Rory's Medieval Tour of Rye

02/06/2024

🛡️ANNOUNCEMENT🛡️

Good day my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder.

It is with unhappy regret to inform you that inform thee that, due to the mounting difficulties of trying to run a business and personal problems. Rory’s Medieval Tour of Rye will be closed for this summer and under going a period of reorganisation. Reasons….

Since 2021, living outside of Rye for too long has taken a heavy toll on my enthusiasm and joy for my medieval home based tour business. For months I have done my best to hold on until our return to Rye, but choosing to take a break is the best course of action.

I have lost interest in becoming a tour guide, grown weary of plying quiz master and making promises to thee and failing to keep them, and I have come to view RMToR more as a social page than a tour agency. Myself, those of my family, including my assistant director, have agreed that a change of direction or reorganisation is needed.

So between today and sometime in Autumn; except for the birthdays of our followers, there will be no notifications for Medieval Brainiac Sunday Quizzes, historic events, and plans for social events including the 5th anniversary of our page this August.

BUT be rest assured our loyal followers, this is not the end. Our little page and would-be-business will survive and will still be a Medieval based and back in Rye, just under a new name with a new purpose. Until then, fair thee well and enjoy the summer and wish us luck.

Kind regards and appreciation for thy loyalty,

Sir Rory de Cross,

Director of Rory’s Medieval Tour of Rye.

Rory’s Medieval Tour of Rye is a small business in the making. We hold a history quiz every Sunday

30/05/2024

On this day, May 30th in 1381 and 1431, during the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚔️Hundred Years War⚔️🇫🇷.

The 🔥Peasant’s Revolt✊🏻, driven by 👑King Richard II’s🎉 unpopular poll tax system, begins in the county of Essex and spreads.

50 years later…..

✝️Joan of Arc✝️, aged 19, is executed by being 🔥burnt at the stake🔥 in the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿English🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 controlled city of Rouen, after being tried and condemned for heresy.

28/05/2024

On this day in history…

English ships flying the colours of the Earl of Warwick, Captain of Calais, attack a heavily laden Spanish fleet in the Channel in 1458.

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, was appointed Captain of Calais – the last remaining English outpost in France – after his part in the 1455 Battle of St. Albans, and over the coming years the port would play a crucial role in the Yorkists’ future success, providing a refuge in times of crisis, and a base from which to launch fresh campaigns.

From Calais Warwick enhanced his reputation as a man of action by carrying out numerous attacks on shipping, appealing to many of his countrymen who saw his exploits as some recompense for the humiliating defeats in France; ‘erle of Warrewyk, having a strong and a myghte naveye kepte the strayte see’.

On 28th May 1458 a Spanish fleet was spotted - ‘wherof there was xvj [16] grete schippis of forecastell’ - and Warwick sent ‘fyve schippis of forecastell and iij [3] carvellis and iiij [4] spynnes’ to intercept them. The battle off Calais lasted all day, and is described in a letter from John Jernyngan to Margaret Paston: ‘and there we took vj [6] of her schippis… And as men sayne there was not so gret a batayle upon the se this xl [40] wyntyr‘.

Here, flying Warwick’s distinctive colours, one of the English ‘shippis of forecastell’ comes alongside a heavily laden Spanish ship and prepares to board her, while similar actions take place in the background. Ship design was rapidly advancing through this period, with additional masts being added, and hulls traditionally built with overlapping planks, as here (and on the mid-fifteenth century ship recently excavated in Newport), being superseded by flush ‘carvel’ planking developed in the Mediterranean and seen on the Spanish ship in the painting. Sea battles were still fought and won by boarding the enemy, with guns slow to be adopted in naval warfare.

Gouache painting, image size 18.5”x 13.5” (47cm x 35cm)

This original painting has sold, but it is available as a giclée print, each one individually printed to order on very high-quality heavyweight fine art paper, and then signed on the border by me. Full details can be found on my website - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/wars_of_the_roses_sea_battle_print.html

This painting also features in my book ‘THE WARS OF THE ROSES: The Medieval Art of Graham Turner’, signed copies of which can be ordered through my website - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/The_Wars_of_the_Roses_the_Medieval_Art_of_Graham_Turner.html

27/05/2024

On this day, May 27th in 1199.

Following the death of his brother Richard I (the Lionheart). John is crowned 👑King of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 at ✝️Westminster Abbey✝️ in 🏰London🏰.

His seventeen year reign would be marred by tyranny, high taxation, a series of failures, conflicts within and beyond his kingdom, and most famously……the signing of 📜Magna Carta📜.

