#british kingship

[gawrkin]

I wonder to what degree are these kingship protocols applicable to Brythonic kingship protocols, because I've developed an impression that Arthur is not a High King but an Overking, seeing as how he only rules over a fictitious kingdom called "Logres", with other kingdoms within the island of Britain holding some independence from his jurisdiction. (Mark comes to mind...)

Not to mention the presence of the historical saxon kingdoms like Gewisse, that hilariously puts a hole in the Arthurian setting.

[inspofromancientworld]

Legendary Creatures: Simurgh

By Alaexis - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2115489

A simurgh (سیمرغ, also spelled senmurv, simorgh, simorg, simurg, simoorg, simorq or simourv) is a Persian bird that is related to the phoenix that spans an area from Georgia, to Armenia, and the Byzantine Empire and other areas that were influenced by the Persian Empire.

By Unknown author - This file has been provided by the British Library from its digital collections.Catalogue entry: IOSM J.67, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31453107

The word simurgh is related to the words meaning 'the bird of Saēna', a raptor, probably an eagle, falcon, or sparrowhawk as the Sanskrit śyena��� (श्येनः) meaning 'bird of prey'. Though it is also closely related to the phrase sī murğ (سی مرغ) that means 'thirty birds', which was used by Sufi poet Abū Ḥāmid bin Abū Bakr Ibrāhīm (c. 1145 – c. 1221; Persian: ابوحمید بن ابوبکر ابراهیم), better known by his pen-names Farīd ud-Dīn (فریدالدین) and ʿAṭṭār of Nishapur (عطار نیشاپوری) in his The Conference of the Birds as a word play.

By Nickmard Khoey - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nickmard/2887513290/in/set-72157607483985460/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5619184

The simurgh is frequently depicted as a winged creature, large enough to carry an elephant or a whale, with the body of a peacock, head of a dog, and claws of lions. Sometimes, it has a human face. It is old enough that it 'had seen the destruction of the world three times over'. It also plunges itself into flames every 1,700 years, similar to phoenixes.

By Painting: Unknown 7th century artist.Photographer: undetermined - This file has been extracted from another file, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95912662

They are benevolent, purifying land, bestowing fertility, mediating the union between the Earth and the sky by serving as a messenger. It lived in the Tree of Life in the middle of the world sea. When it flew away from the Tree of Life, the Tree shook so hard that it lost leaves, which became the seeds of every plant. It also expresses the divine mandate of kingship and priesthood.

By From the Sarai Albums. - http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/Pictures1/im16.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5760173

Abul-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi (940-ابوالقاسم فردوسی توسی 1019/1025), also Firdawsi or Ferdowsi (فردوسی) wrote the most famous story about the simurgh in his Shahnameh (Book of Kings). In it, a prince named Zal, son of Saam, was born albino, causing his father to cast him out, believing him to be demonic. A simurgh rescues him and raises him, teaching him wisdom as they have all knowledge. When Sal was old enough, he wanted to rejoing humanity and the simurgh and the simurgh gave him three feathers to call her should he need her help. He married a woman named Rudaba who had a difficult labor with their first child. The simurgh responded to his call for help and taught him to perform a cesarean section.

[variousqueerthings]

@aq2003 #not to be 'dt's richard ii was kinda gender with it cuz of the hair' but dt's richard ii was Deliberately gender with it. bc of the hair <3#but like the hair n nail polish etc is really important to richard's character in that it's like. well 1. he is jesuspilling himself#but also more importantly 2. it's kinda him going 'fuck you' to the standards of masculinity and What Kingship Should Look Like#bc he is uniquely given the power to look and dress however he wants and what he wants is to look gnc af lmao#i think they were very intentional about portraying richard as queer in terms of both gender and sexuality#and it's very easy to read him as transfem/nonbinary#also kind of read a whole essay about this but richard's queerness here is where his version of strength n agency comes from#it's not a sign of his weakness but adding to the whole theme of how he becomes the most self aware character in the play#and he unearths his humanity and vulnerability and awareness through his own unique perspective#there is already this sense that he has a certain freedom from things like ur regular societal norms#and then he gains a certain freedom from the system of the monarchy as well (but tragically only in the spiritual sense)#in effect: shoutout to 'deposed king' gotta be one of my favorite genders#ricky 2

Youknow. The Hair. The Nails. #ThatBitch Vibes.

rewatched dt's richard ii and... very transfemme. gotta revolve that in my head a bit.

[whencyclopedia]

The Myth of Etana

The Myth of Etana is the story of the Sumerian antediluvian King of Kish who ascends to heaven on an eagle to request the Plant of Birth from the gods so that he might have a son. Etana is named as the first king of Kish in the Sumerian King List (composed c. 2100 BCE) which claims he reigned early in the 3rd millenium BCE. According to the Sumerian King List, Etana was known as "he who stabilized the lands" after the gods had created order out of chaos and established the concepts of kingship and government among humanity. Etana was, therefore, a well-known and highly respected figure and would have been chosen as the central character for precisely this reason. A central message of the myth is that one should trust in the gods and Etana, a great king, would have been chosen by the unknown author as the best exemplar in conveying that message.

Central Message

That the myth is very old is attested to by cylinder seals depicting Etana on the eagle's back which date from the reign of Sargon of Akkad (2334-2279 BCE). The British Museum has among its holdings a fragment of The Myth of Etana from King Assurbanipal's library at Ninevah, dating from the 7th century but, as G.S. Kirk points out:

The Neo-Assyrian version from Ashurbanipal's library happens to be the most surviving text, but where it overlaps with an Old Babylonian version of a thousand years earlier it corresponds with it very closely, sometimes word for word. A short Middle Assyrian fragment maintains the same accuracy. (25)

The story contains many motifs seen in myths of every culture: a great city created by the gods, a search for a worthy ruler, talking animals, broken oaths, divine intervention and a quest which brings the hero to the land of the gods (this one involving an eagle of mythic proportions). The myth may have been intended, as suggested by R. McRoberts, to convey a political message regarding kingship:

When this story is placed in the context of the First Dynasty of Kish, and its exceptional rule of twenty three consecutive kings, it can be seen as more than a tale of fantasy. Earlier dynasties in the King Lists show only a few kings ruling in succession. It is possible that the success of the First Dynasty of Kish could be owed in part to a new tradition of passing the monarchy on to a male heir of the previous king. The myth of Etana served as a colorful reminder that it was the king's duty to go to any lengths, or heights as the case may be, to produce that heir. (40)

While McRoberts' observation is certainly valid, the duty of the king was not only to his people but to the gods who had not only given him life but placed him in his position. According to Sumerian belief (and Mesopotamian belief in general), the gods had created humanity as co-workers to maintain order and keep the forces of chaos in check. The king was responsible to both the gods and his subjects to make sure the gods' will was followed. He could not perform this task if he had no faith in the gods himself and so the myth, in addition to its many other themes, would have emphasized Etana's faith in the gods even when it seems his prayers have not been answered.

Continue reading...

[agentc0rn]

Sunlit Uplands

Huge thank you to @/fairune for the commission! (uploaded with permission). Her character, Xanthos (oc younger brother of AZ), was a really fascinating character to work with.

Some thought process for the piece:

I positioned AZ a bit back from his brother to signify how he is behind in self-healing compared to Xanthos and to show some bit of a literal & figurative distance between them (past feuds, rocky relationship over kingship, etc).

I also added dandelions to provide a hint of wishful hope and healing to come. Moreover, I made a cloudy outline (behind the brothers) reminiscent of the ultimate weapon. The title itself is a phrase commonly used in British terms within a political landscape, which I found to be quite fitting with the theme of making amends, restoring relationships and shared goals for a better future.

[celticcrossanon]

BRF Reading - 7th of March, 2024

This is speculation only

Cards drawn on the 7th of March, 2024

Question: Are there any plans for a Regency, official or unofficial, to take place this year?

Note: This reading was done with all the cards upright, i.e. there are no reversals

Interpretation: The King and the Queen do not want a regency.

Card One: The Four of Pentacles

This is a card of holding on tightly to what you have, and that is exactly the energy I am getting from it. King Charles - the energy is masculine, so I am assuming it is the King's - King Charles is hanging on to his position and power with everything he has. He does not want to give up one iota of the Kingship and its duties to anyone else (except his wife), and the energy of that position is rock-firm and rigid in its stubbornness. Even if handing over some of his duties would be better for him, the King is not going to do it.

The picture on the card shows the craftsman Daedalus looking at his nephew. His nephew as more talented than Daedalus was, and Daedalus was both envious (wanting the talent his nephew had) and jealous (fearing that his nephew would take the success and reputation that Daedalus had from him). It is quite likely that the King has similar feelings towards his heir - affection for a family member combined with feeling of envy and/or jealousy, and this is part of the reason that the King is so opposed to a regency.

Note: AFAIK, under British law, if a regency is declared because of the incapacity f the King, for whatever reason (illness etc), then the regent has to be the heir. This is prescribed by law and the King can not say I want X as my regent and have it happen; the regent has to be his heir.

Card Two: The Queen of Pentacles

One of the meaning of the Queen of Pentacles is the good wife, and this is the energy that is coming from this card. The energy of this card is that of Queen Camilla, who is supporting her husband in his desire to not have a regency or any form of support from his heir while he, the King, is ill. In this they are of one mind. The Queen is determined that any power put down by the King will go to her and not to his heir. The energy is telling me that the Queen views any power given to the heir as a weakening of her position, and she is trying to make herself impregnable and unassailable (I was going to type 'as strong as possible' when the other words appeared in my mind out of nowhere). If I am reading the energy correctly, she seems to fear the heir and what he will do when he comes into power, so she is trying to get as much as she can for herself while she can.

As The Queen is coming through as the Queen of Pentacles, there may very well be money and status issues involved here (i.e. Pentacles things) - things that have not been put into law and that would be completely disrupted if Prince William were to come to power.

Tangent: I did a one card reading before this one that I wasn't going to write up, and I asked if Queen Camilla wanted her son to follow her as King, just to try and get some sort of idea about her thoughts and motives, and knowing that this was impossible as the line of succession is fixed by law. I was shocked to draw The Six of Wands, the success card, as the answer to my question, because that said yes, the Queen would like to have her son as King after her and not Prince William (i repeat, it is impossible to do this, so we are talking about wishes, not something that can come true). Combining that card and the above energy, I think that the Queen would feel far safer and more secure if her own blood was the heir instead of Prince William. She is really frightened about what Prince William will do when he is in power, and she does not like how popular Prince William is with the public at all.

Another thing to note is that I am not getting any sense of duty towards the country from the Queen (or the King). The energy from the Queen is very much wanting to be comfortable and do what she wants, and trying to arrange things so this will happen and will continue after her husband's death, and that is it. There is no concern for the affect of her actions on the country; she is not even thinking about that and her attitude seems to be 'oh well, they can fix up the mess after I'm dead'. Her concern is focused on herself first and her family and husband second, and that is it.

Card Three: The Page of Swords

Pages are messages, and swords are thoughts/strategy/communications. This card is giving me the energy of social media and the internet - electronic communications. As we have seen, the King and the Queen are putting out a message of 'Everything is fine, no need for extra help, the King can still do his job and if he can't the Queen can do it for him'. That is the message that they want to go out to the world. Whether it is actually the truth is another matter entirely (Swords can be about strategies, and people lie to other people as part of a strategy all the time - also, King Charles has past form in lying to the general public to get what he wants). The last thing the King or Queen want is pressure from the public to have Prince William take over some of the duties of the monarchy to help out his father.

Underlying Energy: The Three of Wands

This is my card for the line of succession, the transfer of power within the BRF, regencies, and so on. Having it as an underlying energy confirms that the above cards are all about power and the transfer of power within the BRF.

The card shows Jason's uncle giving his crown to Jason, i.e. acknowledging Jason as the true king, but then the uncle sends Jason off to find the Golden Fleece, hoping he will be killed along the way. This tells me that even if King Charles does make a show of handing some functions over to his heir, there will be a trap involved and Prince William will be set up to fail if he takes on the offered duties.

This card is also giving me courtier vibes - King Charles and Queen Camilla may be fighting off the idea of a regency/handing over any of the monarch's duties to the heir, but I would not be surprised if the courtiers have plans in place for both an official regency and an unofficial transfer of power behind the scenes.

Conclusion:

King Charles does not want a regency in any way, shape, or form. Neither does he want to give up any of his powers to his heir, even for a temporary period while he recovers his health, although he has no problem sharing his powers with the Queen. The Queen is 100% behind him; he has all of her support on this matter.

Both of them seem to be driven in part or in whole by negative emotions towards the idea of Prince William in power - envy and/or jealousy on the part of the King, and fear on the part of the Queen (I can feel her fear as I write this. I can not stress this strongly enough - she is terrified of Prince William having any Kingly powers).

This determination to hold on to the position and power of the monarch is what is behind the PR that says the King is fine, he is working from home, the Queen is a great support to him etc.

While the King and the Queen are refusing to even discuss the issues, the courtiers may have quiet plans of their own - just in case.

[idylls-of-the-divine-romance]

So @prosphoramuncher asked me to write about why I say the make-up industry is demonic.

Gladly hehehe.

