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The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor de Montfort
This account of two strong medieval women and their relationship "thoroughly engrosses you in a story hundreds of years past"(Seattle Book Review).
Born in 1223, Eleanor of Provence has come to England at the age of twelve to marry the king, Henry III. He's sixteen years older, but was a boy when he ascended the throne. He's a kind, sensitive sort whose only personal attachments to women so far have been to his three sisters.
The youngest of those sisters is called Eleanor too. She was only nine when, for political reasons, her first marriage took place, but she's already a chaste twenty-year-old widow when the new queen arrives in 1236. Soon, this Eleanor will marry the rising star of her brother's court, a French parvenu named Simon de Montfort, thus wedding the fates of these four people together in an England about to undergo some of the most profound changes in its history.
The Two Eleanors of Henry III is a tale that spans decades, with loyalty to family and principles at stake, in a land where foreigners are subject to intense scrutiny and jealousy. The relationship between these two sisters-in-law, close but ultimately doomed, reflects not just the turbulence and tragedy of their times, but also the brilliance and splendor.
Born in 1223, Eleanor of Provence has come to England at the age of twelve to marry the king, Henry III. He's sixteen years older, but was a boy when he ascended the throne. He's a kind, sensitive sort whose only personal attachments to women so far have been to his three sisters.
The youngest of those sisters is called Eleanor too. She was only nine when, for political reasons, her first marriage took place, but she's already a chaste twenty-year-old widow when the new queen arrives in 1236. Soon, this Eleanor will marry the rising star of her brother's court, a French parvenu named Simon de Montfort, thus wedding the fates of these four people together in an England about to undergo some of the most profound changes in its history.
The Two Eleanors of Henry III is a tale that spans decades, with loyalty to family and principles at stake, in a land where foreigners are subject to intense scrutiny and jealousy. The relationship between these two sisters-in-law, close but ultimately doomed, reflects not just the turbulence and tragedy of their times, but also the brilliance and splendor.
256 pages, ebook
Published October 30, 2019
26 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Darren Baker
15 books9 followersDarren Baker is a translator and historian who took his degree at the University of Connecticut. He currently lives in the Czech Republic.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 29, 2019
WHO ARE THE REAL MAIN CHARACTERS? THE TWO ELEANORS OR HENRY AND SIMON?
While this book is supposed to be about two great Eleanors - Eleanor de Montfort, wife of Simon de Montfort and Queen Eleanor of Provence, wife of Henry III - it didn't really feel as if they were the actual subjects of this book. Still, it was enlightening and entertaining, though with a few flaws.
THE THINGS I LIKED
The unknown: With medieval history it is not unusual at encounter things we just don't know and have no way of figuring out. While many authors try to gloss over this fact and present theories and ideas as reality (erroneously), Baker doesn't fall into this trap. He is not afraid to admit when there is something unknown or contested. Props for that.
The other women: Try looking up medieval female biographies . I guarantee you, 19/20 are going to be about queens. The explanation is straightforward enough - we simply do not have all that many sources about any other women. And, to be honest, the sources about the queens are pretty sparse as well. Therefore I applaud Baker for trying to illuminate the life of another woman, though still a royal one.
THE THINGS I DISLIKED
Which Eleanor?: Writing a dual biography about two women who share the same name cannot be easy. And, in honesty, sometimes it wasn't easy to read either. Honestly, sometimes I did not know which Eleanor Baker was referring to, since he wasn't always that consistent in using their epithets. That led to some confusion.
Biased: To me, while reading this book, I had a clear feeling that Baker was not Simon de Montfort's biggest fan. Now, I might be wrong about this. But even if I am, the fact that I even had the feeling is not good.
Main characters?: I know that writing about medieval women can be a challenge - I did my masters' thesis on Medieval Queens, so I would know - but if you set out to write a biography about two prominent, medieval women, don't go making them into supportive characters in their own narrative. Give them the courtesy of being the heroes of their own stories.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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While this book is supposed to be about two great Eleanors - Eleanor de Montfort, wife of Simon de Montfort and Queen Eleanor of Provence, wife of Henry III - it didn't really feel as if they were the actual subjects of this book. Still, it was enlightening and entertaining, though with a few flaws.
THE THINGS I LIKED
The unknown: With medieval history it is not unusual at encounter things we just don't know and have no way of figuring out. While many authors try to gloss over this fact and present theories and ideas as reality (erroneously), Baker doesn't fall into this trap. He is not afraid to admit when there is something unknown or contested. Props for that.
The other women: Try looking up medieval female biographies . I guarantee you, 19/20 are going to be about queens. The explanation is straightforward enough - we simply do not have all that many sources about any other women. And, to be honest, the sources about the queens are pretty sparse as well. Therefore I applaud Baker for trying to illuminate the life of another woman, though still a royal one.
THE THINGS I DISLIKED
Which Eleanor?: Writing a dual biography about two women who share the same name cannot be easy. And, in honesty, sometimes it wasn't easy to read either. Honestly, sometimes I did not know which Eleanor Baker was referring to, since he wasn't always that consistent in using their epithets. That led to some confusion.
Biased: To me, while reading this book, I had a clear feeling that Baker was not Simon de Montfort's biggest fan. Now, I might be wrong about this. But even if I am, the fact that I even had the feeling is not good.
"[...] he [Simon] was a disgruntled sort who was after some glittering prize for himself and his wife"
Main characters?: I know that writing about medieval women can be a challenge - I did my masters' thesis on Medieval Queens, so I would know - but if you set out to write a biography about two prominent, medieval women, don't go making them into supportive characters in their own narrative. Give them the courtesy of being the heroes of their own stories.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
July 29, 2019
This review was also posted on my blog: https://ofacertainpage.home.blog/2019...
Henry III of England, son of King John (the same of Disney’s Robin Hood), had many Eleanors in his life, two of which were his wife (of Provence) and his sister (de Montfort, née Plantagenet). The Two Eleanors of Henry III, by Darren Baker, is the fourth time the author has ventured into this ennobled medieval English family, having previously published one book on Henry III and another two on his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort.
As I have a degree in medieval studies, I have a better grasp of this topic than most casual readers. The Two Eleanors of Henry III exists somewhere between a scholarly venture and a biography for the masses, with odd and misplaced moments of narrative flair added for good measure and to humanize the subjects (Simon and the king’s sister, the future Eleanor de Montfort, make eyes at each other at a banquet, for example). However, the author should have better contextualized all the tidbits of historical terms that he drops on his readers, and not just a few.
