Biography: royalty Books

Book SynopsisElizabeth Revealed is a lively and affectionate celebration of The Queen's long and eventful life. This gorgeously illustrated book blends personal and public, frivolous and factual in a tribute to an extraordinary woman and the sweeping social changes she has lived through. The enjoyable '500 Facts' format highlights surprising aspects of The Queen's intimate life, the good and the bad years. It offers illuminating glimpses into a changing monarchy and royal family life as an elegant young princess developed into the most famous woman in the world.

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Book SynopsisThe crucial first years of Henry IV's reign examined, to discover how he met and overcame the challenges created by his usurpation of the throne. Having seized the throne from his cousin Richard II in 1399, Henry Bolingbroke, the first nobleman to be made king of England since the twelfth century, faced the remarkable challenge of securing his power and authority over a kingdom that was divided and in turmoil. This collection of essays - the first such collection focusing specifically on the reign of the first Lancastrian king - by some of the leading historians of late medieval England, takes a fresh look at the crucial but neglected first years of Henry IV's reign, examining how Henry met and overcame the challenges which his usurpation created. Topics covered include a reappraisal of the events surrounding the revolutionof 1399; Henry's relations with his northern magnates; the Yorkshire rising of 1405; the "Long Parliament" of 1406 and the nature and purpose of the king's council. This collection adds significantly to an understanding of the character of Henry IV, as well as the circumstances in which he ruled, and will be essential for anyone with an interest in late medieval English political history. Dr GWILYM DODD is Lecturer in History at the University of Nottingham; Dr DOUGLAS BIGGS teaches at the Department of History at Waldorf College. Contributors: M. ARVANIGIAN, MICHAEL J. BENNETT, DOUGLAS BIGGS, JOEL BURDEN, GWILYM DODD, ANTHONY GOODMAN, ANDY KING, CYNTHIA J. NEVILLE, A.J.TUCK, SIMON K. WALKER.Trade ReviewA thought provoking and stimulating collection of essays, which will raise many questions, and will stimulate further research. * SOUTHERN HISTORY *All these essays are well researched and extremely detailed contributions to scholarship, and many revise current understanding of particular issues and episodes in the early years of Henry IV.... This collection says a great deal about the state of late medieval English political history. * HISTORY *Stimulating [and] well-researched. * NORTHERN HISTORY *Table of ContentsIntroduction - Henry of Bolingbroke and the Revolution of 1399 - How Do You Bury a Deposed King? The Funeral of Richard II and the Establishment of Lancastrian Royal Authority in 1400 - Joel Burden Henry IV and Chivalry - A J Tuck Scotland, the Percies and the Law in 1400 - Cynthia J Neville Henry IV's Council, 1399-1405 - Gwilym Dodd Henry IV, the Northern Nobility and the Consolidation of the Regime - Mark Arvanigian 'They have the Hertes of the People by North': Northumberland, the Percies and Henry IV, 1399-1408 - Andy King The Yorkshire Risings of 1405: Texts and Contexts - Simon K Walker The Politics of Health: Henry IV and the Long Parliament of 1406 - Doug Biggs

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Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author Paul French examines a controversial and revealing period in the early life of the legendary Wallis Simpson

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Book SynopsisDiscover Diana's extraordinary life principles and the secret keys that focused her destiny. Learn how she achieved freedom from oppression and became a force of liberation. Diana's legacy is to help you find your voice of change and live your soul's purpose. Her spirit lives on, inspiring us all.

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Book SynopsisA definitive new biography of one of British history's most controversial figures, that seeks to bring peace to Richard III's reputation.

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Book SynopsisQueen Victoria''s son, Prince Leopold, died from haemophilia, but no member of the royal family before his generation had suffered from the condition. Medically, there are only two possibilities: either one of Victoria''s parents had a 1 in 50,000 random mutation, or Victoria was the illegitimate child of a haemophiliac man. However the haemophilia gene arose, it had a profound effect on history. Two of Victoria''s daughters were silent carriers who passed the disease to the Spanish and Russian royal families. The disease played a role in the origin of the Spanish Civil War; and the tsarina''s concern over her only son''s haemophilia led to the entry of Rasputin into the royal household, contributing directly to the Russian Revolution. Finally, if Queen Victoria was illegitimate, who should have inherited the British throne? The answer is astonishing.Table of ContentsGod save you! where's the princesse?; dynastic climbers; Victoire and Victoria; the ugly ducking; the bleeders; mutation or bastard?; crowns rolling about the floor; the pretenders; the Coburgs and haemophilia in Iberia; later generation; a breed apart.

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Book SynopsisThe Nawab Nazim was born into one of India's most powerful royal families. Three times the size of Great Britain, his kingdom ranged from the soaring Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. However, in 1880, he was forced to abdicate by the British authorities, who saw him as a threat and permanently abolished his titles. The Nawab's change in fortune marked the end of an era in India and left his secret English family abandoned. The Last Prince of Bengal tells the true story of the Nawab Nazim, his wife and their descendants, as they sought by turns to befriend, settle in and eventually escape Britain. From glamourous receptions with Queen Victoria to a scandalous Muslim marriage with an English chambermaid; from Bengal tiger hunts to sheep farming in the harsh Australian outback, Lyn Innes recounts her ancestors' extraordinary journey from royalty to relative anonymity. Exposing complex prejudices regarding race, class and gender, this riveting account visits the extremes of British rule in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is also the intimate story of one family and their place in defining moments of recent Indian, British and Australian history.Table of ContentsMaps Family Trees Introduction PART I Chapter 1: A prince in name 1838-1848 Chapter 2: Money, power and politics 1849-1859 Chapter 3: Passage from India 1859-1869 Chapter 4: A Cinderella story 1852-1870 Chapter 5: Battling Parliament and the press 1869-1873 Chapter 6: The Nawab's English family 1871-1881 Chapter 7: Leaving England 1880-1884 PART II Chapter 8: Sarah's fight 1885-1925 Chapter 9: Royal bohemians 1907-1914 Chapter 10: Weathering the war 1914-1919 Chapter 11: Writing for a living 1920-1925 Chapter 12: Farming down under 1925-1927 Chapter 13: Divided families 1927-1941 Epilogue Acknowledgements Image Credits Selective Sources Index

