Essay title wanted

History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of her
first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of
Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for a 'To
what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000
word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices were
rejected because they weren't controversial enough.

I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the
marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons
of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona of
Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a
silly question.

Any other women from our period would do! She's studying Elizabeth I
as part of the taught course.

as your daughter is studying elizabethean times vs ricardian, then why not have her explore granuaile aka grace o'malley, the irish pirate queen. she stood up to the english and even had a conference with elizabeth i aka red liz.
 
grace was quite a fascinating person. she was completely contemporay with red liz. she was born circa 1530 and died the same year as liz.
 
here's a webpage with a bio on grace. put pirate in your "find on page"..feature or scroll almost to the bottom of the page. 
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irelandlist/heroes.html

--- On Wed, 9/10/08, Christine H <christinelheadley@...> wrote:

From: Christine H <christinelheadley@...>
Subject: Essay title wanted
To:
Received: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 4:12 PM







History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of her
first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of
Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for a 'To
what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000
word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices were
rejected because they weren't controversial enough.

I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the
marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons
of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona of
Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a
silly question.

Any other women from our period would do! She's studying Elizabeth I
as part of the taught course.

--- In , Christine H
<christinelheadley@...> wrote:
>
> , my 17yo daughter is looking for a 'To
> what extent' question
>

She's studying Elizabeth I
> as part of the taught course.


I'd suggest "To what extent did Elizabeth I's self-imposed insistence
upon remaining unmarried and without an heir affect the country and
the succession?"

Katy

--- In , Christine H
<christinelheadley@...> wrote:
>
>
> History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of
her
> first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of
> Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for
a 'To
> what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000
> word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices
were
> rejected because they weren't controversial enough.
>
> I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the
> marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons
> of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona
of
> Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a
> silly question.


How about something like this:

'To what extent did Elizabeth Woodville's perceived low birth
contribute to the ease with which Richard III was able to depose her
son?'

Because I have often thought that if Edward V's mother had been
Isabella of Castile or Bona of Savoy (for example) the events of 1483
would have been very different.

Brian W

It looks like Isabel set her sights on Fernando from a fairly early stage, but Bona would have been particularly interesting, being an active and forceful woman as well. Here's some sketchy stuff on her:

http://www.powerset.com/explore/semhtml/Bona_of_Savoy?query=Bona+of+Savoy

There's more on her in a bio of Galeazzo, which I have at home and will look for tonight. It has a grainy reproduction of a rather primitive portrait of Bona, too. If it's a good likeness, she was no competition for Elizabeth Woodville, attraction-wise, being rather dumpy-looking, though not at all ugly.

When you think about it, it was a good era for strong women: Yolanda of Aragon; Margaret of Anjou; Jacquetta; Margaret Beaufort; Elizabeth W.; Isabel the Catholic (her mother Isabel of Portugal counts, too, though she disintegrated mentally); Margeret of York; Bona; Margaret of Austria; Anne of Beaujeu ...

Right now I'm reading Starkey's Six Wives book, and having many arguments with him. I don't quite like his tone, either, finding it a little snide.

Maria
elena@...

----------
>...Because I have often thought that if Edward V's mother had been
>Isabella of Castile or Bona of Savoy (for example) the events of 1483
>would have been very different.
>
>Brian W
>
>

Or how about

"To what extent did Warwick and Clarence's clear antipathy towards
Elizabeth Woodville and her family influence her decision,
once their protector Edward IV was dead,to sideline Gloucester
in April 1483?"

or

"To what extent did Margaret Beaufort contribute to the downfall of
her daughter-in-law's House?"

or

"To what extent was Margaret of York involved in the plots to unseat
Henry VII"

or

"To what extent was Cecily Neville any influence at all on the actions
of her sons?"

This is fun!

Regards, Lorraine

Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen discuss?

Could be very controversial.

