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fracturedporcelaindoll · 3 months

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Dear diary,

A review for thought on King Henry the 8th's wives~

I feel the most fortunate were the following,

1. Queen Catherine, she was a dutiful queen in all the ways one would expect of queen during that time period and she loved Henry, truly so much so that I wonder if she loved him even as she took her last breath, rather a tragic story but more so than juliet and romeo for she didnt have the comfort of having her romeo beside her when death came.

2. Lady/Queen Seymour, a gentle lady the picture of elegance and certainly she left with her reputation intact as she had little enemies to spread rumours, she gave birth to only male heir Henry would ever have and thus would remain a favorite in his heart for giving him a son but she sadly died as well.

3. Anne of Cleaves, she did not perish but no did she stay married to the king, likely in all due respect for the betterment of her own life considering his previous wives fates. She was treated with respect and as family member but the respect being the key thing as even if you were family to Henry it wouldn't guarantee his affection or protection.

The most tragic fates I think were the following,

1. Queen Anne Boleyn, people either love her or hate her but she was witty and stood up firmly for her beliefs unfortunately she made a lot of enemies and ultimately died due largely to unfavorable public opinion of her and her lack of ability to bring Henry the promised son.

2. Catherine Howard, this poor girl. How I pity her, used by other people to get into the king's Grace's and falling for him as he did her for she was rumored a great beauty. She was young, how can you expect a 19 who never had any training in royal duties to know how to run a country? She wanted to wear the pretty gowns, dance at balls and have fun, I mean if I were a princess I admit I'd enjoy such frivolities, sadly she did not keep favor with the king and lost her life.

So yes note of caution while being a princess and living in a castel may seem like a dream come true, there is much more responsibilities one has, to provide for one's citizens and govern the kingdom. Which is why practically speaking you are better off being a bakers daughter or a wealthy mid class daughter as not to have such serious responsibilities that will often involve your life being threatened.

#my thoughts #history #king henry viii #king henry vii wives #dear diary #diary #diary entry

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earlymodernbarbie · 1 year

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The fighting over who was the true king vs who was usurper and the true queen vs. the seductress vs. the murderous bride of a murderer has gotten out of hand for the modern day. Like there is no such thing as the divine right of kingship. There is no sacred royal bloodline, it’s just a myth. A monarchical government is no longer (nor should it have ever been imo) a valid form of government, so why do people spend so much of their time being angry about Henry VII vs. Richard III and -in extension to that- why do people go absolutely feral over the which of the wives of Henry VIII was really a queen? Actual historians go to war with each other over this and it’s ridiculous. I’ve seen people say that Anne was not really queen or that we should not refer to CoA as a queen because she was demoted during her lifetime and it’s just like, who cares? Same with Richard and Henry, there’s no point in arguing over who was truly king because none of it is real. Monarchies mean nothing. The only rightful leader is one who was legally voted in by the people of a nation.

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mametupa · 2 years

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#The Six Wives of Henry VIII #Spanish Princess #King Henry VII #Princess Catherine of Aragon #Queen Catherine of Aragon #SPS1E1

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alicerosejensen · 1 year

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Okay, this is my headcanon! But I think Leon needs a REGULAR civilian girl. I have nothing against Ada (I love that woman) but with Leon you can hit me a dozen times, I can't see her. Their relationship, in my understanding, is toxic. Leon is clearly tired of playing cat and mouse with Ada.

So, my main (and favorite) headcanon is that Leon's partner is still younger than him, and is a student at the College of Arts and Culture. Perhaps she knows how to play the piano or some ancient instrument (the lute? guitars are for wimps). If she knows how to shoot or Leon himself taught her this. Of course, she does not carry a gun with her, but a gas spray must be! Leon will remind her several times to keep it in her jacket pocket.

Her gun always pulls a bit to the left. But in reality it is not, she just shoots askew. But playfully blames Leon.

Leon teaches her how to properly hold a weapon, reload it, but sincerely hopes that this will never come in handy for her. (Besides, I'm just sure that Leon will definitely praise her if she hits the target. It can be nice words or a gentle kiss on the back of the head).

Fluffy Leon. He is very gentle with her, flirts a lot, sometimes even too much. Sometimes he says various smut, only to deliberately embarrass her. But he likes it when she starts to play along, although he likes reddening cheeks from embarrassment more. And no, Leon will not tell her about his work until the last. He does not want to endanger a dear person. Relations with him are also not easy, because Leon is a very reserved person: he is ready to lend a helping hand, but hates to accept it. So it's hard to know what's on his mind. And all if you knock on his "shell" a little, I'm sure that Mr. Kennedy would allow himself to be comforted by insignificant signs of attention. In addition, it certainly relaxes him, as his beloved talks about some historical person.

“Do you know Anne Boleyn? I recently read Alison Weir, "Anne Boleyn, a king’s obsession. Henry VII is just a big pig! He wanted a son, but in the end, his daughter became the Great Queen anyway! He didn't deserve any of his wives."

Leon is unlikely to listen carefully if he has just returned from a mission. Most of the time he will disappear into the bar emptying the stocks of whiskey, but if his mental state is stable, then he is really interested, but not always...

She is literally his sunshine! Unfortunately, when Leon is drunk, he can rudely push away (not physically. Raising a hand to his beloved is beyond impossible for him). He will definitely apologize the next morning, but will feel like a bastard for having snapped at his love. Even if she forgives him.

Tries to fix a mistake. A gift or help around the house... Leon understands that it's hard with him, understands that she can find another good guy, and he will let her go without problems, considering himself not the best option for her. Yes, it will hurt him, but if it's for the best, he'll understand. True, leaving him will be accompanied by another hard drinking.

"I don’t want to leave, but I don’t understand what is happening to you! You are very dear to me, it hurts me to see that you are ruining yourself, Leon!"

The words that at least someone needs him, not as a federal agent, but as a person will break him. Leon would hug her, bury his nose in the crook of her neck, and most likely let himself cry. He's fucking tired of B.O.O, he's always dreamed of having a family and helping people as a cop! His life shouldn't be like this!

Their sex balances on the verge of tenderness and rudeness. I don't think Leon has a fetish for choking, for example. He can grab him by the neck, but he won't squeeze. Suddenly he miscalculates his strength and causes harm ... nevertheless, he still dominates, although Leon is a giver, so he will make sure that his partner gets the highest pleasure from making love to him.

The agent reacts quite calmly when his girlfriend puts her leg on his hip. True, he doesn't like it when she takes up the entire bed, trying to push Kennedy to the floor in his sleep. Sometimes she can be very active in this.

He's fought B.O.O., zombies, and more, but he doesn't always manage to stay on his bed at night. Because this woman prefers to take everything.

The couch is also comfortable.

"Why were you sleeping on the couch?

