The New Murrey and Blue blog

Joanna the Mad

The HANDSOME Duke of Burgundy….?

Jan 15, 2022

anniversaries, art, genealogy, humour

annulment, Archduke Philip, Arthur “Tudor”, blue eyes, Catherine of Aragon, cloth, consummation, Dukes of Burgundy, Edmund Earl of Suffolk, executions, fair hair, Habsburgs, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Joanna the Mad, Kings of Castile, Malus Intercursus, marriages, mediaeval canon law, storms, treaties

At the moment I’m trawling around medieval rulers in Europe. And lo! I’ve come upon this gentleman: His contemporary likenesses aren’t much better, so why was he called Philip the Fair/Handsome? Was it tongue-in cheek? If you look through the various recreations of him in this link below, if they’re even halfway accurate you can…
I HAD A LITTLE NUT TREE

Jan 23, 2021

anniversaries, culture

Arthur “Tudor”, Catherine of Aragon, Henry VII, Isabel of Castile, Joanna the Mad, marriage plans, nursery rhymes, Philip the Handsome, Spain, symbolism

Recently while perusing a book of folklore, I came across this traditional rhyme- I had a little nut tree, Nothing could it bear But a silver nutmeg and a golden pear; The king of Spain’s daughter Came to visit me; And all for the sake of my little nut tree. Apparently, this rhyme is supposed…