# Treason Meals (do you want fries with that?)



## Sephiroth (Oct 3, 2007)

*Treason Meals ('go on, honey, I made it especially!')*

Somehow, thanks to Patrician, we ended up making the leap from the work of G.R.R. Martin to the general subject of ‘Treason Meals’.  There are numerous examples of this throughout history.  Essentially, it involves sitting down with your pals and tucking into a nice dinner…_only it’s your last_.  This thread, therefore, is to discuss the general subject, as well as any specific instances and issues you would like to raise.  To begin with, myself and the esteemed Giovanna Clairval (whose idea the thread was) will regale you with a couple of our favourite examples.  The floor will then be open to everyone. 

  We begin with the story of the fourth Roman Emperor, Claudius I:

*The Death of Claudius, or ‘A Short Cut Through Mushrooms’*

_"For when he rattled with the box, and thought he now had got 'em. _
_  The little cubes would vanish thro' the perforated bottom._
_  Then he would pick 'em up again, and once more set a-trying:_
_  The dice but served him the same trick: away they went a-flying._
_  So still he tries, and still he fails; still searching long he lingers;_
_  And every time the tricksy things go slipping thro' his fingers._
_  Just so when Sisyphus at last once gets there with his boulder,_
_  He finds the labour all in vain--it rolls down off his shoulder."_

He is Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, _Imperator_, _Princeps_ and _Pontifex Maximus _of the Roman Empire.  He is the third to follow Octavianus the Divine Augustus, after grim Tiberius, the troubled general, and the infamous ‘Caligula’ or ‘Little Boots’ (the man who once threatened to make his horse a senator, and was stabbed to death by members of his own Praetorian Guard in 41 AD).  The above, according to Seneca, is Claudius’ divine punishment for his many sins in life. 

The ascension of Claudius to the purple was not straightforward.  Born in Lugdunum (modern Lyon) in the year 10 BC, the grandson of Octavian’s sister suffered from some form of disability, for which his family long kept him away from public life (it is referred to by Suetonius as _imbecillitas_, yet the same man, his biographer, also shows him as a man of learning and keen intellect).  _“His knees were weak and gave way under him and his head shook. He stammered and his speech was confused. He slobbered and his nose ran when excited.”_  Despite this, historical sources show him to be a shrewd politician. 

  Upon the death of Augustus in 14 AD, a 23-year-old Claudius applied to the new emperor for permission to begin the _cursus honorum_, but this was refused, as it had been under Octavian.  He retired to a scholarly, private life, and later claimed to have overplayed his physical symptoms in order to appear a fool, in this way avoiding the purges of Tiberius and Sejanus.  When Tiberius finally died in AD 37, his heir Caligula, popular grandson of the renowned general, Marcus Agrippa, was installed as imperator. 

Caligula recognised the value of Claudius, his uncle, and installed him as co-consul in the same year, but the new emperor soon fell gravely ill.  After he recovered, he seems not to have been the same man; the Caligula of dark legend emerged, although likely his many social reforms were as much a motive for his murder as his later descent into fervent megalomania.  Upon the death of Caligula, at the age of fifty-one, Claudius, always popular with the _equites_, was declared imperator by the Praetorian Guard, a situation which the Senate were soon forced to accept.  In this way, as well as being the first emperor born outside of Italia, he set a precedent for the later history of the Empire.  During his reign, the empire saw its first major expansion since the reign of Augustus, but he remained unpopular with the Senate, and many attempts upon his life were made.   

His nemesis, however, lay much closer to home.  His first wife of fifteen years, he divorced because of her adultery.  His second marriage lasted only three years, and his third ended in tragedy with the execution of the adulterous Messelina, her lover and most of her entourage.  He might have been forgiven for hoping that his fourth wife (and niece), the beautiful and reputable Julia Agrippina, would be faithful.  She would, but not to him.  Her twelve-year-old son, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, would be known to history as the emperor Nero. 

Claudius seems to have been enchanted by Agrippina, to the extent that she was given the title _Augusta_, an unprecedented honour.  She even convinced him to adopt Nero as his legitimate heir, ahead of his natural son Britannicus.  By 54 AD, however, Claudius seems to have had second thoughts about this, and started to prepare Britannicus for the throne. 

