[MR] Christmas, and Its Medieval Uses

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

This morning I was looking at Wikipedia to see what happened in history on
25 December that I might talk about. Actually, a lot of stuff did happen on
this date:

In 508 Clovis, King of the Franks was baptized at Reims by St. Remigulius.

In 800 Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome.

In 1000 Hungary was founded as a Christian kingdom by Stephen I.

In 1046 Henry III was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Clement II.

In 1066 William the Conqueror was crowned King of England.

In 1100 Baldwin of Boulogne was crowned the first King of Jerusalem.

Do you see a pattern here? Each of these milestones were carefully timed to
use the second-most holy day of the year, Christmas, as a prop to enhance
and give political legitimacy to the ruler. So Christmas was being co-opted
for secular purposes, even as far back as 1,500 years ago.

Some of these rulers came to their thrones by legitimate succession, but in
the case of William and Baldwin, their coronations followed bloody
conquests of lands they arguably had no right to hold. In these two cases,
the choice of London's Westminster Abbey by William and Bethlehem's Church
of the Nativity by Baldwin, sent an even more powerful message by the very
holiness of their coronation sites. [In William's case, Canterbury might
have been a more powerful symbol, but he really hadn't finished his
conquest of England yet and probably felt safer in his London power base.]

One other thought: Smithsonian Channel has been showing Lucy Worsley's
TWELVE DAYS OF TUDOR CHRISTMAS in various time slots. If you can find this
program don't, miss it (or go buy the DVD). It is not only delightful, as
Lucy alway is, but explores many of our current and past Christmas
traditions as they were practiced in Tudor England, including Twelfth
Night. And it is a scream to see her dressed up as Henry VIII eating
pickled boar's head and opening the royal "prezzies".

We hope y'all have a happy and safe Christmas, or other holiday of your
beliefs, during this both festive and holy season.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge 🦆
Lady Sarah Sinclair, Lady of Mallard Lodge  🏰