The absent king

Magnet #559 - Richard I The Lionheart (r.1189-1199)

I had a different magnet in mind today, but once I found out that today in 1189, Richard the Lionheart was crowned king of England at Westminster Abbey, I knew it had to be this one.

Before tonight, all I really knew was that Richard I didn't really bear resemblance to Sean Connery or Anthony Hopkins. Well, that, and that he's the son of Katharine Hepburn and Peter O'Toole, and the (quasi-related, but not really - the very definition of quasi, I guess) brother of Timothy Dalton. (A Lion in Winter, so good! Definitely check it out!) Or he's brother of Toby Stephens, depending on your taste in film or tv.

Anyway, here's some stuff I learned just now:

• He didn't speak English. Apparently, born in country, but spent most of his young life in France.
  
• Out of his 10 years as monarch, he spent only six months in England. That's why some folks call him "the absent king."
• Because he was a great military leader, he was supposedly called Lionheart (Cœur de Lion) before he ascended to the throne. And, more people supposedly know him as the Richard the Lionheart, rather than as Richard I.
• He fought with the Knights Templar by his side.
  
• On the way home from the Third Crusade (that he drummed up money for by starting a Saracen tax), he totally was kingnapped! The Duke of Austria (who was then joined by the Emperor of Germany) held him for ransom...for like more money than England and Normandy could raise to get him back! (And because I think it's supercute - here's Pudsey being ransomed by Guy of Gisborne.)
  
• He supposedly winked at the crossbowman who had him in his sights, just before getting hit.
• He was forgiving. He forgave his brother, John, who all but usurped the throne while Rick was off saving the Christian world. He even forgave the crossbowman for killing him.
  
• No one knows how tall he was - apparently, because his remains have been lost for generations.
• Annnnd, I'm failing to understand this one - his body parts were buried all over hill and dale - his brain in Poitou, his heart in Rouen and the rest of his body, they buried at his father's feet in Anjou.
  

Eh, not bad for a quick, beat the clock magnetpost, huh.

For further - and most fascinating - reading:
BBC's Did Robin Hood Ever Meet King Richard?
Wiki's Richard I profile
Stephen Dafoe's Knights Templar History
Britannia's Richard I profile

Stimulus, what?

Magnet #379 - Robin Hood

My friend went to Nottingham and brought me back this Robin Hood magnet. But, I don't think she actually visited the attraction!

Huh. I was going to visit the site, and link ya'll to it. But, this link announcing that the joint is closed until further notice, makes me supersad...and leads me into my next subject.

Apparently, Robin Hood has struck America because someone's distributed a lot of wealth to a lot of shoppers today.

Today was self-enforced day off (a decision I made when I realized that none of my conversations were making sense, and made into a firm resolution when I fell asleep on a big purple chair...in just the 10 minutes it took for the cleaning lady to vacuum the conference room I've been living in since last Sunday.) Instead, I went shopping for work clothes to wear in Tampa. Supergreat stuff, and mostly on sale - even though I bought way too much.

But I wasn't alone. As I mentioned before, whomever said America was hurting, didn't visit Jersey. Or rather, upstate New York, as in today's case. Whoa. So many shoppers out and about!

It might have been the wonderful warm weather today, but man, were they out in force! Of course, you could see that there were less shopping bags, and only a rare line or two at different shops. But, still, one can't help but wonder what's going on...particularly as they announced that the unemployment rates at its highest levels in more than 25 years. Superscary. Mind you, I'm not excluding myself from this bunch. I'm just afeared of all the media coverage. Anyway.

Hah. You thought this might be a rant about Robin Hood the BBC show? Nah. Though that's what I was saving this magnet for, I've decided not acknowledge what happened at the end of the last season. You don't mess with canon, people. Also? Guy's hair looks crappy in the upcoming season...so really, what point is there to watching it. I'm just sayin'.