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ltwilliammowett · 2 years

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The Lioness of Brittany

This lady from Brittany lived from 1300-1359 and her real name was Jeanne-Louise de Belleville de Clisson Dame de Montaigu. She was a noblewoman from Brittany who, as heir to her family, took over the estates and the salt trade, and later a Pirate.

She married for the first time at the age of 12, the 19-year-old Geoffrey de Châteaubriant VIII, who died in 1326, and had her first two children with him at 14 and 16. After his death, in 1328, Jeanne married Guy de Penthièvre of the House of Penthièvre, widower of Joan of Avaugour and son of the Duke of Brittany, for the protection of her children. The union was short-lived, as relatives of the ducal family, particularly from the de Blois faction, complained to the bishops of Vannes and Rennes to protect their inheritance, and an investigation was held on 10 February 1330, leading to the annulment of the marriage by Pope John XXII. Then, in the same year 1330, Olivier IV de Clisson married a very wealthy Breton. They had five children together: Maurice, Guillaume, Olivier, Isabeau († 1343) and Jeanne. In 1342, Olivier, joined the Duke of Brittany Charles de Blois in the Breton War of Succession defending Brittany against the English claimants and the forces of English sympathizer John de Montfort.

During the ensuing campaign, Olivier came under suspicion and criticism from Charles de Blois for failing to hold Vannes against the English forces so Clisson defected to the English side. January 1343, the Truce of Malestroit was signed between England and France and under the perceived safe condition of this truce Olivier and fifteen other Breton lords were invited to a tournament on French soil. He was arrested and beheaded for treason against the king. His head was sent to Nantes, where it was presented on a spit on the battlements of Bouffray Castle near Nantes. His widow, Jeanne, swore revenge on the king and Charles de Blois, who had happily supported the death sentence.

A painting of Jeanne in a mock 15th century style, part of a composition by Elsa Millet. (x)

Her revenge consisted of selling her possessions and buying a ship. Dismayed by the death of her liege lord, she quickly found a crew of 400 men and together they hunted down French merchant ships. After several successful battles, including two attacks on two castles, her ship was badly damaged and she had to flee. She found protection and support in England and from King Edward. He and Breton sympathisers gave her money and she was able to buy several war cogs, which she had painted black and fitted with red sails, the flagship was named My Revenge. Because of this appearance, the fleet received the name Black Fleet. The ships of this Black Fleet are said to have first attacked ships in the Bay of Biscay, but then advanced into the English Channel to hunt down French merchant ships, killing entire crews and leaving only a few witnesses to carry the news to the French king. This earned Jeanne the nickname "The Lioness of Brittany" or in French “La Tigresse bretonne” (The breton tigress).

Execution of Olivier IV de Clisson. Painting attributed to Loyset Liédet, Flemish illuminator (v.1420-v.1483) in the Chronicles of Lord Jehan Froissart. (x)

She is sometimes referred to in literature as a privateer of the English, which would imply that she was subject to certain protections and obligations, but there was no known letter of marque.

In 1346, during the Crécy campaign in northern France, Jeanne used her ships to supply the English forces.

In the process, the French eventually succeeded in attacking her fleet and sinking her flagship. Jeanne and her two sons drifted at sea for five days; her son Guillaume died from the effects of the cold. Jeanne and Olivier were eventually rescued and taken to Morlaix. But this did not stop their revenge, on the contrary Jeanne continued her piracy in the Channel for another 13 years.

She probably ended her revenge in 1356, but by 1850 she had married the English nobleman, Walter Bentley, lieutenant to King Edward III until 1353 and captain of the English troops who continued to fight Charles de Blois. For his services and inheritance, both had received lands and castles in Brittany, which they were to relinquish in 1353 in order to finally achieve peace Charles de Blois. Bentley refused and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Jeanne, tired of fighting, gave up and handed over the lands they had wanted. He was then released and in January 1357, the barony of La Roche-Moisan was granted to them. Toward the end of her life, she returned to France and has lived in Hennebont castle until the end of her life in 1359.

#naval history #female pirate #jeanne de belleville #the lioness of brittany #14th century #medieval seafaring

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solitariussanctumartarchitecture · 2 years

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August 4, 2022

Jeanne de Clisson the 'Lioness of Brittany' watched her husband's execution today in 1343. Then went on one of history's most epic revenge sprees. She sailed the Channel becoming a legendary pirate, capturing & massacring French crews but always left one survivor to tell the tale.

