Fictional interview with Beatrice of Faucigny

This month, we have the pleasure of meeting Princess Beatrice of Faucigny, daughter of Agnes of Faucigny and Peter II of Savoy. She was…

Beatrice of Faucigny: I FORBID YOU TO UTTER MY FATHER’S NAME IN MY PRESENCE!!!!

1234-1237 Birth

1253 Marriage to Guigues VII of Viennois

1269-1282 Regent of the Viennois

1273 Marriage to Gaston VII of Bearn

1310 Death

Your Highness, it’s just that there’s an exhibition about him at Chillon Ca…

I DON’T GIVE A HOOT! HE’S NOTHING BUT A DEBAUCHED TRAITOR!!!!

What’s got you so angry?

‘Twas I who was supposed to inherit the countship of Savoy after his death. ME! But right before he met his maker, the old man went and changed his will. He named his brother, that old fogey Philip, as his successor! You can see how that might leave a sour taste in my mouth, right?

Why would your father do such a thing?

He gave me every excuse under the sun! To protect Savoy… To prevent my marriage from taking the countship away from the family… To keep me out of the nobility’s plots and schemes… bla bla bla… The truth is that the old nag was scared of appointing a woman as Savoy leader! He tried to appease me by bequeathing me five thousand Viennois pounds. I accepted, if only to wind him up. I should have asked for more, given the wads of cash he has stashed in the coffers.

Just to be clear, this exhibition is not exactly about him. It’s an art exhibition. An artist named Leah Linh took inspiration from his life to create some contemporary pieces of art. One of them is even about you.

Well, I’ll be damned. The old fart left some room for little old me?

He had no say in the matter, Leah Linh chose you. She wanted to depict you. And in a colossal piece, at that. After all, was your nickname not the Grande Dauphine? The Great Heiress Apparent?

I did manage to redeem myself, so to speak. I married Guigues VII, the Dauphin of Viennois and I served as regent over his territories from his death in 1269 to 1282. Pray tell, how exactly have I been depicted?

On a horse, a conqueror.

Well, that’s a little more than I expected, but pretty cool nonetheless. Please do pass on my thanks to this artist of yours. Remind me, what is her name again?

Leah Linh.