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 … Continue reading Sisters & Queens
Tag: Queens
Women and Power in the Kingdom of Heaven: Melisende and Sybil Lecture by Professor Helen Nicholson and Hayley Bassett
Earlier this week I attended the fantastic Eileen Younghusband Memorial Lecture Women and Power in the Kingdom of Heaven: Melisende and Sybil hosted by the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Cardiff University. I’ve been interested in the queens of Jerusalem since picking up a copy of Queens of Jerusalem: The Women Who Dared to Rule … Continue reading Women and Power in the Kingdom of Heaven: Melisende and Sybil Lecture by Professor Helen Nicholson and Hayley Bassett
How do you solve a problem like Marie?
This appears to be a question asked by Marie Theresa about her daughter Marie Antoinette in a letter she wrote to her on the 30th July 1775. At this time Marie Antoinette was nineteen and had been Queen of France for a year, with her husband Louis having ascended to the throne as Louis XVI … Continue reading How do you solve a problem like Marie?
The Accursed Kings
“Accursed! Accursed! You shall be accursed to the thirteenth generation!” This was the curse roared from the flames of Jacques de Molay’s pyre in Maurice Druon’s classic novel The Iron King. In 1314 the death of Molay, last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, symbolized the end of this powerful organisation of “holy soldiers”. This … Continue reading The Accursed Kings
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