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Category Archives: Women
Queen Wealhtheow At the Feast, lines 1160-1193)
Immediately, as the poem returns us to the noise and light of the feast at Heorot, and the scop lays down his harp, Queen Wealhtheow appears. It is probably an intentional contrast, as we turn from the sorrowing, homeless Hildeburh … Continue reading
The Song of Hildeburh, lines 1071-1159
At the feast, a scop sings the sad story of Hildeburh. It is not easy to discern what is really happening in this passage. As background, let us consider the proposal of J. R. R. Tolkien, who thoroughly studied this … Continue reading
Hrothgar’s Queen Wealhtheow, lines 607-661
The welcome feast goes on, with Hrothgar reassured that his champion can’t be knocked down by a simple insult. “The Bright-Danes’ chief/had faith in his helper; that shepherd of his folk/recognized Beowulf’s firm resolution.” (lines 608-10, Liuzza) The Queen enters. … Continue reading
Medieval pets
Anyone with a fondness for animals and enough money to produce a little spare food might keep a rabbit or squirrel. Manuscript pictures show ladies with squirrels in collars that are clearly tame pets. Birds were also popular small pets. … Continue reading
The Saint and the Seventh Crusade, 1248-54
Of course, the Pope called a new crusade. But Europe was in bad shape for a Crusade. In the Sixth Crusade, the King of Hungary had led, but now Hungary was in ruins. Europe’s bad boy Frederick II was not … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History D: Crusades, Women
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Second Crusade: Queen Eleanor
If you singled out just one person to stand for the Second Crusade, it should be not King Louis or King Conrad, but Queen Eleanor. She is one of the pivotal figures in European history. Eleanor was the grand-daughter of … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History D: Crusades, Women
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Hodierna of Tripoli, 1137
Hodierna, Baldwin’s third daughter, didn’t marry until she was about 25 (in 1137). It’s not clear why she stayed home so long when her sister Alice was married off at 16. It may have just been a lack of opportunity; … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History D: Crusades, Women
Tagged Hodierna, Melisende, Second Crusade
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Melisende and Fulk, 1129-43
Melisende was named after the Countess of Rethel, Baldwin II’s mother; it’s a variant of Millicent, an old Germanic compound name. Now it has become the name of a fairy-tale heroine of an opera, so it sounds fanciful, but when … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Islam History D: Crusades, Women
Tagged Fulk of Anjou, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Melisende Psalter
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Alice, Princess of Antioch, 1126-36
Alice, King Baldwin’s second daughter, was married to the son of Prince Bohemund, the baby who had been born while he was back in Sicily. Bohemund II grew up in Europe. Around age 18, he came to Antioch to take … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History D: Crusades, Women
Tagged Alice, Antioch, Baldwin of Jerusalem, Bohemund
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King Baldwin’s Feminist Daughters
I’ve described King Baldwin II as a family man, the fact that sets him apart from the other First Crusaders. Coming with the Boulogne brothers as a landless knight, he had inherited Edessa and immediately married Morphia, the heiress of … Continue reading
Posted in Islam History D: Crusades, Women
Tagged Alice, Baldwin of Jerusalem, Hodierna, Ioveta, Melisende, Morphia
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