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Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire
From the author of American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry comes a funny and delightful history of the royal weddings and marriages of Europe's most famous--and infamous--monarchs.
Since time immemorial, royal marriages have had little to do with love--and almost everything to do with diplomacy and dynasty. Clashing personalities have joined in unholy matrimony to form such infamous couples as Russia's Peter II and Catherine the Great, and France's Henri II and Catherine de Medici--all with the purpose of begetting a male heir. But with tensions high and silverware flying, kings like England's Henry II have fled to the beds of their nubile mistresses, while queens such as Eleanor of Aquitaine have plotted their revenge ...
Full of the juicy gossip and bad behavior that characterized Royal Affairs, this book chronicles the love-hate marriages of the crowned heads of Europe--from the Angevins to Charles and Di--and ponders how dynasties ever survived at all.
Read by the author. Runtime: 23. 39 hours, 18 library CDs
Since time immemorial, royal marriages have had little to do with love--and almost everything to do with diplomacy and dynasty. Clashing personalities have joined in unholy matrimony to form such infamous couples as Russia's Peter II and Catherine the Great, and France's Henri II and Catherine de Medici--all with the purpose of begetting a male heir. But with tensions high and silverware flying, kings like England's Henry II have fled to the beds of their nubile mistresses, while queens such as Eleanor of Aquitaine have plotted their revenge ...
Full of the juicy gossip and bad behavior that characterized Royal Affairs, this book chronicles the love-hate marriages of the crowned heads of Europe--from the Angevins to Charles and Di--and ponders how dynasties ever survived at all.
Read by the author. Runtime: 23. 39 hours, 18 library CDs
24 pages, Audio CD
First published November 9, 2009
223 people are currently reading
2847 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Carroll
31 books164 followersI used to tell people that I was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx; but the truth is that apart from the stellar education I received at the Fieldston School in Riverdale, much of who I am was shaped by my two grandmothers, who encouraged me to follow my bliss long before it became the sort of catchphrase you find on tee-shirts and new-age tchotchkes. My East Side grandmother took me to FAO Schwarz, the New York City Ballet, and afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel, where I dreamed of becoming another Eloise. My West Side grandmother took me to the Central Park carousel and the zoo and treated me to colorful paper parasols and gummy, lukewarm pretzels from the vendors whose wares my East Side grandmother deemed too "dirty" for human consumption.
There are writers on both sides of my family, and although I always loved to write, I never anticipated that it would become my profession. I had wanted to be a ballerina; and though my club feet were corrected at birth (from the stilettos I adore now, you'd never know) and my short Achilles tendons made my toes turn in (corrected at the age of 9), I was never going to end up en pointe.
About a year later, I decided to become an actress when (if?) I grew up, and I never looked back. I majored in Theatre at Cornell University, worked in summer stock, and took classes with a couple of acknowledged masters. I performed a lot of Shakespeare and other classics in New York parks, basements, church choir lofts, and the occasional Off-Broadway theatre; then founded and ran my own nonprofit theatre company for several years. And when things got slow, and I found myself working three survival jobs simultaneously (one of them as a journalist and editor), I decided it was time to pursue an additional creative avenue.
Fast forward a decade. I'm now a multi-published author in three genres, as well as a freelance journalist. And I've also adapted a number of classic texts (Ivanhoe; The Prisoner of Zenda; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve) for the stage. I began writing women's fiction and historical fiction simultaneously, but my first published novel was the urban romantic comedy Miss Match in 2002. In 2005, as I continued to write about feisty female New Yorkers, my first historical novel was published under the pen name Amanda Elyot. While keeping those literary plates spinning I made my historical nonfiction debut in the spring of 2008.
In what I laughingly refer to as my spare time, I'm still a professional actress, working when the scripts and the roles excite me.
I'm such a native New Yorker that I still don't have a driver's license, "Big Sky Country" means Central Park, and the farthest I've ever been from the Upper West Side for any great length of time was my four-year stint upstate in Ithaca, at Cornell, known for its rigorous academics and its equally harsh permafrost.
My birthday falls on the same day as two of my heroes—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson. So I reread The Great Gatsby every year and number Miss Piggy among the great actresses of her generation. My favorite color is deep hydrangea blue, and it just kills me that it doesn't look good with red hair.
I live in Manhattan with my husband Scott—who is my hero and everything I ever dreamed of. For the past couple of years we've been considering an addition to the family in the form of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
There are writers on both sides of my family, and although I always loved to write, I never anticipated that it would become my profession. I had wanted to be a ballerina; and though my club feet were corrected at birth (from the stilettos I adore now, you'd never know) and my short Achilles tendons made my toes turn in (corrected at the age of 9), I was never going to end up en pointe.
About a year later, I decided to become an actress when (if?) I grew up, and I never looked back. I majored in Theatre at Cornell University, worked in summer stock, and took classes with a couple of acknowledged masters. I performed a lot of Shakespeare and other classics in New York parks, basements, church choir lofts, and the occasional Off-Broadway theatre; then founded and ran my own nonprofit theatre company for several years. And when things got slow, and I found myself working three survival jobs simultaneously (one of them as a journalist and editor), I decided it was time to pursue an additional creative avenue.
Fast forward a decade. I'm now a multi-published author in three genres, as well as a freelance journalist. And I've also adapted a number of classic texts (Ivanhoe; The Prisoner of Zenda; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve) for the stage. I began writing women's fiction and historical fiction simultaneously, but my first published novel was the urban romantic comedy Miss Match in 2002. In 2005, as I continued to write about feisty female New Yorkers, my first historical novel was published under the pen name Amanda Elyot. While keeping those literary plates spinning I made my historical nonfiction debut in the spring of 2008.
In what I laughingly refer to as my spare time, I'm still a professional actress, working when the scripts and the roles excite me.
I'm such a native New Yorker that I still don't have a driver's license, "Big Sky Country" means Central Park, and the farthest I've ever been from the Upper West Side for any great length of time was my four-year stint upstate in Ithaca, at Cornell, known for its rigorous academics and its equally harsh permafrost.
My birthday falls on the same day as two of my heroes—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson. So I reread The Great Gatsby every year and number Miss Piggy among the great actresses of her generation. My favorite color is deep hydrangea blue, and it just kills me that it doesn't look good with red hair.