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Book SynopsisTo refer to the private life of Charles II is to abuse the adjective. His personal life was anything but private. His amorous liaisons were largely conducted in royal palaces surrounded by friends, courtiers and literally hundreds of servants and soldiers. Gossip radiated throughout the kingdom. Charles spent most of his wealth and his intellect on gaining and keeping the company of women, from the lowest sections of society such as the actress Nell Gwyn to the aristocratic Louise de Kérouaille. Some of Charles'' women played their part in the affairs of state, colouring the way the nation was run. Don Jordan and Michael Walsh take us inside Charles'' palace, where we will meet court favourites, amusing confidants, advisors jockeying for political power, mistresses past and present as well as key figures in his inner circle such as his ''pimpmasters'' and his personal pox doctor.The astonishing private life of Charles II reveals much about the man he was and Trade ReviewEntertaining history of the antics of the libidinous King Charles II and his licentious court ... tells you everything you need to know about 17th-Century sex -- Sebastian Shakespeare Tatler The King's Bed violates all the po-faced standards of serious scholarship, but that's precisely what makes it so enjoyable -- Gerard DeGroot The Times Don Jordan and Michael Walsh share an unerring nose for a good subject ... These romps through Charles's bed-chamber are wonderfully lively ... Narrating a libertine's life with a gusto tempered by sound common sense, they have produced a book that is as pleasantly addictive as might be suggested by its racy title -- Miranda Seymour Sunday Times While showing that 'never again would an English royal court reverberate with such fun and vigour, so much youthful swagger and sexuality', the book makes clear that Charles's sex addiction had its darker side Mail on Sunday In a tone of breezy bravado in keeping with their concept of their subject's character, Don Jordan and Michael Walsh have written a swashbuckling life of Charles II ... the stuff of a TV mini-series ... the authors have a keen eye for memorable anecdotes which consistently hold the reader's attention Spectator This hugely entertaining book gives the low-down on the many mistresses who shared [Charles II's] bed Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Freed has done so much to illuminate the ins and out of German politics in the late 12th century, ensuring that his book will be a constant point of reference for scholars.”—David Abulafia, History Today“Crafting an erudite biography on Frederick Barbarossa is no easy task, but Freed offers a comprehensive account of Frederick’s reign, rich in historical detail, that is suitable for scholars, students, and the general reader alike. This may be the go-to work on Frederick Barbarossa in English for quite some time yet.”—Stephen Donnachie, Royal Studies Journal‘John Freed's Frederick Barbarossa is a monumental achievement. Not only is it the first serious biography in English of one of the most fascinating and important individuals of the European Middle Ages. It also offers a thoughtful, lucid and immensely readable way into the environment and society from which Barbarossa emerged, and of the challenges and opportunities to be faced in writing about the wonderful world of the first Staufen emperor. We owe John Freed a collective debt of gratitude not only for having braced and mastered these challenges so magisterially, but also for the enjoyment and instruction that his book brings. It will teach experts much they did not know or had not thought about, but it will equally appeal to anyone interested in one of the most transformative periods in the history of medieval Europe.’ – Björn Weiler, author of Kingship, Rebellion and Political Culture: England and Germany, c.1215–c.1250‘John Freed has written a truly monumental biography, which will remain unchallenged as the authoritative account of Barbarossa for a long time to come. Rooted in a comprehensive command of the medieval sources and enriched by Freed’s profound understanding of twelfth-century aristocratic politics and society, this book reveals a Barbarossa stripped at last of many centuries of accumulated myth: as prince, dynast and warlord. Students of medieval history have waited a long time for a fully satisfactory treatment of one of the twelfth century’s most dazzling and complex personalities. With this brilliant and deeply learned book, their wait is over.’ - Len Scales, author of The Shaping of German Identity: Authority and Crisis, 1245–1414 “John Freed’s biography is the first in English for half a century. A 700-page doorstopper, this impressive, learned book certainly makes amends for this previously serious oversight… Thanks to Freed’s scholarly but highly readable biography, this pragmatic Teutonic Arthur might finally gain greater renown beyond Germany.”—Sean McGlynn, Spectator -- Sean McGlynn * Spectator *“Freed’s book is certainly a cause for celebration and will be a lasting resource… gives us a compelling, readable and very well-informed narrative of Frederick’s thirty-eight reign, that made him —with Henry II of England, Louis VII of France and Manuel I of Byzantium — one of the leading political personalities of Europe.”—Mark Whittow, TLS -- Mark Whittow * TLS *“Freed has done so much to illuminate the ins and out of German politics in the late 12th century, ensuring that his book will be a constant point of reference for scholars.”—David Abulafia, History Today -- David Abulafia * History Today *

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Book SynopsisMemorable not for his life but his death, Edward V is probably better known as one of the Princes in the Tower, the supposed victim of his uncle, Richard III. This work presents to us the backdrop to this tragically short life - and reveals how he was both the hope of a dynasty and an integral cause of that dynasty''s collapse.

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Book SynopsisKing-makers - Conspirators - Criminals - Nobles - Seducers''A riveting story, splendidly told'' DAILY TELEGRAPH''Gripping and gruesome'' BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH''Fascinating close-ups of outlandish Tudor behaviour'' DAILY MAILThe Howard family - the Dukes of Norfolk - were the wealthiest and most powerful aristocrats in Tudor England, regarding themselves as the true power behind the throne. They were certainly extraordinarily influential, with two Howard women marrying Henry VIII - Anne Boleyn and the fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard. But in the treacherous world of the Tudor court no faction could afford to rest on its laurels. The Howards consolidated their power with an awesome web of schemes and conspiracies but even they could not always hold their enemies at bay. This was a family whose history is marked by treason, beheadings and incarceration - a dynasty whose pride and ambition secTrade Review[Hutchinson] entertains us with fascinating close-ups of outlandish Tudor behaviour * DAILY MAIL *A gruesome story, of pride, greed and flaunting arrogance, blood and cruelty, cunning and stupidity... [Robert Hutchinson] has created a delightful and instructive book * LITERARY REVIEW *The narrative is compelling and horrible... It is a riveting story, splendidly told * DAILY TELEGRAPH *[Hutchinson] writes with vigour and enthusiasm.. there are some splendid set-pieces (the account of Flodden, for instance, is riveting) * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *Robert Hutchinson gives a thoughtful sideways view onto 16th century court politics in House of Treason... a fascinating account of the Howard dynasty * DAILY TELEGRAPH Books of the Year *Hutchinson grips every page with this outstanding story of treason in fearful times laden with espionage and betrayal * OXFORD TIMES *Hutchinson is a lively biographer and brings the period vividly to life. One has a keen sense of its sights and smells as well as the less immediate stink of fear, betrayal and unbearable pain ... This book gives a balanced view of the choices and compromises, the moral subtleties and the physical horrors of the age * THE TABLET *Gripping and gruesome * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *A remarkable story of a dynasty whose pride and ambition secured only their downfall * HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER *A riveting book * CATHOLIC HERALD *A gruesome and engaging history * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST *A remarkable story of a dynasty whose pride and ambition secured only their downfall. * HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER *A riveting book * CATHOLIC HERALD *A gruesome and engaging history * SUNDAY BUSINESS POST *Gripping and gruesome * BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH *

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Book SynopsisA definitive portrait of one of the most compelling monarchs England has ever had: Elizabeth I.'We are a prince from a line of princes.'Lisa Hilton's majestic biography of Elizabeth I, 'The Virgin Queen', uses new research to present a fresh interpretation of Elizabeth as a queen who saw herself primarily as a Renaissance prince, delivering a very different perspective on her emotional and sexual life, and upon her attempts to mould England into a European state. Elizabeth was not an exceptional woman but an exceptional ruler, and this book challenges readers to reassess her reign, and the colourful drama, scandal and intrigue to which it is always linked.Trade ReviewWhether you agree with Hilton or not, she brings balance to the view that we must judge Elizabeth through the prism of her gender. It is refreshing to be confronted by challenging arguments instead of tired anecdotes. This biography is also full of unusual and interesting insights. I loved the observation that the three most important men in Elizabeth's life were Cecil, Robert Dudley (whom she loved) and Philip II of Spain. Apparently she kept a painting of Philip in her bedroom. -- Leanda de Lisle * THE SPECTATOR *In this book, which draws on new research from Italy, France, Russia and Turkey, the clichéd image of "a bewigged farthingale with a mysterious sex life" is replaced with Elizabeth, the Renaissance prince. The queen used her femininity when convenient but also transcended it. Distinguishing between the "body natural" and the "body politic", Elizabeth saw herself primarily as a prince because royalty negated gender...Hilton's biography manages an impressive balancing act; while eruditely analysing Renaissance ideas and Elizabethan realpolitik it retains all the sexiness we have come to expect from books about the Tudors. Given the humanist education of a prince, Elizabeth was a scholar who eloquently crafted her own speeches. However, she was no blue- stocking; she used her sexuality to get what she wanted both for herself and her country. -- Rachel Trethewey * THE INDEPENDENT *A lively and colourful reassessment of the 'Virgin Queen' by a popular historian and novelist * THE TABLET *This book draws on new research from Italy, France, Russia and Turkey - and the cliched image of "a bewigged farthingale with a mysterious sex life" is replaced with a queen who used her feminity when convenient, but who also transcended it. * i NEWSPAPER *She is our most written-about monarch but the author finds more to uncover -- Jonathan Bate * THE TIMES *...a new approach to writing Elizabeth's life, one which places her firmly in the context of the European Renaissance and beyond. This is an interesting idea, as most biographies look at Elizabeth's life and reign from an overwhelmingly English perspective, an extension of our enduring obsession with the Tudors. -- Linda Porter * HSTORY TODAY *This biography is both informative and enthralling. It is grounded in facts, keeps speculation to a minimum (and even that little is well reasoned), and cuts through the legend to give a glimpse of the real Elizabeth, cunning and naive, generous yet petty. * HISTORICAL NOVELS SOCIETY *Lisa Hilton opens her new biography of Elizabeth I by outlining her leading idea: that Elizabeth was a new kind of ruler for England, a prince on the Machiavellian model, who held that "the ruler's primary duty was the preservation of the state at any cost". By ruling in this way, Hilton asserts Elizabeth led her realm out of the Middle Ages and towards modern nationhood. -- Helen Hackett * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *Lisa Hilton's radical new biography of Queen Bess, employs new research from a variety of sources to look at Elizabeth's personal life and self-image. * CHOICE *While this is not an exhaustive history of Elizabeth's life and reign, Hilton provides us with an accomplished evocation of a remarkable ruler. Her book is as elegantly fashioned and ingeniously contrived as those pieces of Renaissance jewellery that Elizabeth loved to wear. -- Anne Somerset * MAIL ON SUNDAY *Lisa Hilton presents Elizabeth as a Machiavellian 'Renaissance Prince' who self-consciously fashioned herself as 'male' -- Anna Whitelock * LITERARY REVIEW *A superbly innovative and beautifully written investigation of Elizabeth 1 - focusing on her as a Renaissance Prince. New scholarship, searing insight and Hilton's sharp eye for detail make this a must-read. -- Kate Williams * THE LIST *

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Book SynopsisHistory as it should be written' Alison Weir, bestselling author of the Six Tudor Queens seriesA groundbreaking and fascinating biography of England''s most famous queen, viewed through the women who influenced her life.Elizabeth I is often portrayed as a ruthless ''man''s woman'', who derided her own sex I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman'' and loved to flirt with the young men at her court. Yet she was born into a world of women and it is her relationships with these women that provide the most fascinating insight into the character of this remarkable monarch. As a child Elizabeth was raised by her mother, governesses and stepmothers, while as an adult she was clothed, bathed and watched by her ladies of the bedchamber and her maids of honour. With them she was jealous, spiteful and cruel, as well as loyal, kind and protective. Among her family it was her female relations who had the greatest influence on her life: froTrade ReviewHistory as it should be written -- Alison WeirOverall this is an enthralling picture of female empowerment and woman's place in this most testosterone fuelled of epochs. It is a thrilling and carefully written book which should grace any history lover's bookshelves -- Roderick Graham * Scotland on Sunday *The idea behind her book is genuinely inspired -- John Guy * Sunday Times *A warm and readable account... irresistible stuff -- Kathryn Hughes * The Guardian *Innovative, full of rich, too often neglected female characters -- Antonia Fraser

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Book SynopsisAn intensely moving account of George III's doomed attempt to create a happy, harmonious family, written with astonishing emotional force by a stunning new history writer.George III came to the throne in 1760 as a man with a mission. He was determined to break with the extraordinarily dysfunctional home lives of his Hanoverian predecessors. He was sure that as a faithful husband and a loving father, he would be not just a happier man but a better ruler as well.During the early part of his reign it seemed as if, against all the odds, his great family project was succeeding. His wife, Queen Charlotte, shared his sense of moral purpose, and together they raised their fifteen children in a climate of loving attention. But as the children grew older, and their wishes and desires developed away from those of their father, it became harder to maintain the illusion of domestic harmony.The Strangest Family' is an epic, sprawling family drama, filled with intensely realised characters who leap off the page as we are led deep inside the private lives of the Hanoverians. Written with astonishing emotional force by a stunning new voice in history writing, it is both a window on another world and a universal story that will resonate powerfully with modern readers.Trade Review‘A masterpiece. Beautifully written, impeccably researched, this heartbreaking narrative of family dysfunction and royal sacrifice is an absolute page-turner’ Amanda Foreman, author of ‘Georgiana’ ‘Enthralling … you know you are in the hands of a master narrator as well as a profoundly perceptive historian. And like all great historical writing, the book transcends its immediate story – gripping and moving though that is – to be a timeless reflection on the human condition’ Simon Schama ‘Colourful and brilliantly narrated … excellent both in her narrative skill and her scholarship … Hadlow has produced a perceptive, lively and wonderfully enjoyable book’ Miranda Seymour, Sunday Times ‘Fascinating … in this densely detailed yet fast-paced book, as drama follows drama, the interest never flags … Hadlow is adept at the telling phrase and makes splendid use of the period's vivid letters, diaries and memoirs’ Jenny Uglow, Guardian ‘Engrossing … Hadlow, an accomplished storyteller, assembles a picture full of emotional colour and drama which still resonates today’ Lucy Hughes-Hallett, The Times ‘Truly engrossing. George III and his relatives give us the ultimate family saga, and it almost defies belief that these events really happened. A real-life period drama to lose yourself in’ Lucy Worsley ‘Hadlow's achievement is to unite in a single volume an overview of one family's squabbling, thwarted good intentions and petty vindictiveness … in readable prose, with a welter of detail Hadlow succeeds in her considerable task … This is a discursive, leisurely account, enlivened by Hadlow's infectious enthusiasm’ Sunday Telegraph ‘Hadlow’s energetic, richly detailed debut combines personal sympathy for her subjects with a shrewd alertness to wider significances’ Independent on Sunday

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Wydeville, Queen consort to Edward IV, has traditionally been portrayed as a scheming opportunist. As this extraordinary biography shows, the first queen to bear the name Elizabeth lived a tragedy, love, and loss that no other queen has since endured.