  Evidently, Claudius had to go.  But _how?_

The historian Josephus takes up the tale:
_Agrippina had long decided on murder. Now she saw her opportunity. Her agents were ready. But she needed advice about poisons. A sudden, drastic effect would give her away. A gradual, wasting recipe might make Claudius, confronted with death, love his son again. What was needed was something subtle that would upset the emperor’s faculties but produce a deferred fatal effect. An expert in such matters was selected – a woman called Locusta, recently sentenced for poisoning but with a long career of imperial service ahead of her. By her talents, a preparation was supplied. It was administered by the eunuch Halotus who habitually served the emperor and tasted his food._

  Of course, accounts vary.  Some say it was the death-cap mushroom (_Amanita phalloides_), some that it was not mushrooms at all, but colocynth (_Citrullus colocynthis_) that killed him.  The administer of the poison is variously his taster, his doctor or the notorious poisoner, Locusta.  Some say that he was not murdered at all, that he died of natural causes. 

But Nero became emperor at the age of seventeen, and for the first few months, remained heavily under Agrippina’s influence.  Claudius’ death had occurred, conveniently, just as soon as Nero could reasonably assume power, yet before the younger Britannicus was old enough to challenge him.  The boy, of course, was dead within months of Nero’s succession.  Agrippina, meanwhile, who for a short while wielded all the power of a Roman Emperor, died only five years later, murdered on the orders of her son.


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 3, 2007)

Wow, Sephiroth! I didn’t know half of that. This is a very poisonous and well-crafted Treason Meal.

Poor Seneca wrote that satirical pamphlet on Claudius’s pumpkification because he believed that Nero would be the best of emperors.

I prefer to think that it was a pumpkin dish, not _champignons au persil. _

Tomorrow, I’ll post “Murder in Ravenna”, the historical tale narrating how Teodrik, (Teodoricus; or Dietrich), became king of Italy in A.D. 493 thanks to another Treason Meal.


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## Sephiroth (Oct 3, 2007)

Thank you, Giovanna Clairval.

Yes, poor Seneca.  Such eloquence.  

I look forward to yours!


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## Patrician (Oct 7, 2007)

Great story Seph!  Keep them coming 


Looking forward to your story Giovanna 
I know that Teodorik killed Odoakar on some feast but that's all...


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 8, 2007)

*The Man’s Got No Bones at All!*​ 
*Or*​ 
*Teodrik Invites Odoacer to a Banquet, to Feast Their Newborn Alliance*​ 



*Dramatis Personae*

*Odoacer *(435 – 493), also known as *Odovacar* (from the Germanic _Audawakrs_, meaning "watchful of wealth"), was a Roman general and the first barbarian King of Italy, the very one who deposed the Western Roman Emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 (Source: Wikipedia). He is the King of the Herules and the Scirians, Goths _foederati_ in the Roman tradition, barbarians who allied themselves to the Empire. In Odoacer’s time, and thanks to him, the only Empire left is the Empire of the Orient, based in Constantinople, given that O. was proclaimed _Rex Italiae_ (King of Italy) after defeating the Roman general Orestes (father to Romolus Augustulus, the last Emperor in Rome ).

*Theodoric the Great* (454 - August 30, 526), known to the Romans as *Flavius Theodoricus,* was king of the Austrogoths _foederati_ posted near Constantinople, ruler of Italy (493-526), and regent of the Visigoths (511-526). He became a hero as *Þeodric* in Anglo-Saxon legends, *Dietrich von Bern* in German legends and as *Þjóðrekr* and *Þiðrekr* in Norse mythology. (Source: Wikipedia). The Goth name Theuderik was Latinised into “Theodoricus”, reminiscent of Theodoros, Greek name from the roots _Theos_ (_God_) and _doron_ (_gift_), meaning “Gift of God”. Theuderik actually comes from the Germanic roots _theuda_, people, and _rikja_, powerful. It means “Powerful among the People”, or “Ruler of the People”. In our story, we will call the future King of Italy “Teodrik”.

*The story*​ 
Teodrik is the son of Teodomir (what a Tolkienesque name, or Teodimir), king of the Ostrogoths (or Austrogoths, “Goths of the East”, as opposed to the Visigoths, the Goths of the West).
Our Teodrik is hostage at Emperor Leo’s—and later Zeno’s— court in Constantinople for ten years. There he learns all he can about Roman warfare and institutions, not to forget Byzantine scheming and intrigues. He becomes _magister militum _(master of soldiers), and patrician of the Empire. At the age of 18 years, he rejoins his people, and becomes King of the Austrogoths eight years after, at Teodomir's death.

