Nancy Goldstone has a passion for medieval history and old and rare books. She is the author most recently of three works of non-fiction examining the role of high born women in the Middle Ages: Four Queens, The Maid and the Queen, and The Lady Queen. She and her husband have also written three acclaimed humorous memoirs on their experiences in the world of rare and antiquarian books: Used and Rare, Slightly Chipped, and Warmly Inscribed.
"A wonderful book about four remarkable women . . . An utterly
compelling read."
-Alison Weir, author of Eleanor of Aquitaine
"A densely woven narrative of sibling rivalry, simmering
resentments, and thwarted ambitions. . . . Times change but not, it
seems, sisterly love."
-Dr. Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
"Remarkable . . . told with all the verve and aplomb and richness
of detail that four such extraordinary women deserve."
-Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome
"Goldstone weaves a vivid tapestry worthy of her subjects."
-Entertainment Weekly
"On Goldstone's rich, beautifully woven tapestry, medieval Europe
springs to vivid life. . . . This is a fresh, eminently enjoyable
history that gives women their due as movers and shakers in
tumultuous times."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The four beautiful, cultured and clever daughters of the Count and Countess of Provence made illustrious marriages and lived at the epicenter of political power and intrigue in 13th-century Europe. Marguerite accompanied her husband, King Louis IX of France, on his disastrous first crusade to the Holy Land, where straight from childbirth she ransomed him from the Mamluks. And with her sister Eleanor, queen of England, Marguerite engineered a sturdy peace between France and England. Ambitious Eleanor walked a narrow line while she struggled to build her own power base without alienating her cowardly husband, Henry III. Beatrice's coronation as queen of Sicily was the culmination of her long, hard-fought campaign to earn respect from her world-famous, mightily accomplished older siblings. Sanchia wed one of the richest men in Europe, but her reign as queen of Germany, brought her only misery. On Goldstone's (coauthor of The Friar and the Cipher) rich, beautifully woven tapestry, medieval Europe springs to vivid life, from the lavish menus of the royal banquets and the sweet songs of the troubadours to the complex machinations of the pope against the Holy Roman Emperor. This is a fresh, eminently enjoyable history that gives women their due as movers and shakers in tumultuous times. Illus., 4 maps. (Apr. 23) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
"A wonderful book about four remarkable women . . . An utterly
compelling read."
-Alison Weir, author of Eleanor of Aquitaine
"A densely woven narrative of sibling rivalry, simmering
resentments, and thwarted ambitions. . . . Times change but not, it
seems, sisterly love."
-Dr. Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of
Devonshire
"Remarkable . . . told with all the verve and aplomb and richness
of detail that four such extraordinary women deserve."
-Ross King, author of Brunelleschi's Dome
"Goldstone weaves a vivid tapestry worthy of her subjects."
-Entertainment Weekly
"On Goldstone's rich, beautifully woven tapestry, medieval Europe
springs to vivid life. . . . This is a fresh, eminently enjoyable
history that gives women their due as movers and shakers in
tumultuous times."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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