Madame Catastrophe

The talented Jennifer Tefft has a new single out- you can listen and learn here: http://www.jennifertefft.com/

Here's the art that will accompany the single. Sooooo fun to work with her.

illustrated history adventure

New Historical Illustration Blog has been launched!!! I've found that I get so much reward out of doing research on various historical figures, that I'm dedicating a new blog to the fun facts I find and creating illustrations to accompany each post. Please stop by and check it out! Just posted yesterday- Princesse de Lamballe!

Click HERE to see the new History Witch blog.

you stink- here's a castle.

Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) was Henry VIII’s 4th wife. Sort of. The marriage was never consummated. According to Henry (who at the time had a leg ulcer that smelled so foul it could clear out a castle) said that he was so repulsed by her “evil smells” and appearance, that he couldn’t “get it up.”

She was then crowned “Queen Consort” and given a fabulous castle and settlement upon their annulment. That castle was Hever Castle- the home of Henry’s former in-laws, the Boleyns.

If you ask me, she was the winner here- not only did she get to keep her head (unlike poor Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard) she didn’t have to actually sleep with that giant, fowl-smelling glutton of a man. She outlived Henry and all of his wives and is the only one of his women to be buried in Westminster Abbey.

Sad or Sinister?

Ahhh.. the lovely Anne Boleyn. She's always bothered me a bit- seducing a married man, already seduced by her sister, and proven political pawn. I think she knew what she was doing (meaning, I don't think she was dumb enough to think it was all an accident.) Afterall- she did dress in yellow to celebrate the death of Catherine of Aragorn (Henry's first wife.) Evil!

Interesting little tidbit about her death... Henry, in an act of mercy (whatever), had her sentence commuted from burning to beheading. Also- he couldn't have her beheaded with a commoner's axe but brought in Jean Rombaud, an expert swordsman to perform the execution. She was beheaded while kneeling upright, and Jean said "where is my sword?" to distract her as he swiftly took her off with one clean blow. There was no proper burial or even a coffin. Pretty horrible ending for the mother of Elizabeth I.

Two weeks later, fatso married Jane Seymour.  Click the image for a larger view.