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Showing 141 - 160 of 1265 items
By Catherine Curzon. 2020
This royal biography of the 17th century princess and mother of King George II recounts an epic tale of privilege,…
passion, scandal, and disgrace.When Sophia Dorothea of Celle married her first cousin, the future King George I, she was an unhappy bride. Filled with dreams of romance and privilege, she hated the groom she called “pig snout” and wept at news of her engagement. When she arrived in the austere court of Hanover, the vibrant young princess found herself ignored and unwanted—while her husband openly gallivanted with his mistress.Then Sophia Dorothea plunged into a dangerous affair with the dashing soldier Count Phillip Christoph von Königsmarck, a man as celebrated for his looks as his bravery. When he and Sophia Dorothea fell in love, they were dicing with death. Watched by a scheming countess who had ambitions of her own, it was only a matter of time before scandal gripped the House of Hanover. In the end, Sophia Dorothea was divorced, disgraced, and locked away in a gilded cage for 30 years—whilst her lover faced an even darker fate.By Stephen Budiansky. 2005
Biography of the Puritan secretary of the Privy Council, who oversaw espionage for British monarch Elizabeth I. Describes ways Walsingham…
perfected techniques to operate secretly against Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Catholic countries of France and Spain. Explains his use of code breaking and secret agents. Violence. 2005By Tina Brown. 2007
British writer and former editor of the New Yorker interviews colleagues and friends of the late Princess Diana (1961-1997) to…
provide a personal profile of Her Royal Highness. Discusses Diana's marriage to Prince Charles, their divorce, and assertions of her manipulation of the press. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2007By Antonia Fraser. 2006
Royal biographer, author of The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England (BR 15910), researches the life of French…
king Louis XIV (1638-1715). Highlights the influence of his pious mother; his wife, first cousin Maria Teresa of Spain; and his mistresses, including the governess of his illegitimate children. 2006By Wendy Leigh. 2007
Biography of Hollywood star Grace Kelly (1929-1982), who married Prince Rainier of Monaco. Through numerous interviews with friends and associates,…
the author reveals Kelly's series of love affairs, problems with her children, her husband's infidelities, and the demise of her acting career. 2007By J. F. Andrews. 2019
&“A fascinating study of the also-rans and almost-made-its of medieval history . . . Beautifully written and well researched, it…
is an engaging read.&” —History . . . The Interesting Bits! When William the Conqueror died in 1087, he left the throne of England to William Rufus . . . his second son. The result was an immediate war as Rufus&’s elder brother Robert fought to gain the crown he saw as rightfully his; this conflict marked the start of 400 years of bloody disputes as the English monarchy&’s line of hereditary succession was bent, twisted and finally broken when the last Plantagenet king, Richard III, fell at Bosworth in 1485. The Anglo-Norman and Plantagenet dynasties were renowned for their internecine strife, and in Lost Heirs we will unearth the hidden stories of fratricidal brothers, usurping cousins and murderous uncles; the many kings—and the occasional queen—who should have been but never were. History is written by the winners, but every game of thrones has its losers too, and their fascinating stories bring richness and depth to what is a colorful period of history. King John would not have gained the crown had he not murdered his young nephew, who was in line to become England&’s first King Arthur; Henry V would never have been at Agincourt had his father not seized the throne by usurping and killing his cousin; and as the rival houses of York and Lancaster fought bloodily over the crown during the Wars of the Roses, life suddenly became very dangerous indeed for a young boy named Edmund. &“A journey through the minefield of opposing factions fighting for the crown of England.&” —Books MonthlyBy Kirsten Claiden-Yardley. 2020
“Shed[s] some light on a rather remarkable man who was really behind the curtain during the reigns of quite a…
few English kings.” —Adventures of a Tudor NerdThomas Howard, 2nd duke of Norfolk, lived a remarkable life spanning eighty years and the reigns of six kings. Amongst his descendants are his granddaughters, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and his great-granddaughter, Elizabeth I. The foundations of this dramatic and influential dynasty rest on Thomas’ shoulders, and it was his career that placed the Howard family in a prominent position in English society and at the Tudor royal court.Thomas was born into a fairly ordinary gentry family, albeit distantly related to the Mowbray dukes of Norfolk. During the course of the fifteenth century, he and his father would rise through the political and social ranks as a result of their loyal service to Edward IV and Richard III. In a tragic turn of events, all their hard work was undone at the Battle of Bosworth and his father was killed fighting for King Richard. Imprisoned for treason and stripped of his lands and titles, Thomas had to start from the beginning to gain the trust of a new king. He spent the next thirty-five years devoting his administrative, military and diplomatic skills to the Tudors whilst rebuilding his family fortunes and ensuring that his numerous children were well-placed to prosper.“The Howards are one of the most intriguing families of the 16th century and this book opens up a chapter that hasn’t been much written about.” —The Tudor BloggerBy John D. Grainger. 2019
