England!!!!

Medievalessays is off to England :) stay tuned for pictures! 

What to Wear During the War of The Roses

"The White Queen"

I have always been a huge costume nut.  Great films and shows always are an excellent source of inspiration for me and anyone to create something fun, and eventually useful. Back in my college years, "Braveheart" helped me create an early medieval outfit for one of my medieval studies class, and lots of “Ohhhs and Awwws” from classmates.  Emma Thompson's and Ang Lee's adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" resulted in half a wardrobe filled with Regency period dresses, which all got worn to various Gaskell’s Balls in the Bay Area.  Yet no Mr. Darcy was seen.  Le sigh.

Most recent in my period costume film quest, I have discovered “The White Queen” produced by Starz yet even though not 100% historically accurate; has inspired pattern makers and costume/period dress nuts like myself, now to have a reason to make some pretty festive and beautiful frocks.  I finally have a use for the pewter crushed velvet in my sewing fabric stash! YAY! 2014 Night at the Symphony Costume Contest/Event, here I come!

Elizabeth Woodville

 

Back on topic. Dress.  It’s the War of the Roses.  Edward IV is trying not to get his supply of cloth cut off from Flanders and strikes a deal with Burgundy and his sister Margaret of York is escorted by the Earl Warwick, Richard Neville, to Burgundy for her pending marriage to help keep this important relationship open, and trade to keep going, despite rising conflict lurking in the horizon.  With this political backdrop, what did ladies wear, mainly the ladies at court? Dress during this time was actually quite depended on region.

15th Cent Italian Dress

For example Italy was on its own wavelength in contrast to the rest of the continent, as seen in paintings during the times. The northern part of Europe dressed a bit more to climate.   

Patterned fabric of period

The century began with the gown called “cotehardie” which we refer to as the one with the large bell sleeves and fitted down through the waist. This style faded quickly with introduction of new designs.  Gowns were long of course, and trimmed with fur (ermine, mink etc.) on the cuff, around the collar and sometimes the hem. Fabric was available in various dyes at this time.

The darker colors, reds, blues, dark green, blacks with brocades or patterned in artichoke or oak leave patterns; were of significant cost, mainly worn by those who could afford it, meaning the nobility. This style of gown is most known by the name: “houppelandes” which refer to the long flowing dresses of the time.

Garments were displayed or worn with a style called “slashing” which meant it was opened to reveal an other bit of clothing underneath, like a kirtle or under gown in contrasting colors (most common white or black). A chemise was worn close to the skin.  As time went on, repairs in sleeves of both men and women also accentuated this method of style.

Sleeves were mostly cuffed with matching fur from the color yet could be transferred to other gowns, with ornamentation on the cuff with jewels or embroidery. Also at times, if fur wasn’t worn, patterned fabric was used on both collar and cuff, which became more fashionable later in the century.

So what have I done with all this wealth of inspiration and creativity? I have put it to some use. I have made some alterations and adaptations of my own, but here is a glimpse of my current sewing project.  Today, we are lucky, we have sewing machines, just imagine all this work was done by hand at one point in time.  Headpiece… don’t ask me if I am going to make a hennin, I am not there yet. 

Step one: cutting out the dress: 

Detail of the side of the bodice, before I finished bead work.

Where we are at as of Sunday: Black sash, bodice jeweled, sleeves work in progress.

Bosworth

The early morning fog covered the ground like a soft plush blanket. The lush green grass of the marsh and surrounding fields seemed to be a favorite of the horses.  As they walked the field many tried to steal a snatch or two.  Their riders weary, pulled their heads up and spurred them lightly forward. Yet they could sense what was coming soon. Ever so soon as the sun began to rise.

