Welcome to February's edition of The Castle Times



In this months issue:

1.    Castle of the month - A Short History - Ekenäs Castle, Sweden.

2.   Recipe Corner - Onion Soup with Almonds - 15th Century English

3.    Life in Medieval times - Wedding Traditions and Marriage Laws Pt5

4.   Travel Tips - How can you pick the most suitble Hotel for your holiday?

5. Readers Story - Castles & Romance Cover Models by Pamela Seres

During World War II, Ekanas Castle was used as a military store house and over the last twenty years extensive renovations have taken place.

Ekenas castle located on a cliff on the shore of a lake which has since been drained is one of the best preserved Renaissance castles in Sweden was built by Peder Baner between 1630 and 1644. It was originally designed as a military fortification with a surrounding moat and was built with three striking shingled towers.

After the Battle at Stangebro (Linkoping) in 1598, Duke Charles (later King Charles IX) had a number of the advisors of King Sigismund executed at "the Bloodbath of Linkoping". Among those executed was Gustav Baner, the owner of Ekenas.

In 1617 King Gustav Adolf was crowned in Uppsala. Peder Baner, Gustav’s son was invited to be guest of honour at the coronation after helping to save the King’s life when his horse fell through the ice during a winter procession.

During Queen Kristinas reign large areas of land and property were donated to the aristocracy which meant that the Crown’s income was considerably reduced. On top of this the country was deeply in dept because of wars.

During the later part of the 17th century (1680 to 1690) the King ordered reclamation of the properties which had been given away. The Baner family had to leave Ekenas, which was then bought by Count Mauritz Vellingk who was born in Ingermanland in what today we regard as part of Russia.

Count Vellingk had two wings built at the beginning of the 18th century.

Throughout the centuries, Ekenäs has been owned primarily by noblemen with the castle changing owners through marriage and purchase.

During World War II, Ekanas was used as a military store house and over the last twenty years extensive renovations have taken place. The castles interior shows examples of furnishings and carpentry from the last three centuries.

Today Ekenas castle is owned by the Bergengren family and during the summer months is open to the public as a museum.

2 cup Finely chopped onion

1 tbl To 3 tb olive oil

2 1/2 cup White wine

2 1/2 cup Almond milk

3 tbl Coarsely ground almonds

8 slc French bread, toasted lightly

A little extra oil & butter

Method

1. Saute the onions in the oil until golden; add the wine and almond milk and season to taste. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile saute the ground almonds in a little extra oil until they are golden but not too crisp.

3. Spoon the soup into individual fireproof bowls, or into a large bowl shallow enough to fit under the grill. Lay a slice of toast on top of the soup in each bowl or spread all the slices out on the larger one.

4. Scatter the oily almonds on top of the toast, dot with butter and grill very lighlty.

5. Serves 4

Eat, Drink and be Merry

Wedding Traditions and Marriage Laws Pt5

Contrary to popular belief, a person in medieval times actually liked to have a bath. Hot baths were very popular and most towns as late as the mid-1200s had public bathhouses. But as forests were depleted, firewood became expensive and the rising costs of heating the water forced most of the bathhouses to close. Some tried burning coal to heat water, but the fumes proved to be unhealthy.

By the middle of the 14th century, only the very wealthy could afford firewood for hot water in the winter. The rest of the population was forced to be dirty most of the time.

Perfumes made from the oils of flowers combined with spices became very popular as trade between countries improved. Perfume became an easy, quick fix for those who could not bathe.

Like today, wedding gifts were part of the tradition at a wedding and in medieval times, at least three wedding gifts were exchanged. The bride's family was responsible for the daughter's dowry. The groom's family was responsible for providing the couple with a suitable home and income.

The third gift would be given to the priest who performed the ceremony, or who blessed the marriage later on.

The wedding gifts would include the likes of small, valuable pieces of furniture which the groom might offer to the bride the morning after the marriage was consummated.

