Queen Victoria's Bad Boy Bertie

From Mail Online:

Perhaps no Prince of Wales in history has been less trusted — or more spied upon — than the boy everyone knew as Bertie. 

When he attended a military summer camp, at age 19, the future King Edward VII was surrounded by minders: two stern Grenadier officers, a colonel and a general. He even had to share a general’s quarters.

Happily, however, they had not thought to lock Bertie’s bedroom window. So, one night, the heir to the throne wriggled out, made a beeline for the camp prostitute — one Nellie Clifden — and triumphantly lost his virginity.

Nor did it help that the birth of her son and heir was difficult: the baby was exceptionally large, and Victoria — at 4ft 11in — exceptionally small. Afterwards, she was dogged by post-natal depression for nearly a year.

Bertie, named after his father, was tossed to a wet-nurse — a woman called Mrs Brough, who later murdered her own six children in a fit of madness. 

So needy was Victoria for Albert’s love that she had little affection to spare for her second child. In any case, she thought Bertie was ugly — ‘too frightful’ and also ‘sadly backward’.

A royal wedding, she decided, presented the perfect solution: it would not only remove the presence of her irksome son but also stop him lusting after loose women. Bertie must wed the unprepossessing Alexandra.

Desperate to please her, he did precisely as he was told. But as I will reveal on Monday, far from taming him, marriage would turn Bertie into a world class womaniser, who justly deserved his nickname ‘the Prince of Pleasure’.

Excerpts from "Bertie: A life of Edward VII" by Jane Ridley

"Lulu" - still a threat 40 years later

From CNN:

California's parole board Tuesday refused to release onetime Manson family acolyte Leslie Van Houten, finding the 60-year-old remains dangerous more than four decades after the group's Southern California murder spree.

The board found that Van Houten "still poses a risk to society," spokesman Luis Patino said. The decision marks the 19th time that she has been denied parole, and she won't be eligible again until 2013, Patino said.

Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Patrick Sequeira praised the decision.

"The crime itself was absolutely horrendous -- the brutal slaughter of two individuals in their home, in a cruel and very horrifying manner," said Sequeira. "It is our position that she never really has fully accepted responsibility for her crimes."

And there she should remain - no sympathy here.

Top 36 Women Icons

From the Journal:

History is spiced with the lifetime achievements of many women in different areas of interests.

The amazing fusion of strength of character, kindness of heart and compassion of these women continue to inspire generations of other women all over the world. Here and now, Women’s Journal is privileged to present an all-women shortlist of the world’s iconic figures.

View the List here.

Antonio Foscarini

For those interested in politics and intrigue in Medieval / Renaissance Venice, drop by my good friend Jason's "Executed Today" website and have a read of "The Execution of Antonio Foscarini".

A tale of jealously, political intrigue, a foreign woman, a secret execution!


I really love this site!

William March

William March (de Marisco)

Son of the Justiciar of Ireland, Geoffrey de Marisco (d.1245).

William married the Matilda, niece Henry of London, Archbishop of Dublin (issue from marriage).

Lundy Island had been in the possession of the de Mariscos since the reign of King Stephen of England. King Henry II attempted to take possession of Lundy (1155) in order to give it to the Knights Templar. It is known that the de Mariscos were fined (c.1195) for retaining the Island of Lundy against the wishes of King Henry and against the rights of the Knights Templar.

Already at this stage, the family maintained Lundy as a base from which to control shipping in the Bristol Channel. However, the Island soon became a base for pirates and other criminal types. The de Mariscos built a strong castle, with nine-foot (2.74 m) thick walls that safeguarded both the family and their 'subjects' for seventeen years. The coastline was also fortified and defended.

William de Marisco obtained a post at the court of King Henry III. However, William was implicated in the murder of Henry Clement, King's Messenger and Envoy of Maurice FitzGerland, Justiciar of Ireland (1135). William was accused of slitting Clement's throat. William fled to the safety of Lundy where, despite being outlawed, he was relatively safe from arrest.

William joined the rest of the de Marisco family in a plot to assassinate King Henry III (1138). Henry III had seized de Marisco lands in Somerset - the de Mariscos retaliated.

