Why a Booktrail?
1400s: Books about paintings that actually exist have a certain magical quality to them and this brings Bruges and its history to life
The Master of Bruges
What you need to know before your trail
Master painter Hans Memling works in fifteenth-century Bruges. He lives a happy and relatively quiet life despite his popularity but when he falls in love with the daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, his life begins to unravel.
However, his love for Marie makes him reckless and dangerous. When he is invited to London he finds himself involved in the War of the Roses and in one of the greatest political mysteries of all time.
Travel Guide
As Memling works in the confines of the Royal palaces and circles, he becomes well versed in the habits and goings on of the corridors of power and the political world in which they live.
The chapters set in Bruges are rich in historical detail most of which can still be seen there since the city seems to have changed little over the years with it canals and cobbled lanes. The author notes that the scenes in the story are real events and he main characters are historical and had a connection with Bruges so the book really does come alive when visiting Bruges itself.
There are many processions mentioned which still take place today –
*Procession of the Holy Blood – held annually on Ascension Day
*Every five years the wedding procession of Charles the Bold and Margaret of York is enacted in the city’s streets.
Where Next?