#medieval history #Lioness of Brittany #female pirate

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jortschronicles · 9 months

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The Malevolent Sheep

Embroidered Livestock Who Hate Everyone, But Me Most of All For Bringing Them Into This World

By Doña Ashildr inn Harfagri, 2023

Presented at Castellan

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is not to document a perfect and period reproduction, but to document my thought process and learning process as I attempt to add to an impression of a 14th century English peasant designed for the casual eye.

I play an English shepherdess in 1360 in the fictional town of Avalon for the Medieval Fair of Norman. Due to the timing of this event, weather can be unpredictable, and occasionally very cold and wet. I am in possession of a wool hood from Hobbitronics featuring the crossed trumpets badge of heralds. While this is a delightful hood and definitely one of my warmest pieces, the costuming director and myself have determined the crossed trumpets are not appropriate for the character of Margery Arkewright and more importantly, do not add to the air of perceived authenticity for the visiting patrons. An important note is that certain concessions of historicity are made in order to create a more coherent and easily understandable experience for the patrons of the fair. For example, we restrict all uses of true (not rusty) red to the King and his immediate family to add visual cohesion and allow patrons to more easily identify King Edward III, Queen Philippa, their children, and their children’s spouses.

With that in mind, I began to research decorative motifs and patterns appropriate to the time. Two documents referenced early on were The Luttrell Psalter (approx 1320-1340) and the

Belleville Breviary, a prayer book owned by Captain Jeanne de Clisson, Lioness of Brittany. The latter was particularly intriguing as an inspiration, as the Captain is portrayed as a cast member though she had died in 1359. However, both of these resources are ink on parchment, rather than decoration on fabric. Lady Asa in Blindi pointed out that though aesthetics may be similar, motifs likely differ.

Thus, the Bayeux Tapestry was chosen for inspiration. Though the date of the Tapestry’s completion is murky with the earliest written reference to it dating to a 1476 inventory of the Bayeux Cathedral, it was likely completed in the 11th century, three centuries prior to the date of the Norman Medieval Fair. However, the popularity of the Bayeux Tapestry in online meme culture with an apparent peak around 2018 (Know Your Meme) in conjunction with the popularity of “bardcore” remixes of popular modern songs starting around 2020 with album art featuring images from the Bayeux Tapestry is hoped to have made the imagery of the tapestry more familiar to the average person. For this reason, even though the tapestry predates the target period by approximately three centuries, the design was based on that of the tapestry.

The sheep were designed to mimic the style of animals portrayed in the Bayeux Tapestry and other contemporary pieces, particularly with the near-heraldic postures in what should otherwise be normal scenes.

Below the sheep is a straight line and added grass hillocks inspired by Scene 51, as seen below. Above the sheep is another decorative strip, with a straight line in the same color again, above which there are two pairs of diagonal bars leaning towards each other as seen in Scene 35 (also below) of the tapestry. On either side of these diagonal bars are the 10 point mullets of Ansteorra and between them are two bendwise, stylized shepherds crooks leaning towards each other. Though there is no evidence in the tapestry of either mullets of 5 lesser and 5 greater points or shepherds crooks, they were selected for recognizability and for keeping in theme. Margery Arkewright is recognizable as “The Sheep Lady” of the Fair, so the shepherds crooks were chosen.

The sheep have been lovingly nicknamed “Bonald the Devourer” (left) and “John Wick” (right) through the course of the design.

Materials

Approx 11”x9” dark brown linen, pre washed

J&P Coats cotton embroidery floss, various colors

Chalk Pencil

Concessions of authenticity in materials are made due to supply availability and cost restrictions. I frankly do not have the money to make and dye embroidery floss, yarn, or linen fabric for an experimental piece I expect to see a lot of wear. The actual Bayeux Tapestry is embroidered onto a base fabric of a tabby-woven linen that appears to be undyed, and is embroidered with wool yarn dyed in various colors. In my Bayeux Tapestry themed patch for this hood, I used a commercially dyed brown linen in a tabby weave, and performed the embroidery with embroidery floss also in various commercially dyed colors.

Methods

First the design was sketched out on scratch paper. The fabric then selected was a scrap of dark brown linen. This was chosen because in part earth tones read to the casual audience as “medieval,” “rustic,” and “peasant,” and because in the target decade green and brown were taking off as the most fashionable colors a person could wear. Rather than using modern pattern transfer methods, the design was transferred to the fabric by gridding, using a piece of string as the straight edge and measure. The sheep are outlined in stem stitch as are most of the figures in the tapestry, though they are embroidered in black for visibility on the dark brown fabric.

Then the laid stitch found throughout the tapestry was first tested on the head of Bonald (left sheep) before being applied to the rest of the body. The laid stitch consists of first setting down satin stitch across an area, then applying slightly more spaced out stitches covering the full length of the area perpendicular to the satin stitches, which are then tacked down as seen below. After first application, I compared again to the laid work of the tapestry and added several more columns to better reflect the density seen in the Bayeux Tapestry. The same direction was maintained for the satin stitch across almost the entire body of this sheep aside from the tail, belly tufts, and ears. On the next sheep I experimented with a little more directionality and texture which is also found in the tapestry, which prevented me from having to make a single satin stitch cover quite as much area. Upon trying both methods, I can see the appeal of the variety of directions reducing the overall length of any one satin stitch, which can become unwieldy and tangle or pull the piece taut.

On the horns of each sheep, I experimented using surface couching, which was used in the 14th century. I chose to do this because at first pass, surface couching and laid work appear very similar, and at least to have similar results. At this time, I had finished the first sheep and not started the body on the second, so I was dissatisfied with the density of stitches in the white body of the sheep and was investigating new ways to increase my coverage. Upon finishing the horns, I determined that surface couching produces a very different overall effect to laid work, with denser stitches, but a much less economical use of thread.

After the horns and bodies were done, I added detail to the sheep in stem stitch to better define the fluffy wool. The folds in the fabric on several figures in the tapestry were done in what appears to be stem stitch and act as break points in many cases for the direction of the laid work. Due to the clarity of the folds and details, I had assumed they were applied after the fill color, but after having finished my piece I believe the internal details were applied prior to the fill color.

Following the completion of the sheep, I began embroidering the borders of the top section, the bottom line, and the borders of the diagonals in a soft orange color that reminded me of madder-dyed wool. This also seemed a close match to the color used on said borders in various sections of the tapestry. It was when I started working on the diagonals that I realized I was not, in fact, sewing a stem stitch as I’d thought, but sewing a split stitch. This realization explained several discrepancies I’d noticed in the visual texture of my linework and the linework in the tapestry. The diagonals are sewn in a stem stitch.

The next stage I sewed was the Ansteorran stars, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth. As my chalk lines kept rubbing off before I could get to the stars, I free handed the stars themselves. The first attempt to outline then fill the star like the sheep went sideways as the star did not come out with 5 even points. I eventually settled on sewing the 5 greater points with laid work and the 5 lesser points with satin stitch.

What would I change?

If I were to do this again, I would seek out a more densely woven linen and use either wool yarn as was used in the tapestry itself or the full 6 strands of my embroidery floss for visual density. I believe the fullness and volume of wool yarn will better mimic the appearance of the period piece. I would add more internal detail to break up the longer sections of satin stitch, and I would lay down the detail before adding the fill color. This seems to be the method used in the tapestry, shown in the detail from Scene 51 below.

In the transition from the neck to the spaces of the neck between sections of mane, and in the crook of the horse’s shoulder, the direction and angles of the laid work change. This seems to indicate that the internal detail (horse’s shoulder) was applied before the fill color, and that the particular direction of the laid work can be broken up to better fill a space.

Overall, I believe this project was a success. The goal was not perfect periodicity or reproduction, but to better make a useful piece of garb fit the ambiance designed for the casual (non-medievalist) patron. The patch covers the obtrusively modern machine embroidery and in doing so, helps create the Magic and the Dream for those visiting the Medieval Fair of Norman. I learned a new stitch that I have gone on to use in other hand embroidery projects for the security and economy of materials. I made several mistakes that gave me a better firsthand understanding of this historical piece and have improved and expanded my embroidery skills.

Navigate Bayeux Tapestry scene by scene https://www.bayeuxmuseum.com/en/the-bayeux-tapestry/discover-the-bayeux-tapestry/explore-online/

Bayeux Tapestry Meme Generator https://htck.github.io/bayeux/#!/

Bardcore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardcore

Hobbitronics Hood Listing - https://www.hobbitronics.com/hoods.html

Referenced https://cottesimple.com/articles/medieval-embroidery-on-clothing/ for stitching methods

History of Medieval Tapestry Memes https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/medieval-tapestry-edits

Appendix

#sca #a&s #arts & sciences #society for creative anachronism #submitted A&S entry #A&S paper

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takalzuoom · 2 years

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omg! about grim being kidnapped (btw never watched pirates of the caribbean, but I'm here for the pirates, anyway my idea for mc is that they go full on lioness of brittany the moment grim goes missing, and I mean full on pirate lord, killing every ship filled with bastards that dare go against them, terrifying everyone, making deals, conquering places, showing some mercy to those uninvolved (papa Crewel is proud) mc learned it all from their captors, so now it's time to return the favor.

oh no cause that’s precisely what happens.

after learning that grim has been taken, they go back out to sea against everyone’s wishes and opens a can of worms again.

though this time- there’s no masking their undeniable rage and vengeance

#twst #twisted wonderland #takalzuoom interacts 🌊#twst pirate au 🌊

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excalisbury · 2 years

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Extremely important pride news: podcast about milf pirate!!!!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4V7zyBbrFFfyTOE2nEelra?si=vlK5W03cSAqOg7th1mmvMQ&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A0oryKu4Robalw0joqIXo4k

#when charlotte’s brain is short circuiting from crush 🤝#so is mine gurl #Spotify

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checkoutmybookshelf · 4 months

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What Did I read This Year? A 2023 Retrospective

Ok, so this was a big year for my Tumblr blog, so I thought it would be fun to go over what I read this year! The rules for the retrospective are thus:

Only book reviews count, because I actually read or reread those books this year. First Lines, meme, and quotes do not require that, so they're not counting. Little reading updates and thought posts also don't count. So let's see what I read this year!

January 3: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

January 5: One for All by Lillie Lainoff

January 8: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

January 10: Shadowfell, Raven Flight, and The Caller by Juliet Marillier (trilogy, so counts for three!)

January 13: Raybearer and Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko (duology)

January 19: Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, and Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey (trilogy)

January 22: No Dominion by CE Murphy

January 29: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

February 5: The Walker Papers by CE Murphy (series of 9 books because I'm counting by the original publishing order, not the rebrand and republish, where it's 10 books)

February 12: Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier (duology)

February 19: Shakespeare Saved my Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard by Laura Bates

February 24: The Cardinal Rule, The Firebird Deception, and The Phoenix Law by CE Murphy (trilogy)

February 27: The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter (seven book series)

March 3: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

March 6: Imzadi Forever by Peter David

March 17: The Bright and Breaking Sea and A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill (first two books of a series)

March 19: The Harp of Kongs, A Dance with Fate, and Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier (trilogy)

March 24: Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

March 26: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

March 29: Kenobi by John Jackson Miller

March 31: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

April 2: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

April 5: The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers

April 9: The Blood Trials by NE Davenport

April 12: Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey (trilogy)

April 19: Dracula by Bram Stoker

April 26: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

April 30: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

May 3: When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

May 7: Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis

May 14: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

May 17: Star by Star by Troy Denning

May 21: The Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

May 28: That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams

May 31: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

June 11: Through the Fire by CE Murphy

June 14: The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 18: The Circle of Magic Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 21: The Circle Opens Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 25: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

June 28: The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

July 2: Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

July 5: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

July 9: The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce

July 12: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

July 16: An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

July 19: Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce

July 23: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

July 26: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

July 30: Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce

August 2: Claws and Contrivances by Stephanie Burgis

August 6: Gladiator Bear by CE Murphy

August 9: Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer

August 13: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casy McQuiston

August 16: Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

August 20: Long Shadow by Olivia Atwater

August 23: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

August 27: Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

August 30: Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

September 3: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

September 6: It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

September 10: On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

September 13: Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

September 13: The Artemis Fowl Files by Eoin Colfer

September 20: Dark Water Daughter by HM Long

September 24: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron by Aaron Allston

September 27: X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar by Aaron Allston

October 1: Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

October 4: Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

October 8: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

October 11: Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

October 15: A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout

October 18: The Secret Shanghai Series by Chloe Gong (four books, two novellas)

October 25: Heat Wave by Richard Castle

October 29: Raven Heart and Polar Heart by CE Murphy (two books in a series)

November 1: A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout

November 5: The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma

November 8: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

November 12: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

November 15: The Dragon Prince of Alaska by Elva Birch

November 19: The Dragon Prince's Librarian by Elva Birch

November 22: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

November 26: Wildfire by Hannah Grace

November 29: Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

December 3: A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

December 6: The Mask of Mirrors by MA Carrick

December 10: The Dragon Prince's Bride, The Dragon Prince's Secret, the Dragon Prince's Magic, and The Dragon Prince's Betrayal by Elva Birch (four of a series of six books)

December 13: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

December 17: Death Masks by Jim Butcher

December 20: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

December 24: A Christmas Like No Otter by Zoe Chant

That's about where I got to this year, and it has been a wonderful year in reading. I'm so looking forward to next year! Leave your favorite book from 2023 and your most anticipated 2024 book in the tags, and may you have a Happy New Year!

#books and reading #books and novels #books #book recommendations

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coloringcraziness · 1 year

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A medieval ship with black hull and red sails inspired by the Lioness of Brittany, Jeanne de Clisson (1300 - 1359), who was said to sail vessels like this during her days of piracy

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michaelbaileywriter · 5 years

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The characters of Well-Behaved Women - part two. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R8FHXKH

#Well Behaved Women #urban fantasy #LGBTQ fiction #grainne ni mhaille #grace o'malley #madame ching #jeanne de clisson #the lioness of brittany #sadie the goat #moll cutpurse #mary frith

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amandakespohl · 6 years

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Pirate Queen EXTRAVAGANZA

Do you like badass lady pirates, both legendary and historical? Then check out my blog series!

Read about the Viking princess, Alfhild, who " began to reject all men and firmly resolved … to surpass male courage in the practice of piracy.” https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/alfhild-the-pirate-princess/

Or perhaps you’re interested in the tale of Grace O’Malley, the longest reigning pirate queen of all time. A contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I, legend has it that she gave birth on one of her ships and led her men into battle on the very next day. :O https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/grace-omalley-part-1/

I’d also highly recommend reading about Jeanne de Belleville, the Lioness of Brittany, who terrorized French ships and the French coast after her husband was unjustly executed. https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/04/12/jeanne-de-belleville-the-lioness-of-brittany/

Oh, and hey, how about reading about Queen Artemisia of Halicarnassus, an adviser to King Xerxes of Persia and a badass pirate who survived the first naval battle in recorded history through sheer ruthlessness and good fortune? https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/04/05/queen-artemisia/

There’s also Sayyida al-Hurra, whose name is actually a title which translates to “ noble lady who is free and independent; the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority.” And if that mic drop of a name isn’t enough to convince you that she was amazing, read about how she ruled a city in northern Africa in her own right in the 16th century, controlled piracy in the western Mediterranean in cahoots with the infamous Captain Barbarossa, and basically told the Sultan of Morocco that if he wanted to marry her so badly, he’d have to get off his duff and come to HER. https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/04/26/sayyida-al-hurra/

Also, did you know that the most successful pirate of all time was a Chinese woman known as Ching I Sao? She led the largest pirate fleet, and was so massively successful and fierce that she managed to negotiate a cushy retirement deal for herself and all her men even after all her plundering! https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/05/01/ching-i-sao/

Just in case you thought I was done, nope. BOOM! Here’s a thread about Queen Teuta of Illyria, also known as “The Terror of the Adriatic.” She not only legalized piracy in Illyria to open up some cash flow back to her city-state, she led expeditions and terrorized rival city-states until she made the mistaken of stepping to the Roman Empire. https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/05/03/queen-teuta-of-illyria-the-terror-of-the-adriatic/

Oh, and don’t forget Jacquotte Delahaye, or “Back from the Dead Red.” She may just be the stuff of legend, but she still has that lady pirate swag! https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/jacquotte-delahaye-or-back-from-the-dead-red/. Ditto for Pretty Peg, the fiercest wifey on the seven seas: https://amandakespohl.wordpress.com/2018/05/04/pretty-peg/.

#pirate woman #pirate #pirates #pirate queens #pirate women #Back from the Dead Red #Pretty Peg #Queen Artemisia #Queen Teuta #Grace O'Malley #sayyida al-hurra #ching shih #ching i sao #jeanne de belleville #the lioness of brittany #princess alfhilde

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