Introduction (shadow)

From 1360 to1366

is mainly about Ximene building her fleet- but

starts with the ambassador. &

Ximene as Eagle

Death of maria pedalla 1361.

Alyse returns  to Sevilla.1361

black prince prince of aquitaine September 1362

alyse returns from castile 1362 with stores of horror

1363 alyse mistess of edward III

John accompanies John Chandos  arranging renunciations in gascony.

English did not want to give up what they had gained. But Completed by 1362

discovers that a truce is one thing but unruly mercenaries and marcher lords are another.

This was by no means his only crime. He induced his cousin, Pierre Arnaut de Béarn, governor of the Castle of Lourdes, to visit him, on the plea that he wished to discuss matters with him. Arnaut held Lourdes for the English. Gaston Phœbus desired to acquire this stronghold, which was the key to the Valley of Argelez. He received Arnaut in a friendly manner, and they dined together. For three days he showed him lavish hospitality, and then demanded the surrender of the castle. Arnaut refused. “I hold it for the King of England. It has been confided to my honour,” he replied, “and to no other person will I surrender my trust.” Gaston Phœbus flew into one of his mad fits of rage, rushed upon him, and stabbed him in five places with his dagger. “My Lord,” said the gallant castellan, “this is ungentle treatment, to summon me to your house as a guest, and therein to murder me.” The Count ordered him to be flung into a dungeon, where he died of his wounds.

The crime availed Phœbus nothing, for Jean, the brother of Pierre, had been left in charge of the castle, and he refused to give it up.

constable of lourdes sir peter arnaud de bearn.

Companions John de Bearn, Peter D’anchin, Ernauton de St Colombe, Ernauton de Motague.

john prevaricates.  but helps gaston prepare to invade Amagnac believing this the first stage to freeing Occitan.

5 december 1362 battle of launac. Gaston invades Armagnac  using english tactics introduced by john. Unexpectedly he captures rather than kills armagnacs. He knows that should he decide to claim Armagnac there will always be opposition he decides on substantial ransoms.

he settles on building his own autonomous state.

gaston refuses to swear allegiance through Chandos.

john reports this to the prince

john defeats prince in a tournament

John Meets Marie de l’Aspois whose father asks John to marry her to avoid the unwelcome attentions of Marnaut Barbasin.

high level meeting at tarriers Ximene and john invited by prince.

Ximene meets marie and discovers that marriage has not been consummated

long discussion with marie and attempt to lead her through transition is ineffectual.

may 1363 black prince and joan visit tarbre  armagnac asks prince to tell foix to waive his ransom prince refuses. armagnac asks joan she agrees to reduction from 380,000 to 320000 . result prince looses support of both armagnac and foix

Lourdes becomes strongpoint.  gaston offers bearn as haven for cathars but only within cathar houses. Ximene asks permission for john to escort her back to landon. spends two weeks by lake at biscarrosse and then returns to england.

marie learns of this and obtains a dissolution of her marriage to john, marrying Maraut Barbasin instead

1364du guesclin defeats charles of navarre at  cockerel

september 1364 du guesclin defeated and captured by John Chandos at Auray

1363 john d’armagnac pays fealty to black prince

12 january 1364 gaston pays homage to first edward III an then black prince at agen or does he? for marsan and Gavardan yes but not for bearn it seems.

1364 king john returned to england

1365 king john dies

armagnac in revolt  again

gaston refuses to swear fealty to prince for bearn

john and ximene visit gaston

john is asked by prince to marry marie he wants to refuse but Ximene persuades him to agree.

exploration of myths of marriage. emphasis on marriage night surrender.

john tries to find out what gives her pleasure she does not want to talk about it. she expects him to know.

john appeals to ximene who takes the role of tutor without success.

marie returns to the man who was threatening to carry her off.

prince blames john for failure of what would have been a valuable

objective to invade armagnac and secure it for the prince

battle of lunac

gaston army wins but reneges on his agreement.

Ximene confronts gaston and accuses him of treachery.

the meeting at which armagnac asked prince for release from his ransom and  joan intervenes

gaston kidnaps ximene  sends agnes away and plans to invade occitan he plans to marry.

john invades orthez and rescues Ximene.

