by Rosie Bevan

Little has been published about the Longford family since S P H Statham wrote a detailed genealogy in 1937. The present study, in two parts, aims to complete the Longford family history where Statham left it, and correct mistakes in the Longford pedigree from the 1569 and 1613 Herald’s Visitations of Derbyshire, which are confused for five consecutive generations occurring in the 15th century. These errors in the pedigree provide an important lesson for genealogists of the necessity to verify information from independent contemporary sources.

by John Ellis

By extracting biographical details from a range of primary and secondary sources, a picture begins to emerge of Sir Roger de Morteyne, the head of the medieval knightly English family of Morteyne - of Eyam, Risley and Mapperley, Derbyshire; Wollaton and Cossall, Nottinghamshire; Braunston and Misterton, Leicestershire; Dunsby, Lincolnshire; and Walsall, Staffordshire.

by Nat Taylor

Following the article on the Robessart tomb in Westminster Abbey in our last issue, Nat Taylor provides here some further insights into this most complex of monuments. Recent work provides important context for the study of elaborate heraldic tombs of this era, of which the Robessart tomb is apparently an unusually complex example. This piece explores questions raised by the presence of the shields of Sir Thomas Blount and members of the Sutton family.

by Rosie Bevan

Additional information pertaining to the article published in Foundations 1(3):194-197.

by Brad Verity

This article explores the historiography of the Beaufort/Arundel affair. It examines what can be determined from contemporary records about the early years of the Cardinal, his illegitimate daughter, and their relationship, as well as the lives of Alice and the Arundel daughters. Evidence that the affair never took place will be followed by a theory of how and why Alice of Arundel was put forward as the mistress of Beaufort and mother of his child.

transcribed by Michael Wood

This is a little known, but useful source of reference material on 10th and 11th century families, especially of the non-royal lines. It should be read in conjunction with Searle’s original publication, a scanned copy of which is available on our website. In view of the length of the material it will be serialised over several issues of Foundations.

by William Humphreys

This article uses the surviving evidence to explore further the arguments for and against the Slavic origins of Agatha. The author concludes that Agatha might have had Greek ancestry, through her putative father, Iaroslav.

by Chris Phillips

This regular feature continues with a focus on three important British academic resources on the Internet: Humbul Humanities Hub; British History Online; Arts and Humanities Data Service.

by Michael K Jones

by Danna Messer

Through the marriage of their illegitimate daughters, some English rulers spread themselves outwards to Welsh and Scottish royal dynasties. In the thirteenth century King John used his own illegitimate daughter, Joan of England, as the perfect ‘pawn’ in an arranged marriage with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, prince of North Wales, in an attempt to secure power over the principality. Joan of England’s situation highlights the policies regarding the marriage of royal female bastards which helped to mould the political establishment of medieval Britain. This article seeks to look beyond traditional ‘textbook’ ideologies of historical institutions and the conventional structures of political life. Closer scrutiny of a subject like royal bastardy helps to reveal other possible motives of political leaders and calls attention to the wider historical implications of such actions.

Corrections to The Dukedom of Norfolk [Foundations 1(3):145-160], and The Robessart Tomb in Westminster Abbey [Foundations 1(3):178-192].

Bajamonte Tiepolo and Bohémond de Brienne (Jean-François Vannier) 

The Daughter of Isaac Comnenus (Gregory Lauder-Frost) 

Agatha, Mother of St Margaret (Keith Moore) 

Agatha’s Date of Death (Gregory Lauder-Frost)