Pretender

8 random facts about 15th Century Pretender to the Throne and all round medieval fun-loving guy, Perkin Walbeck. As requested by the dashing Tim Footman.

1. Perkin pretended to be the son of King Edward IV of England, so as to claim a direct bloodline to the throne, but in fact he was a FROG IMPOSTER.

2. This was discovered when he was invited to a feast in the then Royal Palace of Hampton Court on the occasion of Henry VII’s 21st birthday party.

3. A master of disguise, Perkin made one simple slip up. Whilst most right-thinking red-blooded Englishmen were eating beef and drinking beer, Perkin was heard to demand ‘Apportez-moi le vin et les cuisses de la grenouille, je ne peux pas manger ce fumier anglais.’

4. Finding no luck with the Anglais, Perkin schmoozed the Irish and the Scottish with more success.

5. (The Irish and the Scottish didn’t like Perkin much either, but they embraced the principle that ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’ especially when it came to pissing off the English.)

6. Perkin tried to rabble rouse in Cornwall, and might have succeeded in leading the resentful locals to war had he not been taken sick on the eve of battle, laid low by what historians now believe was food poisoning contracted from a bad Cornish pasty.

7. Perkin had an older sister, Posie, and his younger brother was Pootle. His uncle, Pervert, was the black sheep of the family.

8. It is a little known fact that 70s punk-pop favourite of John Peel and lead singer of the Undertones, Feargal Sharkey, is a direct descendent of the Pretender.











Feargal Sharkey Perkin Walbeck

Well this has been educational and, I think you’ll agree, enlightening and stimulating.

I won't tag anyone because it makes people cry, but if anyone would like to provide 8 random facts about Suzi Quatro on their blog I won't stop them.