Writing historical fiction demands an immense amount of research. All writers must conduct research, but not all writers need to worry about whether potatoes had reached Europe yet. I enjoy researching my novels in the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. Today is International Women’s Day, and if my alma mater, the University of Oxford, post on Facebook that the first women collected their degrees 103 years ago, I shall say better late than never. Bologna University awarded a law degree to Bettisia Gozzadini in 1237, and she commenced teaching at the university in 1239. I discovered that whilst researching the second book, Fire and Earth.
In my research and writing I have travelled with Sir Anthony and his children from England to Constantinople, and back again. In Called to Account we found ourselves immersed in a pogrom, experiencing the hatred directed at Jews who had fled their homeland. The Suggested Assassin starts with a voyage on a relatively small boat from Ostia to Tunis. Small boats are in the news at the moment. Rishi Sunak’s government is trying to curb refugees arriving in the UK in small boats. One wonders why these poor people continue to make that perilous crossing?
The research for Book 5 is going well. When I have posted this, I will add my notes on Cardinal Richelieu to a character sketch. One of the small details I have learnt is that in 1605 he travelled to Rome to seek appointment as Bishop of Luçon. Whilst in Rome he learnt Italian and Spanish. In those days you didn’t just go somewhere for a fortnight, and you had to learn the language.
The British Empire and Hollywood have made English the modern world’s lingua franca, ironically. English is the most common second language. Therefore is it not understandable that when seeking asylum you would do so where you speak the language? I believe that’s why the small boats keep coming.