A guide to the over 150 families that ruled the Classical world, from the 10th century BC to the 8th…
century AD, from western Europe to central Asia. Ancient Dynasties is a unique study of the ruling families of the ancient world known to the Greeks and Romans. The book is in two parts. The first offers analysis and discussion of various features of the ruling dynasties (including the leading families of republican Rome). It examines patterns, similarities and contrasts, categorizes types of dynasty and explores common themes such as how they were founded and maintained, the role of women, and the various reasons for their decline. The second part is a catalog of all the dynasties (over 150 of them) known to have existed between approximately 1000 BC and AD 750 from the Atlantic Ocean to Baktria (roughly modern Afghanistan). It provides genealogical tables as well as information on where and when they held power. Altogether, Ancient Dynasties offers an invaluable reference to ancient history buffs interested in the families that wielded power in the Classical world.By M. J. Trow. 2020
This enlightening biography examines the life and short reign of England’s most controversial king and his relationship to the region…
he loved.Was Richard III the world’s most wicked uncle, or is he merely the victim of historical slander? Forever associated with the murder of his nephews, he was the last king to die in battle, in 1485. His life was as spectacular as the discovery of his bones under a Leicester car park five centuries later—an event that revived age-old debates.This detailed look at Richard’s life focuses on the area that he loved and made his own. As Lord of the North, he had castles at Middleham and Sheriff Hutton, Penrith, and Sandal. He fought the Scots along the northern border and on their own territory. His son was born at Middleham and was invested as Prince of Wales at York Minster, where Richard planned to set up a college of 100 priests.His white boar device can be found in obscure corners of churches and castles; his laws gave rights to his loyal subjects north of the Trent. And when he felt threatened during the Wars of the Roses, it was to the men of the North that he turned for support and advice. M.J. Trow’s biography demonstrates that the North is the key to understanding this fascinating and complex king.By Clive Gifford. 2009
Brief biographies of legendary rulers ranging from Hatshepsut, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, Henry VIII, Charles V, and Suleiman the Magnificent…
to Elizabeth I, Louis XIV, Frederick the Great, and Catherine the Great. Features "Life Links" that point out connections between the monarchs. For grades 5-8. 2009By Danna R. Messer. 2020
The first account of the life of the illegitimate daughter of King John of England and wife of Llwelyn the…
Great of Gwynedd.The history of women in medieval Wales before the English conquest of 1282 is one largely shrouded in mystery. For the Age of Princes, an era defined by ever-increased threats of foreign hegemony, internal dynastic strife and constant warfare, the comings and goings of women are little noted in sources. This misfortune touches even the most well-known royal woman of the time, Joan of England (d. 1237), the wife of Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd, illegitimate daughter of King John and half-sister to Henry III. With evidence of her hand in thwarting a full scale English invasion of Wales to a notorious scandal that ended with the public execution of her supposed lover by her husband and her own imprisonment, Joan’s is a known, but little-told or understood story defined by family turmoil, divided loyalties and political intrigue.From the time her hand was promised in marriage as the result of the first Welsh-English alliance in 1201 to the end of her life, Joan’s place in the political wranglings between England and the Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd was a fundamental one. As the first woman to be designated Lady of Wales, her role as one a political diplomat in early thirteenth-century Anglo-Welsh relations was instrumental. This first-ever account of Siwan, as she was known to the Welsh, interweaves the details of her life and relationships with a gendered re-assessment of Anglo-Welsh politics by highlighting her involvement in affairs, discussing events in which she may well have been involved but have gone unrecorded and her overall deployment of royal female agency.Praise for Joan, Lady of Wales“A seminal, original, and ground-breaking work of simply outstanding scholarship.” —Midwest Book ReviewBy Derek Winterbottom. 2016
&“A modern look at HRH the Duke of York . . . a nice addition to Napoleonic Era history&” from the historian and…
author of The Mighty Montagus (The Napoleon Series Reviews). Oh, the grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men; He marched them up to the top of the hill, And he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up, And when they were down, they were down, And when they were only half-way up, They were neither up nor down. Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany is famous because of the nursery rhyme which ridicules him for poor leadership but, as Derek Winterbottom&’s biography shows, he was far from incompetent as a commander. What is more, the famous rhyme does not even hint at his achievements as commander-in-chief of the British army during the Napoleonic Wars. His career as a commander and administrator and his scandalous private life are long overdue for reassessment, and that is what this perceptive and absorbing study provides. He transformed the British military machine, and the Duke of Wellington admitted that without York&’s reforms he would not have had the army that fought so well in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo. York also led a turbulent personal life which was engulfed by scandal when his mistress was accused of using her influence over him to obtain promotion for ambitious officers. Today the Duke of York is a neglected, often derided figure. This biography should go some way towards restoring his reputation as a commander and military reformer. &“This is an excellent, readable biography of a major but somewhat neglected historical figure.&” —History of WarBy Paul Kendall. 2020
“Full of excellent and pristine photographs of many items and places that shaped the life of one of England’s most…
fascinating kings . . . five stars.” —UK HistorianHenry VIII is one of history’s most memorable monarchs. Popularly known for his six wives, and the unfortunate fate which befell Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, Henry initiated many reforms and changes which still affect our lives today.In this engaging and hugely informative book, the author takes us on a journey across England, from Deal Castle on the south coast, to Tower Green where Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard lost their heads, and far north to Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. Along the way we see places where Henry stayed, where the Mary Rose, one of his great warships, was recovered, the homes of his consorts, and Smithfield where prominent individuals convicted of heresy were burned at the stake. Travel, then, not just across the country, but also back in time through 100 objects from the days of the second Tudor monarch—Henry VIII.“Because the items and places are so varied, the book has a wealth of information and the author has done a lot of research to present as much detail as possible . . . [a] really well-written and illustrated book about the people, places and objects that would have been familiar to Henry VIII.” —Tudor Blogger“Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout . . . an extraordinarily informative and inherently fascinating introduction to the life and times of Henry VIII.” —Midwest Book ReviewBy Marc Hyden. 2020
A riveting biography of the legendary founder and first king of Rome.According to legend, Romulus was born to a Vestal…
Virgin and left for dead as an infant near the Tiber River. His life nearly ended as quickly as it began, but fate had other plans. A humble shepherd rescued the child and helped raise him into manhood. As Romulus grew older, he fearlessly engaged in a series of perilous adventures that ultimately culminated in Rome’s founding, and he became its fabled first king.Establishing a new city had its price, and Romulus was forced to defend the nascent community. As he tirelessly safeguarded Rome, Romulus proved that he was a competent leader and talented general. Yet, he also harbored a dark side, which reared its head in many ways and tainted his legacy, but despite all of his misdeeds, redemption and subsequent triumphs were usually within his grasp. Indeed, he is an example of how greatness is sometimes born of disgrace.Regardless of his foreboding flaws, Rome allegedly existed because of him and became massively successful. As the centuries passed, the Romans never forgot their celebrated founder.This is the story that many ancient Romans believed.Praise for Romulus“Hyden leans into a tone reminiscent of a bard regaling those around a campfire with stories of a hero’s great exploits . . . [He tells] a fascinating origin story.” —Booklist“As inherently fascinating a read as it is an impressive work of meticulous scholarship . . . a truly extraordinary, expressly informative, and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and university library Roman History & Culture collections and supplemental curriculum studies reading lists.” —Midwest Book ReviewBy Darren Baker. 2019
This account of two strong medieval women and their relationship &“thoroughly engrosses you in a story hundreds of years past&”(Seattle…
Book Review). Born in 1223, Eleanor of Provence has come to England at the age of twelve to marry the king, Henry III. He&’s sixteen years older, but was a boy when he ascended the throne. He&’s a kind, sensitive sort whose only personal attachments to women so far have been to his three sisters. The youngest of those sisters is called Eleanor too. She was only nine when, for political reasons, her first marriage took place, but she&’s already a chaste twenty-year-old widow when the new queen arrives in 1236. Soon, this Eleanor will marry the rising star of her brother&’s court, a French parvenu named Simon de Montfort, thus wedding the fates of these four people together in an England about to undergo some of the most profound changes in its history. The Two Eleanors of Henry III is a tale that spans decades, with loyalty to family and principles at stake, in a land where foreigners are subject to intense scrutiny and jealousy. The relationship between these two sisters-in-law, close but ultimately doomed, reflects not just the turbulence and tragedy of their times, but also the brilliance and splendor.By Amy Licence. 2018
“An illuminating and entertaining read . . . an analytical assessment of the two figures who led the Lancastrian faction during the Wars…
of the Roses.” —History . . . The Interesting Bits!He became king before his first birthday, inheriting a vast empire from his military hero father; she was the daughter of a king without power, who made an unexpected marriage at the age of fifteen. Almost completely opposite in character, together they formed an unlikely but complimentary partnership.Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou have become famous as the Lancastrian king and queen who were deposed during the Wars of the Roses but there is so much more to their story. The political narrative of their years together is a tale of twists and turns, encompassing incredible highs, when they came close to fulfilling their desires, and terrible, heart-breaking lows. Personally, their story is an intriguing one that raises may questions. Henry was a complex, misunderstood man, enlightened and unsuited to his times and the pressures of kingship. In the end, overcome by fortune and the sheer determination of their enemies, their alliance collapsed. England simply wasn’t ready for a gentle king like Henry, or woman like Margaret who defied contemporary stereotypes of gender and queenship.History has been a harsh judge to this royal couple. In this discerning dual biography, Amy Licence leads the way in a long-overdue re-evaluation of their characters and contributions during a tumultuous and defining period of British history. “A delight to read . . . A fresh new look at this power couple.” —Adventures of a Tudor NerdBy Catherine Curzon. 2017
This royal historian&’s &“lively study of the four Georges who sat on the English throne for over a century is…
a joy&” (Jane Austen&’s Regency World). For over one hundred years of turmoil, upheaval, and scandal, Great Britain was a Georgian land. From the day the German-speaking George I stepped off the boat from Hanover to the night that George IV, bloated and diseased, breathed his last at Windsor, the four kings had presided over a changing nation. Kings of Georgian Britain offers a fresh perspective on the lives of the four Georges and the events that shaped their characters and reigns. From love affairs to family feuds, political wrangling, and beyond, it is a chance to peer behind the pomp and follow these iconic figures from cradle to grave. After all, being a king isn&’t always about grand parties and jaw-dropping jewels, and sometimes following in a father&’s footsteps can be the hardest job around. Take a step back in time and meet the wives, mistresses, friends, and foes of these remarkable kings who shaped the nation, and find out what really went on behind closed palace doors. Whether dodging assassins, marrying for money, digging up their ancestors, or sparking domestic disputes that echoed down the generations, the kings of Georgian Britain were never short on drama. &“[A] chronological series of amusing anecdotes. [Curzon is] often whimsical, has a good sense of pace and you can imagine her stifling a smirk while writing this unusual biography.&” —History of RoyalsBy Diane Gimpel. 2011
Explains monarchies, a form of government in which one person has ceremonial or actual power to rule--usually for a lifetime--because…
of heredity. Profiles kings, queens, czars, and other sovereigns throughout history and discusses their customs, behaviors, international relations, and more. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2011By Pat Brown. 2013
Criminal profiler Brown recounts her 2011 journey to Egypt to investigate the death of the ancient ruler Cleopatra in 30…
BCE. Posits that instead of the accepted tale of suicide by snakebite, the queen was murdered by Roman conqueror Octavian. 2013By Stephen Church, S. D Church. 2015
A detailed portrait of King John, often dubbed one of the "vilest" of England's kings. Particular focus is placed on…
John's belief in an absolute monarchy and the rebellion that led to the signing of the Magna Carta, which obliged the king to rule within the law's framework. 2015