Leon will come up with some kind of go-ahead, but will not tell the truth

Nothing strange, just a man with the last name of the president lost a bed to his girlfriend.

I think because of the age difference, Leon is afraid to marry his girlfriend. To be more precise, he is afraid that she will become a target for his enemies. If something happened to her through his fault, he would never forgive himself for it. And let the D.S.O shove all the programs to protect the relatives of their agents up their ass (I hope they have such)

If an outbreak of a new virus occurs again, Leon will climb even to hell for his beloved. He's already protected Ashley from the ganado and Las Plagas, so keeping his beloved safe from the new stuff will be a priority for him. Leon is trained to deal with this, but she is not, but this does not mean that she will not hit the zombies with a tire iron or a bat in order to protect herself, but once again she will not stick out from behind Leon's back. But she may have to take a few shots, which is unlikely to kill the zombies.

"You have to shoot right in the head."

"This is my friend! You SHOT my friend! He... he... I could..."

"He's not human anymore."

"HE WAS MY FRIEND! Who gave you the right to kill people?!"

Yeap, she fired first, but...Leon realizes it's just a shock. He didn't tell her anything about where he actually works, so her fear is entirely justified. The gun she found will be in his holster, and he will carefully make his way with her through this shit to leave her in a safe place.

Hit a zombie in the head with a tire iron when he wants to attack Leon from behind? She has courage. Maybe she's not a spy like Ada; she doesn't look like Helena or Claire, but she tries her best to hold on even if she has nightmares afterwards.

Some riddles can be solved faster than Leon. Need to quote Kafka or remember an important historical date? Next to Leon is a walking encyclopedia. Play a couple of chords? Problematic, but not critical.

She is his sunlight... or the light from a flashlight. Leon's lantern broke, so...

"Please don't shine in my eyes, baby." "I'm Sorry."

Leon will have to say goodbye to his leather jacket, but it's a joke, he'll give it to her himself.

They will walk this path together. Most likely, Leon will leave her in a safe place, thinking that she does not need a relationship with him. Most importantly, he saved her life.

-Hey, Mr. John Wick, - Leon turned around in confusion at a face stained with someone else's blood, where a tired smile bloomed. - Will you teach me how to suplex when you get back?

-Better we just take a hot shower together.

- I don't think I'll be going back to college any time soon, so I'll wait for you to come back. And I'm sorry about what I said to you on campus. I probably wouldn't have survived without you. Damn, I'd be torn to pieces.

- I understand.

- We'll talk calmly when it's over, right? I probably didn't know much about you. Will this end, Leon?

- Sure.

He'll be back, really. When he finishes off another bastard who has arranged a new outbreak of the virus.

#leon kennedy #leon scott kennedy #leon s kennedy #original male character #resident evil #resident evil vendetta

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gulnarsultan · 1 year

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Hello!

I’m just wondering if you can do a platonic Yandere Henry viii x twin brother Reader.

Henry and Reader are twins with Henry being the older twin.

Henry will not let the Reader marry anyone woman or a man, saying that “My precious brother should not have his innocents tainted by sinister people!”

Once Henry becomes King, he doesn’t let his brother out of the palace

Henry’s children, unhealthy, adore their uncle and want to spend every second of their life with him.

Or Platonic Yandere Henry viii x son reader

Reader is the eldest son of Henry vii. His mother died in childbirth.

Reader is known for going on wild adventures. Henry and his wives adore the prince and spoil him in riches. Every time Reader goes on an adventure Henry and the wives try to stop the young Reader but ends up failing.

The wives love Reader and wishes that Reader was their son instead.

Once Mary, Elizabeth and Edward(all three of them are yandere) is born, Reader tries to get them to go exploring which works. Elizabeth and Edward are excited to go on a cool adventure with their favourite sibling while Mary trails along says that they should just go back home and cuddle.

Back over at the palace, Henry and the wives are running around trying to find their precious son and the other three.

Henry and his brother seem to be glued together by the hips. Henry is always by his brother's side. Henry never lets his brother go away. Henry is literally the mother hen and the foster brother for his brother. He is the caretaker of brother Henry's children. The children find the missing parent figures in their lives in the uncle reader.

Henry's first son was born of his precious wife, who died at birth. Henry is a protective father to his son. He is very afraid that something will happen to his son. I think you're right, Henry's wives see the Prince as their own son. They wanted the prince to be their own son. Mary, Elizabeth and Edward adore their older brothers. Elizabeth and Edward go on adventures with their older brother. Mary expects them not to come back. Henry and his wives are looking for the whereabouts of all of them.

#yandere king henry viii x reader #yandere king henry viii #yandere tudors characters #yandere the tudors #house of tudor #king henry viii x reader #yandere mary tudor #yandere elizabeth tudor #yandere edward tudor

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natequarter · 8 months

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kudos to cunk on britain for its spot on overview of the tudor era:

missing out henry vii entirely

basically just mentioning henry viii for his wives

boy king, oh look, he died, moving swiftly on

something something, bloody mary had 300 protestants burnt at the stake, something something

[after moving past two portraits of two queens] king queen elizabeth, the first queen of england,

obligatory shakespeare mention

#philomena cunk

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thediamondarcher · 6 months

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what is an interesting fact about the tudor dynasty?

omg okay I don't have anyone to talk about this irl so i have a lot to say

Catherine Parr married Thomas Seymour (Jane's brother) and he started to sxually abuse Queen Elizabeth I while Catherine was pregnant with her first and only child

Henry spent more than 4 years trying to divorce Catherine Of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn and they were only married for 3 years until Henry basically charged her with crimes she hadn't committed (like adultery and conspiracy against the king)

the only two wives of Henry that Mary I (Catherine Of Aragon's daughter) liked/respected were Anne Of Cleves and Catherine Parr

Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII mother) was 13 years old when she gave birth to him, her only child

Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the "beheaded queens" were actually cousins

Queen Elizabeth I (Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII daughter) is Queen Elizabeth II first cousin

Elizabeth I is considered to be one of the best queens in England to this day, she had a reign of 45 years until she died at the age of 69 (that was obviously something practically abnormal at that time since she had almost no teeth and no hair left) She was also the last monarch of The House Of Tudor

#somethings might be wrong but I'm very new to this topic so sorry if i got something wrong #the tudor dynasty #tudor history #tudor queens #elizabeth i #anne boleyn #anne of cleves #catherine parr #catherine howard #mary i of england #henry viii #henry vii of england

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palecleverdoll · 7 months

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Wives and Daughters of Holy Roman Emperors: Age at First Marriage

I have only included women whose birth dates and dates of marriage are known within at least 1-2 years, therefore, this is not a comprehensive list.

This list does not include women who died before their husbands were crowned Emperor. It spans between the beginning of the reign of Otto I (962 CE) and the end of the reign of Francis II (1806 CE).

The average age at first marriage among these women was 17. The sample size was 91 women. The youngest bride, Bianca Maria Sforza, was just 2 years old when she wed her first husband, who was himself 9. The oldest bride, Constance of Sicily, was 32 years old.

Adelaide of Italy, wife of Otto I, HRE: age 15 when she married Lothair II, King of Italy, in 947 CE

Liutgarde of Saxony, daughter of Otto I, HRE: age 15 when she married Conrad the Red, Duke of Lorraine, in 947 CE

Theophanu, wife of Otto II, HRE: age 17 when she married Otto in 972 CE

Cunigunde of Luxembourg, wife of Henry II, HRE: age 24 when she married Henry in 999 CE

Gisela of Swabia, wife of Conrad II, HRE: age 12 when she married Brun I of Brunswick in 1002 CE

Agnes of Poitou, wife of Henry III, HRE: age 18 when she married Henry in 1043 CE

Matilda of Germany, daughter of Henry III, HRE: age 11 when she married Rudolf of Rheinfelden in 1059 CE

Judith of Swabia, daughter of Henry III, HRE: age 9 when she married Solomon, King of Hungary in 1063 CE

Bertha of Savoy, wife of Henry IV, HRE: age 15 when she married Henry in 1066 CE

Agnes of Waiblingen, daughter of Henry IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Frederick I, Duke of Swabia in 1086 CE

Empress Matilda, wife of Henry V, HRE: age 12 when she married Henry in 1114 CE

Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, wife of Frederick I, HRE: age 13 when she married Frederick in 1156 CE

Beatrice, daughter of Frederick I, HRE: age 10 when she married Guillaume II, Count of Chalon in 1173 CE

Constance, Queen of Sicily, wife of Henry IV, HRE: age 32 when she married Henry IV in 1186 CE

Beatrice of Swabia, first wife of Otto IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Otto in 1212 CE

Maria of Brabant, second wife of Otto IV, HRE: age 24 when she married Otto in 1214 CE

Constance of Aragon, first wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 19 when she married Emeric of Hungary in 1198 CE

Isabella II of Jerusalem, second wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 13 when she married Frederick in 1225 CE

Isabella of England, third wife of Frederick II, HRE: age 21 when she married Frederick in 1235 CE

Margaret of Sicily, daughter of Frederick II, HRE: age 14 when she married Albert II, Margrave of Meissen in 1255 CE

Anna of Hohenstaufen, daughter of Frederick II, HRE: age 14 when she married John III Doukas Vatatzes in 1244 CE

Marie of Luxembourg, daughter of Henry VII, HRE: age 18 when she married Charles IV of France in 1322 CE

Beatrice of Luxembourg, daughter of Henry VII, HRE: age 13 when she married Charles I of Hungary in 1318 CE

Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut, wife of Louis IV, HRE: age 13 when she married Louis in 1324 CE

Matilda of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV, HRE: age 10 when she married Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen in 1323 CE

Beatrice of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV, HRE: age 12 when she married Eric XII of Sweden in 1356 CE

Anna von Schweidnitz, wife of Charles IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Charles in 1353 CE

Elizabeth of Pomerania, wife of Charles IV, HRE: age 16 when she married Charles in 1378 CE

Margaret of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 7 when she married Louis I of Hungary in 1342 CE

Catherine of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 14 when she married Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria in 1356 CE

Elisabeth of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 8 when she married Albert III, Duke of Austria in 1366 CE

Anne of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 16 when she married Richard II of England in 1382 CE

Margaret of Bohemia, daughter of Charles IV, HRE: age 8 when she married John III, Burgrave of Nuremburg in 1381 CE

Barbara of Cilli, wife of Sigismund, HRE: age 13 when she married Sigismund in 1405 CE

Elizabeth of Luxembourg, daughter of Sigismund, HRE: age 13 when she married Albert II of Germany in 1422 CE

Eleanor of Portugal, wife of Frederick III, HRE: age 18 when she married Frederick in 1452 CE

Kunigunde of Austria, daughter of Frederick III, HRE: age 22 when she married Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria in 1487 CE

Bianca Maria Sforza, wife of Maximilian I, HRE: age 2 when she married Philibert I, Duke of Savoy in 1474 CE

Margaret of Austria, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 17 when she married John, Prince of Asturias in 1497 CE

Barbara von Rattal, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 15 when she married Siegmund von Dietrichstein in 1515 CE

Dorothea of Austria, daughter of Maximilian I, HRE: age 22 when she married Johan I of East Frisia in 1538 CE

Isabella of Portugal, wife of Charles V, HRE: age 23 when she married Charles in 1526 CE

Maria of Austria, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 20 when she married Maximilian II, HRE in 1548 CE

Joanna of Austria, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 17 when she married John Manuel, Prince of Portugal in 1552 CE

Margaret of Parma, daughter of Charles V, HRE: age 14 when she married Alessandro de’ Medici, Duke of Florence, in 1536 CE

Elizabeth of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 16 when she married Sigismund II Augustus of Poland in 1543 CE

Anna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 17 when she married Albert V, Duke of Bavaria in 1546 CE

Maria of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 15 when she married William of Julich-Cleves-Berg in 1546 CE

Catherine of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 16 when she married Francesco III Gonzaga in 1559 CE

Eleanor of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 27 when she married William I, Duke of Mantua in 1561 CE

Barbara of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 26 when she married Alfonso II d’Este in 1565 CE

Joanna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand I, HRE: age 18 when she married Francesco I de’ Medici in 1565 CE

Anna of Austria, daughter of Maximilian II, HRE: age 21 when she married Philip II of Spain in 1570 CE

Elisabeth of Austria, daughter of Maximilian II, HRE: age 16 when she married Charles IX of France in 1570 CE

Anna of Tyrol, wife of Matthias, HRE: age 26 when she married Matthias in 1611 CE

Eleonora Gonzaga the Elder, wife of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 24 when she married Ferdinand in 1622 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 25 when she married Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria in 1635 CE

Cecilia Renata of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand II, HRE: age 26 when she married Władysław IV of Poland in 1637 CE

Maria Anna of Spain, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 25 when she married Ferdinand in 1631 CE

Maria Leopoldine of Austria, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 16 when she married Ferdinand in 1648 CE

Eleonora Gonzaga the Younger, wife of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 21 when she married Ferdinand in 1651 CE

Mariana of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 15 when she married Philip IV of Spain in 1649 CE

Eleonore of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 17 when she married Michael I of Poland in 1670 CE

Maria Anna Josepha of Austria, daughter of Ferdinand III, HRE: age 24 when she married Johann Wilhelm II, Elector Palatine in 1678 CE

Margaret Theresa of Spain, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 15 when she married Leopold in 1666 CE

Claudia Felicitas of Spain, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 20 when she married Leopold in 1673 CE

Eleonore Magdalene of Neuberg, wife of Leopold I, HRE: age 21 when she married Leopold in 1676 CE

Maria Antonia of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, HRE: age 16 when she married Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria in 1685 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Leopold I, HRE: age 25 when she married John V of Portugal in 1708 CE

Wilhelmine Amalie of Brunswick, wife of Joseph I, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph in 1699 CE

Maria Josepha of Austria, daughter of Joseph I, HRE: age 20 when she married Augustus III of Poland in 1719 CE

Maria Amalia of Austria, daughter of Joseph I, HRE: age 21 when she married Charles VII, HRE in 1722 CE

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick, wife of Charles VI, HRE: age 17 when she married Charles in 1708 CE

Maria Theresa of Austria, daughter of Charles VI, HRE: age 19 when she married Francis I, HRE in 1736 CE

Maria Anna of Austria, daughter of Charles VI, HRE: age 26 when she married Charles Alexander of Lorraine in 1744 CE

Maria Antonia of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 23 when she married Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony in 1747 CE

Maria Anna Josepha of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 20 when she married Louis George of Baden-Baden in 1755 CE

Maria Josepha of Bavaria, daughter of Charles VII, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph II, HRE in 1765 CE

Maria Christina, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 24 when she married Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen in 1766 CE

Maria Amalia, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 23 when she married Ferdinand I, Duke of Parma in 1769 CE

Maria Carolina, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 16 when she married Ferdinand IV & III of Sicily in 1768 CE

Maria Antonia, daughter of Francis I, HRE: age 14 when she married Louis XVI of France in 1770 CE

Maria Josepha of Bavaria, wife of Joseph II, HRE: age 26 when she married Joseph in 1765 CE

Maria Luisa of Spain, wife of Leopold II, HRE: age 19 when she married Leopold in 1764 CE

Maria Theresa of Austria, daughter of Leopold II, HRE: age 20 when she married Anthony of Saxony in 1787 CE

Maria Clementina of Austria, daughter of Leopold II, HRE: age 20 when she married Francis I of Sicily in 1797 CE

Maria Theresa of Naples, wife of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Francis in 1790 CE

Marie Louise, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 19 when she married Napoleon I of France in 1810 CE

Maria Leopoldina, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 20 when she married Pedro I of Brazil and IV of Portugal in 1817 CE

Clementina, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Leopold of Salerno in 1816 CE Marie Caroline, daughter of Francis II, HRE: age 18 when she married Frederick Augustus of Saxony in 1819 CE

#holy roman empire #history #medieval #early modern

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foul-z-fowl · 1 year

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Soooo I know probably no one cares, but I was bored this afternoon and decided to make a list of historical period dramas following the history of the English monarchs

(Note: these are all DRAMAS. None of them are perfectly historically accurate, several of them are downright offensive. Also, several British monarchs are multiple depictions and some had none. I did my best, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Do your own research on each of the films for any triggers or content warnings.)

William the Conqueror- The Early Life of William the Conqueror, up to the Battle of Hasting and the Invasion of 1066

1066- William the Conqueror, the invasion of England and the Battle of Hastings

[William II does not have any film dedicated to his life or his reign (that was usable, anyway]

[Henry I does not have any film dedicated to his life or his reign]

Pillars of Earth- This series does not focus on it, but it is set to the backdrop of the Anarchy, which is absolutely fascinating, and it is a crime we do not have any good films about Empress Matilda

The Lion in Winter- Henry II and Elanor of Aquitaine (another woman who needs her own miniseries)

Richard the Lionheart (2021)- Richard I

King John (1899!)- John I [ALL of the other movies with these two were fucking Robin Hood movies]

[Henry III has never been depicted in film]

Outlaw King- Edward I

Edward II- Edward II (this is Piers Gaveston erasure that I could only find this one film)

The Dark Avenger- Edward III (and Edward the Black Prince as a bonus!)

Richard II- Richard II (any adaptation works, there are multiple)

The Hollow Crown- Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V

The King- Henry IV and Henry V

[Henry VI has no film depictions of his life or reign. WHICH IS A CRIME GIVE ME MARGARET OF ANJOU YOU FUCKING COWARDS!)]

The White Queen- Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, and Henry VII (plus a fuckton of other historical figures)

Richard III: The Princes in the Tower- Richard III, Edward V

Richard III- Richard III (any adaptation will work, there are multiple. Be forewarned that although modern portrayals tend to be sympathetic, Shakespeare thought he was dick and it shows.)

The White Princess- Henry VII (plus his family)

The Spanish Princess- The last years of Henry VII's reign, the beginning of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII's marriage, and Prince Arthur! (Still salty we haven't had a KING Arthur yet)

The Tudors- Henry VII (+plus his six wives and Mary I) (Henry VII has an absolute fuckton of movies about each of his wives, I recommend picking a few more from the list) (also, be warned that this show is as historically inaccurate as shit, but good for drama)

The Prince & The Pauper- Edward VI (I don't think this one is very historically accurate either, but the most interesting thing about this Edward was his birth and death sooooo)

Lady Jane- Jane Grey

[Mary I has no film depictions of her life or reign (GIVE US A MOVIE YOU COWARDS!) (She does appear in the Tudor's and in some of Elizabeth I's shows though)]

Becoming Elizabeth- Elizabeth I (plus her siblings, I think)

Reign- Mary, Queen of Scots (VERY historically inaccurate, but one of my favorite period dramas. Mary's story is also very important to Elizabeth I and James I's)

Mary, Queen of Scots- Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I (2018) (this show covers the time in between Mary arriving in England and being executed)

Elizabeth: The Golden Age- Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I- Elizabeth I (2005)

Mary & George- James I & VI (This one isn't out yet, but none of James' other movies are that great- like AT ALL, and this one looks like its shaping up to be interesting)

[Charles I has no film depictions of his life or reign (which is very disappointing- this guy was so awful he got his head cut off and caused a civil war! Where's the vilification?)]

To Kill a King- Oliver Cromwell (+ a little Charles I)

Cromwell- Oliver Cromwell

Charles II: The Power and the Passion- Charles II

[James II has no film dedicated to his life or reign (another one that's a shame, this guy was so unpopular he was ALSO chased off the throne. Down with the Tudors, I want to see some Stuart movies)]

[William III and Mary II have no film dedicated to their joint reign.]

