Real Historical Figures

Real Historical Figures, Theon, War of the Roses March 11, 2014

False, fleeting, perjured Theon

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George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence, (1449 –1478) was the middle brother of two Wars of the Roses kings: Richard III and Edward IV. Although almost forgotten today, George played a pivotal role during the struggles between York and Lancaster. George is immortalized in Shakespeare’s plays Henry VI, part 3 and Richard III as well as in the classic line “…false, fleeting, perjured Clarence.” In real life, George had to choose between his father-in-law or elder brother. George succumbed to his own ambition, sided with his…

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Real Historical Figures, War of the Roses December 30, 2013

The Real Red Queen at Historical Honey

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Who was the real Margaret Beaufort? Was she the religious zealot shown in some fictional portrayals? Was she obsessed with her son? Did she hate the Yorkists? Recently,  Historical Honey published an article I wrote about the real historical figure behind Philippa Gregory’s Red Queen. Even if you aren’t a fan of Philippa Gregory, check it out. The article focuses mainly on Margaret Beaufort. Here’s the link: http://www.historicalhoney.com/margaret-beaufort-the-red-queen/. Also, check out Historical Honey. It is a great magazine and has some fascinating…

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Real Historical Figures, Tudors September 27, 2013

Traces of Henry VIII in Game of Thrones: Similarities Between Henry VIII and Robert Baratheon

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Initially, I resisted the idea of there being any similarity between Robert Baratheon and Henry VIII. (In  Robert Baratheon May Be Edward IV’s Older Half,  I compared Robert Baratheon to Edward IV but I did say I thought Robert Baratheon had a tinge of Tudor.) While getting my Tudor on this week – these days I’m more of a Plantagenet gal – I reread some of my old Tudor books and saw striking similarities between Henry VIII’s finer points and…

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Real Historical Figures, Tudors, War of the Roses September 24, 2013

Henry VIII, the Game of Medieval Politics, and Game of Thrones

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At the heart of Game of Thrones is the game of medieval politics. George RR Martin worded the title of this novel very careful: it is no coincidence the first word is game. Henry VIII’s one-time Lord Chancellor, and later victim, Sir Thomas More described the court politics as “a king’s game, and for the more part played on scaffolds.” Since Henry VIII presided over the greatest political game of all, it seems fitting that George RR Martin should base…

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Real Historical Figures, Tudors September 23, 2013

Henry VIII Week

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Last week, Olga Hughes published a fantastic interview on Nerdalicious with historian John Matusiak, who just released a new book, Henry VIII: The Life and Rule of England’s Nero. The interview and, heck, even the title of this book make it pretty clear that Matsuiak will be less than complementary towards old King Hal. And, frankly, rightly so. I haven’t read the book yet, but I do agree with the refreshing perspective. I loved this interview and it inspired me…

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