Stones & Bones

25/05/2022

Hello everyone – Deborah here. Thank you to so many who've listened to the podcast and especially to those who took time to post a message – or two! I appreciate you so much and I know Queen Emma does! After the end of Season Two we've taken a little break, but I never take a break from writing. It may seem like a duck swimming lazily across a pond, but I assure you that duck is furiously paddling beneath the surface! Our fantastic Stones & Bones team never stops either. We are currently working on S&B projects to be released later this year – whether it is the novel (the first in a trilogy) or new episodes for the podcast or both. And a side note, if I may, I'm in the middle of developing a screenplay on another story. I'm not always in the 11th century! But never fear...Queen Emma always has my heart! So please, please stay tuned! Cheers! D

08/05/2022

Happy Mother's Day!

05/05/2022

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

21/04/2022

On the embankment at Westminster Bridge on the River Thames, across the road from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and just a few feet away from Westminster Abbey stands this magnificent monument to a 1st century Celtic queen. The imposing statue of bronze depicts this ancient queen in her war chariot, both arms upraised as she holds a spear in her right hand. Her two daughters ride with her, one on each side of their mother. Pulling her chariot are two horses reared up, ready to charge forth into battle. Protruding from each wheel of her chariot is a mean-looking, razor-sharp scythe, reminding us that this queen meant business! Her name was Boadicea. Another spelling is Boudicca. But whatever way you see her name spelled in history, this one woman led her people in a war like no other and almost defeated the mighty armies of Rome. She is the subject of the podcast WARRIOR QUEEN.

20/04/2022

Almost two-thousand years ago, a Celtic queen proved the truth of the famous saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

14/04/2022

This map of the seven kingdoms (the Heptarchy) of Anglo-Saxon England holds pride of place on a wall in my study. The original dates circa 9th to 10th centuries. If you look closely at 'Ireland' it says HIBERNIA more prominently. The term is Latin for 'winter' and the root of the word hibernate. The Romans named this wild place across the sea Hibernia as it was too cold and rough for them to civilize and colonize. Full of wild Celts for sure!

14/04/2022

Samuel Johnson, considered England’s greatest man of letters, famously said: “When a man is tired of London, he’s tired of life.” London’s fascinating history is one reason why.

07/04/2022

This short video is of Asa, my darling great niece. Asa is in the third grade. I'm tickled that she's a fan of the podcast. I give her a shout out in the intro to the episode THE GAME. Her mom was driving her to school and her brother took the video as a surprise. She's a sweetheart!

07/04/2022

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen, France. In Emma's day, Rouen was the capital of Normandy. One of the most historic towns in France. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake there. William the Conqueror died there. And, as per his wish, the heart of Richard the Lionheart is buried there as he was also Duke of Normandy when he was King of England. Also entombed are Emma's great-grandfather Rollo, the great Viking, founder of Normandy (Norman: 'north man') and the first Duke of Normandy. And her grandfather, William Longsword, second Duke of Normandy. When you get off the train at Rouen Station, you can see the 30 foot high cross that marks the exact spot in the medieval marketplace where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. From there, take a walk down a perfectly preserved medieval street. At the end stands the Cathedral. Behind it were the courthouses where 19-year old Joan was tried. convicted and sentenced to death. Emma's great-nephew, William the Conqueror, is buried in Caen Cathedral which he founded and endowed. But he died in Rouen when his horse stepped on a live coal and threw King William I of England forward onto the pommel of his saddle. He later died from the injury. Our visit to Rouen was special in so many ways as Emma walked there countless times. But also as a personal side note, I am proud to have an ancestor from my father's side who was born in Rouen.

06/04/2022

Chess is battle on a board. There can only be one winner.

31/03/2022

Any mentor can only go so far. Eventually the hero —or heroine —MUST face the unknown ALONE.

31/03/2022

Pictured is the mortuary chest in Wi******er Cathedral that holds the bones of C**t and Emma. But if you look closely, there is someone else who rests with them. Emma's lifelong protector and mentor, ALWYN (spelled Alwine on the chest). Close friend of her father, Duke Richard I of Normandy, Alwyn was a key player in Emma's story. I discuss how we know their relationship was so special in the episode THE MENTOR.

24/03/2022

Of Emma of Normandy, Sir Winston Churchill wrote: “Few women in history have stood at the centre of such remarkable converging forces.” But another powerful woman stood in her way.

23/03/2022

Image from the historic and iconic Bayeux Tapestry, housed and displayed in Bayeux France. Who is this mysterious woman? Is she Emma of Normandy or Aelfgifu of Northampton? To this day no one knows. I briefly discuss this in Episode 8, THE NORTHAMPTON. In a future episode, we'll delve into the fascinating history and amazing story.

18/03/2022

This magnificent statue of a victorious William the Conqueror proudly stands in the town square of Falaise, France. Circling the base of the statue are small statues of every Duke of Normandy beginning with Rollo 'Hrolf the Dane' the great Viking, founder of Normandy and great-great grandfather of Emma of Normandy. The evolution in clothing styles through the centuries are unmistakable, especially Rollo which shows him a Viking all the way.

17/03/2022

The ruins of a surviving tower of Falaise Castle, birthplace of the Dukes of Normandy including Emma of Normandy, Queen of England and her great-nephew, William the Conqueror. Falaise means 'castle on the cliff' that overlooks the lovely town of Falaise, France.

17/03/2022

I took these photos on our trip to Falaise. These are the Gates (in ruins) of Falaise Castle, home to the Dukes of Normandy. These were the gates through which all the Dukes passed through including Robert, Duke of Normandy, nephew of Emma of Normandy, when he had Arlette, the tanner's daughter and future mother of William the Conqueror, brought to him.

