#king richard and the true commons

[akechi-stole-my-heart]

something im only a little insane about is how robin hood's earliest folklore portray a darker character. he became an outlaw by committing manslaughter. the "steals from the rich and gives to the poor" aspect was less pronounced. he was a yeoman, a commoner, and not a nobleman like in the later tellings. he wasn't loyal to the "true" king richard. he played tricks on people and got into fights just for the hell of it.

meanwhile, it's less clear since we have no early sources for loki, but it's commonly agreed upon that the mythological figure, before christianity's influence on norse myth, was not nearly as sinister as he's portrayed in the prose edda, which was heavily influenced by christian ideas of the devil. loki was a trickster and an underdog, but he wasn't evil.

neither extreme is the truth. the establishment turned both loki and robin hood into black and white figures that fit better into their society. were easier to digest. more palatable to those in power.

the truth of akechi lies somewhere in the middle.

[theroyalsofcorrilea]

Crown Prince David was born on this day in 1896

Mentions of War & Miscarriage

—

When the new King, Frederick IX (b.1873) and his teenage wife, Princess Thyra of Denmark (b.1880) welcomed their first child on the 15th of April 1896, they had been married for just over 10 months. The baby was christened David Richard Christian Harald. During his childhood, the young prince became known as Dickie. The boy would become his Grandmother, the Dowager Queen Dagmar’s favourite grandchild,even after the birth of his siblings; Mary, Charlene and Christian with her writing “my beloved Dickie is so young yet a true lion at heart.”

At eighteen, the young prince’s life would be interrupted by the First World War, following his father's decision to side with their second cousin, Wilhelm II of Germany in 1914. During the war Dickie would be stationed in Berlin as the official representative of Corrilea to the Kaiser. His mother Dagmar-whom detested her German cousins failed to compel her husband to not send him, writing to her father, Frederik VIII of Denmark, “Berlin and this war will destroy my innocent boy.” In 1917, following the Russian Revolution, Frederick IX stopped supporting Germany out of fear , but his mothers worries would not be relieved, for after the war, Dickie would return changed, no longer lively and fun, but “hardened and self-righteous”.

In 1919, Dickie would meet a young, but successful Upsanian-born French-British actress, Nicola DuGant. The prince would immediately become infatuated by the beautiful woman, and quickly began courting her, despite the disapproval of his family- this would lead to tensions within the Royal household, as the young Prince seeked to defy his father and take control of his own life. In 1923, he would propose to Nicola without his fathers permission. This caused the tensions to boil over in the autumn of that year, when Dickie brought “his Nicky” to meet his family. During a heated exchange, the Crown Prince threatened to abdicate his position, in order to marry the woman he loved, only after hearing this, did the King relent and grant his approval, likely just to stop a succession crisis from occurring. The pair were wed in the spring of 1925. Nicola was the first “commoner” to marry into the Corrilean Royal Family.

Despite the marriage's scandalous start, the pair seemed happy together and in 1927 had a son, Prince George Frederick James (later James V). The new prince's birth was traumatic for the Crown Princess lasting for almost forty hours, with major complications and scarring after the prince was finally delivered via cesarean. As a result for the next decade the couple would experience fertility issues, with Nicola having 12 miscarriages, before the birth of their daughter, Princess Madelyn in 1940.

On the 14th of June 1930, King Frederick IX passed away at 57, after contracting pneumonia. Dickie was sworn in as King moments later, choosing the regnal name Richard II, quoting “The name Richard reminds the public of Lionheart, it is powerful, manly— David reminds them of my great-grandfather, whom never got to be King”. The King's inauguration took place on the 1st of January 1931.

Dickie would oversee Corrilea during the Second World War, choosing to have the nation be a neutral state. However in 1940, Corrilea’s neutrality was breached as Nazi forces invaded the border. The Royal Family and government quickly fled to Britain and established a Government-in-exile at the Corrilean Embassy, while the Family stayed as guests of King George VI of the United Kingdom and lived at St James Palace during the war. The Corrilean Royal Family however, were not unscathed during the war, with Princess Mary’s husband – Robert Argyll, 4th Duke of Argyll and son, George, Earl of Harewood both enlisting in the British army and being killed in action in 1942 and 1943 respectively.

After the Allies took back Corrilea in 1945, the Royal Family returned to mass celebration, and the King, who had given public radio addresses to his nation throughout the duration of the war, was considered a hero, who gave the people morale and a “reason to fight” during the five year Nazi occupation.

As such, the King remained a popular symbol of nationalism and hope for the next ten years, as the nation recovered. In 1953, his son the Crown Prince George would marry his favourite goddaughter, Princess Eliazbeth of Schleswig-Wolfenbüttel-Kassel (b.1936). The Princess, while German, was born and raised in Britain, as her parents fled Germany at the beginning of the war and thus, was considered a good match.

An avid smoker all his life, Richard II would pass away in 1956, of lung cancer. His daughter Madelyn, married in 1965, nine years later to the German Royal — Ludwig III, Duke of Thena. The wedding caused controversy, with many claiming that Richard would have never supported the match as Ludwig's parents were Nazi’s during the war.

—

Inspired by the talented @warwickroyals.

[theroyalhouseofwindenburg]

The Hollow Crown

As the weeks went on, Edward slowly began to recover, but continued to keep his true identity to himself. The Brindleton family had welcomed him with open arms. All of them sat in the common room enjoying a meal, and sharing stories. John, the man who saved Edward, looked to him and asked. "You never did tell me, my lord—what were you doing out there alone? Noblemen don’t tend to wander into death’s grip without reason."

"A fair question, Master Brindleton." Edward responded. "The truth is, I was traveling with a small company when we were set upon by a bear, The beast never came close, but it was enough to send my mount into a frenzy. and I was separated from my men in the chaos, lost my horse, and—well, you know the rest."

Jacquetta, who had been silently listening as she set the last of the food on the table, finally spoke, her voice calm and measured, a small, knowing smile played at her lips before she finally spoke, her voice smooth and unhurried.

“Well now, my lord,” she mused, tilting her head ever so slightly. “Perhaps that bear was wiser than any of us give it credit for. It sent you running, but not into the hands of your enemies or into the grave. No, it set you on a path that led you here—to a warm fire, and a full plate.”

She let the words settle for a moment, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup before continuing. “Strange, isn’t it? How the things we fear most can sometimes guide us where we are meant to be.”

Edward lowered his gaze, Jacquetta’s words, though spoken in kindness, struck something deep within him, an unshakable guilt that had been lingering since the moment he first opened his eyes in this home.

These people had given him shelter, warmth, and trust, yet he had not offered them the same in return. He had concealed who he truly was, spun half-truths to keep himself hidden. And while he knew it was necessary—knew that revealing his identity could place them in danger, and that did not sit well with him.

As the grand hall of Windenburg Castle filled with the murmurs of gathered nobles, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the newly established figures of power. Prince Alvin, the boy-king, sat upon the throne, his small frame dwarfed by its grandeur. To his left stood Princess Jane, her expression composed yet triumphant, and in front of them both, Richard, Duke of Britechester, addressed the court.

"By order of the council and the laws of this realm, I, Richard, Duke of Britechester, have been named Lord Protector to Prince Alvin. Until he comes of age, I shall govern in his stead, ensuring the stability of Windenburg. In my absence, the regency shall pass to my mother, Princess Jane, who will act with full authority in matters of state."

A murmur spread through the court—some in agreement, others in unease.

Richard stepped back as Jane gave a graceful wave to the crowd, her expression composed. Then, in a final display of unity, the three moved forward together, standing before the court as one.

Night had fallen over Windenburg Castle, casting long shadows across the silent corridors. The air was cool, and the only sound within Queen Cordelia’s chambers was the soft crackle of the fire and the faint rustle of parchment as she turned a page in her book. She had remained mostly confined to these walls since her regency had been overthrown, finding solace in solitude.

The quiet was soon interrupted by the sound of her doors opening, followed by the shuffling of footsteps. Cordelia’s eyes lifted from the pages, her grip tightening on the book as she took in the sight before her. Lady Charlotte stood just beyond the threshold, her expression riddled with unease. Behind her, flanked by two guards, stood Princess Jane.

Lady Charlotte stepped forward hesitantly, her hands clasped in front of her, eyes full of regret. “Forgive me, Your Grace. I would not intrude if I had a choice.”

Cordelia set her book down with deliberate care before rising to her feet. Her sharp gaze flickered between Charlotte and the figures standing behind her. “Choice or not, you have delivered the message all the same. Now tell me—why have you brought her here?”

Before Charlotte could speak, Princess Jane stepped forward, her arms folded, an unbothered expression etched onto her face. “Because, dear sister, I am making an executive decision for you. You would be much better suited to Willowshire Castle at this time. I am having all of the Bagleys moved there tonight. And as for this chamber—well, I shall be taking it as my own.”

Cordelia’s expression darkened, her scowl deepening as her hands curled into fists at her sides. “You have always been an ambitious woman, Jane, but even for you, this is a pathetic display of desperation.”

Jane smirked, a quiet chuckle escaping her lips as she shook her head. “You’re making this far more difficult than it needs to be. But if you insist on resisting, I’ll just have to make this harder for you.” She lifted her hand and pointed at Cordelia. “Seize her.”

Cordelia’s breath hitched as the guards moved toward her without hesitation. Her shock was evident—were they truly obeying Jane over her? She stepped back, raising a hand in protest.

"Unhand me!" she spat, her voice filled with rage as the guards grabbed her arms. "This is treason!"

She fought against their grip as they pulled her toward the door, her voice rising with fury. "You won’t get away with this, Jane!"

Lady Charlotte let out a quiet sob, her hands trembling as she watched helplessly. Jane, meanwhile, stood unmoved, a smirk still tugging at her lips as Cordelia was dragged from her own chambers and into the night.

The snow fell relentlessly as the night stretched on, blanketing the land in an icy shroud. Inside his carriage, King Henry sat in silence, the weight of failure pressing against his chest like an iron chain. The road to Windenburg had never felt so long, nor had his heart ever felt so heavy. As the darkened path finally led him into the castle’s courtyard, his weary eyes caught sight of a scene that sent a fresh wave of fury coursing through his veins.

A carriage stood in the courtyard, its doors open, with servants hurriedly loading trunks onto the back. A cluster of guards stood in the cold, their grips firm on a figure being forcefully guided toward the carriage. Even through the dim light, Henry recognized her instantly—his sister, Cordelia.

His fury erupted like a storm. He slammed his fist against the carriage door, signaling his driver to halt, before stepping out into the bitter night.

"Unhand her at once!" he roared, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "She is the mother of the king, and this is no way to handle a woman of such prominence! Have you all lost your wits?"

At the sound of his voice, Cordelia turned, her face etched with sorrow and defeat. Snowflakes clung to her hair, and her hands trembled slightly as she stepped forward.

"Brother," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jane has stripped me of my place here. She has taken my chamber, my regency—my authority. I am to be sent to Willowshire tonight. Your wife grandson have already been sent ahead. And Edward—" her voice faltered, her breath catching in her throat. "Edward is gone, Henry. No one knows where he is."

Henry’s jaw clenched, his eyes darkening with rage. He turned back to the guards, stepping toward them with unmistakable authority.

"Enough of this disgraceful display. I will take my sister to Willowshire myself. If I hear of any further force against her, I will see to it that the hands that wronged her never hold a sword again. Do I make myself clear?"

The guards hesitated for only a moment before loosening their grips. Cordelia wasted no time—she rushed forward, throwing herself into Henry’s arms. He held her tightly, feeling the raw anger trembling beneath her sorrow.

"That woman," Cordelia seethed, her voice dripping with fury. "She has humiliated me, cast me out like a common wretch! That smug, grasping—" she stopped herself, inhaling sharply as she steadied her breath.

Henry pulled back, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "This is temporary, Cordelia. By the Watcher’s good grace, Edward will be returned to us, and this nightmare will come to an end. You must hold fast—our time will come."

As the carriage was prepared for departure, Cordelia took one last look at the castle she had once ruled. Her gaze drifted upward, toward the second-story window, where a familiar figure stood.

Cordelia’s lips curled into a sneer, her voice low and vengeful as she whispered under her breath, "Enjoy your stolen throne while you can, sister. For when the tide turns, I will see to it that you fall harder than I ever did."

There, in the dim glow of the window, Jane stood watching, her smirk still sharp as a blade, a silent declaration of her triumph. In her eyes, Windenburg already belonged to her.

