King Richard the Lionheart: birth, life, personality

King Richard I of England was born on the 8th of September 1157 in the King’s House (later Beaumont Palace).  He was the 3rd legitimate son of King Henry II of England and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine; Eleanor’s 6th child as she had previously been married to King Louis VII of France and...

The Battle of Taillebourg: victory of the French Saint Louis over Henry III of England

On the 21st of July, 1242, the Battle of Taillebourg happened.  It was a decisive battle during the Saintonge War that lasted between 1242 and 1243.  The Capetian forces were confronted by Hugh X of Lusignan (second husband of Isabella d’Angoulême, Henry III of England’s mother), Raymond VII of Toulouse, and King Henry III...

The Château de Saumur: ‘Château d’Amour’ of the Loire Valley

Château de Saumur, one of the French royal châteaux in the Loire Valley, is located in the town of Saumur, overlooking the confluence of the Loire River and the Thouet River.   Standing at the edge of an abrupt cliff, the castle boasts gorgeous views of the town and the Loire...