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Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Jaime I Mallorc, 23rd Great-Grandfather

June 7, 2014 — 5 Comments

Jaime I Mallorc is my ancestor two times.  Two of his children became my ancestors, Isabella and Peter, both leading to Ann Dudley, Pilgrim poet.  She has the most royal of pedigrees. This is just one of them. She wrote about God and religion, but her DNA contained the royal history of Europe, crusades and all.  Jaime was one of those royals who had his first marriage annulled when he wanted to marry another woman.

Jaime I Mallorc (1207 – 1276)
is my 23rd great grandfather
Isabella DeAragon (1247 – 1271)
daughter of Jaime I Mallorc
Charles DeValois (1270 – 1325)
son of Isabella DeAragon
Jeanne DeVALOIS (1294 – 1342)
daughter of Charles DeValois
Philippa deHainault (1311 – 1369)
daughter of Jeanne DeVALOIS
John of Gaunt – Duke of Lancaster – Plantagenet (1340 – 1399)
son of Philippa deHainault
Philippa Plantagenet (1370 – 1415)
daughter of John of Gaunt – Duke of Lancaster – Plantagenet
Beatrix DePinto (1403 – 1447)
daughter of Philippa Plantagenet
John Fettiplace (1427 – 1464)
son of Beatrix DePinto
Richard Fettiplace (1460 – 1511)
son of John Fettiplace
Anne Fettiplace (1496 – 1567)
daughter of Richard Fettiplace
Mary Purefoy (1533 – 1579)
daughter of Anne Fettiplace
Susanna Thorne (1559 – 1586)
daughter of Mary Purefoy
Gov Thomas Dudley (1576 – 1653)
son of Susanna Thorne
Anne Dudley (1612 – 1672)
daughter of Gov Thomas Dudley
John Bradstreet (1652 – 1718)
son of Anne Dudley
Mercy Bradstreet (1689 – 1725)
daughter of John Bradstreet
Caleb Hazen (1720 – 1777)
son of Mercy Bradstreet
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Caleb Hazen
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
You are the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

James I of Aragon (Spanish: Jaime I, Catalan: Jaume I) (Montpellier February 2, 1208 � July 27, 1276), surnamed the Conqueror, was the king of Aragon, count of Barcelona and Lord of Montpellier from 1213 to 1276.
He was the only child of Peter II of Aragon and Marie of Montpellier. As a child he was a pawn of power politics in Provence, where his father was engaged in struggles in the wars between the Cathars of Albi and Simon de Montfort. Peter endeavoured to placate the northern crusaders by arranging a marriage between his son James and Simon’s daughter, entrusting the boy to be educated in Montfort’s care in 1211, but Peter was soon forced to take up arms against them, and he was slain at the Battle of Muret September 12, 1213. Montfort would willingly have used James as a means of extending his own power. The Aragonese and Catalans, however, appealed to the pope, who forced Montfort to surrender him in May or June 1214.

James was now entrusted to the care of Guillen de Monredon, the head of the Knights Templar in Spain and Provence. The kingdom was given over to confusion till in 1216 the Templars and some of the more loyal nobles brought the young king to Saragossa.

He first married, in 1221, Leonor, daughter of Alfonso VIII of Castile, and then after having the marriage annulled (though a son was declared legitimate), in 1235, Yolande of Hungary, daughter of Andrew II of Hungary. His children were:

Alfonso (1229-1260), married Constanza de Moncada, Countess of Bigorre
Violante of Aragon (1236-1301), married Alfonso X of Castile
Peter III of Aragon
Constanza of Aragon (1239-1269), married Juan Manuel of Castile, son of Ferdinand III of Castile
James II of Majorca
Isabella of Aragon, married Philip III of France
Sancho, Archbishop of Toledo (1250-1279)

After a false start at uniting Aragon with Navarre through a scheme of mutual adoption, James turned to the south and the Mediterranean, conquered the Balearic Islands (from 1228 over the following four years) and Valencia (the city capitulated September 28, 1238).

With the French, James endeavoured to form a state straddling the Pyrenees, to counterbalance the power of France north of the Loire. As with the earlier Visigothic attempt, this policy was victim of physical, cultural and political obstacles. As in the case of Navarra, he was too wise to launch into perilous adventures. By the Treaty of Corbeil, with Louis IX, signed May, 1258, he frankly withdrew from conflict with the French king, and was content with the recognition of his position, and the surrender of antiquated and illusory French claims to the overlordship of Catalonia.

During his remaining two decades, James warred with the Moors in Murcia, on behalf of his son-in-law Alphonso the Wise of Castile. As a legislator and organizer he occupies a high place among the Spanish kings. The favor he showed his bastards led to protest from the nobles, and to conflicts between his sons legitimate and illegitimate. When one of the latter, Fernan Sanchez, who had behaved with gross ingratitude and treason to his father, was slain by the legitimate son Peter, the old king recorded his grim satisfaction.

At the close of his life King James divided his states between his sons by Yolande of Hungary, Peter receiving the Hispanic possessions on the mainland and James, the Kingdom of Majorca (the Balearic Islands and the counties of Roussillon and Cerdagne) and the Lordship of Montpellier, a division which inevitably produced fratricidal conflicts. The king fell very ill at Alcira, and resigned his crown, intending to retire to the monastery of Poblet, but died at Valencia July 7, 1276.
King James wrote or dictated at various stages a chronicle of his own life, “Llibre Dels Fets” in Catalan, which is the first self-chronicle of a Christian king. As well as a fine example of autobiography the “Book of Deeds” expresses concepts of the power and purpose of monarchy, examples of loyalty and treachery in the feudal order, the growth of national sentiment based on homeland, language and culture, and medieval military tactics.

Pax, Goddess of Peace

June 6, 2014 — 4 Comments

The Roman goddess Pax is in charge of peace.  When I think of Romans the first words that come to my mind are army, Latin, and empire.  We did not translate Latin peace poems in school. We studied the Gallic Wars.  We think of Roman soldiers at the crucifixion of Jesus, and building aqueducts and roads to Rome.  They were strategists and conquerers the likes of which the world had never seen, and some might argue we have not seen since.  They were organized.  They believed in slavery and blood sports.  They are famous for gluttony and excess.  The United States is often compared to the Roman empire for some pretty obvious reasons.

Celebrations were a big part of Roman culture, and Pax has three holidays a year dedicated to her.  The olive branch, a symbol of protection, safety, and peace was used to crown citizens’ heads for this holiday. She is the daughter of Justice and Jupiter.  She is often depicted with a cornucopia, a symbol of abundance.  The Romans believed that prosperity and peace reside together and depend on each other.  The days dedicated to honoring Pax included processions, music, poetry, and olive branches for everyone.  Today when we march for peace we are actually expressing anti-war ideals.  We stop short of truly giving honor to the power of peace.  The Romans managed to conquer the known world and hold processions for peace at the same time.  If we look deeply into our current ideas about peace we might notice that we mean peace on our own terms, or peace by conquest of our enemies.  This is a core issue that could shatter our empire.

Rosalia, Holiday of Roses

June 4, 2014 — 4 Comments

The rose has been celebrated for fragrance and beauty. It is a symbol of the goddess Aphrodite.  The Romans used garlands of roses and violets to commemorate the dead.  Rosalia was a time to decorate with roses to show respect for the ancestors.  The rose originated in Arabia where it was cultivated for perfume as well as for landscaping purposes.  Crusaders brought plants back with them when they returned to Europe.  This very popular flower continues to captivate our attention in gardens and in perfumery.  The symbolic power of the rose is still in use as well.  I found a Rosalia party in Maine, here in the US.  The Maine folks will make a batch of rose mead, among other DIY rose products.  Here are a few ways I have found to include roses in my life:

  • rose flower water in cooking and cosmetics
  • rose petals in bath sachets
  • rose flower essence
  • roses in tea
  • roses as ingredient in bitters
  • cut flowers

The roses I cultivate are Lady Banksia, or Tombstone roses that spread and like the very hot climate in Tucson.  In season they yield many small white and pink flowers that I use for making flower essence.  They are fragrant, and in an essence, very tasty.  I drink the essence straight up rather than preserve it with alcohol.  The taste is delicious.  Many hybrid roses are without scent, so I usually prefer the old style, strong smelling, varieties.  To preserve that smell for later use, simply spread the petals out in a single layer and dry on a basket in the dark until dry.  I store herbs in paper bags or glass jars. The scent lasts longer if you use glass.

Gertrude Von Hohenberg

June 3, 2014 — 6 Comments

My 20th great grand-mother is buried in the cathedral in Basel, where I have been several times.  It is a very impressive building on the Rhine.  Basel is one of my favorite cities on earth.  The Rhineland has a special kind of mysticism, culture, and history.  I have been to the crypt of St. Verena right up the river in Bad Zurzach.  Now I need to go again to visit my ancestor in the cathedral:

Many of her children were born in Rhinefelden, a mineral spa town with a salt water source next to the river.  I took both my parents there to spa down many years ago.  My father had had a stoke and was impressed with the way he felt after his water soaking and foot treatments in the Swiss therapy center.  I remember telling him to take it all in because it was all part of his cure.  We were sitting at that moment in the gardens (aka kurpark) watching the Rhine flow before dinner with the family.  It was peaceful, beautiful, and my  type A father seemed to get it for that moment.  He was one with nature and the flow of life, and part of his own cure.   I know now that these are not the only ancestors my father had who lived in the tiny town of Rhinefelden.

Gertrude Von Hohenberg (1225 – 1281)
is my 20th great grandmother
Albert I King of Germany Habsburg (1248 – 1308)
son of Gertrude Von Hohenberg
Albrecht Albert II ‘The Wise’ Duke of Austria Habsburg (1298 – 1358)
son of Albert I King of Germany Habsburg
Leopold III “Duke of Austria” Habsburg (1351 – 1386)
son of Albrecht Albert II ‘The Wise’ Duke of Austria Habsburg
Ernst I “Ironside” Archduke of Austria Habsburg (1377 – 1424)
son of Leopold III “Duke of Austria” Habsburg
Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg (1420 – 1493)
daughter of Ernst I “Ironside” Archduke of Austria Habsburg
Christof I VanBaden (1453 – 1527)
son of Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg
Beatrix Zahringen (1492 – 1535)
daughter of Christof I VanBaden
Sabine Grafin VonSimmern (1528 – 1578)
daughter of Beatrix Zahringen
Marie L Egmond (1564 – 1584)
daughter of Sabine Grafin VonSimmern
Richard Sears (1590 – 1676)
son of Marie L Egmond
Silas Sears (1638 – 1697)
son of Richard Sears
Silas Sears (1661 – 1732)
son of Silas Sears
Sarah Sears (1697 – 1785)
daughter of Silas Sears
Sarah Hamblin (1721 – 1814)
daughter of Sarah Sears
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Sarah Hamblin
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

Gertrude of Hohenburg (c. 1225 – 16 February 1281, Vienna) was the first Queen consort of Rudolph I of Germany.
Family
She was born to Burchard V, Count of Hohenberg (d. 1253) and his wife Mechtild of Tübingen.
Her paternal grandparents were Burchard IV, Count of Hohenberg and his unnamed wife. Her maternal grandparents were Rudolph II, Count palatine and his wife, a daughter of Henry, Margrave of Ronsberg and Udilhild of Gammertingen.
Burchard IV was a son of Burchard III, Count of Hohenberg.
Burchard III was one of two sons of Burchard II, Count of Hohenberg. He was co-ruler with his brother Frederick, Count of Hohenberg. His brother had no known descendants and the two brothers consequently had a single successor.
Burchard II was one of five known sons of Frederick I, Count of Zollern and his wife Udachild of Urach.
Frederich I was the son of Burchard I, Count of Zollern. He was the founder of the so-called Burchardinger family line, male-line ancestors of the House of Hohenzollern.
Marriage and children
In 1245, Gertrude married Rudolph IV, Count of Habsburg. They had nine children:
Albert I of Germany (July 1255 – 1 May 1308), Duke of Austria and also of Styria.
Hartmann (1263, Rheinfelden–21 December 1281), drowned in Rheinau.
Rudolph II, Duke of Austria and Styria (1270–10 May 1290, Prague), titular Duke of Swabia, father of John the Patricide of Austria.
Matilda (ca. 1251/53, Rheinfelden–23 December 1304, Munich), married 1273 in Aachen to Louis II, Duke of Bavaria and became mother of Rudolf I, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor.
Katharina (1256–4 April 1282, Landshut), married 1279 in Vienna to Otto III, Duke of Bavaria who later (after her death) became the disputed King Bela V of Hungary and left no surviving issue.
Agnes (ca. 1257–11 October 1322, Wittenberg), married 1273 to Albert II, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg and became the mother of Rudolf I, Elector of Saxony.
Hedwig (d. 1285/86), married 1270 in Vienna to Otto VI, Margrave of Brandenburg and left no issue.
Klementia (ca. 1262–after 7 February 1293), married 1281 in Vienna to Charles Martel of Anjou, the Papal claimant to the throne of Hungary and mother of king Charles I of Hungary, as well as of queen Clementia of France, herself the mother of the baby king John I of France.
Jutte/Bona (13 March 1271–18 June 1297, Prague), married 24 January 1285 to King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and became the mother of king Wenceslaus III of Bohemia, Poland and Hungary, of queen Anna I of Bohemia, duchess of Carinthia, and of queen Elisabeth I of Bohemia, countess of Luxembourg.

Her husband was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on 29 September 1273, largely due to the efforts of her cousin Frederick III, Burgrave of Nuremberg. Rudolph was crowned in Aachen on 24 October 1273. She served as his Queen consort for the following eight years.
She died early in 1281. Rudolph remained a widower for three years and proceeded to marry Isabelle of Burgundy.

Distracted or Connected?

June 2, 2014 — 2 Comments

palo verde

palo verde

The options we have for communication now boggle the mind.  Some minds seem to be desperately boggled by what it takes to tell a story or get a message out to the world today. It is easier than ever because of all the free platforms we can use. It is harder than ever to reach individuals because the competition has grown to include just about everyone on earth. Our message must be not only short and sweet, but must also strike a universal chord.  Leonardo da Vinci, especially toward the end of his life, often wrote about thinking in reverse: “Consider first the end.” and “Think well to the end.” were examples of his frequent statements on this subject. Leonardo left us with designs for flying machines and engineering that had not yet been proven when he died.  His legacy is his art, certainly.  He also left us a very strong and lasting gift of his philosophy.  His practice of connessione refined his sense of mysticism and wholeness.  He sought and found deep connection with all creation that inspired his work.

If you feel connected in a big way, or to a power larger than your own, confidence and ease are natural.  On the other hand, if you feel disconnected from something greater it is possible to entirely loose touch with a realistic self image.  We do not hold onto the same ideas or ideals for our entire life.  The concept of connection may replace true connection, or maybe we always felt like we were separate and drifting.  Now we can substitute chat/tweet/youtube views for personal relationships.  The illusion that these clicks and likes make us part of a clubby group might just be the ruin of true connecting. Take a look at your physical worldly connections (so to speak) and how they relate or substitute for spiritual contact.  I don’t think you need to join a religion or go to a certain building to make contemplation and meditation a part of your own practice.  I feel connected to spirit whenever I:

  • listen to almost any music
  • dance
  • sing
  • use color in a creative way (cook, paint, sew, combine,etc)
  • observe the heavens at night
  • immerse myself in water
  • watch the surf
  • hear poetry
  • write poetry

This list is only a partial, and ever changing accounting of my own ways to notice connessione, or systems.  Once you start to think about it you find that everything does depend on everything else, and we are all connected.  If you feel distracted and want to center your thoughts, remember all the ways the universe has collaborated to create you and keep you alive.  The systems that create us also sustain us.

aloe

aloe

William Longsword (Plantagenet) (Earl of Salisbury) Longespee, Royal Bastard

June 1, 2014 — 6 Comments

William Longsword (Plantagenet) (Earl of Salisbury) Longespee

William Longsword (Plantagenet) (Earl of Salisbury) Longespee

My 25th great-grandfather is buried at Salisbury Cathedral in England.  He was allegedly poisoned.  His body was exhumed 431 years after his death.  The corpse of a rat was found within his skull, which can be seen at a museum in Salisbury.  I think I am good just with the grave, no need to see the rat with traces of arsenic.

William Longsword (Plantagenet) (Earl of Salisbury) Longespee (1173 – 1226)
is my 25th great grandfather
Stephen Longespee (1216 – 1260)
son of William Longsword (Plantagenet) (Earl of Salisbury) Longespee
Ela Longespee (1246 – 1276)
daughter of Stephen Longespee
Alan laZOUCHE (1267 – 1314)
son of Ela Longespee
Maude LaZouche (1290 – 1349)
daughter of Alan laZOUCHE
Sir Thomas de Holand Wake Kent (1314 – 1360)
son of Maude LaZouche
Sir Thomas Holand Knight deHolland (1350 – 1397)
son of Sir Thomas de Holand Wake Kent
Margaret DeHoland (1385 – 1439)
daughter of Sir Thomas Holand Knight deHolland
Joan Beaufort (1407 – 1445)
daughter of Margaret DeHoland
Joan Stewart (1428 – 1486)
daughter of Joan Beaufort
John Gordon (1450 – 1517)
son of Joan Stewart
Robert Lord Gordon (1475 – 1525)
son of John Gordon
Catherine Gordon (1497 – 1537)
daughter of Robert Lord Gordon
Lady Elizabeth Ashton (1524 – 1588)
daughter of Catherine Gordon
Capt Roger Dudley (1535 – 1585)
son of Lady Elizabeth Ashton
Gov Thomas Dudley (1576 – 1653)
son of Capt Roger Dudley
Anne Dudley (1612 – 1672)
daughter of Gov Thomas Dudley
John Bradstreet (1652 – 1718)
son of Anne Dudley
Mercy Bradstreet (1689 – 1725)
daughter of John Bradstreet
Caleb Hazen (1720 – 1777)
son of Mercy Bradstreet
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Caleb Hazen
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

William Longespée, jure uxoris 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John .
Early life
He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning “Comitissa Ida, mater mea” (engl. “Countess Ida, my mother”).
This Ida de Tosny, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.
King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela of Salisbury, 3rd Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.
During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire , lieutenant of Gascony , constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was then, circa 1213, appointed High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Military career
He was a commander in the king’s Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye .
In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders , where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme . This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France . In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat in that year at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.
By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. He was appointed High Sheriff of Devon in 1217 and High Sheriff of Staffordshire and Shropshire in 1224. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king’s army in the south. He was made High Sheriff of Wiltshire again, this time for life. After raising the siege of Lincoln with William Marshall he was also appointed High Sheriff of Lincolnshire (in addition to his current post as High Sheriff of Somerset) and governor of Lincoln castle. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John’s cause was lost.
After John’s death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John’s young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king’s minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury’s ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré.
Death
He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.
William Longespee’s tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic, was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.
Family
By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters :
• Willi am II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;
• Richard, a canon of Salisbury ;
• Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony and married Emeline de Ridelsford. Their two daughters were Eleanor Longspee, who married Sir Roger La Zouche and Emeline Longspee, who married Sir Maurice FitzMaurice, Justicar of Ireland.
• Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury
• Isabella, who married William de Vesey
• Ella, married William d’Odingsels
• Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset
• Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

Maria Juana Depadilla, Royal Mistress

May 30, 2014 — 2 Comments

My 19th great grandmother is buried in the cathedral in Sevilla, just like Christopher Columbus. I always wanted to go to Sevilla to dance with gypsies.  Now I have another reason to go:

María Díaz de Padilla (María de Padilla) (1334 – August 1361) was the mistress of King Peter of Castile whom she married in secret in 1353.
She was a Castilian noblewoman. Her father was Juan García de Padilla, 1st Lord of Villagera, her mother was his wife María Fernández de Henestrosa, a relative of Juan Fernández de Henestrosa, who mediated an apparent pardon to Fadrique Alfonso of Castile, a half-brother and rival of María de Padilla’s lover, King Peter.
In the summer of 1353, under coercion from family and court nobles, Peter denied the fact of his marriage to María to marry Blanche of Bourbon, but his relationship with María continued. María and Peter had at least four children: a daughter named Beatrice (born 1354), a daughter named Constance (1354–1394), another daughter named Isabella (1355–1394), and a son named Alfonso, crown-prince of Castile (1359 – October 19, 1362).
Two of their daughters were married to sons of Edward III, King of England. Isabella, married Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, while the eldest, Constance, married John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, leading him to claim the crown of Castile on behalf of his wife. The daughter of Constance, Catherine of Lancaster, was married by Henry III of Castile in order to reunify any claim to succession that may have passed via Constance.
Depictions in fiction
Gaetano Donizetti composed Maria Padilla (1841), an opera about her relationship with King Peter.
Rudolf Gottschall wrote Maria de Padilla (18??), a drama about her life.

Maria Juana Depadilla (1335 – 1361)
is my 19th great grandmother
Isabella Perez Plantagenet (1355 – 1392)
daughter of Maria Juana Depadilla
Constance Plantagenet Despencer (1374 – 1416)
daughter of Isabella Perez Plantagenet
Eleanor DeHoland (1405 – 1452)
daughter of Constance Plantagenet Despencer
Ann Touchet (1441 – 1503)
daughter of Eleanor DeHoland
Anna Dutton (1449 – 1520)
daughter of Ann Touchet
Lawrence Castellan of Liverpool Mollenaux (1490 – 1550)
son of Anna Dutton
John Mollenax (1542 – 1583)
son of Lawrence Castellan of Liverpool Mollenaux
Mary Mollenax (1559 – 1575)
daughter of John Mollenax
Francis Gabriell Holland (1596 – 1660)
son of Mary Mollenax
John Holland (1628 – 1710)
son of Francis Gabriell Holland
Mary Elizabeth Holland (1620 – 1681)
daughter of John Holland
Richard Dearden (1645 – 1747)
son of Mary Elizabeth Holland
George Dearden (1705 – 1749)
son of Richard Dearden
George Darden (1734 – 1807)
son of George Dearden
David Darden (1770 – 1820)
son of George Darden
Minerva Truly Darden (1806 – 1837)
daughter of David Darden
Sarah E Hughes (1829 – 1911)
daughter of Minerva Truly Darden
Lucinda Jane Armer (1847 – 1939)
daughter of Sarah E Hughes
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
son of Lucinda Jane Armer
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor

King Peter met María in the summer of 1352 during an expedition to Asturias to battle his rebellious half-brother Henry. It was probably her maternal uncle, Juan Fernández de Henestrosa, who introduced them, as mentioned in the chronicle of King Peter’s reign written by Pero López de Ayala. . At that time, María was being raised at the house of Isabel de Meneses, wife of Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, a powerful nobleman. They became lovers and their relationship lasted until her death despite the King’s other marriages and affairs.

In the summer of 1353, under coercion from family and the main court favorite, Juan Alfonso de Alburquerque, Peter wed Blanche of Bourbon, the grand-daughter of the king of France. Peter abandoned Blanche within three days when he learned that she had an affair with his bastard brother Fadrique Alfonso en route to Spain, and that the dowry was not coming.

Cafe Botanica at Tucson Botanical Gardens

May 29, 2014 — 1 Comment

I ate lunch today at my new favorite restaurant, Cafe Botanica. This charming restaurant is nestled into the  exotic greenery at Tucson Botanical Gardens.  I visit frequently and for no particular reason had never eaten there.  When I met a neighbor who works there as a server I decided to make a point to try the food.  To my great surprise the offerings are the most seasonal, the most creative, and for my personal taste, the most delightful plates in the city of Tucson.  The concept is to make use of every kind of local, organic, sustainable source of ingredients.  I think they go beyond any other restaurant to achieve this goal, but without the brilliance of Chef Cristopher and his wild creativity the concept would not be as smashing.  He combines ingredients I would not have thought of, including some I have never eaten, such as radish tops.  The result was exactly the kind of full flavor, gorgeous to see, plate of variety I want to eat all the time.  The great news is that I have a garden, and they will trade me prepared food for some of my extra produce.  This could become a serious habit…the kind with only positive effects!!!

