Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Jean de Joinville
Jean de Joinville (John) is perhaps the most well-known of medieval chroniclers. Born to noble parents, John received his education at the court of Theobald, Count of Champagne, where he studied reading and writing.
At age sixteen, he want with the count to the French king’s court, and three years later, as the king was organizing the Seventh Crusade, John decided to take up the cross and go with King Louis IX on crusade.
John became close friends with the king, and acted as advisor and confidant. Their friendship continued, but when the king set out on another crusade in 1270, John refused to go, predicting a disastrous outcome.
King Louis died on the crusade, and the pope initiated an inquest for possible canonization. Because of John’s close friendship with King Louis, John appeared as a witness. King Louis, subsequently, was declared a saint.
In John’s later years, at the request of Jeanne of Navarre, queen consort of France, John wrote Historie de Saint Louis, and finished it in 1309. John died in 1317 at age ninety-three, fifty years after the death of his good friend, the now sainted king.
In The Tapestry Shop (October from Five Star/Gale), the heroine, Catherine, vows to join King Louis’ crusade.
“Adam, the women at Orleans … they will meet me at a monastery, a famed place of pilgrimage, where they will pray for the crusaders’ safety before going on to Aigues-Mortes.”
He reined in the mare. His expression conveyed desperation. “Where? What monastery?”
“In Arles. I tried to tell you before.”
The Tapestry Shop has received glowing reviews, excerpts of which can be seen at Joyce's website.