#king philip iv of france

[dream-this-nightmare-over]

thoughts while watching knightfall

season one

why landry why you damned prat of all the women you had to go for queen

gawain kinda makes sense

oh gawain is the only one one sane here

i stand with gawain in this one

philips hair is paid actor

he is trying to remain soft. you see how he is trying everything with joan he loves that woman so much he is willing to raise the baby as his own

gosh you did him dirty. all of you.

butler from downton abbey was born for this role

why is everyone so forgiving of landry's violation of vows and rules????

is that irene forsyte??

landry you are a bad friend

you can't tell someone with disability their pain is 'god's will' fuck you landry, this man saved your life you ungrateful prat

parsifal!!!!!! no please god i beg for mercy

why is no one looking for parsifal???

mamma joan finally snapped

rashid eyeliner will be missed

tancred??????

these cliffhangers will be death of me

everyone listens to irene. even the pope. what a woman.

'immense heights man might ascend to art, music, culture… And instead, we fuss and fight over an arrestingly ordinary cup' - whoever is writing this script needs rise then tons of awards

the final aerial shot of forest with snow falling is cinematic masterpiece

wait what just happened?? history you just know how to get us hooked

season two

court room reflecting the changes from last season both in story and philip - executed so cleverly

missing philip's hair

de nugaret we see your hair and we know you have crush on gawain

'best swordsman in france' baby i choked.

i knew nugaret is petty but go boy that ash cross will never be topped in history of fine art of pettiness

isn't that scene from vikings?

why is no one mentioning scroll??? did they forget we are bing watching

wait how they all didnt get leprosy? isn't that airborne?

candles scene was supreme

why is irene not in second season???

its hard to be against louis when he looks so good

i knew isabella was bad since they changed the actress

someone give landry break!! can this man have second without being in life threatening situation???

that fire arrow scene was too epic

louis should join templars at this point so they kill philip together

why is no one mentioning scroll??? hello??? the man is dead over there

i would have bet all i have that louis is coming to kill philip and blame landry in midst of battle with no witnesses

why is louis still on his dad's side????

who ever was in charge of aerial shots needs raise

why is everyone lying to louis??? why are they playing him like this?

best scene in whole series when gawain asks "whos child is this?" baby you are the prescious one we need to protect you at all cost aka let's bring baby into family and not tell gawain

how is fire burning so slow now?

knew kelton's story is not ending here

talus you old fucker i was worried already they lost you somewhere in script but then remembered who is playing you

gawain and landry together again!! yes living for this shit

landry and gawain and tancred omg trio is back!!

talus dragging his sword while sparks fly from tip that scene will forever live rent free in my mind and should go down in history books

louis and margaret deserved to live in peace and have what parsifal and marie almost had

when louis snaps paris will burn

daddy philip gives best advice

you are both fault for this equally, so stop arguing and make out already

okay but for real gawain has a point. what is about landry they arent telling him?

i googled louis actor and i am sadden to find out tom looks nothing like character he is playing. great mask. worth couple of emmy nominations.

they are back to plotting. fam is back together. this is great. i love this show.

tancred ship has sailed darling but at least you got the girl

omg no way landry why are you back??

de nugaret??? louis???? SLAY OF CENTURY AND ONES TO COME

THEY ARE FIGHTING IN COURT ROOM WHERE EVERYTHING STARTED I CANT-

AND THE SCROLL???? WHAT ABOUT THE SCROLL?????

IF THAT ENDING DIDNT SET GROUNDS FOR SEQUEL NO INSTANT POPULAR AMERICAN SHOW THAT BLOWS UP IN ONE DAY AND EVERYONE SUDDENLY HAS TO LIKE IT OR THEY ARE ENEMY OF STATE HASNT DESERVED IT EITHER

I miss my babies already.

conclusion: go watch it so we get season 3.

[illustratus]

Equestrian statue of Philip IV, King of France in Notre-Dame Cathedral, destroyed between 1792 and 1794.

[389]

On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of hundreds of Templars, including their Grand Master, Jacques de Molay. This marked the beginning of the fall of the order.

The Knights Templar, a wealthy and powerful medieval Christian military order, had gained significant influence due to their roles in the Crusades and their banking operations. However, their wealth and autonomy made them a target for Philip IV, who was deeply in debt to them. By accusing the Templars of heresy, blasphemy, and other charges (many of which were likely fabricated), Philip sought to disband the order and seize their assets.

