The codpiece and the pox were two common sights in 16th Century Europe. Was there a relationship between them? King Henry VIII was famed for the size of his codpiece. He probably boasted about the size of his cod as well. [Can you guess from the context the word for which cod is a Renaissance …
The Dukes and Duchesses of Brittany between 1485 to 1559 were also kings and queens of France from the time France conquered Brittany to the death of King François II of France. Anne of Brittany, the last truly independent Duchess of Brittany, fought her whole life to keep her duchy separate from France. She had …
As befitted her role as Queen of France, Anne of Brittany passed her life travelling among the royal chateaux of Brittany and France. It could easily not have happened. When her father died shortly after the disastrous the battle of St. Aubin de Cormier in July 1488, Anne was not yet 12. She became ruler …
Anne of Brittany among the Chateaux of Brittany and France Read More »
Who kept medieval pets among the various classes of people in medieval society? Noblewomen definitely had pet dogs though not as many people kept pets as today. Look at carefully paintings and you will see small dogs curled up on the skirts of their mistresses and cats sitting beside the fireplace. My heroine Anne of …
Claude de France’s prayer book is an example of the exquisite manuscript art of the French Renaissance. This example demonstrates that Anne of Brittany passed on her passion for religion, beauty and books to her daughter Claude. Queen Anne, Duchess of Brittany bore her elder daughter, Claude de France, in October 1499, 10 months after …
In France’s past, feasting was a culinary social obligation of the nobility. It was always a splendid occasion with many ‘removes.’ Removes did not represent courses as we think of them today. Most medieval banquets had 3 or 4 removes with a musical interlude or entertainment in between. Great banquets fit for kings and royalty …
Source: Throwing a medieval feast – Medieval manuscripts blog
The medieval romance between Abelard and Heloise stands out as one of the most famous of all time. A gifted student, she persuaded her guardian to permit her to pursue her studies. He was the famous priest who came to teach her. As they spent time together in intellectual pursuits, they fell passionately in love. …
Making Manuscripts Available Worldwide By digitizing thousands of pre-16th century manuscripts, researchers around the world can now study where they are. What a blessing this is. For researchers. Also for their family and workplaces. For the preservation of the precious manuscripts. And to protect our even more precious world. [Not that travel isn’t worthwhile, but …
Like everyone else at court in France in the mid-1500s, the issue of religion affected court poets. The rhétoriqueurs were poets who combined stilted language with a fondness for the allegorical manner of the 15th century and the most complicated and artificial forms of the ballade and the rondeau. Their work has not lasted. The …
On 1 January 1515 Louise of Savoy’s son became king and by July, François I was at war in Italy, leaving the Regent, Louise de Savoy in charge. He was away until early in 1516. Her contemporaries, among them Pope Leo X, acknowledged and appreciated her status as a powerful mater regis. Charles Brandon, the Duke …
Queen Anne’s Library and Books of Hours Queen Anne’s library, duchess of Brittany, included several Books of Hours. France considers her Great Hours one of its national treasures. Master Jean Bourdichon, who painted it was one of the great painters of the early French Renaissance. Anne’s library is a famous collection. Some she inherited from her …
