Saturday, August 31, 2013

The Fashion of The Vampire Diaries

           They say clothes make the man. What clothes really do is tell you something about a person's character. When you see a movie you pick up on a character's personality or how they're feeling by the clothes they wear. A woman in a small black dress at a party or that red dress sitting at the bar looks dangerous yet sexy; that guy in the suit means business or that guy in the torn jeans and casual t-shirt is guy who rebels against the flow of the corporate world or he's a romantic struggling artist. The Vampire Diaries is no different. Like any other show, TVD has the best clothes from designers who sponsor the show (this is called product placement which I will go into another time). I won't pick at every character's wardrobe and go too much in depth but only for the ones that stand out.

First the Girls:

Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev): Elena's style is small-town-girl-next-door. She prefers comfort but also seeks a romantic character persona. That means cute flats, flat boots, tennis shoes, skinny jeans, sweaters (tight fit), tank tops and sun dresses.

For special occasions such as formals and balls, Elena wears cute cocktail dresses that don't show much cleavage but show off her sexy legs and her ball gowns are elegant and sparkly.


In the season 3 premiere episode "The Birthday", Elena showed her innocence by wearing a cute white dress with sensible white heeled shoes. Elena also goes for layers with a long-sleeved shirt and a simple tank top underneath in case she gets hot or she's cold. When Elena turned off her humanity, Elena went for a more rebellious look (like Katherine). When Damon took her to New York City, Elena went with darker, edgier looks with high heels and denim jackets.

When she found Katherine hiding out in a small town, Elena completely robbed Katherine of her style: trading a blue denim jacket for a black one, some gaudy earrings, other jewelry, and Katherine's prized possessions: her hot black sandal high heeled shoes! That's low! Humanity or no, Elena likes to accentuate her thin delicate frame with tight bodices and flowing trains (Miss Mystic Falls she wore a safe blue gown and at Prom she wore a bold magenta one).



Caroline Forbes (Candice Accola): Caroline may seem girly and feminine but she's the boss and makes sure people know it.



Caroline dressed as Jacqueline Kennedy for the 60s Decade Dance so she has a "First Lady" set mentality: she likes scarves, blazers, very feminine sundresses and blouses, with booties, high heels and boots. She prefers bright colors to stand out. She likes to be the queen of the fairytale ball. In Season 3's "Dangerous Liaisons" Klaus saw this and knew just what to give her: a gossamer dress with different shades of romantic blues and a jewel encrusted waistline complete with a pair of long silk white gloves. Occasionally she'll wear jeans and short shorts depending on the temperature or the task she is set with for better mobility for the many parties and school functions she organizes.


Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham): Bonnie is the down to earth person of the group but also she wants to just be an ordinary girl. She wears earthy colors like blue, magenta, and saffron, colors that keep her feet on the ground.


Deep down, Bonnie just wants to be a girl, not a witch who has to be the hero so she wears flirty tees and flower print dresses with some nice jewelry, but she can switch that off and become a bad ass at any time.


Katherine Pierce (Nina Dobrev): Katherine is opposite Elena when it comes to fashion. She likes to stand out in the crowd and that means sporting some of the hottest designers.



Yet she also likes to blend in with the night as she's a run away: with black jackets and dresses. She also likes to give off a subtle sexy vibe with see through silk blouses and she likes to show off her perky chest such as in the Season 2 Episode "The Last Day" where Katherine sported a black blouse with flowing sleeves and an aqua top underneath.

In Season 2 "Masquerade" Katherine wore a somewhat revealing black lace cocktail dress that accentuated her breasts and her nice legs. In Season 4, Katherine stuck with leather and the color black.


She wants to not only look fierce but BE fierce and wants people to know that when they see her. Katherine completes her ensembles with high heeled shoes ranging from pumps to booties along with some sparkling accessories. Katherine has attitude and that is projected by her outfits, down to her lingerie choices.


Rebekah Mikaelson (Claire Holt): Rebekah, like Katherine, likes to stand out but she also likes to be the center of attention, but then again she likes to be classy too.

In Season 3 "Disturbing Behavior", Rebekah was disgusted by the black patterned dress that was too revealing for her taste likening it to something a prostitute would wear. Rebekah wears nice, classy tank tops and leggings. Her formal wear is classy and fairytale-like.


In "Dangerous Liaisons" she wore a dark green mermaid gown: dark green color for her personality (meaning that she is envious of other girls like Caroline) and a mermaid gown to make her walk and stance graceful.

In Season 4 "Pictures of You", Rebekah wore a sophisticated, yellow ruffled, strapless gown. This gown gave the impression that she was gliding instead of walking. The yellow color could project Rebekah's own fears during the episode of how she may pass Elijah's Human Test.