1360 muhammed  V Overthrown

september 1361 death of maria pedilla 

november 1361 the Ambassador

december 1361 castilians invade grenada

january 1362 defeat of castillians at gaudix

April 25th 1362  execution of muhammed 

Christmas 1364  landon house.king john in attendance?

Arrive grenada in early october 1365 

VI John ximene and Yvette in through Malaga

henry trastamara invasion March 1366 (du guesclin)

john and ximene rescue  isabel and constance

Peter restored 1367

book 4 ends with rescue of Perez sisters in 1366

The most dangerous woman in the world

The Treasure of Trencavel

List of Characters

Table Of Contents

References

characters

List of Places

Table of Contents

Pseudo History

home

Extract from The Prisoner of Foix--Chapter 43 -The EntranceNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley-26th April 1355

 

'Looks like we are going to see a bit of excitement, John. The Captain tried to get an agreement from the Prince that if there is surf running across the channel to Arcachon we will turn back to Bordeaux, but the Prince would hear none of it. Instead, he has offered to provide insurance for all three ships. If they are damaged or sunk, the owners will be compensated and every sailor who makes the passage will be given a bounty payment. What none of this seems to take into account is that if we sink in rough, fast-flowing waters we might all drown.'

John raised his eyebrows. 'But that is what we are going to do?'

'Yes, despite the fact that surf running accross the entrance is not uncommon and the deep water channel moves continually. In the end, the Prince attacked their captains on their weakest point, their professional pride! He threw down the gauntlet. He offered to take the Sally first through the channel, and to take control during the passage.' He raised his brow. 'We are going into the Bay of Arcachon, come what may! '

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Extract from The Eagle of Carcassone -- Chapter 24-- A Real GoddessNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley - 22 July 1355

An hour later John walked with Ximene close to the river along the valley below St Feriole. It was the very essence of a summer’s day. The sun was fierce but in the shadow of the trees, it was cool and fragrant. The trees and shrubs along the riverbank hid their progress, from the Château, from St Feriole.

Eventually they reached a point where John thought it was safe to emerge from cover. To his satisfaction the stream extended into a pool with a sandy beach, shaded by trees. Where the stream entered the pool there was a flat grassy area, almost circular. Behind this, the bulk of two mountain ridges provided a splendid backdrop. He looked around once more ‘Not just a good training ground but a great training ground. If the Greek heroes knew about this they might be tempted to join me, to train with me’

Ximene laughed out loud. He turned to look at her. She had removed her outer clothes and was wearing a white chemise, cut short so that it barely reached her knees. Around her waist, she wore a plaited leather belt, obviously fashioned from the multitude of leather straps to be found in the tackle room.

She ran her hands down over her breasts. ‘When you were unconscious I heard you muttering about gods and goddesses, so  I have decided that from now on, for you, I will be the goddess.’

Available February 2020
The Prisoner of FoixVol 1 of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

Aquitaine, an English possession, is in crisis. It is under threat from neighbouring nations and internal dissension.

The Black Prince, King Edward III’s eldest son has been given the task of taking command in Aquitaine.

Suddenly there is an opportunity. Ximene Trencavel is the heiress to the lands of Occitan, to the east of Aquitaine: lands controlled by the Franks. Ximene wants independence, both for herself and for Occitan.

A union between Aquitaine and Occitan would be mutually beneficial. The Black Prince undertakes a secret journey to meet Ximene to negotiate a marriage contract. It is, however, a marriage neither of them really wants.

Meanwhile, the  Franks plot to murder Ximene to prevent ,not just the marriage, but any kind of union between England and Occitan.

The Eagle Of CarcassonneVol II of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

The loose alliance between Ximene Trencavel and the Black Prince is under threat.

The Prince invades Occitan, to show his support for Ximene but it becomes an invasion which creates more problems than it solves.

The Prince has fallen hopelessly in love with Joan of Kent and Joan is now determined to marry him and become the next Queen of England.

Joan is therefore  determined to convince Ximene that she should not marry the Prince.

Part of her strategy is to encourage Ximene’s relationship with John Stanley—one of the Princes bodyguards—not an easy task as both John and Ximene have doubts about their compatibility.

However, John is grievously injured in a battle and Ximene commits herself to nurse him back to health.