The Dark Ages

 Dear Eli, July 2025

This is one of Grandpa’s and my favorite books about “The Dark Ages”. Sorry it’s a little “well-read”. It tells the stories of some of my favorite legendary Brits—-Bodecia and King Arthur (I checked and we probably are not related to either of them to my dismay).  Beginning with chapter 5, there are  other stories which are also very interesting and are indeed relatives or ancestors:  King Alfred the Great, Ethelred the Unready, William the Conqueror. Athelstan and Eric Bloodaxe are “great uncles”: they are siblings of our ancestors so we are related to  them but don’t descend from them.

I’ve tried not to burden any one of my grandchildren with the royal extent of our family but rather wanted each one to focus on an individual because the full array is even hard for me to digest. But, this book is brimming with ancestors—-Sam had a story about King Alfred the Great in his book (and my grandmother’s family in Williamsburg, Va).  So, that leaves you with Ethelred the Unready and William the Conqueror.  William the Conqueror changed England and the English language forever, so if you are to read one story, read about William the Conqueror who etched the year 1066 forever in English history.

This is a particularly good person for you to read about since you probably descend from Normans on your father’s side also.  Although I haven’t researched the details, “Warren” is considered a Norman name. William the Conqueror is not some gorgeous knight in shining armor with sparkling teeth and a confident smile but a warrior king of Viking heritage.  Many are unaware that “Norman” is short for “Norsemen”.  So, William and his vast invasion was a combination of French military organization and Viking fierceness and naval prowess.

While reading the story of the invasion, try not to take sides because you descend from both sides.  There’s a family tree on page 210 of the Saxon and Norman family trees. I have a check mark by all of the people you descend from.  I discovered this when researching Lbby’s person St. Margaret of Scotland. Her granddaughter Matilda was also William the Conqueror’s grandchild.. Those family holiday dinners must have been interesting! The Plantagenet family (William’s family) is one of my favorites with Eleanor of Aquitaine (Anna’s person) and Richard the Lionheart (who had no children that we know of). 

I saved this book for you with all of the other royals in the two lines because you’re interested in history. if you have any trouble understanding anything, let me know.  It’s not as unusual as you might think that we are descend from  so many “royals:  Princes tend to marry Princesses.  

These charts are to show you my direct lineage from them.   Again, millions of people descend from these famous kings and queens but they don’t know it and don’t have a chart showing the lineage.

Love,

“Princess” Grandma

PS If you are ever “into” any of the Viking or Medieval  TV series/movies, there will be lot of family history to watch.