Category: This and That

This and That

The Consummation of Anna of Cleves’ and Henry VIII’s Marriage

by Heather R. Darsie, J.D. For decades, if not centuries, it has been assumed that Henry VIII of England and Anna of Cleves never consummated their marriage. The Secret Council that met to devise a way for Henry to have an annulment of his marriage to Anna, rather than a divorce, knew that they had to create air-tight documents to support the idea that Henry … Continue reading The Consummation of Anna of Cleves’ and Henry VIII’s Marriage

Unknown's avatarHeather R Darsie4 Comments
This and That

Origin of Anna of Cleves’ Family

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna von der Mark and her siblings, deemed by their father to be known as being “of Cleves”, his family’s territory, came from a somewhat new line of ducal power. The Duchy of Cleves existed as a county for hundreds of years before becoming a duchy. From whom the dynasty descends is a bit of a mystery, but thankfully, … Continue reading Origin of Anna of Cleves’ Family

Unknown's avatarHeather R DarsieLeave a comment
This and That

Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Illness of the human body is nothing new. Humans have contended with bacterial and viral infections, and injuries, since time immemorial. One thing which has fortunately changed since the 16th century is medical treatment. Before science provided modern society with antibiotics, medical doctors relied on sometimes ancient remedies to heal their patients. This was particularly true of the 16th … Continue reading Medical Treatment in the 16th Century

Unknown's avatarHeather R Darsie1 Comment
This and That, Women

The False Anna of Cleves

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Anna of Cleves died in July 1557, having reached her forty-second birthday weeks before. Curiously, in 1558, a woman who possessed Anna’s signet ring showed up at the court of Anna’s nephew, John Frederick the Middle. She had an interesting story for the young man, Who was this woman? Was she an illegitimate half-sister of Anna’s, or a cousin? … Continue reading The False Anna of Cleves

Unknown's avatarHeather R Darsie3 Comments
This and That

Martin Luther and the House of Saxony

by Heather R. Darsie, J. D. Sybylla of Cleves, Anna of Cleves’ elder sister, married into the powerful ruling Saxon family. Several members of the family, all prince-electors and including Sybylla’s husband Johann Friedrich, protected Martin Luther. In particular, Sybylla’s father-in-law John the Steadfast, embraced Lutheranism and did not avoid rubbing it in the Holy Roman Emperor’s face. From the beginning, the Electors of Saxony … Continue reading Martin Luther and the House of Saxony

Unknown's avatarHeather R Darsie3 Comments
This and That

Medieval and Early Modern Cookies: A Tasty Dalliance

by Heather R Darsie, JD Dear Reader, I thought I would share with you a couple historical cookie recipes that I make for my family. They come from 12th and 16th century recipes. Our first recipe comes from St Hildegard von Bingen, with recipe following the image of Hildegard. Our second cookie recipe comes from a 16th century English manuscript, and can be found after … Continue reading Medieval and Early Modern Cookies: A Tasty Dalliance

Unknown's avatarHeather R DarsieLeave a comment
This and That, Women

Lady Jadwiga of Poland: King and Saint

by Heather R. Darsie, JD Jadwiga was born to King Louis I of Hungary and Poland, known as Louis the Great, and his wife Elizabeth of Bosnia sometime in 1373 or 1374. Elizabeth married King Louis in the Hungarian city of Buda in 1353. Elizabeth was Louis’s second wife. His first wife, Margaret of Bohemia, was a mere seven years old when she married sixteen-year-old … Continue reading Lady Jadwiga of Poland: King and Saint

Unknown's avatarHeather R Darsie2 Comments
This and That

Update!

Greetings, Dear Reader! I am sorry for not updating this website recently. I finished my first fiction novella, the links for which I shall post below. I am hard at work finishing “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne” (Pen & Sword, 2023). My book, “Children of the House of Cleves: Anna and Her Siblings” (Amberley 2023) is … Continue reading Update!

Unknown's avatarHeather R DarsieLeave a comment