24/05/2024

🛡️ANNOUNCEMENT🛡️

Greetings my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder.

I am certain many amongst our followers have plans to enjoy this Bank Holiday (May 25th, 26th and 27th).

So I ⚜️Sir Rory de Cross⚜️, have taken the decision to announce that there will be NO ⚜️Medieval Brianiac Quiz⚜️ this Sunday 26th.

I wish all thee joyous holidays and await to challenge thy mental fortitude next Sunday on June 9th.

24/05/2024

On this day, May 24th in 1337. The 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚔️Hundred Years War🇫🇷⚔️ between Kingdoms of England and France begins.

24/05/2024

Good morning my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder. A 🎉happy birthday🎉 to another of our followers and family.

Baroness Rita de Cross

Hip hip hoozah! Hip hip hoozah! Hip hip hoozah!

🎉⚜️👑🛡️⚔️🎊🥂🇨🇦

22/05/2024

On this day, May 22nd in 1455. Richard of York, 👑King Henry VI of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and their forces, clash at the ⚔️First Battle of St Albans⚔️ in Hertfordshire.

Richard, Duke of York, and his allies, the Neville Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, defeated a royal army commanded by Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. Unusually, the battle was contested in the town of St Albans itself, with the bulk of the fighting taking place in the streets and a tavern being used as a redoubt. Somerset was killed in the battle, and 👑King Henry VI👑 was captured, clearing the way for a subsequent parliament to appoint Richard of York Lord Protector.

This battle was the beginning of the ⚔️Wars of the Roses🌹.

Artwork by Graham Turner
https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/royal_blood_henry_vi_st_albans_1455.html

21/05/2024

On this day, May 21st in 1216, during the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿First Baron’s War⚔️.

At the invitation of the barons, 👑Prince Louis of France🇫🇷 joins their fight against 👑King John👑, by invading 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 with a force of several hundred ships carrying thousands of
🇫🇷French🇫🇷 knights and soldiers. Landing on the Isle of Thanet in eastern Kent.

19/05/2024

Times up! The correct answer to which historical Eddard Stark is based on is……

C. Richard, 3rd Duke of York

⭐️CONGRATULATIONS⭐️ to Rita Cross, thou art today’s ⚜️Medieval Brainiac⚜️.

❌Good tries❌ Colleen Prime and Lesleyann Coshan, better luck next time.

Fair thee and good evening my lords and ladies, until we play together again next time.

HISTORY TIP.
Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Plantagenet by virtue of being a direct male-line descendant of Edmund of Langley, King Edward III’s fourth surviving son. However, it was through his mother, Anne Mortimer, a descendant of Edward III’s second surviving son, Lionel of Antwerp, that Richard inherited his strongest claim to the throne, as the opposing House of Lancaster was descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the third surviving son of Edward III. He also inherited vast estates and served in various offices of state in Ireland, France and England, a country he ultimately governed as Lord Protector due to the mental instability of King Henry VI.

Richard eventually attempted to take the throne, but was dissuaded, although it was agreed that he would become king on Henry’s death. However, within weeks of securing this agreement (the Act of Accord), he was killed at the Battle of Wakefield, alongside his son, Edmund.

Richard of York became the basis for the Game of Thrones character, Eddard Stark. There are certainly similar characteristics between Ned Stark and Richard, Duke of York. While Eddard served as Hand of the King, York served as Lord Protector while Henry VI was mentally absent. Both answered for their actions against corruption of their governments with their deaths.

19/05/2024

Good morning my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder, welcome to another of our
⚜️Medieval Brainiac Sunday Quizzes⚜️.

Today once more we venture into the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. To learn about the most honourable man in Westeros. Eddard Stark.

Eddard Stark, nicknamed Ned by his friends, was the Warden of the North, the virtuous and honorable patriarch of House Stark and father of six children.

Years prior to the main story, Ned fought alongside Robert Baratheon in the rebellion that brought about the downfall of the rulers of Westeros. House Targaryen. Afterwards Robert Baratheon becomes the new ruler.

He later becomes entangled in the escalating political intrigue of King’s Landing, Ned struggles as his own sense of honor draws him into corrupt goings-on at court. Ned eventually discovers that all of King Robert’s heirs with his wife Cersei Lannister are illegitimate, the product of her in**st with her twin brother Jaime.

Before he can reveal the truth to the public, Cersei outmaneuvers Ned, and her duplicitous ally Littlefinger has the city watch arrest Ned instead of Cersei.

Fearing for safety of his children, Ned makes a public confession of his “treason”. The sadistic Joffrey, however, has Ned executed anyway for his own amusement and forced Sansa Stark to watch Ned’s severed head mounted on a spike.

QUESTION:
Which real historical figure is Eddard Stark based on?

A. Sir William Marshal

B. Sir Up-your-backside

C. Richard, 3rd Duke of York

D. Captain Hastings

Thy time starts now until 9pm tonight, good luck. NOTE, no looking online for the answer and once thou have chosen it, thou cannot change it.

18/05/2024

A 🎉happy birthday🎉 to another of our followers!

⚜️Lady Sheila of the House of Hyslop⚜️ from the faraway southern land of 🇿🇦South Africa🇿🇦.

Sister to my noble father and professional merchant, ⚜️Baron Peter de Cross⚜️.

Hip hip huzzah! Hip hip huzzah! Hip hip huzzah!
🎉🥳🎁🎊🏰🛡️⚔️⚜️🇿🇦🥂

15/05/2024

🛡NEWS🛡

Fabulous news my lords and ladies of Rye!

Camilla, Queen-consort of our noble ruler, 👑King Charles III👑, is coming to grace us with her presence in our historic town!

Queen Camilla is making a visit to the historic Sussex town of Rye on Thursday.

15/05/2024

A double 🎊happy birthday🎉 to two more of our medieval loving followers.

⚜️Baroness Colleen of the House of Prime⚜️.

Lover of the game of ⚽️football⚽️ and sister to my noble mother. Baroness Rita de Cross.

⚜️Dame Pippa of the House of Scott-Haynes⚜️.

Lover of valiant 🐴steeds🐴 and best friend of my noble sister, Princess Jamie de Cross.

Hip hip hurrah! Hip hip hurrah! Hip hip hurrah!
🎉🥳🎂🎁🎊⚜️⚔️👑🏰🛡️⚽️🐴

14/05/2024

On this day, May 14th in 1264, during the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Second Baron’s War⚔️.

Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, defeats 👑King Henry III of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 at the ⚔️Battle of Lewes⚔️ in Sussex.

👑Henry III👑 left the safety of 🏰Lewes Castle🏰 and St. Pancras Priory to engage the barons in battle and was initially successful, his son Prince Edward routing part of the baronial army with a cavalry charge. However, Edward pursued his quarry off the battlefield and left Henry’s men exposed. Henry was forced to launch an infantry attack up Offham Hill where he was defeated by the barons’ men defending the hilltop. The royalists fled back to the castle and priory and the King was forced to sign the Mise of Lewes, ceding many of his powers to de Montfort.

The ⚔️Battle of Lewes⚔️ marked the high point of the career of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and made him the “uncrowned King of England”.

12/05/2024

Times up! The correct answer to today’s quiz is…

C. Gaston Phoebus

⭐️CONGRATULATIONS⭐️ to……

Robin McNie Larkin and Sandra Bridger.

Thou are today’s ⚜️Medieval Brainiacs⚜️!

Fair thee well and good evening my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder. Until we play together again next time.

HISTORY TIP.
Gaston III, known as Gaston Phoebus or Fébus (30 April 1331 – 1 August 1391), was the eleventh Count of Foix (as Gaston III) and twenty-fourth Viscount of Béarn (as Gaston X) from 1343 until his death.

Nickname named Phoebus (meaning Bright one, and another word or Apollo) because of his blonde hair and good looks.

A talented hunter, a skilled military leader and a capable administrator. Gaston’s deeds earned him a place in both French and Pyrenean history.

The County of Foix remained independent of French control until near the end of 16th century. When its last Count, Henry III of Narvarre, became King Henry IV of France in 1589, bringing Foix into the kingdom.

12/05/2024

A happy birthday to another of my followers and family.

Princess Bronwen de Cross

Who is currently residing in the frozen faraway northern lands of Canada.

Hip hip huzzah!

Hip hip huzzah!

Hip hip huzzah!

🎉🥳🎁🎊🇨🇦🌳❄️🗻

12/05/2024

On this day, May 12th in 1471, during the ⚔️Wars of the Roses🌹.

While 👑King Edward IV👑 was occupied at ⚔️Tewkesbury⚔️, Thomas Neville, Bastard of Fauconberg, landed in Kent and advanced on London, with the undoubted intention of releasing Henry VI from The Tower. On 12th May 1471 he arrived at Southwark and launched his first attack across London Bridge.

The ⚔️Siege of London⚔️ had begun.

12/05/2024

On this day, May 12th in 1191, during the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Third Crusade🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

King Richard I of England (the Lionheart) marries Berengaria of Navarre at the Chapel of St George, in Limassol on the island of Cyprus, and was crowned 👑Queen consort of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 the same day.

12/05/2024

Good morning my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder, and welcome to another of our ⚜️Medieval Brainiac Sunday Quiz⚜️.

Today we venture to the far south in what was the
👑Kingdom of France🇫🇷. To what was the County of Foix.

Foix was a medieval fief, one of several that were independent and not yet engulfed by the
👑Kingdom of France🇫🇷.

During the Middle Ages, the county of Foix was ruled by the counts of Foix, whose castle overlooks the town of Foix. In 1290 the counts of Foix acquired the viscountcy Béarn, which became the center of their domain, and from that time on the counts of Foix rarely resided in the county of Foix, preferring the richer and more verdant Béarn.

The castle, Chateau de Foix, whose foundations date back to the early tenth century, was a strong fortress that withstood the repeated attacks of Simon de Montfort IV between 1211 and 1217, during the Albigensian Crusade.

At the end of the 13th century, disagreements between the Counts of Foix and the House of Armagnac, led to a long and bloody feud that lasted until its conclusion at ⚔️Battle of Launac⚔️ on December 5th in 1364.

QUESTION:
Who is the most famous of the Counts of Foix?

A. Roger I

B. Count of Monte Cristo

C. Gaston Phoebus

Thy time starts now until 9pm tonight, good luck. NOTE, no looking online for the answer and once thou have chosen it thou cannot change it.

11/05/2024

On this day, May 11th in 973. Edgar the peaceful, ruling Anglo-Saxon England since 959 following the death of his brother Eadred, is finally crowned 👑King👑 in the city of Bath in Somerset.

It is the first coronation ceremony ever held for an English monarch. It created a custom that would become entrenched in British monarchical tradition that still exists today.

08/05/2024

Around this time in May, in 1450.

Fed up with the corruption of 👑King Henry VI’s👑 government, and their ignorance towards their grievances, thousands of people across Kent rise up in revolt and begin marching on 🏰London🏰. Led by Jack Cade.

The ✊🏻Jack Cade Rebellion🔥 had begun.

07/05/2024

Around this time, between May 7th and 8th in 1429, during the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚔️Hundred Years War⚔️🇫🇷.

After six months just when victory was within their grasp. The 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿English🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 are defeated by the
🇫🇷French🇫🇷 led by ✝️Joan of Arc✝️ (who lifted the siege in just nine days) at the ⚔️Siege of Orleans⚔️ and are forced to retreat.

The tide of the war had turned.

To this day the people of Orleans hold their historic saviour, ✝️Joan of Arc✝️, in high regard.

06/05/2024

Around this time in May, in 878 in Wiltshire. 👑King Alfred of Wessex👑 (Alfred the Great) and the Saxons won a decisive victory over the Vikings led by Guthrum at the ⚔️Battle of Edington⚔️.

With his small warband, a fraction of his army at Chippenham, Alfred could not hope to retake the town from the Danes, who had in previous battles (for example at Reading in 871) proved themselves adept at defending fortified positions. After the disaster at Chippenham, Alfred is next recorded around Easter 878, when he built a fortress at Athelney.

In the seventh week after Easter, or between 4 and 7 May, Alfred called a levy at Ecgbryhtesstan (Egbert’s Stone). Many of the men in the counties around (Somerset, Wiltshire, and Hampshire) who had not already fled rallied to him there.

The next day, Alfred’s host moved to Iley Oak, and then the day after that to Eðandun. There, on an unknown date between 6 and 12 May, they fought the Danes. According to the Life:

“Fighting ferociously, forming a dense shield-wall against the whole army of the Pagans, and striving long and bravely...at last he [Alfred] gained the victory. He overthrew the Pagans with great slaughter, and smiting the fugitives, he pursued them as far as the fortress.”
— Smyth 2002, pp. 26–27

Three weeks after the battle, Guthrum was baptised at Aller in Somerset with Alfred as his sponsor. It is possible that the enforced conversion was an attempt by Alfred to lock Guthrum into a Christian code of ethics, hoping it would ensure the Danes’ compliance with any treaties agreed to. The converted Guthrum took the baptismal name of Athelstan.

Following his victory at ⚔️Battle of Edington⚔️, Alfred’s reforms to military obligations in Wessex made it increasingly difficult for the Vikings to raid successfully. By 896 the Vikings had given up, with some going to East Anglia and others going to Northumbria. It was under Alfred that the Viking threat was contained. However, the system of military reforms and the Burghal Hidage introduced by Edward the Elder enabled Alfred’s successors to retake control of the lands occupied in the North of England by the Danes.

06/05/2024

On this day in history, 1471 –
Lancastrian fugitives from the battle of Tewkesbury (fought on the 4th May 1471) who had sought safety in the abbey, were taken from their sanctuary and after a brief trial before the dukes of Gloucester and Norfolk (constable and marshal of England respectively), Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, Sir John Langstrother, Prior of the Hospitallers, Sir Hugh Courtenay, Sir Gervase Clifton, and several others, were condemned as traitors and publicly beheaded in the centre of Tewkesbury.

My painting THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEFEAT is available as a print – please visit my website for details - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/The_Consequences_of_Defeat_print.html

This painting also features in my book ‘THE WARS OF THE ROSES: The Medieval Art of Graham Turner’, signed copies of which can be ordered through my website - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/The_Wars_of_the_Roses_the_Medieval_Art_of_Graham_Turner.html

05/05/2024

🛡️ANNOUNCEMENT🛡️

Good morning my lords and ladies of Rye and yonder. There is no ⚜️Medieval Brainiac Quiz⚜️ today for it is the time of holidays this weekend.

Enjoy! ⛱️🏝️🚤☀️😎

04/05/2024

On this day, May 4th in 1471, during the ⚔️Wars of the Roses🌹.

👑King Edward IV of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and his Yorkist army crush the Lancastrian forces led by Margaret of Anjou at the ⚔️Battle of Tewkesbury⚔️.

After racing across the country in a desperate attempt to join Jasper Tudor in Wales. Margaret of Anjou, her son Prince Edward and their exhausted army were caught up by the Yorkists at Tewkesbury.

They had no choice but to stand and fight.

Following a heavy bombardment from the King’s artillery, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, led the Lancastrian right wing through the deep ditches and hedges that intersected the battlefield and attacked the Yorkist left, under the command of Edward’s younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester. However, the other Lancastrian divisions failed to support the attack and Somerset’s men were soon outflanked and routed, the rest of Margaret’s army disintegrating in defeat.

Among the leading Lancastrians who died on the field were Somerset’s younger brother John Beaufort, Marquess of Dorset, and the Earl of Devon. The Prince of Wales was slain on the field during the retreat by some of Clarence’s men, despite pleading for help to Clarence, who had sworn allegiance to him in France barely a year before.

A few days later Queen Margaret sent word to Edward from her refuge that she was “at his commandment”.

The defeat at Tewkesbury and later the death of Henry VI in the Tower of London (possibly murdered) were the final death blow to the House of Lancaster.

The House of York would rule England unchallenged for years until the rising the of the last Lancastrian claimant to the throne…….Henry Tudor.

Artwork by Graham Turner
https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/Tewkesbury_Medieval_Festival_poster_artwork.html

03/05/2024

On this day in history – 3rd May 1471 – the day before the Battle of Tewkesbury - as Queen Margaret’s Lancastrian army marched north passed Bristol, Berkeley and Gloucester, looking for a crossing point over the River Severn and into Wales, Edward IV’s army tracked them across the Cotswolds before the Lancastrians were forced to turn and face them in battle at Tewkesbury.

As the author of ‘The Arrivall’ (Edward IV’s official account of the events of 1471) wrote, ‘which was right-an-hot day, ### myle and more; whiche his people might nat finde, in all the way, horse-mete [horse feed], ne mans-meate, ne so moche as drynke for theyr horses, save in one little broke, where was full letle relefe, it was so sone trowbled with the cariages that had passed it.‘

My original painting ‘THE HARD ROAD TO TEWKESBURY’ has sold, but prints are available – please visit my website for full details - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/15th_Century.html

This painting is one of the 120-plus paintings and drawings that are reproduced in my new large book ‘THE WARS OF THE ROSES: The Medieval Art of Graham Turner’, signed copies of which are available direct from me through my website - https://www.studio88.co.uk/acatalog/The_Wars_of_the_Roses_the_Medieval_Art_of_Graham_Turner.html

02/05/2024

On this day, May 2nd in 1194.

Whilst preparing to go to war against 🇫🇷France🇫🇷, 👑King Richard I of England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (The Lionheart) gives Portsmouth its first royal charter.

Granting permission for the city to hold a fifteen-day annual fair (which became known as the Free Market Fair), weekly markets (on Thursdays), to set up a local court to deal with minor matters,[2] and exemption from paying the annual tax (“farm”) of £18 a year—instead the money would be used for local matters.