)
Moving To: Foster home
Receiving Rescue: Echo Dogs
Receiving Foster Home: Lori Overton
Puppies will be going to New Hampshire the following week. Moving half way Feb 23th, and to NH March 2nd.
**********************
Saturday Feb 23rd Route
(all Eastern Tim Zone)
Leg 0: Zebulun GA to Atlanta GA
45 miles, 1 hr
Leave 8:00 am
Arrive 9:00 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 1: Atlanta GA to Greensboro GA
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 9:00 am
Arrive 10:10 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 2: Greensboro GA to Augusta GA
70 miles, 1 hr 5 min
Leave 10:25 am
Arrive 11:30 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 3: Augusta GA to Columbia SC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 11:45 am
Arrive 12:55pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 4: Columbia SC to Florence SC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 1:10 pm
Arrive 2:20 pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 5: Florence SC to Lumberton NC
50 miles, 55 min
Leave 2:35 pm
Arrive 3:30 pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 6: Lumberton NC to Wilmington NC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 3:45 pm
Arrive 4:55 pm
*** Needed ***
I can’t seem to keep those pushy Tudors from invading what is clearly Plantagenet domains. Today was the coronation in 1547 of Henry VIII’s young son, Edward VI. Here’s a passing thought. The Tudors claimed he was the sixth Edward to rule since the Conquest even though the fifth Edward, the elder of the young Princes in the Tower, was never crowned. So why, then, do historians not count the Young King, Hal in my books, wbo was not only crowned once, but twice?
On to other matters. Echo White Shepherd Rescue needs volunteer drivers to take some puppies from Atlanta, GA to Wilmington, NC. Sounds like a fun expedition; who can resist puppies? The Itinerary is below in case any of my fellow pet-loving readers happen to live in the areas where the puppy caravan is passing through and would like to lend a hand for an hour or so this weekend. You can contact Amy Lusty at lustya22@yahoo.com or contact me and I’ll put you in touch with Echo.
Dog: 3 puppies, 8 wks old, shepherd mixes
Puppies: 1 Black female, 1 Black male, 1 White male
Vaccinated: 1 round of DHLPP
Weight: ~15 pounds each
Altered: No
Housebroken: No
Good with Dogs: Yes, but please do not bring any dogs on transport! The puppies need to stay healthy and clear of other dogs.
Crate: Yes, Recommended (puppies can be messy and move around a lot in a car)
Moving From: temp foster (been out of the shelter for 2 weeks)
Moving To: Foster home
Receiving Rescue: Echo Dogs
Receiving Foster Home: Lori Overton
Puppies will be going to New Hampshire the following week. Moving half way Feb 23th, and to NH March 2nd.
**********************
Saturday Feb 23rd Route
(all Eastern Tim Zone)
Leg 0: Zebulun GA to Atlanta GA
45 miles, 1 hr
Leave 8:00 am
Arrive 9:00 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 1: Atlanta GA to Greensboro GA
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 9:00 am
Arrive 10:10 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 2: Greensboro GA to Augusta GA
70 miles, 1 hr 5 min
Leave 10:25 am
Arrive 11:30 am
*** Needed ***
Leg 3: Augusta GA to Columbia SC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 11:45 am
Arrive 12:55pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 4: Columbia SC to Florence SC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 1:10 pm
Arrive 2:20 pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 5: Florence SC to Lumberton NC
50 miles, 55 min
Leave 2:35 pm
Arrive 3:30 pm
*** Needed ***
Leg 6: Lumberton NC to Wilmington NC
75 miles, 1 hr 10 min
Leave 3:45 pm
Arrive 4:55 pm
*** Needed ***
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Her name, of course, was Jeanne, since she did not speak English. She is usually referred to as Joanna, probably because that was the Latin translation of her name. Occasionally I have seen her caled Joan, too, so you really cannot go wrong with either name, Charlene. What is your WIP progress about?
Sharon wrote: "Her name, of course, was Jeanne, since she did not speak English. She is usually referred to as Joanna, probably because that was the Latin translation of her name. Occasionally I have seen her c..."Sharon - My novel is the Third Crusade through the eyes of 2 knights who serve Richard. They'll meet Joanna in Messina & in Acre & Jaffa. The story covers the time period from spring 1190-spring 1193 and my knights will be involved in many of the significant events and battles. Thanks for asking. :)
ANd thank you for the information about Jeanne. I'd not seen that noted in my reference materials.
It sounds very interesting, Charlene. I'm sure you already have all the major sources, but I do list in the Lionheart AN and Acknowleddgment pages those that I found most helpful, particularly the crusader and Saracen chroniclers (I love using the chronicle!) in case you wanted to compare resources.Good luck with it.
Nicholson's translation of the Chronicle has been a primary resource for me, along with the Annals of Roger de Hoveden & Richards' Saracen chronicle. I work in an academic library and love the fantastic access to books and articles about the time. I've just shipped my 1st draft to beta readers & my writers group is hearing - we do oral critiques - the end of the middle section, which takes place during the summer of 1192. I'm getting fantastic feedback from them & everyone seems to be enjoying the story.
I should mention that I greatly enjoyed Lionheart & how you weaved events from the chroniclers into the story. I cannot wait to read Ransom. I'm using the historical record to present my own interpretation of Richard's capture in Battle Scars.
Is Battle Scars the title of the book, then, Charlene? I have no doubt that Richard suffered some psychic scars during his German captivity! Only now are we realizing that PTSD is not a new ailment. There is a fascinating book, Achilles in Vietnam, that shows Homer was aware of the symptoms of PTSD, and so was Shakespeare in his Henry IV.
Yes, the title is Battle Scars. One of the two main characters, Henry, is dealing with PTSD. It is incredible to imagine that it has been considered a new ailment.
I totally agree, Charlene. War and trauma are universal. But I was very impressed that Homer could have an understanding of it so many centuries before it was recognized. In the Iliad, he shows how Achilles's personality changed for the worst after the death of Patrocles, and Shakespeare does something similar with Hotspur. Of course they were geniuses, so I suppose it is to be expected that they were so much more insightful than their contemporaries.
Oh yes, Lady Percy's description of Hotspur's symptoms sound like PTSD. I'd only seen an adaptation of Henry IV last year and honestly did not remember that scene.I wonder if the ailment was recognized but just ignored by both healers/medics and writers. It was fine to write of battles and victories, of betrayals, of death; fine to show weakness or madness - but to show a man affected by war put that man/character in a whole different light.
That is a good question, Charlene. My own feeling is that it went generally unrecognized, even by the men suffering from it--aside from the occasional genius like Homer or Shakespeare. I've been researching this in the past year, which involved reading a number of first-person accounts from soldiers or POWs, and many of them resisted admitting there was anything wrong. I'd say there is much greater awareness now, for even though there was recognition of PTSD since the Civil War, the breakthrough did not come till after Vietnam.
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You may have noted this in another blog post, but I'm interested in why you refer to Richard's sister as Joanna rather than Joan, which I've seen elsewhere. She has a minor role in my current WIP and I'm more than happy to defer to your expertise rather than wikipedia! :)