In Part 6 we find out about the traditon of the wedding cake

• Consider their Hotel policies, are they favourable to you or do they penalize you in some way.

• Find out what partnerships they have that could save you money in other areas. Many Hotels have agreements with airlines and rental car companies.

• Check the Hotel Chain's locations. Does their Hotel chain have locations where you travel? Do they have international locations?

• Check the individual hotel's location. Is their airport hotel really close to the airport?

• Check their facilities.

• When were the rooms last updated?

• Does it have the types of features you need?

• How well does it suit your need for the quick overnight stay or the weeklong resort vacation?

• Do they have business suites or meeting rooms available if you need them?

• Does the particular Hotel you want to stay in located in a safe part of town?

• Is any major construction going on in the area around your Hotel’s location?

• Will there be any large groups staying at the Hotel that could negatively impact your stay?

• Do they offer the types of extra services you need? Do they have a concierge, shuttle or laundry service?

• Can they provide any special needs you may have?

• Check to see if you belong to any groups that entitle you to a special deal with a particular Hotel. • Consider their rates and the availability of any coupons or discounts. See who offers the best overall deal for your budget.

My first features will cover Henry VIII and His Six Wives and the castles that they once visited. I will also interview the historical romance cover model heroes who now grace the wildly popular castle covers to see what they know about castles and the nobility that once occupied them.

King Henry’s second wife was probably his most popular wife in from a historical stand point as their union brought forth England’s most beloved monarch, Queen Elizabeth I.

Hever Castle, the family seat in Kent, is where Anne probably spent her early childhood. Where she was born remains the debate as two places claim her; besides Hever Castle, Blickling Hall in Norfolk claim Anne was born there. Both properties belonged to her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn so either is possible. Hever Castle is where it is said that Henry first saw Anne and first fell in love with her despite having previously had her sister, Mary, as mistress who gave birth to one of King Henry’s illegitimate children.

Anne had taken refuge at Hever Castle many times during her courtship with the King that led to her eventual marriage to Henry. We all know how that marriage turned out as she was beheaded for failing to produce a male heir.

Hever Castle was later given to Anne of Cleves, Henry’s fourth wife, who spent many of her last years of her life there.

Today many romance novels feature castles as the back drop for their stories. Castles brings us our dark but tormented heroes with mystery.

I have interviewed, Bill Freda, a Mr. Romance winner and cover model to get his take on what he knows about the fascinating castle covers he is on.

Why do you think that castles are an interest to many? And what if anything intrigues you about them?

I think castles are of interest because they hold many memories. Castles are not of our present era, thus they are filled with history, riches, and sometimes the supernatural. Castles have housed some of our greatest heroes, and even some villains. Royalty, power, and wealth, all things that are sought after by many. All of these things intrigue me about castles, but most of all......the ability to go explore and get lost in such a structure. When I visited castles in Germany and England, I was more interested in the rooms that were not on the tour, than the ones that were!

What do you know about King Henry VIII & His Six Wives?

I know that if he knew the sex of a baby was determined by the man's chromosomes, there might have been a different type of head being cut off!!!

Would you ever contemplate Six Wives?

Only if I could keep them in different corners of the country and split my time equally at two months each! Having them all together in one place like Hugh Heffner is just asking for trouble!!!

What, so far if anything, have you learned about being the Dark Castle Lord, by being on a romance cover and working with the industry?

I've learned that chain male is not light and very cold. Also, it's time to stop using castle backdrops, and start using real castles!

For more information on Bill or Pamela and their work, visit their web site at:

www.billfreda.com and www.pamelaseres.com

Next month we pay another visit to Ray a.k.a Henry VII and see what he has been upto.

I hope you have enjoyed reading issue 12.

If you have any suggestions or comments about any part of the newsletter then please feel free to contact me.

As always, if you have a story,photos or questions you wish to ask or share with our readers then please email me and I will be happy to include them in our next edition.

All submissions should reach me by no later than the 20th of February