In which we seek the unusual...

[jesshartley]

I'm looking for ideas for articles for the magazine I write for. the topic? Unusual, fascinating, freakish or unique people from the Middle Ages.

Do you have a favorite (maybe obscure) person from history (pre1700s, preferably?) Someone whose story you stumbled across at some point and went "Wow, that's different."

I'm thinking people like St. Christopher, who was originally believed to be one of the "Dog headed race", Pope John XII who was possibly one of the worst popes in history (accused by the Emperor of having ordained a deacon in a stable, consecrated a 10-year-old boy as bishop of Todi, converted the Lateran Palace into a brothel, raped female pilgrims in St. Peter's, stolen church offerings, drunk toasts to the devil, and invoked the assistance of Jove, Venus, and other pagan gods when playing dice, during his time as pope).

Even strange happenings (if they have dates/places/names so I can research them)... Like When Richard the Lionhearted tossed 100 beehives over the walls in the beseiged village of Acre to break the seige.

Anyone have something interesting to share?

Comments

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

Well, there's Elizabeth Bathory, but you probably thought of her already.

Comte Saint-Germain

[liamgaidin.livejournal.com]

This is an interesting person. Think you will find the research and reading up on him facinating.

Here is a start
http://www.alchemylab.com/count_saint_germain.htm

[secret-fire.livejournal.com]

The Legend of Pope Joan

Hennig Brand, alchemist and discoverer of phosphorus (he distilled it from a vast amount of urine)

[keridwen.livejournal.com]

Henry II of England once got so upset (angry) that he started chewing on a floor mat.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

I think that had to do with Eleanor. Most of his more spectacular fits did. :)

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Gilles de Rais has always fascinated me, especially because of the way he ties in to Joan of Arc.

Eleanor of Aquitaine. What a fascinating woman! So strong that she terrified most of the rulers of Europe, she rode to the Crusades leading an army of 1000 men while married to the king of France, led two rebellions against her second husband, King Henry II of England, and was the mother of Richard the Lionhearted.

Margery Kempe: a simple commoner woman who claimed to have visions from God...and who was backed by the bishops when she told them about it. Very interesting story.

And just squeaking into the 1700s mark, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Well...Anne was born in 1700, anyway. The two most famous female pirates.

[joecrow.livejournal.com]

Pope John XII who was possibly one of the worst popes in history (accused by the Emperor of having ordained a deacon in a stable, consecrated a 10-year-old boy as bishop of Todi, converted the Lateran Palace into a brothel, raped female pilgrims in St. Peter's, stolen church offerings, drunk toasts to the devil, and invoked the assistance of Jove, Venus, and other pagan gods when playing dice, during his time as pope).

See, now, that makes him one of the best popes ever, in my book. But I'm kinda off, or so they tell me.

As for neat pre-1700's types:

Egil Skallagrimsson. A hard man among hard men.