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Royalty biography, History
Elizabeth II is within a few years of becoming the longest-reigning British monarch A personally quiet modest and… dutiful person she is far better-informed about the lives of her subjects than they often realize She has known every Prime Minister since Winston Churchill and every American President since Eisenhower Yet what of the woman behind the crown The book seeks to take a new look at this exhaustively-documented life and show how Queen Elizabeth became the person she is Who and what have been the greatest influences upon her What are her likes and dislikes What are her hobbies Who are her friends What does she feel about the demands of duty and protocol Is she really enjoying herself when she smiles during official events How differently does she behave when out of the public eye Examining the places in which she grew up or has lived the training she received and her attitudes to significant events in national life it presents a fresh view of one of recent history s most important figures
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Royalty biography, European history
The definitive biography of the legendary autocrat whose enlightened rule transformed the map of Europe and changed the course of… history Few figures loom as large in European history as Frederick the Great. When he inherited the Prussian crown in 1740, he ruled over a kingdom of scattered territories, a minor Germanic backwater. By the end of his reign, the much larger and consolidated Prussia ranked among the continent's great powers. In this magisterial biography, award-winning historian Tim Blanning gives us an intimate, in-depth portrait of a king who dominated the political, military, and cultural life of Europe half a century before Napoleon.A brilliant, ambitious, sometimes ruthless monarch, Frederick was a man of immense contradictions. This consummate conqueror was also an ardent patron of the arts who attracted painters, architects, musicians, playwrights, and intellectuals to his court. Like his fellow autocrat Catherine the Great of Russia, Frederick was captivated by the ideals of the Enlightenment--for many years he kept up lively correspondence with Voltaire and other leading thinkers of the age. Yet, like Catherine, Frederick drew the line when it came to implementing Enlightenment principles that might curtail his royal authority. Frederick's terrifying father instilled in him a stern military discipline that would make the future king one of the most fearsome battlefield commanders of his day, while deriding as effeminate his son's passion for modern ideas and fine art. Frederick, driven to surpass his father's legacy, challenged the dominant German-speaking powers, including Saxony, Bavaria, and the Habsburg Monarchy. It was an audacious foreign policy gambit, one at which Frederick, against the expectations of his rivals, succeeded. In examining Frederick's private life, Blanning also carefully considers the long-debated question of Frederick's sexuality, finding evidence that Frederick lavished gifts on his male friends and maintained homosexual relationships throughout his life, while limiting contact with his estranged, unloved queen to visits that were few and far between. The story of one man's life and the complete political and cultural transformation of a nation, Tim Blanning's sweeping biography takes readers inside the mind of the monarch, giving us a fresh understanding of Frederick the Great's remarkable reign.Praise for Frederick the Great "Writing Frederick's biography . . . requires a diverse set of skills: expertise in eighteenth-century diplomatic and military history, including the intricacies of the Holy Roman Empire; a familiarity with the music, architecture and intellectual traditions of Northern Europe; and, not least, a profound sense of human psychology, the better to grasp the makeup of this complex and tormented man. Fortunately, Tim Blanning . . . has all of these skills in abundance."--The Wall Street Journal "At once scholarly and highly readable . . . [Blanning] has given us a superb portrait of an enlightened despot, equally at home on the battlefield and in the opera house, both utterly ruthless and culturally refined."--Commentary "Blanning, in clear thinking and prose, investigates all aspects of Frederick's personality and reign. . . . The last word on this significant king, for years to come."--Booklist (starred review)"Masterly . . . Blanning brilliantly brings to life one of the most complex characters of modern European history."--The Telegraph (five stars) "A supremely nuanced account . . . This biography finds [Blanning] at the height of his powers."--Literary ReviewFrom the Hardcover edition.
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Biography, Religious biography, Royalty biography, Judaism
Of all the figures in the Bible David arguably stands out as the most perplexing and enigmatic He… was many things a warrior who subdued Goliath and the Philistines a king who united a nation a poet who created beautiful sensitive verse a loyal servant of God who proposed the great Temple and founded the Messianic line a schemer deceiver and adulterer who freely indulged his very human appetites David Wolpe whom Newsweek called the most influential rabbi in America takes a fresh look at biblical David in an attempt to find coherence in his seemingly contradictory actions and impulses The author questions why David holds such an exalted place in history and legend and then proceeds to unravel his complex character based on information found in the book of Samuel and later literature What emerges is a fascinating portrait of an exceptional human being who despite his many flaws was truly beloved by God
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Biography, Royalty biography
Handsome, accomplished, and charming, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, staked his claim to the English throne by marrying Mary Stuart, who… herself claimed to be the Queen of England. It was not long before Mary discovered that her new husband was interested only in securing sovereign power for himself. Then, on February 10, 1567, an explosion at his lodgings left Darnley dead; the intrigue thickened after it was discovered that he had apparently been suffocated before the blast. After an exhaustive reevaluation of the source material, Alison Weir has come up with a solution to this enduring mystery. Employing her gift for vivid characterization and gripping storytelling, Weir has written one of her most engaging excursions yet into Britain's bloodstained, power-obsessed past.From the Trade Paperback edition.
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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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Historical fiction, Historical romance, Royalty biography
As a Kingdom Trembles With Revolt a Knight and His Lady Must Choose Between Duty and Love in the… Medieval Historical Romance A Child Upon the Throne by Mary Ellen Johnson--Medieval England following the death of Edward III in 1377 through the Peasants Revolt of 1381--With a child king upon the throne and England s lucrative martial victories a faded memory Knight Matthew Hart wants only to reunite with his long-time lover Margery Watson and their son to live out his days far away from the royal court But Margery s loyalties are torn To settle down with the knight she s loved since childhood or commit treason and side with the commoners overburdened with servitude and taxes When revolt sparks among the masses thousands march on London vowing to overthrow all those in power Now Margery must choose between her place in society with a knight she loves and her true beliefs about freedom justice and equality From the Publisher Readers with a passion for history will appreciate the author s penchant for detail and accuracy In keeping with being authentic to the era this story contains scenes of brutality which are true to the time and man s inhumanity There are a limited number of sexual scenes and NO use of modern vulgarity Fans of Elizabeth Chadwick Bernard Cornwell and Philippa Gregory as well as Tamara Leigh and Suzan Tisdale will not want to miss this series Author Mary Ellen Johnson strides through history with the reader in the front seat Karen Lausa it challenged my intellect as well as my heart Margaret Watkins eBook Discovery ReviewerFrom the Author When crafting a story I am ever mindful of the parallels between the past and present Endless wars indifferent rulers rising taxes and corruption all of which inevitably resulted in a bloody insurrection An insurrection that while unsuccessful in the short term was even referenced by our Founding Fathers during their struggle for freedom As William Faulkner said The past isn t dead it s not even past so a knowledge of history is imperative THE KNIGHTS OF ENGLAND in series orderThe Lion and the LeopardA Knight There WasWithin A Forest DarkA Child Upon The ThroneLords Among the Ruins
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Historical biography, Royalty biography
Queen Elizabeth II has been called "A Queen for All Times." At 90 years old, she now has eclipsed Queen… Victoria's 63-year record to become Britain's longest reigning monarch. She remains the head of state of the United Kingdom, and a group of 16 nations including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand call her queen, and she is the head of the British Commonwealth which includes another 37 countries, including India and South Africa. Throughout her life, she has enjoyed much happiness including a long and happy marriage to Prince Philip, four children, and Silver, Golden, and Diamond Jubilees. Her reign has also been marked by much sadness, including the failed marriages of three of her children, the deaths of close family members and friends, and the markedly difficult death of Princess Diana, which took a toll on both the Royal Family and the nation.Now Life, in a new special edition, takes a nuanced and thoughtful look at the reign of Elizabeth at 90 and what her over-63 years on the throne have meant for her subjects and the world at large, including her early life, the years of World War Ii, her marriage and family, life ruling Great Britain, Windsor family values and much more.With dozens of stunning photos, stories, and analysis, Queen Elizabeth at 90 is a keepsake of both a life well-lived and an historical time on the throne, as well as a captivating collection for any royal watcher.
