Tag: nonfiction

Book Review: “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

For centuries, Italy has been a powerhouse of a nation, but it has been shaped by powerful families. There were the de Medicis, the Estes, the Sforzas, and the Orsinis. However, there is one family that lives in a bit of infamy. The father became a pope, and his illegitimate children would create their own legacies. They were the Borgias, mainly Lucrezia, Pope Alexander VI ( Rodrigo Borgia), and Cesare, and they have fascinated novices and history nerds alike for centuries. Christopher Hibbert tells their story in his nonfiction book, “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519.”

I found this book at a used book store. I have been interested in the Borgia family ever since I read “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Most Vilified Family” by Samantha Morris. I have wanted to read more about this family and see how other historians approach their lives.

Hibbert begins this joint biography of the Borgias with a quick overview of how the papacy moved from Avignon back to Rome and the countless popes who came before Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo was the nephew of Calixtus III and was a man known as a scholar, which came in handy as he climbed the ranks of the church, mostly thanks to his connections to the pope. Nepotism would be a common theme when it came to the Borgias. Rodrigo would eventually become a cardinal, but he enjoyed the finer things in life, including mistresses such as Vannozza dei Cattenei, the mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. 

Rodrigo Borgia would eventually become Pope Alexander VI, and his children would benefit greatly. Yet again, a case of nepotism. Cesare would become a strong military leader who depended on his Spanish allies and his father, but gained numerous enemies. Lucrezia would marry three times. Her first marriage was to Giovanni Sforza, but it was annulled. Her second husband, Alfonso of Aragon, was assassinated. And finally, she married Alfonso d’Este and was able to provide him with several children. The Borgias had to deal with assassinations and war while their legacies were dragged through the mud. Their rise was as quick as their fall after the death of Pope Alexander VI.

I thought this was an okay book. The pacing seemed rushed in places and slower in other while the information presented wasn’t really new to me. If you want a decent introduction to this infamous family, I recommend you give “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert a try.

Book Review: “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History” by Martha Tatarnic

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Tudors and their tales have been told for centuries, and one of the most famous figures of this period was Anne Boleyn. A woman who caught the eye of the king became queen after he divorced his first wife in the hopes that Anne would give him a son, but she had a daughter, and had one of the most dramatic falls from grace in English history. We all know Anne’s story, but what is it about her story that has appealed to so many people for centuries? How would her story look if it were told through a feminist lens? And how did Anne’s story affect a woman Anglican priest in our modern world? Martha Tatarnic tells her tale and how Anne affected her life in her latest book, “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History.”

I would like to thank Morehouse Publishing and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I had heard about this book on social media and a few podcasts that I follow, so I was intrigued to give it a shot. I am always looking for a new approach to the Tudors, so when I read the description, I was hoping to learn something new about Anne Boleyn.

I will say this is one of the more unique books about Anne Boleyn that I have read so far. As Tatarnic explains in her introduction, she has been fascinated by Anne Boleyn for most of her life because she didn’t fit the mold of a typical English queen and because of her religious convictions, which helped shape the Anglican Church. Anne is seen as an icon to Gen Z alongside Joan of Arc, but the question is, why these two women? Tatarnic includes her own stories in this analysis of Anne’s life, as well as some nods to modern pop culture.

I really wanted to like this book, but the more I read, the more frustrated I became.  Tatarnic tended to jump from topic to topic with no real order, so you will be reading about Anne’s fall from grace, then it jumps to the queens and children who ruled after Anne’s death, and finally, jumping back to the letters to start the whole affair. While I do appreciate Tatarnic trying something different by incorporating her story and modern pop culture references, I feel like there was a bit too much of this aspect, which took away from Anne’s story. Finally, I thought there was a place where the book should have ended because it made the most sense, but then Tatarnic continued in almost a rant. In this case, I think less is more, and expanding on her ideas would have made it a better book, even though her writing style was easy to follow.

Overall, I felt that the concept of telling Anne’s story through a feminist lens was unique, but the execution of this book fell a bit flat for me. If you are someone who wants to read about Anne Boleyn’s story through an original feminist lens, you might enjoy “Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History” by Martha Tatarnic.

