The New Murrey and Blue blog

Thomas Earl of Kent

Pink or lilac robes today, Your Majesty….?

Jun 7, 2024

anniversaries, art, buildings

Anne of Bohemia, Barons Lumley, chester-le-street, Edward of Woodstock, Epiphany Rising, Henry IV, Joan of Kent, John Duke of Exeter, Leeds Castle, lilac, Lumley Castle, Margaret Holland, pink, Richard II, royal portraits, Sir Ralph Lumley, Thomas Earl of Kent, usurpation

Here’s a portrait of Richard II that isn’t seen very often, except perhaps head and shoulders—possibly because of the figure of Ralph, 1st Lord Lumley kneeling before him. Richard’s likeness seems to be a copy of his famous portrait in Westminster Abbey, but this one hangs in Leeds Castle. I think it rather striking not…
Hard time to be a woman?

Dec 3, 2022

culture, law, religion

Anne of Bohemia, business, Castle Phillippe, demolition, dowries, Earls of March, femme sole, Joan “Beaufort”, Joanna Fitzalan, John of Gaunt, jointure, marriage, Mr. Knightly, nuns, Ralph Earl of Westmorland, Richard Earl of Arundel, Richard II, service, Sheen, Sir John Mohun, Thomas Earl of Kent, widows, William Lord Bergavenny

Of late I have read quite a few posts on Facebook bemoaning the tough lot women had in the Middle Ages. Well yes, their lives could be very hard. But so could those of medieval men. It’s important not to generalise too much. There were certainly men who valued their wives very highly. We need…