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Book SynopsisThe Great, the Pious, the Fair; the Wise, the Lame, the Mad. Imprisoned, deposed, exiled. Excommunicated, assassinated; devout, debauched; loved, loathed — the Middle Ages produced a fascinating array of monarchs. From Britain to Russia, from Scandinavia to Sicily, from the 9th century CE to the completion of the Reconquista of Spain in 1492, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World explores the captivating stories of monarchs from all across Europe. Arranged thematically, the book groups the kings and queens by their achievements – military leaders, law-makers, religious reformers, patrons of the arts. These are stories of monarchs leading their armies into battle to expand or defend their territory, and of kings – and queens – going on crusade – both within Europe and to the Holy Land. These, too, are stories of, on the one hand, countries united by marriage, and, on the other, sons scheming against fathers in an effort to gain – and maintain – power. And yet these are also the stories of the people who constructed beautiful cathedrals, who founded universities and supported artists, of religious kings who were later canonised, of kings who created more just legal systems, established parliaments and permanent armies, and laid the foundations for more modern governments and societies. Featuring the major European dynasties, Kings & Queens of the Medieval World is a lively account of monarchs from Charlemagne to Alexander Nevsky to Ferdinand and Isabella. Illustrated with 180 colour and black-and-white artworks, photographs and maps, this is a colourful, accessible history.Table of ContentsIntroduction MILITARY LEADERS Charlemagne (800-814) – king of the Franks who defeated the Lombards and made incursions into Muslim Spain and campaigned against the Saxons to the East. Uniting most of western Europe for the first time since the Romans, he was crowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope. Louis the Pious (814–40) – King of Aquitaine and King of the Franks, Son of Charlemagne, reconquered parts of northern Spain from the Muslims, including Barcelona and Pamplona. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, King of England – Norman invasion of England (1066). Alexander Nevsky (1221–63) – rose to legendary status in Kievan Russia on account of his military victories over German and Swedish invaders while agreeing to pay tribute to the powerful Golden Horde. Casimir the Great (1310–70) – doubled the size of Poland, mostly through wars in what is modern-day Ukraine. Władysław II Jagiełło (r.1386–1434) – Born a pagan in Lithuania, Władysław was the Grand Duke of Lithuania, before becoming King of Poland. The allied Polish–Lithuanian victory against the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, secured the Polish and Lithuanian borders and marked the emergence of the Polish–Lithuanian alliance as a significant force in Europe. Philip II Augustus of France – broke up the Angevin Empire presided over by the crown of England and defeated a coalition of his rivals (German, Flemish and English) at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214. Robert the Bruce, king of Scots, led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence, defeating King Edward II of England at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Edward III, who transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe, launching the conflict that became known as the Hundred Years’ War to reclaim land in France, and defeating the French at Crécy (1346). Henry IV of England, deposed his cousin Richard II. Richard later died in prison, possibly of starvation. Henry went on to defeat the Welsh uprising led by Owain Glyndwr. Henry V of England and his defeat of the French at Agincourt (1415), bringing him close to conquering France. English civil conflict: The Wars of the Roses – Edward IV, Richard III and Henry Tudor (Henry VII) Ivan III ‘The Great’ of Russia (1462–1505) tripled the territory of his state, ended the dominance of the Golden Horde over the Rus. CRUSADERS, PERSECUTORS AND RELIGIOUS REFORMERS Monarchs on crusade: Richard I (the Lionheart) of England, Philip II of France, Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor led the Third Crusade. Louis IX took part in the Seventh and Eighth Crusades, dying on the latter. Louis’ son, Philip III, later died on the Aragonese Crusade. Sigismund von Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, led the last West European Crusade – the Crusade of Nicopolis of 1396 against the Turks. The crusaders, with forces from across Europe, were defeated in a single day. In attempting to reform England’s relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, Henry II of England (1154–89) came into conflict with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Becket was later murdered by followers of the king. Jews: In 1182, Philip II of France expelled all Jews from his lands; John I, Duke of Brittany drove them out of his duchy in 1239; and in the late 1240s Louis IX of France expelled the Jews from the royal demesne. In 1306, Philip IV ‘the Fair’ expelled the Jews from France. Edward I of England first exploited Jews, taxing them; in 1279, in the context of a crack-down on coin-clippers, he had 300 of them executed and finally expelled remaining Jews from the country in 1290. In contrast, Casimir the Great of Poland (1310–70) encouraged Jews to settle in his country. Devoutly religious, Louis IX of France (1226–70) punished blasphemy, gambling, interest-bearing loans and prostitution. Philip IV of France’s (1285–1314) persecution and execution of the Knights Templar. Władysław II Jagiełło (r.1386–1434) – the Pagan duke of Lithuania became a Christian and subsequently converted Lithuania to Christianity. Ferdinand and Isabella and the Spanish Inquisition QUEENS Following the death of Henry I of England, Empress Matilda, his only surviving child, fought his nephew, Stephen of Blois, for control of England in a war that lasted, on and off, for 20 years (1135–54). When her son, Henry II, became king in 1154, she settled in Rouen, was in charge of the administration of Normandy for her son and founded Cistercian monasteries. Eleanor of Aquitaine, first married Louis VII of France, but their marriage was annulled on grounds of consanguinity. Later she married Henry II of England, making her Queen of France (1137–1152) and then of England (1154–1189). She led armies several times in her life, including taking part in the Second Crusade (1147–1149). Blanche of Castile, mother of Louis IX (1226-70), reigned in the first years of her son’s reign until he reached maturity. She brought an end to the 20-year-long Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars. Isabella of France (1308–27) – estranged from her husband, King Edward II of England, Isabella began an affair with noble Roger Mortimer and led an army against Edward, deposing him. She may also have been responsible for Edward’s death. She then acted as regent to her 14-year-old son, Edward. Four years later, Edward led a coup against Mortimer, killing him and becoming King Edward III. No longer politically active, Isabella lived out the remaining decades of her life in style. Joanna I of Naples (1343–82) – who sided with the Avignon Papacy and was assassinated. Margaret I of Denmark (1387–1412), who was also monarch of Sweden and Norway. Isabella I of Castile (1474 –1504) – married Ferdinand II of Aragon and formed the basis for the later political unification of Spain under their grandson, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. She reorganized the governmental system, brought the crime rate to the lowest it had been in years, and unburdened the kingdom of the enormous debt her brother had left behind. Ferdinand and Isabella completed the Reconquista of Spain, forcing the conversion to Christianity or expulsion of Jews and Muslims. They also financed Christopher Columbus’s exploratory voyage that led to the opening to the New World. PATRONS & BUILDERS Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, founded the University of Naples, and is author of the first treatise on the subject of falconry. Edward the Confessor (r. 1042 – 5 January 1066) built an early Westminster Abbey, which was rebuilt in the 13th century by Henry III. Richard II finished Westminster Hall in the late 14th century. Philip II Augustus (1180–1223) played a significant role in one of the greatest centuries of innovation in construction and education in France. With Paris as his capital, he had the main thoroughfares paved, built a central market, Les Halles, continued the construction begun in 1163 of Notre-Dame de Paris, constructed the Louvre as a fortress, and gave a charter to the University of Paris in 1200. Roger II of Sicily (1130–54) – developed Norman-Arab-Byzantine culture, architecture, map-making. Louis IX of France (1226–70), having bought presumed relics of Christ, built Sainte- Chapelle. In response to the Mongol invasions, Bela IV of Hungary (1235-70) promoted the development of fortified towns, allowing the barons and the prelates to erect stone fortresses and to set up their private armed forces. Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (1346–78), made Prague his capital. His patronage of the city led to the building of the first Charles Bridge, Charles University, Prague Castle and the Cathedral of Saint Vitus. Casimir the Great of Poland (1310–70) built extensively, including Wawel Castle in Krakow. Henry VI of England founded King’s College, Cambridge in the 15th century. Philip the Good of Burgundy (1419–67) was a great patron of Flemish musicians and artists, including Jan van Eyck. Ivan III of Russia renovated the Moscow Kremlin in the late 15th century. LAW-MAKERS & SOCIAL REFORMERS Philip II (1179-1223) transformed France from a small feudal state into the most prosperous and powerful country in Europe. He checked the power of the nobles and helped the towns to free themselves from seigniorial authority, granting privileges and liberties to the emergent bourgeoisie. King John of England agreed to the limitations of royal power in Magna Carta. Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor, re-established Roman law, which counterbalanced the papal power that had dominated the German states since the conclusion of the Investiture Controversy earlier in the 12th century. Louis IX of France (1227-70) – Saint Louis – developed French royal justice, in which the king is the supreme judge to whom anyone is able to appeal to seek the amendment of a judgment. He banned trials by ordeal, tried to prevent the private wars that were plaguing the country and introduced the presumption of innocence in criminal procedure. Edward I of England (1272–1307) established Parliament as a permanent institution and thereby also a functional system for raising taxes. Known as the ‘Polish Justinian’, Casimir the Great (1310–70) reformed Polish law. John III of France (1350–64) created the Franc in an effort to stabilise the country’s currency. Charles V of France (1364–80) established the first permanent army paid with regular wages, which liberated the French populace from the companies of routiers who regularly plundered the country when not employed. Louis XI of France (1461–83) brought France out of the Middle Ages, establishing the modern structure of government that lasted until the French Revolution. George of Poděbrady, King of Bohemia between 1458 and 1471, a Hussite, attempted to spread a Message of Peace across Christendom by uniting the states in what can be regarded as an early idea of the European Union. It would have a Parliament and member states would pledge to settle all differences by exclusively peaceful means. He sent a member of his court on a European tour with a draft treaty, but the idea wasn’t taken up. In the late 15th century, Ivan III of Russia laid the foundations of what later became called the Russian state. Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis“Gripping . . . a highly readable tour de force that brings Queen Isabella vividly to life.”—The Washington Post Book World An “insightful and compelling” (USA Today) biography of Isabella of England, one of history’s most notorious and charismatic queens, from the New York Times bestselling author hailed as “the finest historian of English monarchical succession writing” (The Boston Globe) Isabella arrived in London in 1308, the spirited twelve-year-old daughter of King Philip IV of France. Her marriage to the heir to England’s throne was designed to heal old political wounds between the two countries, and in the years that followed, she would become an important figure, a determined and clever woman whose influence would come to last centuries. But Queen Isabella’s political machinations led generations of historians to malign her, earning her a reputation as a ruthless schemer and an odious nickname, “the She-Wolf of France.”The newly wed Isabella was denied the attentions of Edward II, a weak, sexually ambiguous monarch with scant taste for his royal duties. As their marriage progressed, Isabella was neglected by her dissolute husband and slighted by his favored male courtiers. Humiliated and deprived of her income, her children, and her liberty, Isabella escaped to France, where she entered into a passionate affair with Edward II’s mortal enemy, Roger Mortimer. Together, they deposed Edward and ruled in his stead as co-regents for Isabella’s young son, Edward III. Fate, however, was soon to catch up with Isabella and her lover.A work of extraordinary original research, Queen Isabella strips away centuries of propaganda, legend, and romantic myth, and gives a groundbreaking new perspective on Isabella, a truly remarkable woman who had a profound influence upon the age in which she lived and the history of western Europe.

