#patron saint of Wales

[eynsavalow]

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[fayrobertsuk]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Dydd Gwŷl Dewi Hapus, pawb! Cofiwch: wnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd.

[invisible-goats]

hell I'm English and have done none of these

Didn’t know it was possible for me to feel less British.

In seriousness though, this is a fascinating insight into how ‘English’ and ‘British’ is synonymous even within the UK.

[youvebeengreeked]

HAPPY St. DAVID'S DAY, Cymrades.

[tiaramania]

Tiara Highlights of 2024

Going into 2024 I expected it to be a boring year for tiara but I was glad to be wrong!

The New Queen Mary

Last January, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark shocked everyone by abdicating in favor of her son Frederik. The most exciting part to me of course was getting to see the new Queen Mary start to use the Danish Crown Jewels and the jewels from the Danish Royal Property Trust. Mary didn't disappoint and quickly wore the Emerald Parure Tiara for her first official portrait and the Pearl Poiré Tiara for the state visit to Norway. But not content with now having access to all three of the Danish big guns tiaras, Queen Mary worked with the Danish Royal Collection to create a new Diamond Bandeau Tiara out of the largest rose cut diamonds from a diamond belt in the crown jewels that hadn't been worn in a century. She's truly embodying the spirit of her namesake and patron saint of royal jewelry fans, Queen Mary of the United Kingdom. There are still quite a few pieces that she hasn't worn so I'm excited for the future.

Rediscovery of Queen Mary's Lozenge Tiara

Probably the biggest news for us royal jewelry watchers was the rediscovery of Queen Mary's Lozenge Tiara in the collection of Queen Azizah of Pahang. Saad Salman from The Royal Watcher noticed the similarities of the two tiaras while at the wedding of Prince Muhammad and Natasya Adnan in October. He mentioned it to Queen Azizah who graciously allowed him to examine the tiara and determined that they were indeed the same piece. She had purchased the "lost" tiara in New York City in 1988 with no idea of it's previous royal provenance and it's been worn by her family ever since.

Malaysian Tiara Buying Bonanza

I don't know what was going on in Malaysia this year but everyone decided they needed a new tiara. Did they get some sort of Groupon or maybe a BOGO deal? This doesn't even include two tiaras that were made from previously owned necklaces. Crown Princess Zaheeda of Kedah, Princess Julie of Kedah, Princess Aminah of Johor, Queen Zarith Sofiah of Johor, Princess Afzan of Pahang, and Queen Norashikin of Selangor all debuted brand new tiaras.

Princess Sofia's Surprise

In April, Princess Sofia debuted London blue topaz gemstones for the top of her signature Palmette Tiara bringing the total different versions of the tiara up to seven. But that somehow wasn't the biggest tiara news for her this year because in December she surprised us all by wearing the Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara for the first time! She had worn the Palmette Tiara for every single tiara event since 2017 and 27 times in a row!

Opening of the Buckingham Palace Vault

With a new reign means a new person in charge of loaning out jewelry and King Charles and Queen Camilla seem to have a much more 'jewelry is meant to be worn' approach than the late Queen. In addition to her standard Greville Honeycomb Tiara, Queen Camilla has worn six new to her tiaras since becoming queen. I didn't expect her to wear new ones quite so quickly but I have really enjoyed seeing her explore the vault. They also have a jewelry is meant to be shared mentality that I am loving! Queen Elizabeth II tended to give out a few long term loans to each person and that was the only person that wore that piece of jewelry. This year, the Duchess of Edinburgh wore the Lotus Flower Tiara which was on loan to the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla wore the Five Aquamarine Tiara that was on loan to the Duchess of Edinburgh. I don't think the BRF are suddenly going to be at the level of Dutch or Swedish jewelry sharing but they are certainly moving in the right direction.

[gingersnaptaff]

who are the main characters in welsh arthurian mythos?

Hi anon! You know, I looked at this question and just fuckin DIED with GLEE! Ehdhdjdhdjd I LOVE SHIT LIKE THIS!!!!! SHDJDJDH

First off, Arthur is pretty big. He's less a king and more of a warlord, but there's still a lot of cultural reverence for him in Welsh things. Seriously, Henry VII - a notable faux-Welshman - named his firstborn son Arthur purely because he was going to be Prince of Wales. Also, in Culhwch and Olwen his retinue has TWO Welsh GODS in it - Manawydan and Pryderi (my beloveds.) Idk what they're doing in it but I am inordinately pleased that they are there.

Also, Uther Pendragon / Uther Ben. Taliesin wrote a poem about him which is super fun. (Also, oddly enough Taliesin himself HAS been linked into Arthurian legends on multiple occasions. He's also another Arthur-type in that he's still regarded as tooling the line between mythical and real.)

Gwenhwyfar is also important even though she takes a back seat. Speculation is rife about whether she had a quest/myth about her (sorta like Culhwch and Olwen) and also her name means 'white phantom!' BRING IT BACK. I, for one, think she definitely did have a quest attributed to her in which Arthur had to do something to get her hand in marriage but idk WHAT.

Also, she's a GIANT!!!!!!!! EJDJDKDKDKD

Gwalchmai is also Super Important. There's speculation as to whether he was a mythical character who got implanted into the mythos or if he was always Atthur's nephew. Basically, he's a giant and he kills giants. Seriously, he's CONSTANTLY killing giants in the mythos. Plus he is called 'Gwalchmai Golden / Silver-tongued' in poetry too. In the Mabinogion, he's very often the one to soothe discord between the other knights so he's very diplomatic too.

Cai and Bedwyr, obviously! They come as a pair. Do Not Separate. Now, Cai is sometimes also seen to be a giant but his dad is Cynyr Ceinfarfog who was a real king. He ruled Dyfed and was the dad of Saint Non and, therefore, grandad to SAINT DAVID. (Wales' patron saint!) So Cai, like Arthur, has a saintly lineage. Before the French Romances shifted his character into the more recognisable Kay, Arthur's grumpy seneschal, Cai was a warrior of great renown. And literally superhuman. Like, nobody would received from.a blow from his sword, he could brave fire and water like nobody else, he has the ability to go nine nights and days without sleep or the need to breathe. He's a ledge.

Now, Bedwyr! Again he's a great warrior and ONE-ARMED. He's called Bedwyr Bedrydant (Bedwyr of the Perfect Sinew) and he's HOT SHIT. Seriously, he's like the most beautiful Knight in Arthur's court. The 10th-century poem 'pa gur' says that assailants 'fell by the hundred / before Bedwyr of the Perfect sinew ... fighting with Garwlwyd/ furious with sword and shield.' (Also, BTW Garwlwyd is possibly a werewolf.)

They have to put up with SO MUCH SHIT from Arthur's escapades it's ridiculous. They had to convince Arthur not to intervene in a King abducting a princess and carrying her back to his court, ffs. Give them a HOLIDAY. WITH SALMON TAXIS.

Now, I would say Merlin BUT he is added later into the mythology. He isn't there straight off. But he is Welsh. He's FUN. He was apparently based on Myrddin Wyllt. He went mad, and lived in a forest. His bestie was a king who died.

Now, I also think Owain, and Geraint on account of their having stories written about them but they're two kings who got folded into the mythos a bit later. Urien (Owain's dad) is another example.

Also, Macsen Wledig too. But again writers melded him in later. And I mean this in the sense that he and Arthur share similarities in how they're perceived in Welsh culture.

Anyways, anon, I hope this helps. I'm probably forgetting a TONNE of characters (Peredur, for one.) But I Don't want to bore you or make anybody trawl through this unwillingly so I shall stop! Hopefully, this helps! Thank u for the question!!!!

[aimeedaisies]

The Princess Royal’s Official Engagements in October 2024

01/10 As Court Member of the Fishmongers’ Company, visited a Food Technology Class at Bingley Grammar School. 🐟🏫

As President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, visited SIL Group’s Fibre Processing Mill at Ladywell Mills in Bradford. 🧵🧣

Visited Viking Arms Limited in Harrogate. ⚔️🏹🗡️

02/10 Visited Blackburn Meadows Bio-Mass Power Plant in Tinsley, Sheffield. 🍃🔋

Visited Sheffield Forgemasters. 🔥⚒️

Visited Loadhog at the Hog Works. 🚛🚚

Opened the University of Sheffield’s Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre. 🧬

03/10 As President of Carers Trust, attended the Short Breaks Wales Conference at Sophia Gardens Cricket Ground in Cardiff. 🦽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

As Colonel of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons), attended the Annual Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel in Knightsbridge, London. 💂🍽️

04/10 As Vice Patron of the British Horse Society attended the Changing Lives Through Horses Forum at Saddlers' Hall in London. 🐎

08/10 As President of the Royal Yachting Association, opened Warsash Sailing Club’s renovated Clubhouse. ⛵️🍾

As Patron of Catch22, visited the Orion Centre in Havant, Hampshire. 🫂

Sir Tim represented Princess Anne at the Memorial Service for Mrs Julia Rausing (Philanthropist) which was held in St James’s Church in London. ⛪️

09/10 Attended the Annual National Service for Seafarers in St. Paul's Cathedral. ⛪️⚓️

10/10 As Patron of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, attended the Annual Scientific Conference at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead. 💊

As Patron of the Butler Trust, visited North Tyneside Youth Justice System in North Shields. 🔗

Opened a renovated manufacturing facility in North Shields. 🏢

11/10 As Admiral of the Sea Cadet Corps, Marine Society and Sea Cadets, opened Midlands Boat Station in Birmingham. 🫡⛵️

As Chancellor of Harper Adams University, opened the Digital Learning Hub at the Quad in Telford. 🖥️💻🎮

