Genre: Non-fiction History Age Range: Adult Star Rating: 4 stars Series: second book
Blurb:
The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in our history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion against their king, queen seductresses, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with the romantic culture of southern Europe – these determined women often broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence, for good and sometimes for ill.
Alison Weir’s ground-breaking history of the queens of medieval England now moves into a period of even higher drama, from 1154 to 1291: years of chivalry, dynastic ambition, conflict with the church, baronial wars, and the all-pervading bonds of feudalism. We see events such as the murder of Becket, Magna Carta and the birth of parliaments from a new perspective. Her narrative begins with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Henry II establishes a dynasty which rules for over three hundred years and creates the most powerful empire in western Christendom – but also sows the seeds for some of the most destructive family conflicts in history and for the collapse, under her son King John, of England’s power in Europe. The lives of Eleanor’s successors were just as remarkable: Berengaria of Navarre, queen of Richard the Lionheart, Isabella of Angoulême, queen of John, and Alienor of Provence, queen of Henry III, and finally Eleanor of Castile, the grasping but beloved wife of Edward I.
Through the story of these first five Plantagenet queens, Alison Weir provides an enthralling new perspective on a dramatic period of high romance and sometimes low politics, with determined women at its heart.
Blurb taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
I think I might prefer QUEENS OF THE CRUSADES a little more to QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST. It helps that this is a period I know less about, but it also felt a little more narrative in its writing, making it more like a story than a non-fiction review.
I knew a fair bit about the history of Eleanor of Castile and her children, but it was very nice to have a refresher. I hadn’t really learnt much about Berengaria (because she has so little impact on history so most people barely mention her) and Isabella of Angoulême’s action after the death of John was so interesting – I love how she goes her own way, even if it’s a disaster!
However, it was Alienor of Provence who I found the most fascinating. Henry III is a king I’ve always skipped over, more interested in Eleanor and Henry II, but she is so interesting – the contrast between how close she and her husband were and how much the country hated them (and the role she played in triggering both Barons Wars) was so interesting to learn. She is also very active after her husband’s death, and plays a different role then, which was fun to learn about.
I was very pleased to see that this book did in fact contain a biography of Eleanor of Aquitaine. The introduction of the first book, QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST, seemed to imply that the queens already treated to a full-book biography (Eleanor of Castile and Isabella of France) would be skipped over. I wasn’t thrilled about this prospect – I want to read these books to get an overview of history through the lives of English Queens, not need to go find another book to complete holes.
Thankfully that didn’t happen! The subtitle of this book shows just how much focus Eleanor of Aquitaine gets in the book, given she’s involved in (very turbulent) English history for over 50 years. It also gives me hope that Isabella of France will get plenty of page time in the next book.
Read my reviews of other books by Alison Weir:
Non-Fiction:
England’s Medieval Queens (this series):
Fiction:
Tudor Rose:
The Six Queens:
- IN THE SHADOWS OF QUEENS (Short Stories)
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 