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Doomed Queens: Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di
Illicit love, madness, betrayal—it isn't always good to be the queen.
Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. What did they have in common? For a while they were crowned in gold, cosseted in silk, and flattered by courtiers. But in the end, they spent long nights in dark prison towers and were marched to the scaffold where they surrendered their heads to the executioner. And they are hardly alone in their undignified demises. Throughout history, royal women have had a distressing way of meeting bad ends—dying of starvation, being burned at the stake, or expiring in childbirth while trying desperately to produce an heir. They always had to be on their toes and all too often even devious plotting, miraculous pregnancies, and selling out their sisters was not enough to keep them from forcible consignment to religious orders. From Cleopatra (suicide by asp), to Princess Caroline (suspiciously poisoned on her coronation day), there's a gory downside to being blue-blooded when you lack a Y chromosome.
Kris Waldherr's elegant little book is a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of queens across the ages, a quirky, funny, utterly macabre tribute to the dark side of female empowerment. Over the course of fifty irresistibly illustrated and too-brief lives, Doomed Queens charts centuries of regal backstabbing and intrigue. We meet well-known figures like Catherine of Aragon, whose happy marriage to Henry VIII ended prematurely when it became clear that she was a starter wife—the first of six. And we meet forgotten queens like Amalasuntha, the notoriously literate Ostrogoth princess who overreached politically and was strangled in her bath. While their ends were bleak, these queens did not die without purpose. Their unfortunate lives are colorful cautionary tales for today's would-be power brokers—a legacy of worldly and womanly wisdom gathered one spectacular regal ruin at a time.
Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary, Queen of Scots. What did they have in common? For a while they were crowned in gold, cosseted in silk, and flattered by courtiers. But in the end, they spent long nights in dark prison towers and were marched to the scaffold where they surrendered their heads to the executioner. And they are hardly alone in their undignified demises. Throughout history, royal women have had a distressing way of meeting bad ends—dying of starvation, being burned at the stake, or expiring in childbirth while trying desperately to produce an heir. They always had to be on their toes and all too often even devious plotting, miraculous pregnancies, and selling out their sisters was not enough to keep them from forcible consignment to religious orders. From Cleopatra (suicide by asp), to Princess Caroline (suspiciously poisoned on her coronation day), there's a gory downside to being blue-blooded when you lack a Y chromosome.
Kris Waldherr's elegant little book is a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of queens across the ages, a quirky, funny, utterly macabre tribute to the dark side of female empowerment. Over the course of fifty irresistibly illustrated and too-brief lives, Doomed Queens charts centuries of regal backstabbing and intrigue. We meet well-known figures like Catherine of Aragon, whose happy marriage to Henry VIII ended prematurely when it became clear that she was a starter wife—the first of six. And we meet forgotten queens like Amalasuntha, the notoriously literate Ostrogoth princess who overreached politically and was strangled in her bath. While their ends were bleak, these queens did not die without purpose. Their unfortunate lives are colorful cautionary tales for today's would-be power brokers—a legacy of worldly and womanly wisdom gathered one spectacular regal ruin at a time.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
68 people are currently reading
3091 people want to read
About the author
Kris Waldherr
49 books378 followersKris Waldherr is an award-winning author and illustrator whose books for adults and children include Bad Princess, Doomed Queens, and The Book of Goddesses. The New Yorker praised Doomed Queens as “utterly satisfying” and “deliciously perverse.” The Book of Goddesses was a One Spirit/Book-of-the-Month Club’s Top Ten Most Popular Book. Her picture book Persephone and the Pomegranate was noted by the New York Times Book Review for its “quality of myth and magic.” Waldherr is also the creator of the Goddess Tarot, which has a quarter of a million copies in print. Her Kirkus-starred debut novel The Lost History of Dreams was named a CrimeReads Best Book of the Year and her Unnatural Creatures: A Novel of the Frankenstein Women was an Editor's Choice at the Historical Novels Review.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews
September 22, 2021
Doomed Queens by Kris Waldherr is a 2008 Three Rivers Press publication.
We are all familiar with the fates of Anne Boleyn and Marie Antoinette – but as it turns out there have been many other ‘doomed queens’ throughout history.
Kris Waldheer takes readers all the way back to Biblical times, and brings us to recent times, chronicling the events that led to the premature deaths of female rulers and queens, and future queens, throughout the ages.
I knew nearly half of the people listed here, and absolutely nothing about the other half. Reading history always reminds me that people were just as brutal, unconscionable, violent, manipulative, scheming, and power hungry as people today.
That said, the author approaches these darker subjects with wit and humor. After each time frame, readers take a little pop quiz to help one remember what they had learned, which was fun.
Obviously, some research went into this little ‘list’ style book, and all the information, even the more familiar stories attached to Cleopatra- for example- were refreshed and made interesting anew.
The book isn’t very long and is easy to read and digest- but it is also informative, interesting and thought-provoking. It is telling that through the years, history has never forgotten these women. There are a few lessons to be learned from the lives of these ‘doomed queens.’
3.5 stars
We are all familiar with the fates of Anne Boleyn and Marie Antoinette – but as it turns out there have been many other ‘doomed queens’ throughout history.
Kris Waldheer takes readers all the way back to Biblical times, and brings us to recent times, chronicling the events that led to the premature deaths of female rulers and queens, and future queens, throughout the ages.
I knew nearly half of the people listed here, and absolutely nothing about the other half. Reading history always reminds me that people were just as brutal, unconscionable, violent, manipulative, scheming, and power hungry as people today.
That said, the author approaches these darker subjects with wit and humor. After each time frame, readers take a little pop quiz to help one remember what they had learned, which was fun.
Obviously, some research went into this little ‘list’ style book, and all the information, even the more familiar stories attached to Cleopatra- for example- were refreshed and made interesting anew.
The book isn’t very long and is easy to read and digest- but it is also informative, interesting and thought-provoking. It is telling that through the years, history has never forgotten these women. There are a few lessons to be learned from the lives of these ‘doomed queens.’
3.5 stars
June 2, 2017
A quirky yet educational list of Doomed Queens that is organized by time period. I learned a lot and was entertained- everything that I look for in a non-fiction book.
"While kings were also vulnerable to political upheaval... for the most part men pulled the strings at court. Therefore any woman blocking the way to power was a threat to be eliminated. Common ways to bump off an inconvenient consort included beheading, burning, drowning, poison, stabbing, strangling, starving, and forcing suicide." pg 8, ebook. Shocking, isn't it. One would think that a queen's power would afford her a measure of protection, but it didn't.
Here's one of the facts I learned: "Arsinoe's story has been overlooked in the face of her more successful older sister, Cleopatra... But in death, Arsinoe was buried with the queenly honors that had been denied her in life. Her remains were interred in a tomb in the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world." pg 31, ebook. If you'd like a historical fiction book about Arsinoe, may I suggest The Drowning King.
I also learned the Roman viewpoint of the fury of Boudicca, queen of the Iceni: "Dio Cassius later wrote, "All this ruin was brought upon the Romans by a woman, a fact which in itself caused them the greatest shame." pg 37, ebook. Silly Romans. Here's a historical fiction about Boudicca if you're interested: The Eagle and the Raven.
Doomed Queens includes plenty of puns and amusing witticisms. Take this passage from the chapter about Brunhilde: "... the queen of Austrasia incited a forty-year war between her realm and Neustria that made the Hatfields and the McCoys seem downright Merchant-Ivory. " pg 44-45, ebook.
Or in Sibyl of Jerusalem's entry: "Sibyl's marital history took on Liv Taylor proportions as she became engaged, married, widowed, and annulled in varying combinations. pg 53, book. Burn.
Recommended for readers interested in royal stories and unfortunate yet powerful females. Reluctant readers may enjoy Doomed Queens because of the short chapters and light-hearted delivery of some seriously sad history.
"While kings were also vulnerable to political upheaval... for the most part men pulled the strings at court. Therefore any woman blocking the way to power was a threat to be eliminated. Common ways to bump off an inconvenient consort included beheading, burning, drowning, poison, stabbing, strangling, starving, and forcing suicide." pg 8, ebook. Shocking, isn't it. One would think that a queen's power would afford her a measure of protection, but it didn't.
Here's one of the facts I learned: "Arsinoe's story has been overlooked in the face of her more successful older sister, Cleopatra... But in death, Arsinoe was buried with the queenly honors that had been denied her in life. Her remains were interred in a tomb in the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world." pg 31, ebook. If you'd like a historical fiction book about Arsinoe, may I suggest The Drowning King.
I also learned the Roman viewpoint of the fury of Boudicca, queen of the Iceni: "Dio Cassius later wrote, "All this ruin was brought upon the Romans by a woman, a fact which in itself caused them the greatest shame." pg 37, ebook. Silly Romans. Here's a historical fiction about Boudicca if you're interested: The Eagle and the Raven.
Doomed Queens includes plenty of puns and amusing witticisms. Take this passage from the chapter about Brunhilde: "... the queen of Austrasia incited a forty-year war between her realm and Neustria that made the Hatfields and the McCoys seem downright Merchant-Ivory. " pg 44-45, ebook.
Or in Sibyl of Jerusalem's entry: "Sibyl's marital history took on Liv Taylor proportions as she became engaged, married, widowed, and annulled in varying combinations. pg 53, book. Burn.
Recommended for readers interested in royal stories and unfortunate yet powerful females. Reluctant readers may enjoy Doomed Queens because of the short chapters and light-hearted delivery of some seriously sad history.
December 8, 2020
“Cautionary Moral: Don't let your heart overrule your head.”
― Kris Waldherr, Doomed Queens
This book is about just about every female royal who ever came to a bad end. Seriously they're all in here..and it might be worth it to take notes. Because there were so many I have never heard of I started getting a little lost.
It is best read by people who have an interest in the subject matter. I got referred to this book by a Goodreads friend, (Thanks Goodreads friend!)
The book really is not that long but manages to cover almost every queen you can possibly imagine.
It's a fun read but I did have to read it in small doses as there were to many Queens to handle in one sitting!
― Kris Waldherr, Doomed Queens
This book is about just about every female royal who ever came to a bad end. Seriously they're all in here..and it might be worth it to take notes. Because there were so many I have never heard of I started getting a little lost.
It is best read by people who have an interest in the subject matter. I got referred to this book by a Goodreads friend, (Thanks Goodreads friend!)
The book really is not that long but manages to cover almost every queen you can possibly imagine.
It's a fun read but I did have to read it in small doses as there were to many Queens to handle in one sitting!
February 19, 2015
Despite the perks of royalty, it's usually not good to be the queen.
And here are fifty examples of ladies who found that out the hard way!
First of all, this is a beautiful book. From the reapers decorating the endpapers to the sepia-toned print to the illustrations, many by the author, it's lovely to behold. And the flaps feature paper dolls - with removable heads! (Well, I guess technically, ALL paper dolls have removable heads... Man, I think I might have wasted my childhood!)
Throughout history, little has been valued as much as a male heir. And that's where the female steps up to the plate...or bedchamber. Or, as we learn in this book, the sacrificial altar.
No male heir? No problem! To avoid war, the powers that be send their daughters to sleep with their enemies and bear their children...
Like chess queens, women are moved about the game board but are sacrificed first to protect the king --- especially if their wombs prove infertile or they become too power hungry.
Here you will meet everyone from Queen Athaliah, 835 BCE. who was executed by the military to Diana Spencer, 1997, who was persecuted by the paparazzi.
The author employs an extremely tongue-in-cheek style in relating her tales of womanly woes. Her observations are droll and delightfully irreverent, occasionally bordering on the snarky. I loved it, but I imagine some readers might find it disrespectful. Anyone who refers to Rasputin as the Elmer Gantry on steroids of tsarist Russia and Prince Charles as scouring the social registry for a future queen whose knickers were clean of intrigue deserves an invitation to tea in my book.
Due to the nature of the topic, the book does tend to get a little repetitive, not to mention depressing, and is probably best taken one small chunk at a time. Still though, it was a riveting read and a great way to meet some gals who were guilty of little more than marrying the wrong man at the wrong time.
And here are fifty examples of ladies who found that out the hard way!
First of all, this is a beautiful book. From the reapers decorating the endpapers to the sepia-toned print to the illustrations, many by the author, it's lovely to behold. And the flaps feature paper dolls - with removable heads! (Well, I guess technically, ALL paper dolls have removable heads... Man, I think I might have wasted my childhood!)
Throughout history, little has been valued as much as a male heir. And that's where the female steps up to the plate...or bedchamber. Or, as we learn in this book, the sacrificial altar.
No male heir? No problem! To avoid war, the powers that be send their daughters to sleep with their enemies and bear their children...
Like chess queens, women are moved about the game board but are sacrificed first to protect the king --- especially if their wombs prove infertile or they become too power hungry.
Here you will meet everyone from Queen Athaliah, 835 BCE. who was executed by the military to Diana Spencer, 1997, who was persecuted by the paparazzi.
The author employs an extremely tongue-in-cheek style in relating her tales of womanly woes. Her observations are droll and delightfully irreverent, occasionally bordering on the snarky. I loved it, but I imagine some readers might find it disrespectful. Anyone who refers to Rasputin as the Elmer Gantry on steroids of tsarist Russia and Prince Charles as scouring the social registry for a future queen whose knickers were clean of intrigue deserves an invitation to tea in my book.
Due to the nature of the topic, the book does tend to get a little repetitive, not to mention depressing, and is probably best taken one small chunk at a time. Still though, it was a riveting read and a great way to meet some gals who were guilty of little more than marrying the wrong man at the wrong time.
May 13, 2019
Đối với một đứa mọt lịch sử như mình thì thấy cuốn này trong thư viện trường quốc tế nơi mình làm việc là mình phải mượn ngay về đọc :)) Cái tên cuốn sách nói lên tất cả rồi hen, “Doomed Queens” là “cuốn cẩm nang” tập hợp câu chuyện cuộc đời của 50 bà hoàng trong lịch sử thế giới (phần lớn là ở phương Tây) mà có kết cục không may mắn, thậm chí là bi kịch. “Bà hoàng” ở đây là tính cả Nữ hoàng, Hoàng hậu lẫn những người phụ nữ ở vị trí quyền lực nhưng chưa hoặc không phải là người đội vương miện quân vương (bởi vậy nên có cả Evita, hay Eva Perón – người phụ nữ nổi tiếng của chính trường Argentina, vợ của tổng thống Argentina Juan Perón, và Công nương Diana – Princess of Wales).
Tại sao những người phụ nữ trong cuốn sách này lại có kết cục không may, thậm chí là bi kịch? Đọc qua tóm tắt câu chuyện cuộc đời của họ, từ những bà hoàng giai đoạn trước Công nguyên (giai đoạn này được tính là thời Cổ đại đúng hông mấy chế?), cho đến Thời kỳ Tăm tối (Dark Ages), rồi Trung cổ (Middle Age), thời Phục hưng (Renaissance), thời Baroque, cho tới thời hiện đại, thì cũng đủ nhận ra những mô típ quen thuộc rồi. Ban đầu, khi nhắc đến doomed queens, mình nghĩ ngay tới Hoàng hậu Anh Anne Boleyn – người vợ thứ hai của Vua Henry VIII, rồi sau đó là Hoàng hậu Pháp Marie Antoinette – vợ của Vua Louis XVI (hình như là 2 người trên cái hình bìa sách luôn đó). Ai ngờ doomed queens trong lịch sử thế giới nhiều dữ vậy…
Vào giai đoạn trước Công nguyên và Thời kỳ Tăm tối, phụ nữ mang dòng máu hoàng gia, ở vị trí quyền lực dễ dàng bị giết hại, vì thời kỳ này đúng là giết người như ngóe thật, đặc biệt là mấy ông vua không ưa vợ mình nữa thì cho người xử luôn mà không bị trừng phạt gì. Phụ nữ ở hiền quá thì bị các thế lực chính trị triều chính khác giết hại để dọn đường cho âm mưu của họ, còn phụ nữ mà mạnh mẽ, tìm mọi cách vươn lên vị trí quyền lực, bao gồm cả giết hại người khác, thì sau này bị lật đổ không phải vì họ đã giết người, mà vì trong con mắt của người dân thời đó, họ không thể nào cai trị mà không có một người đàn ông bên cạnh (anti-feminism at its worst). Rồi có bà thì lên làm Nhiếp chính, cai trị đất nước giùm con trai bé bỏng của mình, xong rồi thấy mình làm được việc quá, cái ngồi luôn trên ngai, hông chịu xuống. Con nó lớn, nó nổi dậy đòi lại ngai vàng, haizzz…
Rồi chưa kể các tác nhân và rủi ro tự nhiên, như tai biến trong và sau khi sinh nở (đã cướp đi sinh mạng của gần 20% bà bầu ở thời Trung cổ, nghĩa là thời đó cứ 5 bà bầu sinh con thì hết 1 bà qua đời vì biến chứng thai sản), rồi bệnh dịch hoành hành… Phụ nữ thời đó ít phải ra trận để chiến đấu như đàn ông, nhưng không có nghĩa là ở hậu phương, họ được toàn mạng. Đủ thứ dịch bệnh khác nhau, mà khét tiếng nhất là dịch hạch “Cái Chết Đen” cũng đủ làm họ mất mạng rồi.
Mà quan trọng là cái nhìn của xã hội thời đó đối với phái nữ, xem họ như những “cổ tử cung biết đi”, cái nôi nắm giữ sự sống và trên tất cả là sự trường tồn, phát triển của một đế chế. Nếu không có phụ nữ cùng tử cung của họ thì làm gì có người thừa kế ngai vàng đúng hông? Cho nên là khi các bà Hoàng hậu không thực hiện được thiên chức của mình, đặc biệt là thiên chức sinh hạ CON TRAI cho nhà vua, thì có nước là phải biến mất để nhà vua kiếm vợ khác (2 người vợ đầu của Vua Henry VIII là Katherine of Aragon và Anne Boleyn đã phải chịu số phận đó đó…). Những bà nào kiên quyết chống lại cái chế độ và tư tưởng xem phụ nữ như những cỗ máy sinh sản để tạo nên thế hệ hoàng gia tiếp theo, thì chắc chắn là sẽ bị xử rồi…
Đã thế với sự ra đời của Salic law, quy định “the whole inheritance of the land shall come to the male sex”, thì thế quái nào phụ nữ được quyền thừa kế ngai vàng nè. Vì thế nên là biết bao cuộc tranh giành quyền bính, đổ máu trong lịch sử thế giới đã diễn ra, vì người thừa kế nam không có, chỉ còn nữ thôi, và thường các nữ nhân hoàng gia này sẽ trở thành con tốt thí cho tham vọng của những tên đàn ông muốn chiếm ngai vàng. À mà không cần tới mức “khủng hoảng người thừa kế” mà doomed queens mới xuất hiện, vì bản thân phụ nữ mang dòng máu hoàng gia cùng trinh tiết của họ ở thời xưa đã là một “sản vật” để đem ra “buôn bán đổi chác” giữa các ông vua, các đế chế để thiết lập các liên minh quân sự và chính trị rồi. Công chúa ngày xưa nào có được lựa chọn người mình sẽ kết hôn, mà toàn là cha mẹ đặt đâu con ngồi đó, nên cũng lắm bà hoàng gặp phải ông chồng thấy ghê, và kết cục bi kịch là điều không thể tránh khỏi.
Xong rồi tới thời kỳ Khai sáng (the Enlightenment), với sự ra đời của tư tưởng Jean-Jacques Rousseau, trao quyền cai trị lại cho nhân dân, tiến tới xóa bỏ chế độ quân chủ, thì tính mạng của các bà hoàng cũng bị đe dọa theo chồng. Marie Antoinette là một ví dụ quá điển hình cho việc phụ nữ “thân em mười hai bến nước, trong nhờ đục chịu” đó. Làm bà hoàng ở thời nào cũng dễ chết cả; ở thời của Marie Antoinette, bà theo chân chồng mình, trở thành “con dê tế thần” cho những nhà cách mạng cực đoan trút bỏ nỗi oán hận của họ lên cả một chế độ quân chủ và tầng lớp quý tộc. Rồi tới thời của Công nương Diana, chính truyền thông trở thành “chiếc máy chém – Madame la Guillotine” mới, rượt đuổi và soi mói từng cử động của bà, để rồi kết cục kinh hoàng đó là Công nương yêu dấu và cao quý của chúng ta đã qua đời trong một vụ tai nạn giao thông thảm khốc trong đường hầm ở thủ đô Paris, Pháp, khi tài xế say rượu và phóng nhanh để lẩn tránh đám paparazzi… Cái đoạn cuối của phần thông tin về Công nương Diana, khi anh của bà là Charles Spencer đọc một đoạn điếu văn trong đám tang của bà, đại ý là thật trớ trêu khi một người phụ nữ mang tên của Nữ thần Săn bắn, rốt cuộc lại là người phụ nữ bị săn đuổi nhiều nhất trong thời mà bà sống, đã khiến mình nổi da gà…
Nói chung đây là một cuốn sách khá thú vị, giới thiệu được rất nhiều tên tuổi các bà hoàng trong lịch sử thế giới mà mình chưa từng biết qua. Tuy nhiên, mình không chắc những kiến thức được trình bày trong này là đúng với sự thật lịch sử, đặc biệt là sau khi đọc qua những phần về các bà hoàng mình đã biết trước đó. Không biết có phải do dung lượng cho mỗi bà ít quá hay không, chỉ có chừng 2 – 3 trang, mà tác giả không thể đi sâu vào từng bà được, đưa ra thông tin kiểu cắt bớt một ít, không trình bày đầy đủ sự thật về mỗi bà, mà mình có cảm giác nhiều chỗ nó chưa được đúng lắm. Thêm cái cách viết hài hước siêu bựa nữa, ban đầu đọc thấy cũng vui vui, mà càng đọc thấy nhiều chỗ muốn dội, kiểu hơi bị thiếu tôn trọng các nhân vật lịch sử á. Cuốn này chắc dành cho teenager hoặc những người mới tìm hiểu về lịch sử đọc chắc hợp, chứ nếu muốn nghiêu cứu chuyên sâu, tìm hiểu kỹ về các bà hoàng này thì e là phải xem thêm rất nhiều phim tài liệu, đọc thêm nhiều sách khác nữa do các sử gia chân chính viết, thì mới mong có cái nhìn tổng quát và đầy đủ, đa chiều về các nhân vật này.
Tuy nhiên, cuốn sách vẫn mang đến cho mình kha khá các kiến thức mà mình (và dám cá là nhiều người) chưa từng biết đến bao giờ. Ví dụ như Alexander Đại đế - Đế vương nổi tiếng của vương quốc Macedonia – hóa ra là gay các bạn ạ. Việc ông kết hôn với nhiều người phụ nữ chỉ như một nước đi chính trị, để chinh phục trái tim của thần dân thuộc các vùng đất đã bị ông chinh phục. Còn chân ái của ông mãi mãi là người bạn thuở ấu thơ Hephaestion nhé. Mẹ ông đã từng đẩy ông vào vòng tay của một courtesan (dịch ra là “gái điếm hạng sang trong cung đình”) để mong “biến cong thành thẳng” (thời ấy đã có gay conversion therapy rồi cơ đấy), nhưng vô hiệu nha ^^ Chỉ tội nghiệp những người phụ nữ đã phải kết hôn với Alexander Đại đế vì mục đích chính trị, đơn cử là Hoàng hậu Roxane, chả có vui vẻ hạnh phúc được yêu thương gì hết, mà còn bị cuốn vào câu chuyện tranh giành quyền lực thảm khốc sau khi Alexander Đại đế qua đời…
À rồi hóa ra, Nữ hoàng Ai Cập cổ đại Cleopatra (một trong những vị Nữ hoàng Ai Cập mang tên này), vị quân vương cuối cùng của Ai Cập cổ đại, chính là con cháu của Alexander Đại đế đấy các bạn ạ. Cha ông tổ tiên của bà là Ptolemy – một người họ hàng của Alexander Đại đế - sau khi Alexander Đại đế mất, đã giành lấy phần đất Ai Cập mà Alexander đã chinh phục (kiểu Đại đế chết rồi mà không có con cháu trực hệ để nối dõi, thành ra các vùng đất mà ông đã chinh phục trở thành những miếng bánh ngon lành, được cắt xẻ ra để chia cho các họ hàng của ông). Và từ đó bắt đầu dòng họ Ptolemy cai trị Ai Cập cổ đại. Dòng họ này mang dòng máu Hy Lạp, cho nên là nếu các bạn thấy phim ảnh thể hiện hình tượng Cleopatra là một người phụ nữ da trắng thì cũng không phải là racist đâu nha, mà là đúng với lịch sử đó, vì bà không có chút xíu máu Ai Cập da ngăm gì đâu ^^ Dòng họ của bà xuất phát từ châu Âu mà :D Với cả trước khi Cleopatra lên ngôi, thì đã có người chị Berenice của bà giành lấy ngôi báu từ tay cha của họ, khi cha ra trận đánh giặc thì con ở nhà lên ngồi ngai vàng ấy mà :D, xong rồi ngồi luôn không chịu xuống, đến lúc cha về thì xử tử con gái mình luôn để giành lại ngôi báu (đụng tới chính trị và quyền lực thì méo có tình cha con máu mủ gì đâu nha, dám tiếm ngôi là xử hết…). Khi Berenice chết và cha của họ cũng chết thì Cleopatra được nối ngôi, cơ mà cô em gái Arsinoe của bà cũng không kém cạnh người chị lớn đâu, cũng nổi dậy đòi ngôi báu từ tay chị gái mình, mà may là Cleopatra trị được, nếu không thì đã chả có câu chuyện tình đầy bị kịch giữa Cleopatra và Marc Antony rồi nhỉ? (eh mà thiệt câu chuyện tình này không có diễm lệ như nhiều người nghĩ đâu, vì chính mối tình này đã bring out the worst in each person, dẫn tới sự diệt vong của cả một vương triều Ptolemy…).
P.S.: Sách trình bày đẹp lắm nha mấy chế, có hình ảnh, tranh vẽ minh họa, thiết kế các trang sách cực kỳ mang phong cách hoàng gia luôn, giấy thì dày dặn (bởi vậy mà có chừng gần 180 trang thôi mà sách khá nặng luôn á), nên phần hình thức là một điểm cộng rồi. Tuy nhiên, mình khá không ưa mấy phần quiz test khả năng nhớ bài đằng sau mỗi phần á, có mấy cái đáp án chả biết đâu ra luôn, lúc đọc làm gì có mấy thông tin đó, ấy vậy mà cũng được tính là đúng…
Tại sao những người phụ nữ trong cuốn sách này lại có kết cục không may, thậm chí là bi kịch? Đọc qua tóm tắt câu chuyện cuộc đời của họ, từ những bà hoàng giai đoạn trước Công nguyên (giai đoạn này được tính là thời Cổ đại đúng hông mấy chế?), cho đến Thời kỳ Tăm tối (Dark Ages), rồi Trung cổ (Middle Age), thời Phục hưng (Renaissance), thời Baroque, cho tới thời hiện đại, thì cũng đủ nhận ra những mô típ quen thuộc rồi. Ban đầu, khi nhắc đến doomed queens, mình nghĩ ngay tới Hoàng hậu Anh Anne Boleyn – người vợ thứ hai của Vua Henry VIII, rồi sau đó là Hoàng hậu Pháp Marie Antoinette – vợ của Vua Louis XVI (hình như là 2 người trên cái hình bìa sách luôn đó). Ai ngờ doomed queens trong lịch sử thế giới nhiều dữ vậy…
Vào giai đoạn trước Công nguyên và Thời kỳ Tăm tối, phụ nữ mang dòng máu hoàng gia, ở vị trí quyền lực dễ dàng bị giết hại, vì thời kỳ này đúng là giết người như ngóe thật, đặc biệt là mấy ông vua không ưa vợ mình nữa thì cho người xử luôn mà không bị trừng phạt gì. Phụ nữ ở hiền quá thì bị các thế lực chính trị triều chính khác giết hại để dọn đường cho âm mưu của họ, còn phụ nữ mà mạnh mẽ, tìm mọi cách vươn lên vị trí quyền lực, bao gồm cả giết hại người khác, thì sau này bị lật đổ không phải vì họ đã giết người, mà vì trong con mắt của người dân thời đó, họ không thể nào cai trị mà không có một người đàn ông bên cạnh (anti-feminism at its worst). Rồi có bà thì lên làm Nhiếp chính, cai trị đất nước giùm con trai bé bỏng của mình, xong rồi thấy mình làm được việc quá, cái ngồi luôn trên ngai, hông chịu xuống. Con nó lớn, nó nổi dậy đòi lại ngai vàng, haizzz…
Rồi chưa kể các tác nhân và rủi ro tự nhiên, như tai biến trong và sau khi sinh nở (đã cướp đi sinh mạng của gần 20% bà bầu ở thời Trung cổ, nghĩa là thời đó cứ 5 bà bầu sinh con thì hết 1 bà qua đời vì biến chứng thai sản), rồi bệnh dịch hoành hành… Phụ nữ thời đó ít phải ra trận để chiến đấu như đàn ông, nhưng không có nghĩa là ở hậu phương, họ được toàn mạng. Đủ thứ dịch bệnh khác nhau, mà khét tiếng nhất là dịch hạch “Cái Chết Đen” cũng đủ làm họ mất mạng rồi.
Mà quan trọng là cái nhìn của xã hội thời đó đối với phái nữ, xem họ như những “cổ tử cung biết đi”, cái nôi nắm giữ sự sống và trên tất cả là sự trường tồn, phát triển của một đế chế. Nếu không có phụ nữ cùng tử cung của họ thì làm gì có người thừa kế ngai vàng đúng hông? Cho nên là khi các bà Hoàng hậu không thực hiện được thiên chức của mình, đặc biệt là thiên chức sinh hạ CON TRAI cho nhà vua, thì có nước là phải biến mất để nhà vua kiếm vợ khác (2 người vợ đầu của Vua Henry VIII là Katherine of Aragon và Anne Boleyn đã phải chịu số phận đó đó…). Những bà nào kiên quyết chống lại cái chế độ và tư tưởng xem phụ nữ như những cỗ máy sinh sản để tạo nên thế hệ hoàng gia tiếp theo, thì chắc chắn là sẽ bị xử rồi…
Đã thế với sự ra đời của Salic law, quy định “the whole inheritance of the land shall come to the male sex”, thì thế quái nào phụ nữ được quyền thừa kế ngai vàng nè. Vì thế nên là biết bao cuộc tranh giành quyền bính, đổ máu trong lịch sử thế giới đã diễn ra, vì người thừa kế nam không có, chỉ còn nữ thôi, và thường các nữ nhân hoàng gia này sẽ trở thành con tốt thí cho tham vọng của những tên đàn ông muốn chiếm ngai vàng. À mà không cần tới mức “khủng hoảng người thừa kế” mà doomed queens mới xuất hiện, vì bản thân phụ nữ mang dòng máu hoàng gia cùng trinh tiết của họ ở thời xưa đã là một “sản vật” để đem ra “buôn bán đổi chác” giữa các ông vua, các đế chế để thiết lập các liên minh quân sự và chính trị rồi. Công chúa ngày xưa nào có được lựa chọn người mình sẽ kết hôn, mà toàn là cha mẹ đặt đâu con ngồi đó, nên cũng lắm bà hoàng gặp phải ông chồng thấy ghê, và kết cục bi kịch là điều không thể tránh khỏi.
Xong rồi tới thời kỳ Khai sáng (the Enlightenment), với sự ra đời của tư tưởng Jean-Jacques Rousseau, trao quyền cai trị lại cho nhân dân, tiến tới xóa bỏ chế độ quân chủ, thì tính mạng của các bà hoàng cũng bị đe dọa theo chồng. Marie Antoinette là một ví dụ quá điển hình cho việc phụ nữ “thân em mười hai bến nước, trong nhờ đục chịu” đó. Làm bà hoàng ở thời nào cũng dễ chết cả; ở thời của Marie Antoinette, bà theo chân chồng mình, trở thành “con dê tế thần” cho những nhà cách mạng cực đoan trút bỏ nỗi oán hận của họ lên cả một chế độ quân chủ và tầng lớp quý tộc. Rồi tới thời của Công nương Diana, chính truyền thông trở thành “chiếc máy chém – Madame la Guillotine” mới, rượt đuổi và soi mói từng cử động của bà, để rồi kết cục kinh hoàng đó là Công nương yêu dấu và cao quý của chúng ta đã qua đời trong một vụ tai nạn giao thông thảm khốc trong đường hầm ở thủ đô Paris, Pháp, khi tài xế say rượu và phóng nhanh để lẩn tránh đám paparazzi… Cái đoạn cuối của phần thông tin về Công nương Diana, khi anh của bà là Charles Spencer đọc một đoạn điếu văn trong đám tang của bà, đại ý là thật trớ trêu khi một người phụ nữ mang tên của Nữ thần Săn bắn, rốt cuộc lại là người phụ nữ bị săn đuổi nhiều nhất trong thời mà bà sống, đã khiến mình nổi da gà…
Nói chung đây là một cuốn sách khá thú vị, giới thiệu được rất nhiều tên tuổi các bà hoàng trong lịch sử thế giới mà mình chưa từng biết qua. Tuy nhiên, mình không chắc những kiến thức được trình bày trong này là đúng với sự thật lịch sử, đặc biệt là sau khi đọc qua những phần về các bà hoàng mình đã biết trước đó. Không biết có phải do dung lượng cho mỗi bà ít quá hay không, chỉ có chừng 2 – 3 trang, mà tác giả không thể đi sâu vào từng bà được, đưa ra thông tin kiểu cắt bớt một ít, không trình bày đầy đủ sự thật về mỗi bà, mà mình có cảm giác nhiều chỗ nó chưa được đúng lắm. Thêm cái cách viết hài hước siêu bựa nữa, ban đầu đọc thấy cũng vui vui, mà càng đọc thấy nhiều chỗ muốn dội, kiểu hơi bị thiếu tôn trọng các nhân vật lịch sử á. Cuốn này chắc dành cho teenager hoặc những người mới tìm hiểu về lịch sử đọc chắc hợp, chứ nếu muốn nghiêu cứu chuyên sâu, tìm hiểu kỹ về các bà hoàng này thì e là phải xem thêm rất nhiều phim tài liệu, đọc thêm nhiều sách khác nữa do các sử gia chân chính viết, thì mới mong có cái nhìn tổng quát và đầy đủ, đa chiều về các nhân vật này.
Tuy nhiên, cuốn sách vẫn mang đến cho mình kha khá các kiến thức mà mình (và dám cá là nhiều người) chưa từng biết đến bao giờ. Ví dụ như Alexander Đại đế - Đế vương nổi tiếng của vương quốc Macedonia – hóa ra là gay các bạn ạ. Việc ông kết hôn với nhiều người phụ nữ chỉ như một nước đi chính trị, để chinh phục trái tim của thần dân thuộc các vùng đất đã bị ông chinh phục. Còn chân ái của ông mãi mãi là người bạn thuở ấu thơ Hephaestion nhé. Mẹ ông đã từng đẩy ông vào vòng tay của một courtesan (dịch ra là “gái điếm hạng sang trong cung đình”) để mong “biến cong thành thẳng” (thời ấy đã có gay conversion therapy rồi cơ đấy), nhưng vô hiệu nha ^^ Chỉ tội nghiệp những người phụ nữ đã phải kết hôn với Alexander Đại đế vì mục đích chính trị, đơn cử là Hoàng hậu Roxane, chả có vui vẻ hạnh phúc được yêu thương gì hết, mà còn bị cuốn vào câu chuyện tranh giành quyền lực thảm khốc sau khi Alexander Đại đế qua đời…
À rồi hóa ra, Nữ hoàng Ai Cập cổ đại Cleopatra (một trong những vị Nữ hoàng Ai Cập mang tên này), vị quân vương cuối cùng của Ai Cập cổ đại, chính là con cháu của Alexander Đại đế đấy các bạn ạ. Cha ông tổ tiên của bà là Ptolemy – một người họ hàng của Alexander Đại đế - sau khi Alexander Đại đế mất, đã giành lấy phần đất Ai Cập mà Alexander đã chinh phục (kiểu Đại đế chết rồi mà không có con cháu trực hệ để nối dõi, thành ra các vùng đất mà ông đã chinh phục trở thành những miếng bánh ngon lành, được cắt xẻ ra để chia cho các họ hàng của ông). Và từ đó bắt đầu dòng họ Ptolemy cai trị Ai Cập cổ đại. Dòng họ này mang dòng máu Hy Lạp, cho nên là nếu các bạn thấy phim ảnh thể hiện hình tượng Cleopatra là một người phụ nữ da trắng thì cũng không phải là racist đâu nha, mà là đúng với lịch sử đó, vì bà không có chút xíu máu Ai Cập da ngăm gì đâu ^^ Dòng họ của bà xuất phát từ châu Âu mà :D Với cả trước khi Cleopatra lên ngôi, thì đã có người chị Berenice của bà giành lấy ngôi báu từ tay cha của họ, khi cha ra trận đánh giặc thì con ở nhà lên ngồi ngai vàng ấy mà :D, xong rồi ngồi luôn không chịu xuống, đến lúc cha về thì xử tử con gái mình luôn để giành lại ngôi báu (đụng tới chính trị và quyền lực thì méo có tình cha con máu mủ gì đâu nha, dám tiếm ngôi là xử hết…). Khi Berenice chết và cha của họ cũng chết thì Cleopatra được nối ngôi, cơ mà cô em gái Arsinoe của bà cũng không kém cạnh người chị lớn đâu, cũng nổi dậy đòi ngôi báu từ tay chị gái mình, mà may là Cleopatra trị được, nếu không thì đã chả có câu chuyện tình đầy bị kịch giữa Cleopatra và Marc Antony rồi nhỉ? (eh mà thiệt câu chuyện tình này không có diễm lệ như nhiều người nghĩ đâu, vì chính mối tình này đã bring out the worst in each person, dẫn tới sự diệt vong của cả một vương triều Ptolemy…).
P.S.: Sách trình bày đẹp lắm nha mấy chế, có hình ảnh, tranh vẽ minh họa, thiết kế các trang sách cực kỳ mang phong cách hoàng gia luôn, giấy thì dày dặn (bởi vậy mà có chừng gần 180 trang thôi mà sách khá nặng luôn á), nên phần hình thức là một điểm cộng rồi. Tuy nhiên, mình khá không ưa mấy phần quiz test khả năng nhớ bài đằng sau mỗi phần á, có mấy cái đáp án chả biết đâu ra luôn, lúc đọc làm gì có mấy thông tin đó, ấy vậy mà cũng được tính là đúng…
January 24, 2009
This fun little book detailing the lives - and more importantly deaths - of fifty queens. While the book does talk about Anne Boleyn and Maria Antoinette, you could also see some names almost swept away by history like Cleopatra's sister. Written with a wry sense of humor with multiple choice tests to quiz what the reader remembers and the odd anecdote here and there, this book can enchant the history buff.
January 1, 2012
While I learned about some women I had never heard of before, I noticed some glaring inaccuracies in the chapters about some of the ones I had, most notably Queen Joan of Naples. The book was also a little too gimmicky and I'm not sure what age group it was intended for? I did like the author's drawings and the quotes she used from the Doomed Queens themselves. Some chapters were definitely better than others. The chapters on Cleopatra's sisters Berenice and Arsinoe being two of the better ones. I'm wavering between giving it two or three stars, so I'm just going to give it three as there's no 2 1/2. Plus it is rather pretty and it is a book I am going to keep for the quotes and to remind me to look up more about the women I had never heard of before or just knew in name.
December 10, 2017
Fun, quick read about 50 queens and princesses- each person taking up usually the most of 2 pages.
Not sure the age range for this one- since the quizzes at the end were really silly. Also, at times the wry sense of humor I felt was a little much and rolled my eyes quite a bit. Wish this had a little bit more information rather than the constant sarcastic jabs.
Beautiful book though- the flaps has cut out dolls and there are skulls, reapers, and incredible artwork throughout.
Not sure the age range for this one- since the quizzes at the end were really silly. Also, at times the wry sense of humor I felt was a little much and rolled my eyes quite a bit. Wish this had a little bit more information rather than the constant sarcastic jabs.
Beautiful book though- the flaps has cut out dolls and there are skulls, reapers, and incredible artwork throughout.
July 8, 2023
*Borrowed on Kobo*
This book is fantastic! It's a quick but really interesting read. It also extremely factually correct, and funny. You don't have just the "usual" suspects.
This goes all the way back to some of the very first Queens. It's great. I am going to buy it.
This book is fantastic! It's a quick but really interesting read. It also extremely factually correct, and funny. You don't have just the "usual" suspects.
This goes all the way back to some of the very first Queens. It's great. I am going to buy it.
November 12, 2014
When you play at being a peasant, you risk being killed by one.
This was a fun book! Along with the usual biographies and methods-of-death for these once supreme leading ladies, the reader can also cut out Doomed Queens paper dolls, answer quizzes, download backgrounds for the dolls, and discover what type of Doomed Queen you might be. This is as interactive as a p-book can get.
