Blood, Fire & Gold - by Estelle Paranque

Book Synopsis

Sixteenth-century Europe was a hostile world dominated by court politics and patriarchal structures-and yet against all odds, two women rose to power: Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici. Much has been written about these shrewd and strategic sovereigns, but though their l legacies have been heavily scrutinized, nothing has been said of their complicated relationship--thirty years of camaraderie, competition, and conflict that forever changed the face of Europe.

In Blood, Fire, and Gold, historian Estelle Paranque offers a new way of looking at two of history's most powerful women: through the eyes of the other. Whether engaged in bloody battles or peaceful accords, Elizabeth and Catherine admired the force and resilience of the other, while never forgetting that they were, first and foremost, each other's true rival.

This is a story of love and rivalry, of war and wisdom, and--above all else--of the courage and sacrifice it takes to secure and sustain power as a woman in a male-dominated world.

**SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE, "10 BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF 2022"**

**HISTORY TODAY, "BOOKS OF THE YEAR (2022)"**

Review Quotes

**TIMES, "BOOK OF THE WEEK"**

"[A] solid diplomatic history."--Kirkus

"[This book] deliver[s] fascinating insights... a pacy narrative of two stormy lives."--History Today (UK)

"A fascinating, detailed look at the personal and political relations between Elizabeth and Catherine as they sought to promote the interests of their respective countries and religions."--New York Journal of Books

"A story told with verve and passion... a marvelous story of a relationship between two powerful women in an age when females were believed to be unsuited to the exercise of government."
--The Times (UK)

"An alternative and engaging biography of the great Tudor Queen"
--The Telegraph (UK)

"An excellent choice for both history buffs and listeners who are interested in feminist history and the lives of women rulers."--Library Journal

"Drawing on new research and private correspondence, Paranque paints a vivid picture of two formidable women whose rivalry motivated their respective choices and accomplishments."--Booklist

"Historian Estelle Paranque looks at the relationship between Elizabeth I and Catherine de Medici, two of the most powerful women in Renaissance Europe. She draws on their private letters to craft portraits of these famous women... A must-read for history lovers."--Town and Country Magazine

"Ms. Paranque... conveys the relationship between these two remarkable women with zest and insight and with sympathy... Just as historical novelists now engage in serious academic research, so some historians, Ms. Paranque among them, are ready to grant themselves the novelist's freedom--though not with facts, thank goodness. After all, outside universities, people read even carefully researched history for enjoyment. There is a lot to enjoy here."--Wall Street Journal

"Paranque deftly shows how their experiences shaped the women rulers' relationships with their subjects, advisers and each other."--Smithsonian Magazine

"Paranque's vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of the political and religious stakes involved result in a certifiable historical page-turner."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author