Rosamund Clifford
Rosamund Clifford , real name Lady Jane de Clifford (* around 1150 at Clifford Castle in Herefordshire , † 1176 in the monastery of Godstow near Oxford ) was a mistress of the English King Henry II. Because of her beauty, she was also The Fair Rosamund or Rose of the Called World .
Life
Rosamund was the youngest daughter of the Welsh Marches Lord Walter Fitz Richard de Clifford (1127–1187) and his wife Lady Margaret de Tosny. She grew up with her sisters, Amice († 1185) and Lucy († 1195) in Herefordshire. She may have met King Henry II (1133–1189) during a campaign against Wales . Heinrich was known for his numerous affairs, including Heinrich's affairs with girls from noble families. The liaison with Rosamund Clifford became public when Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine supported her sons' revolt in 1173. The reasons for their taking sides against Heinrich are not clear. Perhaps, like her sons, she felt excluded from power; participation in the revolt of their sons against their father in reaction to adultery is, however, excluded by most historians. After the suppression of the uprising, Eleanor was placed under guard until the death of Heinrich II. In 1175 Heinrich may have considered a divorce, but Eleonore remained queen. Rosamund retired to Godstow Monastery, where she died in 1176 and was also buried.
Rumors, ballads and stories have been circulating since the 14th century that Queen Eleanor Rosamund poisoned Clifford out of jealousy in the royal palace at Woodstock . It was not until the 19th century that they were refuted as historically untenable.
progeny
Several illegitimate children arose from Heinrich's numerous affairs. In older literature, William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury († 1226) is sometimes referred to as a son of Rosamund. This view is no longer shared by today's historians.
See also
Picture gallery
Arthur Hughes (1832-1915) - Rosamund Clifford (1854)
John William Waterhouse (1849-1917) - Rosamund Clifford (1860)
Evelyn de Morgan (1855-1919) - Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine confronts Rosamund Clifford in the Arbor (1905)
literature
- HW Wilson Company: Who's Who in British History, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers (1998)
- WL Warren: Henry II (1973)
- F. Romani: Rosmonda d'Inghilterra, opera libretto, set to music by Carlo Coccia (1829) and again by Gaetano Donizetti (1834)
- Ralph V. Turner: Eleanor of Aquitaine - Queen of the Middle Ages , CH Beck, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-406-63199-3
Web links
- The Woman in the Bower. A murder at Woodstock: Fair Rosamund vs Eleanor of Aquitaine
- Medieval genealogy of King Henry II of England
- Clifford family history
- Family table
- Waiting on a Familiar Figure: Fair Rosamund and Mariana (engl.)
- Fair Rosamund (engl.)
Remarks
- ^ Clifford Castle
- ^ Turner, p. 296
- ^ Turner, p. 296
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rosamund Clifford |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Jane de Clifford (real name); Fair Rosamond; Rose of the world; Clifford, Rosamond |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Mistress of the English King Henry II. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1150 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Herefordshire |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1176 |
| Place of death | Godstow Convent near Oxford |