Set against the backdrop of the thirteenth century, a time of chivalry and crusades, poetry, knights and monarchs, comes the story of four provocative sisters who rose from near obscurity to become the most coveted and powerful women in Europe. The brilliant marriages of Marguerite, Eleanor, Sanchia and Beatrice, the beautiful daughters of the count of Provence, made them the queens of France, England, Germany and Sicily. Plunged into the dangerous whirlwind of European politics, they survived war, treachery, and rebellion, often through sheer strength of character and by relying upon one another. Theirs is a compelling family drama of courage, sagacity, and ambition that still resounds today. A compulsively readable narrative, Four Queens offers a fascinating portrait of a remarkable medieval family and shatters the myth that women were helpless pawns in a society that celebrated physical prowess and masculine intellect.
Bookshop.org Amazon Apple Audible Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million Kobo Amazon UKPraise for Four Queens:
“Nancy Goldstone has written a wonderful book [Four Queens] about four remarkable women. Her passion for history and her gift for telling a rattling good story make this an utterly compelling read. She is clearly a major new talent in the field of historical writing, and I eagerly await her next book. I am proud to be associated with such a fine work.”
—Alison Weir
“The sisters’ lives are fascinating: they wielded influence, pursued power, dealt with difficult husbands. The book’s charm comes from author Nancy Goldstone’s witty tone and details about how these women lived. Imagine history with a nice dollop of chick-lit charm.”
—USA Today
“To get an idea of Nancy Goldstone’s book, think of chess, multidimensional chess… Ms. Goldstone is always good on the theatricality of the age… She is alert to the calculation in a silk cloak, the spin in a street hung with tapestries and the collateral in jewels… She steers her readers deftly from court to court, nudging us, like a good hostess, with names and connections as she goes, and lightening the informational load with dry humor.”
—The Economist
“Goldstone weaves a vivid tapestry worthy of her subjects.”
—Entertainment Weekly