Blondel's Song: The Capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the LionheartOn his way back from the crusades, one of England's most famous and romantic medieval kings was ship-wrecked and stranded near Venice. Trying to make his way home in disguise, he was arrested and imprisoned and effectively disappeared. He didn't return home for another fifteen months, and at enormous cost - a quarter of the entire wealth of England was paid to win his release.The extraordinary events surrounding Richard the Lionheart's disappearance has been relegated to the nursery by generations of historians. But it also provides the background to some of the most colourful and enduring legends - Robin Hood, the Sheriff of Nottingham, the discovery of King Arthur's grave, and above all, the story of Blondel, Richard's faithful minstrel, and his journey across central Europe - singing under castle towers - until he finds the missing king.Blondel's Song tells the tale of one of the most peculiar incidents of medieval history, and the background to the real Blondel and his fellow troubadours, as well as the courts of love, the Holy Grail, emergence of gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame and Chartres, and the unique moment of tolerance in the West - when Europe shared a language, and a new culture of music, romance and chivalry.It retraces and rediscovers Richard's secret journey across the Alps in winter, and uncovers the real story of the arrest of Europe's most powerful king, two thousand miles from home, and the effects of his gigantic ransom. And it uncovers for the first time the real meaning of the legend of Blondel, the song that revealed Richard's lonely cell, and the truth about who Blondel was. |
From inside the book
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Page xxvii
... Legend of Blondel ' And when the first verse was finished , a voice within the tower took up the second , and sang it quaintly . And it was the voice of Richard . ' The Agnes Grozier Herbertson , ' Richard and Blondel ' , in Heroic Legends ...
... Legend of Blondel ' And when the first verse was finished , a voice within the tower took up the second , and sang it quaintly . And it was the voice of Richard . ' The Agnes Grozier Herbertson , ' Richard and Blondel ' , in Heroic Legends ...
Page xxx
... legend refers to . In other words , while it may now be impossible to be absolutely sure who he was , and while the ... legend of the minstrel under the tower , is the subject of this book . 1 1. The Courts of Love ' To leap up on XXX ...
... legend refers to . In other words , while it may now be impossible to be absolutely sure who he was , and while the ... legend of the minstrel under the tower , is the subject of this book . 1 1. The Courts of Love ' To leap up on XXX ...
Page 228
... legend itself is much older than that . The trouvère Adam de la Halle wrote a song in the 1260s called ' Jeu de Robin et Marion ' . By then the legend must have been so widespread that many people - and not all of them criminals - were ...
... legend itself is much older than that . The trouvère Adam de la Halle wrote a song in the 1260s called ' Jeu de Robin et Marion ' . By then the legend must have been so widespread that many people - and not all of them criminals - were ...
Contents
The Courts of Love I | 1 |
The Age of Light | 29 |
Paris and Jerusalem | 49 |
Copyright | |
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Other editions - View all
Blondel's Song: The Capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart David Boyle No preview available - 2006 |
Blondel's Song: The capture, Imprisonment and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart David Boyle No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Acre actually Aquitaine army arrest arrived asked became believed Bishop Blondel Book brother called castle cathedral century Christian chronicler Church clear court cross Crusade culture death died Duke Dürnstein early Eleanor emperor empire England English Europe face father finally forced France French German Gillingham given hand head heart Henry History Holy included Italy Jerusalem John journey king knew known land later legend Leopold letter Lion lived London Longchamp lord March married Medieval meeting months never night Normandy once ordered Paris passed perhaps Philip Pope prison probably ransom reached remained Richard road Robin Hood Roman royal sail Saladin seems sent Series ship side silver sing song soon story taken took town troubadours turned walls Walter whole wrote