Book Review: “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power” by Clare Hunter

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The field of history is ever-expanding as we find new artifacts and documents that change our understanding of the past. Some of the more precious artifacts are textiles, from clothing to embroidery and even wall hangings and bedding. They can tell us a lot about their owner if you understand the symbolism. While some symbolism can be rather simple, other textile symbolism could help display the voice of a woman who was silenced, like the women of the 16th century. One woman who used textiles to display her power and her own voice was Mary Queen of Scots. Clare Hunter explores Mary’s life through the textiles connected with her life in her book, “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power.”

I have seen this book mentioned on a few pages and podcasts, and it sounded alluring to me. I have tried my hand at embroidery, so I appreciate the craft itself. I have wondered about textiles and how they could be interpreted, which is why this appealed to me so much. I couldn’t wait to own it and read it.

So how do you tell the story of Mary Queen of Scots through the textiles connected to her life? Well, for Hunter, she decided to weave her own interactions with these textiles into Mary’s life in chronological order while analyzing the textile artifacts. Each chapter focuses on a different stage of Mary’s life, as well as the textiles that fit that period. Some of the examples of the artifacts that are mentioned in this book include the gowns she wore when she was about to marry the Dauphin, the fashion dolls to help bring French fashion to Scotland, Catholic banners, and memorabilia to spread the faith. We also get to see the embroideries that she planned meticulously while in custody with Bess of Hardwick, to spread their own truths and their political power while being silenced. Finally, Hunter explores the dress that Mary wore during her execution and what happened to her clothing after her death.

I will say that this is one of the most original nonfiction books that I have read in a long time. It presented Mary’s life through a different lens and showed that she did have power even as a prisoner. It gave me a better appreciation for Mary’s life and the amount of effort it took to craft such intricate pieces of textiles. I hope Hunter writes more about the history of textiles beyond the 16th century because I think her writing style and knowledge of the subject can help grow interest in this area of historical studies. If you want a book that explores the life of Mary Queen of Scots from a different angle, I highly recommend you read “Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power” by Clare Hunter. 

Book Review: “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy” by Jan-Marie Knights

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Every Tudor nerd knows the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. A relationship that started with lust/love turned tragic with the execution of Anne. However, Henry VIII was not the only man who was vying for Anne’s affection. The first man who ever asked for Anne’s hand in marriage was Henry Percy, the man who would become the 6th Earl of Northumberland. The relationship obviously did not happen, and for many, Henry Percy became an obscure figure in Tudor history. Who was Henry Percy, and what happened to him after Wolsey broke up the relationship between Henry and Anne? Jan-Marie Knights explores his life in the first full-length biography of Henry Percy in her latest book, “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy.”

I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. I am always interested in reading about lesser-known figures during the time of the Tudors, so when I saw this title, I was intrigued. I knew a little bit about Henry Percy, so I was hoping to learn more about his life.

To understand Henry Percy’s place in Tudor society, we have to go back to the origins of the family, which traces back all the way to William the Conqueror. Knights follow the branches of the Percy tree, with the many Henrys, to the Henry Percy who this biography is about, including the infamous Henry “Hotspur” Percy. Our Henry was the son of Henry Algernon Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland, and his wife, Catherine Spencer. We get to see Henry become a page for Cardinal Wolsey and become a knight in his own right.

Henry wanted to marry and start a family with Anne Boleyn, and it seems like, at the time, she was interested in him as well. However, it was not meant to be, as King Henry VIII also had his eyes on Anne. Obviously, the King would marry Anne, and Henry would marry Mary Talbot. Both relationships did not have a happy ending. Besides his troubled marriage with Mary, we get to see how Henry dealt with conflicts near the border with Scotland and the Pilgrimage of Grace, which hit a bit closer to home. Henry died without any heirs, so Knights shows what happened to the earldom of Northumberland.

I was a bit underwhelmed with this biography. I wanted more information about Henry Percy, but I felt like his story was buried with information about his family, his father, and the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn’s romance. I think Knights did a decent job with the research aspect of this book. If you want a good introductory biography to the Percy family and Henry Percy’s role in the Tudor court, you might want to try “Anne Boleyn’s First Love: The Life of Henry Percy” by Jan-Marie Knights.

Book Review: “Self-Help from the Middle Ages: What the Seven Deadly Sins Can Teach Us About Living” by Peter Jones

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

When we go into a bookstore, we will notice there are tons of self-help books from all walks of life. Self-help books tend to have more of a modern take when it comes to solutions, but what if we looked to the past for advice? It is an interesting approach to this genre of books, but what if we took it a step further and looked at how medieval people viewed their own minds through the Seven Deadly Sins? Peter Jones dives into his own life experiences and the archives to explore how the sins can help us find wisdom and understanding, which is explained in detail in his book, “Self-Help from the Middle Ages: What the Seven Deadly Sins Can Teach Us About Living.”

I would like to thank Doubleday Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed medieval self-help books that I have read in the past, so I wanted to see how Jones would add to this genre. I think by centering this book on the seven deadly sins, it adds depth and interest to this topic, so I was excited to see how they could be applied to one’s life. 

Peter Jones was a professor of medieval history at a university in Siberia when he fell into a dark place. He turns to the Middle Ages for help, which was an era known for self-help guides written by scholars, priests, and mystics. It is through their writings that he realized how the seven deadly sins could be used as a tool to learn about self-knowledge and forgiving oneself. 

It almost seems counterintuitive to rely on sins for advice on how to better our lives, but in a way, it makes sense. There have been many different iterations of the seven deadly sins, but the ones that we are paying attention to are: pride, envy, anger, sloth, avarice, gluttony, and lust. Each chapter focuses on a different sin, from the most hazardous sin to the least deadly sin. Jones explores his own experiences with the sins before diving into the archives to look at how historical figures from the Middle Ages dealt with the sins. That could range from their own life experiences to art and literature. Some of these stories were familiar to me, but the majority of this book included new information for me, which was rather exciting.

This was one of those books that took me a while to get used to what Jones was doing, but once I did, I learned a lot about the Middle Ages and the sins. It was a different approach, but I appreciate that he wrote about how the sins helped those in the Middle Ages and Jones himself. I think if you want a unique look at the Middle Ages and self-help, you will enjoy “Self-Help from the Middle Ages: What the Seven Deadly Sins Can Teach Us About Living” by Peter Jones.

Book Review: “The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily” by Nancy Goldstone

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

A young queen stands on trial for the death of her husband. Some believed that she had something to do with his murder. They see her as a villainous woman who wants power, but in the time that she is living in, a woman must fight for any ounce of power she can get. This might sound familiar to those who study 16th-century European history, but our story goes back a few centuries to the 14th century. The story of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily, is often overlooked among the stories of powerful queens, especially those who came after her. However, Joanna’s story is worth telling, which is why Nancy Goldstone has decided to tell her tale in her biography, “The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily.”

I have heard of Joanna I of Naples from other history books, but her story was briefly mentioned. I didn’t really get a sense of who she was. That was until I found this book in a used bookstore and read the description on the back, which mentioned the murder case against her. It was very intriguing, and I wanted to know how she got to that point and how she became a legendary female ruler. 

Joanna was the eldest daughter of Charles, Duke of Calabria, and Marie of Valois, Duchess of Calabria. When both of her parents died, Joanna and her sister Maria were raised by their grandparents, Robert the Wise King of Naples, and his second wife, Sancia of Majorca. Since Joanna’s father died young, he never became King of Naples, so the title passed on to Joanna. With the title came the responsibility to marry well and produce an heir. Neither of these conditions came easily for poor Joanna. 

Her first husband was her cousin, Andrew, Duke of Calabria, the son of King Charles I of Hungary. They did not exactly see eye to eye when it came to who was in control of Naples, but the marriage did not last long as Andrew was assassinated, and the country of Hungary blamed Joanna for his death. Joanna decided to argue her case in court, and the pope found in her favor. Joanna’s second husband was Louis of Tartano, but again, it was a marriage at odds as Louis took all the real power away from Joanna. Husband number 3, James IV of Majorca, was the worst husband of all, as he was mentally unstable and abusive towards Joanna. Finally, Joanna married Otto of Brunswick, who was accepting of Joanna’s position as queen. 

While we tend to focus on Joanna’s marital exploits, she was also a queen of not only Naples, but also Jerusalem and Sicily. Joanna was connected to some of the greatest minds of the era, including Petrarch and Boccaccio, and would go on to build churches and hospitals. She was an ally to the papacy until the Great Schism, which would result in Europe being divided and the murder of Joanna. 

