Top Ten Tips on Visiting 14th Century England

14th Century Pommander

Know Before You Go

Half the fun of taking a trip is planning for it: discovering all the unique places you might explore and investigating the culture, cuisine and customs.  Such advance planning might save your travels from degenerating into Chevy Chase's Vacation!

Here we go  ...


10.  Carry a scented kerchief or pommander. While you might be surprised by the beauty of the soaring cathedrals with flying buttresses dominating every town, the stench of offal and entrails may knock your socks off!  Most villages and towns are located near brooks, steams, and rivers that are used as the primary sewer system.  Butchers, tanners, and dyemakers dump their waste into these open waterways, not to mention the waste from privies and chamber pots! The aforementioned sweet-smelling accoutrements might also aid you should someone approach closely and offer to help with directions. Hold that kerchief to your nose, circumspectly of course.  Townsfolk weren't fond of bathing and dental hygiene was severely lacking. 

9.  Prepare to be gawked at.  It's likely that you will loom above the people you meet and your feet will be bigger too, making you quite an oddity.  The average medieval man measured  just 5'7" and an average woman about 5'2".  You'll likely stick out and, wary of strangers, suspicions about your intent will be aroused. 

8. Know how to wield a weapon and don't be shy about displaying it.  Violence is a fact of life in medieval Europe and towns are walled for a reason. Menacing gangs and unemployed mercenaries roam the countryside; peasants seek safety in towns and the gates are locked at night.  However, that doesn't prevent dastardly deeds from occuring within the walls; brawls are S.O.P.

7. Keep a good joke at the ready.  Amid the violence, there is humor and sarcasm is considered the highest form of it. Slapstick and practical jokes are particularly popular.  If you can tell a good tale like the following, you'll be welcomed.  

Simon asks - "Are you married?"
Ned replies - "Oh, yes! I've been married three times but each wife hanged herself from the tree in my garden.
Simon says - "Pray, give me a cutting from that miraculous tree!"

6. Learn French before you go. If you want to be respected and taken seriously, then French is the way to go.  William, the bastard of Normandy, conquered England in 1066 and anyone who is anyone in the 14th century still speaks French, not English.  Comprennez-vous?

Like this!

5. Brush up on your manners. Being respected is all important to medieval denizens. Any disrespect, unintentional or otherwise, may result in savage repercussions. When visiting a townsman at his home, wait to be invited in, leave your weapons at the door, and be sure to doff your cap. The way to show respect to your host when you are presented is by bowing politely, or in the case of meeting someone of vastly superior rank, be prepared to kneel, one knee all the way to the ground.  When addressing your host, it's best to begin with any conversation with a polite greeting something along the lines of ... "God's blessing upon you, my lord (or my lady)."  And heaven forfend, do not avert your eyes or gaze inadvertenly around the room! It's imperative you maintain eye contact, otherwise, you risk engendering misgivings and distrust. 

4. Sharpen your haggling skills. Shopping, sampling exotic wares, is a time-honored tradition when traveling.  If you want to purchase souvenirs like jewelry or armor, you'll only find those at a specialty tradesmen's shop in a larger town or  city. In smaller villages, 'markets' are typically held on Thursdays where you'll find most necessities. But buyer beware!  Items may be arranged in stalls to hide their defects. Wool yarn is stretched before it is woven (to make it go further) but then shrinks. Cloth is sometimes mixed with human hair and shoes are often made of substandard leather.  And while prices are regulated to some extent, controlled by trade guilds and local magistrates, barter and negotiation skills are a must. 

Early 14th C. Shapeless Garments 

3.  Stash a supply of buttons in your suitcase.  One might say that the concept of 'fashinonista' originated in the 14th century. Clothing was transformed -- all due to the invention of the lowly button. From the simple tunic -- a shapeless swathe of fabric hanging straight from the shoulders, sometimes belted -- to form-fitted, garments tailored to flatter the male and female form. C'est scandaleaux! 
     However, in spite of this sexy trend, women must never dispaly naked arms or legs in public for fear of perverting social order and, if you are a married woman, be certain to cover your hair when you go out.  
Mademoiselles ... attention s'il vous plait! By the end of the century, men's clothing was more sexually revealing than that of women. Monastic chroniclers ranted on about men wearing the 14th century equivalent of mini-skirts and displaying their masculine charms in well-packed hose while blaming women for being delighted by what they saw! 