The Favourite- Anne I

[George I has no film dedicated to his life or reign]

[George II has no film dedicated to his life or reign]

Queen Charlotte- George III (and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz)(this one also isn't out yet, but it will be in 2023)

The Madness of King George- George III (and George IV)

A Royal Scandal- George IV

[William IV has no film dedicated to his life or reign]

The Young Victoria- Victoria I

Mrs. Brown- Victoria I

Victoria & Abdul- Victoria I

Edward the Seventh- Edward VII

[George V has no film dedicated to his life or reign]

The Woman He Loved- Edward VIII (and Wallis Nazi Simpson)

Bertie and Elizabeth- George VI (and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon)

The King's Speech- George VI (and Elizabeth Bowes Lyon

The Crown- Queen Elizabeth II

Spencer- Charles III (and Princess Diana)

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nhozemphtekh · 2 months

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Watchdogs: Homeworld (Eyes Up! AU) WIP

I thought I’d say that my AU is based off human history itself as my book tend to reference historical people such as King Henry VII and the six wives. Once I start publishing my book on here, you’ll get the idea-

This is merely a small doodle of Odile playing the 4th wife of the king, back when Watchdogs were independent creatures before Hater’s kind came along. For me, the watchdogs were a pretty powerful species, they were once taller and were very sophisticated in culture and power, as they once owned monarchies until they were occupied.

The drawing is simply Odile looking at the mirror at herself in the costume of the late queen because the watchdogs are celebrating their history in my AU.

#my ocs #wander over yonder oc #woy oc #woy watchdog oc #wander over yonder #woy ocs #oc shit #i dont fucking know #I like referencing all my interests into one au #I love making deep lore #yeah

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edmundhoward · 1 month

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(from other blog!)

🔥 choose violence ask game 🔥

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

shan't be posting a screenshot, but the take that ‘defending katherine parr is defending thomas seymour’ is actually repugnant. her actions wrt elizabeth can and should be criticised — but within their proper context. katherine was a brilliant woman but she was also a woman, and legally, socially and culturally her husband overpowered her. she lived in a patriarchal society. she was negligent, at best, complicit, at worst — but she did warn ashley to keep an eye on thomas and elizabeth, did berate her husband for his ill-treatment, and did ultimately send elizabeth away. she was also pregnant with his child and the pregnancy seems to have been difficult. and elizabeth loved her; she was more her mother than anyone else. putting her on the same level as thomas seymour is just so gross to me.

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

i PROMISE you anne boleyn does not receive the ‘worst’ historical abuse of the six wives/female historical figures. the idea of an evil, manipulative, promiscuous anne boleyn is nowhere near as culturally prevalent and pervasive as you insist it is. she very much does not have it anywhere near as bad as is claimed.

people simply do not care about anne boleyn, far more than they actively hate her — and where she does get treated with misogyny, it’s on a similar level to other female historical figures. it’s not distinct to her. moreover, what is unique to her is the level of revisionism and attention she gets. as another post has already put it: “anne's reinvention has been the most powerful and vocal in historical circles. anne is the center of almost all revisionist efforts in tudor historiography”. none of the six wives have been researched, revisited, reimagined and rehabilitated or simply discussed even a fraction as much.

we've already been over this. at this point i honestly believe insistence over this simply comes down to people looking for a thing to feel persecuted and exceptional over, while lacking the academic curiosity, talent and integrity to actually go and find something more tangible than the single most popular person in tudor history.

10. worst part of fanon

the hypocrisy/doublethink is truly something in this fandom sometimes. ‘monarchy was sacrosanct’ so therefore the commons unfailingly accepted the divine right of kings, except for all the times when they didn't and all the numerous recorded instances of royals being slandered/revolted against... but simultaneously, recognising the use of myth/prophecy and mysticism/faith in discourses of the time is ‘lionising’ historical figures, so we can't talk about henry vii and allusions to y daroganwr or king arthur but we can compare anne boleyn to classical mythology. sure!

13. worst blorboficiation

i recently saw that michael hick’s ‘the self-made king’ book about richard iii (which i haven’t read, so for all i know is very good but the title has always put me off) in a bookshop, and it reminded me how profoundly intellectually dishonest ricardians are. whether or not hicks’ book is sound, the popular/fandom approach to idealising richard iii is legitimately insane. truly i believe the only reason for mutilating the historical richard like this — to turn him into some fantasy merrie olde englande caricature of a medieval king — is to appropriate him into a racist, xenophobic, classist conservative ideal of monarchy. for as much as they might talk of him being ‘self-made’ or ‘socialist’ (as professional-at-failing-upwards matt lewis described him), they clearly do not care for such ideas, because they are centering them around (a fundamentally flawed understanding of) medieval monarchy. it's so ugly.

14. that one thing you see in fics all the time

i don’t read fanfic, but i see posts abt them and edit aus a lot and a consistent thing that i just cannot understand is the ‘fix-it’ narratives that have the women having numerous pregnancies. why? especially because the dates given essentially prove that in these aus, women never get to spend any time not pregnant or getting impregnated — including the historic protocols of lying in, churching etc., or religious conventions (sex was forbidden on certain days etc). it all basically creates an image of a husband who disrespects his wife by constantly trying to impregnate her, and a woman forced to endure the physical demands of constant pregnancy/labour with no regard for any other facet of her life/personhood. especially since these aus give these women a diabolical amount of children (including forcing twins/triplets on these women). it’s just so blatant that queenship/womanhood = being a broodmare. and, worse, these aus have the nerve to give these children horrific names.

25. common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

not directly what was asked but it’s genuinely exhausting how predominantly complaints about katherine howard being called a stupid slut have become wrapped up in this idea that katherine can only be worthy of sympathy if she did not willingly have sex. so often people trying to defend her, and criticising misogyny directed at her, ultimately constrain her to a fundamentally sexist idea — that sex can only be something done to her, as an unwilling participant. otherwise the implication is that comments about her intelligence or promiscuity are justified. there is no benefit to whitewashing katherine’s sexuality, and the insistence on characterising her almost exclusively as a victim is distressing. and it’s tiring having to repeatedly point this out. it simply feels like katherine howard is talked a lot but rarely as a fully actualised person in her own right.

#💌#i needed to get this out of my drafts uffffff

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wanderlustmagician · 4 months

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heyheyheyheyhey

uuuuuh

ramble about some weird history fixation of yours

plz <3

Ooooooooo :3 you have said the magic words

I tried answering this from my phone twice and it wiped it. So had to wait on the tablet xD

I've always enjoyed doing research and reading on various bad ass women in history. I find it so fun and fascinating that several different countries can say that they're at their most prolific and successful when they're ruled by a Queen. It's usually the Kings where a lot of the drama is, but even then the Queens are being bad asses behind the scenes.

One area of history I circle back to a lot is Henry VIII and his wives. Mostly his wives, they're honestly the more interesting ones in that trainwreck. Catherine of Aragon was essentially being held hostage after her first husband, Arthur, and Henry's elder brother died suddenly. Arthur is super kind of tragic, to me. A lot of what little records of him remain show a very lonely existence. He didn't really get to be around his family a lot and grew up with a lot of expectations resting on him. He was only 15 when he died. Anyways Henry's father, Henry VII (and don't get me started on the naming thing back then, I do my family's ancestry stuff and it makes me absolutely CRAZY), didn't want to lose a very profitable alliance with what was a united Spain and, if I remember right, also didn't want to return her very expensive dowry. So he just... refused to send her back?? So rude. Anyways, little future Henry VIII spends that time learning the things he didn't get to learn when he was the spare and wooing Catherine. It works. She is successfully wooed.

