Posts
Manhunt:
The 12-day Chase For Lincoln's Killer
By James L. Swanson
2006, Harper-Collins Publisher
ISBN 13:978-0-06-051849-3
448 pp with illustrations
$26.95
The events of the night of April 14, 1865 are indelibly inked into the pages American History. The Civil War, the bloodiest four years the country had ever witnessed is now at an end, and there is cause for celebration in the streets of Washington, indeed all over the Union. Save for one man, John Wilkes Booth.
Any student of history today can tell you that on that night in question, John Wilkes Booth, the famed actor crept into the Presidential box at Ford's Theater, aimed his derringer at the head of Abraham Lincoln and pulled the trigger and with one bullet, changed the course of history.
What is little known about are the 12 days it took the Federal Government to track down and find Booth as he fled through Maryland and ultimately into Virginia where he died after being shot by a Union officer while hiding in a tobacco barn on the farm of Richard Garret.
In this riveting tale, James Swanson gives the reader an thrilling in-depth look at those twelve days, and never misses a beat in retelling this amazing story that may seem too good be true but is.
We are there while Booth and his accomplices plot and scheme in the days and hours before the murders. We smell the gunpowder and hear the report of the Derringer and the cries from Mary Todd Lincoln. We can hear the bone breaking in Booth's left leg as he jumps from the presidential box and yells out before fleeing backstage to his waiting horse. We are also there at the residence of bedridden Secretary of State William Seward and we're given the frightening and bloody account of his near murder at the hands of Booth's accomplice Lewis Powell.
On the lamb,we watch as Booth flees Washington D.C. the night of the killing, we follow him into Maryland and feel his sense of pride at killing the president. We feel the pain of his injured left leg which will ultimately prove to be his downfall. We watch as he and his associate David Herold are forced to hide out in a thicket for five excruciating days before making the crossing of the Potomac into Virginia and his inevitable date with destiny.
Over the one hundred plus year since that fateful evening, there have been many conspiracy theories as to whether Booth survived his ordeal and lived on, only to die years later. Later these stories became the basis for the 1977 movie "The Lincoln Conspiracy". Here Swanson is in fantastic form, as he describes in detail, Booth's last and final moments on Earth and what happened to his body after being brought back to Washington which ultimately put's to rest any of the stories of his survival.
Although the author reminds the reader several times of past events in the chapters preceding, which has a tendency to be redundant, it doesn't detract too much from the overall sense of drama, and pulse racing excitement as the events unfold and the chase gathers momentum and rushes us into it's thrilling end.
Overall the book is a great read for anyone who enjoys Civil War history, and a book that is hard to put down once it's begun.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
American Enigma
Kate
The Woman Who Was Hepburn
by William J. Mann
Henry Holt and Company
2006
ISBN 13:978-0-80507625-7
621 PP
$35.00
She was legendarily feisty, self assured, a trailblazer, and above all, an actress whose career took her to new heights and established her as an American icon. She was Hepburn.
For most of her life however, Kate was an enigma. Those who tried to figure her out, even those closest to her through out her life were left puzzled and wondering. Even her exact date of birth was a secret.
Perhaps the two greatest mysteries about Hepburn were of course, was she really and truly a Lesbian, or perhaps bi-sexual, and what was the true nature of her almost thirty year love affair with Spencer Tracy? Mann attempts, and successfully shows us through amazing detail what it was like for Kathryn to be Kathryn to the public, and also just plain Kath to herself and to her closest friends. We are given an inside glimpse of the wild and decadent world of Gay Hollywood in the 30's, 40's and 50's and taken to the heights of her fame in films such as "Little Women" "The Philadelphia Story", "Woman of the Year", "The African Queen", and her lowest points of her early career, the plays and movies that flopped, that made her Box Office Poison by 1942, and her series of films with her co-star and the greatest love she ever knew Spencer Tracy that cemented both in the consciousness of America.
It's the behind the scenes Kate however that comes through the most in this book, and it let's us understand the reality of her life and career and the fabricated, mythological and mysterious Kate that the public thought they knew. From her early days in Hartford, Connecticut, her relationship with her father and how it shaped her life and outlook, to her arrival in Hollywood in 1932 and her first big break, to her early marriage to Ludlow Ogden Smith, her close friendships with women, and her relationship with directors John Ford and George Cukor who brought her her greatest fame, we see Kate in a whole new light, and most of all, as human as the rest of us.
Available at the History Wolf Store on Amazon.com
The Woman Who Was Hepburn
by William J. Mann
Henry Holt and Company
2006
ISBN 13:978-0-80507625-7
621 PP
$35.00
She was legendarily feisty, self assured, a trailblazer, and above all, an actress whose career took her to new heights and established her as an American icon. She was Hepburn.
