The Stolen Crown: The brilliant historical novel of an Empress fighting for her destiny

by Carol McGrath

' A superb book , illuminating a fascinating and turbulent era . It is the figure of Matilda who rightly commanded the stage in all her power and complexity ' Nicola Cornick

When Empress Matilda is eighteen years old, tragedy strikes the royal family, and she becomes the only child of the king of England - the de facto heir to the throne. As her dying father persuades the barons to pledge allegiance to her, Matilda returns to England - but the lords and clergy do not like an independent woman. And Matilda is nothing if not headstrong . . .

When the old king dies, the country is plunged into instant chaos. So begins a fierce battle between cousins that will go down in history as a time called 'The Anarchy'. And Matilda must race across England, evading capture until she can demand the crown . . .

'The story of Matilda is strikingly brought to life with this beautiful written novel. A must for any fan of medieval history ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

' An engaging story . . . Matilda is strong, fascinating and keeps you hooked to the very last page ' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Genres: Historical Fiction, 12th Century, British Literature, Historical, Fiction

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 18, 2023

About the author

My first degree is in History and English from Queens University Belfast. I have a postgraduate MA in writing from Queens University and an Mphil in writing from The Royal Holloway ,University of London. My debut novel The Handfasted Wife is the first in a Trilogy The Daughters of Hastings. The first is the story of 1066 and its aftermath from the perspective of the noble women. The Swan-Daughter and The Betrothed Sister have followed. All have been best sellers. My new novel The Woman in the Shadows tells the tale of Thomas and Elizabeth Cromwell and is the story of an early Tudor marriage. I am now working on a medieval trilogy about 'she wolf' queens.

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Headline Books.

The Stolen Crown is a richly told historical fiction set in the 12th century in England. When Henry I dies leaving no legitimate heir to the throne, he has no choice but to name his daughter Matilda (who goes by Maud) as his heir. But being female, Maud can not secure the support of the clergy and nobility, and the throne gets taken from her by her cousin Stephen of Blois. This doesn't deter Maud, who now has a fight on her hands to try and take back what's rightfully hers and ensues in a battle called 'The Anarchy', which commences for almost two centuries. I loved how strong and determined Maud is and how courageous she is for her time! We follow Mauds POV, but we do also follow in part her illegitimate half-brother Roberts side, too. I take my hat off to historical fiction writers for the amount of time and research they put into their books, and this book was evident of the level of research the author put in to create it. If you love drama, action, politics, romance, and strong female characters, you will definitely enjoy this one!

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stolen Crown is a captivating story of power, love and history - a fascinating look at the monarchy and nobility in 12th century England.
So much research must have been undertaken to write Maud’s story. I could do nothing but admire her for her strength, courage and fight as a woman in such a male dominated world. The support she received from her nobles around her was admirable and it was obvious they admired and loved her for herself.

[Seriesbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stolen Crown by Carole McGarth will appeal to historical fiction fans especially those who enjoy non-Tudor stories. The book tells the story of Empress Matilda's fight for the English crown from her Cousin King Stephen leading to civil war.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
The book is rich with historical details and vivid descriptions of clothes, foods and customs which adds richness to the story. As always, history can almost feel like fiction and The Stolen Crown has plenty of drama, action, deception, politics and romance. The plot is fast-paced and even though I knew what was going to happen, I still couldn’t put the book down.
Matilda, Robert her half-brother and Alice a fictional character with a complicated background are the point-of-view characters. Matilda’s nature comes through as does the difficulty of being a strong and ambitious woman in the 1100s. Robert and Alice add balance as two people caught up in the drama and politics trying to right by their Queen and families.
Strangely enough, I read this book over the coronation weekend, and I wondered if the rituals and rites are the same as the ones that would have crowned Empress Matilda as Queen of England. But if you know your English history this isn’t as straightforward as it should be.

Perfect for fans of
I would recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction and strong women.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Henry I of England dies in 1135 leaving no legitimate male children, he names his daughter, Maud, as heir to the throne. Through her marriage to the late Holy Roman Emperor, the Empress Maud, as she still calls herself, is used to wielding power, yet she is unable to gain the support of the nobility and clergy of England and the throne is taken instead by her cousin, Stephen of Blois. Maud, however, refuses to give up her claim and so a battle begins between the cousins that will become known as ‘the Anarchy’ – a period of civil war lasting for almost two decades.

