In 2012, the residents of Angers in the Loire Valley (west of Paris) were asked to sign up to a petition – that the Crown Jewels of the British Queen be paid as compensation for the death of Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, son of Angers.
If you’re wondering what on earth that was all about, you’re not alone. In fact the French organisers behind this idea didn’t really expect Queen Elizabeth II to send them her crowns, sceptres and orbs – an apology would suffice.
For what? Angers, once the capital of the province of Anjou was the home of the Plantagenet family which actually ruled England from 1154 to 1485. From them came Kings such as Henry V and Richard the Lionheart as well as Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick.
Edward was the last of the legitimate male line of the Plantagenets and he was murdered by Henry VII’s men, the first of the Tudor Kings in 1499 at the Tower of London.
Of course, the petition wasn’t a success, but it was a great publicity stunt for the lovely Loire city…
