The good, the bad and the downright ugly of Medieval History
But first... I just wanted to say hello, really. I know it has been quite a long time since my last post here on my blog (a whole eight months in fact!) about White Castle and my ranking of the Three Castles (which was done in a thoroughly academic fashion I remind you all). But … Continue reading Henry I and the Protection of Normandy, 1106-1135
So this is it, the final in the three part journey through the Three Castles, done in the extremely academic and scientific way of "saving the best to last", at least in my opinion! Once more I will spare you all a lengthy introduction as, again, White Castle shared a lot of its experiences with … Continue reading The Three Castles, Part 3: White Castle
So I slipped back into my old habits, and have been quiet for about three months again, and again, terribly sorry! Truth be told I just hadn't found much inspiration. However that all changed a few days ago because I was dragged, kicking and screaming, out of my lair on a little jaunt across the … Continue reading The Three Castles, Part One: Grosmont
Yes, I know, it's been nearly four months. I'm sorry. But moving swiftly on from my lack of activity on this blog, I think I've got a decent subject (and some rather fetching photographs if I say so myself) to try and make amends. I visited Wenlock in October of last year and as usual … Continue reading Wenlock Priory: Elysian ruins
I really need to work on my punctuality and have some kind of schedule when it comes to these posts don't I? Regardless, a couple of months after my last post where I may or may not have promised more blog entries (whoops) here we are at long last! And this one is, if I … Continue reading Wigmore Castle: A Hidden Stronghold
Before we get into the nitty gritty of this particular topic, I would like to apologise for my somewhat extended absence! I've been busy doing nothing as they say. So while I do my best to get back into writing more bits for this blog, please accept this as something of an apology as we … Continue reading Theobald of Bec: Morality and Divided Loyalties
The twenty-two-year period that this post looks at were, I think it safe to say, not only years of extreme difficulty and hardship for William and Normandy, but perhaps years that while we cannot say for certain they shaped him completely, they must have helped forge him into the Conqueror of popular imagination: a hard … Continue reading The Survival of Duke William II in Normandy: 1035-57
‘This Hrolf was so big that no horse could carry him, which is why he was given the name Göngu-Hrolf. The earls of Rouen and the kings of England are descended from him.’ Orkneyinga Saga So in my last post (How do you solve a problem like Rollo?) I wrote a few very brief introductions to … Continue reading Rollo, first Count of Rouen: A saga of sorts
For this post I thought I would do something a little different: examine just a few of the issues surrounding three of the sources you will come across if you do any amount of digging into the Norman past, and why despite the prolific amount written about him, we can say nearly nothing about Rollo … Continue reading How do you solve a problem like Rollo?
Josue Wigornensis 