#de aged philip
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12 CHAPTER AT THE DAWN OF THE LIGHT IS OUT ON AO3
so i decided to post the rest of the pages i made a year and a half ago
Previous | start
Please don't question why some pages are not drawn and one page looks completely different than the others-
I just gave upXDDD
if you like what I'm doing and would like to support me here's my kofi and patreon!
#Toh#belos#at the dawn of the light#comic#philip whittebane#de aged philip#In a cursed way#the owl house#emperor belos#Because we can
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Equestrian statue of Philip IV, King of France in Notre-Dame Cathedral, destroyed between 1792 and 1794.
#philip iv#king of france#equestrian#statue#armour#royalty#king#nobility#french#france#medieval#middle ages#ancien régime#notre dame de paris#cathedral#paris#notre dame#history#art#europe#european#kings#mediaeval#kingdom of france#royal#royals#war horse#destrier#fleur de lis#heraldry
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send them to the moon. both of them.
#middle aged men as mlp characters#fucking idiots#gta#gta v#gta 5#art#fanart#gta art#trevor philips#michael de santa#trikey#mlp#my little pony
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something about michael saying he wants trevor to be happy.. ☹️🤍
#gta v#trevor philips#michael de santa#trikey#middle aged man yaoi#help i love them#they make me ill#i love old man yaoi
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@takoyaki-ball thanks for appreciating, although I've committed a horrible crime to make this happen
Mikey suddenly got jealous and there was no way I could prevent it
((not proud of that))
#let's go cupcake#cmon make me suffer#sorry Patricia#I really love you but whatever happened happened#gay screenshots require sacrifices#gta 5#gta v#trikey#mad michael de santa#indifferent trevor philips#poor patricia madrazo#yandere middle-aged man#unjustified violence#jealousy issues#no regrets ngl
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Sunset
#Had these sitting in my drafts for ages#trevor philips#michael de santa#michael townley#gta v#gta pics#gof’s post#type: photo#grand theft auto five#grand theft auto#tw guns#Post 74
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28 with trikey 👀 👀
Consciousness. Rough cement under his cheek, the taste of blood, fabric gagging his mouth.
Complete darkness when he opened his eyes, hands and feet not moving an inch, body too weak to fight against the ropes.
So someone had got to him. Whatever. He didn't remember who or why but he'd kill anyone who stood in his way. If they dreamed he'd go down this easily, they were gravely mistaken.
Or so he thought until he heard Michael screaming in pain, somewhere too far away — and all he could do was shout his name against the gag, voice muffled and soon hoarse with all the effort to make them stop, or to even let Michael know he wasn't alone, but there was no reaction, he couldn’t help at all, couldn’t break free and escape, couldn’t not sob and drool over his blindfold and gag until there was nothing left to give.
Hours or days or weeks passed by before Michael went horribly quiet, and only then someone came to him. He struggled as a combat boot nearly crushed his cheek, but he didn’t care what would happen to him, he just needed to know if Michael was still—
"Hello, brother."
#I did the first one so fast but then this took ages I'm sorryyyy :“”)))#I didn't know how to write this at first but then it just came to me. I just couldn't do forced to watch but listening is just as bad imo#my fics#trikey#trikey fanfiction#gta fanfiction#tw: torture#trevor philips#michael townley#North Yankton era#Let's just say Trevor has enemies#michael/trevor#michael de santa
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The Age of Louis XIV
Voltaire, who wrote Le sciècle de Louis XIV (The Age of Louis XIV), started off by doing a recount of the states of Europe before Louis XIV. and my hetalia brain rot began to go wild so i figure this can help me understand the first chapter of the book better so I sorted out quotes and made a brief summary for each mentioned nation in order that is written in the book to help enforce my understanding.
Germany*
*- "Germany" refers to the Empire of Germany, known in history as the Holy Roman Empire; since the 15th century, its throne had been occupied by the Habsburgs
"...the most powerful neighbor which France has...it abounds more with sturdy men inured to labor." "this great Germanic body...is maintained in [... ] order and regularity [...] The difference of government and genius makes...the Germans [more proper] for acting on the defensive."
