St. George’s Day
-
On 17 April 1387, as part of the annual St George’s Day festivities, it was before the court of Richard II that Chaucer first performed his masterpiece, the Canterbury Tales. It was clear even then that he’d produced a very important work, but it’s only today that we appreciate it to the full—and are still…
-
The de Courcy Matter Part I: According to English records….
Anne of Bohemia, Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Thomas Arundel, banishment, boulogne, Calais, Catherine de Valois, Charles d’Orleans, Charles VI, churches, dolls, France, gold harts, governesses, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VII, Hundred Years War, Ireland, Isabelle de Valois, jewel theft, John of Gaunt, Ladies of the Garter, Lancastrians, livery badges, marguerite lady de coucy, Owain Tudor, Richard II, Rockingham, St. George’s Day, Terry Jones, usurpation, Who murdered chaucerMarguerite, Lady de Courcy, was the French governess of Richard II’s second wife, the child-bride Isabelle of Valois. This article, Part I, tells the generally known English version of what led to Marguerite’s return to France. I will begin with Richard’s obligation to remarry after the death of Anne of Bohemia, with whom he had…
-
Well, ladies and gentlemen, if you’re looking for something exciting to do and are in the vicinity of Leicester on Saturday, 20 April, 2024, there’s to be a grand celebration of St George’s Day. Saturdays aren’t always conveniently placed on anniversaries, so the 20th is the closest one! To quote from this site City gets…
-
Who led the tournament knights on golden chains….?
Arthur, Constance of Castile, Edward III, Edward of Woodstock, Edward VII, Elizabeth of Lancaster, Henry VII, horses, Joan of Kent, John of Gaunt, Ladies of the Garter, Lady Margaret Beaufort, Nigel Saul, Order of the Garter, palfreys, Phillippa of Hainault, Queen Alexanra, Sir John Holland, St. George’s Day, tournamentsWe all know about the Order of the Garter, and the many knights who’ve been honoured by being admitted to its exclusive ranks. We also know that there were Ladies of the Garter, starting with Queen Philippa of Hainault, consort of the Order’s founder, King Edward III. She was followed by a number of…
-
It’s said that green is the colour of the Devil; it’s also my favourite colour, so I don’t know what that says about me. All I know is that when I was growing up, green was almost always declared to be unlucky. In my teens, I was invited to be a bridesmaid for a…