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England's Medieval Queens #2
Queens of the Crusades
Read the next volume in Alison Weir's magisterial history of the queens of Medieval England - including the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in our history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion against their king, queen seductresses, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with the romantic culture of southern Europe - these determined women often broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence, for good and sometimes for ill.
Alison Weir's ground-breaking history of the queens of medieval England now moves into a period of even higher drama, from 1154 to 1291: years of chivalry, dynastic ambition, conflict with the church, baronial wars, and the all-pervading bonds of feudalism. We see events such as the murder of Becket, Magna Carta and the birth of parliaments from a new perspective. Her narrative begins with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Henry II establishes a dynasty which rules for over three hundred years and creates the most powerful empire in western Christendom - but also sows the seeds for some of the most destructive family conflicts in history and for the collapse, under her son King John, of England's power in Europe. The lives of Eleanor's successors were just as Berengaria of Navarre, queen of Richard the Lionheart, Isabella of Angoulême, queen of John, and Alienor of Provence, queen of Henry III, and finally Eleanor of Castile, the grasping but beloved wife of Edward I.
Through the story of these first five Plantagenet queens, Alison Weir provides an enthralling new perspective on a dramatic period of high romance and sometimes low politics, with determined women at its heart.
'Fascinating.' Tracy Borman, Daily Express
The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in our history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion against their king, queen seductresses, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with the romantic culture of southern Europe - these determined women often broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence, for good and sometimes for ill.
Alison Weir's ground-breaking history of the queens of medieval England now moves into a period of even higher drama, from 1154 to 1291: years of chivalry, dynastic ambition, conflict with the church, baronial wars, and the all-pervading bonds of feudalism. We see events such as the murder of Becket, Magna Carta and the birth of parliaments from a new perspective. Her narrative begins with the formidable Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Henry II establishes a dynasty which rules for over three hundred years and creates the most powerful empire in western Christendom - but also sows the seeds for some of the most destructive family conflicts in history and for the collapse, under her son King John, of England's power in Europe. The lives of Eleanor's successors were just as Berengaria of Navarre, queen of Richard the Lionheart, Isabella of Angoulême, queen of John, and Alienor of Provence, queen of Henry III, and finally Eleanor of Castile, the grasping but beloved wife of Edward I.
Through the story of these first five Plantagenet queens, Alison Weir provides an enthralling new perspective on a dramatic period of high romance and sometimes low politics, with determined women at its heart.
'Fascinating.' Tracy Borman, Daily Express
496 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2021
423 people are currently reading
7421 people want to read
About the author
Alison Weir
83 books8,343 followersLibrarian 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
February 19, 2021
This one is for the history lovers, another well researced book from Alison Weir. This is a very in depth look at the wives of some of the greatest kings of medieval England. Ms. Weir has a magical way of bringing history to life and making each character alive and vibrant. She has a beautiful, lyrical way of portraying history. Reading any of her books are a learning experience on history that never gets boring.
August 22, 2022
Alison Weir narrates the stories of five medieval queens - three Eleanors, a Berengaria and an Isabella.
I have a scattershot understanding of English history. Ask me about the Tudors, for example, and I could regale you with quite a few tales. On the other hand, I know very little about the historical figures who lived between the landing of William the Conqueror and the War of the Roses. Hence, this series.
Alison Weir is a very accessible writer, providing plenty of context about the time period and a well-rounded view of the lives of the queens. However, I felt that the depths to which she delves are uneven with each queen - we learn much more about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Alienor of Provence than about the others.
I have a scattershot understanding of English history. Ask me about the Tudors, for example, and I could regale you with quite a few tales. On the other hand, I know very little about the historical figures who lived between the landing of William the Conqueror and the War of the Roses. Hence, this series.
Alison Weir is a very accessible writer, providing plenty of context about the time period and a well-rounded view of the lives of the queens. However, I felt that the depths to which she delves are uneven with each queen - we learn much more about Eleanor of Aquitaine and Alienor of Provence than about the others.
April 9, 2021
Thoughts soon.
December 21, 2020
Like the first book in the series, this was a well researched study, but for me it wasn't as compelling as other Weir's works; probably because Weir focuses on the kings just as much, if not more, as the queens. This is probably because for some of them the available informations are not many, or because she wants to give a more complete view of the times.
Personally I would have preferred if the book was shorter but more focused on the queens. However, it is still a good non-fiction book and I would recommend it if you are interested in the historical period.
Personally I would have preferred if the book was shorter but more focused on the queens. However, it is still a good non-fiction book and I would recommend it if you are interested in the historical period.
May 4, 2021
The Plantagenet era in English history was a giant soap opera filled with drama, family members revolting against family members, civil wars and constant jostling for power. However, even though men are generally the more documented of the two sexes; women (or in this case, queens) helped build the Plantagenet foundation. Alison Weir strives to bring to the foreground the roles, biographies and narratives of “England’s Medieval Queens” starting with, “Queens of the Conquest” and follows with Book Two: “Queens of the Crusades”.
In “Queens of the Crusades”, Weir hones in on the English history period from 1154-1291that saw the likes of the murder of Thomas Becket, the creation of Magna Carta and the birth of republic practices in England that are still in practice today. “Queens of the Crusades” highlights the key queens: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria (Queen of Richard the Lionheart), Isabella of Angouleme (Queen of King John), Alienor of Provence (Queen of Henry III) and Eleanor of Castile (Queen of Edward I). That’s right: try to keep all the Eleanors, straight!
Weir immediately establishes the precedent and formulaic standard that will be followed in “Queens of the Crusades”; stating that the text is not a continuance of individual biographies but rather overlapping narratives following these women in ‘real time’ and focusing on how one affected the other (and therefore impacted the country of England and its politics). Those having read Book One are familiar with this style. Even though “Queens of the Crusades” is supposedly one ‘flowing narrative’; each woman receives a strong and equal amount of coverage, divided fairly. This allows for readers to see the influence these women held.
The main issue related to this is that the ultimate ‘point’ of “Queens of the Crusades” is seemingly lost. Much of the text is slow and tedious with sentence structure that merely points out, “Event A happened. Event B happened. Then C.” without exploring reasoning or having a smooth, compelling flow. Weir often overly centers on logistics, travel itineraries and purchase ledgers which could, in theory, reveal the lives of the Queens but fails to do so in this case. “Queens of the Crusades” doesn’t have much takeaway and isn’t ‘sticky’ or memorable. Not to mention: it is often quite difficult keeping track of all the figures, making for an inconsistent and choppy read.
Weir avoided her usual biases and snarky comments in “Queens of the Crusades” but she did not forgo the speculative statements based on conjecture. “Queens of the Crusades” is filled with numerous assumptions and theories presented as facts but not backed by any sourcing. For example, on pages 334-335, Weird affirms that, “It has been credibly suggested” that Katherine (daughter of Queen Alienor and King Henry III) suffered from Rett Syndrome. This is obviously a modern-day medical diagnosis without Weir diving into research or mentioning the “credible source” and simply moves on. A little more elaboration is necessary when making such a lofty statement!
“Queens of the Crusades” also suffers from major editing flaws. On pages 234-237, Weir mistakenly substituted dates in the 1200s with 2000s (such as 2019 for 1219!). How the HECK did this make it into a final print?! Does Weir no longer use editors at this stage?! Not only does this make Weir less credible but it also weakens the text and pops the reader’s reading bubble resulting in a distracting experience.
Speaking of dates, Weir jumps back-and-forth in time even as closely as subsequent paragraphs which adds to the heavy, confusing stream.
The bulk of “Queens of the Crusades” is repetitive and without standout moments. How Weir manages to make such drama ‘boring’ is almost painful. Readers don’t genuinely glean an insight into the Queens or truly ‘get to know’ them and their impact. “Queens of the Crusades” is more of a general history discourse on the period but with a slightly more feminine focus. Basically, “Queens of the Crusades” doesn’t meet its intended goal of portraying the Plantagenet Queens.
On a more positive note, Weir occasionally fortifies “Queens of the Crusades” with the inclusion of block quotes from primary documents and the with the occasional debunking of various myths (although Weir doesn’t elaborate to the degree of her usual manner).
Even though “Queens of the Crusades” is a lengthy volume; the chapters are manageable and short helping to keep the text from being overwhelming due to its size.
The concluding chapters of “Queens of the Crusades” are quite inconsistent as the focus of Henry III/ Queen Alienore and the Barons’ War are cluttered and hectic meanwhile the following section regarding Edward I/ Eleanor of Castile revert back to mostly discussing travel agendas. Weir finalizes with an epilogue that only addresses Eleanor of Castile rather than summarize all of the queens in “Queens of the Crusades”. Thus, the ending is weak, not memorable and doesn’t tie together the entire piece. Nothing about “Queens of the Crusades” is noteworthy.
“Queens of the Crusades” includes a section of color photo plates, a selected bibliography and a VERY scant section of notes (not annotated).
Book Two of Weir’s “England’s Medieval Queens” is a poor follow-up; in that “Queens of the Crusades” is dry (and not in an academic way but just lacking a riveting flow), doesn’t bring the queens to life at all (thereby not educating readers) and doesn’t emote any response or feeling. “Queens of the Crusades” is recommended, despite its mediocre status, to those readers interested in the women lining the subject matter; but there is no need to rush or go out of one’s way.
In “Queens of the Crusades”, Weir hones in on the English history period from 1154-1291that saw the likes of the murder of Thomas Becket, the creation of Magna Carta and the birth of republic practices in England that are still in practice today. “Queens of the Crusades” highlights the key queens: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Berengaria (Queen of Richard the Lionheart), Isabella of Angouleme (Queen of King John), Alienor of Provence (Queen of Henry III) and Eleanor of Castile (Queen of Edward I). That’s right: try to keep all the Eleanors, straight!
Weir immediately establishes the precedent and formulaic standard that will be followed in “Queens of the Crusades”; stating that the text is not a continuance of individual biographies but rather overlapping narratives following these women in ‘real time’ and focusing on how one affected the other (and therefore impacted the country of England and its politics). Those having read Book One are familiar with this style. Even though “Queens of the Crusades” is supposedly one ‘flowing narrative’; each woman receives a strong and equal amount of coverage, divided fairly. This allows for readers to see the influence these women held.
The main issue related to this is that the ultimate ‘point’ of “Queens of the Crusades” is seemingly lost. Much of the text is slow and tedious with sentence structure that merely points out, “Event A happened. Event B happened. Then C.” without exploring reasoning or having a smooth, compelling flow. Weir often overly centers on logistics, travel itineraries and purchase ledgers which could, in theory, reveal the lives of the Queens but fails to do so in this case. “Queens of the Crusades” doesn’t have much takeaway and isn’t ‘sticky’ or memorable. Not to mention: it is often quite difficult keeping track of all the figures, making for an inconsistent and choppy read.
Weir avoided her usual biases and snarky comments in “Queens of the Crusades” but she did not forgo the speculative statements based on conjecture. “Queens of the Crusades” is filled with numerous assumptions and theories presented as facts but not backed by any sourcing. For example, on pages 334-335, Weird affirms that, “It has been credibly suggested” that Katherine (daughter of Queen Alienor and King Henry III) suffered from Rett Syndrome. This is obviously a modern-day medical diagnosis without Weir diving into research or mentioning the “credible source” and simply moves on. A little more elaboration is necessary when making such a lofty statement!
