Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Review: The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court

Posted on by

Heidi over at Adventures of a Tudor Nerd: Exploring the 16th Century and Beyond has read and reviewed The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court. Have a look at her review and order your copy here for delivery by Christmas: The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe at Blackwell’s booksellers

Throughout European history, we tend to think about the countries as a whole when it comes to the political sphere of influence. We think of the big countries like France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, and England as having the most impact, but we have to consider that during the Middle Ages, duchies held immense power. Take, for example, the Duchy of Burgundy, also known as the Burgundian Empire. It was a part of France, but that does not mean that the dukes stayed on the side of the French. The Burgundians used their influence to expand and marry into the medieval European families, affecting European history as a whole. While we tend to focus on the Dukes of Burgundy, we should be paying attention to the women of this duchy. That is why Susan Abernethy chose to focus on these women in her latest book, “The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court.”

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed Susan Abernethy’s first book about Catherine of Braganza. When I heard that she was writing a book about medieval Burgundian women, I was intrigued. I know a little bit about historical figures connected to Burgundy, but I didn’t know much about the history of the duchy itself, so I was excited to learn more.

Abernethy begins by giving her readers a brief history of how Burgundy became a kingdom and a duchy of France. While the history of Burgundy is extensive, we are mainly focusing on the Valois Dukes of Burgundy and the women in their lives. The Valois Dukes of Burgundy were Philip the Bold, John the Fearless, Philip the Good, and Charles the Bold. While this is primarily about the women of Burgundy, it is important to understand the political and military landscape that these women had to deal with in Burgundy and other countries during this time.

The bulk of this book focuses on the women of the Burgundian empire, starting with Margaret of England, Duchess of Brabant, in the 13th century, and ending with Queen Juana of Castile, in the 16th century. We get to hear stories about duchesses and queens, countesses and diplomats, and even a saint. They had to deal with wars, international diplomacy, family drama, and husbands who were not faithful. There were some familiar figures like Mary of Guelders, Queen of Scots, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy, and Margaret of Austria, but the majority of these women were new to me, which was very exciting.

It’s a lot of ground to cover, but Abernethy has a way of telling the stories of women comprehensively. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Burgundy and these extraordinary women who made the duchy an empire. If you are someone who wants to learn about the Duchy of Burgundy, I would recommend you read “The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court” by Susan Abernethy.

Autumn Sale – Books available for 30% off

Posted on by

Pen & Sword is having an autumn sale! You can pre-order my upcoming book, The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court for 30% off. Pre-order your copy today! (UK residents from the Pen & Sword website only until October 31. Book will be released on October 30)

The Formidable Women Who Shaped Medieval Europe: Power and Patronage at the Burgundian Court

You can also purchase Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza for 30% off

Book Review: “Ravenous: A Life of Barbara Villiers, Charles II’s Most Infamous Mistress” by Andrea Zuvich

Posted on by

My good friend and historian Andrea Zuvich kindly provided me with a copy of her latest book “Ravenous” which I was happy to read and review. As the title infers, Villers is not a very sympathetic or even likable character. Zuvich’s treatment of Barbara is very even handed, neither extolling her character nor denigrating her in the process. By providing the complex details of Barbara’s life, we get a complete view of her.

Barbara’s family, the Villiers, were integral operators in the Stuart monarchy beginning with the reign of James I. Zuvich gives us some background into the family, and Barbara was related to one of the more minor family members. From the time she was a teenager, she engaged in carnal relations with an aristocratic member of the court. Although this relationship did not result in a marriage, Barbara had a connection with the man throughout her whole life. Early on, Barbara managed to gain access to King Charles II, even while he was in exile and before his restoration to the English throne. By the time this happened, she was Charles’ maîtresse en titre, in the tradition of his grandfather, King Henri IV of France.

This would be Charles II’s longest lasting relationship, especially due to the birth of several children with Barbara, in effect creating a family unit which he supported until his death. Initially, Barbara engaged in political and diplomatic matters at court and as Zuvich explains, played a role in the disgrace of Henry Hyde, Charles’ chancellor, among others. Charles endowed Barbara with various sizable sources of income, something people grumbled about. He also elevated her, first to the title of Countess of Castlemaine and later to the title of Duchess of Cleveland. All of their male children together were given aristocratic titles and the female children made good marriages.