Brakenbury was quiet for a change. Yet, quiet boisterous the night before at the inn, Richard thought he would never sleep. Tossing and turning in his room in the inn’s upper bedroom, sleep never came easy for him away from his normal chambers in London, and especially now, alone. How he missed Anne. She was not supposed to die. So many things awaited him back in London. His niece Elizabeth, needed a marriage and then there was her other sisters. He needed to make their mother happy. He needed her support, most importantly he needed this usurper, Henry Tudor dead. Of bastard lineage, now in England to challenge his right to the crown, Richard’s crown.  

He gripped the hilt of his sword. It was cold, even through his leather gloves. He repeated to himself the words of the priest from the morning mass as he blessed them all as they prepared for battle. He asked God again to give him strength and watch out for him. He prayed to his wife Anne to watch out for his soul and his body if he fell. He tried to push that thought out of his mind, far, far away.

One of his commanders called for them all to halt. Banners danced in the air in the distance. Their colors vibrant against the morning grey sky. He could see the Welsh banner men struggling against the winds and then the standard of Tudor.  A chill ran down Richard’s spine. Soon, very soon, everyone’s fate was to be decided.......

c. June 30, 2014 A.C. McMillin 

The History and Antiquities of Myddle

 Later 17^th Century and Early 18^th Century Life in Rural England.

The first thing that came to mind while reading this account was the novel Tess of D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. It is a complex yet moving story that describes life a little later than The History and Antiquities of Myddle, by Richard Gough.  Both discuss the trials and tribulations of the working class, landowners in English rural society, and provides a glimpse of human nature during this period.  By reading this account, as historians what can we learn?  Like any period piece, a historian can learn many things from it.  This might not be a work of literature, but a historical account of life, society, values, and the socioeconomic structure of Myddle during this time.

The 17^th and 18^th centuries were of great change and progress. Hardship and poverty for many in England also lurked.  One of the most interesting aspects about this period in English history is the large social shift among people in the country.  England was coming out of civil wars, destruction of the monasteries, plagues, and was starting to gain grow as a nation, but Mother Nature didn’t always agree. With the beginnings of many cultural revolutions came poor crop production resulting in episodic famine, many often struggled.  Land went dry due to overuse and climate change. The shift in land ownership in rural communities and the strong relationships between landowners and their tenants helped the success of farmers through the many unexpected difficulties.  

In the following example from The History and Antiquities of Myddle, the use of land is changed from general or communal, to being section off.  We also learn of the relationships of those who work and live on the land farmers/tenants, and those who own it, the landowners of the estate.

“The Meare House, at Haremeare, did stand over crosse the brooke that issueth out of Haremeare; butt when the Meare was lett dry, the house was removed, and sett by the side of the brooke, and one Spurstow dwelt in it, and was imployed by Sir Andrew Corbett to looke to the Heyment of Haremeare, and to tend the catell that were in it, for when it was let dry, there were catell putt in it as a lay; and after, as it beecame dry and sound, it was divided into severall pieces.

What does this example tell us historically?  We learn that the land is being used for: cattle.  Further in the article, land was used for corn and orchards.  Historically, the sectioning of land was a concept that farmers started as early as the 1400’s.  Large parcels of lands were hard to manage with low population, due to the Bubonic Plague. Therefore, smaller parcels of land were more manageable.[1] They had the ability to switch out crops and keep up with crop rotation, so the soil would not go bad.  Now a farmer could grow a variety of different crops through the year such as turnips, peas, corn, potatoes, and barley.  This increased the production yield for farmers.  In turn, made his land more profitable, perhaps contributing to the double production rates. Also farmed was hay for cattle and later cabbage for stall feed for cows, in 1770s.  It is noted, that during the famine of 1799, a farmer was able to provide for his family and livestock just off potatoes. Being able to manage his land by crop rotation and keeping the nitrogen content controlled, this contributed to his salvation.

