Sunday, January 28, 2024

"Queen Elizabeth's Daughter"

Mistress Mary Shelton is Queen Elizabeth's favorite ward, enjoying every privilege the position affords. The British queen loves Mary like a daughter, and, like any good mother, she wants her to make a powerful match. The most likely prospect: Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. But while Oxford seems to be everything the queen admires: clever, polished and wealthy, Mary knows him to be lecherous, cruel, and full of treachery. No matter how hard the queen tries to push her into his arms, Mary refuses.
Instead, Mary falls in love with a man who is completely unsuitable. Sir John Skydemore is a minor knight with little money, a widower with five children. Worst of all, he's a Catholic at a time when Catholic plots against Elizabeth are rampant in England. The queen forbids Mary to wed the man she loves. When the young woman, who is the queen's own flesh and blood, defies her, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth's wrath knows no bounds.

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Margaret George's Tudor novels

A warning: be prepared, these bestsellers are thick reads, but seem to be well worth it:


England’s greatest monarch has baffled and intrigued the world for centuries. But what was the Virgin Queen really like? Lettice Knollys—Elizabeth's flame-haired, look-alike coussin—thinks she knows all too well. Elizabeth’s rival for the love of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and mother to the Earl of Essex, Lettice has been intertwined with Elizabeth since childhood. 
This is a story of two women of fierce intellect and desire, one trying to protect her country and throne, the other trying to regain power and position for her family. Their rivalry, and its ensuing drama, soon involves everyone close to Elizabeth, from the famed courtiers who enriched the crown to the legendary poets and playwrights who paid homage to it with their works. 
Filled with intimate portraits of the personalities who made the Elizabethan age great—Shakespeare, Marlowe, Dudley, Raleigh, Drake—
Elizabeth I provides an unforgettable glimpse of a woman who considered herself married to her people. A queen who ruled as much from the heart as from the head.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

"Fools and Mortals"

New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell makes a dramatic departure with this enthralling, action-packed standalone novel that tells the story of the first production of A Midsummer Night's Dream—as related by William Shakespeare’s estranged younger brother.

Lord, what fools these mortals be...

In the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William’s star rises, Richard’s onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty.
So when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal which threatens not only his career and potential fortune, but also the lives of his fellow players, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime...
Showcasing the superb storytelling skill that has won Bernard Cornwell international renown, Fools and Mortals is a richly portrayed tour de force that brings to life a vivid world of intricate stagecraft, fierce competition, and consuming ambition.

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Renaissance dances

Some lovely Renaissance era dances I found on YouTube:

La Barriera

Branle des Chevaulx

Branle de l'officiale

Branle des Lavandieres

"Chiara Stella"


Galliard

La Volta

Les Boffons

Pavane

Pinagay

The Earl of Essex measures

The Ould Almaine

The Queen's Almaine

Tourdillon

Sunday, January 14, 2024

"Shakespeare In Love"

Another "modern classic" worth another rewatch, and least we forget, Gwenyth Paltrow won an academy award for her role in this film...




Saturday, January 13, 2024

"Ironclad 2"

Until now, I was unaware that in 2014, a sequel to "Ironclad" was released...looks like I need to catch up! (Bonus: you may recognize "Catelyn Stark"...😉)



Sunday, January 7, 2024

"Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth the Golden Age"

These now "modern classics" star Cate Blanchett as the iconic monarch...methinks it's time for a rewatch!


Elizabeth (1998) trailer


Elizabeth the Golden Age (2007) trailer

Saturday, January 6, 2024

"The White Queen", "The White Princess", and "The Spanish Princess"

Back in 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2020, Starz released adaptations of three of Philippa Gregory's bestselling books...do have a look if you haven't already via Starz or Amazon Prime!

The White Queen trailer

The White Princess trailer

The Spanish Princess season 1 trailer

The Spanish Princess season 2 trailer