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Thread: The sinking that caused a 100 years of turmoil.

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    Default The sinking that caused a 100 years of turmoil.

    On the 25th, November, 1120 a maratime disaster struck, with an impact on the throne of England and bred a consistency of rumours of a plot that had led to mass murder to gain political power.

    The magestic pride of the English fleet, known as the White Ship was ready to sail, at the last minute King Henry l decided not to sail on her, however, his son and heir William did. as did Matilde and another sister, illegitimate daughters of King Henry along with approximately 250 passengers, of those were 140 knights or noblemen and 18 were noblewomen. The Captain was Thomas FitzStephen, there also was a number of helmsmen and approximately 50 rowers who made up the crew.

    Part of the speculations surrounding the tragedy was the Captain, Thomas FitzStephan who was highly skilled, but why would he allowed a drunken crew take out a vastly overcrowded ship out to sea to cross the Channel in winter. Additionally, an armed marine force, aboard for protection, were "drunk and disorderly".

    The ship laden with drunken friends of the heir apparent William and a drunken crew, left Barfleur, Normandy to return to England, not far off shore it hit a rock and capsized. William was picked up out of the water (Nov. in the Channel), but insisted to return to save his half-sister Matilda who was clinging to a rock. The small boat was overwhelmed by would-be-survivors and sank drowning all.

    King Henry not only lost the heir to the English throne William, but two other children as well. It is recorded that he never smiled again after he heard of his son's death. And it caused generations of turmoil and minor rebellions amongst descendants of the many illegitimate, but "noble" descendents of all those mistresses/concubines.

    The largest puzzling question was, why did the Captain allow the ship to leave port? Not my question, but unanswered questions not revealed by the royal inquiry. The King, Henry l, demanded an enquiry, but the results have been lost, either by accident or on purpose, who knows. And as the Man in Black, Valentile Dial on the RADIO, back in my youth, when the world was almost as flat as the world in 1120 said "hearby hangs a tale...".

    So, why did I write this. (a) because it may interest you, if not, sorry.

    (b) My hobby is geneology. I took a spit test on Ancestry.com and found out my DNA said I was 89% Southern English and the rest a mix of Welsh, Scots, Irish, FRENCH and GERMAN.

    I have enjoyed a number of years delving into my family tree. And I was shocked to find French and German, even though in such small percentages, so I continued looking.

    When you get back to the 1100s, you have, even counting for war, plague and the largest reduction, in-breeding, cousins, marrying cousins: People lived in small close knit groups in villages and over a few generations married third, fourth or fifth cousins, or even closer. Without this you would have a billion 30th generation great-grandparents, that's if you could trace them. Few could read back in those days other than the priests and a few lords that spoke only Norman French not English.

    As much as I have no truck for royalty or even less for the so-called nobility, as far as genealogy is concerned I had luck in connecting with an ancestors who led up to where the records were left... the ones with money, and who splashed it on the local churches to pay for their sins. So I found out where my French ancestry came from.* My 30th great-grandfather (one of probably 150,000) was William the Conqueror or William I. and a number of Normans who fought with him at Hastings, and were royally rewarded, these managed to make a slight impact in my spit. William's second son, Henry l, was a whore monger of magnificent. He had 17 recognized concubines over the years (plus he married a child of 14). My 29th great-grandmother is recorded as Concubine number 7 and she bore him two children (these bastards became a duke and a duchess) great-grandad took care of his mistakes.

    Back to the White Ship.

    Another 30th great grandfather, Geoffroy d'Aigle, Vicomte of de Exemes was found clinging to a rock, but died from exposure. As said William the heir and his sister ( my 29th great aunt Matilda both died) and Geoffroy's brother (good old 30th great-uncle Engenuff d' Aigle didn't make it neither.

    Additionally, down the food chain William Bigood, steward of the Royal household snuffed too...another of the hundred and fifty thousand great-grandparents.

    The really good news, and this is no joke, the only survivor of the White Ship was a cook. He was recovered "hanging to a spar," O.K.. Let's hear it for the M.N. catering staff, cooks in particular.

    Cheers, Rodney

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    Default Re: The sinking that caused a 100 years of turmoil.

    Valentile Dial, remember as a young lad listening to him on Radio.
    A real blast from the past.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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