17/03/2022

Make sure to wear your green today!

16/03/2022

How did one of history’s most famous kings come to be? Yet without
Emma of Normandy, he would be a fleeting figure through time.

10/03/2022

Love the podcast? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stones-bones/id1586187335

04/03/2022

We have a HUGE announcement! "The Lady" novel trilogy authored by historian and podcast host Deborah Brezina is soon to be released! If you love the podcast's content, you will NOT want to miss this intriguing series of novels based on the life and times of Emma of Normandy.

Stay tuned for upcoming details regarding the release here on social media! Do you have friends and family that love Medieval history? If so, please share our podcast.

Fill out our contact form on the Stones & Bones website if you’re interested in purchasing a book and stay tuned to hear more about special pricing!

STONES AND BONES PODCAST WITH HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR DEBORAH BREZINA Emma, Queen of England, was put on trial for murder, adultery and treason…the grisly murder of a Prince that altered the line of future kings. Was the wife and mother of four British kings guilty of kidnapping, torture and treacher...

27/02/2022

Final resting place of Byrhtnoth, Earl of Essex. After the Battle of Maldon, there was a search for his body by lantern light. His co**se was found but not his head. His remains were taken by monks for burial in the Abbey on the Isle of Ely. Behind this plaque (pictured) in Ely Cathedral his bones rest. But not his head. Did the Vikings destroy it or take it away? It was written that a widow of one of the men who fought commissioned a woven curtain depicting the deeds of her husband. An embroidery many believe inspired the Bayeux Tapestry. Byrhtnoth shares his tomb with six of his valiant 'men of Essex.'

26/02/2022

Impressive statue of brave Byrhtnoth, Earl of Essex who valiantly led the Saxons - his 'men of Essex' - in the Battle of Maldon of 991 during the reign of the feckless King Aethelred the Unready.

25/02/2022

Near the town of Maldon, England this plaque is posted at the site of The Battle of Maldon which took place at the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England during the reign of feckless King Aethelred the Unready. Byrhtnoth, Earl of Essex led his brave Saxons against a Viking invasion and with his most faithful men fought to the death. The Saxon poem The Battle of Maldon is memorialized in a glorious poem, second only to BEOWULF in its importance to English literature.

24/02/2022

We're upon our mid-season break! Episodes one through six of Season Two are out. Episode six is the midpoint of the season and we will now be taking a two-week break. The remaining six episodes will be released after the break to complete the second half of Season Two.

Thank you for all of your support so far on Season Two, it is your interaction that allows us to keep making episodes! Also—stay tuned for a HUGE announcement!! Please share with your friends and family that love Medieval history.

23/02/2022

This figure is indispensable to British history and to Emma's story. But he didn't last long on her chessboard.

Don't forget to share this episode with family and friends!

16/02/2022

Even in the winter of life, love knows no yesterdays.

14/02/2022

Happy Valentine's Day!

11/02/2022

On your trek to the top, you cannot miss this magnificent pure gold statue of St. Michael the Archangel slaying the dragon. Mont St. Michel was named for and dedicated to St. Michael.

11/02/2022

The undercroft of Mont St. Michel. Distinctly Norman with its pillars carved from a single stone and its beautiful, sturdy, and functional fan vaulting. And its original Romanesque paving stone floor.

10/02/2022

The Chapel. Atop is a pure gold figure of St. Michael the Archangel. Believe it or not, every few years a courageous person climbs to the top to clean it!

10/02/2022

Cloisters at the very top surround a lush square of grass at Mont St. Michel.

09/02/2022

Magnificent Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France. Called ‘the Wonder of the Western World’ it is a UNESCO Heritage Site. A mountain of stone on a tidal island at the northern tip of Normandy overlooking the English Channel. The only fortress in France never taken in war. Queen Emma’s father Duke Richard I of Normandy built the first monastery at the very top. Her brother Duke Richard II built the chapel at the top that you see today. If you have the energy to wind around the edifice of pure granite to go all the way. But it’s more than worth it!

09/02/2022

It’s been said that home is where the heart is. But for Emma, only one
place will do.

03/02/2022

King Edward the Confessor, eldest son of Emma of Normandy and cousin of William, modeled Westminster Abbey on Jumièges. On my last trip to the UK in January 2020, I was able to capture the bells on a short video.

03/02/2022

Pictured, the ruins of Jumièges Abbey - Abbaye de Jumièges. Founded in the 7th century, sacked by the Vikings two centuries later, re-consecrated by William the Conqueror on his way home from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 where he won the Crown of England and left in ruins seven centuries later by French Revolutionaries. King Edward the Confessor, eldest son of Emma of Normandy and cousin of William, modeled Westminster Abbey on Jumièges. Similarities are striking as you can see in these two photos. On my last trip to the UK in January 2020, I was able to capture the bells on a short video.

02/02/2022

A woman desperate for her bloodline to continue fights at every turn for her sons to rise as kings. But first, she needs the oath.

31/01/2022

As we break into Season Two of the Stones & Bones podcast, we ask that if you enjoy the content we create, please leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your positive reviews and feedback are what allow us to keep making episodes! Thank you for your time and continued support!

28/01/2022

In the crypt of London's iconic St. Paul's Cathedral is this plaque that lists several notable individuals who are buried someplace under the original church. Note the second name on the left-hand column with date of death. In the episode NIGHTFALL, I briefly discuss this final blow to this unfortunate Saxon king. In a later episode, we'll look at the circumstances of why Æthelred the Unready was buried in London and sadly does not, as per his lifelong wish, rest with his ancestors in the Old Minster of Wi******er.