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Book SynopsisThe colourful and complex history of the Kings and Queens of Scotland

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Book SynopsisTHE #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A gripping story of human frailty, love, loss, sadness, and tragedy' Daily MailShe is the most public and least understood woman in Britain. Diana called her a Rottweiler. Prince Harry said she was a villain. But spend two minutes with Camilla and you understand why Charles fell for her.The relationship between King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, is one of the most extraordinary, star-crossed love stories of the past fifty years. It has endured against all the odds, and in the process nearly destroyed the British monarchy.In this compelling biography, Britain's top royal author paints an intimate portrait of the Queen Consort, revealing for the first time why the King went against his mother and risked everything to have Camilla by his side.Previously published as The Duchess.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR QUEEN CONSORT: ‘Exceptionally well-informed biography’ Daily Telegraph ‘Unflinching biography’ Evening Standard ‘A heartwarming tale’ Times ‘The last untold account of the biggest crisis to hit the royals since the abdication … Explosive biography by Britain’s top royal author … A gripping story of human frailty, love, loss, sadness, and tragedy’ Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisThis gossipy account of Louis XIV is a clear and fascinating historical biography from Nancy Mitford. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY STELLA TILLYARDDuring his reign Louis XIV was the most powerful king in Europe. He presided over a golden age of military and artistic achievement in France, and deployed his charm and talents for spin and intrigue to hold his court and country within his absolute control. The Sun King''s universe centred on Versailles, a glittering palace from where Louis conducted his government and complex love affairs. Nancy Mitford describes the daily life of this splendid court in sumptuous detail, recreating the past in vivid colour.Trade ReviewBeautifully evokes the period * Independent on Sunday *Delightfully gossipy...irreverently lifts the skirts of the dolls of Versailles and rummages about underneath, exposing one gem of irresistible detail after another...A glorious tribute to a glorious age * Irish Times *La Mitford plonks the reader amid the seething snobbery and maniacal struggle for High Life that was the Sun King's regime... brilliantly acerbic * Observer *Her style is skilfully succinct; and her wit proceeds from uncommon shrewdness...readers will wish her her book were twice as long * Sunday Times *Highly entertaining...written with her accustomed dash and gaiety, in a manner which frequently suggests one of her delightful novels... Because Miss Mitford is so at home in Versailles, she confers the same feeling of being at home upon a sympathetic modern reader * Sunday Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisThe youngest of William the Conqueror''s sons, Henry I (1100-35) was never meant to be king, but he was destined to become one of the greatest of all medieval monarchs, both through his own ruthlessness and intelligence and through the dynastic legacy of his daughter Matilda, who began the Plantagenet line that would rule England until 1485. A self-consciously diligent and thoughtful king, his rule was looked back on as the real post-invasion re-founding of England as a new realm, integrated into the continent, wealthy and stable.Edmund King''s wonderful portrait of Henry shows him as a strikingly charismatic and thoughtful man. His life was dogged by a single great disaster, the death of his teenage heir William in the White Ship disaster. Despite astonishing numbers of illegitimate sons, Henry was now left with only a daughter. This fact would shape the rest of the 12th century and beyond.

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Book SynopsisWhen Edward I''s troops forced the destruction of Dafydd ap Gruffudd in 1283 they brought to an end the line of truly independent native rulers in Wales that had endured throughout recorded history. In the early middle ages Wales was composed of a variety of independent kingdoms with varying degrees of power, influence and stability, each ruled by proud and obdurate lineages. In this period a ''Kingdom of Wales'' never existed, but the more powerful leaders, like Rhodri Mawr (the Great), Gruffudd ap Llywelyn and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, sought to extend their rule over the entire country. The author produces revealing pictures of the leading Welsh kings and princes of the day and explores both their contribution to Welsh history and their impact on the wider world. They were, of necessity, warriors, living in a violent political world and requiring ruthless skills to even begin to rule in Wales. Yet they showed wider vision, political acumen and statesmanship, and were patrons of the arts and the church. The history of their contact with their neighbours, allies and rivals is examined - Anglo-Saxons, Irish, Vikings, and Anglo-Normans - thereby setting Welsh institutions within their wider historical context. This work revives the memory of the native leaders of the country from a time before the title ''Prince of Wales'' became an honorary trinket in the gift of a foreign ruler. These men are restored to their rightful place amongst the past rulers of the island of Britain.

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Book SynopsisHistorians and broadcasters Peter Snow and Ann Macmillan tell the real stories of the most powerful men and women in British history.From Alfred the Great to Charles III, Kings & Queens explores the lives, loves, triumphs and disasters of a monarchy that is the envy of the world. From Charles I''s romantic escapades and William III''s asthma attack at the Battle of the Boyne to George II''s touching funeral request and Elizabeth II''s wartime truck-driving, this groundbreaking book brings these legendary figures to life like never before.Painstakingly researched and thrillingly told, Kings & Queens offers a unique insight into the heroes - and villains - who were born to rule. Discover how the British sovereigns experienced success, failure, tragedy and joy, just like the rest of us - all while bearing the heavy weight of the crown.This is the history of Britain, told through the lives of those who have ruled.

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Book SynopsisWhat queens would England have had if firstborn daughters, not firstborn sons, had inherited the throne? We may think of princesses as dutiful, marital conveniences to build alliances, wearing long flowing dresses, but the eldest daughters of our kings have been very different.Political intriguers. Abducted nuns who demanded divorces. Murderers.Our princesses have been mothers willing to risk anything for their children, wives who followed their husbands to the very ends of earth, and spinsters who demanded their intellectual and societal freedom.This book explores what it meant to be royal, how sons came to be valued higher than daughters, and just how England might have looked under a royal matriarchy. The politicians we lost, the masterminds we see negotiating nunneries not armies, the personalities shining brilliantly even hundreds of years later: the Queens who should have been.Let''s meet them.

