Publishers Weekly
10/03/2022
Political power and intrigue permeate this immersive dual biography of 16th-century queens by historian Paranque (Elizabeth I of England Through Valois Eyes). Elizabeth I, the only daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, ascended to the English throne in 1558, while Catherine de Medici became “Gouvernante de France” two years later, exercising royal power on behalf of her nine-year-old son, King Charles IX. The book’s most fascinating sections reveal how the two queens’ efforts toto forge a strong French-English alliance and calm religious conflict through dynastic marriage, trade agreements, and peace treaties were complicated by their constant need to prove “their legitimacy and ability to rule in a male-dominated world.” After proposed marriages to King Charles IX and his brother Henry fell apart, Elizabeth was drawn to Catherine’s youngest son, Francis, Duke of Anjou, a supporter of French Protestants. Many of her ministers opposed the match, however, and Elizabeth eventually reneged on their engagement. Catherine’s power in France declined, and a few months after her death in 1589, her son King Henry III was murdered and Henry III of Navarre, a Protestant, became king, a succession backed by Elizabeth, who by then had become the most feared protector of her faith in Europe and one of the world’s most powerful monarchs. Paranque’s vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of the political and religious stakes involved result in a certifiable historical page-turner. (Dec.)
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"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
"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
“Paranque deftly shows how their experiences shaped the women rulers’ relationships with their subjects, advisers and each other.”—Smithsonian Magazine
"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
"Paranque’s vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of the political and religious stakes involved result in a certifiable historical page-turner."—Publishers Weekly
“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
"[A] solid diplomatic history.”—Kirkus
"An excellent choice for both history buffs and listeners who are interested in feminist history and the lives of women rulers."—Library Journal
"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)
"[This book] deliver[s] fascinating insights... a pacy narrative of two stormy lives."—History Today (UK)
Kirkus Reviews
2022-09-21
A dual biography of two legendary women of the 16th century.
That Elizabeth ruled England from 1558 to 1603 is well known, but readers may need reminding that Catherine de Medici, the Italian-born wife of one French king and mother of three others, was a dominant figure during the reigns of her children from 1559 until her death in 1589. History professor Paranque emphasizes that the two had much in common, including their endurance of oppressive early years. Marginalized by her father, Henry VIII, due to his obsession with obtaining a male heir, Elizabeth feared for her life during the reign of her predecessor, Mary, who did not hesitate to execute those she believed threatened her throne. Though a common stratagem in Italy’s tortured politics, Catherine’s marriage into France’s royal family seemed a dead end, as her husband, Henry II, ignored her in favor of his mistress. Matters improved when both Mary and Henry II died within months of each other. Elizabeth became queen of England. Although Salic law forbade women rulers in France, Catherine’s male children required a regent when young and became accustomed to her authority as years passed. The women never met, but they argued, cooperated, negotiated, and made war, usually as enemies but occasionally together, for 30 years, during a time awash in violent religious disputes. These battles tore France apart, and the nation was overshadowed by Europe’s superpower, Spain, which, despite being firmly Catholic, gave priority to its national interests and so sometimes allied with Protestant England, sometimes with France. Inevitably, the text is mostly a record of quarrels and negotiations as revealed in the two women’s massive private correspondence and diplomatic reports. To enliven matters, Paranque often converts the material into fictionalized scenes with invented dialogue and insight into the characters’ thoughts. Although not always successfully, the tactic seems to preserve the spirit of the interactions.
Solid diplomatic history and account of the lives of two female rulers who held their own in Renaissance Europe.
