Post by gracedeblanchard on Jun 27, 2010 12:06:37 GMT 1
Grace de Blanchard – The story of the English jewel in a French garden[/i]
The story of Grace de Blanchard begins in a beautiful day of August 9th, year 1516; daughter of an English woman and of a French father, Grace was the first girl and the third child of the Blanchards, a very rich, noble family, in close relationship with the French Court. Despite all the changes that occurred in the French succession, the head of the Blanchards always managed to remain close to those who had the power, making sure that, this way, he would gain different advantages for his own and for his family.
However, things weren’t always that good for the family of the young Grace. When she was only three years old, her mother gave birth to a third son, Grace’s youngest brother. But, just like her little brother, Grace’s mother did not manage to get through it and recover after the birth-giving. Being already old and suffering from different illnesses, spread almost everything during those times, she died a couple of days after giving birth. The third son soon followed her, leaving the head of the family, Louis, alone with his three children: Jacques, Henri and Grace.
Weird enough, but the daughter was the only one who had an English name; maybe because her mother had always wanted her beloved daughter to be raised in the English spirits of the Tudor Court, no matter where she was. Grace was supposed to become an English jewel in the French garden, and the little daughter followed the desires of her mother from a small age. While her father never took much care of his daughter, being preoccupied of the well-being of his sons, Grace enjoyed very much the company of her mother and the one of her dames, all of them English women. This, till the age of three, when the little one found herself abandoned completely, in the care of those who had been her friends from the day she opened her eyes.
Nonetheless, the death of her sweet, beloved mother did not transform Grace into a rude, selfish, cold child; on the contrary, she became happier and more beautiful, day by day, as this was the very wish of her mother, to always see her smiling and shining in the eyes of the others. Spending her entire day in the flourished garden of her castle, Grace was reading every English thing coming into her hands, as well as works in Latin and Spanish. Her high spirits and intelligence were remarked by all those visiting the Blanchards, yet always being confronted with a certain dilemma, and that would be of whether her beauty was surpassing the beauty of her soul or not. She was famous for her kind, gentle soul, always in desire to help the others as much as she could.
And, so, growing up and reaching the age of 16, her father, well advised by His Majesty, the King of France, decided to send her to the English Court, where she would be able to accomplish her education. Despite Grace’s protests, because of the dangerous times the English realm was right then passing through, she did not have much option and so she found herself walking at the board of the ship waiting for her to get her to the native land of her sweet mother.
The story of Grace de Blanchard begins in a beautiful day of August 9th, year 1516; daughter of an English woman and of a French father, Grace was the first girl and the third child of the Blanchards, a very rich, noble family, in close relationship with the French Court. Despite all the changes that occurred in the French succession, the head of the Blanchards always managed to remain close to those who had the power, making sure that, this way, he would gain different advantages for his own and for his family.
However, things weren’t always that good for the family of the young Grace. When she was only three years old, her mother gave birth to a third son, Grace’s youngest brother. But, just like her little brother, Grace’s mother did not manage to get through it and recover after the birth-giving. Being already old and suffering from different illnesses, spread almost everything during those times, she died a couple of days after giving birth. The third son soon followed her, leaving the head of the family, Louis, alone with his three children: Jacques, Henri and Grace.
Weird enough, but the daughter was the only one who had an English name; maybe because her mother had always wanted her beloved daughter to be raised in the English spirits of the Tudor Court, no matter where she was. Grace was supposed to become an English jewel in the French garden, and the little daughter followed the desires of her mother from a small age. While her father never took much care of his daughter, being preoccupied of the well-being of his sons, Grace enjoyed very much the company of her mother and the one of her dames, all of them English women. This, till the age of three, when the little one found herself abandoned completely, in the care of those who had been her friends from the day she opened her eyes.
Nonetheless, the death of her sweet, beloved mother did not transform Grace into a rude, selfish, cold child; on the contrary, she became happier and more beautiful, day by day, as this was the very wish of her mother, to always see her smiling and shining in the eyes of the others. Spending her entire day in the flourished garden of her castle, Grace was reading every English thing coming into her hands, as well as works in Latin and Spanish. Her high spirits and intelligence were remarked by all those visiting the Blanchards, yet always being confronted with a certain dilemma, and that would be of whether her beauty was surpassing the beauty of her soul or not. She was famous for her kind, gentle soul, always in desire to help the others as much as she could.
And, so, growing up and reaching the age of 16, her father, well advised by His Majesty, the King of France, decided to send her to the English Court, where she would be able to accomplish her education. Despite Grace’s protests, because of the dangerous times the English realm was right then passing through, she did not have much option and so she found herself walking at the board of the ship waiting for her to get her to the native land of her sweet mother.