My spiritual exercises
ponedjeljak, 18.12.2017.
TOM HANKS AND BEN FOSTER OF 16TH CENTURY
Tom Hanks and Ben Foster, two main characters of the movie „Inferno“, (according to the Dan Brown book of the same) lived in 16th century Europe and both were aristocrats stemming from royal families (same as Dan Brown). Were they also linked in some way ?
Tom Hanks 16th century incarnation is Francis, Duke of Anjou (1555-1584). He was the son of French king Henry II and Catherine de Medici. In 1574, when his brother Charles IX died, the other brother, Henry III became king, and he – heir apparent. In 1579, he became an official suitor of Elizabeth I of England [Cate Blanchet]. He was only 24 and she way 22 years his senior. Despite this age gap, they soon became close. Elizabeth nickanamed him „frog“. (Maybe this is where inpiration for the traditional song Froggy Went A-Courting come from.) Elizabeth often used unflattering niknames for her favorites. Allegedly she was quite fond of him, but, in the end she gave up (1581), perhaps owing to persuasion by Rober Dudley, her councilor. The probable reason was supposition that England would fall under French influence, if Queen died before her husband.
Duke of Anjou consequently engaged himself in conquering Flemish cities – Antwerp, Bruges, Ostend, Dunkirk. In 1583 he entered the city of Antwerp, but was caught by surprise in ambush and defeated. This marrked the end of his military career. He was taken ill of malaria soon thereafter and died next year, in Paris.
Philip I of Castille [Ben Foster] lived in XVI c. but for six years (1478-1506), and shared the similar fate. Namely, he also died young, not reaching his 30th birthday. He was called Philip the Handsome, and he became the first monarch from the Habsburg dynasty to rule Spain. His son Emperor Charles V [incarnation Sammy Davis Jr.] would eventurally unite Habsburg, Burgundian, Castillan and Aragonese inheritances, and make of Holy Roman Empire truly a mighty one. Philip once made a visit to the court of Henry VII [Martin Fry], and regarded him as one providing the model of rulership toward which he aspired. There he met the future king Henry VIII [Charles Laughton]. They would consequently became brothers-in-law because Henry would marry Queen Joanna's [Laura Prepon] youngest sister, Catharine of Aragon [Melanie Griffith]. Philip died of typhoid fever in 1506, soon after his visit to England. So, the link between Tom Hanks' and Ben Foster' incarnations is Henry VIII – Tom Hanks was a suitor of his daughter, and Ben Foster's sister-in-law married him.
The couple, Ben Foster and Laura Prepon had another incarnation in 19th century. He was then Frederick Augustus II, king of Saxony (1797-1854), and his predecessor was king Anthony [Goran Navojec]. His wife was Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria (1801-1832). She was daughter of Francis II [Buster Keaton/Jim Parsons] and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily [Caley Cuoco]. She was sister of Ferdinand I of Austria [incarnation Prince William].
Marie Caroline's parents were double first cousins as they shared all four grandparents (Francis' paternal grandparents were his wife's maternal grandparents and vice versa) – Francis I [Desiderio Valacco] and Maria Theresia [Fani Stipković]. So, in fact, there were not four, but only two grandparents.
