tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post2356047145725203829..comments2024-03-24T08:30:43.258+01:00Comments on FLY HIGH!: KATHERINE ASHE ON SIMON DE MONFORT - INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY OF HER MONFORT SERIESMaria Graziahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08876779286144473782noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-84096717001453016802011-12-04T04:22:19.207+01:002011-12-04T04:22:19.207+01:00This is a fascinating interview. I do like the con...This is a fascinating interview. I do like the concept of presenting history extensively researched, as ostensibly fiction. It seems more honest than those of "popular" historians who pepper their (well-researched, but) biographies with "he must have felt/ she must have been...". <br /><br />Not always easy to present the mediaeval woman through our more feminist approach; but so many of those women were very strong personalities and in the case of Henry and Eleanor of Provence, it was the Queen who was the stronger character.<br /><br />fitzgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-49097466512789003852011-12-03T21:01:32.684+01:002011-12-03T21:01:32.684+01:00To answer some of your questions:
Though there wa...To answer some of your questions: <br />Though there was considerable effort to make it appear that Simon's first son, Henry, wasn't born until November, eleven months after the wedding, there are also a number of evidences that he was actually born in August, eight months after the wedding. I think it would spoil it if I told you how this happened, but Montfort The Early Years has extensive of documentation on this subject in the Historical Context at the back of the book.<br /><br />As for how Simon felt about his father, one must put oneself into the period. The Cathars were condemned as heretics -- very successful ones at that. The Pope had commissioned (Saint) Dominic to found a strict preaching order, the Dominicans, to counter them. As Dominic was the religious counter to the heresy, Simon's father, also Simon de Montfort, was the secular counter -- on a par with Saint Dominic. The Simon i write about lost his father when he was a young child, then his mother also died. As an orphan he would have worshipped his parents. Everyone around him as he grew up held his father in near saintly esteem. Simon would have had a great burden, and source of pride, in living up to his father's fame. Sympathy for the Cathars is a modern phenomenon. <br /><br />On the other hand, the people of Aquitaine have never stopped hating Simon senior for conquering them and facilitating their being subject to France.<br /><br />Thank you all for your kind words! The four e-books of Montfort are very modestly priced over at amazon.com. I've kept the price low because Montfort really is one book in four bindings, so all four just about amount to the price of a single book.Katherine Ashehttp://www.simon-de-montfort.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-5900916799317141952011-12-03T03:34:17.695+01:002011-12-03T03:34:17.695+01:00I'm really looking forward to reading this ser...I'm really looking forward to reading this series on Simon de Montfort. I often wonder how he felt about his father who lead the pope's crusade against the Cathers. Do you delve into this part of the family's history in your series or will this be part of another series? May you have a great success!Deborah Del Vecchionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-26693133665506929862011-12-02T09:00:30.828+01:002011-12-02T09:00:30.828+01:00These books look phenomenal! I'm definitely a...These books look phenomenal! I'm definitely adding them to my TBR pile ASAP! I love a good European historical fiction, and Montfort is a figure I know little about. Should be interesting AND educational, my favorite kind of reading.<br />JNCL<br /><a href="http://eclecticismjncl.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">The Beauty of Eclecticism</a><br />asfooraabla@gmail.comJenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18370649604625989367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-76550579387225818232011-12-01T06:12:06.262+01:002011-12-01T06:12:06.262+01:00I'm fascinated by the time period, the questio...I'm fascinated by the time period, the questions discussed in the interview and the books. I'd definitely love the chance to read them! Thank you for the giveaway!<br /><br />faridamestek@yahoo.comPhoebe's Sistershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03548739602100284299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-37790071059198094822011-11-26T16:54:29.371+01:002011-11-26T16:54:29.371+01:00These books sound like a great read. I would love...These books sound like a great read. I would love to win your giveaway.-bcrockshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04182198132685169606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-82460680058657885002011-11-26T07:11:31.120+01:002011-11-26T07:11:31.120+01:00What a fascinating character to bring to life! I&#...What a fascinating character to bring to life! I'm always intrigued to know more about individuals who not only made an indelible mark in shaping the course of civilization, but whose private lives seemed almost beyond fiction.<br /><br />trbrasure@gmail.comTrudyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286943933853228251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-58178008188408446402011-11-25T21:17:08.088+01:002011-11-25T21:17:08.088+01:00This series of books and about such a man sound fa...This series of books and about such a man sound fabulous. I was intrigued by both the excerpts in his life that you shared.<br /><br />Thank you for this great giveaway opportunity.<br /><br />sophiarose1816@gmail.comSophia Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07909417504496472472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-78796956504391347372011-11-25T20:08:30.461+01:002011-11-25T20:08:30.461+01:00I love to read British history... Seton's Kat...I love to read British history... Seton's Katherine is one of my favorites. This series looks fascinating and I would love to read it!<br />theresamattina@gmail.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-47828799031803033802011-11-25T17:47:31.322+01:002011-11-25T17:47:31.322+01:00This sounds like a wonderful set of books! I have...This sounds like a wonderful set of books! I have read a lot of non fictional historic books but am not as well versed about this particular time so this would be interesting. Thank you for the giveaway!<br /><br />Margaret<br />singitm@hotmail.comLiterary Chanteusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11618034360122552670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5114395886235179043.post-30585067316916959992011-11-25T08:36:06.232+01:002011-11-25T08:36:06.232+01:00Dear Katherine,
congratulations on such an enormo...Dear Katherine, <br />congratulations on such an enormous work!!! I confess I was totally ignorant about Monfort before reading your interview on Maria Grazia's blog, but now I want to know more and more. For example, I'm puzzled by the fact that he married the king's sister who was a nun...did I get it right? How could this happen??<br />I'd love to win a copy of your books!!! And I'm having a closer look at your website, if any, as soon as possible.<br />Congratulations again!<br />maribea at tiscali.itmaribeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01559927224289036163noreply@blogger.com