2. Plan on dropping a few stones. What? Lose weight on vacation? Oui! Three meals a day is not the norm.  You'll be lucky to get two: dinner, the largest meal of the day, between ten and eleven in the morning and supper, a more modest meal, between four and five o'clock. Are you a meat-and-potatoes-comfort-food lover? If so, you're out of luck on this trip. The Church forbids the consumption of animal foodstuffs, includng eggs, on Wednesdays, Fridays, holy days and throughout Lent and Advent -- which equates to about half the year! Rick Steves give five stars to a half-timbered, charming little tavern serving eel stew in a bread bowl! 

1. Pack your team colors and your dancing shoes! Although the 14th century was calamitous with the 100 Years War and two epidemics of the plague, you'll find the people exuberant. Between the risks of dying in childbirth, on the battlefield and the 'Pestilence' where one-third to one-half of the European population perished, people rejoice at just being alive. Singing, dancing, music, poetry (think Geoffrey Chaucer here) theatrical performances, jugglers, and games, especially dicing & gambling, were popular. But the epitome of entertainment, was without any doubt the tournament. Frowned upon by the Church and outlawed by many kings, during the 14th Century, tournaments were embraced wholeheartedly by King Edward III. Go Edward!  However, while you can make all the noise you want between matches, you best zip your lips during the joust itself.   
      
     Plate armor evolved rapidly in the 14th century in order to keep up with the first true use of artillery ... arrows from longbows!  Able to reach targets of 300+ yards and fire 12+ arrows a minute, the introduction of the longbow revolutionzed medieval warfare.  But we're not talking war here, we're talking fun and games. 

So, here's one for you ... match the name to the knight's equipment. No cheating!    

                                            Which is which below?                 

                                 Sabaton               Greaves                 Bascinet   

A

B

 C

    

The Devil's Brood

Book Three of SKP's Triology

   
     The last post left off with establishing Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine as the founders of the Plantagenet Dynasty.  Initially, in spite of their age difference (his 19 to her 31) their marriage was successful, at least if judged by the number of children they produced: eight in all with the last son born when Eleanor was forty-four!

     However, their amorous endeavors were far more fruitful than their parenting skills.  In today's terminology, Henry might be considered a control freak. Instead of raising his sons to become effective in ruling over his extensive domain, which stretched from the Scots border to the Mediterranean, Henry hoarded his power.  As the boys grew to adulthood, they rebelled against their father's tight rein and quarreled among themselves over their lands, thus the sobriquet, the devil's brood.

Plantagenet Lands in Orange

     The firstborn, William, sadly died when only three years old. Young Henry, as the next in line, grew up a spoiled brat expecting to become king after his father and lorded it over everyone. Richard excelled in the military arts and as his mother's favorite was bestowed with her lands in Aquitaine. Geoffrey married early and took on the mantle of Duke of Brittany, which left baby John, with nothing. Hence, his nickname, John Lackland.

     However, I must digress a bit here. Shortly before Eleanor gave birth to John, Henry hooked up with a younger woman, the Fair Rosamund, which, as you might imagine, caused no end of grief to Eleanor.  About this same time, the boys banded together and took up arms against their father and while Henry eventually put down their rebellion, he blamed their uprising on Eleanor, believing she encouraged them.  The boys were forgiven but Eleanor was held in isloation, royally imprisoned, for the next sixteen years!

     Ok, so are you getting the picture here?  The Plantagenet family dynamic was so dysfunctional, might you now understand how I got hooked on their shenanigans!  And we're only at the beginning of a 300+ reign!

     I've said it before and I know I'll repeat myself, but Hollywood screen writers couldn't imagine more devious characters or twisted plot lines ... but these were real.

The Plantagenet Dynasty

 Artist's concept - Geoffrey le Bel

The fourteen successive kings of the House of Plantagenet reigned from 1154 to 1485. 

This royal dynasty evolved when Geoffrey, Count of Anjou (France) married Mathilda, the daughter and heir of England's King Henry I, the fourth son of William the Conqueror.  Mathilda, known as Maude, had been married to, and was the widow of, the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V.  

