[MR] Wikipedia: Bal des Ardents

[Garth Groff]

Noble friends,

A Wikipedia article featured over the weekend  describes the /Bal des 
Ardents/ ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_Ardents ), a masque held 
in 1393 by the French king Charles VI. This was a scandalous event, in 
part due to the king's madness, which involved His Majesty and several 
nobles dressed as "wild men" cavorting among the spectators. A torch 
accidentally ignited one of the costumes, and four nobles were burned to 
death while the king escaped unharmed.

Those of us who recently viewed Kenneth Branagh's version of HENRY V saw 
Charles VI depicted as an old, but wise king. He was actually barking 
mad for much of his reign, and John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy (the 
fat guy in black at the treaty signing), served as regent.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Critic of Shakespeare and Admirer of the Burgundian Court