It's not as though I enjoy reading about royal damsels who lost their lives and/or kingdoms, but this is such a beautifully put together book, I must say I rather enjoyed the tales of woe. While we might know of Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary Queen of Scots, there were so many others who don't immediately come to mind when one says, "Doomed! They are doomed!".
Justice served late doesn't remedy death served early.
For instance, Gertrude of Meran was murdered by jealous Hungarian nobles who blamed her for the King's transfer of lands to the people. Poor Gertrude. Her husband didn't want to upset those evil aristocrats, so he simply re-married. But decades later, when her son came to power, well watch out you bad, bad killers. Little Bela patiently tracked them down, one by one. A little late for Gertrude, but justice was truly served.
Look before you leap onto the throne.
Then there was Oghul Ghaimish. This woman was the wife of the leader of the Mongol Empire, so she thought she was tough doody. When he died of too much drink, Oghul had to fight off the claims of yet another grandson of the Great Genghis...and he won. Being a woman, she was accused of being a witch and forced to commit suicide.
Kris Waldherr has designed a book full of fact and whimsy (in the illustrations). I certainly went to her website to see her Doomed Queens playing cards and other items perfect for a holiday stocking or two.
Book Season = Autumn (don't run from destiny)
This was a fun book! Along with the usual biographies and methods-of-death for these once supreme leading ladies, the reader can also cut out Doomed Queens paper dolls, answer quizzes, download backgrounds for the dolls, and discover what type of Doomed Queen you might be. This is as interactive as a p-book can get.
It's not as though I enjoy reading about royal damsels who lost their lives and/or kingdoms, but this is such a beautifully put together book, I must say I rather enjoyed the tales of woe. While we might know of Marie Antoinette, Anne Boleyn, and Mary Queen of Scots, there were so many others who don't immediately come to mind when one says, "Doomed! They are doomed!".
Justice served late doesn't remedy death served early.
For instance, Gertrude of Meran was murdered by jealous Hungarian nobles who blamed her for the King's transfer of lands to the people. Poor Gertrude. Her husband didn't want to upset those evil aristocrats, so he simply re-married. But decades later, when her son came to power, well watch out you bad, bad killers. Little Bela patiently tracked them down, one by one. A little late for Gertrude, but justice was truly served.
Look before you leap onto the throne.
Then there was Oghul Ghaimish. This woman was the wife of the leader of the Mongol Empire, so she thought she was tough doody. When he died of too much drink, Oghul had to fight off the claims of yet another grandson of the Great Genghis...and he won. Being a woman, she was accused of being a witch and forced to commit suicide.
Kris Waldherr has designed a book full of fact and whimsy (in the illustrations). I certainly went to her website to see her Doomed Queens playing cards and other items perfect for a holiday stocking or two.
Book Season = Autumn (don't run from destiny)
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October 1, 2015
I don't even know how I found this. Probably browsing through the Goodreads recommendation section. But this was a great read. If you want an in depth historical account of each queen - look elsewhere, this has just enough information to get the point across and give the reader a good idea of what happened.
And for all those little girls who dreamed of being a princess? This is what could happen! Yikes.
And for all those little girls who dreamed of being a princess? This is what could happen! Yikes.
January 1, 2018
“Women have been called queens for a long time, but the kingdom given them isn't worth ruling.” -Louisa May Alcott
One of my 2018 reading resolutions is to read more non-fiction books, and this was just the kind of I was wanting to read to start off the new year! This book goes over 50 doomed queens throughout history, giving a brief overview and summary of their lives and what brought their demise. From this book I now have a better idea of who I want to read more about throughout the rest of the year, and look forward to learning more about some of these women in history!
October 24, 2019
I love this condensed history book! This book travels through history, and doesn't just talk about the typical doomed queens (Cleopatra, Princess Diana, etc). It is also hilarious, and I love the little 'quizzes' at the end of each chapter.
December 8, 2009
Check out DOOMED QUEENS...
The holidays are approaching, soon the weather will cool down, and there will be nothing you want to do more than lay around in your best gown, your necks and fingers dripping with opulence as you sip exotic hot teas and cocoas. When you find this time for yourself this month you need to have a copy in-hand of Doomed Queens: Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di .
It is the type of book that, as you approach those last pages you think, "oh my! How can I possibly make these last six pages last longer! How can it be over so soon!" Well that is basically the basis of Doomed Queens. Author Kris Waldherr has presented us with 50 fabulous Queens, who may have found themselves asking -"oh my! How can I possibly make these days last longer! How can it be over so soon!"
If you enjoyed the exciting ride through history in Black Adder V - Back and Forth, and the juicy bits of history on both Marie Antoinette’s
and Georgiana's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century, I know you will stay seated for the tour through the lives of Doomed Queens. For a moment you will dip into the life of a Queen. You do not stay for long, but long enough to know her. Each Queen you visit is fascinating in her own way and her story is capped off with a humorous 'Cautionary Moral' to help us make better informed decisions in our own fabulous lives.
On top of that Waldherr has illustrated the book, and the imagery and "Graphics Key" are excellent. Oh *bonus* the front and back cover are designed with miniature paper dolls of select Queens. Idea for using as classy bookmarks!
The holidays are approaching, soon the weather will cool down, and there will be nothing you want to do more than lay around in your best gown, your necks and fingers dripping with opulence as you sip exotic hot teas and cocoas. When you find this time for yourself this month you need to have a copy in-hand of Doomed Queens: Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di .
It is the type of book that, as you approach those last pages you think, "oh my! How can I possibly make these last six pages last longer! How can it be over so soon!" Well that is basically the basis of Doomed Queens. Author Kris Waldherr has presented us with 50 fabulous Queens, who may have found themselves asking -"oh my! How can I possibly make these days last longer! How can it be over so soon!"
If you enjoyed the exciting ride through history in Black Adder V - Back and Forth, and the juicy bits of history on both Marie Antoinette’s
and Georgiana's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century, I know you will stay seated for the tour through the lives of Doomed Queens. For a moment you will dip into the life of a Queen. You do not stay for long, but long enough to know her. Each Queen you visit is fascinating in her own way and her story is capped off with a humorous 'Cautionary Moral' to help us make better informed decisions in our own fabulous lives.
On top of that Waldherr has illustrated the book, and the imagery and "Graphics Key" are excellent. Oh *bonus* the front and back cover are designed with miniature paper dolls of select Queens. Idea for using as classy bookmarks!
January 4, 2010
(I had this marked for the wrong book: Doomed Queen Anne instead of Doomed Queens, so this review is just a correction.) Not as good as I was led to believe or expected, this book covers the deaths and events leading to the deaths of queens and other female royalty over the centuries. Each queen is given only a page or two, so the history is very superficial. In addition, the flippancy which is meant to be humorous just doesn't work. A bit of interesting trivia, but I don't recommend it.
July 1, 2013
I loved this. Short, snarky, punchy, irreverent, all those others adjectives - I'm sure plenty of people trash it for that, the ones who can't bear to have history taken from its sacred pedestal and made relatable and humorous and relevant to (gasp!) pop culture. Whatever. I disagreed with a few bits of trivia (like Mary Boleyn's kids being Henry's bastards), but the writer clearly states in the intro AND the notes that, when faced with conflicting evidence, she went for the more salacious version. It's not meant to be meaty analysis - it's an appetizer tray of funky little tidbits. I wish I could write blog posts this entertaining.
Plus: paper dolls, dude. Paper dolls.
Plus: paper dolls, dude. Paper dolls.
June 8, 2016
What a lovely, entertaining book! But really, it's a fun book about a sad subject. I was interested in many of these women beforehand but after it, I discovered many more I wish to read about so kudos, Kris Waldherr! Also, I especially loved the illustriations and mini quizzes at the end of the chapters and the one at the end. I got: "10 to 19 points: Blue blood or no, you are more regal than most. Use your powers for good." So that's nice.
August 3, 2011
This is a great idea, but it would have actually been a reliable book if a majority of it wasn't based on "popular" history (generalizations and vague ideas that stem from historical propaganda instead of historical fact)and actually based off some truth. I suppose the drama with these quasi-historical skits are good to help someone learn some history in an entertaining way though.
July 8, 2015
This is my kind of history book! Short, to the point & full of fun info. Kris Waldherr also has a sassy writing style which I love. Similar to Michael Farquhar, who I also adore.
