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Sharon McGregor
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Romance of the Roses

5/30/2014

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Elizabeth Woodville was born in 1437 to Jacquetta of Luxembourg, a wealthy high born widow, and  Sir Richard Woodville, a man considerably beneath her on the social scale.

Elizabeth,  their oldest child, was a beautiful young woman and at the age of fifteen she married a baronet, John Grey. He was killed in battle fighting on the Lancastrian side of the Wars of the Roses. His assets were confiscated by the Yorkists and Elizabeth was left destitute with two young sons.

When she heard that the Yorkist King, Edward IV, was to be hunting in a nearby wood, she waited for him by a tree in a clearing, a small son on each side. When King Edward arrived, she threw herself on the ground  before him, begging for the return of her children's inheritance.

Now Elizabeth was considered in her time at court to be the most beautiful woman in Britain and Edward was captivated.  

The ploy worked because Edward began to woo her and promise her good things. But, like future queen Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth wouldn't settle for the role of mistress, and eventually Edward decided to marry her. It was done in secret and sent shock waves around the country when the news came out five months later.  Elizabeth, in spite of her high born maternal line, was considered a commoner because her father was a mere knight. It was the first time a commoner had become Queen.

It took time for the dust to settle but Elizabeth became installed at court bringing many family members with her. The Woodvilles now thrived with suitable marriages and honours settled on them. They were resented by many for their ambitions and their increasing permeation though all aspects of court life.

Edward and Elizabeth had ten children, but their life wasn't all smooth sailing. Civil war broke out with the Lancastrians taking another run for the throne under Henry VI.  At one bad time when Edward was forced into temporary exile, Elizabeth had to flee for safety just before giving birth to a son. Soon Edward was in control again and life went on more smoothly. Their court  became a display for beautiful furnishings and expensive style.

Their marriage seems to have been happy but that didn't stop Edward from taking mistresses. It was the done thing in those times.  One of his mistresses Jane Shore even spent time at court.

Edward died in 1483, throwing Elizabeth's life into chaos.  Their son, Edward V was declared king with his uncle Richard of York as Protector. Soon evidence was found that Elizabeth and Edward's marriage was invalid due to a previous betrothal contract entered into by Edward. The boys, Edward and Richard, were confined to the Tower and Richard III became king. Elizabeth spent most of her remaining life in retirement at Bermondsey Abbey. She died in 1492,but not before seeing her daughter Elizabeth become the Queen of Henry VII.


The tree where Elizabeth waited for Edward became known as the Queen's Tree.

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May 23rd, 2014

5/23/2014

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First For Country, Second for Love

5/16/2014

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Mary Tudor was born in 1496, a sister to Henry VIII. She grew up to be one of the most beautiful women in Europe, well- loved by her parents and brother, but this didn’t prevent her from the fate of all royal princesses. Henry arranged a political marriage for her and she was sent to France to be the Queen of Louis XII.

 Mary fought the idea; Louis was 34 years older than her and rather unprepossessing in looks and manner. She made a bargain with her brother.  If she would go unprotestingly to France to marry Louis, then she would be allowed to marry whom she chose if she should outlive him. Henry agreed but probably had his fingers crossed at the time. Mary was already smitten with Charles Brandon, Henry’s closest friend. Charles was not royal but the son of a man who had been rewarded for his loyalty to Henry VII at Bosworth Field. He was given more prestige by his friend Henry VIII,and awarded the Dukedom of Suffolk. Charles and Cardinal Wolsey were to be two of the most influential advisors to Henry.

So Mary and her entourage set off to France. Interestingly, her companions included the Boleyn sisters, Mary and Anne, as well as Charles Brandon. The wedding took place but three months later Louis was dead, some say worn out from his attempts to produce an heir.  By French custom, Mary was placed in seclusion for six weeks to be sure she wasn’t carrying an heir to the French throne.

Then negotiations began to bring her back to England. Charles was one of the courtiers sent by Henry to accomplish this. Henry warned Charles that he was to bring Mary home without following his personal feelings, as Henry was well aware of the attraction between them.

Mary was afraid Henry would go back on his promise and arrange another marriage for her. She begged Charles to marry her before they returned home.  “Marry me now or never marry me at all.” She threatened to go into a nunnery if he refused. She managed to convince him and they were wed secretly with the help of Francis I, successor to Louis VII. When they told Henry he was furious. Enemies of Charles clamoured for his head as it was treason to marry a royal without the consent of the King.  Given time and the temperate urgings of Cardinal Wolsey, Henry’s anger subsided and he forgave them, but not without demanding a high financial penalty.  They were married again in a public ceremony after their return home.

Charles remained Henry’s friend until his death. Henry named his first born daughter Mary, and Mary and Charles named their first son Henry, so their affection endured, although it cooled during the time of Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, a woman Mary detested.

Mary died in 1533 and was buried at Bury St. Edmonds, first at the Abbey and later, after the dissolution of the monasteries, she was moved to St. Mary’s Church.

Charles outlived her, marrying again rather quickly the fourteen year old Catherine Willoughby, originally betrothed to his son. He remained Henry’s closest friend. When he died in 1545 Henry gave him a lavish funeral, paying for it himself.

 

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Pedro and Inez

5/9/2014

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Pedro of Portugal was the son of King Alfonso IV. When he was fourteen, his father contracted a marriage for him to Princess Constance of Castille.  In spite of Pedro's protests the wedding took  place when he was twenty.

When Constance arrived to marry Pedro she brought with her Inez de Castro as Lady in Waiting. Inez and Pedro immediately fell in love. It was a love that would last through death.

Pedro's father did what he could to keep the lovers apart but Pedro set Inez up in a castle of her own where they had four children.

When Princess Constance died in childbirth in 1345, Pedro wanted to make Inez his queen. Alfonso had other plans and intended to arrange another political marriage for Pedro. He banished Inez to Spain  and when Pedro still found a way to meet her privately in a secret hideaway, he ordered three men to find her and kill her.  They waited one morning in 1355 until Pedro and Inez said farewell at the spot later named Fountain of Tears and Pedro set off hunting. Then they attacked her and murdered her in front of her young child.

Pedro was heartbroken and enraged. When he became king, he tracked down two of the men who had murdered Inez and had them executed ripping out their hearts as he said they had destroyed his.. He told his court that he and Inez had been secretly married and as such she was entitled to be his Queen. He ordered her body exhumed and according to stories had her set on a throne beside him with a crown on her head. His courtiers were told to kiss her hand to declare their loyalty to her as their Queen.

She was reburied at the Monastery of Alcobaca and Pedro had an ornate marble coffin constructed for her. Scenes from their lives were inscribed along with verses and quotations on the coffin. Eventually Pedro was laid to rest beside her. His orders were for their coffins to  be set in such a way that when they rose from their graves, they would be face to face.

The Fountain of Tears above, where Pedro and Inez said their last farewells, is a still existing attraction for those with a romantic soul.

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May 04th, 2014

5/4/2014

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Alone Is Not The Same As Lonely

The above picture, taken back in the mists of time, is of me with our farm dog Laddie. He was my best friend and confidant.

Some might think being raised as an only child on a small farm might be a lonely life, but I can never remember being lonely as a child. In addition to a family top heavy with adults and a succession of farm dogs, I had horses, cattle and cats to cast into leading roles in my fantasies. I lived in a world of wonder and romance. I could go anywhere and do anything on that quarter section farm. Mostly I was a cowgirl in the Wild West, but I could in turn be a princess in a castle, a detective along the lines of Nancy Drew, or a pioneer. Sometimes I would act out roles from my favourite books and other times I would create my own.

I don’t think too many people would feel comfortable today with that degree of aloneness.  I don’t think I would be comfortable myself. We are so used to constant stimulation, constant contact with other people and a steady barrage of information.

I think occasionally we need to retreat to that aloneness though, just to reacquaint ourselves with- ourselves.  You can call it meditation, or taking a retreat, or just getting away from it all, but I think it’s a necessary action to keep us from forgetting just who we are.

 

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An Unlikely Beginning for Romance

5/2/2014

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William the Conqueror was an illegitimate son who inherited the Dukedom of Normandy. He was illiterate, pugnacious, determined and had a fiery temper.

Matilda of Flanders came from a high born family that could trace its roots to Alfred the Great. Her father the Duke of Flanders was wealthy and her mother assured the children were well educated. Matilda was said to be passionate, loyal and intelligent.

When William requested her hand in marriage Matilda publicly denounced him as a bastard and said she was much too high born to consider his request.  Infuriated,  he raced to Flanders, accosting Matilda on her way to church. The story has it that he grabbed her by the braids, threw her to the ground and struck her.

Here is where the tale becomes strange. When her father the Duke was ready to retaliate, she declared she would marry no one but William as he had proved himself to be a man of courage and daring to come to attack her at her father's home. Unusual beginning to a love story.

She took on the taming of the beast and married him. It turned out against the odds to be a success story. They had nine children together and accounts show he was faithful to her during marriage, something that was very rare in those days.

William was a claimant to the English throne as a cousin of the childless Edward the Confessor. When Edward died and the throne was claimed  by Harold, William prepared to invade England. Matilda helped by outfitting from her own funds a warship and giving it to her husband. He entrusted Normandy to her while he was gone.

Matilda was a tiny woman, the shortest of all English Queens. Some early accounts say she was four feet two, but more recent testing sets her height at probably five feet. She made sure her children all received education in languages and arts. Every English monarch to this day is a descendant of William and Matilda.

She fell ill in 1083 and died in the autumn. William was present for her final confession. He lived four years after her death becoming increasingly tyrannical without her influence. He never remarried and appears to have remained faithful to her even after her death.

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