Sir Andrew Noble III 21st Lord Kt.HRE

17/08/2025

Montrose - Graham - Fleming - Drummond

16/08/2025

Hugh de Cressingham, King Edward I’s treasurer in Scotland. His job was to make the occupation pay for itself, and he did it with ruthless efficiency. Cressingham oversaw heavy taxation, squeezing every penny he could from a population already under strain. He made enemies in every corner of the country, and his wealth only grew. To the Scots, he wasn’t just an English official. He was the face of their oppression.

The battle itself was fought on the narrow wooden bridge spanning the River Forth. The English army tried to cross in force, but the Scots, led by William Wallace and Andrew Moray, waited until only part of the enemy had made it over. Then they struck. The weight of the attack drove the English into chaos. The bridge became a death trap, and many were cut down or drowned as they tried to escape.

Cressingham was among those killed. But his death was only the beginning. According to contemporary chronicles, the Scots flayed his body after the battle, peeling away strips of skin and handing them out as grim trophies. This was no random act of savagery. It carried a brutal symbolism. The man who had “skinned” Scotland through relentless taxes was now literally skinned himself.

The story doesn’t end there. One of the most enduring legends claims that William Wallace took a broad strip of Cressingham’s skin, had it tanned, and made it into a baldric for his greatsword. Whether this detail is fact or legend is debated by historians, but its message was clear. It was psychological warfare. If true, every time Wallace drew his sword, it reminded his enemies of the price of their rule.

In the medieval world, violence was nothing new. Executions, mutilations, and battlefield butchery were common. But even in that context, the treatment of Cressingham’s body stood out. It was not done in the heat of the fight. It was deliberate. It was vengeance turned into a warning.

For the Scots, Stirling Bridge was a victory that proved they could stand against one of the most powerful armies in Europe. For Cressingham, it was the end of a career built on enforcing another king’s will. And for anyone watching from the English side, it was a sign that ruling Scotland would never be simple, and never without cost.

*Since cameras didn’t exist in the Middle Ages, this scene was conjured with a little help from AI. This is my take on how it might have looked.*

16/08/2025

Yes she was crowned King.

Jadwiga was crowned King of Poland to emphasize her status as a sovereign ruler in her own right, not as the wife of a king. The title "king" in Polish, "król," signified the monarch who ruled the kingdom, while "królowa" (queen) was typically used for the king's wife.

15/08/2025

A lot has been written about her life and that of two of her famous sons, Richard the Lionheart and John Lackland, but what about her other children? (see comment👇)

15/08/2025

15/08/2025

For business or set up about you and your heritage let AI answer questions asked by others.

Jodie is your AI receptionist. She answers your calls when you can't, captures job details, and sends them straight to your phone. So you never lose work to a missed call.

15/08/2025

Dig sites. My MtDna shows I have more Austrian. French. Spanish. Bohemian. Prussia. Holy Roman Empire. Danish. Ect than I do England or Scotland royal houses. So backs up my documents and tree. Clan Ralston are a military family high ranking officers and the Fortune family. Both were nobility until they had no chief. Also married a Hamilton.

15/08/2025

Happy 75th birthday Your Royal Highness. cousin

Wishing Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal a very happy 75th birthday. We celebrate not only this special day but also her lifelong dedication to supporting the Armed Forces and the veteran community. 🎉 ❤️

14/08/2025

King John of England was no stranger to scandal, and his reign was marked by treachery, greed, and personal indulgence. Known for his ruthless nature, he infamously betrayed his own brother, Richard the Lionheart, attempting to seize the throne while Richard was imprisoned.

But John's greatest scandal was his disastrous marriage to Isabella of Angoulême. Not only was she already betrothed to another noble, Hugh de Lusignan, but John married her in 1200 without concern for the political consequences. His reckless move enraged the Lusignan family and led to war with France, costing England vast territories, including Normandy.

Accusations of lechery further marred his rule—he was said to have seduced the wives and daughters of his own barons, fueling their hatred. Eventually, his own nobles turned against him, forcing him to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, a document he had no intention of honoring.

His reign ended in chaos, with war, rebellion, and even whispers that he lost the Crown Jewels in a marsh before dying of dysentery in 1216. Few kings have left behind a legacy quite so infamous.

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