For most of her life however, Kate was an enigma. Those who tried to figure her out, even those closest to her through out her life were left puzzled and wondering. Even her exact date of birth was a secret.
Perhaps the two greatest mysteries about Hepburn were of course, was she really and truly a Lesbian, or perhaps bi-sexual, and what was the true nature of her almost thirty year love affair with Spencer Tracy? Mann attempts, and successfully shows us through amazing detail what it was like for Kathryn to be Kathryn to the public, and also just plain Kath to herself and to her closest friends. We are given an inside glimpse of the wild and decadent world of Gay Hollywood in the 30's, 40's and 50's and taken to the heights of her fame in films such as "Little Women" "The Philadelphia Story", "Woman of the Year", "The African Queen", and her lowest points of her early career, the plays and movies that flopped, that made her Box Office Poison by 1942, and her series of films with her co-star and the greatest love she ever knew Spencer Tracy that cemented both in the consciousness of America.
It's the behind the scenes Kate however that comes through the most in this book, and it let's us understand the reality of her life and career and the fabricated, mythological and mysterious Kate that the public thought they knew. From her early days in Hartford, Connecticut, her relationship with her father and how it shaped her life and outlook, to her arrival in Hollywood in 1932 and her first big break, to her early marriage to Ludlow Ogden Smith, her close friendships with women, and her relationship with directors John Ford and George Cukor who brought her her greatest fame, we see Kate in a whole new light, and most of all, as human as the rest of us.
Available at the History Wolf Store on Amazon.com
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Guiding the way.
I lived on the Central Caost of California for three years from 1989 until 1992, and many is the timeI would see it's beacon flashing and illuminating the fog from across the bay and someday I told myself I'd take a hike out there and see it. Well, that was 17 years ago, and I never did until yesterday when I took the guided 7 mile round trip hike, and I was well rewarded for my efforts to visit the San Luis Light.
San Luis Lighthouse has been guiding ships into Avila Beach and Port San Luis for more than a century now since it's light was first lit on June 30 1890.
The need for a lighthouse in Port Harford dates back to 1873, when John Harford built a pier extending 540 feet into the water, which was later extended to 576 feet, with the addition of a narrow gauge railroad to off load passengers and cargo and deliver them to San Luis Obispo. The railroad itself was an extension of the Pacific Coast Railway that connected to Pismo Beach, Arroyo Grande, Guadalupe, Santa Maria, Los Alamos, and terminating at Mattie's Tavern in Los Olivos, where travellers could rest before taking the stage coach into Santa Barbara.
Getting the money for the construction though proved very problematic. The first mention of a light came in 1867 under President Johnson who signed an executive order calling for lighthouses to be built along the entire west coast of the United States. At the time however, Congress as in the middle of paying off the debts incurred for the Civil War and Reconstruction. Not until Congressman Romualdo Pacheco introduced a bill in 1877 to build the lighthouse. However the project still had quite a ways to go before the port would see construction begin, in fact it would not be until 1886 that Congress would finally pass the bill and allocate $50,000 for the contruction.
The project however was still not out of the woods yet. Obtaining the land to build the lighthouse proved to be the hardest hurdle, and adding to that, the cost of the bids that came in to build the light were too high by Government standards which would have further delayed construction had an incident in 1888 not brought the need for a lighthouse to the forefront.
May 1, 1888. The coastal steamer, Queen of the Pacific was sailing down the coast when she started to take on water fifteen miles from the coast. Looking at the charts, her captain decided to make for Port Harford where they could put in. But with no light to guide her, and under dark evening skies, the captain was forced to slow the speed of the vessel. A mere five hundred feet from the edge of the pier, the Queen finally sank and settled onto the ocean bottom up to her waterline. Thankfully catastrophe was averted and all on board were safely off loaded onto dry land. The desparate need for a light at Port Harford was finally given the attention it needed to get the project off the ground.
Construction of the light commenced in 1889 and finished in June with a wooden dwelling of two floors and a tower fixed with a 4th order Fresnel lantern which was hand made in France and then shipped from New York. Nearby a duplex dwelling was built for the two assistant lightkeepers and their families, along with a kerosene shed and a steam powered fog signal building. Two, fifty thousand gallon cisterns were also contructed to provide drinking water using a rainwater runoff system.