Esther Mikaelson (Alice Evans): Esther has a regal presence (like the actress Alice Evans). She is a serious, stoic, and pragmatic person who likes to dress to show her authority but also she is a mother nature type so there is a softness to her sovereignty.



The Boys:

Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley): Stefan is a romantic and a compassionate person who has an edge to him at times when he falls off the wagon.


He's a humble person who wears simple hoodies but with nice blue jeans. He's also the type to dress in layers.

More often than not you'll see Stefan wearing a white tank top which he wears underneath his other shirts; we know he has some amazing muscles but he's not the type to brag (when he's sober).  In Ripper mode, Stefan lets loose and becomes less humble, showing off his fine abs.




Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder): Damon is a rebel so leather is his fabric of choice. In his '80s garb he was prone to wear chains and have some "Thriller" zippers but NO gloves.


Damon is also a dark soul so he will wear dark, tight fit shirts from t-shirts to long-sleeved. Being a sexual being, Damon also prefers shirts that are easy to take off in a hot moment of passion so dark buttoned shirts are hanging in his closet.



And not a lot of tank tops for him either as Damon is the peacock who likes to put himself on display. No prints or shirts with statements on them; if Damon wants to make a statement he does so forcefully and his wardrobe says it loud.


Elijah Mikaelson (Daniel Gillies): When you first hear the name Elijah, you don't think of a guy who wears jeans and a casual jacket; you think: SUIT!



And Elijah is never complete without a fine cut suit. Elijah is the oldest of the 3 Originals that are left and so he's the serious brother who handles the family business. If Elijah could have any profession it would be lawyer/hit man. And you know Elijah knows how important first impressions are and so he definitely cares that he looks proper without a stain on his Stafford black jacket as whenever he gets into a scuffle he makes sure his suit is untarnished.


Elijah is old school and has never grown out of the sophistication of a man's suit. It not only gives him a "no-nonsense" look he's also a perfect gentleman.


Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan): Klaus is an artist at heart so he has a sensitive soul but also a brutality and an ego while exuding sexual tension; so think British Rock Star.


For his accessories in Season 3 I noticed that he liked to wear a rosary for a necklace; this gives him an edge with a sort of "last-rites" drama as with Catholic Rituals where the Passion of Christ is him being whipped and beaten bloody. Klaus doesn't like to wear shirts with statements on them, they seem cliché and pointless as with Damon, if Klaus wants to make a verbal statement he'll do so forcefully by tearing someone apart.

Klaus also exudes a sexual vibe so he wears tight form fitted shirts and shirts that are partially unbuttoned and he prefers dark colors given his disposition and love of being the bad guy. In Season 3 "Our Town", Klaus went rock-star with a rebellious cut yet charming black jacket, black pants, and a white buttoned shirt with some religious accessories.



Sometimes Klaus likes to wear comfort. He'll have a cardigan or wear a simple hoodie, but they're always designer. Klaus is the antagonist but he also is the romantic who has a taste for bloody drama.


Jeremy Gilbert (Steven R. McQueen): Jeremy's the emo kid; no doubt about that. However, he went from emo to punk after a while, which made him hot! Jeremy, like Elena, goes for comfort but he also wants to look cool and bad ass so he sticks with dark colors, rocker t-shirts, comfortable shoes, sometimes a cool chain or leather bracelet, and casual jackets.







Alaric Saltzman (Matt Davis): Alaric is the high school history teacher who is also an alcoholic so he has little concern for his looks. He prefers casual practical jackets, shirts, pants, and shoes.



No accessories for this guy unless you count his ring that brings him back to life, but like I said, Alaric is a practical guy who only keeps what he needs. He has a few nice shirts for work but he would have to borrow a nice suit or he only has one he would wear to a funeral (and there are a lot in Mystic Falls!).


Matt Donovan (Zach Roerg): Matt is also a practical guy who prefers whatever he can afford. He throws on a t-shirt, his football jacket, and some dirty old jeans and he's ready to go. He's a down to earth guy and that shows in his wardrobe. He does have a suit but it's probably a rental or he only owns one that he wears to every formal occasion.






Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino): Tyler is the jock. That means his ensemble includes athletic wear. He likes to show off his physique with some loose tank tops. Being that he also comes from money he also wears the Ambercrombie & Fitch-type brands.





I haven't mentioned other characters and their wardrobes, mostly because only these few stood out to me. The style of a person's wardrobe says a lot about their character whether real or made for TV.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

No Pills Just Sound

Music touches our souls. It just speaks to us and reaches us where words fail. I've discovered that whenever I have a headache and Advil or Ibuprofen fails or when I have trouble falling asleep, classical music and nature sounds are the best thing. Better than counting sheep.

Any classical music will do, preferably bass tones. The sound of a violin or several violins sounds sweet and longing but when my head is throbbing it sounds more like cats crying or nails on a chalkboard. Cellos and pianos have deep low voices and when you have a headache you're more sensitive to bright lights and loud noises. Not only does the low smooth sound of a cello sound soothing but I think that I also feel the subtle vibrations working on my throbbing temple. The piano alone sounds like falling rain hitting the window glass and that has always been a calming sound.

Artists I Recommend:

  1. Beethoven
  2. Ludovico Einaudi


If Beethoven or Mozart won't help you then try Nature Sounds. Rain, Thunder Storms, and Ocean waves are what help me. Nature Sounds are like white noise; just part of the background so you sort of drift off without even realizing it. Concentrating on a single thing can help lessen the pain. Also if your thoughts aren't bouncing off the walls you'd have an easier time falling asleep.

Sounds strange, I know but sound can do a lot more than we give it credit for. If you have the right frequency you can even move objects with just sound or even blow someone's brains out with the highest pitch.

Monday, August 26, 2013

How to Write A Vampire Story

     If you've read Anne Rice or L.J. Smith you've gotten the gist of how to write a vampire story. Stephanie Meyer is also an example but I think she didn't get the true soul of the vampire tale. Here are some elements when writing a vampire tale whether it be horror or a romance.

The elements of a vampire story are:

  1. It deals with the Supernatural (obviously)
  2. Death/ Tragedy
  3. Horror
  4. Sex
  5. Blood (alot of it)
  6. Violence
     Some of you may ask: "What about Romance?" Well you can add that surely but essentially these are key elements in laying out the background of your story. The Vampire stories of old were not at all like the vampires we see on TV or in Movies. They weren't the emo hotties with fangs that professed eternal love; they were the monsters like "Nosferatu": UGLY! Most of the stories we know about vampires come from Eastern European Lore and these vamps are more sad than scary. One story tells of a woman who died in childbirth. Her husband buried her and began raising their infant child alone. Yet every night the mother would return and nurse her baby. One night the husband caught her and with a look of despair, the mother departed never to return. 

      This vampire tale is more humorous. There was once a wealthy young man who met a beautiful, attractive woman one evening. He invited her home for dinner to enjoy her company further. The mystery woman never gave the man a name (you'd think he'd find that strange). They spent the night together, but the next morning the man waited for his lover to come and join him for breakfast and she did not show. He went upstairs to see her, only to find her corpse! She looked as if she had been dead for weeks!

     The first tale was sad, the second contained sex and death and some humor but neither contained the crucial element: Blood. This third tale is a home invasion. In a country village a family buried their patriarch. A few nights later, a strange man came calling at the door. He asked to be invited in to rest for the night. The family invited him in and fed him some stew. Just a few minutes later, the stranger attacked his hosts and drained most of them of blood. The man then disappeared. The village led a mob to find the murderer until they found the grave of the patriarch, the dirt freshly overturned. They uncovered the corpse of the patriarch, his mouth bloody, his belly full as if he had just eaten. The villagers staked him then cut off his head.

    So that last story had violence and death. Put all the other elements together and you have yourself a vampire story to entertain your readers. You will be tempted to change some elements. Don't fight that impulse. There are alot of vamp fiction stories out there and they all tell the same story. 

Here's a traditional list of vampire traits or weaknesses or what makes them a vampire:
  1. They have no reflection (the mirror reveals the soul & vampires have no souls to speak of)
  2. Garlic weakens them
  3. They must be invited into one's home if there is someone living there (they need a pulse)
  4. Being that vampires are undead, they have no heart beat
  5. Crosses repel them
  6. Silver weakens and or burns them
  7. They burst into flames when in sunlight
  8. They are immortal (that is a definite)
  9. They need blood to survive
  10. They have psychic powers
  11. They can shape shift into other animals (a bat mostly, but Bram Stoker has Dracula turn into a bat or a wolf).
  12. They can be killed with a wooden stake through the ribs.
  13. Vampires sleep in coffins.
    Most of these traits such as: garlic, silver, Christian crosses, no reflection have been taken out. Taking out these weaknesses adds tangibility to your vampire character. A vampire's personality traits vary but most are:
  1. Brooding
  2. Charismatic
  3. Devil-May-Care attitude
  4. Empathic
  5. Seducers
  6. Charming
  7. A predator
     The vampires we know from TV (such as The Vampire Diaries) come off as sociopaths such as Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce, and Klaus. Again this gives your vampire character substance and whether you make him/her a villain or an anti-hero will still entertain your readers.

      Now for Vampire names. What sounds like a great name for a vampire? It depends on how old you plan to make them. A vampire that's 1,000 years old would have a name of the times like Marcus or even Gabriel. If your vamp was turned in the 1800s you can be somewhat unconventional. Names such as Kevin or Yvaine are acceptable. They may sound more modern but if you want to be different from the pack then look at public records from 1700s to 1800s and see which one stands out to you. If your vamp was made in like the 60s or even in 2011, you can get more creative. Vampire names such as Talia Sand or Damien Reese sound silly and some how cliché but that all depends on the kind of story you want to write. The names I just mentioned seem more fitted for romance novels. But here are some you may know from other fiction tales.

Examples:
  1. Aidan (Being Human)
  2. Henry Fitzroy (Blood Ties)
  3. Bill (True Blood)
  4. Edward Cullen (Twilight)
  5. Stefan Salvatore & Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)
  6. Vlad Dracula (Dracula)
  7. Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel)
    Then there's the romance portion or sex (again depending on what you want to write). Vampire stories involving "forbidden love" are always successful; especially the human/vampire romances. My advice: try something new. I personally think the witch/vampire romance hasn't been visited much (the witch is still human so it's not too far off). Or if you're feeling adventurous go for the werewolf/vampire romance. That's always interesting to see as werewolves and vampires are always portrayed as on opposing sides and it gives it more of a "Romeo & Juliet" feel for the story. Also no love story is ever complete or more dramatic without an opposing love interest.

Examples:
  1. Klaus & Caroline & Tyler (The Vampire Diaries)
  2. Edward & Bella & Jake (Twilight)
  3. Damon & Elena & Stefan (The Vampire Diaries)
  4. Jonathan Harker & Mina & Dracula (Dracula)
  5. Chloe & Louis & LeStadt (Interview with A Vampire)
  6. Angel & Buffy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
    Death/Tragedy come with Horror stories; actually any kind of story really. In vampire stories, Death is about Rebirth; a human dies but then a vampire is born. The vampire is the new you; a chance to start over or become something you've always wanted to be. You can make your vampire be happier being a vampire, change his or her personality; make them brooding or make them sociopathic. 

    Finally, there is no vampire story without blood. Don't be afraid to get bloody when writing your story. If you want a completely villainous character or a character trying to be redeemed give them a bloody history; stack those bodies up, make a list a names, etc. This will tie into Death/Tragedy. Death gives your story and characters stakes (not the wooden kind) and a touch of drama. 

    If you want to add things to make your story stand out then I highly recommend that you do. Make your universe your own: make vampires a secret or a known race at odds with the humans or create your own laws the vampires follow such as killing one's maker is a heinous crime or that vamp will die if they kill their maker. You can have your vampires walk in the sun and not get burned. Stephanie Meyer gets ripped on because her vampires sparkle like fairies and I agree with the out cries. She gets points for trying but essentially it's best sometimes to avoid changing basic vampire traits.

Go and Write!



                       

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The "REAL" Story Behind Starz's "The White Queen"




The Real Story Behind Philippa Gregory's "The White Queen"
I'm well acquainted with Philippa Gregory's famous novel, The White Queen, now a show on STARZ set for 1 season only. Whenever a film or television show is made set in a period piece, people usually complain how it isn't historically accurate. However, Hollywood's purpose is to entertain audiences, but also they really aren't too far off. The same is with Philippa Gregory's novel The White Queen. 

The White Queen is set in England in the time of The War of the Roses. The War of the Roses was a war between the houses of York (represented by the white rose) and of Lancaster (represented by the red rose). The story is told through the perspective of Elizabeth Wydville-Grey, daughter of Lord and Lady Rivers, and widow of Sir John Grey. Elizabeth Wydville (or sometimes spelled Wydvylle) was allied with the House of Lancaster but fortunes shifted and she charmed the rival king Edward IV of the House of York. They married and ruled England until Edward IV died and his brother, Richard III declared his brother's children bastards and made himself and his wife, Anne Neville, King and Queen. He locked his young nephews in the dreaded Tower of London where they disappeared from history. Some claim the poor boys were murdered; smothered in their sleep and buried in the fortress somewhere. The throne was then taken by Henry Tudor, a.k.a. Henry VII, the father of Henry VIII, grandfather of Elizabeth I. Henry married Elizabeth, first daughter of Elizabeth Wydville and Edward IV; thus joining the Houses of York & Lancaster and ending the Civil War.

