Queens of the Crusades - (England's Medieval Queens) by Alison Weir (Paperback)

About the Book

Provides a surprising picture of the lives and reigns of the first five Plantagenet queens, during a century that saw the murder of Thomas Becket and the signing of the Magna Carta, covering Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria of Navarre, Isabella of Angoulãeme, Alienor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile.

Book Synopsis

A fresh, enthralling narrative history chronicling the dynamic reigns of the first five queens in the Plantagenet family, who ruled England and France for over three centuries, from the New York Times bestselling author hailed as "the finest historian of English monarchical succession writing" (The Boston Globe)

"A magnificent tapestry, skillfully woven . . . This rich and robust account will appeal to readers interested in medieval England and some of its most fascinating royal women, whose stories are often left out of the history books."--Booklist

The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion, seductive queens, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with romantic culture--these determined women broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence.

This second volume of Alison Weir's acclaimed history of the queens of medieval England moves into a period of even higher drama, from 1154 to 1291: years of chivalry and courtly love, dynastic ambition, conflict between church and throne, and the ruthless interplay between the rival monarchs of Britain and France. We see, from a new perspective, events such as the murder of Becket, the Magna Carta, and the birth of parliaments.

Queens of the Crusades begins with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Henry II established a dynasty that ruled over three centuries and created the most powerful empire in western Christendom--but also sowed the seeds for destructive family conflicts and the collapse of England's power in Europe. The lives of Eleanor's four successors were just as remarkable: Berengaria of Navarre; Isabella of Angoulême; Alienor of Provence; and finally Eleanor of Castile.

Alison Weir provides a fresh, enthralling narrative focusing on fascinating female monarchs during a dramatic period of high romance and low politics, with unwavering women at its heart.

Don't miss any of Alison Weir's fascinating England's Medieval Queens series:
QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST - QUEENS OF THE CRUSADES - QUEENS OF THE AGE OF CHIVALRY - QUEENS AT WAR

Review Quotes

"If there was such a profession as forensic time-traveling trip advisor, British author Alison Weir would qualify, and then some. . . . Queens of the Crusades is a brilliant, compelling and meticulously detailed revelation. . . . In its abundant detail about real lives lived amid the broad political strokes of medieval kings, Queens of the Crusades captures a rich sensory impression of how five brilliant yet fallible women managed their subject societies in a precarious and dangerously changeable world."--Bookreporter

"Existing fans of Weir's histories will enjoy this newest installment."--Library Journal

"[A] special blend of scholarship and storytelling . . . a magnificent tapestry, skillfully woven, ingeniously embroidered down to the smallest detail, and gloriously shot through with the glittering intrigues of the royal court . . . Aimed at the general reader, this rich and robust account will appeal to readers interested in medieval England and some of its most fascinating royal women, whose stories are often left out of the history books."--Booklist

"The author writes clear and entertainingly of the rich history of the Plantagenet queens of England and for an audience unfamiliar with the subject. At appropriate places, Weir gives needed background to explain the lives of these legendary women."--New York Journal of Books

"As in previous books, the exceedingly knowledgeable author's prodigious research is impressive . . . Another treat for Weir fans."--Kirkus Reviews

"This meticulous group biography . . . brushes away long-standing legends. . . . Weir skillfully documents the political, religious, and cultural issues of medieval England and France."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of a series of biographies on England's medieval queens, beginning with Queens of the Conquest, as well numerous historical biographies, including The Lost Tudor Princess, Elizabeth of York, Mary Boleyn, The Lady in the Tower, Mistress of the Monarchy, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She is also the author of historical novels including most recently the Six Tudor Queens series about the wives of Henry VIII, which includes Katharine Parr: The Sixth Wife; Katheryn Howard, The Scandalous Queen; Anna of Kleve, The Princess in the Portrait; Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen; Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession; and Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen. She lives in Surrey, England, with her husband.