I live in Manhattan with my husband Scott—who is my hero and everything I ever dreamed of. For the past couple of years we've been considering an addition to the family in the form of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
November 15, 2015
Who doesn't love reading the juicy gossip about all the hoity toity blue blooded royals of Europe? It makes it even more fun that they're dead (all but a few).
June 19, 2018
I enjoyed this light hearted but incredibly detailed look at famous royal marriage disasters.
October 1, 2017
3.5 stars
A real pleasure to read about these marriages in isolation from the historical record
A real pleasure to read about these marriages in isolation from the historical record
January 9, 2010
After reading and loving Leslie Carroll's Royal Affairs, I just HAD to get my hands on her follow up non-fiction book, Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire! And, it did not disappoint! You see, Leslie has this great sense of humor that resonates throughout the book, making you laugh out loud and wishing high school history was taught this way! I, for one, would've stayed awake for sure!
In Notorious Royal Marriages, Miss Carroll covers infamous Royal couples throughout history; from the tempestuous Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine to the 21st century love triangle between Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. What's really great about NRM, is that the chapters are nice and condensed, making it easy to pick up when you've only got a few moments and also, it is easy to jump around to certain chapters depending on what piques your interest. And even though some of the couples are well known, Leslie adds the most interesting tid-bits. For example, Mary Tudor (Henry VIII's youngest sister) had a wardrobe worth $30 million dollars in today's money when she was sent to marry King Louis XII. Yowza!! Can we say DIVA? She puts Paris Hilton to shame!
The only thing that I think would bring a lot to the book is pictures. Not only because I am aesthetically stimulated, but also because I think it would be nice to have a visual reference when reading about a particular couple.
Yours truly highly recommends Notorious Royal Marriages to all!
FTC: my copy of Notorious Royal Marriages was provided by NAL Publishing for review.
In Notorious Royal Marriages, Miss Carroll covers infamous Royal couples throughout history; from the tempestuous Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine to the 21st century love triangle between Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. What's really great about NRM, is that the chapters are nice and condensed, making it easy to pick up when you've only got a few moments and also, it is easy to jump around to certain chapters depending on what piques your interest. And even though some of the couples are well known, Leslie adds the most interesting tid-bits. For example, Mary Tudor (Henry VIII's youngest sister) had a wardrobe worth $30 million dollars in today's money when she was sent to marry King Louis XII. Yowza!! Can we say DIVA? She puts Paris Hilton to shame!
The only thing that I think would bring a lot to the book is pictures. Not only because I am aesthetically stimulated, but also because I think it would be nice to have a visual reference when reading about a particular couple.
Yours truly highly recommends Notorious Royal Marriages to all!
FTC: my copy of Notorious Royal Marriages was provided by NAL Publishing for review.
May 8, 2013
If other history books were written with this much wit and character, maybe so many American students wouldn't be flunking their world history exams.
Of course, this isn't intended to be a textbook or a treatise; it covers very specific information on a very narrow subject. But what a subject it is! She covers everything from the most infamous (Napoleon and Josephine) to more obscure (Joanna of Castille/Joanna the Mad and Phillip the Handsome), and all six wives of Henry VIII. She covers the ancient (Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine, 1137) to the modern (Charles and Di, Charles and Camilla). Maybe someday she'll do a sequel that includes Will and Kate--that might be an interesting read. Although her scope is wide, her focus is narrow: good husbands and wives, rather than good rulers. She shows the difference between good rules and good spouses, and there isn't a lot of overlap. Some readers may have an issue with her comparatively gentle treatment of prominent targets like Tsar Nicholas or Marie Antoniette, but she focuses more on their personal lives than their ability to rule. It's a very different standard of measurement, and I think she divides the personal and public quite well.
The first two sentences of her introduction pretty much say it all: "Everyone loves a royal wedding. Except perhaps the bride and groom."
Of course, this isn't intended to be a textbook or a treatise; it covers very specific information on a very narrow subject. But what a subject it is! She covers everything from the most infamous (Napoleon and Josephine) to more obscure (Joanna of Castille/Joanna the Mad and Phillip the Handsome), and all six wives of Henry VIII. She covers the ancient (Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine, 1137) to the modern (Charles and Di, Charles and Camilla). Maybe someday she'll do a sequel that includes Will and Kate--that might be an interesting read. Although her scope is wide, her focus is narrow: good husbands and wives, rather than good rulers. She shows the difference between good rules and good spouses, and there isn't a lot of overlap. Some readers may have an issue with her comparatively gentle treatment of prominent targets like Tsar Nicholas or Marie Antoniette, but she focuses more on their personal lives than their ability to rule. It's a very different standard of measurement, and I think she divides the personal and public quite well.
The first two sentences of her introduction pretty much say it all: "Everyone loves a royal wedding. Except perhaps the bride and groom."
October 4, 2017
Loved it. But I always love juicy historical gossip and intrigue. It serves a certain purpose.
By the way, whenever I read any book or essay or article or thing about Nicholas and Alexandra, I always hold out hope it's going to end differently this time.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
By the way, whenever I read any book or essay or article or thing about Nicholas and Alexandra, I always hold out hope it's going to end differently this time.
Spoiler alert: it doesn't.
May 21, 2018
This is an enjoyable non fiction recounting of some of the most famous and most infamous royal marriages. While heavily Brit-centric there are other European royalty scattered through the years. While of course we get Henry VIII and Edward VIII - maybe the UK should start retiring the names when they get to VII; we also get Charles & Diana, William & Kate and Harry & Megan. Notable omissions are Fergy & Andy and Bertie (Edward VII) and Alexandra.
Some of the stories were certainly new to me and fascinating. I learned about the Catholic church's rules for consanguinity which at some points went as deep as 4th cousins. I am not even sure I can describe a 4th cousin and while I much have some I have no idea who they are.
Unfortunately I did find some stupid errors that really annoyed me because non-fiction really needs to be correct.
Errors
The Author identified Michaelmas as June 29 when all of the P&P fan girls KNOW Michaelmas in September 29
The feast in June is Petertide.
In a chapter about King Edward VIII the author claims “Shortly after the Great War, George V and his wife had made a friendly pact with Hitler” Shortly after the Great War Hitler wasn't in power I assume the author meant Hindenburg since Hitler didn't take power until 1933.
In the chapter about Will & Kate the author states “called Princess Catherine until Prince Charles has passed away and she becomes Princess of Wales.”
Which is incorrect, when Queen Elizabeth II dies, Charles will be King and William as the heir apparent will be the Prince of Wales at which time Catherine will be the “Princess of Wales”
But overall it is an enjoyable book that fulfills your needs for gossipy history.
Some of the stories were certainly new to me and fascinating. I learned about the Catholic church's rules for consanguinity which at some points went as deep as 4th cousins. I am not even sure I can describe a 4th cousin and while I much have some I have no idea who they are.
Unfortunately I did find some stupid errors that really annoyed me because non-fiction really needs to be correct.
Errors
The Author identified Michaelmas as June 29 when all of the P&P fan girls KNOW Michaelmas in September 29
The feast in June is Petertide.
In a chapter about King Edward VIII the author claims “Shortly after the Great War, George V and his wife had made a friendly pact with Hitler” Shortly after the Great War Hitler wasn't in power I assume the author meant Hindenburg since Hitler didn't take power until 1933.
In the chapter about Will & Kate the author states “called Princess Catherine until Prince Charles has passed away and she becomes Princess of Wales.”
Which is incorrect, when Queen Elizabeth II dies, Charles will be King and William as the heir apparent will be the Prince of Wales at which time Catherine will be the “Princess of Wales”
But overall it is an enjoyable book that fulfills your needs for gossipy history.
March 27, 2017
This was truly so delightful. I loved the writing style- historical and academic with a bit of flippancy. I appreciated that the author assumed a baseline knowledge of history.
June 12, 2010
Summary: An examination of notorious royal marriages from Henry and Eleanor to Henry and his six wives to Charles and Diana.
Why I Read: My mom read it and passed it on to me.
My Thoughts: This is a delightfully gossipy history that is far more interesting than every other book I've been assigned to read this semester for history. I was surprised at how many of the couples were love matches! The big thing is that most of the ladies are repurposed from traditional portrayals into thinking, acting feminists in large part. I'm going to talk a little bit about most of the couples mentioned:
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII and Henry II: I had seen the Katharine Hepburn film The Lion in Winter (and you know the character is awesome if Kate plays her!) but I didn't know all that much about her. Now I very much want to read more both non-fiction and historical fiction about her.
Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville: I read about this couple in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' The Founding, where the characters were decidedly negative toward them but they were in love and seem to have been generally happy.
FerdinandandIsabella: He is such a tool (as will be explained more in his daughter's chapter) but they seem to have been very much in love and together were powerful Catholic monarchs.
Joanna and Philip: Philip and Joanna's father Ferdinand were such jerks; it got me thinking about portrayals of women through history (she's known as Joanna the Mad).
Arthur and Katherine of Aragon: Not much to say about this couple other than did they or didn't they?
Henry VIII and his wives: Apparently four of them had auburn hair so I guess he had a type and he seems to have been as much in love with five of them as he had the capacity to be (Anne of Cleves alas was not pretty enough to tempt him)
Henri II and Catherine de Medici: Not a love match on his side but she loved him and her role in ruling France was very impressive. She was the daughter of no one important who was then queen and mother of three kings!
Mary, Queen of Scots and her three husbands: Wow, was she in a crappy position.
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette: Apparently her spendthrift ways began before she gave brith and set her reputation for the rest of her life. They also ended up having quite a kind and intimate relationship especially once they were deposed.
George IV, the bigamist, and Maria Fitzherbert and Caroline of Brunswick: I completely understand Jane Austen's antipathy to this man because he is not honorable.
Napoleon and Marie Louise: She was kind of weird. Read it
Victoria and Albert: Obviously this was a love match but one fraught with conflict as Victoria sought to be a traditional wife who submits to her husband (WHY?!) yet cannot submit to anyone besides God as the British monarch.
Franz Joseph and Elisabeth: I read the story of her youth in those Royal Diaries series (Check those out for the 8-10 year old girl in your life.)
Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra: Another love match! I didn't know! Their story is also tragic, I mean beyond their end.
Edward VIII and Wallis: I did not know that they were fascists! I'm actually really glad that he abdicated. What if Edward and Hitler had made some kind of an alliance?!
Overall: 4 out of 5.
Cover: Not sure who that is supposed to be but it fits the style and tone.
Why I Read: My mom read it and passed it on to me.
My Thoughts: This is a delightfully gossipy history that is far more interesting than every other book I've been assigned to read this semester for history. I was surprised at how many of the couples were love matches! The big thing is that most of the ladies are repurposed from traditional portrayals into thinking, acting feminists in large part. I'm going to talk a little bit about most of the couples mentioned:
Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII and Henry II: I had seen the Katharine Hepburn film The Lion in Winter (and you know the character is awesome if Kate plays her!) but I didn't know all that much about her. Now I very much want to read more both non-fiction and historical fiction about her.
Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville: I read about this couple in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' The Founding, where the characters were decidedly negative toward them but they were in love and seem to have been generally happy.
FerdinandandIsabella: He is such a tool (as will be explained more in his daughter's chapter) but they seem to have been very much in love and together were powerful Catholic monarchs.
Joanna and Philip: Philip and Joanna's father Ferdinand were such jerks; it got me thinking about portrayals of women through history (she's known as Joanna the Mad).
Arthur and Katherine of Aragon: Not much to say about this couple other than did they or didn't they?
Henry VIII and his wives: Apparently four of them had auburn hair so I guess he had a type and he seems to have been as much in love with five of them as he had the capacity to be (Anne of Cleves alas was not pretty enough to tempt him)
Henri II and Catherine de Medici: Not a love match on his side but she loved him and her role in ruling France was very impressive. She was the daughter of no one important who was then queen and mother of three kings!
Mary, Queen of Scots and her three husbands: Wow, was she in a crappy position.
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette: Apparently her spendthrift ways began before she gave brith and set her reputation for the rest of her life. They also ended up having quite a kind and intimate relationship especially once they were deposed.