Zeno sends him to Italy, where Odoacer, ruler of his own _foederati_ (Scirians and Herules), and King of Italy, is misbehaving. An entire nation moves to Italy, three hundred thousand people of both genders and all ages. It is the year 488. They use the traditional paths of the Romans, through the Pannonia (today’s Hungary), the valley of the Sava and up the eastern Alps. The cold is shearing, hair and beards freeze.
Teodrik engages Odoacer’s army thrice and is victorious. Odoacer flees to Ravenna, the capital of the Byzantine Empire on the Italian side of the Adriatic Sea.

Three years have passed since the beginning of the siege. Odoacer tries a sortie, but the arrival of a new contingent of reinforcements on Teodrik’s side reverts the situation. Teodrik controls the roads. No food enters the besieged city from the land, although Odoacer’s ships keep on supplying the city in fresh produce.
Teodrik has no naval forces; therefore, he pays—very dearly—Vandals to posts ships in front of Rimini, the nearby port, to block any attempt of getting provisions into Ravenna from the sea. Now the blockade is total. The stere of wheat costs six golden _solids. _Nevertheless, Ravenna resists.

It is only on March 493 that Odoacer opens Ravenna’s door, not because of the siege but thanks to bishop Giovanni’s honourable treaty. The treaty stipules that Odoacer and Teodrik together reign upon Italy, as consuls and brothers, dwelling within the royal palace in Ravenna. To secure his compliance with the treaty, Odoacer gives Teodrik his son Telane as hostage.

Teodrik unwillingly accepts Giovanni’s mediation, and enters Ravenna to take possession of his share of the imperial quarters. 
Ten days later, he throws a sumptuous party to feast the agreement. Odoacer comes to the banquet accompanied by his son and his military chiefs.

At the end of the meal, two men seize Odoacer’s wrists as in supplication. It is the signal. Several armed men run up to him, although no one dares kill the King.
In spite of his guest’s protestations, Teodrik grabs his serpentine-spiralled broadsword, arches it up and down, and shears Odoacer open from head to waist.

Tradition says that, after slaying his rival, the Austrogoth utters, “Blimey! The man’s got no bones at all!”. Well, “Blimey” is my personal translation.

Telane, Odoacer’s son, has leapt to his feet, but Teodrik’s soldier master him. Odoacer’s men put up a short fight. Soon the King’s men lie among scattered and broken crockery. Outside, Teodrik’s forces are systematically killing Odoacer’s soldiers, chasing them in streets, taverns and quarters.
As soon as the last of Odoacer’s men is dead, the banquet resumes in the bloodied palace, with great rejoicing.
Later on, Odoacer’s family is massacred. Onulf, the brother, is killed; Sunigilda, the wife, is thrown in prison and left there to starve to death; Telane, the son, is exiled to Gallia and executed. All Odoacer’s followers are killed, everywhere in Italy.

Teodrik thinks that his vile deed is worth the imperial insignia, although Constantinople doesn’t want to hear a word of it. One of Teodrik’s advisors maliciously reminds him of the Roman tradition consisting in rewarding the consuls who had accomplished similar feats with the_ fasti_, a public celebration of triumph. The _fasti_ were always followed by senatorial consecration.
Forgetting that in Rome no one wields such authority any longer, Teodrik doffs his military uniform and dons the royal cape. With this gesture, he auto-proclaims his person a _dominus_, i.e. Governor of Goths and Romans. He is not so naïve to ignore that his proclamation resembles Caesar’s rebellion and the crossing of the river Rubicon (which is near by). He also knows that Oriental Emperors’ manners are straightforward, even traumatic. He thus addresses the Byzantine Court in Constantinople as a lesser courtier and military chief. He is just that, and _militum magister _(chief of the army), patrician, consul, and king of the Austrogoths. Emperor Nastasio, the new one, does not wish to give Italy to a lesser lord, and a barbarian.

Not much has changed in Italy. To the barbaric king Odoacer, another barbaric king succeeds. As his predecessor did, Teodrik is wearing the crown as a vicarious Byzantine king.
Two factions are ready to confront each other: one favours reconciliation of Romans and barbarians, the other is hostile. The latter is ready to fight and prevail. But this is another story...

Below, the Mausoleum where gentle Teodrik sleeps
and the Austrogoths' Arian church (the Goths, as other Germanic peoples, followed Ario's heresy, which held that Jesus, son of God, was not God, just a man).


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## Sephiroth (Oct 8, 2007)

Bravo!  

I was mistaken, of course, when I thought your story was to be about the Exarchate.  It sets the scene for Belisarius' later campaigns, rather.  

I didn't know any of that about Theodoric, neither the dual etymology of his name nor his place in mythology.  How interesting.......


Oh, and 'blimey, was a nice touch.  I can just hear him saying that...

I will post the 'Black Dinner' soon.


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## Sephiroth (Oct 11, 2007)

*The Black Dinner of 1440, or ‘No, I didn’t order a black bull’s head, thanks’*

_*The main protagonists:*

King James II (1430-1460, r. 1437-1460):  Seven years old at the murder of his father, most of his reign is spent in minority, leading to power struggles within the Scottish nobility.  

William Crichton (1st Lord Crichton):  Sheriff of Edinburgh, Keeper of Edinburgh Castle, Master of the King’s Household, and (after 1439) Lord Chancellor of Scotland.  

Sir Alexander Livingston of Callendar:  Governor of Stirling Castle.  

William, 6th Earl of Douglas (1424-1440):  Named the 6th Earl following the death of his father in 1439, William is only fifteen years old at the time.  _ 

*Edinburgh castle, toun, and tower, 
God grant ye sink for sin; 
And that even for the black-dinner, 
Earl Douglas gat therin.* 

The battle of Bannockburn in 1314 was not the permanent guarantee of Scotland’s ongoing independence that it is often remembered as, and in the century or so following, the nation continued to struggle against attempted domination by its larger neighbour.  The son of Robert the Bruce, David II, first had to fight off a pretender in the form of Edward Balliol (the son of John I, ‘Toom Tabard’ or ‘Empty Coat’, forced to abdicate in 1296), and then spent nine years in English captivity.  He was succeeded by Roberts II and III, both in their fifties upon accession, and then by James I, who was seized by the English at the age of twelve and only returned eighteen years later. 

  King James I went on to stabilise the country somewhat, achieving important legal and financial reforms, but became embroiled in a bitter conflict over whether the descendents of his first (questionable) or second (unquestionably legitimate) marriage would be heirs to the throne.  He was murdered in 1437 at the Friars Monastery in Perth by a group led by Walter Stuart, the Earl of Atholl. 

  The conspirators were summarily captured and executed.  Meanwhile, since the new king, James II, was only seven years old, the government of Scotland was headed by the 5th Earl of Douglas, acting as regent.  After his death in 1439, there existed an uneasy power-sharing agreement between the Lord Chancellor, William Crichton, and Sir Alexander Livingston, warden of Stirling Castle, who had possession of the young king.  Both men still feared the power of the Douglas clan, however, personified by the sixteen-year-old 6th Earl, William. 

  Meanwhile, the young king’s mother (and wife of the late 5th Earl), Joan Beaufort, immediately married again, seeking security for herself and her royal son.  Her new husband was Sir James Stewart, the ‘Black Knight of Lorn’, a loyal supporter of the Douglas clan. 

  Livingston now resolved to take decisive action to consolidate his power (or simply to thwart the Douglases, depending on the sources you read).  He had the ‘Black Knight’ arrested and imprisoned in his castle at Stirling, where Joan Beaufort was confined to her apartments.  Determined not to be left out, however, the wily Crichton ambushed the young king in a park where he often played, and took him to Edinburgh Castle.  Livingston was compelled to form an alliance with Crichton. 

  The two men wasted no time in laying their plans.  Convinced that the Douglases were ‘enemies of the throne’ they were determined to rid themselves of the troublesome young 6th Earl, but although they were able to obtain a charge of high treason against him and his associates, they found no way of enforcing the arrest warrant while the Earl of Douglas remained safe in his castle. 

  On the 24th November 1440, therefore, the 6th Earl of Douglas and his brother, David,  were invited to dine with the ten-year-old king in Edinburgh. The meal was organised by Sir William Crichton, on the pretext of a celebration of reconciliation between the antagonistic parties.  The young 6th Earl and his brother, David, arrived at the castle expecting to be treated as honoured guests, unaware that the meal would be their last.  It does not seem to have been difficult to secure their attendance.  

The legend goes that, at the end of the dinner, a large black bull's head, an ancient symbol of death, was brought out and placed upon the table.  Perhaps it is more likely that they were arrested immediately upon their arrival (but it is not such a good story).  Afterwards, the 6th Earl and his brother were taken out to Castlehill and summarily executed.  Most reports say they were beheaded, although the exact manner of their execution is still debated. This event became known as the _Black Dinner of 1440._ 

In the aftermath, the Douglas clan, led by the 8th Earl, laid siege to Edinburgh Castle.  Crichton surrendered the castle to the King and was driven out in 1445.  The Douglases then held the reins of power once more, until the King reached his majority in 1449, and they continued to exert strong influence over him. 