So this idea is rooted pretty firmly in the Book of the Revelation and so first thing to understand is I am an idealist: I do not believe it is just for the first century, or just for the last one; nor do I think the historicist perspective makes much sense either. But rather I believe the Book of Revelation is using symbols and archetypal language to talk about the spiritual meaning and significance of the rise and falls of powers in the world. It is about the ongoing cosmic conflict between God and the forces of darkness.

That said, there are some radical idealists (*agressively side eyes Brian*) that reduce the symbols to just being internal and about personal sin and whatnot. I do not hold to this and refer to this as "abstracting". It's taking "the Cup of God's Wrath" from Jeremiah and making it about hell when you die instead of about God allowing his people to be trampled by Babylon. That's dangerous, don't do that.

With all that out of the way, let's start talking about the beast.

There are 2 Beasts in the Revelation are the Beast from the Sea and the Beast from the Land.

The Beast from the Sea is a state or human kingdom that is in opposition to God and conquers through violence. So yes the Roman Empire. But also Greece and Persia and Babylon and Assyria and Egypt and etc etc etc. The British Empire, Germany, The United States, I mean just look for a military power in history or in modern times that has set itself in opposition to God and his will. Spoilers: it's just almost if not all of them.

The second one, the Beast from the Land, is an economic machine that exalts it's power as divine, looking like God but having the voice of the Adversary. It exists for the purpose of promoting the authority of the military state and for performing great signs. It is a liar and a deceiver that denies the kingship of the Anointed One (anti-Christ, "against the anointed one"). It demands that people worship the nation-state or be killed and ordains that all people must give their allegiance via their thoughts and actions.

Both are powered by the Dragon, who is the Serpent of Old (Genesis 3) who is called both "the Slanderer" and "the Adversary", who is the deceiver of the whole world but is defeated by the death of the Lamb.

So, I mean, do I even need to spell it out?

The make up industry, at least in modern times, is an industry that sustains itself through exploiting the insecurities of young women.

That's demonic. That is freaking demonic it is literally a servant of the Beast from the Land are you even kidding me!?

Now, I wish to make something quite clear: I am

Not saying that the people at the heads of make-up industries are worshiping with demons. I am not a charismatic for goodness' sake.

I am also not saying that by buying and wearing make-up that you are opening yourself to demons. Again: I am not a charismatic T-T. My little sister wears make up, not because she's insecure, but because she's a little kid who likes to play dress up all the time lol.

What I am saying is this: that we, as the Church, the Body and Bride of the Lamb, can NOT blindly support such industries without even thinking about it. Taking the Mark of the Beast is not getting a freaking vaccine or a chip implant; it is when we thoughtlessly contribute to, benefit from, and refuse to even become aware of these systems of oppression and violence.

So, to anyone reading this, young or old, man or woman, whatever: if you like make up keep wearing it. But if you think you need make up, do not wear it. You are being taken advantage of not only by an industry but also by the Adversary who wishes to destroy your body and your mind. Do not let anyone feed on your insecurities. You are a human image of God, do not let anyone tell you otherwise.

Keep fighting Babylon, family. Till His kingdom comes.

[transgenderer]

The Standard of Ur is a Sumerian artifact of the 3rd millennium BC that is now in the collection of the British Museum. It comprises a hollow wooden box measuring 21.59 centimetres (8.50 in) wide by 49.53 centimetres (19.50 in) long, inlaid with a mosaic of shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli. It comes from the ancient city of Ur (located in modern-day Iraq west of Nasiriyah). It dates to the First Dynasty of Ur during the Early Dynastic period and is around 4,600 years old. The standard was probably constructed in the form of a hollow wooden box with scenes of war and peace represented on each side through elaborately inlaid mosaics. Although interpreted as a standard by its discoverer, its original purpose remains enigmatic. It was found in a royal tomb in Ur in the 1920s next to the skeleton of a ritually sacrificed man who may have been its bearer.

The original function of the Standard of Ur is not conclusively understood. Woolley's suggestion that it represented a standard is now thought unlikely. It has also been speculated that it was the soundbox of a musical instrument.[2] Paola Villani suggests that it was used as a chest to store funds for warfare or civil and religious works.[11] It is, however, impossible to say for sure, as there is no inscription on the artifact to provide any background context.