As Patron of YSS Limited, visited the Criminal Justice Service at the Shropshire Golf Centre in Telford. 👩‍⚖️

14/10 As Guardian of Give Them A Sporting Chance and the Chaffinch Trust, held Management Board and Team Meetings at Gatcombe Park. 💼

15/10 With Sir Tim as Royal Patron of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, attended the “Countdown to Cure” Reception at the Royal College of Nursing in London. 💊

With Sir Tim As Patron of the Remembrance Trust, attended a Dinner at the Beefsteak Club in London. 🌹

16/10 As Royal Patron of the Security Institute, attended the Annual Conference at the Royal Society of Medicine. 🚨🔒

As Master of the Corporation of Trinity House, attended a Civic Luncheon at Trinity House. 🍽️

As Royal Patron of WISE, attended the Annual Conference at IET London: Savoy Place. 🧩

17/10 As Patron of the Cathedral Church of Saint German Peel Development Appeal attended a Thanksgiving Service in St German’s Cathedral, Peel, Isle of Man. 🇮🇲⛪️

Visited the Manx National Heritage “All at Sea” Exhibition at the House of Manannan in Peel, Isle of Man. 🇮🇲 🌊

As Grand Master of the Royal Victorian Order, attended Evensong and a Reception at The King’s Chapel of the Savoy in London. ⛪️🍾

As President of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, attended a Reception to mark the 250th Anniversary of RSA House. 🎂

Unofficial Sir Tim, as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum Group, attended the launch of the Manchester Science Festival at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. 🧪🧬🔭

18/10 On behalf of The King, held an Investiture at Buckingham Palace. 🎖️

Attended a performance by the Spanish Riding School of Vienna at OVO Arena in Wembley. 🇦🇹🇪🇸🐎

19/10 With Sir Tim Attended British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse. 🏆🐎

22/10 As Master of the Corporation of Trinity House, chaired the Quarterly Meeting of the Court and attended a Luncheon at Trinity House. 💼

As Patron of UK Coaching, held a Reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate Olympic and Paralympic Coaching. 🇬🇧🏅

23/10 Attended a Bicentenary Commemorative Service to recognise the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. 🚒🧯👨‍🚒

As Royal Patron of Leuchie Forever Fund, held a Benefactors’ Dinner at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. 🍽️

24/10 Re-opened the Rowan Glen Factory at Palnure, near Newton Stewart. 🍶

As Patron of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, opened the new wing at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven. 🏥

With Sir Tim As Patron of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, attended the Trafalgar Night Dinner at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. ⚓️🫡🍽️

25/10 Opened the British Standards Institution International Electrotechnical Commission Annual Meeting at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🔋

28/10 Attended the Prison Advice and Care Trust’s 125th Anniversary National Volunteer Awards at St John’s Church in London. 🏆

29/10 On behalf of The King, held morning and afternoon investitures at Windsor Castle.🎖️

31/10 Visited the Robotic Surgery Unit at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. 🤖🏥

Attended a Reception for the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards winners at Bridgwater and Taunton College. 🏆

Was installed as Chancellor of Health Sciences University before launching the University in Bournemouth. 🎓

As Patron of Save the Children UK, attended the Autumn in the City Dinner at the Savoy in London. 🍽️

Total official engagements for Anne in September: 58

2024 total so far: 371

Total official engagements accompanied/represented by Tim in September: 5

2024 total so far: 91

FYl - due to certain royal family members being off ill/in recovery I won't be posting everyone's engagement counts out of respect, I am continuing to count them and release the totals at the end of the year.

[scotianostra]

On 13th January 614, St Kentigern/Mungo died , and was buried at his church in Clas-gu which later become Glasgow.

Saint Kentigern has been venerated for many centuries as one of the apostles of Scotland and patron-saint of Glasgow. He is best known in Scotland as Mungo, which means "darling", or "beloved one". Unfortunately, very little genuine information on this 6th-century saint has survived. His later life was composed by a Cistercian monk, Jocelyn of Furness, late in the 12th century, but earlier traditions about the saint are more authentic.

The future saint was born in about 518 or 528 in Culross in Scotland. His mother was the holy princess Theneva, (Enoch) who is also venerated as patron-saint of Glasgow, who's father Loth, King of Gododdin (modern day East Lothian) - was thrown out for being pregnant with Mungo after an illicit encounter with her cousin, King Owain of North Rheged (now part of Galloway). Her furious father had her tied to a chariot and launched off Traprain Law.

Amazingly she and the unborn baby survived and her father, now believing she was a witch, set her adrift in a coracle without oars up the River Forth.

His early life was shaped by St Serf who ran a monastery at Culross and rescued his mother and cared for her and the young boy who he affectionately called Mungo, meaning 'dear'.

Aged 25 Mungo began his missionary work on the banks of the River Clyde and built his church close to where the Clyde and the Molendinar Burn merge - this later became Glasgow Cathedral.

