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Royalty biography
This first modern study of Henry the Young King, eldest son of Henry II but the least known Plantagenet monarch,… explores the brief but eventful life of the only English ruler after the Norman Conquest to be created co-ruler in his father's lifetime. Crowned at fifteen to secure an undisputed succession, Henry played a central role in the politics of Henry II's great empire and was hailed as the embodiment of chivalry. Yet, consistently denied direct rule, the Young King was provoked first into heading a major rebellion against his father, then to waging a bitter war against his brother Richard for control of Aquitaine, dying before reaching the age of thirty having never assumed actual power. In this remarkable history, Matthew Strickland provides a richly colored portrait of an all-but-forgotten royal figure tutored by Thomas Becket, trained in arms by the great knight William Marshal, and incited to rebellion by his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, while using his career to explore the nature of kingship, succession, dynastic politics, and rebellion in twelfth-century England and France.
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Biography, Royalty biography
In this brilliant and authoritative work, based on their private correspondence and papers, Michael Bloch describes the feud which developed… between the Duke of Windsor and the British royal establishment after the Abdication, the humiliations which were suffered by the ex-King and his wife, and the plots to ensure that they remained in exile.
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Biography, Royalty biography
Eminent psychiatrist Dennis Friedman turns his acute gaze on our present Queen Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V (1885-1936), to reveal… the man behind the monarch. Taking as his starting point the widely held belief that the personality and behavior of parents and grandparents have a powerful influence on the children and grandchildren--and even great-grandchildren--Dr. Friedman's insightful biography contains new evidence. It suggests an emotional inheritance partly derived from his father Edward VII's psychologically damaging upbringing at the hands of Queen Victoria that he was to pass on to his own children. In the case of George, a suffocating relationship with his mother, compounded by the absence and neglect of his father, caused him as a child to suffer extreme separation anxiety, which was reinforced by his being sent away to boarding school at the age of 11, where he was bullied by other victims of similar parenting. His often unhappy time in the Navy and later sexual development is also scrutinized, as are his years on the throne. History depicts George V as a model husband, a near-perfect father, and a self-confident monarch. Dr. Friedman's study of his personal life reveals a quite different man whose legacy is still evident in today's royals.
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Historical biography, Royalty biography
In exploring Royal dynamics, Inheritance sheds light on problems found in any familyOn its first publication in the 1990s, Dennis… Friedman's Inheritance caused a furor in England as he traced the many problems of the Royal family as it was then back to Queen Victoria's nursery, unveiling a host of psychodramas played out against a privileged background of English palaces and Scottish castles. In a post-Diana age, the arrival of a new Prince George to the seemingly stable and blissfully happy William and Kate seems to refute Fiedman's thesis--but what of the notoriously wayward Prince Harry? Many questions are raised in this book addressing the complex and turbulent royal relationships, perhaps the most fundamental being the rigid and traditional royal upbringing which still awaits the baby prince. As the royal line is followed down the generations no direct descendent is overlooked and no issue is sidestepped.
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Royalty biography
A fascinating dual biography proves that controversial Royal Family members are not necessarily only a feature of late 20th- or… 21st-century lifeEdward VII (1841-1910) and his grandson Edward VIII (1894-1972) were born in different eras, but it is illuminating to compare the early and middle years of the two Princes of Wales as kings in waiting and discover how their youth informed their years on the British throne. The privileges of rank aside, they were heirs to an unenviable role, and this study presents a unique portrait of strained apprenticeships for which there was no satisfactory precedent. Theirs was an upbringing dictated by dogmatic prescription and the heavy weight of obligation. As they pursued their lives according to their distinct personalities, they were never relieved of parental strictures, especially with regard to Queen Victoria and her eldest son, who filled the void with shallow interests, a profligate style of living, and the delights of Parisian nightlife. Inevitably the two princes were consigned to filling much of their time with insubstantial engagements not best suited to their characters and which reveal a common vulnerability. In the case of the future Edward VIII, he took a jaundiced view of matters of state and preferred dance floors, riding to hounds, and the ministrations of lovers. This book is the story of the heirs' progress that provides often unexpected perspectives on two public figures better known through the history of their respective reigns. For readers in this era, the similar position of Prince Charles ensures that this survey is a timely as well as a surprisingly entertaining read.
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Historical biography, Royalty biography
The first biography in many years of Henry IIIThe son and successor of Bad King John, Henry III reigned for… 56 years from 1216, the first child king in England for 200 years. England went on to prosper during his reign and his greatest monument is Westminster Abbey, which he made the seat of his government--indeed, Henry III was the first English King to call a parliament. Though often overlooked by historians, Henry III was a unique figure coming out of a chivalric yet Gothic era: a compulsive builder of daunting castles and epic sepulchres; a powerful, unyielding monarch who faced down the De Montfort rebellion and waged war with Wales and France; and, much more than his father, Henry was the king who really hammered out the terms of the Magna Carta with the barons. John Paul Davis brings all his forensic skills and insights to the grand story of the Gothic King in this, the only biography in print of a most remarkable monarch.
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Historical biography, Royalty biography
The detailed memoirs and letters of a gifted and prolific chronicler provide an insider's view of life for the top… echelons of society in the 16th century Sophia, Electress of Hanover (1630-1714), granddaughter of James I, and mother of George I, is best remembered as the link between the Houses of Stuart and Hanover. A true European, Sophia spoke English, French, German, Dutch, and Italian fluently, and was open-minded and intellectually curious. Her writings cover an astonishing variety of subjects: religion, philosophy, international gossip, household hints, politics, and the details of her family life.
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Biography, Royalty biography
A scandalous rundown of the life and sad death of Princess Diana, the queen of British hearts. From the fairytale… wedding to the faithless Charles, through the suicide bids and bulimia, on to her own affairs, Dodi Fayed, and the final tragedy in that Parisian tunnel. This is a brief but eminently readable story of one of the great tragic royal figures of modern times.
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Historical biography, Politics and government biography, Royalty biography
Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, was also a scholar, murderer, lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony and one of the… most remarkable women in history.The distinguished historian and classicist Michael Grant confirms that her reputation as a temptress was well-founded. However, by unravelling the sources behind the tangle of myth, gossip and invention he shows that the popular image of a wayward woman opting for a life of sensuous luxury and neglecting her affairs of state is far from the truth.A brilliant linguist and the first of her Greek-speaking dynasty who learned Egyptian, she was reputed to be the author of treatises on agriculture, make-up and alchemy. Her love affairs were carefully calculated to further her plans to restore her empire to its former greatness and she was a ruthless foe to all who stood in her way.But dead on her golden couch in the palace at Alexandria her life seemed to have ended in failure; her dreams of empire shattered; her lover Mark Antony a suicide himself and she a prisoner of her conqueror Octavian.An unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary queen and her stormy life.
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Royalty biography, Philosophy
Aristotle's claims that 'man is a political animal' and that political community 'exists for the sake of living well' have… frequently been celebrated by thinkers of divergent political persuasions. The details of his political philosophy, however, have often been regarded as outmoded, contradictory, or pernicious. This book takes on the major problems that arise in attempting to understand how the central pieces of Aristotle's political thought fit together: can a conception of politics that seems fundamentally inclusive and egalitarian be reconciled with a vision of justice that seems uncompromisingly hierarchical and authoritarian? Riesbeck argues that Aristotle's ideas about the distinctive nature and value of political community, political authority, and political participation are coherent and consistent with his aristocratic standards of justice. The result is a theory that, while not free of problems, remains a potentially fruitful resource for contemporary thinking about the persistent problems of political life.
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Biography, Royalty biography, European history
Wilhelm Von Habsburg wore the uniform of the Austrian officer, the court regalia of a Habsburg archduke, the simple suit… of a Parisian exile, the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, and, every so often, a dress. He could handle a saber, a pistol, a rudder, or a golf club; he handled women by necessity and men for pleasure. He spoke the Italian of his archduchess mother, the German of his archduke father, the English of his British royal friends, the Polish of the country his father wished to rule, and the Ukrainian of the land Wilhelm wished to rule himself. In this exhilarating narrative history, prize-winning historian Timothy D. Snyder offers an indelible portrait of an aristocrat whose life personifies the wrenching upheavals of the first half of the twentieth century, as the rule of empire gave way to the new politics of nationalism. Coming of age during the First World War, Wilhelm repudiated his family to fight alongside Ukrainian peasants in hopes that he would become their king. When this dream collapsed he became, by turns, an ally of German imperialists, a notorious French lover, an angry Austrian monarchist, a calm opponent of Hitler, and a British spy against Stalin. Played out in Europe’s glittering capitals and bloody battlefields, in extravagant ski resorts and dank prison cells, The Red Prince captures an extraordinary moment in the history of Europe, in which the old order of the past was giving way to an undefined future-and in which everything, including identity itself, seemed up for grabs.
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Royalty biography
Plantagenet is the name given to the English royal house descended from the union of Queen Matilda of England and… her second husband Geoffrey of Anjou. The name derived from Geoffrey's nickname, which came from the sprig of broom (planta genet) which he wore in his hat. The Plantagenets ruled England for more than three hundred years, from the accession of reign of the dynasty's founder, Matilda and Geoffrey's son, Henry II, in 1154, to the death of the last Plantagenet, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The Plantagenets: The Kings That Made Britain is a compelling, year-by-year chronology of a tumultuous and critical period in the development of the English nation. Each year is covered by a concise, informative and accessible narrative, amplified by extensive quotation from contemporary sources and accompanied by generously captioned and stunning images of the period-including illuminations, portraits, maps, royal seals, tapestries and other artifacts. Authoritative, informative and sumptuous, and compiled by a scholar who is steeped in knowledge of the period, The Plantagenets: The Kings That Made Britain brings a critical era of English history dramatically and vividly to life. It is the perfect gift book for anyone with a love of, or fascination for, medieval English history.
