White Rose of Avalon

Love

  • Royal Mistresses

    Monarchs throughout time have taken mistresses to satisfy their desires.   Especially French kings had special places at court for their mistresses.   There was in fact a particular title in the French royal court for a king’s mistress.   The king’s official mistress is known best by the original French term, maitresse-en-titre.    One…

  • Medieval Poetry

    Medieval poetry is a type of literature that was inspired by the legends that were popular at the time.   The medieval period was the time of the epic poem.    The Canterbury Tales, The Decameron, and The Romance of the Rose are examples of this poetry.   The Lais of Marie de France was…

  • Arthurian Love Triangle

    The most famous of the romantic Arthurian legends is of course the love triangle amongst Lancelot, Guinevere, and Arthur.   I am someone absolutely obsessed with the romantic relationships within the world of Arthur!   I actually love both sides of this love triangle, and I go back and forth over which relationship is my…

  • My Top Five Shakespeare Love Quotes

    Number 5:’I would not wish any companion in the world but you’ (The Tempest – Act 3, Scene 1) ~This quote reminds us that friendship is important in romantic love!  Number 4:’Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love’ (Antony & Cleopatra – Act 3, Scene 5) ~I love this…

  • Great Lovers

    Throughout history there have been many great lovers!   Many of these lotharios are men of nobility and royalty.   Today I want to look at some of the most famous.   I have chosen three lovers that exemplify the great romance and sexual awakening of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Europe! The…

  • Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville

    One of the most romantic true love stories in the history of royal Britain is that of King Edward IV and his Queen Elizabeth Woodville.   Elizabeth was a commoner and widow with two young boys, and five years Edward’s senior.    Her husband had been killed in second Battle of St. Albans, fighting for…

  • Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

    The love story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn is an iconic one.     This love story quite literally changed the fate of a nation!   Henry fell in love with Anne likely sometime early in 1526, and at this point he had already become determined to divorce his current wife Katherine of Aragon.…

  • My Top 10 Favorite Historical Lovers

    My final Valentine’s Day, and Love Week, love list this year is about historical lovers!   Here are my ten favorite historical lovers! Number 10: Marc Antony and Cleopatra VII ~In time of ancient Egypt and Rome Cleopatra famously seduced Marc Antony.    She had already fallen in love with and bore a son to…

  • Tristan and Isolde

    Tristan was a great knight in the kingdom of Cornwall, and Isolde was an Irish princess.   Tristan was sent to Ireland to compete in a tournament in order to win the hand of this princess for his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall.   Tristan readily defeats all comers and wins Isolde’s hand for King…

  • My Top 10 Legendary Lovers

    This is my fourth Valentine’s Day love list, for Love Week, and today it is the legendary lovers that take center stage! Number 10: Orpheus and Eurydice ~The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is a tragic love story of Orpheus following his bride to the Underworld.   In the tale Orpheus convinced Hades to release…