New Summer hours will start on June 3, including a weekend brunch.  Dog membership also begins on June 3, and has expanded to inviting member dogs on both Tuesday and Thursday this year.  The innovative menu, and the fact that the gardens create a cooler micro climate for morning walks will be an exciting new addition to our neighborhood.  There will also be Thursday dinners this summer with BYOB wine.  This is a major upgrade for Tucson.  I highly recommend Cafe Botanica to anyone.  There is an air conditioned inside dining room for times when it is too hot.  The gourmet, homemade dishes are very reasonably priced, and there is no chef more caring, and into it, than Christopher.  Mandy, my friend and server, puts her heart into making guests feel right at home.

Nextdoor.com, Connections to Your Neighborhood

May 27, 2014 — 2 Comments

Our neighborhood has started to use Nextdoor.com to reach people in our vicinity. I am very impressed with the results after trying it for just a couple of months.  We have 61 members, or 5% of the homes in our neighborhood participating.  The San Diego Police Department has joined Nextdoor and is using it to inform citizens and get tips.  In Tucson we are not yet so lucky as to have communication from or to the cops, but I believe in time all police departments will see the value in sharing information with the community. In San Diego it was very helpful for informing the public about the recent wildfire problems.   The crime and safety features are excellent, but beyond that people are connecting about common interests such as pets (lost and found), gardening, and yard sales.  There have been some really good offers of free construction materials and plants.

I believe this start up has the potential to improve quality of life in ways we have not yet discovered.  I immediately started a garden club, but am not sure what it will do. I am sure it will not hold flower shows like my mother’s garden club did.  We have met each other and exchanged some plants to break the ice.  Water is precious and expensive around here, so gardeners sharing knowledge and plants could turn out to be very helpful.  I don’t care what kind of garden club we become.  I simply love to know others around me who have some common interests.  I have met some of my long distance contacts on social media, but it required travel and some expense.  Meeting my own neighbors is a bit of a cheap thrill in comparison.  It is very fun for me.

As with all things digital the balance between privacy and safety must be considered.  In order to join one must verify that one lives in the neighborhood.  This becomes tricky because some people don’t want to publish their addresses.  I have just now experienced someone joining with a fake ID that is not known at the address he used.  I can’t imagine what a hacker/prowler would want with our lost cat information, but then again I am not a hacker/prowler.  This issue may be a little sticky, but the benefits outweigh the demerits in my opinion.  Also, the CEO of the company is in a spat about a driving incident in San Mateo which could prove to be a drag for the company’s future.  This case will be handled in California courts, and it does not make me love our Nextdoor site any less.  It is my very strong opinion that Nextdoor.com is not only the wave of the future for law enforcement but for an elevated standard of life, liberty and the  pursuit of happiness.  Oakland, CA, Pittsburgh,PA, and other cities have partnered with the site.  If you are interested in starting a site for your neighborhood  you only need 10 people to join to qualify for your free website.  Nextdoor will send out free postcards to let your neighbors know about it.  After you invite more people and the membership reaches about 50 it grows organically.  I enthusiastically urge you to give it a try.  If you start a new site and use my code: nextdoor.com/amazon/?r=awrupt  we will both receive a $25 Amazon gift card.  What is not to like about that?

Isabella Perez Plantagenet

May 26, 2014 — 4 Comments

 

My 18th great-grandmother married Edmund of Langley but she was not faithful to him.  She was famous as a tart.

Isabella of Castile (c. 1355 – 23 December 1392) was the youngest of the three daughters of King Peter of Castile by his favourite mistress, María de Padilla (d.1361).

On 21 September 1371 Edward III’s fourth son, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, married Isabella’s elder sister, Constanza (d.1394), who after the death of her father in 1369 claimed the throne of Castile. Isabella accompanied her sister to England, and on 11 July 1372, at about the age of 17, married John of Gaunt’s youngest brother, Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, fifth son of King Edward III and Philippa of Hainault, at Wallingford, Oxfordshire, as part of a dynastic alliance in furtherance of Gaunt’s claim to the crown of Castile. According to Pugh, Isabella and Edmund of Langley were ‘an ill-matched pair’.

As a result of her indiscretions, including an affair with King Richard II’s stepbrother, John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter (d.1400), whom Pugh terms ‘violent and lawless’, Isabella left behind a tarnished reputation, her loose morals being noted by the chronicler Thomas Walsingham. According to Pugh, the possibility that Holland was the father of Isabella’s favourite son, Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge, ‘cannot be ignored’.

In her will Isabel named King Richard II as her heir, requesting him to grant her younger son, Richard, an annuity of 500 marks. The King complied. However further largess which might have been expected when Richard came of age was not to be, as King Richard II was deposed in 1399, and according to Harriss, Isabella’s younger son, Richard, ‘received no favours from the new King, Henry IV’.

Isabella died 23 December 1392, aged about 37, and was buried 14 January 1393 at the church of the Dominicans at Kings Langley. After Isabella’s death, Edmund of Langley married Joan Holland, sister and co-heir of Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent (9 January 1382 – 15 September 1408), with whom his daughter, Constance, had lived as his mistress.

Isabella was named a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter in 1378.

Isabella Perez Plantagenet (1355 – 1392)
is my 18th great grandmother
Constance Plantagenet Despencer (1374 – 1416)
daughter of Isabella Perez Plantagenet
Eleanor DeHoland (1405 – 1452)
daughter of Constance Plantagenet Despencer
Ann Touchet (1441 – 1503)
daughter of Eleanor DeHoland
Anna Dutton (1449 – 1520)
daughter of Ann Touchet
Lawrence Castellan of Liverpool Mollenaux (1490 – 1550)
son of Anna Dutton
John Mollenax (1542 – 1583)
son of Lawrence Castellan of Liverpool Mollenaux
Mary Mollenax (1559 – 1575)
daughter of John Mollenax
Francis Gabriell Holland (1596 – 1660)
son of Mary Mollenax
John Holland (1628 – 1710)
son of Francis Gabriell Holland
Mary Elizabeth Holland (1620 – 1681)
daughter of John Holland
Richard Dearden (1645 – 1747)
son of Mary Elizabeth Holland
George Dearden (1705 – 1749)
son of Richard Dearden
George Darden (1734 – 1807)
son of George Dearden
David Darden (1770 – 1820)
son of George Darden
Minerva Truly Darden (1806 – 1837)
daughter of David Darden
Sarah E Hughes (1829 – 1911)
daughter of Minerva Truly Darden
Lucinda Jane Armer (1847 – 1939)
daughter of Sarah E Hughes
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
son of Lucinda Jane Armer
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor

Infanta Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York was the daughter of King Peter of Castile and María de Padilla. She was a younger sister of Constance, Duchess of Lancaster.
On March 1, 1372, Isabella married Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, he was the fourth son of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, at Wallingford, England. As a result of her marriage, she became the first of a total of eleven women who became Duchess of York. They had three children:
Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York (1373 – 25 October 1415).
Constance of York (1374 – 29 November 1416). Married Thomas le Despenser and was mother of Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick.
Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge (1375 – 5 August 1415).
She was named a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter in 1378. Isabella died 23 December 1392 and on 14 January 1393 was buried in Kings Langley Manor House in Hertfordshire, England.
Isabel lies entombed with her husband in King’s Langley. By the terms of her will, dated December 6, 1392, she asked that a hundred trentals and a hundred sauters were to be said for her soul, and four priests, or one at least, were to sing for her by the space of four years. Upon the day of her burial her best horse was to be delivered for her mortuary. She bequeathed to the King her heart of pearls; to the Duke of Lancaster, a tablet of jasper, given her by the King of Armenia; to her son Edward, her crown, to remain to his heirs; to Constance le Despencer, her daughter, a fret of pearls; to the Duchess of Gloucester, her tablet of gold with images, and also her sauter with the arms of Northampton; and to the King the residue of her goods, in trust that he should allow his godson Richard, her younger son, an annuity of 500 marks for life, a trust which the King, out of the great respect he bore to her, accepted.
Originally interred in the Church of the Friary at Langley, the remains of the Duke and his wife were brought to All Saint’s, King’s Langley, about the year 1574.
The couple were destined for a second exhumation. On November 22, 1877, Professor George Rolleston, M.D. The professor was expecting to find two remains instead he found three. The remains are those of Isabella of Castile, her husband Edmund of Langley and the third are those of their daughter in law Anne Mortimer.