The Friday the 13th association with bad luck, while rooted in this event, didn't immediately become widespread. Over time, however, the date and the events surrounding the Templars contributed to the superstition that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

French School, early 17th century Isabella of Bourbon 'Elizabeth of France' (1602–1644) Queen of Spain and Portugal, as the first wife of King Philip IV of Spain Château de Villandry, France

[theancientwise]

[thefreelancehistorywriter]

Matilda, Dame of Bourbon

Coat of Arms of Mathilde, Lady of Bourbon (Image credit: Odejea, Biplanjaune, and Thom.lanaud from Wikimedia Commons) Matilda (or Mahaut or Marguerite) was born c. 1165, the only child of her parents, Archambaud of Bourbon and Alix of Burgundy. Her father stood to inherit the patrimony of Bourbon from his father Archambaud VII but unfortunately, he died in 1169 before acquiring the lordship. As…

[faithandlove-knightfall]

Beautiful gifs ❤️🫶🏻

KNIGHTFALL 

↳Episode 1: You’d Know What to Do

His Grace, King Philip, and Her Grace, Queen Joan!

[beardedmrbean]

The Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ, which claims to represent the modern-day Knights Templar, has recently filed a new reconciliation lawsuit against Pope Francis.

Third Legal Action

This marks the third legal action the group has taken in less than two years, as they demand the rehabilitation of the order that was disbanded in 1312.

The plaintiffs argue that the Templar order was dissolved unjustly on April 2, 1312, during the Council of Vienne. They assert that this decision was made through an Apostolic Letter issued by Pope Clement V rather than through a formal judicial ruling, according to El Economista.

They claim that the disbanding was a grave error pressured by King Philip IV of France, known for his hostility towards the Templars.

The lawsuit highlights that the order was dismantled through an “infamous process without evidence.”

At the time of their arrest, it is stated that there were approximately 15,300 knights, of whom 650 were killed, while 14,650 managed to escape. Their Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, was burned at the stake on March 18, 1314, marking a tragic end to the order.

Seek Private Audience

In addition to rehabilitation, the plaintiffs are seeking financial compensation for the confiscation of their properties, which they claim were largely handed over to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights of Malta.

The group has outlined several specific demands, including the recognition of the Templar priesthood under the Melchizedek rite, permission to establish oratories and chapels, and the return of the Church of Vera Cruz in Segovia.

Moreover, they want all medieval Templars who were tortured or killed to be recognized as martyrs and are asking to form a military body to intervene in religious conflicts.

The order has requested that the Pope issue a decree encompassing all these demands and communicate it to parishes and convents.

Additionally, they seek a private audience with the Pope to discuss their requests in more detail. Historically, this isn't the first time the Sovereign Order of the Temple of Christ has sought rehabilitation, as they have previously filed similar requests in 2005, 2006, and 2007, as well as ordinary lawsuits in subsequent years.

[marianadecarlos]

Don Juan José of Austria (1629-1679) Fanart

He is the half-brother of Charles II of Spain and the extramarital son of King Philip IV and the actress María Calderón. He was a Spanish politician and military man. He was named after Don Juan of Austria the Hero of Lepanto. His mother La Calderona was a comedy actress. Duque de Medina las Torres who first called Philip's attention to her. She was beautiful and caught King Philip IV's eye while performing.

They developed a romance, and the King simply could not resist her When Don Juan was born, his mother entered the convent because she followed the etiquette of the Spanish court, which prohibit any woman who had been honored by the king from being honored by any man. He was born on April 7th, 1629, and was baptized two weeks later. He was registered "hijo de la Tierra" (The son of soil) of unknown parents.

He was brought up in a distinct remote from the capital, and his education was put in the hands of a mathematical Jesuit and a theological inquisitor. He could later have been the archbishop of Toledo had not for the Count-Duke of Olivares wished to legitimize his own bastards and prevailed upon Philip to do the same to make his action more respectable. However, at the age of thirteen, Don Juan was recognized by Philip IV and made Grand Prior of St. John with an almost royal household and large income. This rank will be a stepping stone for his career. His rank is to be that of the potentates like the Electoral princes, who were addressed as brothers by kings and Serenity by subjects. Baltazar Carlos refers to him as "my brother Don Juan". (They are the same age btw) They can go to the theater together on the same couch, but they are not allowed to eat together. Elizabeth of France would end her letters to him with "To Don Juan, my son" while Balthazar ended "To Don Juan de Austria, my brother, and my friend" At the age of 15, He was already the Governor of Flanders, and two years later he was given the title the Prince of the Sea, chiefly because his namesake had been victor of Lepanto. His only sea battle was the defeat of a small French boat. Henceforward he was to fight on land, and unfortunately with far less success against far more powerful foes.

In 1663, Don Juan of Austria was named "Captain General of the Conquest of Portugal” and placed in command of twelve thousand infantry and six thousand cavalry. Early success in 1663 was followed by embarrassing losses later that year; it was already clear that the undertaking was headed for disaster. Philip IV recalled Don Juan to Madrid, subjected him to an investigation, and replaced him with the Marquis of Caraçena.

In his youth, he was affable, brave intelligent, and hard-working but the twin enemies of his ambition and his defective birth tended to make him lose those great qualities he possessed and gain many less admirable ones.

In the summer of 1665, When it became clear that his father had few more months of life, He made a proposal that would shock Philip IV and lead him to refuse to see Don Juan on his deathbed. He presented paintings he made, one of these was a miniature representing Saturn contemplating with a smile the incestuous dallyings of his son and daughter, Jupiter and Juno. It was on the occasion of a visit to Aranjuez, that, he had been summoned by Philip to discuss whether he would be preferred to be Archbishop of Toledo or Inquisitor General. When Philip IV saw the painting the intention was clear. The face of Saturn resembles Philip IV, The face of Jupiter resembles Don Juan and the face of Juno resembles Margarita. When he saw this he was enraged and turned his back on him and never saw him again. Mariana of Austria loathed Don Juan for this scandalous act.

Don Juan of Austria had journeyed to Madrid to see his dying father. Philip reportedly stated that “this was a time to die” and insisted that Don Juan leave Madrid at once. Even if the words were apocryphal, Philip IV’s public snub confirmed his intention to exclude Don Juan from the regency government and succession, intentions made public when the testament was read. Philip IV drew his final breath on Thursday, September 17, at 4:15 a.m. Those in surrounding areas entered the royal chamber as the final moments approached.

In Mariana's regency, he overthrew Jose Everardo Nithard and later Fernando de Valenzuela. He and Mariana of Austria were rivals during the regency period. He arranged several coups to overthrow Mariana, which eventually succeeded, forcing Mariana of Austria into exile.

When he gained power, he successfully imposed laws that were beneficial to the country, despite becoming unpopular.

On August 24, 1677, he fell ill but seemed likely to recover. However, it meant a delay, as the king may not have wanted to dismiss Don Juan while he was bedridden. Even on his sickbed, Don Juan must have known that his tenure was about to end. He died four days later and was buried in El Escorial.

The story of Don Juan was incredible and interesting. He may not have always been successful in his plans, but his dedication, intelligence, and charisma made him formidable.

Sources: Carlos, The king who would not die, by John Langdon Davis and Queen, Mother, and Stateswoman by Silvia Z. Mitchell

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[rayspookyhistory]

๋࣭ ⭑⚝FRIDAY THE 13TH!!! ๋࣭ ⭑⚝

Friday the 13th is widely recognized as a day imbued with superstition, mystery, and unease. Over time, it has come to symbolize bad luck, but its origins are rooted in a complex blend of religious, cultural, and numerological elements.

The Origins of the Friday the 13th Superstition

The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th is derived from two key elements: the number 13 and the day Friday, each with its own historical and cultural connotations.

In Western cultures, the number 13 has long been considered unlucky, a fear known as "triskaidekaphobia." This aversion is often linked to Christian traditions, particularly the Last Supper, where Jesus dined with twelve apostles, making Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, the thirteenth guest. This association with betrayal and misfortune has entrenched the number 13 in the Western cultural consciousness as a harbinger of bad luck.

Similarly, Friday carries its own historical baggage. In Christian tradition, Friday is the day of Jesus Christ's crucifixion. This connection to tragedy led medieval and Renaissance societies to view Friday as an inauspicious day for significant events like weddings or voyages. Over time, the negative connotations of Friday merged with the fear of the number 13, culminating in the superstition of Friday the 13th.

The Templar Connection: Medieval Myths

One prominent historical explanation for the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th is the persecution of the Knights Templar in the early 14th century. On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of hundreds of Templars, accusing them of heresy and other crimes. Many were tortured and executed, marking the fall of the Templars and contributing to the perception of Friday the 13th as a day of betrayal and misfortune. Though this theory is speculative, it remains a popular explanation for the superstition.

Numerology and Symbolism of 13

Numerology also plays a role in the negative perception of the number 13. The number 12 is often seen as complete—reflecting the 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, and 12 hours on a clock. In contrast, 13 is viewed as an imbalance, symbolising chaos and unpredictability. This view has influenced both ancient and modern thought, reinforcing the belief that 13 is unlucky.