“Queens of the Crusades” also suffers from major editing flaws. On pages 234-237, Weir mistakenly substituted dates in the 1200s with 2000s (such as 2019 for 1219!). How the HECK did this make it into a final print?! Does Weir no longer use editors at this stage?! Not only does this make Weir less credible but it also weakens the text and pops the reader’s reading bubble resulting in a distracting experience.
Speaking of dates, Weir jumps back-and-forth in time even as closely as subsequent paragraphs which adds to the heavy, confusing stream.
The bulk of “Queens of the Crusades” is repetitive and without standout moments. How Weir manages to make such drama ‘boring’ is almost painful. Readers don’t genuinely glean an insight into the Queens or truly ‘get to know’ them and their impact. “Queens of the Crusades” is more of a general history discourse on the period but with a slightly more feminine focus. Basically, “Queens of the Crusades” doesn’t meet its intended goal of portraying the Plantagenet Queens.
On a more positive note, Weir occasionally fortifies “Queens of the Crusades” with the inclusion of block quotes from primary documents and the with the occasional debunking of various myths (although Weir doesn’t elaborate to the degree of her usual manner).
Even though “Queens of the Crusades” is a lengthy volume; the chapters are manageable and short helping to keep the text from being overwhelming due to its size.
The concluding chapters of “Queens of the Crusades” are quite inconsistent as the focus of Henry III/ Queen Alienore and the Barons’ War are cluttered and hectic meanwhile the following section regarding Edward I/ Eleanor of Castile revert back to mostly discussing travel agendas. Weir finalizes with an epilogue that only addresses Eleanor of Castile rather than summarize all of the queens in “Queens of the Crusades”. Thus, the ending is weak, not memorable and doesn’t tie together the entire piece. Nothing about “Queens of the Crusades” is noteworthy.
“Queens of the Crusades” includes a section of color photo plates, a selected bibliography and a VERY scant section of notes (not annotated).
Book Two of Weir’s “England’s Medieval Queens” is a poor follow-up; in that “Queens of the Crusades” is dry (and not in an academic way but just lacking a riveting flow), doesn’t bring the queens to life at all (thereby not educating readers) and doesn’t emote any response or feeling. “Queens of the Crusades” is recommended, despite its mediocre status, to those readers interested in the women lining the subject matter; but there is no need to rush or go out of one’s way.
abandoned
November 13, 2024Who knew Eleanor of Aquitaine was boring?
All right, I read through page 80. A year ago I read the first of these books and had mixed feelings, so this isn’t exactly a surprise. Weir seems to be a careful scholar when it comes to particular details: travel itineraries, for instance. English medieval courts were always on progress and so there’s endless travel itineraries. Histories of buildings the principals stayed in—she’s on top of that. And political and military events of the time are covered. But it’s so dry and there’s so little about the queen in question—which is what it is, but if there’s little information, does the book have to be this long?
I also found myself questioning Weir’s grasp of the larger social history, which tends to interest me more. There’s very little of it here, and for instance, in an aside she seems to accept the code of chivalry at face value as something knights really did live by, without further inquiry—thus, both misleading and boring. In the end, I just wasn’t learning enough from this to justify the tedium.
All right, I read through page 80. A year ago I read the first of these books and had mixed feelings, so this isn’t exactly a surprise. Weir seems to be a careful scholar when it comes to particular details: travel itineraries, for instance. English medieval courts were always on progress and so there’s endless travel itineraries. Histories of buildings the principals stayed in—she’s on top of that. And political and military events of the time are covered. But it’s so dry and there’s so little about the queen in question—which is what it is, but if there’s little information, does the book have to be this long?
I also found myself questioning Weir’s grasp of the larger social history, which tends to interest me more. There’s very little of it here, and for instance, in an aside she seems to accept the code of chivalry at face value as something knights really did live by, without further inquiry—thus, both misleading and boring. In the end, I just wasn’t learning enough from this to justify the tedium.
October 14, 2025
3.5 Stars Rounded Down
2025 Reread:
I read this with a women's history reading group online. I read this over the summer an agree with my original review.
Original Review:
I recently revisited this in my studies, I did not reread it but did go over the history of 2 of the queens covered in this text: primarily Eleanor of Provence and her mother-in-law, Isabella of Angouleme.
This is better than I remembered, very readable and easy to understand for lay readers of history. This doesn't include the reams of pages with lists of items that Weir is so fond of sharing lol.
My main complaint is that this suffers from an uncomfortable reluctance to identify antisemitism as more than 'The Jews' were expelled, fined, & other forms of oppressive societal limitations. These are antisemitic & genocidal practices. I think its important to label them as such.🤷🏾♀️
This also focuses overly on the men, sometimes it feels like to the exclusion of the actual subject.
2025 Reread:
I read this with a women's history reading group online. I read this over the summer an agree with my original review.
Original Review:
I recently revisited this in my studies, I did not reread it but did go over the history of 2 of the queens covered in this text: primarily Eleanor of Provence and her mother-in-law, Isabella of Angouleme.
This is better than I remembered, very readable and easy to understand for lay readers of history. This doesn't include the reams of pages with lists of items that Weir is so fond of sharing lol.
My main complaint is that this suffers from an uncomfortable reluctance to identify antisemitism as more than 'The Jews' were expelled, fined, & other forms of oppressive societal limitations. These are antisemitic & genocidal practices. I think its important to label them as such.🤷🏾♀️
This also focuses overly on the men, sometimes it feels like to the exclusion of the actual subject.