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Biography, Royalty biography
We can hardly imagine a Britain without Elizabeth II on the throne It seems to be the job… she was born for And yet for much of her early life the young princess did not know the role that her future would hold She was our accidental Queen Elizabeth s determination to share in the struggles of her people marked her out from a young age Her father initially refused to let her volunteer as a nurse during the Blitz but relented when she was 18 and allowed her to work as a mechanic and truck driver for the Women s Auxiliary Territorial Service It was her forward-thinking approach that ensured that her coronation was televised against the advice of politicians at the time Kate Williams reveals how the 25-year-old young queen carved out a lasting role for herself amid the changes of the 20th century Her monarchy would be a very different one to that of her parents and grandparents and its continuing popularity in the 21st century owes much to the intelligence and elusive personality of this remarkable woman
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Royalty biography, Women biography, Asian history, History
Four centuries ago, a Muslim woman ruled an empire. When it came to hunting, she was a master shot. As… a dress designer, few could compare. An ingenious architect, she innovated the use of marble in her parents’ mausoleum on the banks of the Yamuna River that inspired her stepson’s Taj Mahal. And she was both celebrated and reviled for her political acumen and diplomatic skill, which rivaled those of her female counterparts in Europe and beyond. In 1611, thirty-four-year-old Nur Jahan, daughter of a Persian noble and widow of a subversive official, became the twentieth and most cherished wife of the Emperor Jahangir. While other wives were secluded behind walls, Nur ruled the vast Mughal Empire alongside her husband, and governed in his stead as his health failed and his attentions wandered from matters of state. An astute politician and devoted partner, Nur led troops into battle to free Jahangir when he was imprisoned by one of his own officers. She signed and issued imperial orders, and coins of the realm bore her name. Acclaimed historian Ruby Lal uncovers the rich life and world of Nur Jahan, rescuing this dazzling figure from patriarchal and Orientalist clichés of romance and intrigue, and giving new insight into the lives of women and girls in the Mughal Empire, even where scholars claim there are no sources. Nur’s confident assertion of authority and talent is revelatory. In Empress, she finally receives her due in a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens us to a fascinating history.
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Royalty biography
P As son los nuevos monarcas Su historia de amor Su cara y su cruz … Una obra amena e imprescindible para conocer m s a fondo a don Felipe y a do a Letizia una pareja real preparada desde hace a os para reinar Dicen quienes lo conocen m s de cerca que Felipe VI gana en las distancias cortas De naturaleza curiosa serio y fiel a sus convicciones -defendi desde joven su intenci n de casarse solo por amor- el nuevo rey de Espa a es un dem crata convencido amante de la Constituci n un rey para el siglo XXI P Su esposa Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano suscita un gran inter s en los medios de comunicaci n nacionales y extranjeros y cualquiera de sus apariciones p blicas genera comentarios cr ticos o elogiosos sobre su vestuario sus aciertos o errores de protocolo sus operaciones de est tica o sobre la no muy buena relaci n que mantiene con su familia pol tica P Los periodistas Carmen Enr quez y Emilio Oliva nos ofrecen en Felipe y Letizia Reyes de Espa a un retrato a fondo de los nuevos reyes -su personalidad sus costumbres su imagen su forma de abordar el trabajo la educaci n de sus hijas o su compromiso con Espa a- construido sobre los testimonios de muchas de las personas que los han acompa ado en su doble faceta de pr ncipes y ciudadanos P Y aportan datos concretos sobre el valor de la monarqu a como forma de Estado justo cuando en el Palacio de la Zarzuela se acaba de producir el relevo en la instituci n de la Corona
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Royalty biography, History, Politics and government, Christianity
This is a historical study of the career of King James VI and I as king of Scotland … 1567-1625 and England 1603-1625 who achieved a union of the crowns as the first king of Great Britain and who undertook to end the recurring religious wars His peacemaking by diplomatic means was complemented by his efforts to foster closer relations among the churches The peace that he helped to maintain by these initiatives though cut short by the coming of the Thirty Years War was immensely beneficial both to Britain and to the other countries of Europe
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Royalty biography, European history, Politics and government
