Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France
by:
Leonie Frieda (author)
Poisoner, despot, necromancer -- the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds -- from a troubled childhood...
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Poisoner, despot, necromancer -- the dark legend of Catherine de Medici is centuries old. In this critically hailed biography, Leonie Frieda reclaims the story of this unjustly maligned queen to reveal a skilled ruler battling extraordinary political and personal odds -- from a troubled childhood in Florence to her marriage to Henry, son of King Francis I of France; from her transformation of French culture to her fight to protect her throne and her sons' birthright. Based on thousands of private letters, it is a remarkable account of one of the most influential women ever to wear a crown.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780060744939 (0060744936)
Publish date: March 1st 2006
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Pages no: 464
Edition language: English
Category:
Non Fiction,
Biography,
History,
Literature,
Cultural,
Italy,
Religion,
Biography Memoir,
France,
Womens,
European History,
16th Century
A strong French ruler.I have graded this book according to my enjoyment of it, but I do feel that under different circumstances I might have been giving it a higher rating. There were two problems; firstly my complete lack of knowledge of French history, which meant that all the names were new to me...
After reading The Dark Queen, a historical fiction novel in which Catherine de Medici is portrayed as the titular dark queen and an evil witch, I was left wanting to know more about the historical basis for the story. In The Dark Queen Catherine is accused of everything from poisoning her rivals to...
Interesting biography of Catherine de Medici which sometimes gets bogged down with the ins and outs of the French religious wars. Full review: http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/2009/09/catherine-de-medici-by-leonie-frieda.html
Interesting and well re-searched book of strong and complex woman who would do anything for her sons to be kings of France.
A very good, well-rounded biography of Catherine de Medici, queen of Henry II of France. Good details, interesting speculations. For the longer review, please go here:http://www.epinions.com/content_179211046532
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