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the national bestselling author of Stalin: An epic history on the grandest scale” (Financial Times) about the most successful dynasty of modern times, a family who created the world’s greatest empire—and then lost it all. An essential addition to the library of anyone interested in Russian history.” —The New York Times Book Review The Romanovs ruled a sixth of the world’s surface for three centuries. How did one family turn a war-ruined principality intoc the world’s greatest empire? And how did they lose it all? This is the intimate story of twenty tsars and tsarinas, some touched by genius, some by madness, but all inspired by holy autocracy and imperial ambition. Simon Sebag Montefiore’s gripping chronicle reveals their secret world of unlimited power and ruthless empire-building, overshadowed by palace conspiracy, family riv

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Book SynopsisA queen brought low by love compromised and power abused the tragedy of Mary Tudor.These are desperate times for Mary Tudor. As England's first ruling queen, her joy should be complete when she marries Philip, the dashing Prince of Spain. But despite her ardent devotion, he's making it painfully obvious that he cares little for his new wife and her struggle to produce an heir only makes him colder towards him. Lonely and depressed, Mary begins to vent her anguish on her people and England becomes a place of cruelty, persecution and fear.Mary's terrible fall from grace is seen through the eyes of Rafael, a Spanish sundial maker who is part of the Prince's flamboyant entourage. He becomes the one person that she trusts, but his life and new-found love will be caught in the chaos that followsTrade ReviewPraise for ‘The Sixth Wife’: ‘My, what a story…delightfully vulgar and utterly compelling.’ The Times ‘Mesmerising and beautifully written.’ Scotsman ‘Suzannah Dunn…weaves a kind of love story that is both moving and believable. This is the Tudor world as seldom seen…The result is historical chick lit at its most charming.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Dunn [sheds] possible new light on Katharine’s marriage to Thomas Seymour and her final days are treated with sympathy and skill.’ Tablet Praise for ‘The Queen of Subtleties’: 'A stunningly refreshing way of retelling an old story…I really could not put this one down. It brings Anne Boleyn to life as never before, and, probably for the first time ever in fiction, Henry VIII emerges as a truly credible character in an authentic setting.' Alison Weir, author of ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’

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Book SynopsisA revelatory look at how the British royal family became divided by two world wars

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Book SynopsisElizabeth II is the longest-reigning British monarch. A personally quiet, modest and dutiful person, she is far better-informed about the lives of her subjects than they often realize. She has known every Prime Minister since Winston Churchill and every American President since Eisenhower. Yet what of the woman behind the crown?This book seeks to take a new look at this exhaustively-documented life and show how Queen Elizabeth became the person she is. Who, and what, have been the greatest influences upon her? What are her likes and dislikes? What are her hobbies? Who are her friends? What does she feel about the demands of duty and protocol? Is she really enjoying herself when she smiles during official events? How differently does she behave when out of the public eye? Examining the places in which she grew up or has lived, the training she received and her attitudes to significant events in national life, it presents a fresh view of one of recent history''s most im

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Book SynopsisMemoirs of the Reign of King George the Second is printed from a Manuscript of the late Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford. Among the papers found at Strawberry Hill, after the death of Lord Orford, was the following Memorandum, wrapped in an envelope, on which was written, "Not to be opened till after my Will." Opening the box, it was found to contain a number of manuscript volumes and other papers, among which were these Memoirs.

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Book SynopsisMemoirs of the Reign of King George the Second is printed from a Manuscript of the late Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford. Among the papers found at Strawberry Hill, after the death of Lord Orford, was the following Memorandum, wrapped in an envelope, on which was written, "Not to be opened till after my Will." Opening the box, it was found to contain a number of manuscript volumes and other papers, among which were these Memoirs.

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Book SynopsisMemoirs of the Reign of King George the Second is printed from a Manuscript of the late Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford. Among the papers found at Strawberry Hill, after the death of Lord Orford, was the following Memorandum, wrapped in an envelope, on which was written, "Not to be opened till after my Will." Opening the box, it was found to contain a number of manuscript volumes and other papers, among which were these Memoirs.

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Book SynopsisWe all live a double life: the external life which the world sees, and the internal life of hopes and fears, joys and griefs, temptations and sins, which the world sees not, and of which it knows but little. None lead this double life more emphatically than those who are seated upon thrones. Though this historic sketch contains allusions to all the most important events in the reign of Louis XIV., it has been the main object of the writer to develop the inner life of the palace; to lead the reader into the interior of the Louvre, the Tuileries, Versailles, and Marly, and to exhibit the monarch as a man, in the details of domestic privacy.

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Book SynopsisThe purpose of this book is to give, not only a portrait and a description of the birds, but a summing up of the beneficial and injurious habits of each, gained from the highest authorities obtainable. The book is intended for those who long to know birds intimately and intelligently, and wish to belong to the great army of bird-students who are "doing their bit" to preserve the bird-life of our country.

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Book SynopsisLucretia Borgia is the most unfortunate woman in modern history. Is this because she was guilty of the most hideous crimes, or is it simply because she has been unjustly condemned by the world to bear its curse? The question has never been answered. Mankind is ever ready to discover the personification of human virtues and human vices in certain typical characters found in history.

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Book SynopsisIndividual rights cannot always take precedence over collective, social responsibility. Without self-moderation, our streets, schoolyards, public transport, waiting rooms and restaurants would turn into bear pits. Most citizens understand that. Some, however, seem determined to cause disorder in the name of free speech. Powerful, machiavellian and wealthy individuals are leading this disruption and breaking the old consensus. Thus, anti-political correctness has taken over the UK and US, spearheaded by some of the most influential voices in media and politics. Invective, lies, hate speech, bullying, intemperance and prejudice have become the new norms. Intolerance is justified through invocations of liberty. Restraint is oppression. A new order has been established in which racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia are proudly expressed. In this powerful new book, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown puts forth a spirited defence of political correctness, forcefully arguing that, in spite of many failures, this movement has led to a more civilised, equal and tolerant world. By tracing the history and definition of the term, Alibhai-Brown looks to clarify the very nature of PC, which is ultimately grounded in human decency, understanding and compassion - all of which are essential for a safer and kinder world.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Orwell once said that the British love a really good murder. He might have added that the only thing the British love more than a good murder is a really good scandal, and best of all are the sexual and political scandals that take place behind the gilded doors of Britain's royal palaces. From Edward II's intimate relationship with Piers Gaveston to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's dramatic exit from the royal family, the royal residences have seen it all. This glorious romp of a book contains new information on well-known and not-so-well-known scandals, including those that have only recently been revealed through the release of previously secret official papers. Exploring surviving palaces such as Kensington as well as long -vanished residences including Whitehall, Scandals of the Royal Palaces is the first in-depth look at the bad behaviour of not just the royals themselves but also palace officials, courtiers, household servants and hangers-on. Delving into the bitter hatreds that generations of King Georges nursed for their eldest sons, Queen Victoria's opium -fuelled rages and Edward VII's near-miss perjury conviction, royal expert Tom Quinn reveals that scandal and the royal family have always been bedfellows. And if the behaviour of today's royals is anything to go by, the glittering palaces will continue to house intriguing, embarrassing and outrageous scandals for centuries to come.

