Catherine of Braganza began to engage more readily in the activities of the Stuart Court following a visit from her mother-in-law, Dowager Queen Henrietta Maria. Henrietta had encouraged her to accept his husband’s infidelities and participate and even organize events. Charles also inspired her to be more involved, just as his mother had done during
The 16th century in France saw big changes in intellectual life, culture, religion, and politics, for both women and men. Italian influences brought new ideas in humanism, arts, architecture, and literature. Like men, women writers and thinkers began to explore ideas about the dignity and potential of the individual, reflecting the influence of humanism. At
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The Serpent’s Spell by Rae St. Clair Bridgman is a captivating tale of magic spells, a journey and a young hero. It begins with a news report of a fire, then switches to a girl and her cat, then switches again to a boy and his snake taking a train journey from Toronto to Winnipeg. So, it
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When I started Passion for Compasses, I did not expect to discover a medieval eyeopener. Although the subtitle–Medieval Master Builders and their Cathedral Building Plans–intrigued me, I thought I would learn a bit about how medieval architects built the great gothic cathedrals without understanding any of the technicalities. I picked it up from Book Sirens
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Discover the real lives behind the characters in ‘The Importance of Wives’. Explore the fascinating true stories that shaped this captivating novel.
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Follow the blog tour schedule for the May 31 launch of The Importance of Wives by Keira Morgan. It is the first book in her series about Anne of Brittany.
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With The Agincourt King, Mercedes Rochelle has achieved a triumph, creating a nuanced world for possibly the best known of English medieval kings and battles. Rochelle frames the novel with Henry V’s decisive, implacable character as he crushes the Lollard uprising in early 1414. She establishes her English narrator, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, whose admiration
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In Find Me in the Stars, a captivating journey of love and courage, author Jules Larimore masterfully transports readers to the mysterious, mountainous Occitanie region of southern France during the late seventeenth century. Against the backdrop of religious persecution, Larimore weaves a tale of ordinary people who embark on a perilous journey in search of
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A review of Rozsa Gaston’s Margaret of Austria Introducing Margaret of Austria’s eventful life On to the story itself. After three unfortunate marriages in France, Spain & Savoy, Margaret of Austria comes into her own after 1504, when she is again widowed. Refusing to marry again despite intense pressure from her father, Emperor Maximilian I,
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In an era when newspapers were still in their infancy, letters played an indispensable role in connecting minds and disseminating news. Madame de Sévigné, became one of the earliest of the French letter writing luminaries. She navigated the intricate web of court politics, fashion, and social dynamics, while penning her insights with eloquence and humor.
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In the 16th Century as now, among the royals and the rich, it wasn’t so much what you knew as who you knew—and who your relations were. Blood was everything: more important than how rich you were; what you looked like; how healthy you were; what kind of temperament you had; and even what side
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If you are in the mood for a light historical mystery, Conspiracy in Bologna may be the book for you. In Renaissance Florence, a young orphan wakes in the night to scary sounds. He climbs from bed to uncover a frightening conspiracy. A volunteer who works at the orphanage worries about the mysterious disappearance of
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