Anthology

Guest Post: Nameless Not Faceless by Virginia Crow

Sharon Bennett ConnollyLeave a comment

Today, it is a pleasure to welcome my friend and colleague at Historical Writers Forum, Virginia Crow, to History…the Interesting Bits to talk about her contribution to the latest Historical Writers Forum Anthology, To Wear A Heart So White: An Anthology of Historical Short Stories About Crime and Punishment.

Nameless Not Faceless: The Possible Lives of the Bocksten Man

The remains of the Bocksten Man

I love a mystery. Right from childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the things we do not – and cannot – know. The quest for knowledge is human nature, but it can only be maintained so long as the unknown exists. Sometimes, this is frustrating, other times it is tantalising.

Cue: one such example…

Usually in history we know the names of people whose appearances we are left to imagine based on contemporaneous portraits or remarks made about them. But, when I discovered the story of The Bocksten Man, this was turned on its head. Here was a man who – through the wonders of forensic archaeology – we knew almost exactly what he looked like, and yet we have no idea what his name was.

My imagination was piqued!

Aside from his appearance, the one thing we do know for certain is that someone – or most likely more than one person – really didn’t like him. Aside from the blow to his head, which almost certainly killed him, he was pegged down at the bottom of the lake by two shafts, including one through the heart. It is this act which led this nameless man to become something of a celebrity 700 years later.

There are as many theories as there are theorists about who he was and why he was executed in such a way. Many of these ideas have him being a criminal, no doubt seeing it as easier to accept that he merited such an end, or as a sorcerer on a charge of witchcraft. Both these seem unlikely to me, as he was clearly well-cared for and appears to have had all the benefits of a backing from the Roman Catholic church. The only theory which stars him as an antagonist which I deem likely (just playing a game of probability, here!) is that he was discovered to be a charlatan, concealing himself behind stolen or falsely-gained clothing and belongings.

The reconstruction of the Bocksten Man

But I did not like the thought of him going to this watery grave without having someone to speak for him, albeit a few centuries too late. I’m a sucker for an underdog, and it was time to help him emerge from the shame of some of these theories. This is where his nameless status became a very handy tool. Usually I dislike writing real historical figures as so many people have preconceived ideas about them, so I have to invent my own characters to brush shoulders with the greats of history, tucking them in to various mysteries throughout the ages. But The Bocksten Man was the perfect balance between reality and possibility. How could any writer resist?

I’m not going to tell you the story I created for him – you’ll have to read it in the anthology! – but I would love to know your theories about him. Better still, write him as you think he would have been. Whoever he was, he had an adventure, and isn’t that what we all look for in our stories? A fellow author wrote to me and said: you’ve got to love a bog body, and he was absolutely right!

You can find out all about The Bocksten Man through the Halland Kulturhistoriska Museum: https://museumhalland.se/en/the-bocksten-man/

Images:

The Remains of The Bocksten Man (Peter Lindberg, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons); The Reconstruction of The Bocksten Man (Toxophilus, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

About the book:

To Wear A Heart So White: An Anthology of Historical Short Stories About Crime and Punishment

A cost for every action, and a price for every deed.

The Historical Writers’ Forum proudly presents seven stories of Crime and Punishment, from across the ages. From an anchoress to a war hero; from Italy to Missouri; this anthology has a story for everyone.

Included stories are:

The Ignoble Defence – Virginia Crow

Agatha’s Eyes – Rachel Aanstad

A Pact Fulfilled – Eleanor Swift-Hook

Carte de Viste – Ronan Beckman

A Dish Served Cold – Brenda W. Clough

Shadows of the Adriatic – Tessa Floreano

A Dangerous Road – D. Apple

Click here to Buy the book: To Wear A Heart So White: An Anthology of Historical Short Stories About Crime and Punishment

About the Author:

Virginia Crow is an award-winning author of historical fiction. Her writing borders on the edge of reality, challenging the beliefs and superstitions of bygone days.

She lives in Caithness, where her life is dictated by Orlando and Jess, her two spaniels.

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My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

Coming 30 January 2025: Scotland’s Medieval Queens

Scotland’s history is dramatic, violent and bloody. Being England’s northern neighbour has never been easy. Scotland’s queens have had to deal with war, murder, imprisonment, political rivalries and open betrayal. They have loved and lost, raised kings and queens, ruled and died for Scotland. From St Margaret, who became one of the patron saints of Scotland, to Elizabeth de Burgh and the dramatic story of the Scottish Wars of Independence, to the love story and tragedy of Joan Beaufort, to Margaret of Denmark and the dawn of the Renaissance, Scotland’s Medieval Queens have seen it all. This is the story of Scotland through their eyes.

Available for pre-order now.

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Heroines of the Tudor World tells the stories of the most remarkable women from European history in the time of the Tudor dynasty, 1485-1603. These are the women who ruled, the women who founded dynasties, the women who fought for religious freedom, their families and love. Heroines of the Tudor World is now available for pre-order from Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. Women of the Anarchy demonstrates how Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, unable to wield a sword themselves, were prime movers in this time of conflict and lawlessness. It shows how their strengths, weaknesses, and personal ambitions swung the fortunes of war one way – and then the other. Available from Bookshop.org, Amberley Publishing and Amazon UK. King John’s Right-Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye is the story of a truly remarkable lady, the hereditary constable of Lincoln Castle and the first woman in England to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Available from all good bookshops Pen & Sword Books, bookshop.org and Amazon. 

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, and Bookshop.org. Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066. Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, and Bookshop.org.

Alternate Endings: An anthology of historical fiction short stories including Long Live the King… which is my take what might have happened had King John not died in October 1216. Available in paperback and kindle from Amazon.

Podcast:

Have a listen to the A Slice of Medieval podcast, which I co-host with Historical fiction novelist Derek Birks. Derek and I welcome guests, such as Bernard Cornwell, and discuss a wide range of topics in medieval history, from significant events to the personalities involved.

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Don’t forget! Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available through my online bookshop.

For forthcoming online and in-person talks, please check out my Events Page.

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©2024 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS and Virginia Crow

Long Live the King….

Sharon Bennett Connolly296 Comments

What would have happened if King John had not died in October 1216…?

Would England have been lost?

Find out in ‘Long Live the King…‘

I have finally done it!

I’ve written a fictional short story, and it’s out this week.

Alternate Endings is a compilation of short stories published by the Historical Writers Forum. I wasn’t sure about trying my hand at fiction, but there are so many What ifs in history that it was hard to resist. Having spent the last two years writing Nicholaa de la Haye’s biography – which will be published in May 2023, I thought it would be quite fun to take one event in Nicholaa’s life and see what might change if that event didn’t happen.

Nicholaa’s greatest benefactor and – dare I say? – friend was King John. He had been an ally since at least the early 1190s, but his death on the night of 18/19 October 1216 was a godsend for England. John’s reign had been plagued by unrest, civil war and the paranoia of the king himself. He had murdered his nephew, Arthur, starved Matilda de Braose to death in a dungeon and stolen the lands of those he was meant to protect. His reputation for underhand dealing, seducing the daughters of nobles and reneging on Magna Carta has seen him go down in history as Bad King John. He is a strong candidate for England’s worst ever king.

It has often been said that John’s death saved England.

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for King John. Not because he was such a warm, cuddly human being – he really wasn’t! But because his reign was full of so much drama. It was a time of transition, when England was losing its continental positions, when the barons were flexing their muscles and when the relationship between king and baron was in flux.

It is a fascinating period of history. So, when I was asked if I wanted to write a short story, I immediately thought of King John, of Nicholaa de la Haye and the upheaval that was Magna Carta and the First Barons’ War. Nicholaa’s involvement culminated in her defending Lincoln Castle through a prolonged siege that ended with the Second Battle of Lincoln. And I wondered… Would events have played out as they did if John had lived?

So… what would have happened if he had survived his illness in October 1216.

Well, you will have to wait and see…

But here’s a teaser….

Newark Castle

28 October 1216

John opened his eyes to a black, empty void.

   Is this it? Is this Hell?

   Has death finally claimed me?

He had been hovering on the brink for so long now. For exactly how long, he did not know. He could barely remember anything beyond the excruciating pain in his gut and head. Lying there in the dark, John took a mental inventory of his body. His head felt clearer than it had in days. The feeling that it was held in a vice had gone, replaced by a dull ache. The stabbing pains in his abdomen had also receded and now there was just a gentle throbbing.

  This could be death…

A groan slipped from between his lips. There was movement, the striking of flint and suddenly a flash of light. The candle’s flame illuminated the features of William Marshal. The Marshal leaned in to examine him, then turned to a lad curled up on bedding in the far corner, just lifting his head, looking groggy from sleep.

‘Godfrey, fetch the doctor. The king is awake.’ Marshal ordered.

‘He’s awake? He’s alive?’ asked a voice from the dark. It was heavily accented. Italian. Cardinal Guala, the papal legate.

‘Aye, your grace, he’s awake. At last!’ Marshal replied.

‘Praise be!’ exclaimed Guala, approaching the bed.

John tried to speak, but barely a croak came out. His mouth was so dry. Marshal signalled Guala to aid the king from the far side of the bed and between them, they lifted John and adjusted his pillows so that he was sitting up. He felt as useless as a new-born baby, he had not the strength to resist, even if he wanted to. Marshal turned to the table beside the bed and poured out a cup of water from the pewter jug. He held the cup to John’s lips, so that he could take a long, thirst-quenching draught. Nothing had ever tasted so wonderful!

John sank back into the pillows, exhausted, as the door opened and his physician entered, striding over to the bed.

…

I don’t want to give anything away, but the biggest challenge was to consider whether John’s survival would be a blessing or curse for England. And at least William Marshal and Nicholaa de la Haye are there to steady the boat – what could possibly go wrong?

About the book:

We all know the past is the past, but what if you could change history?

We asked eight historical authors to set aside the facts and rewrite the history they love. The results couldn’t be more tantalizing.

  • What if Julius Caesar never conquered Gaul?
  • What if Arthur Tudor lived and his little brother never became King Henry VIII?
  • What if Abigail Adams persuaded the Continental Congress in 1776 to give women the right to vote and to own property?

Dive in to our collection of eight short stories as we explore the alternate endings of events set in ancient Rome, Britain, the United States, and France.

An anthology of the Historical Writers Forum.

Alternate Endings is now available worldwide from Amazon.

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My Books:

Signed, dedicated copies of all my books are available, please get in touch by completing the contact me form.

Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey tells the fascinating story of the Warenne dynasty, of the successes and failures of one of the most powerful families in England, from its origins in Normandy, through the Conquest, Magna Carta, the wars and marriages that led to its ultimate demise in the reign of Edward III. Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey is now available from Pen & Sword Books, Amazon in the UK and US, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

1 family. 8 earls. 300 years of English history!

Also by Sharon Bennett Connolly:

Ladies of Magna Carta: Women of Influence in Thirteenth Century England looks into the relationships of the various noble families of the 13th century, and how they were affected by the Barons’ Wars, Magna Carta and its aftermath; the bonds that were formed and those that were broken. It is now available in paperback and hardback from Pen & Sword, Amazon, Bookshop.org and from Book Depository worldwide.

Heroines of the Medieval World tells the stories of some of the most remarkable women from Medieval history, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Julian of Norwich. Available now from Amberley Publishing and Amazon, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play in the momentous events of 1066.  Available now from Amazon,  Amberley Publishing, Bookshop.org and Book Depository.

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©2022 Sharon Bennett Connolly FRHistS.