Edward III Archives - Anna Belfrage

Loving all his imperfections – in remembrance of Roger Mortimer. who died #otd 1330

By Anna Belfrage / November 29, 2020 / 6 Comments / Historical People, Medieval times / 14th century, Death by hanging, Edward II, Edward III, English history, Queen Isabella, Roger Mortimer, The King's Greatest Enemy, Treason and its aftermath, Usurping a crown

An author setting out to write a fictionalised version of historical events must decide from what point of view these events will be related. After all, if I were to write from Hugh Despenser the Younger’s perspective, the rebellious barons led by Roger Mortimer of Wigmore and Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, were a nasty lot …

Loving all his imperfections – in remembrance of Roger Mortimer. who died #otd 1330 Read More »

The royal giant – of Lionel, prince of England

By Anna Belfrage / November 7, 2020 / Leave a Comment / Historical People, Medieval times / A medieval wedding, A very short marriage, A very tall man, A very tall man with a very short life, An Italian marriage, Edward III, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Lionel of Antwerp, Marrying as daddy tells you, Violante, Vipers of Milan

History is littered with people whose lives are forgotten. Most of the people who have lived and died in the past have done so in obscurity and this also applies to the high-born. We know they were born, we may now when they died, but unless they were in line to become king or queen …

The royal giant – of Lionel, prince of England Read More »

The life and loves of a Spanish señorita – meet Isabel of Castile

By Anna Belfrage / February 13, 2019 / 2 Comments / Historical People, Medieval times, Women in history, Writing / 14th century Spain, A lady of loose morals, Edmund of Langley, Edward III, Isabel of Castile, John Holland, Maria de Padilla, medieval England, medieval Spain, Pedro the Cruel, Richard of Conisburgh, Uncertain paternity

In 1355, Pedro I of Castile, a.k.a. Pedro the Cruel (or Just, depending on your take on things) and his long-time mistress, Maria de Padilla, welcomed their third child into the world. Yet another daughter, and I imagine Pedro would have preferred a son to the newborn Isabel that lay at her mother’s breast. Things …

The life and loves of a Spanish señorita – meet Isabel of Castile Read More »

…so dies the youth…

By Anna Belfrage / October 1, 2018 / Leave a Comment / Historical People, History, Medieval times, Writing / 14th century, Batle of Halidon Hill, Edward II, Edward III, English history, Isabella of France, John of Eltham, Roger Mortimer, Scottish history

Say hello to John, today’s protagonist. This medieval gentleman had the misfortune to die young—which may be why he is mostly remembered for being a good and loyal brother. One of the (few) benefits of dying young is that generally you have not developed those less-than-stellar qualities that go under the label vices. Instead, a …

…so dies the youth… Read More »

La Dame Sans Merci – oops, la Dame de Coucy

By Anna Belfrage / August 7, 2018 / 4 Comments / Historical People, History, Medieval times, Women in history / A jilted princess, Edward III, Enguerrand de Coucy, Finding a husband, Isabella of England, Louis de Malo, Medieval Marital Issues

We tend to believe that medieval rulers had a lot of time for their sons, not so much for their daughters. Leaving aside the fact that medieval kings (and queens) did not exactly sit around and act the doting parents – little princes and princesses were often set up in their own household albeit frequently …

La Dame Sans Merci – oops, la Dame de Coucy Read More »

Rubbing the wrong face in the dirt – of Mortimer, King Arthur and tournaments

By Anna Belfrage / February 21, 2018 / 6 Comments / books, historical fiction, Historical People, History, Medieval times, new release, Writing / 14th century, Dissing the king, Edward III, Pride goes before fall, Roger Mortimer, Round Table Tournament, Wigmore Castle

In the summer of 1329, Roger Mortimer invited more or less every nobleman in England to Wigmore, the hereditary home of the Mortimers. He was planning a major tournament, several days of fun and fighting followed by feasting. A veritable city of tents were pitched outside the walls of the castle as knights from all …

Rubbing the wrong face in the dirt – of Mortimer, King Arthur and tournaments Read More »

The short life of Edmund of Woodstock

By Anna Belfrage / February 8, 2018 / 3 Comments / Historical People, History, Medieval times, Writing / !4th century rebellion, beheading an earl, Edmund of Woodstock, Edward III, Roger Mortimer, Tricked to treason?

Today, I’m planning on spending some time with a man who has gone down in history as extremely handsome. A very, very pretty face – but hopefully there was more to him than his exterior. Very few of us are all surface no depth (although there are exceptions) and I am sure Edmund had his …

The short life of Edmund of Woodstock Read More »

A lady with claws

By Anna Belfrage / January 12, 2018 / 11 Comments / Historical People, History, Life and death, love, Medieval times, Women in history, Writing / 14th century, Edward III, Jeanne de Clisson, lady pirate, Olivier de Clisson, revenge, The complicated Breton matter, The Hundred Years' War, The Lioness from Brittany

The other day, I was at the dentist. I detest going to the dentist, no matter how much I like the actual dentist. My dentist is a charming man who entertains me with anecdotes from Paris while he drills. Doesn’t help much, but at least he tries. Anyway: the single upside with going to the …

A lady with claws Read More »

The peace bride

By Anna Belfrage / November 9, 2017 / 4 Comments / Historical People, History, Human life, Medieval times, Women in history, Writing / 14th century, child marriage, David II, Edward III, Joan of the Tower, Scotland

In 1328, the very young Princess Joan of the Tower, Edward II’s and Isabella’s youngest daughter, was wed to the even younger Prince David of Scotland. Two small children, speaking vows they’d rehearsed but probably didn’t understand. Not exactly unusual in medieval times, but even by those standards Joan and David were very young. Once …

The peace bride Read More »

An English hawk on an Italian mural – of a mercenary made good

By Anna Belfrage / August 31, 2017 / 2 Comments / Historical People, History, Medieval times, Writing / 14th century, Condottieri, Edward III, Florence, Italy, John Hawkwood, Making money out of war, Mercenary companies, The Hundred Years' War

Should you ever make it to Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, you should of course gawk at the beautiful cupola, but don’t miss the gigantic mural depicting a ma in armour astride a magnificent horse. Move close enough to read the inscription, and you may also begin to wonder what on earth an English …

An English hawk on an Italian mural – of a mercenary made good Read More »

Edward III

Loving all his imperfections – in remembrance of Roger Mortimer. who died #otd 1330

The royal giant – of Lionel, prince of England

The life and loves of a Spanish señorita – meet Isabel of Castile

…so dies the youth…

La Dame Sans Merci – oops, la Dame de Coucy

Rubbing the wrong face in the dirt – of Mortimer, King Arthur and tournaments

The short life of Edmund of Woodstock

A lady with claws

The peace bride

An English hawk on an Italian mural – of a mercenary made good

SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER & GET A FREE E-BOOK

SHARE

Stay in Touch