In 1520, the Agricultural Revolution began. Gough’s history was written and covers the years of 1634 through 1723 in Myddle during the revolution. The revolution occurred in two periods: first being 1520-1739, where farm production doubled. Then from 1740-1800 the second period, where farms increase their production 10% in crops and other goods that are consumed by consumers. [2] According to Overton a critic of the revolution, he argues the historical validity of the revolution through literary analysis and believed that agriculture production rates grew the same as population rates during 1520-1850.  In reality, consumption per “caput” was not a constant; it depended greatly on income and price for agricultural goods, all were relative to items that were purchased by consumers, meaning the revolution was driven by public consumption of goods. [3] What else can we learn from this article?

Interestingly, Gough’s full account of Myddle is titled Human Nature Displayed in the History of Myddle. [4]  The title alone reveals Gough intention: human nature, or the social history of the village of Myddle. He does this by making accounts of the happenings, gossip, stolen cows, ovens blowing up in tenant’s houses, etc., in his chronicle. Gough’s chronicle is personal and detailed.  As a historian, there are many layers to the events he recorded, adding to its value.  For example, if you irritate your neighbor, or even steal, there are consequences and someone will get even.  Life was hard, people worked hard.  Honesty was deeply valued, as was one’s good word and reputation.  A good relationship built on honesty and trust, helped farmers become successful and survive through harsh conditions. A landowner would always be more willing to help his tenants out in time of need, if they were trust-worthy. Gough’s records both the honest and dishonest people, how they reacted to changes that were occurring around them, including various superstitions.  Good or bad, the reactions we see were methods of survival for many during this time. Myddle is small; reputation can take a person far.  For example,

“After Spurstow, one Reece Wenlocke dwelt in it. He was descended of good parentage, who were tenants of a good farme, called Whottall, in Ellesmeare Lordshipp. Butt the father of this Reece was a bad husband, and a pilfering, thievish person, and this son, Reece, and another son, named John, who lived at Bald Meadow, in this parish, were as bad as theire father. They never stole any considerable goods, but were night walkers, and robbed oarchyards and gardens, and stole hay out of meadows, and corne when it was cutt in the feilds, and any small things that persons by carelessnesse had left out of doors.

Reece had a cow, which was stolen away, and it is reported that hee went to a woman, whom they called the wise woman of Montgomery, to know what was beecome of his cow; … Butt the greatest diskindenesse that hee did to his neighbours was, by tearing theire hedges. ….

Att that time William Higginson dwelt att Webscott, and hee had a servant, named Richard Mercer, a very waggish fellow.

Reece Wenlocke, among other hedge-wood, tooke this stick to burne in his oven; and when hee cast it into the fire in the oven, it blowed up the topp of it, and sett fire on the end of the house…”

What does this example tell us about human nature and its importance in Myddle during this time?  Through human nature such as this, we can learn importance, what people held close to them, and what was valued.  We learn that great pride was taken in the upkeep of lands, including the livestock raised.  The value of a cow is to a tenant or their crops, is also demonstrated.  Cows were expensive and hard to replace. Reece had his cow stolen or it was taken because he had the reputation of being a “night walker.” Frustrated and upset with his neighbors and their reluctance to help; he performs some “short work” to his neighbor’s hedges.  Then to get even, he puts an oven he built, with the stolen wood/hedges and blows it up. More than likely this tested his relationship with his landlord and neighbors, but it also shows the importance of an individuals livelihood and what measures people took to survive, especially in regards to dishonesty.

Human nature and the relationships between the villagers in Myddle, tell us many details about the town and the people in it, as shown above. The historical value between the landowners and tenants during this time helps us evaluate the impact it had on historical record. Relations were based on a rented/leased situation.  Leases on the landowners land, were not just for a short period of time, but longer. For example, “Bishop Heath of Worcester acquired property in south Shropshire for his see by exchange with the earl of Warwick in 1549, but the manors concerned were subject to a 200-year lease that Warwick had granted to William Heath the previous year and they produced only a small reserved rent.” Families leased the farms that they lived on for many generations; relationships grew as a result.  Some landlords made up for the “influence of tenure at will on the tenants willingness to lay out capitol.” As the economy shifted and laws changed, landownership changed hands, tenants often preferred “rack rents” during difficult times.  Shropshire was one of the areas that were spared this hardship.  But this didn’t last forever.  Rents were raised in the late 1740s due to a severe outbreak of cattle plague. Sickness and drought is never good for the farming economy. [5]

Rent was the largest expense for farmers.  On average, rent was ¼ of a farmer’s income but at times it was 1/3.  After rent, farmers had tithes (A tithe was a one-tenth part of one’s income or something [an item i.e. crop] that was paid as a contribution to a religious affiliation or compulsory tax to government, landlord etc.), to pay.  Some paid to landowner with rent, while others paid to different people or entities.  A farmer would pay an amount on annual gross value of produce from their farm. It could be 3 cents per produce, or as much as 25 cents.[6]  Additionally, for a farmer to be successful, his relationship between how much he had to pay in rent and the value of his produce per annum was very important. In order to establish this, the landowner/tenant relationship had to be strong. This is where Gough’s emphasis on human nature is important. Noted in the “Domesday Book” the relationships in Shropshire between landowners and tenants were quite friendly.

A historical text or primary source like the one looked at in this essay, can tell a historian many things about the time or the people who lived. The town was alive with gossip and candor, and this is illustrated quite well. We also are given examples of the relationships between the tenants, landlords and various neighbors in the town. We also see up close the impact of the agricultural revolution in progress, and changes in land distribution. Gough’s focus on human nature, teaches us what was important to these people and why. By studying the agricultural revolution, we also gain an understanding of the world around the village. We discover that this is a hard working village, where honesty is everything. If you are not honest or steal someone’s cow, prepare yourself for an oven blowing up in your hedges or house, that cow was important. We learn the value of honesty and dishonesty.

---

[1] Notes from Future Learn course: England in the Time of Richard III; Fall 2013

[2] Robert S. Allen “Tracking the Agricultural Revolution in England.” The Economic History Review, New Series Vol. 52, No. 2 (1999): pp. 215-216

[3] Allen, pg. 211

[4] The copy of Human Nature Displayed in the History of Myddle, that I obtained, has a different variation of the title than that of our example: “Antiquities and Memoirs of Myddle.”

[5] J R Edwards D C Cox, et al. 'Domesday Book: 1540-1750', A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 4: Agriculture ed. C R Elrington G C Baugh (British History Online, 1989), pp. 119-168

[6]  J R Edwards D C Cox, et al. 'Domesday Book: 1750-1875', A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 4: Agriculture ed. C R Elrington G C Baugh (British History Online, 1989), pp. 168-231

The White Knight Syndrome

Why we are all so enamored by the story of Richard and Anne?

Richard rescues Anne from the battlefield

 That moment in the middle of Tewkesbury battlefield in “The White Queen” where Richard, who is still the Duke of Gloucester (portrayed by Aneurin Barnard) at this time, rescues Anne Neville (portrayed by Faye Marsay) from impending doom.  Just about every girl’s heart stopped for a minute.  And we all sigh and dream that we are in Anne’s place.  Why? It’s the fairy tale come true romance, we have all dreamed of: “Knight in shining armor” comes to rescue fair damsel in distress” which is Anne.  He is like Lancelot!  This idea is not a new one; it actually has it roots very far back in folklore and of the chivalric tales of the Middle Ages.  This is also more than likely why the real story about Anne and Richard was so popular amongst 14^th century society.  In a world of political upheaval and turmoil, the idea of romantic love was a break from reality that most wished and desired. Reality was war, loss, and destruction.

Having already discussed the concept of courtly love and the importance it had amongst society, its time to take the story a bit further. What were people’s lives like that led them to believe and wish for their “white knight” to come bounding through terrors, slay dragons, and rescue them from afar? What was life like for the noble woman of the 14^th century?

The political pawn

Isabelle and Anne

Anne Neville came from one of the most politically prominent families during the time of the War of the Roses. Her story and her upbringing are actually quite typical of what a young lady of noble status would have experienced during this time and also previous periods of the Middle Ages. Having daughters meant that families who sought or wished to maintain their power and lands, had means to do so.  The ability of expanding their empire or household was a large possibility of a good marriage between their daughters with other lords and nobles in the realm or from neighboring countries.  In cases where money was involved, it also was a way that monies were obtained and made in the form of a dowry.  The higher the dowry was for the soon to be bride, the more valuable she became to her suitors and her family.

To manage the household

Noble women in the Middle Ages didn’t just sit around bear children for their husbands, do needlepoint and gossip, they actually were schooled from a young age to know how to run a large household, amongst other duties. They would have shadowed their mothers growing up and assisted them in their duties, such as making sure goods were stocked in the kitchens, if messages needed to be sent to neighboring lords for items or assistance, they made sure they were sent. Days were structured starting with prayers said each morning at mass and followed up each night by prayer. This routine would be taught to her daughters as well.  She would have ladies in waiting to assist her with dressing, arranging her hair, and other tedious aspects of medieval life.  In addition to overseeing how the house ran, she would also supervise the education of other noble daughters, as well as her own girls.

embroidery and other hobbies of the ladies

Evenings after meals, were prepared and served, to the liking of the head of the household, stories of courtly love, poetry, games, and music were the most popular forms of entertainment in most noble households. It is here that the stories of “Tristan and Isolde”, or “De Morte Arthur” were told. It is more than likely these stories were what Anne heard quite often growing up in Middleham and Warwick castle. To a little girl who’s father had great plans, the thought of being carried off by her true love was a perfect dream for her, as well as many other girls pending an arranged marriage to someone they did not know.

Honor thye husband

One of the most important lessons a mother in the Middle Ages, as well as the church, taught her daughter was to honor their husband.  This also was meant towards their fathers as well. To disobey or dishonor brought shame to the household. This alone stressed acceptance to a political or arranged marriage matches between a young bride to her husband to be.  It is also why stories such as “Tristan and Isolde” were seen as scandalous, yet quite popular amongst court tromboudors. 

Her education from upbringing also is what made the lady of the household the main emotional support for her husband. This is clearly evident in many of the scenes of “The White Queen” between Anne and Richard, and also in history with Cecily Neville, Eleanore of Aquitaine and others. The women where the ones who many of times picked up the pieces if they had to move, wait patiently with children during a siege, and at times without their husbands during long standing wars.  Her job was to keep her household safe, yet be of support for her husband off at war and keep hope alive for his safe return. She was the keeper of his heart and of his soul should harm fall upon him, as her blessing was said to protect.

Finally, one of the most important aspects of her duties to her husband was to bear him an heir, to carry on the line of the family. In some cases this was easily done, others like Richard and Anne, this was not easily accomplished and the outcome was not of best circumstances.  For there one and only heir died tragically.  We don’t know enough about Anne to know why she was only able to have one child.  But it was very devastating for her, as well as Richard. It changed their lives forever.

The challenges and duties of a noble lady such as Anne Neville faced in her life, were more than likely quite demanding and at times very stressful.  The image of the knight in shining armor or “white knight” is a very realistic illustration of the psyche of not just one but many medieval noble ladies during the 14^th century. It is very easy to conclude that this is one of the reasons why the relationship between Anne and Richard today is so appealing to many, and not just the ladies of the Middle Ages. There is always a point in our lives where we all want to be rescued by a knight in shining armor from the evils or demands of society.

Sources: http://www.lordsandladies.org/daily-life-noblewoman-middle-ages.htm

"Sing me a song of castles and kings" Music of the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages saw an awakening and birth of many new things from the building of the cathedral, introduction to spices and some medicines from eastern trade, to the expansion and travel of music through out the various empires. Music was popular in many households and held various significances in medieval life, as well as the belief system of medieval man.

Popular instruments included the lute, flute, harp, hurdy gurdy, viola (Seen below in one of the scenes from the Starz "The White Queen" were both popular instruments), bagpipes, and other instruments.  Gregorian Chants were and are perhaps most popular in describing early medieval music.  This form of music was primarily, “monophony,” which in its simplest definition is of textures, consisting of melody without accompanying harmony. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_music) Gregorian Chants were highly used and popular in liturgical services and in the church.  But this does not mean that the peasants at home or nobles at court did not have some form of music, it just was not as elaborate as what was being developed in the church during mass and liturgical services. 

A drum and viola as seen in "The White Queen"

Music primarily before 1150 was primarily liturgical or sacred based.

After 1150, Europe saw the birth of the Troubadour, who held his importance and began in the courts of France, telling his tales of chivalry and love with song, in the courts of Aquitaine, with Marie de France and other noble French families.  The Troubadour is discussed below, but its popularity took music and song away from the church liturgy and developed a whole secular side of the art form. Music at this time and until the Renaissance became, “polyphony” which is a texture consisting of two or more simultaneous lines of independent melody, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony). (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphony)

The introduction of polyphony perhaps is what launched the music of the Middle Ages to what we know today. It perhaps is one of the largest advances of medieval music itself. Along with this, the discovery and development of pitches, understanding tones and arrangement also help grow the art form. Notably, Notre Dame in 1150-1250 became a center for developing the western idea of rhythmic notation in music notation. From the creative and talented minds at Notre Dame came the motet. The motet, which was developed by Léonin and Pérotin who taught at the school, is a highly varied form of choral musical composition. The motet was one of the pre-eminent forms of later Renaissance music.  There were others who also used this and composed many of this important musical art:

• Adam de la Halle (1237?–1288? or after 1306)
• Johannes Ciconia (c. 1370–1412)
• John Dunstaple (c. 1390–1453)
• Franco of Cologne (fl. mid-13th century)
• Jacopo da Bologna (fl. 1340–1385)
• Marchetto da Padova (fl. 1305–1319)
• Petrus de Cruce (fl. second half of the 13th century)
• Willelmus de Winchecumbe (fl. 1270s)

As time went by, medieval music progressed and grew.  By the 14th and 15th centuries, motets became isorhythmic meaning they employed repeated rhythmic patterns in all voices.  Notably, Philippe de Vitry was one of the earliest composers to use this technique, and his work influenced Guillaume de Machaut, who one of the most famous named composers of late medieval motets. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motet)

In addition to composition and development of medieval music, an important part of the secular music world in the Middle Ages was the “Troubadour,” the traveling court musicians of the 13^th century.  It is interesting though to know that this musician was not always named this as well. The earliest mention we hear of the so-called traveling musician is in the tenth century and through the thirteenth century, where musicians called “goliards” or poet-musicians. Their backgrounds mainly came from being scholars or even ecclesiastical, in which many sung their songs in Latin. May of their songs survived with subjects of religious nature, and in contrast some telling tales of debachaury, and other moral disregard.

These musicians or trouvères were well versed in a vernacular and secular song. Most of their music compositions were accompanied by instruments, yet also sung by a professional who was a skilled poet who also was skilled in singing. The Troubadours also had their own language called Occitan, which is the Old French of the trovres. The high of their popularity saw a flowering or booming in cultural life in Provence France, which spread through out the continent. Subjects of their songs included war, chivalry, and courtly love.  After the Albigensian Crusade, which was brought on by Pope Innocent III, the movement died down.  Remaining Troubadours traveled to Portugal, Spain and northern Italy or northern France. There their skills remained and their popularity lived on. Their contributions added developments to secular music and culture in those places. The music that the trouvères introduced seemed to not be as effected by the crusade and also continued to flourish in secular life.

Rule of thumb: If you want to be popular, don’t kill your wedding guests

“Game of Thrones” just started for their fourth season this year. Yet looking back at the shockers of last season and hoping there will be more this season, we are very strongly reminded of the Red Wedding episode. Many were shocked at what unfolded during this event, just check You Tube.  The medievalist in me became quite curious as to, how historically accurate it all was, and how would this interfere with the customs of medieval society.  Were traditions or customs trampled upon if this happened? We know George R.R. Martin based his novels heavily on the War of the Roses. There are many similaries with his characters, and the real people of the Middle Ages. Now, if something like the Red Wedding happened in the real Middle Ages, what would the outcome, or even the implications say about medieval society. How would the whole affair been handled? What do we know of medieval society from this perspective?

Medieval Society was strictly hierarchal, meaning there were certain expectations that were upheld depending on where you were on the social scale. Medieval or Western European etiquette was based off knightly code of honor and conduct, countries separate customs, religious rituals, superstitions, prejudices, and ethical standards of that society. For this important aspect of society can also be traced all the way to literary and cultural monuments of the period. The earliest roots of this social standing in medieval society can be found in the teachings of St. Augustine.  His doctrine, “The City of God” eventually became a base along with other writings for the codes of chivalry for the order of knighthood, which was a very integral part of various medieval cultures. Adding the importance of a long and impressive genealogy, which was one of the most important factors in this social class, for it, was noted that a knight was to have come from “good stock.” Society quickly embraced the image of what the knight stood for, his code of ethics, his honor, etiquette, and eventually adapted similar rules that became a base for court etiquette and of the nobility. This later is what modeled modern day etiquette that in some families and societies is still used today. (I can hear my mother preaching to me the importance of “Thank You” notes, and proper silverware placement etc.)

If an event such as the Red Wedding existed in real life (Which it did, I will discuss this later.), it defiantly would be a very big insult on the hosting family to allow such events to happen. But believe it or not, an event such as this did happen.  In 1440, the Clan Douglas in Scotland was gaining a great amount of power that was a bit unnerving for the 10-year-old king at the time; James II. The power they were gaining was actually seen as a threat to the nation of Scotland and its soviernity.  As a part of a conspiracy, that year, William Douglas, the 6^th Earl of Douglas and his brother were invited to dine with the king.  During the dinner a black boar head was brought out, which according to custom was a symbol of death.  Whether they knew this meant impending doom or not, it is unclear from my reading whether they realized this or not.  After dinner, the Earl and his brother were dragged out, brought to a mock trial and beheaded. Siege was later laid upon the castle Edinburgh by the Clan Douglas.  Lord Chancellor Sir William Crichton eventually surrendered the castle to the king. It is suspected that others: Livingstone and Buchan were also responsible for the deaths. The dinner is known through out history as the “Black Dinner” and it was used as a historical bases for “Game of Thrones” the Red Wedding.

This event even to this day is frowned upon many as a great insult meaning to slaughter your guests when they are under your roof for a celebration. It is a ground of commonality, at times holy, and one of peace. To have such an action performed or even carried out was not a good thing to do. Not only was it a huge break in tradition, but also it brought great distrust and dishonor to that household.  At large dinners or even weddings; may meals were blessed by the Catholic Church so in all essence to slaughter your guests would be like killing someone on holy ground or in a church which is considered sanctuary and forbidden in church and secular law.  Not only are rules of etiquette tossed out at this point, but the rules and traditions of the church as well.  That person you just killed at your dinner, just cost you’re your place reserved in heaven.  I wonder if Lord Bolton, Lord Frey, and the folks at the Black Wedding realized this.  Trust, honor, tradition, and loyalty all go hand and hand, definitely were the case in the Middle Ages and are still true today amongst those who still hold these values important.  So if you want to be a good host, don’t murder your party guests. It does you no favors, in this life or the next, and...... 

http://middleagestoday.com/en/node/450

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Douglas#Black_Dinner