Tag: Catherine of Braganza

Book Review: “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza” by Susan Abernethy

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Throughout English history, a colorful cast of queens has left their marks in their distinct ways. While the Plantagenet and Tudor queens are more well-known, the Stuart queens and the mistresses of the Stuart kings were dynamic in their unique ways. One of the lesser-known queens was the wife of King Charles II. Though Charles II is known for his numerous mistresses, his wife Catherine of Braganza is not discussed much in England, but in her native Portugal, she is famous. So who was Catherine of Braganza, and what is her legacy in England and Portugal? Susan Abernethy tells the story of this almost forgotten queen in her book, “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I am someone who is dipping her toes into the Stuart dynasty, so I wanted to explore a story about someone new to me. When I saw the title and subject of this book, it piqued my curiosity because I have heard of Catherine of Braganza, but I know nothing about her.

Before we dive into the actual life of Catherine of Braganza, Abernethy takes the time to explore the relationship between Portugal and England, which culminated in the union of King Charles II and Catherine. I didn’t know much about the history of Portugal except for the aspect that is included during the life of John of Gaunt, so I was excited to learn more about how Portugal became a trading and exploration powerhouse. It was the rise of the House of Braganza that propelled Catherine into a position to marry the King of England.

As the daughter of King John IV of Portugal and Queen Luisa de Guzman, Catherine was destined to marry a member of royalty, but the issue was a matter of faith. Catherine was a devout Roman Catholic, whereas Charles II was a Protestant who was trying to restore his kingdom after the reign of the Protector Oliver Cromwell. Catherine also had to deal with the numerous mistresses of Charles II, like Barbara Villiers, Lucy Walter, Louise de Keroualle, and Nell Gwyn, who were able to give Charles children while Catherine remained barren. Throw in a few anti-Catholic plots, and you can start to understand the strain Catherine was under while living in England. Eventually, after the death of Charles II, Catherine decided to return to her native Portugal, where her life took an unexpected twist with the War of the Spanish Succession until she died in 1705.

I found Catherine of Braganza such a fascinating figure. She did so much in her lifetime, and it is a shame that Catherine does not get more attention. Abernethy does an excellent job of telling the story of this queen who is often in the shadow of more boisterous figures of the age and integrating the history of Portugal into this book. If you want to learn more about a Stuart queen who is often forgotten and her impact on two nations, I highly recommend you read “Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza” by Susan Abernethy.

Book Review: “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain” by Heather R. Darsie

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English royal history is filled with fantastic stories of triumphs and tribulations, grand romances, and divorces that shook the foundations of the monarchy. It is also filled with struggles over religion, wars both inside England and with foreign nations, and heartbreaking child losses. We often think about the spouses of the Plantagenets and the Tudors when we think about royal romances, but we shouldn’t forget about the dynasties that came after, like the Stuarts. So how did the Stuart dynasty come to be and how did the unions between monarchs and their significant others affect the dynasty and England? Heather R. Darsie explores this often-overlooked dynasty and the stories of their marriages and romances in her latest book, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I didn’t know much about the Stuarts before reading this book, except for those associated with the Plantagenets and the Tudors. I wanted to learn more about the Stuarts because I tend to stop after the death of Elizabeth I, so when I heard that Darsie was writing a book about the consorts of the Stuart dynasty, it was intriguing to me.

Darsie begins by explaining that she will be exploring the entirety of the Stuart dynasty, starting with its patriarch Walter Fitzalan, Stewart of Scotland for David I of Scotland in the 1100s. It is a fascinating story of how the family went from serving the monarchy to being the rulers of Scotland, all the way up to 1406 when James I became King of Scotland. The first royal consort that Darsie discusses might be familiar to anyone who knows about the origins of the Tudors, Joan Beaufort. We then track the Scottish story of the Stuarts through the death of Mary Queen of Scots through their significant others such as Mary of Guelders, Margaret of Denmark, Margaret Tudor, Madeleine of Valois, Marie de Guise, Francis II of France, Henry Stewart Lord Darnley, and James Hepburn 4th Earl of Bothwell.

It was under James VI of Scotland that things changed drastically for both England and Scotland as James became King James I of England with the death of Elizabeth I, and so James’ wife Anna of Denmark became the first Stuart Queen of England. This is the segment that I thoroughly enjoyed because they were new stories for me. We have Henriette Marie of France, a Catholic queen who married Charles I who was a Protestant, which did not have a happy ending as we get to see the English Civil War play out and the execution of Charles I on January 30, 1649. Darsie also includes the stories of the women who married Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard Cromwell, both Lord Protectors of England when the monarchy was not popular. Eventually, the Stuarts returned to their place on the English throne with Charles II and his queen Catherine of Braganza; followed by the women who married James Stewart Duke of York, Anne Hyde and Mary of Modena. James would become James II before the Glorious Revolution led by William of Orange, which led to the co-rulers William III and Mary II. Finally, we reach the tragic tale of Queen Anne of Great Britain and her Prince Consort George of Denmark.

I was so impressed with the amount of stories over centuries that Darsie was able to cover in this book. It was a fantastic introduction to Scottish Stuart history, how the dynasty survived, and created international relationships that allowed England to thrive. There were tales of tragedies, but there were also alliances that created stronger bonds, religious rifts, and romances. This was another triumph for Darsie and it is a book that made me interested in reading more about the Stuarts. If you are like me and you want a book that is a fantastic introduction to the Stuart monarchs and their consorts, I highly recommend you read, “Stuart Spouses: A Compendium of Consorts from James I of Scotland to Queen Anne of Great Britain” by Heather R. Darsie.

Book Review: “Charles II and His Escape into Exile: Capture the King” by Martyn R. Beardsley

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53073376._SX318_SY475_On January 30, 1649, the Stuart monarchy took a major hit when Charles I was tried and executed by the Rump Parliament, making way for the Commonwealth of England to take control. His eldest son, Charles II, fled England leaving the control of the country in the hands of Oliver Cromwell. Two years later, in 1651, Charles tried to make his triumphant return to restore the monarchy. However, it failed miserably at the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651; Charles II was able to escape with the help of those loyal to the crown. The story of his escape from Cromwell’s men and his exile in Europe are told in Martyn R. Beardsley’s book, “Charles II and His Escape into Exile: Capture the King.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I know that this book is not in the particular timeline that I normally read, but it looked intriguing to me for some reason. It is one of those subjects that I knew absolutely nothing about, so I was looking forward to learning something new.

Charles II was known as the “Merry Monarch” who restored the monarchy, his very extravagant lifestyle, and his numerous mistresses who produced quite a few illegitimate children. His wife, Catherine of Braganza, was unable to provide him with the desired heir that would be able to continue his legacy. He would also endure plots that would try to remove him from the throne and the quagmire of religious struggles between Catholics and Protestants, plus a small event known as the Great Fire of London of 1666. This legacy would come after he became king, but his struggle to achieve his father’s crown was just as dramatic as his actual reign.

Charles II had been in exile ever since his father, Charles I, was executed and replaced by the Commonwealth led by Oliver Cromwell. He returned to his native England with the support of the Scottish soldiers and decided to engage Cromwell’s men in battle at Worcester on September 3, 1651, which ended in a horrific defeat for the royalists. Charles II was able to miraculously escape the carnage with the help of those loyal to the crown, like the Penderel brothers and Jane Lane, Lady Fisher. His rescuers did everything they could to smuggle the young king out of the country, from hiding the king in a tree to disguising him as a Shropshire countryman.

Beardsley does an excellent job to take his readers along the same route that Charles II took to freedom. He uses the writings of Samuel Pepys to start each chapter, goes into depth about each stop, and includes a few fun notes at the end.

It is a relatively easy book to follow, but the problem for me is the fact that I did not the background behind the conflict between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. Beardsley tries to explain the concepts behind the conflict, but it a bit too brief for my liking.

Overall, I think this was a very well written book about a king on the run for his life. It makes me wonder if other kings escaping their countries had a similar experience. It takes guts to return to a country that you called home after your own countrymen kick you out time after time to become king. The adventures of Charles II and the stories of those who helped him escape to fight another day are thrilling. If you are like me and want to read a daring story from a different dynasty full of action and danger, check out “Charles II and His Escape into Exile: Capture the King” by Martyn R. Beardsley.