Although the side mosaics are usually referred to as the "war side" and "peace side", they may in fact be a single narrative – a battle followed by a victory celebration. This would be a visual parallel with the literary device of merism, used by the Sumerians, in which the totality of a situation was described through the pairing of opposite concepts.[12][13] A Sumerian ruler was considered to have a dual role as a lugal (literally "big man" or war leader) and an en or civic/religious leader, responsible for mediating with the gods and maintaining the fecundity of the land. The Standard of Ur may have been intended to depict these two complementary concepts of Sumerian kingship.[3]

The scenes depicted in the mosaics were reflected in the tombs where the "Standard" was found. The skeletons of attendants and musicians were found accompanying the remains of the kings, as was equipment used in both the "War" and "Peace" scenes of the mosaics. Unlike ancient Egyptian tombs, the dead were not buried with provisions of food and serving equipment; instead, they were found with the remains of meals, such as empty food vessels and animal bones. They may have participated in one last ritual feast, the remains of which were buried alongside them, before being put to death (possibly by poisoning) to accompany their master in the afterlife.[15]

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Rassam Cylinder, a ten-sided clay cylinder that was created in c. 643 BC, during the reign of King Ashurbanipal (c. 685 BC - 631 BC) who ruled the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 669 - 631 BC.

It was discovered in the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, near Mosul, present-day Iraq, by Hormuzd Rassam (3 October 1826 - 16 September 1910) in 1854.

In over 1,300 lines of cuneiform text, the cylinder records nine military campaigns of Ashurbanipal, including his wars with Egypt, Elam and his brother, Shamash-shum-ukin.

It also records his accession to the throne and his restoration of the Palace of Sennacherib.

The cylinder is the most complete chronicle on the life of Ashurbanipal.

There are some extracts from the cylinder below:

"I am Ashurbanipal, offspring of Ashur and Bêlit, the oldest prince of the royal harem, whose name Ashur and Sin, the lord of the tiara, have named for the kingship from earliest (lit., distant) days, whom they formed in his mother's womb, for the rulership of Assyria; whom Shamash, Adad and Ishtar, by their unalterable (lit., established) decree, have ordered to exercise sovereignty.

Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the father who begot me, respected the word of Ashur and Bêlit-ilê (the Lady of the Gods), his tutelary (divinities), when they gave the command that I should exercise sovereignty.

In the month of Airu, in the month of Ea, the lord of mankind, the twelfth day, an auspicious day, the feast day of Gula, at the sublime command which Ashur, Bêlit, Sin, Shamash, Adad, Bêl, Nabû, Ishtar of Nineveh, Queen of Kidmuri, Ishtar of Arbela, Urta, Nergal, Nusku, uttered, he gathered together the people of Assyria, great and small, from the upper to (lit., and) lower sea.

That they would accept (lit., guard) my crown princeship, and later my kingship, he made them take an oath by the great gods, and so he strengthened the bonds (between them and me)....

By the order of the great gods, whose names I called upon, extolling their glory, who commanded that I should exercise sovereignty, assigned me the task of adorning their sanctuaries, assailed my opponents on my behalf, slew my enemies, the valiant hero, beloved of Ashur and Ishtar, scion of royalty, am I.

Egyptian Campaign:

"In my first campaign I marched against Magan, Meluhha, Taharqa, king of Egypt and Ethiopia, whom Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, the father who begot me, had defeated, and whose land he brought under his sway.

This same Taharqa forgot the might of Ashur, Ishtar and the other great gods, my lords, and put his trust upon his own power.

He turned against the kings and regents whom my own father had appointed in Egypt.

He entered and took residence in Memphis, the city which my own father had conquered and incorporated into Assyrian territory.

A swift courier came to Nineveh and reported to me.

At these deeds, my heart became enraged, my soul cried out. I raised my hands in prayer to Ashur and the Assyrian Ishtar.

I mustered my mighty forces, which Ashur and Ishtar had placed into my hands. Against Egypt and Ethiopia, I directed the march."

Rassam Cylinder records the reign of Ashurbanipal until c. 645 BC.

The latter years of his reign are poorly recorded, probably due to the fact that the Neo-Assyrian Empire was plagued with troubles.

One of Ashurbanipal's last known inscription reads:

"I cannot do away with the strife in my country and the dissensions in my family; disturbing scandals oppress me always.

Illness of mind and flesh bow me down; with cries of woe I bring my days to an end.

On the day of the city god, the day of the festival, I am wretched; death is seizing hold upon me, and bears me down..."

Rassam Cylinder is currently on display in the British Museum.

A truly remarkable, yet biased, insight into the reign of Ashurbanipal and the world in which he lived.

📷: © Anthony Huan

[theseventhoffrostfall]

I've mentioned before that I have so many weird nicknames (and my family and friends just happen to use names in direct address so rarely) that there've been times in my life where I've had to take a solid several seconds to remember my actual name. But it's just occurred to me recently that that sort of thing applies to most of the people I know, who all go by not only weird nicknames but they all have a dozen asterisks after them.

