A famous medieval siege and a long overdue nod to the most enigmatic of the Devil's Brood
On August 28, 1189 began one of medieval history’s more interesting “unintended consequences” events. When the highly unpopular King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan, led the army of Outremer to a devastating defeat at Hattin, he was understandably blamed for a military blunder of monumental proportions. So when Saladin released him and he retreated to the kingdom’s sole remaining bastion, the port city of Tyre, he was denied entry into the city by Conrad of Montferrat, a swaggering adventurer who was as ambitious as Guy but far more capable. Guy had many flaws but he did not lack for courage, and he and his queen, Sybilla, then gathered their few followers and set off to lay siege to Acre, which had fallen to Saladin soon after Hattin. It was a quixotic gesture and neither Conrad nor Saladin took it seriously at first. But to the surprise of many, men began to join Guy, and the Acre siege would become the focal point of the Third Crusade.
My friend Kasia has come across a website dedicated to Geoffrey, the Duke of Brittany, which gives credit to my other friend, Malcolm Craig, for his academic article about Geoffrey and Constance’s second daughter, who died young. It also mentions Devil’s Brood, which pleases me, of course. I think Geoffrey has been unfairly ignored by history and so it is nice to see him finally getting a little bit of internet attention. http://www.monikasimon.eu/geoffrey.html
My friend Kasia has come across a website dedicated to Geoffrey, the Duke of Brittany, which gives credit to my other friend, Malcolm Craig, for his academic article about Geoffrey and Constance’s second daughter, who died young. It also mentions Devil’s Brood, which pleases me, of course. I think Geoffrey has been unfairly ignored by history and so it is nice to see him finally getting a little bit of internet attention. http://www.monikasimon.eu/geoffrey.html
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Therese
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Aug 28, 2014 04:27PM
Geoffrey is indeed a mystery, but once again I wonder how things would have turned out if he had lived and became the next king instead of John? Would he have caused a great deal of trouble when Richard was gone or would he have bided his time since anybody could see that Richard didn't spend much time with his wife, therefore had no heirs?
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We'll never know, of course, Therese, but in Lionheart when Richard was very ill with malaria and hallucinating, Geoffrey came to "visit" and told him that, unlike John, he'd have been willing to wait. For even if Richard had a son with Berengaria, what were the odds that he'd have lived long enough for the boy to grow up?
Of course you are right, but I love playing the "what if" game. And good point about the sun he never had…Henry had to have 5 of them for the crown to stay in his line.
So true, Therese. Look at William Marshal; he had at least four sons who grew to manhood and they all died prematurely.
Exactly.However I think Geoffrey would have made a good King. He was patient and cunning, and he seemed to have had some success with Brittany. And then you have to wonder what kind of a Queen Constance would have made.
I think Geoffrey would have made a good king, too, based on his track record as Duke of Brittany He certainly would have been a more successful king than John, who was crippled by his own insecurities. I don't think Constance would have been well-loved by the English. :-) Not too many queens were, though.
Anybody would have been better than John! Perhaps Constance would have come around. That is a big perhaps, but…And then Louis had only one son, but Philip was more than capable for France just like I think Geoffrey would have been able to handle him far more effectively than John did.
I think Geoffrey would, too, Therese. John alienated his barons and and many of his Norman vassals went over to Philippe because they did not trust John. If Geoffrey could win over the prickly Breton barons, he'd have been able to keep his Norman and English vassals content, too.
Alas, we will never know but it is fun to speculate and imagine. If anybody could rewrite history, you could!
Thanks, Therese. I'd certainly like to rewrite history, starting with Bosworth Field!
I have to work my way up to that time era. I started reading from William the Conqueror and I'm trying to go forward so I can know this history a little better.
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