Hello everyone...

[Rivallon]

Hello... not sure where to start ... but i'll tell you a lil about myself...

I joined this forum with the hopes of finding other people that share my passion and love for history. Since I was very little i've always been fascinated by history -- the more ancient or medieval... the better. As a child I dreamed of being a knight... and someday living in a castle --- and that dream never faded.

I'm somewhat of an old soul (although i'm only in my mid 20's). While most kids were out playing ball... I was reading every history book/encyclopedia I could get my hands on. I drew maps of fantasy kingdoms for fun... and was skilled with calligraphy before I even reached high school. My mother instilled in me a love for family and genealogy-- and over the last several years i've been passionately researching my family tree.

In the course of my research i've found several of my French-Canadian ancestors are descended from nobility ... or are suspected to be so. While there are many who would deny these lineages for lack of "hard evidence" ... I try to keep an open mind. History has been written and rewritten many times -- and despite the best efforts of historians - nothing can be proven without a doubt. It's only by keeping an open mind that further discoveries can be made -- otherwise the "facts" are the "facts"... and that's it.

I never dreamed that I would discover lineages that lead back to European Nobility and Royalty -- but it's been a fascinating and exciting journey. I'm mindful that i'm one of thousands with shared ancestry ... and i'm not interested in staking my claim for any title (real or imagined). I continue my research because of the thrill of discovery ... and there's always something new to learn. I enjoy researching fascinating and remarkable lives -- no matter their circumstance or station. I admire the strength, and wisdom of monarchs who served their kingdoms well -- and hope to emulate similar qualities in my life.

So I come here with the hopes of finding kindred spirits... people of like interest and passion. I have much to learn... and much to share.

Hope to hear from you soon...

--rivallon

[Elspeth]

Welcome to the forum, rivallon! You'll find a lot of people here who are interested in history, so you've come to the right place.