Favorite History Books || The Counts of Tripoli and Lebanon in the Twelfth Century: Sons of Saint-Gilles by Kevin James Lewis ★★★★☆

The Frankish county of Tripoli was not historically important, at least in the traditional sense. Its counts won no particularly great military victories beyond the conquest of the county itself and commissioned no great works of literature. The county’s archives were sacked in an epoch long past and their contents erased from history. Only paint flaking off forgotten church walls, once-mighty fortresses gutted by the fires of modern wars, and crumbling manuscripts in distant libraries stand testament to the fact that the county and its inhabitants existed at all. Yet the study of the county and its rulers is important in that it raises a number of hitherto unasked and unanswered questions regarding the development both of the so-called ‘crusader states’ and of Lebanon and Syria more generally. Though small, the county’s history encapsulates the principal forces that shook and shaped the Latin East as a whole. The county was not simply the product of European crusaders, but grew amid the verdant valleys of Lebanon, the forbidding heights of the Alawite mountains and the fertile plains that lay between. It was in this Syro-Lebanese context that the counts of Tripoli sought to establish their rule. In many ways, the manifold pressures on the counts were greater than those faced by other Frankish rulers. True, the threat of invasion seems to have been slighter because hostile forces preferred crossing the Jordan into the southern kingdom of Jerusalem, or the Orontes into the northern principality of Antioch, rather than over the mountains that cradled the county. However, the kings of Jerusalem and princes of Antioch did not face the same cultural complexity as in the Lebanon region, which made it all the harder for the counts to negotiate and enforce the terms of their power. … The present work is arranged chronologically and divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on two rulers: William Jordan of Cerdanya and Bertrand of Toulouse, rival claimants to what would become the county of Tripoli after the death of the crusader Raymond IV of Saint-Gilles and Toulouse in 1105. Chapters 2 and 3 concern the reigns of Count Pons and his son Raymond II respectively. Chapters 4 and 5 both deal with a single count: Raymond III, whose reign was by far the longest, arguably the most complex and easily the best documented – not to mention most debated. Raymond IV of Saint-Gilles himself, the first self-professed ‘count of Tripoli’, does not receive his own chapter or indeed much special attention at all beyond what is absolutely necessary for the purpose of setting the scene. It has been deemed wise to omit him from the present work since most of his life was spent in the west or else participating in the First Crusade at a time when the very existence of the county of Tripoli had yet to be imagined. As such, the structure of this present work questions Jean Richard’s influential belief that the county of Tripoli was primarily the product of Raymond IV’s ‘action personnelle’. More than one person determined the county’s existence and fate.

LADY BAELA TARGARYEN, ready to throw hands. LADY RHAENA TARGARYEN, regrettably saving Aegon’s life.

William of Toulouse. 

“Merci beaucoup.” | Ted Lasso 3x01

Les Deux Amies (1895) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Kind of reminds me of Rhaenyra and Alicent

would love to move out to a completely different city and region and leave so much of the stress of this place and people behind but every time i've tried to do so i've ended up having a mental breakdown when living on my own or with a roommate that didn't want to do anything together or share anything. gd. it fucking sucks. i can't stay here much longer because i can't breathe but also every time i've tried to leave i've been whacked in the face with my inability to cope on my own.

Canal Du Midi Toulouse, France

once again thinking about doing erasmus next year..... maybe i will actually commit

Instead of steak & frites, I ordered gratin dauphinois as a side dish...yummy!!!

The summer house of former British Vogue fashion editor Lucinda Chambers in Toulouse (France). Via House and Garden UK.

Autumn in Toulouse, France (oct. 2022)

Shot w/ Canon EOS 350D - @candide-autophobe

Simon IV de Montfort (c. 1160/1165-1218) was Lord of Montfort-l'Amaury, fifth Count of Leicester, Count of Toulouse, Viscount of Béziers and Viscount of Carcassonne, he was the main protagonist of the Albigensian Crusade.

1. Just - Radiohead / 2. A Primer for the Small Weird Loves - Richard Siken / 3. The Hangover - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec / 4. A House in Nebraska - Ethel Cain / 5. After the Misdeed - Jean Beraud / 6. Abject Permanence - Larissa Pham / 7. You Know I’m No Good - Amy Winehouse

Faidiva of Toulouse (1133 – 1154) was a Countess Consort of Savoy by marriage to Humbert III, Count of Savoy.

She was the daughter of Alfonso Jordan. The wedding took place in 1151.

She died childless.

Meet the 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖗𝖊 𝖉𝖊𝖘 𝖁𝖆𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖘 🦇

Santiago—played by Ben Daniels

What we know about him: He's the leading man and takes his craft very seriously. He's an Englishman and his human name was Francis Naughton. He used to perform at the York Royal and circa 1921, he was in a touring production of Othello when he was turned by his maker. With less than 25 years in the blood, Santiago is the youngest member of the TdV.

Celeste Moreau — Played by  Suzanne Andrade

What we know about her: She is originally from Toulouse and is one of the oldest members. She was initially part of Armand's original coven, the children of Satan, making her at least 250 years old. In the book, Celeste is also described as one of the most powerful at the TdV.

Estelle Arnaud — played by Esme Appleton

What we know about her: Nothing much other than she's susceptible to seasonal allergies. Oh, and she wants to lick Louis which ... relatable! Estelle is another character, along with Celeste who is directly adapted from the book.

Samuel 'Sam' Barclay — played by Chris Geary

What we know about him: He is the resident playwright of the TdV and is also in charge of ticket sales and 'waste' disposal.

Isabelle Eglee — Played by Genevieve Dunne

What we know about her: She's French and she's in a romantic entanglement with Santiago. She works in the front of house at the theatre.

Tuan and Quang Pham — Played by Yung Nguyen and KP Phangnasay

What we know about them: The father and son duo are originally from Vietnam. Armand says they joined to coven on a pre-century tour of 'the colonies', which is a little historical nod to the fact that parts of Vietnam were colonized by France from the late 1880s to 1954, under what was called the French Indochina Union. We stan writers that do their research.

Hans Luchebaum — Played by Ben Bradshaw

What we know about him: He is the resident tailor at the TdV, in charge of making all the various costumes for the different plays. He's already on my hit list because of what we see him do to Louis in the trailers. I got my eye on you Hans!

Gustave Chevalier — Played by Jake Cecil

What we know about him: Initially part of the children of Satan, he is now part of the core acting company. You can catch him on stage in the recurring role of the woodcutter.

Merde'em, Basilic and Planche — Played by Matěj Štrunc, Jan Hofman and Jordan Unachukwu

What we know about them: They form the TdV orchestra. Basilic (real name Basile Fontaine) is one of the few surviving members of the children of Satan.

Tomas Romaine — Played by Andrew Van Wilpe

What we know about him: He has very interesting facial hair and he is in charge of stage management and props.

"New Mexico will establish a permanent absentee voter list and remove barriers to voting on tribal lands under sweeping legislation signed into law Thursday [March 30, 2023] by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The measure also will automate voter registration during certain Motor Vehicle Division transactions and more quickly restore the voting rights of people exiting prison after a felony conviction. It was supported this year by Democratic legislative leaders and Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, after a similar measure died in the final moments of the 2022 session amid a GOP filibuster...

Republican lawmakers fiercely opposed the bill this year, too, contending automatic voter registration and other measures aren't necessary in a state that already allows same-day registration. But advocates of the legislation, House Bill 4, celebrated Thursday [March 30, 2023] as Lujan Grisham signed the bill during a ceremony at the Capitol with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver; House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque; and others.

Native American leaders described it as critical step toward protecting the voting rights of people on tribal land, especially those without a traditional mailing address. [More details in/moved to the last key point!]

In a signing ceremony at the Capitol, Lujan Grisham said the legislation would serve as a template for other states. "We want to send a message to the rest of the country — that this is what voting access and protection should look like," the governor said...

Absentee voting: Sign up once

The legislation calls for a permanent absentee voter list to be available in time for the 2024 elections. Voters could sign up once to get absentee ballots mailed to them before every statewide election. People on the list would also get notices mailed to them seven weeks before Election Day. Any election-related mail returned to the county clerk as undeliverable would trigger the voters' removal from the absentee list.

Automated voter registration

Automatic voter registration during some transactions at MVD [DMV] offices — such as when a person presents documents proving citizenship while applying for a driver's license — would begin in July 2025. Newly registered voters would be told they've been added to the voter rolls and that they'll get a postcard in the mail allowing them to decline the registration. For MVD customers already registered to vote, their address would be updated in the voting rolls if they renew their driver's license with a different address.

Restoration of rights

The legislation will restore the voting rights of felons when they leave custody rather than after they complete probation or parole. Inmates would be granted the chance to register or update their registration before release. The Sentencing Project, an advocacy group, estimated the measure will restore the voting rights of more than 11,000 citizens.

New holiday

The bill makes Election Day a school holiday.

Drop boxes

The legislation requires each county to have at least two secured, monitored boxes for people to drop off absentee ballots. State election officials are empowered to waive the requirement or grant requests for additional containers, depending on the circumstances of each county.

Native American voting

The proposal establishes a Native American Voting Rights Act.

[Moved here from earlier in the article]

The measure requires collaboration with pueblos, nations and tribes on establishing polling places, early voting locations and precinct boundaries. It also allows members to register to vote or receive absentee ballots at official tribal buildings — a necessity, supporters said, for residents who don't receive mail at home. "It is truly monumental reform," said Ahtza Chavez, executive director of NM Native Vote and a member of the Kewa Pueblo and Diné Nation. "It requires collaboration with tribes at all levels.""

-via Albuquerque Journal, March 30, 2023