The author manages to find that sweet spot of being both too in-depth in his detail and also entirely too vague. He takes time to explain basics like the vastly different England that Henry III inhabited, such as the use of French by the noblemen and English by the commoners, or the laws governing a woman’s dowry, yet doesn’t take the time to explain other things that are mentioned frequently, like the Albigensian crusade or the true meaning and responsibilities of a medieval sheriff or reeve (and no, it wasn’t like in Disney’s Robin Hood).
It was not uncommon in this era for a few names to be popular among aristocratic circles, as this book makes far too clear. There are many more Eleanors in this book than just the two mentioned in the title. There is so much name repetition, even of couples (Henry III’s grandparents were also named Henry and Eleanor), that it becomes a confused mess, and the author should have made these more apparent.
The author fails to make what seems like simple connections between historical facts, which is the heart that this book is missing. For the New Year’s gift of 1254, Queen Eleanor gave £333 to her husband Henry. This is the same amount that was discussed as the same Eleanor’s income a few years earlier. Yet there is no mention of the connection of that peculiar, exact sum and the symbolism of the connection between Henry’s earlier and Eleanor’s later gifting of the amount. As I am not the one conducting the research, this may just be a happy coincidence, though it seems too precise for a mere accident. It is one thing to simply recount history, and another to analyze, which is necessary for a work presenting itself as a scholarly venture.
The author’s strength is quite obvious in his translation of letters, which provide a much-needed grounding and personalization to the narrative he builds throughout the work.
Besides my love of young and new adult novels, I have a soft spot for books both historical and fictitious about the lives of women. However, a better title for this book would have been “The Men Who Surrounded the Two Eleanors.” Baker has focused primarily on the lives of the men associated with the Eleanors of Provence and de Montfort, causing them to become minor players in their own narrative, a sad commentary on the medieval lives of women. It creates a disappointing read, one that is ultimately reft from the book’s exciting premise.
Disclaimer: Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley, who provided the book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Henry III of England, son of King John (the same of Disney’s Robin Hood), had many Eleanors in his life, two of which were his wife (of Provence) and his sister (de Montfort, née Plantagenet). The Two Eleanors of Henry III, by Darren Baker, is the fourth time the author has ventured into this ennobled medieval English family, having previously published one book on Henry III and another two on his brother-in-law, Simon de Montfort.
As I have a degree in medieval studies, I have a better grasp of this topic than most casual readers. The Two Eleanors of Henry III exists somewhere between a scholarly venture and a biography for the masses, with odd and misplaced moments of narrative flair added for good measure and to humanize the subjects (Simon and the king’s sister, the future Eleanor de Montfort, make eyes at each other at a banquet, for example). However, the author should have better contextualized all the tidbits of historical terms that he drops on his readers, and not just a few.
The author manages to find that sweet spot of being both too in-depth in his detail and also entirely too vague. He takes time to explain basics like the vastly different England that Henry III inhabited, such as the use of French by the noblemen and English by the commoners, or the laws governing a woman’s dowry, yet doesn’t take the time to explain other things that are mentioned frequently, like the Albigensian crusade or the true meaning and responsibilities of a medieval sheriff or reeve (and no, it wasn’t like in Disney’s Robin Hood).
It was not uncommon in this era for a few names to be popular among aristocratic circles, as this book makes far too clear. There are many more Eleanors in this book than just the two mentioned in the title. There is so much name repetition, even of couples (Henry III’s grandparents were also named Henry and Eleanor), that it becomes a confused mess, and the author should have made these more apparent.
The author fails to make what seems like simple connections between historical facts, which is the heart that this book is missing. For the New Year’s gift of 1254, Queen Eleanor gave £333 to her husband Henry. This is the same amount that was discussed as the same Eleanor’s income a few years earlier. Yet there is no mention of the connection of that peculiar, exact sum and the symbolism of the connection between Henry’s earlier and Eleanor’s later gifting of the amount. As I am not the one conducting the research, this may just be a happy coincidence, though it seems too precise for a mere accident. It is one thing to simply recount history, and another to analyze, which is necessary for a work presenting itself as a scholarly venture.
The author’s strength is quite obvious in his translation of letters, which provide a much-needed grounding and personalization to the narrative he builds throughout the work.
Besides my love of young and new adult novels, I have a soft spot for books both historical and fictitious about the lives of women. However, a better title for this book would have been “The Men Who Surrounded the Two Eleanors.” Baker has focused primarily on the lives of the men associated with the Eleanors of Provence and de Montfort, causing them to become minor players in their own narrative, a sad commentary on the medieval lives of women. It creates a disappointing read, one that is ultimately reft from the book’s exciting premise.
Disclaimer: Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley, who provided the book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Read
December 14, 2019Biographies of medieval people, particularly of women, are going to be the equivalent of the long-focus lens: all the machinery can at least bring the target into view, but necessarily a bit flattened.
Baker works hard to tease out from behind their men the two Eleanors (one the sister, and one the wife, of Henry III--the seldom-mentioned, long-reigned son of the infamous King John), but as there is scarce material about women of the time, it's a monumental task of detective work, perhaps prompting the author to make somewhat novelistic-sounding guesses as to thoughts and actions. I actually liked these--they were fairly well labeled as such (unlike too many biographers of Jane Austen, who can't seem to resist telling us what was in her head via her fiction), and they helped to bring the lives of these people better into focus.
I appreciated Baker's efforts to convey a sense of the time: this was the generation after the Magna Carta. Henry had to negotiate his way between traditional views of kingship and what his father had agreed to with the barons, who came together for those first Parliaments.
This was still the time of crusades, and Baker gives a little attention to the thinking behind these (disastrous) ventures that had some complex motivations, and cultural outcomes. He also conveys an idea of medieval kingship as well as thinking, through details such as Henry's and Eleanor's habit of feeding hundreds of poor people a day--thousands, after some big event, in order to assure that these people's prayers would have extra impact on temporal events. Such actions helped shape the evolving idea of what kings were, and what they could do.
But the fact remains that there is scant primary evidence about these interesting women. We know that both Eleanors had spouses who remained faithful their entire lives. We catch sight of them in snatches through pregnancies and deliveries and children through the festivals, rituals, and some letters. We can see that they were friends until friendship was impossible when Simon de Montfort turned against Henry and embarked on disastrous and bloody civil war.
Baker does a good job of winnowing truth from contemporary chroniclers, who made no bones about their agendas: when men wrote about women, even queens, it was always to instruct, and the lesson was invariably that good queens are submissive, faithful, and fruitful, and bad queens are bad wives and try to encroach on male prerogatives.
Excellent notes provide intriguing nuggets of information for the history detectives among us, along with a very strong bibliography.
I read this in snips over months; it was easy to put down, but always a pleasure to pick up again. I'd recommend it for readers curious about a seldom-visited period.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Baker works hard to tease out from behind their men the two Eleanors (one the sister, and one the wife, of Henry III--the seldom-mentioned, long-reigned son of the infamous King John), but as there is scarce material about women of the time, it's a monumental task of detective work, perhaps prompting the author to make somewhat novelistic-sounding guesses as to thoughts and actions. I actually liked these--they were fairly well labeled as such (unlike too many biographers of Jane Austen, who can't seem to resist telling us what was in her head via her fiction), and they helped to bring the lives of these people better into focus.
I appreciated Baker's efforts to convey a sense of the time: this was the generation after the Magna Carta. Henry had to negotiate his way between traditional views of kingship and what his father had agreed to with the barons, who came together for those first Parliaments.
This was still the time of crusades, and Baker gives a little attention to the thinking behind these (disastrous) ventures that had some complex motivations, and cultural outcomes. He also conveys an idea of medieval kingship as well as thinking, through details such as Henry's and Eleanor's habit of feeding hundreds of poor people a day--thousands, after some big event, in order to assure that these people's prayers would have extra impact on temporal events. Such actions helped shape the evolving idea of what kings were, and what they could do.
But the fact remains that there is scant primary evidence about these interesting women. We know that both Eleanors had spouses who remained faithful their entire lives. We catch sight of them in snatches through pregnancies and deliveries and children through the festivals, rituals, and some letters. We can see that they were friends until friendship was impossible when Simon de Montfort turned against Henry and embarked on disastrous and bloody civil war.
Baker does a good job of winnowing truth from contemporary chroniclers, who made no bones about their agendas: when men wrote about women, even queens, it was always to instruct, and the lesson was invariably that good queens are submissive, faithful, and fruitful, and bad queens are bad wives and try to encroach on male prerogatives.
Excellent notes provide intriguing nuggets of information for the history detectives among us, along with a very strong bibliography.
I read this in snips over months; it was easy to put down, but always a pleasure to pick up again. I'd recommend it for readers curious about a seldom-visited period.
Copy provided by NetGalley
January 21, 2020
Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of England, wife and sister of Henry III, are the focus of this well-researched and highly evocative account. It's a shame that these two women are not so well known among general readership (because academic historians concentrate on them quite often, studying both Eleanors as fine examples of medieval queenship and power in a noble household).
This is a double biography charting the lives of both Eleanors, showing how their lives intertwined. They were both born into wealth and privilege but were not given opportunities to enjoy their positions. They lived during very tumultuous times and had to act as peacemakers for their menfolk. Their story is gripping and almost unbelievable.
I highly recommend this book for everyone interested in medieval period.
This is a double biography charting the lives of both Eleanors, showing how their lives intertwined. They were both born into wealth and privilege but were not given opportunities to enjoy their positions. They lived during very tumultuous times and had to act as peacemakers for their menfolk. Their story is gripping and almost unbelievable.
I highly recommend this book for everyone interested in medieval period.
September 9, 2024
I quite liked this. It was thoroughly researched, very readable/accessible for lay readers of history.
I felt that Baker took a somewhat royalist view of Eleanor & Simon de Montfort. I think that bias, not really bias, more attitude impacted how he views her. There's a time after which, after more than a decade of thoughtless treatment by Henry III, Eleanor de Montfort can hold up a Treaty with King Louis in exchange for her tardy dowry payments. The author implies this was wrong of Eleanor de Montfort, but I don't agree. It's not Eleanor de Montfort's fault that Henry was perpetually broke. Henry found lands & money for their de Lusignan siblings, Eleanor de Montfort was within her rights to demand the same. She'd already tried asking nicely repeatedly. Her efforts were valid.
It's weird because Baker seems to recognize that historical sexism has colored the public memory of Eleanor of Provence. So it was somewhat frustrating that he was unable to see Eleanor de Montfort's viewpoint given her biography made up half of this book. Perhaps this is just a view of biographers choosing a side, like modern biographers of Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn who weirdly feel like they need, in modern times, to take a side in the women's dispute. It's weird because the dispute was between Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon and later between Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn. There was no formal conflict between Catherine of Aragon & Anne Boleyn, I digress.
I removed a star because of awkward phrasing surrounding antisemitism in Henry III & Eleanor of Provence's Court.
There's an incident at the very end of chapter 6 in which a child's body is found dead in a well. The child's mother claims that Jewish folks ritually sacrificed her Christian child. This is a very common antisemitic claim during this time period. There's been no evidence in historical studies that there ever existed a group of Jewish folks that ritually sacrificed christian's nor their kids. This is just how antisemitism operated in society at that time. No doubt the boy was murdered and given what we know in modern times and understand about crime, it was possibly someone in his own family, almost certainly someone in his own community. Violence like this tends to fall along intra-community lines. Often ostracized and deeply oppressed communities are blamed due to bias in the dominant community in situations like this. It still happens today, which is why immigration is such a hot-button political issue. Statistically, very little crime is committed by immigrants, but that's not how society chooses to look at these relationships.
Instead, the author chooses to act like, from this great distance, we can't possibly know what occurred. This is true but leaves the impression that Jewish folks might have ritually murdered christian children. I'm sure the author isn't himself antisemitic and I'm sure he meant no offense. Still, words matter, and it's incumbent on current historians to speak respectfully and carefully in regards to historically oppressed communities. Most of those communities are today still battling the long term impact of these oppressive policies. For me, that includes giving historical context to biased claims. With just a few simple sentences he could clear up that this practice wasn't a real concern which acts to bolster the modern communities claims of the same. Small changes can have large and far reaching impact.
I felt that Baker took a somewhat royalist view of Eleanor & Simon de Montfort. I think that bias, not really bias, more attitude impacted how he views her. There's a time after which, after more than a decade of thoughtless treatment by Henry III, Eleanor de Montfort can hold up a Treaty with King Louis in exchange for her tardy dowry payments. The author implies this was wrong of Eleanor de Montfort, but I don't agree. It's not Eleanor de Montfort's fault that Henry was perpetually broke. Henry found lands & money for their de Lusignan siblings, Eleanor de Montfort was within her rights to demand the same. She'd already tried asking nicely repeatedly. Her efforts were valid.
