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!