Later in her life, Barbara engaged in behavior, such as taking lovers and gambling large amounts of money which caused embarrassment for Charles, and she slowly disappeared from any meaningful influence and authority at court. Zuvich has found numerous references to debts and lawsuits for collection in Barbara’s name that make for interesting reading. I especially liked Andrea’s take on the relationship between King Charles and his wife, Queen Catherine of Braganza. She is very fair in her treatment of the queen.

Andrea’s research is meticulous, and she obviously went to great lengths to explore the archives to find intriguing nuggets about Barbara’s life. She also investigates and reports on all the many interrelationships between Barbara Villiers and numerous members of the Restoration Court. There is an extensive collection of illustrations in the book, documenting Barbara’s beauty throughout her life. The book is well written and well-researched. For anyone interested in the Barbara and various intrigues and dealings and interactions between courtiers of the Stuart Restoration court, I can highly recommend “Ravenous”.

For US buyers: Ravenous: A Life of Barbara Villers, Charles II’s Most Infamous Mistress

For UK buyers: Ravenous: A Life of Barbara Villiers, Charles II’s Most Infamous Mistress

Book Review: “Canticle” by Janet Rich Edwards ~ A guest review by Eric Boss

Posted on by

Set in the 13th century and in the city of Brugge (Bruges) this complex novel of faith, fairness, hypocrisy and the plight of women in a world of men fills in many voids in the contemporary understanding of the role of female mystics and the place of women in the church. Although much is known about the beguines, a sect of female monks prevalent in Europe during the years before Protestantism took hold, the intimate personal view revealed here touches close to the emotional life of these remarkable people.

Aleys is a young girl born to a family of wool merchants who is visited by visions of a divine source urging her to find her way to God. The images she sees are bright, compelling, frightening and profound. When she voices a wish to become part of the Franciscan order her family is taken aback, since she has agreed to marry into a house of wealth that will assure her father a place in the guild he desperately seeks. Lukas, a Franciscan friar becomes her mentor although he is perplexed that she, a mere girl, should be privy to such holy calling when his own dedication and fervor have left him without such divine inspiration. Through a series of miracles Aleys performs and the devious machinations of the local bishop, a jealous and avaricious man who is more concerned with his own promotion within the church than real religious matters she is made an anchorite, sequestered from life in a cell attached to the local church.

How Aleys deals with not only the passionate response of the people of Brugge but the plots devised by the bishop is the meat of the story. It is an intimate look at the joy and sorrow of the true prophet, blessed and cursed with vivid images and an emotional bonding with Jesus, Mary and God. A thread dealing with the clandestine translation of the gospel into Dutch for the benefit of common folk who have only had access to the words of the Bible through priests who often did not understand the Latin or the meaning of the verses complicates the lives of Aleys, the beguines, and Lukas, her tortured mentor.

An understanding of the genesis of saints and martyrs who dominated much of the religious thought of the time is available to the reader who wishes to understand more about Christianity, women and the Church. A potent narrative illuminating the rapture and the pain of the zealots who often found themselves at odds with the established keepers of the faith is limned with skill and clear evidence of extensive research and soul-searching on the part of this author who is an academic as well as a novelist.

Shelf Talker: An intimate look into the lives of religious visionaries who became martyrs and saints as well as the intriguing sect of the beguines, a female sect of monks could easily be the basis of a course on women’s issues and/or comparative religion. Well written, compelling narrative and a gripping personal story of a young girl’s transformation from common to divine.

Discount available for Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza

Posted on by

Blackwell’s now has copies of Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza available and they are offering a 10% discount and free shipping to the US. This is the best price yet. Order your copy today!

Blackwell’s Bookseller

Amazon is also offering the book at a reduced price for pre-order to the US

Amazon.com Pre-Order

Book Deal: 25% off Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza

Posted on by

Barnes and Noble US is offering members 25% of pre-orders until April 25, 2025. Order your copy of Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza today for delivery on June 30th.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/charles-iis-portuguese-queen-susan-abernethy/1147058576?ean=9781036121648

Book Review: “The Catskills: Its History and How It Changed America” by Stephen M. Silverman and Raphael D. Silver

Posted on by
The Catskills: Its History and How It Changed America

Having been a scholar of Western European history for many decades, I had managed to convince myself that American history was boring and not on the same level. Reading this book has demonstrated I have clearly been misguided. After seeing a delightful documentary about the Catskills, known as the Borsht Belt and the Sour Cream Alps, I purchased this book. We are talking mid-twentieth history here and the author served as a talking head in the film. My interest had been piqued.

I have fond memories of my parents taking me to see Walt Disney’s animated film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (I am showing my age here) based on a story by Washington Irving. The headless horseman seemed pretty spooky at my young age. At the time, I did not realize the setting was the Catskills. Then, movie director Michael Mann created what I consider the ultimate version of James Fenimore Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans in 1992. Romantic and filled with realistic battle scenes, the mountains of North Carolina were used in the film to recreate the Catskills for the story’s setting.

Certainly battles and war make history interesting and Silverman and Silver relate how the fighting impacted the Catskills geographic area during the American Revolution. But even more interesting is their insight into the cultural, social and artistic history. The stories of the lives of Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper and the artist Thomas Cole, considered one of the founding fathers of the Hudson River School, are distinctly American stories. This was an era when the newly independent nation and its people were finding their way in deciding what it meant to be American. Pretty riveting stuff.

The era of the Borsht Belt, as depicted, makes me smile. What is more fun than learning how Americans spent their summer vacations. And how many of our favorite artists got their start performing in the hotels of the Catskills? Too many to count.

 The Catskills is full of pleasant surprises and tantalizing historical facts, especially about certain personalities. There are plenty of illustrations with paintings and pictures, adding pizazz to the writing. This book has restored my interest in American history.

New Book Coming Soon from The Freelance History Writer

Posted on by

The Freelance History Writer is pleased to announce a signed contract with a UK publisher and the submission of the manuscript for my first book. Looking for a publishing date of April 2025 for ‘Charles II’s Portuguese Queen: The Legacy of Catherine of Braganza’. Will update when more information is available.

Book Review: “Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick” by Nathen Amin

Posted on by

My initial reaction of disbelief to the new ‘revelations’ regarding the Princes in the Tower has not changed, even after viewing the Channel 4 program on US Public TV. In fact, that program was just embarrassing. There is no doubt the documents discovered and viewed are authentic and from the time period in question. Of course, Maximilian provided troops and supplies. Yes, Perkin Warbeck promised the ruler of Saxony he would repay his loan of three hundred thousand florins (worth about $3.4 million dollars in today’s money). Yes, Warbeck signed documents “Richard of England”. These are indisputable facts.

However, these documents are not proof the princes lived. Can anyone explain to me how the actual Richard, Duke of York, assuming he escaped from the Tower of London, was in possession of a royal seal at the age of nine years old?  And, after traveling all over Europe as a young child, how did he still have that seal to sign and authenticate a document in his later years? They never raised this question in the program. And Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy naming a room in her palace ‘Richard’s room’ is not proof the actual prince lived.

The dialogue in the scene at the site of the Battle of Stoke Field was a bewildering muddle. Was it a ten-year-old boy at the battle? Or was it the sixteen-year-old King Edward V? The chronicles are also confused as Lambert Simnel claimed at first to be the second son of King Edward IV, Richard, Duke of York. When there were rumors that Edward, Earl of Warwick, (someone who actually did have a claim to the throne), had died, Simnel (or those who promoted him) proclaimed him to be Warwick. At no time did the boy profess to be King Edward V. This is really an unbelievable stretch by the presenters.

The scene with the biographer of Perkin Warbeck was particularly surreal. Reciting a story straight out of historical fiction, she made the events seem totally unbelievable. The look on the lawyer’s face was priceless. What I found most egregious is how the entire program was presented without any historical context whatsoever.

The life and times of these pretenders and the noblemen and rulers who promoted him must be taken in context. In order to spook King Henry VII, the ruler of a new dynasty, they all had their own personal agendas. If Perkin Warbeck really was the true king, why did nobody rise up in support of him in his three attempts to invade England? The story of Warbeck in particular had an element of implausibility.  But it really did happen and it’s one of the reasons history is so intriguing and fun.

I would urge everyone to read Nathen Amin’s latest book, “Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders: Simnel, Warbeck and Warwick”.  This is a measured, even handed account of what really happened regarding the men who feigned being the missing Princes in the Tower, putting them in their proper context in history.

Book Review: “The Last Duel: A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France” by Eric Jager

Posted on by

If you are a lover of medieval history, you will really enjoy this book. This is storytelling at it’s best. Based on real events and the last medieval judicial duel to the death in France, the author gives deeply detailed insight into the personalities involved as well as information on the clothing, the armor, the horses, the castles and the lifestyle of ordinary medieval nobility and on the administration of law in medieval France. And if you have seen the movie, this will fill in some of the blanks from the screenplay. I can recommend both the book and the movie.