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Book SynopsisA BBC History Magazine Book of the Year ‘One of the most important books to be written about the Tudors in a generation.’ Tracy Borman In this groundbreaking history, Sarah Gristwood reveals the way courtly love made and marred the Tudor dynasty. From Henry VIII declaring himself as the ‘loyal and most assured servant’ of Anne Boleyn to the poems lavished on Elizabeth I by her suitors, the Tudors re-enacted the roles of devoted lovers and capricious mistresses first laid out in the romances of medieval literature, but now with life-and-death consequences for the protagonists. The Tudors in Love dissects the codes of love, desire and power, unveiling obsessions that have shaped the history of this nation. ‘A riveting, pacy page-turner… the Tudors as you’ve never seen them before.’ Alison WeirTrade Review‘Sarah Gristwood’s book is a masterclass in marshalling a vast canon of research into a riveting, pacy page-turner… Here are the Tudors – and a good few others – as you have never seen them before.’ -- Alison Weir‘One of the most important books to be written about the Tudors in a generation.’ -- Tracy Borman, author of The Private Lives of the Tudors‘This book stands out on the crowded bookshelves… [Gristwood] does a superb job in distilling the vast amount of modern scholarship on this topic… The Tudors in Love also expertly tells the story of a two-way love affair — that of the Tudors with their imagined past and ours with the Tudors.’ -- Gareth Russell, The Times‘Just when we think we know everything about the Tudors, along comes a book that turns that all on its head… The prose is as seductive as the subject matter. Be prepared to fall in love.’ -- BBC History Magazine, Books of the Year 2021‘With verve and erudition Gristwood takes us to the dark heart of courtly love and exposes the deadly Tudor dance of sex and power.’ -- Leanda de Lisle, author of Tudor: The Family Story‘Meticulously researched and beautifully crafted into a narrative that reads like a romance, prepare to see the Tudors as you’ve never seen them before. The Tudors in Love is a magnificent work of art painted by one of our most exceptional historians. Nobody writes like Sarah Gristwood, truly stunning.’ -- Nicola Tallis, author of Uncrowned Queen‘Captivating and entrancing, the exquisitely detailed The Tudors in Love explores the entanglements of love, sex, marriage and politics in the Tudor dynasty, revealing how the famously spectacular love affairs intersected with political propaganda and the business of governing, and how the medieval game of courtly love became pressed into the business of shoring up a brand-new monarchy. Full of insight and fascinating.’ -- Kate Williams, author of Rival Queens‘One of the most important books to be written about the Tudors in a generation. The seductively rich prose and endlessly engaging narrative bring an entirely fresh perspective to this celebrated dynasty. By placing courtly love on an equal footing with war, politics and religion, Sarah Gristwood unlocks the Tudor mindset – with fascinating and often surprising results. Never mind the Tudors, I’m in love…with this book.’ -- Tracy Borman, author of The Private Lives of the Tudors‘A highbrow chronicle.’ -- Daily Mail‘Reading The Tudors in Love feels like having a cipher to decode the letters that passed between Mary, Queen of Scots, and her Catholic conspirators. For the first time there are satisfying answers to such conundrums as why Henry VIII took six wives (and executed two of them) and why the male favorites of his daughter Elizabeth I worshipped her as a goddess, even in old age.’ -- Wall Street Journal, Best Books on the British Monarchy'Passionately written.' -- The Economist‘The ideas and analysis are fascinating.’ -- Tudor Times‘It is rare that a book doesn’t just offer new knowledge (previously ignored facts or under-reported quirky episodes) but new ways of thinking. This is what The Tudors in Love does: it invites and encourages an entirely new way of considering how these well-known figures interacted with one another… there is much here that will be new. This marvellously readable book is like discovering a Rosetta Stone, whereby we don’t just discover what people did and how they did it but come to understand the language of courtship and love as something quite alien to modern conceptions and expectations.’ -- Aspects of History, Best Books of 2021‘The Tudors in Love provides a unique lens on this period and shows how courtships shaped everything, down to power and politics… this fascinating read presents Tudor history as you’ve never seen it before, and provides a compelling insight into the evolution of the social codes of romance.’ -- This England‘Sarah Gristwood is one of our finest historians, and a great writer. Her latest book is a masterclass in marshalling a vast canon of research into a riveting, pacy page-turner. She takes us on a virtuoso romp through the loves and tropes of medieval and Tudor royalty, all seen from the novel perspective of courtly love… here are the Tudors (and a good few others) as you have never seen them before… Gristwood’s inimitable style is elegant, her approach concise, measured and incisive.’ -- Alison Weir, Catholic Herald

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Book SynopsisMatthew Dennison's elegant and magisterial biography of Her late Majesty, updated following the death of Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III. 'A worthy and balanced overview of the Queen's life. Dennison is especially good on her childhood... quietly, tactfully, tastefully reverent.'The Times The death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 was more than just a moment of profound sadness; her passing marked the end of an era in our national life – and the final closing of the Elizabethan Age. For millions of people, both in Britain and across the world, Elizabeth II was the embodiment of monarchy. Her long life spanned nearly a century of national and global history, from a time before the Great Depression to the era of Covid-19. Her reign embraced all but seven years of Britain's postwar history up to the accession of her son King Charles III; she was served by fifteen UK prime ministers from Churchill to Truss, and witnessed the administrations of fourteen US presidents from Truman to Biden. In this brand-new biography of the longest-reigning sovereign in British history, Matthew Dennison traces her life and reign across an era of unprecedented and often seismic social change. Stylish in its writing and nuanced in its judgements, The Queen charts the joys and triumphs as well as the disappointments and vicissitudes of a remarkable royal life; it also assesses the achievement of a woman regarded as the champion of a handful of 'British' values endorsed – if no longer practised – by the bulk of the nation: service, duty, steadfastness, charity and stoicism.Trade ReviewA worthy and balanced overview of the Queen's life. Dennison is especially good on her childhood... Quietly, tactfully, tastefully reverent' * The Times *Anyone who wants a rapid, lucid, well-organised dash through the Queen's seven decades on the throne couldn't do better * Daily Telegraph *An elegant new biography * OK! Magazine *Dutiful and modest – a superb portrait of Her Majesty * Sunday Telegraph *An engaging retelling of a remarkable life of selflessness and service * Choice Magazine *[It] deftly weaves together a wealth of sources, painting the late monarch as a dedicated and humble public servant, with a pragmatic approach to her work * Independent *This balanced and brilliantly written biography is an extremely detailed depiction of the Queen's life * Harper's Bazaar *

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