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Historical fiction, Historical romance, Royalty biography
From the 1 bestselling author of The Secret Wife comes a gripping novel that commences with the tragic death… of Diana Princess of Wales and journeys back to the fascinating world of Wallis Simpson Duchess of Windsor A triumph Dinah Jefferies on The Secret Wife by Gill PaulTwo women who challenged the Crown Divided by time Bound by a secret 1911At the age of fifteen carefree Mary Kirk and indomitable Wallis Warfield meet at summer camp Their friendship will survive heartbreaks separation and the demands of the British Crown until it is shattered by one unforgivable betrayal 1997Rachel s romantic break in Paris with her fianc ends in tragedy when the car ahead crashes Inside was Princess Diana Back in Brighton Rachel is haunted by the accident and intrigued to learn the princess had visited the last home of Wallis Duchess of Windsor only hours before the crash Soon the discovery of a long-forgotten link to Wallis Simpson leads Rachel to the truth behind a scandal that shook the world Richly imagined and beautifully written ANOTHER WOMAN S HUSBAND is a gripping moving novel about two women thrust into the spotlight followed by scandal touched by loss
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Royalty biography, European history, Medicine
You ll be as appalled at times as you are entertained Bustle … one of The 17 Best Nonfiction Books Coming Out In June 2018 A heady mix of erudite history and delicious gossip Aja Raden author of StonedIn the Washington Post roundup What your favorite authors are reading this summer A J Finn says I want to read The Royal Art of Poison Eleanor Herman s history of poisons Hugely entertaining a work of pop history that traces the use of poison as a political and cosmetic tool in the royal courts of Western Europe from the Middle Ages to the Kremlin todayThe story of poison is the story of power For centuries royal families have feared the gut-roiling vomit-inducing agony of a little something added to their food or wine by an enemy To avoid poison they depended on tasters unicorn horns and antidotes tested on condemned prisoners Servants licked the royal family s spoons tried on their underpants and tested their chamber pots Ironically royals terrified of poison were unknowingly poisoning themselves daily with their cosmetics medications and filthy living conditions Women wore makeup made with mercury and lead Men rubbed turds on their bald spots Physicians prescribed mercury enemas arsenic skin cream drinks of lead filings and potions of human fat and skull fresh from the executioner The most gorgeous palaces were little better than filthy latrines Gazing at gorgeous portraits of centuries past we don t see what lies beneath the royal robes and the stench of unwashed bodies the lice feasting on private parts and worms nesting in the intestines In The Royal Art of Poison Eleanor Herman combines her unique access to royal archives with cutting-edge forensic discoveries to tell the true story of Europe s glittering palaces one of medical bafflement poisonous cosmetics ever-present excrement festering natural illness and sometimes murder
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Royalty biography, History, United States history
Around the World with a King, is an eyewitness account of Hawaiian King Kalakaua's journey around the world in 1881.William… Armstrong accompanied the King as a member of His Majesty's Government and Royal Commissioner for Immigration. His account of this remarkable circumnavigation, the first ever for a monarch, is told with humor and insight, although not always with sympathy for the King's aspirations or ideals.The book is a gem of Hawaiian literature. It provides us with insights into the personality of King Kalakaua, and into the mind of Mr. Armstrong. We are given fascinating glimpses of the courts of both Eastern and Western countries, including the Japanese Royal Court and that of Queen Victoria of England.Mr. Armstrong sometimes views his royal master with a jaundiced eye, but, to the reader, King Kalakaua emerges unscathed. Song writer, bon vivant, able politician, scholar, gentleman, and humanist, Kalakaua was devoted to his Hawaiian subjects and the to him. Nicknamed the Merry Monarch, he has, with the passing of time, emerged as a highly significant personality who has been more appropriately named the Magnificent Monarch.
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Royalty biography, European history
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Royalty biography, European history
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Royalty biography, European history
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Royalty biography
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Royalty biography
Giles Lytton Strachey (1880-1932) was a British writer and critic. He is best known for establishing a new form of… biography in which psychological insight and sympathy are combined with irreverence and wit. From time to time throughout his life Strachey studied Italian, German, and French. Landmarks in French Literature was published in 1912. By 1916 Strachey's theory of biography was fully developed and mature. He was being greatly influenced by Dostoevsky. His first great success, and his most famous achievement, was Eminent Victorians (1918), a collection of four short biographies of Victorian heroes. This work was followed in the same style by Queen Victoria (1921). Amongst his other works are Books and Characters: French and English (1922), Elizabeth and Essex: A Tragic History (1928), Portraits in Miniature (1931) and Characters and Commentaries (1933).