This was an extremely well-written and researched biography. Goldstone was able to show Joanna in a more sympathetic light and really made me feel sorry for a woman who lived centuries ago. It shows how dangerous it was for a woman in power during the Middle Ages and how one woman tried hard to fight for herself and her country. If you want a fantastic biography of one of the most dynamic and legendary medieval queens of all time, I highly recommend you read “The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily” by Nancy Goldstone.

Book Review: “Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old” by Mary Beard

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

In our education experience, we have all studied the ancient classics of Greece and Rome. To some, the subject may have seemed dry, but to others, it means so much more. But the deeper we dive into the past, the more questions arise about the subject of studying the classics.  Why do people study the classics? How has our understanding of the classics changed over time? Why do some political groups choose to use the classics to make their points? Do you need to learn Greek and Latin to understand the classics? As someone who has been a scholar and a professor of the classics, Mary Beard explores these questions in her latest book, “Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old.”

 

I would like to thank The University of Chicago Press and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. As someone who mainly reads about medieval and 16th-century history, I usually don’t dive further into the past, but this year I have decided to get outside of my comfort zone. I have been reading about medieval humanism, but I have not dived into the classics that the great humanists did. I wanted to learn more about the classics, and I heard that Mary Beard is a great place to start, so I decided to give her latest book a try.

 

This is not your typical nonfiction book about the classics. This is a book that explores themes surrounding the classics in a series of essay-like chapters. Beard begins with her own journey into antiquity when she was a young girl exploring the British Museum and found some Egyptian bread. This was the start of Beard’s exploration into thauma, or wonderment, of the ordinary. It’s by connecting to the ordinary of the past that we can better understand it, although the significant writings of Homer, Virgil, Plato, and Aristotle are important in their own ways. 

 

Beard explores questions like why we tend to focus on Greece and Rome when we think about the ancient world, as well as exploring how the art and architecture of antiquity inspired future generations. One of the bigger topics that she explores is how different political groups have used the classics to press their own agendas. Beard argues that the classics are for everyone and that they do not belong to one side or another. She also explores how the classics should be for everyone,  and that you don’t necessarily need to know Latin and Greek to appreciate and study the classics. Finally, Beard looks to the future and asks why we should continue to study the classics while leaving the field open for everyone.

 

I think Beard has a wonderfully engaging writing style, and her knowledge about the classics and antiquity is superb. I think for my first book, diving into the world of antiquity and the classics, it may not have been the best fit, but I did enjoy it. I think I will read more books by Mary Beard in the future. If you are interested in the classics and want to explore deeper questions about the subject, I would suggest you give “Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old” by Mary Beard a try.

Book Review: “Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe’s Greatest Mind” by Amy McElroy

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

The Renaissance was a time of learning and of challenging what was considered normal, especially in theology and the foundations of the Catholic Church. It was a time when humanism was beginning to take shape as an educational system, one that focused on the classical literature of Greece and Rome, as well as on rhetoric, philosophy, and critical thinking. One of the top proponents of the school of humanism was a monk turned scholar named Desiderius Erasmus. His name and his works have been famous for centuries, but what was his life like as a scholar in 16th-century Europe? Amy McElroy explores the life of this extraordinary man in her latest book, “Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe’s Greatest Mind.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Amy McElroy for sending me a copy of this book. I have obviously heard of Desiderius Erasmus through his visits to the Tudor court, but when it comes to knowing his life story, I knew very little about the scholar. When I heard that McElroy was writing a book about Erasmus, I was excited to read it and learn more about him, which is why I was pleasantly surprised when McElroy sent me a copy of this book.

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam was born on either October 27 or 28 in 1469, at least according to McElroy. He was the illegitimate son of Margaret Roger and Gerard Helye, who was a scribe. His parents did want to get married, but while Gerard was travelling in Rome, he heard a rumor that Margaret had died, so he decided to become a Catholic priest instead. Erasmus would follow a similar path as his father and become a monk in an Augustinian monastery, but he wanted more from life. Erasmus had a love of learning and languages ever since he was a novice, and it is this love of learning that made him a quasi-celebrity.

Erasmus may have been one of the greatest scholars of his time, but fame did not mean wealth. The man was robbed numerous times, travelled around Europe constantly, and when he did have money, all he wanted to do was spend it on books. I completely understand the desire to buy books and write all the time. And boy did Erasmus write a lot. Some of his most famous works included In Praise of Folly and a translation of the New Testament, focusing on the original Greek, Hebrew, and Latin texts, which caused quite the uproar. He gained the respect of humanists like Thomas More and the ire of the most famous Reformer, Martin Luther. Erasmus wanted to reform the Church through education, and there were some people who did not agree with that way of thinking.

I applaud McElroy for the amount of research and the number of sources she had to use to track the busy life of Desiderius Erasmus. At times, it can be a bit dense, but everything in this book is necessary to understand the world of one of the greatest Renaissance humanists, and this book is very well written. He was a man on a mission who would not allow ill health, limited funds, or critics from stopping him from researching and writing. If you want to learn more about one of the most famous scholars of 16th-century Europe, I highly recommend you read “Desiderius Erasmus: The Folly or Far Sightedness of Renaissance Europe’s Greatest Mind” by Amy McElroy.

Book Review: “Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives” by Alice Loxton

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

Becoming an adult is an important stage in the life of anyone. Usually, the age at which a young person becomes an adult is seen as eighteen. It is a time when you leave your childhood behind for a bigger adventure. What was life like for some of the most famous people who lived in Britain throughout the centuries? Did they know when they were eighteen what great things they would do? What advice can they offer to a newer generation of young adults? Alice Loxton explores the lives of eighteen extraordinary figures of British history when they became adults in her book “Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives.”

I have followed Alice Loxton on Instagram for a while now, as I have thoroughly enjoyed her videos. When I saw the cover of this book and read the description, it felt so fresh and innovative that I knew I wanted to read it.

Loxton explains in her introduction how this concept of hitting the age of maturity has changed over the centuries. Each person mentioned in this book is at a different stage of life, but we are able to see their hopes and ambitions for the future. She also notes that some stories were harder to research than others, especially when it comes to their childhood, because of a lack of records about their lives. So, how does Loxton connect these figures who lived in different centuries and had different paths in life into one book? Why, with a hypothetical dinner party, of course, which is such an ingenious and delightful idea. It allows the audience to see how historical figures might interact with each other in a modern setting.

So the question remains, who is coming to dinner? Each chapter focuses on a different guest and a mini-biography about them. We begin with the author, the Venerable Bede, who was just a monk wanting to survive a plague, followed by Empress Matilda, who will fight for her birthright, the throne of England. We get to meet a young Geoffrey Chaucer before he writes his famous work, The Canterbury Tales. In the Tudor age, we meet an African diver named Jacques Francis, who is on a mission to salvage The Mary Rose, as well as Princess Elizabeth Tudor, who just wants to survive the tumultuous court. With the Stuarts, we meet Jeffrey Hudson, whose small stature makes him a sensation at the court of two queens, and Fionnghal Nic Dhomhnaill, who discovers that one moment can change a person’s fate. We are introduced to the young Horace Nelson before he becomes a war hero, the remarkable art of Sarah Biffin, who paints with no hands or feet, and the fossil hunter Mary Anning. There is the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the surgeon and suffragist Elsie Inglis, and the garden designer Vita Sackville- West.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, we are introduced to Jack Lewis, before he began to write The Chronicles of Narnia; Rosalind Franklin, an aspiring chemist who took a photo that changed the world; the actor Richard Burton, before he became famous; and the fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, when she was struggling to figure out her path in life. Finally, we are introduced to the mysterious Rae DeDarre.

I did not know what to expect when I first saw this book, but I am so glad I read it. It has been a long time since I have read a book that is both educational and unbelievably fun to read. That is this book. There were some historical figures that I knew or at least knew their names, but there were several who were completely new to me, which was so exciting. I cannot wait to read more books by Alice Loxton and see how she approaches history in the future. This is an ideal book for anyone, whether they are approaching eighteen or those who fondly remember the age of eighteen. If you are a history lover who wants to learn more about the history of Britain in a fun and innovative way, you will thoroughly enjoy “Eighteen: A History of Britain in 18 Young Lives” by Alice Loxton.

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

On By hmalagisiIn Book ReviewsLeave a comment

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.