Lightborn is the murderer of Edward II. in Edward II. He is ordered by Mortimer in [Scene 21] to kill the deposed king without anyone being allowed to find out how he died. Lightborn crushes Edward and is afterwards killed by the latter’s guards at Mortimer’s behest in the following…
Lodowick is the son of Ferneze, the Governor of Malta. His friend Mathias tells him how beautiful Abigail, Baraba’s daughter, is. Although she loves Mathias, Lodowick finally wants to marry her. Barabas uses this for his revenge against Ferneze. He promises Abigail both Mathias and Lodowick and then provokes a…
The Protestant preacher is stabbed to death by Guise in [Szene 7] in The Massacre at Paris. H. J. Oliver thinks it could be Gabriel de Levis, Vicomte de Leran.1 Both De furoribus Gallicis and Marguerite de Valois tell of the Huguenot Leran who, wounded at St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre,…
Louis de Lorraine-Guise (* 6 July 1555; † 24 December 1588) was the youngest brother of the Duke of Guise. In 1574 he became Archbishop of Reims, and four years later Cardinal. He was staying in Blois with his brother when he was murdered. Henri III immediately had the cardinal…
Louis de Maugiron (* 1560; † 27 April 1578) was first in the service of Alençon. In 1577 he lost an eye in a battle, which is why he was compared to Princess Eboli, the mistress of Philip II of Spain. In the same year he moved to the household…
Louis Gonzague (* 2 October 1539; † 23 October 1595) was a son of Federico Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua. He came to Paris at a young age on inheritance matters of his grandmother. He then joined the army of Henri II. In 1565 he married Henriette de Clèves, the eldest…
Christopher Marlowe was obviously quicker and harderworking than I am. Unfortunately, this post is still a work in progress.
Margaret de Clare (*12 October 1293, † 9 April 1342) was a niece of the English King Edward II. At his request, she married Piers Gaveston on 7 November 1307. This marriage meant a great social advancement for Gaveston. On 6 January 1312 a daughter was born to them, who…
Marguerite de Valois (* 14 May 1553; † 27 March 1615 ) was the youngest surviving child of Henri II of France and Caterina de' Medici. She was a very educated, culturally versatile, self-confident person who knew how to inspire and horrify even during her lifetime. She was also famous…
For the Spanish vice-admiral in The Jew of Malta, there is unlikely to have been a direct source of inspiration. Actually, he only comes to Malta by chance because he wants to sell some slaves at the local market. When he learns of the tribute payment to the Ottomans, he…