The lantern was lit every night and extinguished each morning when the lantern room and the lens were washed to prevent the build up of soot from the kerosene. The lens used approximately a 1/2 gallon of kerosene each night and was rountinely checked throught the night. In 1915, the steam boilers for the fog signal were replaced by a compressed air system, which remained in place until 1933 when the lighthouse and the lantern were electrified, and in 1942, a radio listening station to track Japanese transmissions was built and a second duplex was added for armed forces personel.
The 1960's and '70's saw the end of the line for the San Luis lighthouse. The duplex next to the light was torn down owing to age and the effects of the elements in 1961 and in 1969, the lens was taken from the tower and replaced with a eletric lighting system. In 1974 the order came from the Coast Guard to shut the lighthouse down and the last keeper was moved out. For 25 years the lighthouse sat abandoned to the elements and vandals until 1992 when the 30 acre parcel was handed over to the San Luis Harbor District from the Federal Government with the proviso that the lighthouse and ground be restored. In 1995 official responsibility for the maintence and restoration of the lighthouse was given to the non profit Port San Luis Lighthouse Keepers Corporation.
Today the lighthouse is open the to the public but only by appointment two weeks in advance and by docent led tours. Plans are in the works however to repave the road leading from Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant to allow van tours to those who are not able to make the 7 1/2 mile round trip hike.
For further information, or to book your own hike to the lighthouse, check out the Point San Luis Lighthouse pages or Lighthouse Friends.Org
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Not politics as usual
1960
LBJ vs JFK vs Nixon
The Epic Campaign That Forged Three Presidencies
by David Pietrusza
Union Square Press
ISBN 978-1-4027-6114-0
523 pp with illustrations
$24.95 Hardcover
Ask anyone, and they will tell you politics is a very dirty game, a world where shady backroom deals are made and lives change in the wink of an eye.
David Pietrusza takes us into that world, a world where money truly talks, and in the case of Joe Kennedy, money which also greased a lot of palms, paid off the Mob, and vaulted his son into becoming the nation's first Catholic president. This is politics, boiled down to it's most base elements, and the author pulls no punches and spares no feelings when he get's down to the nitty gritty of the candidates themselves as the person behind the mask. And in the case of Nixon, several different masks, each one uglier than the one before.
This book opened my eyes and changed a few impressions I had of people that I've read up on in other biographies such as Bobby Kennedy, President Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. It also gave me a glimpse into some other famous names that I wasn't familiar with such as Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, and Nelson Rockefeller, but after reading about them, the way they played the game and the down and dirty nature of their true values and reasons to want to be president, I was left with a feeling that Harry Truman was right when he said "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog!" After I finished this book, I wouldn't want any of these men as my friends, let alone my enemies.
So for those of you who like sheer, nasty down and dirty soap opera dramatics, this is one hell of a ride! It starts off fast and doesn't stop until the end. I could easily say it's made the usual dry political biography one that makes me now want to read up some more on some of the men and women who make up the modern political spectrum.
LBJ vs JFK vs Nixon
The Epic Campaign That Forged Three Presidencies
by David Pietrusza
Union Square Press
ISBN 978-1-4027-6114-0
523 pp with illustrations
$24.95 Hardcover
Ask anyone, and they will tell you politics is a very dirty game, a world where shady backroom deals are made and lives change in the wink of an eye.
David Pietrusza takes us into that world, a world where money truly talks, and in the case of Joe Kennedy, money which also greased a lot of palms, paid off the Mob, and vaulted his son into becoming the nation's first Catholic president. This is politics, boiled down to it's most base elements, and the author pulls no punches and spares no feelings when he get's down to the nitty gritty of the candidates themselves as the person behind the mask. And in the case of Nixon, several different masks, each one uglier than the one before.
This book opened my eyes and changed a few impressions I had of people that I've read up on in other biographies such as Bobby Kennedy, President Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman. It also gave me a glimpse into some other famous names that I wasn't familiar with such as Barry Goldwater, Hubert Humphrey, and Nelson Rockefeller, but after reading about them, the way they played the game and the down and dirty nature of their true values and reasons to want to be president, I was left with a feeling that Harry Truman was right when he said "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog!" After I finished this book, I wouldn't want any of these men as my friends, let alone my enemies.
So for those of you who like sheer, nasty down and dirty soap opera dramatics, this is one hell of a ride! It starts off fast and doesn't stop until the end. I could easily say it's made the usual dry political biography one that makes me now want to read up some more on some of the men and women who make up the modern political spectrum.
Goosebumps Guaranteed.
Ghost Stories of California's Gold Rush Country and Yosemite National Park.
By Antonio R. Garcez
ISBN 0-9634029-8-6
Red Rabbit Press, New Mexico
207 pp with illustrations
My interest in the paranormal sciences goes back to when I was a kid. I was fascinated by books about ghosts, and reading about them. So when I had the chance five years ago to co-found a paranormal research group with some friends I took it. In the course of the last few years I've widely read up on paranormal activity and stories about haunted locations and ghosts, but sometimes I'm left disappointed because the books are just a rehash of old legends with very little eyewitness reports or scientific research to back it up.
I found this book at a local used bookstore in Arroyo Grande, CA a few weeks ago. The title stood out and so I decided to take a chance and buy it and I'm glad I did. I spent the next hour at a local Starbucks tearing through the first few chapters. To begin with, Mr. Garcez is an excellent writer and historian, his use of words paints a wonderful picture of the region.
What made this book truly stand out is his use of personal interviews with actual people from the Gold Rush towns who have experienced haunting's and sightings of ghosts in their homes and businesses. I found myself reading with real excitement and in truth the book almost makes made me want to take my car and head up Hwy 49 for several weeks just so I could see for myself the fascinating locations he mentions.
All in all, this is an excellent read, and a few of the stories really do get creepy enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and your arms get goosebumps. So once you get your copy, sit back, turn down the lights and settle in for a really good set of true ghost stories.
By Antonio R. Garcez
ISBN 0-9634029-8-6
Red Rabbit Press, New Mexico
207 pp with illustrations
My interest in the paranormal sciences goes back to when I was a kid. I was fascinated by books about ghosts, and reading about them. So when I had the chance five years ago to co-found a paranormal research group with some friends I took it. In the course of the last few years I've widely read up on paranormal activity and stories about haunted locations and ghosts, but sometimes I'm left disappointed because the books are just a rehash of old legends with very little eyewitness reports or scientific research to back it up.
I found this book at a local used bookstore in Arroyo Grande, CA a few weeks ago. The title stood out and so I decided to take a chance and buy it and I'm glad I did. I spent the next hour at a local Starbucks tearing through the first few chapters. To begin with, Mr. Garcez is an excellent writer and historian, his use of words paints a wonderful picture of the region.
What made this book truly stand out is his use of personal interviews with actual people from the Gold Rush towns who have experienced haunting's and sightings of ghosts in their homes and businesses. I found myself reading with real excitement and in truth the book almost makes made me want to take my car and head up Hwy 49 for several weeks just so I could see for myself the fascinating locations he mentions.
All in all, this is an excellent read, and a few of the stories really do get creepy enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and your arms get goosebumps. So once you get your copy, sit back, turn down the lights and settle in for a really good set of true ghost stories.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
We Three Kings
Once upon a time, there were three kings. Actually, three kings of England, all named Richard.....And one no one has ever heard of.
The first, King Richard I, was called Le Couer De Leon, or The Lion Hearted. Richard loved one thing and one thing only, the sights, sounds and smells of battle, and battle he did. Personally leading the charge to retake Jersulem from Saladin, a charge that failed, but not before 3,000 Muslim's were put to the sword first. On his way home, he managed to get captured and to ransom him cost 100,000 Pounds, and if that wasn't enough, the defend his turf in Normandy, he built an immense castle that cost a whopping 11,000 pounds. His death was not one would expect from this warrior king. He succumbed to wounds from an arrow after trying to take a subjects castle.
The second Richard, Richard II, has been named by history as a bad king. A tyrant, a narccissitic, whiny, spoiled, vain and just plain rotten to the core. But on further examination, we learn this was not the case. Richard was actually, quite a good king. His first test came at the ripe old age of 14, when his Barons lead a revolt against him because he opposed their taxing of the peasantry to pay for wars in France. At Smithfield, the revolt came to a head, and after the leader, Watt Tyler was brought down by the Mayor of London, he issued a blanket pardon to everyone to avoid further blood letting. His next act was to end the wars that were money makers for his barons. Richard took his role as king very seriously, believing that he was mandated by God to rule. His baron's didn't see him as such. They couldn't stand the man to the point that in 1387, three of them lead a revolt, slaughtered his advisors and deposed him. Fighting amongst themselves, he was able to regain control, that is until 1399, when Henry of Lancaster returned from exile and murdered Richard and took the throne for himself. Henry, now Henry IV now cast Richard as one of the most evil men in order to justify his usurping the throne.
"And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Richard III, 1. 1
So says our last Richard in Shakespeare's play Richard III. But was he really the hunchbacked villian we've come to know or was he too a victim of slander? In 1483, Richard became protector to his nephews upon the death of their father Edward IV. Their mother, a conivving, grasping woman, sought power herself and tried to take over the throne by having the eldest boy, Edward V, crowned king. Locking his nephews in the Tower of London to keep them from their mother's grasp, Richard then had parliament declare him protector. His nephews never say the light of day again, and even know the mystery of what really happened to them remain just that. Getting a bishop to do his bidding, he then had the late Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville declared invalid, his children bastards, and Richard was crowned king.
