Hello
 

I just couldn?t stand seeing that no one ever made a post in this area any longer. England?s Medieval history is really interesting, filled with all sorts of weird, twisted characters. William the Conquer was better known in his own day as William the Bastard, and for more than biological reasons.
He was succeeded by William II who was gay and quite vicious. William II died of natural causes. A hunting arrow was shot thru his back, into his heart, so naturally he died.
Next king was Henry I. Henry wasn?t exactly gay. While king he admitted to being the father of 19 illegitimate children.
Edward I of Brave Heart fame was actually one of the greatest kings of England. A great warrior and very good at political matters. He added Wales to the kingdom, more or less ruled over Scotland and controlled about a ? of France. He changed and improved the laws of his land and had a loving wife. About the only thing he didn?t do was produce a decent heir.
Edward II, Eddie the First?s son was a homosexual who took the ladies? part. He was defeated in battle by his wife and one of her boyfriends. Eventually he was murdered, ?in a manner consistent with the way in which he lived?. A red hot iron poker was rammed up his butt.
The list goes on and on. Is no one interested in this kinky stuff? The battles, the politics, the way people lived?

Stay healthy,
Andy
PS: The Medieval Popes were even stranger than the English kings.

Some times I worry about you. I admire Annette more and more every day.

Andy I favor myself whacking normans over the head with a claymore. I do wish I could have lived back then but the grog wasn't all that good and I think the most popular brand of beer was mead. don't sound like guiness to me.

At least living back then you didn't much have to worry about some little squirrelly critter pack a side arm to take you when you weren't looking.It was more honorable combat where SKILL and luck ment something rather than just anyone being a man because he can take you out with 671 grains.

As far as brew...don't forget Port.Very thick very nasty and probably enough alcohol to lite your world up but that next morning would be absolute hell from a bottle.

Poor Annette!
 

I'm with you John.

Seriously, I've read some on Medieval History and find it fasinating. I wish I was as well versed as Andy. Its amazing what society tolerated.

Keith

Now I am worried about ALL of y'all

Houdini , remember there were crossbows for those squirlly lil' guys who didn't think twice about shooting someone in the Back,Also "sn-e3" there wern't any lager back then (no refridgeration) but I hear the Ale tasted pretty good :)

really
 

All of those old kings and queens weren't weird but most of them were. Joan of Arc didn't win the hundred years war, Henry VI lost it. Henry VI was so anti-sex that when his uncles decided that he needed to be entertained by topless dancers, Henry, said "Shame on thee and not on me for I have never gazed them." Then he shuffled his fat little feet out of the hall and never looked behind him.
Henry VI was anti-sex and as a result he not only lost the 100 years war but also started and lost the War of the Roses, Yorks beat the Lancasters but ended up with the Tudors.
If Henry had only fooled around with his wife a few times, things would have been fine in England, but he was so nonsexual that the French took over much of the English property.
Sex and politics, it never changes.
Love,
Andy

Barbara Tushman wrote an excellent book on medieval France and England, and for the life of me I cannot think of the title.

65
 

Sorry it took so long to get back to you, somehow I forgot about this thread. Bushman's book about the 14th century was titled "Through a Distant Mirror". I really didn't care for it, spent too much time on the French. It also seemed to make the point that the 1300s made no difference and could have not taken place and our history would still be the same.
She also wrote a book, forgot it's name, about the beginning of WWI, thought that was much better. However, in all cases, the girl does seem to do her homework.
If your interested in that era, may I suggest "The Three Edwards" by Thomas Costigan. Or maybe the first two volumes in Churchill's "A History of the English Speaking People". "Kingdom's of Europe", by Gurney is also a good over view of all of Europe.

Stay healthy,
Andy

Andy
 

Tuchman's book on WWI was the "Guns of August." Another one by her I highly reccomend is "Stillwell and the American Experience in China". Vinager Joe got stuck in a hell of a spot by Gen Marshall because Stilwell had the gualities needed. :cl:

That simple "hello" sure went all over history . Medieval history is fascinating . ( I was going to say something profound and couldn't remember how to spell midyevil .... mediveal.. to hell with it , middle ages.

