Save Your Beloved, Conquer a Country, Get Married – a busy May 1191 for Richard I

After wintering in Messina, Sicily, the fleet of King Richard I finally sailed for the Holy Land in early April 1191 with more than 150 ships. De Hoveden writes, “a dreadful wind arose from the south and dispersed his fleet.” Richard initially landed in Crete not knowing the fate of all his ships, including a buss…

Writing historical fiction: researching the Third Crusade

“Did Queen Berengaria and Queen Joan (or Joanna as she’s sometime referred to) depart Cyprus for Acre on the same galley as King Richard?”¹ You’re dying to know, right? Isn’t everyone? Ah, the joys of historical research! Donna Gillespie at Pen in Hand writes “Research helps you shape your story, and on a good day…