The story of the Four Queens by Nancy Goldstone , Penguin Books, 2007 is 4 sisters who marry well and influence Europe in the mid 1200’s. One was married to Louis IX, king of France; one was married to Henry III, king of England and the other two were married to the most powerful people behind the Kings – Richard, the Earl of Cornwall and Charles of Anjou. How all four married into the families and how their marriages brought peace to Europe is the subject of the book. Every family in the world hopes their sons and daughters marry well, for Raymond Berenger V the Count of Provence his four daughters surpassed expectations. In terms of managing the relationships between France and England – having the Queens related would mean although their was difficulties, France and England were more at peace than they were at war. In terms of the barons – these are the lords who are one level down from the King and Queen. The barons have a variety of names – Lord, Earl, Count depending on what lands they own. The best method to keep these folks in line, besides having a strong army was to bribe them. If someone is offered more money, more lands, the niece or daughter or a cousin’s daughter or niece in marriage to improve their social standing so much the better. Often times money was the grease to withhold your troops in the case of disagreements, in the case of war – the winner picked up any valuables from the losers. If war was fought, it was a more civilized approach where the battle would be fought during the day and the evening was time to tend to the injured and dead and if you were losing, it was time to go home. Withholding your troops is not to send them into battle or coming at noon when the battle was over.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, although the terms of war are often used when one company buys another, the market will lose their taste of honourable words for  a higher stock price. The first line of defence of any company under a possible merger is to protect the senior management and existing owners, the 5th line is to offer something for the existing workers. In the book the Four Queens, the ability to offer bribes does wonders for peace, now days the offer of stability of employment to the elected officials and not increasing prices to consumers for a set period of months is the type of bribes which get offered for the workers. For the owners, increasing the stock price swings the most votes.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions