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The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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Biography of Empress Elisabeth of Austria 1837-1898

On 24th December 1837 Empress Elisabeth of Austria was born.

1855 . Anton Einsle (age 53). Portrait of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (age 17).

1855. Amanda Bergstedt (age 13). Portrait of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (age 17).

1860. Franz Schrotzberg (age 48). Portrait of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (age 22).

Around 1865. Franz Xaver Winterhalter (age 59). Portrait of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (age 27).

Adeline Horsey Recollections. The beautiful and unfortunate Empress Elizabeth of Austria (age 39) rented Cottesbroke from my cousins the Langhams, and her exploits in the hunting-field are well known. Bay Middleton was always staying at Cottesbroke, and used generally to give the Empress a "lead".

The Empress found Sunday rather a dull day at Cottesbroke, so she had jumps made all round the park, and at 6 o'clock every Sunday morning she and Bay Middleton used to ride together, and taking the jumps became her unvarying Sunday amusement.

Her biographers have not flattered her when they describe her as being singularly handsome, for she was indeed a queenly figure, and I think her only personal defects were her hands and feet, which were large and ungainly. It is said that when Elizabeth first met the Empress Eugenie (age 50) she was very jealous of her tiny extremities, for Eugenie's hands and feet were exceptionally small.

On 10th September 1898 Empress Elisabeth of Austria (age 60) was assassinated being fatally stabbed in the heart by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni.