As is probably apparent by the working title of my manuscript, cups play a central role in Rosamund’s story. Obviously the first cup that comes to mind–and the most infamous–is the one made from her father’s skull which ignites her eventual vengeance. But cups, the liquor they held, and the words spoken over them may have had a special significance in Rosamund’s culture.
Continue readingHistory
When you need to fudge the dates
Very early on in my outlining, I realized that I would have to play around with the historic timeline in order to tell Rosamund’s story to best effect.
The showdown between the Gepids and the Lombards unfolded in two main phases–549-551 and 565-567. In the conventional telling of Rosamund’s life, the first phase concludes with a Lombard victory at the Battle of the Asfeld in which her uncle, the heir to the Gepid throne, is killed by Alboin himself. Thereafter, a truce is declared. But while the Gepids are still in mourning, Alboin presents himself at their door for a ceremonial handover of the slain prince’s weapons. By most accounts, this was Rosamund and Alboin’s first meeting–a dramatic and emotional encounter, no doubt!
Continue readingA Material World
I dwell quite a bit on the material culture of Rosamund’s world. She is deeply attentive to her own attire and that of others and interested in all markers of wealth and status–jewels and ornaments, horses and tack, buildings and decor, food and drink. Although these descriptions will (hopefully!) help a reader to imagine the scene, that is not the primary reason I choose to linger over such details. A person’s clothing and possessions would have “spoken” to Rosamund, communicating their position in the social hierarchy relative to her. In an intensely stratified and relational society, such information was both interesting and essential.
Who were the Gepids, really?
The Gepids were, according to the Roman sources, an East Germanic people related to the Goths. In Roman parlance, they were a gens, a group that claimed descent from a common ancestor. But what did this really mean in practice? Were the Gepids all relatives?
Continue readingWhere we’re going
Welcome to my small corner of the internet! This blog is designed as place for me to archive and unpack my research as I work on my novel, A Queen’s Cup, a retelling of the tale of Rosamund, princess of the Gepids. The story is set in the 6th century in regions that would later become Hungary, Serbia, and Italy. Here, I’ll discuss historical context and historiography, political history, linguistics, religion, and other background topics.
I consider it part of my “job” as a writer of historical fiction to open a window onto another time and place. But historical fiction is, fundamentally, still fiction. One of the most interesting aspects of working in this genre is figuring out when, how, and to what degree historical “fact” must give way to narrative imperatives. This blog is a look behind the scenes of my decision-making process. It will also, hopefully, shine a light on historical elements that don’t fit within the story I’m trying to tell.
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A Queen's Cup 