1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands” / 2. The New Royal Family

by The Laird o’ Thistle (Special Edition)
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

As the two things I want to write about today do not lend themselves being combined into a single column, for this one time I am doing a double feature….

1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands”
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

— Robert Burns, 1789

I said to a friend yesterday that it feels like a dear aunt has passed, the aunt of the whole world.

In the midst of great sadness, I am taking some comfort in the fact that Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully yesterday at Balmoral, reportedly her favorite place on earth. She passed from this life in the place she loved best with her two eldest children in attendance. (Reports indicate that Prince William, the Wessexes, and Prince Andrew arrived shortly after her passing.) I am even taking a bit of bemused pride in the fact that by dying in Scotland, she died a Presbyterian… for the Sovereign is a member of the Kirk when in Scotland.

Balmoral has been a place of respite and refuge for two great queens, Victoria and Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth has loved it from childhood when she and her parents, her sister, and (often) her cousin Margaret Rhodes would spend summer holidays at adjoining Birkhall. After her father became king the scene shifted to the castle itself, and three years into the reign the young princesses remained at Balmoral for the first three months of World War II before finally rejoining their parents “down south” in December 1939. In the postwar years Balmoral was the site of happy times for the King and his family, and of both courtship and honeymoon for Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. A number of heartwarming photos remind us King George’s final summer at Balmoral with the entire family… including grandchildren Charles and Anne. (See: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/transition-the-final-months-of-king-george-vi-and-accession-of-queen-elizabeth-ii/ ) And, now, we will forever treasure the final image of Queen Elizabeth there, taken just two days before her death, a photo of the tiny and frail, but warmly smiling 96-year-old, tartan clad and leaning on her stick, standing by a roaring fire in the castle’s drawing room as she awaited the arrival of her 15th Prime Minister.

I am thankful that before being whisked off to England, the Queen’s body reposes today in the ballroom at Balmoral, where she loved dancing reels at the annual Ghillies Ball. I am also thankful that in a couple of days her coffin will be taken first to Edinburgh, to Holyrood, for due honours in her Scottish capital and palace where, in 1999, she reconvened the first Scottish Parliament since 1707. But as she departs Balmoral for the very last time, no doubt to the plaintive sound of the bagpipe, I hope someone there will quietly whisper in her behalf:

Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
…My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

2. The New Royal Family

I am sure that many will have shared my experience of startle-ment yesterday, upon hearing the words “His Majesty the King” spoken for the first time in my lifetime. The era of King Charles III and Queen Camilla has begun.

Over the last several years, while remaining firmly in charge, Queen Elizabeth took great care in preparing the way for this moment. She successfully won the agreement of the leaders of the Commonwealth that Charles should succeed her as its Head. In February she made it very clear that she wanted Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when the time came, and then she personally appointed and invested Camilla as a Lady of the Garter. For very practical, but also deeply symbolic, reasons she designated Charles as her representative to preside at the most recent State Opening of Parliament in May. Similarly, it was Charles who “took the salute” for her at the Trooping the Colour in June. And now he is King.

In a moment, yesterday afternoon, everything changed… not just for Charles and Camilla, but for many. William has… just this evening… been created Prince of Wales by the King. William and Catherine are now the Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, and… in Scotland… Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. William is now the Great Steward of Scotland and Lord of the Isles, as well. Their children are now Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte of Wales. Harry’s children are now… if their parents so choose… Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

I deeply hope that King Charles will also fulfill his parents’ longstanding intention and deeply-held wish, and quickly move to create Prince Edward as Duke of Edinburgh. (Albeit, it may be the appropriate time to transition the Royal Dukedoms into lifetime appointments, rather than them being hereditary.)

King Charles has talked for years of transitioning to a “slimmed down” monarchy, with fewer working royals. Over the last several years it has sort of created itself, in large part through the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of Prince Harry to America. I expect that the increasingly frail Duke of Kent (soon to be 87) and his sister Princess Alexandra (soon to be 86) will probably take the new King’s accession as their opportunity to retire from active service. The Duke of Gloucester (age 78) may continue to assist for a while, or he too may decide it is time to step back.

The big question in my mind concerns the ongoing roles of the Princess Royal and of Prince Edward and Sophie (either as Duke/Duchess of Edinburgh, or continuing as Earl/Countess of Wessex). Over the course of the pandemic, and following the departures of both Andrew and Harry from royal duties, they have become invaluable working members of the royal team. I have already heard rumours that Anne may choose to “retire” at some not-too-distant point. (Though, I hope not too soon!) On the other hand, Edward is “only” 58 and, having been forced out of his earlier career attempts largely by Charles, he and Sophie have worked hard for years now “in support of” the Queen, and the Crown.

As I see it, the practical reality for the next several years will be that there is more to be done than Charles and Camilla, and William and Catherine, can do. It is at least twelve years, and probably longer, before Prince George will assume any significant role. (He just turned age 9.) Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may (or may not) both follow in turn. But, just as happened for Princes William and Harry, the family may also want to give the rising generation a bit more time… until around age 30 or so… before asking them to assume a full load of duty.

Finally, as odd as it seems to say this on his first day as King, I find myself hoping that Charles will at least consider adopting the model of other European royal houses and retiring (i.e. abdicating) at some point down the road. He has, today, pledge himself to “lifelong” service. But, sometimes such service is best offered by stepping back at the right moment.