He was exiled during AD565 when anti-Christian King Morken of Strathclyde drove him away - he travelled through Cumbria and settled for some time in Wales before completing a pilgrimage to Rome. By the 570s a new king, Rhydderch Hael of Strathclyde, overthrew King Morken and invited St Mungo back to become Archbishop of Strathclyde. His church on the Moledinar became the focus of a large community that became known as Clas-gu or 'family'.

He died on Sunday 13 January 614. He was buried close by his church, and today his tomb lies in the centre of the Lower Choir of Glasgow Cathedral.

In order to become a Saint, it was necessary to prove that the candidate had performed miracles during their life - St Mungo was supposed to have performed four immortalised in this poem:

Here is the bird that never flew

Here is the tree that never grew

Here is the bell that never rang

Here is the fish that never swam

Today the bird, the tree, the bell and the fish form the four elements of the crest of Glasgow City Council.

St Mungo continues to influence Glasgow life today such as the mural seen on High St Glasgow by Australian born artist, Smug, depicting a modern day St Mungo and referencing the story of The Bird That Never Flew near to St Mungo's final resting place at Glasgow Cathedral.

[gawrkin]

I FINALLY FOUND THIS AGAIN: LLEON GAWR

(Source: Life of St, Werburgh, by Henry Bradshaw) (LINK)

I vaguely knew there was giant that was associated with the city of Chester, but I needed to look for where I got that idea from.

And it's here with this guy, Henry Bradshaw, a Chester-born clerk from Chester who made a chronicle of the patron saint of the city of Chester, St, Werburgh.

It's in this text, Bradshaw makes an offhand comment that the Polychronicon, by Ranulf Higden, claimed the founder of Chester was this supposed giant. And from what I could gather online, the Polychronicon never makes this claim, and seems to have originate solely from Bradshaw's pen.

It's likely that this purported mythical founder of Chester, is probably a back formation, derived from Chester's old Latin-Brythonic Name* "Caerlleon Vawr" meaning "Great Legion Fort" (which was Chester's strategic role for the Romans).

The reason why this caught my attention not only because is this about a giant named "Leo(n)" but also because of Chester's relative closeness to another location pertinent to Arthurian Legend.

Around ~40 kilometers south of Chester, in Shropshire (a day's ride away from Chester in Medieval Travel) is the Old Oswestry Hill Fort, an Iron age settlement that in local folklore is called Caer Ogyrfan/Caer Ogfran - Ogyrfan being the name of Guinevere's father in Welsh Mythology.

Local Folklore also claims that Caer Ogyrfan/Old Oswestry is the birthplace of Queen Guinevere. (Link) (Link)

Here is an excerpt from Giants of Wales, by Sion Dafydd Rhys

It probably helps that, in the French Vulgate, the kingdom of Cameliard has city called "Carhaix/Carohaise" (after the IRL Carhaix-Plouguer in Brittany, in typical medieval grasp of geography).

*(Chester's other name is Deva Victrix - "Victorious Goddess" - after the River Dee, where it was situatedin, and the it's tutelary goddess)

[neathyingenue]

Drew this a while ago but just now getting to post it!! Here's a sketch of Silvia's Parabola reflection. I'm calling her "the Daffodil Maiden." For an overexplanation of the Yucatec Maya, Welsh, Spanish, English, and Catholic visual references-- look below the cut :)

Also I *am* working on the OC gouache portraits (got one done and two sketched out) but my hip is injured or something?? making sitting down painful so I can't paint :/ As soon as I can, I will get to work on those again!

The majority of the reflection's garment is based on the huipil of the Yucatec Maya, specifically the versions worn in the jarada, the national folk dance of Belize. Silvia's is embroidered with daffodils, the national flower of Wales. The flared hem is ruffled and gathered, trimmed with ribbon, a nod to European textiles/sewing techniques and Spanish folk-dance costumes. The ribbon sash thing is also part of the jarada costume--here I want it to constrict Silvia a bit.

The long unstyled hair is taken from the pre-Raphaelite painters, who depicted idealized versions of Victorian youthful femininity. Specifically I'm thinking of Waterhouse's 'Lady of Shalott,' because that poem is about a mirror and a forbidden glimpse of a desired reality. It's too perfect for Parabola! The halo, though, moves us into the more austere Catholic ideal of the virgin saint, most notably Mary the mother of Jesus.

I specifically took inspiration from the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico and the Americas, who legend states appeared to an Indigenous peasant, St. Juan Pablo. There is a lot of debate among Latin Americans about how the story of the Virgin of Guadalupe should be interpreted. Is her apparition the Church's attempt to redirect and control Indigenous goddess-worship? Or does it represent an important step toward inclusion in Christianity for Mary to appear to an oppressed non-white person? Does she represent colonial control, or the resistance to it? Although Silvia was never Catholic, Catholicism is one of the most recognizable impacts of Spain's colonialism in the Americas, so I wanted to visually depict that tension in this design.