March 2, 2015
Kris Waldherr's book, where history meets humor, profiles around 50 royals who didn't quite meet a hunky dory end. The book follows them over a period when incest, killing your spouse, matricide and filicide seem to be in vogue: all for the lure of throne. While being doomed, either by fate or by their own deeds, was the common denominator, some of these women grabbed my attention more than the rest. Accordingly, I took notes:
Olympias (316 BCE) : Crazy queen part 1. Mother of Alexander the Great. This crazy woman was crazy about snakes. Not just that, she was extremely cunning and violent and a fan of god Dionysus and his eccentric rituals. "Philip grew uncomfortable with her zeal and cut off marital relations after he found her sleeping next to a serpent." Total WTF moment for husband King Philip. Olympias wasn't any Bella Swan to cry over her breakup. Instead, she successfully plotted murder of Philip and his second wife and roasted the two little stepchildren to death! It was only after Alexander's illness which followed his death at 33, Queen Olympias was executed by Alexander's successor. The author cautions: Religion can take you only so far.
Roxane (309 BCE): Queen to Alexander the Great. Now, Alexander was gay and in deep shit love with childhood buddy Hephaestion. "Olympias did everything she could to discourage their intense attachment. She even sent her son a famed courtesan, to ease him into heterosexuality. But Alexander refused to do the deed with her". So, Roxane's marital life was foredoomed. Apparently before dying, Alexander felt the need to impregnate Roxane with a son. Neither Roxane nor her son lived too long as they were poisoned by Cassander, who was eyeing Alexander's throne. The cautionary moral? "Don't marry a man in love with another man".
Anula (42 BCE) : Crazy Queen part 2. Sri Lankan Queen Anula of Anuradhapura’s hobby was to mate with a common man (like palace guard , carpenter, woodcutter, palace priest), make him king and then when bored, fall for someone else and hence kill the present husband. But first, she poisoned her husband King Coranaga after 12 years of marriage when she fell for the palace guard, Siva. Then she poisoned Coranaga’s successor, Tissa, and made Siva the new king. It was a only a year or so when Siva was poisoned by Anula when she fell for the carpenter. And the cycle continued until after the death of her last consort when she decided to reign herself, keeping 32 palace guards for her sexual needs! But within four months she was slayed for good by a rival army. The reign of Anula is recorded in Mahavamsa, a chronicle of Sri Lanka’s history written by Buddhist monks. Mind f*****!
Cleopatra (30 BCE) : Last Pharaoh of the Ptolemain dynasty but ruled as queen of Egypt for more than 20 years, thanks to her Aphrodite like charm and beauty. In brief, Cleopatra, 17, was meant to corule Egypt along with Ptolemy XIII, 10, her husband-brother. But Ptolemy wanted all of it , so, Cleopatra was sent to desert where she plotted against Ptolemy by gathering an army. It was a cake walk for Cleopatra to woo middle aged Julius Caesar. Apparently, good sex can solve a lot of problems. Cleopatra got Caesar’s army and soon Ptolemy was dethroned and Cleopatra was Queen and mother of Little Caesar. Then it was Ides of March. Then Cleopatra and Mark Antony happened. More hot sex. In the end of all, to avoid capture by Octavian, Caesar’s successor, Antony stabbed himself. Cleopatra was innovative with her suicide. Some say she made herself get bitten by a poisonous snake.
Catherine of Aragon (1536): To gain political powers, Catherine’s parents wed her to Arthur, Prince of Wales. After 4 months, she was widowed. King Henry VIII, Arthur’s younger brother, married Catherine. Things were okay between them until the time it was clear to Henry that Catherine can never give him a male heir. Their only surviving child was Mary, who would grow up to become “Bloody Mary” for executing a lot of Protestant supporters. In the meantime, Henry went crazy about Anne Boleyn (Anne instead loved Henry Percy) and wanted to divorce Catherine and marry Anne, a Protestant, which pissed off the Catholics. Nevertheless, Catherine died at the age of 50 after being confined to some faraway castle.
Anne Boleyn (1536): The author quips “Henry had more wives than most of his contemporaries had horses- and their horses had safer lives.” This is obviously because King Henry VIII thought it was cool to behead his wives after he got tired of them. The first wife to lose her head was Anne which made her pretty famous. According to Henry, Anne was an adulteress and plotting to kill him. She was also accused of witchcraft, men’s favorite allegation against wise women from ages. The more blatant truth was that even Anne couldn’t give birth to a male heir and Henry wanted to bed the next lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. But Anne gave birth to Elizabeth 1 , who was perhaps more kickass than any man could have been from Tudor.
Jane Seymour(1537) : King Henry VIII married The Plain Jane after 11 days of Anne’s execution. “After the brilliant and beautiful but tempestuous Anne Boleyn, Henry found Jane a soothing change.” “Henry deemed Jane his only “true wife,” presumably because she provided him with an heir and then died before he tired of her. He arranged to be buried next to her. As for his son Edward, he already knew Greek and Latin by his seventh birthday. Alas, Edward’s brain was stronger than his body—he died at the age of fifteen from tuberculosis.”
Catherine Howard (1542): Henry’s 5th wife (Henry’s 4th wife, Anne of Cleves, got divorced because Henry found her sexually unattractive). Henry was sexually more than happy with Catherine, who was 30 years younger to him. However, it was soon discovered that Catherine wasn’t quite satisfied with this sugar daddy scenario when she had an affair which made her join Anne Boleyn’s fate.
Mary Stuart (1587): Queen Mary of Scots. Queen Elizabeth 1 ‘s cousin. Elizabeth, fearing that Mary could be the cause of her death, restored her peace of mind by imprisoning Mary for years and then finally beheading her.
Mangammal (1704) : Other than Mumtaz Mahal, the book has another Indian Queen: Queen Mangammal of Madurai who decided against being sati after her husband’s death. She ruled over Madurai and gained popularity and then refused to give away her powers to her grandson when he came of age to rule. This brought her doom. It is believed that her grandson and his generals imprisoned her and then starved her to death.
Some of the Queens were meh but even apart from the above mentioned ones, there were far many more anecdotes which made this book quite a hearty read!
Olympias (316 BCE) : Crazy queen part 1. Mother of Alexander the Great. This crazy woman was crazy about snakes. Not just that, she was extremely cunning and violent and a fan of god Dionysus and his eccentric rituals. "Philip grew uncomfortable with her zeal and cut off marital relations after he found her sleeping next to a serpent." Total WTF moment for husband King Philip. Olympias wasn't any Bella Swan to cry over her breakup. Instead, she successfully plotted murder of Philip and his second wife and roasted the two little stepchildren to death! It was only after Alexander's illness which followed his death at 33, Queen Olympias was executed by Alexander's successor. The author cautions: Religion can take you only so far.
Roxane (309 BCE): Queen to Alexander the Great. Now, Alexander was gay and in deep shit love with childhood buddy Hephaestion. "Olympias did everything she could to discourage their intense attachment. She even sent her son a famed courtesan, to ease him into heterosexuality. But Alexander refused to do the deed with her". So, Roxane's marital life was foredoomed. Apparently before dying, Alexander felt the need to impregnate Roxane with a son. Neither Roxane nor her son lived too long as they were poisoned by Cassander, who was eyeing Alexander's throne. The cautionary moral? "Don't marry a man in love with another man".
Anula (42 BCE) : Crazy Queen part 2. Sri Lankan Queen Anula of Anuradhapura’s hobby was to mate with a common man (like palace guard , carpenter, woodcutter, palace priest), make him king and then when bored, fall for someone else and hence kill the present husband. But first, she poisoned her husband King Coranaga after 12 years of marriage when she fell for the palace guard, Siva. Then she poisoned Coranaga’s successor, Tissa, and made Siva the new king. It was a only a year or so when Siva was poisoned by Anula when she fell for the carpenter. And the cycle continued until after the death of her last consort when she decided to reign herself, keeping 32 palace guards for her sexual needs! But within four months she was slayed for good by a rival army. The reign of Anula is recorded in Mahavamsa, a chronicle of Sri Lanka’s history written by Buddhist monks. Mind f*****!