  When James II assumed power in 1449, one of his first acts was to imprison Sir Alexander Livingston and forfeit his lands.  Then, in 1452, he demanded that the 8th Earl of Douglas break his liaison with the Earl of Ross and the Lord of the Isles, which the king naturally viewed as a thread to his own position.  When the Earl refused, James stabbed him, his bodyguards stepping in to finish the job.  This resulted in a civil war which was settled decisively in the kings favour at the Battle of Arkinholm in 1455.  Parliament forfeited the Douglas estates, and a number of the Douglas castles became crown property.  In only fifteen years, the power of the Douglases had been shattered. 

  It is an interesting side-note that 'Black' had long been associated with the Douglases. Several clan predecessors had taken (or been given) the epithet 'Black', and the clan name is from Gaelic _dubh glas_, meaning 'black-grey'. The Douglas tartan is predominantly black and grey.


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 11, 2007)

Thank you, Sephiroth, for this sombre story of treason.

It would seem that the black bull's head was a symbol of death in India. In Java and Bali, dead princes were burned in coffins shaped like bulls. And, in ancient Aegypt, a black bull carried the corpse of Osiris on his back.


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## Sephiroth (Oct 11, 2007)

I didn't know about the Eastern link!  It surprises me that the bull is a symbol of death in a land where the cow is venerated as sacred.  

I believe the importance of the bull in Aegyptian mythology may be related to the astrological 'Age of Taurus'.  Then again, there are precursors in Southwest Asia that predate this, such as at Çatalhöyük (7300-6200 BC), where great horned, plaster bulls can be seen in association with supplicant human forms.  Some of the images, to my mind, are quite disturbing.


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## Wybren (Oct 11, 2007)

There is one Incident that is has stuck in my mind, it is known as the Massacre of Abergavenny 1175 where William De Braose invited 3 welsh princes and other welsh leaders to a Christmas feast in the name of peace and reconciliation  and once they there and unarmed he had his men massacre them.


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## Nesacat (Oct 11, 2007)

Yama the Hindu God Of Death (he's also the god of Dharma) rides a black buffalo. It's not really a bull though Shiva has Nandi who is a bull, albeit white and Shiva is supposed to be the one person who can defeat Death.


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## Sephiroth (Oct 11, 2007)

Wybren, that's fantastic!  Would you be interested in writing the story yourself?  If not, I'm sure one of us _chutners _will anyway, sooner or later; cheers for drawing our attention to it!  

Nesacat, thanks for clarifying that.  Do you happen to know of any 'treason meal' type stories from your part of the world?

Because soon Giovanna will post her second meal, and we will be looking for more.


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 11, 2007)

In European and Middle Asian tradition, the buffalos are sacred to the Moon 1) they have horns like crescents 2) they like to stay in the water; therefore, they are linked to the element "Water", which is Lunar. 

Later on, lunar buffalos were replaced by solar bulls. Why? 

The Roman legions picked up a religion in Asia Minor. This religion was ancient and came from Persia and, before that, from pre-Vedic India. It was the religion of the god Mithra. This god was killed by a bull (and killed the bull), but was raised from death by morning. The Romans called Mithra “Sol Invictus”, the Sun Never Vanquished. The sun=bull was the symbol of Death and Resurrection. Mithraic rites comprised the Tauroboli, in which a bull was put to death, and an adept, placed in a cell underneath, was showered by the bull’s blood through holes in the ceiling. In our traditional Christian lands, we know of a certain god who sacrificed himself in order to open Heaven’s doors to humanity… During Mithraic rites, the congregation drank wine, which was Mithra’s blood by _transusbstantiatio_ transformation of the substance into another substance, which is reminiscent of another, less ancient religion... In Rome, there were more than 300 Mithraic temples, all in the secret of crypts (hence the word “cryptic”) excavated under the city.

After the above, I understand the blackness of the bull as the black sky of the Night that reigns when the Sun is—temporarily—dead.