Summary: strong, divided into two parties by Christianity. Emperor has less power in compare to a King in France. Was at the time pretty poor despite being "rich at home", and would eventually see its flourishing later on.
Spain
"...more formidable to Europe than the Germanic Empire. The kings of Spain were infinitely more absolute and rich than emperors..." "[Spain] under Philip II became a vast body without substance, which had more reputation than real strength...Notwithstanding all these disadvantages, Spain, by being united to the empire, threw a very formidable weight into the balance of Europe."
Summary: strong #2, starting to see its weak points, but still a ringing force and surviving well with the colonies.
Portugal
"...Portugal was again made a kingdom...through necessity, cultivated trades...entered into a league with the French and Dutch against Spain." "Portugal...extended its trade, and augmented its power..."
Summary: doing well over there. Shall watch your career with great interest.
The United Provinces
"...almost the only example in the world of what may be done by the love of liberty and unwearied labor. There poor people...made head against the whole collected force of their master and tyrant...and founded a power which we have seen counterbalancing that of Spain itself." "...they established a form of government which preserves...equality, the most natural right of human kind."
Summary: quite an admirable force (don't mess with the Dutch's money bags™️). Good government.
England
"England...arrogated to itself the sovereignty of the seas, and pretended to preserve a balance between the powers of Europe." "This civil war...[made England] lost [...] credit in Europe...trade was obstructed, and other nations looked upon [England]...till the time that she at once became more formidable than ever, under the rule of Cromwell."
Summary: pirate arc of England sprouting. Charles I could do well in anything but being a king ("ill-advised prince"). Waiting for Cromwell to do his thing.
Rome/The rest of Italy
I merged these two parts together for ✨aesthetics✨
"[Rome] has very little trade or money. [Rome's] spiritual authority...is slighted and abhorred by one half of Christendom...yet [...] some [...] resist [Rome's] will at times with reason and success." "but [the privileges] of Rome, by an almost constant proper use of resolution and concession, has preserved all that was humanly possible for her to preserve." "Some rights, many pretensions, patience and politics are all that Rome has left now of that ancient power..."
Summary: typical pope behavior, but in reality was losing respect and control. Impressively that was dealt with seasoned insight, and different oppositions of different kings/emperors were met with different levels of defense ("submissive...terrible to..acting cunningly"). Sly old fox, if you will.
"...situated in a peaceble country...biassed by various interests." "The state of Florence enjoyed tranquility and abundance under [...] Medici; and literature, arts, and politeness [...] still flourished there."
Summary: the typical Renaissance still doing the thing. Less disturbed by conflicts compared to the northern parts.
The Northern Kingdoms
"The Swedes [...] were a freer nation by their constitution which admits even the lowest class of the people into the assembly of the general estates." "Denmark...was no longer so [formidable] to any power."
Summary: Sweden good. Denmark flopping a bit. The rest of the northern kingdoms were doing their best (fighting)
The Turks
"The seraglio, though corrupted by effeminacy, still retained its cruelty...when it had [recovered from wars], this empire became again formidable."
Summary: may look messy back home but still don't underestimate the power
The situation of France
"France [...] was in alliance with Sweden, Holland, Savoy and Portugal...was engaged in a war against the empire of Spain...The French there has done the Spaniards and Germans a great deal of mischief, and had suffered as much themselves."
Summary: fighting with Spain (and also the house of Austria, so also Germany), tho the battles has reduced to petty squabbles over "a few frontier towns". Richelieu came to raise tax.
---
Works cited The Works of Voltaire. A Contemporary Version. A Critique and Biography by John Morley, notes by Tobias Smollett, trans. William F. Fleming (New York: E.R. DuMont, 1901). In 21 vols. Vol. XII.
--- Rambling (just a little) time.
Okay first off, bear in mind that all the quotes and summarized content are from the pov of Voltaire, so there can be possible biases.