This book examines how early Stuart queens navigated their roles as political players and artistic patrons in a culture deeply… conflicted about the legitimacy of female authority Anna of Denmark and Henrietta Maria both employed powerful female archetypes such as Amazons and the Virgin Mary in court performances Susan Dunn-Hensley analyzes how darker images of usurping contaminating women epitomized by the witch often merged with these celebratory depictions By tracing these competing representations through the Jacobean and Caroline periods Dunn-Hensley peels back layers of misogyny from historical scholarship and points to rich new lines of inquiry Few have written about Anna s religious beliefs and comparing her Catholicism with Henrietta Maria s illuminates the ways in which both women were politically subversive This book offers an important corrective to centuries of negative representation and contributes to a fuller understanding of the role of queenship in the English Civil War and the fall of the Stuart monarchy
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Royalty biography, European history
The official companion to the Emmy-winning Netflix drama chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and starring Claire Foy… and John Lithgow The Crown by Peter Morgan featuring additional historical background and beautifully reproduced archival photos and show stills P P Elizabeth Mountbatten never expected her father to die so suddenly so young leaving her with a throne to fill and a global institution to govern P Crowned at twenty-five she was already a wife and mother as she began her journey towards becoming a queen P As Britain lifted itself out of the shadow of war the new monarch faced her own challenges P Her mother doubted her marriage her uncle-in-exile derided her abilities her husband resented the sacrifice of his career and family name and her rebellious sister embarked on a love affair that threatened the centuries-old links between the Church and the Crown P This is the story of how Elizabeth II drew on every ounce of resolve to ensure that the Crown always came out on top P Written by the show s historical consultant royal biographer Robert Lacey and filled with beautifully reproduced archival photos and show stills The Crown The Official Companion Volume 1 adds expert and in-depth detail to the events of the series painting an intimate portrait of life inside Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street P Here is Elizabeth II as we ve never seen her before
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Royalty biography
Henry VIII s forceful personality dominated his age and continues to fascinate our own In few other reigns have… there been developments of such magnitude--in politics foreign relations religion and society--that have so radically affected succeeding generations Above all the English Reformation and the break with Rome are still felt more than four centuries on First published in 1968 J J Scarisbrick s Henry VIII remains the standard account a thorough exploration of the documentary sources stylishly written and highly readable In an updated foreword Professor Scarisbrick takes stock of subsequent research and places his classic account within the context of recent publications It is the magisterial quality of J J Scarisbrick s work that has enabled it to hold the field for so long --Steve Gunn Times Literary Supplement
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Royalty biography, History
In this magisterial new biography New York Times bestselling author Sally Bedell Smith brings to life one of the… world s most fascinating and enigmatic women Queen Elizabeth II From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny But through the fog of glamour and gossip how well do we really know the world s most famous monarch Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure intelligence and grace In Elizabeth the Queen we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes heiress presumptive when her uncle abdicates the throne We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen s daily routines--the red boxes of documents she reviews each day the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers her physically demanding tours abroad and the constant scrutiny of the press--as well as her personal relationships with Prince Philip her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life her children and their often-disastrous marriages her grandchildren and friends Compulsively readable and scrupulously researched Elizabeth the Queen is a close-up view of a woman we ve known only from a distance illuminating the lively personality sense of humor and canny intelligence with which she meets the most demanding work and family obligations It is also a fascinating window into life at the center of the last great monarchy
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Royalty biography, European history