They're married for 20 years. Two decades. The people LOVE her. She is an A+ Queen according to the people. She's invested in the arts, she's investing creating a culturally diverse court. She sponsors young noble ladies to go learn about the courts, culture, and arts in other ladies countries/courts. Anne Boelin is one these ladies she sponsored. We can get to her another day though. Catherine is emulating her mother, Isabella I of Castille, and her court. Things she learned at her mother's knee growing up. Being from Spain, she was a very devout Catholic as was her daughter, Mary.

Then after many years of being a devoted queen, suffering through the trauma and agony of many miscarriages and children lost young or stillborn, and having to live as a hostage - Henry VIII betrays her by casting away their now formerly shared faith, disavowing their marriage and casting away their daughter, and imprisoning her till she eventually dies. She never gets to go back to Spain, never sees her daughter again, and is forced to die dishonored and alone.

And what's worse, to me, is that Henry VIII loved her, but when it came down to making a choice between his wife and his legacy... he absolutely made the wrong choice and then kept making it. By the time of his death, he'd thrown both away.

I could have kept going but this was getting long and if I started on Anne Boelin, I wouldn't have been able to stop. Henry VIII did Catherine of Aragon dirty, but so did his father and a lot of the people in her life ( I think the only person who was ever on her side was Arthur, her first husband, but he died after like five months... so who knows how long that energy would have lasted.) However, Anne Boelin got done almost worse for how much he loved her versus how he handled the end.

I dunno if this is what you were hoping for but tadaaaa. Thank you for the ask Somer <3

#sassy somer #wandering thoughts #asks

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canirove · 11 months

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Nayef Aguerd Imagine | two

Author’s note: Another request from Wattpad. It was supposed to be something cute where he helps you during your exams while you are studying, but I think I got a bit distracted 😅 Hope you still like it and thank you for reading! 💜

Masterlist

*Female reader/pov

"Your tea, my lady" Nayef says, putting the big West Ham mug in front of me.

"Aww, thank you" I smile.

"I've also made you a snack. It's just some fruit we had that I cut nicely and arranged like those spreads people do on Instagram, but" he shrugs.

"It's perfect. You are perfect."

"So are you" he says, kissing the top of my nose and sitting on the bed next to my desk. "How is the studying going?"

"I could do with a little break, to be honest. Maybe stretch my legs."

"Then come here" he says, patting the spot next to him.

"I like it here better" I smirk while sitting on his lap and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Cheeky" he laughs. "What were you studying?"

"The reign of Henry VII."

"Is he related to the one who had many wives?"

"The one who had many wives" I laugh. "But yes, he's the father of Henry VIII."

"Did he also marry... How many wives did he have?" Nayef asks while massaging my low back. I had stopped feeling it after being sat down for so long.

"Six. Divorced, beheaded and died. Divorced, beheaded, survived" I sing. "And no, his father wasn't like that."

"Who is your favourite?"

"Uh?"

"From the six wives" he says, his hand now under my shirt, moving up and down my back.

"Anne Boleyn."

"What happened to her?"

"Beheaded. Which is how I will probably end today. My neck is killing me" I sigh.

"Are you asking me for a massage?" Nayef smirks.

"You already are at it, so why not keep it going?" I reply with a matching smile.

"You are gonna have to move from my lap, tho."

"Oh, well" I say, moving to sit on the bed. "Better like this?"

"Perfect" he says as he rests his hands on my shoulders and moves his thumbs over my neck, making me gasp. "Does that feel good?"

"Very" I nod.

"Tell me more about Anne Boleyn. Why is she your favourite?"

"She was such a clever woman... And she basically changed the country's history."

"Interesting... Any other favourites?" Nayef asks, now using all his fingers to massage different spots on my neck, the feeling making me feel goosebumps all over my arms.

"Catherine of Aragon, his first wife. She was such a strong woman."

"So are you."

"If I was strong, I wouldn't be feeling like I'm melting under your touch" I chuckle.

"Oh, are you?" he says before kissing my neck, making me feel his smile on my skin.

"You know I am" I whisper, biting my lip to try and control myself as he keeps kissing me.

"Should we do something about it?"

"About what?" I ask while he slowly moves his hands from my shoulders all the way down my arms, caressing my skin.

"About your melting. You can't go back to studying feeling like that, can you?"

"I cannot" I say, his hands now around my waist and under my shirt, one of them dangerously going up.

"You will end up mixing the kings, the wives, the years... And I can't let that happen. You have to nail that exam."

"I do" I say, feeling my body tensing more and more while he keeps teasing me.

"Though your tea is probably getting cold. And I put so much love on making it. Your snack too."

"And I'm very thankful. But Nayef..."

"Yes, my love?" he says, kissing my neck once again, spreading more heat over my body.

"I'm not in the mood for tea or a snack. Or reading about Henry VII and how he made it to the throne."

"What are you in the mood for, then?"

"You" I say, turning around and throwing myself at him, somehow managing to hit the table and knocking the cup of tea as I lay us down on the bed. "Fuck, shit!"

"Are your notes ok? Your laptop? Your phone?" Nayef asks with a concerned look.

"They are, yes" I sigh after checking the table. "But now my snack is all wet."

"Like you?" he smirks.

"Nayef!" I say, punching him in the arm.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he laughs. "That hurt, you know?"

"You deserve it" I say, sticking out my tongue. "And look at the mess we've made."

"The mess you have made."

"Whatever. I can't go back to studying, so I think you should finish your massage."

"And give it a happy ending?" Nayef asks, arching an eyebrow.

"And give it a happy ending, yes" I say, rolling my eyes but not being able to hide a smile.

"As the lady commands" he grins, grabbing me by the waist and throwing me back on the bed, kissing me while I can't stop giggling like an idiot.

#nayef aguerd #nayef aguerd imagine #nayef aguerd fanfic #football fanfic #football imagine

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catofadifferentcolor · 2 years

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Terrible Fic Ideas #5: The White Princess, but make it GoT

I have a terrible weakness for female!Jon Snow fics - mostly because making the character female gives a fascinating array of opportunities to unite two rival claims to the Iron Throne and all the drama that involves. So what about a fic where the people with the strongest claim to the throne - female!Jon Snow and Robert Baratheon - end up married?

