Queens at War: England's Medieval Queens, Book 4

England's Medieval Queens #4

by Alison Weir

Triumph and tragedy, love and loss, murder and malice in the lives of five fifteenth-century queens

The fifteenth century was a turbulent the Hundred Years War between England and France, and the Wars of the Roses dominated the lives of people both inside and out of the royal courts.

Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydeville and Anne Neville were the queens who stood by England's sovereigns, caught up in wars that changed the course of their lives, and the course of history.

They were also formidable women who defied the limitations of their times, often living out the brutal consequences of their determination.

Alison Weir uncovers their stories in this final volume of her ground-breaking series on the queens of medieval England. Queens at War is a stunning culmination of research by a historian at the full extent of her powers and gripping account of five women on the throne.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Medieval, British Literature, Historical, Royalty

Audible Audio

First published September 18, 2025

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Alison Weir is an English writer of history books for the general public, mostly in the form of biographies about British kings and queens, and of historical fiction. Before becoming an author, Weir worked as a teacher of children with special needs. She received her formal training in history at teacher training college. She currently lives in Surrey, England, with her two children.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queens at War: England's Medieval Queens Book Four by Alison Weir is an excellent book that highlights some of the amazing women that helped shape England’s history.

This book continues the series featuring England’s Queens and covers the pivotal women that were alive during The Hundred Years War and The Wars of the Roses.

The time period that this gem covers is roughly 1403-1485 and features:

Joan of Navarre
Katherine of Valois
Margaret of Anjou
Elizabeth Widville
Anne Neville

This is a wonderful book that not only highlights these fascinating and complex women, but also recaps the historical events that took place during their time but also, I feel, adds context to potentially explain why they did well…what they did. It really helps add another layer of depth to their stories.

As a seasoned reader of English history, a lot of this I did already know, however most will find a good amount new and enlightening. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t immensely enjoy this, because I sure did. I just love diving into a new Alison Weir book, as I hope other readers will, too.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Ballantine Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 12/2/25.

[Reading Rounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queens at War brings the fifteenth century crashing into focus through the lives of the last five Plantagenet queens, whose marriages and motherhoods were inseparable from war. Alison Weir situates Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville, and Anne Neville within the Hundred Years’ War and the Wars of the Roses, conflicts that reshaped England and closed out the medieval era.

These women were consorts, but also political actors, prisoners, mothers of heirs, symbols, scapegoats, and sometimes prisoners accused of witchcraft. Their lives intersect with some of the most infamous men in English history, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Edward IV, and Richard III, but Weir keeps the focus firmly on the queens and what it meant to live at the fault line of dynastic violence.

Weir does what she does best: balances rigorous scholarship with narrative momentum. This book never feels dry, even when covering extremely familiar ground like the Wars of the Roses. By centering the queens, Weir offers a feminist counterpoint to the “great man” theory of history. She shows how these wars were lived, endured, and sometimes influenced by women whose power was both immense and painfully fragile.

I especially appreciated how Weir handles reputation. Figures like Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth Woodville are often flattened into caricatures; here, they emerge as strategic, emotional, and deeply constrained by the violence around them. The book also excels at showing how marriage, fertility, and survival were political acts.

Queens at War is a strong and satisfying conclusion to Weir’s Medieval Queens series. While the wars themselves are well-trodden territory, this reframing makes them feel newly urgent and human. If you like history that foregrounds women’s lives without sanding down the brutality of the era, this is an excellent read. It’s especially rewarding if you’re interested in how power operates when it’s conditional, and constantly under threat.

Highly recommended for readers of medieval history, Tudor prequels, and anyone who wants to understand how queens endured wars they couldn’t escape.

[Christine Cazeneuve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alison Weir knows how to bring history to a wider audience. She knows her stuff and how to present it without it being dry and tedious. This book is no exception and is the final book in a four-part Medieval Queens series. Even if you believe you know everything there is about a certain Queen - you will find something you didn't know. The author will present both sides without taking one and as a diehard Ricardian I appreciate that. This was a very enjoyable series and one to purchase to keep with your collection. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

In the final installment of her England’s Medieval Queens series, Alison Weir’s Queens at War profiles five remarkable women who reigned during one of the most tumultuous periods in English history. There’s Joan of Navarre, a second wife whose life and reputation were ruined by her greedy stepson; Katherine of Valois, a war prize in all but name who threw away her privileged life in favor of marrying a lowly Welsh squire; the formidable Margaret of Anjou, who was compelled to seize control of the government while her enfeebled husband wasted away before her eyes; the famously beautiful Elizabeth Widville, a Lancastrian widow whose marriage to Edward IV did more to fracture the Yorkist cause than any battle; and Anne Neville, the long-suffering daughter of a traitor and wife of a usurper. Set to the backdrop of the Hundred Years’ War and the Wars of the Roses, Queens at War is an excellent research source for both conflicts. It’ll also come in handy for any aspiring historical novelist looking for details to enrich their story. Weir unearths records for household inventories of personal possessions and state relics, dowries and yearly pensions, architectural renovations, and food descriptions that would put George R.R. Martin to shame—all the small details that help bring the Middle Ages to life.

What you’ll find less of are details about the women themselves. Of the five queens, only Margaret is given any real depth or analysis. The others are confined by a lack of resources and possibly a lack of interest on the author’s part. The kings are given more attention—guilt-ridden Henry IV, warrior king Henry V, Edward IV, forever thinking with his codpiece—by nature of there being more information about them readily available. Weir also weighs in on several historical conspiracy theories (let’s just say she isn’t a Ricardian). Compelling stuff for sure, but alas, not what this book is supposed to be about.

P.S. After all these years, I decided to finally join the legions of Goodreads book bloggers. For anyone interested, this review and others can now also be found at https://substack.com/@blastfromthepas...

[Echo (BookEchommendations) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it wild that Alison Weir’s fiction is so vivid and engrossing but that this was so dry. It was definitely informative and if you’re trying to do research on the subject you will probably find it helpful and detailed. But as a casual reader who is just interested in learning more, I found it to read more like just a list of facts rather than telling the story of these women.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book filled with some of my favorite historical characters. I love the way this author makes history come alive and this book was no exception. She's especially good at making the otherwise confusing Wars of the Roses easy to understand and follow. I'll never get over the insanity of a king (Edward IV) deciding to marry an older woman for love instead of to secure his crown/kingdom. That just never gets old.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was excellently researched as I've come to expect from Weir.
I have so enjoyed this look at the medieval queens of England in this depth with this author.
That's said I knew this book in the series would challenge me. Weir believes in an unhealthy amount of sexism. She tends to side with sexist male historians and characterizes women historical players in traditionally patriarchal ways. Certainly not all women players but controversial players, she tends to ignore the sexism and side with the boys. Even when I disagree with her conclusions, I always respect her research.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recall reading in several reputable sources that Alison Weir’s QUEENS OF THE AGE OF CHIVALRY, the third volume in her groundbreaking series about England’s medieval queens, would conclude a series that began with QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST and was followed by QUEENS OF THE CRUSADES.

Fortunately, in a very welcome fourth volume, Weir takes the story to a brilliant and logical conclusion. QUEENS AT WAR closes the medieval period with an uneasy but permanent joining of rival royal houses, York and Lancaster. Their on-again off-again Wars of the Roses lasted for nearly half of the 15th century (1455–1487) and erupted almost immediately after the equally infamous Hundred Years’ War between England and France (1337–1453).

During more than 80 years of political and economic instability covered in this book, five royal women found themselves almost daily in the thick of courtly intrigue, international espionage, cross-Channel diplomacy, clandestine dealmaking, marital infidelity, ruling for absent or weak kings, plotting stratagems of advancement and revenge, taking military command, and even being complicit in plots of sorcery and murder. Their activities may have ranged from noble to sordid, but the common thread connecting their overlapping lives was the survival of family lines.

Joan of Navarre (c. 1368–1437, Queen of Henry IV), Katherine of Valois (1401–1437, Queen of Henry V), Margaret of Anjou (1430–1482, Queen of Henry VI), Elizabeth Widville (c. 1437–1492, Queen of Edward IV) and Anne Neville (1456–1485, Queen of Richard III) all lived relatively short lifespans by modern standards, ranging from a tragically typical 29 (Anne) to a venerable 69 (Joan). Weir reveals in astonishing detail their under-appreciated individual and collective influence on history.

For all of them, joined in politically and religiously arranged marriages, the first and foremost duty was to supply their royal husbands with at least one male child to inherit the throne. But in a time of high infant and maternal mortality, success could take years, and the pressure to produce was relentless. Among surviving children, daughters seemed to predominate, but their only useful future was as bargaining pieces for advantageous diplomatic marriages. Strong sons were rare and always under threat by rivals.

As just one example, Elizabeth Widville bore Edward IV 10 children, seven girls and three boys. Three daughters and two sons survived childhood, but all were declared illegitimate at Edward’s death in 1483. When rival Richard III took the throne, both her sons were imprisoned in the Tower of London and later murdered, likely on Richard’s orders. Anne’s children, living and dead, were relegitimized in 1485 when Henry VII became the first Tudor king.

Weir begins QUEENS AT WAR with Joan of Navarre, who became Henry IV’s second wife in 1403 at the age of 35. Already past ideal childbearing age, she was unable to produce any living offspring. But like most of Weir’s resourceful queens, Joan was extremely well-connected across the Channel and actively participated in numerous marriage negotiations and behind-the-scenes diplomacy between England and France. Her fortunes varied in the extreme; she became the only English queen ever charged with witchcraft, even being imprisoned for treason.

At the more typical (but still “old”) age of 19, Katherine of Valois married Henry V in 1420 as a direct condition of a peace treaty (one of many made and broken) between England and France. She was only 21 when Henry died and scandalized royal society by maintaining a secret love-liaison with Welsh commoner Owen Tudor. Through him, she became the grandmother of Henry VII, England’s first Tudor monarch.

Margaret of Anjou played the most significant political and military role in the Wars of the Roses. In 1445, at the age of 15, she was married to the pious and scholarly, but indecisive, Henry VI. She quickly replaced him as a formidable defender of the Lancastrian cause. Her ability to create swift, effective and powerful armed alliances made her an adversary more feared and respected than many male military strategists of her day. She also suffered numerous defeats, losses and setbacks, yet almost single-handedly changed the course and dynamics of a long and very bloody war.

Elizabeth Widville’s marriage to Edward IV was criticized not only because of her widowhood (as were Joan of Navarre and Anne Neville) and commoner background, but also for her English birth. At a time when arranged foreign marriages were considered essential for political stability, Edward broke with tradition by choosing a commoner widow, and one of rival Lancastrian parentage. Weir details vividly how Elizabeth came into her power by exercising every opportunity to position her own family members in important royal posts. Her overriding ambition made her increasingly unpopular at court and beyond.

Although not as politically active as her precursors, Anne Neville’s marriages bridged a pivotal gulf, first as the teenage wife of Edward, the last Lancastrian heir to the throne (married c. 1470), then as consort to Richard III, the last Yorkist ruler (married in 1472 when she was barely 16).

Throughout QUEENS AT WAR, Weir paints strikingly vivid pictures of life in an era unprecedented for a level of political and economic uncertainty that affected every social class. The sheer amount of travel involved as the court moved from place to place, or as rivals fled one another up and down the country, or armies gathered and pursued one another in battles on both sides of the Channel, is mind-boggling for a time when the fastest land transport was horseback, and ships had little technology to navigate bad weather. Even the vast proliferation of messages back and forth seems unbelievable in a pre-postal, semi-literate society.

Weir brilliantly demonstrates in this weighty but compelling conclusion to her series that the tapestry of English royal history is often most interesting and grounded when the torn, frayed and bloodstained places become an integral part of the story. QUEENS AT WAR is a challenging read in places but is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Pauline Finch

[Michelle M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and Ballantine for the eARC!

5 /6
This was a great book! One of my favorite time periods to read about is the War of the Roses, and I have read a few of Alison Weir’s novels set in this time period, but this is the first time I’ve read one of her histories. (I don’t think it’s necessary to read the previous 3, though I do intend to do so at a later date as I find medieval England so compelling to read about). With a focus on the queens, this entry in the series spans the decades between Joan of Navarre and Anne Neville and covers the War of the Roses.
As this was a history and not a novel of a person’s life, the pace is very quick, with months and years passing in the span of paragraphs and pages in an attempt to hit all the important points. Ms Weir relies on facts recorded by historians, letters from ambassadors that survived, and other clearly documented events to build a clear picture of the time. In my opinion, very little speculation or embellishments can be found. But even without them, it is a captivating story told by a master of the craft.

One thing that I was extremely grateful for (as I found it personally fascinating) was that any time a sum of money was written, in parenthesis would be the equivalent in today’s pound sterling (as an American, I know the amounts are not perfectly equal, but they are close enough that I didn’t have to do another conversion to American dollars to understand). The part that was interesting to me was Ms Weir would say something like: “the queen was given £2000” and it would be equivalent to almost £2 million! It was no wonder to me that some kings were constantly bankrupt! They (and the queens) would spend so much money as if it were water without a care in the world! I’m sure to the mega-rich (or just rich lol) of today would think that is pocket change.

Sadly, Elizabeth Woodville (called Widville here) was a bit overshadowed by Margaret of Anjou and the War that raged during her tenure as Queen, so most of her section is about her husband’s battles rather than about her directly. She is one of the queens I enjoy reading about but, since this isn’t a novel, facts must be stuck to. Though Ms Weir does mention that her family claimed to be descendants of Melusine and that her mother was accused of witchcraft, that is not a story that was focused on or further developed.

Because this was an ebook, I couldn’t easily flip to the maps and the footnotes (there were MANY of those) as easily as I liked without fear of losing my original spot in the ebook. I find footnotes fascinating, especially when I can quickly flip to it, find out what the comment is, then flip back. Much more work in this eARC than in a physical copy of the book lol.

I would recommend this to any history lover who, like me, uses Wikipedia to look up facts about the people I read about in historical fiction lol. And to any history lover in general. Don’t let the “Queens” title scare you away! Like I mentioned above, I really would like to read the previous books in this series, and would love to read this one as a physical copy!

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifteenth century in England was a time of war. Between a usurper king, fighting with France, and fighting amongst themselves, an English king must be prepared to go into battle at any moment, and his queen must be ready to support him in any way. During this period, there were five kings and queens, and while the kings get a lot of attention, it is the queens who should get their flowers for what they did in times of distress. Alison Weir explores the lives of the final five Plantagenet queens in her final book in the England’s Medieval Queens series, entitled “Queens at War.”

I would like to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. I am a big fan of Weir’s books, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her England’s Medieval Queens series. I wanted to see which queens Weir would focus on in this book and how she would approach their lives.

The years covered in this last book are 1399-1485, covering the reigns of Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Edward IV, and Richard III. The queens featured in this book are Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville (spelled Widville in this book), and Anne Neville. While I am familiar with the stories of Katherine, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Anne, Joan is a less well-known figure to me. Weir gives her readers a bit of background information about how Joan of Navarre was Henry IV’s second wife after his first wife, Mary de Bohun, died. Joan was married previously as well, to John IV de Montfort, Duke of Brittany. While she did have children with John, she never had royal children with Henry IV. Weir shows how Joan was treated as the stepmother to King Henry V after he married Katherine of Valois.

Weir explores Katherine of Valois’ relationships with both Henry V, the warrior king, and Owen Tudor, the man she fell in love with after the death of Henry V. We get to see how Katherine’s son, Henry VI, and his wife, Margaret of Anjou, dealt with the rising Yorkist faction. With her husband taking ill, it was Margaret of Anjou who was the figurehead for the Lancastrian cause in a conflict that would be known as the Wars of the Roses. Eventually, a young man named Edward IV would become King of England, and he shook the English court by marrying an English woman, Elizabeth Widville (Woodville). Finally, Weir explores the downfall of the Plantagenet dynasty and the end of the young Yorkist regime with Richard III and his wife Anne Neville.

Overall, I found this an informative and easy-to-follow book. It was a bit of a review for me as I am familiar with this period, but I found myself learning new information in this book, which was exciting. I think if you want to learn about 15th-century queens or if you are a fan of England’s Medieval Queens series, I recommend you read “Queens at War” by Alison Weir.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy!

In Book 4 of Weir's series on queens of medieval England, she covers 1403-1485, showcasing:

Joan of Navarre - Second wife of Henry IV, a shrew political operator in her own right, but brought down by being falsely accused of witchcraft and treason her step-son Henry V just so he get his grubby hands on her money. So, if you are part of a blended family, you can (hopefully) at least say no one want to jail on false terrorism charges as step-parent and step-kids fought over an inheritance after the parent dies.

Katherine of Valois - Wife to Henry V, in a marriage made as part of his triumphant martial success in France, and all her young life a political pawn of the French and/or English, its no wonder she made a love match for herself the second people took their eyes off her. Interesting how Weirs shows the marriage was most likely known earlier than suspected, and the secrecy was added on in later centuries by "historians" ginning up the story to make it more romantic. Looking at you, Strickland.

Margaret of Anjou - Wife to Henry VI, despite being so ill-matched Weir showcases how fiercely loyal Margaret was to her husband, and how many of the actions called 'mistakes' by the English chroniclers, made a lot of sense, given her upbringing, and would have usually been the right actions in the French royal court. Her issues all stem, Weir says, from proudly refusing to become English.

Elizabeth Woodville - Wife to Edward IV, criticized for being English, right after Margaret was criticized for being French (there is no pleasing some people), Elizabeth was very good on paper doing all the right things as queen - looking the part while staying in budget, gracious hostess, saying and doing all the right pomp and circumstance - but she seemed to have something about her personality that really rubbed people the wrong way.

Anne Neville - Weir shows how much we think we know of Anne Neville and both her marriages comes mostly from historical fiction novels that exaggerated and dramatized and romanticized everything to hell and back. Depressingly, when you dig into the actual record, we have very little on Anne, only that she was an eye witnesses to the grand plans of the men around her either failing spectacularly or working out amazingly well.

Weir gives the background and context to the reign of each queen, detailing what was going on in England and Europe, the success and failures of each king, and what broader political-socio-economic circumstances brought each woman to the throat (and does an amazing job keeping track of everyone during the messy, soap opera of the Wars of the Roses) - but never gets so lost in the weeds to forget the women themselves, showing us how each woman lived, reigned, and died, diving deep into the records to show us the three dimensional human behind the pomp and propaganda.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5/5 stars)
The last in Alison Weir's nonfiction series about England's medieval Queens, this book covers Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret or Anjou, Elizabeth Woodville (spelled Widville here) and Anne Neville. So basically, the queens involved with the end of the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses.

Weir does a decent job of placing everyone in historical context and providing the European and English political context for what was going on, though only using people's titles instead of adding in their names sometimes gets confusing since the people behind the titles frequently changed during the Wars of the Roses and sometimes it was hard to keep track of everyone. I've got a decent background in the Wars of the Roses history and even I got confused, people coming into this book as one of their first books on the subject will just have to go with it.

Without letters or diaries recording their own thoughts, we have to try and interpret so much about these women through their actions and what men wrote about them. Weir does a good job of separating out contemporary vs later accounts of who was writing what- which is always important when we're trying to figure out what was going on at the time instead of later propaganda. Margaret of Anjou is probably the toughest, since she was condemned during her lifetime as well as afterwards for being a strong leader, raising armies, and doing everything her husband couldn't/wouldn't do-today we applaud that, back then it was "unwomanly." So there's a lot of men clutching their pearls when they write about her that has to be gotten through to find the actual woman behind it all.

Inevitably sometimes it felt like the men took center stage in this book. There is more written about them and their actions that are easier to find. Medieval queens had 'soft power' and were usually quieter in how they handled things-plus were less recorded by the big names for history. And Weir keeps largely to the surface level of power and politics for the queens and their world. Still, this is a book and a series worth reading for anyone interested in medieval history and the English queens who played a role in it.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alison Weir's England's Medieval Queens series concludes with Queens at War, which covers the queens of the last few generations of Plantagenet rule in England. This installment covers Joan of Navarre (2nd wife of Henry IV), Katherine of Valois (wife of Henry V), Margaret of Anjou (wife of Henry VI), Elizabeth Widville (wife of Edward IV), and Anne Neville (wife of Richard III).

Weir hits the roadblock that anyone trying to cover these women does - either the scarcity of sources, the bias against women in the sources, or both. As a result, we're left to try and fill in the blanks and make do as best we can.

Margaret of Anjou receives probably the most detailed treatment. Weir's view is interesting - that Margaret would have essentially been the most successful of these Queens if she hadn't descended into factionalism, siding with one court faction over the others. It's a good point - if Margaret hadn't sided with the Suffolk/Somerset faction and become so fervently anti-York simply because he expressed concerns about her marriage to the King (since, for one thing, she came to them pretty much without any dowry whatsoever in a time when dowries were a sign of prestige), but had instead tried to balance the two factions out, they might have kept the peace. Of course, her inability to have a child for the first eight years of her marriage didn't help matters (since bearing children was an enormous part of medieval Queenship).