I've been invested in the reign of Louis XIV for quite a while now, and I can attribute the reasons to 1) BBC Versailles, 2) Molière, and 3) general liking to history at the time (17-18c). I'm trying to figure out what exactly that the time period attracted me so much, like what "vibe" what "ideal" etc, but I'm still trying. And reading that book, which is long as hell, not to mention the messy af™️ European drama and people having Too Similar Names may just be helpful in terms of getting to know the history that happened in and around the court of Louis XIV.
Welp, gotta read more if I want to know more.
#hetalia#aph#historical hetalia#i will be lazy and not tag everyone sorry not sorry#doodle dump#random otter rattles#history
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favourite poems of july
knar gavin strindberg grey
dahlia ravikovitch the love of an orange (tr. chana bloch)
danez smith summer, somewhere
hannah gamble your invitation to a modest breakfast: “your invitation to a modest breakfast”
claire schwartz lecture on the history of the house
joseph brodsky collected poems in english, 1972-1999: “a part of speech”
ralph angel twice removed: “alpine wedding”
bob hicok insomnia diary: “spirit ditty of no fax-line dial tone”
caleb klaces language is her caravan
philip good & bernadette mayer alternating lunes
hester knibbe light-years (tr. jacquelyn pope)
tracy k. smith life on mars: “the universe as primal scream”
rigoberto gonzález other fugitives and other strangers: “the strangers who find me in the woods”
stephen edgar murray dreaming
james schuyler other flowers: uncollected poems: “light night”
amy beeder because our waiters are hopeless romantics
diane seuss backyard song
tomás q. morín love train
safiya sinclair the art of unselfing
carol muske-dukes skylight: “the invention of cuisine”
peter gizzi the outernationale: “vincent, homesick for the land of pictures”
william matthews selected poems and translations, 1969-1991: “onions”
c.k. williams butcher
mark mccloskey the smell of the woods
jennifer chang the age of unreason
richard blanco city of a hundred fires: “contemplations at the virgin de la caridad cafeteria, inc.”
bob hicock the pregnancy of words
j. allyn rosser impromptu
carl phillips then the war
stephanie young ursula or university: “essay”
gloria e. anzaldúa the new speakers
kofi
#tbr#knar gavin#strindberg grey#strindberg gray#dahlia ravikovitch#the love of an orange#chana bioch#danez smith#summer somewhere#hannah gamble#your invitation to a modern breakfast#claire schwartz#lecture on the history of the house#joseph brodsky#collected poems in english#a part of speech#collected poems in english 1972-1999#ralph angel#twice removed#alpine wedding#bob hicock#insomnia diary#spirit ditty of no-fax dial tone#caleb klaces#language is her caravan#philip good#alternating lunes#bernadette mayer#hester knibble#light-years
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Jacobi and McKellen as grand marshals of New York City's 2015 pride march.
All Good Omens (show) fans will know Derek Jacobi as the Metatron. His brief role on Doctor Who is also getting a lot of mention in recent posts, but I'm not going to talk about any of that.
Like his Vicious co-star Ian McKellen, Jacobi has had a long and illustrious career in theatre, television, and film. McKellen and Jacobi met when they were at Cambridge.
I'm not a huge fan of the Daily Mail, but this article, an interview with the two actors, is quite interesting. I'll just quote this part:
Jacobi says he came out to his mother when he was at university. ‘She said, “All young men, go through this phase, don’t worry.” I remember saying, “Don’t tell Dad.”’ He doesn’t know to this day if she did. ‘I think she did, but I don’t know. But they were wonderful, my parents, not much was said but they kind of knew, they got it.’
McKellen hasn’t heard his friend talk of this before. ‘That’s the first time I’ve heard that,’ he says, genuinely moved. ‘I never came out to my family. Biggest regret of my life.’ It turns out he didn’t even come out to Derek at university, even though it’s always been reported that he had something of a crush on him.
‘Yes, I did fancy Derek, but I didn’t act on it, God, no. It was illegal, remember. I do get on my high horse about it, because it was so difficult. There were no gay clubs you could go to. No gay bars, no gay newspaper, nothing. What there was was a bit sleazy, I suspect. One of the reasons I became an actor was that you could meet gay people. Even then everything was difficult. When you went to America they asked, “Are you now, or have you ever been, homosexual?” I lied on the form. It was a different world.’
I want to talk about Vicious for a bit, the ITV britcom in which Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen play an aging gay couple, (respectively) a homemaker, Stuart Bixby, and an actor, Freddie Thornhill, for fourteen episodes.
Freddie (McKellen) tells Stuart (Jacobi) about a part he's hoping to get.
I had to add these for the Broadchurch reference.
It's a law that British actors of a certain age play this part.
I couldn't find one with Michael Sheen and the skull, but here he is in the role.
McKellen did the part again at 81 in an age-blind production.
Jacobi's big breakout was the titular role in I, Claudius on the BBC in 1976.
In the '90s, Jacobi played amateur sleuth and 12th century monk, Brother Cadfael on the ITV series.
I had watched some of Vicious before, but, spurred on by Jacobi's reappearance on Good Omens, looked for it again and watched both seasons a couple of weeks ago. Because I love a good fancast and Jacobi and Sheen (at least as Aziraphale) remind me a little of each other, I couldn't help but think that Jacobi and McKellen in their youth could have played a version of Aziraphale and Crowley. (There have been a couple of posts noting this about Jacobi, and that he might have been up for the part if it had been done soon after the book came out.)
Jacobi, left, and McKellen, right (obviously).
I also think that Tennant and Sheen could have pulled off playing Freddie and Stuart in a flashback.
An even younger version of Freddie and Stuart does appear in the series, however, played by Luke Treadaway and Samuel Barnett.
Also good casting! They do a great job playing McKellen and Jacobi playing Freddie and Stuart.
Shoutout to this post by @ember-knights, that suggested Good Omens fans should check out Vicious for a glimpse of what life in the South Downs cottage might be. And also to other posts mentioning Vicious and Good Omens in the same breath, as well as comparing Sheen and Tennant to Jacobi and McKellen (which I probably reblogged but can't find right now).
Cast of Vicious: Frances de la Tour, Iwan Rheon, Philip Voss, Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Marcia Warren (Wikipedia). (Yes, the upstairs neighbor (Rheon) does go on to play Ramsay Bolton on Game of Thrones. He's a sweetheart in this, though.)
Now, I don't think Crowley and Aziraphale are the same as Freddie and Stuart, by any means. Freddie and Stuart say quite cruel things to each other. The characters become deeper in the second season; it’s a little sweeter than the first. I enjoy the bitterness of the first season too, though. It is funny, and Good Omens fans may enjoy watching it if only to see Derek Jacobi (who plays the Metatron) in a comedy role and a role that's sympathetic, especially if they are not familiar with his large and impressive body of work.
I don't think Aziraphale and Crowley's life in the bookshop as a couple, not just a group of two, or life on the South Downs, would be exactly like this, but there are somehow some similarities that I don't even know how to begin to pinpoint or explicate.
Crowley and Aziraphale’s affection is always so palpable and that’s not always clear with Freddie and Stuart. Crowley and Aziraphale are so loving that, even when they're bickering, it's joyful, even when they're arguing, even when they're coming apart (temporarily) at the seams, their love is undeniable. I don’t even think their breakup was toxic; although they were desperate at that point and hurt each other badly, it wasn't what they wanted. Sometimes it's that way.
And, lest I'm putting you off Vicious here, the Ineffable Husbands are a high bar as love stories go, but you will get to see some love and affection between Freddie and Stuart too, and I'd really love to see these actors work together more. (I am happy with how the show ends up, by the way.)
Toodle-loo! Hope everything is tickety-boo with you.
#Good Omens spoilers#Good Omens#Good Omens viewpoints#Derek Jacobi#Ian McKellen#Vicious#Derek Jacobi appreciation post#***Good Omens#tickety boo
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What would your headcanons be for the 141 in nursing homes? As in old ass man.
Maybe some extra characters as well? 👀
I'm splitting this up into 3 categories: Physical appearance, personality/behaviour, and overall shenanigans.
John Price
Went bald but still has a killer mustache and a ridiculous amount of body hair and yet all the hair he has left has gone grey. Is SOOO wrinkly. His eyes are hooded/droopy beyond fucking belief.