The daffodil rod references iconography of St. Joseph, Mary's husband. Legend states that his walking-stick flowered with lilies to show everyone that he would be Mary's husband and Jesus's legal father. Joseph is the patron saint of fathers, immigrants, exiles, and workers, so that's also relevant to Silvia's backstory.

With this design, I'm trying to convey Silvia's complicated relationship to her cultural identities, as well as her deep desire to be seen as morally pure and good. I think she would be uncomfortable with how European and maidenly her reflection is--because it would force her to confront the fact that her moral code, no matter how radical, still smacks of European philosophy and Catholic ideals of "purity."

[miraculousmitzi]

Hetalia headcanon time! Here are some potential names I think the UK bros (aside from England, who has a canon name) and Ireland could have. Please note, these are also on my X account.

1. Scotland first names:

Alistair/Alasdair (gaelic spelling): meaning "defending men," which can relate to Scotland's strength and the battles throughout his history, most notably with England. It could also relate to his desire to protect his younger brothers as an elder sibling (though he'd never admit this outright, of course).

Hamish: meaning "supplanter" and "replacement." This name could be related to Scotland's desire to gain independence, taking the reigns for his own people from Arthur and ruling over his lands, thus replacing Arthur's control in this regard.

Scotland surnames:

MacDougal/Mac Dubhghaill (gaelic): meaning "son of Dougal" and "dark stranger." This can be tied to Scotland's outward appearance. On the outside, he looks stern and almost unapproachable but is actually noted to be rather sociable.

Robertson: meaning "son of Robert" and "bright fame." This surname could be used as a reference to Robert the Bruce, a former king of Scotland known from freeing Scotland from English rule at one time.

2. Wales first names:

Medwyn: meaning "strong friend," which relates to his friendly personality and his close relationship with England (it is noted he believes that he understands Arthur best due to the time they've spent together over the years).

Arwyn: meaning "very fair" which could be used to describe the colour of his hair and how, well, at least I envision, he acts as a mediator in many arguments in the UK household.

Wales surnames:

Davies: meaning "son of David" and one of the more common surnames in Wales. This could also be used as a reference to St. David, Wales's patron saint.

Pritchard: meaning "son of Richard", a somewhat common Welsh surname in Wales.

3. N. Ireland first names:

Cian: meaning "ancient" or "enduring." It could be used to refer to his land's rich history and how much he and his people have endured over the years.

Eoghan: an Irish name which can mean "youth", which would directly relate to his age as a relatively new nation (particularly if his birth is pin pointed as taking place during the Ulster plantation).

Oliver: meaning "olive tree," which is long thought to be a symbol of peace. This could be used as a reference to Northern Ireland's longing for peace.

N.Ireland surnames:

Wilson: Taken from the name 'William' and can be used as a reference to William of Orange, a further reference to Northern Ireland's protestant history - the Orange order is named after him.

Smith: Refers to someone who "works with metal", which can be used as a reference to Northern Ireland's shipping industry (think the Titanic) and how one of Northern Ireland's exports is machinery.

4. Ireland first names:

Cathal: meaning "battle" and "rule," which can be used as a reference to Ireland's fight for independence and his turbulent history with England.

Dáithí: meaning "swiftness" or "nimbleness," which can be used as a small reference to his physicality; I envision him to partake in a lot of dancing and to be quite capable in physical combat.

Ireland surnames:

O'Callaghan: meaning "lover of churches," referring to Ireland's strong religious history and how religion is still a strong presence in modern Ireland. It can also mean "bright headed," which can be a reference to his intelligence.

McCarthy: meaning "loving," which, judging on his emotions and actions so far, I'd say Ireland has a lot of love in his heart.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint David of Wales

500-589

Feast day: March 1

Patronage: Wales, poets, and vegetarians

Saint David was a bishop who engaged in missionary work and founded monasteries in Wales. He and his monks practiced asceticism, silence and were vegetarians. In 550, he was elected Primate because of his defense of the faith, against Pelagianism. Legend has it that once when preaching a dove descended on his shoulder and the earth rose to lift him above the people, so he could be heard.  Before he died he said, "Be joyful, keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.” He is the patron saint of Wales and one of the most famous British saints.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … November 16

42 BC – Tiberius, Roman emperor, born (d.37 AD); second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in CE 14 until his own death in 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced his father and was remarried to Octavian Augustus in 39 BC. Tiberius would later marry Augustus' daughter Julia the Elder (from an earlier marriage) and even later be adopted by Augustus and by this act he became a Julian. The subsequent emperors after Tiberius would continue this blended dynasty of both families for the next forty years; historians have named it the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Tiberius was the predecessor to Caligula and he was certainly the appropriate curtain-raiser. His sexual excesses were widely known, especially when he "retired" to Capri, governing Rome via correspondence, and becoming the patron saint of that future gay mecca. Suetonius reported that Tiberius trained young boys, whom he called his "minnows," to stay between his legs while he was swimming so they could lick and nibble him until he came. Suetonius reports that Tiberius can be credited with the "daisy chain" or spintriae - a conga line of people joined front and back in sexual congress.

1502 – Sandro Botticelli (c.1445- 1510) is accused of sodomy but the charges were dropped. The summary of the charge reads: "Botticelli keeps a boy." Botticelli was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. He belonged to the Florentine School under the patronage of Lorenzo de Medici. Botticelli’s posthumous reputation suffered until the late 19th century; since then, his work has been seen to represent the linear grace of Early Renaissance painting.

1942 – Barton Lidice Beneš, born in Hackensack, New Jersey (d.2012), was an artist who lived and worked in New York City. He studied at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York and Beaux-Arts, Avignon, France.

His father, the son of Czech immigrants gave him his middle name in memory of Lidice, the Czech town destroyed by the Nazis that year. He grew up in Queens with Czech-born grandparents, who instilled in him a dedication to the Roman Catholic traditions of reliquaries and memorials to the dead.

Barton Beneš' art incorporated shadow boxes filled with bits and pieces that revealed the myths and ironies of life. The fragments in Beneš' work often involved famous people and events, from a piece of Elizabeth Taylor's shoe to a crumb from the wedding cake of the Prince of Wales. His travelling exhibition series about AIDS, "Lethal Weapons," was the focus of an independent documentary film released in 1997. "Lethal Weapons" consisted of 30 vessels such as a water pistol, an atomizer, and hollow darts, all filled with the artist's or other people's HIV-infected blood.

Another work, "Brenda," was a wall relief carpeted with red AIDS-awareness ribbons and slathered with a coat of gray paste made from the cremated remains of a woman who had died of AIDS. "I absolutely hate those [AIDS] ribbons," he said, contending that wearing them did nothing more than assuage people's consciences.

Although galleries and museums refused to show this work, they were displayed without incident at the North Dakota Museum of Art in 1993. Beneš did not forget the courage and commitment to art of this prairie institution. When he died he left instructions to be cremated and have his remains placed in a pillowcase on his bed. The bed was the central part Beneš last completed and most personal work, his 850-square-foot home in Greenwich Village containing thousands of objects including masks and religious relics and the mementoes and remains of his loved ones. This enormous piece with its thousands of contents will be moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where they will be exhibited in a replica of the apartment

Among the museums that have acquired his works are the Chicago Art Institute, the National Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of Australia, and most importantly the North Dakota Museum of Art.

Scott Wittman (L) with Marc Shaiman

1955 – Born: Lyricist and director Scott Wittman, who, with composer Marc Shaiman, his partner in life and collaborator in theater, film, and television projects, has a long list of credits in the entertainment industry. Their work on the musical version of John Waters' Hairspray earned Tony and Grammy awards in 2003.

Both Shaiman and Wittman grew up in the vicinity of New York City, the former in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and the latter in Nyack, New York. Both were fascinated with musical theater from an early age and dreamed of careers on Broadway. Shaiman played piano with local community theater groups from the time that he was twelve, and Wittman apprenticed in summer stock in his hometown. Such was their love for the stage that they both cut high school classes to travel into New York for matinees.

Wittman attended Emerson College in Boston but left after two years to pursue a career as a writer and director in musical theater in New York. In the city's East Village he crossed paths with Shaiman, who had quit high school at sixteen to join the New York musical scene. Wittman was directing a show at a club in Greenwich Village when Shaiman came in and started playing the piano. Wittman promptly hired him. They subsequently fell in love and have been a couple since 1979.

The two soon began collaborating professionally, writing songs that Shaiman describes as "full of anarchy and joy."

Since 1997 Shaiman and Wittman have contributed and directed music for the Academy Awards presentation show. At the same time Wittman, who humorously calls himself "a great diva wrangler," has directed concerts. In addition to working with Bette Midler, he has had a long association with Patti LuPone and has worked with Christine Ebersole, Raquel Welch, Dame Edna Everage (Barry Humphries), and Lypsinka among many others.

Shaiman and Wittman's greatest triumph thus far is Hairspray, an adaptation of the 1988 John Waters movie for the musical stage. Shaiman and Wittman wrote the music, and Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan the book for the play.

The show dominated the 2003 Tony Awards, winning eight, including best musical and best score. At the end of their acceptance speeches Shaiman declared to Wittman, "I love you, and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you." The couple then embraced and shared a long and tender kiss. News outlets around the world took note of this affecting moment.

1964 – Waheed Alli, Baron Alli is a British multimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician. He was co-founder and managing director of Planet 24, a TV production company, and managing director at Carlton Television Productions. He was, until November 2012, chairman of ASOS.com. He is the chairman of Silvergate Media, which purchased two of the media rights previously held by Chorion Ltd, where Alli was former chairman. He is a Labour life peer and is described as one of only a few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world.

