As part of research into family history stories passed down generations, I have discovered links with several key figures and events including: King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520; Leonardo da Vinci’s last years at the Court of King François I in France (1516-19); the writings of his sister, Marguerite d’Angoulême (1492-1549), also known as Marguerite de Navarre, reknowned as an early feminist author; and Galiot de Genouillac (1465-1549), one of François’s military leaders and a close friend of Marguerite. I have extracted the relevant chapters from my book “Galiot’s Commission” which would interest a wider audience in the links below:
Leonardo’s Algorithm – How artifical intelligence has finally revealed the genius of Leonardo da Vinci.
Leonardo’s Notebooks – The incredible story of how Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks survived to the present day.
Renaissance Search Engine – The relationship between King François I of France and his “First Painter, Engineer and Architect” Leonardo da Vinci, during the last few years of his life.
Mona Lisa’s Travels – The story of Mona Lisa herself (Lisa Camilla Gherardini), and how the painting she inspired survived wars and art thieves.
Marguerite d’Angoulême’s Memoir – A biography of the remarkable princess, politician, religious thinker, and writer.