Queenship and Revolution in Early Modern Europe: Henrietta Maria and Marie Antoinette

Queenship and Power

by Carolyn Harris

Though separated by over a century, Queens Henrietta Maria and Marie Antoinette bear striking similarities as historical figures: both women lived through periods of violent revolution in which insurgent regimes specifically targeted and undermined them in order to discredit the monarchy and strengthen claims to legitimate rule. This novel comparative study explores how these queens perceived their roles as wives, mothers, and heads of royal households, thus providing new insights into the political significance of royal women in Early Modern Europe, the evolution of court culture and the public sphere, and changing ideas of marriage and family.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Royalty

285 pages, Hardcover

First published November 5, 2015

About the author

Dr. Carolyn S. Harris teaches history at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. She received her PhD in European history from Queen's University in 2012. Her writing concerning the history of monarchy in the U.K., Europe, and Canada has appeared in numerous publications including the Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Smithsonian Magazine and the BBC News Magazine, and she is a frequent guest on television and radio. She lives in Toronto.

Reviews

[Moniek Bloks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a very interesting read and Carolyn Harris knows her stuff. Don’t be too frightened by the ‘academic’ air about it, it’s still quite readable even if you aren’t a professor.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reviewer found the topic of comparison of Henrietta Maria and Marie Antoinette interesting and very novel. Harris’ targeted parallels, each theme dealt with in a separate chapter, were plausible and easily supported. Although the text was often repetitive and, to be quite honest, often general rather than exemplified in the text---checking footnotes did not always clarify for the reader the evidence—the extensive use of primary sources is to be applauded.
Henrietta Maria proved the most interesting subject, mostly because there is less known about her. Her role as a Catholic Queen in Protestant England was controversial enough, without the added personality and perception of duties tossed in. Harris’ coverage of Henrietta Maria’s impeachment proved enlightening. The hundred-year span between the lives of these two women, was enough to provide Harris with the changes in the nature of queenship from their roles as wives, mothers, diplomats for their natal homelands, agents in political and religious spheres and perception of the public.
As part of a scholarly series, this addition to Queenship and Power is a readable, non-traditional biography which many will find to hold their interest with these notorious, unique and all too human queens.