Susan Abernethy

Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian, French Writer and Poet In 17th and 18th Century France, there were an extraordinary number of men and women artists that emerged, making a name for themselves. They were poets, fabulists, painters, playwrights, actors, c…

Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian, French Writer and Poet, was born on this day in 1755

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Emma of Normandy, Queen of England While on tour in England in 2008, our British tour guide mentioned “We don’t do much medieval here”. My husband and I were standing in Salisbury Cathedral later in the day and I was thinking to mys…

Emma of Normandy, twice Queen of England, died on this day in 1052

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#books

Happy World Book Day!
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Louise of Savoy, Duchess of Angoulême and Regent of France The men of France invoked the ancient Merovingian Salic Law to bar women from inheriting the throne of France but this hasn’t stopped women from ruling the kingdom. There is a prominent tradition o…

Louise of Savoy, Duchess of Angoulême and Regent of France, died on this day in 1531

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Joan Plantagenet, Queen of Scots The unfortunate Joan Plantagenet was married to the King of Scots while very young. Due to the vagaries of politics between Scotland and England and conflicts between her husband and her brother, h…

Joan Plantagenet, Queen of Scots, died on this day in 1238

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The Brutal 1527 Sack of Rome That Forced the Pope to Flee | TheCollector In 1527, the city of Rome was sacked by mutinous forces of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Pope was forced to flee for his life, protected by his elite Swiss Guards.

The Brutal 1527 Sack of Rome That Forced the Pope to Flee

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Book Review: "Charles II's Portuguese Wife" by Susan Abernethy A powerful reexamination of Catherine of Braganza, her far-reaching legacy, and her impact on English history.

Book Review: "Charles II's Portuguese Wife" by Susan Abernethy - A powerful reexamination of Catherine of Braganza, her far-reaching legacy, and her impact on English history.

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The Consequences of the Massacre of Wassy Commerative plaque to the Massacre at Wassy (Photo credit: Ji-Elle from Wikimedia Commons) French history has been a favorite of mine since college days when the designated professor was eccentric …

The Consequences of the Massacre of Wassy - March 1572

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The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe The formation of the Burgundian Empire by the four Valois Dukes of Burgundy would not have happened without the formidable royal and aristocratic women in their

Blackwell's is now offering The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe for 52% off! Shipment to the US is included. Order your copy today.

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6 Lesser Known Women Who Served Queen Elizabeth I - Pen & Sword Blog Women’s History Month guest post from Heather Shanette. Many women served Queen Elizabeth I over the years – in fact, over 300! – but very few

Article: 6 Lesser Known Women Who Served Queen Elizabeth I

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Marjorie Bruce, Princess of Scotland Marjorie Bruce, Princess of Scotland, was the only child of the first marriage of King Robert I the Bruce with Isabella of Mar. Marjorie would suffer greatly through the Scottish Wars of Independen…

Marjorie Bruce, Princess of Scotland, died on this day in 1316 from injuries suffered in a horseback riding accident

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How Henry VII Used His Welsh Ancestry to Secure the English Crown Today, to celebrate St David’s Day, I have a SPECIAL article for you, written in collaboration with my friends at Historic Royal Palaces.

Article: How Henry VII Used His Welsh Ancestry to Secure the English Crown

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The Life and Death of Henry, Duke of Cornwall, Son of King Henry VIII The year was 1510 and Katherine of Aragon, Queen of England was pregnant. As the months passed, her pregnancy was progressing and it was almost time for her to retire to the birthing chamber for he…

Henry Tudor, Duke of Cornwall, son of King Henry VIII, died on this day in 1511

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Jane Gordon, Countess of Bothwell and Sutherland Jane Gordon is one of those women who was caught up in the tumultuous life of Mary Queen of Scots.  Used as a pawn on the marriage market by her family, she was espoused to the Earl of Bothw…

Jane Gordon married James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, on this day in 1566

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Claude de Valois, Duchess of Lorraine Claude of France, Duchess of Lorraine by Francois Clouet With Claude de Valois, we have a unique example of a happy aristocratic marriage. Having grown up together at the French court, the couple k…

Claude de Valois, Duchess of Lorraine, died on this day in 1575

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The Assassination of King James I of Scotland There are many versions telling the story of the assassination of the King of Scots, James I. Earlier versions vary from those written well after it happened. This could be attributed to Queen Joan…