[panelshowsource]

my IMMEDIATE thought is judi love, right?? her and roisin 1000% not even one show each, A SHOW WITH THEM TOGETHER 😍 and it's called JUDI & ROISIN'S DOUBLE DATES 😍

hahahaha absolutely! do you remember the stationary shop / pun guessing task that tim vine did on taskmaster s6? i always thought victoria would have enjoyed every single thing about that, just my intuition...

hahahaha this is so cute! they got married not to terribly long ago, so no worries. don't you love how sweetly they speak about each other 🥹 you know, when i saw richard at his last book signing in new york, he told a quick story about how ingrid had recently written for a doctor who publication and that she is super engrossed in & proud of the doctor who world 🥹🥹🥹 (made me so happy!!! bc i'm also a massive dw fan (i make those gifs on my main!) 🥹)

this is my modest richard and ingrid tag 🥹 i hope to flesh it out even more over time hehe

yes i've been listening to these!! they keep teasing a nish kumar one coming up that is supposed to be very special in some way?

anyways the richard osman one was very sweet because there was tons of kitten talk (LOVE) and you can tell how much richard adores david — which means he had a lot of fun teasing him hahaha that's what makes richard such a good podcast guest: he's such a comedy fan!

also enjoyed the eps with ivo and sam campbell, and i'm gonna listen to at least ed gamble, rose matafeo, and amy gledhill this weekend!

are you guys liking it??

i've def seen it (i saw the comedy blogs advertising the pilot) but i'm gonna be sooo honest and say i haven't had time to give it a listen yet TT have you?? i'm obsessed with both of them and will DEF listen to it this week! i'll post my thoughts :)

honestly, i think there are more comedy writers and comedy actors than proper comedians that i would like to read bios of. simon pegg comes to mind first! i also think it would be fascinating to read a kind of day-by-day journal of a proper circuit comedian, someone who could humorously and truthfully document the lifestyle. did you have someone in mind who hasn't written one?

as for books that are already published, i really want to read bonkers by jen saunders as well as richard e grant's semi-new autobiography (i'm worried it's going to be exceptionally sad since he'll always be dealing with the passing of his wife and he's very open about grief 🥺), so hopefully i get around to those before too long!

i haven't, tbh i never watched miranda, not going out, or even call the midwife — so even though i've obviouslyyy seen her around, sometimes on panel shows, and absolutely acknowledge how big she was/is, i don't carry enough nostalgia to read her whole bio. THAT SAID, i agree she was so so touching on graham norton and i think her stories both about her health and about finding love were SO LOVELY 💜 but if you tell me it's a must read then i'll definitely check it out!

and for anyone who's interested i added the audiobook to my drive :)

okay this scared me HAHAHA because as much as that is obviously not true if one uses a single modicum of common sense i am so easily fooled—

anyways it was a sweet episode! i don't really listen to that show but i was hoping to hear more about joe's particular approach to parenting, and even though he is clearly very private it was endearing. i love how much he loves birmingham (as someone who doesn't really have a hometown it's something i'm always fascinated by and envious of in others), and he really put his foot down about his sexuality! he was like "bi is bi, pan is pan, it's on you if you wanted to call me gay anyways" and PERIOD KING !! anyways, super happy for him. i have a feeling he won't post very much about it or even talk much about it in general, but i selfishly hope he does 🥹

it was a cute episode!! highlights for me include rob being extremely new to the concept of kimchi, rob claiming he doesn't understand why people care so much about seasoning (my fellow americans, have fun with that one), and rob roasting steve coogan lmaooo also i never get sick of the alan bennett impression i love how it's almost tom courtenay it's hilarious to me

i've loved a lot of the recent eps, especially the ones with matthew macfadyen and richard e grant (funniest man alive)! and i watched the gordon ramsay episode like 5 times, it was sooo interesting and soooooo sweet to hear about his relationship with angela!

one thing i really like about this show — besides how awesome angela is — is that nick asks the genuine questions someone who isn't big into cooking would ask. like, when they were eating the rib eye, he was like, "if someone wanted to make this at home, what would they ask the butcher for? is this a specific cut of meat?" and even though it's like 'lol yeah nick...rib eye...' people who aren't familiar with cooking beef wouldn't have known that! he asks about cuts, measurements, cooking times, that sort of thing in a way that feels genuine and curious, which i appreciate (as someone who doesn't cook a lot lmao)

for sure!

hello anon! these are always posted on reddit every single night that they air, i recommend sending a polite "hello would you kindly add me to the sub?" message (you don't need to get fancier or more specific than that; they have to keep the sub private for obvious reasons so no need to feel intimidated) to r/TV_NCA so you can snag those links each week

sure anon i'll work on that for you this weekend xx

—

PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS / NON-PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS FAQ / ASK

[cadotoast]

Chapter 1- Jousts and Announcements

Minors DNI please.

About 5k word length

Content warnings:

Lances readied. Visors lowered. Steeds pawing the earth. The crowd holds its breath.

The thunder of hooves! The jangling of armor! The collective gasp!

You stand on your toes, heart in your throat as you watch your brother's lance shatter, his body swaying in the saddle. His opponent thunders past towards the other end of the list field, dirt flying from his horse's hooves. The crowd lets out a cheer, and you exhale, albeit a tad shakily, as your brother stays in his seat. He guides his mount to where his squire stands ready with another lance, sparing a glance over to where you stand on the sidelines, hands clasped at the front of your breast in anxiety. His grin is free, comforting, and you smile back at him, wishing him luck. He taps a small cloth tucked at his neck, your token of favor to him being your personal handkerchief.

"How exciting!" Your attention is momentarily pulled to your best friend, Jenny, who is clinging to the fence post in front of her. Her eyes practically have hearts in them as she stares at your brother, her cheeks flushed with the anticipation and thrill of the moment. "I always knew your brother would make a wonderful knight. He is proving himself true, in witness of the royal family no less!"

At the mention of the royals, your gaze flickers up to the raised dais where the king, queen, and crown prince sit with the rest of their court. They seem to be enjoying themselves just as much as the commoners that mingle in the stands and on the fairgrounds below them.

"He is doing very well." You agree, leaning gently against the fence in front of you, tugging lightly on the sleeves of your dress. "I was worried when he told me he would be joining the tourney. The Kings' Men are participating, after all."

"But that's not a Kings' Man." Jenny points to where your brother's opponent is readied once more, silver armor gleaming in the light, the emblem of a crimson griffin his standard.

"You don't need to be a member of the kings' inner circle and guard to be a formidable foe," This voice comes from behind you, and you glance over your shoulder to smile at your father. His eyes twinkle at you as he squeezes your shoulder gently, before looking to the knight in question. "That man there is Ser Mathis. He's a shoo-in for King's Champion in a few years."

The next run has started, and you lean forward with bated breath once more as the two knights thunder towards each other. The harsh clang of lances meeting shields accompanies the surprised yelp your brother lets out as he is launched from his saddle, landing heavily on his back in the dirt.

"Jonas!" You leap onto the lowest rung of the fence, heart in your throat.

"Relax! He's fine, see?" Jenny grabs your arm to prevent you from hiking up your skirts and vaulting into the arena. Sure enough, among the cheers of the crowd, Jonas is getting to his feet, greeting his squire as the young man runs to attend him.

Ser Mathis is heading off in the other direction, surely to rest up before the next joust with whichever opponent in the tourney bracket he would next be facing.

"Who is jousting next?" Your father asks, looking up the field to where standards and flags wave in the summer breeze. You cast back in your memory, trying to remember the roster.

Before you can speak, two more knights are approaching the listing field, their standards held aloft. Your father makes an impressed sound in the back of his throat.

"This is going to be a good fight," Jonas has rejoined you, his squire Richard at his side. "That's two of the Kings' Men, Sers John and Kyle."

You look between the two knights, comparing the stature of each. Ser Kyle is slimmer than his opponent, but both are similar in height. You watch as Ser Kyle waves at the crowd, his expression jovial, before he places his helm on, lowering the visor. Ser John appears more somber, his eyes narrowed slightly, his frowning expression framed by a rather becoming set of facial hair.

"Ser Kyle Garrick was the squire of Ser John Price." Jonas says with a smile. "We started as Pages together. I am sure the student is looking forward to unseating his master."

Both knights have acquired lances, and now Ser John's face is obscured by his visor. The men salute the King, and then ready themselves. You lean once more against the fence, eyes darting between the combatants.

The fight is indeed thrilling. Both knights' lances shatter on the second pass, and suddenly there is a ringing of steel as Pupil and Teacher go sword to sword. You find yourself cheering as long with the crowd, caught up in the excitement.

"Put him in the dirt, Kyle!" Jonas roars.

The swords engage and disengage, the horses rearing, their masters urging them onward. But in the end, Ser John proves the better, looking down at where Ser Kyle lies winded on the dirt, sword knocked from his hand. The crowd erupts in cheers once more as Ser John dismounts and helps the other up. They embrace and slap each other on the back, ignoring the armor apparently, as men often do. When they lift their visors, both are grinning at each other, and you can't help but recognize the older's handsomeness when he isn't scowling.

"Ser John is one of the commanders of the King's forces." Your father remarks, leaning against the wooden rail next to you. "It would be telling of his aging if he was bested by his former squire so soon." His eyes twinkle as he glances sideways at you. "It was a close fight, though. I think the commander has some old war wounds that bother him."

You hum thoughtfully, eyes trailing the knight has he leads his mount off of the jousting field, making room for the next set.

Your face is red from the sun and sweat is collecting in your hairline and along your back when the jousts finally finish, emerging with a Ser Simon Riley as the victor. It's not surprising, seeing as he is a mountain of a man all donned in black-polished armor. You and Jenny leave your father, Jonas, and Richard to discuss the jousts, choosing instead to wander the fairgrounds, examining various wares from vendors as you make an attempt to cool down from the unforgiving summer sun.

"Did you hear that there was supposed to be some sort of special announcement done by the King in the evening?" Jenny asks as she examines a glass bauble. "I wonder what it could be?"

As a matter of fact, you have not heard of this, at least not yet. You purse your lips thoughtfully, counting the silvers in your purse as you contemplate buying a necklace with a charm that claims to offer the wearer good luck and protection from evil spirits.

"Maybe he is lowering the taxes for the townspeople?" You offer, handing over your silver coins to the merchant in exchange for the charm. "It has been a good year so far, and we aren't at war. Maybe he will ease some of the burden of the lower class."

"It would be nice, wouldn't it?" Jenny sighs, a bit wistfully. Her own purse only holds a few coppers, the most she could spare from her laundry washing earrings. You pass her a silver coin, which she tries to give back. You refuse.

"I never got you a gift for the winter feast. This is my late gift to you, buy something for yourself." You make sure that no sound of pity escapes from your voice, and keep your eyes on your friend's face, and not the worn, patched clothing that she has to call her "Sunday Best" Jenny gives you a sheepish smile, and then hands over the silver piece to the merchant, a small glass figurine clasped gently in her hand.

The two of you continue to wander the fair grounds, admiring the young men in their armor and the pretty ladies vying for their attention.

"Would you ever want to be married to a Knight?" Jenny asks you as you watch a group of young women surrounding a dashing Knight with a rather peculiar haircut. He wears a plaid kilt around his waist instead of the traditional armor of the knights of the kingdom.

"I'm not sure," you confess, beginning to walk over to where the local tavern has set out tables outside, drinks and food being sold to the festival goers. "With them having to go out and lead armies for the King, I would be worried that he would never come home."

"Even commoners like our fathers can be called to arms at times of war," Jenny reminds you. "How is that any different?"

Leading the way to an empty table, you ponder the question. "I suppose in the grand scheme of things, they are quite similar." You tuck in your skirts around your legs as you settle on the worn, wooden chair. "Maybe I just think that having a knight for a husband would be aiming above my class. My status." Never mind the fact that your brother is a knight himself. "We need no rumors spreading that I am simply looking for a higher rank in society."

"Hmm..." Jenny settles across from you, flagging down a young woman who is carrying a tray of pints. You run a nail along the grain of the wood, turning to people-watch those wandering the town square. The queerly-dressed man has been joined by Sers Simon, Kyle, and John. All have changed into more comfortable garb, but Ser Simon has his face covered with a black cloth so that only his eyes peek out. They all seem in high spirits, and the kilted man stretches up to place a flower crown on top of Ser Simon's clothed head.

"All four of them are in the Kings' Men." Jenny says, her gaze following yours. "The man in the kilt is Ser John MacTavish. Though I hear that his close friends simply call him 'Johnny'."

The men in question move as a group under the shade of a tree nearby, settling at a table. You watch them subtly as they banter and laugh, your attention only diverted when a tankard of chilled cider is set in front of you, along with a plate of hearty stew and a thick crust of bread. You thank the tavern maid with a smile, and take a sip of the soup. It's delicious, as to be expected from this particular tavern.

You find your attention drifting more and more to the table of knights, your stew cooling and your cider warming in tandem. It takes several repetitions of your name, and a harsh kick to your shin under the table before Jenny can pull your attention back to her and the conversation. "You're staring," She says bluntly, a wicked twinkle in her eyes. "Which one of them's caught your fancy?"

Your face floods with a heat not caused by the summer sun, and you take a hasty gulp of your lukewarm cider to chase away the mortification stuck in your throat like a dry piece of bread.

"It's nothing," You deflect. "My head was in the clouds is all."

Jenny raises a skeptical eyebrow at you, then tosses her long brown hair over her shoulder with a snigger. You in turn glare at her playfully, before ducking your head to eat some more of your meal. Your ears, however, stay piqued towards that particular table.

"How are ye feelin' after that joust, Captain? I hope I didnae batter ye too badly," It's the kilted man who is talking. His accent is thick and foreign, exotic, you think. I bet it's barely understandable when he's deep in his cups.

"If you think I'm huffin' and groanin' after a few bouts with you lads, then I might as well turn in my sword today," Grumbles Ser John, but his expression is playful. "I ain't in the grave just yet."

"I'll say," It's Ser Kyle this time. "I'm going to be sore until next summer. You sent me flyin' with that lever you call a lance." A chorus of playful jeering erupts, and there is some shuffling as the men push and shove each other in their banter.

With a meaningful clearing of her throat, Jenny draws your attention back to her. You blink at her a bit owlishly, a sheepish smile turning the corners of your lips. Jonas is standing above the two of you, wearing a cheeky grin.

"Searching for a suitor, darling sister?" He drawls. You try to glower at him, folding your arms across your chest.

"Not at all, Jonas." You try for a cool and collected tone. "Just observing. One must stay vigilant at all times."

"Vigilant of all the eligible, dashing knights, that is," Jenny's wearing a wicked grin.

"You are one to talk," Your gaze cuts momentarily to Jonas, and then back to Jenny's face. Her eyebrows furrow slightly as she narrows her eyes at you, and you simply beam at her, the picture of benevolence and Innocence. Jenny huffs, rolling her eyes, as she gets to her feet.

"Jonas here was going to take me to see the stables, do you want to come along?" Something flashes in her expression, and you have to bite your lower lip to suppress a grin.

You shake your head, waving both of them off. "I'm just going to stay here and cool down. Don't let me ruin your fun." The responding smile is answer enough to your unspoken query, and you watch as Jonas, ever the gentleman, lends Jenny his arm as he leads her through the crowded fairgrounds.

Now alone, you find yourself feeling a bit awkward. You fidget with the new charm around your neck, pressing the cool, smooth glass to your lips. The tavern maid refills your cider and takes your empty bowl, as well as a few silvers for the meals you and Jenny ate.

You're contemplating getting to your feet to wander the fair once more, when a loud scream sounds from behind you. Startled, you jump to your feet and spin on your heel, searching for the source of the commotion.

A heard of horses, which had presumably been picketed at one point, have been spooked into a stampede, still tied together by lead lines. The crowd is scattering, some getting out of the way quick enough, some not. And just to your luck, the herd veers sideways and right towards you.

Cursing in a very unladylike fashion, you rush to escape the horses' path, but your skirt snags on a split in the wooden log that makes up the bench, and you tumble over it to the ground, landing with a pained grunt. Winded, stuck, and in the path of a deadly stampede, you're frozen in place, watching your demise trample towards you.

You barely register the ripping of fabric as two strong hands wrap themselves around your upper arms and pull, jerking you free and dragging you backwards over the dirt. The herd of horses blunders past, shrieking and whinnying as they crash into tables and benches, and overturning barrels of mead and ale.

A rushing in your ears drowns out most sound as you stare at the spot where you had previously been lying, now deluged with hoof prints. The scrap of fabric from your skirt is pummeled into the soft ground. Belated in their arrival, a troop of guards runs in the direction the horses have fled to, shouting orders and trying to clear the way of injured townsfolk.

"Are you okay?" A deep voice sounds in your ear. You're leaning back against a warm, broad chest, its steadyness contrasting to the trembling of adrenaline shaking your body. With a deep, shuddering breath, you pull your gaze from what would have surely been your early grave, to look into the face of your rescuer.

Ser John looks down at you, eyebrows furrowed low in concern. He wears a frown, his brilliant blue eyes looking you over, assessing you for damage. "Are you hurt, my lady?"

"I think I'm okay..." You absently run your hands over yourself, feeling for anything amis. "Maybe a little bruised." Your shin smarts from where it had collided with the bench.

"Looks like your skirt took the worst of it, lass," On your other side kneels Ser MacTavish, his own gaze wide with concern. "Tha was a narrow scrape ye had there."

Ser John assists you to your feet, and supports you while your knees tremble. After you have gained stability, you step cautiously away from the knight, turning to face him as you brush grass and dirt from your skirt to the best of your ability. Sers Kyle and Simon watch from their table, the former's gaze twisted with concern.

"Thank you so much Ser," You say to Ser John, lowering your gaze respectfully. "Without your help, I would surely be injured."

"You're sure you're alright?" The man in question asks, his gaze roaming your body in a cursory examination. "Did I hurt you at all?"

Your hands rub your upper arms where the man's hands had nearly swallowed you, a phantom heat lingering. "No, Ser, you did not hurt me."

Ser John straightens as he looks down at you, hands on his hips. He gives a soft grunt of acknowledgement, settling down in his seat only after giving you one final once over.

"You're Jonas' sister, aren't you?" This question comes from Ser Kyle, who has gotten to his feat and pulled up a seat for you. It seems rude to refuse him, so you settle in the chair, mournfully fingering the rip in your skirt.

"Yes, I am." Your lips curl up at the corners. "He mentioned that you and he were squires together, Ser Kyle."

"What a lad," Ser Kyle beams, his teeth shining on contrast to his darker skin. "One of the best in our group. I don't understand why he ever declined the position."

You blink. "The position? What position?"

"Ye dennae ken?" Ser MacTavish stares at you. Heat wells in your cheeks self-consciously. "He was offered a place in our ranks as a Kings' Man."

The table falls silent as you process that information, watching absently as the tavern keeper rights some of the tables. You note your spilled pint of cider and mourn its cool refreshment silently.

"He never mentioned it," You finally admit. "Granted, he doesn't like to talk about his work too much when he comes home to father and I. Prefers to stay on lighter matters, I suppose." You glance once more at Ser Kyle. "He was supposed to be a Kings' Man?"

"I was second pick for the opening when Ser Richard resigned to his manor by the sea. Your brother was the first pick, the King asked him to join pretty much as soon as he earned his title and standard."

You chew on that for a moment, curiosity itching at you. "He's a rather modest man," you say. "My guess is that he probably thought he wasn't up for it. That someone more capable should take his place."

"Not that I am ungrateful for the position," Ser Kyle glances at his former Knight-master, "but it should have been Jonas."

"If I had to take my guess," Ser John is the one to speak, his sentence broken as he takes a sip from a pint of ale. "He declined it to stay closer to you." At your confused expression, he pushes onward. "Even as a page and a squire up at the castle, he spoke of you often. More often than not, actually. He desired to be able to support you, especially after the passing of your mother, and with your father becoming more elderly and declining in his health. He wanted to provide for you until you wed, and even then, to be close by if you ever needed him. Us Kings' Men are sent all over the realm to do the work of the King. If he had taken the position, he would not have been able to remain as close to your side."

You don't know whether to be embarrassed by your brother's apparent coddling, or touched by his thoughtful nature. Gazing down at the grains in the table, you run a finger over your lower lip in thought, turning over the Ser's words.

"Ae, sounds like somethin tha lad would do." Ser MacTavish agrees.

"If it is as you say," You muse, a smile gracing your features, "It seems rather fitting of him."

"Speak of the Devil," Ser Simon speaks up, looking over your shoulder. You glance behind you, grinning when you see Jonas, Jenny still on his elbow, walking in your direction. Jonas is wearing a flower crown of daisies, which Jenny keeps grinning at, a bluish sitting high in her pale cheeks.

"Heard I missed some action," Jonas calls, his gaze roaming over you. Despite his cheery expression, you can see the worry in his eyes as he takes in your rumpled condition. "Is everything alright around here?" The underlying question about your welfare rattles in your brain like a gong.

"The Tavernkeep might be needin' to seek out the carpenter, and the las's skirt might need some mendin'," Ser MacTavish replies, leaning back to pull up a few more chairs for the new arrivals. "but as far as we can tell, she is no worse for wear. Ser John here kept her out of harm's way."

"And for that, I thank you, Ser," Jonas dips his head to Ser John, a respectful look in his gaze. He then looks to you once more. "You are uninjured?"

"A little rattled," you say with a smile. "But my pride, a bruised shin, and my skirt are the only casualties."

Jonas leads Jenny to her seat, right beside the rather imposing Ser Simon. Jenny gives the large knight a rather nervous look, taking in what features were not hidden by the face covering he wore, and managed a small smile as she gathered her skirts around her. Jonas sits easily in his chair, his arm slung over the back of Jenny's.

"We were just discussing your promotion to knight," You tell your brother, raising an eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell me the King offered you a position in his guard?"

"Wasn't for me," Jonas replies instantly. "I do my best work close to home. There is plenty for me to do here, I'll let the other more adventurous knights such as our present company go gallivanting around the kingdom."

The other men chuckle good-naturedly, and Jonas calls over the tavern maid to order a round of drinks for the table.

"Hey Jonas, did you hear about Prince Aldous?" Ser Kyle suddenly interjects, his expression conspiratorial. Jonas leans in immediately, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What about him?"

The other knights groan in synch, and you and Jenny look at each other in interest. The crown Prince is a good-looking, but rather pompous young man. Despite his attitude, many women in the kingdom seem to be falling over themselves to get his hand in marriage if possible.

"He failed out of his test of Knighthood."

"Again?!"

"Again," Ser Kyle can't seem to keep a mirthful tone from his voice. "That makes three times."

"Must be a record," Ser MacTavish chuckles.

"Careful," Ser John admonishes, his voice a low grumble. "He is still the Crown Prince."

"Well the Crown Prince is a--" Jonas' words are cut off as you kick him sharply under the table, eyes flashing in warning. He gives you an embarrassed sort of smile, then clears his throat. "well, he leaves something to be desired," he finishes, albeit a little lamely.

"He's still young, there is time to learn." You say, drumming your finger against the wooden table, smiling at the tavern maid as she sets a fresh pint of cider in front of you. Ser Simon makes a noise of agreement into his ale.

"He's only a year older than yourself," Jonas reminds you with a smirk. "Maybe you should try for his hand."

A flush fills your cheeks, and you shake your head adamantly. "Me? A Princess? No thank you."

"You'd be a Queen, too," Jenny's eyes glitter. "When he takes the throne. I think you would make a wonderful Royal."

You merely shake your head again, taking a sip of your cider to cool the flush in your cheeks. "No, I don't think so. Too much attention, for one thing."

"The royals are always under constant scrutiny," Ser Kyle says with a nod. "It is a lot of pressure. Not everyone is fit for it."

"Maybe you should try for his hand, Jenny," You tease, knowing full well her answer. She narrows her gaze at you, pursing her lips at your grin.

The conversation flows easily, and time speeds by as the sun descends towards the horizon. As the sunset approaches, Sers Simon, Kyle, MacTavish, and John excuse themselves from the table, begging pardons, but they have to return to their duties as Kings' Men. Not long after, you can hear trumpets sounding from the festival grounds.

"That's the call to assembly," Jonas says, stretching. "Whatever announcement the King is going to give is going to happen there, we will probably want to be there."

Jonas takes the lead in heading towards the festival grounds, clearing away through the crowd for you and Jenny to pass through safely. You keep your eyes peeled for potential troublemakers. As vigilant as the local guards are, instances of pickpocketing and sudden brawls are not exactly unexpected on festival days.

A large crowd of people are gathered on the green lawn, facing a large wooden podium set up underneath a pair of ancient oak trees which provide a natural canopy. The King, Queen, and Crown Prince sit on makeshift thrones up on the podium, flanked by some now-familiar knights. Ser John stands almost directly behind the Crown Prince, his hand resting casually on the pommel of his sword. Sers Simon and MacTavish are behind the King and Queen, with Ser Kyle standing off to the side with a handful of other knights belonging to the Kings' Men, whose names you can't recall at this time.