He's 100% a "Back in my day..." old man. Has def gone half-deaf. Is both a flight risk AND a fall risk but refuses to use his walker/zimmer frame. Is the first one up in the morning, before the staff even changed shifts (consequence of early rising all his life in the military)
Insists on being called 'Captain' by the staff, gives everyone the stink eye if he gets called 'John' or 'Mr.Price'. Sometimes still wakes up dreaming of Makarov and/or Shepherd and spends all day grumpy. Staff hates him.
Simon Riley
Does not go wrinkly. Instead, his skin gets taut and he loses weight and muscle, and becomes skinny/frail. Is VERY hunched over.
Has def lost most of his hearing as well. Is impossible to talk to. A conversation between him and Price spirals from a topic to the next because they misinterpret each other's words. Blasts his fave TV shows (The Price is Right) at top volume all hours of the day.
Has dementia or some other brain degenerative disease, which means he's often lost/confused... So it's not uncommon to see him walking around carrying a cane or umbrella like it's a rifle because he thinks he's still a soldier. Has scared the shit out of night staff by sneaking up behind them with a mask on (where did he get the bloody mask?) and nearly stabbing them with a syringe-like it was one of his knives.
Johnny MacTavish
Does not make it to a nursing home, he's already dead.
Kyle Garrick
Has gone grey but not that wrinkly. Still looks surprisingly good for his age. Is very charming. Wears colourful shirts (Hawaiian and not), and has a nice style... but still wears that stupid bloody hat of his. Has VERY bad hip pain from falling out of helicopters so much.
Is SOOO sweet and polite, and charms all the old ladies AND the nursing staff, every kid that comes visit other grandparents LOVES him. Is the least annoying senior at the nursing home. Also has terrible hearing. Spends his time shouting at Price and Simon to have a conversation.
Still gets taken to veteran/war remembrance days by his family and watches the parades and such... only to look at helicopters with disdain in his eyes and curses them out with a fist.
Alejandro Vargas
Has not gone grey but is a healthy salt-and-pepper. Still keeps his little stubble OR an anchor goatee. Wears glasses now, but they're those types that transition into sunglasses.
His hearing is ALSO shot. Has very shaky hands so he keeps dropping things, especially his pills. Talks crap about everyone with Rodolfo (they gossip in Spanish so no one can hear him.) Is never grumpy. Loves playing cornhole and pétanque.
Is 100% a cougar hunter. Has a silver-tongue and is still so attractive that he just seduces ALL the old ladies. Some of them were still married to their husbands (who were ALSO in the nursing home) and he STILL flirted with them.
Rodolfo Parra
Rudy has gone chubby, wears glasses, and still stays clean-shaven. Wears cardigans and corduroy trousers. Is on a wheelchair.
Is very polite. Spends his time reading in the garden, and likes tending to flowers. Loves a good gossip with Alejandro. Loves playing cards because it's the one game Alejandro cannot play, is very smug about it.
Falls asleep suddenly after meals. Hates Philip Graves with a fucking passion. Hates him so much he still wakes up dreaming about the betrayal in 2022 and gets MAD about it. Wheels himself to Alejandro's room every time and complains. "Pendejo de mierda, Graves."
#asks#moots#cod headcanons#crack headcanons#I promise it's crack#do not take this seriously#I will fill this out with the rest of them tomorrow
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Philip de László
Princess Anne of Wales (Alexandra Anne; 3 February 1929 – 20 April 1951) was the only child of King Edward VIII and Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia. Known as Anna to her family, she was expected to one day inherit the throne of the United Kingdom and the other member states of the United Britannic Commonwealth following the death of her father, but she died in 1951 at the age of twenty-two from complications of hemophilia, an illness she inherited from her mother.
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The House of York by Philip James de Loutherbourg
#philip james de loutherbourg#art#house of york#house of plantagenet#kingdom of england#history#england#english#royalty#nobility#monarchy#medieval#middle ages#wars of the roses
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The Birth of Charles II of Spain
Supposed portrait of Charles II as a newborn. Stirling Maxwell Collection (Pollock House, Glasgow), attributed to Martínez del Mazo.