The Assassination of James I, King of Scots - February 21, 1437

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The Life and Death of Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset The history of the Tudor kings is preoccupied with the effort to produce male heirs to maintain the dynasty. We all know of King Henry VIII and his six wives and how Elizabeth I had no children cau…

Edmund Tudor, Duke of Somerset, was born on this day in 1499

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Isabel of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy Photo copyright of The Freelance History Writer Isabel was born into the Portuguese royal family known as the Illustrious Generation.  Her parents were renowned rulers and they were to raise s…

Isabel of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, was born on this day in 1397

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Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll and “The Argyll Rising” of 1685 ~ A guest post by Bob Reid Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll Following the Reformation in 1560 Scotland became a Protestant nation and the old Catholic church was banned. Many Catholic families fled to the Continent. Anyone continuing to celebrate mass or follow any Catholic practices were severely dealt with. Penalties included execution, imprisonment, or banishment. During this period of huge upheaval one constant force was the rule of the Stuart dynasty. Stuart Kings had ruled Scotland from 1371 claiming the authority of God to do so. The dynasty was interrupted only by the occupation of Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth forces from 1652 until 1658.

Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll and “The Argyll Rising” of 1685 ~ A guest post by Bob Reid

Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll Following the Reformation in 1560 Scotland became a Protestant nation and the old Catholic church was banned. Many Catholic families fled to the Continent.…

King Edward VI's Coronation The nine-year-old Edward Tudor had learned of his father King Henry VIII's death on (or just before) January 31st, and in the days since, his newly-formed Regency Council (made up of sixteen...

King Edward VI of England was crowned on this day in 1547

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The Women of the Burgundian Court 101 with Susan Abernethy If It Ain't Baroque... · Episode

It's always a pleasure to discuss history with Natalie on the If It Ain't Baroque podcast. This time we discussed the formidable women of the Burgundian Empire

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St Jadwiga of Anjou, the King of Poland – A guest post by Katarzyna Ogrodnik-Fujcik Jadwiga as depicted by Jan Matejko. Imaginary portrait based on a series of drawings the artist made upon examining her resting place in 1187. The Freelance History Writer is pleased to welcome bac…

St Jadwiga of Anjou, King of Poland, was born on this day in 1374 #Poland

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Mary I, Queen of England Portrait of Queen Mary I of England by Hans Eworth Mary was born at the Palace of Placentia at Greenwich on February 18, 1516, the only surviving child of King Henry VIII of England and Catherine o…

Queen Mary I of England was born on this day in 1516

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King François I of France’s Sons are Held Hostage by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V In the early sixteenth century, the balance of power in Western Europe was a delicate dance between France, the Holy Roman Empire and England. There were three strong personalities who each sought …

The sons of King Francis I of France were given to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as hostages on this day in 1526, according to the Treaty of Madrid

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Swashbuckling Personalities in History The late Hollywood actor Errol Flynn may have been on to something. He made a career out of playing swashbuckling swordsmen in movies like “The Adventures of Robin Hood” and “Captain Blood”. These …

Charles de Montpensier, Duke of Bourbon, was born on this day in 1490

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Molière, French Playwright In 17th and 18th Century France, there were an extraordinary number of men and women artists that emerged, making a name for themselves. They were poets, fabulists, painters, playwrights, actors, c…

Molière, French playwright, died on this day in 1673

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Empress Maud, Lady of the English “Here lies the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry” We would like to tell the story of Empress Maud who was never crowned Queen of England but caused civil war trying to attain her inheritance. Mau…

Empress Matilda was born some time in February 1102

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Elizabeth of Valois, Queen of Spain Makes Her State Entry into Toledo Elizabeth of Valois was married by proxy to King Philip II of Spain at the Louvre on June 22, 1559. After a long and treacherous journey she arrived in Spain and on February 4, 1560, a ceremony of …

Elizabeth of Valois, Queen of Spain Makes Her State Entry into Toledo - February 15, 1560

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Where is King Henry VIII Buried and Why Doesn’t He Have an Elaborate Tomb? King Henry VIII died on January 28, 1547. It was the end of an era. His will commanded he be buried with his beloved wife Jane Seymour, the only wife to give birth to a surviving legitimate male he…

The Funeral of King Henry VIII of England - February 15, 1547

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