Henry's Queen Eleanor had been previously the wife of Louis VII, of France, who having been persuaded by his Priests to shave off his Beard, so disgusted Eleanor that she obtained a divorce.[1]
Richard the Lion-hearted was Bearded like a lion, and though he was so absorbed in the Crusades that he did not redress, yet he acknowledged the justice of the complaints of the celebrated Longbeard, "Earl of London and King of the Poor," who did honor to his Beard by resisting oppression, and perished, after an heroic struggle, the victim of cowardice and treachery. The monuments of Roger. Bishop of Sarum, and Andrew. Abbot of Peterborough, shew that Bishops wore the Beard, and Abbots and Monks shaved in this reign.
John had what was called "a Judas' Beard," of which his actions were every way worthy. Fortunately, the bold
- ↑ "She had," says D'Israeli, "for her marriage dower the rich province of Poitou and Guyenne; and this was the origin of those wars which for 300 years ravaged France, and cost the French three million of men. All which probably had never occurred had Louis VII not been so rash as to crop his head and shave his Beard, by which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen Eleanor."
