The Winter Mantle (73 page)

The tale of Judith rejecting Simon de Senlis because he was lame is reported in one chronicle, and I had to make use of it because it's just too good a story to pass up. Simon himself is something of an enigma. I found four dates for his birth, ranging from 1046 to 1068. Some sources say he was present at the battle of Hastings, others deny it emphatically. Being as this is a work of fiction, I chose the date that best suited me and that seems to tally with the other known information, and I went for 1058. I also found two different individuals cited as his father. I chose Richard de Rules because he was a royal chamberlain.

Simon was known to have gone on crusade, but he didn't reach Jerusalem because the chroniclers put him in the thick of William Rufus' war in the Vexin in 1098. With this detail in mind I felt free to invent a reason for his turning back. It is also known that he had an illegitimate son called Simon, but so far I've been able to turn up nothing else about the child Again, I felt free to invent a background. Simon's legitimate children are given dates of birth that are all over the place, so I've gone with the story on this and kept them as close as possible to the probability. Amidst all this muddle and vague hints of facts, I came across the positive detail that Matilda's maid was called Helisende. Writing historical fiction can be as surprising and rewarding as it can be frustrating.

For those of you who are wondering about some of the other historical characters who also appear in the novel: Ralf de Gael did not reach Jerusalem but died at Antioch. Stephen of Aumale lived to return and continue with his life. Simon and Matilda had another son, named Simon, thus enabling young Waltheof to pursue a career in the church. He was later canonised as a saint in his own lifetime.

Simon died at the priory of Le Charite sur Loire in 1111 whilst attempting a second crusade. Matilda did not remain long a widow but married Prince David of Scotland, later to be King David, and in her forties bore him a son and two daughters.

I welcome responses from readers, and anyone who would like to get in touch with me can do so at
elizabeth.chadwick@bt internet.com
. I also have a website where you'll find more details about me and my work, including a glossary of medieval terms:
http: //www.elizabethchadwick.com