Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2015.
Description
Goldstone documents the turbulent mother-daughter relationship between Catherine de' Medici and Marguerite de Valois to explore the court politics, assassinations, espionage and betrayals that shaped their time.
User reviews
LibraryThing member japaul22
When I saw this book was about to be published, I was really excited because it covers the same subject as Alexandre Dumas's book La Reine Margot which I've been wanting to read. I'm interested to see how this nonfiction account pairs with a fictional retelling.
Goldstone has chosen a fascinating
Marguerite has mainly been represented by her numerous affairs by historians. In this biography, Goldstone marginalizes Marguerite's love life in favor of focusing on her political acumen, her intelligence, and her love of the arts. Though Marguerite rarely had any real power, she managed to use her political savvy and people skills to remain alive through turbulent times and end her life in a comfortable way.
I enjoyed this book, the topic is fascinating, but I can't say I was enamored of the writing. For some reason, this exciting story kept losing my interest. I can't put my finger on anything in the writing of the book that caused this, but nevertheless it happened. I think it is a book well worth reading, but I can't give it an unconditional rave review.
Goldstone has chosen a fascinating
Show More
subject and time period to write about. France in the 1500s was rife with Kings dying young and religious wars between the reigning Catholics and the rising Huguenots. Catherine de Medici went from being a marginalized wife to the Queen Regent for a succession of young and fairly incompetent sons. Marguerite was her youngest daughter and a staunch Catholic. This did not stop Catherine from marrying her daughter off to Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot. Marguerite has mainly been represented by her numerous affairs by historians. In this biography, Goldstone marginalizes Marguerite's love life in favor of focusing on her political acumen, her intelligence, and her love of the arts. Though Marguerite rarely had any real power, she managed to use her political savvy and people skills to remain alive through turbulent times and end her life in a comfortable way.
I enjoyed this book, the topic is fascinating, but I can't say I was enamored of the writing. For some reason, this exciting story kept losing my interest. I can't put my finger on anything in the writing of the book that caused this, but nevertheless it happened. I think it is a book well worth reading, but I can't give it an unconditional rave review.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jaylia3
I found this dual biography that sheds light on the fraught relationship between misused, determined power-seeker Catherine de Medici and her equally misused, more idealistic daughter Marguerite fascinating and its tone just right. Rich with historical detail and compelling personalities, it’s as
Taking place in France during the reign of Elizabeth I, the book helped expand my knowledge of that era beyond the borders of England. Its eloquent but hair-raising accounts of arranged marriages, shifting alliances, deadly power struggles, disfiguring diseases, royal family dysfunction, and religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots kept me reading late into the night, and many interesting people of the time, including Mary Queen of Scots, Philip II of Spain, and Nostradamus make appearances on its pages.
Daughter Marguerite was forced by Catherine to marry her Huguenot kinsman Henry, King of Navarre, which went against Marguerite's strongly held Catholic beliefs, only to have her wedding celebration turn into a Huguenot slaughter orchestrated by her mother. Later Marguerite was imprisoned by her mother and her brother the king of France under circumstances that could have led her to a fate similar to that of Mary Queen of Scots, who had just been executed by Elizabeth I accross the channel, but Marguerite’s good sense, good negotiating skills, and good luck saved her neck.
One of my favorite facts from the book: Marguerite and Henry’s court at Navarre was parodied by Shakespeare in Love’s Labor’s Lost--though it wasn’t Marguerite he was poking fun at. In a time of religious power struggles, Protestant England was tired of Huguenot King Henry’s compromises with French Catholics.
Marguerite comes across as romantic but devout, as well as intelligent, self-educated, and compassionate. Her diplomacy skills helped changed the course of French history and promoted religious tolerance. Catherine was treated shoddily by her husband Henri II--his blatant affair with Diane de Poitiers humiliated her--but after his death she herself was often opportunistic, ruthless, and cruel making her unpopular during her lifetime. Her daughter Marguerite lived and died mostly beloved by the French people, but according to this author the two reputations have been somewhat reversed in the minds of many modern historians, with Catherine being portrayed as pragmatic in a difficult time and Marguerite not given credit for her achievements. Goldstone’s book succeeds at tipping the balance back a little.