George IV, the bigamist, and Maria Fitzherbert and Caroline of Brunswick: I completely understand Jane Austen's antipathy to this man because he is not honorable.
Napoleon and Marie Louise: She was kind of weird. Read it
Victoria and Albert: Obviously this was a love match but one fraught with conflict as Victoria sought to be a traditional wife who submits to her husband (WHY?!) yet cannot submit to anyone besides God as the British monarch.
Franz Joseph and Elisabeth: I read the story of her youth in those Royal Diaries series (Check those out for the 8-10 year old girl in your life.)
Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra: Another love match! I didn't know! Their story is also tragic, I mean beyond their end.
Edward VIII and Wallis: I did not know that they were fascists! I'm actually really glad that he abdicated. What if Edward and Hitler had made some kind of an alliance?!
Overall: 4 out of 5.
Cover: Not sure who that is supposed to be but it fits the style and tone.
August 30, 2011
This is a history of the arranged marriages of royalty that for the most part turned out to be disastrous. Women were used as pawns on the chessboard of Europe for political and monetary gain. Cousins married with abandon which passed the gene causing hemophilia through many of the ruling families, as well as providing many countries with less than intelligent or sane kings and queens. The author covers many of the marriages with which we are familiar but adds her own humorous spin and keeps her tongue firmly in her cheek. It is a gossipy but enlightening book and bursts the bubble of the "great love affairs" of history. Enjoyable and entertaining.
December 31, 2011
Very readable and entertaining overview of many of Europe's royal marriages. I especially like how the author adds information about how the various royals were related, both vertically and horizontally on the family trees. I've used it several times since finishing it as a reference source of time periods and relations for other books and movies.
April 16, 2010
Sorry. I got bored about a quarter of the way through this one. It's a nice compendium of information contained in other books, and doesn't offer any new insights at all.
September 18, 2011
4.5 Rating
March 12, 2017
I found this book less interesting than her previous books. It's still well written and told with humour. I just didn't find that the characters she had chosen kept my interest.
Read
May 16, 2021DNF @ 40%
Firstly, this is not a serious work of historical nonfiction, nor is it trying to be. As you can probably tell from the subtitle, in Notorious Royal Marriages Leslie Carroll adopts a light-hearted, almost gossipy tone as she discusses the marriages of various European royal couples throughout history. This might work for you if history is not typically your thing, but you want a quick dose of speculation and rumor about what goes on behind bedroom walls in the relationships of kings and queens. It just didn't do it for me.
Very quickly, the type of humor in this history started to grate on me. Things like "Eleanor of Aquitaine redecorated the palace like a medieval Martha Stewart" or "Edward IV got so fat he more closely resembled Jabba the Hut" fell completely flat for me. Leslie Carroll also has a weird obsession with emphasizing that a lot of these couples were related, which is like...yeah, royals married their cousins, everyone knows this, at the time they did not consider it weird. And some of these couples were not even that closely related. Like yeah, Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine were fourth cousins. That means they shared a great-great-great-grandfather and approximately 0.20% of DNA. I do not even know who my fourth cousins are, if I even have any.
(Now, don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging you to find and marry your fourth cousin. I just found that her constant need to emphasize *gasp* THEY WERE MARRIED AND THEY WERE SECOND/THIRD/FOURTH COUSINS!! THE HORROR!! got old pretty quickly. Like yeah, I get it, move on.)
Some of the author's attempts at jokes also, in my opinion, felt mean-spirited. Not that I care about the feelings of a monarch who has been dead for 500 years, but I often found myself cringing, not laughing. She said things like calling two men with dementia "crackpots" and made a lot of insensitive fat jokes about Henry VIII. Seriously, out of all the things you could make fun of Henry VIII for you choose his weight?! Not his fragile male ego? His temper? His desperate need for marriage counseling? Even little comments like calling Jane Seymour a "doormat" felt harsh and unfunny to me.
I made it through a little over 200 pages, but I do not think I had it in me to read 300 more. This book is right for someone I'm sure, but not for me.
Firstly, this is not a serious work of historical nonfiction, nor is it trying to be. As you can probably tell from the subtitle, in Notorious Royal Marriages Leslie Carroll adopts a light-hearted, almost gossipy tone as she discusses the marriages of various European royal couples throughout history. This might work for you if history is not typically your thing, but you want a quick dose of speculation and rumor about what goes on behind bedroom walls in the relationships of kings and queens. It just didn't do it for me.
Very quickly, the type of humor in this history started to grate on me. Things like "Eleanor of Aquitaine redecorated the palace like a medieval Martha Stewart" or "Edward IV got so fat he more closely resembled Jabba the Hut" fell completely flat for me. Leslie Carroll also has a weird obsession with emphasizing that a lot of these couples were related, which is like...yeah, royals married their cousins, everyone knows this, at the time they did not consider it weird. And some of these couples were not even that closely related. Like yeah, Louis VII of France and Eleanor of Aquitaine were fourth cousins. That means they shared a great-great-great-grandfather and approximately 0.20% of DNA. I do not even know who my fourth cousins are, if I even have any.
(Now, don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging you to find and marry your fourth cousin. I just found that her constant need to emphasize *gasp* THEY WERE MARRIED AND THEY WERE SECOND/THIRD/FOURTH COUSINS!! THE HORROR!! got old pretty quickly. Like yeah, I get it, move on.)
Some of the author's attempts at jokes also, in my opinion, felt mean-spirited. Not that I care about the feelings of a monarch who has been dead for 500 years, but I often found myself cringing, not laughing. She said things like calling two men with dementia "crackpots" and made a lot of insensitive fat jokes about Henry VIII. Seriously, out of all the things you could make fun of Henry VIII for you choose his weight?! Not his fragile male ego? His temper? His desperate need for marriage counseling? Even little comments like calling Jane Seymour a "doormat" felt harsh and unfunny to me.
I made it through a little over 200 pages, but I do not think I had it in me to read 300 more. This book is right for someone I'm sure, but not for me.
September 28, 2010
Whilst I was secretly hoping for a long lost relative or descendent of Lewis Carroll with the author being Leslie Carroll, I guess instead I'll settle for some gossipy history. It's like the E! Network and People Magazine for ancient times. I feel dirty already.
