Queens of the Age of Chivalry (England's Medieval Queens Book 3)

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Alison will be joined by the Corsham Bookshop after the talk a book signing opportunity . 27th January, 7:30pm Her books on the Tudor queens and Elizabeth of York were first to get me hooked and I had no idea I’d get so into other queens and historical events like the others, but I did. Fully convinced now I could read anything by this author and enjoy it to the max. This book recounts the stories of five queen consorts of Plantagenet period, during the age of chivalry in the fourteenth century . They are Marguerite of France, wife of Edward I, Isabella of France (Edward II), Philippa of Hainault (Edward III), Anne of Bohemia, first wife of Richard II, and his second wife, Isabella of Valois

Edward I was one of England’s greatest medieval kings. “In build, he was handsome and of impressive stature, towering head and shoulders above the average.” His body, well preserved when his tomb was opened in 1774, was six foot two inches tall. “His brow was broad and the rest of his face regular,” apart from “a drooping of the left eyelid.” Neither this nor a slight stammer or lisp detracted from his awe-inspiring majesty. He was formidable: autocratic, forceful, fierce-tempered, fearless, and full of boundless vigor. A born leader and a talented and dynamic ruler, he was magisterial and statesmanlike, yet unscrupulous, ruthless, cruel, and occasionally violent.Her descriptions of the the palaces made me feel as if I was there. I was astounded at that vast sums the women spent on clothes, food, trips and impressing foreign dignitaries. It is crystal clear that Weir’s favorite queen is Queen Isabella (she is one of my favorites, as well) due to her owning the majority of the text and detail. This isn’t a horrible flaw, per se, but this isn’t an Isabella sole biography and “Queens of the Age of Chivalry” is supposed to focus on the other women, as well. As in previous ages, a queen consort’s primary role was to produce strong male heirs, preferably more than one, when infant mortality was horrifically high, even among the most privileged. Few of Britain’s queens could match the prolific and perennially popular Philippa of Hainault, who gave her adoring Edward III no fewer than 12 healthy offspring. And few were more pitiable than the pious and persevering Anne of Bohemia, who could not conceive with the ill-fated Richard II and died barren, or Richard’s second wife, Isabella of Valois, who had not even reached puberty when he was dethroned and executed, leaving her a widow at age 10. Using personal letters and wonderfully vivid sources, Alison Weir evokes the lives of five remarkable queens: Marguerite of France, Isabella of France, Philippa of Hainault, Anne of Bohemia and Isabella of Valois.

Edward’s great adversary was Philip IV of France, the most powerful ruler in Christendom. From 1296, Philip had been at war with both England and Flanders. The author portrays a way of life very different to the standards of today, and uses primary sources to reveal the vast sums spent by the royals on maintaining their way of life. She puts the spotlight firmly on the queens, but also fills in the gaps of what happened to their husbands. It makes for fascinating reading; not least as she offers a (to me) new theory about the fate of Edward II, as well as some justification that Isabella did not deserve the evil reputation history has given her. We also see the origins of many of the ongoing traditions of this country.I find I’m enthralled by her writings and literally can’t get enough. Her retellings of history and portrayal of historical figures are out of this world and she really gives you a feel and sense for who they were and might have been. I haven’t known much about medieval queens before, in fact, I’m drawing from my well of nothing when it comes to knowledge of these queens so I not only learnt a lot, but enjoyed doing so too! From one of Britain's best selling historians, a sweeping and magisterial history of the extraordinary lives of five queens in England's turbulent Age of Chivalry

This meticulous group biography . . . brushes away long-standing legends. . . . [Alison] Weir skillfully documents the political, religious, and cultural issues of medieval England and France.” — Publishers Weekly Against this dramatic milieu, Alison Weir describes the lives and reigns of five queen consorts: Marguerite of France was seventeen when she became the second wife of sixty-year-old King Edward I. Isabella of France, laterknown as “the She-Wolf,” dethroned her husband, Edward II, and ruled England with her lover. In contrast, Philippa of Hainault was a popular queen to the deposed king’s son Edward III. Anne of Bohemia was queen to Richard II, but she died young and childless.Isabella of Valois became Richard’s second wife when she was only six years old, but was caught up in events when he was violently overthrown. Marguerite of France (c. 1279-1318), second wife of Edward I (r. 1272-1307); Isabella of France (1292-1358), wife of Edward II (r. 1307-1327); Philippa of Hainault (c. 1315-1369), wife of Edward III (r. 1327-1377); Anne of Bohemia (1366-1394), first wife of Richard II (r. 1377-1399); and Richard’s second consort, Isabella of Valois (1389-1409), present a fascinating and often tragic diversity of lifespan, political influence and the all-important criterion of fertility. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Queens of the Age of Chivalry” is also somewhat muddled by its heavy dependency on the chronicles of Froissart. Although a credible primary source; it results in a one-note piece and doesn’t feel well-rounded or with enough viewpoints/perspectives. In this meticulously researched tome we learn not only of these five women, but also quite a bit about their royal spouses. and the importance of these unions.