But by now Henry III had had enough. William ruled Lundy like a King; he kidnapped and ransomed merchants; and embarked upon all acts of piracy. Henry III sent a force of hand-picked men to Lundy. This small Royal force concluded a successful assault upon the Island (1242). Eventually William and sixteen of his close followers were captured - alive.

William was tried, and hanged, drawn and quartered. Lundy Island was removed from the possession of the de Marisco family.


~~~ Melisende (first pub: 2/3/2007)

Thomas Blood

Thomas Blood (c.1618 - 1680)
Irish Colonel and adventurer.

Thomas lost his estates during the Restoration (1660). He attacked Dublin Castle (1663); and later he brazenly stole the English Crown Jewels from the Tower of London (1671) - reputedly the only person to have successfuly done so. Despite getting away with the loot, he was quickly captured.

Rather than recieving the harsh treatment one would expect, Thomas found himself greatly favoured by King Charles II of England (aka: "the Merry Monarch"), who pardoned him and restored his estates.

See the following articles:
Thomas Blood - And the Theft of the Crown Jewels
Clare People - Thomas Blood
Thomas Blood - Wikipedia
The Newgate Calendar

~~~ Melisende (first pub: 2/6/2006)

Roussell of Bailleul

Roussell of Bailleul

Norman Adventurer

Roussel led a group of (exiled?) raffish Normans into Byzantium. He was employed by Emperor Romanus Diogenes as a Lieutenant.

Anna Comnena in her book "The Alexiad" describes Roussel (or Ursel as she refers to him) as thus:

"Now this man was a Frank by birth who had been enrolled in the Roman Army, reached a high pitch of prosperity, and after gathering a band, or rather quite a considerable army, of men from his own country, and also of other races, he immediately became a formidable tyrant. For when the hegemony of the Romans had received several checks, and [8] the luck of the Turks was in the ascendancy, and the Romans had been driven back like dust shaken from their feet, at that moment this man too attacked the Empire. Apart from his tyrannical nature, what more especially incited him to openly establishing his tyranny just then was the depressed state of the imperial affairs, and he laid waste nearly all the Eastern provinces. "

His military record was not unblemished – at Mantizekt (1071) when he saw that the Greek’s position hopeless, he refused to send own men into battle. He rebelled against Isaac Comnenus and began his own conquest of Galatia. Isaac was defeated by the Seljuk Turks.

Roussel charmed his way back into Imperial favour. Roussel was sent by Emperor Michael VII Dukas to lead mixed force of Normans and Frankish cavalry against the Turks in Anatolia. Once deep into enemy territory, he again betrayed his trust and with his 3000 loyal followers, Roussel set up a self-declared independent Norman state along southern Italian lines. He managed to capture Caesar John Dukas, uncle of the reigning Emperor Michael and proclaimed John Dukas Emperor (1073).

Emperor Michael allied himself to the Seljuk Turks and persuaded them to eliminate Roussel's state in return for the territory (1074). Roussel himself managed to escape and General Alexius Comnenus (later Byzantime Emperor Alexius I Comnenus) was sent to hunt him down. At Amasea – Roussel set up himself as Governor and so endeared himself to local population that they only agreed to his removal on being told, untruthfully by Alexius, that they would be blinded.

A period of imprisonment at Constantinople followed. When army of Nicephorus Botaneiates marched on capital (1077), Roussel was released by Emperor Michael who gave him one last chance. Invested with new regiment and inflicting a crushing defeat on rebels – Roussel turned traitor for third time and declared for usurper.

On the journey from Amasea to Constantinople, Alexius Comnenus had fallen victim to his fascination. When starving in prison, Alexius had secretly brought Roussel food. During his confinement, Roussel most probably often spoke to Alexius of Robert Guiscard in whose army he had formerly served.

Roussel was intelligent, cunning, and not without military skill.

His fate remains unknown - it is presumed that having turned traitor yet again, he was imprisoned, tortured and executed.

~~~ Melisende (first pub: 17/9/2006)