The Old Country: Lombardia, Italia

Although it is now Week 31 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge, I am skipping both this week’s writing prompt (Large) and next week’s prompt (Small). Instead, I will be blogging about last week’s challenge, The Old Country. (Yeah, time just got away from me… again. SMH!)

Doing God’s Work: The Monks

It is week 25 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge. This week’s writing prompt is Unexpected. Unexpected? The one thing I have learned in more than two decades of genealogical research is to expect the unexpected. You never know what you are going to uncover! Take for example my recent “religious” findings…

Joan of Acre

On this day, 23 April 1307, Joan of Acre passed away in Suffolk, England. (She was my 22nd and two-times 23rd great-grandmother through her daughter Eleanor de Clare, my 22nd great-grandmother through her daughter Margaret de Clare, my 23rd and 24th great-grandmother through her daughter Elizabeth de Clare, and my 23rd great-grandmother through her son Thomas de Monthermer.)

Joan, the daughter of Edward I “Longshanks” and Eleanor of Castile, was born in 1272. Joan was eighth of 15 or 16 children of the couple (sources vary; two were unnamed). Although at the time of her birth, only brother Henry (born 6 May 1268) and sister Eleanor (born 18 June 1269) were still alive.

At the time of Joan’s birth, her parents were on a crusade in Acre in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was the ninth and final crusade to the Holy Land. Edward was the commander of the English troop, arriving in Acre in May 1271.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Popular

It is Week 12 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge. This week’s writing prompt, Popular, was a tough one. Maybe it’s because the concept is so foreign to me personally that I had difficulty finding a “popular” ancestor in my tree. I did, however, identify several unpopular ones, including my 21st great-grandfather, Edmund of Woodstock. As you will read, Edmund was not particularly well-liked by his contemporaries.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Disaster

Welcome to Week 9 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks’ writing challenge. This week’s theme is Disaster. When I saw this writing prompt, the first thing I thought was “large loss of life” and “extreme weather.”

Sadly, the disasters I will be sharing involve both.  However, before I address this week’s theme, please allow me a moment to explain how my family came to be in an area where these tragedies occurred.