#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.

[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.

[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.

[dfwbwfbbwfbwf]

Tolkien - My Takes 1

A Bro from Spite AU

A Guide to My Boys and Girls

A Handy Device

A king is he that can hold his own, or else his title is vain.

Aman to Beleriand Travel Time

Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth - Marriage in War

Aragorn and Arwen's Relationship

"Art" of the House of Finwë

Avoiding the Kingship at all Cost

Beards and Fëanáro

Beren and Lúthien are Worse than Fëanáro

Beren and Lúthien Didn't Take Down a Dark Lord

Beren and Lúthien = Moringoþo

Best Way to Start A Silm Movie/TV Show

Better Than Ingwë

Birds of a Feather - Dior, Elwing, and the Fëanárions

Bitten by a Smith

Burning the Ships was Best Case Scenario

Cáno⁵

Casaremírë

Celegorm and Curufin Didn't Intend for Finrod to Die

Celegorm the Fair

Celegorm the Horse Girl

Cormahto

Crablor: Hobo Hermit Crab

Crablor: The Molt

Crabs and Spiders are Related

Crack AU: Mahtan the Dwarf

Crack Au: The Teleri are Bad Shipwrights

Crack Theory: Finrod Doesn't Exist

Curvo Makes Bombs

Dagor Dagorath - Fortunate Son

Darkness or Just Trauma?

Deneþor

Doriath Character Rating - Thingollo, Melian, Lúthien, Dior, Eluréd, Elurín, Elwing

Doriath is the British Museum

Ecthelion and Lindir AU

Elrond, Elros, and Their Parent

Elven Aging

Elwë and Finwë (ft. Olwë)

Eöl and the Poisoned Spear

Eöl Haunts Middle Earth

"Earning" Silmarils

Exploding Elwë

Everlasting Darkness is a Nameless Thing

Everlasting Darkness is a Yeti Crab

Fanboy Gandalf

Favorite Quenyan Words

Fëanárion Mourning Traditions

Fëanárions Aren't Greedy

Fëanáro and the Atani

Fëanáro in the Silmarilli

Fëanáro is an Elf Mary Tudor

Fëanáro is NOT a Creep

Fëanáro isn't in Mandos

Fëanáro Made Ringil

Fëanáro, Maeglin, and Darkness

Fëanáro Punched a Hole in a Wall

Fëanáro vs Nolofinwë: Best Grandchild

Fëanáro's Adoption Scheme

Fëanáro's Colors

Fingolfin's Corpse

Fíriel

For a Better Poetic Narrative

"For the Greater Good"

Give Galadriel a Decent Character Arc

Give Maeðros a Crossbow

"Give me a hand."

Hide and Seek- Námo and Náro Edition

Hot Eöl Take

House of Finwë's Chomping Children

House of Finwë Timeline

I found Maglor and Daeron

If Tyelco Had Been There

Imladris is the Best

Imladris Learned

It's Always What You Can't Have

Like Father, Like Son

Lúthien the Powerful

Macalaurë and Curufinwë - Images of Their Father

Macalaurë and Tyelcormo Headcanons

Maeðros and Ainur-related Trauma

Maeðros Never Intended to Survive the "Fourth Kinslaying"

Maeðros the Closet Atandil

Maeglin and Anguirel

Maeglin's Begetting Day Gift

Maeglin is Deathly Scared of Heights

Manlings

Marco

Melian the Murdered Maia

Men Confused About Elvish Procreation

Messmer and Fëanáro AU

Messmer and Fëanáro AU: 2

My Linguistic Pedanticness - Elendil, Anárion, and Iþildur

My Linguistic Pedanticness - Ðə Þindar ænd ðeir Þindarin

My Linguistic Pedanticness - Narþil, not Narsil

My Linguistic Pedanticness - the Quenya K

My Linguistic Pedanticness - the Sun

Masterlist

[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!

[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.

[edwardslovelyelizabeth]

I see a saying that Edward IV was very interested in Alchemists? (Elizabeth Woodwell's family also has magical rumors... hhhhh)

Hi! Yes, there is an interestng book called Arthurian Myths and Alchemy: the Kingship of Edward IV by Jonathan Hughes.

The author points out Edward's own interest in alchemy as well as how the symbolism during Edward's reign was used as a propaganda in favour ot the King.

" The justification for Edward’s seizure of the throne from Henry VI was also based upon his British ancestry, with specially-produced genealogies, accompanied by prophecies and other historiographical material proclaiming him to be the ‘second Arthur’, who would unite the kingdoms of Britain, thus fulfilling the prophecy made by the Angelic Voice to Cadwallader, last king of the Britons, at the end of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britannie."

