tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post7229124291516966210..comments2023-11-12T09:52:42.825-05:00Comments on Medieval Woman: Blogging with Historical Novelist Susan Higginbotham: A Good Night's Work at Nottingham CastleSusan Higginbothamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-56829756929527155072006-10-27T08:34:00.000-04:002006-10-27T08:34:00.000-04:00Thanks, Barnze!Thanks, Barnze!Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-9967922466637161692006-10-21T06:23:00.000-04:002006-10-21T06:23:00.000-04:00Fascinating post, Susan, thanks. Maybe Isabella a...Fascinating post, Susan, thanks. Maybe Isabella and Mortimer believed their own propaganda and thought either that no-one would dare challenge them or that they would easily beat anyone who did. You see the same sort of disconnection from reality today in some politicians and company CEOs, who seem to really believe they are invincible, always right and can do what they like - until someone (metaphorically) stabs them in the back. "Drunk with power" is a good description.Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-19058547048204352042006-10-20T22:23:00.000-04:002006-10-20T22:23:00.000-04:00Mortimer and Isabella were drunk with power...and ...Mortimer and Isabella were drunk with power...and more, as they were actually raising wine glasses in the morning.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07624657515252107431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-33737899761982429972006-10-20T18:26:00.000-04:002006-10-20T18:26:00.000-04:00That would explain a lot!That would explain a lot!Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-78291067587124629302006-10-20T16:58:00.000-04:002006-10-20T16:58:00.000-04:00I often wonder what the heck was going on in Morti...<i>I often wonder what the heck was going on in Mortimer and Isabella's heads, 1327-1330</i><br /><br />Hm, seems what was going on was located in their loins. :)Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-81977122767832541712006-10-20T16:02:00.000-04:002006-10-20T16:02:00.000-04:00I don't think the John Greys were related--Eleanor...I don't think the John Greys were related--Eleanor's John Grey was of Rotherfield. (Would it have killed one of those families to name their kid "Steve" or "JimBob"? I think not.) Margaret was Thomas de Monthermer's heiress, according to Oxford DNB; don't know much more about her.<br /><br />It does seem that some writers are very soft on Isabella, especially since she had put herself into a position of having to choose between Mortimer and Edward III, and her behavior up until her downfall suggests that she was choosing Mortimer. If she was so enamored of Mortimer that she couldn't think straight about the future, it hardly fits in with the idea of her as some feminist icon!<br /><br />It would be interesting to know what the pair thought would happen when Edward III reached his majority. Maybe they were living entirely for the moment, or they misstook Edward III's character entirely and thought that he would be theirs to manipulate even after he came of age. (Of course, I also have the theory that Mortimer might have been planning some fatal "accident" for Edward III, which would have allowed him to advise his son for a long time.)Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-23387396719027888142006-10-20T15:54:00.000-04:002006-10-20T15:54:00.000-04:00Very interesting post Lady Boswellbaxter!!Very interesting post Lady Boswellbaxter!!Marghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13508430635744720721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-86004616212593298902006-10-20T15:12:00.000-04:002006-10-20T15:12:00.000-04:00Was John Grey related to the John Grey who tried t...Was John Grey related to the John Grey who tried to marry Eleanor de Clare? And presumably Margaret de Monthermer was the daughter of Thomas or Edward? I didn't know either of them had children.<br /><br />It seems that the modern historians and novelists who are keen to portray Isabella as a strong, powerful woman, a kind of feminist heroine, draw a convenient veil over her rather foolish, self-serving behaviour during her regency.<br /><br />Another thing I wonder about is what Isabella and Mortimer thought would happen when Ed III reached his majority and wouldn't need them any more.Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-50262568925704052842006-10-20T13:12:00.000-04:002006-10-20T13:12:00.000-04:00Thanks! Philippa was Elizabeth and Sybil's sister....Thanks! Philippa was Elizabeth and Sybil's sister. According to Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online, there was another sister, Agnes, who married a John Grey (heir to Roger, Lord Grey of Ruthin), and another brother, John, who married Margaret de Monthermer.<br /><br />I too wonder what was going through Isabella and Mortimer's heads, and how they would be remembered today if they'd just sat back and left the driving to Edward III and his council.Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-3769378283549411692006-10-20T12:56:00.000-04:002006-10-20T12:56:00.000-04:00Love the post!
I often wonder (because I spend fa...Love the post!<br /><br />I often wonder (because I spend far too much time thinking about such things) what the heck was going on in Mortimer and Isabella's heads, 1327-1330. Why on earth did they think anyone would put up with them behaving worse than the Despensers ever had - when they'd invaded England to 'liberate' the people from the Despensers' tyranny?<br /><br />I didn't realise Roger Mortimer (the grandson) was married to a Montacute. Was Philippa the niece of Elizabeth and Sybil?<br /><br />[Hope this appears - Blogger seems to be having one of its frequent snits.]Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-24847955477751723902006-10-20T11:28:00.000-04:002006-10-20T11:28:00.000-04:00I'm using the date given by modern historians, so ...I'm using the date given by modern historians, so I'm assuming they've done the calculations, because I sure ain't!Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21031350.post-87746237527132281832006-10-20T11:08:00.000-04:002006-10-20T11:08:00.000-04:00I wonder, is the date you refer to the modern adap...I wonder, is the date you refer to the modern adaptation after the calendarial reform? For else, it would be ten days too early. ;)<br /><br />But I salute with a cup of cappuccino, nevertheless. *grin*Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.com