Ninja-- so named because he's Asian, even though he's a pudgy diminutive Kazakh.

Nigerian Dave-- Neither from Nigeria nor named Dave

Mexican Steve-- not from Mexico but really is named Steve

The King of Kyiv/ King of Komedy/ King of Kalories/ King of Kindergarten-- so named for being a 500-pound sex offender. His kingship is self-declared

Brandon-- that's his badass mercenary callsign. Real name is William.

Harry Perver-- posh and nebishy British sexpat

Trucker Mike/ Truckwanger-- amusingly accented New Jerseyite and the reason we use "Trucker" as a colloquialism for "Serial Killer"

Loki-- so named because he was an officer in a unit called Odin

Thor-- in the same unit, but just named that because he used to be called Ricochet and they made him change it when they noticed all the English-speakers would start taking cover whenever they called for him.

Sultan-- so named because he fucked older women. Currently awaiting sentencing for double homicide

Swinger Brandon-- we tried to call him "Spike" because he was a cowboy bebop fan but it didn't stick, so we had to specify. His name really is Brandon, but just "Brandon" was taken by William, so he joins the ranks of Malaysian Brandon, Incel Brandon, and Regular-Sized Balls Brandon

Leeroy/L.A./Zac-- no idea which of these is his real name. At some point picked up "Sultan" as a name, which I guess he can have because the old Sultan is probably getting the chair.

Professor-- the dumbest commander I ever worked under

Director-- a man who was in charge of nothing

Ram-- allegedly short for 'John Rambo', which is a name he could actually just about live up to, but considering he was pretty much a Khazad Dwarf/Satyr hybrid I think it was just literal. I don't think his vampire wife had a name.

Al Capone-- descendent of Santo Trafficante. Spent the family fortune on doujins and attempts to find a waifu.

Le Perv-- French Sexpat

The Sacred Band of Lviv-- a very heterosexual and astoundingly not gay muscular Greek man and his shrimpy half-Romanian friend who was, according to the Greek, a total "simp" and "coomer" and needed to be frequently "punished" for it

Robocop-- ex-cop turned murderer, kept around exclusively because he possesses a rare .308 Chilean Mauser than Ninja is trying to swindle him out of.

[itsjustanne]

Some readings for my class on queenship in British history- The picture to the left is transcriptions of letters and prayers written by Elizabeth I and to the right is textbook pages talking about the formation of kingship in Britain.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

( Artist credit: Tasmin Abbott )

* * * *

If ever you’d like to delve deeper into the ancestral lore of the British Isles & under stand some of its indigenous foundations, I feel it is the most directly accessible in the gateway of the spring equinox (which rings in this Wed 20th March) other wise known in Scots Gaelic as Alban Eilir, the ‘light of the earth’ when the light of the sun meets in equal hours with the night

The myths & lore are interwoven so intricately in the landscape this time of year. Here it is in a nutshell for you to absorb. But it truly is a nutshell as each part is deserving an immense investigation & study to take you further into the heart of it all:

~ TOWER HILL: The spring equinox still today is honoured by the Druids on Tower Hill in London. An ancient ancestral mound once known as ‘Bryn Gwyn’, which translates to White Mound or White Raven. It visually used to look like Silbury Hill a neolithic hill in the Avebury complex in Wiltshire, & was covered in a white chalk which reflected in the moon & sunlight & could be seen for miles. The White Mound is the sacred mound of Sovereignty of this isle, a place where our ancestors would pilgrimage to from far & wide

~ RAVEN: The raven is the bird & protector of the spirit of Sovereignty of the British Isles & has done for millennia. Raven veneration goes back very far in this country’s lore & is deeply rooted in it’s soul’s foundations. An ancient ancestor of this isle called Bran the Blessed, a Welsh King who you could say presides over this gateway because his lore is so interwoven into the landscape this time of year. Bran means ‘Raven’ in Welsh, who was seen as a seer & oracular king bridging the worlds of the gods & earth like his divine messenger feathered friends. Story goes that on his death bed in battle he asked for his head to be buried in the White Mound in London in protection of the Sovereignty of this isle. The ravens in the tower of London today, hold the lore & protective forces of Bran. The fact that the raven is the animal of sovereignty of this isle…tells you everything you need to understand about this island & it’s essence. It is one of magic & deep seership

~ SOVEREIGNTY: You see in the sovereign codes of olde in kingship, that in maintaining balance in your kingdom you married yourself to the earth in an alliance for true balance. Your sovereignty was infused with the earth (the goddess) and the minute that allegiance was severed a wasteland would take seed in the land and all hearts. For Bran to ask for his head to be buried in the White Mound even at death shows his complete allegiance to the earth and understanding of what it means to be Sovereign. The olde understanding is to be in Service to the All, in allegiance with the earth and protection of the goddess. When the Druids stand on Tower Hill, they are welcoming back the sovereign sun during the tide of the equinox but they are also invoking the ancient powers of sovereignty in the land. And of Bran.

~ BRIDGING: In one of the stories of Bran, his sister Branwen (which means ‘white raven’) is abused by her husband who is an Irish King. Bran hears of the news and crosses the Irish seas, by using his body as a bridge for his men to cross over him safely across the stormy seas to help him set his sister free. He was always seen as a king who sought to bring enemies into peaceful accord with one another, and therefore may represent the balance implicit in the equinox as well.

~ ALDER: Bran carries alder branches on his journey to rescue his sister. People recognise him by the alder that he holds. He is known as the alder king. Alder trees are indeed ‘bridging’ trees which preside over the realms of water and fire; the conscious and unconscious. The inner and outer. In the tree ogham it resides between the astrological zodiac signs of pisces and aries, emerging from the watery fluid time of Pisces and entering the fiery intensity of Aries. It is a water resistant wood which gets harder in water and was widely used to build the city of Venice. It is connected to the realms of fire, due to it’s ability to create very high quality charcoal and gun powder. It holds the ancient alchemical colours of white and red in it’s wood. It’s wood is a beautiful white colour but when cut or it’s roots exposed to the air it turns a bright red colour. The white is representative of the moon, the water, Branwen the white raven. And red, being the sun, the fire of the coals of gunpowder, Bran the solar deity king. It possesses both female and male catkins on the same branch - a tree that symbolises the balance between the masculine and the feminine, day and night.

In essence the gateway of the vernal equinox is deeply coded in the earth and lore of the land: Reminding us in order to keep balance within and without ~ true Sovereignty must be upheld, and that it is in an alliance with the earth and in service to all.

That sovereignty is restored when we act as a bridge in the world; remembering the essence of our humanity in bringing heaven to earth as bridges. Akin to the raven messengers who bring the words from the gods into the human world. And the alder trees who bridge the worlds of water and fire.

[Thank you Charlotte Pulver]

[dnfao3tags]

Hiii! Do you have any magic au fic recommendations like protected by anonymous? I really like the magic au but all I found is just Hogwarts au. Thank you <3

can't believe i don't have a magic au tag. not all quite as epic as protected but this is what i found!

dnf magical aus

— the language of flowers by orphan_account (teen | comp. | 11k)

“You know, when I came across a random flower shop and decided to buy something for a girl I liked, I didn’t expect some short British guy to start giving me orders,” Dream calls over his shoulder. George scoffs. “I’m not that short,” he mutters. “And what’s wrong with being British?” ��Aside from the obvious?”

— Magic only exists (when I'm with you) by Qekyo (gen | comp. | 7k)

George attends a party we doesn't want to be at. Maybe by the end of it, when he meets a masked man with dangerous hands, and it gets a little better.

— Metanoia by 24notfound (mat. | comp. | 246k)

Following the death of Queen of Salacia, George is thrown into kingship. And in reluctantly preparing for an indefinite war on the account of avenging his mother, George's vision seems to get blurred by the unlikely and unexpected bond he forms with the Prince of Vulcan: Dream.

— Lucky (I'm in love with my best friend) by dangergranger (expl. | comp. | 8k)

George is magic, but it takes Dream a while until he pieces everything together.

— Only Time Can Tell by dontrollthedice (teen | comp. | 8k)

Dream was eight years old when he learned about magic in the world’s inner workings.

— in love, in war by moobloom (teen | comp. | 5k)

George’s mouth twists into something unpleasant. In the open night of the balcony, the golden light of the ballroom spills over him, casting shadows over the dips and valleys of his features.  “You know my capabilities better than I,” he says, not without irony.  “I suppose I do,” Dream says softly. The wind rustles between them and he lets it hang, the implication; George is soft, spoiled. He doesn’t belong. 

[scotianostra]

On 20th January 1649 Charles I went on trial for treason and other “high crimes”

The trial of Charles I was one of the most momentous events ever to have taken place in the entire British Isles, . Kings have been deposed and murdered, but never before had one been tried and condemned to death whilst still King.

