tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post6681795396015750742..comments2023-06-01T04:08:23.369-07:00Comments on Gemæcce: History Meme GameNicola Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-31965459534743101732011-01-27T12:08:40.575-08:002011-01-27T12:08:40.575-08:00My pleasure.My pleasure.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-79983823003223026592011-01-27T11:50:52.935-08:002011-01-27T11:50:52.935-08:00I assume that my 12th Century English Christian ch...I assume that my 12th Century English Christian character would equate aliens with demons and that the other characters would draw on their various theologies.<br /><br />I'm just beginning research for Castle Rising which I plan to write after I finish my poli-sci-fi chiller Palin/Cheney 2012. I just spent a fruitful hour reading old posts and comments on this blog - taking notes and requesting books from the local Wisconsin library system. Thanks!Doug Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00553640078466554739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-86643847074619985622011-01-27T11:03:27.376-08:002011-01-27T11:03:27.376-08:00Medieval kids vs. aliens sounds pretty cool! The ...Medieval kids vs. aliens sounds pretty cool! The most interesting part, for me, would be how 12th C people might interpret the notion of 'alien'...Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-18370033720827201482011-01-27T10:49:26.100-08:002011-01-27T10:49:26.100-08:00I'm in the middle of reading Women in Anglo-Sa...I'm in the middle of reading Women in Anglo-Saxon England by Christine Fell - researching for my medieval-kids-vs.-alien armada novel "Castle Rising" which kicks off in 1147. One of my characters is a young Anglo-Saxon female autistic apprentice scribe passing as a male in post-Conquest England. I've been reading lots of books on Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest and am following your Hild project to get more recommendations. <br />I also get to research Angkor Wat, the Anasazi pueblos at Mesa Verde, and the African castles of Great Zimbabwe - homes of the other main characters.Doug Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00553640078466554739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-64398289255289432672008-01-05T18:00:00.000-08:002008-01-05T18:00:00.000-08:00Good luck with that revision (oh, I know how that ...Good luck with that revision (oh, I know how that goes...) and thanks for dropping by.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-68802099757033116202008-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:002008-01-05T16:32:00.000-08:00Hey there! I don't have time to write a proper res...Hey there! I don't have time to write a proper response to the meme, REALLY busy right now & with a book to revise by the end of the month, but I was thinking along more frivolous lines--something like this (scroll down for the list):<BR/><BR/>http://jennydavidson.blogspot.com/2006/04/queer-as-clockwork-orange.html<BR/><BR/>Good luck with this project!Jenny Davidsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02295436498255927522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-1765515393161329692008-01-05T15:09:00.000-08:002008-01-05T15:09:00.000-08:00fratruelis, okay. Sigh. Still, thanks for pointi...<I>fratruelis</I>, okay. Sigh. Still, thanks for pointing me in the direction of Elmet again in your other comment. I shall ponder this.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-70295589103364694452008-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:002008-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00Hild would be the cousin of all of Edwin's childre...Hild would be the cousin of all of Edwin's children and grandchildren. <BR/><BR/>The theory is that the term used by the Historia Brittonum is for a special type of cousin, two sons of two sisters. Ecgfrith is the son of Eanflaed and so Brude King of Picts would have to be the son of a sister, and Beli King of Alt Clut. <BR/><BR/>I referenced Alex Woolf's paper in this post: http://hefenfelth.wordpress.com/?s=Alex+WoolfUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15707321685043937423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-29049502981172634402008-01-04T16:37:00.000-08:002008-01-04T16:37:00.000-08:00Hypothetical but, to me, very exciting. How far d...Hypothetical but, to me, very exciting. How far do you think we could stretch 'cousin'? Would Hild qualify, do you think? I'd have to fudge some dates...Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-41075971812280993442008-01-04T16:15:00.000-08:002008-01-04T16:15:00.000-08:00On Edwin's older daughter, its a theory put out by...On Edwin's older daughter, its a theory put out by Alex Woolf, if I remember correctly. She is hypothetical.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15707321685043937423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-56403314629159030632008-01-04T16:02:00.000-08:002008-01-04T16:02:00.000-08:00I'll have to check my (disorganised) notes and try...I'll have to check my (disorganised) notes and try work out where I got the notion that Hereswith's husband actually got to be co-king. It's not too important to my story, though, so I can just let that one float for now.<BR/><BR/>Ooops, yes, I think I knew that about baby Aefflaed. Thanks for the reminder. Ditto the split kingdom. I always end up eliding things when summarising. Bad habit :)<BR/><BR/>And, wow, no, I didn't know about the older daughter and Brude. I'll have to go away and chew on that. Very, very interesting.<BR/><BR/>Colour-wise, red was the first thing that occurred to me but, as a novelist, I'm always suspicious of the easy answer. I live in dread of cliche. But it's easy to take that too far. Jewel-wise, I already know what Hild will love. It's red, kind of, but not a garnet. And the rest will have to be a surprise :)<BR/><BR/>I tried to read the Sr. Fidelma novel set during the Synod but, well, it wasn't at all to my taste.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-35565891310578086822008-01-04T15:25:00.000-08:002008-01-04T15:25:00.000-08:00Well, the Brits called him "Edwin the deceiver". :...Well, the Brits called him "Edwin the deceiver". :-) <BR/><BR/>Lots to comment on here: <BR/><BR/>Can I make a couple minor corrections? <BR/><BR/>Hild takes the veil during the time of the split kingdom (Oswy in Bernicia and Oswine in Deira). <BR/><BR/>I don't think there is any proof that Hild's brother in law Aethelric became king, but you could make him one in the chaos. I always imagined that he died a noble death in one of many coups that when on until after the death of Penda of Mercia. <BR/><BR/>Aelfflaed was probably given to Hild at Hartlepool. Oswiu gave her Whitby a couple years later, possibly as one of the 12 estates given after the victory in 655. <BR/><BR/>I don't know that women are ever said to choose the site of their monastery. They take what the king wants to give them. I suspect that Oswiu wanted a monastery under his royal control at the site of such an important port, or rather where he wanted to build at important port. Monasteries are often placed on borders to mind the border for the king- control traffic, trade and provide intelligence. Deira still wasn't very securely under Bernician control in Oswiu's time. His nephew and son both rebelled against him. <BR/><BR/>I've always thought that the rest of Hild's name was something terrible - explaining why it was never recorded. Something like Brunhilda. ;-)<BR/><BR/>Why do you think that Edwin had trouble with his in-laws in Mercia? They all disappear before he becomes king, probably killed by Aethelfrith.I don't think that Penda was related to Ceorl at all. You could make them related though... <BR/><BR/>You should probably know that there is a theory that Edwin gave an older daughter from his Mercian marriage to the king of Alt Clut, who was the mother of Brude ap Beli, who kills Ecgfrith in 685. Th e HB claims that Ecgfrith was killed by his cousin. <BR/><BR/>As this post is already getting way too long I'll stick with one fairly easy question. I would think that a common favorite color would be red. If you look at AS jewelry (or reports of it) there are only four common stones, pearls, amber, jet, and red garnets. Bede talks about pearls in the HE, but I don't recall seeing any in jewelry. Amber and jet are really common, so probably cheap gems. The red garnet is saved for the best stuff and Bede talks about making a great red dye that doesn't fade. Most clothing would probably have been undyed. Purple and blue were prized colors associated with royalty (hence "royal blue"). <BR/><BR/>So do you read the Sister Fidelma novels? One of them is set at the Synod of Whitby.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15707321685043937423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-24746602209828340052008-01-04T14:28:00.000-08:002008-01-04T14:28:00.000-08:00Well, from what I can gather from Bede and other s...Well, from what I can gather from Bede and other sources, Edwin strikes me as an indecisive weasel who is very, very good at really aggravating people with whom he supposedly forms alliances: relatives of his first wife, his foster brother, etc. You don't piss off powerful kings unless you do seriously bad things. So, yeah, I think he set up countless murders.<BR/><BR/>You disagree?Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-75406409751378626312008-01-04T13:30:00.000-08:002008-01-04T13:30:00.000-08:00Not academically inclined, eh? We will be calling ...Not academically inclined, eh? We will be calling you Professor Nicola in no time. But on the other hand, here you already are accusing some poor dead guy named Edwin of murder. Sounds like the makings of a murder mystery also! Good luck with the research.Spikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06789537222953911768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-39987928863290095552008-01-04T11:10:00.000-08:002008-01-04T11:10:00.000-08:00Yeah, it interested me enough to pull my finger ou...Yeah, it interested me enough to pull my finger out and actually make a blog. I'll look forward to finding out who you pick.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-49093587569271545292008-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:002008-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:00By the way, this is a fabulously interesting meme....By the way, this is a fabulously interesting meme. I'm mulling my response, but will post it on Monday!Gwendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05774768214058868450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-46611435092776918712008-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:002008-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:00S., on some level I've lived with it all my life. ...S., on some level I've lived with it all my life. I've been hoarding it as my magnum opus, but a few months ago I thought, Just Do It, so here I am.<BR/><BR/>jennifer, thanks. it's a bit scary to have the process out in the open air like this, but I'll hang in for a while.Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-84846260895028913082008-01-03T19:03:00.000-08:002008-01-03T19:03:00.000-08:00This is great! It's a real gift to be able to fol...This is great! It's a real gift to be able to follow along (for as long as you feel like having us with). And your -- gemæcca -- great idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-52702855799242790342008-01-03T18:27:00.000-08:002008-01-03T18:27:00.000-08:00Wow - I'm excited about your new project (new to m...Wow - I'm excited about your new project (new to me - you clearly have been living with it awhile.) Now I've got to go and read up on Hilda, her times, etc. <BR/><BR/>I can't imagine anyone better to do something very interesting with this 'character.'S. Lawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12702290025439445114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-779073659608231292008-01-03T17:59:00.000-08:002008-01-03T17:59:00.000-08:00Thanks. Let's hope I can pull it off...Thanks. Let's hope I can pull it off...Nicola Griffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00401940329164370169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8167606116032558518.post-74850807175967317532008-01-03T17:54:00.000-08:002008-01-03T17:54:00.000-08:00"hello"... really looking forward to a new Nicola ..."hello"... really looking forward to a new Nicola book!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com