Margaret of Nevers, Dauphine of France, Duchess of Guyenne and Countess of Richemont

A grand-daughter of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, Margaret was destined to be a pawn for her family’s political fortunes. Her life was comprised of many twists and turns. She would become a co…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Louis XI, King of France

King Louis XI’s administration and consolidation of his kingdom and his flair for diplomacy earned him the sobriquet of “the Prudent”. But his favorite pastimes were plotting and conspiracy. He eve…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Isabella of Gloucester, Queen of England, Countess of Gloucester and Essex

By all accounts, John of England was a dreadful king. During his reign, he lost virtually all the French territories his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine brought to her marriage with King Henry II. He s…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Where does the name Wars of the Roses come from?

and were they known as the Cousins’ Wars?

nathenamin.substack.com

The Battle of Winchelsea

By the time of the reign of King Edward III of England, some of the Angevin Empire had been lost. Edward still retained the Duchy of Aquitaine, the legacy of Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of King Henr…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Isabella d'Este of Mantua and her Links to Tudor England

by Jo Romero

lovebritishhistory.co.uk

Gravensteen Castle History: A Medieval Experience in the Heart of Ghent

The Gravensteen, or Castle of the Counts, in Ghent, appears medieval but is primarily a 19th-century reconstruction. Originally built to defend against invasions in the Early Middle Ages, it reflec…

raytheboldish.wordpress.com

An English Adventure in Portugal During the Reign of Queen Elizabeth I

King Sebastian of Portugal, grandson of King John III, was killed in Morocco at the battle of Ksar el-Kebir in 1578.  He had never married and had no heir setting up a succession crisis.  The next …

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Uncovering Margaret of Anjou: A Queen More Sinn’d Against Than Sinning? ~ A guest post by Catherine Hokin

It is particularly apt to begin this exploration of the reputation associated with Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) with a quote from Shakespeare. It is in his portrayals (in the Henry VI trilogy and …

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Lady Katherine Grey, Countess of Hertford

The Grey sisters were grand-nieces of King Henry VIII.  It is impossible to talk about these three young women without discussing their position in the succession of the throne of England.  The Act…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Cecily of York, Viscountess of Welles

Not as well known as her sister Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, Cecily attended many important events at the court of her father King Edward IV of England and her brother-in-law, King Henry VI…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

The Princess Who’d Rather Have Married A Baboon

Rich, cosseted, and — by their own account — miserable enough to consider almost anything to escape.

lucyworsley.substack.com

Isabella of France, Queen of England

Queen Isabella as depicted in Froissart’s Chronicles Right or wrong, Isabella of France has a reputation for being a she-wolf. In reality, she made some mistakes but her bravery in defending …

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Yolande of France, Duchess of Savoy Makes Two Daring Escapes

Yolande of France, Duchess of Savoy To celebrate the US and Canadian release of The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court, Here’s an article…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

The Coronation of Isabeau, Queen of France

King Charles VI of France married Isabeau of Bavaria on July 20, 1385. By the time of her coronation, she already had given birth to two children, one of which died after two months and another dau…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Queen Juana of Castile and the Communeros

It’s the year 1520 and the Kingdom of Castile is simmering in revolt. Queen Juana and her son King Charles I are co-rulers but Juana has been, for all intents and purposes, a prisoner in Tordesilla…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Elizabeth Bourchier Cromwell, Lady Protectress of England, Scotland and Ireland

Contemporary accounts of Elizabeth are usually hostile, mocking her for her simplicity and being out of place in her elevated role as the wife of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, rather than attacki…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Sir John Gates, Tudor Courtier

Sir John Gates epitomizes the life of a Tudor courtier.  If one could reach the heights of wealth and power during this era, one could also come to a bad end.  He has been described as a thug, gree…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Ten Things to Know About Charles Brandon ~ A guest post by Sarah Bryson

I’m delighted to welcome Sarah Bryson to The Freelance History Writer blog to share an article. Ten Things to Know About Charles Brandon Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk was a fascinating man. Comi…

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Guest Post: Royal Tudor Males Who Died Before Attaining their Majority: Arthur, Henry, Henry, and Edward

by Helene Harrison

talkingabouthistory.substack.com

Antonia Pulci, Renaissance Playwright

A note on the Italian writer Antonia Pulci.

monstrousregimentofwomen.com

Rumors Suggested That Anne Boleyn Was a Witch With Six Fingers. Did This Elizabethan Artist Rework a Portrait of the Tudor Queen to Debunk the Gossip?

A new analysis of the Hever Rose portrait suggests that the painter deliberately modified an existing template to showcase Anne's hands—with no extra digits—holding a delicate rose

smithsonianmag.com

He was one of the greatest Viking warlords – and his death is still an unsolved mystery

King Olaf Tryggvason’s dramatic fall at the battle of Svolder in around AD 1000 became one of the most famous episodes of the Viking Age. But while most sources say he drowned beneath the waves, some…

historyextra.com

These 5 Cities Held Europe's Largest Populations During the Renaissance | TheCollector

The Renaissance was a time of massive change in Europe, and served as a foundation of growth for some of the continent’s biggest cities.

thecollector.com

Elizabeth Blount, Royal Mistress

Elizabeth Blount, also known as Bessie, was a member of the English gentry and has the distinction of being one of the known and documented mistresses of King Henry VIII. She also was the mother of…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Herleva of Falaise, Mother of William the Conqueror

Legends states the young Duke Robert I of Normandy was on the walkway of his castle at Falaise looking down at the river and discovered a beautiful young girl washing clothes. He asked to see her a…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com

Visiting Westhorpe Hall in Suffolk, Home of Charles Brandon, Tudor Knight ~ A Guest Post by Tony Riches

As part of the research for my new book, “Brandon – Tudor Knight”, I decided to travel to Suffolk to see what I could uncover about his manor house at Westhorpe. Their manor house…

thefreelancehistorywriter.com