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Judith of France
The story of Princess Judith, granddaughter of Charlemagne, who is honor bound to marry an aging British king (father of Alfred the Great) when her first love is the handsome warrior, Bras-de-Fer.
281 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1948
About the author
Margaret Leighton
40 books9 followersBorn in Ohio, Margaret Leighton Carver was educated in France and Switzerland, and was graduated from Radcliffe College. After her husband's death in 1935, she moved to Santa Monica and began writing for young adults, both fiction and nonfiction.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 2, 2007
This is an outstanding historical novel about the great-granddaughter of Charlemagne, forced by her father at a young age into a dynastic marriage with an elderly Anglo-Saxon king. Instead of moaning or refusing to do her duty, Judith vows to conduct herself with dignity and at all costs avoid causing feuds among her new husband's family.
If you ever get a chance to secure a copy of this book, splurge!
If you ever get a chance to secure a copy of this book, splurge!
May 16, 2015
One of the school library royal novels that I devoured as a girl.
July 28, 2026
I've seen glowing reviews for this book. I've seen them on Amazon when I first tried to purchase it; and on Goodreads when I add it to my list; and again on Amazon when I finally found it to purchase for under $50. (Most of them were priced in the 100s. I mean, it is an antique.)
This is an old book. It was published in 1948, the same year my mother was born, which makes me feel bad about using the pejorative, "old," but it's not a "mature" book and it's not a "seasoned" book; nor is it "sage," or "wise," or even "on in years." This book is old.
Neither, though, is it "ancient," or "distinguished." It is definitely geared toward a younger audience based on the vocabulary and style, and I think, by our modern terminology, would be categorized as "Middle Grade" or at least "YA." And granted, I don't read a lot in that genre anymore, so it definitely didn't match the contemporary fiction I've been reading so much over the past several years.
But all of that aside, to this modern reader, this book is objectively bad.
Based on an historical character of whose life we have a dearth of real evidence, Judith of France tells the story of the eldest child and only daughter of the Frankish king, Charles the Bald.
And here, already, I have a complaint. Judith was not "of France." France did not exist. What we think of as France was then called "Frankia," or "The Frankish Empire," when it was ruled as one territory by Charlemagne and comprised most of modern France, modern Germany, and the northern regions of modern Italy. At the time Judith lived, though, her father and his brothers had divided up the old Empire into "West Frankia" - pretty much modern France; "East Frankia" - portions of what are now the eastern Germany, and Austria and parts of Switzerland; and "Lotharinigia" or "Middle Frankia" which is roughly parts of the modern Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, western Germany, eastern France, Switzerland, and northern Italy.
So a more appropriate, dare I say historically accurate, title would be Judith of Frankia. (I'll concede that Judith of West Frankia would be a little pedantic.) For that matter, as there was no Germany, we would not have had a "Louis the German" either. In fact, he was not called that during his lifetime, mostly because HE WAS A FRANK! He was most likely born in Frankia where his father, Louis the Pious, co-ruled with his grandfather, Charlemagne, as emperors of.... you guessed, FRANKIA!!!
But that's really all minute when compared to the story's consistency. "Consistency of what?" you ask. Of everything really - characters, mood, tone, theme. In fact, the final chapter seems exclusively written to introduce a new (at that point, I want to say it's the 4th or 5th) theme. To be fair, she does resolve that last one, unlike all the previous ones.
And the character of Judith herself was the least consistent of them all. She is depicted, mostly, as an oppressed victim - of fate, of her own vow, of the men in her life, society, etc. The few times that she does show some amount of strength or agency come across as trite at best, and absurd at worst. (A 12 year old would really charge an army in a foreign land? Really?????)
Now, I will concede that I may have felt differently about the book if I read it as a little girl, as I imagine many of the positive reviewers did. It makes me curious to go back and read some of the books I loved as a child to see if I can stomach them now. But regarding this book at this age in this current socio-political climate, ugh. It was an exercise in perseverance to finish the whole thing.
This is an old book. It was published in 1948, the same year my mother was born, which makes me feel bad about using the pejorative, "old," but it's not a "mature" book and it's not a "seasoned" book; nor is it "sage," or "wise," or even "on in years." This book is old.
Neither, though, is it "ancient," or "distinguished." It is definitely geared toward a younger audience based on the vocabulary and style, and I think, by our modern terminology, would be categorized as "Middle Grade" or at least "YA." And granted, I don't read a lot in that genre anymore, so it definitely didn't match the contemporary fiction I've been reading so much over the past several years.
But all of that aside, to this modern reader, this book is objectively bad.
Based on an historical character of whose life we have a dearth of real evidence, Judith of France tells the story of the eldest child and only daughter of the Frankish king, Charles the Bald.
And here, already, I have a complaint. Judith was not "of France." France did not exist. What we think of as France was then called "Frankia," or "The Frankish Empire," when it was ruled as one territory by Charlemagne and comprised most of modern France, modern Germany, and the northern regions of modern Italy. At the time Judith lived, though, her father and his brothers had divided up the old Empire into "West Frankia" - pretty much modern France; "East Frankia" - portions of what are now the eastern Germany, and Austria and parts of Switzerland; and "Lotharinigia" or "Middle Frankia" which is roughly parts of the modern Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, western Germany, eastern France, Switzerland, and northern Italy.
So a more appropriate, dare I say historically accurate, title would be Judith of Frankia. (I'll concede that Judith of West Frankia would be a little pedantic.) For that matter, as there was no Germany, we would not have had a "Louis the German" either. In fact, he was not called that during his lifetime, mostly because HE WAS A FRANK! He was most likely born in Frankia where his father, Louis the Pious, co-ruled with his grandfather, Charlemagne, as emperors of.... you guessed, FRANKIA!!!
But that's really all minute when compared to the story's consistency. "Consistency of what?" you ask. Of everything really - characters, mood, tone, theme. In fact, the final chapter seems exclusively written to introduce a new (at that point, I want to say it's the 4th or 5th) theme. To be fair, she does resolve that last one, unlike all the previous ones.
And the character of Judith herself was the least consistent of them all. She is depicted, mostly, as an oppressed victim - of fate, of her own vow, of the men in her life, society, etc. The few times that she does show some amount of strength or agency come across as trite at best, and absurd at worst. (A 12 year old would really charge an army in a foreign land? Really?????)
Now, I will concede that I may have felt differently about the book if I read it as a little girl, as I imagine many of the positive reviewers did. It makes me curious to go back and read some of the books I loved as a child to see if I can stomach them now. But regarding this book at this age in this current socio-political climate, ugh. It was an exercise in perseverance to finish the whole thing.
May 15, 2022
Judith, great-granddauther of Charlemagne, must make a dynastic marriage to Aethelwulf, King of England, old enough to be her grandfather. Once in England, she tries to be a peacemaker, but when she is widowed, Aethelbald, her oldest stepson, tries to force her into marriage. When she proves reluctant, he accuses her of witchcraft. Rescued by her youngest stepson, Alfred, & Count Baudoin of Flanders, whom she eventually marries, she 1st must make a pilgrimage to Rome to make political peace. A colorful, many-sided depiction of a turbulent period, & a personal favorite.
December 15, 2021
Its amazing .a woman actress can write such a thing 🐻👏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2011
I have to admit, I began this book cautiously. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be really good!!
Judith is the great-granddaughter of Charlemagne, content with hunting and hawking. When her Father marries her off to the ancient English King, she finds her entire world shaken. She will have to deal with a husband old enough to be her grandfather, a hostile court, and the knowledge that she has fallen in love with someone else...
A very nice, historical fiction/romance, it made me want to learn about this Judith. I liked her character.
In fact, looking at it from a purely fiction point of view, this book surprised me several times. I'm used to the "modern fantasy heroine". The girl gets betrothed to some old dude, she runs away. Or disguises herself as a boy. Or does something equally "courageous." But not Judith...she submits to her Father's will. She remains gentle, yet strong. It is hard to explain. There would be a scene where I'd expect her to manage some brilliant escape...when instead she walks into the situation. She reminded me of Mary, Queen of the Scots. In fact, they have a lot in common except that Mary's first husband was a mere boy and Judith's was an old guy. Their second husbands were bums and their third husbands were the strong, military type.
Hmm.
Anyway, I liked Baudoin Ironarm...in a way. At first I really couldn't see why he would fall in love with her, 'cause he came across as the type would expect his girls to be pretty and silent, not lively like Judith, but then you got to know him a bit better and I really liked him...for while. By the end I'd kind of gotten sick of him and Judith xD
The writing is good; the plot is interesting. Very good historical fiction, if you can get your hands on it, definitely worth a read.
Though I have to say...even for historical acuracy...what names! The old English king is Aethelwulf and his sons Aethelbald (oi, what a name), Aethelbert, Aethelred, and Alfred (who is a little darling)
Judith is the great-granddaughter of Charlemagne, content with hunting and hawking. When her Father marries her off to the ancient English King, she finds her entire world shaken. She will have to deal with a husband old enough to be her grandfather, a hostile court, and the knowledge that she has fallen in love with someone else...
A very nice, historical fiction/romance, it made me want to learn about this Judith. I liked her character.
In fact, looking at it from a purely fiction point of view, this book surprised me several times. I'm used to the "modern fantasy heroine". The girl gets betrothed to some old dude, she runs away. Or disguises herself as a boy. Or does something equally "courageous." But not Judith...she submits to her Father's will. She remains gentle, yet strong. It is hard to explain. There would be a scene where I'd expect her to manage some brilliant escape...when instead she walks into the situation. She reminded me of Mary, Queen of the Scots. In fact, they have a lot in common except that Mary's first husband was a mere boy and Judith's was an old guy. Their second husbands were bums and their third husbands were the strong, military type.
Hmm.
Anyway, I liked Baudoin Ironarm...in a way. At first I really couldn't see why he would fall in love with her, 'cause he came across as the type would expect his girls to be pretty and silent, not lively like Judith, but then you got to know him a bit better and I really liked him...for while. By the end I'd kind of gotten sick of him and Judith xD
The writing is good; the plot is interesting. Very good historical fiction, if you can get your hands on it, definitely worth a read.
Though I have to say...even for historical acuracy...what names! The old English king is Aethelwulf and his sons Aethelbald (oi, what a name), Aethelbert, Aethelred, and Alfred (who is a little darling)
March 6, 2015
I enjoyed this book very much for its story and its history.
April 15, 2015
Another book I read as a preteen and adored. As I think of these books I'm recording them here so I won't lose them! even though it will probably fill my recommendations with YA novels...haha
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews