Tag: King Stephen

Book Review: “Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest” by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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When we think about medieval princesses, we often think about pawns in the marriage market. They were born to become brides to create stronger alliances between nations. They helped rule kingdoms, but more importantly, they gave birth to heirs to help their new families’ dynasties continue to grow. But outside of marriages, what was life like for these royal women? How did certain women break the stereotype that comes with being a medieval princess? And how did the political environments of their new kingdoms affect their marriages and their families? Sharon Bennett Connolly explores these questions in her latest book, “Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest.”

 

I would like to thank Sharon Bennett Connolly for sending me a copy of her latest book. I have been such a fan of Connolly’s books for years now. Her knowledge about medieval women, specifically women in power, is remarkable. When she announced that she was writing this particular book, I knew I wanted to read it. So I was extremely thankful when she sent me a copy of her latest book. 

 

As Connolly states in her introduction, this is book one in a duology exploring the lives of medieval princesses. This book explores the lives of English princesses, both legitimate and illegitimate, from the Early Middle Ages, which would be from the Norman Conquest to the reign of King John. With that timeline, you would think that Connolly would begin with the daughters of William the Conqueror, but in fact, she begins with Harold Godwinson and his wives, Edith Swanneck and Ealdgyth. His daughters, Gunhild and Gytha, would live very different lives. Gunhild would marry Count Alan Rufus, also known as Alan the Red, while Gytha would marry Grand Prince Vladimir of Kyiv. 

 

William the Conqueror married Matilda of Flanders and had several children, including Adelida and Cecilia. Both girls became nuns, and Adela of Normandy would marry Stephen II, Count of Blois. Their son would become King Stephen of England, who married Matilda, Countess of Boulogne, and would do battle against Empress Matilda, the legitimate daughter of Henry I and Matilda of Scotland. Their conflict would be known as the Anarchy, and would lead to the Plantagenet dynasty. Connolly takes the time to explore the daughters of Stephen of Blois and Adela of Normandy, as well as the illegitimate daughters of Henry I. It should be noted that even though Henry I did have illegitimate daughters, it does not mean that they did not marry well; in fact Sybilla of Normandy would marry King Alexander I of Scotland, and his other illegitimate daughters married members of nobility. 

 

Connolly then explores the daughters of King Stephen, Mary and Ida, both of whom had some interesting love lives. We also get to see the daughters of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and how Eleanor’s daughters with her first husband, Louis VII of France, had a different life from those of the Angevin princesses of England, whose father was Henry II. Finally, Connolly explores the daughters of King John, including his illegitimate daughter, Joan, who would marry Llywelyn the Great and had an affair with William de Braose. When John married Isabelle d’Angoulême, they would have several children, including Joan of England, who married Alexander II of Scotland, and Isabella of England, who married Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Finally, we explore the chaotic relationship between Eleanor of England and Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and how Simon fought with Eleanor’s family, especially her brother, King Henry III.

 

This is another excellent book by Sharon Bennett Connolly. Extremely well researched and relatively easy to follow along, which is a great thing because there are so many Matildas and Eleanors in this book. If you are a fan of Sharon Bennett Connolly and studying medieval princesses, you will love “Princesses of the Early Middle Ages: Royal Daughters of the Conquest” by Sharon Bennett Connolly.

Book Review: “When Christ and His Saints Slept” by Sharon Kay Penman

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When we consider the issue of succession, we often imagine the crown being passed to the next legitimate heir, regardless of gender, but that was not always the case. We think about the struggles that women like Mary I and Elizabeth I endured to secure and stay on the throne, but one woman came before them so close to becoming England’s first ruling queen. She was the daughter of King Henry I and the next in line to the throne after her brother tragically died, but after her father passed away, it was her cousin Stephen who usurped the throne. The war for the crown which would last decades would be known as The Anarchy is the primary focus for Sharon Kay Penman’s novel, “When Christ and His Saints Slept.”

I found this particular novel when I was going used book shopping and after so many people said that it was their favorite novel by Penman after “The Sunne in Splendour,” I knew that I wanted to buy and read it. I have been a fan of books about the struggle between Empress Matilda and King Stephen and the birth of the Plantagenet dynasty, so I wanted to see what kind of spin Penman would give to this story.

Penman begins her novel with a flashback to the last time Stephen saw his father before he went on Crusade in 1101, which was an influential moment in his young life. We then jump forward to Barfleur, Normandy in November 1120, which is where the legitimate male heir of Henry I, William, boarded the White Ship on a voyage he would not survive. The only legitimate child of Henry I, because the man had quite a few illegitimate children, was Empress Matilda (Maude). Her 1st husband, the Holy Roman Emperor died and since they did not have any children, Henry decides that she needs to remarry and his choice for her next husband is Geoffrey of Anjou. To say their relationship was tempestuous would be an understatement, but they were able to have a large family including Henry Plantagenet, the future King Henry II.

It seemed like all Matilda (known as Maude in this novel) had to do in order to secure the crown was sail to England for her coronation. But that’s not what happened. Instead, her dear cousin Stephen and his wife Matilda, stole her crown. If you think Maude is going to let Stephen do what he wants with her inheritance left to her by her father, you thought wrong because instead Maude decides to fight for her rights in the conflict known as the Anarchy. It was a bloody couple of decades for England full of betrayals and sieges. It will soon turn to not only a fight between Maude and Stephen but between their sons Henry and Eustace. This was not just a battle between nobility but, as we see with one of my favorite characters Ranulf Fitz Roy (a fictional character), it was a battle between barons and the illegitimate children of the old king for the future of England.

This was another absolutely brilliant book by Penman. The way she was able to craft such believable characters based on the historical records is nothing but awe-inspiring. It was a mammoth tome but it needed every single page to develop this rich story that I did not want to end. If you are like me and you crave a thrillingly vivid historical fiction novel, you must check out “When Christ and His Saints Slept” by Sharon Kay Penman.

Book Review: “Women of the Anarchy” by Sharon Bennett Connolly

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Women of the AnarchyCivil wars, clashes between cousins, are known to be full of battles between men on foot and horseback, with their eyes set on the throne of their desired country. Many stories of civil wars tend to leave out the women who often were left on the sidelines, ready to pick up the pieces. The story of the Anarchy is a bit different than other civil wars as one of the main figures was not a man, but Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I and the rightful heiress of England facing off against the man who stole the throne from her, her cousin, King Stephen. However, it was not just Empress Matilda who defined what it meant to be a woman during the Anarchy. In her latest book, “Women of the Anarchy,” Sharon Bennett Connolly tells the stories of the mothers, sisters, and wives who defined this turbulent period that saw the end of one dynasty and the beginning of another.

I want to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed Sharon Bennett Connolly’s previous books that I have read, “Ladies of the Magna Carta,” “Silk and Sword,” “Defenders of the Norman Crown,” and “King John’s Right Hand Lady.” When I heard that Connolly was writing about the women who were involved in the Anarchy, I was excited because it is one of my favorite conflicts in history to study. I wanted to see what new information Connolly would present in her book.

Connolly begins by explaining how the conflict around the Anarchy arose and how Empress Matilda and Queen Matilda became the female faces of opposing sides of this civil war. Empress Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I, was the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. However, her life took a dramatic turn when her only legitimate brother William Aetheling died on November 25, 1120, when the ship he was on, the White Ship, sank after a night of drunk sailing. As King Henry I’s last living legitimate child, Empress Matilda was the rightful heir to the English throne, even though she was a woman and she was willing to fight with everything in her power to sit on the throne. On the other side of the conflict was Queen Matilda of Boulogne, the wife of King Stephen. Although Queen Matilda or Empress Matilda could not wield a sword in battle, they showed that they were capable of fighting in their own unique ways.

Empress Matilda and Queen Matilda had grandmothers and mothers who showed them what it meant to be a queen and a mother who was willing to fight for their family. Women like Matilda of Flanders, Saint Margaret of Scotland, Matilda of Scotland, and Adeliza of Louvain showed the two Matildas how to help their husbands run a country while maintaining their strong identities as women rulers. However, Connolly does not stop just at the two Matildas when discussing royal women who had to navigate the Anarchy. We are introduced to interesting characters like Isabel de Vermandois, Ada de Warenne, Lucy Countess of Chester, Ela de Talvas, Mary of Boulogne, Isabel Countess of Warenne and Surrey, culminating with the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

While other books focus on the Anarchy, by focusing on the two Matildas and other women affected by this conflict, Connolly brings something fresh to this story that is centuries old. It shows how their actions to protect their families brought forth change in England through the birth of the Plantagenet dynasty. This book is rich in details and is so well written as Connolly takes the time to distinguish between the Matildas, which there are quite a few in this book, and explain how the conflict started and finally how it was concluded. I think if you want a fabulous book about the Anarchy and the women who defined this period, I highly recommend you check out, “Women of the Anarchy” by Sharon Bennett Connolly.

Book Review: “Lady of the English” by Elizabeth Chadwick

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15931913The year 1120 was a horrible year for King Henry I. His only legitimate son William died when his ship, The White Ship, sank in the middle of the night. This tragedy left Henry with one option, his legitimate daughter Matilda, the former Holy Roman Empress, would become Queen of England, and her sons would continue the royal line. Unfortunately, Matilda’s throne was taken by Stephen of Blois, and now Matilda must join forces with her stepmother Her stepmother Adeliza has always stood by Matilda’s side. Still, when she remarries after Henry’s death, Adeliza struggles to support the rightful queen but stays loyal to her new husband, who supports Stephen. Matilda and Adeliza are caught in the middle of the Anarchy in Elizabeth Chadwick’s novel, “Lady of the English.”

We are introduced to Matilda at one of her lowest moments when her first husband, Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, dies, and she must go back to England. Her father, Henry I, has decided that Matilda will be his heiress, and she must marry again to secure his legacy if his current wife, Adeliza, cannot give him another heir. Matilda’s second husband is Geoffrey V Duke of Anjou, a braggart and is abusive towards his wife, even though she outranks him. It is a contentious relationship, but Matilda holds her head up high to try and make this arrangement work for her sons, Geffory, William, and the future Henry II.

Unfortunately for Adeliza, she cannot give her husband the heir he desires, which means that the greatest men in the land must swear oaths to honor Matilda as the next Queen of England. The plan is set, but when Henry I dies, Matilda is in France, so her cousin Stephen of Blois takes the opportunity to become the next King of England. Matilda is furious and decides to fight for her right to the English throne while Geoffrey is in Anjou, but then shifts her position that her eldest son, Henry II, will be the next King of England.

After Henry I’s death, Adeliza decides what is best for her is to live the rest of her life in a nunnery, but that is not her fate. A handsome young man named William D’Albini sweeps her off her feet and gives Adeliza the one thing she long desired, a family. Unfortunately, when Stephen becomes King of England, William D’Albini joins forces with the new king, while Adeliza stays loyal to her step-daughter and friend, Matilda.

This is my first time reading a novel by Elizabeth Chadwick, and I loved it so much. The way Chadwick blended elements of fiction with historical facts was nothing short of astounding. From battles to religious moments, politics to intimate moments, Chadwick brought the story of The Anarchy to life for a modern audience. Reading this novel felt like I was transported to 12th century England and showed where Henry II got his strength and determination to rule England. If you want a vivid and compelling novel about two dynamic women in the 12th century, I highly recommend reading “Lady of the English” by Elizabeth Chadwick.

Book Review: “Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire” by Matthew Lewis

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50419849If you go to Fontevrault Abbey in France, you will find two rather extraordinary tombs. These tombs belong to King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, the first King, Queen of the Plantagenet Dynasty, and the Angevin Empire. Their effigies tell us a lot about the couple that was buried side by side. The husband was restless; his model shows him ready to take action at any moment, with his crown upon his head and a scepter in his hand. His queen lays beside him, reading an unknown book. They seem to be prepared to watch over their kingdom and their family even beyond the grave. Those who know English history recognize their names and understand the family drama behind the scenes. We think we know the truth about Henry and Eleanor, but is there more to their story and their feuding family? In Matthew Lewis’s latest dual biography, “Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire,” he explores the relationship between this dynamic king and queen and how it shaped European and English history forever.

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed Matthew Lewis’s previous books, and when I heard about this one, I was pleasantly surprised. There is just something so intriguing about the lives of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and I could not wait to see how he would approach this famous couple.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was a grand heiress of France who attracted the young French King Louis VII; they would eventually marry and take on the monumental task of protecting French territories and embark on the 2nd Crusade. Eleanor showed her strength and resilience during the Crusade as rumors tried hard to tarnish her good name. Unfortunately, her marriage did not last long as the couple realized that they would never have a male heir.

As soon as they divorced, Eleanor fell in love with a young noble who was the son of Empress Matilda and Geoffrey Duke of Anjou, Henry Plantagenet. Empress Matilda fought hard against her cousin King Stephen for Henry to become Stephen’s heir during The Anarchy. Henry and Matilda would prevail, allowing Henry and Eleanor to become King and Queen of England after Stephen’s death.

It was when Henry became a father when troubles began to arise. His sons, Henry the Younger, Geoffrey Duke of Brittany, Richard, and John, would be a thorn at his side as they fought against each other and Henry for power. Eleanor was woefully caught in the middle as she strived to do what was best for her sons, even if it pitted her against her beloved husband. To top it all off, Henry had to deal with a man who he felt was right to help him reign in the power of the Church; Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The disastrous end to their friendship would be the lowest point in Henry’s reign.

Lewis gives his readers a brand new perspective on the relationship between Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Although I knew this story rather well before reading this biography, I still found myself entranced by Lewis’s narrative with scrupulous attention to detail. I thought I knew the nature of their relationship, but I was wrong. If you want a biography that is elegant while it challenges your views on the first Plantaganet couple, I highly suggest you read “Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine: Founding an Empire” by Matthew Lewis.

Book Review: “Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy” by Matthew Lewis

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47355586Civil wars between cousins have had many names in the past, notably in England, the Wars of the Roses. However, there was a civil war that pre-dates the colorful contest known as The Anarchy. Two cousins fighting against one another from the throne of England, but what makes this contest unique was the main protagonists caught in the middle. One was the only legitimate child of King Henry I, Empress Matilda. The other was Henry I’s favorite nephew, Stephen of Blois. This conflict stretched for decades and has fascinated historians for centuries. It is complex and at times, a bit confusing, but Matthew Lewis has chosen to shed some light on what happened during this period in history in his latest book, “Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy”.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed Matthew Lewis’ books in the past and I didn’t know much about The Anarchy, so this book seemed like a good place to start.

The story of The Anarchy started when Henry I’s only legitimate son died tragically in The White Ship disaster. Although Henry I did have numerous illegitimate children, the only legitimate child that he had left was his daughter Matilda. She was married to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, thus she took her illustrious title Empress Matilda. However, when her husband died, she married Geoffrey, Count of Anjou.

When Henry I died in 1135, the throne was supposed to pass down to Empress Matilda, which would have been unprecedented as a woman never ruled England before. However, Empress Matilda’s cousin and Henry I’s nephew, Stephen of Blois got to England first and became King Stephen. To make matters a bit more confusing for those who study this time period, King Stephen married Matilda of Boulogne, who is known in this book as Queen Matilda. Although they shared the same name, these two women acted very differently when it came to how women in power demanded respect from the men around them.

As Lewis explains, The Anarchy which lasted from 1135 until 1154, was not this period of extreme chaos caused by King Stephen’s reign. There are some misconceptions about King Stephen and Empress Matilda that have been passed on through the centuries such as King Stephen was an ineffective leader and Empress Matilda was power-hungry and heavy-handed. Since Lewis decided to keep a very neutral approach, showing both sides of the conflict, which was such a strength in this book, the reader can understand what both Stephen and Matilda were fighting for and how they fought their war. Lewis also showed how the barons, clergy, and other European rulers played into this confusing conflict which led to Empress Matilda’s son Henry II becoming the first Plantagenet King of England.

This was a great introductory book to the conflict known as The Anarchy and the colorful characters of King Stephen and Empress Matilda. Lewis was able to combine well-researched information and an easy to understand writing style to bring this conflict to life. As someone who did not know a whole lot about The Anarchy before I read this book, I found it rather enlightening. The only qualm that I did have with this book was that I was getting confused about the barons and clergy who were helping either side and which side they were on. I do wish that Lewis included a table of names of the people involved to help clear the confusion. Overall, I did enjoy this book. If you want a great book that introduces you to the tumultuous time in English history known as The Anarchy, I recommend you read, “Stephen and Matilda’s Civil War: Cousins of Anarchy” by Matthew Lewis.

Book Review: “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett

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91wIRMJzYSLWhen one thinks about epic tales stories of adventures and romance tend to come to mind. One hardly thinks about the construction of a magnificent building as an “epic tale” with monks and builders as the main characters. We see cathedrals as these massive buildings from the past used as churches, but we rarely think about how they were constructed and why. Who were the people who decided to make these spectacular buildings and what might have their lives have been like? These are just some of the questions that Ken Follett wanted to try and answer in his monumental historical fiction masterpiece, “The Pillars of the Earth”.

Ken Follett is known worldwide as an author of spy thrillers, but for decades the story of a 12th-century cathedral in a town called Kingsbridge and the people who helped build it was always in the back of his mind. In 1989, he decided to take a risk and publish his first ever historical fiction novel. To say the book was a sensation would be an understatement. In the 25th anniversary edition of this wonderful novel, Follett explores why he thinks this particular story made such a splash:

Many times in the last twenty-five years, I have been asked why “Pillars” has had such a big impact. There’s no simple answer, because a novel is so complex. But I come back again and again to the people who built the cathedrals. Those men and women were, by modern standards, poor and ignorant. They lived in wooden huts and slept on the floor. Yet they created the most beautiful and awesome buildings the world has ever known. Human beings have the capacity to rise above mundane circumstances and touch the eternal. This is what “Pillars” is about, and, in the end, I think that may be why it has so profoundly touched the hearts of so many readers for so many years. (Follett, xxii).

Follett introduces his readers to the world of 12th-century Kingsbridge, England with the execution of a thief. Compared to the rest of the story this prologue seems a bit odd since it happened over a decade before the actual story begins, but Follett was able to use the details of the prologue throughout the entire novel. Twelve years after the execution, we are introduced to Tom Builder and his family as they struggle to survive after he was fired from a building job for William Hamleigh, who was dumped by Lady Aliena. Tom’s life is turned upside down when his wife Agnes dies giving birth to a son and he falls in love with a woman named Ellen, who is the mother of Jack Jackson. Meanwhile, we are introduced to Prior Philip, a man who wants to reform Kingsbridge Priory. Tom and Philip both have a dream of making a wonderful cathedral in Kingsbridge.

This is the story of the building of Kingsbridge Cathedral, but it is also a story of those who lived in Kingsbridge. It is about their triumphs and tragedies. It is about family and love, revenge and heartache. There were some very dramatic scenes that shocked me, however, I believe Follett used these scenes to grow his characters to be strong; physically, mentally and emotionally. Follett may not be a spiritual man, but he was able to capture the spirituality of the age through Prior Philip and the struggle between the church and the state through the building of the cathedral. The cast of characters, both good and bad, are very well-rounded and complex and you really want to know what will happen to them by the end of the story.

I usually read books about the Wars of the Roses and the Tudor dynasty, but I decided to take a chance and read the Kingsbridge series because I heard amazing things about this series. I did have to remind myself about Queen Maud, King Stephen, King  Henry II, and Thomas Becket since I don’t study this time period often. Follett was able to make the 12th-century to come alive. I did not want to stop reading this book. I absolutely loved the story, the scenery, the amount of details and the colorful cast of characters. This was a huge risk for Follett to jump into the world of historical fiction, but it paid off extremely well. “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett is a stunning masterpiece and I highly recommend it to anyone who really enjoys a thrilling historical fiction novel.