King Charles will turn 74 in November. As much as I have loved and admired the Queen throughout my 66+ years of life, and have understood her ingrained sense of the “job-for-life” tradition, I have personally wished over the last couple of years that she would have followed Prince Philip’s lead in stepping back, for her own sake as well as for those coming after. She sort of did so, in a very careful and limited way. But as recently as this Tuesday she was still at work, possibly overextending herself in the end. King Charles will have to choose his own way, but I hope he at least holds the retirement option open.

And so, for today and days ahead… “God save the King! God bless the Prince of Wales! And, God bless all of the new Royal Family!”

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – the Laird o’ Thistle

Germaine of Foix, Queen of Aragon

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Germaine of Foix, Queen of Aragon; Credit – Wikipedia

Germaine of Foix was the second wife of Ferdinand II, King of Aragon. Born Ursule-Germaine de Foix circa 1488, possibly in Mazères, Kingdom of France, Germaine was from the noble French family, the House of Foix. She was the eldest of the two children and the only daughter of Jean de Foix, Count of Étampes, Viscount of Narbonne and Marie of Orléans, a sister of Louis XII, King of France. Germaine’s paternal grandparents were Gaston IV, Count of Foix and Eleanor, Sovereign Queen of Navarre. Her maternal grandparents were Charles, Duke of Orléans, and his third wife Marie of Cleves.

Germaine had one younger brother:

On November 26, 1504, Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León died. Isabella’s crown was inherited by her daughter Juana and her husband Philip of Habsburg. Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, Isabella’s widower and Juana’s father, therefore lost control of Castile and León which he had ruled only by jure uxoris (by right of his wife). Upon his death, Ferdinand’s Kingdom of Aragon would pass to Juana and her husband or their heirs, putting most of the Iberian peninsula in the hands of the House of Habsburg. This could be prevented by the birth of a male heir to Ferdinand, who would displace his half-sister Juana in the order of succession to the throne of Aragon. As part of a treaty with the Kingdom of France, Ferdinand agreed to marry Germaine of Foix, niece of King Louis XII of France, and he hoped that Germaine would give birth to a son.

Ferdinand II, King of Aragon; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 19, 1506, 18-year-old Germaine married 54-year-old Ferdinand by proxy in Blois, Kingdom of France. Six months later, Germaine traveled to Dueñas in the Kingdom of Castile and León, where she met her husband Ferdinand II, King of Aragon for the first time, amid great celebrations. The marriage was accepted in Ferdinand’s Kingdom of Aragon but it was poorly received by the people of the Kingdom of Castile and León who saw Ferdinand’s marriage to Germaine as a betrayal of their late queen, his first wife Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León. On May 3, 1509, Germaine gave birth to a son Infante Juan of Aragon, Prince of Girona, who died shortly after his birth. Had he survived, the crown of Aragon would have been separated from the crown of Castile and León. There were no further children from the marriage.

In 1513, Ferdinand granted Germaine the Viscounty of Castellbó, a former possession of her family, the House of Foix. Germaine was not very politically active but she did represent her husband at the 1512 Cortes Generales and the 1515 Cortes of Aragon due to Ferdinand’s ill health. On January 23, 1516, Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, died at the age of 63 and was buried next to his first wife Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León at the Royal Chapel of Granada as Isabella requested in her will.

Carlos, grandson of Ferdinand, in 1519; Credit – Wikipedia

Before he died, Ferdinand ordered his grandson Carlos, the son of Juana I, Queen of Castile and León, to take care of Germaine. Carlos I was not only the first King of a united Spain but was also Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor; Charles I, Archduke of Austria; and Charles II, Lord of the Netherlands, among many other titles. In 1517, Germaine moved from Aragon to Carlos’ court. The 17-year-old Carlos and the 29-year-old Germaine had an affair that resulted in the birth of a daughter Isabel in 1518, who lived and was educated at the court of Castile. Isabel died at the age of 19, a year after her mother’s death, and never married.

Germaine’s second husband Johann of Brandenburg-Ansbach; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1519, Carlos arranged a marriage for Germaine to Johann of Brandenburg-Ansbach, the son of Friedrich I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Sophia of Poland. In 1523, Carlos, in his role as Holy Roman Emperor, appointed Germaine and Johann Viceroys of Valencia. Germaine’s second marriage was childless and abusive, and Johann died in 1525 in Valencia.

Germaine’s third husband Ferdinando, Duke of Calabria; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1526, once again, Carlos arranged a marriage for Germaine to Ferdinando, Duke of Calabria, the son of the deposed Federico, King of Naples and his second wife Isabella del Balzo. Germaine and her third husband continued as Viceroys of Valencia, but their marriage was childless. Germaine and Ferdinando were patrons of literature and music and maintained a Renaissance court. Germaine was instrumental in working toward the gradual integration of Valencia into Castile-dominated Spain.

Germaine’s tomb; Credit – By Enric – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75407042

Germaine died on October 15, 1536, aged forty-eight, in Llíria, Valencia, probably from edema caused by obesity. She was buried at the Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes (link in Spanish) in Valencia, now in Spain, which Germaine and her third husband Ferdinando, Duke of Calabria had founded. Germaine’s third husband Ferdinando made a second marriage to Mencía de Mendoza y Fonseca and they became famous for their patronage of literary and artistic works. Ferdinando survived Germaine by fourteen years, dying on October 20, 1550, aged 67. As intended when Germaine and Ferdinando founded the Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes, Ferdinando was buried with Germaine at the monastery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Germaine of Foix – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germaine_of_Foix> [Accessed 13 July 2022].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2022. Germana de Foix – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germana_de_Foix> [Accessed 13 July 2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Ferdinand II, King of Aragon. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ferdinand-ii-king-of-aragon-king-of-castile-and-leon/> [Accessed 13 July 2022].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2022. Jean de Foix (1450-1500) — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Foix_(1450-1500)> [Accessed 13 July 2022].

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Friday, September 9, 2022

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Friday, September 9, 2022.

  • King Charles III and Queen Camilla stayed at Balmoral overnight on Thursday and returned to London on Friday.
  • King Charles III had his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss.
  • King Charles III met with Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk who holds the office of Earl Marshal of England and is responsible for the organization of major ceremonial state occasions such as the monarch’s coronation in Westminster Abbey and state funerals. They approved the plans for the events that will happen on the upcoming days. The plans incorporated Operation Unicorn, the contingency plans for the death of The Queen in Scotland.
  • King Charles III decided on the length of court mourning for members of the royal family and royal households.
  • The Government confirmed the length of national mourning. They announced that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning. Union flags on royal buildings will fly at half-mast. The Royal Standard never flies half-mast. It represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom and is a symbol of the continuation of the monarchy.
  • Bells tolled at Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Windsor Castle, and gun salutes – one round for every year of The Queen’s life – were fired in Hyde Park and at other places. Floodlighting at royal residences was turned off.
  • King Charles III made a pre-recorded televised address to the nation, paying tribute to The Queen and pledging his duty to his service as the new sovereign.
  • Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior ministers attended a public service of remembrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

When The British Monarch Dies: Immediately and Automatically

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

 

British news networks including the BBC and ITN practice how they will broadcast a monarch’s death.  It is likely that news of the monarch’s death will be broadcast immediately. However, if the death occurs overnight, the announcement could be delayed until early the following morning. BBC newscasters have dark clothing on standby in which to announce the death of a senior member of the Royal Family so the faux pas that occurred on the BBC when Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother‘s death was announced by a newscaster wearing a gray suit and a red tie does not happen again. The BBC will suspend all planned programming and provide detailed coverage of the news regarding the death. It is likely that in the United States cable news networks will carry extensive coverage. Through the Internet and social media, the news will quickly travel throughout the world.

The Sovereign’s Throne in the House of Lords; Credit – http://www.parliament.uk

In the United Kingdom, upon the death of the monarch, there is an immediate transference of power. The heir to the throne becomes the new monarch immediately upon his/her predecessor’s death. The line of succession is determined by several Acts of Parliament: The Bill of Rights 1689, The Act of Settlement 1701, and The Succession to The Crown Act 2013, which amended the two previous Acts. The Succession to The Crown Act 2013 formally went into effect on March 26, 2015. The Act put into place absolute primogeniture which means the eldest child born becomes the heir to his or her parent, regardless of gender. This is retroactive to those born after October 28, 2011. Another change affects those in the line of succession who marry a Roman Catholic. Under the previous rules, a person who married a Roman Catholic lost rights to succession. However, under the terms of the 2013 Act, this is no longer the case. Marriage to a Roman Catholic no longer excludes anyone. This change was retroactive and those who were removed due to their marriages were reinstated to the line of succession.

Arms of the Duchy of Cornwall; Credit – Wikipedia

Two titles are automatically bestowed in certain circumstances: Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay, and their subsidiary titles. The Duchy of Cornwall was the first duchy created in England and was established by royal charter in 1337. An additional charter was issued in 1421 and is still intact. Those charters dictate that only the eldest living son of the monarch who is also the heir-apparent can be the Duke of Cornwall.

Coat of Arms of the Duke of Rothesay; Credit – Wikipedia

The Duke of Rothesay was traditionally the title of the heir-apparent to the Scottish throne. The title was created in 1398 and thereafter the heir-apparent to the Scottish Crown was the Duke of Rothesay. An Act of the Parliament of Scotland passed in 1469 stated that only the eldest living son of the monarch who is the heir-apparent can be the Duke of Rothesay. Since 1603, when King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne as King James I after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, the English/British monarchs’ eldest living sons and heirs apparent automatically became the Duke of Rothesay.

With the Succession to The Crown Act 2013 changing the type of succession to absolute primogeniture in which the eldest child born becomes the heir to his or her parent, regardless of gender, there are some issues with the Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay titles. The original stipulations, that the titles can go to the eldest living son and heir-apparent are still in effect. Therefore, as the situation is as of now, there can be a female heir-apparent, but she cannot be Duchess of Cornwall or Duchess of Rothesay. There appears to have been some sort of groundwork laid for change should there be a female heir apparent in the future. The holdings of the Duchy of Cornwall provide an income for the heir apparent. As part of the Sovereign Grant Act 2011, the way in which income from the Duchy of Cornwall is distributed was changed. Previously, the income could only be distributed to someone holding the title of Duke of Cornwall. Now, the income can be distributed to the heir-apparent, regardless of the title. The Sovereign Grant Act 2011 stipulates that if the heir is a minor, 10% of the income will be distributed to the heir and the balance will be distributed to the Crown until the heir is 18 years old.

The Prince of Wales’s Feathers; Credit – Wikipedia

The Prince of Wales is a title that traditionally has been given to the heir apparent to the English and British throne. The heir apparent is the person who is first in the line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting the throne by the birth of another person. Usually, the heir apparent has been the eldest son of the Sovereign but not always. Twice, the heir apparent was the grandson of the Sovereign. The fathers of the future Richard II and George III both predeceased their own fathers leaving their sons as the heir apparent.

The heir-apparent to the British throne can be created Prince of Wales along with its subsidiary titles. This is not an automatic title and it is not required that the heir-apparent be created Prince of Wales. King Henry VIII‘s son, who succeeded him as King Edward VI, was never created Prince of Wales. Neither does the Prince of Wales need to be the eldest son of the monarch.  When Frederick, Prince of Wales predeceased his father King George II, Frederick’s eldest son, the future King George III, became the heir-apparent and was created Prince of Wales by his grandfather.  However, he could not be Duke of Cornwall or Duke of Rothesay because he was not the eldest son of the monarch.  Queen Elizabeth II’s heir-apparent Prince Charles was created Prince of Wales in 1958, the year he became 10 years old. However, Queen Victoria created her heir-apparent, the future King Edward VII, Prince of Wales when he was one month old. There appears to be no legal impediment to creating a female heir-apparent Princess of Wales.

Any male-line grandchildren of the Sovereign would be entitled to the style and title His/Her Royal Highness Prince/Princess. In 1917, King George V issued Letters Patent stating that the children of the Sovereign, the children of the sons of the Sovereign, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales would be entitled to the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence; Credit – Wikipedia

Born at Dublin Castle in Dublin, Ireland on October 21, 1449, George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence was the ninth but the sixth surviving of the twelve children and the sixth but the third surviving of the eight sons of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, both great-grandchildren of King Edward III of England, and the brother of two Kings of England, Edward IV and Richard III. George’s paternal grandparents were Richard of Conisbrough, 3rd Earl of Cambridge and his first wife Anne Mortimer. His maternal grandparents were Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and his second wife Joan Beaufort.

George had eleven siblings:

George’s father Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, detail from the frontispiece of the illuminated manuscript Talbot Shrewsbury Book; Credit – Wikipedia

George’s father Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York was the leader of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses until he died in battle in 1460. In 1399, Henry of Bolingbroke, the eldest son of John of Gaunt, the third surviving son of King Edward III, deposed his first cousin King Richard II and assumed the throne as King Henry IV. Henry IV’s reigning house was the House of Lancaster as his father was Duke of Lancaster and Henry assumed the title upon his father’s death. Henry IV’s eldest son King Henry V retained the throne but died when his only child King Henry VI was nine months old. Henry VI’s right to the crown was challenged by Margaret’s father Richard, 3rd Duke of York, who could claim descent from Edward III’s second and fourth surviving sons, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence and Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York.

During the early reign of King Henry VI, George’s father held several important offices and quarreled with the Lancastrians at court. In 1448, he assumed the surname Plantagenet and then assumed the leadership of the Yorkist faction in 1450. The first battle in the long dynastic struggle called the Wars of the Roses was the First Battle of St. Albans in 1455. As soon as George’s brothers Edward, the future King Edward IV, known then as the Earl of March, and Edmund, Earl of Rutland were old enough, they joined their father, fighting for the Yorkist cause. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York was killed on December 30, 1460, at the Battle of Wakefield along with his son Edmund who was only 17 years old.

George’s brother King Edward IV of England; Credit – Wikipedia

George’s brother Edward, Earl of March (the future King Edward IV) was now the leader of the Yorkist faction. On February 3, 1461, Edward defeated the Lancastrian army at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross. Edward then took a bold step and declared himself King of England on March 4, 1461. His decisive victory over the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton on March 29, 1461, cemented his status as King of England. He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on June 28, 1461. However, the former king, Henry VI, still lived and fled to Scotland. Henry VI returned from Scotland in 1464 and participated in an ineffective uprising. In 1465, Henry VI was captured and taken to the Tower of London.

In 1461, twelve-year-old George was created Duke of Clarence, and despite his young age, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. While growing up during his brother’s reign, George lived mostly at Greenwich Palace with his younger brother Richard, the future King Richard III, and his elder sister Margaret, until she married Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy in 1468. In 1466, fifteen-year-old George was recognized as an adult and given estates that centered around Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire.

Among King Edward IV’s strongest supporters was his first cousin Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known as the Kingmaker. In 1468, Warwick began to doubt his continued support of King Edward IV. He decided to throw his lot in with someone he possibly could control better: George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence. At this point, King Edward IV had only three daughters and his brother George was his senior male heir. As the senior male heir, George created an ostentatious, alternative court. He was willful, self-centered, and scheming.

Stained glass window of George, Duke of Clarence and his wife Isabel Neville at Cardiff Cathedral; Credit – By Wolfgang Sauber – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16924164

In 1467, George schemed to arrange a marriage for himself with his first cousin once removed Isabel Neville, the elder of the two daughters of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. King Edward IV refused to give his permission for the marriage because the marriage would strengthen the alliance between George and Warwick. George, used to getting his own way, fell under Warwick’s influence. On July 11, 1469, in direct defiance of King Edward IV, George married Isabel Neville in a ceremony conducted by Isabel’s uncle George Neville, Archbishop of York at Notre-Dame Church in Calais, then an English possession, now in France.

George and Isabel had four children:

When George’s father-in-law Warwick deserted King Edward IV to go over to the Lancaster side and ally with Margaret of Anjou, the wife of King Henry VI, George also deserted his brother. George, Warwick, and Margaret of Anjou’s alliance forced King Edward IV into exile, and King Henry VI was restored to the throne on October 30, 1470. King Henry VI rewarded Clarence by making him next in line to the throne after his own son.

After a short time, George realized his loyalty to his father-in-law and first cousin Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick was misplaced. Warwick had married his younger daughter Anne Neville to Edward, Prince of Wales, the only child of King Henry VI. This demonstrated that Warwick was less interested in making George king and was more interested in serving his own interests. It now seemed unlikely that Warwick would replace King Edward IV with George, and George secretly reconciled with his brother King Edward IV.

In 1470, King Edward IV and his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III) fled to Burgundy where they knew they would be welcomed by their sister Margaret, the wife of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The Duke of Burgundy provided funds and troops to Edward IV to enable him to launch an invasion of England in 1471. Edward IV returned to England in early 1471 and his first cousin Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick who was killed at the Battle of Barnet. The final decisive Yorkist victory was at the Battle of Tewkesbury on May 4, 1471, where King Henry VI’s son Edward, Prince of Wales was killed. Henry VI was returned to the Tower of London and died on May 21, 1471, probably murdered on orders from Edward IV. Edward IV remained King of England until he died in 1483, a few weeks before his 41st birthday.

King Edward IV restored his brother George to royal favor by making him the Lord Great Chamberlain of England. After the death of his first cousin and father-in-law Warwick, George became Earl of Warwick jure uxoris, by the right of his wife. However, George did not inherit the entire Warwick estate as his younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester married Warwick’s younger daughter Anne Neville, the widow of King Henry VI’s son Edward, Prince of Wales. The Warwick estate was divided equally between George and Richard.

George’s wife Isabel, aged twenty-five, died on December 22, 1476, after giving birth to a short-lived son Richard, born on October 5, 1476, and died on January 1, 1477. It is thought Isabel died from tuberculosis or childbirth complications. George’s mental state, never stable, deteriorated. Four months after Isabel’s death, George ridiculously accused Ankarette Twynyho, one of Isabel’s ladies-in-waiting of having murdered his wife. George sat in personal judgment of Ankarette who was accused of giving Isabel “a venomous drink of ale mixed with poison”. Within three hours, the innocent Ankarette was taken to court, indicted for murder, tried, found guilty, dragged through the streets, and hanged. George did not have the legal authority to try, condemn, and execute Ankarette Twynyho. In 1478, after petitioning King Edward IV, Ankarette’s grandson Roger Twynyho received a full pardon for Ankarette from the king.

In 1477, three men were arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to be executed for predicting King Edward IV’s death, then considered witchcraft. One man who had been one of George’s servants was pardoned. Two days after the executions, George marched into a council meeting, read a declaration of innocence of the two dead men and George’s servant, and marched out again. George’s association with his convicted servant and his strong defense of convicted traitors raised serious suspicions about George’s motives.

George’s behavior convinced his brother King Edward IV that he was too dangerous to leave alone. King Edward IV and his wife Elizabeth Woodville had endured enough of George’s treachery and scheming, and George was arrested. He was tried for treason by Parliament in January 1478, although the outcome was a foregone conclusion. George’s past misdemeanors were gathered together into a package of damning crimes. King Edward IV, unsupported by any legal counsel, delivered a damning case against his brother. George refused the right of an attorney in his defense. Members of Parliament were told that George had tried to smuggle his son to Ireland or Burgundy and claimed he plotted against the king. He had also kept the document granted to him when King Henry VI had been restored, making George heir to the Lancastrian line if it failed, which it had in 1471. In early February 1478, Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, husband of King Edward IV’s sister-in-law Catherine Woodville, delivered the verdict to Parliament. George was found guilty of high treason.

Memorial plaque to George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence and his wife Isabel Neville at Tewksbury Abbey; Credit – Richard III Society

For a few days, King Edward IV delayed making the final decision about carrying out the sentence his brother’s verdict demanded. On February 18, 1478, 28-year-old George, Duke of Clarence was executed at the Tower of London. As his rank allowed, George was executed in private. Having condemned his own brother, King Edward IV had no intention of making the execution a public spectacle and highlighting problems within his family. The means of execution has never been determined. Traditionally, it has been said that George was plunged headfirst into a butt of Malmsey wine and drowned. George Plantagenet and his wife Isabel Neville were interred at Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire, England. Ironically, Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, the son of King Henry VI, who was killed in the Battle of Tewkesbury, is also buried at Tewkesbury Abbey.

Portrait of an unknown sitter, traditionally thought to be Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury; Credit – Wikipedia

George’s two surviving children were also executed but by beheading – Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick in 1499 by King Henry VII and Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury in 1541 by King Henry VIII. As surviving members of the House of York, they were threats to the House of Tudor, which had been formed when Henry Tudor, the leader of the House of Lancaster defeated King Richard III of the House of York, the brother of King Edward IV and George, Duke of Clarence, at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. The new King Henry VII married King Edward IV’s eldest child Elizabeth of York, thereby uniting the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Plantagenet,_1st_Duke_of_Clarence> [Accessed 6 September 2022].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Neville,_Duchess_of_Clarence> [Accessed 6 September 2022].
  • Encyclopedia Britannica. 2022. George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence | English noble. [online] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Plantagenet-duke-of-Clarence> [Accessed 6 September 2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/cecily-neville-duchess-of-york/> [Accessed 6 September  2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Edward IV of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-edward-iv-of-england/> [Accessed 6 September  2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/richard-plantagenet-3rd-duke-of-york/> [Accessed 6 September 2022].
  • Jones, Dan, 2012. The Plantagenets. New York: Viking.
  • Richard III Society. 2022. George, Duke of Clarence (Brother) – Richard III Society. [online] Available at: <https://richardiii.net/george-duke-of-clarence-his-brother/> [Accessed 6 September 2022].
  • Weir, Alison, 1995. The Wars of the Roses. New York: Ballantine Books.
  • Williamson, David, 1996. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

 

Constance of Normandy, Duchess of Brittany

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Constance of Normandy, Duchess of Brittany; Credit – Wikipedia

Constance was born circa 1057-1061 in the Duchy of Normandy, now part of France. She was the daughter of William III, Duke of Normandy and Matilda of Flanders. In 1066, Constance’s father, William III, Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated the last Anglo-Saxon King, Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. The Duke of Normandy was then also King William I of England, known as “the Conqueror”. Constance’s paternal grandparents were Robert I the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and his mistress Herleva of Falaise. Her maternal grandparents were Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and Adèle of France, daughter of King Robert II of France.