Following the end of the Civil War Charles I was brought to trial in Westminster Hall on this day, 1649. The Serjeant at Arms rode into the Hall carrying the mace and accompanied by six trumpeters on horseback. The King’s trial was proclaimed to the sound of trumpets and drums, at the south end of the Hall.

Bringing the King through a large crowd at the north was too great a risk; on the other hand, it was important that the trial be held in public. The court was divided from the public by a wood partition from wall to wall, backed by railings, and guards were stationed on the leads.

Charles appeared before his judges four times, charged with tyranny and treason. The exchanges always took a similar form with the King challenging the court’s authority and its right to try him. Charles also believed that he had the sole right to make laws, so to oppose him was a sin against God.

If you remember from previous posts about the Stewart monarchs, they believed in the divine right of kings, or divine-right theory of kingship, a political and religious doctrine of royal and political legitimacy. It asserts that a monarch is subject to no earthly authority, deriving his right to rule directly from the will of God.

The King’s persistence disconcerted the judges, but there was little doubt about the outcome, and the death sentence was proclaimed on 27th January, it was carried out 3 days later and England became a Republic

The Covenanter Parliament of Scotland meanwhile proclaimed Charles II King of “King of Great Britain, France and Ireland” But being Scotland things weren’t that simple, they refused to allow their new monarch into the country until he accepted the imposition of Presbyterianism throughout Britain and Ireland.

It took time for them to negotiate an agreement and left with little option, he agreed the demands of the Scottish Covenanters and came ashore at at Garmouth, in Moray, on 23 June 1650, signing the Covenant as he came ashore. Cromwell in response invaded Scotland and the King fled to France. It wasn’t until Cromwell’s death that the English invited him to become King, after the restoration many of the surviving regicides were tried and ten were condemned and executed.

The bodies of the key men who ordered the execution of Charles I - Oliver Cromwell, John Bradshaw and Henry Ireton - were exhumed and their heads stuck on poles on one of Westminster Hall’s towers. Cromwell’s remained there for more than 20 years!

[fideidefenswhore]

From amongst the regalia, the [French] queen received only the ring, sceptre and crowns, but not the same crowns as the king. She was anointed only on her head and chest, not in nine different places like the king, and with only blessed oil instead of the holy oil from the Sainte Ampoule, allegedly sent from heaven for the anointing of Clovis. She took no oath, wore no special robes and was escorted to the coronation only by ‘regular’ noblemen, not by those of royal blood, the Princes du Sang. The situation in England was similar: while the queen was crowned and anointed at the same location and by the same consecrator as her husband, namely at Westminster Abbey by the archbishop of Canterbury, she received only a ring, a crown and a sceptre and rod. She was denied all of the insignia associated with St Edward—here again the founder of a Christian kingdom—in particular the chalice, as well as enthronement on his throne. She received only two, instead of six, unctions, took no oath and possessed no special robes

Gender and Ritual: Crowning Empresses in the Holy Roman Empire, by Katrin Keller

Citations: A. Hunt, The Drama of Coronation: Medieval Ceremony in Early Modern England (Cambridge, 2008), pp. 22–33; T. Rose, The Coronation Ceremony of the Kings and Queens of England and the Crown Jewels (London, 1992), pp. 63–4; D. J. Sturdy, ‘“Continuity” versus “Change”: Historians and English Coronations of the Medieval and Early Modern Periods’, in J. Bák (ed.), Coronations: Medieval and Early Modern Monarchic Ritual (Berkeley, Los Angeles and Oxford, 1990), pp. 228–46; R. Strong, Coronation: A History of Kingship and the British Monarchy (London, 2005).

[maryellencarter]

Today I learned that the probable inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's short story "The Man Who Would Be King" was, of all people, an excommunicated Pennsylvania Quaker who later became involved in the mid-1800s scheme to bring camels to the US Southwest (he wanted the government to send him back to Afghanistan to get Bactrian camels for the project, and wrote an elaborate monograph on the subject, but they went with Saharan camels instead).

Ben MacIntyre is a British history writer attached to The Times who seems to make a specialty of primary-sources research. He often writes about espionage, and of his last four books I've read, three involved references to previously unpublished original materials. This one references a handwritten manuscript (the Latinist in me is trying to edit that out as a redundancy but I'm leaving it in, so there) found in a small Pennsylvania museum along with, reportedly, the actual contract written in Persian by which a Hazara king in northern Afghanistan transfers his right of kingship to the American in return for viziership.