Two famous lovers I cannot love….!

  We all know the story of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford/de Roët. It was a wonderful, passionate love affair that ended with Gaunt, a prince of the realm, making the relatively lowly Katherine his third duchess. Yes, a great romance, and it was fact, not fiction. However, historically speaking, both of them had…

Henry VIII’s mistresses….

  We’re accustomed to reading about Henry VIII’s six wives, but his mistresses aren’t quite as well known. This article (by Amy Licence) is all about these ladies—at least, about the ones of whom we’re aware. I suspect that Henry was a man of huge appetites and that his little black book was much scribbled…

More nudge nudge that Richard killed his nephews….

  “….If we ignore Lady Jane Grey, then the monarch with probably theshortest reign was Edward V. (Right now I can’t think of anyone else.) He succeeded his father on April 9, 1483, at the tender age of 12. His uncle took him and his brother to the Tower of London “for their protection.” Seventy-eight…

A property sale in Suffolk

Here is an East Anglian Daily Times article about Lamarsh Hall near Sudbury, which is for sale. It is Grade II listed and thought to date from c.1485, apparently built for the Beaufort family. Obviously, by 1471, the only legitimate “Beauforts” remaining were the two Margarets, first cousins who had vacated that surname by marriage…

The history of Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset….

This interesting, very readable article is about Henry VIII’s illegitimate son Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset. It’s interesting and very readable, and definitely not anti-Richard III, mostly the opposite in fact. But it doesn’t spare Henrys VII and VIII. I enjoyed reading it in spite of a few bloopers that are nevertheless not…

More Mythology of Richard III

The Mythology of Richard III was one of the late John Ashdown-Hill’s fine and well-researched books, which tried to dispel some of the ingrained tall tales about the much-maligned King. Unfortunately, ‘MORE Mythology’ seems to come up all too infrequently, and I am not necessarily talking about Thomas More, although his name often arises still…

Why did Richard III allow Elizabeth of York such liberty at his court….?

  Today, 10th August, is my birthday, and on this date in 1485, the last Yorkist king, Richard III, was in Nottingham preparing for the imminent invasion of his realm by his Lancastrian foe, Henry Tudor, who didn’t have much of a blood claim to the throne but touted himself as the last remaining heir…

THE PALACE OF COLLYWESTON–NEW EXCAVATIONS

Collyweston is a small village in Northamptonshire, approximately three miles from the town of Stamford. It was not always so unassuming, however. In the 15th century there was a large fortified manor house that dominated Collyweston, of which today no trace remains above ground. The manor, sometimes known as ‘The Palace’ was first purchased by…

Henry VII…er…Henry of Windsor, and his badges….

The following excerpt, concerning royal badges, is from here: “. . .Richard I, John, and Henry III. are all said to have used the device of the crescent and star (Fig. 680). Henry VII. is best known by his two badges of the crowned portcullis and the “sun-burst” (Fig. 681). The suggested origin of the…

War, English Delusion, and the effect on the Economy (4)

It was fortunate for Henry V that someone on the Orleanist side of politics decided to murder the Duke of Burgundy. This persuaded the new duke, Philippe the “Good” to take Henry’s side, a development which led to the Treaty of Troyes and Henry’s marriage to fair Catherine of France. Henry had by this time…