Comments for Historical Britain Blog

Comment on Death of William the Conqueror by Frank M

Frank M — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:11:51 +0000

Well written account. William’s noxious posthumous smells offended and scared away all but the hardiest and pious of men!

Comment on Aelfgar, Earl of Mercia by Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:00:56 +0000

That’s an interesting concept, but I’m not sure I’m ready to ascribe that kind of behavior to Harold (who else would have benefitted from Aelfgar’s assassination?). Also, if foul play was suspected, wouldn’t we have heard about it somewhere?

Comment on Aelfgar, Earl of Mercia by Johnny H

Johnny H — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:22:32 +0000

Or was Aelfgar, who suddenly disappears from history) quietly assassinated at Edward’s Christmas Court in 1061?

This was what happened to a Northumbrian rival of Tostig’s (Gospatric) at such a court in 1064.

Comment on Alain le Roux, Count of Brittany (Earl of Richmond) by Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:27:23 +0000

Did you see Geoffrey Tobin’s remarks? I’m sure he has an answer for you!

Comment on Alain le Roux, Count of Brittany (Earl of Richmond) by Geoffrey Tobin

Geoffrey Tobin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:31:36 +0000

For the times, Stephen Count of Treguier had an ordinary number of children (that we know of, and that lived to have children of their own), just seven: three sons and four daughters, as I listed here on 19 Sep last. But each of those had a several sons and daughters who in turn had several sons and daughters, and so on, with a degree of persistent regularity. As Aesop remarked, “slow and steady wins the race.” That they married well, and avoided the worst consequences of the troubles of their times, helped a lot. Otherwise (key portentously dramatic music) which of us would be here?

Comment on Alain le Roux, Count of Brittany (Earl of Richmond) by sami casler

sami casler — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:34:07 +0000

I came upon your site by accident and was thrilled to read it. However, my husband’s family was FitzRandolph and I have spent a year researching them. Many sources confirm that Ribald was Alan le Roux’s bastard brother (he began the FitzRandolph line) and that he inherited Alan’s holdings. Can anyone tell me more?

Comment on Tostig and Stamfordbridge by Johnny H

Johnny H — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:31:04 +0000

I think that the brother earls were way too young and inexperienced for battle against anyone, though they may have been at Hastings before pulling back to London after Harold’s death?

They were only in favour with Northumbrian nobles as they were not southerners, as Tostig was, and it’s clear that they felt unable to face Harold directly (despite the rivalry between the houses of Godwin and Leofricson) during the 1065 revolt or after Edward’s death in January 1066.
Their desire for independence shows in their rash choice to face Hardraada and Tostig at Fulford, which Harold massacred later.
Harold made a good political move in spring 1066 to negate the ‘wild and turbulent’ northerner’s anger and distrust by meeting them and offering marriage alliance to the brother’s sister, Eadgyth (Gruffydd’s widow)? This, he might have thought, unified them (nominally anyway) and militarily secured the north against any viking raids leaving Harold free to expect William in the south.

Comment on Exile of Earl Godwine, 1051 by Johnny H

Johnny H — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:21:14 +0000

I think Eustace was merely disgruntled at his ‘meagre’ share of the 1066 spoils, as a non-Norman and as a noble who perhaps had more royal lineage and blood than his ‘master’?

His link with Dover in 1051 – in which he had an armed tussle with locals (to stir up Godwin?)- did precede William’s though, and in 1067 Eustace was trying to free his ‘nepos’ (kinsman- nephew?) from the then-absent Odo’s Dover castle.

Comment on Swegn Godwineson, Evil or Tragic? by Johnny H

Johnny H — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:17:46 +0000

In early September 1015 Edmund, Æthelred’s eldest surviving son by his first wife, seized lady Aldgyth and, in defiance of his father, freed her and married her, retaking her two dead brother’s vast estates and the ‘people’ (magnates and nobles) submitted to him (by force or threats?).

Between the 15th of August and the 8th of September, says Florence, Edmund:
“… went to the people of the Five Burghs, invaded the possessions of Sigeferth and Morcar, and brought the inhabitants thereof under his own dominion.”

Previously, Æthelred had ordered that Aldgyth, the widow of Sigeferth and niece of Aelfhelm, be taken captive and held at Malmesbury, thereby suggesting that the king was complicit and maybe ordered the two brother’s murders by Eadric Stroena’s treachery at a council meeting earlier that year?

Comment on Swegn Godwineson, Evil or Tragic? by Mercedes Rochelle

Mercedes Rochelle — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:43:03 +0000

Since Swegn apparently accompanied Godwine to Flanders during their exile, I assume there was some kind of rapproachment. Although since Harold went to Ireland, it stands to reason he might not have participated in the cozy family reunion. I wonder how Tostig felt?

Thanks for setting the record straight about Edmund Ironside. I had forgotten that episode. Once again, considering his character, the was the lady in question someone he had a romantic relationship with?