Philippa Gregory went more fairytale with telling this story, but to be fair, just reading the bare bones of the story from a history book, it sort of is a fairytale except it has no "happily ever after" part. The tale of Melusine, Jaquetta using witchcraft, and Richard III having a sexual passion for his niece, Elizabeth, were all just rumors said at the time and after to paint the Wydvilles as villains because they were considered upstarts and greedy commoners aiming high above their station. Instead I'll give you some background behind the war and some events that took place up to Henry VII sitting on the throne and forever ending the War between the two houses.



Lancaster & York
The houses of Lancaster and York were cousins; both part of the Plantagenet House. Both were grandchildren of Edward III. There is a legend as to how the War between the houses started. The Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of York had an argument in an inn where York chose the white rose for his house emblem and Lancaster chose the red rose for his own. Both parties were miles away from the hotel and York didn't chose the white rose yet until later. Also the red rose was chosen by Henry Tudor after the Battle of Bosworth where Richard III met his end so that Henry could make a new emblem signifying the union between York and Lancaster.

Lancaster
The King at the time before the war was the mentally imbalanced, religious Henry VI. His mental illness could be attributed to his maternal grandfather, King Charles Valois of France. His mother, Katherine Valois, was Charles' daughter (although because his wife, the nymphomaniac, Isabeau of Bavaria, had many lovers there was some debate at the time as to who the real father of her children were). Henry V of England invaded France and is known for obliterating what was known as "the flower of chivalry" at the Battle of Agincourt (a battle Henry VIII loved to learn about and Henry V was his idol). Charles Valois, weak and mad, surrendered his throne to Henry V and gave him his daughter Katherine to bind their countries together. From this union came the future Henry VI. 


Henry VI - "The Mad King"
Henry V would never see his son grow up. The newborn prince became king six months later after his father Henry V died in his camp of dysentary. Henry VI was taken from his mother to be raised by his councilors and many wet nurses, dry nurses, and servants. As a solace, Katherine took a lover, a Welsh named Owen Tewdwr (or "Tudor") whom she secretly married. Owen Tewdwr was no commoner; he was descendent of Welsh royalty and so the Welsh have always loved and were loyal to the Tudor family. They had children, an unnamed daughter who became a nun and three sons, Jasper, Edmund, and Owen (the last being taken from her after her secret marriage was discovered and raised by Benedictine monks, which he later joined and was buried in a monastery in 1502). Still, Henry VI adored his brothers, awarding them lands and titles and in return his half-brothers were very loyal to the House Lancaster. 

Henry VI would succumb to bouts of lunacy, which impaired his judgement. Like Charles Valois, Henry VI would cry out that he was made of glass and that he would break. It is said that after he met Joan of Arc, who was imprisoned by the English that he was never the same. During his lucid moments, Henry VI displayed a fervor and dedication to religion. He was seen as a pure, noble soul but that he was surrounded by evil councilors, including his scheming wife, Margaret of Anjou. His French queen was called the "She-Wolf of France" or just the "She-Wolf". Margaret was imperious, over-bearing and assertive of her authority. She dominated her weak husband and they had a son, Prince Edward. 

After Warwick failed to place Henry VI on the throne, Henry was quickly murdered. His only son and heir Edward was killed before him.

Margaret Beaufort - "The Red Queen"
Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond married a very young Margaret Beaufort. She was 12 years old at the time while Edmund was 25. Margaret was said to be a very devout, precocious girl (impressive for someone at her age) and that she had a vision that she must marry Edmund, the Earl of Richmond. Margaret's father, John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, died when she was only an infant. Some claim that he committed suicide because of his humiliating defeat in France. Margaret is a cousin of Henry VI being a direct descendent of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster (founding father of the House of Lancaster), son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault; through his famous yet unsung mistress, Katherine Swynford. So by default, Margaret's claim to the throne was stronger than most, yet she was habitually over looked because of her sex and because she was a child. Yet an ambitious husband could help make her claim. Margaret was handed over to become ward to the Duke of Suffolk who betrothed her to his son, John de la Pole in hopes that he could convince Henry VI to make Margaret his heir (at the time she was seven years old and Henry VI had no heir).

         At age 13, Margaret gave birth to her only child, Henry; the future King of England. Margaret had a strong devotion to her faith and also had a strong personality, which would have her son defer to his mother in judgement on matters of state (not often) and Henry gave her the run of his household (his children's upbringing, their education, and health). Henry was taken from his mother and sent to be raised by his uncle Jasper. In the show, there are hints that Margaret and Jasper were in love but in reality, Jasper took care of his nephew and kept Margaret in the loop of his upbringing mostly out of family duty. Margaret did marry other times after Edmund died but she never bore another child. Speculation is that Edmund may have raped Margaret or because Margaret had a difficult labor that damaged her uterus because she was so young. Henry was also a sickly boy that survived because of his mother's careful vigilance.

