The Royal Families of Europe

by Geoffrey Hindley

As fascinating as it is informative, this chronicle of Europe's most enduring system of government—monarchy—explores the many colorful and often controversial facets of an institution that has survived revolution, warfare, regicides, national strife, and the occasional sheer incompetence of the head beneath the crown. While it considers monarchical history as well as the tales, intrigues, scandals, and historical gossip that have attached themselves to both the British and continental monarchies, this always engaging volume also speculates upon the future of European monarchy as a vital and viable form of government after the year 2000. The speculation is not idle, for monarchy continues to command the world's attention and to wield significant influence throughout Europe. Of the fifteen members of the European Union, seven are monarchies—among them Spain, whose king saved the country's democracy from a military coup in the 1980s, and Belgium, where the monarchy has proven to be a crucial factor in the survival of a fractured nation. In England four generations of Windsors survive and thrive, and the Dutch royal house, too, enjoys immense popularity. Meanwhile, former monarchs like Constantine II of Greece, Michael II of Romania, and Simeon of Bulgaria retain their titles and loyal followers who refuse to forfeit the hope of their kings' restoration to power. Surveying the sweep of monarchy in Britain and across the regal face of the European continent, The Royal Families of Europe adeptly illuminates an institution that flourishes with possibilities and prospects beyond ceremony, ermine robes, crowns, and scepters.

Genres: Royalty, Nonfiction, History

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Geoffrey Hindley (1935-2014), educated at Kingswood School, Bath and University College Oxford, was a lecturer and writer. He was three times an invited participant at the International Congress on Medieval Studies, Western Michigan University; was visiting associate professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville; and lectured in Europe and America on European culture,
medieval social history and Magna Carta, and the history of music. From 1994 to 2000 he taught English civilization at the University of Le Havre. Right up until his death he was co-president of the Society for the History of Medieval Technology and Science of Oxford and London.

Reviews

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, although I think it probably could have done with maps, family trees and more photos. I wonder if there are any plans for an update, thirteen years on.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this due to Downton Abbey. Quite interesting for those who like that and Europe.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 2000, the info about current royals is a bit outdated. But the historical biographies of each royal house and how they got to the millenium is still good. And it's nice to find information on the European royals in English with having to include their connections to the British royals.

Each chapter focuses on a royal house, beginning with the multiple pretenders to defunct thrones before moving to the current reigning monarchies. Hindley has a concise writing style, delivering information without taking his topic to seriously. He considers each monarchy on its own terms, based on the country's constitution and culture.

[Melody · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it to page 47. There were some errors that I found in the sections of history that I have read quite a lot of about. This made me too leery about trusting the sections with which I am not familiar. In addition, there were some confusing editing errors that required re-reading and double-checking names on family trees. These should have been caught in the editing process.

[Fran Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are interested in royalty, currently on their thrones or never have been on their thrones, this is the book for you. From the British to the Russians to the Bulgarian Tsars, they are all here for your reading.

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every so often, some author or editor suddenly discovers that Europe is still full of monarchies, as well as pretenders to various thrones, and a new, updated book gets written, giving details on the historical background and present-day situation of each royal personage. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though many such books are written in too breathless a style to be of much serious interest. Hindley is an unapologetic monarchist who believes a constitutional (as opposed to absolute) sovereign is the "most trouble-free method available of choosing a head of state." He begins with those countries where monarchs are still politically involved, even though their countries are now republics (he’s especially partial to royal informality in Sweden), and continues with an assessment of future prospects in constitutional monarchies. (Personal wealth helps; Prince Hans Adam of Liechtenstein probably could buy or sell his diminutive nation outright.) It’s difficult to work up much enthusiasm for the various Balkan monarchs, all of whom were overthrown with prejudice, and France represents a singular case, its history being filled with republics interspersed with monarchies. Ranier of Monaco, though somewhat autocratic in his actions, did wonders in making secure the political and economic independence of his state, and the restoration of the Spanish royals was actually a step toward restored democracy. In fact, Hindley is a fan of King Juan Carlos, who took a very strong personal role (for a modern European monarch) in putting down the attempted military coup of 1980. The author’s style is factual and highly readable and — except for a number of regrettable lapses in copyediting and proofreading — this volume will do very well until the next one is published.