Having written a biography of the Warenne family, Defenders of the Norman Crown: Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey, I was intrigued to read Blessed are the Dead, a novel in which William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey and his castle at Conisbrough both play a big part.
It was a riveting read and I thoroughly enjoyed C.B. Hanley's version of Earl Warenne's attempts to get hold of Tickhill Castle for his niece, Alice de Lusignan. The author combines the known history, and an understanding of the gruff earl himself to weave an engrossing story of murder and betrayal. Edwin Weaver, the earl’s retainer, had his work cut out for him this time.
Unputdownable!
I love the way C.B. Hanley brings the Warennes to life. It's the little details, of Earl Warenne and Conisbrough Castle, that make Blessed are the Dead such an absorbing read.
Politics, family rivalries, and political tensions are all stirred up to create a thrilling adventure.
C.B. Hanley has used the history of early 13th century England, and of the Warenne family in particular, to weave a story that draws the reader in from the very first page. I loved it!
'Politics, family rivalries and political tensions are all stirred up to create a thrilling adventure ... unputdownable!' - Sharon Bennett Connolly, historian, and author of Defenders of the Norman Crown: The Rise and Fall of the Warenne Earls of Surrey
April 1219: Edwin Weaver finds himself at Tickhill Castle under false pretences. Earl Warenne wants Tickhill for himself and is convinced that a royal order for the castle to be handed over has been hidden, so he's sent Edwin to find it and told him not to come back until he does. Frantic with worry about the danger to his…
The King’s Jewel recounts the story of Nesta ferch Rhys, the young Welsh princess who became the mistress of Henry I of England, bearing him at least one son.
The beauty of The King’s Jewel is that Elizabeth Chadwick brings Nesta to life, making her a real person in the eyes of the reader, eliciting sympathy for a young girl who has no control over her destiny, compassion for a woman making a marriage not of her choosing and understanding for the decisions made that led her down a dangerous path.
Elizabeth understands the internal conflict that must have arisen for Nesta out of being married to a Norman, whilst wanting freedom for her Welsh homeland and people.
Meet Nesta, a woman trying to survive in a man's world - a world where the men who would protect her are dead and banished.
The warm, comfortable family life of young Nesta, daughter of Prince Rhys of Deheubarth is destroyed when her father is killed and she is taken hostage. Her honour is further tarnished when she is taken as an unwilling concubine by King William's ruthless younger brother Henry, who later ascends the throne under suspicious circumstances.
Gerald FitzWalter, an ambitious young knight is rewarded for his unwavering loyalty to his new King with Nesta's hand…
As a non-fiction author, I also read a lot of non-fiction, and cannot write a Best Books of 2023 without including my favourite non-fiction book of the last few years.
So much detail! The Queen and the Mistress is illuminating. A truly remarkable dual biography of the two very different women who held Edward III's affections; his queen, Philippa of Hainault and his mistress, Alice Perrers. Gemma Hollman delves deep into the lives of both to paint vivid portraits of these amazing women.
The beauty of this book is not just in the incredible story but in the depths of research and attention to detail that shines a light into the darkest corners of the lives of these two fascinating women: the consummate queen and the savvy businesswoman.
Gemma Hollman challenges much of the misinformation and misconceptions which have surrounded both women for centuries; she draws the veil from across their lives and provides us with a new and refreshing interpretation of these remarkable women.
A triumph of historical research and interpretation. A must-read for fans of the medieval period and the fourteenth century in particular. It really is a fantastic book. I have truly loved reading it.
The riveting story of two women whose divergent personalities and positions impacted the court of Edward III, one of medieval England's greatest kings.
There were two women in Edward III's life: Philippa of Hainault, his wife of forty years and bearer of twelve children, and his mistress, Alice Perrers, the twenty-year-old who took the king's fancy as his ageing wife grew sick. After Philippa's death Alice began to dominate court, amassing a fortune and persuading the elderly Edward to promote her friends and punish her enemies.
In The Queen and the Mistress, Gemma Hollman brings the story of these two…
In a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully’. Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215.
A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…
