Category: Articles
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The Yearlong Queen
As the youngest of the Provence sisters, Beatrice observed her elder sisters Marguerite, Eleanor and Sanchia make glittering dynastic matches. They were a close-knit family, and despite the political stage on which they all walked, their family loyalty was notable. When their father Ramon Berenguer IV died in August 1245, the still unwed Beatrice was…
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A Queen in Name Only
Sanchia of Provence was the third daughter of Raymond Berengar V, count of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy. Her elder sisters Marguerite and Eleanor made noteworthy marriages to Louis IX of France and Henry III of England respectively, opening the door for Sanchia to make an equally advantageous match herself. Although not a king, she…
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The Hated Queen
Her elder sister Marguerite’s marriage to the King of France, paved the way for Eleanor of Provence to make a glittering dynastic match of her own. In 1236 she married Henry III of England becoming Queen of England. Yet despite building a close loving family with Henry and their five children, she was one of…
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Crusader Queen
Marguerite of Provence like another Queen of France before her, the famous Eleanor of Aquitaine, joined her husband Louis IX on a crusade to the Holy Land. The crusades are described by historian Dan Jones as “a series of interconnected Christian ‘holy wars’ fought against a wide variety of foes”, with the motivations for these…
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Sisters & Queens
In 13th century Provence there lived four sisters. Daughters of Count Raymond Berengar V of Provence and his wife Beatrice of Savoy, all would rise to greatness becoming Queens of France, England, Germany and Sicily respectively. These sisters had a huge impact on Western Christendom, and this month we’ll explore how the personal affected the…
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Laocoön and His Sons: Art and Myth (Guest post by Analisa Soverns-Reed from Accessible Art History)
Throughout history, myths and legends have provided endless subject matter for works of art. The stories of gods, heroes, war, and love have served as inspiration for many of the great works we have come to know and love! One of these great works is a sculpture group called Laocoön and His Sons. Created during…
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The Judgement of Paris
Let me paint you a picture – you’re just casually tending your flock on the mountainside of Mount Ida when the god of travellers appears with three goddesses and a golden apple. On it is inscribed ‘for the fairest’ and your tasked with judging which goddess you think is the fairest. Well, it was never…
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Trailblazers: Anne Lister
It has not always been possible for the LGBT+ community to be open about who they are and who they love. Finding historic LGBT+ figures can be difficult, yet today’s trailblazer left us a priceless resource for exploring LGBT+ love in 19th century Britain. That woman was Anne Lister (1791-1840). Born in Halifax in 1791,…
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Royal Hostages
When Robert the Bruce and his wife Elizabeth de Burgh were crowned King and Queen of the Scots on the 25th March 1306, she reportedly said “Alas, we are but king and queen of the May”. Robert had taken the crown against the might of the English, and their position was definitely an uncertain one.…
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The Maid of Norway
History is full of sliding doors moments, and when looking at medieval Scotland such a moment can be seen with the death of Margaret, the Maid of Norway. The young Norwegian princess was the daughter of Eric II of Norway and Margaret of Scotland. She was born around 1283, and it’s believed her mother died…
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