For Maude, marrying Count Geoffrey was a considerable step down in the world and she resented being forced by her father to marry beneath her.  

Needless to say, theirs was not a happy marriage!

Planta genista - common broom plant

Geoffrey, known as 'le bel' was quite handsome and said to have worn a sprig of yellow bloom in his hat.  This personal touch of panache engendered the family name, Plantagenet, from the Latin for the floral sprig, Planta genista.

Although the bitterness of their union was widely known, Geoffrey and Maude did their 'duty' and produced three sons, the eldest holding claim to the throne of  England through Maude. Young Henry would eventually win the English throne thus becoming patriarch of the Plantagenet dynasty.

Henry, at only nineteen, was astute enough to recognize a golden opporunity when he was presented with one.  He met the alluring Queen Eleanor, then wife of Louis VII of France, when he accompanied his father to the French court.  Eleanor of Aquitaine had married Louis VII of France when she was just fifteen but after fifteen years of marriage and giving birth to only two daughters, one might say she had her fill of 'Louis the Pious'.  The legend holds that she contrived (convinced Louis) to have their marriage annulled, thus freeing herself to marry a man more suited to her fiery and passionate temperament. 

Why did the Catholic Church permit the anulment?  On the grounds of consanguinity - the couple were related to each other through their grandparents.

Artist's Concept of Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine

An heiress in her own right, as Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor was quite a catch and many a savvy noble schemed to trap her into marriage.  As soon as her annulment was finalized, at great risk of being kidnapped, Eleanor fled to the relative safety of Poitiers (part of her own lands) where as prearranged, she and Henry tied the knot. Through Eleanor, Henry's lands expanded the length of what is now western France, from Brittany and Anjou, south to the Pyrenees.  When he became king of England, Henry added Ireland, England, Normandy and Poitou to his holdings. 

Thus begins the saga of Henry and Eleanor and their devil's brood.  Within the first year,  Eleanor gave birth to a son, William, then four more: Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, and John.  Eat your heart out Louis!  She also bore three daughters: Mathilda (Duchess of Saxony & Bavaria), Eleanor (Queen of Castile), and Joan (Queen of Sicily).  

Should you be interested, watch the award-winning film, The Lion in Winter.  The original 1969 version won six Oscars: Best Actor, Actress, Screenplay, Music, Costumes and Best Picture.  You can't beat that! 
In addition to seasoned thespians, Kate and Peter, a very young Anthony Hopkins plays the part of their son Richard, the Lionheart in his youth.  The true dysfunction in this family outstrips anything Hollywood writers could ever create.  

Plantagenet Junkie

Artist's Conception of BP with Ostrich
Feather Badge & Coat of Arms
(the white bar with downward notches
indicates eldest son & heir)

This is another test ... to see if those listed into the Blogger's automatic email alert system (for new posts) is working. If you get an email alert, please log in, read the post and make a comment.  Your comment will then trigger an automatic email to me that someone has posted.

I'm certainly glad I'm working out the kinks before the trip actually begins.  

The title of this post is Plantagenet Junkie because if you look to the right, you'll see the artwork on my new Black Prince t-shirt ordered from The William Marshal store which specializes in all sorts of medieval gear.

BTW, take note of the name William Marshal.  He is known is history as the greatest knight that ever lived.  He loyally served four Plantagenets: Henry II, Young Henry (died before his father), Richard I (Lionheart), and John I.

As a young knight, he was brought into Plantagenet service when he saved Eleanor of Aquitaine from being kidnapped when she was high-tailing it back to Aquitaine after her marriage to King Louis VII was annulled. The pope allowed the annulment due to consanguinity - in other words, Louis and Eleanor were too closely related. (And that she had only given him two daughters in 15 years of marriage and he needed a son and heir.)  In reality, Eleanor had had enough of "Louis the Pious" and quickly tied the knot with Henry, Duke of Anjou and Normandy, heir to the English throne.  She was 31 and he was 19!  What a cougar!!!

He became King Henry II and she promptly conceived and within a few years had given him five sons.  I think Henry enjoyed his marriage 'duty' much more than Louis - and based on what's been written about Eleanor, so did she!

