Charlene Newcomb

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  • Joanna Plantagenet

    Joanna Plantagenet was Queen of Sicily, and the Countess of Toulouse. She was the daughter of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, born in October 1165. She died on 4 September 1199. At age eleven, Joanna (or Joan) wed William II, King of Sicily. Widowed at 24, she was held under house arrest for…

  • 23 Sept 1190 – Messina

    Messina is a thriving Sicilian port in the 12th century. Galleys and trading ships of every shape and size were common to its people. But surely the arrival of King Richard’s fleet – some 100+ ships strong – must have been an incredible sight. The chronicler of the Itinerarium describes the scene…  “…the people rushed…