Marion

--- On Wed, 9/10/08, Christine H <christinelheadley@...> wrote:
From: Christine H <christinelheadley@...>
Subject: Essay title wanted
To:
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 9:12 PM













History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of her

first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of

Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for a 'To

what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000

word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices were

rejected because they weren't controversial enough.



I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the

marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons

of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona of

Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a

silly question.



Any other women from our period would do! She's studying Elizabeth I

as part of the taught course.

How about...
To what extent can Elizabeth Woodville's genuine fear as well as her
paranoia be attributed to others' retaliation for her actions during
Edward IV's reign?

Robert Fripp

How about "To what extent was Elizabeth Woodville actually married to
Edward IV?"

--- In , Christine H
<christinelheadley@...> wrote:
>
>
> History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of
her
> first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of
> Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for
a 'To
> what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000
> word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices
were
> rejected because they weren't controversial enough.
>
> I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the
> marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons
> of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona
of
> Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a
> silly question.
>
> Any other women from our period would do! She's studying Elizabeth
I
> as part of the taught course.
>

At 21:42 12/09/2008, you wrote:
>How about "To what extent was Elizabeth Woodville actually married to
>Edward IV?"

Love it!

After a lot of horse-trading, staff and student have agreed that it
should be (something like) 'to what extent did powerful women affect
the Wars of the Roses?' We think that the 3,000 words (if not the
topic!) will be exhausted after Margaret of Anjou, Margaret Beaufort,
Margaret of Burgundy, Elizabeth Woodville and Cicely Neville
contrasted with Anne and Isabel Neville and Elizabeth of York.

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. It turns out that the exam board
doesn't want a discussion of one person, but a comparison between
several, or something even more wide ranging. The girl who suggested
a title concerning Jack the Ripper was told 'NO WAY!!!'

Casimira's choice has encouraged me (as if I needed it!) to purchase
several more books, including Joanna Laynesmith's on the last four
medieval queens. I managed to locate Geoffrey Richardson's book on
the Beauforts on abebooks.co.uk - I have the rest of his; I reckon
they are a good narrative introduction to the subject, but need to be
backed up with books with footnotes. I'm not worried about her doing
all the reading. She does little else, and read Gone With The Wind at
the age of 1o in less than 24 hours (including a night's sleep). Can
anyone recommend The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess
of Richmond and Derby by Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood?
What about The King's Mother: Memoir of Margaret Beaufort, Countess
of Richmond and Derby (1899) by Lady Margaret Domvile, published
2007? (This woman must have a long memory!)

Many thanks for all the ideas, which are much appreciated and have
contributed quite a bit of amusement (where appropriate). It's great
to have this list to ask.

Best wishes
Christine


>--- In , Christine H
><christinelheadley@...> wrote:
> >
> >
> > History staff at school and the exam board having disapproved of
>her
> > first choices (Byzantine empresses and Georgiana Duchess of
> > Devonshire - before the film!), my 17yo daughter is looking for
>a 'To
> > what extent' question on Elizabeth Woodville, suitable for a 3,000
> > word essay and involving two sides (at least). The first choices
>were
> > rejected because they weren't controversial enough.
> >
> > I'm wondering about one contrasting EW's gentry background (and the
> > marriages of her sisters, cousins and aunts into the upper echelons
> > of the nobility) with previous kings' foreign alliances (and Bona
>of
> > Savoy), but I can't find the right words - possibly because it's a
> > silly question.
> >
> > Any other women from our period would do! She's studying Elizabeth
>I
> > as part of the taught course.

Hi Christine

Glad to hear your daughter's got her topic sorted out.  Sounds like quite a good meaty topic too! ;-)

You ask:

<Can anyone recommend The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby by Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood? >

I read this ages ago with my eyes watering from the large dolly peg on my nose, but I believe it was fairly thorough and informative.  Worth buying for completeness, rather than enjoyment, I'd say.

<What about The King's Mother: Memoir of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby (1899) by Lady Margaret Domvile, published 2007? (This woman must have a long memory!)>Haha - sound's fascinating.  I shall buy two! ;-)Regards, Lorraine