When we think about medieval women, we often think about very pious figures who relied on men, had numerous children, and would often fade into obscurity when they died. While this would be the ultimate fate for many women, it was not so for those close to thrones worldwide. In times of war and political upheaval, the daughters, the wives, and the queens picked up the pieces and patched their respective kingdoms back together. In her latest book, “Women of Power: Formidable Queens of the Medieval World,” Teresa Cole has chosen a select group of women to highlight her point about the strength of women who held power in the Middle Ages.
I would like to thank Amberley Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. When I heard about this book, I had an inkling about which women would be included in this conversation, but I wanted to see who else Cole included in her book and if she decided to stay in England or venture off to other countries.
The group of powerful women that Cole has chosen to highlight in this book are Emma of Normandy, Matilda of Tuscany, Empress of Matilda, Matilda of Boulogne, Melisende of Jerusalem and her sisters of the Outremer, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. In terms of history, it is a span of close to three hundred years, covering everything from the Viking invasions of England, the Anarchy, the Holy Roman Empire vs the Papacy, the Crusades, and the reign of Henry II. It is a lot to cover in one book, but what Cole does well is that she has chosen women whose stories are interconnected to create a glimpse of the political environment in Europe and the Middle East during this time.
Before reading this book, I knew quite a bit about Emma of Normandy, Empress Matilda, Matilda of Boulogne, and Eleanor of Aquitaine, so those sections felt like a review for me. The stories of Matilda of Tuscany and Melisende of Jerusalem with her sisters of the Outremer were filled with new information for me and while I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Melisende of Jerusalem and the Outremer, I had such a struggle reading about Matilda of Tuscany.
There were so many popes, anti-popes, and Holy Roman Emperors during that period in which Matilda ruled Tuscany, I wish Cole had included some sort of chart to make it easier to follow. I also wish that Cole spent a little bit more time focusing on the women instead of their male counterparts in the chapters to truly highlight their strengths because there were points where I felt like the women were being lost in their chapters.
Overall, I think Cole does a decent job highlighting the women and the periods in this book. It does show a glimpse into the hardships women had to endure to hold onto power in the medieval world. If you want to explore the Middle Ages with some new historical figures who left their marks on the past, I recommend you read, “Women of Power: Formidable Queens of the Medieval World” by Teresa Cole.
I am pleased to welcome Judith Arnopp to my blog today to share a blurb for her latest book, “How to Dress Like a Tudor.” I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books, The Coffee Pot Book Club, and Judith Arnopp for allowing me to be part of this blog tour. 
Blurb:
Author Bio:
When we think of old homes, we often think of the phrase, “If walls could talk,” because the true treasure of any home is not the floorboards or the walls, but rather the stories of those who lived inside its walls. Take, for example, Hampton Court Palace in England. A home for over 500 years that has seen many architectural and artistic changes in its hallowed halls, but it is the stories of those who stayed for brief periods that truly make this palace spectacular. Stories full of salacious scandals, religious implications, and revelations that would shake England to its core through revolutions. Hampton Court Palace has been the center of English court drama for centuries and finally, these tantalizing tales are being told in a truly remarkable book, “The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court” by Gareth Russell.
The story of the Boleyn family in the 16th century and their ultimate fall from grace has been told for centuries. However, there is a more intriguing tale hidden in the Boleyn family tree. The origins of the family and how they became such a dynamic family that revolutionized the 16th century. How did this family of peasants rise through the ranks to have one of their own become the Queen of England? It is a tale of struggle, survival, and triumph that is told in Claire Martin’s debut book, “Heirs of Ambition: The Making of the Boleyns.”
Illegitimate royal children have been known to make an impact on history. Take Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, and Bessie Blount, whom Henry VIII acknowledged as his son. There were discussions about Henry Fitzroy becoming the heir apparent if Henry VIII did not have a legitimate son. But what about the illegitimate children that a king did not acknowledge? What might their lives have been like? The story of Mary Boleyn and her affair with King Henry VIII has been told many times, but the story of her daughter born during that time is lesser known. In her first full-length nonfiction book, “Henry VIII’s True Daughter: Catherine Carey, A Tudor Life,” Wendy J Dunn has taken on the task of discovering the truth of Catherine Carey’s parentage and how it impacted her life.
Time travel is a dream for history and science fiction nerds alike. To be able to go to a different period in history to witness major events sounds like it would be tons of fun, but it can also be treacherous if you do not know the era well. What should you wear? Where would you live? What would your occupation be and what should you eat? If you are invited to court, how do you navigate the crazy court intrigue and the ever-changing religious dilemma? Toni Mount has created the ideal book for those who wish to travel to the 16th century called, “How to Survive in Tudor England.”
The Crusades were a series of wars between Christian and Muslim warriors for the right to control the Holy Lands of the Middle East. Many men on both sides earned legacies that would surpass their earthly bodies during bloody battles. It created many bands of knights that would last for generations, such as the Hospitallers and the Teutonic Knights. The Templars were the most famous of these knight groups, who may have lasted only for less than two hundred years, but whose legacy would turn into myth. Dan Jones has taken on the arduous task of discerning fact from fiction about the Templars in his book, “The Templars: The Rise and Fall of God’s Holy Warriors.”
Rulers cannot govern alone. They require a team of men and women behind them to operate as a cohesive unit. The same can be said for rulers during the Tudor dynasty. We know the stories of men like Cardinal Wolsey and Thomas Cromwell, two men who rose through the ranks to prominent seats of power to ultimately have disastrous falls from grace. However, there was a third Tudor politician who should be in this discussion about rags-to-riches stories. He was the son of a common merchant who went to serve most of the Tudor monarchs as an advisor. Conspiracies and rebellions kept him on his toes, but he ultimately survived the Tudor dynasty, which was a difficult thing to achieve. His name was Lord William Paget and his story is told by his descendant Alex Anglesey in his debut book, “The Great Survivor of the Tudor Age: The Life and Times of Lord William Paget.”
Have you ever watched a historical drama and wondered what it might have been like to wear the outfits for that period? You see so many reenactment groups online and you are envious of their talents for being able to bring clothing from the past, especially clothes from the 16th century, to life in the modern age. What might it have been like to dress like a lord or a lady? What about a commoner or a monk? How did fashion change throughout the Tudor dynasty? Judith Arnopp answers all of these questions and more in her latest book, “How to Dress Like a Tudor.”
Adventures of a Tudor Nerd 