Modern Pop Culture and the Persistence of Friday the 13th

In contemporary times, the superstition of Friday the 13th has evolved, largely through pop culture. The "Friday the 13th" film franchise, which began in 1980, has cemented the date’s association with horror. The franchise not only popularized the date as a symbol of fear but also contributed to its status as a cultural phenomenon, marked by horror-themed events and media.

Moreover, psychological studies have explored how this superstition affects behaviour. Many people express unease or avoid certain activities on Friday the 13th, reflecting how deeply ingrained superstitions can influence modern behaviour. Research indicates that these fears can lead to real-world actions, such as avoiding travel or postponing events, highlighting the ongoing impact of superstitions.

Friday the 13th is a unique cultural artefact, blending ancient fears with modern pop culture. Its origins are linked to religious traditions, historical events like the Templar persecution, and cultural aversions to the number 13 and the day Friday. These elements have fused into a superstition that continues to captivate and influence people today. Whether seen as a day of misfortune or a cultural curiosity, Friday the 13th exemplifies how myths and superstitions endure and shape human behaviour across generations.

happy friday the thirteenth :3

[dream-this-nightmare-over]

knights templars are theme that attracts imagination of all generations and there is always interest for that mystery and on history channel and national geographic and all channels there is always some program about them and hunting and decoding of their secrets.

yet

when tv series was made for the first that follows their story, epic historical live action drama, it was cancel after only two season.

something just doesn't add up.

can someone who likes history and is interested in mystery of knights templar explain what made them lose interest in series?

official statement was that audience fell down and there was no more interest.

that just doesnt make sense if it is to judge by amount of history knights templars are connected to by all sorts of conspiracies. if somewhere flavor is missing or something doesn't add up, documentaries scratch the surface a bit and there they are, in background of everything.

this series was bound to become next big thing.

guess i will just sit here screaming into void since this fandom is pretty much dead, until news of new season echo back.

[ourstaturestouchtheskies]

The Life of Joan of Arc – Jules-Eugène Lenepveu // Louis XIV at the Taking of Besancon – Adam Frans van der Meulen // William III of England – Jan Wyck // Infant-Cardinal Don Fernando of Austria on Horseback – Gaspar de Crayer // Portrait of Johan Wolphert van Brederode – School of Thomas de Keyser // Equestrian Portrait of Philippe de France – Pierre Mignard // Karl XI, King of Sweden – David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl // Equestrian Portrait of Louis XIV – René-Antoine Houasse // Equestrian Portrait of Charles XI of Sweden – David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl // Herzog Karl V. von Lothringen – unknown artist // King Charles XI of Sweden Riding a Horse – David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl // Louis-Philippe, Duc d’Orleans, Saluting His Army on the Battlefield – Alexander Roslin // Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV – Diego Velázquez // Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia – Antoine-Jean Gros // Equestrian Portrait of King George II – Joseph Highmore // Equestrian Portrait of William II, Prince of Orange – Anselm van Hulle // Equestrian Portrait of King William III – Jan Wyck // Guy On A Horse – Maisie Peters

[catherinetheprincessofwales]

The Irish Princess and her dynastic marriage to a Norman that helped shape Europe. Aoife, Princess of Leinster -> Catherine, The Princess of Wales. The Princess of Wales is Aoife, Princess of Leinster and Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke 26th Great-Granddaughter  via her paternal grandfather’s line.

** Aoife or Eva, Princess of Leinster, played a pivotal role in the history of Ireland and the Norman expansion. She was the daughter of Diarmaid MacMurrough, King of Leinster, who sought the help of the Normans to secure his throne and defeat his enemies. As part of this alliance, Aoife married the Norman leader Richard de Clare, known as ‘Strongbow,’ on 25 August 1170. This marriage marked the arrival of the Normans in Ireland, just 104 years after their conquest of England by William the Conqueror.

Through their daughter, Isabelle de Clare, The 4th Countess of Pembroke, the union of Aoife and Strongbow forged a lineage that would shape the future of European nobility. Isabelle became an ancestor of nearly every reigning monarch across Europe. Within a few generations, her descendants included much of the European aristocracy, including all the Kings of Scotland since Robert the Bruce (1274–1329) and every monarch of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom since Henry IV (1367–1413). 

Family Line

Aoife MacMurrough, Princess of Leinster and Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. Painting of their wedding, depicting the political and cultural consequences. 

Isabelle de Clare 4th Countess of Pembroke m. William Marshall 1st Earl of Pembroke. 

Eve Marshall m William de Briouze, born  Pembroke Castle.

Eve de Briouze m. William de Cauntelo, Coat of Arms

Millicent de Cauntelo m. Eon la Zouche, Coat of Arms

Eva la Zouche m. Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Lord Berkeley, buried St Mary's Church, Portbury. 

Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Lord Berkeley m. Catherine Clivedon

Sir John Berkeley m. Elizabeth Betteshorne, burial location.

Eleanor Berkeley m. Sir Richard Poynings, burial tomb.

Eleanor de Poynings m. Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland

Lady Margaret Percy m. Sir William Gascoigne 

Anne Gascoigne m. Sir Thomas Fairfax - Gawthorpe Hall, family seat.

William Fairfax m. Anne Baker - Gilling Castle, family seat. 

John Fairfax m. Mary Birch - Master of the Great Hospital at Norwich, Norfolk

Rev. Benjamin Fairfax m. Sarah Galliard - Preacher at Rumburgh, Suffolk.

Benjamin Fairfax m. Bridget Stringer - died in Halesworth, Suffolk.

Sarah Fairfax m. Rev. John Meadows - died in Ousedon, Suffolk.

Philip Meadows m. Margaret Hall

Sarah Meadows m. Dr. David Martineau

Thomas Martineau m. Elizabeth Rankin - buried at Rosary Cemetery, Norwich.

Elizabeth Martineau m. Dr. Thomas Michael Greenhow - died in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.

Frances Elizabeth Greenhow m. Francis Lupton

Francis Martineau Lupton m. Harriet Davis

Olive Lupton m. Richard Middleton

Peter Middleton m. Valerie Glassborow

Michael Middleton m. Carole Goldsmith 

Catherine Middleton m. Prince William of Wales

*Catherine is also a descendant of Aoife via her mother Caroles maternal line.

[goodqueenaly]

Do you see a similarity between Margery Tyrell (as well as Elinor Tyrell, Megga Tyrell, and Alla Tyrell) being put on trail and the trail of the daughter's in law of King Philip the Fair of France (specifically as described in The Accursed Kings), I was reading the Iron King a few weeks ago and it made me wonder if there was a connection as GRRM is a fan of the The Accursed Kings.

Me, think about a connection between ASOIAF and The Accursed Kings? Now when have I ever done that before?

(It me, it always me. Also long, more under the cut.)

Absolutely, I 100% believe that GRRM partially (emphasis on partially) based the supposed love affairs of Margaery and her cousins on the Tour de Nesle Affair as depicted in The Accursed Kings - specifically the first novel of the series, The Iron King. To very briefly summarize, the Tour de Nesle affair centers on the three daughters-in-law of King Philip IV of France: Marguerite of Burgundy, wife of Philip’s eldest son, Louis (and Queen of Navarre, since Louis is King of Navarre in his own right); Marguerite’s cousin Jeanne of Burgundy, wife of the king’s second son, Philip; and Jeanne’s sister (and, naturally, Marguerite’s cousin) Blanche, wife of the king’s third son, Charles. Marguerite and Blanche engage in extramarital sexual affairs with two courtiers, the brothers Philippe and Gautier d’Aunay, with Jeanne acting as facilitator and messenger for their trysts; the affair takes its name from the tower of the Hôtel-de-Nesle, the manor of the King of Navarre, where Marguerite and Blanche entertain their lovers. The affair is discovered by another French prince, Robert of Artois, and he and Philip IV’s daughter, Isabella, engineer a scheme to trap the princesses and expose them. Marguerite, Blanche, and Jeanne are subsequently caught and found guilty, the former two of adultery, the latter of aiding and abetting them; Marguerite and Blanche are imprisoned (the former until she is murdered, the latter until she dies, prematurely young and apparently insane), while Jeanne is likewise initially imprisoned but eventually freed by and reunited with her husband.

With respect to parallels between this story and the plot of AFFC, the Tour de Nesle affair and the affair Cersei invents for Margaery both involve several interrelated royal (or semi-royal) ladies. I mentioned above the princesses in The Iron King, who are called the “Princesses of Burgundy”: Marguerite is the daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, while her cousins Jeanne and Blanche are referred to as the “sisters of Burgundy”, daughters of the late Count of Burgundy. (Yes, the Duchy of Burgundy and County of Burgundy were at this time two separate political entities despite sharing a name). Likewise, the sexual scandal dreamed up by Cersei centers on four Tyrell girls at court, with one a queen: Queen Margaery, of course and three of her cousins, Megga, Elinor, and Alla. None of the Tyrell girls are sisters to any of the others, but all four are part of an extended Tyrell family, grouped together as “Tyrells” much as the three princesses of The Iron King are counted together by Robert of Artois as part of the “family of Burgundy”. In turn, just as Robert of Artois seeks to reveal the scandal specifically so that “[t]he whole family of Burgundy will be plunged up to the neck in the midden … [and] their inheritance will no longer be within reach of the Crown” - leaving that disputed inheritance open to Robert himself - so Cersei, furious at being “awash in roses”, dreams of framing Margaery for a crime of treason so serious that “even her own lord father must condemn her, or her shame becomes his own”.

Moreover, the parallel between these plots in The Iron King and AFFC is strengthened by the identities of the respective plotters. As I noted, one of the two chief architects of the plot against the princesses of Burgundy is Queen Isabella - daughter of King Philip IV of France, sister-in-law to the three princesses, and Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II. Just as Cersei is considered one of the most beautiful women in the Seven Kingdoms, inheriting the golden good looks of any number of Lannister antecedents, Isabella is often compared to her famously handsome father, Philip the Fair, sharing what Druon calls the king’s “legendary personal beauty”; a courtier of her father’s, Hughes de Bouville, even goes on to compliment Isabella in a later novel, The She-Wolf of France, by saying that Isabella had inherited “all [King Philip’s] beauty which was so impervious to time”. Yet The Iron King opens on Isabella by calling her “the loveless queen”, and it’s a description as fitting to Cersei as it is to the daughter of Philip IV.  Just as Isabella is trapped in a miserable marriage to Edward II, so Cersei was trapped in a terrible marriage to King Robert Baratheon - marriages made by their respective fathers, for the political gains of their paternal families. Indeed, King Philip’s retort to Isabella’s complaints about her bad treatment at the hands of her husband - “I did not marry you to a man … but to a King. I did not sacrifice you by mistake” - seems like the sort of reply Tywin would have given to Cersei, having chosen to make his daughter queen and secure a future royal grandson despite privately dismissing Robert as a stupid oaf (to say nothing of Robert's years of abusing Cersei). 

Likewise, both queens seek solace in their eldest sons, as well as their birth dynasties. Isabella is first shown approving that her baby son Edward’s first word was “want”, which Isabella calls “the speech of a king”; she also teaches her son that “he belongs to France as much as to England” and insists that he “get accustomed to the names of his relatives” and learn “that his grandfather, Philip the Fair, is King of France”. Isabella also surrounds herself with reminders of her French past: The Iron King opens with Isabella listening to a French poem, her most trusted lady-in-waiting is the French Jeanne de Joinville, and in a later novel, The She-Wolf of France, Isabella loses to her husband’s favorite a book of poetry by Marie of France. For her part, Cersei has made sure - or at least tried to make sure - that Joffrey was raised as a Lannister with no love for his Baratheon “father”; indeed, Cersei even likes to think of conceiving Joffrey with Jaime as an act of revenge against Robert while trapped at the home of Robert’s maternal family. Joffrey’s surcoat when he duels Robb at Winterfell shows the Lannister lion equal to the Baratheon stag, imagery he later makes his official standard when he becomes king, and he famously has in the first book a sword he proudly calls Lion’s Tooth; too, when he is married, the Lannister banners are displayed as equal to the Baratheon and Tyrell banners, underlining the Lannister importance in Joffrey’s reign. 

Too, neither queen has much love for the eventual objects of their respective plotting. When Robert of Artois informs Isabella that the princesses of Burgundy “hate you”, Isabella replies that “[t]hough I don’t know why, it is true that as far as I am concerned, I never liked them from the start”; Robert then adds his opinion, that Isabella “didn’t like them because they’re false, because they think of nothing but pleasure and have no sense of duty”. Indeed, Isabella’s longstanding dislike and distrust of her sisters-in-law seems reflected in her suspicions, apparently established before the beginning of The Iron King, that the princesses were already deceiving their husbands with extramarital lovers, seemingly heightened by the contrast to her own faithful (for her part) but loveless marriage - Isabella later tells Robert that “when I think of what I am denying myself, what I am giving up, then I know how lucky they are to have husbands who love them”, declaring “[t]hey must be punished, properly punished!”. Cersei’s distrust of Margaery, of course, can hardly be overstated, though in her case the origins of her hatred stem not from Margaery herself but rather Cersei’s paranoia about her, Cersei’s, own prophesied downfall at the hands of a younger and more beautiful queen. Convinced - probably at her ultimate cost - that her son’s (or sons’) eventual wife would fulfill the prophecy Maggy gave so many years prior, Cersei was predisposed to dislike, distrust, and deeply fear such a woman from the first 