Jonas picks his way to the side of the crowd, where a small copse of trees offers some shade to some lower-level knights who shelter there. They greet Jonas with friendly waves, and don't protest when you and Jenny settle in the lush green grass.

"How were the horses?" You ask Jenny, settling your skirts around yourself modestly.

"Oh they were wonderful!" Jenny giggles, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Jonas took me to see all of the knights' mounts, including that bay he rides. Her name is Anika. She likes carrots, daisies, and chewing Jonas's tunic." You both giggle at that last bit, and you turn to examine your brother. The shoulder of his shirt does appear a little gnawed-on. Jonas himself is chatting with the other men, gesturing exaggeratedly with his arms.

"He probably forgot to take a bath, and that was Anika's way of telling him he smells," you joke, biting your lower lip as you chuckle. Jenny snorts quietly, shaking her head back and forth.

"His Majesty, the King!" A herald shouts, and the buzzing of the crowd dies down to a hush, raptly focusing on the podium. King Cassian Godfrey is a handsome man, dark haired and tanned skin. His eyes are a dark brown, almost black, that demand the attention of everyone around him. He is a good king, though the graying along his temples reflects his age, and the promise of his son someday taking the throne is a rather daunting one. His Queen, Helen, bares a remarkable resemblance to their son, her fair blonde hair shining like gold in the dying sunlight. She is known to be kind and philanthropic, a mother of the realm, so to speak.

"I come before you today with a joyous announcement for our Kingdom," The king says, his voice projecting across the lawn. "My son, the Crown Prince Aldous, has come of age. After much discussion, it has been decided that he will be allowed to pick a bride of his own choosing." A murmur ripples through the crowd, mixed with some gasps from some women in the crowd. Aldous looks rather bored up on the dais, turning a ring over on his finger and watching it glint in the dying light.

"Every eligible woman will be sent a summons to the palace where they will be required to present themselves before the prince. He will then make a selection of ten women with which to court for a period of time. Of those ten, he will chose his bride."

"A summons?!" The word slips out of you, hushed and shocked. Your sympathies seem reflected by those in the crowd.

"We always knew the family was a bit eccentric," Jenny murmurs, worry in her gaze.

The buzzing of the crowd has risen slightly, emotions melding together in a mixing pot as the realization sets in to the citizens. A mandatory summons. That means equal possibility for all of the eligible women in the kingdom to potentially win the hand of the Prince. But that also means that the initial summons are not optional. Weather or not you are interested in becoming royalty, you are required to present yourself to the prince for his approval or dismissal.

"All unmarried women of eligible age will receive a date of which to present themselves. If they are selected at the end of the first presenting, they will be offered accomodations at the palace for the rest of the courting season."

A headache starts to develop behind one of your eyebrows, your previous words from the evening slamming against your skull like Athena prying herself from Zeus' skull. "Me? A Princess? No thank you."

"Summons will be delivered to those eligible beginning next week. The first presentations will begin the week following. To the families of the ten selected women, a monetary stipend will be paid to cover any loses of income should the women in question be employed to support their families." You and Jenny glance at each other, both thinking of the meager jobs you have managed to acquire to assist your families.

"What if someone who is selected for the ten women does not wish to be?" Someone in the crowd yells. The King pauses, looking in the direction of the speaker.

"It is the belief of the royal council and of myself that it is a service to the country to be accepted to this position, and that any women selected should be honored to do so."

"So in other words, its not optional. You can't decline." one of the knights behind you says in a hushed tone. Jonas grunts, glancing down at where you and Jenny are sitting.

"I suppose if one didn't want to be selected, they would just try to appear as unappealing as possible," Your brother muses, but there is a dark lilt to his tone, and his jaw clenches.

The crowd murmurs among itself, the mixed sentiment evident.

"Thank you for gathering and enjoying the festivities today." King Cassian finishes, before stepping down off of the podium, his family and the King's Men following him.

You sit there on the grass, gazing down at your clasped hands, your heart beating out what seems to be your funeral dirge as reality sets in.

You are unmarried.

You will be presented.

[wonder-worker]

Hey, sorry if you've already a similar question, but I wanted to know if the relationship of Edward III and Alice Perrers was known during the lifetime of Philippa of Hainault? I've read different things across sites and now don't know what to think

Yes, I've answered a similar question on the topic, it should be in my "Alice Perrers" tag. But my opinion about this has changed a bit over the past few months, and I haven't really spoken about that yet, so I'll do it here.

My opinion of Alice's visibility as royal mistress before 1369 is similar to James Bothwell’s conclusion on Edward III’s patronage to Alice during that time. I think it was well-known enough "to excite notice but not public criticism”.

Alice before & after 1369:

I think historians tend to follow a too-rigid binary when they discuss Alice's position as Edward's mistress. They generally divide her tenure into two phases: before and after Philippa's death. To an extent, this is understandable - 1369 was a watershed year not just for Alice but for England in general, as their queen of 40+ years died. Certainly, the physical absence of the queen meant that Alice could promote herself as the "female presence at Edward III's side, both in public and in private" (Tompkins). She would not have been able to do this - at least, not to the extent that she did - if Philippa had been alive.

But by overemphasizing 1369 as a critical year for Alice, historians and commentators generally downplay how her relationship and influence with Edward III seems to have evolved and strengthened across the 1360s itself, before Philippa died. I think this is pretty clear if we look at the surviving royal records.

We lack Edward III’s chamber records, which would probably have given us a clear idea of when the relationship started. As Tompkins said, this was almost definitely a way in which Edward was rewarding or looking after Alice in the beginning; it would have presumably included gifts and perhaps money. The chamber, however, is generally associated with the private expenditure of the monarch. It wasn't completely private - the monarchy was an inherently public institution - but regardless, it had the ability of being personal and discreet in a way that other records could not.

It's true that Alice had an official position as a damsel at court during this time, so even in the most discreet scenario, a relationship between her and king couldn't have been completely hidden. Certainly, Edward was willing to associate with her in a public and formal way: in 1364, he made an "exceptional" order to Richard Lyons "not to interfere with her [Alice's] going where she wished on the king's business or her own". I believe this should be seen as a form of reverse intercession: Alice was not interceding to the king on behalf of others, but instead interceding with others on behalf of the king. I find it likely that at least some people in the court and city must have wondered why Edward III was suddenly so invested in the wellbeing and actions of one young, random commoner, in a way that he clearly doesn't seem to have been for anyone else. Still, it was just one order, and Edward's patronage to Alice remained private and limited to the chamber.

It was in 1366 that things started to change, with Alice beginning to appear in central government records. The nature of these grants also evolved over the years.

The first official grant Edward gave her was relatively conventional: a life grant of two tuns of Gaston wine for service to Queen Philippa. This was, generally speaking, a common and acceptable form of appreciation from royalty to their household members and servants.

However, it didn't stop there. Edward's rewards to Alice from 1377 began to include land grants. This was extremely unusual; during Edward's reign, only one other damsel, Stephanetta de Olneye, had received land grants from him, and even then, it was just one time.

Edward's patronage to Alice far surpassed that. His first gift of land to her was a wardship in May 1367, which included all the lands and marriage rights of the heir of Tobert of Tilliol. In theory, this was "a minor northern gentry power block" (Bothwell). Later that year, Alice was also granted "the lawn of Morton with the covert of Mortonscogh in the forest of Inglewode". Strikingly, this was granted to her for life rather than in wardship.

Even more extraordinarily, Edward went a step further in 1368 by granting Alice two-thirds of the manor of Monylaws, in Northumberland, in fee with the reversion of the third part. This marked his first permanent land alienation for her.

Obviously, we shouldn't necessarily exaggerate the list of grants here. Alice was conducting independent land transactions in the 1360s, and what Edward gave her was simply one part of that. Moreover, there were external factors that lessened the practical usage of these lands - the wardship cost Edward little in terms of permanent capital loss, and profits from the other territories were somewhat diminished due to their remote location. They were undoubtedly more limited compared to the ones Alice got from 1369-77.

However, they were still important, contributing significantly to Alice's profits. They were also very much out of the ordinary for Edward III's reign. It was simply unprecedented for someone of Alice's rank receive what she did - it doesn't seem to have ever happened before in the 14th century. I think it was also more than any other king's mistress in medieval England formally received during his queen's lifetime.

In short - even in the 1360s, Alice's position was already unusual. Edward was already going beyond precedent for her.

More importantly, the records of 1360s show a very clear evolution in Edward III and Alice's relationship. We know that the nature of his patronage went from private and discreet (via his chamber) to public and official (via patent rolls and grants). The nature of the grants themselves changed significantly: they went from conventional and standard (wine) to increasingly unusual (land alienation). If this was simply a short-term relationship - if it lasted for, say, 3 years, only for the grants to abruptly stop - it would be one thing. But we are looking at a long-term, ongoing affair across the 1360s, where the level of rewards became more public and exceptional in scope as the years went by.

I think it's reasonable to assume that these grants mirrored the intensifying closeness of Alice and Edward's relationship as well as the rise of Alice's influence with him. Either she was increasingly comfortable making requests/demands, or he was increasingly besotted/indulgent in giving them to her, or both (In my opinion, it was probably both).

So I find it impossible to support the "Before Philippa / After Philippa" binary historians keep trying to shove down our throats. Yes, her death in 1369 did mark a watershed in Alice's career and propel her to unprecedented heights. But changes in Edward and Alice's relationship (and in his patronage to her) were clearly happening during Philippa's own life.

This is also why I'm very unconvinced by the narrative that "their relationship was very discreet during Philippa's life and only became public after her death". Edward III's own actions clearly contradict this idea: if he wanted to keep their affair private, he could have simply continued rewarding Alice through his private chamber expenditure and continued using his influence to help her indirectly, as he did in the John Cobham case (among others). His 1364 order aside, those actions can be reasonably categorized as discreet.

But Edward obviously did not stop at private, indirect association with Alice. Officially, their relationship went from private to public, from conventional to exceptional. Their relationship was becoming more open and public across the 1360s. That's not a matter of opinion or interpretation; it's a matter of formal record.

Personally, I don't believe that we "need" explicit evidence to prove that Edward and Alice's affair was widely known by the 1360s. Instead, I believe that their affair should automatically be assumed to be widely known unless and until we specifically find evidence that proves otherwise. Edward's increasingly public actions towards Alice cannot be attributed to someone who was genuinely invested in keeping the affair primarily hidden or under wraps. After all, the formal title of "king's mistress" never existed in medieval England or France - the grants Edward bestowed to Alice were in fact exactly how royal mistresses of the 14th and 15th century, including Agnes Sorel, were "officially" acknowledged by their lovers. The grants in themselves were regarded as public marks of favor. For example, John of Gaunt gave Katherine Swynford many such grants (probably following his father's example) in the 1370s, and their affair certainly does seem to have been widely known. Likewise, historians regularly use royal grants to lords/courtiers/factions to prove that they were publicly favored by the king, regardless of whether or not said favor was mentioned in chronicles. There's also no question of the king's favor being "discreet" in those cases, because the grants were official and public by nature. I don't know why people are so reluctant to believe the same with Alice (apart from misogynistic double standards, that is), whose status as a widowed commoner would have only made these grants more notable and shocking. Unless you believe that Edward's court was comprised entirely of dunderheads, these grants would have inevitably made it obvious that the king was favoring Alice and was doing so in an official manner. There is really no reason to believe otherwise.

The Philippa/Alice binary:

I admire Laura Tompkins and her thesis on Alice a lot, but I disagree with this incredibly presumptive statement of hers:

"Before Philippa died Alice was no more scandalous than any other late medieval mistress who, if the queen had lived, would have no doubt enjoyed a limited period of patronage and status before slipping back into obscurity."

I have plenty of doubts, actually. Also, I think that the English king whom this quote actually applies to is Edward IV, not Edward III, but that's another matter*.

Firstly, this scenario is wildly assumptive on Tompkins' part. I might be biased here - I hate when historians act as though their imagination qualifies as a valid historical source. I hate when historians create historical "what ifs" and then use their personal predictions to analyze historical figures. I hate when historians ignore actual evidence in favor of their own wish-fulfilling theories. It's ridiculous and unprofessional behavior that leads to incredibly flawed historical analyses. Tomkins generally doesn't do this (I think she's a fantastic historian and I liked her thesis a lot), which is why this statement of hers annoyed me so much.