It's weird because Baker seems to recognize that historical sexism has colored the public memory of Eleanor of Provence. So it was somewhat frustrating that he was unable to see Eleanor de Montfort's viewpoint given her biography made up half of this book. Perhaps this is just a view of biographers choosing a side, like modern biographers of Catherine of Aragon or Anne Boleyn who weirdly feel like they need, in modern times, to take a side in the women's dispute. It's weird because the dispute was between Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon and later between Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn. There was no formal conflict between Catherine of Aragon & Anne Boleyn, I digress.
I removed a star because of awkward phrasing surrounding antisemitism in Henry III & Eleanor of Provence's Court.
There's an incident at the very end of chapter 6 in which a child's body is found dead in a well. The child's mother claims that Jewish folks ritually sacrificed her Christian child. This is a very common antisemitic claim during this time period. There's been no evidence in historical studies that there ever existed a group of Jewish folks that ritually sacrificed christian's nor their kids. This is just how antisemitism operated in society at that time. No doubt the boy was murdered and given what we know in modern times and understand about crime, it was possibly someone in his own family, almost certainly someone in his own community. Violence like this tends to fall along intra-community lines. Often ostracized and deeply oppressed communities are blamed due to bias in the dominant community in situations like this. It still happens today, which is why immigration is such a hot-button political issue. Statistically, very little crime is committed by immigrants, but that's not how society chooses to look at these relationships.
Instead, the author chooses to act like, from this great distance, we can't possibly know what occurred. This is true but leaves the impression that Jewish folks might have ritually murdered christian children. I'm sure the author isn't himself antisemitic and I'm sure he meant no offense. Still, words matter, and it's incumbent on current historians to speak respectfully and carefully in regards to historically oppressed communities. Most of those communities are today still battling the long term impact of these oppressive policies. For me, that includes giving historical context to biased claims. With just a few simple sentences he could clear up that this practice wasn't a real concern which acts to bolster the modern communities claims of the same. Small changes can have large and far reaching impact.
September 22, 2019
I will begin with a quote: " ... it is impossible to separate these women from the men whose relationships and conflicts with each other helped shape their lives ...". And to be honest, this could apply to many women of their time, before their time and after their time. With so little primary source documentation available, it is sometimes difficult for even the most ardent researcher to come up with the goods all the time. I fully understand how hard it can be to write about any historical figure when there is a distinct lack of material available - I know this from my own research. And so, we are often left with dissembling information from those who surround these women.
And this was more of the case here I think. Henry III and Simon de Montfort are two strong characters that many - not just their wives - are often overshadowed. This isn't a typical stand-alone biography of either women, but more, I think, they are used as a conduit for the telling of the story of the inter-relationship between Henry and Simon and the intricacies of the political scene during Henry's reign.
For better or worse, women were often defined by their roles in life: daughter, wife, mother. And with a lack of sources available or detailed even recorded contemporaneously, it is often how they are then written about. This, however, shouldn't negate towards an author's attempts to introduce an historical figure to a new audience - not just an academic one. Baker's book does this - it brings to the fore two women at one of the most important periods in English history.
What the average reader will find in this is a decent story - it is not pretentious or dry - and not filled with useless information that should be relegated to the appendices. There is a decent chronology and plenty of notes because if you are reading this, you will be wanting to go off and read more. For me, I especially liked the wrap of of Simon's family after his death at Evesham.
One for the shelves - next to my copy of Baker's "Simon de Montfort" (previously released as "With All For All").
And this was more of the case here I think. Henry III and Simon de Montfort are two strong characters that many - not just their wives - are often overshadowed. This isn't a typical stand-alone biography of either women, but more, I think, they are used as a conduit for the telling of the story of the inter-relationship between Henry and Simon and the intricacies of the political scene during Henry's reign.
For better or worse, women were often defined by their roles in life: daughter, wife, mother. And with a lack of sources available or detailed even recorded contemporaneously, it is often how they are then written about. This, however, shouldn't negate towards an author's attempts to introduce an historical figure to a new audience - not just an academic one. Baker's book does this - it brings to the fore two women at one of the most important periods in English history.
What the average reader will find in this is a decent story - it is not pretentious or dry - and not filled with useless information that should be relegated to the appendices. There is a decent chronology and plenty of notes because if you are reading this, you will be wanting to go off and read more. For me, I especially liked the wrap of of Simon's family after his death at Evesham.
One for the shelves - next to my copy of Baker's "Simon de Montfort" (previously released as "With All For All").
March 16, 2020
Two women who shared a name, related by marriage but divided by political and monetary motives. In Medieval Europe, this statement could refer to any number of women, but the two women who are the center of this particular story revolve around medieval England and the reign of King Henry III. One was Henry’s sister whose marriages and money problems were a thorn in her brother’s side. The other was Henry III’s wife who stood by his side and protected their children even when the nation despised her. Their names were Eleanor de Montfort and Eleanor of Provence respectfully; their stories are filled with disasters and triumphs that would shape how England was ruled in medieval times. Darren Baker explores their lives and the lives of their families in his latest biography, “The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor De Montfort”.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I wanted to read more books about Medieval Europe and this one caught my eye. I have never read a book by Darren Baker or about either Eleanors, so I did not know what to expect. I am glad I decided to take a chance on this book.
Baker’s book begins with the story of King John’s children, King Henry III and his sister Eleanor Plantagenet. As Henry III was figuring out how his new rule would work under the newly formed Magna Carta, Eleanor Plantagenet was married to William Marshal. In all likelihood, their union would have been successful, except that he died in 1231; they were only married for seven years, but this marriage would leave a massive inheritance problem in the form of the Marshal estate. Instead of marrying again, Eleanor decided to become a bride of Christ.
In the meantime, Henry III found his wife in France, Eleanor of Provence, making an alliance with the French that would prove to be beneficial in the long run. As Henry and Eleanor were settling down into married life, Eleanor Plantagenet left the religious life to marry Simon de Montfort, a friend and rising star in Henry III’s court. These two couples were thick as thieves until money and politics drove a wedge between them that could never be repaired. This conflict between the couples would help establish a parliamentary democracy in England, that caused a civil war to break out between the Montfortians/ Lusignans and the King/Savoyards. The war would end at the Battle of Evesham.
Since this is a double biography, Baker takes the time to show both sides of the conflict, through Eleanor de Montfort and Eleanor of Provence’s stories. It is really interesting to see how each woman handled the conflict and how chroniclers either praised or criticized them for their actions and who they were. My only concern with Baker’s approach is that he will sometimes put words into the mouths or in the minds of the historical figures. You could understand what Baker’s opinions were on certain issues. I don’t think I would have minded if it was every once in a while, but it was quite frequent and it started to bother me.
Overall, I did enjoy Baker’s writing style in this book. It may be a double biography, but it reads like a historical fiction novel. Although it is sometimes difficult to tell the two Eleanors apart, Baker does his best and presents a fascinating tale of a family in turmoil over finances and power. “The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor de Montfort” by Darren Baker is an enjoyable introduction into this fascinating, tumultuous time in Medieval English history.
I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books for sending me a copy of this book. I wanted to read more books about Medieval Europe and this one caught my eye. I have never read a book by Darren Baker or about either Eleanors, so I did not know what to expect. I am glad I decided to take a chance on this book.
Baker’s book begins with the story of King John’s children, King Henry III and his sister Eleanor Plantagenet. As Henry III was figuring out how his new rule would work under the newly formed Magna Carta, Eleanor Plantagenet was married to William Marshal. In all likelihood, their union would have been successful, except that he died in 1231; they were only married for seven years, but this marriage would leave a massive inheritance problem in the form of the Marshal estate. Instead of marrying again, Eleanor decided to become a bride of Christ.
In the meantime, Henry III found his wife in France, Eleanor of Provence, making an alliance with the French that would prove to be beneficial in the long run. As Henry and Eleanor were settling down into married life, Eleanor Plantagenet left the religious life to marry Simon de Montfort, a friend and rising star in Henry III’s court. These two couples were thick as thieves until money and politics drove a wedge between them that could never be repaired. This conflict between the couples would help establish a parliamentary democracy in England, that caused a civil war to break out between the Montfortians/ Lusignans and the King/Savoyards. The war would end at the Battle of Evesham.
Since this is a double biography, Baker takes the time to show both sides of the conflict, through Eleanor de Montfort and Eleanor of Provence’s stories. It is really interesting to see how each woman handled the conflict and how chroniclers either praised or criticized them for their actions and who they were. My only concern with Baker’s approach is that he will sometimes put words into the mouths or in the minds of the historical figures. You could understand what Baker’s opinions were on certain issues. I don’t think I would have minded if it was every once in a while, but it was quite frequent and it started to bother me.
Overall, I did enjoy Baker’s writing style in this book. It may be a double biography, but it reads like a historical fiction novel. Although it is sometimes difficult to tell the two Eleanors apart, Baker does his best and presents a fascinating tale of a family in turmoil over finances and power. “The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor de Montfort” by Darren Baker is an enjoyable introduction into this fascinating, tumultuous time in Medieval English history.
November 5, 2019
***I was granted an ARC of this via Netgalley from the publisher.***
Not many people could name important women from the medieval period in Europe. Most of the period is dominated by what men in power are doing though a few women do make a big enough mark to be mentioned. In the book, The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor de Montfort by Darren Baker, we are given a look at the lives of two women: the queen of England, Eleanor of Provence and the king’s sister, Eleanor de Montfort. Both of these women would play a big part in the events surrounding the court of Henry III. Baker presents to us a queen who can rule in her own right when her husband was away, even overseeing a historic parliament that for the first time had elected members. He also gives us a look at the queen’s sister, who spends much of her life fighting for what she’s owed as a widow and wife of a peer of the king. The author does the best he can to give us a full picture of two women who are subverting the expectations that others set for them. However, at times this book can feel more like a history of Henry III’s court than the two subjects. This could be because there isn’t much source material for the two subjects of the book but at times it doesn’t feel like their story. I would recommend this book to people who like biographies and English/French history.
Rating: 3.5 stars. Would recommend to a friend.
Not many people could name important women from the medieval period in Europe. Most of the period is dominated by what men in power are doing though a few women do make a big enough mark to be mentioned. In the book, The Two Eleanors of Henry III: The Lives of Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor de Montfort by Darren Baker, we are given a look at the lives of two women: the queen of England, Eleanor of Provence and the king’s sister, Eleanor de Montfort. Both of these women would play a big part in the events surrounding the court of Henry III. Baker presents to us a queen who can rule in her own right when her husband was away, even overseeing a historic parliament that for the first time had elected members. He also gives us a look at the queen’s sister, who spends much of her life fighting for what she’s owed as a widow and wife of a peer of the king. The author does the best he can to give us a full picture of two women who are subverting the expectations that others set for them. However, at times this book can feel more like a history of Henry III’s court than the two subjects. This could be because there isn’t much source material for the two subjects of the book but at times it doesn’t feel like their story. I would recommend this book to people who like biographies and English/French history.
Rating: 3.5 stars. Would recommend to a friend.
July 18, 2021
I will begin with a quote: " ... it is impossible to separate these women from the men whose relationships and conflicts with each other helped shape their lives ...". And to be honest, this could apply to many women of their time, before their time and after their time. With so little primary source documentation available, it is sometimes difficult for even the most ardent researcher to come up with the goods all the time. I fully understand how hard it can be to write about any historical figure when there is a distinct lack of material available - I know this from my own research. And so, we are often left with dissembling information from those who surround these women.
And this was more of the case here I think. Henry III and Simon de Montfort are two strong characters that many - not just their wives - are often overshadowed. This isn't a typical stand-alone biography of either women, but more, I think, they are used as a conduit for the telling of the story of the inter-relationship between Henry and Simon and the intricacies of the political scene during Henry's reign.
One for the shelves - next to my copy of Baker's "Simon de Montfort" (previously released as "With All For All").
read more here @ Melisende's Library
And this was more of the case here I think. Henry III and Simon de Montfort are two strong characters that many - not just their wives - are often overshadowed. This isn't a typical stand-alone biography of either women, but more, I think, they are used as a conduit for the telling of the story of the inter-relationship between Henry and Simon and the intricacies of the political scene during Henry's reign.
One for the shelves - next to my copy of Baker's "Simon de Montfort" (previously released as "With All For All").
read more here @ Melisende's Library
October 20, 2019
This book was interesting, as it could hardly help being - the two Eleanors were living, after all, in interesting times. Other reviewers have noted that our Eleanors seemed a bit shadowy in comparison to their husbands and this is true, but probably couldn’t be helped, as they lived in a time where women were almost wholly defined by their relationships with men. What bothered me more was what I can only assume was the author’s attempt to enliven the narrative by using a novelistic style, speaking in the present tense about things the subjects ‘like’ or ‘think.’ I found this jarring, as it is not possible to cite with any authority what anyone in those days really liked or thought. Also — and again, I assume this was an attempt to avoid too scholarly a tone — the author usually chose to first-name his subjects, which wouldn’t have been a problem had they not shared the same first name. I often had to back up and reread passages to be sure which Eleanor I was reading about. In the end, I did enjoy the book, but I’m not sure I could really recommend it. Thanks to NEtGalley for providing an ARC copy for my review.