Hear me out:

Much as Elizabeth of York objectively had a better claim to the throne than her husband, Henry VII, a female!Jon Snow (called Joanna from here on out) would have the Targaryen bloodline claim but no chance of getting on the throne herself even if she wasn't presented to the world as her uncle's bastard. Westeros doesn't abide female rulers.

But if you marry her bloodline claim to the man with the next best claim - her second cousin once removed, Robert Baratheon, who's actually got the throne - you have the strongest of any possible claim. One which could make the greatest number of factions happy, if only they knew about it.

But how to make it happen? It's easy to imagine Robert trying to take Joanna to bed, as she resembles her mother a great deal, but how to make it a legal union? I see two options:

One: In the aftermath of the Greyjoy Rebellion, Robert heads north, sees 14 year old Joanna looking the image of his lost love, and pulls out some ancient Targaryen law that lets the king have two wives. No one is particularly thrilled with this idea except for Robert, but he's the king and the most optimistic hope it will turn down his whoring. Or,

Two: In the aftermath of the Greyjoy Rebellion, Robert heads north after Cersei has been found in the act of adultery while he was at war, and seeing Joanna the image of his lost love demands they marry on the spot. No one's particularly happy with this scenario either, but at least it's not bigamy.

Either way, Joanna ends up in Kings Landing as a/the Queen and because Robert is his usual lusty self, winds up with a son in short order. If it Cersei's still in the picture, there's a lot of politicking and worry for her life and that of her child. If Cersei's gone, there's still politicking but with whatever Lannisters remain upset her child is replacing their prince, who they claim is legitimate still.

Sometime while she's still a relatively young bride of 16 or 17, while she's about halfway through her second pregnancy, Robert dies like in the book, and Joanna ends up the regent to her young son, the new king. There's a regency council of course, but she has more power than one might think at first glance.

The truth of her ancestry is never really announced so much as quietly discovered by multiple parties in multiple ways, who quietly go along with it because it suits their needs/politics/etc. Eventually the various parties wonder why everyone else is going along with it too, and after some poking it just sort of... comes out. It doesn't change anything, because inheritance puts her son's claim before her own, but it helps the last of her detractors.

As a side plot, Prince Oberyn comes to Kings Landing to swear Dorne's allegiance to the new king on his brother's behalf and strikes up a flirtation with Joanna. At first that's all it is, especially as she's just about to birth her second child, but they end up forming an odd friendship. Joanna likes Dorne and how they treat their bastards, and Dorne likes her because they think her mother was one of theirs. After 2 or 3 years of this, they marry. It's part political - draws in Dorne, helps make up for Elia's murder, and gives Joanna and her son a loyal defender - and part a love match - they get along and Joanna begrudges Oberyn his paramours no more than she'd begrudged Robert.

That's all I really have, but the idea tickles me. So feel free to borrow it, just link me if you ever do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

#game of thrones #got #plot bunny #fic ideas #female jon snow #jon snow is a targaryen #robert baratheon #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire

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nanshe-of-nina · 2 years

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Favorite History Books || Marie of France: Countess of Champagne, 1145–1198 by Theodore Evergates ★★★★☆

Countess Marie of Champagne is known today primarily as a literary patron, notably of Chrétien de Troyes, who famously announced in his prologue to Lancelot, that since she “wished” him to tell the tale, he complied with her “command.” From that and several other mentions by contemporary writers, Marie has been cast as the animator of a “court of Champagne.” It is indeed ironic that, with few explicit references to her patronage, Marie is now cited more frequently than her husband, Count Henri the Liberal (1152−81), a commanding figure in his time who made the county of Champagne one of the premier principalities of northern France and whose intellectual interests are amply attested. Marie in fact was more than a cultural patron. She was ruling countess of Champagne for almost two decades in the 1180s and 1190s, initially during Count Henry’s absence overseas, then as regent for her son Henri II and as co-lord with him during the Third Crusade and his subsequent residence in Acre. From the age of thirty-four until her death at fifty-three she ruled almost continuously, presiding at the High Court of Champagne and attending to the many practical matters arising in a vibrant principality of the late twelfth century. She acted with the advice of her court officers but without limitation by either the king or a regency council. If Henri the Liberal’s crowning achievement was to create the county of Champagne as a dynamic, prosperous state, Marie’s was to preserve it in the face of several existential threats.

Historians of Capetian France have yet to appreciate the frequency and significance of wives acting in the absence of their husbands and during the minority of inheriting sons. That was a common family practice; only in a wife’s absence was a guardian or regency council appointed. During Countess Marie’s lifetime two royal regencies were necessitated by the absence of a resident queen while the king traveled overseas: when her mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, accompanied Louis VII on the Second Crusade, and when Queen Isabelle died in childbirth shortly before Philippe II left on the Third Crusade. In each case the king designated regents as guardians of the realm. Louis appointed Abbot Suger of St-Denis and the seneschal Raoul of Vermandois “for the custody of the realm” (de regni custodia), said Eudes of Deuil, while Philippe enacted an ordinance (ordinationem) granting his uncle Guillaume, archbishop of Reims, and his mother, Adèle, the dowager queen, limited authority during his absence.³ Countess Marie, however, like most wives of princes, barons, and knights, was not burdened by a regency council. Her decisions at court and her letters patent carried the same authority as those of her husband and son, without mention of any provisional standing. Although she often associated her underage son with her in letters patent, she alone exercised the full plenitude of the comital office, even during Count Henri II’s extended stay in Palestine, and she sealed in her own name as countess of Troyes (her only title).

Marie’s life beyond her role as literary patron and ruling countess encompassed an extensive network of family relationships, for she was connected by birth and marriage to two of the most prominent royal families of twelfth-century Europe. As the daughter of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Marie acquired through their second marriages numerous royal half-siblings whom she regarded as brothers and sisters: Louis’s children Marguerite of France and King Philippe II, and Eleanor’s sons Henry, Geoffroy, and Richard. Even more directly important in providing a nexus of personal support for her rule in Champagne were Henry the Liberal’s well-placed siblings: the royal seneschal Count Thibaut V of Blois (1152–91), Archbishop Guillaume of Sens and Reims (1168–1202), and Queen Adèle (1160–79, d. 1206). Marie’s seal inscribed her dual identity: “Daughter of the King of the Franks, Countess of Troyes.”

#historyedit #litedit #marie of france #house of capet #house of blois #medieval #french history #european history #women's history #history #nanshe's graphics #history books

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histoireettralala · 1 year

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Blanche, Marguerite, and Queenship

Blanche's actions as queen dowager amount to no more than those of her grandmother and great-grandmother. A wise and experienced mother of a king was expected to advise him. She would intercede with him, and would thus be a natural focus of diplomatic activity. Popes, great Churchmen and great laymen would expect to influence the king or gain favour with him through her; thus popes like Gregory IX and Innocent IV, and great princes like Raymond VII of Toulouse, addressed themselves to Blanche. She would be expected to mediate at court. She had the royal authority to intervene in crises to maintain the governance of the realm, as Blanche did during Louis's near-fatal illness in 1244-5, and as Eleanor did in England in 1192.

In short, Blanche's activities after Louis's minority were no more and no less "co-rule" than those of other queen dowagers. No king could rule on his own. All kings- even Philip Augustus- relied heavily on those they trusted for advice, and often for executive action. William the Breton described Brother Guérin as "quasi secundus a rege"- "as if second to the king": indeed, Jacques Krynen characterised Philip and his administrators as almost co-governors. The vastness of their realms forced the Angevin kings to rely even more on the governance of others, including their mothers and their wives. Blanche's prominent role depended on the consent of her son. Louis trusted her judgement. He may also have found many of the demands of ruling uncongenial. Blanche certainly had her detractors at court, but she was probably criticsed, not for playing a role in the execution of government, but for influencing her son in one direction by those who hoped to influence him in another.

The death of a king meant that there was often more than one queen. Blanche herself did not have to deal with an active dowager queen: Ingeborg lived on the edges of court and political life; besides, she was not Louis VIII's mother. Eleanor of Aquitaine did not have to deal with a forceful young queen: Berengaria of Navarre, like Ingeborg, was retiring; Isabella of Angoulême was still a child. But the potential problem of two crowned, anointed and politically engaged queens is made manifest in the relationship between Blanche and St Louis's queen, Margaret of Provence.

At her marriage in 1234 Margaret of Provence was too young to play an active role as queen. The household accounts of 1239 still distinguish between the queen, by which they mean Blanche, and the young queen — Margaret. By 1241 Margaret had decided that she should play the role expected of a reigning queen. She was almost certainly engaging in diplomacy over the continental Angevin territories with her sister, Queen Eleanor of England. Churchmen loyal to Blanche, presumably at the older queen’s behest, put a stop to that. It was Blanche rather than Margaret who took the initiative in the crisis of 1245. Although Margaret accompanied the court on the great expedition to Saumur for the knighting of Alphonse in 1241, it was Blanche who headed the queen’s table, as if she, not Margaret, were queen consort. In the Sainte-Chapelle, Blanche of Castile’s queenship is signified by a blatant scattering of the castles of Castile: the pales of Provence are absent.

Margaret was courageous and spirited. When Louis was captured on Crusade, she kept her nerve and steadied that of the demoralised Crusaders, organised the payment of his ransom and the defence of Damietta, in spite of the fact that she had given birth to a son a few days previously. She reacted with quick-witted bravery when fire engulfed her cabin, and she accepted the dangers and discomforts of the Crusade with grace and good humour. But her attempt to work towards peace between her husband and her brother-in-law, Henry III, in 1241 lost her the trust of Louis and his close advisers — Blanche, of course, was the closest of them all - and that trust was never regained. That distrust was apparent in 1261, when Louis reorganised the household. There were draconian checks on Margaret's expenditure and almsgiving. She was not to receive gifts, nor to give orders to royal baillis or prévôts, or to undertake building works without the permission of the king. Her choice of members of her household was also subject to his agreement.

Margaret survived her husband by some thirty years, so that she herself was queen mother, to Philip III, and was still a presence ar court during the reign of her grandson Philip IV. But Louis did not make her regent on his second, and fatal, Crusade in 1270. In the early 12605 Margarer tried to persuade her young son, the future Philip III, to agree to obey her until he was thirty. When Philip told his father, Louis was horrified. In a strange echo of the events of 1241, he forced Philip to resile from his oath to his mother, and forced Margaret to agree never again to attempt such a move. Margaret had overplayed her hand. It meant that she was specifically prevented from acting with those full and legitimate powers of a crowned queen after the death of her husband that Blanche, like Eleanor of Aquitaine, had been able to deploy for the good of the realm.

Why was Margaret treated so differently from Blanche? Were attitudes to the power of women changing? Not yet. In 1294 Philip IV was prepared to name his queen, Joanna of Champagne-Navarre, as sole regent with full regal powers in the event of his son's succession as a minor. She conducted diplomatic negotiations for him. He often associated her with his kingship in his acts. And Philip IV wanted Joanna buried among the kings of France at Saint-Denis - though she herself chose burial with the Paris Franciscans. The effectiveness and evident importance to their husbands of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile in England led David Carpenter to characterise late thirteenth-century England as a period of ‘resurgence in queenship’.

The problem for Margaret was personal, rather than institutional. Blanche had had her detractors at court. It is not clear who they were. There were always factions at courts, not least one that centred around Margaret, and anyone who had influence over a king would have detractors. They might have been clerks with misgivings about women in general, and powerful women in particular, and there may have been others who believed that the power of a queen should be curtailed, No one did curtail Blanche's — far from it. By the late chirteenth century the Capetian family were commissioning and promoting accounts of Louis IX that praise not just her firm and just rule as regent, but also her role as adviser and counsellor — her continuing influence — during his personal rule. As William of Saint-Pathus put it, because she was such a ‘sage et preude femme’, Louis always wanted ‘sa presence et son conseil’. But where Blanche was seen as the wisest and best provider of good advice that a king could have, a queen whose advice would always be for the good of the king and his realm, Margaret was seen by Louis as a queen at the centre of intrigue, whose advice would not be disinterested. Surprisingly, such formidable policical players at the English court as Simon de Montfort and her nephew, the future Edward I, felt that it was worthwhile to do diplomatic business through Margaret. Initially, Henry III and Simon de Montfort chose Margaret, not Louis, to arbitrate between them. She was a more active diplomat than Joinville and the Lives of Louis suggest, and probably, where her aims coincided with her husband’s, quite effective.

To an extent the difference between Blanche’s and Margaret’s position and influence simply reflected political reality. Blanche was accused of sending rich gifts to her family in Spain, and advancing them within the court. But there was no danger that her cultivation of Castilian family connections could damage the interests of the Capetian realm. Margaret’s Provençal connections could. Her sister Eleanor was married to Henry III of England. Margaret and Eleanor undoubtedly attempted to bring about a rapprochement between the two kings. This was helpful once Louis himself had decided to come to an agreement with Henry in the late 1250s, but was perceived as meddlesome plotting in the 1240s. Moreover, Margaret’s sister Sanchia was married to Henry's younger brother, Richard of Cornwall, who claimed the county of Poitou, and her youngest sister, Beatrice, countess of Provence, was married to Charles of Anjou. Sanchia’s interests were in direct conflict with those of Alphonse of Poitiers; and Margaret herself felt that she had dowry claims in Provence, and alienated Charles by attempting to pursue them. Indeed, her ill-fated attempt to tie her son Philip to her included clauses that he would not ally himself with Charles of Anjou against her.

Lindy Grant- Blanche of Castile, Queen of France

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