In the show, Margaret is married to Sir Henry Stafford, a marriage which is shown her cold, vindictive mother arranged. In reality it was most likely Margaret's idea along with Jasper Tudor's plan. Margaret was married 4 times by the end of her life and she survived them all.

Margaret lived to see her son, Henry VII gain the throne. She was in charge of his household and his children's education. Margaret died in June 1509, only surviving her son by a few months (he died in April). Margaret arranged her grandson's Henry VIII's coronation. She is buried in the Henry VII Lady Chapel of the Abbey, in a black marble tomb topped with a bronze gilded effigy and canopy, between the graves of William and Mary and the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots.

York
Edward IV of York, was descendent of Edward III through his son, Edmund, Duke of York. Edward's father was Richard, Duke of York and he was named heir to the throne until he was killed at the Battle of Wakefield. Although only 18 at the time, Edward more than proved himself an able soldier and intelligent leader. He lead and won the battle at Towton against Henry VI, chasing both him and Margaret and their young son, to Scotland for sanctuary with James III. 

Edward enlisted the help of his cousin, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Warwick was nicknamed "The King-Maker" because of his cleverness and political savvy in helping his cousin attain the throne. Warwick had his own Pro-French agenda; that much is true. Warwick expected to control Edward and be the puppet master. However, Edward was no Henry VI.

Edward IV - "The York King"

Edward of York was the great-great grandson of Edward III. There were rumors at the time of his birth that his mother, Cecily had had an affair and so he was not his father's, the Duke's, son. This was a common tool to steal someone's inheritance. By the time he was 18, Edward looked every bit a king from a fairytale. He was tall, dark soft hair, blue eyes, jovial, a skilled warrior, and he was also one of England's famous rakes. He had already bedded half the women in England around the time the war started. So it seems hard to believe that a playboy prince would fall hard and marry some woman on the road, like Elizabeth Wydville. They met, fell in love, then married in secret. However, that wouldn't have been the first time Edward had proposed to a woman. There was a woman whom he played the same game with and she had his bastard son.
                                                                     
Yet to Edward's credit, he came out with his marriage to Elizabeth Wydville, saying that it was a true marriage. Warwick was the most furious and probably the loudest voice of dissent when Edward made the announcement. Other members of the council were not too happy either as not only was Elizabeth older, a commoner, and of the Lancastrian House, but that she had two sons that when matured could start a faction against the crown. The rules of inheritance passed to the next heir, Elizabeth's sons could make such claims of riches against any children Edward and Elizabeth have.

Although Edward and Elizabeth seemed to have a happy marriage, having 10 children (7 of who will survive Edward), Edward did not stop his "merry romps" with other women. Elizabeth was intelligent enough to keep her mouth shut and turn a blind eye. She knew that Edward would always come back to her and he did. They still enjoyed each other physically; evidence being that Elizabeth was pregnant again when she was 42!

There was one mistress that Edward kept on. Her name was Jane Shore. If you read Leslie Carroll's Royal Affairs you'll find that Edward and Jane Shore continued their affair until his death. Edward was morbidly obese towards the end of his life. He died in 1483. He is buried in St. George's Chapel with his beloved wife, Elizabeth.

The Wydvilles
Richard Wydville was once a humble squire. Jacquetta of Luxembourg was a daughter of the Duke of Burgundy. They both fell in love and eloped. Jacquetta had once married for state reasons, but after she was widowed, she was rich and free. She would not be carted off to another state marriage so instead she married for love. To make her marriage somewhat less shameful on her family, Wydville was given a title, Baron Rivers. Also since they wed without permission, they were fined 1,000 pounds (over $731,000 in today's money). They had many children; at least fourteen, mostly daughters. They were known to be blond and blue-eyed. Among the eldest children was the soon to be famous Elizabeth Wydville. Elizabeth's family was an ally of the House of Lancaster. Her husband, Sir John Grey was also a loyal Lancastrian. Together they had two healthy sons, Thomas and Richard. 

Jacquetta Wydville was accused of witch craft at one point, which is where the stories of Melusine and the rumors of spell casting originate, but she was acquitted and spared from burning at the stake.

Once Elizabeth was installed as Queen, the Wydvilles set about arranging advantageous marriages for themselves to cement their power. This enflamed the nobility even more. Who were these Wydvilles? Who do they think they are? Not much of eligible noble bachelors and bachelorettes were left once the Wydvilles walked on the scene. Elizabeth's youngest sister, in The White Queen series married an equally young Duke. Marriages such as that during those days were common. Yet these marriages were never consummated until the bride and groom reached a mature age.
  • A Digression
The story of Melusine is a Medeavil tale. During these times, royal houses would help their prestige by claiming that their families had supernatural origins. The story goes that Melusine was a fairy. Her mother was a Fairy Queen who once married a Scottish King. The Fairy said that she would marry him only on the condition that he would never disturb her when she was bathing or when she was bathing the children. The King broke that rule so the Fairy Queen vanished with her triplet daughters to Avalon. Melusine was one of those daughters and when she grew up, she punished her father. Enraged, her mother cursed Melusine to become a serpent from the waist down every Saturday (some say as a mermaid). Melusine met her husband the same way her mother did and made the same deal with her husband. Of course, Melusine's husband broke his promise and found Melusine in her monstrous form. Melusine shrieked then flew off. Others claim that she forgave her husband but when he called her a serpent during an argument in front of the whole court, she turned into a dragon and flew away, leaving her husband 2 magic rings.



Elizabeth Wydville - "The White Queen"
Elizabeth Wydville's husband died in battle, leaving her widowed and her lands were taken from her. Legend has it that Elizabeth with her two sons (another claims that she was alone) beneath an oak tree and met Edward IV as he was riding with his soldiers. Edward was instantly bewitched by Elizabeth. 

Edward IV was known as quite the womanizer. Yet there was something about Elizabeth that he just couldn't shake. So he married her and announced to the world his marriage. Needless to say, no one was happy about it. Edward may have continued his philandering but he and his wife remained close and he would often listen to her council.

If Elizabeth had a son first, their story would have ended much differently. Yet Fate had other plans. For the first few years of their marriage, Elizabeth gave birth to 3 daughters. She gave birth to a son, Edward November 2, 1470. This was during the intervals where Edward IV lost his throne and Elizabeth took refuge in London in Westminster Abbey with her 3 daughters while Edward waited in exile in Burgundy. He of course returned and triumphantly regained his throne.

Elizabeth Wydville's final defeat was at the hands of none other than Edward's quiet brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. He declared his brother's children by Elizabeth bastards, saying that Edward's marriage was null and void. Richard took Elizabeth's two sons Edward (V) and Richard and placed them in the Tower and demoted her from Queen Mother to Dame Elizabeth Grey. Elizabeth had no choice but to pretend to be loyal. She died at the age of 55 in Bermondsey Abby, July 8, 1492. She is buried in a wooden coffin on top of Edward's lead-encased coffin in St. George's Chapel.
Richard Neville - "The Kingmaker" 
Richard Neville was Earl of Salisbury but on the marriage to his wife, Anne, he became Earl of Warwick. He is known as "Warwick the King Maker" because of how he made Edward King of England. Richard was Edward's cousin; Edward's mother, Cecily, is Warwick's aunt. Warwick had two daughters: Isabel and Anne. Warwick was ambitious. He had hoped to rule the kingdom through Edward, but Edward was determined to rule on his own and not be a puppet king like Henry VI. 

Before Edward announced his secret marriage to Elizabeth Wydville, Warwick was planning on making a French alliance through marriage between Princess Bona and Edward IV. Those plans dashed, Warwick saw that Edward would be a problem. After Edward refused to let Warwick's daughters marry his brothers: George, Duke of Clarence, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Warwick decided to go behind Edward's back and marry his oldest daughter, Isabel to George in Calais. George was sore that his older brother was on the throne instead of him (spoiled by their mother, Cecily who doted on George) so the thought of being King was enough to turn George against his brother. Edward was captured by Warwick who had hoped to run the country through his prisoner, but Edward escaped. Warwick also had Richard Wydville, Earl of Rivers, and his son John, Elizabeth's father and brother executed.

Warwick had a plan. They say the Enemy of my Enemy is my friend. This was definitely true for Warwick and Margaret of Anjou. Margaret was hiding in France with her son, Edward when Warwick, her former enemy, came to her with a proposal. Warwick's daughter Anne would marry Margaret's son and Warwick would invade England and knock Edward off his throne. Margaret saw the advantages of course and agreed. Warwick invaded England and occupied London. He paraded Henry VI through the streets as a restored King while Edward IV was in the North suppressing Lancastrian uprisings. 

However, Warwick's success was short-lived. He overreached himself with his plan to invade Burgundy in alliance with the King of France, tempted by King Louis' promise of territory in the Netherlands as a reward. This led Edward's brother-in-law, Charles of Burgundy, to provide funds and troops to Edward to enable him to launch an invasion of England in 1471. George again switched sides over to his brother, Edward, and Warwick was declared a traitor. In the final battle, there was a terrible fog so thick that Warwick's men didn't know who was who, so they started fighting each other. Warwick died in battle when he was cut down while trying to reach his horse.

Anne Neville - "The Kingmaker's Daughter"

Anne Neville was Warwick's youngest daughter. She is described as being thin, pale, and of a timid nature. Being that she was a girl (the wrong sex in those days for nobility), her father tried many times to marry her off to the highest of nobility. Anne was betrothed to Richard, Duke of Gloucester, but that fell through when King Edward IV said "No" and then she was betrothed to marry the exiled prince Edward. Not much is known of Margaret of Anjou's son but some historians of the time who witnessed Margaret ask her 5 year old son how traitors should be punished. The boy answered that they should be executed and she let him watch the executions. They were married but it was never consummated.

One can only imagine how Anne felt about all this. Yet Anne was silent. After her royal husband died, Anne returned to England, her family being pardoned after George once again defected to his brother, Edward's side. There was a plan by Edward to let Anne Neville marry his brother, Richard. Anne and her sister, Isabel, were heirs to their parents' vast estates so George didn't want to share. George made Anne his ward and refused the proposal for her. There are some stories as to what happened during that time, including the story that she escaped from Clarence's custody and sought refuge in a London cook shop, disguised as a servant. Richard tracked her down and escorted her to sanctuary at the Church of St Martin le Grand. 

George met his end when Edward IV imprisoned him in the Tower for treason against his brother. George's wife, Isabel, had died in childbirth; however, George suspected she was poisoned and suspected her lady-in-waiting, whom he had arrested and bullied a jury to have her executed. George was "privately executed" in the Tower. He drowned in a barrel of malmsey wine. George was an alcoholic so not many people questioned Clarence's death.

Richard and Anne were married in Westminster Abbey and they settled down in Middleham Castle. They only had 1 child, a son named Edward. He was a sickly boy who tragically died when he was only 10 years old. Anne was crowned Queen alongside Richard. After their son's death, rumors flew around that Richard had planned to divorce his current wife because she was barren and marry his niece, Elizabeth York (Edward IV's oldest daughter). However, this is mere conjecture. First, since they were uncle and niece, they would have needed a papal dispensation because they were way too close in the gene pool; this was in fact incest, which the Church frowns upon. Sure, if they were first cousins it would have been slightly easier but, doubtful that Richard would have done so. Second, Richard had declared Elizabeth York a bastard so by laws of inheritance she would be barred from the throne.

Still, Richard survived his wife, Anne. She died of tuberculosis at Westminster. The day she died, there was an eclipse, which some took to be an omen of Richard's fall from heavenly grace. And he did. Richard III was defeated and killed by Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth. Richard's death ended the War of the Roses. 

The End of the War
Henry Tudor was fourteen when he fled England after a failed attempt to knock Edward off his throne. Once Richard became King, the Wydvilles and the York factions supported Henry's claim (as they presumed that Edward V and his brother Richard were dead). Henry invaded England with the Scottish and the French armies at his back. Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. This ended the civil war between the Houses of York and Lancaster. Henry Tudor was made Henry VII and her married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydville. You may ask: But wasn't she declared illegitimate? Her claim to the throne was stronger than Henry's if she was declared legitimate. Henry saw that through marriage he could cement the warring houses. If he married Elizabeth, Henry VII's claim to the throne would be strengthened. The two young couple settled down and had a son, Arthur, the first time around, which was lucky. Elizabeth Wydville would have had an easier time if she and Edward had a son the first time.

In the end, Lancaster was triumphant. Still. Henry VII may have settled the disputes but he took the throne through battle and when you take something by force, you must fight your entire life to keep it. Henry VII was haunted by rumors of plots against him. There were a few uprisings. Three were lead by the supposed real heirs of Edward IV. One claimed to be Edward V, another claimed to be the son of George, Duke of Clarence and one claimed to be Richard, the younger brother. Henry VII took pity on one Lambert Simnel, who was a simpleton set up to claim he was the son of the Duke of Clarence, so he crushed the rebellion and made the boy a kitchen servant. The others weren't so lucky. 

Through the reign of Henry VII and his son Henry VIII, the remaining Plantagenets would be imprisoned for life or executed for whatever reason. Elizabeth would have the same issue but England remained at peace with itself until Charles I of England was executed by Oliver Cromwell (descendent of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII's Chancellor). 

So no fairytale ending, only a warning. Anyone can take a throne, but not many can stay on it.