Carlos José, Charles II of Spain, was born on Sunday, November 6, 1661. The news spread quickly throughout the Royal Palace in Madrid, releasing enormous tension barely contained until then. Joy filled all the rooms, as Queen Mariana's pregnancy had come to a happy conclusion. Given the challenges of the previous days and months, this was a significant relief. Just five days earlier, on November 1, 1661, the Feast of All Saints, the crown prince of the monarchy, the beloved and cherished Philip Próspero, had tragically died. His death was a profound loss for Philip IV and his wife, who was in an advanced stage of pregnancy at the time. With the passing of the young prince, the Catholic Monarchy once again faced a lack of direct male heirs, instilling a sense of pessimism and fatalism throughout the Palace and across the cities and kingdoms of the realm. The death of Don Felipe Próspero, who was only four years old, struck the heart of the aged King like a dagger, leading him to believe, with certainty, that God had abandoned him.
Queen Mariana was deeply distressed. She understood her royal husband's feelings well. From her earliest childhood, she had been educated about the reasons for the state and was aware of what dynastic inheritance meant, so she empathized with her husband's dual pain—both providential and political. Additionally, as a mother who had already lost several children, she felt overwhelmed by the painful fate that the Almighty had in store for her, a fate that undoubtedly shaped her harsh and rigid character. The death of Philip Prospero, who was taken from life too soon, was just the latest tragedy in a long series of losses. Indeed, Mariana had endured a profoundly tragic maternal experience.
For all the above reasons, in the days following the death of Philip Prospero, the Queen's pregnancy, which was nearing its end, became a matter of first importance. The future of the Monarchy depended on this event. On Sunday, November 6, everything seemed to be ready. The doctors and physicians were on alert; the Queen's confessor was near her, and the Chief Steward of her Household was carefully reviewing the arrangement of the items in the birth chamber. To guarantee the success of the event, all the holy relics that were in the Palace and others brought from El Escorial and other places had been arranged in order.
There was the staff of Saint Dominic of Silos that the Order of Saint Dominic had brought, the ribbon of Saint John Ortega, from the Order of the Hieronymites; the incorrupt bodies of Saint Isidore and Saint Diego de Alcalá; the image of the Virgin of Solitude and the one so venerated by the royal family, Our Lady of Atocha. It is difficult to find a space so holy and sacred. Everything, then, was ready, the things of the earth arranged in order to implore God's pleasure.
At noon, after a frugal lunch, Philip IV retired to his chambers. At the same time, the Queen felt discomfort and went to her room. The midwife, Doña Inés de Ayala, and the chief physician of the Royal Chamber, Don Andrés Ordóñez, both witnesses of the birth of Doña Mariana in Vienna in 1634, were now assisting her in her sixth birth, the most anticipated of all. Mariana of Austria was then 27 years old. The chronicles say that there was no setback. It was one o'clock in the afternoon on that Sunday, the day of San Leonardo, when, according to the Gazette, “
a very handsome prince with large features, a large head, black hair, and somewhat swollen flesh saw the light of this world .” It was, of course, a very favorable comment, but soon rumors to the contrary spread through the gossip columns of the Villa and Court. That birth was received with joy. At three in the afternoon, when the news had already spread to all corners of the Monarchy and Europe, a sober and elegantly dressed Philip IV in black velvet, left his chamber and, “
accompanied by the Nuncio, the Grand Masters and the Ambassadors ”, headed towards the Palace Chapel in full courtly etiquette. There, the royal procession, presided over by the monarch, sang a solemn Te Deum, thus beginning the festivities that, in honor of the future Charles II, occupied the entire month of November 1661.
#history#mariana de austria#house of habsburg#spain#art#charles ii of spain#habsburg#17th century#carlos ii#please like and reblog#facts people should know#facts#fun facts#interesting facts#childbirth#birth#Happy birthday Charles II of Spain#birth story#The fanart will be delayed sorry#coming soon#baroque
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Georges Washington de Lafayette doodles!
