Pieter Wouterse Van Der Meulen
Helen Ullman's book includes extensive information about where Peter lived, Henry Stiles' "History of Ancient Windsor" states Peter was born 1622, the son a noble family, of Sir Peter Wouters Van de Meulen of Amsterdam (who was knighted in Amsterdam for canla and dyke improvements), that he was well educated and a businessman, concerned about his three sons who were educated at Yale and became ministers.
Peter first settled at Haddam, CT, but gone by November 1669. A deed from Edward Messenger gave his son-in-law, Peter Mills, 20 acres on Windsor June 9, 1666. Dorcas ws only 16 years old. Governor Winthrop wrote in his medical journal that on 23 January 1667 he treated Mills alias Van Meulen, "Hester, 1 yr daughter of Peter the Dutchman y married Goodman Messingers daughter, had lately for wormes and vomited hundreds of worms" and again he treated her for worms on 13 March 1667. The 1670 census has "Peter Miles dusman" with four people in the house, and no bushels of corn.
Melisende was the daughter of the Baldwin of Bourg and his Armenian wife. Christian crusaders had wrested Jerusalem from the Muslims in 1099.
Melisende began her reign with her father at the end of his life. In 1129 she married Fulk V of Anjou (France). In 1131, they became joint rulers of Jerusalem, although Fulk outshone Melisende and effectively ignored her. In the mid 1130s this changed. Rumors flew, accusing Melisende of having an affair with Fulk's biggest rival, the rebel Hugh II. Fulk chose to believe the rumors and provoked a war against Melisende and her supporters. But her forces prevailed, and her fortunes changed. She insisted on strong peace-terms, which included her admission to the inner councils of the kingdom. She was given great leeway in promoting the arts and in founding a huge abbey. Thereafter, wrote the historian William of Tyre, Fulk "never tried to initiate anything, even in trivial matters, with her foreknowledge."
After Fulk's death Melisende became regent for her 13 year old son, Baldwin.
But by now, however, she had had a taste of real power and she became determined to hold unto it. 1145 was the year Baldwin was to celebrate the attainment of his majority. Melisende ignored the date, easing him out of every place of influence, omitting his name from public acts.
Baldwin put up with this mother's actions until 1152. Complaining to the high court of the kingdom that his mother would not let him rule, he demanded that the realm be divided between mother and son. This is what happened. Melisende ruled Judaea and Samaria and Baldwin the north.
The division didn't last for long. While Melisende's supporters urged the Franks to take account of her efficient administration and ability to rule, it was Baldwin who held the right to rule. This alone was enough to gain greater support for his cause. After a brief military campaign against her, he overwhelmed his mother's army. Her last stronghold was the cramped confines of the Tower of David in Jerusalem.
In spite of their past disagreements, mother and son were reconciled, and she remained one of his closest advisers until her death.
But these rivalries greatly damaged the future of the crusader's Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Muslims took great tracts of territories from the crusaders during the period of Melisende's troubled reign. As a result, Jerusalem never again let a woman rule. When in 1186 a woman actually inherited the crown, her husband was effectively elevated to rule in her place.
Resources:
Betty Millan, Monstrous Regiment: Women Rulers in Men's World, The Kensal Press, London, 1982.
David Jones, Women Warriors, A History, Brassey's, London, 1997.
The International Dictionary of Women's Biography, cites a chapter on her by B. Hamilton, 'Queen of Jerusalem' in "Medieval Women," 1978.
Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Styx/9329/woman1.html
Legendary founder of the Merovingian Dynasty of Frankish kings. He was ruler over the Salian Franks in the years after 450. According to legend, Merowig was conceived when Clodio's wife encountered a Quinotaur, a sea monster which could change shapes while swimming. Though never stated, it is implied that she was impregnated by it. This legend was related by Fredegar in the seventh century, and may have been known earlier.
Merowig (fl. c.450, died c. 458) (Latin: Meroveus or Merovius; German: Merowech; Spanish: Meroveo; French: Mérovée, other spellings include Merovech, Merovich, Merwich) is the legendary founder of the Merovingian Dynasty of Frankish kings. He was ruler over the Salian Franks in the years after 450, but no contemporary record of him exists, and there is little information about him in the later histories of the Franks. Gregory of Tours records him as the possible son of Clodio. He was supposed to have led the Franks in the Battle of Chalons in 451.
According to legend, Merowig was conceived when Clodio's wife encountered a Quinotaur, a sea monster which could change shapes while swimming. Though never stated, it is implied that she was impregnated by it. This legend was related by Fredegar in the seventh century, and may have been known earlier. The legend is probably a back-formation or folk etymology used to explain the Salian Franks' origin as a sea coast dwelling people, and based on the name itself. The "Mero-" or "Mer-" element in the name suggests a sea or ocean (see Old English "mere," Latin "mare," or even the Modern English word "mermaid," etc.). The "Salian" in "Salian Franks" may be a reference to salt, a reminder of their pre-migration home on the shores of the North Sea (alternatively, it may refer to the Isala or Ijssel river behind which their homeland, the Salland, may have been located).
The "-wig/weg/veus" part of the name could have been seen as a reference to a traveller, trail, or conveyance (see German "weg," Latin "via," or even the Modern English word "way"). By this interpretation, "Merowig," "Mérovée," et al. would simply mean "from the sea." A slight variant of this interpretation would follow through the Old High German/Old Saxon word "wiht," (thing or demon"), related to the now-obsolete English word "wight" (meaning a human or human-like creature). Thus, "Merowig" and its spelling variants could easily have been rationalized by Frankish chroniclers as a reference to a sea-creature of some sort, thereby giving rise to the sea-origin legend – whatever the original meaning of the name. Merowig was the father of Childeric I who succeeded him.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merovech
Meroveus: (traditional dates 448-56) GT "Some say ..he was descended from Chlodio". Fredegar III, 9 implies he was the son of Chlodio's wife and the Quinotaur (a Sea Monster).
http://www.j-paine.org/merovingian.html
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Frankish_Kings