In the years before the First World War the great European powers were ruled by three first cousins … King George V of Britain Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia Together they presided over the last years of dynastic Europe and the outbreak of the most destructive war the world had ever seen a war that set twentieth-century Europe on course to be the most violent continent in the history of the world Miranda Carter uses the cousins correspondence and a host of historical sources to tell the tragicomic story of a tiny glittering solipsistic world that was often preposterously out of kilter with its times struggling to stay in command of politics and world events as history overtook it George Nicholas and Wilhelmis a brilliant and sometimes darkly hilarious portrait of these men damaged egotistical Wilhelm quiet stubborn Nicholas and anxious dutiful George and their lives foibles and obsessions from tantrums to uniforms to stamp collecting It is also alive with fresh subtle portraits of other familiar figures Queen Victoria grandmother to two of them grandmother-in-law to the third whose conservatism and bullying obsession with family left a dangerous legacy and Edward VII the playboy arch-vulgarian who turned out to have a remarkable gift for international relations and the theatrics of mass politics At the same time Carter weaves through their stories a riveting account of the events that led to World War I showing how the personal and the political interacted sometimes to devastating effect For all three men the war would be a disaster that destroyed forever the illusion of their close family relationships with any sense of peace and harmony shattered in a final coda of murder betrayal and abdication
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Royalty biography
From the House of Wessex to the House of Windsor follow the pageant of personalities that have made Great… Britain what it is today Fascinating biographies of the British monarchs from the time of Roman Brittania to present day answer your every question about the country s aristocracy Details of the kings and queens personalities are the focus with a timeline across the bottom relating the major events of their reigns Also included is a section devoted to royal edicts All the Edwards Richards Henrys and Williams are represented along with outstanding personalities such as Lady Jane Grey and Oliver Cromwell a king in all but name This is essential reading for all Anglophiles so brew a pot of tea and dig into the history
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Royalty biography, Politics and government
Nobility and Kingship in Medieval England is a major new account of the relationship between Edward I and his earls,… and of the role of the English nobility in thirteenth-century governance. Re-evaluating crown-noble relations of the period, Spencer challenges traditional interpretations of Edward's reign, showing that his reputed masterfulness has been overplayed and that his kingship was far subtler, and therefore more effective, than this stereotype would suggest. Drawing from key earldoms such as Lincoln, Lancaster, Cornwall and Warenne, the book reveals how nobles created local followings and exercised power at a local level as well as surveying the political, governmental, social and military lives of the earls, prompting us to rethink our perception of their position in thirteenth-century politics. Adopting a powerful revisionist perspective, Spencer presents a major new statement about thirteenth-century England; one which will transform our understanding of politics and kingship in the period.
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Royalty biography, Women biography, Asian history
With the beautiful, powerful, and sexy Madame Chiang Kai-shek at the center of one of the great dramas of the… twentieth century, this is the story of the founding of modern China, starting with a revolution that swept away more than 2,000 years of monarchy, followed by World War II, and ending in the eventual loss to the Communists and exile in Taiwan. An epic historical tapestry, this wonderfully wrought narrative brings to life what Americans should know about China -- the superpower we are inextricably linked with -- the way its people think and their code of behavior, both vastly different from our own. The story revolves around this fascinating woman and her family: her father, a peasant who raised himself into Shanghai society and sent his daughters to college in America in a day when Chinese women were kept purposefully uneducated; her mother, an unlikely Methodist from the Mandarin class; her husband, a military leader and dogmatic warlord; her sisters, one married to Sun Yat-sen, the George Washington of China, the other to a seventy-fifth lineal descendant of Confucius; and her older brother, a financial genius. This was the Soong family, which, along with their partners in marriage, was largely responsible for dragging China into the twentieth century. Brilliantly narrated, this fierce and bloody drama also includes U. S. Army General Joseph Stilwell; Claire Chennault, head of the Flying Tigers; Communist leaders Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai; murderous warlords; journalists Henry Luce, Theodore White, and Edgar Snow; and the unfortunate State Department officials who would be purged for predicting (correctly) the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. As the representative of an Eastern ally in the West, Madame Chiang was befriended -- before being rejected -- by the Roosevelts, stayed in the White House for long periods during World War II, and charmed the U. S. Congress into giving China billions of dollars. Although she was dubbed the Dragon Lady in some quarters, she was an icon to her people and is certainly one of the most remarkable women of the twentieth century.