Show More
engaging as a novel but more substantial, and it’s backed up by 24 pages of notes and an extensive bibliography.Taking place in France during the reign of Elizabeth I, the book helped expand my knowledge of that era beyond the borders of England. Its eloquent but hair-raising accounts of arranged marriages, shifting alliances, deadly power struggles, disfiguring diseases, royal family dysfunction, and religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots kept me reading late into the night, and many interesting people of the time, including Mary Queen of Scots, Philip II of Spain, and Nostradamus make appearances on its pages.
Daughter Marguerite was forced by Catherine to marry her Huguenot kinsman Henry, King of Navarre, which went against Marguerite's strongly held Catholic beliefs, only to have her wedding celebration turn into a Huguenot slaughter orchestrated by her mother. Later Marguerite was imprisoned by her mother and her brother the king of France under circumstances that could have led her to a fate similar to that of Mary Queen of Scots, who had just been executed by Elizabeth I accross the channel, but Marguerite’s good sense, good negotiating skills, and good luck saved her neck.
One of my favorite facts from the book: Marguerite and Henry’s court at Navarre was parodied by Shakespeare in Love’s Labor’s Lost--though it wasn’t Marguerite he was poking fun at. In a time of religious power struggles, Protestant England was tired of Huguenot King Henry’s compromises with French Catholics.
Marguerite comes across as romantic but devout, as well as intelligent, self-educated, and compassionate. Her diplomacy skills helped changed the course of French history and promoted religious tolerance. Catherine was treated shoddily by her husband Henri II--his blatant affair with Diane de Poitiers humiliated her--but after his death she herself was often opportunistic, ruthless, and cruel making her unpopular during her lifetime. Her daughter Marguerite lived and died mostly beloved by the French people, but according to this author the two reputations have been somewhat reversed in the minds of many modern historians, with Catherine being portrayed as pragmatic in a difficult time and Marguerite not given credit for her achievements. Goldstone’s book succeeds at tipping the balance back a little.
Show Less
LibraryThing member janerawoof
Dual biographies of two French royals of the late 17th century: Marguerite of Valois [Margot] wife and queen of Henry of Navarre and of Catherine de Medici, wife and queen of Henri II, Margot's mother. A manipulating pragmatist all her life, Catherine engineered the unwanted marriage between Margot
I learned a great deal from this readable history. I never realized the connection Mary Stuart had with the French royal family as wife of the dauphin Francis. And that Drake's defeat of the Spanish Armada had almost as much effect on French history as on English. The section on the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre was outstanding.
Recommended for insight into this period, through the lives of two strong women.
Show More
[a Catholic] and Henry [a Huguenot], ostensibly as a peace-making measure. The book was very comprehensive, and drawn heavily from Margot's Memoirs and statements of other envoys and ambassadors. We follow the lives of these two women: the power-hungry, odious Catherine, trying to influence events to her advantage and the pawn Margot--and French history of that period. As the author put it in her summation: Margot refused to accept this submissive role and attained a measure of independence and influence for herself. She certainly tried to improve Catholic-Huguenot relations. The author feels if Margot had had a child, she would have come down to posterity as one of France's great queens instead of mainly being remembered as the tragic heroine of Dumas's Queen Margot.I learned a great deal from this readable history. I never realized the connection Mary Stuart had with the French royal family as wife of the dauphin Francis. And that Drake's defeat of the Spanish Armada had almost as much effect on French history as on English. The section on the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre was outstanding.
Recommended for insight into this period, through the lives of two strong women.
Show Less
LibraryThing member irregularreader
I received this book as part of a FirstReads giveaway.
starting this book, I had next to no knowledge of the subject matter beyond a vague recollection about Catherine de Medici. But I love history books in all forms and dove in readily.
The Rival Queens did not disappoint. The book is superbly and
I highly recommend this book to any student of history, any francophile, or any lover of good intrigue.
starting this book, I had next to no knowledge of the subject matter beyond a vague recollection about Catherine de Medici. But I love history books in all forms and dove in readily.
