latest additions. Christmas Courts Medieval Christmas Courts* This was a yearly traditional for many Medieval Royal courts--and indeed, the picture painted of Eleanor and Henry II's first dinner scene in The Lion In Winter is somewhat accurate (Never mind that there was no Christmas court held that year) but anyway.... Picture elaborate feasts repeated day in, day out until Epiphany (January 6th), many guests (1), and ministrels and very drafty, cold castles, the occupants kept warm with the help of huge fireplaces, mulled wine, tapestries and heavy clothing and you pretty close. Gifts were exchanged, political audiences, and debates on whether or not to undergo crusades and various other campaigns were conducted, business was conducted (ex. in 1067 At his Christmas Court, King William gave an Earldom to Roger de Montgomery who the next year built Arundel Castle (2)), news of the realm exchanged--whether good or ill (for instance, at the Christmas Court of 1170, Henry II learned Beckett had excommuncated him(3)) and kowtowing aplenty to the year's reigning monarch was the norm; many a guest even overstayed his welcome (for instance Elizabeth I's would-be suitor the Duke of Anjou (4).Obviously I couldn't cover everything in this very short consideration, but here's a tiny bit more on the subject for your reading pleasure. Christmas Courts ~*~*~*~* sources: |