Carol McGrath’s new novel, The Stolen Crown, tells Maud’s story, exploring her marriage to Geoffrey of Anjou, the years of conflict with Stephen and her relationships with her half-brother Robert of Gloucester and with Brien FitzCount, her most loyal supporter. Although Maud (sometimes known as Matilda) was never actually crowned Queen of England and was referred to instead as ‘Lady of the English’, she left an important legacy as the eldest of her three sons with Geoffrey would go on to become Henry II, the first of the great House of Plantagenet.

The novel is written largely from Maud’s own perspective and she is portrayed as a strong, courageous and determined woman, but also one who makes mistakes, ignores advice and acts impulsively at times – in other words, a believable human being who comes to life on the page. We follow Maud throughout her adult life, beginning with her marriage to Geoffrey, a husband she didn’t choose and didn’t want, but with whom she eventually settles down to start a family in Anjou. When Stephen seizes the throne, Maud leaves her husband and children behind to travel to England and fight for what she believes is rightfully hers. Some sections of the book are also written from the point of view of Maud’s illegitimate half-brother Robert, which was a good decision as it allows us to see Maud through the eyes of someone else close to her, as well as filling in the gaps when Maud is not directly involved in the action. I’ve always liked Robert when I’ve come across him in historical fiction and it’s interesting to think of the sort of king he would have made had he been a legitimate heir.

I knew from the other Carol McGrath books I’ve read (The Silken Rose, The Damask Rose and The Stone Rose, a trilogy of novels about three queens who were labelled ‘she-wolves’) that she also likes to include fictional characters in her stories. In this book, we meet Alice, a young woman from a family of entertainers – musicians, jugglers and puppeteers. Alice has a storyline of her own, including a romance with a young knight, Sir Jacques, but she also fits seamlessly into Maud’s story, spying and carrying messages between the Empress and Brien FitzCount. Although I found Maud much more interesting to read about, Alice’s inclusion in the book gives us an insight into medieval life away from the royal courts.

The Anarchy is a fascinating part of English history, often overshadowed by later conflicts such as the Civil War and the Wars of the Roses, so I’m pleased that McGrath has chosen to give some attention to this period and to Maud. I’m looking forward to seeing who and what she writes about next.

[Genevieve · Rating 2 out of 5]

When his only son and heir dies, Henry I is left with no direct male successor. Years later, despite remarrying, Henry still only has one legitimate child - his widowed daughter the Empress Matilda (called Maud in this story). This the story of Maud from when she is named her father's heir and her struggle to claim her throne when it is stolen by her cousin Stephen of Blois in a civil war known as the Anarchy.

Carol McGrath demonstrates an undeniable knowledge of the time period and gives wonderfully detailed insight into the events occurring during the Anarchy. There are some gaps in the history of the conflict which are artfully filled in and used to create an interesting narrative around the characters and their relationships. The story does feel more academic rather than character focused as the characters sometimes lack depth. The plot is fast moving, with some events and relationships sometimes feeling a little too brushed over, but there is a lot to cover as this is a story that spans decades.

There are three POV characters - Empress Maud, her half brother and key supporter Robert of Gloucester, and Alice the performer-turned-spy. I enjoyed the added elements of Alice, Xander, and Jacques (who are all characters invented for the book) as Alice and Xander are performers for Count Brien who act as spies for Maud during the conflict. Alice adds deeper layers to the story as we see smaller events happening in the war that neither Robert nor Maud would have had first hand knowledge of.

My main complaints with this book are that I just wanted more depth and emotional connection with the characters and the dialogue felt a little clunky. But if you are interested in this time period, love strong female characters, and want a highly detailed account of the war that shaped England and the laws of succession then this is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for a copy of this book!

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 25 pages

I normally try wait 100 pages before I DNF, in order to give a book a fair chance. However, a friend pointed out I'd sent 18 angry messages in 25 pages so was it really worth keeping going?

The issue this book is facing is that it's about one of my special interest topics - I know this era very well and have read most of the primary sources that have English translations. I am going to pick up on errors and they are going to annoy me because I know this period so well.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of historical errors in this opening, and I'm not talking minor things concerning historical uncertainties but major, well documented facts. On page 2, the date of the sinking of the white ship is wrong. On page 6, Stephen of Blois is given the wrong title (which is repeated multiple times over the following pages. Of the two titles he has at this point in time, the one in the book is neither, but his older brother's.) On page 12, Geoffrey of Anjou's father is given the wrong name - and not a different regional spelling, no he's given the name of his second father-in-law (Baldwin instead of Faulk). On page 18, Anjou is given the wrong status (it is a county not a kingdom!)

One or two I could see as a slip that a copy editor who doesn't know the history failed to catch (like the Baldwin/Faulk mix up, because that is at least right on page 20). But this is too many and the sort of thing that very much frustrates me because it shows a lack of care and research. (The Anjou one, for example, is someone seeing that there were kings who are "X of Anjou", but not even reading far enough down the wikipedia intro to realise they were kings of Naples or Sicily who were born to Angevin families.)

The writing style also frustrated me. Maud comes across as a petulant, immature, naïve pre-teen. She starts the book in her early 20s as the widow of the Emperor of the Romans, who had been regent for her husband (and by all accounts, did reasonably well at that.) The book even acknowledges that! It was such a weird choice to present it that way, and also quite full of whiplash.

The book starts in 1127 and (I checked) ends in 1154. It is not a long book, so has to rush through things. In chapter one, she's all "I will choose my own husband" (AS IF someone in her position who had already made a political marriage as a child would think that would happen) but by chapter two, she's going "oh, alright then, I'm marrying as my father wants me to." It just compounded the sense of her naivety.

The marriage was a disaster, and both of them were at fault. They both had a lot of pride and he was a decade her junior. But the book was not setting that up with any nuance. Geoffrey of Anjou is introduced as a spoilt, immature womanising teen, very much making HIM the entire problem (she at least behaves abominably toward him but it is all present as her reacting perfectly fine and she's not the problem.) Maybe there's more nuance as the book continues, but I'm not going to.

[Leonor Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

At Long Last

At long last a novel about a woman, though often ignored or misunderstood, led a life that good make a great opera. Empress Maudt (aka Empress Matilda) was a woman ahead of her times, A woman of courage who refused to be a victim. You can't go wrong writing about her, nor would you be wasting your time reading this book.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nautical disaster has left Henry I of England in a bind. His only legitimate child is his daughter Matilda, the former Holy Roman Empress. Matilda’s path to the throne may seem straightforward as she has the oaths of all the leading men in the kingdom and a new younger husband named Geoffrey of Anjou, but things take a drastic turn when Henry I dies. Chaos reigns supreme as her cousin, Stephen of Blois, is declared King of England. Matilda knows that the throne is rightfully hers, and she will fight tooth and nail to recover what has been lost. Her story is told in Carol McGrath’s latest novel, “The Stolen Crown.”

Thank you, Headline Publishing and Carol McGrath, for sending me a copy of this novel. I have enjoyed reading about Empress Matilda and The Anarchy, so when I heard about this novel, I jumped at the opportunity to read it.

We begin with the all-important oath ceremony, where the great lords of England pledge their loyalty to Matilda as Henry I’s heir. Matilda is an 18-year-old widow who is headstrong and is willing to fight to become the rightful ruler of England, even though she is a woman and no woman has ever ruled England. She was deeply in love with her first husband, Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, but her father has decided that she must marry again to keep his legacy alive, and the man he has chosen is the young Count of Anjou, Geoffrey. It would be an understatement to say their relationship was rocky initially, but they would have a family, including the future King Henry II.

On top of the typical cast of characters that one would expect in a novel about The Anarchy, McGrath invented new characters, Alice, Xander, Pipkin, and Sir Jacques. Alice, Xander, and Pipkin are performers willing to spy for Matilda, no matter how dangerous the mission, to ensure Matilda sits on the throne. McGrath shows the thrilling back-and-forth struggle between Matilda and Stephen for the throne that lasts for years. This novel has many strong women, not just Empress Matilda and Alice, but Stephen’s wife, Matilda of Boulogne.

McGrath has created an immersive story with strong, independent characters who are not afraid to fight for what they believe is right. The Anarachy was a time in history that is slowly getting more attention, and this novel will entice readers to learn more about this period in English history. A dynamic adventure full of intrigue and emotion, “The Stolen Crown” by Carol McGrath is a thrilling read for anyone interested in the birth of the Plantagenet dynasty and Empress Matilda’s fight for the throne.

[Adrienne Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stolen Crown by Carol McGrath is an absolutely glorious read.
Superb, historical fiction at its best. Beautifully written, laced with fascinating historical detail, this true story is a battle royal like no other.
I was completely swept away, caught up in the treachery, lies, political shennanigans and dark deeds as 'The Anarchy', for that is what the battle was named, rages on and on.
When her father Henry I dies without a male heir, Matilda (or Maud, as she is known) must take up the royal mantle and rule in his stead.
But Maud is only a woman, without the support of the powerful men she needs to allow her take on her father's role, and the crown - which is rightfully hers - is given to her cousin, Stephen of Blois.
But Maud is her father's daughter and is determined to secure her legacy, not just for herself but for her children and their future too.
This is a tale of a woman who - despite all the odds against her, will not back down or give in. She is strong, brave and true.
A lovely, engaging book, a fascinating story and a real insight into life during the 12th century. Highly recommended.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t familiar with this episode of English history before reading The Stolen Crown and have found the novel to be an illuminating read. The story is well crafted and rich with period details that immerse readers in time and place. Maud is an outstanding character, based on Empress Matilda, we get a real sense of the woman behind the role: strong, single-minded and fearless. Her escape from Oxford Castle is testament to her bravery and a fitting scene that brings the novel to a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed Maud’s fondness for Count Brien although I assume she remained loyal to her husband Geoffrey. The fictional character of Alice gave another perspective and I liked the addition of this family of entertainers. It’s a hard job to balance historical fact with fiction but Carol McGrath does this with superb skill. A thoroughly good read.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the death of her brother Maud becomes the heir to her father King Henry. She is the widow of the Emperor of Germany but is made to remarry to a younger man, a mere Count. After her fathers death Maud is also disinherited by her cousin Stephen but with the help of her illegitimate brother Robert she tries to claim her realm. The subsequent war splits England and causes much suffering.
McGrath is a writer of very soft romantic historical novels and this is a little bit of a diversion as no-one could accuse Maud (Matilda) of being a romantic heroine. In fact McGrath has to place the romantic focus on a fictional character, Alice. However I did really enjoy this book as it is strong on the idea of misogyny in medieval life and that Maud is quite an unlikeable character at many points during the book. It is well-researched and very readable.

[Bethan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at the life of Empress Matilda and the period of time known as The Anarchy. It’s a fictionalisation of historical events.
I felt that the story of Alice was unnecessary for this book, she could have had a whole book just dedicated to her (Alice was not a real historical figure).
I also felt that compared to the details given to the earlier parts of The Anarchy, the last few years were rushed and glossed over.

[Rosario Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crown

This novel is quite gripping, even though at times it reads more like a history book than a novel. Nevertheless, it was interesting to read about Maud, and the circumstances that led to her efforts to gain the crown. It was even more so, when I realized that Richard Lionheart and John Lackland were her grandsons. A great read.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a history student I loved this book. McGrath has made sure to keep the historical details whilst also creating an engaging story. The Matilda created is strong and fascinating and keeps you hooked to the very last page.
Thoroughly recommend.

[Jac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book about another not-as-talked-about woman in England's history of monarchs.
It ebbed and flowed a bit in terms of pace, but I am eager to learn more about Empress Maud, especially after reading the author notes about one specific event

[Rosie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read not my era of history that I
No about but a great storyline

[Lauren Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Diane Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

slow.

I felt like the story kind of dragged on a lot. There wasn’t a lot of excitement or thrills. I finished it though.

[Sally Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read proves history always suprizes

[Rhona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not for me - not enough character development - was not invested in any of the characters. However, writing was really good and the historical fact was great.