Ysabeau Symon d'Anjou

Ysabeau Symon d’Anjou was born to Symon d’Anjou and Nicole le Héron in Angers, France, in 1489. Charles VIII ruled France, Henry VII ruled England. My father was tailor. My mother died in childbirth along with the son my father always wanted in 1499, the same year Louix XII continued his father’s war and invaded Italy. Being devastated at the loss of my mother, my father withdrew more from his work. I began taking on more responsibility in the business and thus learned my numbers and how to read and write a little. I wrote to my mother’s older sister, a minor (very minor) courtier in the English court for any assistance. Margot l'Alouett had married William Hakett, an English businessman and had left France in 1481. She agreed to purchase material from us, but only slightly above cost.

In 1502, at the age of 13, I was betrothed to Philippot le Charretier, a 16-year-old teamster. However, the following year, two months before we were to marry, Philippot, his two brothers and their team were drafted as part of the on-going Milanese and Neapolitan wars. He never returned.

In the following years, as my father’s health began to fade, I basically took over the business operations to keep us solvent. In late 1509, father and I moved to Nice to be closer to the textile trades of the Mediterranean and in a warmer climate for his health. After what seemed to be an improvement, his health deteriorated and he passed away. I sold what was left of the business and spent most of it fulfilling my father’s dying request, to be buried next to my mother and his son.

With very little money, and no place to go, I again wrote to Aunt Margot to see if she could place me. She said I could join her household as the Mistress of Wardrobe, to keep her gowns and those of her daughters in suitable condition and make more as required. She would not, however, pay my passage to get to England. With no alternatives left, I sold my hair to a wigmaker in Paris, bought passage on a ship sailing from Calais and arrived in Dover in 1511. William Hakett’s estates were just outside Gravesend and, in addition to his land holdings in other areas of Kent, he ran a small ferry business on the Thames from Gravesend to London. For the past nine years, I have served as Margot’s Mistress of Wardrobe, and four years after being in her service was also given the duties of Keeper of the House, especially when they were away at court.

In the Current Middle Ages, my interest are sewing, heraldry, scribal, thrown weapons, Tudor history and learning as much as I possibly can.

I’ve held the offices of Exchequer, Chatelaine, and Seneschal in the Shire of Dragon’s Mist.