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## Nesacat (Oct 11, 2007)

The one that I always remember because she appears in the work of a favourite author is Nitocris

"... the name of the woman who reigned was the same as that of the Babylonian      queen, namely Nitocris. Of her they said that desiring to take vengeance for      her brother, whom the Egyptians had slain when he was their king and then,      after having slain him, had given his kingdom to her,--desiring, I say, to      take vengeance for him, she destroyed by craft many of the Egyptians. For      she caused to be constructed a very large chamber under ground, and making      as though she would handsel it but in her mind devising other things, she      invited those of the Egyptians whom she knew to have had most part in the      murder, and gave a great banquet. Then while they were feasting, she let in      the river upon them by a secret conduit of large size. Of her they told no      more than this, except that, when this had been accomplished, she threw herself      into a room full of embers, in order that she might escape vengeance."-      *Herodotus Histories II*

And from the works of H.P. Lovecraft:

"Then we saw the vast pyramids at the end of the avenue,      ghoulish with a dim avatistical menace which I had not seemed to notice in      the daytime. Even the smallest of them held a hint of the ghastly - for was      it not in this that they had buried Queen Nitocris alive in the Sixth Dynasty;      subtle Queen Nitocris, who once invited all her enemies to a feast in a temple      below the Nile, and drowned them by opening the water-gates? I recalled that      the Arabs whisper things about Nitocris, and shun the Third Pyramid at certain      phases of the moon."-*H.P. Lovecraft, Imprisoned with the Pharaohs*


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## Sephiroth (Oct 11, 2007)

Ah, the Unconquered Sun, with which the emperors became associated.  For some reason, even though I know of Mithraism and its importance in the late republic and early empire, I hadn't made the connection between _Sol Invictus_ and Mithras, which was rather remiss of me since Mithras was a solar god. 

I wasn't aware of the earlier lunar/water elemental connection at all.  



Nesacat, that's fascinating, thanks.  That's our earliest example yet!


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## Wybren (Oct 12, 2007)

Yeah I'd be interested, but I will wait till Zach is asleep


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## Sephiroth (Oct 12, 2007)

Brilliant!  Looking forward to it a great deal, then!


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## Wybren (Oct 12, 2007)

*The Massacre at Abergavenny or
How William De broase became the Ogre of Abergavenny
*​
*Main players*
William De Braose ,4th lord of Bramber  later 7th Baron of Abergavenny
Seisyll ap Dyfnwal , 6th Baron of Abergavenny

*Background*
It is believed that around Easter of 1175,  Henry Fitzmiles 4th Baron of Abergavenny, was murdered by the hand of Seisill ap Dyfnal, a welsh lord of Gwent, whilst visiting the welsh lords home, Castell Arnallt. As he had no issue and there was no other male heir, his lands in Brecknockshire, Upper Gwent and Abergavenny castle was inherited by William de Broase through his mother, Henry’s sister Bertha, Daughter of Miles de Gloucester 1st earl od Hereford, Lord of Brecknockshire and wife of William De Braose 3rd lord of Bramber

*The Massacre*
         William de Braose (4th lord of Bramber) took it upon himself to avenge the death of his uncle and hatched a plot for revenge. He planned a Christmas feast in 1175 and invited Seissil ap Dyfnal and a host of other high ranking welsh lords from the kingdom of Gwent (now part of Monmouthshire) to dine with him with the intent of peace and reconciliation and to usher in a new era at the end of the year as this was a traditional time of settling outstanding differences amongst the welsh. 

          Seissil and his son Geoffrey and a number of other ranking Welshmen went to Abergavenny castle to attend this lavish feast. As the welsh were lead to believe that this would be a peaceful event they entered the banquet unarmed and at the height of celebration de Braose’s men fell upon the welsh and massacred them in cold blood. 

          Directly after the massacre de Braose and his men sacked the lands that had belonged to Seissil ap Dyfnal and William de Broase personally hunted down Seissil’s surviving son, Cadwaladr, a lad of seven and slew him in his mothers arms. Even in a time where such brutality was all to common the act of murdering a child ,even one of an enemy, was considered a particularly heinous offence. Thus de Braose earned the hatred of the welsh and the nickname he Ogre of Abergavenny.
*
No deed goes unpunished*
“The Ogre” went on to commit numerous other atrocities, including involvement in a battle at Llanbedr Painscastle where he and an army of Englishmen massacred 3000 welsh in one of the bloodiest battles in welsh history. “The Ogre” even gained popularity with the English King John, however after a disagreement John confiscated all of de Broase’s lands and sent him into exile where he eventually fled as a beggar to France. His Wife Maud and eldest son William were imprisoned after she openly accused John of murdering his nephew Arthur to keep his hold on the English Throne. They died of starvation 11 days after they were incarcerated.

It is interesting to note that the actions of "The Ogre" besmirched the de Braose name for many generations. There is also some conjecture as to who gave the order for the massacre de Braose or King Henry II of england. Regardless of where the order came from the massacre took place in de Broase's Castle at Abergavenny and it is he who hunted and killed the small boy.