Anne Neville, sadly, gets probably the lightest treatment, to the point where her section is more about her husband than about her. Again, this is due to the scarcity of resources, but also, Weir makes up for it by basically building up Richard III to be this absolute monster. Which, to be fair, he could be. He is the prime and most likely suspect for the murder of the sons of Edward IV, but she even interprets what we do hear of Anne in the sources in a way that makes him even more of a monster. Like, she truly thinks that Richard practically willed Anne to death so that he could marry Elizabeth of York.

Overall, a good read.

[Nick Artrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested and received an eARC of Queens at War by Alison Weir via NetGalley. This is the fourth and final volume in Weir's nonfiction England’s Medieval Queens series. This book covers the fifteenth century, including the Hundred Years War and the War of the Roses. Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydeville, and Anne Neville were the queens who found themselves, for better or worse, attached to England's sovereigns and caught in wars during one of the country's most turbulent periods.

I’ve enjoyed the previous volumes in this series so I was excited to dive in, particularly because I would be getting a closer look at Joan of Navarre and Katherine of Valois. I’ve done quite a bit of reading on the War of the Roses, but my knowledge of Henry IV and Herny V is a bit shabbier. Joan of Navarre was a great stateswoman which is a fact that is often overlooked, and I enjoyed the chapters focusing on her. I equally appreciated the approach to Katherine of Valois who seemed a bit of a romantic figure, but one necessary for understanding the rise of the Tudor dynasty. The sections on Margaret, Elizabeth, and Anne make up the bulk of the text which I was fine with. I like reading about each of them for separate reasons, particularly poor Anne who seems so tragic.

If you’re a seasoned reader of history or have a love for the era, you’ll likely be familiar with most of the events covered in the book. But in the case of Queens at War you’re offered the opportunity to view the events from the perspective of the women behind the throne rather than the men which I think tends offer to a much richer understanding of history. As always, Weir’s writing style is enjoyable, both entertaining and informative. History can be daunting to tackle but Weir makes her subjects feel very accessible. I look forward to adding a physical edition of this book to my library to complete my collection!

[Taylor M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth and final installment of the saga of England's Medieval Queens, and it delivers. Straightforward, deeply researched, and well-paced. What I like best about Weir's historical books is how they cut directly to the chase. Very little fluff or addative from the author, she's rarely one to add her personal opinions unless they truly matter or provide further insight. I imagine they are a researchers dream when they need the information in a tidy package. This book, however, like its predecessors, isn't for people who lean into historical fiction and are not looking for biographies.

I agree with several other reviewers that aspects of several Queen's lives seemed less about the women themselves and more about the surrounding circumstances/kings. I do feel like the overall picture of their influence and reign is well portrayed, regardless of the lack of personal information. A lot of these queens were not known to me outside of mentions in other books, and now I feel like I have a more solid understanding of their time as women before, during, and after their regency.

Overall, the overwhelming amount of dedication to research is represented on every page. This whole series was a labor of love, and that's why Weir is an all-time favorite of mine when it comes to historical writings.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Richard West · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 4th and final entry into British historian Alison Weir's series on Britain's early queens and the impact they had on the history of Britain. As with it's 3 predecessors, this is well-written, heavily researched and a pleasure to read.

Not all of the queens from the period covered (1403 - 1485) were outstanding, but of the 5 who fell within that period, most were. There were, admittedly a couple who were a bit less than outstanding and Weir pulls no punches in pointing out their shortcomings.

This isn't a book you're going to read at one sitting - it's rather lengthy - and I found the best way to do it was to read about one queen per day over a period of 5 days. That way, there was no confusion as to who did what and to whom since there seems to be the proverbial "cast of thousands" as you had political machinations, wars and of course, possible marriages of daughters and grandchildren. And the longer a queen remained, the more people there were.

As with all of Weir's books, it reads easily like a novel and never fails to keep the reader's attention and unless you're a scholar specializing in British history, the chances are you will find yourself at the end of each chapter saying the magical phrase of "I didn't know that." And if you read the three that preceded this one, you will definitely want to finish the series.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queens at War by Alison Weir is the fourth book in the England's Medieval Queens series and the second book I have read within this series and I really enjoyed I just love the way Alison writes she is an excellent storyteller you can never get bored reading her books. Alison uncovers their stories in this final volume of her groundbreaking series on the queens of medieval England. Queens at War is a stunning culmination of research by a historian at the full extent of her powers and gripping account of five women on the throne.

This book was about triumph and tragedy, love and loss, the murder and malice in the lives of five fifteenth-century queens. This century was a turbulent one with Hundred Years of War between England and France, and the Wars of the Roses which dominated all the lives of people both inside and out of the royal courts. There was never a dull moment!

This time period of 1403-1485 and features:
Margaret of Anjou
Joan of Navarre
Anne Neville
Katherine of Valois

This was a very interesting to read and learn about them all. These were the queens who stood by England's sovereigns, who were caught up in wars that changed the course of their lives, and the course of history.

Excellent book and I highly recommend these books

[Firetruckmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, for which I thank them.

“Queens at War” is a non-fiction book by Alison Weir. In this book, Ms. Weir provides background and biographical information about five of the English Queens from about 1400-1485 - Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Widville, and Anne Neville. All five women were, in their own right, powerful and influential women (some more than others), but as Queens of England, they had a bit more power than before marrying their respective kings. Anne Neville (wife of Richard III) and Margaret of Anjou (wife of Henry VI) I knew a little about so it was nice to read more about those two women and what they’d gone through while Queen. I think if you’re English history is a bit on the lighter side of things, you may be rather lost, so I’d recommend brushing up before reading this book (although there should be a family tree in the final edition; mine didn’t have them yet). At times the writing is a bit dry, but Ms. Weir makes some effort at trying to give the facts (what few there might be) along with detailing what was going on around these women in a historical sense. While this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads giveaways.
First I haven't read the other books in this series but I enjoy reading about this time period. This time period had so many people and events that I appreciated the family chart in the beginning. I wish there was a separate chart just simply telling me which king went with each queen and flowed from that. The Queens that were detailed were Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Widville (also known as Woodville), and Anne Neville. The details of the queens were interesting with how family, power, lands etc all were part and parcel of not just being royalty but in how they dealt with their marriages and children - I was surprised by how many were widows and remarried and how the Lancasters, Tudors and Plantegenets all were influenced by France and Brittany- The Epilogue best summed up the queens. For those into the data of where the sources and data came from, the appendix is chock full of information. I highly recommend if you are into detailed information on the queens and kings of this period. I learned so much on this period of time. The politics and wars and how land exchanged hands were instrumental for what came afterward.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

So often the historic queens of England are only spoken about in the context of their marriages and childbearing - while important aspects of their lives, certainly, I loved exploring these women through a different lens.

Alison Weir is consistently a joy to read from - ever since I was a young history nerd reading her book on Henry VIII and his wives, I've been captivated by her way of bringing history to life. Weir has a talent for pulling on threads in historical records and extrapolating imagery and adventure from the details. I was thrilled to be chosen for this ARC. I particularly appreciated Weirs ability to remind readers of relevant details to keep the ever complicated noble families of England and France as untangled as possible.

I really enjoyed the section on Elizabeth Widville (it's Medieval soap opera material, and it is endlessly fascinating to me). I will be sure to pick this book up again in the future.

[GBL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alison Weir completes her history of England’s Medieval Queens with this fourth book, covering the period from 1403 to 1485. Her book explores the lives of five women who were married to monarchs during that period: Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Widville and Anne Neville. Weir has extensive knowledge of the period, allowing her to create a detailed picture of how these women lived and acted in their role as queen.

Weir is an expert historian and writes clearly and eloquently about the lives of these five Queens, always testing the differing historical accounts of their lives and careful in her judgment, opinions and conclusions. At times, her writing is limited by the lack of source material or evidence, but she makes it clear when this is the case and is careful in her speculation about the women. Another important book for anyone interested in the Medieval period.

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who is a huge fan girl of Alison Weir's work, both fiction and non fiction, I was ecstatic to have been given the opportunity to read this ARC book: Queens at War!

This installment follows 5 queens who have changed history as we know it during the Hundred Year War! These were triumphant amazing women who faced adversity and became the faces of warrior women when it was predominantly a men's military affair.