In British political terms he is considered Asian, though both of his parents are from the Caribbean. His mother, a nurse, is from Trinidad, and his estranged father, a mechanic, is from British Guiana (now Guyana). His mother was Hindu and his father Muslim; he has two brothers, one of each faith. He was named one of the 20 most important Asians in British media in 2005. At the same time, he maintains ties with his Caribbean roots, both with other British-Guyanese politicians such as Valerie Amos and Trevor Phillips, and with President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Alli joined the Labour Party at the persuasion of his neighbour Emily Thornberry, to whom he remains close. He is also close to Anji Hunter, Director of Government Relations in Tony Blair's first government. Prime Minister Blair used him for years as a means to help him reach out to a younger generation (aka "yoof culture"), and as such he is considered one of "Tony's Cronies". He was made a life peer as Baron Alli, of Norbury in the London Borough of Croydon, on 18 July 1998 at the age of 34, becoming the youngest and the first openly gay peer in Parliament. He sits on the Labour benches in the House of Lords. The BBC summarised his appointment as "the antithesis of the stereotypical 'establishment' peer – young, Asian and from the world of media and entertainment".

Alli has used his political position to argue for gay rights. He spearheaded the campaign to repeal Section 28. He advocated lowering the age of consent for homosexuals from 18 to 16, equal to heterosexuals; this eventually became law as the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000. It was during a heated exchange with conservative opponents, led by Baroness Young, that he informed his fellow peers that he was gay. In April 1999, he said in a speech, "I have never been confused about my sexuality. I have been confused about the way I am treated as a result of it. The only confusion lies in the prejudice shown, some of it tonight [i.e. in the House], and much of it enshrined in the law."

In 2009, he spearheaded an effort to repeal clauses in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which prohibited religious institutions from conducting the ceremonies on their premises. This campaign culminated in a bipartisan amendment, which became part of the Equality Act 2010.

2007 – Breakfast With Scot - In 2006, straight Canadian actor Tom Cavanagh began filming Breakfast with Scot, in which he plays a gay retired hockey player who becomes an adoptive father to a young boy. The film, released on this day in 2007, drew attention as the first gay-themed film ever to win approval from a major league sports franchise to use its real name and logo; Cavanagh's character formerly played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[wonder-worker]

"Scholars have re-evaluated the patronage role of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Examining surviving works from the Plantagenet court, specific evidence of their commissioning is limited. Especially in the case of literary production in Anglo-Norman, Karen Broadhurst has shown that, of the various texts generally held up as part of the cultural production patronised by Henry II, only two were unequivocally commissioned by him: Wace’s Roman de Rou (1160–1170) and Benoît de Saint Maure’s Chronique des Ducs de Normandie (1170–1180), while the other texts can instead be seen as indicating authors’ presumptions about the king’s interests. As far as Eleanor is concerned, there is no evidence directly linking her to systematic advocacy of literature in French, and her influence on the writing of courtly romances cannot be demonstrated. Further developing Karen Broadhurst’s studies on French literature, John Gillingham has reviewed historians’ enthusiastic view of Henry II’s interest in history. Of the various historical works in Latin, the only text that seems to have been directly commissioned by Henry II turns out to be De Majoratu et Senescalcia Franciae, composed in 1158 by Hugh de Claye. Moreover, during the reign of Henry II, many authors—including Richard fitzNigel, Peter of Blois, John of Marmoutier, Gerald of Wales, and Robert of Torigni—proposed historical works to the court but received little atten tion from the king. Gillingham’s analysis recognises that the production of historical works was the expression of the court’s tastes rather than indicating the influence of royal patronage.

A survey of direct patronage by Henry II confirms the king’s inclination for realpolitik as also applied in the field of literary production. The historiographical works commissioned by Henry II were written in the f irst period of his reign, while he was consolidating the bases of his authority over the vast space he was to rule. The works of Wace and Benoit recount the story of the Anglo-Norman kingdom, justifying why an Angevin such as Henry II would have been crowned king. The choice of Anglo-Norman as the language in which to compose these texts was well suited to pursuing this aim in that it enabled the texts to reach an audience of Anglo-Norman nobility directly rather than remaining solely within ecclesiastical circles. The history written by Hugh de Claye recounts how the king of France Louis VI supposedly gave the Counts of Anjou the title of Seneschal of France, reinforcing the Angevin position in Maine and Normandy before Henry II’s expedition to Brittany.

As noted by Ian Short, although the English king and queen cannot be demonstrated to have directly influenced production as patrons through texts dedicated to them, they can still be seen to have exerted influence if we consider the movement of literati who became involved with their courts. To evaluate the motivations of this flock of authors, we must keep in mind that the texts scholars have held up to argue that Henry II’s court was complementary to the king often date from 1170 onwards as well, and as such they are subsequent to the consolidation of his reign and the beginning of conflict with his sons. For royal courtiers, proclaiming the authority of the king of England was another way to assert their own roles. Each author’s principal concern was his own position just as the king’s main concern was his royal authority, and this explains why their works, although not commissioned by the king, did find a favourable reception. Martin Aurell has provided a comprehensive overview of the cultural production of Henry II’s court as a literary transposition of the policies pursued by the English king, showing that the courtiers who theo rised about royal power in England were the same men who participated in the administrative machine of the kingdom and created the specific Angevin courtly culture and its legitimising narratives. The construction of the political ethic of kingdom administration and the construction of the related ideology was thus carried out by the same men and in the same period, starting from 1170 when Henry II’s rule was first contested and then reinforced by his victories."

— Fabrizio De Falco, Authors, Factions, and Courts in Angevin England: A Literature of Personal Ambition (12th–13th Century)

[giantmushyfriend]

It's not a want, your honor, IT'S A NEED

Okay, okay, okay.

Y'all, I'm snowed into my house after Iowa just got slammed by a lot of snow, so I predict some cabin fever mess to spew from this page (I'm sorry).

ANYWAY

So, we all know how Michael Sheen was on the celebrity episode of the Great British Bake Off, and he was an absolutely chaotic and competitive little shit. Michael always jokes about his competitiveness, but he just came out of the gates swinging, acting like the chaotic little Welshman he is. And we loved it. How could we not? Michael is so loveable, even when he's causing chaos and making Wales 4 Ever treats. That being said, I vote Michael comes back for another episode.

But Giantmushyfriend, I hear you ask, won't that be repetitive and boring?

No, because not only is Michael unpredictable and very funny, but also because two other people would be joining him: his TV husband, David Tennant, and Neil Gaiman, the destroyer and repairer of all hearts.

There are so many different ways this potential episode could play out, and it is the best thing the Great British Bake Off could produce. Because just think about it.

Michael would inherently go back to being the chaotic menace we all know he will be. He'd come in with the attitude, "I performed great the last time I was here, and I am going to do great again, and if I don't, then at least I'll be cute."

David would come in, and everyone would expect him to be all nice because he's practically known as the Patron Saint of Pleasantness in the acting world, but he turns out to be a menace. I can picture David either trying to create an alliance with Michael, trying to impress Michael, or trying to demolish Michael. There would be no in-between. In the case of the third scenario, I can practically hear David saying, "Listen, Michael Sheen is a dear friend who I love immensely. Top of the line, man, Michael. However, I am going to annihilate him- exterminate him." Because, as Georgia has warned us, he would be insufferable.

Either way, every compilation of David and Michael acting like a married couple for X minutes would get new content, and Anna and Georgia would get a good laugh.

And then there's Neil, the mastermind. Neil would be a more secretive, chaotic force brewing beneath the surface. He would seem all nice and just happy to be there, enjoying making some goods and having fun. But behind the scenes, he's turning people against each other and watching them take each other down. Because Neil is an evil mastermind, we've seen it with all of his works. He's a writer. He knows how to cause conflict. And he will wipe the floor with David and Michael, alongside everybody else. There would be a slew of "Neil Gaiman Big Brain" compilations and edits all over the Internet, all of which would be retweeted by Michael, who is salty about it. And we would relish in it.

Listen, this would be my Roman Empire. I don't know who I need to write for this to happen. I don't know how hard I need to grovel at God's feet for the Earth to be blessed with this, but I need it so biblically. I'll grovel harder than Aziraphale, but for the love of all things both Holy and Unholy, P L E A S E

@goodomensonprime

P L E A S E

[haggishlyhagging]

Other triune goddesses of the moon are to be found elsewhere. We would note here the Celtic Bridgets, representing three aspects of the Moon Goddess, Brigentis. These three Bridgets of Ireland are the same as the Three Ladies of Britain, who are phases of the great Celtic Mother Anu, or Annis, the moon, whose shrines are scattered all over Ireland, Wales, England, and France. In Southern France, Anu was known as The Shining One. She was patron of fertility, of fire, poetry, and medicine. But she had another side; she was also known as Black Anu, who, in common folklore, devoured men or turned them into lunatics.

The correspondence between this Celtic moon goddess in all her attributes and the Magna Dea of the East is extraordinary, and would be completely inexplicable were we not beginning to realize that the facts of mythology, discredited as fiction by rational science, are today being re-established as facts of the unconscious, that is of the psyche.

When Christianity was introduced into countries where up to that time this threefold goddess had been revered, her worship was assimilated, as we have seen, into the Christian system. The idea of the threefold nature of the feminine divinity was present in the legends of the three Maries. So in Chartres Cathedral, the Virgin Mary is accompanied by Mary Magdalene and Mary the Gypsy. In Ireland the Three Bridgets are accepted by the Catholic Church and their shrines are considered to be wonder-working. But this assimilation did not take place entirely without protest. Saint Augustine in an attempt to bring discredit on the worship of Artemis writes, "How can a goddess be three persons and one at the same time?"—surely a strange question for a Christian Father to ask.

-M. Esther Harding, Woman’s Mysteries: Ancient and Modern