August 18, 2020
So many Henry’s and Eleanor’s and Edward’s and Margaret’s – the author did his best to compose a coherent narrative but I found myself getting confused at times and certainly found the eponymous Eleanor’s merging in my mind. I’m not a historian and am duly impressed by the impressive research that went into the writing of this book, which does a pretty good job of balancing the anecdotal with the serious stuff, but overall, although this is indeed a fascinating period of history, I found it a bit too wide-ranging to keep track of everyone and would have preferred a narrower focus. So a very good historical study but one just a bit too overwhelming for me.
May 28, 2020
A book about these women provided an interesting view of the turbulent period of the reign of Henry III as each were on opposite sides of the climatic conflict. As with most women in the era, even some well-known, the contemporary source material related to them is sparse compared to that of the men in their lives. This author made great use of the accounts of Eleanor de Montfort which provided some unique insight into her world. There were a few times that it seemed conjecture crept in beyond what might be reasonable for the facts at hand, but this might also be due to the author's work at trying to bring light to these women and may have felt he had come to know them. I also had times that I struggled to tell which Eleanor was being discussed especially at the points where they intersected more closely. Overall, I enjoyed this book and felt like it did a good service to the subjects.
May 1, 2020
Writing a book about medieval women is always a challenge, not in the least because of the lack of documentation. Many women have no recorded dates of births or deaths, and simply disappear from the pages of history written by men.
The two Eleanors of King Henry III of England are his wife Eleanor of Provence and his sister Eleanor of England. To me, it seemed a rather strange connection for a dual biography and this feeling lasted throughout reading it. As the main subject of the book inevitably becomes the man these women have in common, I found the book more difficult to follow. Though you can tell that the book is meticulously researched and factual, it never quite seems to reach that sweet spot.
The two Eleanors of King Henry III of England are his wife Eleanor of Provence and his sister Eleanor of England. To me, it seemed a rather strange connection for a dual biography and this feeling lasted throughout reading it. As the main subject of the book inevitably becomes the man these women have in common, I found the book more difficult to follow. Though you can tell that the book is meticulously researched and factual, it never quite seems to reach that sweet spot.
January 17, 2023
This is a tough review in that in a mere 190 pages some of the most complex and momentous English history is presented. This is the story of two famous Eleanors in English history; sisters-in-law and friends, each married to loving, faithful husbands who also happened to be the most powerful men in the country; one the king and the other his closest friend later turned implacable enemy.
Not nearly as well known to any but the most ardent lovers of English history are, Eleanor of Provence, daughter of the Count of Provence an important ally, wife of Henry III; and Eleanor de Montfort sister of Henry III, and widow of William Marshal II another ally of the king, then wife of Simon de Montfort. They sat in history between the more well known Eleanor of Aquitaine wife of Henry II who was the grandfather of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile of the Eleanor Crosses fame, wife of Henry III's son and heir Edward I known as Longshanks for his imposing height, and daughter of King Ferdinand III of Castile, another ally of Henry.
This may seem like a lot of genealogy to throw at you but Medieval kingship, or any nobility for that matter depended on marital alliances. Because of the Church's restrictions of consanguinity, and the relatively small number of possible partners, Papal dispensation had to be frequently sought; so marriage became a game of power and political intrigue with the one with the most Papal influence - sometimes at the point of a sword - being the winner. The point of all this is one often needs a genealogical chart handy to keep track of the felial relationships and the maddening habit of several relatives having the same first name. That is provided in this book so you don't need to learn the players by heart.
When King John died and Henry became king he was only 9 years old but the hunt for a suitable wife began. It was very common for the nobility to marry their children off as young as 3 or 4 years old to cement a needed political alliance. It was also not uncommon for young children to be married to much older spouses. In those cases the children were married by contract and proxy, staying with their parents until the age of 12, the legal age for cohabitation by the Church. Most of the time the older man would refrain from sexual contact until his bride was at least 14 to 16, or older.
The book's title makes you think the greater share of the story deals with just the women, but in reality the two couples were unusually close to their spouses and it is nearly impossible to speak of them without including their husbands. King Henry was the oldest, by 1 year to Simon, eight to his sister Eleanor, and sixteen to his wife Eleanor. They were truly the power couples of the age. The two Eleanors even gave birth one after the other, six living for Eleanor de Montfort (5 boys and 1girl), 5 living for Queen Eleanor though their last child and only daughter Katherine died at a very young age plunging both parents into deep depression for a while.
The two women were strong, intelligent women who ruled their lands and ran their political and household affairs in equal partnership with their husbands, who were all too ready to have them step into leadership roles at home while the husbands tended to their wars and far flung holdings. Most people are too ready to believe women in history had no power at all, but that isn't the case. True, they didn't approach the legal equality we enjoy now, but they were protected by laws of inheritance and ownership and conducted the business of the estates they owned in their own right.
But the essence is on the two women their friendship, happiness, eventual breakup, and tragedy. As Simon de Montfort became more powerful he began to champion the reaffirmation of Magna Carta and government reform. He wanted the power in the hands of Parliament and a Council with the King as figurehead. Henry and his supporters wanted Simon and the reform dead. Henry was a more conciliatory person. If he could negotiate instead of fight, he would. But Simon lost his equilibrium and became more and more rapacious in titles, money, and power gifting most of what he got to his sons and close relatives. He even turned Henry's heir Edward, Simon's nephew, against his father. And the Eleanors backed their husbands' plays corresponding to overseas allies and the Pope. Before long everyone was backed into a corner.
It all came to a head after the escape from Simon's captivity by Henry III and his son Edward. Edward had learned the art of war from his uncle Simon and initially fought his father alongside his uncle Simon, but he recognized he would have no kingdom left if Simon prevailed. As the Eleanors waited for word, their husbands and sons met on the field of Eveshem. A killer squad was set up to target Simon and they cornered him and his eldest son Henry, godson and namesake of the king, and hacked them to pieces - literally. They striped Simon's body and mutilated it taking prizes and leaving the rest of the pieces to be lost and without Christian burial - the ultimate insult. Simon's fourth son Guy was severely wounded but would recover.
