The Esoteric Bookworm

Crowned and winged female genius; sits on death as a skeleton, a winged putto in front of her.

Corfe Castle - home of Queen Aelfthryth- the first anointed and crowned queen of England, and a reputed witch. There are only five know references to witches in Anglo saxon documents one being the 12th century monastic chronicle the Liber Eliensis went so far as to accuse her of being a witch, claiming that she had murdered not only her stepson King Edgar the Martyr but also Abbot Brihtnoth of Ely, who is said to have seen her practicing magic under a tree. The stories that grew up around her are extraordinary. She is an ancestor of King Henry II - through Saint Margaret of Scotland, giving links to the ancient Anglo-Saxon Noble families.

A three headed eagle - an edition of the Splendor Solis

Funerary Crown of Philip the Bold of Burgundy ~1404

Early Crown of an English Queen from Blanche’s dowry ~1370

Intaglio of a crowed Ibis

Reliquary crown - Mosan ~ 1260-70

The Esoteric Bookworm 

Demons crowning Julian the Apostate ~1450-1460

Coronation of William the Conqueror -MS in British Museum ~1470