#henryii

On July 6, 1189, Richard I of England—later known as Richard the Lionheart—officially acceded to the English throne following the death of his father, King Henry II. His succession marked the beginning of a new phase for the Plantagenet dynasty, shaped by Richard’s reputation as a warrior king and his deep involvement in continental politics and the Crusades. Richard I of England succeeded Henry II of England after a turbulent final period in Henry’s reign marked by rebellion and strained family relations.

A brief summary of a sickly king.

Francis II, the eldest son of Henry II and Catherine de médici, was born on the 19th of January, 1544.

Francis was a sickly boy, plagued with respiratory failure at a young age — which inventively stunted his growth and left him with deformed testicles. Regnier de la Planche, a close friend of Catherine de Medici, reported that Francis had ‘genital organs all constrained and blocked making him unable to perform’. Francis’ ill health also meant that he was less-knowledgeable than other noble kids his age, his tutors reported that he was ‘easily distracted’, despite this Francis still received an education befitting for the dauphin of France.

The infant prince was betrothed to Mary, Queen of Scots in an effort to help the Scottish defend themselves against the English. Henry II offered to extricate the Scottish in exchange for his sons betrothal. So, in July of 1548 Mary Landed along the French coast at St. Pol de Leon.

Mary became very caring to Francis, she reportedly treated Francis like a younger brother, and despite his limited abilities, encouraged his riding and outdoor activities.

Francis and Mary, both teenagers, were married on the 24th of April 1558 in in the cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris, by the Cardinal Archbishop of Rouen. Mary’s wedding dress was described by the courtier Pierre de Brantôme as ‘a hundred times more beautiful than a goddess of heaven … her person alone was worth a kingdom.’

On 30th of June 1559, Francis’ father (Henry II) was badly injured in a jousting accident. After a tough ten day battle Henry succumbed to sepsis and Francis was now King Francis II of France.

In mid-November of 1560 it was reported that the king had suffered from dizziness and a ringing in his ear. Days later the king collapsed and had a swelling ‘the size of a nut’. After weeks of suffering from seizures, and a painful abscess, which caused stabbing pains in his head, Francis died from an ear infection on the 5th of December, 1560, just over a year after his succession to the throne.

- Francis II and his wife Mary Queen of scots (1559)

Hey girls,

So this past weekend I went to London on a solo trip. Now, I know what you may be thinking “oh wow. That’s SO brave. A single female? Making her way in a foreign country? With no friends? That’s the way to go. SO brave.”

I feel like many people are stumped by solo travelers, especial female solo travelers. Do they not have any friends? Or are they just too cool for everyone? How do they spend their days? What happens if you get lost? Or robbed? Or, worst of all, lonely?

So I want to put it out there that solo traveling, at least for me, is not a sojourning, life-changing experience. Often times, it is pointless and feels kind of vapid. It can also be frustrating at times to. You always have to make the decision on where to go, if you get lost, you are the one to find your way back, and if you have to go pee at a coffee shop, you have to pack and unpack up all your stuff.

It can be exhausting.

However, it can also be incredibly rewarding as well. You made it to another country. By yourself. That’s sick. And your the one calling the shots. Want to spend an afternoon in your hostel? Go for it. Feeling up for some gelato? Grab a cup. Don’t want to go to a stuffy museum? Don’t have to. You call all the shots.

Ninety-Five percent of my time in London, I’m not going to lie, was sub-par or terrible. It is absolutely not the city, the city is lovely, but it was more I kept on getting lost trying to find the perfect coffee shop and was trying to write a script and get my homework done in an unfamiliar area. On top of that, even though the flight to London is only 30 minutes, it is a pain in the ass. Ubers/metros to the airports, border security, customs, and TSA made it an unpleasant and tedious travel experience especially for a weekend. It was exhausting.

However, that Saturday night after I completed my homework, I went to the Shakespeare’s Globe, which is way I came to London in the first place: to watch a Shakespeare play.

Shakespeare always brings up fond childhood memories for me of preforming his plays. They thought me self-confidence, team-work, and expression. I owe everything to Shakespeare.

Before I saw the play, I asked a theater attendant where good food was. She recommended “Founder’s Tavern” for some fish and chips. The sun was setting, some good ol’ boys from MANchester were ‘complainin’ abou’ ‘ow some bLOKE tried ta punch yA,’ and I gobbled down the fried cob and fries.

I hurried off the the theater and witnessed a beautiful experience that made my entire time worth it. A troupe of women of color preformed a politically charged play about a king. Their voices were articulate and powerful and their costumes were stunning. The Globe is such an intimate theater that it feels like you are right in the action.

So yes, traveling is lonely. You may get robbed and lost. But, it is a thousand times better than not going at all.

You are your own travel buddy. Learn her style. How to work with her. Her likes, dislikes, strengths, and limits. Traveling alone does not mean automatically mean unity.

Take care,

On July 13, 1024, Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Germany, died at the age of 51, bringing an end to the Ottonian dynasty. Having ruled Germany from 1002 and the Holy Roman Empire from 1014, Henry was known for strengthening royal authority, promoting church reform, and working to unify his vast realm through close cooperation with the Church.

Unlike many medieval rulers remembered for endless conquest, Henry focused on consolidating imperial power and supporting religious institutions. Alongside his wife, Empress Cunigunde, he founded and generously endowed churches and monasteries, including the Diocese of Bamberg, which became one of his greatest legacies. His reign helped shape the political and religious landscape of Central Europe for generations.

On July 10, 1559, Henry II of France died from injuries suffered during a jousting accident held to celebrate a royal marriage and peace treaty. A lance struck the king in the eye and pierced his skull, leaving him gravely wounded despite the efforts of leading physicians of the time.