So, so far, Richard is proving to be not such a nice guy? Or is he? According to records, Richard proved to be a most capbale and able administrator, peacekeeper and defender of the poor. Richard reformed the legal system, insisiting trials be conducted in English instead of Latin, and installed the jury system of trial and protections for jurors.
In 1485 his rule came to an end at the Battle of Bosworth when he was killed by Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII and established the Tudor Dynasty which ruled England until 1603.
So who is this mystery king? Well, you have to watch the show to find out. So enjoy this, the last installment of Medieval Lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYLXlbE6Ly4
The first, King Richard I, was called Le Couer De Leon, or The Lion Hearted. Richard loved one thing and one thing only, the sights, sounds and smells of battle, and battle he did. Personally leading the charge to retake Jersulem from Saladin, a charge that failed, but not before 3,000 Muslim's were put to the sword first. On his way home, he managed to get captured and to ransom him cost 100,000 Pounds, and if that wasn't enough, the defend his turf in Normandy, he built an immense castle that cost a whopping 11,000 pounds. His death was not one would expect from this warrior king. He succumbed to wounds from an arrow after trying to take a subjects castle.
The second Richard, Richard II, has been named by history as a bad king. A tyrant, a narccissitic, whiny, spoiled, vain and just plain rotten to the core. But on further examination, we learn this was not the case. Richard was actually, quite a good king. His first test came at the ripe old age of 14, when his Barons lead a revolt against him because he opposed their taxing of the peasantry to pay for wars in France. At Smithfield, the revolt came to a head, and after the leader, Watt Tyler was brought down by the Mayor of London, he issued a blanket pardon to everyone to avoid further blood letting. His next act was to end the wars that were money makers for his barons. Richard took his role as king very seriously, believing that he was mandated by God to rule. His baron's didn't see him as such. They couldn't stand the man to the point that in 1387, three of them lead a revolt, slaughtered his advisors and deposed him. Fighting amongst themselves, he was able to regain control, that is until 1399, when Henry of Lancaster returned from exile and murdered Richard and took the throne for himself. Henry, now Henry IV now cast Richard as one of the most evil men in order to justify his usurping the throne.
"And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Richard III, 1. 1
So says our last Richard in Shakespeare's play Richard III. But was he really the hunchbacked villian we've come to know or was he too a victim of slander? In 1483, Richard became protector to his nephews upon the death of their father Edward IV. Their mother, a conivving, grasping woman, sought power herself and tried to take over the throne by having the eldest boy, Edward V, crowned king. Locking his nephews in the Tower of London to keep them from their mother's grasp, Richard then had parliament declare him protector. His nephews never say the light of day again, and even know the mystery of what really happened to them remain just that. Getting a bishop to do his bidding, he then had the late Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville declared invalid, his children bastards, and Richard was crowned king.
So, so far, Richard is proving to be not such a nice guy? Or is he? According to records, Richard proved to be a most capbale and able administrator, peacekeeper and defender of the poor. Richard reformed the legal system, insisiting trials be conducted in English instead of Latin, and installed the jury system of trial and protections for jurors.
In 1485 his rule came to an end at the Battle of Bosworth when he was killed by Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII and established the Tudor Dynasty which ruled England until 1603.
So who is this mystery king? Well, you have to watch the show to find out. So enjoy this, the last installment of Medieval Lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYLXlbE6Ly4
Friday, May 1, 2009
Fetch the thumb screws
In 1991 Kevin Costner gave us his version of the legend of Robin Hood, but sadly, it was, like earlier versions, a complete myth. The legends passed down are just that, legends.
So what was crime and punishment like in Medieval England? Surprisingly until the Norman Invasion of 1066, remarkably peaceful. Many Anglo Saxon towns policed themselves and violence, and crime was low. There was even a system called compensation and it was a money maker. Say you hit your neighbor with a sword and cut off his ear, that was 12 shillings. Damage his nose, 6 shillings, mangle or cut off his foot or damage his eye, 50 shillings. Knock out his four front teeth and you'd get dinged 6 shillings per tooth and four shillings for each after that going down in price the more teeth you removed from his head.
We often hear of the "Merry Men" who followed Robin Hood on his adventures. Yes, there were gangs, but none were that merry. One of of gangs roaming about the countryside, terrorizing nobleman and peasant alike were actually a noble family of brothers named Folville and they were about as far removed from Robin Hood as one could get. Robberies, murder, pilaging and raping, these brothers set the stage for crime.
After William the Conqueror came ashore and reformed the legal code, things got harder and it wasn't as easy to go hunting in the forest for something for dinner anymore either. The penalty for poaching under Richard I was removal of the eyes and testicles....Ouch!
Actually being an outlaw was a rather serious thing and something most people were loathe to become as it was the equivalent of being banished, and it meant a life always on the run, and if you were to get caught, you would be forced to stand trial. Failure to meet your court appearance three times would get you sent to prison, and how you were treated there depended on how much money you had.
Most of us remember the Sherrif of Nottingham, in the legend of Robin Hood as a very bad man, a man driven by greed, lust for power and lust for the fair maid Marian. But in truth, a sheriff spent so much time dealing with bureaucartic matters it left little time to go searching Sherwood Forest.
Think America in the late 20th and early 21st centuries was letigious? It's nothing compared to England during the Middle Ages. The legal system was overloaded with case after case of people suing other people for the most mundane things imaginable, like a hedgerow that over grew into your neighbors yard.
Seriously muck it up, and you'd best be on your way to the town of Beverly, which was known for being a sanctuary for criminals. But that was only good for forty days when you would be forced to leave the country.
There is so much to touch on, but the rest of the documentary covers that, so hopefully you'll stick it out and watch this, the seventh installment of Medieval Lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9GsccLoLvY&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
So what was crime and punishment like in Medieval England? Surprisingly until the Norman Invasion of 1066, remarkably peaceful. Many Anglo Saxon towns policed themselves and violence, and crime was low. There was even a system called compensation and it was a money maker. Say you hit your neighbor with a sword and cut off his ear, that was 12 shillings. Damage his nose, 6 shillings, mangle or cut off his foot or damage his eye, 50 shillings. Knock out his four front teeth and you'd get dinged 6 shillings per tooth and four shillings for each after that going down in price the more teeth you removed from his head.
We often hear of the "Merry Men" who followed Robin Hood on his adventures. Yes, there were gangs, but none were that merry. One of of gangs roaming about the countryside, terrorizing nobleman and peasant alike were actually a noble family of brothers named Folville and they were about as far removed from Robin Hood as one could get. Robberies, murder, pilaging and raping, these brothers set the stage for crime.
After William the Conqueror came ashore and reformed the legal code, things got harder and it wasn't as easy to go hunting in the forest for something for dinner anymore either. The penalty for poaching under Richard I was removal of the eyes and testicles....Ouch!
Actually being an outlaw was a rather serious thing and something most people were loathe to become as it was the equivalent of being banished, and it meant a life always on the run, and if you were to get caught, you would be forced to stand trial. Failure to meet your court appearance three times would get you sent to prison, and how you were treated there depended on how much money you had.
Most of us remember the Sherrif of Nottingham, in the legend of Robin Hood as a very bad man, a man driven by greed, lust for power and lust for the fair maid Marian. But in truth, a sheriff spent so much time dealing with bureaucartic matters it left little time to go searching Sherwood Forest.
Think America in the late 20th and early 21st centuries was letigious? It's nothing compared to England during the Middle Ages. The legal system was overloaded with case after case of people suing other people for the most mundane things imaginable, like a hedgerow that over grew into your neighbors yard.
Seriously muck it up, and you'd best be on your way to the town of Beverly, which was known for being a sanctuary for criminals. But that was only good for forty days when you would be forced to leave the country.
There is so much to touch on, but the rest of the documentary covers that, so hopefully you'll stick it out and watch this, the seventh installment of Medieval Lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9GsccLoLvY&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
Tricks and Magic
Most people would if asked, probably say that medicine and the sciences of the Middle Ages were a lot of quackery and hogwash, and that the Church forbade any delving into anything that upset God's order. But then how does one explain the philosopher and the alchemist? Learned church men such as Roger Bacon who not only invented the spectrum some 400 years before Newton, but also invented the telescope before Galileo?
What of Monastic Hospitals where certain herbs such as Yarrow and Tormentill were used to treat wounds and worms in the intestine, or even Heath Pea which staved off hunger and thirst for a several days? And few can imagine that if surgery were needed, you could actually be anesthetized by being given a potion of Henbane, Hemlock, and Opium Poppy.
These men of the church also knew the shape of the world to be round, until Washington Irving came around in 1828 and said the church said the world was flat in his biography of Columbus, who by the way found his way around the coastlines of Spain by using maps and charts created by...Who else?