October 25, 2020
What an amazing creative read. I always know I’m in for a great read when I get one of this authors books. And this one was didn’t let me down. The storyline was captivating and intriguing the characters were engaging and believable. You could almost see it playing out as you read. If you enjoy historical fiction you’ll enjoy this book. Can’t wait to read what this author has for us next
October 25, 2020
What struck me the most from reading this marvelously researched and thorough book, is the dynasty of the Plantagenets family timeline! Alison Weir does it again. She is the epitome of historic authors particularly in this Medieval realm. I cannot read enough of her books. I had no idea that the word Plantagenet came from Planta genista - which was a sprig of broom, and that the name wasn't adopted as a royal surname until the 15th Century. This book is filled with wonderful new things that I didn't know, as that. The women of that time who were queens went through so much, especially with their randy husbands, all Kings. They gave birth to so many children which is unheard of today.
This book had me riveted and answered many questions I have had over the years when reading about these 5 Queens. The riches, the furs, the jewelry....amazing! But all the Kings dalliances were outrageous! I particularly loved reading that during the Eleanor of Aquitaine chapter that the food wasn't very good during that time in one of their castles. Realizing how old Windsor Castle is, is still amazing to me.
Thank you Alison Weir, for once again, writing the most amazing book. These Queens would be proud to read it and you continue to give the people of this time such respect, awe and dignity.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the perusal of The Queens of the Crusade by Alison Weir. It was a pleasure to read!!!
This book had me riveted and answered many questions I have had over the years when reading about these 5 Queens. The riches, the furs, the jewelry....amazing! But all the Kings dalliances were outrageous! I particularly loved reading that during the Eleanor of Aquitaine chapter that the food wasn't very good during that time in one of their castles. Realizing how old Windsor Castle is, is still amazing to me.
Thank you Alison Weir, for once again, writing the most amazing book. These Queens would be proud to read it and you continue to give the people of this time such respect, awe and dignity.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the perusal of The Queens of the Crusade by Alison Weir. It was a pleasure to read!!!
December 4, 2020
Reasonable introduction for the general reader, let down by factual errors, an over reliance on Mathew Paris for source material and poor to non existent foot noting - the latter perhaps excused for a book aimed at the general reader.
In short, disappointing .... for Leonor de Castille recommend Sara Cockerill and Alianor de Provence recommend Margaret Howell
In short, disappointing .... for Leonor de Castille recommend Sara Cockerill and Alianor de Provence recommend Margaret Howell
September 6, 2024
Weir does Weir, and does it well, but the paucity of historical information makes it really hard to stretch into a full book about the actual queens, differentiated from the reign of their husbands...which has already been done by others.
September 13, 2023
I would've much preferred this, if it had been structured more as separate biographies than one continual story — the latter left a number of unfulfilled "plots" from the former queens to have to be resolved in the chapters of later queens. Especially in the case of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who lived to the age of 80, the chapters that concerned the two queens after her were still mainly focused on Eleanor and her relationship to her son & grandson. It didn't leave any room for the other queens to "act" in their own right. This seemed more like a general overview of the English monarchy during the time of the Crusades — which didn't make it any less enjoyable but it wasn't as focused on the "Queens of the Crusades" as I expected it to be.
Weir, even as a women's historian, seems to copy a lot of misogynistic opinions of contemporary or modern authors writing about powerful women. I especially noticed this when she was talking about Eleanor of Aquitaine & her mother-in-law Empress Mathilde.
Nevertheless, one can tell that Weir put a lot of work and research into this and isn't scared to go against modern historical "facts" and disprove them with good arguments. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much Weir continuously brought up the Jewish history of the time and how rampant antisemitism was in England — something that's way too often ignored when writing medieval history.
Thus, the book is a mostly enjoyable overview of England from the 12th to the 14th century and a great starting point for gaining some basic information about English queens during the time. I myself focus on the subject at university and have to admit that besides Eleanor of Aquitaine, I didn't know much about the other women in this book. I'm excited to research more about some of them!
Weir, even as a women's historian, seems to copy a lot of misogynistic opinions of contemporary or modern authors writing about powerful women. I especially noticed this when she was talking about Eleanor of Aquitaine & her mother-in-law Empress Mathilde.
Nevertheless, one can tell that Weir put a lot of work and research into this and isn't scared to go against modern historical "facts" and disprove them with good arguments. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much Weir continuously brought up the Jewish history of the time and how rampant antisemitism was in England — something that's way too often ignored when writing medieval history.
Thus, the book is a mostly enjoyable overview of England from the 12th to the 14th century and a great starting point for gaining some basic information about English queens during the time. I myself focus on the subject at university and have to admit that besides Eleanor of Aquitaine, I didn't know much about the other women in this book. I'm excited to research more about some of them!
November 29, 2020
This author is amazing. I cannot even imagine how much time she spends doing research. And she publishes fairly frequently. It's stunning.
This is the second in the series about the queens of England. This one covers the time period coinciding with the Crusades. Instead of looking at the kings, the author delves into the lives of the queens. It covers early lives and goes through widowhood. It looks at contemporary accounts and tries to pull truth out of other people's opinions. She manages to have an opinion and be unbiased all at the same time.
I hope there will be more of these.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second in the series about the queens of England. This one covers the time period coinciding with the Crusades. Instead of looking at the kings, the author delves into the lives of the queens. It covers early lives and goes through widowhood. It looks at contemporary accounts and tries to pull truth out of other people's opinions. She manages to have an opinion and be unbiased all at the same time.
I hope there will be more of these.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2023
This was just kind of meh, and I'm surprised since I just recently read the third book in this series and really enjoyed it.
Idk but the writing style felt off here.
OH and over a span of three pages there were three glaring typos. While talking about years in the early 1200s, there were three separate typos that said the years 2016, 2017, 2019 instead which is insane. I spotted these immediately on each of the pages and I just don't understand how the editors missed them
And if they missed this, what else could be incorrect that flew under the radar?