Constance had at least nine siblings. The birth order of the boys is clear, but that of the girls is not. The list below is not in birth order. It lists Cecilia’s brothers first in their birth order and then his sisters in their probable birth order. Constance and her sisters were educated and taught to read Latin at the Abbey of the Holy Trinity (also known as the Abbaye-aux-Dames, Abbey of the Women) in Caen, Duchy of Normandy, which their mother Matilda of Flanders had founded.

There had been a traditional rivalry between the Duchy of Normandy, where Constance’s family had been the reigning Dukes of Normandy since 911, and the neighboring Duchy of Brittany. The Breton-Norman War of 1064 – 1065 resulted from William III, Duke of Normandy (Constance’s father and later William I, King of England) supporting the rebels in Brittany against Conan II, Duke of Brittany. When the unmarried Conan II died in 1066, he was succeeded by his sister Hawise as sovereign Duchess of Brittany and her husband Hoël of Cornouaille, who was co-ruler and Duke of Brittany jure uxoris (by the right of his wife). In 1072, Hawise died, and Hoël acted as regent for his son Alain IV, Duke of Brittany until 1084.

In 1086, Willam I, King of England forced an alliance on Alain IV and arranged a marriage between him and his daughter Constance. The couple married in a magnificent ceremony in Caen, Duchy of Normandy but had no children. Two chroniclers of the time had very different views of Constance. Orderic Vitalius wrote that Constance was caring and attentive to her husband’s subjects and that her death on August 13, 1090, was the greatest loss for the inhabitants of the duchy. However, William of Malmesbury wrote that her “harsh and conservative manner” of government made Constance unpopular in the duchy, and her husband ordered her servants to poison her. Constance was buried at the abbey church of Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine (link in French) in Rennes, Duchy of Brittany, now in France.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Constance of Normandy – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constance_of_Normandy> [Accessed 9 July 2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King William I of England (the Conqueror). [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-william-i-of-england-the-conqueror/> [Accessed 89 July 2022].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2022. Констанция Нормандская — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%9D%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F> [Accessed 9 July 2022].
  • Williamson, David, 1996. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, King of Castile and León

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Ferdinand II, King of Aragon; Credit – Wikipedia

Note: Ferdinand (Fernando in Spanish) and Isabella (Isabel in Spanish) will be used in this article because that is how they are generally known, especially in the United States.

On March 10, 1452, Ferdinand II, King of Aragon was born at the Palacio de los Sada in Sos del Rey Católico, Kingdom of Aragon, now in Spain. He was the only son and the elder of the two children of the future Juan II, King of Aragon and his second wife Juana Enriquez, 5th Lady of Casarrubios del Monte. Ferdinand’s paternal grandparents were Fernando I, King of Aragon and Leonor Urraca, 3rd Countess of Alburquerque. His maternal grandparents were Fadrique Enríquez de Mendoza, Admiral of Castile and Mariana Fernández de Córdoba y Ayala, 4th Lady of Casarrubios del Monte.

Ferdinand had one younger sister:

Ferdinand had four half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Blanche of Navarre:

Ferdinand’s paternal uncle Alfonso V, King of Aragon had no children, so upon his death in 1458, Ferdinand’s father became Juan II, King of Aragon. Ferdinand’s much older half-brother Carlos was, by primogeniture, heir to the throne of Aragon. However, Carlos and his father Juan II were always in conflict, and Juan II did not Carlos to succeed him. In 1461, 40-year-old Carlos suddenly died and nine-year-old Ferdinand was now his father’s undisputed heir. However, there were suspicions that Juana Enriquez, Carlos’ stepmother and Ferdinand’s mother had poisoned Carlos.

Isabella of Castile and León; Credit – Wikipedia

In the neighboring Kingdom of Castile and León, now part of Spain, Ferdinand’s first cousin Enrique IV was King of Castile and León. Because there were doubts about the paternity of Joanna la Beltraneja, the daughter of Enrique IV’s second wife (his first marriage had been childless), it seemed likely that Enrique IV’s much younger half-sister Isabella of Castile and León would succeed him. Ferdinand’s father Juan II, King of Aragon thought a marriage to Isabella, who was Ferdinand’s second cousin, would be a good idea.

Isabella’s half-brother Enrique IV, King of Castile and León, made several unsuccessful attempts to marry Isabella to grooms of his choice. His half-sister was resistant and a few of the intended grooms died. When Isabella reached the age of eighteen, she decided she wanted to choose her own husband. She chose Ferdinand of Aragon. Without her half-brother’s knowledge, Isabella contacted Ferdinand through Abraham Seneor, who would become her longtime advisor, and marriage arrangements were made.

A tapestry showing the wedding of Ferdinand and Isabella; Credit – Wikipedia

Fearing that Enrique IV would disrupt the marriage plans, Isabella made the excuse of wanting to visit the burial place of her brother in Ávila. She then traveled to Valladolid. Ferdinand disguised himself as a muleteer for some merchants and secretly traveled with a few companions to Valladolid. On October 19, 1469, Isabella and Ferdinand were married at the Palacio de los Vivero in Valladolid.

Ferdinand and Isabella with their eventual successor, their daughter Juana; Credit – Wikipedia

Through the marriages of their five children, Isabella and Ferdinand’s grandchildren were the monarchs or consorts of Bohemia and Hungary; Denmark, Sweden, and Norway; England; France, the Holy Roman Empire; Portugal; and Spain.

Ferdinand and Isabella had five children:

Ferdinand and Isabella with their subjects; Credit – Wikipedia

When Enrique IV, King of Castile and León died in 1474, his half-sister succeeded him as Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León. According to the prenuptial agreement signed at the time of Isabella’s marriage to the future Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, the couple would share their power. Ferdinand became jure uxoris (by the right of his wife) King of Castile and León when Isabella succeeded her brother. When Ferdinand succeeded his father as King of Aragon in 1479, the Crown of Castile and the various territories of the Crown of Aragon were united in a personal union.

Ferdinand and Isabella carefully considered the marriages of their children. Their only son and heir Juan, Prince of Asturias married a Habsburg princess, Margaret of Austria, establishing the connection to the Habsburgs. Their eldest child Isabella married King Manuel I of Portugal and another daughter Juana married a Habsburg prince, Philip of Austria (the Handsome), brother of Margaret of Austria. However, Isabella and Ferdinand’s plans for their two eldest children did not work out. Their only son Juan, Prince of Asturias, died shortly after his marriage. Their daughter Isabella died during the birth of her only child Miguel da Paz, who died shortly before his second birthday. Isabella and Ferdinand’s crowns ultimately passed to their third child Juana and their son-in-law Philip of Austria from the House of Habsburg. Juana and Philip’s son Carlos (also known as Charles) became the first King of a united Spain, and also Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, and Lord of the Netherlands, and held many other titles.

Ferdinand and Isabella’s daughter Catherine, who married both sons of King Henry VII of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Ferdinand and Isabella made successful dynastic matches for their two youngest daughters. The death of their eldest child Isabella necessitated her husband King Manuel I of Portugal to remarry, and Ferdinand and Isabella’s third daughter Maria became the second of his three wives. Maria gave birth to ten children including two Kings of Portugal. Ferdinand and Isabella’s youngest child Catherine (Catalina in Spanish) of Aragon, married Arthur, Prince of Wales, the eldest son and heir of King Henry VII of England. Arthur’s early death resulted in Catherine becoming the first of the six wives of his younger brother King Henry VIII of England. Although King Henry VIII was dissatisfied that his marriage to Catherine had produced no surviving sons, their only surviving child Mary was a reigning Queen of England.

The return of Christopher Columbus; his audience before King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella; Credit – Wikipedia

Isabella and Ferdinand’s support of Christopher Columbus in his search for the West Indies would result in the conquest of the discovered lands and the creation of the Spanish Empire. In 1478, Isabella and Ferdinand established the Spanish Inquisition to maintain the Roman Catholic religion in their kingdoms. The Spanish Inquisition was originally intended to identify heretics among those who had converted from Judaism and Islam to Catholicism. In 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand conquered the Islamic Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, in today’s southern Spain, and issued the Alhambra Decree which ordered the mass expulsion of Jews from Spain. Because of their defense of the Roman Catholic Church in Castile and León and Aragon, Isabella and Ferdinand were given the Latin title Rex Catholicissimus (Most Catholic King or Most Catholic Majesty) by Pope Alexander VI in 1494. Thereafter, they used the Spanish title Los Reyes Católicos, generally translated as “The Catholics Monarchs”. It is still a title maintained by the Spanish monarchy but neither King Juan Carlos I (reigned 1975 – 2014, abdicated in favor of his son), nor his son Felipe VI, the current King of Spain, have made use of the title, but they have not renounced it either.

In the fall of 1504, Isabella became quite ill and officially withdrew from government affairs. On November 26, 1504, Isabella died at the age of 53. In her will, Isabella requested a simple burial at the Monastery of San Francisco in the Alhambra royal complex in Granada. She also further stated that she “wanted and commanded” that if Ferdinand “chooses to buried in any church or monastery of any other part or place of my kingdoms, that my body be moved there and buried together.” Isabella’s remains were later transferred to the Royal Chapel of Granada which was built after her death.

After the death of Isabella, her daughter Juana became Queen of Castile and León but Ferdinand II, King of Aragon proclaimed himself Governor and Administrator of Castile and León. In 1506, Juana’s husband Philip of Habsburg became King of Castile and León jure uxoris (by the right of his wife) as Philip I, initiating the rule of the Habsburgs in the Spanish kingdoms which would last until 1700. However, Philip’s rule lasted only from July 12, 1506 to September 25, 1506, when he died suddenly, apparently of typhoid fever. Despite being the ruling Queen of Castile, Juana had no real role during her reign. After Philip’s death, Ferdinand convinced the parliament that Juana was too mentally ill to govern, and was appointed her guardian and regent of Castile and León. Juana was confined in the Royal Convent of Santa Clara in Tordesillas under the orders of her father.

After his death, Ferdinand was concerned that his Kingdom of Aragon would pass into the hands of the House of Habsburg. This could be prevented by the birth of a male heir to Ferdinand, who would displace his half-sister Juana in the order of succession to the throne of Aragon. As part of an alignment with the Kingdom of France, Ferdinand agreed to marry Germaine of Foix, a daughter of Jean de Foix, Count of Étampes, Viscount of Narbonne and Marie of Orléans, and a niece of King Louis XII of France and hoped that Germaine would give birth to a son.

Ferdinand’s second wife Germaine of Foix, Queen Consort of Aragon; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 19, 1506, 18-year-old Germaine married 54-year-old Ferdinand by proxy in Blois, Kingdom of France. Six months later, Germaine traveled to Dueñas in the Kingdom of Castile and León, where she met her husband Ferdinand for the first time, amid great celebrations. The marriage was accepted in Ferdinand’s Kingdom of Aragon but it was poorly received by the people of the Kingdom of Castile and León who saw Ferdinand’s marriage to Germaine as a betrayal of their late queen, his first wife Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León. On May 3, 1509, Germaine gave birth to a son, Infante Juan of Aragon, Prince of Girona, who died shortly after his birth. Had he survived, the crown of Aragon would have been separated from the crown of Castile and León. There were no further children from the marriage.

Tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella at the Royal Chapel of Granada; Credit – By Javi Guerra Hernando – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35974697

On January 23, 1516, Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, died at the age of 63 and was buried next to his first wife Isabella at the Royal Chapel of Granada as Isabella requested. In his will, Ferdinand named his daughter Juana and her eldest son Carlos (also known as Charles in history) as his co-heirs.

Juana’s son Carlos in 1519; Credit – Wikipedia

However, Juana would never really reign as she would not be released from her confinement until her death on April 12, 1555, aged 75. It would be 16-year-old Carlos who would reign. Ferdinand even stated in his will that Carlos should be considered of legal age, despite being a minor, with the express purpose of Carlos reigning immediately. When Juana died in 1555, it resulted in the personal union of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, as her son Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, among many other titles, also became King of Castile and León, and Aragon, effectively creating the Kingdom of Spain. Carlos I was not only the first King of a united Spain and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, he was also Charles I, Archduke of Austria, and Charles II, Lord of the Netherlands, among many other titles.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Ferdinand II of Aragon – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_II_of_Aragon> [Accessed 8 July 2022].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. John II of Aragon – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_II_of_Aragon> [Accessed 9 July 2022].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2022. Fernando II de Aragón – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_II_de_Arag%C3%B3n> [Accessed 8 July 2022].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2022. Juan II de Aragón – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_II_de_Arag%C3%B3n> [Accessed 9 July 2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2022. Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/isabella-i-queen-of-castile-and-leon-queen-of-aragon/> [Accessed 9 July 2022].

Cecilia of Normandy, Abbess of Holy Trinity Abbey

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Cecilia of Normandy; Credit – WIkipedia

Cecilia of Normandy was born circa 1055 – 1056 in the Duchy of Normandy, now part of France. She was the daughter of William III, Duke of Normandy and Matilda of Flanders. In 1066, Cecilia’s father, William III, Duke of Normandy, invaded England and defeated the last Anglo-Saxon King, Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. The Duke of Normandy was then also King William I of England, known as “the Conqueror”. Cecilia’s paternal grandparents were Robert I the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy and his mistress Herleva of Falaise. His maternal grandparents were Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and Adèle of France, daughter of King Robert II of France.

Cecilia had at least nine siblings. The birth order of the boys is clear, but that of the girls is not. The list below is not in birth order. It lists Cecilia’s brothers first in their birth order and then his sisters in their probable birth order.

The Abbey of the Holy Trinity as it looked in 1702 before parts of it were demolished and rebuilt and other parts restored; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Cecilia’s parents occurred without the required papal dispensation as William and Matilda were regarded within the prohibited degree of kinship. Finally, in 1059 papal approval was received, but as a penance, William and Matilda were each required to found an abbey in Caen, Duchy of Normandy as penance, William founded the Abbey of St. Stephen (also called the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, Abbey of the Men), and Matilda founded the Abbey of the Holy Trinity (also called the Abbaye-aux-Dames, Abbey of the Women). In early childhood, Cecilia was promised as a nun to the abbey her mother founded.

Before Cecilia entered the abbey, she was educated by the scholar Arnulf of Chocques who taught her Latin, rhetoric, and logic. Cecilia accompanied her mother to England in 1068 and returned to Normandy in 1074 when she entered the Abbey of the Holy Trinity as a novice. On Easter Day, April 5, 1075, Cecilia took her vows as a nun.

Tomb of Cecilia’s mother Matilda of Flanders; Credit – Wikipedia

Cecilia had a successful career at the abbey. She was likely the only child to be present at her mother’s funeral in 1083. The funeral took place at the Abbey of the Holy Trinity and Cecilia’s mother Matilda of Flanders was then buried under a black slab at the abbey she had founded. Cecilia was the Coadjutor of the abbey, the assistant of her relative Abbess Matilda. Upon the death in 1112 of Abbess Matilda, Cecilia became the Abbess of the Abbey of the Holy Trinity.

Cecilia died on July 30, 1126, at the Abbey of the Holy Trinity and was buried at the abbey in the choir of the nuns, on the main axis of the church, opposite the choir of the laypeople where her mother Matilda of Flanders was buried. However, Cecilia’s grave is no longer accessible. Cecilia was succeeded as Abbess by her great-niece Elizabeth of Blois, the granddaughter of Cecilia’s sister Adele who married Stephen II, Count of Blois.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Abbey of Sainte-Trinité, Caen – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_of_Sainte-Trinit%C3%A9,_Caen> [Accessed 6 July 2022].
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  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2022. Cécile de Normandie — Wikipédia. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9cile_de_Normandie> [Accessed 6 July 2022].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2022. Сесилия Нормандская — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%9D%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F> [Accessed 6 July 2022].
  • Williamson, David, 1996. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.