Of cool historical English men (and pirates)

[dangermousie]

I am madly in love with The King’s Touch by Jude Morgan. It’s the best novel I’ve read in months. I am also fascinated because its protagonist is the Duke of Monmouth, and I’ve never read a book solely about him before. All I know about him are the very general facts: eldest illegitimate son of Charles II (and for all I know, the only one) who,

Comments

[ancarett]

/em fangirls Prince Rupert excessively

I remember, fondly, Poul Anderson's "A Midsummer Tempest" which was an interesting AU fantasy revolving around Rupert in a world where Shakespeare was all truth.

Not so much for the Duke of Monmouth who was, sadly, rather thick. But Rupert? Da bomb! Da bomb, baby!

[dangermousie]

Woo-Hoo! Another Rupert fangirl :P

I really must find "A Midsummer Tempest." I like Poul Anderson anyway, and Prince Rupert? Delicious bonus.

Yes, Monmouth wasn't really full on brains (though if the story is true that it took 8 blows of the axe to chop off his head, the poor guy paid rather dearly for it), but I do like his fictional counterpart (though even there, he is not super brilliant, if reflective).

Seriously, when I first learned about Rupert, my main reaction was "You have got to be kidding me? This guy was real?" It's like a really good adventure novel only cooler.

[ancarett]

Well, then there is the whole ZOMG tragedy with his father and mother being the Winter King and Queen, living out their lives in exile in the Low Countries having been on the losing side in the early stages of the Thirty Years' War (memo to self: when happily ensconced as Count Palatinate, it is a bad idea to accept the Bohemian crown what has been customarily granted to the heir to the Holy Roman Empire who has a mucking big army that can overrun your homeland lickety-split).

I did some English Civil War re-enactment back in the days when I had leisure (pre-kids) and my husband and I participated in a recreation of the seige of Gloucester. We were on the Parliamentary side but I threatened to leave him and chase after Prince Rupert. Fortunately, the fellow "recreating" my hero wasn't half good-looking!

[dangermousie]

Oh yes, his parents didn't strike me as especially bright and politically savvy (but then, looking at Charles I, this is a trait that runs in the family). Everybody did seem to go to the Low Countries when kicked out. Hmmm...

I wonder if he thought his family was stuck with bad luck about exile. They certainly seemed to spend a huge chunk of time in it. And of course being imprisoned at such a relatively young age probably couldn't have been fun either (though of course he was old enough to fight so presumably old enough to be in jail for it).

my husband and I participated in a recreation of the seige of Gloucester.

*is jealous*

We were on the Parliamentary side but I threatened to leave him and chase after Prince Rupert.

ROFL.

[crumpeteer]

Ahhhh, so that last picture, THAT'S where my bedspread went.

And there's nothing like a supernatural poodle. Personally I'd be a little more worried about a supernatural Doberman, but to each their own.

[dangermousie]

Ahhhh, so that last picture, THAT'S where my bedspread went.

ROTFLOL.

And there's nothing like a supernatural poodle. Personally I'd be a little more worried about a supernatural Doberman, but to each their own.

But if they are supernatural, surely their bite is merely spectral?

[ch1pper]

Curse my inadequately antiquated library!

Oooh, they have Captain Blood! *requests*

[dangermousie]

The Dread Pirate Westley. Swooooon.

And yeah, Captain Blood is really really REALLY good. Piracy, and slavery and gorgeous damsels and duels. One of my favorite swashbuckler books, still.