Traversing with the Tudors

The last post saw us exploring the life of Eleanor Cobham, a commoner elevated to the position of a Duchess by her marriage to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. Catapulted to the dizzying heights of fame, Eleanor flourished in the court of King Henry VI. John, Duke of Bedford was dead and Humphrey was next in line to the throne of England if Henry died without providing the kingdom with a heir. Jacquetta was in disgrace (the reasons for which we will see later) and Eleanor, at this time, was a clear favourite in the court. And she revelled in the attention: hosting banquets at Bella Court, the palace her husband built for her. Cut to one night in the year 1441. Eleanor was supposedly enjoying a meal when she was informed that three of her closest confidantes, the cleric Roger Bolingbroke, Eleanor's personal clerk Thomas Southwell and her chaplain and secretary John Hume, were arrested on the charges of witchcraft. And the king's men were now coming for her. Witchcraft and he

First, apologies for a long hiatus! And, here's to a brilliant 2020 to all my readers. I hope this new year and the new decade bring a lot of cheer, love, luck, prosperity and everything nice to you all. Now, let's head back to mediaeval England. Back to Jacquetta's world! After her marriage to John, Duke of Bedford, Jacquetta and her new husband travelled to England to meet his nephew, King Henry VI. Accompanying them was the Duke's squire, Richard Woodville, a young, charismatic man. Well, we will come to him later.... After her arrival, protocol demanded that Jacquetta meet her new royal family. She was welcomed by all, barring one. Philippa Gregory describes the meeting between Jacquetta and her new sister-in-law, Eleanor, Duchess of Gloucester, in not so glowing terms. According to Ms Gregory, Eleanor was cold towards Jacquetta whereas it should have been the other way round - Eleanor being a commoner before her marriage to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester