Who are the four women in The Importance of Pawns who dominate the action? At the centre of the plots are Princess Claude and Princess Renée of France, the elder and younger daughters of the French King and Queen. The third, Baronne Michelle de Soubise, Renée’s Gouvernante*, fights to shield herself and the two daughters …
Murder most foul was as much a medieval as it is a modern problem. With a nod to Bob Dylan’s recent song title, murder most foul was not uncommon in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. This will come as no surprise to any fan of Game of Thrones. Nor to any historian of the …
Who was Queen Claude de France ? First, she was daughter of Queen Anne and King Louis XII of France. Next, she was Duchess of Brittany in her own right. Third, she married François I, possibly France’s most well-known king. Yet she is practically unknown. And she remains for many either a cypher or an …
Meet Susan Abernethy, a remarkable historian and a blogger extraordinaire whose Freelance History Writer blog is a great site for European history topics
Did kings and their advisors rule France? Officially, there have only been kings in France. But during the Renaissance, three of France’s kings were minors–and François II might as well have been. Three of its kings went to war in Italy. One was imprisoned in Spain for over two years. Various factions waged civil war …
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. …
In 1536, when Henry was injured jousting, he fell under his horse and lay unconscious. Many of his courtiers feared he had died. The Duke of Norfolk rushed with the news to his niece, Queen Anne Boleyn. She became distraught. Shortly thereafter she miscarried and blamed the loss on the dreadful news. Many believe this …
Duchess Anne of Brittany’s influence as a patron played a critical role on early Renaissance French literature. She employed poets, writers and historians such as Jean Marot and Pierre Le Baud as secretaries, almoners and heralds. When her husbands went on campaign she sent them to describe their travels. The library she expanded at Blois …
Anne of Brittany’s Influence on French Literature Read More »
Renaissance Blogs I discovered three new renaissance blogs/ websites recently that I want to share with my readers. Renaissance English History, has been running since provides information on just about all of the famous Tudors. Europeans renaissance figures is lighter in content but contains some fascinating tidbits and useful photos and an excellent source of …