So both queens set out to denounce and bring down their royal in-laws through the revelation of a sexual scandal - the bombshell news that a queen and her aristocratic cousins have taken lovers in the persons of a few highborn courtiers. Both plots begin at their outset with the queens appointing spies in the households of the targets of the plots. Robert of Artois advises Isabella to request one of his allies be placed in Marguerite’s household as what he terms “a spy within the walls” - a successful move for Robert and Isabella's conspiracy, as not only does Marguerite (correctly) suspect Madame de Comminges for “always trailing about in her widow’s weeds”, but Robert also reveals that “[s]ince entering Marguerite’s service, Madame de Comminges sent him a report every day”. Cersei herself recruits Taena Merryweather from Margaery’s own household, blithely confirming Jaime’s suspicion that “[s]he’s informing on you to the little queen by saying that “Taena tells me everything Maid Margaery is doing”. Taena, for her part, tells Cersei what Cersei wants to hear, often dropping sexually suggestive hints supposedly about Margaery and her court, which encourage Cersei in her plot against Margaery. 

Additionally, each queen faces the difficulty in singling out the rival queen in question given the presence of those rivals’ respective ladies. Robert of Artois complains that the princesses of Burgundy are “[c]lever wenches” because while Jeanne or Blanche often go to “pray” with Marguerite at the Tour de Nesle, each acts as an alibi for the other; as Robert concludes, “[o]ne woman at fault finds it difficult to defend herself”, but “[t]hree wicked harlots are a fortress”. Indeed, Taena Merryweather borrows almost the exact same castellated metaphor from Robert, claiming that Margaery’s “women are her castle walls”, as “[w]henever men are about, her septa will be with her, or her cousins”. This commentary from Taena inspires Cersei to ponder whether “[Margaery’s] ladies are part of it as well … [sic] not all of them, perhaps, but some” and then manipulate the confession of the Blue Bard to implicate Elinor, Megga, and Alla in the invented affair.

So in both cases, the groups of royal ladies are accused of fornication, with one lady from each excepted for a charge of what we might call criminal knowledge instead. In the case of the princesses of Burgundy, it is Jeanne who is deemed “guilty of complicity and culpable complacence”, while in the case of the Tyrells it is young Alla who is “charged with witnessing their shame [i.e. the supposed sexual relationships of Megga, Elinor, and Margaery] and helping them conceal it”. The distinction in charges notwithstanding, all the ladies are thereafter imprisoned, with both the Burgundy princesses and the Tyrell ladies stripped of their finery: at their judgment, the princesses of Burgundy kneel before the king “shaven and clothed in rough fustian” (so humbled that Jeanne and Blanche’s mother mistakes them for “three young monks”), and when Cersei visits the imprisoned Margaery, the young queen is dressed in “the roughspun shift of a novice sister”, with “[h]er locks … all a tangle”.

(It’s probably going too far to suggest that the planned roles for two courtier brothers in Cersei’s plot echoes the involvement of the d’Aunay brothers in the Tour de Nesle affair. After all, only Osney of the three Kettleblacks was supposed to have had sex with Margaery, and only Osney did have sex with Cersei, whatever Cersei would later claim to the High Septon.)

(I would be amused if GRRM named Margaery after Marguerite of Burgundy, knowing perhaps he would use her in an Accursed Kings-like plot in the future. However, I’m not saying this was necessarily or even likely the case: Margaery had been named since AGOT, after all long before the writing and publication of AFFC, and while GRRM’s affection for Maurice Druon and The Accursed Kings predates ASOIAF, there is no evidence that he planned this sort of parallel all the way back in 1996. The similarity of names may be simply an amusing coincidence, or even a retroactive realization by GRRM that he could use a similarly named character to star in a plot directly inspired by Marguerite of Burgundy’s story.)

Now, does this mean GRRM limited himself to The Iron King in creating this plot point for AFFC? Absolutely not, I would say. Indeed, I think it is very clear that GRRM also looked to the popular conception of the downfall of, and all but certainly false accusations leveled against, Anne Boleyn for further inspiration. Here, as in the popular imagination of Anne’s undoing, is a queen accused of sexual affairs with several male courtiers, who are imprisoned along with her (though note that according); here, as in the trial of Anne Boleyn, is a singer, supposedly among those accused lovers, tortured into a presumably false confession (and being the only accused lover to confess); here, as with Anne and George Boleyn, is a charge of incest against a queen and her brother, so obviously ludicrous in both cases that no contemporary takes it seriously; here, as with the arrests and subsequent release of Thomas Wyatt and Richard Page, are two courtiers seemingly accused of the same crime, but expected to be freed in order to demonstrate the guilt of the others. It’s an obvious but important point that GRRM does not need to borrow only to one point of inspiration, fictional or historical (or, rather, what he imagines as historical), for any given narrative he wants to write. Drawing connections between The Iron King and the plot against Margaery and her cousins no more invalidates connections between that same plot and the popular conception of Anne Boleyn’s downfall than comparing, say, Baelor to Louis IX of France (including the latter’s depiction in The Accursed Kings) invalidates comparisons between Baelor and Henry VI of England. 

This last point extends to Cersei herself as well. While I definitely believe GRRM borrowed elements from Isabella of France for Cersei, I have also argued, and still believe, that Cersei also shared elements of her character and story with Marguerite of Burgundy herself. Parallels between Cersei and Marguerite should not nullify or undermine parallels between Margaery and Marguerite (specifically in this context of affairs/supposed affairs), any more than parallels between, say, Edward IV of England and Robert Baratheon should nullify or undermine parallels between that same King Edward and Robb Stark (specifically in the context of a secret marriage with no apparent political benefit). GRRM is not required to neatly match one for one a character in his universe to a historical or fictional figure, nor would I think we as readers would want him to; it would be a pretty boring story if he simply copy pasted figures from extant works or history and swapped their names for those he created. 

Plus, I think Margaery and her cousins are pretty likely to come out of their trials much better than the princesses of Burgundy did with theirs. Most obviously, as even the High Septon admitted, the case against the queen and her cousins is weak - as indeed it might be, given that Cersei invented the affair in the first place. Far from the d’Aunay boasting about their royal lovers by wearing the infamous purses given them by the princesses (and gifted to them by Queen Isabella, to catch the lovers with them), all of the supposed lovers of the Tyrell girls save the Blue Bard have denied the affair, and his testimony is denounced as “half-mad”. On a practical level, the High Septon surely knows the danger for him, and his position, of convicting Margaery, given that Osney reported on the crown of sparrows demanding Margaery’s release (news Cersei regards ruefully, since as she thinks “Margaery has been their little pet”). Add to that threat the presence of Mace at the head of his army, returned to the capital explicitly to see through his daughter’s trial, and the High Sparrow is playing with fire in truly trying to convict Margaery and her cousins. 

[archivist-crow]

On this day:

DIAMOND OF DOOM

On December 14, 1967, Evalyn McLean, who never gained possession of the Hope Diamond bequeathed to her, nevertheless seemed to have acquired its curse, for she unexplainably died. Her grandmother had purchased the gem in 1911 and lived a life of tragedy: an automobile mishap killed her young son, her daughter committed suicide, and her husband was unfaithful and mentally unstable. She died in 1947, willing the diamond to her grandchildren, but her jewels were sold to pay off her debts.

The Hope Diamond was rumored to have begun as a 112-carat gem pried from the third eye of an Indian deity and brought to France in the mid-1600s by merchant traveler Jean-Baptiste Travernier. Over the years it possessed and was possessed by the French royal family, who were victims of intrigue, embezzlement, and executions; and Cadet Guillot, a thief who stole the diamond during the French Revolution, smuggled it to England, and was imprisoned. The diamond then disappeared until just after the statute of limitations on its theft had expired.

In 1812 diamond merchant Daniel Eliason sold it to Philip Hope, Dutch heir to a banking fortune. The diamond bred bitterness and bedlam in the Hope family for two generations before being sold to pay off debt to Simon Frankel, a New York jeweller. Other rumored owners of the Hope Diamond include:

* King George IV of Britain;

* Simon Montharides, who died with his family when his horse spooked and overturned their carriage;

* A Turkish sultan, who stabbed his wife and was overthrown;

* Two unnamed murdered owners;

* Jacques Celot, a French broker who went insane and killed himself;

* A Russian prince, Ivan Kanitovski, who gave the diamond to his mistress, an actress who was shot onstage while wearing it; Kanitovski himself was later murdered.

Finally, in 1911, Pierre Cartier who sold it to Evalyn Walsh McLean, who let her dog wear the diamond when she wasn't. The diamond’s final owner, Harry Winston, didn't believe in the curse. He mailed it in a brown paper bag as a donation to the Smithsonian Institution in 1958.

Text from: Almanac of the Infamous, the Incredible, and the Ignored by Juanita Rose Violins, published by Weiser Books, 2009

[thefreelancehistorywriter]

The Formation of the Valois Burgundian Empire - Philip the Bold

The Formation of the Valois Burgundian Empire – Philip the Bold

Philip the Bold, the first Valois Duke of Burgundy Origins of the Burgundian Kingdom Long ago, in the mists of time, there was an island, called in Old Norse, Burgundarholm. The island’s inhabitants were primitive tribes of Scandinavian origin who were extremely mobile and considered nomads and migrants. These tribes first settled on the island of Bornholm before moving on to the mainland in…