The Rival Queens did not disappoint. The book is superbly and
Show More
engagingly written, and delves into great detail about the lives of Catherine de Medici and her daughter Marguerite de Valois. Their story is set against a dangerous and volatile time in French history, and the author does an excellent job in providing context without overwhelming the reader. I highly recommend this book to any student of history, any francophile, or any lover of good intrigue.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Arrrrrrrrrrg! This was so difficult to read....
If you thought Henry VIII, Bloody Mary Tudor & Mary Scots whack-jobs.... The French under Catherine de Medici were worse...
De Medici was a vicious controlling sociopathic piece of work & how her children, once in power, went along w/ her was amazing.
She was the authoress of the Saint Bartholomew Day Massacre and instrumental in continuing the religious dissension between the Catholics throughout the succeeding years of her sons' reigns.
The treatment of her two youngest children Francois de Alencon & Margot de Valois was nothing less than abusive. Although, both Francios & Margot fought back brilliantly, with exception to those times when they succumbed to their mother's duplicity.
What I got out of the book is Catherine de Medici was the only reason that mother & daughter were "rivals".
Catherine de Medici was fat, ugly, graceless, without ethics, & had no power of her own; therefore resorted to using emotional blackmail to gain power over her children, which did not work w/ Margot.
Margot, was well read, intelligent, guileless, & beautiful and possessed a greater understanding of peace & justice.
The book was over flowing w/ historical happenings, that could well have been shortened in their telling.
One thing that stood out, was the author's comment about Elizabeth I keeping Mary Queen of Scots prisoner. The author made it sound as Elizabeth I did so out of pure spite... omitting that Mary Scots was continually plotting to overthrow Elizabeth I via murderous plots & claiming herself Queen of England.....
The writing was tedious but I finished the book because I wanted to know what happened to Margot of Valois.
If you thought Henry VIII, Bloody Mary Tudor & Mary Scots whack-jobs.... The French under Catherine de Medici were worse...
De Medici was a vicious controlling sociopathic piece of work & how her children, once in power, went along w/ her was amazing.
Show More
She was two-faced & duplicitous lying to & ruthlessly using everyone to keep herself & then her favorite son, Henri III in power.She was the authoress of the Saint Bartholomew Day Massacre and instrumental in continuing the religious dissension between the Catholics throughout the succeeding years of her sons' reigns.
The treatment of her two youngest children Francois de Alencon & Margot de Valois was nothing less than abusive. Although, both Francios & Margot fought back brilliantly, with exception to those times when they succumbed to their mother's duplicity.
What I got out of the book is Catherine de Medici was the only reason that mother & daughter were "rivals".
Catherine de Medici was fat, ugly, graceless, without ethics, & had no power of her own; therefore resorted to using emotional blackmail to gain power over her children, which did not work w/ Margot.
Margot, was well read, intelligent, guileless, & beautiful and possessed a greater understanding of peace & justice.
The book was over flowing w/ historical happenings, that could well have been shortened in their telling.
One thing that stood out, was the author's comment about Elizabeth I keeping Mary Queen of Scots prisoner. The author made it sound as Elizabeth I did so out of pure spite... omitting that Mary Scots was continually plotting to overthrow Elizabeth I via murderous plots & claiming herself Queen of England.....
The writing was tedious but I finished the book because I wanted to know what happened to Margot of Valois.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
And speaking of toxic families (elsewhere), you don't much more toxic than the French monarchy in the mid 16-17th century. Holy crow, what an astonishing and horrifying piece of work they were. This is the story of Queen Margot and her mum. Her mum was a PROBLEM. So were her brothers. La Reign on
Show More
the other hand, displayed an astonishing ability to survive and eventually (veeeeery eventually) thrive. This biography is quite candidly pro Margot and anti-Catherine, but there is also a significant amount of time exploring what made Catherine what she was, and that is also interesting. It bogged down a bit in the middle, but on the whole another enjoyable history from Nancy Goldstone, whose footnotes occasionally make me snort with laughter. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2015
Physical description
24 cm
ISBN
9780297868637
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 944.0280922 |