Why am I obsessed over this guy I don’t even have that much info about? Idk but GEORGES WASHINGTON de Lafayette !!!
during the time when Lafayette was in jail, he was sent to America to stay with the Hamiltons and Washingtons. In a letter to Washington, Hamilton wrote that georges was depressed and not eating well (poor baby 😔)
him and Philip have a 3 year age difference. I like to imagine he was friends with Philip when he was staying with the Hamiltons. Now, we don’t really know what Philip look like so I just drew what I think he look like (left bottom drawing)
Lafayette probably tell Georges about the man he was named after every moment he gets
#Georges Washington de Lafayette#amrev#amrev art#philip hamilton#my art#george washington#marquis de lafayette
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Favorite History Books || Sybil, Queen of Jerusalem, 1186–1190 by Helen J. Nicholson ★★★★☆
As a child, Sybil’s future prospects appeared excellent: as the eldest child of King Amaury of Jerusalem and as a member of the dynasty that claimed descent from Godfrey de Bouillon and the other heroes of the First Crusade, we might expect that she would have been an attractive marriage prospect. Yet European noblemen did not queue up to seek her hand. One reason for this might have been that commanding the defence of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the face of aggressive Muslim expansionism was a daunting prospect for any warrior, no matter how ambitious. Moreover, as her brother Baldwin’s illness became generally known in Europe, Sybil’s potential husbands may have wondered whether she and her children would be similarly afflicted. In addition, as her brother Baldwin and his council made clear to Philip of Alsace in autumn 1177, outside aid was unwelcome in the kingdom except on the terms they dictated. Robert VI of Béthune, Philip of Alsace’s candidate for Sybil’s hand, might have made a more effective count of Jaffa and Ascalon, regent of the kingdom and king consort than Guy de Lusignan, but Baldwin – aged only sixteen at the time of Count Philip’s crusade – preferred to marry his sister to a man he knew. If King Baldwin IV had supported his elder sister as the heir who – given that Baldwin V was very young and in uncertain health – would almost certainly inherit the kingdom, it might have been possible for Sybil to unite the nobles of the kingdom behind her as her brother had done. But his contradictory and changing policies left her rights of inheritance unclear and the nobles of the kingdom divided. He married her to one of his household knights, then attempted to divorce them; he appointed her husband as procurator, then shortly afterwards deposed him and appointed her son as his co- ruler, and then appointed another procurator, then finally appointed two regents, one to care for the young king Baldwin V and the other to govern. If he made further arrangements for the succession after Baldwin V they were unworkable. By marrying his younger half-sister to a leading noble of the kingdom but forcing the bridegroom to surrender his inherited estates in return, King Baldwin IV ensured that both his sisters and their husbands and supporters had grievances against him. While his measures reduced any threat that he would be overthrown during his lifetime, they boded badly for the kingdom after the death of his immediate heir. Given the rivalries between the leading nobles of the kingdom and Saladin’s need to win a decisive victory over the Franks, no one could have prevented Saladin from taking Jerusalem and conquering most of Sybil’s kingdom; Sybil was doomed to failure as queen. Not only did she lose Jerusalem, but she also failed in the most fundamental function of a noblewoman: she failed to provide an heir for herself, as both her son Baldwin and her daughters died in childhood. On the other hand, in the face of disaster she did not abandon her kingdom and flee to Europe, nor did she retire to a religious house. Instead, she stayed in the crusader states and did all she could to oppose the invader. She tried to defend Ascalon, she remained in Jerusalem until it was surrendered to Saladin, she obtained her husband’s release from Saladin’s prison, and by accompanying him in the months that followed she gave him the authority to continue as king of Jerusalem. As husband of the eldest daughter of King Amaury of Jerusalem and as a crowned king, Guy had a stronger claim to royal authority than Conrad of Montferrat: crusaders from Europe rallied to him and the representatives of the Italian maritime cities supported him so that he could begin the fightback against Saladin which was continued by the Third Crusade and enabled the kingdom of Jerusalem to continue to exist until 1291. When Sybil died, Guy’s authority died with her; but she had ensured that her kingdom would not die, at least for another century.
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