What I absolutely admire about Alison's work is her dedication and extensive research of all the books she's worked on and is a reason why she is one of my favorite authors of all time! She and I have a lot in common when it comes to the subject matter she writes about as it is a passion of mine as well! I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve for her next project!

I would absolutely love to thank Alison as well as the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the England's Medieval Queens series, and covers the queens who lived during the Hundred Years' War and the War of the Roses. I enjoyed it, but struggled a bit with the setup. This is broken up into sections based on who was queen at the time, but sometimes it went back and forth (Edward IV wrested control from Henry VI...and then Henry VI came back...and then Edward IV again) so the chapters didn't make complete sense with that structure. 
*
The other thing that was tough--and this is really just a function of how little was known of some of these women--was just how much happens in some chapters without any mention of the queens at all. This is framed as Queens at War, but some of these women didn't really have any role in the wars they lived through, or at least that's how it seemed. 
*
These are quibbles from someone who's read a ton of medieval history, so if you're just interested in learning more about this timeframe and these queens, this is a great book for that! 

[Tawney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weir gives a detailed and well researched account of the Plantagenet queens of 15th Century England, their marriages, the politics and warfare of the time. The individual stories are interesting because the times were such that conflict retained a very personal element. Reputation and rumor could and would be spun, as could being a 'foreigner'. Taken as a whole what struck me is that these high born women had some education, exercised 'soft power' but were property. Their fates were shifted with alliances. Their incomes and properties were controlled by others. And if they were widowed then livelihood and freedom might be at stake. Their biographies really bring this out.
There are extensive notes but Weir gives insight into her sources - possible bias, distance from the action, etc. within the text too which I appreciate greatly.
I received an advanced digital copy of this book compliments of Ballantine and NetGalley.

[Georgia Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queens at War: England's Medieval Queens Book Four by Alison Weir is a masterpiece! First of all, the book itself is beautifully presented! The cover draws your eyes to it and makes this book one that you will want to set out for everyone to see. In the middle are many color photos that you can refer to as well. The book is the fourth and final book on England's Medieval Queen series by Alison Weir. It is the true stories of the 5 queens and their bravery and accomplishments. Each individual queen changed the course of history! The book is one that you will want to take your time and digest every detail, which is exactly what I did! Queens at War is an excellent read! I highly recommend this book for those who want to broaden their knowledge of the last five Plantagenet queens. The series is a must read series that you will want to refer back to at times!

[Sheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. It was full of well researched details and descriptions of royal life that I devoured. I already was familiar with some of the queens but there was still a lot of new and interesting information about them in this book. Others I only knew in passing, and this was a more thorough look into their lives.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Since this was an ARC, it did not have any of the family trees which would have been helpful. While reading the book, I found out I had won a physical copy in a Goodreads giveaway. I am thrilled to now have the family trees!

[Oliver Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queens at War by Alison Weir is a masterful exploration of five fifteenth-century English queens, Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydeville, and Anne Neville, whose lives were shaped by the turbulence of the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses. Weir brings to life their triumphs, tragedies, and the fierce determination that allowed them to navigate love, loss, and political intrigue in a male-dominated world. Richly researched and vividly told, this final volume in her medieval queens series offers a compelling portrait of power, resilience, and the personal costs of history.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alison Weir for the eARC of “Queens at War”

I own the first three titles in this series (and many other books by Alison Weir) and was so excited to get approved for the ARC.

Weir has such a talent for bringing history to life and in this final installment we follow the Queens of The Hundred Years War and The War of the Roses.

If you are looking to dip your toe into history you can’t go wrong with anything Alison Weir writes.

If you are a history nerd looking for your next fix be sure to check out ”Queens at War” you won’t be disappointed!

[Mahmood M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alison Weir saved the most dramatic era for last. This goes straight into the chaos of the Wars of the Roses, showing how five queens (from Joan of Navarre, accused of witchcraft, to Elizabeth Woodville) were anything but passive. These women were frontline players, leading armies and navigating massive betrayals.

This isn't a substitute for Tuchman's A Distant Mirror, but it's a worthy complement to it.

Highly recommended!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

England’s 15th century was a time of war and upheaval, and at its heart were five queens: Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydeville, and Anne Neville. This fascinating book explores their lives, loves, and struggles, revealing how they navigated the treacherous political landscape and made their own indelible mark on history.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.