Idk but the writing style felt off here.
OH and over a span of three pages there were three glaring typos. While talking about years in the early 1200s, there were three separate typos that said the years 2016, 2017, 2019 instead which is insane. I spotted these immediately on each of the pages and I just don't understand how the editors missed them
And if they missed this, what else could be incorrect that flew under the radar?
August 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Like the previous one, which had many queens named Matilda, this one has several named Eleanor, but the author manages to help us keep them straight. There is a lot of detail that will be better appreciated if you're already familiar with English history.
September 29, 2025
Queens of the Crusades 3 1/2 stars, rounding down
The second book in a series covering the Queens who stood behind the medieval Kings of England. This book covers Plantagenet queens, who ruled England and France throughout the bloody 1200s.
It has been interesting learning about these women, being front and center of the stories instead of the men. I can only recommend the book to those who have a strong interest in the history of English Royalty. It was not an easy era to live in, and Weir tells it true, without romanticizing the fanatical religious men and the blood and extreme court politics that went on.
A decent read for a history fan like me.
The second book in a series covering the Queens who stood behind the medieval Kings of England. This book covers Plantagenet queens, who ruled England and France throughout the bloody 1200s.
It has been interesting learning about these women, being front and center of the stories instead of the men. I can only recommend the book to those who have a strong interest in the history of English Royalty. It was not an easy era to live in, and Weir tells it true, without romanticizing the fanatical religious men and the blood and extreme court politics that went on.
A decent read for a history fan like me.
March 6, 2021
Alison Weir knows how to engage her readers, there’s no arguing with that. She writes with a style that keeps the reader interested in her subject. I have always enjoyed her writings and have even bought a few of her books for my own personal collection.
I was so excited when this book was finally published. I read Queens of the Conquest when it came out and absolutely loved gaining a chance to learn about the Queens of the Norman era, particularly Adeliza (second wife of Henry I), whom I knew very little about. So I’ve had this sequel on my to-read list pretty much from the moment it gained a page of its own on Goodreads. And just as has happened in my other encounters with Weir’s books, I was engaged, I was interested in what she had to say about these “Queens of the Crusades.”
I was surprised she had so much to say about Eleanor of Aquitaine, given that Weir had already written a biography about her back in 1999. But, as Weir explains in the Introduction, a great deal of scholarship has been developed since then, and she felt it necessary to undertake Eleanor’s story again in order to revise her views of the woman. The end result of that was that Eleanor’s section of the book ended up the longest, with sixteen chapters. The only other queen who even came close to matching her was Eleanor of Castile, who received twelve chapters covering her life.
One thing I really like about this book is that Weir attempts to display how these queens were thought of both within their own lifetimes and after. This individualist look at each women, to discern the kind of people they were behind the aura of their queenly title, made this a very interesting read. However, it also leads me to one of my biggest complaints – the decided lack of footnotes. This did not impress me. Weir provides footnotes whenever she directly quotes someone, but that’s pretty much it. This leaves her open to making various statements about how “some writers” said this or that, without citing just who these people were and leaving a reader unable to go back and trace the full context of what is being cited. While perhaps this wasn’t done because the book is for the general reader as opposed to someone with a more scholarly bent, I still feel it takes something away that I wasn’t able to look at the primary/secondary sources that Weir is utilizing in her writing.
And then there are the myriad of errors sprinkled throughout the book, errors that ought to have been caught by editors before the book went to print. There were multiple misdates, for example. In the space of just a few pages (pgs. 234-237, hardcover edition), there are multiple references to something occurring in 2016 or 2019. While most people might not notice, to someone who was reading this carefully and thoughtfully, it was very jarring.
Another error that caught my attention was during the section devoted to Eleanor of Provence (called Alienor in the book to help distinguish her from her future daughter-in-law). Two different scenarios are presented for how Henry III heard of his father-in-law’s death. First (p. 297), Weir states that Henry and Alienor are at the coast to see her mother off from a visit when they receive word of the man’s death. Then, second (p. 300), Weir claims that word reached Henry III of the man’s death when he was campaigning in Wales. So which is it? Some might call this nitpicky, but the fact that we have two markedly different accounts of this one incident just within a few pages of one another makes one wonder at the care being taken in writing the book, and in the editing.
Overall, this is a great book for the general reader, though I would recommend that the reader not take this book as the end-all, be-all authority on these women. Seek out other biographies and scholarly works about these queens if you are interested, and if you’re able, seek out the primary sources yourselves.
I was so excited when this book was finally published. I read Queens of the Conquest when it came out and absolutely loved gaining a chance to learn about the Queens of the Norman era, particularly Adeliza (second wife of Henry I), whom I knew very little about. So I’ve had this sequel on my to-read list pretty much from the moment it gained a page of its own on Goodreads. And just as has happened in my other encounters with Weir’s books, I was engaged, I was interested in what she had to say about these “Queens of the Crusades.”
I was surprised she had so much to say about Eleanor of Aquitaine, given that Weir had already written a biography about her back in 1999. But, as Weir explains in the Introduction, a great deal of scholarship has been developed since then, and she felt it necessary to undertake Eleanor’s story again in order to revise her views of the woman. The end result of that was that Eleanor’s section of the book ended up the longest, with sixteen chapters. The only other queen who even came close to matching her was Eleanor of Castile, who received twelve chapters covering her life.
One thing I really like about this book is that Weir attempts to display how these queens were thought of both within their own lifetimes and after. This individualist look at each women, to discern the kind of people they were behind the aura of their queenly title, made this a very interesting read. However, it also leads me to one of my biggest complaints – the decided lack of footnotes. This did not impress me. Weir provides footnotes whenever she directly quotes someone, but that’s pretty much it. This leaves her open to making various statements about how “some writers” said this or that, without citing just who these people were and leaving a reader unable to go back and trace the full context of what is being cited. While perhaps this wasn’t done because the book is for the general reader as opposed to someone with a more scholarly bent, I still feel it takes something away that I wasn’t able to look at the primary/secondary sources that Weir is utilizing in her writing.
And then there are the myriad of errors sprinkled throughout the book, errors that ought to have been caught by editors before the book went to print. There were multiple misdates, for example. In the space of just a few pages (pgs. 234-237, hardcover edition), there are multiple references to something occurring in 2016 or 2019. While most people might not notice, to someone who was reading this carefully and thoughtfully, it was very jarring.
Another error that caught my attention was during the section devoted to Eleanor of Provence (called Alienor in the book to help distinguish her from her future daughter-in-law). Two different scenarios are presented for how Henry III heard of his father-in-law’s death. First (p. 297), Weir states that Henry and Alienor are at the coast to see her mother off from a visit when they receive word of the man’s death. Then, second (p. 300), Weir claims that word reached Henry III of the man’s death when he was campaigning in Wales. So which is it? Some might call this nitpicky, but the fact that we have two markedly different accounts of this one incident just within a few pages of one another makes one wonder at the care being taken in writing the book, and in the editing.
Overall, this is a great book for the general reader, though I would recommend that the reader not take this book as the end-all, be-all authority on these women. Seek out other biographies and scholarly works about these queens if you are interested, and if you’re able, seek out the primary sources yourselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2021
I've read everything Alison Weir has written, and this book is very typical of her non-fiction. Weir's gift is being able to turn dense historical facts into a compelling narrative. Habitual readers of Weir may find the first 1/3 of the book somewhat a précis of her earlier tome on Eleanor of Aquitaine, but Queens of the Crusades fills in some gaps in my knowledge of English monarchy between Henry II and Eleanor and Richard II.
I don't know that Queens of the Crusades is necessarily the most accurate title. The Crusades were going on in this time period, but for most of the book, the Crusades are peripheral to the power politics of medieval Europe. Eleanor's time preparing for Richard's crusade was more emphasized that her own. Queen Berengaria accompanied Richard on Crusade, but she mostly spent time aboard ship or being safely guarded. While none of these queens match Eleanor of Aquitaine for influence and wise counsel, they do have an impact on history and rather work back toward her. Eleanor of Castile is the one whose role in Crusade is most emphasized. . Richard the Lionheart's queen, Berengaria, is interesting because of her own personal growth. She is a "good girl" for the first part of her life, the wife who obeys even when treated ill. After the death of her husband, Berengaria seems to grow up with the epiphany that not all the men in her life are working toward her good and that to survive, she can no longer be meek and pliable. Her reputation survives though, and she remains well-liked because she was able to parley this into the role of victim. Significantly, Berengaria was childless. King John's queen Isabella, mother of Henry III, was a stereotypical bitch who seemed to love money and powerful men even more than her children, but as Weir catalogs the events of her early life, the reader can see how she got that way. In fact, except Berengaria, all of these queens were criticized at the time if they reached for power, advancement for their families, or luxuries. They mended their reputations only if they lived long enough, supported the right ruler, and eventually associated themselves with nunneries. The virgin/whore archetype has deep roots in western cultures, and this book is an interesting catalog of its development in the medieval period.
I don't know that Queens of the Crusades is necessarily the most accurate title. The Crusades were going on in this time period, but for most of the book, the Crusades are peripheral to the power politics of medieval Europe. Eleanor's time preparing for Richard's crusade was more emphasized that her own. Queen Berengaria accompanied Richard on Crusade, but she mostly spent time aboard ship or being safely guarded. While none of these queens match Eleanor of Aquitaine for influence and wise counsel, they do have an impact on history and rather work back toward her. Eleanor of Castile is the one whose role in Crusade is most emphasized. . Richard the Lionheart's queen, Berengaria, is interesting because of her own personal growth. She is a "good girl" for the first part of her life, the wife who obeys even when treated ill. After the death of her husband, Berengaria seems to grow up with the epiphany that not all the men in her life are working toward her good and that to survive, she can no longer be meek and pliable. Her reputation survives though, and she remains well-liked because she was able to parley this into the role of victim. Significantly, Berengaria was childless. King John's queen Isabella, mother of Henry III, was a stereotypical bitch who seemed to love money and powerful men even more than her children, but as Weir catalogs the events of her early life, the reader can see how she got that way. In fact, except Berengaria, all of these queens were criticized at the time if they reached for power, advancement for their families, or luxuries. They mended their reputations only if they lived long enough, supported the right ruler, and eventually associated themselves with nunneries. The virgin/whore archetype has deep roots in western cultures, and this book is an interesting catalog of its development in the medieval period.
July 11, 2022
I’m honestly not sure why I keep reading Alison Weir’s non-fiction. They not *bad*, they’re just… not for me.
Let me put it this way. I am reading these books to find out more about women from history. I get there isn’t a ton of information to go on, but there is only so much I can care about how much money their fathers/husbands/brothers/sons/lovers spent on them. Or vice versa. I feel like Weir’s primary resources were bills and accounts, which is a cool way to learn more about these women, but maybe keep it in the background a bit more?
Let me put it this way. I am reading these books to find out more about women from history. I get there isn’t a ton of information to go on, but there is only so much I can care about how much money their fathers/husbands/brothers/sons/lovers spent on them. Or vice versa. I feel like Weir’s primary resources were bills and accounts, which is a cool way to learn more about these women, but maybe keep it in the background a bit more?
October 23, 2020
560 pages
5 stars
The research for this book must have been exhaustive. My hat is off to Ms. Weir for her dedication and determination to fully examine any available documents of the day in order to put this book together. Covering so many important personages in one book is a serious undertaking. The reader gets a full picture of what life was like for these queens. Most I had not heard of – only their husbands. (Isn't that just the way?) I was very glad to read about these courageous women who made a difference in their world. Alison Weir has been a favorite author of mine for years and I very much look forward to reading her next book.
We learn that the Plantagenet queens mentioned in the book were not just royal consorts of their husbands, but took an active part in the making of policy and the contributions to the monarchy were valuable. For over three hundred years, these women influenced the court. During a period of time when wives were completely subjugated to their husbands or fathers, being listened to and assisting with decision-making was quite an achievement. (Although not all of their decisions or machinations were for the good.)
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine/Ballantine for forwarding to me a copy of this instructive and interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
5 stars
The research for this book must have been exhaustive. My hat is off to Ms. Weir for her dedication and determination to fully examine any available documents of the day in order to put this book together. Covering so many important personages in one book is a serious undertaking. The reader gets a full picture of what life was like for these queens. Most I had not heard of – only their husbands. (Isn't that just the way?) I was very glad to read about these courageous women who made a difference in their world. Alison Weir has been a favorite author of mine for years and I very much look forward to reading her next book.
We learn that the Plantagenet queens mentioned in the book were not just royal consorts of their husbands, but took an active part in the making of policy and the contributions to the monarchy were valuable. For over three hundred years, these women influenced the court. During a period of time when wives were completely subjugated to their husbands or fathers, being listened to and assisting with decision-making was quite an achievement. (Although not all of their decisions or machinations were for the good.)
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine/Ballantine for forwarding to me a copy of this instructive and interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review.
January 28, 2022
(I listened to the audiobook)
I enjoyed the content, on the whole, particularly because this is not a period I know much about.
I rather liked the idea of starting with a series of women's biographies to enter into the period, and it was great to hear the stories of women whose names never enter into the headlines of English history (and Queen Berengaria would be a wonderful name for a cat BTW).
That said, perhaps because of the nature of the surviving historical record, this does still feel like a biography of famous men from a different angle.
It was slow going for me, it didn't totally hold my focus and I put it down once or twice for a fluffier read, but densely told and informative.
My favourite new fact is that Eleanor of Aquitaine (at least) once signed a letter, "Eleanor, by the Wrath of God Queen of England" and I would like some of that energy please.
I enjoyed the content, on the whole, particularly because this is not a period I know much about.
I rather liked the idea of starting with a series of women's biographies to enter into the period, and it was great to hear the stories of women whose names never enter into the headlines of English history (and Queen Berengaria would be a wonderful name for a cat BTW).
That said, perhaps because of the nature of the surviving historical record, this does still feel like a biography of famous men from a different angle.
It was slow going for me, it didn't totally hold my focus and I put it down once or twice for a fluffier read, but densely told and informative.
My favourite new fact is that Eleanor of Aquitaine (at least) once signed a letter, "Eleanor, by the Wrath of God Queen of England" and I would like some of that energy please.
April 3, 2023
Very funny to me that even 13th century kings had to deal with their moms passive aggressively complaining about how they don’t see them enough.
And literally when wasn’t England experiencing war of some kind over who owned/controlled what? Like no wonder America began the way it did, look at what a hot mess England was for like 100s of years.
Mainly read this for my girl Eleanor of Aquitaine, the baddest of them all. Survived multiple pregnancies and child birth, two husbands, one of whose she successfully divorced and the other who imprisoned her for 16 years and lived into her 80s, which in that time period was nearly unheard of. It’s nice reading a history book with the focus being mainly on women, by a female historian, as women in history and the roles they played are often largely forgotten about or reduced in some way.
And literally when wasn’t England experiencing war of some kind over who owned/controlled what? Like no wonder America began the way it did, look at what a hot mess England was for like 100s of years.
Mainly read this for my girl Eleanor of Aquitaine, the baddest of them all. Survived multiple pregnancies and child birth, two husbands, one of whose she successfully divorced and the other who imprisoned her for 16 years and lived into her 80s, which in that time period was nearly unheard of. It’s nice reading a history book with the focus being mainly on women, by a female historian, as women in history and the roles they played are often largely forgotten about or reduced in some way.
February 18, 2022
Well written and obviously carefully researched, this provides interested readers with a close look at five early queens of Medieval England, beginning with Eleanor of Aquitaine, wife of Henry II. This is the story of kings as well as queens, although the women get the spotlight, and covers politics, religion, controversies, marriages, crusades, planned crusades, and more. The reader sees England develop as a country, sees it win and lose parts of today’s France through wars and marriages and sees how early medieval queens often helped to bring this about.
This is a highly readable and enjoyable book that will capture the interest of those looking for powerful women in history.
I received an Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This is a highly readable and enjoyable book that will capture the interest of those looking for powerful women in history.
I received an Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
November 11, 2020
Another excellent piece of history from Ms Weir. This is the second in her medieval queens series. It starts with Eleanor of Aquitaine and follows the queens who came after her, from her daughters, daughters in law and other family. Terrific read.
March 5, 2021
I love reading Weir's books on medieval queens. Honestly, if she wanted to continue writing books on queens of England sequentially from here on out, I'd keep picking them up.
April 4, 2021
Another good one by Alison Weir! Interesting stories about the various Queens!
Highly recommend if you like English History!!!
Highly recommend if you like English History!!!
May 12, 2023
Another banger that offers interesting insights into the lives and roles of powerful women in the medieval period. Unsurprisingly, the first half of this book is dominated by Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose story I was already familiar with, but the second half was especially interesting to me because I learned a lot of new things about some fascinating women. I appreciated Weir chose to use several different spellings of “Eleanor” to differentiate the three queens in a row who shared that name!
July 23, 2022
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/queens-of-the-crusades-by-alison-weir/
A good chunky book about the queens of England from Eleanor of Aquitaine (Henry II) to Eleanor of Castile (Edward I), including therefore also Berengaria of Navarre (Richard I), Isabella of Angouleme (John) and Eleanor (here Alienor) or Provence (Henry III). Weir has already published entire books about two of these (the first of the Eleanors and Isabella) and they rather dominate the narrative; in particular, Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is everyone’s favourite of course, dies on page 186 of a 400-page book.
As narrative history it feels fairly complete. I am much more familiar with Eleanor and her children than with the second half of the story, and it filled in some gaps in my knowledge; in particular, I had no idea that Berengaria of Navarre had quite an interesting career as dowager queen, living another 30 years after Richard I was killed. The details of Henry III’s hapless reign were also largely new to me.
However, it would have been interesting also to interrogate the role of women in medieval politics. All of these queens were sometimes able to exercise legal authority and issue their own decisions; at other times they were not. What was the difference? What were the expectations of women in public life at that time? Weir does describe how the queens are portrayed in art, but without a lot of context for us to see how this compares with the portrayal of other women, or indeed men.
So, a slightly old-fashioned book, but full of interesting stuff.
A good chunky book about the queens of England from Eleanor of Aquitaine (Henry II) to Eleanor of Castile (Edward I), including therefore also Berengaria of Navarre (Richard I), Isabella of Angouleme (John) and Eleanor (here Alienor) or Provence (Henry III). Weir has already published entire books about two of these (the first of the Eleanors and Isabella) and they rather dominate the narrative; in particular, Eleanor of Aquitaine, who is everyone’s favourite of course, dies on page 186 of a 400-page book.
As narrative history it feels fairly complete. I am much more familiar with Eleanor and her children than with the second half of the story, and it filled in some gaps in my knowledge; in particular, I had no idea that Berengaria of Navarre had quite an interesting career as dowager queen, living another 30 years after Richard I was killed. The details of Henry III’s hapless reign were also largely new to me.
However, it would have been interesting also to interrogate the role of women in medieval politics. All of these queens were sometimes able to exercise legal authority and issue their own decisions; at other times they were not. What was the difference? What were the expectations of women in public life at that time? Weir does describe how the queens are portrayed in art, but without a lot of context for us to see how this compares with the portrayal of other women, or indeed men.
So, a slightly old-fashioned book, but full of interesting stuff.
September 28, 2020
Queens of the Crusades by Alison Weir is an excellent nonfiction that gives the reader a wonderful opportunity to delve into the fascinating women that were the first of the Plantagenet Queens in England.
This book is the second installment of a fabulous series of books by Ms. Weir that delves into the women that helped rule and shape a nation in their own rights. The first book, Queens of Conquest discusses the pivotal women that predate this book. This is a stand-alone nonfiction, but if you enjoy this novel as much as I did, you will want to read its predecessor.
This book covers five queens:
1. Eleanor of Aquitaine- Queen of Henry II
2. Berengaria of Navarre- Queen of Richard I
3. Isabella of Angoulême- Queen of John (Yes that John)
4. Alienor of Provence- Queen of Henry III
5. Eleanor of Castile- Queen of Edward I.
Some more famous then others, all equally fascinating. Ms. Weir clearly did her research, and this book weaves together the stories of these women seamlessly. At times, it felt like I was reading fiction vs nonfiction...it was that enjoyable.
I learned so much more about these intriguing women, as well as even more English history.
Truly wonderful. 5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House 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, Bookbub, and Instagram accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
This book is the second installment of a fabulous series of books by Ms. Weir that delves into the women that helped rule and shape a nation in their own rights. The first book, Queens of Conquest discusses the pivotal women that predate this book. This is a stand-alone nonfiction, but if you enjoy this novel as much as I did, you will want to read its predecessor.
This book covers five queens:
1. Eleanor of Aquitaine- Queen of Henry II
2. Berengaria of Navarre- Queen of Richard I
3. Isabella of Angoulême- Queen of John (Yes that John)
4. Alienor of Provence- Queen of Henry III
5. Eleanor of Castile- Queen of Edward I.
Some more famous then others, all equally fascinating. Ms. Weir clearly did her research, and this book weaves together the stories of these women seamlessly. At times, it felt like I was reading fiction vs nonfiction...it was that enjoyable.
I learned so much more about these intriguing women, as well as even more English history.
Truly wonderful. 5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House 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, Bookbub, and Instagram accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
March 18, 2021
I gave the first book in this series 2 stars and I’m giving this one 2.5 stars. I don’t think I will continue with this series, which is a shame as I used to enjoy Alison Weir’s writing and I was so keen to read a contemporary take on the Queens of England. Again I felt like Weir presented a series of events and the Queens were secondary to their husband’s lives (which I get because women didn’t hold political power, lack of primary sources, etc.) but I would rather read a smaller book that really focused on the queen’s and what their behaviour and actions may have said about them objectively. I didn’t feel their personalities coming through at all (and when they did I felt it depended on Weir’s biases of that Queen). I find increasingly with her books she presents obscure things as fact depending on which primary source she favours!
I also felt the writing style of the book was not consistent (is it Weir or her editor?) but at times I felt I could enjoy it and other times it was so slow I didn’t want to pick it up. Anyway…….lots of others on GR love it so I’m obviously on the outlier.
I also felt the writing style of the book was not consistent (is it Weir or her editor?) but at times I felt I could enjoy it and other times it was so slow I didn’t want to pick it up. Anyway…….lots of others on GR love it so I’m obviously on the outlier.
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