"...the alchemical influences that shaped much of Edward’s propaganda at its point of origin. Symbols such as the ‘sun in splendour’ and the ‘three crowns’, by which Edward was known, had alchemical meanings, however else they came to be perceived by contemporaries. This raises questions about how such symbols were perceived by different sections of the community – they could be heraldic, natural, alchemical, astrological, mythological or simply be associated culturally with ideas such as ‘the sun of majesty’ (as with Richard II in Clement Maidstone’s account of Richard’s reception in London in 1392). Few people, as Sydney Anglo has pointed out, ever saw the king; but they ‘saw’ him in the symbols by which he was represented. The ‘perception history’ of such symbols is clearly important not only for this period, but for other reigns, and the alchemical origins and understanding of some of them has implications for the study of prophecy. Whilst it is not true that all images used in prophecy had their origins in alchemy, this set of meanings needs to be examined, and some prophecies, such as Adam Davy’s Dreams about Edward II, most certainly offer themselves for this type of explanation."

"...Edward IV’s own interest in alchemy, his close relationship with George Ripley and others with similar interests, and the influences which this had upon Edward’s own ideology and self-belief. Also really interesting is the connection between Ripley, Thomas Norton (alchemist and ‘prophet’) and George Neville, archbishop of York. Hughes’s knowledge of the nature of fifteenth-century alchemy enables him to offer interesting new perspectives on the motivations of this group, and the fluctuating nature of their relationship with their royal patron. Particularly striking is the revelation that to men such as Ripley, the rise and fall of kings was seen in the nature of an alchemical experiment."

The author also points out that the kings interest in alchemy is not something unique, the kings before him such as Henry V and Edward III also had astroligists/alchemists at their sides.

Here is a very good review of the book: https://reviews.history.ac.uk/review/335

as to Elizabeth all the "witchcraft" accusations againt her and her mother were a smear campagn and totally unfounded. The only "magial" connection that her and a few other european royal houses claimed is the famous myth of Melusine (a figure from European folklore depicted as a mermaid, sometimes with two tails, as a serpent from the waist down, or as a dragon. She is associated with the ruling houses of Anjou, Lusignan, and Plantagenet and supposedly warned nobles of these houses of impending death or change.) Here is more on the myth: https://www.worldhistory.org/Melusine/

[beyond-far-horizons]

Hey hon, for the ask: 2,4,18,20,27 and 29? 😊

Hey hon, sorry it took so long to answer this - it's been a difficult week.

Right FYI for folks reading this - I'm not tagging it and I'm not getting into a debate esp re the first answer given that it's an emotive topic. With that said - let's begin!

2) Thoughts on veg@nism?

I have mixed feelings that are hard to articulate esp on here and given how fraught the topic is, is why I'm hesitant to answer the question. In short, I have a huge deal of respect for veg@ns but I'd struggle to be one. I do want to try to bring in more of it when I can, mainly because I find the industrialisation of food/farming so repellent. I hate the idea of animals suffering so I try when I can to avoid meat or to get things that are well sourced. My feelings on this subject have changed and developed across the years and it's complex so I think it's always worth thinking about. For example, although I hate the thought of killing something for food, I don't necessarily think that it's wrong. What I think is wrong is lack of compassion. Animals should be treated with respect, care and not as a product without feelings. I respect Indigenous communities for example that don't sentimentalise animals but respect and care for them and the world as part of a whole with themselves as a part of it. I also admit that I love meat and some of my favourite foods are dairy. Food is one of the few pleasures in my life so I don't want to be dictated to or guilt-tripped about that especially by people who haven't thought the topic through and just want to evangelise and gatekeep others (however understandable and worthy the cause.)

Also there's the tension with the fact that veg@n products aren't always environmentally friendly - mass deforestation for mono-crops like soya (although this happens for cattle grazing too) and toxic plastic for leather. There's another Indigenous perspective (I'm thinking of certain Plant Shamans in the Amazon for example) that view plants as having their own souls and awareness and if you think that sounds weird there are scientific studies revealing the sensitivity and intelligence of plants (look into rhizome forests for example.) Movements like Animism, Post-Animism, Post-Humanism incorporate the Non and More-than Human worlds and this includes plant-life. Are we and animals more important than them? How did we decide that just because we can't see their pain? Or is that just anthropomorphising them? It's another perspective for sure.

I don't think there's any easy answers but thinking in that way is the main reason I decided to get a forest burial if I can, instead of getting cremated. If I take from the earth as part of the circle of life well I should give back and there's no better way I think than to become a tree and give back when I die (yep this post just got weird lol, but seriously this is what I'm talking about - circle of life!) This way I get to be something that I adored in life - a blossom tree - as well as a whole eco-system supporting lichen, insects, birds, people etc. And I think that is pretty awesome. But that doesn't get round the central dilemma so I'm still working on it and doing the best I can in difficult times.

4)Mythical Creature you believe/think is real?

As a Brit I have a weird hope that the Loch Ness monster is real because I loved learning about it as a kid and it's too awesome to think that a prehistoric monster still lives in the modern age. I think the folkloric White Hart (Arthurian/British symbol of Kingship/Sovereignty) is real in terms of the Universe throwing up symbols sometimes. There was a really bad omen for my country in recent years when one was shot running through Manchester and that tells you everything you need to know about our government and current state of the country even if it was allegedly for health and safety reasons.

18) Your Boba/Tea order?

I'm ashamed to say I've never tried these. Sorry but they just look weird. As a English Breakfast tea-drinking cliché I don't trust cold tea or weird balls that look like rabbit droppings. Hehe sorry. I should give it go sometime. If we are talking actual tea then what we Brits call 'Builders tea' aka black tea with a little milk and one sweetener x 3 a day. Can't function without it.

20) Favourite Disney Princess Movie?

Ooh, good question! I love the Golden Age - Little Mermaid (I pretended to be Ariel as a kid for ages, drew her, had a whole toy cave set and dolls etc), Aladdin(first movie I saw in the cinema, had posters, toys etc) and Beauty and the Beast. Special shout out to Hunchback of Notredame as well even though that's not a Princess movie, it's awesome and I love Esmeralda. However the prize has to go to B & B. I was and still am obsessed with that movie, I think I can still recite it line for line. My friend and I spent one sleepover casting our school year group as the cast in our heads and then singing (badly) all the songs on a walk. I also have Belle's colouring (can't claim I look exactly like her, can I?) and more importantly can do a mean impression of many of the characters esp the Narrator and the bookstore owner (minor characters for the win!) Did I mention I was obsessed?

27) What’s your favourite or go-to outfit?

Difficult one...I'm (again) living out of a suitcase and carrying more weight than I want to so I don't have all the clothing options I'd like rn. Ideal world my favourite piece of clothing is this little black dress I have that you can wear for the office or for a night out - it makes me look great and I used to match it with different accessories including this beautiful pink and gold belt. Both are in storage now cos mama's too chubby to fit them! At present it's my chunky white grandma cardigan over black trousers with a different colour top and jewellery - pastels or vivids like bright red.

29) Preferred pasta noodle?

The phrasing of this question upsets me - is it fave pasta or fave noodle? I know them as two different things. So I'll cheat and answer for both! Haha.

Fave pasta...I...don't really have one. I like all of them - twists, shells, linguine (my internet is playing up so I can't check all the italian names.)

Favourite noodle - love a lot of them but Naruto and I share a love for ramen so ramen noodles!!

Thanks and hope that wasn't too much information overload!

[darlinggeorgiedear]

The fans of Bertie (King George VI) seem to underrate and even ignore King George V. Dont they know that if it wasnt for King George V's great leadership, their Bertie would have lived his whole life in exile with no titles, forgotten by all, like most of his ex royal cousins from monarchies that were toppled ? It was King George V who saved the monarchy during WW1 which was way more disastrous than WW2 in more ways than one. Without King George V there is no King George VI and no Queen Elizabeth. Lets not forget this

I think I've written this before, but I feel like George Vi sometimes gets more recognition because WWII is more relevant today, and because his daughter, Queen Elizabeth constantly referred to him.

In the future, I think it's going to be different and both will be viewed in a more textbook way, since there isn't anyone alive to share personal stories.

In some ways, they were similar, because both were Kings during a World War. Yet, WWI was definitely more traumatic for the British Royal Family, because it completely shifted the power structure of Europe from monarchies to the shaky new governments that lead to WWII.

Britain's role in WWII was more attempting to maintain the diminishing power that still remained, while WWI was much more of a shake to the system. Even though I think the British Empire looked different after WWI, Britain was able to maintain it in a different way that was still strong. Since George V was King during very unsettled times, he was also able to exercise more power.

I don't necessarily think one was better than the other. They had different characters, and were King during different time periods that required a different type of Kingship. Also, sadly, George Vi wasn't on the throne for too long, so maybe if he lived longer he would have had more opportunities to make more of a mark.

I just wanted to add that George Vi was definitely a superb King, and deserves all the recognition. My point is that sometimes WWI is just forgotten, which in result, undervalues George V. Ideally they would get equal treatment.

Obviously if the Nazis had invaded Britain it would have had catastrophic consequences on George Vi, and he acted very heroically when the scenario was quite likely. I just always feel like his role as monarch was quite similar to his daughter’s, which was trying to conserve his place as a Monarch in a modern undervaluing world (both did a great job and led by example). While when George V became King, his biggest concern was carving out where he fit in amongst a world that was run by monarchies. I just feel like by WWii, Britain had already lost the “Empire” and its general place in the world (technically the Empire was intact but was hanging on by a thread), while WWi was much more of a true shake down for the monarchy, which George V expertly handled.