Crazy as Hell Test

This is a test to see if the automatic email notification system works.  If you see this, you should have received an auto-email notification.  Now, what I need you to do is post a comment.  The system should then notify me that there are comments from readers.

Your help is appreciated.

A Knight's Tale

     Before we start this journey together, if you have not seen the movie A Knight's Tale starring Heath Ledger, it's time you did!  The movie is a medieval adventure-comedy, a delightful rollicking romp with a contempoary soundtrack about a wannabe 'knight' working the tournament circuit.
 
     Join the peasants cheering along the rails to Queen's We Will Rock You or get up and dance to Bowie's Golden Years! You can't help but have a good time.
 
     Why this film?  It's my way of introducing you to the Black Prince, played in the movie by James Purefoy. From it, you'll gain a sense of how watching football today isn't much different from being a spectator at a tournament of yesteryear.

      Like today's pre- and half-time shows, there was entertainment.  Each knight was introduced by his herald regaling the crowd with his lord's deeds of daring.  The more audacious and ribald the herald's bragging, the more delighted and rowdier the crowd.  I suspect there may have been wardrobe malfunctions too!

Paul Bettany as Geoffrey Chaucer (who actually served in Edward III's court)

James Purefoy as the Black Prince

     Heath Ledger plays the part of William Thatcher, a peasant pretending to be of noble birth, masquerading as one Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland (who was a real person BTW).  During one of the tournaments, the Black Prince competes incognito, but his identity is no secret and all the combatants choose to withdraw rather than go up against him.  Ulrich chooses not to withdraw, thus honoring the prince.  Much later, when Ulrich is 'found out', the Black Prince comes to his rescue.

Sir William Thatcher is knighted by the Black Prince.

Edward and Joan

     There, seated in the berfois, is the Black Prince and at his side, his wife, Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent.  But that's for another post!

    My novel's working title is Duty Reigns: The Life of the Black Prince. It weaves the lives of Edward, Joan, and Edward III.  Hollywood couldn't write a screenplay better than the lives they lived!

Third Time's the Charm?

Hi Folks!

Edward of Woodstock - Artist's Concept

I'm still working through the glitches in this new blog.  Some folks have still not received their invitations to log in and follow along so I'm experimenting with another 'test' post.

To the right is one artist's concept of what Edward might have looked like when mature.  When young, he was tawny-haired according to primary sources. But as he aged, his hair, beard and mustache darkened.  He is described as being adept at military arts, loved music, fashionable clothing, and jewels. He enjoyed hunting, hawking, and gambling.

Stay tuned ...

Rosemary

Statue of Edward in Leeds, UK

Hi friends and family,  

As I work through the learning curve in how to use this blog, please bear with me.  If you received my previous invitation, great.  If not, here's another attempt to invite you to join me on my travels to Canterbury and Normandy this fall ... in the footsteps of the Black Prince.

Edward of Woodstock was born in 1330, the eldest son of King Edward III.  He died in 1376, sadly a year before his father so he never became king.  The 'what ifs' had he succeeded might be considered legendary ... since his son Richard II was deposed by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV), might the entire bloody 'cousins war', the Wars of the Roses, been averted? We'll never know.

Edward's Tomb in Canterbury Cathedral

Although we arrive in London, our journey rightly begins in Canterbury where we will attend the Black Prince Conference and where Edward was laid to rest. This will be a medieval journey: Canterbury to Dover Castle, crossing the English Channel by sea, and exploring the backroads of Normandy.

If you haven't logged in yet, I hope you will do so now.

Rosemary

Welcome! Bienvenue!

     You're invited to follow along on my journey tracing the life of Edward of Woodstock, known in history as the Black Prince.

     The journey begins on the evening of November 12 with an overnight British Airways flight to London where my medieval history traveling partner, Mary, flying in from California will join me.

     Travel with us for the following two weeks as we track the Black Prince from his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral through the back roads of Normandy, visiting medieval battlefields, chateaux, fortresses, museums, and churches, retracing the English Army's 1346 invasion route in reverse.    

Explore the medieval world of this warrior prince, renowned throughout Europe as the greatest military commander and the most chivalrous and valorous knight of his time!

Discover why every Prince of Wales to this day has adopted his badge and motto "Ich Dien" ... I Serve.

À Bientȏt!

Rosemary