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 12, 2007)

Wybren, what terrible and treacherous Christmas gift! 

Thank you for this particularly heinous story.

The beautiful (and confederate, made of many different peoples with different languages...) Island holds the first place in ourcounting of Treason Meals, for now!

Posting Al Capone's bloody invitation shortly...


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## Sephiroth (Oct 12, 2007)

Great story, thanks Wybren.  

Seems like these 'feasts of reconciliation' had a bit of a tendency to go awry.  You'd think one of these times, _someone _would actually twig that visiting your sworn enemy for a nice bit of turkey and stuffing is not a great idea.  No unless you go packing, at least.......

Our first one from the New World is coming up, then......


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 13, 2007)

*Your Health, My Friends!*​ 


*Or*​ 


*Why Being Al Capone’s Guest of Honour is Something to Avoid*​ 


The fourth of nine children of Italian immigrants from Naples, Alfonso Capone (1899-1947) shows some talent since sixth grade, when he assaults a teacher. Caned by the principal, he prefers to learn his trade as a street urchin. At 26, he succeeds to the mob godfather Johnny Torrio, and takes over the war against the Irish gangs. By that time, he controls 1000 guns in Brooklyn. He relocates to Chicago in 1919 to avoid being pinned for two negligible murders.

Until the rise of Al Capone, the gang leaders ruled their own communities and gained immunity by dealing with politicians. Our Al changes these rules. He strikes no deal with congressmen. His henchmen terrorise the voters to get their candidates elected—a strategy with immediate payoff. The others he bribed. Once, the mayor of Chicago comes up with a decision of his own. Al greets him on the steps of the City Hall and slaps him around, under the embarrassed eyes of the Police. The man who owns Chicago has a few qualities, though. He is the first equal-opportunity manager. Any crook can work for him, regardless of colour and accent. He hires Blacks, Porto Ricans, Jews, Irish and Poles who can enter his army by giving evidence of their gun-happiness. They have to be reliable and trustworthy crooks, of course.

His human resources policies are straightforward and rude. He shows his magnanimity—and humour— when he chooses as bodyguard Gallucio, the man who has scarred his face. Everyone knows the anecdote, yet Scarface tells everyone that he collected his wound in France, during World War I, although he never served in the army. Ruthless men flock to him, attracted by his new winning methods in the growing business of bootlegging. His bodyguards would leap into the fire for him. In fact, during an attack to his headquarters, an adversary pours 1000 rounds of machine gun on him, from a motorcade. Under the hail of bullets, Al eludes death because his guards throw him onto the floor and cover him with their bodies, taking their function literally. Another day, someone has the idea of doctoring his soup, but he, the badass, survives. As the Lombard saying goes: pests don’t die easily.

Now Capone runs a florid business of gambling, prostitution and bootlegging, three services that only gangsters can provide. The good citizens appreciate his zeal. Scarface is a walking myth.

1929 is an eventful year. The 14th of February, Alfonso exaggerates a little, sending his men disguised as policemen to round up a rival gang. The enemy, seeing the uniforms, surrenders. Al’s people make the rivals line up against the wall and shoot them, tarata tata ta ta ta ta.
It is only a matter of seven dead bodies, but Lady Public Opinion begins to turn Her coat (Opinion is a girl in Latin, Italian, French, Spanish…). It is too shocking to see a bunch of corpses in broad St.-Valentine-day light.

This same year, paranoiac Al hears something on the grapevine. John Scalise, one of the men who pulled the trigger on the bloody St. Valentine Day’s Massacre, is planning to go independent consultant in machine-gun firing, he is also scheming also planning to kill _him._ Al is a bloke that goes to the bottom of things, and he investigates the lifestyle of Johnny and his two accomplices, Albert Anselmi and Giuseppe “Hop Toad” Giunta. It would seem that these three high-ranking triggermen in Capone’s army have been talking with the head of a rival gang. Following a time-honoured tradition, Alfonso throws a banquet and invites his possibly disloyal friend as guests of honour. The three show up.

Here is the meal.

At the end of the dinner, a henchman carries a gift wrapped in shiny paper. Judging by its form, it is not a 78 tours to be played on a gramophone.

Amused, our poor bestards look up at the Boss who is opening up their gift, instead of handing it over. Maybe it is a cylindrical bottle of _Lacrima Christi_, strong Sicilian liquor. Let’s be patient, our Al has put a lot of shiny-shiny paper around it.

Al happily produces one of the Indian clubs he himself received as a gift. The Boss is too generous. Everyone knows that he has a beautiful collection of those.

Now I’ll pass my plume to Kobler, who will serve us the rest of the dinner, beginning with a little flashback.

"Seldom had the three guests of honor sat down to a feast so lavish. Their dark Sicilian faces were flushed as they gorged on the rich, pungent food, washing it down with liters of red wine. At the head of the table, Capone, his big white teeth flashing in an ear-to-ear smile, oozing affability, proposed toast after toast to the trio. Saluto, Scalise! Saluto, Anselmi! Saluto, Giunta!

"When, long after midnight, the last morsel had been devoured and the last drop drunk, Capone pushed back his chair. A glacial silence fell over the room. His smile had faded. Nobody was smiling now except the sated, mellow guests of honor, their belts and collars loosened to accommodate their Gargantuan intake. As the silence lengthened, they too stopped smiling. Nervously, they glanced up and down the long table. Capone leaned toward them. The words dropped from his mouth like stones. So they thought he didn't know? They imagined they could hide the offence he never forgave -- disloyalty?

“Capone had observed the old tradition. Hospitality before execution. The Sicilians were defenceless, having, like the other banqueters, left their guns in the checkroom. Capone's bodyguards fell upon them, lashing them to their chairs with wire and gagging them. Capone got up, holding a baseball bat. Slowly, he walked the length of the table and halted behind the first guest of honor. With both hands he lifted the bat and slammed it down full force. Slowly, methodically, he struck again and again, breaking bones in the man's shoulders, arms and chest. He moved to the next man and, when he had reduced him to mangled flesh and bone, to the third. One of the bodyguards then fetched his revolver from the checkroom and shot each man in the back of the head." *John Kobler*, _*Capone*_ (1971), 


On the three bodies, the Police found neither a bone that wasn’t broken nor an inch of flesh that wasn’t smashed.


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## Sephiroth (Oct 13, 2007)

Brutal.  Definitely our most brutal killing yet, I think.  


Thank you, Giovanna, for another well-crafted tale.


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## Pyan (Oct 15, 2007)

Here's one from the bloody and treacherous history of the Emerald Isle:

*HOW COMMANDER COSBY HELD A "FEAST" AT MULLAGHMAST.*


 IT was within the period which we have just passed over that the ever-memorable massacre of Mullaghmast occurred. It is not, unhappily, the only tragedy of the kind to be met with in our blood-stained annals; yet it is of all the most vividly perpetuated in popular traditions. 

In 1577, Sir Francis Cosby, commanding the queen's troops in Leix and Offaly, formed a diabolical plot for the permanent conquest of that district. Peace at the moment prevailed between the government and the inhabitants; but Cosby seemed to think that in extirpation lay the only effectual security for the crown. Feigning, however, great friendship, albeit suspicious of some few "evil disposed" persons said not to be well affected, he invited to a grand feast all the chief families of the territory; attendance thereat being a sort of test of amity. To this summons responded the flower of the Irish nobility in Leix and Offaly, with their kinsmen and friends--the O'Mores, O'Kellys, Lalors, O'Nolans, etc. The "banquet"--alas!--was prepared by Cosby in the great Rath or Fort of Mullach-Maisten, or Mullaghmast, in Kildare county. 

Into the great rath rode many a pleasant cavalcade that day; but none ever came forth that entered in. A gentleman named Lalor who had halted a little way off, had his suspicions in some way aroused. He noticed, it is said, that while many went into the rath, none were seen to reappear outside. Accordingly he desired his friends to remain behind while he advanced and reconnoitered. He entered cautiously. Inside, what a horrid spectacle met his sight! 

At the very entrance the dead bodies of some of his slaughtered kinsmen! In an instant he himself was set upon; but drawing his sword, he hewed his way out of the fort and back to his friends, and they barely escaped with their lives to Dysart! He was the only Irishman out of more than four hundred who entered the fort that day that escaped with life! The invited guests were butchered to a man; one hundred and eighty of the O'Mores alone having thus perished.



From the Atlas and Cyclopedia of Ireland (1900)


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## Giovanna Clairval (Oct 15, 2007)

Pyan, oh, Pyan! _Quelle horreur_!

And they say the Romans...


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## Sephiroth (Oct 15, 2007)

Thanks, Pyan.  How terrible.......


Is it just me, or do we seem to be particularly good at this on these islands?

Anyone know any more?


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