by Heather R. Darsie Mary, Queen of Scots lost her life on 8 February 1587. She was not buried for almost a full five months, finally being laid to rest on 5 August 1587 in Peterborough Cathedral. Peterborough Cathedral already had one queen buried there, namely, Katharine of Aragon, buried in 1536. Peterborough Cathedral has an impressive history beginning in 655 BCE, when the site … Continue reading The Tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots
by Heather R. Darsie This is Part II of a four-part series, which seeks to look at what were considered the attributes of a Renaissance prince, and who of our four princes embodied the ideals of the Renaissance best. What were some of those themes? The idea of a Renaissance man stood for a person who strove to embrace knowledge and develop himself. This included … Continue reading Who was a True Renaissance Prince? Part II: Francis I of France
by Heather R. Darsie This is Part I of a four-part series, which seeks to look at what were considered the attributes of a Renaissance prince, and who of our four princes embodied the ideals of the Renaissance best. What were some of those themes? The idea of a Renaissance man stood for a person who strove to embrace knowledge and develop himself. This included … Continue reading Who was a True Renaissance Prince? Part I: James IV of Scotland
by Heather R. Darsie By June 1528, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn were deeply in love. The dreaded Sweating Sickness, or English Sweat, had tightened its grip in Anne’s household, and she retired to Hever Castle. Anne herself contracted the Sweat. This was very serious news, as the Sweat could kill its victim in less than forty-hours after symptoms appeared. In his fright for Anne’s … Continue reading Love Letter Nine from Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn: Anne has the Sweat!
by Heather R. Darsie The Little Book of Love, or Petit Livre d’Amour, is an absolutely fascinating, and terribly romantic, illuminated manuscript. Also known as Enigmas of Love, it was a Valentine’s Day gift from Pierre Sala (b. 1457 — d. 1529) to his sweetheart. Sala devised the poems contained within the book. He also was the scribe for this particular project. It is thought that the … Continue reading The Little Book of Love
by Heather R. Darsie By Unknown medieval monk (Medieval bestiary) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons The Scitalis is a gorgeous, lazy, predatory serpent. It lies about all day, waiting to hypnotize its prey with the dazzling colours of its back. Stunned by the Scitalis’ beauty, the poor beast who stopped to admire the Scitalis is then devoured. The Scitalis has a very high body temperature, … Continue reading From the Bestiary: Scitalis
by Heather R. Darsie It is thought that Thomas Tallis, alternatively spelled “Tallys,” could have been born on 30 January 1505, though it is not known for certain. What is known is that Tallis did not die until 1585, and contributed greatly to the development and composition of English choral music. Not much is known about Tallis’ early life. There are no records of his … Continue reading Thomas Tallis, Tudor Composer
by Heather R. Darsie This letter to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was written mostly by Anne Boleyn, with a postscript by Henry VIII. As for the art of wooing, perhaps Henry believed a letter to Cardinal Wolsey from the gentler sex (Anne Boleyn) would prod him to the purpose of producing an annulment of Henry’s marriage to Katharine of Aragon all the more quickly. As history … Continue reading Love Letter Eight for Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
by Heather R. Darsie In case you missed it on http://queenanneboleyn.com/2018/01/01/shooting-stars-the-bright-short-careers-limbourg-brothers-heather-r-darsie/ Herman (1385), Paul (1386/87) and Johan (1388) were born in the city of Nijmegen, in what is modern-day Gelderland, Netherlands. Artistic skill ran in the family for these brothers: their father was a wood-carver and their maternal uncle, a painter to Isabella (or Isabeau) of Bavaria, Queen of France. This familial connection to the French … Continue reading Shooting Stars: the Bright and Short Careers of the Limbourg Brothers
by Heather R. Darsie Christmas Eve, 1601. The setting, a sleepy, south-eastern port town in Ireland. The Nine Years War of Ireland had been raging since 1594, with the English fighting to have control of Ireland under Elizabeth I of England. The unorganized Irish had won several battles and skirmishes against the English, frequently through the use of ambush. But in 1601, trained Spanish troops … Continue reading A Blood-Soaked Christmas
Maidens and Manuscripts: Taking a fresh look at people and events from 1347 to 1625, with a focus on women and illuminated manuscripts 