The Angevin Kings of England – the First Plantagenets
King Henry II, Henry the Young King (inset), Richard the Lionheart, John Lackland The Angevins were the first three Plantagenet kings of England: Henry II (the husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine),
A Forgotten Confrontation: the Battle of Bouvines of 1214
Nowadays, few people heard about the Battle of Bouvines fought on the 27th of July 1214 near the town of Bouvines in the County of Flanders. Nonetheless, many remember the Battles of Crécy, of
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII of France: an ill-fated royal match
On the 25th of July 1137, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, and the future Louis VII of France married in the Cathedral of Saint-Andre in Bordeaux. The marriage between
The Battle of Taillebourg: victory of the French Saint Louis over Henry III of England
On the 21st of July, 1242, the Battle of Taillebourg happened. It was a decisive battle during the Saintonge War that lasted between 1242 and 1243. The Capetian forces were confronted by Hugh X
Philippe II of France: a monarch rightfully deserving the epithet ‘Augustus’
Born on the 21st of August 1165, King Philippe II of France died on the 14th of July 1223 in Mantes-la-Jolie en route to Paris at the age of 58. When his father, Louis VII of France, fell ill, he
Eleanor of Provence: loved by Henry III, but unpopular with the English
Eleanor of Provence, who was Queen of England as wife of King Henry III of England, died on the 24th or 25th of June 1291 in England. She is one of the few English queens who was not buried at
Fulk III Nerra, Count of Anjou: incredible and savage
On the 21st of June 1040, Fulk III Nerra, also known as Fulk the Black (French: Foulques le Noir), who was Count of Anjou from 987 to 1040, died at the old age of 69-70. Fulk was a powerful early
Tumultuous life: Isabella of Angoulême, second wife of King John of England
Isabella of Angoulême, second wife of King John of England, died on the 4th of June 1246 at Fontevraud Abbey, where she was buried in the abbey’s churchyard, as if seeking atonement for her
Death of Queen Adela of France, King Louis VII’s third wife
Queen Adela of France, King Louis VII of France’s third wife, died on the 4th of June 1206 and was buried in the Church of Pontigny Abbey near Auxerre. She was also known as Adelaide, Alix, and
Geoffrey Plantagenet, second son of Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou and Empress Matilda
Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Nantes, was born in Rouen on the 1st of June 1134, and died on the 27th of July 1158. He was second of the three sons of Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou and Empress
The Odyssey of Richard the Lionheart
On the night of October 9, 1192, two dozen men stealthily navigated through the ancient streets and alleyways of Acre towards the harbor. King Richard the Lionheart and a select group of his
A fateful royal marriage only a few weeks after Eleanor’s annulment
Today marks another anniversary of a royal marriage that helped create the vast and once very powerful Angevin Empire. On the 18th of May, 1152, Henry Plantagenet, also known as Henry
The Lion is Snared
Historians and history enthusiasts know the legends and tales about Richard the Lionheart, the third son of King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. Perhaps one of the most fascinating stories
King Henry II’s illegitimate half-brother: Hamelin de Warenne, a man of unwavering loyalty
Hamelin of Anjou, or Hamelin de Warenne as he would become known years later, was the illegitimate son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Touraine, and Maine. His mother seems to have been
Struggle for power: Hugh Capet and Lothair of France
Today, on the 3rd of July 987, Hugh Capet was crowned King of France. He was the eldest son of Hugh the Great, Duke of the Franks. When his father died in 956, teenaged Hugh inherited his
The Wedding of Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou
In modern times, June is a favorite month for celebrating weddings, so it is only fitting that today we remember the fateful union of Matilda, the widowed Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, and
Death in Youth: Henry the Young King
Henry the Young King was born on the 28th of February 1155. At the time of his birth, he was the second son, so he was not expected to become king. However, his elder brother,
Coronation of King John of England
On the 27th of May 1199, John Plantagenet was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey. John was the last child of the illustrious King Henry II and the legendary Eleanor of
The birth of Empress Matilda
Matilda (the Latin form of Maud) is known as Empress Matilda. She is a legendary woman who could have been England’s first queen regnant in her own right. But the terrible wheels of fate were
A Plantagenet Captive King
Journey from Acre and Capture The peace treaty between Richard the Lionheart and Sultan Saladin was signed on the 2nd of September, 1192. It reestablished the Kingdom of Jerusalem, although
Robin Hood’s Dawn – BLOG TOUR Day 4!
Robin Hood's Dawn: The Blog Tour Day 4 Robin Hood's Dawn (The Robin Hood Trilogy Book 1) is now available in both e-book and paperback formats from all good online stores. As part of the
Robin Hood’s Dawn – BLOG TOUR Day 1!
Robin Hood's Dawn: The Blog Tour Day 1 Robin Hood's Dawn (The Robin Hood Trilogy Book 1), is now available in both e-book and paperback formats from all good online stores. As part of the
Cover Reveal: Robin Hood’s Dawn, book 1 of the Robin Hood Trilogy
Now available for Pre-Order at Amazon! England, 1154-1194 A kingdom under assault. A conspiracy born of anarchy. A hero standing against tyranny. Falsely convicted of a shocking
He Never Smiled Again
The Triumph of Henry I In 1120, King Henry I of England achieved an extraordinary victory: his ruthless cunning and dogged determination had culminated in a highly favorable peace treaty that gave
The boy king of France
On November 1, 1179, fourteen year-old Philippe Capet was crowned and anointed at Rheims as King of the Franks. By the time of Philippe’s death nearly 44 years later, he had greatly enlarged
Coronation of Richard the Lionheart
On September 3*, 1189, a magnificent procession of bishops, abbots, barons, knights, and the most important nobles of England entered Westminster Abbey. Crowds lined the streets of London to
The Demon Countess of Anjou
“From the devil they came, to the devil they will go.” – St. Bernard Her beauty lured the Count of Anjou, Geoffrey Greymantle, into a hasty marriage, although her origins were unknown. She
Birth of King Philippe II of France
Louis VII and Queen Adela receive Philippe Augustus from Christ On this day in history in 1165, King Philippe II of France was born in Gonesse. The son of King Louis VII and his third wife, Adela
Death of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Duke of Brittany
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany On this day in history in 1186, Geoffrey Plantagenet died in Paris. He was the fourth of five sons born to Henry II, King of England, and Eleanor, Duchess of