Tag: history

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An Infamous Mistress

Stew’s Introduction

A Right Royal Scandal. Murden, Sarah and Joanne Major. South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword History, 2017.
A Right Royal Scandal. Murden, Sarah and Joanne Major. South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword History, 2017.

We are extremely fortunate to have Sarah Murden and Joanne Major grace (no pun intended) our site today with their guest blog. Sarah and Joanne are the co-authors of an extremely fascinating biography of the infamous courtesan, spy, and survivor of the French Revolution, Grace Dalrymple Elliott. They are meticulous with their research, especially with a subject that did not leave a whole lot behind for historians. Sarah and Joanne live in the UK and consider themselves “history detectives” who write/blog about all things having to do with the Georgian and early Victorian Eras. Their new book A Right Royal Scandal picks up where Grace leaves off with the reader’s entrance into the beginning of the Victorian Era. You can visit with Sarah and Jo on their web site https://georgianera.wordpress.com as well as purchase their books on www.Amazon.com.

Research Background

Portrait of Georgiana Augusta Frederica Elliott (Seymour), later Lady Charles Bentinck. Painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1784). Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Portrait of Georgiana Augusta Frederica Elliott (Seymour), later Lady Charles Bentinck. Painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1784). Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Being able to add so much information to Grace Dalrymple Elliott’s story was something of a happy accident. We were researching the Reverend Charles Cavendish Bentinck (ancestor of the British royal family) and his wife Sinnetta Lambourne who had gypsy blood (they are the subjects of our book A Right Royal Scandal: Two Marriages That Changed History).

King George IV when Prince of Wales. Painting by Richard Cosway (c.1780–1782). National Portrait Gallery. PD-100+
King George IV when Prince of Wales. Painting by Richard Cosway (c.1780–1782). National Portrait Gallery. PD-100+

The Rev. Cavendish Bentinck’s father had been married twice and his first wife was Georgiana Seymour, Grace’s daughter. Reputedly, the Prince of Wales was Georgiana’s father.

Meet Grace and Her Family

Portrait of Mrs. Grace Dalrymple Elliott. Painting by Thomas Gainsborough (1778). Metropolitan Museum of Art. PD-100+ Wikimedia Commons.
Portrait of Mrs. Grace Dalrymple Elliott. Painting by Thomas Gainsborough (1778). Metropolitan Museum of Art. PD-100+ Wikimedia Commons.

Grace Dalrymple Elliott was an infamous eighteenth-century courtesan. Married young to Dr. (later Sir) John Eliot, a messy and public divorce and criminal conversation trial ensued when Grace was discovered in a bagnio with the worthless Viscount Valentia. An earl, a prince and a French duke became, in turn, the lovers of the beautiful Grace and she picked her protectors wisely. Read More An Infamous Mistress

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Another Grand Master Gets Burned

Jacques de Molay. Illustration by anonymous (c. 19th century). Bibliotheque Nationale de France. PD-70+ Wikimedia Commons.
Jacques de Molay. Illustration by anonymous (c. 19th century). Bibliotheque Nationale de France. PD-70+ Wikimedia Commons.

I gave my father a copy of our recently published book Where Did They Burn the Last Grand Master of the Knights Templar? A Walking Tour of Medieval Paris–Volume One. He actually read the book. I only know this because he asked me the other day who the Knights Templar were and what did they do.

I stared at him in disbelief. My first thought was how could you not know who the Knights Templar were. I mean, haven’t you seen the Indiana Jones movies? I immediately flashed back to the book and its contents and asked myself if I had ever explained in the books who they were and why they existed. I looked over at Sandy and she had read my mind. She shook her head and said nope.

This is a great example of taking your audience for granted.

The Origins of the Knights Templar 

Coat of arms of Jacques de Molay, last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Illustration by Odejea (2008). Musée de Versaille. PD-Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0. Wikimedia Commons.
Coat of arms of Jacques de Molay, last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Illustration by Odejea (2008). Musée de Versaille. PD-Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0. Wikimedia Commons.

On 16 July 1099, the First Crusade ended after Jerusalem fell to the Christian crusaders. Only approximately 300 knights and 300 foot soldiers remained behind after the majority of the crusaders returned to Europe. Christians were now able to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Lands and Jerusalem. However, it was a very dangerous journey.

During this time, organizations of knights were being formed around Europe. The premise was that a knight should use their weapons in the service of God. Hugh of Champagne founded one of these, the Order of the Temple, in 1125. The pope gave his blessing to what became the first approved religious military unit.

The original intent of the knights was to protect pilgrims on their journey to the Holy Lands. As time went on, their role turned to a more military active one whereby they became participants in future crusades. Read More Another Grand Master Gets Burned