Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the AnarchyRound, John Horace
History
Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the Anarchy
Round, John Horace
Great Britain -- History -- Stephen, 1135-1154; Mandeville, Geoffrey de, earl of Essex, -1144
This is one of the two charters in which the Empress employs the style
"Regina." It is probable that the other also should be assigned to this
period.[257] These two exceptional cases would thus belong to the
interim period during which she was queen elect, though technically only
"domina." Here again the fact that, during this period, she adopted,
alternatively, both styles ("regina" and "domina"), as well as that
which Mr. Birch assigns to his first period, proves how impossible it is
to classify these styles by date.
If we reject the statement that from Reading she returned to
Oxford,[258] the only other stage in her progress that is named is that
of her reception at St. Albans.[259] In this case also the evidence of a
charter confirms that of the chronicler.[260] At St. Albans she received
a deputation from London, and the terms on which the city agreed to
receive her must have been here finally arranged.[261] She then
proceeded in state to Westminster,[262] no doubt by the Edgware Road,
the old Roman highway, and was probably met by the citizens and their
rulers, according to the custom, at Knightsbridge.[263]
Meanwhile, she had been joined in her progress by her uncle, the King of
Scots, who had left his realm about the middle of May for the purpose of
attending her coronation.[264]
The Empress, according to William of Malmesbury, reached London only a
few days before the 24th of June.[265] This is the sole authority we
have for the date of her visit, except the statement by Trivet that she
arrived on the 21st (or 26th) of April.[266] This latter date we may
certainly reject. If we combine the statement that her flight took place
on Midsummer Day[267] with that of the Continuator that her visit lasted
for "some days,"[268] they harmonize fairly enough with that of William
of Malmesbury. If it was, indeed, after a few days that her visit was so
rudely cut short, we are able to understand why she left without the
intended coronation taking place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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