I also think it's ... interesting how Alice's relationship with Edward III is often regarded with a level of skepticism and dismissiveness in a way that no other relationship of that time ever is. Would we apply the same quote to Katherine Swynford if Constance of Castile had lived past 1394? Would we say that Hugh le Despenser's influence would "no doubt" subside and that he would "slip back into obscurity" if Isabella of France had stayed or returned to England? Would we say that Edward III and Philippa of Hainault's relationship would have "no doubt" worsened in the 1370s had Philippa continued to live? All of these are pure speculations - we do not know if any of these can be true, and they seem rather insulting to the historical relationships in question. So why are historians and commentators so willing to make such presumptions for Alice? I think it's extremely illogical and unfair.

Most importantly, there is no historical basis for Tompkins to be making such a claim in the first place. The idea that Alice would "slip back into obscurity" if Philippa had lived is directly contradicted by the evidence I mentioned above. Alice's position before 1369 was not stagnant, only to suddenly transform upon Philippa's death - instead, her influence was already rising during Philippa's life. It was already becoming more official and more unusual. Philippa's death clearly resulted in a significant boost of Edward's patronage to Alice, but it did not change the nature of said patronage, as it was already public and already exceptional. So I don't understand how Tompkins can claim that Alice would have "no doubt" become irrelevant if Philippa lived when records and historical evidence clearly point in the opposite direction. We should also remember that Edward did not have to remain with Alice and after Philippa died. He could have remained celibate, or remarried, or begun an affair with someone else. Nor did he have to give Alice the degree of prominence, influence and patronage that he did (ie: that of an "uncrowned queen"). He was very clearly committed to their relationship and had become so during Philippa's life, so I fail to understand why that would have changed if Philippa lived past 1369. If we have to speculate what would have happened in that alternate scenario, records from the `1360s and evidence from the 1370s both logically suggest that Edward's official favor to Alice would have continued to increase and intensity. That's not really up for debate - what is up for debate is simply the extent of Alice's rise**. We don't know what exactly could have happened - but the one option that must be disregarded based on evidence is the idea that Alice would have "slipped back into obscurity". Everything we know suggests the opposite.

There's also Walsingham's account to consider:

"Blind fortune elevated this woman [Alice] to such heights and promoted her to a greater intimacy with the king than was proper...And while the queen was still alive, the king loved this woman more than he loved the queen.”

I've said before that this statement should be taken with a grain of salt and is not necessarily reliable. However, on the flip side, that does not mean it should be considered unreliable and automatically disregarded. Walsingham may have written this after Philippa's death, but it was nonetheless during Edward III's life, and he was a contemporary witness to the events of the 1360s. Moreover, whatever you think of Walsingham, most other contemporary sources echoed his view of Alice. Walsingham was not unique in his hostility to her, nor was he unique in his belief that Edward was very attached to her, nor was he unique in his assertion that Alice enjoyed unparalleled influence with the king. It's also worth pointing out that Walsingham did not actually need to claim that Edward apparently loved Alice more than Philippa during the 1360s. Even if he was trying to heighten outrage, there were other ways he could have gone about it - he could have simply claimed that Alice tried to seduce Edward during Philippa's life, or took advantage of him after Philippa's death, or contrasted his "virtuous"/marital love for Philippa and "improper"/adulterous love for Alice. For him to point-blank state that Edward loved Alice more than Phillippa is noteworthy, whether you believe his comment is reliable or not.

It's also ... odd that the possibility of Edward truly loving Alice more seems to make a lot of academic historians and commentators very uncomfortable. Of course, I believe we do not and cannot know what Edward felt - if I was writing a novel about the 1360s, I would approach this by emphasizing that he loved them both in similar/different ways, without creating any sort of romance hierarchy. But at the end of the day, Edward loving Alice more is a genuine possibility, and it's odd how most people can't even accept the existence of that possibility. Either it's viewed as outrageous, or it's dismissed as impossible. It's equally ridiculous how Edward's affection for Philippa is often used as "proof" that he couldn't have cared for Alice as much during Philippa's life, even though neither cancels out the other. Even historians who are sympathetic to Alice, like Laura Tompkins and Gemma Hollman, are keener to prioritize Edward's relationship with Philippa over his one with Alice and seem reluctant to put too much emphasis on their affair in the 1360s. Instead, they are truly willing to emphasize Alice's influence and importance to Edward only after Philippa is dead - even though both were already well-established during Philippa's life and had already become unusual by the time she died.

In any case, my main point is that I find it absurd how Tompkins has disregarded Walsingham's quote, yet claimed that the exact opposite would "no doubt" be true, with no justification to back up her claim. I don't think that's a fair or logical conclusion in any capacity - quite the opposite.

Also, I want to be clear that my frustration with this is not based on shipping. I generally don't get the point of shipping historical figures, certainly not royals, and certainly not Alice and Edward III (If I had to actively ship him with anyone from a fandom-esque perspective, it would be with Philippa). What frustrates me here is the fact that there is clearly still a great deal of historical discomfort when it comes to Alice's relationship to Edward, especially in the 1360s. It may be because of their adultery. It may be because of the misassumptions I mentioned above. It may be because Edward III, Philippa, and their marriage have all been very idealized across English history, and Alice represents a crack in that narrative. I don't really know.

But the end result is the same: it upholds the age-old binary between Philippa and Alice, where Alice is repeatedly degraded for Philippa's sake. Either she is framed as the bad woman and grasping mistress to Philippa's beloved and benevolent queen ... or she is romantically diminished in comparison to Philippa to render her more palatable and less threatening. If this is the only way “defend” or "reassess" Alice, I don’t want it.

Visibility VS Controversy:

Most historians and commentators tend to conflate the two or assume that one automatically leads to the other, even though they are very different things and must be analyzed differently.

Namely, most believe that because Alice was probably uncontroversial before Philippa died, it must automatically mean that she was obscure and unknown during that time as well***. But Alice could have been widely known as the king's mistress in the 1360s while also remaining unproblematic. It doesn't matter if she was a topic of intrigue or a figure of scandal - it just matters if her romantic connection to Edward was known to the court and the public (imho, it has to have been, given his public grants to her).

For example, Tompkins clearly believes that Edward's relationship with Alice was well-known during Philippa's life:

"The affair became more widely known about at court, as it must have been by the mid 1360s."

This...sort of answers the question, doesn't it? The issue is that Tompkins tends to use the words "widely discussed" and "point of intrigue" simultaneously when talking about Alice's affair with Edward, even though they mean completely different things. It could have been widely known without being a point of intrigue, it could have been a point of intrigue within court but not outside, etc.

This is another example: “If [Alice's] relationship with Edward III was known outside court it was the stuff of harmless gossip rather than a dangerous scandal”. The problem is that Tompkins was not discussing if the relationship was scandalous. She was merely discussing if it was known outside court, and if it was the "stuff of harmless gossip", that means that it would have been known.

Very simply, I think we should avoid conflating visibility and controversy when discussing Alice and Edward's relationship in the 1360s, and should instead look at them as two separate topics of discussion. I think we should also avoid judging Alice's position in the 1360s purely in comparison to her future position in the 1370s, which is entirely dependent on hindsight. It also ends up downplaying that Edward's actions wrt Alice were exceptional in the 1360s itself and would have remained so regardless of what happened in the following decade.

*Tompkins has said “from Edward I through to Henry VII it is only Edward IV and Edward III himself who had a known mistress”. This is incorrect – while contemporaries did state that Edward IV had extramarital affairs, no extant contemporary source or government record links him with any specific woman during his marriage the way Edward III was linked with Alice. (Contemporaries also emphasized that he was known to only have specifically short-term affairs, while no one can characterize Edward III's relationship with Alice in such a way). We do not explicitly know the names of any mistresses during his marriage as of yet. We also do not know if Edward IV truly had an affair with Elizabeth “Jane” Shore, as there is no contemporary proof of said affair's existence. But regardless, even if it did occur, it cannot be compared to Edward III's relationship with Alice. Shore was never honored with formal/official grants during Elizabeth Woodville's queenship the way Alice was during Philippa of Hainault's (and the way French and Breton mistresses were in the 15th century). Unlike Alice, who was known to have conducted "king's business" in the 1360s, there is no evidence of Shore having the influence or ability to do anything of the sort - she is absent from all known cases of intercession during Edward IV's reign, and there are cases where contemporaries sought help from multiple people known to be influential at court while making no mention of Shore. Finally, even if Edward IV and Elizabeth Shore did have an affair, it's extremely doubtful that it was long-term the way Thomas More (a post-contemporary source who was the first and only one to link them together) claimed it was. Mancini, interacting with courtiers or Londoners in 1483, specifically emphasized that Edward was known to have short-term affairs during his life (an odd thing to say if he had been in a years-long relationship with Shore) and More straight-up contradicted his own account of Shore by stating that Edward IV stopped having affairs in his last years ("his fleshly wantonness ... in his latter days, it lessened and well left"). So based on what we currently know, I don't think Edward III and Edward IV can be compared much in this aspect.

In any case, we know that Henry IV had an affair and illegitimate son by an unknown woman around 1401. There's also Henry V's alleged "wild youth", although that was before he became king. Of course, neither were married at the time, so they weren't having extramarital affairs, but they (at least Henry IV) certainly weren't remaining chaste, either. And while neither John of Gaunt nor Humphrey of Gloucester were kings, both were princes of England known for their controversial extramarital affairs and for marrying their mistresses. So while I somewhat agree with Tompkins's statement that "royal mistresses were not a common feature of political life in England during the later middle ages", I don't think it's anywhere near as straightforward as that, because sexual scandal was still memorably prevalent in the reigns of several other English kings (including Edward II and Richard II). **Obviously, I think it's improbable that Alice would have or could have presented herself as an uncrowned queen or been regarded as Edward's "wife" had Philippa lived. But I think quasi-queenship and increased localized influence (which she was already exercising in the 1360s), along with rising notoriety, are all likely. ***There was a distinct lack of contemporary narrative sources in the 1360s, so Alice's absence from the sparse chronicles during that time doesn't really say much. According to Tompkins, the fullest account of the decade was "the well-informed Westminster monk John of Reading [who] makes no mention of Alice or the king’s infidelity before the end of his chronicle". However, as the chronicle ends in 1367, exactly the year Edward began to bestow official grants to Alice, it is obviously not a valid or reliable source when it comes to their affair specifically. It's possible Alice would have featured in contemporary sources if more of them existed. But even if she didn't, the truth is that her absence can't be relied upon as any sort of evidence. It's possible that Alice's position as mistress was viewed as more "acceptable" and easier to overlook when Philippa was alive. Considering the explosion of hostility towards her immediately after 1369, sources could have been actively holding back from criticizing her to keep up appearances, only to unleash their anger after Philippa's death as Alice's prominence continued to rise. It's also possible they were deliberately avoiding any mention of Alice out of hostility to her and respect for Philippa - after all, even at the peak of Alice's power in the 1370s, the Good Parliament sought to remove her from court and symbolically re-associate Edward with the memory of Philippa. Again, Edward's grants to Alice across the late 1360s is the key thing to remember - if he had restrained himself to private chamber rewards, Alice's absence from narrative sources would be a reasonable indication of discreetness, perhaps even obscurity. But as Edward did not restrain himself, and his grants to Alice were public and official by nature, the situation was obviously a lot more complicated and requires alternate explanations.

[tgrailwar-zero]

Servant Matrix: RICHARD I

Class: Saber

True Name: Richard I, Richard the Lionheart

Gender: Male

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Height/Weight: 178cm / 66kg

Source: Historical Fact

Region: Europe

ENDURANCE GAUGE: [X/X/X/X/X/X]

MANA CHARGES: [ X / X / X / X / X ]

COMMAND SPELLS: [ X | X | X ]

A lionhearted man, crusader, and King of England who lives more in accordance to his own emotions and ambitions rather than the orders of his superiors of a perceived 'status quo'. In life, he was said to possess a great many talents and excelled at almost everything. A man possessing a dangerous charisma who was lionized as a magnificent and ideal warrior king despite being absent for the majority of his reign. A crusader, a tyrant, a warlord, a knight-- a man who has held many titles and been viewed through many different lenses both during and after his life.

He was found by the Masters in a laboratory belonging to the Umbral Institute, presumably as part of a plot to create an 'exploitable Excalibur'. How he got there and what the details of the experiment are remain a mystery, though he is grateful to be brought back to the side of humanity. If he remained undiscovered and the plot was finished, could he have instead been a fierce enemy rather than a bravehearted ally…?

