The Queens of England

By Barbara Softly

Book Overview

History of England from the perspective of sovereign and consort queens alike. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517302004
• ISBN13: 9780517302002
• Release Date: January 1979
• Publisher: Bell Pub. Co
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Biographies!

The Queens of England by Barbara Softly is a biography of every queen that ever reigned in England. From Matilda of Flanders to Elizabeth II, this book describes their reigns and their domestic affairs. The account I found most interesting was that of Eleanor of Provence (Queen of England from 1236 to 1272), who spent 252 pounds on jellies, spices, apples, and pears during nine years of her reign. This book is written with elegance and ease. Filled with anecdotes, rumors, and trivia, this book is a must for anyone interested in the sovereigns of England.

FASCINATING STORIES

Beginning with Matilda of Flanders in the year 1066, and ending with the current monarch, Elizabeth II, this book gives biographies of 47 English queens. The majority of them were given no choice in their marriages and were only pawns in making the alliances between the great powers of Europe. Most of these women were raised knowing that they were of royal lineage and could one day have power over a king and possibly over an entire country. A few of them achieved this goal. Reading about their lives is rich and fascinating.My favorite is Queen Eleanor who came from Aquitane, a region of SW France. She was very accomplished and exerted great influence throughtout her entire life. Eleanor was born in 1122 and was married to King Louis of France when she was 15 years old. While married to King Louis, Eleanor accompanied him on the Second Crusade to the Holy Land. They had 2 daughters, and (possibly due to the fact that there was no male heir), they later divorced. That same year, 1152, Eleanor married Henry of Anjou who became King Henry II of England. The bride was 12 years older then the groom and both had very strong personalties. Their reign was filled with court intrigue and scandal. The murder of St. Thomas a Becket at Canterbury Cathedral was attribued to Henry. The monarchs had 7 children together, including the nasty King John from the Robin Hood tales and his crusading brother King Richard the Lion-Hearted. Eleanor and Henry even argued over which of their sons would be the future heir, and this promoted civil war. Eleanor was such a strong individual that according to her moods signed her letters either: "Eleanor, by the grace of God, humbly Queen of England or Eleanor, by the wrath of God, Queen of England."I've always read English historical novels and these biographies have served me well over the years as a great source of reference in understanding who were the actual people behind the characters in the books I was reading.