Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover

I Dub Thee Confusion

Henry of Cambridge, the son of Henry Just Outside Cambridge, the son of Henry Nearing Cambridge, the son of Henry I’ve Decided To Depart For Cambridge On The Next Auspicious Day – married Elizabeth of Somewhere who’s mother Elizabeth had told her she should name her first-born daughter Elizabeth.

I think you’ll know the subject of this entry by now. Frustration, historical frustration. Whenever I’m reading historical non-fiction I’ll be damned if I ever find myself able to keep up with all the references. Part of the problem lies in the author’s reverting to first names once the historical figure has been introduced but most of it is the fault of the people obsessed with passing names down generation after generation in a bid to keep their noble bloodline in the public eye. Add to that the multiple knighthoods and Earldoms a monarch would generously dish out to their favourites year after year, and you’re in for one big confusing period.

It makes you think twice about having children and using their birth certificate to honour your grandmother.

 
 

Erin

October 19, 2010, 2:15 am

I am SO with you on this one. I often feel like I should study up on history just so I can follow some of the more convoluted historical fiction. Someone should write a history book specifically geared toward readers of historical fiction!

Charlie: That’s a good idea, it would make reading history more attractive perhaps and for those who wanted all the trimmings they could carry on to regular non-fiction with the knowledge already gained. But then I suppose people would say that that is, in part, what the fiction is for. Not always however.

1 Comment

 

Comments closed