BL.Arinna_1982

I thought his wife was from Spain? My mistake.

Juza

Not sure that Relinde was cast.

Nikki K

No, she was French. The kingdom of Navarre (over which her eldest brother reigned) was in the north and occupying territories east and west of the Pyrenees. If you think in terms of today's geography a lot of the Basque lands belonged to Navarre. You remember, the Basques and ETA and their fight for independence which reached at times almost IRA like qualities (and still seems to on occasion).

Here's more information for you on its rise and decline: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Navarre – if you want to skip to the Borgias related parts go down to: Navarre under the Trastámaras.

Otherwise, Heinrich Mann has written two books about Henry IV. I recommend the first one highly. His persona is the most interesting for sure as he married Catharina de Medici's daughter Margot de Valois. A challenge as he was a Calvinist and she was a Catholic, her mother even more devotedly so and we remember all the horrible events of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. There's a movie worthwhile watching about this called «Queen Margot» (1994). Since you are interested in the Medici, Arinna, I'm sure that interests you. The first book in Heinrich Mann's series also has a lot the de Medici in it.

Profie on Catharine de Medici @ wiki

ETA: Juan's wife Maria Enriquez was from Spain. Before she married Juan she was engaged to his older half-brother Pedro Luis who died of a fever while in Rome.

PhoenixRising

Wow! Cesare gets all the hot women.

Nikki K

Oh she might not have been? Sorry if I read that wrong and I haven't got around to watch the video yet. Who else is in the running, do you know?

BL.Arinna_1982

Now I get it. Thanks for the info, Nina. And I think I've watched Queen Margout, but I was a teenager back then, so I don't remember it really well and yes... the Medici family intrigues me.

PhoenixRising

How long has it been since you've been a teenager, Arinna?

BL.Arinna_1982

..awhile.

PhoenixRising

I'm sure, Arinna.

Have I told you how much your knowledge of history amazes me, Nina? makes me wish we had concentrated more on the Renaissance era when I was in school.

BL.Arinna_1982

That period of time is really fascinating.

In other news, I guess The Borgias are still shooting the Season 3.



Source: http://desebdesouza.tumblr.com/

BL.Arinna_1982

That period of time is really fascinating.

In other news, I guess The Borgias are still shooting the Season 3.



Source: http://desebdesouza.tumblr.com/

PhoenixRising

Wow! So they're still filming? makes me more anxious for April.

Roon

Yes, Holly not so much I think though, she seems to have been busy with all the promo stuff for Great Expectations. I have few peeps on Twitter and Sebastian De Souza seems to have been back and forward to Budapest alot

BL.Arinna_1982

That means that Holly is back filming as well?

Nikki K

The less she is in it (unless in scenes with Cesare and Vanozza) the better... unless she took some acting lessons and gained some weight.

Yeah you flatter me. The thing is the Renaissance was never my area of experitise though. There were other eras I'm better informed of.

I'm glad Sebastian de Souza has a lot of work on the set. I know there was a lot of Matty hate in Skins fandom but I always liked him. Mini/Matty was my OTP at some point.

Arinna & everything - Rewatching «Queen Margot» is something I highly recommend.