Seriously , Ronald McNair Scott has an excellent biography of Robert the Bruce . Another view of William Wallace and Edward the Long Shanks.

Bill

I see you folks know more about this era then I do. I just know who begat who and why they, some of them, didn't live very long. Gets really interesting if you know more about them then that. Mostly family stuff is all I know. How many kids and who married who etc.....and who was 2nd cousin twice removed .....

Ever wonder why the "Cousin" was the usual tiltle for other rulers...unfortunetly I can probably tell you...the rest is just .....well, most of them would scare the bejebbers out of you if you met them in a dark alley....


Read a real good one about Robert The Bruce and what was basically a family (more then one) fight....Burke's peerage actually...if interested I can give you the website.


Obviously you take the dedication to military history seriously.

I've often been asked by my kids, if I could meet anyone who ever lived who would it be and why? My answer has always been Elizabeth I, aka The Virgin Queen. This was a woman centuries ahead of her time. Too bad she received horrible military advice from her "advisors". As a ruler, she did more to advance the state of the common family in England than any King ever had. Okay, so she hated us Catholics, but she had just cause. Her sister Mary and the priests held her in very little regard and tried to have her killed. All because her father Henry VIII abolished the church, divorced a few wives, banished one to the tower and beheaded one or two others. Should that have been the fault of a child who was born to a woman who was not his first wife? Doesnt the bible say, Visit not the sins of the Father upon the son?
Long before the 19th Ammendment in this country, Elizabeth was a woman of power and did not sit quietly in the corner while the "menfolk" tended to the affairs of state. It is most unfortunate that she died childless. Though some would argue that she was hardly a virgin. Go Lizzy!

Okay, all of you...
 

...well-read folks...

What's the true scoop on Joan d'Arc?

They couldn't pin a heresy rap on her, so they burned her for wearing men's clothes?

Is that true?

Airborne! Steve / 82Rigger

Joan?
 

Joan,

She was convicted of heresy. I believe that wearing of men's clothing and leading men in battle was the heresy. She was tried by the British and not the French. She was 13 when she got permission to lead the French in Battle. (I find that amazing in itself, 13). The French were being beaten into submission by the Brits and France could have easily become a colony of England if not for the exploits of Joan. Burned at the stake when she was 19 and caught by the British. Eventually became a Saint. I don't know the reasoning behind Sainthood because she was a Warrior.

Anyway that's about all I know. Andy will probably come up with something. He's much better versed in Medival History than I.

Keith :D

I would assume...
 

...that the Sainthood had to do with the visions she had.

Because she was burned, I would guess that the Church has no relics.

I'll do some searching online and see if I can find anything on the Church's evidence for Beatification.

Airborne! Steve / 82Rigger

Did anyone see the most recent Joan of Arc movie ? Can't think of the actress or name of it, but I do remember the battle scenes. Very realiistic I thought.

Larry

Joan's Relics
 

I found some interesting stuff.

There are three categories of Saints' relics:

First Class - part of a Saint's body

Second Class - something that the Saint possessed and used

Third Class - something that the Saint is known to have touched or made physical contact with.

There are no relics from Joan's burning. Immediately after her burning the Earl of Winchester ordered that her ashes and remains be consigned to the Seine river. I guess he figured "no relics = no martyr".
The only known first class relic is one of her hairs which she attached to the wax seal of one of her letters. Its location is unknown.

A number articles of Joan's clothing (second class relics) were tossed into bonfires during the French Revolution. God knows why... mob rage I guess.

There are nine surviving letters which bear her signature, as well as a number of other third class relics.

A topic of great controversy is the location of Joan's armor. It is felt by experts that its authenticity could be readily confirmed, as the injuries she sustained in battle are well documented.
Best prospects for its location are Burgundy in France and Luxembourg.

Airborne! Steve / 82Rigger

"The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc"
 

GREAT movie!!!

Milla Jovovich played Joan.