Some familiar terminology

This is Ben Davies who, at the time of writing, is a Preston North End centre-half in whom an injury-plagued Liverpool defence have expressed an interest. Radio Five’s reporter, among others, noted that Davies could have signed a “pre-contract” with Celtic, but may join Liverpool anyway.         I wonder who could have…

Another C12 female monarch

For nineteen years, as Matthew Lewis relates here, England was torn between Matilda, Henry I’s only surviving legitimate child, and Stephen of Blois, his nephew. She married Geoffrey of Anjou before their son Henry II succeeded her rival, but her position was difficult because of her gender. The concept of a “Queen Regnant” was unknown…

More musical connections?

This nursery rhyme, although not mediaeval, is early modern and is supposed to refer to a monarch just a few places after Richard III. Here (left) we have the Martyrs’ Memorial near Balliol College, Oxford, that commemorates three of Mary I’s most prominent victims: Archbishop Cranmer and Bishops Latimer and Ridley. They were not the only…

BBC Radio Leicester interviews John Ashdown-Hill …

… about his book “The Private Life of Edward IV”. Here, at 45:12, he discusses Edward’s legal marriage, his bigamous marriage and his (other) mistresses. Here, at about 49:00 , he disscusses Edward’s (hitherto little known) relationship with Henry, Duke of Somerset and his visits to Leicester.