Although few representations of her exist and even if the most popular one is found in the Talbot Shrewsbury’s book, I thought I would illustrate Margaret de Anjou as we see her in the Coventry tapestry, a representation that I especially adore!
Thus, we have a beautiful and especially strong Queen in the foreground and a little further back is… her incredibly devoted husband! XD
Elizabeth de York’s portrait is one of my favorites and I have always had a fascination with it and its reproductions. Despite the fact that I’m not exactly a big fan of the Tudor dynasty, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York are historical figures that pique my interest, given their connection with the Wars of the Roses. This fascination of mine for this representation in history means that almost all my drawings with Elizabeth are composed of the clothes worn in this portrait. And today it seems that that was no exception.
So we have an Elizabeth of York in all her splendor and further back … a very proud husband! XD
In a cramped stone grave beneath the medieval town of Imola, Italy, a 1,300-year-old woman lies dead with a hole in her skull and a fetus between her legs.
The fetus, now just a collection of tiny bones trailing below the mother’s skeletal pelvis, was likely delivered in the grave through a phenomenon called “coffin birth” — essentially, when an unborn child is forced out of its mother’s womb by posthumous gases after both mother and child have died.
It’s a rare sight in archaeology — but rarer still might be the peculiar circular wound bored into the mother’s skull.
Archaeologists from the University of Ferrara and University of Bologna attempted to unwind the mystery of this mother’s and child’s deaths in a new study published in the May 2018 issue of the journal World Neurosurgery. According to the researchers, these remarkable skeletal remains may present a rare Middle Ages example of a primitive brain-surgery technique called trepanation. This procedure involved drilling or scraping a hole into the patient’s skull to relieve pressure and (theoretically) a whole host of medical ailments. In this case, sadly, that relief may not have been enough. Read more.
Wool Mark of John Fortey (d. 1459 From his brass in Northleach Parish Church
my notes; Monumental brasses are a kind of memorial which grew in popularity during the 13th century, allowing detailed representations of the dead to be made for much less money than full stone or wooden effigies, which could be laid into the floors and therefore take up much less space. They were a favoured style of funerary art until the 16th century across Europe, the vast majority of these brasses survive in England (totalling around 4000). A great many of these are found in the eastern counties, although there is a large concentration of them around Cirencester, Northleach, and Lechlade.
The production of wool was enormously important to England for many centuries, and for the Cotswolds in particular. The climate and terrain of the area made it idea for rearing sheep, and the native sheep breeds were prized for their rich golden wool. Towns and villages grew up along the trade routes, merchants amassed large amounts of money which was spent on lavish houses, and grand “wool churches” were built on the proceeds. A great number of the herds were owned by the numbers of Abbeys established in the area, furthering the success of already growing power of the church. By the 1100s, 50% of the economy of the Cotswolds was based in the rearing of sheep for their wool, and by the 14th century this was true for the income for the entire country.
Cirencester sits at one of the major crossroads in a prime location for both moving wool and other goods to and from major ports, but also for transportation into the Stroud valleys, which still contain a huge concentration of textile mills.
The Cotswold Lion
Sheep have grazed on the Cotswold hills for more than 2000 years. The most famous breed was the Cotswold Lion, the producer of a long curly fleece which became famous throughout Europe. An ideal wool for dyeing, it became a favourite for spinning and weaving. Merchants grew rich and built many churches with their profits.
This fine example (in image 2) comes from a local flock by the name of Noent, his own name is Emperor. Kindly donated by Mr E Freeman.
Replica brass of Reginald Spycer (d. 1442) This depicts Spycer and his four wives, Margaret, Juliana, Margaret and his widow Joan, a vivid testimony to the mortality rate amongst women. From Trinity Chapel, Cirencester Parish Church
my notes; Monumental brasses are a kind of memorial which grew in popularity during the 13th century, allowing detailed representations of the dead to be made for much less money than full stone or wooden effigies, which could be laid into the floors and therefore take up much less space. They were a favoured style of funerary art until the 16th century across Europe, the vast majority of these brasses survive in England (totalling around 4000). A great many of these are found in the eastern counties, although there is a large concentration of them around Cirencester, Northleach, and Lechlade.
Tombstone of Walter of Cheltenham Walter became a secular priest or clerk in 1300, and was a rector of Ampney St Mary, Withington, Coates, and Sapperton. The tombstone was excavated at Cirencester Abbey.
