Knights
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An Interview With… Thomas Dennis
This is the first in a proposed series of interviews with notable people associated with King Richard III. A short while ago, I was lucky enough to interview Thomas Dennis, the young actor who recreated the voice of Richard III. He was chosen, not only for his acting ability (which has garnered great reviews), but…
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Sir Edmund Shaa – Cheshire’s Answer to Dick Whittington.
apprentices, Calais, Cheshire, Crowden, edmund shaa, Edward IV, goldsmiths, Greater Manchester, john shaa, Knights, London, Lord Mayors of London, moneylenders, mottram-in-longdendale, Royal Mint, sheriff of london, St. James, st. thomas of acre, stockport, Tower of London, wills, woodhead, YorkshireEdmund Shaa was born in about 1436, reputedly in Mottram-in-Longdendale, which was then in Cheshire. He was the son of John Shaa ‘of Dukinfield’ who was, it appears, a yeoman. ‘Shaa’ is the medieval version of the surname ‘Shaw’. Many of the name ‘Shaw’ can still be found in the general area of Greater Manchester…
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Trial by combat was a last-ditch method of proving one’s case. Of course, it didn’t prove innocence or guilt, just that one or other of the combatants was luckier/stronger on the day. Nor did trial by water prove a woman innocent of witchcraft, because it killed her no matter what the outcome. If…
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We all know that ladies of the Victorian era often fainted because their corsets were too tightly laced. A tiny waist was highly desirable. Well, it still is, of course, but not to such a ridiculous extent. This tortuous lacing would have been difficult enough for young women to endure, but Heaven alone knows…
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Here is a link to a video of Toby Capwell, the American curator of arms and armour at The Wallace Collection in London. It concerns his thoughts on seven medieval weapons scenes in movies and TV. He was, of course, one of the two fully armed knights who escorted Richard on his final…
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On reading Chivalry by Léon Gautier, I learned that St Maurice was the patron saint of knights. Another interesting fact about him is that he’s often depicted as a Black African man in armour. He apparently came from Upper Egypt, so he probably was black. I’m reminded of the Black Madonnas. We’re always surprised…
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This article is a well written summary of how one became a medieval knight, and what was expected of one’s conduct ever after. If you’d like to see the 14th-century process of being dressed in armour, here on You Tube is the site to go to. And if the composition and wearing of a knightly girdle…
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As a member of the Mortimer History Society, I have been notified that the above book has been greatly reduced in price at Oxbow Books. I’ve ordered it – including £4 postage! The blurb for the book is as follows:“The medieval battlefield was a place of spectacle and splendour. The fully-armed knight, bedecked in his…
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In 2020 there are planned commemorations of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. King Henry II blew his top, shouted words to the effects of ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest? and four knights clunked off towards Canterbury, thinking the King would reward them well if they disposed of Thomas. The…
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