He and his siblings of the House of Plantagenet (known to historians also as the 'Devil's Brood') were known for their ferocity, constant infighting, and propensity for violence. Thankfully, as a Saber, his more personable traits come to light. In life, he was known for his eccentric and sporadic personality that earned him the nickname 'Oc e Non' (Yes and No), meaning that his line of thinking can be extreme and difficult to follow at times, but one does not earn the title 'Coeur de Lion' (Lionheart) from taking the simple path. He is a bold-hearted warrior king that will slay his enemies without a shift in his expression or a moment's hesitation-- and also his allies, if he finds them particularly disagreeable.

Despite not possessing an actual 'Charisma' skill, he does have a rather magnetic personality that makes him easily likable. That, in addition to his adoration of the heroes of old such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round or Charlemagne and his Twelve Paladins thanks to being told stories by his mother Aliénor d'Aquitaine, means that even with the more troublesome aspects of his personality present, he strives to act in a manner that he considers honorable and knightly-- wishing to help the common folk, and finding the prospect of 'saving humanity' a noble and exciting path to follow.

To put it simply, he's a royal pain, but a royal pain that you'd rather have as an ally.

Strength: B

Endurance: B

Agility: EX (B -> A++)

Mana: B

Luck: C

NP: A

SKILLS:

Magic Resistance (B) - Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by greater magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for them to be affected.

Riding (A) - All vehicles and all creatures but those of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast-rank can be used as mounts.

Godspeed (A) - A skill crystallizing his ferocity and speed on the battlefield and the extent of his marches. The longer the battle continues, the higher his Agility parameter climbs.

Lionheart (A) - A skill embodying the name 'Lionheart'. When he's present on the battlefield, enemies are inflicted with wariness and fear, and his allies are emboldened with an increase to morale.

All Kinds of Talents (A) - A skill based on anecdotes that proclaimed his talent at a great many things, ranging from combat to the arts. Anything he practiced while he was alive can be performed at 'B-Rank' or higher, and new skills can be picked up incredibly quickly.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Excalibur

The Sword of Forever Distant Victory.

They say that Richard I liked to name any sword that he uses 'Excalibur', due to his immense adoration of King Arthur.

This Noble Phantasm is not the true Excalibur as wielded by the likes of King Arthur, but a replica blade that can be created by Richard whenever he wields something that he wishes to consider 'Excalibur', ranging from a random tree branch to an ornamental sword. The strength of the attack depends on the 'value' of the object, with different objects resulting in a different energy release.

Despite the power of this Noble Phantasm, it will always pale in comparison to the true Excalibur.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Rounds of Lionheart

A mysterious ability to materialize those that he bonded with in life using his own Saint Graph as a catalyst. One of Richard's trump cards, and a skill that even someone as eccentric as himself does not take lightly, and a Noble Phantasm that he keeps close to his chest and doesn't speak of carelessly.

They manifest within Richard's shadow from the records of the Moon Cell. In other theoretical worlds, they would be directly summoned from the Throne of Heroes. They cannot fully manifest in a practical sense, and are weaker than normal Heroic Spirits, but can cover Richard's blind spots and provide him advice during combat.

The number of 'essences' he can summon is dependent on the amount of magical energy he possesses.

EXTRA SKILL: Fury Shift

A unique trigger possessed by Richard due to belonging to a multifaceted Master-- some of which that may have been more attuned to Richard's aspects as a 'warlord'. Richard can take 'Brave Actions', which have a higher chance of causing Richard harm, but increase his 'Heat'. When his 'Heat' is fully maxxed out, the Masters can temporarily shift him into a destructive state surrounded by raging flames-- a true manifestation of 'Lionheart'. Richard's Endurance Gauge will continuously decrease each action, however his destructive power increases immensely.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Utopie Purgatoire

The flames of purgatory burn in the shape of ferocious lions as Richard charges forth.

A violent, massively powerful manifestation of Richard the Lionheart's unreasonable fighting style, where he'd charge ahead of his soldiers-- and the destruction that he left in his wake.

Can only be used when 'Fury Shifted'

-

COMBO ATTACKS:

SWORD OF GILDED VICTORY

{REQUIRES: YOUNG GIL + RICHARD I, -3 MP EACH} --

Gil passes Richard a blade from the Age of Gods from his treasury, allowing him to use 'Excalibur' in a massively powered up fashion, unleashing a barrage of super-powered beams. The blade is destroyed once the technique is completed.

MYSTIC CODES:

'Wandering Rock and Roll'

A fashionable, modern outfit that RICHARD bought for himself. As of now, the change is purely cosmetic. However, there seems to be some latent potential within the clothing...

[bullet-prooflove]

I don't need this as a fic, more just making sure I'm understanding the vibes right - you were talking about Faye's ex, and I was relistening to "100 Letters" by Halsey - the opening stanza is "Well, King Midas put his hands on me again - he said one day, I'll realize why I don't have any friends - why I find myself alone at night, unless I'm having sex - but he could make me golden if I just show some respect" - was that how it was during Faye's first marriage? That vein of "why won't you just do what you're told" is quite common in partner violence, from what I've read.

^^^This was kinda the vibe of their initial relationship.

I love Halsey but I don’t know how I missed this song. I’ve just listened to it and it is completely Faye and Richard. He was more emotionally abusive instead of physically.  I can’t really say too much more as it will spoil the fic that’s coming out in 40 mins where you get some insight into her life before Jack but it was a true inappropriate relationship and I truly believed the only reason he married her was so that he wouldn’t get into trouble for it.

My husband is a senior court and crime reporter and I do a lot of research into my fics, the mentality is very like ‘do what you told’ and you’ll see that reflected in this fic.

[sugasiren]

~ARIES~ The Queens of Romance 👑❤️👑

Aries Women are always the ultimate Leading Ladies in the most memorable Romantic Films. Have you ever noticed?! Especially in those with a classic or historical edge to them. And deeply whimsical ones that truly make you feel swept up in a Fairytale. ✨️ The examples are endless!

In most of these films, the female Protagonist knows how to challenge the man without losing her Feminine Essence. 🦋 She's authentic & stays true to her beliefs. Youthful yet mature. Lively, smart, adventurous & beautiful - she [Aries] easily captures the heart of her Knight In Shining Armor! 💪 And truly blossoms.

In addition to that, these women are often paired onscreen with Venus-Dominant Men who offer the perfect contrast to her Martian Energy. Venus + Mars together makes for a truly fiery & sensuously juicy romantic affair! ❤️ With much dignity still intact. It's also quite common to see these Aries Actresses matched with Plutonian Partners due to the loyalty factor & the deeply intoxicating intensity between them as Lovers. 🔥 And! the joint Mars-on-Mars Energy creates explosive passion for viewers to sop-up like a biscuit. So it all makes sense.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

👑 Starring: Keira Knightley (Aries Sun)

👑 Partner: Matthew MacFayden (Libra Sun)

Dangerous Beauty (1998)

✨️ Starring: Catherine McCormack (Aries Sun)

✨️ Partner: Rufus Sewell (Scorpio Sun)

Romeo + Juliet (1996)

👑 Starring: Claire Danes (Aries Sun)

👑 Partner: Leonardo DiCaprio (Scorpio Sun)

Romeo & Juliet (1968)

✨️ Starring: Olivia Hussey (Aries Sun)

✨️ Partner: Leonard Whiting (Cancer Sun)

Bridgerton (Season 1)

👑 Starring: Phoebe Dynevor (Aries Sun)

👑 Partner: Regé-Jean Page (Taurus Sun)

Bridgerton (Season 2)

✨️ Starring: Simone Ashley (Aries Sun)

✨️ Partner: Jonathan Bailey (Taurus Sun)

Little Mermaid (2023)

👑 Starring: Halle Bailey (Aries Sun)

👑 Partner: Jonah Hauer-King (Gemini Sun)

Cinderella (2015)

✨️ Starring: Lily James (Aries Sun)

✨️ Partner: Richard Madden (Gemini Sun)

Maleficent/Sleeping Beauty (2014)

👑 Played by: Elle Fanning (Aries Sun)

👑 Partner: Brenton Thwaites (Leo Sun)

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

✨️ Voiced by: Mary Costa (Aries Sun)

✨️ Partner: Bill Shirley (Cancer Sun)

✨️💛✨️💛✨️

~HONORABLE MENTIONS~

Atonement 2007: Keira Knightley (Aries Sun), James McAvoy (Taurus Sun)

Emma 2020: Anya Taylor-Joy (Aries Sun), Johnny Flynn (Pisces Sun)

Little Women 2019: Saoirse Ronan & Emma Watson (Aries Suns), Timothée Chalamet (Capricorn Sun) & James Norton (Cancer Sun)

Sense & Sensibility 1995: Emma Thompson (Aries Sun), Hugh Grant (Virgo Sun)

Walk The Line 2005: Reese Witherspoon (Aries Sun), Joaquin Phoenix (Scorpio Sun)

Mr & Mrs Loving 1996: Lela Rochon (Aries Sun), Timothy Hutton (Leo Sun)

Beauty & Beast 2017: Emma Watson (Aries Sun), Dan Stevens (Libra Sun)

♈️❤️♈️❤️♈️

I hope you enjoyed the read! If this resonated with you please like, share and follow. ✨️

[babyrdie]

There are some interactions involving Theseus in plays that I find funny in a way that I feel like I shouldn't be.

Like:

Theseus What is it that you fear? Oedipus Men will come— Theseus But these men here will see to that. Oedipus Beware that if you leave me— Theseus Do not instruct me in my duties. Oedipus [655] Fear constrains me— Theseus My heart feels no fear.

Oedipus at Colonus, 653-656. Translation by Richard Jebb.

I don't know, I think it's the way he's determined in Sophocles. Oedipus is scared, desperate, fearful and Theseus is like "duh man relax". Oedipus like "I fear what will happen to us if I involve you…" and Theseus like "don't tell me what to do", they be like "I'm afraid" "well, I'm not!".

There was also this response he gave to a herald in other play that was SO passive-aggressive:

Theseus With this art you have always served the state and me by carrying my proclamations far and wide; now cross Asopus and the waters of Ismenus, and declare this message to the haughty king of the Cadmeans: [385] “Theseus, your neighbor, one who well may win what he craves, begs as a favor your permission to bury the dead, winning to yourself the love of all the Erechtheidae.” And if they are willing, thank them and come back again, but if they do not hearken, your second message runs thus: [390] they may expect my warrior army; for at the sacred fount of CalIichorus my army camps in readiness and is being reviewed. Moreover, the city gladly of its own accord undertook this labor, when it perceived my wish. [395] Ha! who comes here to interrupt my speech? A Theban herald, so it seems, though I am not sure of this. Stay; perhaps he may save you your trouble. For by his coming he meets my purpose half-way. Theban Herald Who is the despot of this land? To whom must I announce [400] the message of Creon who rules over the land of Cadmus, since Eteocles was slain by the hand of his brother Polyneices, at the sevenfold gates of Thebes? Theseus You have made a false beginning to your speech, stranger, in seeking a despot here. For this city is not ruled [405] by one man, but is free. The people rule in succession year by year, allowing no preference to wealth, but the poor man shares equally with the rich. Theban Herald You give me here an advantage, as in a game of checkers; [410] for the city from which I come is ruled by one man only, not by the mob; no one there puffs up the citizens with specious words, and for his own advantage twists them this way or that, one moment dear to them and lavish of his favors, [415] the next harmful to all; and yet by fresh calumnies of others he hides his former failures and escapes punishment. Besides, how would the people, if it cannot form true judgments, be able rightly to direct the state? No, it is time, not haste, that affords a better [420] understanding. A poor farmer, even if he were not unschooled, would still be unable from his toil to give his mind to politics. Truly the better sort count it no healthy sign when the worthless man obtains a reputation [425] by beguiling with words the populace, though before he was nothing.

Theseus This herald is a clever fellow, a dabbler in the art of talk. But since you have thus entered the contest with me, listen awhile, for it was you that challenged a discussion. Nothing is more hostile to a city than a despot; [430] where he is, there are first no laws common to all, but one man is tyrant, in whose keeping and in his alone the law resides, and in that case equality is at an end. But when the laws are written down, rich and weak alike have equal justice, [435] and it is open to the weaker to use the same language to the prosperous when he is reviled by him, and the weaker prevails over the stronger if he has justice on his side. Freedom's mark is also seen in this: “Who has wholesome counsel to declare unto the state?” [440] And he who chooses to do so gains renown, while he, who has no wish, remains silent. What greater equality can there be in a city? Again, where the people are absolute rulers of the land, they rejoice in having a reserve of youthful citizens, while a king counts this a hostile element, [445] and strives to slay the leading men, all such as he thinks discreet, fearing for his power. How then could a city remain stable, where one cuts short all enterprise and mows down the young like meadow-flowers in spring-time? [450] What good is it to acquire wealth and livelihood for children, merely to add to the tyrant's substance by one's toil? Why train up daughters virtuously in our homes to gratify a tyrant's whim, whenever he wishes, and cause tears to those who rear them? May my life end [455] if ever my children are to be wedded by violence! This bolt I launch in answer to your words. Now say, why have you come? what do you need of this land? If your city had not sent you, to your cost you would have come with your outrageous utterances; for it is the herald's duty [460] to tell the message he is bidden and go back in haste. Henceforth let Creon send to my city some other messenger less talkative than you.

The Suppliant, 381-462. Translation by Eugene O'Neill.

Later on he basically tells Adrastus to shut up lol actually throughout the whole play he seems SO tired of Adrastus. He's like "I'm doing this by helping you because it's the right thing to do but oh my god you piss me off". And then he's like "oh yeah, Creon doesn't want to? Creon won't let me? Too bad Creon isn't my lord my dear" to the herald.

Theban Herald [465] Now I will speak. On these disputed points you hold this view, but I the contrary. I and all the people of Cadmus forbid you to admit Adrastus to this land, but if he is here, [470] drive him forth in disregard of the holy suppliant bough, before the blazing sun sinks, and do not attempt violently to take up the dead, since you have nothing to do with the city of Argos. And if you will hearken to me, you shall bring your ship of state into port unharmed by the billows; but if not, fierce shall be the surge of battle [475] that we and our allies shall raise. Take good thought, and do not, angered at my words, because you rule your city with so-called freedom, return a vaunting answer from your feebler means. Hope is not to be trusted; it has involved many a state [480] in strife, by leading them into excessive rage. For whenever the city has to vote on the question of war, no man ever takes his own death into account, but shifts this misfortune on to another; but if death were before their eyes when they were giving their votes, [485] Hellas would never rush to her doom in mad desire for battle. And yet each man among us knows which of the two to prefer, the good or ill, and how much better peace is for mankind than war, peace, the Muses' dearest friend, [490] the foe of Sorrow, whose joy is in glad throngs of children, and its delight in prosperity. These are the blessings we cast away and wickedly embark on war, man enslaving his weaker brother, and cities following suit. Are you helping our foes even after death, [495] trying to rescue and bury those whom their own acts of insolence have ruined? Was not Capaneus then rightly blasted by the thunderbolt, when he raised a ladder against our gates and swore he would sack our town, whether the god willed it or not? [500] Should not the yawning earth have snatched away the seer, opening wide her mouth to take his chariot and its horses in, while the other chieftains are stretched at our gates, their skeletons crushed to atoms beneath boulders? Either boast your wit transcends that of Zeus, [505] or else allow that gods are right to slay the ungodly. The wise should love their children first, next their parents and country, whose fortunes they ought to increase rather than break down. Rashness in a leader causes failure; the sailor of a ship is calm, wise at the proper time. [510] Yes, and forethought, this too is bravery.

Chorus Leader The punishment Zeus has inflicted was surely enough; there was no need to heap this wanton insult on us. Adrastus Abandoned wretch!—

Theseus Peace, Adrastus! say no more; do not set your words before mine, [515] for it is not to you this fellow has come with his message, but to me, and I must answer him. Your first assertion I will answer first: I am not aware that Creon is my lord and master, or that his power outweighs mine, that so he should compel [520] Athens to act in this way; no! for then would the tide of time have to flow backward, if we are to be ordered, as he thinks. It is not I who choose this war, seeing that I did not even join these warriors to go unto the land of Cadmus; but still I think it right to bury the fallen dead, not injuring any state [525] nor yet introducing murderous strife, but preserving the law of all Hellas. What is not well in this? If you suffered anything from the Argives, they are dead; you took a splendid vengeance on your foes [530] and covered them with shame, and now your right is at an end. Let the dead now be buried in the earth, and each element return to the place from where it came to the body, the breath to the air, the body to the ground; for in no way did we get it [535] for our own, but to live our life in, and after that its mother earth must take it back again. Do you think it is Argos you are injuring in refusing burial to the dead? No! all Hellas has a share of this, if a man robs the dead of their due [540] and keeps them from the tomb; for, if this law is enacted, it will strike dismay into the stoutest hearts. And have you come to cast dire threats at me, while your own folk are afraid of giving burial to the dead? What is your fear? Do you think they will undermine your land [545] in their graves, or that they will beget children in a cavern of the earth, from whom shall come vengeance? A silly waste of words, in truth it was, to show your fear of paltry groundless terrors.

The Suppliants, 465-548. Translation by Eugene O'Neill.

Theseus in Euripides' Suppliants be like: they call me whip-tongued.

[hotelelectrico]

Sometimes at the end of a year, I'll post stills from ten of my favorite movies that I saw for the first time that year. This year, those movies have something else in common: none of them are currently available to stream or rent online in the US. I rented almost all of these on disc from Scarecrow Video, the world's largest publicly-available video archive. They're in the midst of an important fundraising campaign - please consider renting from them, becoming a member, or donating what you can!

The Heiress (1949, USA, director William Wyler): A suitor (Montgomery Clift!) encourages a rich young woman (Olivia de Havilland!) to assert her independence from her father, but can she trust his motives? Classical Hollywood rarely got more psychologically insightful than in this tense but gorgeous melodrama. On Blu-ray from Criterion.

Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie (1952, USA, dir. Henry King): A young husband is happy to put down small-town roots while his wife dreams of the city. David Lynch says that this was the first movie he ever saw, and you can feel its influence on his work. Wholesome Americana as a force of perpetual destruction to those who dream of anything else. On DVD-R from Fox Archive.

They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969, USA, dir. Sydney Pollack): Hm, I'm realizing there may be some recurring themes in these, maybe a little bit of cynicism about "capitalism" and "America" and so on. Desperate Depression-era contestants join a nightmarish dance contest for the prospect of guaranteed meals and a cash prize. One of the key films of the New Hollywood movement and a highlight of Jane Fonda's career! On Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

Wicked, Wicked (1973, USA, dir. Richard L. Bare): Okay time for something fun! A cheesy, gimmicky, thoroughly enjoyable psycho-horror shown almost entirely in split-screen "DuoVision". The film makes genuinely interesting and varied use of its core gimmick , but even without it the lurid twists would be a blast to watch. There's even an atrocious but catchy theme song! On DVD-R from Warner Archive.

Man of Marble (1977, Poland, dir. Andrzej Wajda): A driven young documentary filmmaker seeks out the true story of a bricklayer who had been lauded as a proletarian hero decades before. For another change of pace, we have some cynicism about communism instead of capitalism! Agnieszka the filmmaker is one of my favorite characters of the year, because she possesses every admirable trait: a rock-steady moral vision, a fearless investigatory instinct, and a world-class ability to lounge around and sit in odd positions. On DVD from Vanguard. (I saw this through my university library, but Scarecrow has it too!)

The Driver (1978, USA, dir. Walter Hill): A cool-guy-does-cool-car-crimes movie so stripped-down that none of the characters have names or even change outfits. Ryan O'Neal and Isabelle Adjani are as pretty and blank as you could possibly hope for. The car chases rock. It turns out you can strip this whole genre down to just the chassis and it's still immensely satisfying. On Blu-ray from Imprint.

Urgh! A Music War (1982, UK, dir. Derek Burbidge): Punk and new-wave concert footage from some of the greatest acts of the era! And plenty of other people too! Inherently inconsistent, starts and ends rough but there's a stretch in the middle that's nonstop fire. If you don't know and love Klaus Nomi, you need him in your life. If you haven't watched The Cramps' performance from this, you have no idea how low a pair of leather pants can ride or how salaciously a man can treat a microphone, and you need that in your life too. Plus Devo, XTC, OMD, The Go-Gos, Gary Numan (in an adorable little Star Wars car!) - all aces. On DVD-R from Warner Archive.

To Live and Die in LA (1985, USA, dir. William Friedkin): A vital companion piece to Friedkin's landmark The French Connection, with 80s LA sheen replacing 70s NY grit but the dark heart of copdom left completely unchanged. Willem Dafoe is unforgettable as the artist/counterfeiter antagonist. (Fun fact: the counterfeit money used in the film made its way into actual circulation, which earned Friedkin a visit from the Secret Service. He told them to come back with a warrant and they never did. And that's how the greats do it!) On Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, but 4K UHD is also available!

Twilight (1990, Hungary, dir. György Fehér): You know how people who don't watch a lot of international art films think they're all slow, grim, ambiguous black-and-white slogs through Eastern European despair? Well, that's what this is and it rules. It's shot like nothing I've seen before, full of subtle, misty grays, and the plot is about some detectives failing to catch a child murderer. You know if that sounds like your jam or not, and if it does, you're in for a great bad time. On Blu-ray from Arbelos.

I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK (2006, South Korea, dir. Park Chan-wook): "Taking mental illness seriously" doesn't have to mean being dour or even realist. Park Chan-wook is of course one of the best filmmakers in the world, but he's especially good at nailing tricky, ambiguous tones. I'm thinking of the triumphantly salacious end of The Handmaiden, the tragicomic ending of Thirst, the cathartic but sorrowful but etc etc climax of Lady Vengeance - anyway, this movie lives in that realm all the way through. On Blu-ray from Tartan (I think).

[adoriels-tears-if]

I'm the anon from the plushy-familiar ask. See, while I was writing that ask I got to wonder about something I often end up asking many IF authors: names, and naming conventions.

While I do appreciate the fact you've given suggestions in game (there is nothing worse for me, someone who likes to name my MCs in a way that fits the world as much as possible, when a fantasy game does not include suggestions for names), I'm also someone greedy for knowledge. So, I came here to ask about names.

As I have noticed, most humans seem to have rather common names that could fit in our world. Names like Arthur, Tobias or Liam. That said, those names all have different etymological origins. Arthur is celtic (most likely, is not entirely certain), Tobias comes from Hebrew, and Liam is germanic (as is a short form of William). So, would it make sense to have names like Tom, John, Richard, Henry or Duncan for a human male? It so seems to me. Basically, names that could make sense in medieval England (although Liam feels very modern to me, yet is the name I chose for my MC simply because I like how it sounds, but I may change it later).

Yet elves seem to have especial fantasy names. While both Dwarfs (courtesy of Tally) and Orcs (courtesy of Corden, if I'm not mistaken) have real world names, just very unusual.

So, I was wondering. Given how MC is likely given a human name, both because our mother is choosing it and because we are supposed to blend in amongst humans, am I correct on my observations? Or do you have a more complex, or more free, way of seeing how to name human characters? Like, are human characters also able to have fantasy, or uncommon, names?

In any case, unless it's too much of a bother, could you give examples of names you've considered giving as a suggestion for MC? Or names you think would make sense for MC to have in world? You already gave some in game, so you don't have to do this. I'd just like to know your thought process behind it.

there's no real reason why I chose these names, I think I just chose them because I like them.

although Liam actually comes from a character in one of my fanfics that will never make it onto Tumblr. Tobias is for a video game I used to play on DS when I was little. and Arthur because I love King Arthur.

I also wanted to suggest ESCA for the character of the Eagle of the 9th Legion, played by Jamie Bell if I remember correctly. so now it's true that I tend to use English names, but I think that's because I write in English. When I write in French, I tend to use French names. it's not out of the question for there to be characters with more French or other first names as the story progresses. in general naming characters is a pain for me, I hate it and tend to use generators

it's true that when it comes to skiing the names of orcs and elves, I tend to be a little more exotic.

if the names of the dwarfs may seem a little banal, I do have a kind of reason - I don't know if you've noticed, but I only use names beginning with T. Tally, Tallion, Telio, Tazio, Troye. and there's a reason for this: the deity to whom the dwarves are attached is called Telemandir. As far as humans are concerned, I think any name can be used.

as long as they're fairly old names, I mean, I wouldn't want to have a Kevin in my world. 😆 as for the elves, I like to have sounds that are a little musical, so Lessica, for example, is pretty, I think.

as for the orcs, I think I found the name Corden in the game Banish. if I remember correctly, but I have the impression that there's a sort of pattern emerging since one of the other orcs I have in mind who comes from the cardan family is called Oren.

Another piece of information I can share with you, for example, is that the Princely Family ruling men, their first names all start with a K.

it's a tradition that's been going on for a little over 300 years. The men decided to give up their crown and their title of king and queen to take only that of prince, since Amandine was acting up.

Another small piece of information but MC has a human name chosen by Eliana but he or she also has an elven first name chosen by Ash.

[historyreimagined24]

The Plantagenets: A Dynasty that Shaped Medieval England

The Plantagenets were one of the most powerful and influential royal dynasties in medieval England. Spanning over three centuries (from the 12th to the 15th century), their reign left a lasting mark on the country's politics, society, and culture. From the rise of the English monarchy in the wake of the Norman Conquest to the Wars of the Roses, the Plantagenets played a central role in shaping the course of English history.

Origins of the Plantagenet Dynasty

The name "Plantagenet" is believed to be derived from a nickname used by Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, who is often credited as the first Plantagenet monarch. The term "Plantagenet" comes from the Latin planta genista, which refers to a sprig of broom, a plant commonly worn in the hat of Geoffrey V. His son, Henry II, became the first English monarch of the Plantagenet line when he ascended the throne in 1154.

Geoffrey’s marriage to Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I of England, united the English and Norman royal bloodlines with the powerful Angevin territories in France. Their son, Henry II, inherited both the English crown and vast lands across France, establishing the Plantagenets as a dominant force in both kingdoms.

The Reign of Henry II and the Rise of the Plantagenet Power

Henry II (reigned 1154–1189) is often considered the first true Plantagenet king. His reign saw significant expansion of royal power and the strengthening of England's legal and administrative systems. He introduced a system of common law that would shape the English legal tradition for centuries to come. However, his reign was also marked by conflict, notably with his own sons, who rebelled against him in the famous "Rebellion of the Kings."

One of the most enduring legacies of Henry II’s reign was his involvement in the turbulent relationship with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket’s murder in 1170, allegedly spurred by Henry’s frustrations with the Archbishop’s opposition to royal authority, made Becket a martyr and led to widespread religious and political ramifications for the Plantagenet dynasty.

The Plantagenets and the Hundred Years' War

As the centuries passed, the Plantagenet family expanded its control beyond England. The Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) between England and France was one of the most defining conflicts of the medieval period, largely defined by the Plantagenet claim to the French throne. The war, which spanned multiple generations, was a bitter struggle for control of French territories that had been held by the English monarchs through dynastic marriage and conquest.

The conflict began under Edward III, who claimed the French throne through his mother, Isabella of France, and sought to assert English dominance in France. The war was a series of intermittent conflicts and truces, marked by famous battles such as the Battle of Agincourt (1415), where Henry V secured a decisive victory against the French forces. The war ultimately ended in defeat for the English under Henry VI, when England lost most of its French territories, leading to a decline in Plantagenet power.

The Plantagenets' Demise: The Wars of the Roses

By the late 14th century, the Plantagenets faced increasing internal division. Rival branches of the family, notably the Houses of Lancaster and York, began to fight for control of the throne in what became known as the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). This bloody civil war was sparked by the weak reign of Henry VI, whose mental instability and ineffectiveness left the throne vulnerable to competing claims.

The conflict saw the rise of famous figures such as Richard III, the last Plantagenet king, and Henry Tudor, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. After a series of battles, Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, ending the Plantagenet reign. Henry VII, who would later marry Elizabeth of York, uniting the warring factions, became the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty.

Legacy of the Plantagenets

The Plantagenet dynasty’s reign over England left a profound legacy that shaped the medieval world. Their long rule influenced nearly every aspect of English society, including the legal system, the economy, and the arts. The introduction of the common law system under Henry II laid the foundation for England’s modern legal framework. Their territorial ambitions and military engagements set the stage for centuries of conflict and expansion in Europe.

The Plantagenets also left an indelible mark on English culture, with their patronage of architecture, literature, and the arts. The Gothic style of architecture flourished under their reign, with iconic buildings such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London being built or expanded during this period.

While the Plantagenet dynasty came to an end in 1487, their impact on England and the wider world is still felt today. The tumultuous events of the Wars of the Roses, the central role of the Plantagenets in the Hundred Years' War, and their legacy as a royal family full of complex, larger-than-life figures continue to capture the imagination of historians and the public alike.

In essence, the Plantagenets were not just rulers of a kingdom but influential players in a turbulent medieval world, whose actions reverberated far beyond their reign.

Conclusion

The Plantagenet dynasty’s history is a rich tapestry of triumphs, tragedies, and power struggles. From the reign of Henry II to the fall of Richard III, the family played a pivotal role in shaping not only the English throne but also the history of Europe. Whether through military conquests, legal reforms, or their colorful personalities, the Plantagenets remain one of the most fascinating dynasties in world history.

[baublecoded]

“One authority recently wrote, ‘The notion of an “Angevin empire” is nothing more than a convenient invention of modern historians.’ Historians tend to reject the possibility of the Plantagenets’ collection of lands achieving permanence and political stability, seeing them merely ‘as the lucky acquisition of a quarrelsome family and not as an institution’. Although these lands are lumped together under the convenient term, Angevin or Plantagenet ‘empire’, few see much evidence for any Angevin concept of imperial doctrine or permanent union. In the Middle Ages the only true empire was the Roman Empire’s successors in East and West. Richard I and John’s seals bore the inscription Rex Anglorum, Dux Normannorum et Aquitanorum et comes Andegavorum; they had no name for the bloc of lands assembled by their father. […]

Henry II and his sons’ concept of their ‘empire’ and its permanence proves a difficult question; no concrete notion of unity for this ‘empire’ seems to have taken shape. Despite centralising tendencies in England and Normandy, the Angevin monarchs made no attempt to impose a uniform administration on their other continental territories. While Norman and English law and administration under Henry II followed closely parallel lines, he followed his father’s advice in his other domains, avoiding imposing uniform laws or institutions and ruling according to their different laws and customs. It is impossible to know exactly what notion John had of his inheritance other than a bloc of family possessions and feudal rights, source of his family’s wealth and political power. Many of his subjects, however, were coming to see the Plantagenets’ congeries of lands as ‘a curious anachronism’. […]

Scholars note too that the Angevin monarchs provided no unifying principle, no common culture that could bind their Anglo-Norman, Angevin and Aquitainian subjects together. Their ‘empire’ was a new creation, and Henry only began to construct administrative machinery in its constituent parts after the 1173–4 rebellion.”

— Ralph V. Turner, King John: England’s Evil King?

[bitter69uk]

I finally watched the 2023 documentary Little Richard: I Am Everything. Director Lisa Cortés succeeds in making it feel cinematic, and the archival performance footage of Richard in his prime alone is worthwhile. The best “talking head” contributors are Richard’s late exotic dancer girlfriend Lee Angel and pioneering transgender nightclub entertainer Sir Lady Java - and John Waters, of course! (Waters recalls he used to shoplift Richard’s records as a kid, and that his signature pencil-line mustache is a direct “twisted tribute”). By comparison, big name guests like Mick Jagger and Tom Jones mostly offer show biz platitudes (and Billy Porter is self-aggrandizing).

One thing it accomplishes nicely: so often hidebound rock critics and filmmakers get hung up on "who influenced who" which descends into "who ripped off who" as if it’s always a negative thing. It's common knowledge that when Richard was just starting out as a performer without his persona cemented, two flaming queer Black male rhythm and blues musicians - Billy Wright and Esquerita - inspired his musical approach and appearance (the towering, processed conk, thick make-up and mustache). As one of the talking heads savvily argues, Richard didn’t “steal” from them: rather, they provided a mirror for Richard to see his true self. Similarly, Cortés gives Ike Turner his due. A musical expert notes that Richard's piano playing was beholden to Turner’s, something Richard admitted (he raved about the impact of hearing "Rocket 88", the 1951 Kings of Rhythm track widely considered the first-ever rock'n'roll single). Yes, Ike was a monster to Tina, but his trailblazing musical genius must be acknowledged.

The finale where Cortés demonstrates Richard’s effect on modern pop culture with a montage presumably meant to represent his spiritual descendants (Cher! Harry Styles! Lady GaGa! Lizzo!) is misbegotten. Are we meant to think anyone who EVER wore sequins owes Little Richard a debt? (At least the inclusion of Lil Nas X - a modern flamboyant Black male performer – is apt). Richard was instilled with a sense of shame and guilt as a child, and throughout his life alternated between extreme hedonism and extreme fundamentalist Christianity. Sadly, as one commentator argues, Richard set a great liberating example for other people but never truly enjoyed that liberation himself.

[wonder-worker]

The magnitude of what [Richard III] did should not be played down. Edward V was not of an age to have caused personal political offence. He could not be accused of tyranny, like Richard II, or gross incompetence, like Henry VI. He had begun to reign, but he had not yet ruled. The usurpation of 1483 was of a fundamentally different order to those of 1399, 1461, or even 1485. Those, whether justifiable or not, were acts of the last resort. In 1483, uniquely, deposition was used as a weapon of first resort.

— A.J Pollard, Richard III and the Princes in the Tower

It is of course possible that Richard only advanced his own claim to the throne after he was informed by a deeply troubled Bishop Stillington that Edward V and his brother were illegitimate. It is possible, but highly implausible. The case finally put together concerning the bastardy of the princes, and enrolled in a parliamentary statute of January 1484, is theologically sound. It was that Edward IV had entered a pre-contract of marriage with Eleanor Butler before he had married Elizabeth Woodville and that this rendered his children by her illegitimate. Under canon law, had Edward IV entered a pre-contract of marriage with Eleanor Butler, all the children born of a later union, before or after Eleanor’s death, even if Elizabeth Woodville had been ignorant of the previous liaison, would have been illegitimate. In this respect the fact that Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville had married clandestinely made matters worse. Moreover, it was perfectly acceptable in law to raise objection on these grounds several years after the event. The pre-contract story, in its final form, presented a strong legal case.

There are, however, several sound reasons for doubting its truth. While it is the case that parliament was a proper body to adjudicate on matters of inheritance that resulted from illegitimacy, in England in the later-fifteenth century an ecclesiastical court should have heard the original charge. And if it were true, why was it not put before such a court so as to remove all doubts? Moreover, even if it had been proved that Edward V and his brother were illegitimate, deposition was not the only course open to the protector. The stain of illegitimacy could have been removed by the ritual of coronation. Edward V, like Elizabeth I later, could have been declared legitimate and all doubts removed. Above all, the revelation of the princes’ bastardy was so timely and convenient as to leave little doubt in the minds of contemporaries that it was but the colour for an act of usurpation.

There is, too, a suspicious degree of confusion over the precise detail of the charge of illegitimacy as it was first advanced in June. Mancini’s account of the sermons and speeches hints at a change in the story. At first the charge appeared to be that Edward IV himself was a bastard; two days later it seems that the princes were. The first official government statement appears in a letter dated 28 June to the captain of Calais informing him that his oath of loyalty to Edward V was no longer valid. Many people, he was assured, had made similar oaths in ignorance of Richard III’s true title which had been shown and declared in a petition presented by the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons on 26 June, a copy of which was to be sent to Calais for publication. Unfortunately that copy has not survived. The earliest surviving version is, therefore, that transcribed as part of the parliamentary act settling the throne on Richard. This purports to reproduce that petition verbatim, but doubts have been cast on its veracity. It is possible that the final, official version, had been subsequently amended. Even so, there is no reason to doubt that the substance of the original petition of 26 June was the same as that reproduced in January: namely that ‘all the issue of the said King Edward been bastards’

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that Richard III usurped the throne in June 1483. Perhaps in retrospect what happened appears more controlled and more deliberate than was in fact the case. We tend to favour a conspiratorial view of the past, where often a ‘cock-up’ theory might be more applicable. Did Richard III mastermind a brilliantly conceived and skilfully executed coup d’état? Or did it all happen in confusion, ignorance and fear? Richard might well have had a plan to take the throne by one means, but found that he had to change it as events developed.

... We should not assume that the usurpation was conducted according to a timetable; but there are nevertheless several observations that can be made with some certainty. The first is that Richard took and never surrendered the initiative. It is hard to sustain the idea that he was forced into usurpation by circumstances or by his rivals’ actions. He did not need to seize Rivers and his companions at Stony Stratford; he did not need to execute Hastings on 13 June. On both these occasions experienced politicians walked unsuspectingly into a trap. None of Richard’s victims in the summer of 1483 anticipated the fate awaiting them. In modern jargon, Richard was proactive, not reactive. The second observation is that Richard acted with unprecedented ruthlessness. His enemies were executed without trial. They were not in arms against their sovereign; they were not taken after battle and slain even under the colour of the law of arms. There was no pretence of lawful process. They were murdered in cold blood. The third observation is that Richard faced little opposition. Potential opposition was removed by pre-emptive strikes. The fourth observation is that he deposed a boy of twelve, his nephew, who on his own insistence had been placed in his trust.