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Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion
She ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1702, at age thirty-seven, Britain’s last Stuart monarch, and five years later united two of her realms, England and Scotland, as a sovereign state, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain. She had a history of personal misfortune, overcoming ill health (she suffered from crippling arthritis; by the time she became Queen she was a virtual invalid) and living through seventeen miscarriages, stillbirths, and premature births in seventeen years. By the end of her comparatively short twelve-year reign, Britain had emerged as a great power; the succession of outstanding victories won by her general, John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, had humbled France and laid the foundations for Britain’s future naval and colonial supremacy.
While the Queen’s military was performing dazzling exploits on the continent, her own attention—indeed her realm—rested on a more intimate the female friendship on which her happiness had for decades depended and which became for her a source of utter torment.
At the core of Anne Somerset’s riveting new biography, published to great acclaim in England (“Definitive”— London Evening Standard; “Wonderfully pacy and absorbing”— Daily Mail ), is a portrait of this deeply emotional, complex bond between two very different Queen Anne—reserved, stolid, shrewd; and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the Queen’s great general—beautiful, willful, outspoken, whose acerbic wit was equally matched by her fearsome temper.
Against a fraught background—the revolution that deposed Anne’s father, James II, and brought her to power . . . religious differences (she was born Protestant—her parents’ conversion to Catholicism had grave implications—and she grew up so suspicious of the Roman church that she considered its doctrines “wicked and dangerous”) . . . violently partisan politics (Whigs versus Tories) . . . a war with France that lasted for almost her entire reign . . . the constant threat of foreign invasion and civil war—the much-admired historian, author of Elizabeth I (“Exhilarating”— The Spectator; “Ample, stylish, eloquent”— The Washington Post Book World), tells the extraordinary story of how Sarah goaded and provoked the Queen beyond endurance, and, after the withdrawal of Anne’s favor, how her replacement, Sarah’s cousin, the feline Abigail Masham, became the ubiquitous royal confidante and, so Sarah whispered to growing scandal, the object of the Queen's sexual infatuation.
To write this remarkably rich and passionate biography, Somerset, winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, has made use of royal archives, parliamentary records, personal correspondence and previously unpublished material.
Queen Anne is history on a large scale—a revelation of a centuries-overlooked monarch.
While the Queen’s military was performing dazzling exploits on the continent, her own attention—indeed her realm—rested on a more intimate the female friendship on which her happiness had for decades depended and which became for her a source of utter torment.
At the core of Anne Somerset’s riveting new biography, published to great acclaim in England (“Definitive”— London Evening Standard; “Wonderfully pacy and absorbing”— Daily Mail ), is a portrait of this deeply emotional, complex bond between two very different Queen Anne—reserved, stolid, shrewd; and Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, wife of the Queen’s great general—beautiful, willful, outspoken, whose acerbic wit was equally matched by her fearsome temper.
Against a fraught background—the revolution that deposed Anne’s father, James II, and brought her to power . . . religious differences (she was born Protestant—her parents’ conversion to Catholicism had grave implications—and she grew up so suspicious of the Roman church that she considered its doctrines “wicked and dangerous”) . . . violently partisan politics (Whigs versus Tories) . . . a war with France that lasted for almost her entire reign . . . the constant threat of foreign invasion and civil war—the much-admired historian, author of Elizabeth I (“Exhilarating”— The Spectator; “Ample, stylish, eloquent”— The Washington Post Book World), tells the extraordinary story of how Sarah goaded and provoked the Queen beyond endurance, and, after the withdrawal of Anne’s favor, how her replacement, Sarah’s cousin, the feline Abigail Masham, became the ubiquitous royal confidante and, so Sarah whispered to growing scandal, the object of the Queen's sexual infatuation.
To write this remarkably rich and passionate biography, Somerset, winner of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, has made use of royal archives, parliamentary records, personal correspondence and previously unpublished material.
Queen Anne is history on a large scale—a revelation of a centuries-overlooked monarch.
621 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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3272 people want to read
About the author
Anne Somerset
11 books74 followersAnne Somerset (1955-) English art historian and author.
Somerset’s biography of England’s last Stuart monarch, entitled Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion was awarded the 2013 Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography.
Until his death in 2011, Anne Somerset was married to the artist Matthew Carr. Lady Anne Somerset is the daughter of the 11th Duke of Beaufort.
Somerset’s biography of England’s last Stuart monarch, entitled Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion was awarded the 2013 Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography.
Until his death in 2011, Anne Somerset was married to the artist Matthew Carr. Lady Anne Somerset is the daughter of the 11th Duke of Beaufort.
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February 17, 2012
There are some lines from Rob Roy, an historical drama directed by Michael Caton-Jones, which are forever preserved in my mind. Set in Scotland during the reign of Queen Anne, the duke of Argyll laments to the duke of Montrose “would she had seen a child live to comfort the kingdom”. To this Montrose responds “One might have hoped that a field so often ploughed might have yielded one good crop. In truth, I have seen healthier graveyards than that woman's womb.”
Poor Queen Anne, that’s her own observation, not mine, pregnant at one moment, in mourning at the next. Altogether she had been expecting seventeen times in as many years, suffering numerous miscarriages; and when she did not miscarry her babies were stillborn. Two little girls did survive, only to be carried off by smallpox. William, duke of Gloucester, the only one to survive infancy, died at the age of eleven. She also suffered acutely from ill-health and was so fat that, at the time of her death in 1714 at the age of forty-nine, it took fourteen men to carry her coffin. As it passed her doctor observed “Sleep was never more welcome to a weary traveller than death was to her.”
There is a tendency to see this tragic Queen as a mere parenthesis between the age of William of Orange and the incoming Hanoverians. I’ve long thought it a mistake, a mistake that’s been splendidly corrected by Anne Somerset in Queen Anne: the Politics of Passion.
We tend to forget that Anne was not just the last of the Stuarts but in some ways the most successful. Her reign brought about the union of England and Scotland, thus avoiding a disputed succession. It was a matter in which the Queen herself took a close personal interest, seeing it as one of the great achievements of her reign, an enthusiasm not shared at the time in either England or Scotland. Her time also saw England emerge from long years of isolation and self-absorption as a European power, with the Duke of Marlborough winning a series of stunning victories against the French in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Anne, the younger daughter of James, duke of York and his first wife, Anne Hyde, was never expected to be Queen in the first place, which may account for the woeful neglect of her education. Lack of education was compounded by the fact that she wasn’t the brightest jewel in the royal crown, though she had sufficient reserves of native wit, which was to see her through the turbulent politics of the time.
Brought up as a Protestant on the insistence of Charles II, her uncle, her devotion to the Church of England explains why she was such an undutiful daughter, playing a key part in the overthrow of her Catholic father in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Her place in the succession was then fixed by the Convention Parliament of 1689, coming after her older sister, Mary, and her husband William, if they should die heirless.
Somerset is scrupulously fair to her subject, writing with considerable insight and panache, but it is difficult to like, or indeed feel any kind of sympathy, for the morbidly self-pitying Anne. She could be narrow-minded and spiteful in the extreme, taking umbrage at the least of slights. She was particularly vengeful towards Mary Beatrice, her Catholic step-mother. Dropping one vendetta, she quickly picked up another, quarrelling with both Mary and William, whom she referred to as ‘the Dutch abortive.’
The one great friendship of her life was with the appalling Sarah Churchill, the wife of Marlborough, who took her up as a protégé and then misused her personal power ferociously. Now here I do feel a certain sympathy for Anne, subject to the whims and tantrums of the ambitious Sarah, which did not stop short of outright blackmail. Not only did she accuse Prince George of Denmark, Anne’s dullard husband to whom she was devoted, of having a homosexual liaison, a pure fabrication on her part, but, as the relationship soured, she even hinted that the Queen herself was a lesbian (a word that did not then exist), saying that she ‘indulged in some dark deeds at night’ with Abigail Masham, the lady-in-waiting who had supplanted her in the Queen’s affections.
It was Sarah, more than any other individual, who was to do so much to colour Anne’s posthumous reputation as the plaything of others. The one thing that she could never forgive her for was developing a personality of her own. It’s a wonder that the friendship endured so long, the Queen putting up with hectoring and lectures at regular intervals. Still, Anne could not afford to lose the services of Marlborough, as treacherous a political schemer as his wife, at the height of the war with France. That point came when he was winning England into potential bankruptcy.
Although political parties had still to coalesce, this was the age of faction, with the Whigs on the one side deeply suspicious of the Tories on the other. The author is particularly good on the eddies and flows of contemporary politics, waters full of the most treacherous reefs and rocks! Anne stayed above faction by and large, though her sympathies were for the Tories, which further infuriated Sarah, a relentless partisan for the Whigs.
So far as treachery is concerned, I knew about Marlborough’s correspondence with James Stuart, Anne’s Catholic half-brother and pretender to the throne, but Somerset’s revelation that he was even encouraging George, the Elector of Hanover, to mount a William of Orange style invasion of England to forestall a similar bid by the Jacobites was a complete surprise, a hard nugget of historical information that has been well buried.
The book contains some interesting and plausible conjectures. For example, Somerset suggests rhesus blood incompatibility as an explanation for Anne and George’s tragic reproductive history. It may very well be. It’s touching to note that as miscarriage followed hard upon miscarriage (there was one year she was pregnant three times) “sometimes they wept, sometimes they mourned…then sat silent hand in hand." When George died in October 1708, bringing to an end a quarter century of marriage, Anne was seen “kissing him at the very moment the breath went out of his body.”
As a biography Queen Anne; The Politics of Passion is a wholly commendable piece of work, which is bound to put this much neglected monarch in proper place, showing her to be dutiful and shrewd, notwithstanding her character defects. Where it falls down slightly is in a history of the times. There is a superabundance of quotes from Anne’s personal letters, while what is happening at large beyond a narrow court circle is notable by its absence. This was a time of great energy, of changing ideas and changing patterns of behaviour. Anne is certainly there but I would like to have known more about Anne’s England. Still, this is a good and enjoyable book from an author now well-versed in royal biography.
Poor Queen Anne, that’s her own observation, not mine, pregnant at one moment, in mourning at the next. Altogether she had been expecting seventeen times in as many years, suffering numerous miscarriages; and when she did not miscarry her babies were stillborn. Two little girls did survive, only to be carried off by smallpox. William, duke of Gloucester, the only one to survive infancy, died at the age of eleven. She also suffered acutely from ill-health and was so fat that, at the time of her death in 1714 at the age of forty-nine, it took fourteen men to carry her coffin. As it passed her doctor observed “Sleep was never more welcome to a weary traveller than death was to her.”
There is a tendency to see this tragic Queen as a mere parenthesis between the age of William of Orange and the incoming Hanoverians. I’ve long thought it a mistake, a mistake that’s been splendidly corrected by Anne Somerset in Queen Anne: the Politics of Passion.
We tend to forget that Anne was not just the last of the Stuarts but in some ways the most successful. Her reign brought about the union of England and Scotland, thus avoiding a disputed succession. It was a matter in which the Queen herself took a close personal interest, seeing it as one of the great achievements of her reign, an enthusiasm not shared at the time in either England or Scotland. Her time also saw England emerge from long years of isolation and self-absorption as a European power, with the Duke of Marlborough winning a series of stunning victories against the French in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Anne, the younger daughter of James, duke of York and his first wife, Anne Hyde, was never expected to be Queen in the first place, which may account for the woeful neglect of her education. Lack of education was compounded by the fact that she wasn’t the brightest jewel in the royal crown, though she had sufficient reserves of native wit, which was to see her through the turbulent politics of the time.
Brought up as a Protestant on the insistence of Charles II, her uncle, her devotion to the Church of England explains why she was such an undutiful daughter, playing a key part in the overthrow of her Catholic father in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Her place in the succession was then fixed by the Convention Parliament of 1689, coming after her older sister, Mary, and her husband William, if they should die heirless.
Somerset is scrupulously fair to her subject, writing with considerable insight and panache, but it is difficult to like, or indeed feel any kind of sympathy, for the morbidly self-pitying Anne. She could be narrow-minded and spiteful in the extreme, taking umbrage at the least of slights. She was particularly vengeful towards Mary Beatrice, her Catholic step-mother. Dropping one vendetta, she quickly picked up another, quarrelling with both Mary and William, whom she referred to as ‘the Dutch abortive.’
The one great friendship of her life was with the appalling Sarah Churchill, the wife of Marlborough, who took her up as a protégé and then misused her personal power ferociously. Now here I do feel a certain sympathy for Anne, subject to the whims and tantrums of the ambitious Sarah, which did not stop short of outright blackmail. Not only did she accuse Prince George of Denmark, Anne’s dullard husband to whom she was devoted, of having a homosexual liaison, a pure fabrication on her part, but, as the relationship soured, she even hinted that the Queen herself was a lesbian (a word that did not then exist), saying that she ‘indulged in some dark deeds at night’ with Abigail Masham, the lady-in-waiting who had supplanted her in the Queen’s affections.
It was Sarah, more than any other individual, who was to do so much to colour Anne’s posthumous reputation as the plaything of others. The one thing that she could never forgive her for was developing a personality of her own. It’s a wonder that the friendship endured so long, the Queen putting up with hectoring and lectures at regular intervals. Still, Anne could not afford to lose the services of Marlborough, as treacherous a political schemer as his wife, at the height of the war with France. That point came when he was winning England into potential bankruptcy.
Although political parties had still to coalesce, this was the age of faction, with the Whigs on the one side deeply suspicious of the Tories on the other. The author is particularly good on the eddies and flows of contemporary politics, waters full of the most treacherous reefs and rocks! Anne stayed above faction by and large, though her sympathies were for the Tories, which further infuriated Sarah, a relentless partisan for the Whigs.
So far as treachery is concerned, I knew about Marlborough’s correspondence with James Stuart, Anne’s Catholic half-brother and pretender to the throne, but Somerset’s revelation that he was even encouraging George, the Elector of Hanover, to mount a William of Orange style invasion of England to forestall a similar bid by the Jacobites was a complete surprise, a hard nugget of historical information that has been well buried.
The book contains some interesting and plausible conjectures. For example, Somerset suggests rhesus blood incompatibility as an explanation for Anne and George’s tragic reproductive history. It may very well be. It’s touching to note that as miscarriage followed hard upon miscarriage (there was one year she was pregnant three times) “sometimes they wept, sometimes they mourned…then sat silent hand in hand." When George died in October 1708, bringing to an end a quarter century of marriage, Anne was seen “kissing him at the very moment the breath went out of his body.”
As a biography Queen Anne; The Politics of Passion is a wholly commendable piece of work, which is bound to put this much neglected monarch in proper place, showing her to be dutiful and shrewd, notwithstanding her character defects. Where it falls down slightly is in a history of the times. There is a superabundance of quotes from Anne’s personal letters, while what is happening at large beyond a narrow court circle is notable by its absence. This was a time of great energy, of changing ideas and changing patterns of behaviour. Anne is certainly there but I would like to have known more about Anne’s England. Still, this is a good and enjoyable book from an author now well-versed in royal biography.
November 3, 2013
I'll be honest. I have very little interest in the English monarchs of the Stuart period. I'm more interested in those that came before, the Tudors, and those that came after, the Georgians. The most I knew of Queen Anne was that she was the daughter of James II, and so got caught in the middle of the Catholic/Protestant tug-of-war; she was the sister of Queen Mary, whose husband, William of Orange, invaded the country and bloodlessly took the throne from James; she had multiple (and I do mean multiple) pregnancies, with most of them ending in stillbirths or miscarriages; and she gave her name to a style of furniture and architecture. That's about it. Well, after reading Anne Somerset's biography of Queen Anne, I can say I know more about the woman, but dislike her more and care about her even less than I did before.
According to the book's blurbs, Somerset's work is supposed to have redeemed Anne's name, yet I can't see how. Yes, Somerset definitely presents the most sympathetic view of the woman and, granted, Anne had a difficult life. Caught between a father and political advisers who each wanted to use her to their own ends, not to mention warring religious factions, and Anne's conflicting desires to be a good mother and wife while also being a just and effective queen, hers wasn't the easiest row to hoe. Especially since she lacked any sort of proper education and suffered from multiple health issues her entire life. Yet, to my mind, Anne's biggest handicap was her own personality. She was a possessive, neurotic, jealous, needy, paranoid mess of a woman, with an almost insane desire to control everyone in her life, including her friends, to the point of dictating who they could be friends with. Sadly, those traits dominate and overshadow any of Anne's other accomplishments, even her greatest one of creating a united Britain, making her a thoroughly despicable and unlikeable personage.
This is not a quick or light read, mostly because Somerset also gives in-depth coverage to the political maneuverings of the time, and I do mean in-depth, to the point where it felt like my eyes would cross from all the information flying at me. Lord Something-or-other plotted this, Duke Important-so-and-so objected and introduced such-and-such motion in Parliament, and so on. Don't get me wrong, knowledge of the politics of the time is important, but it just seemed to go on a bit too long. This dryness combined with Anne's petulant and unimaginative personality made for an occasionally dull and lifeless read.
Somerset is an absurdly thorough biographer, making this book probably the most trustworthy and authoritative portrayal of Anne. In the end, however, I also found it to be a rather dull and tedious portrayal as well, never lifting Anne above the historical footnote I always took her for.
According to the book's blurbs, Somerset's work is supposed to have redeemed Anne's name, yet I can't see how. Yes, Somerset definitely presents the most sympathetic view of the woman and, granted, Anne had a difficult life. Caught between a father and political advisers who each wanted to use her to their own ends, not to mention warring religious factions, and Anne's conflicting desires to be a good mother and wife while also being a just and effective queen, hers wasn't the easiest row to hoe. Especially since she lacked any sort of proper education and suffered from multiple health issues her entire life. Yet, to my mind, Anne's biggest handicap was her own personality. She was a possessive, neurotic, jealous, needy, paranoid mess of a woman, with an almost insane desire to control everyone in her life, including her friends, to the point of dictating who they could be friends with. Sadly, those traits dominate and overshadow any of Anne's other accomplishments, even her greatest one of creating a united Britain, making her a thoroughly despicable and unlikeable personage.
This is not a quick or light read, mostly because Somerset also gives in-depth coverage to the political maneuverings of the time, and I do mean in-depth, to the point where it felt like my eyes would cross from all the information flying at me. Lord Something-or-other plotted this, Duke Important-so-and-so objected and introduced such-and-such motion in Parliament, and so on. Don't get me wrong, knowledge of the politics of the time is important, but it just seemed to go on a bit too long. This dryness combined with Anne's petulant and unimaginative personality made for an occasionally dull and lifeless read.
Somerset is an absurdly thorough biographer, making this book probably the most trustworthy and authoritative portrayal of Anne. In the end, however, I also found it to be a rather dull and tedious portrayal as well, never lifting Anne above the historical footnote I always took her for.
February 17, 2015
Fabulous, amazing, thorough, engaging biography of a woman I didn't really know much about. Until I read a review of QUEEN ANNE in the London Review of Books, I never would have thought of purchasing this (I had to hunt down a UK seller, because it's not available in the US), and investing the (many) hours it took to finish it.
Very glad I did, though. Anne Somerset takes us from James II's near-disastrous marriage to Anne Hyde (a commoner), the mother of Queen Mary and Queen Anne, to the Glorious Revolution, through the strained relationship between Mary and Anne, and then to Anne's own ascension to the throne.
There's so much detail that it is a little overwhelming (did I mention that it took me forever to finish?), but if you want to understand Whig/Tory politics, the crazy relationship Anne had with the Duchess of Marlborough, and the nuts and bolts of the British involvement in the War of Spanish Succession, this is the book.
I can't recommend the text of the book enough. My only complaint is the notes are extremely disappointing (this would be a 4.5 star review, if I could). I love good, gossipy, annotated endnotes in a history, to lead me on to new and interesting books. Here, there are citations, sure, but they're all abbreviations and they look like they're in code.
Very glad I did, though. Anne Somerset takes us from James II's near-disastrous marriage to Anne Hyde (a commoner), the mother of Queen Mary and Queen Anne, to the Glorious Revolution, through the strained relationship between Mary and Anne, and then to Anne's own ascension to the throne.
There's so much detail that it is a little overwhelming (did I mention that it took me forever to finish?), but if you want to understand Whig/Tory politics, the crazy relationship Anne had with the Duchess of Marlborough, and the nuts and bolts of the British involvement in the War of Spanish Succession, this is the book.
I can't recommend the text of the book enough. My only complaint is the notes are extremely disappointing (this would be a 4.5 star review, if I could). I love good, gossipy, annotated endnotes in a history, to lead me on to new and interesting books. Here, there are citations, sure, but they're all abbreviations and they look like they're in code.
December 21, 2022
This very well researched bio has two parts, necessitated by the two roles of Anne. First is her childhood and youth with the most important aspect being how Anne and her sister Mary were raised to be dedicated Protestants. This youth and Protestant zeal extends into Anne’s participation in her father’s abdication which led to her sister’s reign and then her own. Once she is Queen Anne, this becomes a very different book.
In the first part you get a feel for Anne. She is highly dependent on and loyal to Sarah Churchill. Sarah is drawn as bright and independent, straining to keep conversation with her dull and not well educated boss, the Princess.
Anne’s husband, a Prince of Denmark, whom her uncle selected (for a Danish alliance against the Dutch maritime ascendancy), is also dull. They are highly compatible and seem to be the best of friends both enjoying food and drink. He may be gay (and an alcoholic) and she may be lesbian (and seems to be a compulsive eater). They share not only their lack of curiousity, but more sadly, the pain of Anne’s miscarriages and the loss of their very young surviving children.
When Anne becomes queen the text changes. It is no longer interesting and readable. The narrative changes to one that documents large and small episodes. Many are about the Queen’s household, the diminished role of Sarah Churchill and the ascendance of Abigail Masham.
Queen Anne’s allegiance to Abigail and Tory ideologues makes her a micro manager. She seems to act on whim or a conversation with her favorites. She shows little to no regard for those who have the skills to run the country.
There were accomplishments in Anne’s 12 year reign but the author’s flood of facts is so reportorial that there is no foundation for the reader to discern Anne’s role in them. Her administration seems to be characterized by pettiness. The many documented incidents of firing people on whim, undermining the achievers, ignoring Tory wrong doing and sending mixed messages (some such that some are convinced she supports her brother and not a Protestant succession to the throne).
From what is presented,it appears that Sarah Churchill’s summation of Queen Anne as a dull and pointless leader is accurate. The annexation of Scotland, the victories on the continent and the Protestant (Hanoverian) Succession do not seem to result from anything she did. It seems that Great Britain moves forward in spite of her.
This is 5 star for its research throughout.but I don’t know if I’d recommend it. The first 200pp are great for the general reader. What follows is what may be an important story lost in details.
In the first part you get a feel for Anne. She is highly dependent on and loyal to Sarah Churchill. Sarah is drawn as bright and independent, straining to keep conversation with her dull and not well educated boss, the Princess.
Anne’s husband, a Prince of Denmark, whom her uncle selected (for a Danish alliance against the Dutch maritime ascendancy), is also dull. They are highly compatible and seem to be the best of friends both enjoying food and drink. He may be gay (and an alcoholic) and she may be lesbian (and seems to be a compulsive eater). They share not only their lack of curiousity, but more sadly, the pain of Anne’s miscarriages and the loss of their very young surviving children.
When Anne becomes queen the text changes. It is no longer interesting and readable. The narrative changes to one that documents large and small episodes. Many are about the Queen’s household, the diminished role of Sarah Churchill and the ascendance of Abigail Masham.
Queen Anne’s allegiance to Abigail and Tory ideologues makes her a micro manager. She seems to act on whim or a conversation with her favorites. She shows little to no regard for those who have the skills to run the country.
There were accomplishments in Anne’s 12 year reign but the author’s flood of facts is so reportorial that there is no foundation for the reader to discern Anne’s role in them. Her administration seems to be characterized by pettiness. The many documented incidents of firing people on whim, undermining the achievers, ignoring Tory wrong doing and sending mixed messages (some such that some are convinced she supports her brother and not a Protestant succession to the throne).
From what is presented,it appears that Sarah Churchill’s summation of Queen Anne as a dull and pointless leader is accurate. The annexation of Scotland, the victories on the continent and the Protestant (Hanoverian) Succession do not seem to result from anything she did. It seems that Great Britain moves forward in spite of her.
This is 5 star for its research throughout.but I don’t know if I’d recommend it. The first 200pp are great for the general reader. What follows is what may be an important story lost in details.
August 15, 2020
By rights I should never have read this, as I am neither a royalist nor all that into political biography. But I am indulging myself in a little 1688-1789 journey, and needed some political and social context for 1702-1714, the period spanning the reign of this neglected and misunderstood monarch, and although the far shorter Anne: Last Queen of England from the Penguin Monarchs series would no doubt have sufficed, it alas is not available until next year, apparently, despite GR informing me of its being allegedly published in 2018....
So in the end I got through this magisterial, impeccably researched brick of a book in spite of its longueurs and because of its authoritative swagger. But though I learned a heck of a lot about Anne's life, I came to understand very little of her times—unless by that we mean the goings-on at court and on the continent during the never-ending war against Louis XIV. Largely missing from this account, then, are the comings and goings of Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift (though both are quoted fairly often when the author is making a point about Anne herself, or about her successive "favourites", the Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Masham—both rendered tragicomical in the recent film, The Favourite), or of Ireland's or America's political economic relationship to the mother country, or the rise to power of the nascent Bank of England (&c). (And most egregiously, very little was made of how England came to acquire the monopoly on the slave trade during her reign as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht—or the effects of such a cataclysmic atroci-portunity on the national psyche....)
In short, though the book does go on, I won't: it is as unlikely that you will find a better or more complete biography of this monarch as I shall consult its pages again. And though I never did figure out the reason for its subtitle, and all other quibbling aside, I hereby grant this, by all the powers invested in me, four full, well-deserved stars.
So in the end I got through this magisterial, impeccably researched brick of a book in spite of its longueurs and because of its authoritative swagger. But though I learned a heck of a lot about Anne's life, I came to understand very little of her times—unless by that we mean the goings-on at court and on the continent during the never-ending war against Louis XIV. Largely missing from this account, then, are the comings and goings of Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift (though both are quoted fairly often when the author is making a point about Anne herself, or about her successive "favourites", the Duchess of Marlborough and Abigail Masham—both rendered tragicomical in the recent film, The Favourite), or of Ireland's or America's political economic relationship to the mother country, or the rise to power of the nascent Bank of England (&c). (And most egregiously, very little was made of how England came to acquire the monopoly on the slave trade during her reign as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht—or the effects of such a cataclysmic atroci-portunity on the national psyche....)
In short, though the book does go on, I won't: it is as unlikely that you will find a better or more complete biography of this monarch as I shall consult its pages again. And though I never did figure out the reason for its subtitle, and all other quibbling aside, I hereby grant this, by all the powers invested in me, four full, well-deserved stars.
April 16, 2019
I thought I would read up on Queen Anne before watching the new movie, The Favourite, but I needn’t have bothered. The movie has some artistic merit, for novelty of style at least, but it is not concerned with historical accuracy, and offers a wretched, if marginally sympathetic, vision of Anne.
I found this biography fairly accessible, considering I don’t know a lot about the Stuarts; particularly I enjoyed the the first part of the book which describes the Glorious Revolution and Anne’s irregular path to the throne: her uncle Charles II had many illegitimate children but no heir; her father James II was deposed for his aggressive Catholicism; William and Mary, her sister, had no heirs of their own.
I was less enamored of the second half of the book. Some of the wartime politics during Anne’s reign lost me, probably because of my lack of general knowledge of the period.
Many details of Anne’s life are gleaned from the writings of her close friend, Sarah Churchill, who wrote disparagingly of her after the queen’s death. The author takes many of Sarah’s negative impressions with a grain of salt.
The new movie focuses on Anne’s supposed intimacy with Sarah and her cousin Abigail Masham, one of the ladies of the bedchamber, and it does not mention that Anne got along swimmingly with her husband. While there is no knowing if they enjoyed each other in bed, they were certainly diligent in trying to produce an heir, still openly hopeful in their 40’s when both were in bad health. The author of this book says that Sarah started scandalous rumors about Anne and Abigail in order to force Anne to get rid of her rival.
Queen Anne had seventeen documented pregnancies. Two daughters died when they were toddlers, and one son suffered from hydrocephalus but lived to age 11. Otherwise she suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, or gave birth to babies who lived only hours or minutes. It’s almost disturbing how dutifully, relentlessly she pursued each pregnancy, despite her grief.
The author speculates that Anne may have had Hughes Syndrome, which is a blood clotting disorder, and might explain so many tragic pregnancies and the symptoms her contemporaries attributed to gout. The author also frankly points out the dangers of any sort of medical intervention: “Only the strongest children were capable of surviving the ministrations of seventeenth-century doctors”.
I found this biography fairly accessible, considering I don’t know a lot about the Stuarts; particularly I enjoyed the the first part of the book which describes the Glorious Revolution and Anne’s irregular path to the throne: her uncle Charles II had many illegitimate children but no heir; her father James II was deposed for his aggressive Catholicism; William and Mary, her sister, had no heirs of their own.
I was less enamored of the second half of the book. Some of the wartime politics during Anne’s reign lost me, probably because of my lack of general knowledge of the period.
Many details of Anne’s life are gleaned from the writings of her close friend, Sarah Churchill, who wrote disparagingly of her after the queen’s death. The author takes many of Sarah’s negative impressions with a grain of salt.
The new movie focuses on Anne’s supposed intimacy with Sarah and her cousin Abigail Masham, one of the ladies of the bedchamber, and it does not mention that Anne got along swimmingly with her husband. While there is no knowing if they enjoyed each other in bed, they were certainly diligent in trying to produce an heir, still openly hopeful in their 40’s when both were in bad health. The author of this book says that Sarah started scandalous rumors about Anne and Abigail in order to force Anne to get rid of her rival.
Queen Anne had seventeen documented pregnancies. Two daughters died when they were toddlers, and one son suffered from hydrocephalus but lived to age 11. Otherwise she suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, or gave birth to babies who lived only hours or minutes. It’s almost disturbing how dutifully, relentlessly she pursued each pregnancy, despite her grief.
The author speculates that Anne may have had Hughes Syndrome, which is a blood clotting disorder, and might explain so many tragic pregnancies and the symptoms her contemporaries attributed to gout. The author also frankly points out the dangers of any sort of medical intervention: “Only the strongest children were capable of surviving the ministrations of seventeenth-century doctors”.
February 9, 2017
The opening weeks of the year 1665 were particularly cold, and the sub-zero temperatures had discourages the King of England, Charles II, from writing to his sister Henrietta in France.
Queen Anne is one of the lesser known queens of England. When people think of English Queens Elizabeth I, Victoria, Bloody Mary, and Queen Elizabeth II spring to mind over Queen Anne. But Queen Anne deserves her due, having kept the monarchy in Protestant hands after her father converted to Catholicism, leading the country through a war on the continent, and uniting the countries of England and Scotland. All while suffering through 17 pregnancies with tragic endings and health problems resulting from what is now thought to be lupus. In this biography, Anne Somerset attempts to introduce the reader to this fascinating queen.
I have not read very much about the Stuart monarchs of England and Scotland, since I am usually focusing on the Tudors, so I thought it was time to give them a try and where better to start than with the last of the Stuarts. I knew very little about Queen Anne before reading this book beyond the role she played in deposing her father, which brought about nearly 40 years of Jacobite intrigue and near rebellions. She was quite a fascinating and passionate woman. Alternatively loved and hated by her people, she tried to do what was right for her nation. Somerset does a good job of showing all sides of Anne. Yes, Anne was a very competent monarch for a woman who was never trained to rule, but she also allowed her personal feelings for people to get in the way of governance. As a result, the biography is very balanced. The author does a good job of giving context to Anne's life by showing what was going on around Europe and in England and Scotland at the time.
My big complaint about the book is that especially towards the end it seemed to be less about Anne and more about the men that surrounded her. Yes, the politics of the time were important, but it did seem like the book got bogged down in the details of Parliament. This book is a 600+ page epic for what amounted to a 12 year reign. It was difficult to slog through the last few chapters.
I would recommend this book to those interested in the Stuart monarchy or just the history of British royals. The book is a fascinating look at one of the most turbulent eras in British history.
Paranormal Scavenger Hunt: Corset
Scavenger hunt: Queen
Queen Anne is one of the lesser known queens of England. When people think of English Queens Elizabeth I, Victoria, Bloody Mary, and Queen Elizabeth II spring to mind over Queen Anne. But Queen Anne deserves her due, having kept the monarchy in Protestant hands after her father converted to Catholicism, leading the country through a war on the continent, and uniting the countries of England and Scotland. All while suffering through 17 pregnancies with tragic endings and health problems resulting from what is now thought to be lupus. In this biography, Anne Somerset attempts to introduce the reader to this fascinating queen.
I have not read very much about the Stuart monarchs of England and Scotland, since I am usually focusing on the Tudors, so I thought it was time to give them a try and where better to start than with the last of the Stuarts. I knew very little about Queen Anne before reading this book beyond the role she played in deposing her father, which brought about nearly 40 years of Jacobite intrigue and near rebellions. She was quite a fascinating and passionate woman. Alternatively loved and hated by her people, she tried to do what was right for her nation. Somerset does a good job of showing all sides of Anne. Yes, Anne was a very competent monarch for a woman who was never trained to rule, but she also allowed her personal feelings for people to get in the way of governance. As a result, the biography is very balanced. The author does a good job of giving context to Anne's life by showing what was going on around Europe and in England and Scotland at the time.
My big complaint about the book is that especially towards the end it seemed to be less about Anne and more about the men that surrounded her. Yes, the politics of the time were important, but it did seem like the book got bogged down in the details of Parliament. This book is a 600+ page epic for what amounted to a 12 year reign. It was difficult to slog through the last few chapters.
I would recommend this book to those interested in the Stuart monarchy or just the history of British royals. The book is a fascinating look at one of the most turbulent eras in British history.
Paranormal Scavenger Hunt: Corset
Scavenger hunt: Queen
June 30, 2021
I'd heard of the Restoration, and William of Orange, but "that queen between between them and the Germans" had been a gap. Well... no longer. Thanks to Anne Somerset I feel I know about as much of Queen Anne as is possible from historical records!
Her early life is covered more by way of general background, since she wasn't seen as a potential monarch herself until her father was essentially "fired" later in life. So, she bided her time while her sister and brother-in-law reigned, though she didn't get along with them. Her 12 years in office seems to have been known largely for her relationship with Sarah Churchill. How close exactly were they? I'm going to go with a crush on Anne's part; I'd be interested (though not soon) in reading a bio of Sarah as to whether it was mutually affectionate, or was she a schemer? At any rate, as things always go, Anne eventually replaced her with another... crush. Unfortunately, the later part of her reign has her caught up in Continental conflict, where the story centers more on those around her. Then again, she was in poor physical shape by that time as well - no wonder as well over a dozen pregnancies enough to exhaust anyone!
Anyway, the book presents a lot of information well enough. But, I just didn't find the story consistently interesting. Not so much a slog, but realize that if you're thinking about this one, it'll be a true "commitment" for a while. Audio narration fit fine.
Her early life is covered more by way of general background, since she wasn't seen as a potential monarch herself until her father was essentially "fired" later in life. So, she bided her time while her sister and brother-in-law reigned, though she didn't get along with them. Her 12 years in office seems to have been known largely for her relationship with Sarah Churchill. How close exactly were they? I'm going to go with a crush on Anne's part; I'd be interested (though not soon) in reading a bio of Sarah as to whether it was mutually affectionate, or was she a schemer? At any rate, as things always go, Anne eventually replaced her with another... crush. Unfortunately, the later part of her reign has her caught up in Continental conflict, where the story centers more on those around her. Then again, she was in poor physical shape by that time as well - no wonder as well over a dozen pregnancies enough to exhaust anyone!
Anyway, the book presents a lot of information well enough. But, I just didn't find the story consistently interesting. Not so much a slog, but realize that if you're thinking about this one, it'll be a true "commitment" for a while. Audio narration fit fine.
January 6, 2016
It’s only in the past few years that I’ve really delved into England’s Stuart monarchs and their history, but it’s still surprising to me that until a few months ago, when I read Susan Holloway Scott’s Duchess, I had absolutely no idea that Queen Anne Stuart was a person. Absolutely none. But as the author of this biography, Anne Somerset explains, Queen Anne’s reign has been more or less written off by many historians—and not without reason. All the same, it was during Anne’s reign that England became a true European power and gained credibility. Of course, the accolades for this rise in global esteem usually go to people besides Anne, so.
Queen Anne is definitely a really, really long book—even though about 100 pages of it at the end are footnotes and indexes. Regardless, it’s a pretty hefty read and certainly the sort of book that gives your arm muscles a good workout. What this means though, is that Somerset’s ability to go into detail is endless. (Perhaps, in my opinion, there was too much of it.) For though Anne’s reign was marked by an extreme elevation in England’s reputation abroad, at home, political squabbles between Whigs and Tories were frequent and fierce. At times, the lengthy exploration of the back and forth between opposing politicians was tedious for me, simply because 18th century debates in the House of Lords are strictly things I need to have in-depth knowledge about. Though, at the same time, I think it’s really commendable that Somseret took the time to provide so complete a picture of Anne’s government and rule.
This biography most interested me when it talked about Anne’s relationships with friends and family, her frequent illnesses and health issues, her dealings with the line of succession, and how she interacted with rulers outside of England. I don’t necessarily think those parts were better written; it was just that I was more into them. And Queen Anne does, absolutely, give a very good sense of who this monarch was as a person, as well as her shortcomings and failures. Somerset makes it clear that she’s a fan of Anne, but she also admits that Anne wasn’t well-educated, wasn’t attractive, wasn’t a good speaker, and allowed personal tiffs and prejudice to impede her effectiveness as a ruler. I feel like I’ve come away from this book with a pretty good of who Anne was as an individual, which is important to me—as well as ideas about other people, such as Anne’s husband, Prince George; Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; and William and Mary of Orange, Anne’s brother-in-law and sister.
Absolutely, Queen Anne displays that the author spent a lot of time researching before she wrote this biography. Practically every sentence contains a direct, primary quote of some kind—luckily there’s a lot of correspondence that’s still around to be read and looked at for historians. While at times I almost felt that the book went too much into depth, I actually think that might be a good thing. I’d rather have too much information than not enough; it’s easier to just skim the parts that don’t fascinate you than to try and research the gaps yourself.
All in all, I’m very satisfied with this book. Queen Anne provides a tremendous amount of insight into Anne Stuart’s character and actions, and I think that Somerset assembled the facts quite well, and in a coherent manner. I’m not going to say this is my favorite book ever, but I feel more knowledgeable for having read Queen Anne which was my primary goal.
Queen Anne is definitely a really, really long book—even though about 100 pages of it at the end are footnotes and indexes. Regardless, it’s a pretty hefty read and certainly the sort of book that gives your arm muscles a good workout. What this means though, is that Somerset’s ability to go into detail is endless. (Perhaps, in my opinion, there was too much of it.) For though Anne’s reign was marked by an extreme elevation in England’s reputation abroad, at home, political squabbles between Whigs and Tories were frequent and fierce. At times, the lengthy exploration of the back and forth between opposing politicians was tedious for me, simply because 18th century debates in the House of Lords are strictly things I need to have in-depth knowledge about. Though, at the same time, I think it’s really commendable that Somseret took the time to provide so complete a picture of Anne’s government and rule.
This biography most interested me when it talked about Anne’s relationships with friends and family, her frequent illnesses and health issues, her dealings with the line of succession, and how she interacted with rulers outside of England. I don’t necessarily think those parts were better written; it was just that I was more into them. And Queen Anne does, absolutely, give a very good sense of who this monarch was as a person, as well as her shortcomings and failures. Somerset makes it clear that she’s a fan of Anne, but she also admits that Anne wasn’t well-educated, wasn’t attractive, wasn’t a good speaker, and allowed personal tiffs and prejudice to impede her effectiveness as a ruler. I feel like I’ve come away from this book with a pretty good of who Anne was as an individual, which is important to me—as well as ideas about other people, such as Anne’s husband, Prince George; Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough; and William and Mary of Orange, Anne’s brother-in-law and sister.
Absolutely, Queen Anne displays that the author spent a lot of time researching before she wrote this biography. Practically every sentence contains a direct, primary quote of some kind—luckily there’s a lot of correspondence that’s still around to be read and looked at for historians. While at times I almost felt that the book went too much into depth, I actually think that might be a good thing. I’d rather have too much information than not enough; it’s easier to just skim the parts that don’t fascinate you than to try and research the gaps yourself.
All in all, I’m very satisfied with this book. Queen Anne provides a tremendous amount of insight into Anne Stuart’s character and actions, and I think that Somerset assembled the facts quite well, and in a coherent manner. I’m not going to say this is my favorite book ever, but I feel more knowledgeable for having read Queen Anne which was my primary goal.
July 18, 2017
Anne Somerset wrote a very indepth biography on Queen Anne, but her subject was a difficult character. I found the time period interesting, but when the story focused on Anne, it seemed to always have her complaining. She never seemed grateful for what was done for her: Parliament increased her allowance, but she thought she deserved more; she was granted additional suites in palaces, but was unhappy that she could not have the ones that others occupied; peerages were granted to her backstabbing friend, Sarah Marlborough, and husband, but she was angry when more were not granted. In fact, Sarah was the reason this book was irritating at times. She's the monster in the background of a horror movie and the audience is screaming "look out!" This woman created so much trouble and wasn't even a good friend to Anne. There were many times she was asked to back off or she would make the problem worse. She didn't and the problem was made worse. Many references in the book actually come from Sarah, even when they are stated to be unfounded. There were many paragraphs that started in some vein of "Sarah said...even though she wasn't there." She also asked Anne to burn all of her correspondence, but saved everything. Overall, the era is interesting, but I would avoid if you cannot handle multiple petty moments.
October 13, 2013
This long but fascinating biography is a very thorough account of the life and times of Great Britain’s Queen Anne. I somehow knew almost nothing about this era, the late 1600’s and early 1700’s, but Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion convincingly presents it as pivotal. As the last Stuart monarch Anne’s birth was just after the overthrow of the Cromwells and the restoration of the monarchy. The Stuart line held the throne between the Tudors and the Hanover Georges that preceded Victoria, and it was during Anne’s reign that Great Britain came into being and The War of Spanish Succession changed the balance of power in Europe and its colonies. Though these actions had long lasting consequences other scholars have dismissed Anne’s role in them as unimportant. This book redeems her, detail by detail building the case that Anne’s influence played a major role in the direction of events.
I have close to zero interest in celebrity gossip and keeping up with contemporary royals has just about that amount of appeal for me, but I definitely got a gossipy--and then she did whaaaa!--type thrill reading this scholarly biography. Maybe that’s because histories can include the long view and that’s more fascinating than day to day trifles, or maybe it’s because back in the day royals had political power so their personal feuds, passionate obsessions, and religious beliefs had actual impact. The subtitle, The Politics of Passion, is apt. Though it deals mainly with royals and titled aristocrats the book tells a gripping human story of love, conviction, dilemma, and compromise.
I have close to zero interest in celebrity gossip and keeping up with contemporary royals has just about that amount of appeal for me, but I definitely got a gossipy--and then she did whaaaa!--type thrill reading this scholarly biography. Maybe that’s because histories can include the long view and that’s more fascinating than day to day trifles, or maybe it’s because back in the day royals had political power so their personal feuds, passionate obsessions, and religious beliefs had actual impact. The subtitle, The Politics of Passion, is apt. Though it deals mainly with royals and titled aristocrats the book tells a gripping human story of love, conviction, dilemma, and compromise.
January 13, 2014
I had my eyes on this book ever since it was going to be published in the UK, and I had to wait over a year to get hold of it. Well, was it worth it?
YES!!
Queen Anne has always been massively neglected as a monarch. She was the last Stuart monarch, and by the time she ascended to the throne, knew that it would be passed out of her family. She was the last, and when her husband died, she was truly alone. She had never been educated to be monarch, was politically isolated at various times of her life and her legacy isn't particular stellar. This biography, however, sets her achievements in the context of the times and also gives you a really great understanding of the human being, for all her flaws and her mistakes.
Queen Anne does not come across as particularly likable, but her absolute determination to ensure the Protestant succession, to make England and Scotland united as far as practical, and her experiences of navigating the vipers' nest of the birth of party politics, set her in a new light for me. She comes across as introverted, finding verbal self-expression particularly difficult and combined with her gender and need for friendship, I can see how she might be considered weak. She wasn't, of course. She clearly had an implacable belief in her right to govern, and her exasperation at being "managed" leaps off the pages, even as she found herself incapable of putting her "managers" in their place, until it became too personal.
She successfully navigated a whole series of issues where her Stuart predecessors and Hanover successors failed. Issues which really jumped out at me where how she navigated a peaceful succession, amenable to the majority of her subjects, as well as ensuring that her successor remained "contained" during her lifetime, knowing it would set up a rival court, make governing impossible and might make her successor less accepted by the country on accession. She was handed a poisoned chalice of party politics, desperately trying to balance Whig and Tory in order to govern, in an era when Parliament became preeminent, and the power started to shift away from the monarch. Her duty, dedication and sheer hard work are really quite inspiring. Never once do you feel she would have given in.
Of course, her emotional reliance upon the Churchills was her greatest flaw. Sarah Churchill, in particular, leaps off the pages as an incredibly vindictive, greedy, unpleasant harpy. John Churchill fares slightly better, largely because of his military successes, but it's difficult not to question what would Queen Anne's reign have looked like without her intense need for friendship from two individuals who, quite frankly, were treasonous.
In summary, she ruled by herself and in her own right (which her sister, Queen Mary, could not face), she worked with Parliament to secure budgets (which her uncle, Charles II, failed to do, instead taking France's money), I cannot imagine her ever contemplating giving up her throne (which her father, James II, did all too easily) and she understood at least some of her own failures judging by the humility expressed in her letters (whereas her grandfather, Charles I, was the picture of arrogance).
4 stars. I really liked it.
YES!!
Queen Anne has always been massively neglected as a monarch. She was the last Stuart monarch, and by the time she ascended to the throne, knew that it would be passed out of her family. She was the last, and when her husband died, she was truly alone. She had never been educated to be monarch, was politically isolated at various times of her life and her legacy isn't particular stellar. This biography, however, sets her achievements in the context of the times and also gives you a really great understanding of the human being, for all her flaws and her mistakes.
Queen Anne does not come across as particularly likable, but her absolute determination to ensure the Protestant succession, to make England and Scotland united as far as practical, and her experiences of navigating the vipers' nest of the birth of party politics, set her in a new light for me. She comes across as introverted, finding verbal self-expression particularly difficult and combined with her gender and need for friendship, I can see how she might be considered weak. She wasn't, of course. She clearly had an implacable belief in her right to govern, and her exasperation at being "managed" leaps off the pages, even as she found herself incapable of putting her "managers" in their place, until it became too personal.
She successfully navigated a whole series of issues where her Stuart predecessors and Hanover successors failed. Issues which really jumped out at me where how she navigated a peaceful succession, amenable to the majority of her subjects, as well as ensuring that her successor remained "contained" during her lifetime, knowing it would set up a rival court, make governing impossible and might make her successor less accepted by the country on accession. She was handed a poisoned chalice of party politics, desperately trying to balance Whig and Tory in order to govern, in an era when Parliament became preeminent, and the power started to shift away from the monarch. Her duty, dedication and sheer hard work are really quite inspiring. Never once do you feel she would have given in.
Of course, her emotional reliance upon the Churchills was her greatest flaw. Sarah Churchill, in particular, leaps off the pages as an incredibly vindictive, greedy, unpleasant harpy. John Churchill fares slightly better, largely because of his military successes, but it's difficult not to question what would Queen Anne's reign have looked like without her intense need for friendship from two individuals who, quite frankly, were treasonous.
In summary, she ruled by herself and in her own right (which her sister, Queen Mary, could not face), she worked with Parliament to secure budgets (which her uncle, Charles II, failed to do, instead taking France's money), I cannot imagine her ever contemplating giving up her throne (which her father, James II, did all too easily) and she understood at least some of her own failures judging by the humility expressed in her letters (whereas her grandfather, Charles I, was the picture of arrogance).
4 stars. I really liked it.
December 7, 2024
An excellent biography of a monarch often written off as 'too dull' by fans of the more popular icons, such as Tudors, etc.
In fact, as we see in this well documented account, Queen Anne had her idiosyncrasies, increasingly apparent throughout her life. Anne Somerset painstakingly draws out for us a studied portrait of a woman of distinct character.
Stolid, at times timid and withdrawn, at others formidably strident, Anne had a good heart and a wise head on her shoulders. Usually kept well cordoned off from her succinct 'constitutional' instinct, she had a closely guarded impetuosity, particularly around close relationships with female favourites. (Crass sensationalism has even seen her tagged a closet case. Whether or not she was, this biography transcends such silliness.)
Important diplomatic and nationalistic milestones were laid under Anne's watch. She left more than her predecessors to her government, adopting the tendency to 'sign off' more than dictate. This was the hallmark of constitutional monarchy, notably reviewed under Anne's Restoration uncle Charles II's succession, after the decade long Interregnum that followed Charles I's execution for being too high and mighty.
Anne's gender eased along this sensitive process, the woman often leaving big business to the men who did her bidding. Even so, she had her limits, would not always be pushed around and inconsistently put her foot down when her convictions demanded.
Her personal spending choices on select favourites drew harsh criticism from jealous insiders and other agenda driven detractors. She nevertheless usually stuck to her guns, displaying a strong personal loyalty which some dismissed as a weakness. This view of her as weak was compounded by her ever-ailing health.
Her less dictatorial, more constitutional ruling style, merged with these other features, sometimes left her seeming indecisive. This was a falsehood: had she been of intrinsically indecisive character she would never have so virulently fuelled the flames of the Glorious Revolution that saw her father removed from the throne.
Rather than being weak and indecisive, Anne was shrewd, wise and cautious, having seen what could happen to high-handed monarchs whose undoing was their rash and outlandish mistakes. In this feature, along with her stubborn side, she perhaps resembled Elizabeth I, but Anne had no such heart of fire, retreating into the shadows of her solitude more than the great Gloriana ever would have. Anne was immeasurably more contained, more modest, as dictated by these times where royalty itself walked a tightrope and republicanism still loomed large.
Stone statues and such iconography of her adorn great British heritage sites, confirming her importance in the long royal line linking today's royals to William the Conqueror. Though not every monarch has enjoyed Anne's acclamation, many were more greatly revered.
Anne Somerset breaths air into this frail and obese woman's lungs, bringing to us live and in person this great-great-granddaughter of romantic tragedienne Mary, Queen of Scots.
Enjoyed this biography very much, about the last ruler of what was not my favourite dynasty to read on.
In fact, as we see in this well documented account, Queen Anne had her idiosyncrasies, increasingly apparent throughout her life. Anne Somerset painstakingly draws out for us a studied portrait of a woman of distinct character.
Stolid, at times timid and withdrawn, at others formidably strident, Anne had a good heart and a wise head on her shoulders. Usually kept well cordoned off from her succinct 'constitutional' instinct, she had a closely guarded impetuosity, particularly around close relationships with female favourites. (Crass sensationalism has even seen her tagged a closet case. Whether or not she was, this biography transcends such silliness.)
Important diplomatic and nationalistic milestones were laid under Anne's watch. She left more than her predecessors to her government, adopting the tendency to 'sign off' more than dictate. This was the hallmark of constitutional monarchy, notably reviewed under Anne's Restoration uncle Charles II's succession, after the decade long Interregnum that followed Charles I's execution for being too high and mighty.
Anne's gender eased along this sensitive process, the woman often leaving big business to the men who did her bidding. Even so, she had her limits, would not always be pushed around and inconsistently put her foot down when her convictions demanded.
Her personal spending choices on select favourites drew harsh criticism from jealous insiders and other agenda driven detractors. She nevertheless usually stuck to her guns, displaying a strong personal loyalty which some dismissed as a weakness. This view of her as weak was compounded by her ever-ailing health.
Her less dictatorial, more constitutional ruling style, merged with these other features, sometimes left her seeming indecisive. This was a falsehood: had she been of intrinsically indecisive character she would never have so virulently fuelled the flames of the Glorious Revolution that saw her father removed from the throne.
Rather than being weak and indecisive, Anne was shrewd, wise and cautious, having seen what could happen to high-handed monarchs whose undoing was their rash and outlandish mistakes. In this feature, along with her stubborn side, she perhaps resembled Elizabeth I, but Anne had no such heart of fire, retreating into the shadows of her solitude more than the great Gloriana ever would have. Anne was immeasurably more contained, more modest, as dictated by these times where royalty itself walked a tightrope and republicanism still loomed large.
Stone statues and such iconography of her adorn great British heritage sites, confirming her importance in the long royal line linking today's royals to William the Conqueror. Though not every monarch has enjoyed Anne's acclamation, many were more greatly revered.
Anne Somerset breaths air into this frail and obese woman's lungs, bringing to us live and in person this great-great-granddaughter of romantic tragedienne Mary, Queen of Scots.
Enjoyed this biography very much, about the last ruler of what was not my favourite dynasty to read on.
January 21, 2013
Queen Anne was the last of the Stuart monarch's, dying childless at the age of 49 despite seventeen pregnancies, and succeeded by the House of Hanover. I think most people have heard of Queen Anne, but I think she is largely a neglected monarch, known largely for the style of architecture and furniture of her reign, rather than herself as an individual! She might not have been the most intellectual of monarchs, but Somerset's detailed biography paints the portrait of a deeply passionate and conscientious monarch who oversaw the Acts of Union to unite England and Scotland under one parliament and whose reign saw Britain largely at war on the continent. She was complicit in the overthrow of her father, James II, fell out with her sister Mary II and largely believed that her half-brother was an imposter. She was a staunch defender of the Church of England and favoured the succession of the House of Hanover. Her relationship with her husband, George of Denmark, was one of love, despite being arranged (princesses had little choice over their spouse), and her relationships with her female favourites were so strong that rumours of lesbianism abounded (which deeply offended her). If Somerset's portrayal of the Duchess of Marlborough is to be believed, the latter was a psycho bitch from hell. How the monarch managed to forbear the Duchess' venom for so long is testament to Anne's fortitude and loyalty. Anne wasn't the greatest monarch, nor the best educated, that Britain, Scotland or England has had, but she took on the role that, as the niece of Charles II, was never expected to fall to her, with a great sense of responsibility to her people. Nevertheless, her reign and her person, I believe, have been underrated by history. I was nearly in tears as I read Somerset's depiction of Anne's death. As her physician, Dr Arbuthnot, observed, her death was a mercy: ' sleep was never more welcome to a weary traveller than death was to her.'
August 30, 2014
Billed as a biography of England's Queen Anne, the queen who followed William and Mary after the Glorious Revolution, it is really a story of England throughout a tumultuous period. Beginning with the restoration of Anne's uncle, Charles II, the book continues through Anne's death in 1715. Readers gain a greater than textbook understanding of the political situation of the times. For example, the Glorious Revolution was neither glorious nor bloodless like textbooks make it out to be. Also, we see how England became embroiled in the War of Spanish Succession and how Anne's half-brother was continuously denied his birthright, again things not really given more than a passing mention in textbooks.
The book also serves as a story of relationships. Again, this is why it really should not be called a biography. In the early part of the book, we read as much about her sister, Mary, as we do Anne. In the latter half, we learn as much about her ladies-in-waiting, Anne Hill Marsham and the Duchess of Somerset. Throughout, we read about Anne's husband, George, and see the complicated relationship Anne has with the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough (and read about their lives).
Overall, I found the book more suited for research and not casual reading. Often, more detail was presented than was actually needed. We could easily lose 1/4 to 1/3 of the text without losing context, causing the book to be a tedious read.
Note: I received a copy of this title from Goodreads' First Reads program.
The book also serves as a story of relationships. Again, this is why it really should not be called a biography. In the early part of the book, we read as much about her sister, Mary, as we do Anne. In the latter half, we learn as much about her ladies-in-waiting, Anne Hill Marsham and the Duchess of Somerset. Throughout, we read about Anne's husband, George, and see the complicated relationship Anne has with the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough (and read about their lives).
Overall, I found the book more suited for research and not casual reading. Often, more detail was presented than was actually needed. We could easily lose 1/4 to 1/3 of the text without losing context, causing the book to be a tedious read.
Note: I received a copy of this title from Goodreads' First Reads program.
December 31, 2020
Slow but informative.
My only real issue is that under Queen Anne in 1713, in the Treaty of Utrecht, Britain obtains an exclusive right to control the Transatlantic Slave Trade which they greatly expand. Much is made of Britain's supposed role in ending the Transatlantic Slave Trade but rarely mentioned is how much very much they increased and expanded it.
This is down to a deal Queen Anne makes as monarchs had more power in her time. Her biography has to account for this in it's weight and treatment of her and her character.
This biography utterly fails to handle this and primarily seeks to ignore this significant political achievement of hers.
The author makes much of how Anne has been a victim of bad press but utterly ignores that chattel slavery hasn't counted for enough to be given much press at all. Anne must answer for her actions in perpetuating this generational crime against humanity.
The impact of which is still felt in my life today, 300+ yrs later .
This is well researched and much needed, Anne has been much maligned and her achievements deserve their credit.
That said, her errors, mistakes and programs of social genocide ALSO must be weighted and her history tainted by her own actions.
That the author fails to do this is down to bias is racist however unintentional.
My only real issue is that under Queen Anne in 1713, in the Treaty of Utrecht, Britain obtains an exclusive right to control the Transatlantic Slave Trade which they greatly expand. Much is made of Britain's supposed role in ending the Transatlantic Slave Trade but rarely mentioned is how much very much they increased and expanded it.
This is down to a deal Queen Anne makes as monarchs had more power in her time. Her biography has to account for this in it's weight and treatment of her and her character.
This biography utterly fails to handle this and primarily seeks to ignore this significant political achievement of hers.
The author makes much of how Anne has been a victim of bad press but utterly ignores that chattel slavery hasn't counted for enough to be given much press at all. Anne must answer for her actions in perpetuating this generational crime against humanity.
The impact of which is still felt in my life today, 300+ yrs later .
This is well researched and much needed, Anne has been much maligned and her achievements deserve their credit.
That said, her errors, mistakes and programs of social genocide ALSO must be weighted and her history tainted by her own actions.
That the author fails to do this is down to bias is racist however unintentional.
July 18, 2017
I usually try to make a point of finishing every book I start and try to give each one a chance. I made it about halfway through this one before concluding that life is too short to be reading long books you don't really care for. Even though Queen Anne is a relatively obscure figure, I had heard of her before because she promulgated one of the first copyright laws ever (the Statute of Queen Anne). So I started out interested and wanting to learn more about her life and times. Unfortunately, this book never really brought her to life for me, and I got especially bogged down in the tedious descriptions of the convoluted politics of the time. Don't get me wrong; I fully understand politics are important, especially when the subject is a queen, but I need to be more invested in the person before I can really dive into lengthy and detailed political accounts. To me the best kind of biography gives insights into who a person was and allows for an exploration of the times in which he or she lived, but I just couldn't get that from this one.
September 5, 2015
Very, very detailed - almost too detailed - I gave up at page 200ish.
Despite this a huge disappointment! The people don't come alive. They still seem very 2 dimensional. I don't feel I know Anne at all, as for Sarah Churchill, she makes her comes across as a complete bitch, but she cannot have been, Sarah must have been hugely charismatic, given her passionate love from Anne - but I got absolutely no idea why/sense of it.
Only giving it 2 stars as it wasn't as awful as some of the books I have read and given 1 star too.
Won't be reading any other books by this author.
Despite this a huge disappointment! The people don't come alive. They still seem very 2 dimensional. I don't feel I know Anne at all, as for Sarah Churchill, she makes her comes across as a complete bitch, but she cannot have been, Sarah must have been hugely charismatic, given her passionate love from Anne - but I got absolutely no idea why/sense of it.
Only giving it 2 stars as it wasn't as awful as some of the books I have read and given 1 star too.
Won't be reading any other books by this author.
November 27, 2016
This book is very much like the curate's egg - good in parts.
The book alternates from being extremely interesting to deeply boring. Mostly because the balance between the life of Queen Anne and the politics of her reign swings more towards the politics than her life, and that's not what I was expecting from a book that is billed as a "biography".
A 3.5 star read that is rounded up to four stars on the basis that I did actually learn something new from the book.
The book alternates from being extremely interesting to deeply boring. Mostly because the balance between the life of Queen Anne and the politics of her reign swings more towards the politics than her life, and that's not what I was expecting from a book that is billed as a "biography".
A 3.5 star read that is rounded up to four stars on the basis that I did actually learn something new from the book.
December 19, 2014
Very long, very historical, very political, and very enlightening. A comprehensive biography of one of Great Britain's least known ruling Queens. This book is a slow moving read and not an easy one; it takes serious dedication. The author has done extensive research to shed new light on a largely misunderstood monarch. She was, indeed, a "so good and so wise a Queen."
February 3, 2019
My favorite movie of 2018 was The Favourite. That film got me so interested in Queen Anne that I decided to pick up Anne Somerset's Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion. I'd had it on my to-read list for years, ever since it came out in the U.S. I'm glad I finally read it! This is a thorough exploration of Anne's life and reign. It's also a comprehensive history of this contentious time where there was a lot going on. Parts of Queen Anne are as juicy as a soap opera. The subtitle is apt: in Anne's lifetime passions ran high!
Anne Stuart reigned from 1702 to 1714. She was plagued by ill-health her whole life and suffered from numerous miscarriages, stillbirths, and children who died young. Anne always had a female favorite, the most prominent of whom was Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Malborough. Sarah was alternately her dearest friend and her greatest torment. During Anne's reign, the Tory and Whig parties were at each other's throats and England was at war with France. Anne lived during a tumultuous time period and through her rule she had a big impact on the world stage.
I learned so much from this book, from the Whig and Tory party formation (plus where those names come from) to medical reasons for miscarriages. Somerset presents the argument that Anne had Lupus, not gout as they believed in her time, and that's why she had so many health problems. The numerous tragedies that befell Anne all at once made me cry. The infant/child mortality rate at the time was tragically high and so heartbreaking. Life was a fragile, tenuous thing. You could die at any moment and lose all your children in one fell swoop. The doctors' practices were crazy and you were better off not seeing one.
You really get a sense of the historical figures voices' with the excerpts of their letters, diaries, and memoirs. It's cool to hear their own (sometimes contradictory) accounts. Somerset integrates the primary documents fluidly throughout. These are bold personalities, like they've walked right out of the past. The passionate love letters these ladies wrote to each other! Many of Anne's relationships with the women in her life were marked by obsessive love and fierce, painful jealousy. Sarah—a truly venomous individual—was never satisfied with the power she accumulated or with Anne's generosity, though at one time Sarah was most powerful woman in England aside from the queen. Sarah was like the fisherman's wife, monstrously ungrateful. It's astonishing how rude and bullying she was to the queen.
Speaking of ungrateful, the Tories and Whigs were also impossible to please. Anne would make them some concessions and they'd want more; it was never enough. A running theme of the book is the powers that be profiting off war, particularly Sarah's husband, the Duke of Marlborough. The greed exhibited by people in Anne's orbit is sickening. With the partisan politics and war as an industry, there's a lot of parallels to be drawn between 18th century history and what's going on today. It was so cool to learn about Anne's contributions to England, such as the formation of Great Britain, starting Ascot, and helping cement England as a naval and military superpower.
I think Somerset sometimes downplays Anne's queerness and her ability to have a female lover. Somerset seems to come down firmly in the camp that Anne's numerous close female relationships were nonsexual. Yet Anne referred to herself as Sarah's jealous lover. Anne wrote passionate love letters to women and had romantic, intense relationships with women since her early adolescence. Somerset even acknowledges that Anne's most fervent, dependent partnership was with Sarah and not with her beloved husband George. All Anne's most prized relationships throughout her life were with women; she was obsessed with her favorites and relied heavily on them. I don't subscribe to Somerset's reasoning that Anne couldn't have been aroused and sexually active with Abigail Masham (the favorite who replaced Sarah) due to infirmity; disabled and sick people can still have sex lives. Lesbians and queer people have always existed in every time and place. In Queen Anne, in the ladies' own words from primary documents, there's plenty of evidence for same-sex relationships. At least Somerset does present all the facts, and I know how I interpret them, even if it differs from her conclusions.
Towards the end, I got Politics of Passion fatigue. The epistolary extractions can get repetitious and Somerset could have streamlined things a bit. Sometimes it's too much of a blow-by-blow account. I wish she'd evoked what things looked like at the time more visually so I could have pictured it better. I disagree with Somerset's condemnation of Anne's treatment of the Duke of Marlborough and the Lord Treasurer Godolphin. Somerset's bias in Marlborough and Godolphin's favor in some instances shows. The ending and concluding analysis of Anne's reign and character are very good, and to me made up for the part where things started to lag.
With Queen Anne, I loved learning about the machinations of the royals, aristocracy, politicians, and clergy. This is a fascinating historical biography. I felt so immersed in Anne's life and world, and I came out of this feeling a deep love and respect for her. I highly recommend reading up on this underappreciated queen. Anne Somerset's detailed, sympathetic portrait of her is a great place to start.
Anne Stuart reigned from 1702 to 1714. She was plagued by ill-health her whole life and suffered from numerous miscarriages, stillbirths, and children who died young. Anne always had a female favorite, the most prominent of whom was Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Malborough. Sarah was alternately her dearest friend and her greatest torment. During Anne's reign, the Tory and Whig parties were at each other's throats and England was at war with France. Anne lived during a tumultuous time period and through her rule she had a big impact on the world stage.
I learned so much from this book, from the Whig and Tory party formation (plus where those names come from) to medical reasons for miscarriages. Somerset presents the argument that Anne had Lupus, not gout as they believed in her time, and that's why she had so many health problems. The numerous tragedies that befell Anne all at once made me cry. The infant/child mortality rate at the time was tragically high and so heartbreaking. Life was a fragile, tenuous thing. You could die at any moment and lose all your children in one fell swoop. The doctors' practices were crazy and you were better off not seeing one.
You really get a sense of the historical figures voices' with the excerpts of their letters, diaries, and memoirs. It's cool to hear their own (sometimes contradictory) accounts. Somerset integrates the primary documents fluidly throughout. These are bold personalities, like they've walked right out of the past. The passionate love letters these ladies wrote to each other! Many of Anne's relationships with the women in her life were marked by obsessive love and fierce, painful jealousy. Sarah—a truly venomous individual—was never satisfied with the power she accumulated or with Anne's generosity, though at one time Sarah was most powerful woman in England aside from the queen. Sarah was like the fisherman's wife, monstrously ungrateful. It's astonishing how rude and bullying she was to the queen.
Speaking of ungrateful, the Tories and Whigs were also impossible to please. Anne would make them some concessions and they'd want more; it was never enough. A running theme of the book is the powers that be profiting off war, particularly Sarah's husband, the Duke of Marlborough. The greed exhibited by people in Anne's orbit is sickening. With the partisan politics and war as an industry, there's a lot of parallels to be drawn between 18th century history and what's going on today. It was so cool to learn about Anne's contributions to England, such as the formation of Great Britain, starting Ascot, and helping cement England as a naval and military superpower.
I think Somerset sometimes downplays Anne's queerness and her ability to have a female lover. Somerset seems to come down firmly in the camp that Anne's numerous close female relationships were nonsexual. Yet Anne referred to herself as Sarah's jealous lover. Anne wrote passionate love letters to women and had romantic, intense relationships with women since her early adolescence. Somerset even acknowledges that Anne's most fervent, dependent partnership was with Sarah and not with her beloved husband George. All Anne's most prized relationships throughout her life were with women; she was obsessed with her favorites and relied heavily on them. I don't subscribe to Somerset's reasoning that Anne couldn't have been aroused and sexually active with Abigail Masham (the favorite who replaced Sarah) due to infirmity; disabled and sick people can still have sex lives. Lesbians and queer people have always existed in every time and place. In Queen Anne, in the ladies' own words from primary documents, there's plenty of evidence for same-sex relationships. At least Somerset does present all the facts, and I know how I interpret them, even if it differs from her conclusions.
Towards the end, I got Politics of Passion fatigue. The epistolary extractions can get repetitious and Somerset could have streamlined things a bit. Sometimes it's too much of a blow-by-blow account. I wish she'd evoked what things looked like at the time more visually so I could have pictured it better. I disagree with Somerset's condemnation of Anne's treatment of the Duke of Marlborough and the Lord Treasurer Godolphin. Somerset's bias in Marlborough and Godolphin's favor in some instances shows. The ending and concluding analysis of Anne's reign and character are very good, and to me made up for the part where things started to lag.
With Queen Anne, I loved learning about the machinations of the royals, aristocracy, politicians, and clergy. This is a fascinating historical biography. I felt so immersed in Anne's life and world, and I came out of this feeling a deep love and respect for her. I highly recommend reading up on this underappreciated queen. Anne Somerset's detailed, sympathetic portrait of her is a great place to start.
October 17, 2014
It's difficult to think of another Monarch who suffered as much physical and emotional pain and trauma as Queen Anne. Often seen as the 'stop gap' before the Hanoverians came in, Anne so often gets overlooked. Often described as weak and easily manipulated by her "favourites" (Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham), it's about time Anne got some justice, and this book covers that quite well :). Although you still won't be able to stop viewing her in a pitiful light (could it even be possible considering her childbirth trauma?), this book shows that Anne's reign is actually more important then often viewed, and Anne was actually extremely dedicated to her country, for example; sitting quietly in the House of Lords for hours (not on the throne) listening to the debates concerning her country. She was a staunch believer in the Protestant faith, although, understandably was not keen on having her potential successors in the country during her reign, for fear of creating a rival- who could really blame her for thinking that!! Anne's reign also saw the 'Act of Union' of which she was greatly in favour of and encouraged it. Successes such as the 'Battle of Blenheim' under Marlborough. Sadly Anne suffered many horrific ordeals, 17 pregnancies ending in either miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death, only Prince William was able to survive... Until the tender age of 11. Yet through it all Anne had the love and support of her husband Prince George of Denmark, for an arranged Royal marriage, this was one true loving relationship, Anne and George weren't you're trendy, glamorous Royal couple like Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn or Edward IV & Elizabeth Woodville, but they where 100% devoted to each other, and the accounts of them just sitting in each other's company in their private apartments are very touching.
Sadly Anne's image has suffered since her former friend Sarah Churchill wrote such damming reports in her diaries regarding Anne, it's true that she was painfully shy, and did not have the social graces of her uncle Charles II or sister Mary II.
This book does drag a little bit in the early stages, although it is interesting to read about Anne's health problems as a young child, but it really get into it's stride when father James II ascends the throne, and we actually get an insight into Anne's ruthless streak as she conspires against her father in her letters to her sister, regarding their half-brothers birth. We also see Anne show her cunning side when deceiving her father into thinking she was not against him, but turned her back on him, one can only imagine James's devastation when he realised the truth.
Anne's reign was one dominated by succession, wars, union and party rivals in parliament. Anne modelled herself on her idol Queen Elizabeth I, even using the same Royal motto, and whilst she have not spoken to her troupes in the same manner as Elizabeth on the threat of invasion, readers will learn how, like Elizabeth, Anne was passionate in her role as Monarch, seeing herself as the mother of her people, defender of Protestantism, like Elizabeth, Anne could be canny, indecisive, shrewd and stubborn, but also extremely compassionate, understanding and caring. Anne just wanted to do good by her people. Once you've finished this book, you will certainly realise, just why she is referred to as 'Good Queen Anne'.
Sadly Anne's image has suffered since her former friend Sarah Churchill wrote such damming reports in her diaries regarding Anne, it's true that she was painfully shy, and did not have the social graces of her uncle Charles II or sister Mary II.
This book does drag a little bit in the early stages, although it is interesting to read about Anne's health problems as a young child, but it really get into it's stride when father James II ascends the throne, and we actually get an insight into Anne's ruthless streak as she conspires against her father in her letters to her sister, regarding their half-brothers birth. We also see Anne show her cunning side when deceiving her father into thinking she was not against him, but turned her back on him, one can only imagine James's devastation when he realised the truth.
Anne's reign was one dominated by succession, wars, union and party rivals in parliament. Anne modelled herself on her idol Queen Elizabeth I, even using the same Royal motto, and whilst she have not spoken to her troupes in the same manner as Elizabeth on the threat of invasion, readers will learn how, like Elizabeth, Anne was passionate in her role as Monarch, seeing herself as the mother of her people, defender of Protestantism, like Elizabeth, Anne could be canny, indecisive, shrewd and stubborn, but also extremely compassionate, understanding and caring. Anne just wanted to do good by her people. Once you've finished this book, you will certainly realise, just why she is referred to as 'Good Queen Anne'.
July 26, 2016
Queen Anne has always been a shadowy Royal, to me. I could never stand what was known as "Queen Anne" furniture, but I really knew nothing about her. This book makes it clear why, but manages to salvage and restore her reputation to the full.
I found myself getting quite bogged down in some of the details, mainly due to how these episodes were presented: the author persistently quotes from various sources to illustrate points and sometimes the language of these quotes is opaque, blurring their impact. In addition, there are no further, explicatory notes provided - just a diligent recording of sources. Obviously, this is a work of great scholarship and the sources consulted are exhaustive, but I feel the tenor of the times - the general background and colour of Anne's reign - could have been better presented. It was a turbulent time, with much change: the conflict between Catholics and Protestants that led to the deposition of Anne's father, whom even she deserts; constant warfare; the growth of Parliament, the final union of Scotland and England - this is panoramic, yet I failed to find a sense of it in this work. Perhaps a second reading is necessary!
The author is better at dealing with the personal side of the Queen's life. Queen Anne was a shy, retiring woman constantly suffering from the effects of obesity and cripplingly painful arthritis. She managed to overcome her infirmities enough to attend to important matters in her role as queen, showing she had more grit and integrity than she has been given credit for. She was devoted to her husband, the equally colourless Prince George of Denmark and endured seventeen pregnancies, many of which ended in stillbirth, or the death of a child soon after birth.
While she seemed to bear her misfortunes with great stoicism, it was in her relationship with Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough and the wife of Anne's great military campaigner, that her weakness shows most clearly. Emotionally dependent and needy to a fault, Anne clings to the bullying, self-regarding Sarah until she can take no more. When this happens, and Anne transfers her affections to a new "lady of the bedchamber", Abigail Hill, Sarah retaliates by all but accusing her of lesbianism. Whether or not her affections led her in this direction is disputed by historians; Somerset's work shows her to have been probably more in need of comfort from her favourites than anything else. Her illnesses, continual pregnancies, devotion to husband George and, at times, repugnant appearance, would make her unlikely to have indulged in actual affairs.
All in all, I found the personal portrait of Anne very much more clearly defined than the background but, because other histories have glossed over her actual personality, this book provides a much-needed correction.
I found myself getting quite bogged down in some of the details, mainly due to how these episodes were presented: the author persistently quotes from various sources to illustrate points and sometimes the language of these quotes is opaque, blurring their impact. In addition, there are no further, explicatory notes provided - just a diligent recording of sources. Obviously, this is a work of great scholarship and the sources consulted are exhaustive, but I feel the tenor of the times - the general background and colour of Anne's reign - could have been better presented. It was a turbulent time, with much change: the conflict between Catholics and Protestants that led to the deposition of Anne's father, whom even she deserts; constant warfare; the growth of Parliament, the final union of Scotland and England - this is panoramic, yet I failed to find a sense of it in this work. Perhaps a second reading is necessary!
The author is better at dealing with the personal side of the Queen's life. Queen Anne was a shy, retiring woman constantly suffering from the effects of obesity and cripplingly painful arthritis. She managed to overcome her infirmities enough to attend to important matters in her role as queen, showing she had more grit and integrity than she has been given credit for. She was devoted to her husband, the equally colourless Prince George of Denmark and endured seventeen pregnancies, many of which ended in stillbirth, or the death of a child soon after birth.
While she seemed to bear her misfortunes with great stoicism, it was in her relationship with Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough and the wife of Anne's great military campaigner, that her weakness shows most clearly. Emotionally dependent and needy to a fault, Anne clings to the bullying, self-regarding Sarah until she can take no more. When this happens, and Anne transfers her affections to a new "lady of the bedchamber", Abigail Hill, Sarah retaliates by all but accusing her of lesbianism. Whether or not her affections led her in this direction is disputed by historians; Somerset's work shows her to have been probably more in need of comfort from her favourites than anything else. Her illnesses, continual pregnancies, devotion to husband George and, at times, repugnant appearance, would make her unlikely to have indulged in actual affairs.
All in all, I found the personal portrait of Anne very much more clearly defined than the background but, because other histories have glossed over her actual personality, this book provides a much-needed correction.
February 27, 2019
I loved this book. Queen Anne is a figure who (at least by casual students of history like me) is largely overlooked, discounted, or both. This book presents a meticulously researched, nuanced portrait of a woman who had to contend with more than most people could bear. I think the movie The Favourite (which I haven't seen yet) probably plays into the more familiar narrative that Sarah Marlborough and Abigail Masham controlled Queen Anne, when the truth as revealed by their private letters is far more interesting and at times heartbreaking. In addition to the intriguing interpersonal relationships, Queen Anne's life included the Glorious Revolution, the reign of William & Mary, unification with Scotland, the War of Spanish Succession, and the rise of the Tory and Whig parties. This was a fascinating and volatile period of English and European history that I knew too little about. I'm so glad I read this.
April 10, 2014
A fine specimen of royal biography, meticulously researched and replete with first person quotes. Somerset does a smashing job of having her subject - and her subject's subjects - speak for themselves wherever possible, and she takes full advantage of the tremendous richness of sources available to her in understanding the complex politics of Queen Anne's reign. The author clearly has a certain human sympathy for the last Stuart monarch of England, but is fully alive to her many faults and weaknesses. There is no sugar-coating to be found, but rather a nuanced account of what amounts to a very difficult life, led with increasing stoicism and resolve and, towards the end, courage.
Read
January 17, 2014Did not finish. Just too much without context and was repetive and boring.
June 10, 2015
Anne Somerset is a very thorough historical author and since Queen Anne is often an overlooked monarch by biographers, I was intrigued and anticipating this, what proved to be, excellent biography.
For the average reader this book would become a challenge for several reasons: it can be a bit dry; the political maneuvers (which I found fascinating) were exhaustively explained; and the seemingly endless cast of characters (referred to by name and titles at different times) can be hard to keep straight.
Somerset does utilize Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough’s sources a bit too much to explain all elements of Anne’s life. Other materials, especially primary sources, from the State Papers and politicians correspondences would have been a welcome relief from all of the snide comments from the Duchess and may have taken away the feeling that this was a dual biography of not only Anne but also Sarah.
Sadly, Anne’s loyalty was stretched to ridiculous proportions by the machinations of this friend and would forever be a blight on her reputation as Queen. However, Somerset does balance sympathy for Anne (a royal offspring no one could ever have imagined would become Queen) with admiration for her. Anne, little trained or educated for the position of leadership, does display unexpected political aplomb as she defends the Anglican religion, the royal prerogatives and her circle of intimates. While her decisions cannot always be defended (especially those dealing with her friends) her devotion to duty and her dogged determination to carry-on despite ill-health and personal tragedies (suffering the numerous miscarriages, stillbirths and infant deaths could have taxed anyone’s coping strategies) are admirable.
Somerset does seem to plug away with Anne’s determination, but the perseverance shows how well researched this title was and how thorough Somerset is as a biographer.
For the average reader this book would become a challenge for several reasons: it can be a bit dry; the political maneuvers (which I found fascinating) were exhaustively explained; and the seemingly endless cast of characters (referred to by name and titles at different times) can be hard to keep straight.
Somerset does utilize Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough’s sources a bit too much to explain all elements of Anne’s life. Other materials, especially primary sources, from the State Papers and politicians correspondences would have been a welcome relief from all of the snide comments from the Duchess and may have taken away the feeling that this was a dual biography of not only Anne but also Sarah.
Sadly, Anne’s loyalty was stretched to ridiculous proportions by the machinations of this friend and would forever be a blight on her reputation as Queen. However, Somerset does balance sympathy for Anne (a royal offspring no one could ever have imagined would become Queen) with admiration for her. Anne, little trained or educated for the position of leadership, does display unexpected political aplomb as she defends the Anglican religion, the royal prerogatives and her circle of intimates. While her decisions cannot always be defended (especially those dealing with her friends) her devotion to duty and her dogged determination to carry-on despite ill-health and personal tragedies (suffering the numerous miscarriages, stillbirths and infant deaths could have taxed anyone’s coping strategies) are admirable.
Somerset does seem to plug away with Anne’s determination, but the perseverance shows how well researched this title was and how thorough Somerset is as a biographer.
October 8, 2014
England's (and then Great Britain's) forgotten queen. No one thinks of Queen Anne (1701-1714) as a great queen because few people think of her at all. Those that know anything have heard that she was "managed" by her female favorites, most notably Sarah Churchill, duchess of Marlborough and ancestry of another great Churchill.
In fact Queen Anne actively presided over the government at a time of massive undertaking and great advancement in Britain's prestige. Her generals prevailed over Louis XIV in the continental wars, Scotland and England were unified as Great Britain, party government was firmly established (much to the queens annoyance).
Anne was very much an active monarch, presiding over cabinet meetings many times per week and selecting her ministers, and approving war plans. She did have her female "favorites" who tried to "run" her but in every case, when they tried to interfere with what she thought right for the country, they were farmed out.
Much of this queens "bad press" comes from the writings of Sarah Churchill, who lived far longer than her former friend. This more than mildly deranged woman became unhinged in her anger toward Anne when she was dismissed and then her husband "the great duke" was dismissed from his office as Captain General of Britain's armed forces. These two nefarious egoists considered mounting an invasion of Britain in names waning years, so her instinct to remove them from power was perhaps her greatest decision of all.
In fact Queen Anne actively presided over the government at a time of massive undertaking and great advancement in Britain's prestige. Her generals prevailed over Louis XIV in the continental wars, Scotland and England were unified as Great Britain, party government was firmly established (much to the queens annoyance).
Anne was very much an active monarch, presiding over cabinet meetings many times per week and selecting her ministers, and approving war plans. She did have her female "favorites" who tried to "run" her but in every case, when they tried to interfere with what she thought right for the country, they were farmed out.
Much of this queens "bad press" comes from the writings of Sarah Churchill, who lived far longer than her former friend. This more than mildly deranged woman became unhinged in her anger toward Anne when she was dismissed and then her husband "the great duke" was dismissed from his office as Captain General of Britain's armed forces. These two nefarious egoists considered mounting an invasion of Britain in names waning years, so her instinct to remove them from power was perhaps her greatest decision of all.
June 21, 2017
I am an American expat, very interested in the Queens and powerful ladies of Europe through the ages. Have been working my way through books about Catherine the Great, John of Gaunt's mistress, the Duchess of Marlborough, etc. I found this at my local thrift shop and grabbed it with gusto. Having learned quite a bit about Anne and the Duchess of Marlborough's friendship/frenemy relationship, I wanted to know Annes' side of things. The first half of the book did not disappoint. There are an amazing number of letters, journals and documents from this period of time which shed a lot of light on Anne and Sarah's relationship, also Anne's marriage and reign.
The 2nd half bogged down for me. Not being on intimate terms with the "Parliamentary" system of government, I found the constant Whigs VS Tory rhetoric tedious. I did read clear to the end, but was glad when it was all over. The behind the scenes whispering and influencing was interesting, besides the fact that the Marlborough's received SO MUCH by the hand of Anne, yet helped themselves to all they could get, and suffered no repercussions for it. Sarah Marlborough was definitely, as we say today in America, "a piece of work".
The 2nd half bogged down for me. Not being on intimate terms with the "Parliamentary" system of government, I found the constant Whigs VS Tory rhetoric tedious. I did read clear to the end, but was glad when it was all over. The behind the scenes whispering and influencing was interesting, besides the fact that the Marlborough's received SO MUCH by the hand of Anne, yet helped themselves to all they could get, and suffered no repercussions for it. Sarah Marlborough was definitely, as we say today in America, "a piece of work".
January 27, 2014
Queen Anne was much more than Sarah Churchill's best friend. Nice coverage of the entwined politics of the day. However, on page 522 the author refers to Lord Cornbury as governor of Pennsylvania (when a little research would have shown her that he was governor of New York and New Jersey) and repeats the tale of his cross-dressing (pretty well exploded by Patricia Bonomi - NY Historical society has retitled the painting formerly thought to be of Cornbury). Carelessness like this makes me wonder how many other errors are in the book.
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