The world would not have Gothic structures if The Cathedral of Canterbury hadn't burnt to the ground in 1174, and the monks let a Frenchman build the second cathedral and use flying buttresses to hold up the walls.
And we would never know what time it is had it not been for the Abbot of St. Albans, Richard of Wallingford who built the worlds first astronomical clock.
So there you have it, the combination of science and religion. Thank heavens for it, or we'd all be pushing up the daisies by now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTf2EzTd1TE&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
What of Monastic Hospitals where certain herbs such as Yarrow and Tormentill were used to treat wounds and worms in the intestine, or even Heath Pea which staved off hunger and thirst for a several days? And few can imagine that if surgery were needed, you could actually be anesthetized by being given a potion of Henbane, Hemlock, and Opium Poppy.
These men of the church also knew the shape of the world to be round, until Washington Irving came around in 1828 and said the church said the world was flat in his biography of Columbus, who by the way found his way around the coastlines of Spain by using maps and charts created by...Who else?
The world would not have Gothic structures if The Cathedral of Canterbury hadn't burnt to the ground in 1174, and the monks let a Frenchman build the second cathedral and use flying buttresses to hold up the walls.
And we would never know what time it is had it not been for the Abbot of St. Albans, Richard of Wallingford who built the worlds first astronomical clock.
So there you have it, the combination of science and religion. Thank heavens for it, or we'd all be pushing up the daisies by now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTf2EzTd1TE&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
Pray thee good Sir Knight
A swift and valiant horse, and an honorable knight, charging into battle, saving and wooing the fair damsel in distress....Hardly.
Forget all your ideas of chivalric knights battling for love and honor. This episode covers what being a knight actually was, and for the most part it was love of slaughter and love of money that drove the knights, and turned them inot mercenaries and soldiers of fortune.
On one side of the coin is John Hawkward, the mercenary swordsman who was paid by the Holy Church herself to exact vengeance on a small town. With his men he murdered 5,000 men, women and children, and became so handsomely paid for the service he was able to build a castle and given the honor of being buried in Florence Cathedral.
On the other side, we are shown the life of William Marshall, who raised himself from poverty to become the shining example of chivalry and goodness that is the mainstay of many a novel or Hollywood epic.
But most of all, this is a lesson in good horsemanship, the evolution of armor, and how to make some good money along the way doing it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWFQtzM4r0&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
Forget all your ideas of chivalric knights battling for love and honor. This episode covers what being a knight actually was, and for the most part it was love of slaughter and love of money that drove the knights, and turned them inot mercenaries and soldiers of fortune.
On one side of the coin is John Hawkward, the mercenary swordsman who was paid by the Holy Church herself to exact vengeance on a small town. With his men he murdered 5,000 men, women and children, and became so handsomely paid for the service he was able to build a castle and given the honor of being buried in Florence Cathedral.
On the other side, we are shown the life of William Marshall, who raised himself from poverty to become the shining example of chivalry and goodness that is the mainstay of many a novel or Hollywood epic.
But most of all, this is a lesson in good horsemanship, the evolution of armor, and how to make some good money along the way doing it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWFQtzM4r0&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
Strike the harp
In part four, we now encounter the world of the minstrel, or "little servant" from which the word is derived. Minstrels, and their later counterparts, the Troubadour, were very much an integral part of the Medieval lanscape and the fabric of court life. And some were quite famous, as their names have been passed down to us throughout history, the most of course being Geoffrey Chaucer.
But in this segment, we learn of other names too such as that of Tyfair, the minstrel of William the Conqueror, who pretty much got the Battle of Hastings, and the subsequent end of Saxon England off to a flying start by juggling his sword and a spear. There is also Richard who in 1306 prevented a fire from destroying Windsor Castle while on watch duty.
Here too is the Song of Roland, a 4000 line epic poem that was the greatest "Chanson D'jest" of the Norman Period, and of the songs of Duke William IX of Aquitane who changed the4 face of minstrelry with the introuduction of poems in the langauage of the street, which gave Chaucer his start.
So, if the Hit Parade for 1350 is your bag, your going to dig these crazy tunes, and the people who sang them.
But in this segment, we learn of other names too such as that of Tyfair, the minstrel of William the Conqueror, who pretty much got the Battle of Hastings, and the subsequent end of Saxon England off to a flying start by juggling his sword and a spear. There is also Richard who in 1306 prevented a fire from destroying Windsor Castle while on watch duty.
Here too is the Song of Roland, a 4000 line epic poem that was the greatest "Chanson D'jest" of the Norman Period, and of the songs of Duke William IX of Aquitane who changed the4 face of minstrelry with the introuduction of poems in the langauage of the street, which gave Chaucer his start.
So, if the Hit Parade for 1350 is your bag, your going to dig these crazy tunes, and the people who sang them.
Not your usual fairy tale ending
We come now to Episode 3 Season One, "The Damsel." If you think women during the Middle Ages were the come hither beauties eager to be rescued in their hour of need by a knight in shining armor on a white steed, think again.
Women were anything but chaste, demure or pure in those days. Take for instance the story of Christina of Markyate who in 1066 defied her parents, and the very Bishop of Durham himself to retain her chastity for God, or Margery, Countess of Carrick in Scotland who lured a knight into her castle, seduced him, and a result bore one of Scotland's greatest monarchs, the legendary Robert The Bruce.
This third installment also shows us how Black Death of 1350 which decimated the population thrust women into the forefront of society as they took on the traditional roles of men.
So, grab thy fair wife, sit back, drinketh some wine and enjoy Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, chapter 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL5CviNAhnk&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
Women were anything but chaste, demure or pure in those days. Take for instance the story of Christina of Markyate who in 1066 defied her parents, and the very Bishop of Durham himself to retain her chastity for God, or Margery, Countess of Carrick in Scotland who lured a knight into her castle, seduced him, and a result bore one of Scotland's greatest monarchs, the legendary Robert The Bruce.
This third installment also shows us how Black Death of 1350 which decimated the population thrust women into the forefront of society as they took on the traditional roles of men.
So, grab thy fair wife, sit back, drinketh some wine and enjoy Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, chapter 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL5CviNAhnk&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
A Monks Tale
This, the second in the new series of Terry Jones' Medieval Times" takes a look at the role of the church in English History from it's humble beginnings with Saint Benedict, who gave the world the Benedictine Order, to the righteous and extremely wealthy Cistercians who virtually owned England, (and ran a few brothels too) and the King, until Henry VIII put a stop to everything and spoiled all the fun.
The role of the Church in England is quite fascinating, and here Terry doesn't miss a trick, showing us not only the Peasants Revolt against the money and power that the Church had, but also how the monks made wine, ate, slept, and fashioned iron from primitive forges for everything from sheep sheers, to processional crosses. And as usual, it's interspersed with brief bits of humor that make this a very fun episode to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7kixg7E3Pk&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
The role of the Church in England is quite fascinating, and here Terry doesn't miss a trick, showing us not only the Peasants Revolt against the money and power that the Church had, but also how the monks made wine, ate, slept, and fashioned iron from primitive forges for everything from sheep sheers, to processional crosses. And as usual, it's interspersed with brief bits of humor that make this a very fun episode to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7kixg7E3Pk&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
An exciting series
Being a history buff, and a rather ardent Anglophile, I've spent countless hours ensconced in British History, reading the history's and chronicles of the Kings and Queens of England, and with only a slight gap during the Georgian Period, I've come to think I knew everything there was to know about English history.
That was until this morning when I went onto You Tube and found this fascinating and illuminating set of documentaries about the Medieval Period hosted by Terry Jones (of Monty Pythons Flying Circus.)
At first knowing Terry's TV background, one would think this is going to be a comedic look at the period, but first impressions can and in this case are very deceiving. Terry Jones gives an excellent tour as host and shows the viewer all aspects of society at the time and in a straight forward (with slight comedic touches) and simple manner that make watching this series very fun, and incredibly detailed.
Because embedding is blocked, I can only provide the URL here, but if you want to learn more about this truly incredible and in some cases misunderstood time, I invite you to watch "Terry Jones' Medieval Times" with part one, "The Peasant."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg3YDN5gTX0&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
As for me. I think I'll be spending the rest of my day sitting here, headphones on and glued to my monitor.
That was until this morning when I went onto You Tube and found this fascinating and illuminating set of documentaries about the Medieval Period hosted by Terry Jones (of Monty Pythons Flying Circus.)
At first knowing Terry's TV background, one would think this is going to be a comedic look at the period, but first impressions can and in this case are very deceiving. Terry Jones gives an excellent tour as host and shows the viewer all aspects of society at the time and in a straight forward (with slight comedic touches) and simple manner that make watching this series very fun, and incredibly detailed.
Because embedding is blocked, I can only provide the URL here, but if you want to learn more about this truly incredible and in some cases misunderstood time, I invite you to watch "Terry Jones' Medieval Times" with part one, "The Peasant."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg3YDN5gTX0&feature=PlayList&p=GXxQQqRaQHA
As for me. I think I'll be spending the rest of my day sitting here, headphones on and glued to my monitor.
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