But the opening page eased my worries as Countess Dangerosa was brought up. How pimp is that name? I’d give my left nut for all the fun I'd have with that name on the playground growing up. You think anyone would hassle me in capture the flag or the now-banned red rover as Mini Dangerosa? I'd rule that place! Lunch money would jump out of pockets at me as I walked down the halls.
Not only that but now when I hear of someone passing away from dysentery I get a chuckle out of it. Like the question to ford the river or caulk my wagon is just around the bend (always caulk). Thank you Oregon Trail for making a farce out of a grave disease?
Now honestly, I love reading about such time periods such as if you could overtake your neighbors castles or country they became yours. I propose we bring this back into effect but more in an American Gladiators way. Id human cannonball you right out of your house. And then I'd human cannonball your mom. Lovingly.
They also quite common had marriage by abduction. How cool is that? It's like real-life capture the flag for poonany. Clearly, I was born in the wrong time.
First up, Louis VII & Eleanor of Aquitaine who came into power around 15 years of age. And she absolutely wore the pants. Changing the entire castle decor & adding such smart features as fireplaces in rooms as well as making decisions for the kingdom. Fuck that makes me look lame. I felt accomplished at 15 if I saved up enough for No Doubts ‘Tragic Kingdom’ album. (still excellent)
But then if I had to have the Pope point me toward a bed and tell me to "heed natures call"...I THINK I'd be able to tell this marriage was doomed. That and my ex-hubbys daughter would eventually become my new hubbys mistress? Days of Our Lives can suck it. They have nothing on medieval times.
And I'm well aware that hell awaits me for my dastardly deeds on earth & for not making the catholic faith proud as a born & raised member, but anyone who's really delved into all aspects of Catholicism...usually doesn't remain such an enamored member. I'd like to say the church has improved since the time that incest was illegal...unless the Pope said it was ok (which is in ALOT of these marriages) but then, well, you know where the church is at now.
Another thing that I particularly enjoyed was the raging infidelity. I know we crucify Tiger, Tiger Woods y’all and Bill Clinton, and I'm not condoning any of their actions (bc sometimes, just sometimes that Denny waitress has a full set of teeth and you can't contain yourself) but back in the day? It was just kind of what was expected. Sometimes the ladies lashed out, sometimes they did nothing and sometimes they were the ones that'd make Tiger blush. If it weren't for all the dysentery, I'd get my time machine to send me right on back...
Moving on to that wily Henry XIII. Smart bastard. When something doesn't work for him, he just makes a law around it. Even one making it illegal to speak ill of his re-marriage to Anne Bolyn after tossing his first wife in the trash. If that law were still in place the entire E! Network would be beheaded. Wait a min....
Which only makes it fitting that the words syphilis and advanced gonorrhea make it into a book that isn't anywhere near a medical texts. Let's just be honest here: royalty are crazy whores with power, like Courtney Love...except with power. One king can stick it in every hoo-haa in Europe then have his innocent wife beheaded for adultery. (that dang wily Henry VIII again!)
While the power leaned heavily in the men's favor, it was surprising to read just how pussy whipped Napoleon was by his first wife Josephine, who he stayed w even after her torrid affair w one of his trusted men. And she was described as having black nubs for teeth from all the sugar she ingested growing up. There are a few things I can look over sure, but black nubs for teeth?! Oh f* no!
Overall, though the writing by Carroll is impressive. This books nearly 400 pages fly by as she crafts the stories in quick & compact ways that give you the EXACT amount of details and 0 trans fat. Obese America thanks you Ms. Carroll.
But the opening page eased my worries as Countess Dangerosa was brought up. How pimp is that name? I’d give my left nut for all the fun I'd have with that name on the playground growing up. You think anyone would hassle me in capture the flag or the now-banned red rover as Mini Dangerosa? I'd rule that place! Lunch money would jump out of pockets at me as I walked down the halls.
Not only that but now when I hear of someone passing away from dysentery I get a chuckle out of it. Like the question to ford the river or caulk my wagon is just around the bend (always caulk). Thank you Oregon Trail for making a farce out of a grave disease?
Now honestly, I love reading about such time periods such as if you could overtake your neighbors castles or country they became yours. I propose we bring this back into effect but more in an American Gladiators way. Id human cannonball you right out of your house. And then I'd human cannonball your mom. Lovingly.
They also quite common had marriage by abduction. How cool is that? It's like real-life capture the flag for poonany. Clearly, I was born in the wrong time.
First up, Louis VII & Eleanor of Aquitaine who came into power around 15 years of age. And she absolutely wore the pants. Changing the entire castle decor & adding such smart features as fireplaces in rooms as well as making decisions for the kingdom. Fuck that makes me look lame. I felt accomplished at 15 if I saved up enough for No Doubts ‘Tragic Kingdom’ album. (still excellent)
But then if I had to have the Pope point me toward a bed and tell me to "heed natures call"...I THINK I'd be able to tell this marriage was doomed. That and my ex-hubbys daughter would eventually become my new hubbys mistress? Days of Our Lives can suck it. They have nothing on medieval times.
And I'm well aware that hell awaits me for my dastardly deeds on earth & for not making the catholic faith proud as a born & raised member, but anyone who's really delved into all aspects of Catholicism...usually doesn't remain such an enamored member. I'd like to say the church has improved since the time that incest was illegal...unless the Pope said it was ok (which is in ALOT of these marriages) but then, well, you know where the church is at now.
Another thing that I particularly enjoyed was the raging infidelity. I know we crucify Tiger, Tiger Woods y’all and Bill Clinton, and I'm not condoning any of their actions (bc sometimes, just sometimes that Denny waitress has a full set of teeth and you can't contain yourself) but back in the day? It was just kind of what was expected. Sometimes the ladies lashed out, sometimes they did nothing and sometimes they were the ones that'd make Tiger blush. If it weren't for all the dysentery, I'd get my time machine to send me right on back...
Moving on to that wily Henry XIII. Smart bastard. When something doesn't work for him, he just makes a law around it. Even one making it illegal to speak ill of his re-marriage to Anne Bolyn after tossing his first wife in the trash. If that law were still in place the entire E! Network would be beheaded. Wait a min....
Which only makes it fitting that the words syphilis and advanced gonorrhea make it into a book that isn't anywhere near a medical texts. Let's just be honest here: royalty are crazy whores with power, like Courtney Love...except with power. One king can stick it in every hoo-haa in Europe then have his innocent wife beheaded for adultery. (that dang wily Henry VIII again!)
While the power leaned heavily in the men's favor, it was surprising to read just how pussy whipped Napoleon was by his first wife Josephine, who he stayed w even after her torrid affair w one of his trusted men. And she was described as having black nubs for teeth from all the sugar she ingested growing up. There are a few things I can look over sure, but black nubs for teeth?! Oh f* no!
Overall, though the writing by Carroll is impressive. This books nearly 400 pages fly by as she crafts the stories in quick & compact ways that give you the EXACT amount of details and 0 trans fat. Obese America thanks you Ms. Carroll.
January 15, 2015
Leslie Carroll does an admirable job outlining the many renowned royal marriages through the centuries. Students of history will recognize many of the subjects of whom Carroll chose to write, but the reader won't mind as the author's writing style is fluid with the ability to sustain interest. I'd read books in the past about some of the royal subjects covered in this book -- from England's famous Wars of the Roses love match -- Edward IV's marriage to commoner Elizabeth Woodville, to Henry VIII's infamous marriages to his six consorts in the sixteenth century, Queen Victoria's nineteenth century marriage to her cousin, Prince Albert, right through to the depictions of one of Russia's greatest monarchs (Catherine the Great in the eighteenth century) to its weakest (early twentieth century's Nicholas II -- Russia's last Tsar). I'd even indulged in reading books on Diana, Princess of Wales (also a subject in this book) and her marriage to Charles, Prince of Wales. But, despite the prior knowledge, Carroll's investigative nature led her to uncover some nuggets of information that had previously been unknown to me, and even when she described details I had previously come to know, I found I wasn't bored by the reminders of my prior knowledge.
There were times that I had wished Carroll had decided against certain choices (I could have, for instance, done less with Henry VIII of whom I've read plenty; yes, Carroll covers all six of his marriages. Henry is one of those notorious historical characters that's covered ad nauseam by biographers). Understanding of why Carroll chose to include such a rich source of royal marriage, I still would have preferred to have read about the marriage between Henry VIII's parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, whose union combined the two warring houses of the Wars of the Roses, effectively ending England's first civil war. Elizabeth of York and Henry VII were absent from the list, but Elizabeth's parents, Edward IV & Elizabeth Woodville were represented.
There were a few subject examples that I had had very limited previous knowledge -- France's Henri II and Catherine de Medici, and Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriages to two kings -- France's Louis VII and, later, England's Henry II. It was interesting to gain greater insight into those historical pairings.
One of the most fascinating subjects in the book is Elisabeth of Bavaria who went on to marry King Franz Joseph of Austria. Readers will notice similarities between the eighteenth century's Elisabeth and the later twentieth century's Diana, Princess of Wales. Both were painfully shy and woefully cast into a royal world for which they were ill-suited, and both came to tragic, violent ends. In many ways, the similarities in their personalities as well as the mirroring problems that arose from that fact were at times startling.
"Notorious Royal Marriages" spans nine centuries. Carroll covers the gamut from political marriages to those that arose from love; even providing an example of an illegal union in the case of England's Protestant King George IV to the Catholic Maria Fitzherbert. The reader will sometimes feel for the subjects for whom Carroll writes (Catherine de Medici, Elizabeth Woodville, and Caroline Brunswick just to name three) while finding other subjects more vile (Henry VIII & Napoleon to name two; Isabelle of the Isabelle/Ferdinand pairing to name another). Modern readers will also find fascination with the more contemporary matches such as Grace Kelly's marriage to Monaco's Prince Rainier. And for any fan of current English royalty, there is a chapter devoted to Prince Charles' marriages to both Diana Spencer & Camilla Parker-Bowles. In essence, this book has enough to satisfy any reader who might find the political or love matches of the world's royalty a compelling topic. In fact, the reader will be fascinated by the fact that inter-marrying among the royal houses was so common, that it was next to impossible NOT to marry a cousin when marrying into a royal house of another country.
Leslie Carroll's "Notorious Royal Marriages" sustained my interest to such an extent that her book on Royal Affairs has now been placed on my "to read" list. I highly recommend "Notorious Royal Marriages" to any Royal aficionado.
There were times that I had wished Carroll had decided against certain choices (I could have, for instance, done less with Henry VIII of whom I've read plenty; yes, Carroll covers all six of his marriages. Henry is one of those notorious historical characters that's covered ad nauseam by biographers). Understanding of why Carroll chose to include such a rich source of royal marriage, I still would have preferred to have read about the marriage between Henry VIII's parents, Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, whose union combined the two warring houses of the Wars of the Roses, effectively ending England's first civil war. Elizabeth of York and Henry VII were absent from the list, but Elizabeth's parents, Edward IV & Elizabeth Woodville were represented.
There were a few subject examples that I had had very limited previous knowledge -- France's Henri II and Catherine de Medici, and Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriages to two kings -- France's Louis VII and, later, England's Henry II. It was interesting to gain greater insight into those historical pairings.
One of the most fascinating subjects in the book is Elisabeth of Bavaria who went on to marry King Franz Joseph of Austria. Readers will notice similarities between the eighteenth century's Elisabeth and the later twentieth century's Diana, Princess of Wales. Both were painfully shy and woefully cast into a royal world for which they were ill-suited, and both came to tragic, violent ends. In many ways, the similarities in their personalities as well as the mirroring problems that arose from that fact were at times startling.
"Notorious Royal Marriages" spans nine centuries. Carroll covers the gamut from political marriages to those that arose from love; even providing an example of an illegal union in the case of England's Protestant King George IV to the Catholic Maria Fitzherbert. The reader will sometimes feel for the subjects for whom Carroll writes (Catherine de Medici, Elizabeth Woodville, and Caroline Brunswick just to name three) while finding other subjects more vile (Henry VIII & Napoleon to name two; Isabelle of the Isabelle/Ferdinand pairing to name another). Modern readers will also find fascination with the more contemporary matches such as Grace Kelly's marriage to Monaco's Prince Rainier. And for any fan of current English royalty, there is a chapter devoted to Prince Charles' marriages to both Diana Spencer & Camilla Parker-Bowles. In essence, this book has enough to satisfy any reader who might find the political or love matches of the world's royalty a compelling topic. In fact, the reader will be fascinated by the fact that inter-marrying among the royal houses was so common, that it was next to impossible NOT to marry a cousin when marrying into a royal house of another country.
Leslie Carroll's "Notorious Royal Marriages" sustained my interest to such an extent that her book on Royal Affairs has now been placed on my "to read" list. I highly recommend "Notorious Royal Marriages" to any Royal aficionado.
February 4, 2010
Notorious Royal Marriages, by Leslie Carroll
Be prepared for an enchanting time with a story teller who’s sure to become one of your favourite raconteurs of the past. Leslie Carroll, author of Notorious Royal Marriages, promises you a memorable date with history; be sure to bring your own wine…you’re staying up late tonight.
Notorious Royal Marriages, by Leslie Carroll focuses on some of the most renowned royal couples in history. The stories include European monarchs from as early as the 12th c all the way to Charles and Camilla. Although some of these stories are well-known to many of us, there are so many unheard of-before-juicy details that beg to be told, and this is splendidly done in a friend to friend-sit-back and let me tell you-kind of way. Leslie Carroll has an incredible knack for stirring up curiosity; leading you to reading each chapter without skipping a beat. I just had to keep on reading to find out more.
If you think this is going to be just another non-fiction factual type of read- you’re so wrong! Yes, you’ll learn the history and a lot more interesting stuff than you might have read somewhere else before- but that’s not all. Notorious Royal Marriages is also thought-provoking; another way to look at things; a different take on what you previously knew. This book will not leave you unmarked- it will definitely bring up controversy and maybe even nudge you the wrong way. Leslie Carroll tells it as it is- whether you like it or not. Don’t be surprised if after reading about your favourite historical figure, he/she might have lost some of the shine; or, it may be quite possible that the royal you’ve always most despised, comes out looking like he had some very good reason…
Whether you agree with the history or not, Notorious Royal Marriages will open up a whole new set of questions and curiosities, setting the stage for great discussion-Just like a Pandora’s Box waiting to be opened. You’ll only be wishing that the author could be right there with you sharing or opposing in the juiciest gossip ever told.
Who did I enjoy reading about the most? By far, Victoria and Albert- what a romance!
What did I like the least about some of these royals? Well, we already know a great deal about their incestuous ways…this still gets me every time. However, I’ll have to say that Edward VIII, I found pretty revolting (morally, regally and politically).
After all this, who do I still love, love, love? Well, Josephine, Marie-Antoinette, Sophia Dorothea, and Princess Diana, will always have my heart.
Extremely entertaining read!
August 6, 2010
Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire, as its mouthful of a subtitle articulates, offers a trip through almost a millennium’s worth of scandalous true stories populated by royal husbands and wives. And, boy, what an exciting trip it is. It is a book which owes its spine to the less than lovely love stories of thirty-two royal marriages told in chronological order by wedding date and marked by varying levels of spicy controversy, beginning with the ill-fated pairing of Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 1100s and concluding with the love triangle of Princess Diana, Prince Charles, and Camilla Parker Bowles, the subjects of many a paparazzi photo and much tabloid tittle tattle during the last couple of decades.
History asserts that most marriages amongst European royalty and nobility were less concerned with love than with the prospects of expanding territories, which fueled the matrimony of the above-mentioned twelfth-century couple, and prolonging dynasties, which motivated Napoleon Bonaparte to divorce Josephine when she failed to bear him a male heir. Historical nonfiction author Leslie Carroll, armed with an assortment of well-researched facts and a knack for entertaining and not at all yawn-inducing storytelling, makes good cases of this in Notorious Royal Marriages, as she reveals that although the unions of most royal couples were celebrated with grand fairy tale wedding ceremonies, their perfunctory “I do’s” actually heralded a series of unfortunate marital and extramarital events.
Quite delightfully, Notorious Royal Marriages lends weight to the lamentable and reductive age-old reflection that everyone loves a royal wedding... Everyone except for the royal couple, that is.
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This review was cross-posted from The Polysyllabic Spree. Notorious Royal Marriages is available at Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
History asserts that most marriages amongst European royalty and nobility were less concerned with love than with the prospects of expanding territories, which fueled the matrimony of the above-mentioned twelfth-century couple, and prolonging dynasties, which motivated Napoleon Bonaparte to divorce Josephine when she failed to bear him a male heir. Historical nonfiction author Leslie Carroll, armed with an assortment of well-researched facts and a knack for entertaining and not at all yawn-inducing storytelling, makes good cases of this in Notorious Royal Marriages, as she reveals that although the unions of most royal couples were celebrated with grand fairy tale wedding ceremonies, their perfunctory “I do’s” actually heralded a series of unfortunate marital and extramarital events.
Quite delightfully, Notorious Royal Marriages lends weight to the lamentable and reductive age-old reflection that everyone loves a royal wedding... Everyone except for the royal couple, that is.
--
This review was cross-posted from The Polysyllabic Spree. Notorious Royal Marriages is available at Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
June 23, 2013
Interesting survey of notable marriages among European royalty from the 1100s (Eleanor of Aquitaine, wow) to today (the Duchess of Cornwall, ick). As is so often the case with European history, my favorite parts were the insults:
lady-faced: Beardless and too femininely pretty to be attractive to women. An envoy used this term to describe Lord Darnley, who shortly afterward seduced and eloped with Mary, Queen of Scots.
hoyden: A boisterous girl; a tomboy. Used by the author to describe Marie Antoinette.
giddy-pate: Airheaded. Marie Antoinette's older brother called her this, and he was probably right.
canaille: A French word meaning "riff-raff." Apparently, when you're a teenage queen, you aren't supposed to leave your husband the king alone at night while you play cards with your pals.
ratty: term one of Prince Charles's employees used to describe him, along with "fussy" and "irascible." Apparently he is growing even more unpleasant in his old age, and Camilla is discovering that being a part of the royal family isn't as easy as she thought it would be. Hah.
lady-faced: Beardless and too femininely pretty to be attractive to women. An envoy used this term to describe Lord Darnley, who shortly afterward seduced and eloped with Mary, Queen of Scots.
hoyden: A boisterous girl; a tomboy. Used by the author to describe Marie Antoinette.
giddy-pate: Airheaded. Marie Antoinette's older brother called her this, and he was probably right.
canaille: A French word meaning "riff-raff." Apparently, when you're a teenage queen, you aren't supposed to leave your husband the king alone at night while you play cards with your pals.
ratty: term one of Prince Charles's employees used to describe him, along with "fussy" and "irascible." Apparently he is growing even more unpleasant in his old age, and Camilla is discovering that being a part of the royal family isn't as easy as she thought it would be. Hah.
April 22, 2011
A most enjoyable and entertaining read. The book certainly is not a historical tome by any means, but rather provides a glimpse into an institution which for thousands of years determined the shape and nature of the world. This book illustrates how the royal families and marriages were used to cement and create political alliances and ensure that countries achieved and worked towards their strategic objectives.
On a whole different level, the book is also gossipy and in many respects reflects the current infatuation which continues to be held by societies and different cultures for royal families around the world. Hundreds of years ago royal brides were treated and ended up in the same situation as what Princess Diana and Fergie subsequently achieved during their time as members of the British royal family.
Highly recommend it as light reading and pleasant bedtime reading. A great way to finish the day.
On a whole different level, the book is also gossipy and in many respects reflects the current infatuation which continues to be held by societies and different cultures for royal families around the world. Hundreds of years ago royal brides were treated and ended up in the same situation as what Princess Diana and Fergie subsequently achieved during their time as members of the British royal family.
Highly recommend it as light reading and pleasant bedtime reading. A great way to finish the day.
February 5, 2011
A very interesting read. It brings to light a lot of interesting points in the history of royal marriages. You always hear how intermarried they were, for instance, but this book really brings it home. Of course, reading about how two married people were raising armies against each other but still making babies together was incredible to think about it!
It's not terriby in-depth, but it's not meant to be- it's supposed to be general knowledge on each of the subjects. In that way it was an easy read, informative, very clean and conceise. Good work on the author and a very interesting subject!
Also, FYI, it's not that sexual. I'd rate it PG at most. For you squeamish things out there. ;)
It's not terriby in-depth, but it's not meant to be- it's supposed to be general knowledge on each of the subjects. In that way it was an easy read, informative, very clean and conceise. Good work on the author and a very interesting subject!
Also, FYI, it's not that sexual. I'd rate it PG at most. For you squeamish things out there. ;)
April 28, 2011
This book is part of a genre I now call "history lite-ish"--cheesy cover, cheesy title and regular old interesting history in the middle. This is a very good look at royal marriages through the ages. And, with the exception of once-in-a-while descent into language like "Henry was sure there was nothing wrong with his plumbing," it is just well-written history broken into chapters that don't necessarily need to be read in order (although they are in sequential order). Clearly the covers and titles of these books are for sales purposes although I'm sure for some, like me, it had the reverse effect of making me avoid them for a long time. The ones I've read so far have been just good popular histories.
February 20, 2014
The history of scandalous romances of the rich and famous, those born to royalty or the aristocracy of various European countries. This is very enlightening and engaging for those interested in the hidden sins of people born to glory but turn out to be as normal as the lower classes in that they fall in love with the wrong people and so forth. Most of the affairs in this book were openly conducted so that everyone knew it but otherwise had to turn a blind eye.
While reading this book I wondered what would they have done if modern tabloids had been available?
Most of their subjects in their time couldn't even read!
While reading this book I wondered what would they have done if modern tabloids had been available?
Most of their subjects in their time couldn't even read!
June 26, 2017
Oh this was fun. While a good chunk of the couples discussed within it I had already known a great deal about (especially Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Six Wives of Henry VIII) but the way this was written made it easy to read and easy to learn so that those who are new to the historical scene can get their feet wet easily. I also enjoyed the snark that was employed throughout the book, which made it fun.
I have Ms. Carroll's other two compilations that I look forward to reading through and expect good fun from them too.
I have Ms. Carroll's other two compilations that I look forward to reading through and expect good fun from them too.
January 16, 2012
I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars if there was such an option. Well written and well researched, the truth is interesting enough without the author attempting to be salacious, as I have seen with other books of this type. Ms. Carroll did a great job of presenting the facts. I would recommend this to all history buffs, particularly Anglophiles. Who needs TMZ and People when you have Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville.
August 14, 2016
A big change for me, not military history or even about one central historic figure. However, this is one of the best books I've ever read (sorry I lent it out). It is tagged as historical, retrospect indicated inaccuracies in the text; my response - no matter. It is VERY entertaining reading and if one does find a fault, it well provides a trigger for some insightful homework - Great Book, each chapter covers a differing historic couple.
February 6, 2010
Like it's predecessor, it can serve as a good introduction to monarchical history, this time covering parts of European royalty too, not just the British. However, I didn't always agree with her assessment of historical figures and it covers a lot of the same royals you find in the author's non-fiction debut "Royal Affairs" so there is some overlap over information.
April 24, 2010
I'm not sure I would call the marriage of Victoria and Albert a "notorious" one. Also, way too much on the wives of Henry "Head Chopper" VIII. Some of them could have been combined into one chapter.
But overall, an entertaining and amusing read, with a focus on France and England. I love the section about Catherine de Medici.
But overall, an entertaining and amusing read, with a focus on France and England. I love the section about Catherine de Medici.
March 31, 2017
I echo Emily's review - the writing was academic and historical, and flippant and fresh. I was looking for a lighter read, and I thank my friend for sharing her library treasures. I enjoyed the scope of the book: focusing on the actual marriages and affairs, within the larger historical context.
Also: Papal dispensations for incest - perhaps why royal issue had such issues. Also: that one guy whose mom married his dad because his uncle thought mom was ugly - and had a penchant for ugly mistresses himself, including one who was the daughter of his father's mistress, who was probably his half-sister yikes!
Also: Papal dispensations for incest - perhaps why royal issue had such issues. Also: that one guy whose mom married his dad because his uncle thought mom was ugly - and had a penchant for ugly mistresses himself, including one who was the daughter of his father's mistress, who was probably his half-sister yikes!
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