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  • A Young Earl, A Bad Marriage

    Some medieval arranged marriages were successful: Edward III & Philippa; William Marshal and Isabel de Clare. Love blossomed between couples brought together for political or business alliances. Last week on English Historical Fiction Authors I shared the story of a not-so-happily-ever-after. Constance of Brittany, the widow of Henry II’s son, married Ranulf de Blundeville, 6th earl of…

  • 12th century research gems

    “…there is none of the above stock [i.e., livestock] there now except for the 2 plough-teams. John, the clerk, who was at that time Thomas fitz Bernard’s steward, transferred 40 hoggets [i.e., 2-year-old male sheep] to the vill of Whitfield at the feast of Saint Martin (11 November) and unjustly took as many good ewes…