Cleopatra (30 BCE) : Last Pharaoh of the Ptolemain dynasty but ruled as queen of Egypt for more than 20 years, thanks to her Aphrodite like charm and beauty. In brief, Cleopatra, 17, was meant to corule Egypt along with Ptolemy XIII, 10, her husband-brother. But Ptolemy wanted all of it , so, Cleopatra was sent to desert where she plotted against Ptolemy by gathering an army. It was a cake walk for Cleopatra to woo middle aged Julius Caesar. Apparently, good sex can solve a lot of problems. Cleopatra got Caesar’s army and soon Ptolemy was dethroned and Cleopatra was Queen and mother of Little Caesar. Then it was Ides of March. Then Cleopatra and Mark Antony happened. More hot sex. In the end of all, to avoid capture by Octavian, Caesar’s successor, Antony stabbed himself. Cleopatra was innovative with her suicide. Some say she made herself get bitten by a poisonous snake.
Catherine of Aragon (1536): To gain political powers, Catherine’s parents wed her to Arthur, Prince of Wales. After 4 months, she was widowed. King Henry VIII, Arthur’s younger brother, married Catherine. Things were okay between them until the time it was clear to Henry that Catherine can never give him a male heir. Their only surviving child was Mary, who would grow up to become “Bloody Mary” for executing a lot of Protestant supporters. In the meantime, Henry went crazy about Anne Boleyn (Anne instead loved Henry Percy) and wanted to divorce Catherine and marry Anne, a Protestant, which pissed off the Catholics. Nevertheless, Catherine died at the age of 50 after being confined to some faraway castle.
Anne Boleyn (1536): The author quips “Henry had more wives than most of his contemporaries had horses- and their horses had safer lives.” This is obviously because King Henry VIII thought it was cool to behead his wives after he got tired of them. The first wife to lose her head was Anne which made her pretty famous. According to Henry, Anne was an adulteress and plotting to kill him. She was also accused of witchcraft, men’s favorite allegation against wise women from ages. The more blatant truth was that even Anne couldn’t give birth to a male heir and Henry wanted to bed the next lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. But Anne gave birth to Elizabeth 1 , who was perhaps more kickass than any man could have been from Tudor.
Jane Seymour(1537) : King Henry VIII married The Plain Jane after 11 days of Anne’s execution. “After the brilliant and beautiful but tempestuous Anne Boleyn, Henry found Jane a soothing change.” “Henry deemed Jane his only “true wife,” presumably because she provided him with an heir and then died before he tired of her. He arranged to be buried next to her. As for his son Edward, he already knew Greek and Latin by his seventh birthday. Alas, Edward’s brain was stronger than his body—he died at the age of fifteen from tuberculosis.”
Catherine Howard (1542): Henry’s 5th wife (Henry’s 4th wife, Anne of Cleves, got divorced because Henry found her sexually unattractive). Henry was sexually more than happy with Catherine, who was 30 years younger to him. However, it was soon discovered that Catherine wasn’t quite satisfied with this sugar daddy scenario when she had an affair which made her join Anne Boleyn’s fate.
Mary Stuart (1587): Queen Mary of Scots. Queen Elizabeth 1 ‘s cousin. Elizabeth, fearing that Mary could be the cause of her death, restored her peace of mind by imprisoning Mary for years and then finally beheading her.
Mangammal (1704) : Other than Mumtaz Mahal, the book has another Indian Queen: Queen Mangammal of Madurai who decided against being sati after her husband’s death. She ruled over Madurai and gained popularity and then refused to give away her powers to her grandson when he came of age to rule. This brought her doom. It is believed that her grandson and his generals imprisoned her and then starved her to death.
Some of the Queens were meh but even apart from the above mentioned ones, there were far many more anecdotes which made this book quite a hearty read!
February 13, 2018
I'm a little conflicted. I LOVE this book. It is interesting and hilariously written - sometimes I feel bad for laughing when I remember that the story is actually really sad. I love that this told stories I knew in a concise, interesting way and introduced me to new stories and women I'd never heard of.
BUT sometimes the chapters were bogged down by a lot of (necessary) lineage that can be confusing if you aren't at least a little familiar with what's going on. I imagine, though, that most people who are interested in this book are choosing it because they already have some background knowledge. If you're into big-deal women from history - pick this book.
BUT sometimes the chapters were bogged down by a lot of (necessary) lineage that can be confusing if you aren't at least a little familiar with what's going on. I imagine, though, that most people who are interested in this book are choosing it because they already have some background knowledge. If you're into big-deal women from history - pick this book.
April 15, 2017
A fascinating book! Kris Waldherr's Doomed Queens: Royal Woman Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di presentation of women who are queens or who are to become queens but who "met bad ends" is short and to the point, the language used by the author is not formal, the illustrations include skeletons with crowns, and there is a short "digression" here and there with items of interest. I learned quite a bit of information. Definitely, my kind of non-fiction book! Love the illustrations!
January 28, 2022
I know I shouldn't laugh at their demise but I did. 😭 Informative and straight to the point. I loved reading about these queens, albeit their time on earth was made to look like hell because of the men around them.
May 19, 2024
If you want to get an idea of what happened to some of the world's queens and queen consorts over the centuries, this is worth a read. It covers a range of women from biblical times up to the late 20th century. Told in a witty informative manner, this is, nonetheless, worthy of reading.
August 27, 2020
Loses points for historical inaccuracies. Waldherr said it was her "most research-intensive book to date," but there were mistakes regarding basic information.
April 8, 2019
Interesting read
June 27, 2021
that was thoroughly enjoyable and very enlightening.
June 9, 2024
I was into non fiction, particularly into historical women's biographies, so I thought it the right time to read this book!
I loved that it was organised chronologically and that some of the women depicted here I didn't know; I also loved that it was quite diverse and it made me want to read even more about some of these forgotten women.
I might have had a hard time with the way the book was written at some point - some sentences were a bit too "slack", for lack of a better word; but it didn't spoil my reading experience and I got used to it at some point.
I loved the illustrations throughout the book!
I loved that it was organised chronologically and that some of the women depicted here I didn't know; I also loved that it was quite diverse and it made me want to read even more about some of these forgotten women.
I might have had a hard time with the way the book was written at some point - some sentences were a bit too "slack", for lack of a better word; but it didn't spoil my reading experience and I got used to it at some point.
I loved the illustrations throughout the book!
February 15, 2021
This is without a doubt the coolest book I've ever read or owned. I'm a huge history buff with royal history being my favorite, and I was in heaven! Kris writes in a way that even makes the most mundane of info interesting and funny. She infuses modern language and even some slang throughout. I feel like a kid saying it, but not ashamed to say, the illustrations just make it so much more enjoyable. I will treasure this book for the rest of my life.
November 30, 2010
Kris Waldherr’s book of “royal women who met bad ends” is a witty, fun look at the downside of being a female royal. I read the whole book in one sitting. This is a nice summary book of these 50 women. There are usually 2 pages devoted to each royal woman – and accordingly you don’t get an in-depth look at their lives – but you do get to know the important backstory that lead to their death. And their deaths are really what the whole book is about anyway.
This isn’t just a book for you to read, but also to look at. There are gorgeous drawings throughout that correspond with the different women. I really loved that some of these were renditions of famous artworks but there has been something sinister added to them that foreshadows their end. It was beautiful. A word of caution – I have heard many people say that these images do not transfer to the e-book versions. So if you want to get this one, I would recommend avoiding the e-book, or you will lose half of the experience. Beyond the narrative and the images, there is a cautionary moral at the end of each story as well as quizzes at the end of each chapter.
I also appreciated that there was a wide selection of royal women included. There were the famous that everyone knows about and then there were those that most have never heard of. It was interesting to see how many of these women were connected to each other in some way – these tragedies tended to run in families.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is new to the genre for a light introduction and to those who have been reading historical for a long time for a little something different.
This isn’t just a book for you to read, but also to look at. There are gorgeous drawings throughout that correspond with the different women. I really loved that some of these were renditions of famous artworks but there has been something sinister added to them that foreshadows their end. It was beautiful. A word of caution – I have heard many people say that these images do not transfer to the e-book versions. So if you want to get this one, I would recommend avoiding the e-book, or you will lose half of the experience. Beyond the narrative and the images, there is a cautionary moral at the end of each story as well as quizzes at the end of each chapter.
I also appreciated that there was a wide selection of royal women included. There were the famous that everyone knows about and then there were those that most have never heard of. It was interesting to see how many of these women were connected to each other in some way – these tragedies tended to run in families.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is new to the genre for a light introduction and to those who have been reading historical for a long time for a little something different.
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