America the Wacky

[metonomia]

You guys.  A 12 year old (and her grandfather) from sort-of my area discovered and proved that every single US president except Martin Van Buren is related to John Plantagenet (John Lackland - Eleanor of Aquitaine's son, the Magna Carta John). EVERY SINGLE ONE.  How crazy is that?  And a twelve-year-old!  I feel very unaccomplished.

http://www.ksbw.com/news/21404492/detail.html

She's coming to my Borders on Saturday.  I'm so there.

Comments

[makinhistory.livejournal.com]

...Seriously?? Wow, that's actually really cool!! I just finished reading a book that talked about Eleanor of Aquitaine and I wondered if she had any notable offspring...I guess that answers that question? :D

Also, randomly, did you know that John's other nickname was Softsword? Yes. He was a ninny, according to his contemporaries. XD

[metonomia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm super impressed with it. I love Eleanor of Aquitaine, and she has notable family all over the place. She's Richard the Lionhearted's mother too, of course. But John was apparently her favorite. He is such a fun historical dude - all he wanted was to chill in Normandy! But then he had to go and steal the intended wife of another vassal of the French king and so they yoinked Normandy from him and he lost all that land and his barons decided to gang up on him. Fun times.

[autumnia]

Ah, the Middle Ages. I looked up John Lackland on wiki and noted he was the son of Henry II. What timing you have! I just finished reading "Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett yesterday and his father played quite a role in the novel/historical fiction.

So not only are the royal houses of Europe all related to one another, but the American Presidents as well!

[makinhistory.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course. But I thought Richard was her favorite - as per Thomas Cahill and Wikipedia, anyway. But.

[metonomia.livejournal.com]

ROFL, yes. It's kind of up in the air, I suppose. I've read a lot about how because John was the baby of the family she really doted on them. Overall, as far as I know, she mostly spent a ton of time getting mad at her husband and marshaling her children against him.

[makinhistory.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes...and both husbands, too! XD I feel bad for Louis's kids - Eleanor just kind of ignored them. I don't know if I'd rather be forced into war against my dad by my mom, or abandoned in another country by her. Hmm...