Eleanor de Montfort who was already close to the coast prepared to take what she could into exile to a nunnery in France. She left the land of her birth, and the people she loved forever. But she still fought for her English dower lands, and the dower money the Crown owed her. In this her sister-in-law Queen Eleanor made sure the case was settled in her favor so that she received a generous income to her death. In her turn Queen Eleanor endured her own loss of several very close family members in quick succession. And tragedy followed them to the grave. Both women were buried in powerful abbeys. Queen Eleanor's grave was destroyed during the Dissolution and her bones disappeared. Eleanor de Montfort's grave lasted until the French Revolution when it too was destroyed by revolutionaries and her bones scattered.
Their legends live on. Queen Eleanor was the first English royal to call a Parliament that included elected members. Simon de Montfort and his Eleanor pushed the reforms that invented the concept of the House of Commons, and a Constitutional Monarchy. Henry III may have slowed down reform but those concepts lived on until reform was accomplished.
This is not a casual read. Unless you know a good bit of English history both before and after you are not going to enjoy it. For those who, unlike me, don't have a good grasp of the history you might be confused. But you can still plunge in if you want to, but keep you phone handy so you can look up the references not covered by the author's preface, timeline, map, footnotes, appendices, illustrations, bibliography, and index.
Not nearly as well known to any but the most ardent lovers of English history are, Eleanor of Provence, daughter of the Count of Provence an important ally, wife of Henry III; and Eleanor de Montfort sister of Henry III, and widow of William Marshal II another ally of the king, then wife of Simon de Montfort. They sat in history between the more well known Eleanor of Aquitaine wife of Henry II who was the grandfather of Henry III, and Eleanor of Castile of the Eleanor Crosses fame, wife of Henry III's son and heir Edward I known as Longshanks for his imposing height, and daughter of King Ferdinand III of Castile, another ally of Henry.
This may seem like a lot of genealogy to throw at you but Medieval kingship, or any nobility for that matter depended on marital alliances. Because of the Church's restrictions of consanguinity, and the relatively small number of possible partners, Papal dispensation had to be frequently sought; so marriage became a game of power and political intrigue with the one with the most Papal influence - sometimes at the point of a sword - being the winner. The point of all this is one often needs a genealogical chart handy to keep track of the felial relationships and the maddening habit of several relatives having the same first name. That is provided in this book so you don't need to learn the players by heart.
When King John died and Henry became king he was only 9 years old but the hunt for a suitable wife began. It was very common for the nobility to marry their children off as young as 3 or 4 years old to cement a needed political alliance. It was also not uncommon for young children to be married to much older spouses. In those cases the children were married by contract and proxy, staying with their parents until the age of 12, the legal age for cohabitation by the Church. Most of the time the older man would refrain from sexual contact until his bride was at least 14 to 16, or older.
The book's title makes you think the greater share of the story deals with just the women, but in reality the two couples were unusually close to their spouses and it is nearly impossible to speak of them without including their husbands. King Henry was the oldest, by 1 year to Simon, eight to his sister Eleanor, and sixteen to his wife Eleanor. They were truly the power couples of the age. The two Eleanors even gave birth one after the other, six living for Eleanor de Montfort (5 boys and 1girl), 5 living for Queen Eleanor though their last child and only daughter Katherine died at a very young age plunging both parents into deep depression for a while.
The two women were strong, intelligent women who ruled their lands and ran their political and household affairs in equal partnership with their husbands, who were all too ready to have them step into leadership roles at home while the husbands tended to their wars and far flung holdings. Most people are too ready to believe women in history had no power at all, but that isn't the case. True, they didn't approach the legal equality we enjoy now, but they were protected by laws of inheritance and ownership and conducted the business of the estates they owned in their own right.
But the essence is on the two women their friendship, happiness, eventual breakup, and tragedy. As Simon de Montfort became more powerful he began to champion the reaffirmation of Magna Carta and government reform. He wanted the power in the hands of Parliament and a Council with the King as figurehead. Henry and his supporters wanted Simon and the reform dead. Henry was a more conciliatory person. If he could negotiate instead of fight, he would. But Simon lost his equilibrium and became more and more rapacious in titles, money, and power gifting most of what he got to his sons and close relatives. He even turned Henry's heir Edward, Simon's nephew, against his father. And the Eleanors backed their husbands' plays corresponding to overseas allies and the Pope. Before long everyone was backed into a corner.
It all came to a head after the escape from Simon's captivity by Henry III and his son Edward. Edward had learned the art of war from his uncle Simon and initially fought his father alongside his uncle Simon, but he recognized he would have no kingdom left if Simon prevailed. As the Eleanors waited for word, their husbands and sons met on the field of Eveshem. A killer squad was set up to target Simon and they cornered him and his eldest son Henry, godson and namesake of the king, and hacked them to pieces - literally. They striped Simon's body and mutilated it taking prizes and leaving the rest of the pieces to be lost and without Christian burial - the ultimate insult. Simon's fourth son Guy was severely wounded but would recover.
Eleanor de Montfort who was already close to the coast prepared to take what she could into exile to a nunnery in France. She left the land of her birth, and the people she loved forever. But she still fought for her English dower lands, and the dower money the Crown owed her. In this her sister-in-law Queen Eleanor made sure the case was settled in her favor so that she received a generous income to her death. In her turn Queen Eleanor endured her own loss of several very close family members in quick succession. And tragedy followed them to the grave. Both women were buried in powerful abbeys. Queen Eleanor's grave was destroyed during the Dissolution and her bones disappeared. Eleanor de Montfort's grave lasted until the French Revolution when it too was destroyed by revolutionaries and her bones scattered.
Their legends live on. Queen Eleanor was the first English royal to call a Parliament that included elected members. Simon de Montfort and his Eleanor pushed the reforms that invented the concept of the House of Commons, and a Constitutional Monarchy. Henry III may have slowed down reform but those concepts lived on until reform was accomplished.
This is not a casual read. Unless you know a good bit of English history both before and after you are not going to enjoy it. For those who, unlike me, don't have a good grasp of the history you might be confused. But you can still plunge in if you want to, but keep you phone handy so you can look up the references not covered by the author's preface, timeline, map, footnotes, appendices, illustrations, bibliography, and index.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2020
This book is well researched and well written. As a historian women’s history always interests me. The problem this writer faced is the same that faces anyone looking at women of the period.....the simple lack of information. This book therefore often reads more like a biography of Henry IIIs court, than of the two Eleanors.
It’s good, but this is written more as a history, than women’s history which is a shame.
It’s good, but this is written more as a history, than women’s history which is a shame.
May 21, 2021
I read this as an introduction to reading more about Eleanor of Provence, so in that respect, I think it provided a good way into understanding her. I appreciated the effort Baker put into disentangling Eleanor of Provence's (and Eleanor de Montfort)'s reputation from the truth, as hard as it may be to discern. I did not enjoy the writing style, which read overly familiar, and trying too hard to be quippy, at times, which didn't work for the content of the book.
December 27, 2021
I so badly wanted to finish this book having read only 2/3rds. While I've read many Tudor books I enjoyed reading this but kept getting confused with the characters due to them having the same names.
April 18, 2020
Amazing!!!!
February 7, 2020
Excellent biography of Alianor de Provence, one of England’s lesser known,/but unfairly so, queens. A life that introduced to England a Savoyard influence that would bear much fruit.
December 29, 2019
Most impressive. The two Eleanors .....Eleanor of Provence who married Henry III in 1236, and his sister Eleanor who married Simon de Montfort via a secret ceremony in 1238, albeit with Henry's permission, are shown to be individuals who in fact made decisions which could change history.
Both women were of similar ages, brought up families at the same time. And effectively by 1258, the two Eleanors were on opposite sides, as tensions between Simon de Montfort and Henry III worsened, leading to the Second Baronial War.
Eleanor's marriage to Simon de Montfort , when she was still bound by a sworn vow of chastity, indicated that she would risk defying her family and the authority of the Church. As a young widow who had been married into the Marshal family, and countess of Pembroke in her own right, Eleanor became increasingly determined to maintain her own interests particularly in financial matters.. Her tough approach delayed the treaty with France in 1259.
Eleanor of Provence was both queen and acting head of state in January 1254. In Henry's absence she summoned and presided over a parliament, the first time that this was done by a woman. Eleanor also had to mobilise mercenaries in 1264-65, after Henry III, his brother Richard, and their son Edward were captured by Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Lewes.
This book is unlikely to attract the sales of more popular biographies of medieval ladies such as works on Eleanor of Aquitaine and Isabella the She Wolf. There is a lot of detailed information featured about this era and I am not sure how a reader who has not already looked at the reign of Henry III would get on with this book. But sincerely hope that the 'Two Eleanors...' gets the attention that it definitely deserves.
Finally would add that have purchased the hardback print edition. Not sure how the family trees, maps, the pictures from the author's own collection, would work on kindle.
Both women were of similar ages, brought up families at the same time. And effectively by 1258, the two Eleanors were on opposite sides, as tensions between Simon de Montfort and Henry III worsened, leading to the Second Baronial War.
Eleanor's marriage to Simon de Montfort , when she was still bound by a sworn vow of chastity, indicated that she would risk defying her family and the authority of the Church. As a young widow who had been married into the Marshal family, and countess of Pembroke in her own right, Eleanor became increasingly determined to maintain her own interests particularly in financial matters.. Her tough approach delayed the treaty with France in 1259.
Eleanor of Provence was both queen and acting head of state in January 1254. In Henry's absence she summoned and presided over a parliament, the first time that this was done by a woman. Eleanor also had to mobilise mercenaries in 1264-65, after Henry III, his brother Richard, and their son Edward were captured by Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Lewes.
This book is unlikely to attract the sales of more popular biographies of medieval ladies such as works on Eleanor of Aquitaine and Isabella the She Wolf. There is a lot of detailed information featured about this era and I am not sure how a reader who has not already looked at the reign of Henry III would get on with this book. But sincerely hope that the 'Two Eleanors...' gets the attention that it definitely deserves.
Finally would add that have purchased the hardback print edition. Not sure how the family trees, maps, the pictures from the author's own collection, would work on kindle.
August 6, 2019
There have been three queens of England named Eleanor: the famous Eleanor of Aquitaine, the less well known Eleanor of Castile who was immortalised in the “Eleanor crosses” erected after her death, and the one in between, Eleanor of Provence.
The wife of Henry III, this is one of the Eleanors in this book, the other is the sister of the King - Eleanor Plantagenet, who through marriage became linked to two of most distinguished families of England. As sisters-in-law, the two Eleanors were in close contact yet ultimately on opposite sides of a rebellion from which they could never recover.
There are a lot of duplicate names (as is typical in this period) & there were a number of times that I had to re-read a section to work out which Henry/Margaret/etc were being referred to, but the chronological approach did help to make sense of it.
Overall, an interesting read about two women (and their families/associates) that I didn’t previously know about.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
The wife of Henry III, this is one of the Eleanors in this book, the other is the sister of the King - Eleanor Plantagenet, who through marriage became linked to two of most distinguished families of England. As sisters-in-law, the two Eleanors were in close contact yet ultimately on opposite sides of a rebellion from which they could never recover.
There are a lot of duplicate names (as is typical in this period) & there were a number of times that I had to re-read a section to work out which Henry/Margaret/etc were being referred to, but the chronological approach did help to make sense of it.
Overall, an interesting read about two women (and their families/associates) that I didn’t previously know about.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 2, 2019
First, thank you to NetGalley and Pen and Sword for granting me the privilege of reading this book from my Wish List.
I enjoyed this book and have read well over 100 books on the medieval era so I consider myself an amateur expert on the subject. It is not easy to write a book on women during that time because not many records are kept, besides household accounts and birth records and to tackle two women was not an easy accomplishment but I feel the author did justice with the subject matter.
I found it very interesting to see the struggle that Henry had balancing the extreme love and admiration he had for his wife and the strong brotherly love he had for his sister as well as the dynamics between the two women themselves.
My only negative comment would be, as others have said, is that I sometimes got confused as to which Eleanor he was referring to.
I enjoyed this book and have read well over 100 books on the medieval era so I consider myself an amateur expert on the subject. It is not easy to write a book on women during that time because not many records are kept, besides household accounts and birth records and to tackle two women was not an easy accomplishment but I feel the author did justice with the subject matter.
I found it very interesting to see the struggle that Henry had balancing the extreme love and admiration he had for his wife and the strong brotherly love he had for his sister as well as the dynamics between the two women themselves.
My only negative comment would be, as others have said, is that I sometimes got confused as to which Eleanor he was referring to.
October 31, 2019
Both of these women named Eleanor were interesting in their own right, as well as in their marriages. As the author says, it is difficult to separate the women from their husbands. I think this is especially true during their lifetimes, as not much was written or recorded about women at that time. The two Eleanor’s lives are intertwined over several decades. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.
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